A Pleasant Story

Chapter Fifteen

Prisoner of Fear


After Carla arrested Daniel, she took him to the police station and locked him in the interrogation room. After she finished filling out the arrest paperwork, her brother Carl asked her how she intended to proceed with the investigation.

She answered, "First priority is to connect him to the loot. Since Kaylynn removed everything from his trailer, we need to prove it was in his possession. And then we need to find out where he got it."

Carl nodded his agreement then said, “And I think I should be the one to inventory the loot, sister! I should do that! You interview him.”




Carla regarded her brother curiously. Lately he'd been speaking in odd phrases and using exaggerated gestures. She shook her head to clear it. Right now she needed to focus on Daniel!

“Okay,” she agreed, “but let me take a look at it with you so I can have an idea of the total.”

They moved into the evidence room, where they'd stored the items in preparation for inventory. It was so stuffed with loot there was barely room to move! Carla glanced around and then said to Carl, "I'm going to let Daniel stew a bit longer before I go in. I'll help you in here for a while."



Carl said, “Oh, I can do it, sister! You don't need to help me!”

Carla shook her head and started sorting the items. “I don't have anything else to do. It will go faster with both of us.”

They began sorting through the sculptures and artifacts, checking them off against a list of items that had been stolen from wealthy homes on Twikkii Island. Everything matched their lists, though Carla noted that at least one valuable vase was missing.

Carla stood from examining an expensive egg and asked him, "How do you suppose the thieves are transporting things from the island to Pleasantview? Kaylynn said she'd seen divers by the old wrecked pirate ship, but she didn't see a boat nearby."

Carl shrugged. "I don't know. But this group of things were stolen about six weeks ago. But we have lists of stolen stuff going back years. This is the first time anything has turned up found, though."

He continued happily, “I will check for fingerprints!”

Carla replied, "Okay, you do that. I'll see if Mr. Pleasant has anything to say."

She went into the interrogation room and sat across from Daniel.

"So," she said, "Do you know why you're here?"

She knew that allowing a suspect to speak on their own often led them to reveal more than even the cops were aware of.

His answer was brief and curt.



Carla continued, "So tell me about the stuff you buried behind your trailer."

Daniel answered stonily. "I don't know anything about anything buried behind my trailer."

Carla continued questioning him in this manner for several hours, and even when he did choose to speak, his answers were like empty bubbles of nothing. He was going to be a tough one to break! And they couldn't hold him for more than 48 hours without a confession or further proof of his involvement; she hoped Carl was getting some good fingerprints off the treasures.



Finally Carla gave up and said, "Let's see if you are more talkative after a night in jail." She stood and led him into the dank jail hallway.




She took him to the cell at the far end of the hall, farthest from any sounds from the main office, and told him to dress in the prison jumpsuit.

As she went to leave Daniel said, "I really don't understand why I am here!"





"I highly doubt that," Carla replied.

Carla called Mary-Sue to let her know that Daniel was in jail but that he hadn't told them anything, then locked up the cells for the night.

The next morning, she went outside the jail to bring in the paper, and spotted a vision coming toward her.



As the vision came closer, Carla noted it was an elder woman, quite decked out in elaborate makeup.

“Hello,” she said, “I'm Dora Ottomas.. I can't believe Daniel is in jail! Can I see him?"



Carla consented and led Dora to Daniel's cell. Dora immediately began lamenting, "Oh Daniel, this is so sad! Why are you here? Peter said you were coming to the party we're having tonight! Will you be out by then? We should really hook up again soon." She winked at him.



Daniel told her that he appreciated her dropping by, but that he was tired and needed to get some rest.

Dora said, "Oh, of course, poor baby! Do you want me to bring you anything?"





Daniel shook his head and Dora left after blowing him a kiss. In the main lobby, she went and stood over Carla, working on the computer.



Carla looked up at her and said, “Can I help you with anything else?”

Dora asked "So, how can I arrange a conjugal visit?"


Carla was at a loss for words. "Um, well. . . " she trailed off weakly.

"Oh never mind," said Dora, as she flounced out the door.



Carla called Carl out of the evidence room and told him what Dora had asked for.

"That old lady? Well, you never can tell, can you?"



They laughed together, then Carl then noticed Mary-Sue and Kaylynn standing on the patio with the baby. He nudged Carla so she'd see them outside.

Kaylynn was saying to Mary-Sue, "I'm really nervous. He didn't act like he cared about the baby at all."

Mary-Sue reassured her, "It's fine. If you really don't want to bring Mitch to meet him that's okay, but I don't think anything bad will happen. And I'll be there with you."




Kaylynn nodded and they went inside to greet Carl and Carla. Mary-Sue explained they wanted to bring Daniel's baby over to meet Daniel. Carl told them that would be fine and, as usual in her experience, spoke in an over-exaggerated way.

"Why does he always act like he's an actor in a play?" Mary-Sue wondered.




Kaylynn turned to Mary-Sue and said, "I changed my mind. I don't think I want to go in. Will you just. . . "

Mary-Sue said, "That's fine. I'll just check on him.”

Carla told her which cell he was in, and Mary-Sue headed down the jail hallway.



As she was walking past the other cells, she was startled by a small sniff coming from one of them. She turned to find --

"Dustin!" she cried. "What are you doing here?"




Dustin wiped his eyes and approached the bars.

"Hi, Mrs. Pleasant. I got caught with stolen goods. But I swear I didn't know they were stolen!"

"Oh no, Dustin, that's terrible." Mary-Sue said soothingly. "Do you need anything? Can I do anything for you?"

"Yeah, could you call my Mom? It was busy when I tried before and now they took my cell phone. Maybe if she doesn't answer you could find her?"

Mary-Sue assured him she'd make sure his Mom got notified. "I'm just going to speak to Daniel for a moment--then I'll get right in touch with your Mom."

"Thanks," he said forlornly.



Mary-Sue then continued on to Daniel's cell. "Hello Daniel," she said quietly. "I'm here with Kaylynn, and your son. I just thought you'd like to know. His name is Mitch. Goodbye."



She turned to leave but Daniel called her back. "Wait! I'd like to see him. Will she bring him so I can see him?"

Mary-Sue told him she'd ask Kaylynn, and turned to go to the lobby to find that Kaylynn had already entered the jail hallway and was walking nervously toward the cell.

She stopped in front of the cell and held Mitch so Daniel could see him. Daniel wrung his hands nervously and said, "Thank you for bringing him. I'm really sorry." He then turned his back.



Mary-Sue and Kaylynn waited for a moment, but when he did not add anything, they left.

When they got to the lobby, Mary-Sue dialed Brandi Broke's number, and she answered quickly. Mary-Sue told her about Dustin. Brandi thanked Mary-Sue for letting her know, and said, "I'll be there soon. . . owhoooooo!"



Mary-Sue hung up the phone and looked at Kaylynn. "It sounded like she dropped a brick on her foot!"

Kaylynn said, "Or went into labor! I could hear it!"



Mary-Sue thanked Carla for letting them see Daniel, and told her they'd both be at her wedding that evening.

"But why is Dustin here?' she asked.

Carla told her, "I don't know the whole story yet--he was brought in early this morning by another officer. He's not being charged with anything at the moment; we're just holding him until his Mom can pick him up. The Social Worker was already here to check on him."



Carla went to check on Daniel and asked him if he had anything to say now. His answer was stony silence.



Carla then told Carl she'd be leaving then to get ready for the wedding. "I'm so sorry you can't come, bro!"

He nodded, "I am so sorry too! I am so sorry I have to stay here! Have fun!"



When Carla had left, Carl went back to Daniel's cell.

"Good work. Keep up the silence. She doesn't know anything about this and I want to keep it that way. Your fingerprints were all over those things, but they aren't now. But I'll tell you one thing--the Abbadons know you've been holding out on them, and if they get their hands on you, not even I can save you. You're safer in jail."



Daniel nodded, and sat down to wait.