#ictask001

“Why would you delete your messages? Do you have anything to hide?”

She had anticipated that question, so this time, Jiwon was prepared. “Our family has a reputation to keep.” Her words came out as a matter-of-fact, as if it should obvious to everyone else in the room. And honestly, it should. Although it wasn’t the entire truth, the habit had come from a legitimate place. “Even though I have nothing to hide, our family lawyer advised us to always keep the slate clean.” She shrugged, and brought on the big gun she’d been hiding. “I got doxxed one time when I was a teenager. Nothing happened, but that security breach got us all a little jumpy about online safety. Well, at least me and my parents. I don’t know if Greer and her siblings do the same thing.”

“When did you last actually see Greer?”

Once again, Jiwon put on a show of thinking about it, though this time it was honest. She didn’t remember the last time she’d seen Greer, especially in Ogden. Most of their communication came in the form of gossip from their peers or text messages, and the odd call that might have happened. “I don’t know. This is a big campus and she was a popular girl, so we almost never saw each other here. It was probably back home. We did see each other a lot back in Manhattan.”

“Was, did... It seems you might know something we don’t, miss Morrison.”

She looked down and away from their gaze, letting out a nervous chuckle. Touché. For a second, her mask almost slipped, but saying out loud that she thought Greer was either dead or being held captive would absolutely not make her look good. “She’s not here anymore. I suppose Greer’s still popular, but I doubt I’ll see her in Manhattan this year. That is, unless you stick to your question instead of making baseless accusations.” 

“How well did you know Greer?”

She shrugged once more. What else was there to say? That was a simple enough question, just as long as she kept the complicated parts of it in the shadows. “She’s my cousin. I know her well enough, but probably less than her closer friends.” Which was true, though once again, not the entire truth.

“What was your relationship with Greer like?”

There was no point in lying or trying to hide anything. Surely, the rumors had already reached the police, and contradicting would only make her look guilty. “We were... Competitive. All in good fun, I assure you. It was friendly, because we’re both overachievers.” It pained her to put Greer, the eternal social butterfly that never applied herself to anything, at the same level as herself. 

“Have you heard or seen anything about where she was this summer?”

For the first time during that entire questioning session, Jiwon could be fully honest. “No. I don’t know anything.” She said, shortly. There was no reason to get caught up into that by adding anything. 

“You wouldn’t have wanted Greer to disappear, would you?”

Greer was her cousin. The answer was so obvious that she almost scoffed before answering, outraged anyone would even ask her that. Blood is thicker than water. Their parents always told them to take care of each other, because their family put a target on their backs for every type of scammer and gold digger. What did it say about her, then, that she was about to lie? “You’re joking, right? We might not have seen eye to eye, sometimes but...” She trailed off, eyes getting lost somewhere far away. Were they ever close? Friends, even? Maybe when they were toddlers, though even then Greer loved antagonizing Jiwon’s aloofness. She shook her head and put on the most offended expression she could muster. “She was my cousin. Maybe instead of trying to get answers that I don’t have out of me, you should be out there, investigating.” She rolled her eyes and got up to stomp away.

he cleared his throat as she took a sip of the shitty coffee, trying not to grimace at it. “so ms. clarke-” she waved her hand. “you can call me ida, you make me feel like my mother when you call me that.” she chuckled and he just nodded, “ida, when did you last speak to greer?” 

she thought seriously about this, glancing up at the ceiling. “oh, i don’t know. you don’t keep track of those things when you know you’re gonna see someone again. but i spose...within that last week of classes around graduation. i probably sent her a text during the summer that was unanswered, but i just figured she was having too much fun to respond.” she shrugged, sighing wistfully as she met the eyes of detective brown again. he seemed satisfied with her answer. detective smith remained stoic. 

“alrighty well, when did you last actually see greer?” ida knew exactly, it was two days before graduation. she’d attempted to bring greer into a conversation, smooth out the rough edges of their once friendship. but it hadn’t ended exactly how ida had hoped it would. “probably around the same time, in passing during that stressful time we call finals. everything is a bit of a blur between the papers and exams, and a few...celebrations. but it wasn’t unusual, nothing stands out sadly. if i had known well...” she looked down sadly and waved her hand before leaning back. “i don’t want to go down there.” she bit her lip, holding back the few tears that formed. “anyway, can we move to the next question please?” 

“of course, i assume it’s safe to assume you knew her well?” detective smith leaned over now, asking a question as detective brown scribbled a few things down. “well, we were closer a few years ago than we are now, i ain’t her best friend, i can tell ya that.” ida kept her voice low, playing with the cuticles of her fingers now. “but knew each other enough to say hello, share a few laughs, those kind of things...” she trailed off now, looking up sadly at detective smith. he reciprocated with a similar smile. “so what was your relationship with greer like?” detective smith jutted in again, now ida was getting annoyed, but she didn’t let it show. 

why couldn’t they ask more interesting questions? “i uh, we were good friends my sophomore year, and then you know how life goes in college...people drift a part. majors get in the way, you make new friends, all that. but we remained friendly, nothin’ terribly excitin’ there i’m sorry. just the normal life of friendships.” ida offered with a genuine plead of her eyes, hands coming up to tuck her blonde hair behind her ears. “we’re not looking for exciting, just the truth.” she nodded, of course. 

“have you heard or seen anything about where she was this summer?” detective brown asked softly, tilting his head to look at her. ida reached up to pat under her cheeks as if brushing away tears. “just the rumors i spose, you know the ones. she’s in greece, no she’s in the hamptons, she ran away with a prince...nothin’ terrible thankfully. just that she found a better life to live. something we’d all like to do at some point.” she was back to fiddling with her hands. god she was really selling this sad, worried friend. “i like to think that’s these are true you know? that she’s partyin’ or havin’ the best time ever. not what...i hope it’s true.” she stops herself, sniffles and nods, looking back at the detectives with a tight-lip. “sorry, i just don’t like to think that way.” detective brown gave another sympathetic nod, detective smith said nothing. 

“last question and then you can go ida, but you wouldn’t have wanted greer to disappear, would you?” 

ida looked on in shock, her hand lightly coming up to rest gently against her heart. “absolutely not, that is an awful thing to suggest.” her accent was thick, and her eye-lashes long as she stared up at the officers with sadness and fear. “we weren’t close anymore, you know how college friendships go, but i would never wish something like her disappearing. in fact i was hoping to mend our friendship, it’s my senior year you know, and i didn’t want to leave without spending time with people i admired and enjoyed.” she sighed softly, directing her gaze back to her hands with a level of shame. “i hope she’s doing something she enjoys, taking a leave of absence from school or somethin’ like that. and not…well you know the other side to that i’m sure. It would be a tragedy to lose someone like greer, ya know?” she questioned them seemingly genuinely, a sad smile spreading across her lips. “i’m sorry, i just, am so distraught at this news. it feels unreal.” 

the smart thing would be to get a lawyer, that’s what everyone always said right? don’t talk to the cops without a lawyer, don’t trust the cops. all of that. but he couldn’t tell his parents what was happening, the trouble around campus. that would only worry them more than they already were, would only add to the shame that surrounded him. 

“no need to be nervous malik, uh leaky, we just have a few routine questions for you.” the man looked over at him again, giving a reassuring smile. leaky wanted to tell him what he really thought, about this whole show, about the cops, about that stupid smile. but he just nodded, barely trusting his body to react accordingly. 

“when did you last speak to greer?” he thought this through, when was the last time he spoke to greer? they weren’t exactly close beyond well...he didn’t want to open that door. couldn’t. “uh probably around the last days of school, at a party or somewhere with our friends. we sorta ran in the same circle.” he cleared his throat and nodded, lacing his fingers together in his lap. he tried to lean back and seem relaxed, but instead winced as the metal chair clipped the back of his shoulder blade instead. “you alright?” the other man raised an eyebrow. “uh yea, y’all should consider new chairs.” he laughed awkwardly as they stared. 

“when did you last actually see greer?” there was no one distinct memory that came to leaky. just her sly smiles across crowds, the small comments she would make in backyards, they all blurred together and yet were seared into leaky’s mind. he was gonna figure out a way to deal with her this year, to ease the pressure and the pain, but so far he hadn’t had to. “uh probably around the same time. it was all a blur then ya know, with graduation, starting summer practice, we don’t get much of a break ya know.” he crossed his arms now, having a difficult time staying still. the man wrote something down while the other leaned back in his own chair, sipping from his coffee cup. leaky tried to give a weak smile. nothing in return. 

“how well did you know greer?” damn, they were still going? leaky hummed as he thought. how well did he know her? “not super well, like i said we weren’t like...besties or anythin’. more-so saw each other out. i’m friends with her uh, boyfriend, and a few of her other friends so we’d all hang and stuff. but i don’t think we actually hung out one-on-one or anythin’.” except when she found him, that glint of knowing in her eyes. it still terrified him. the two men glanced at each other. before the one who hadn’t spoken much yet leaned forward, “what was your relationship with greer like?” 

leaky swallowed, narrowing his eyes in confusion. “isn’t that uh, isn’t that the same question? i mean we were...we were just friends. nothing more to it. probably won’t talk when we graduate but will see each other when some of our friends inevitably get married and all that.” that much felt true, nothing of terrible substance, but he did notice her absence. it was eery and relieving without her. 

the man nodded again, god leaky hated this. why were cops so cold? or tried so hard to see like your best friend? they were fucking cops and that was it. “leaky.” the man said his name and he realized he’d drifted off. “hm oh sorry could you repeat that?” 

“have you heard or seen anything about where she was this summer?” not that leaky would normally, he just shrugged, glancing between the two men. “nah, i was too busy myself this summer. but she wasn’t around here, i know that much. figured she was off...i don’t know doin’ whatever rich people do in the summer and all that.” that’s what he’d heard anyway and he believed it. 

“one final question leaky and then we’re done here. i know you’re a busy young man.” the first guy smiled at him, and leaky raised an eyebrow. what did they know about him? “you wouldn’t have wanted greer to disappear, would you?” 

“When did you last speak to Greer?”

Oh how he hated this. Not even just the part about being sat down and interrogated by cops, but the very aspect of having to share. Having to remember a now part of his history that he wasn’t entirely proud of. The topic of Greer still a little raw given what had occurred between them the last time he’d actually seen her. “It’s been a while.” He fibbed, as his eyes met the cops that was staring back at him. “I was her tutor so it was at least before whenever her last test would have been. You can do the math there I suppose?” 

“When did you last actually see Greer?”

The urge to say ‘the same time I last spoke to her’ was almost too great. What a follow up question. Almost had him questioning the professionalism of Ogden’s finest, but he didn’t. He let the ridiculousness of the question fly past him as he sat back and thought on the last time he’d seen Greer. “Last time I saw her, she was with that boyfriend of hers. They always seemed so happy. Guess you never really know what’s going on behind closed doors though am I right?” 

“How well did you know Greer?”

“Well the one thing I will say about Greer.. It was hard to be on campus without knowing her. That was kind of her whole schtick. She liked to be known.” Carew offered. It was the least he could give them considering he found his first two answers, entirely unhelpful. “I know she was brighter than she gave herself credit for. Just needed a sense of direction.” 

“What was your relationship with Greer like?”

“You’re reaching if you’re asking if it was more than any student tutor relationship. I’m well aware of the rumors, but they’re full of shit. Greer and I were not hooking up. There was no secret rendezvous. It was just studying. She had a boyfriend whom I’m assuming she was very loyal too. And if she wasn’t, it had nothing to do with me.” 

“Have you heard or seen anything about where she was this summer?”

At this point Carew found himself tired. Tired of thinking about Greer, tired of answering questions, and tired of being looked at like he was some sort of criminal. He found his ability to maintain eye contact starting to slip as he glanced instead down at his fingers that were drumming against the table while he waited for his next question. Had he seen her that summer? Well yes, briefly at the very beginning but... “No. Like I said, our relationship ended just before her last test at the end of last term.”

“You wouldn’t have wanted Greer to disappear, would you?” 

Carew shifted in his seat as the question was asked. While the answer felt obvious to him, he knew they wouldn't be asking if they didn't suspect he at the very least had something to do with it. And that alone was enough to make him just the slightest bit uncomfortable. "Of course not." He said sternly. Sitting up a little taller as though to show them that they didn't make him feel small. "Greer was a pain in the butt, but she was doing really well. I was helping her study for exams. That's pretty much it. Why would I want someone to disappear who was paying me to help them? Seems a little counter productive don't you think?" 

“When did you last speak to Greer?”

“Towards the end of last semester, it was the weekend before the semester ended. I was on the clock that Friday night and she came in. Had a couple friends with her.”

“When did you last actually see Greer?”

“Actually see her? The Thursday before the semester ended, I saw her in passing on the quad.” Nothing unusual about seeing her and not interacting, on campus Gabe didn’t exist to Greer, and he honestly didn’t particularly mind.

“How well did you know Greer?”

“Not super well. We had a customer-bartender relationship. She was friends with a few of my friends, but nothing really between us.”

“What was your relationship with Greer like?”

Well, this seemed like a redundant question, but nevertheless Gabe complied. “We didn’t have too much of one, if I’m being honest. We mostly talked when she came into the bar, our circles on campus didn’t cross much.”

“Have you heard or seen anything about where she was this summer?”

“Not a thing. I don’t really use social media, plus I was busy with an internship and working. I figured I’d see her back at the bar for welcome back week, thought it was odd but figured she’d have shown up eventually.” How wrong he was about that.

“You wouldn’t have wanted Greer to disappear, would you?”

Once he sat down, glowering at them in the way he had long since perfected, brooding every inch from head to toe, arms crossed in front of his chest and one leg kicked out like he had no worries, like he had all the ease in the world - like the rest of these students, who even if they were at fault, would surely have mommy and daddy pay to get them out of any trouble. That was the way the world worked, after all. 

“Did you know anything about the letters? Or why you weren’t included in those who received them?” 

A terse shake was all Nate gave, glowering at the officers. When it was clear they were expecting more than that, he sighed, a hand reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. “No. And I wasn’t included because Greer and I have nothing to talk about,” he said, the slightest hint of a growl in his voice. “Like I told you last time. I worked for her family for a few summers. We hooked up a few times. Beyond that, we’re strangers,” he said, his accent growing stronger, coating his words as he emphasized them. 

“You’re on the rowing team, aren’t you?”

Nate looked up at the officer who asked, eyes flashing upwards the only movement before he nodded. “Yeah. And yeah, Greer was cox. But I only do single scull unless they need someone to fill in. And I’m more of a swimmer. As you should know, considering you dragged me out of the pool last time,” he said, unable to resist throwing that in with a sneer. “Really, I was only recruited for the rowing team for numbers,” he muttered. 

“Mr. Shaw, surely you realize how serious this is. As mentioned, another student said it was likely you would have more information on Ms. Morrison’s whereabouts. Do you have any idea why that is?” 

Nate scowled. There were a lot of reasons why Jesse would’ve said that complete bull - and it mostly was beginning and ending with him being a colossal piece of shit. “I don’t know,” he said, the words coming out through his teeth. “Maybe because he knew I worked for their family in the summer. Or maybe, it was just because he was trying to get the attention off himself and was lying. Which you would know, if you questioned him again,” he said, blatantly playing dumb - it was easy to pretend that he had no idea they had called Jesse in again. Or Parisa, already having asked her about what he had....shared the previous interview. 

After Nate spoke, there was an echo of silence around the room, the officers glancing at each other. The file in one of their hands was dropped to the table, a heavy sigh following the action as they realized they had played their last card. They had nothing more to say to him.

For now.

“Well, Ms. Davani did confirm the, uh, information you shared last time. We appreciate your forthrightness in sharing more information.” 

He could tell they were displeased. That what Nate had said turned out to be true. It wasn’t easy to pin the blame on someone like Jesse, and if he had been right about Nate, it would’ve been all too easy to point fingers. He knew this. He had been at the brunt of the exact same shit before. He wasn’t surprised - no, he just felt the slight bit of resistance he had held decaying, floundering under the weight of the realization that this was what it always was going to be.

Time after time - he was always going to be the easy one to blame. 

“We will let you know if we have further questions. You can go, Mr. Shaw - I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of you.” 

Nate got up and stalked out of the room without saying anything further. There was nothing more to say. They had made up their minds from the second Jesse had mentioned Nate’s name. And he knew that no matter what he did, no matter what he said, no matter what other information there was or who may actually be to blame for Greer running away from Ogden - he would get dragged into it. He was a scholarship student, with no influential connections, with no money, and a record. That was just the way it worked. 

“miss pierce, we’re ready for you.” the tall woman stepped out, offering a kind smile that alethea knew at least not to trust. she pulled her sweater tighter around her frame and stood up from the seat she’d been waiting on. her fingers picked at each other as she stepped into the room, it was sterile and poorly lit. no wonder people confessed to things they didn’t know here. 

the woman sat down and indicated for alethea to do the same. they sighed and slipped into the chair, not sure how they were supposed to act in this kind of scenario. 

“When did you last speak to Greer?”

"uh” she wracked her brain, the dates of the summer and last semester swimming without attachment to land in her mind. “i texted her a couple times throughout the summer, to no response, but the last conversation was right before graduation, i think?” it all blurred together for alethea these days. “i was moving out, and she came around to say goodbye. typical end of year stuff, you know...” her voice trailed off and she dropped her gaze back to her hands. had it really been that long? the detective across from her didn’t show any indication of what she was thinking, instead just casually jotting something down and offering another one of those soft smiles. was it supposed to be comforting?

“When did you last actually see Greer?”

“same time, the day before graduation when i moved out for the summer.” her voice was flatter this time, a bit annoyed with the repeat answer. “she came by as i finished packing up. we said goodbye’s told each other we’d keep in touch over the summer, and when we came back in the fall we’d have the best year yet.” it was a bit of a stretch, but that’s essentially what their last conversation had been. “and yea...i guess that was the last time...” it was slowly hitting her, that greer wasn’t here. that greer was missing. the emotions were too complex for alethea to sort out in that moment, especially not in front of cops. the detective against the wall moved toward them now, directing the next question at her. 

“How well did you know Greer?”

this almost made them laugh. “i would say pretty well, we’ve been friends since freshman year.” it was true. alethea wouldn’t have survived past the first month without greer. she had replaced her mother with the girl, who was even more eager to bring alethea into a new world under her control. “we did almost everything together. so you know.” she shrugged, resisting the urge to bring her feet onto the chair with her and to tuck her knees under her chin. others were questioning how well they knew greer at this point, but alethea wasn’t. while she didn’t know everything, she knew enough. “how well do you know your best friends?” the question slipped out, sharper than they had intended. the detectives exchanged a glance and gave a chuckle before moving on without an answer. 

“What was your relationship with Greer like?”

“why do you keep repeating the same question with different words?” once again they couldn’t stop the question. their voice more forceful and sarcastic than it typically was with authority. she was supposed to respect them, to be afraid of them. but right now she was just getting more and more annoyed, and sad, and angry. at them, at greer, at this whole situation. “she was one of my best friends. it’s how every relationship is. we did a lot together, helped each other out, partied, shared clothes. i don’t think i have to explain anymore?” especially not the reality of what a friendship with greer actually looked like. the male detective took a sip of his coffee, seemingly dissatisfied with the answer, but he made no move to say anything more. 

“Have you heard or seen anything about where she was this summer?”

alethea went back to picking at her nails, ignoring the gnawing in her chest. it was getting to be too much these days, as if it wanted to drown her. “no...” it was soft, it was sad. alethea didn’t bother masking it for this answer. “i figured she was in europe or something. she did that kind of thing. i was at an intensive all summer, so i was a little preoccupied.” how did best friends not see each other during the summer? well it was easy for alethea, have a demanding hobby and you rarely saw anyone in your free time. “i knew if she was gonna be close by she’d reach out. but i figured we’d both arrive back at school with stories to share and pick up right where we left off.” that’s how it was supposed to be anyway. the detectives took a few more notes and alethea wanted to melt through the floor. maybe she should have called her dad after all. but then she’d have to put up with her mother and...this felt easier. 

“You wouldn’t have wanted Greer to disappear, would you?” 

“absolutely not!” alethea scoffs, voice raised, as if the question alone is offensive and absurd. “she was one of my best friends, and i know she can be a bit dramatic but…I miss her.” their demeanor shifts, her teeth catching her lip as she ponders the thought even more. “i don’t know why she would do this, but i hope she’s safe. and i hope she comes home soon…i-i just don’t know how to be in the place without her? You know?” alethea continues quietly, her eyes shifting to her fingers, picking at the skin around her nails. they’re bleeding now, her mother would be furious. but she has an inkling of why greer might not be here, and the thought alone surges a layer of anger alethea has been trying to swallow her whole life.

“Right, apologies Mr. Da Silva. I’m Officer Brian Smith. Now, we just have a couple questions regarding Greer Morrison.”

“Shocking, I thought you were here for a job interview. Can you hurry it up, I have conditioning soon.” 

“When did you last speak to Ms. Morrison?”

“End of may, when we lost in Nationals.” 

“You two aren’t very close?”

“Astute observation, officer.”

“Was that also the same time you last saw her?”

“I’m starting to see why they hired you for the position.”

“The sarcasm isn’t necessary, please just answer the questions so you may attend your practice.”

“So I may att-” the voice cuts off with a scoff, before returning to its bored sound. “Yes, that was the last time I saw her.”

“Can you describe your relationship with Ms. Morrison a little bit?”

“We were doubles partners.” 

“Is that all?”

a taping sound begun. seemingly against the metal desk. tap tap tap- “Yep.” 

“Have you heard or seen anything about where she was this summer?”

“I just told you earlier the last time I saw or heard from her was in May. Why the fuck would I care what she does outside of tennis?”

“Language, please, Mr. Da Silva.” silence, as if waiting for the other voice to give verbal confirmation. “You wouldn’t have wanted Greer to disappear, would you?” 

“I believe you were calling her Ms. Morrison earli-”

“Mr. Da Silva.”

an echo rang as something seemed to hit the same metal desk from earlier.  “We were the best in our conference, why would I waste a free ticket to Nationals?”

“Okay, that is all for today. Thank-“

“Today?”

“We might have to-“