“Do you know your tail light is out?”
“Um, no officer,” Ryan says respectfully. “Ibarely drive. We live in the city.”
The policeman, whose nametag reads OfficerVincent, just nods and for some reason my stress level suddenlyshoots through the roof. The officer takes Ryan’s identificationback to his cruiser while we sit and wait in the car. Ryan’s leg isshaking out of control and the look in his eye is anxious. I put myhand on his thigh. “Everything is going to be alright,” I try tosoothe him. “He’s just writing you a ticket,” but as I speak theencouraging words, I know, deep down they aren’t true.
Officer Vincent returns a few minutes later.His face stoic, his body stiff, “Can the two of you please step outof the car.”
Oh shit.
As Ryan and I both step out, another cruisershows up. Ryan circles around the front of his Mercedes and standsnext to me on the sidewalk. “Another freakin’ half-mile and wewould have been on the Parkway,” Ryan mutters under his breath.
“Mr. Pierce, I smelt a questionable odorcoming from your car,” Officer Vincent explains.
“Yeah, so?” Ryan responds defensively.
“So, we’re going to search your car,” hereplies snidely.
“Go ahead,” Ryan shrugs, and there’ssomething different about him now. He’s cold and uptight. Like hisdefenses have just shifted into sixth gear.
The two cops proceed to tear the inside ofRyan’s car apart, pulling out everything in the center console andglove compartment. Not that there’s much in there.
“I don’t know why they’re wasting their time,they’re not going to find anything,” Ryan says, and it sounds morelike he’s trying to convince himself. I slide my arm around his andwatch horrified as the officers carelessly manhandle theinterior.
They check under the dash and in-between theseats, then the other officer pauses. “Got something.”
What?I think the valves in my heartjust clogged.
“What the fuck do you mean you gotsomething?” Ryan steps forward aggressively and I try to pull himback.
The short, stocky officer stands up and holdsout a little bag of white powder.What the hell is that?
“Heroin. And it looks like enough todistribute,” he says waving the baggie in the air.
“No fucking way!” Ryan rushes the cop, onlyto be thrown face down onto the hood of his car by Officer Vincent.I watch stunned as Ryan is cuffed, then the cop with the baggietakes my arm. “You’ll have to come with us,” and pulls out a pairof handcuffs of his own.
Holy shit, what?
As I put my hands behind my back, Ryan goesnuts, flailing in Officer Vincent’s grip. “She had nothing to dowith it!” he yells. “She didn’t know it was there! It’s mine! It’smine! I take full responsibility!”
“Ryan shut the fuck up!” I snap. That idiotjust incriminated himself.
The officer pulls at my arm and I catch aglimpse of his nametag. “Is this true? Did you know anything aboutthe drugs?” Officer O’Malley asks strictly.
“No, nothing,” I answer automatically,suddenly realizing I just threw Ryan under the bus. I’m notthinking very clearly.
Officer O’Malley lets go of my arm and Ryanexpels a ragged sigh as he’s dragged back to the parked copcars.
My mind is in hyperdrive. I want to scream, Iwant to yell, I want them to know who the fuck my father is. Whothey’re messing with. But I can’t utter his name, because I know assoon as I do, my whole life will get flushed away. I watchhelplessly as Ryan is shoved into the back of a Crown Vic, and Ican only hope that with all the commotion they’ll forget tomirandize him.
“Ryan Pierce,” Officer Vincent says in adetached tone, “you’re under arrest, you have the right to remainsilent…”
Fuck.
“Ma’am. Impound will be here shortly to towthe car away. You’ll have to call for a ride or come to the stationwith me.” Officer O’Malley says.
I look at him vacantly. How ironic, Ryanbought his car at a police auction. Which is where it’s going toend up again if we don’t fix this fast.
“Um, I’ll come with you,” I answer distractedas I watch Officer Vincent’s cruiser pull away with Ryan cuffed inthe back seat. His head is pressed against the window, his eyeslooking downwards.