you. What’s going on?”
Crystal quieted down a notch. “You mean you really don’t know? It was all over the news tonight. I don’t even own a tv and I saw it!”
“The news is depressing. I was watching High School Musical on the Disney Channel.”
She gave me the biggest eyeball roll in recorded history and turned on my computer. A minute later a clip from tonight’s WINN broadcast popped up on the screen. It was Art Metropolis, news anchor and colossal pinhead.
“Police are searching tonight for a person of interest in the murder of 39 year-old Olivia Bowen, a case worker for homeless youth in Philadelphia. Bowen was spotted earlier on the evening of the murder speaking with an unidentified person in the parking lot of Kenny’s Steak House. Bowen’s body was discovered late last night by dock workers, in the Delaware River marshes, just north of the airport.”
“
Why would Crystal want me to see this?”
I thought. A split second later I had my answer.
“If anyone has information on the identity or whereabouts of this person, please contact the police department at the number on the screen below.”
I automatically glanced down at the number and when I looked up again a graphic of the “person of interest” appeared on the screen. She was big as life and twice as ugly.
“Holy Cow, it’s Bunny!”
Crystal clicked off the computer screen. “Don’t act so surprised. If you didn’t tell the police where to look for her who did?”
“Crystal,” I said, trying to choose my words carefully. “I honestly don’t know. I gave you my word that I wouldn’t involve the police and I didn’t. But I think you’re missing the big picture here. The cops probably think Bunny killed that woman. ‘Person of interest’ is usually just a euphemism for ‘We know you did it but we can’t prove anything yet.’ If you know where Bunny’s hiding, then—”
“Then
what?”
Crystal exploded. “Turn her in? You think it’s that easy? You have no fucking idea what my life would be like if word got out that I snitched. I’d be dead inside of a week.”
Uttering those words seemed to unleash a torrent of pent up emotion in the poor kid. She paced around the room talking non-stop for the next thirty minutes describing, in sometimes horrifying detail, what it was like for kids living on the streets. I sat cross-legged on the couch, silent, listening and fighting my impulse to fling my arms around her and tell her it would be alright. Because the truth was I had no idea in the world if things would ever turn out okay for her, and the last thing she needed was one more lying adult in her life.
When she was finished she stopped pacing and sat down, the wind finally out of her sails. I got up and went into the kitchen, returning a minute later with a package of Tastykakes and two glasses of milk. I set them on the table.
“Help yourself.”
“I haven’t had one of these since I was little,” she said quietly. “My grandma used to send them to me every year on my birthday.” She picked up a cupcake and took a big hungry bite.
“So, you didn’t grow up around here?”
Crystal shook her head.
A regular fountain of information, that one.
“Is your grandma still alive?”
“I haven’t seen her in a long time. After—” She shrugged. “We don’t keep in touch.”
Crystal finished her cupcake and downed the rest of her milk. “Thanks.” She gestured toward the empty glass. “Look, for the record, I don’t know where Bunny is. I haven’t seen her since yesterday afternoon. You don’t have to believe me but that’s the truth.”
“I believe you. But if you
did
know—well, just do what you have to do to keep yourself safe.”
She gave me a look that was borderline sheepish. “Um, there
is
something I should maybe mention to you.”
Uh oh. I’ve said those very words to people just before I tell them something they really don’t want to hear… Okay, stay calm. She won’t confide in
Crystal quieted down a notch. “You mean you really don’t know? It was all over the news tonight. I don’t even own a tv and I saw it!”
“The news is depressing. I was watching High School Musical on the Disney Channel.”
She gave me the biggest eyeball roll in recorded history and turned on my computer. A minute later a clip from tonight’s WINN broadcast popped up on the screen. It was Art Metropolis, news anchor and colossal pinhead.
“Police are searching tonight for a person of interest in the murder of 39 year-old Olivia Bowen, a case worker for homeless youth in Philadelphia. Bowen was spotted earlier on the evening of the murder speaking with an unidentified person in the parking lot of Kenny’s Steak House. Bowen’s body was discovered late last night by dock workers, in the Delaware River marshes, just north of the airport.”
“
Why would Crystal want me to see this?”
I thought. A split second later I had my answer.
“If anyone has information on the identity or whereabouts of this person, please contact the police department at the number on the screen below.”
I automatically glanced down at the number and when I looked up again a graphic of the “person of interest” appeared on the screen. She was big as life and twice as ugly.
“Holy Cow, it’s Bunny!”
Crystal clicked off the computer screen. “Don’t act so surprised. If you didn’t tell the police where to look for her who did?”
“Crystal,” I said, trying to choose my words carefully. “I honestly don’t know. I gave you my word that I wouldn’t involve the police and I didn’t. But I think you’re missing the big picture here. The cops probably think Bunny killed that woman. ‘Person of interest’ is usually just a euphemism for ‘We know you did it but we can’t prove anything yet.’ If you know where Bunny’s hiding, then—”
“Then
what?”
Crystal exploded. “Turn her in? You think it’s that easy? You have no fucking idea what my life would be like if word got out that I snitched. I’d be dead inside of a week.”
Uttering those words seemed to unleash a torrent of pent up emotion in the poor kid. She paced around the room talking non-stop for the next thirty minutes describing, in sometimes horrifying detail, what it was like for kids living on the streets. I sat cross-legged on the couch, silent, listening and fighting my impulse to fling my arms around her and tell her it would be alright. Because the truth was I had no idea in the world if things would ever turn out okay for her, and the last thing she needed was one more lying adult in her life.
When she was finished she stopped pacing and sat down, the wind finally out of her sails. I got up and went into the kitchen, returning a minute later with a package of Tastykakes and two glasses of milk. I set them on the table.
“Help yourself.”
“I haven’t had one of these since I was little,” she said quietly. “My grandma used to send them to me every year on my birthday.” She picked up a cupcake and took a big hungry bite.
“So, you didn’t grow up around here?”
Crystal shook her head.
A regular fountain of information, that one.
“Is your grandma still alive?”
“I haven’t seen her in a long time. After—” She shrugged. “We don’t keep in touch.”
Crystal finished her cupcake and downed the rest of her milk. “Thanks.” She gestured toward the empty glass. “Look, for the record, I don’t know where Bunny is. I haven’t seen her since yesterday afternoon. You don’t have to believe me but that’s the truth.”
“I believe you. But if you
did
know—well, just do what you have to do to keep yourself safe.”
She gave me a look that was borderline sheepish. “Um, there
is
something I should maybe mention to you.”
Uh oh. I’ve said those very words to people just before I tell them something they really don’t want to hear… Okay, stay calm. She won’t confide in
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