When To Put Trust On The Line

Part 28

Minutes later, I was in the safety of Dad's Jeep, shaking with fear and trauma in the dark, while still on the phone with a female dispatcher as police cars arrived. I got off the phone with the dispatcher and slowly got out of the car to meet the cops, who bombarded me with questions, which I could barely answer due to my traumatized state. Everything went by in a blur. Cops went to inspect the bag on the sand and a stretcher was pulled out of an ambulance as paramedics went to assist with Derrick's unconscious body.

I found myself sitting halfway in a police car, a blanket or something around my shoulders, with given permission from an officer to call my parents. My cellphone held to my ear numbly, Mom's worried voice filled my hearing. "Where are you?!" She was almost yelling, something she never did, though the circumstances were understandable. "You know how long we've been trying to reach you? Your sister's in the hospital!"

My numbness slowly began to fade as my eyes widened. "What?" My voice came out soft.

"She overdosed on some pills. We've been trying to reach you to tell you. Where have you been?"

"I-" my bottom lip trembled. "I'm at the- the docks. I- I found Bobby's body."

"What?" Mom shrieked. I heard her take a deep breath in before lowering her tone. "Susan, honey, tell me where you are. Are you alone? Is someone with you?" I could hear the panic in her voice clear as day.

"I-" I looked around. "The cops are here."

"Oh my gosh. Okay. Um, can you give me the address to where you are? Are- are they taking you to the station?"

"I don't- I don't know. I-" I closed my eyes and pressed my fingers to my temple, not able to find my words to speak.

"Susan, please," Mom said softly. "Talk to me."

I took a shaky breath in. "I-" No words would come out. I couldn't focus and my mind was blank, except for two thoughts that I struggled to grasp: Bobby was dead and Adele was in the hospital.

"Okay, honey? Is one of the cops nearby? Can I speak to them?"

I swallowed and looked around. "Um..." I got out of the car. A young male cop – whom I hadn't realized had been keeping an eye on me - came up to me, asking if I was okay. All I could do was hand him my cellphone and half-whisper, "Mom." A slight frown on his face, he put the phone to his ear. I watched him speak but unconsciously tuned out everything he was saying.

After a short while, he snapped me back to reality and handed me my phone. "Your mother's still on the line." I slowly grabbed my phone and he told me to take a seat in the car. "Put your legs in, I'm gonna close the door okay? We'll be leaving soon." Leaving where? "I can crank down the window if you need some air."

I numbly followed his instructions and he closed the car door. I put my phone to my ear. "Susan, are you there?" Mom was saying.

"Yeah," I breathed softly.

"Okay sweetheart. They'll be taking you down to the station. Your father will meet you there, okay?"

"What- what about Adele? You can't leave her-"

"We won't. I'm staying here with her."

"Okay," I whispered.

"You- you wanna stay on the phone with me till you're at the station or-?"

I gulped and struggled to find my words. "Uh- no. I- I can call at- at the station."

"Okay," Mom whispered, sounding like she was holding back tears. "Sweetheart, please be careful. Everything will be okay. Hang in there."