Buddy sat on a cold steel chair while gritting his new teeth that had just come in two weeks ago. He desperately yearned for his mother but the big scary looking cop insisted that they needed a one on one conversation.
Evan's mother Linda waited in another room more nervous than a boss about to lay off his employees. She hoped and prayed that Evan wasn't giving him more information than he needed and mentioning her occasional drug use.
It was Buddy's first time in a police station and his eyes seemed to look everywhere but at the officer.
"I'm officer Shinds. What's your name buddy?" Said the oversized cop leaning back and locking his hands behind his head. Wet spots the size of pancakes were under each armpit and a rancid bodily odor wafted in Evan's direction.
"That is my name." Replied the kid kicking the floor with his new Nike High tops he had gotten for Christmas.
Shinds leaned back further in his swivel chair and smirked politely. "I know, I know, but I need your real name okay?" He said clicking a pen.
Evan gritted his teeth some more and stared at a truncheon hanging from the wall. He wondered if the cop had ever beaten anybody with it. "Evan Bowman. My name is Evan Bowman and I attend Freelance Elementary school. I also play kickball..."
Shinds raised his hand and smiled. "Whoa, whoa... I don't need all that but thanks for sharing." He looked down and riffled some papers on his desk. "Evan, I know this is going to be hard for you and I hate to open old wounds but I need you to tell me everything that happened Christmas morning."
Little tears welled up in Evan's eyes and the cop took notice and offered him a Kleenex. "It's okay buddy, just tell me everything you remember."
Evan bowed his head like he was about to pray while the mop of mussy hair on his head dangled over his face and covered his eyes. He slowly raised his head back up and began to speak.
"My daddy was making us cappuccinos and then he decided to check on me while I was still in bed. Suddenly the doorbell rang and he told me to stay put while he went to see who was at the door. He thought that maybe it was mo..."
Buddy quickly stopped himself realizing what he was about to say and then continued on.
"Somebody was at the door and they shot my daddy." He said wiping tears from his face with the Kleenex. Officer Shinds was jotting down notes and keeping his eyes off of the lad. Shinds had had a great Christmas and this was hard for him too. Gary Bowman wasn't a cop but he was still an authority figure which made the police force feel like they had lost one of their own.
Officer Shinds unbuttoned the top button near his neck collar allowing him to breathe. "Who were you saying your dad thought was at the door?" Shinds questioned.
Evan paused and gritted his teeth hoping that any minute Linda would spring in and end the interview. He had already lost his father and didn't want to lose his mother too. Buddy heard terrible stories about kids in foster homes. Before he could reply the phone on Officer Shinds desk rang startling them both. The officer raised his index finger to pause Evan and then picked up the phone on the second ring.
Buddy kicked his Nike sneakers into the floor using his time to change his story. He really didn't know if maybe his mother had something to do with this.
Shinds twirled his finger around the spirally cord and spoke into the phone. "Okay, and what was the name of that waitress?" He said clicking his pen and scribbling on a yellow pad. A congenial smile sprouted on the officer's face and he winked at Evan. "Okay thanks lieutenant that makes my day." Said Shinds pushing back on his swivel chair. The smelly cop hung up the phone and smiled at Evan.
"Look kid, a waitress at Lindburg Diner has confirmed that she served your mother and her boyfriend breakfast before seven O'clock on Christmas morning. We needn't worry about your mother."
Buddy sighed in relief and regained his composure. He finally felt like he could look the scary looking cop in the eye. Officer Shinds continued on.
"So after you heard the shots what did you do?" He asked taking a quick sip of stale coffee.
"I ran outside to check on my daddy." Evan said matter-of- factly.
"That was pretty brave of you. You didn't hide under the bed?" Shinds asked squinting his dark brown eyes.
Evan answered quickly. "No I had to check on my daddy." He said staring directly at the cop.
Shinds jotted some notes on the yellow pad and then looked back up. "From when you heard the gunshots, how long did it take you to get outside?"
Evan paused to stare into space and then looked back at Shinds. "I dunno, maybe 10 seconds. I ran out barefoot."
"And what did you see? Any squealing of tires or persons running down the street?"
"That's why I ran out so fast. I was hoping to catch someone but all I saw was my daddy laying in the yard."
Shinds had to use short hand to keep up with what the kid was saying. He suddenly got an idea and pulled out a tape recorder then pushed the record button. Suddenly there was a pounding at the door startling them both.
"You said you'd only be a minute, Buddy are you alright in there?" Said the voice behind the door.
"Oh, it's okay for you to come in now." Shouted Shinds.
The door swung open and Linda walked in wearing a pair of dark blue shapely Levis and a white laced blouse. Her long brown frizzy hair ran down her back almost to her waist. The brown and tan cowgirl boots she had on were prominently covering the bottoms of her jeans and almost came up to her knees. She looked like she was ready to try out for Nashville Star, a country singer's contest. Linda's high-rise boots clanked on the floor tiles as she pranced towards them. Officer Shinds stood up quickly and nearly knocked over his own chair.
"Let me just get you a chair." He said walking towards a chair in the corner that was cluttered with junk including a yellow raincoat all bunched up in a ball. Before Shinds could clear off the cluttered chair Linda stood behind Buddy and began rubbing his shoulders.
"No, it's okay. I'll just stand." She insisted.
Shinds quickly returned to his comfy swivel chair and took a seat. Linda continued to rub Buddy's shoulders while the officer spoke.
"So let me get this straight," The officer pressed on,"Your father was making cappuccinos, the doorbell rang..."
Linda cut Shinds off.
"What? Cappuccinos?" She looked at Buddy, "I told him I don't want you drinking that stuff, it'll stunt your growth."
The cop scratched his head at the clincher and clicked his pen a few times. "Let's change subjects." He said quickly, "Buddy, did your father ever mention having any enemies?"
All the attention was on Evan now and the shoulder massage came to a lull while Buddy ruminated.
"Um... A long time ago we were fishing. My daddy warned me never to stay in a classroom alone with just the teacher. He said some teachers are really bad. Daddy once mentioned that he watched over a teacher that did bad things to little boys after class and the teacher had threatened him for some reason."
Shinds jotted Buddy's statement down quickly then looked back up at him. "Do you know why this teacher threatened your father?"
The boy shook his head no.
"How long ago was this and what was the teacher's name?"
Buddy shrugged his shoulders and Linda quickly started rubbing them again. He began biting the cuticle on his thumb when a light bulb went off in his head.
"Oh...wait...I remember now. I think it was last summer...no...the summer before that. And he said the teacher was a math teacher." Said Evan perking up like he answered the million dollar question.
"You're doing a good job honey." Assured his mother.
A subtle smile crossed Shinds face as he circled something on his yellow pad.
"Well, that should help narrow it down a little bit. You sure you don't remember the teacher's name?" Queried the officer while clicking his pen in frustration.
"I don't think daddy ever calls people by their real name. He had a nickname for everybody. He said everybody in prison called him the Teacher."
Shinds quickly wrote that down and circled it also. Linda finally decided to put her two cents in.
"What did they find at the crime scene?" She finally asked.
Shinds leaned way back in his chair and thought to himself. What do you care lady? You divorced the poor guy. He raised his arms to place them behind his head then quickly withdrew realizing that his armpits stunk.
"Well, uh... All they really have right now is 3 brass shell casings they found in the yard next to the body. They dusted the doorbell for prints and found absolutely no prints at all which really doesn't make much sense. Do you use the doorbell often?"
Linda gave a surprised look like she didn't understand how she fit into the picture.
"I use the doorbell all the time when I go pick up Buddy."
Shinds grunted and quickly jotted more notes. "Well, that's kind of weird that we never found your prints on it. The killer must've wiped it clean after he pushed the button." Said Shinds clicking the pen some more while mulling over the situation.
A chirping sound came from Linda's purse and she quickly dug through her purse and answered her Nokia cellphone. While she was on her cell a loud swooshing sound erupted from underneath officer Shinds chair. The cop tried to look surprised like he didn't know where the sound came from. Evan was quick to recognize the sound and burst out with laughter while Linda continued chatting on her cell.
"Ke-hee-hee-hee," laughed Evan, "I think you sharted man! You better check your oil and make sure you're not leaking!" Said Evan feeling even more elated.
Shinds turned red in the face but could not hold back his smile. A big happy meal smile emerged onto his face and he laughed along with the boy. Linda had a peevish look on her face and gave them both dirty looks.
"We'll be there soon Erik. Love you too Hun. Bye Bye." She said and pushed the end button on the keypad.
The cop felt better that he had Buddy cracking up. Apparently farts amused the boy and they gave each other a high five. Linda stood up and pinched her nose with one hand and pulled Buddy out of the chair with the other.
"We have to go. Are you finished with us?" She said in a saucy tone.
Shinds nodded curtly while letting out a few more snickers. Buddy held his mother's hand as they headed towards the door.
"Hey mom you remember when dad used to fart like that?" Said Buddy full of mirth.
Linda turned around to give one more nasty look to Shinds who sat back easy in his chair still gleaming.
"This is why I no longer date authority figures. You're all pigs!" She said and slammed the door.