Safe Harbor - 7

Daniel was taking notes as Bobby talked. Now he looked up. "Can you describe the men and the car?"

"Yeah sorta. This is the part you ain’t gonna like. They were cops."

"The hell you say!"

Kurt held up one hand to silence him. "Let him finish, Daniel."

Daniel nodded, turning back to Bobby. "Why do you think they were police officers?"

"They were wearing uniforms and had all the gear on their belts. I looked for their squad car but they didn’t have one. They put the kids in a dark sedan. They were cuffed, then. I got part of the license number." Bobby looked at Kurt.

Kurt took out the slip of paper Bobby had written the information on, handing it to Daniel. The detective looked and shook his head. "Whoever the car belongs to it’s not one of our unmarked ones. Too bad you didn’t get more."

"Yeah well I’m three flights up on the roof. Damned lucky I got that much."

"Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"No. I been going over it all in my head and that’s it. I never saw the guys’ faces ‘cause it was dark. All I know is one was tall and skinny, the other dude was shorter and I think had blonde hair. At least it was lighter."

"You never mentioned that to me," Kurt said.

"Didn’t really think about it until we were on our way over here."

"So they weren’t wearing uniform hats?" Daniel asked.

"Nope. Maybe left them in the car for all I know."

"But they definitely were in uniforms, not just dark blue slacks and shirts?"

"Well, I didn’t exactly bop down there to check but looked like it from where I was. Mainly it was the belts. Like I said they had all the gear hanging on them, even batons."

"Alright. Thanks, Bobby. I’m going to type up your statement and have you sign it then you’re free to go."

"Good." Bobby finally sat down again, waiting until the detective left before he turned to Kurt. "Did I do okay? Do you think he believes me?"

"I suspect he thinks you’re telling the truth about what you saw. Whether he believes it was a couple of cops is another story."

Bobby frowned. "Sure looked like cops."

"If two men came up to you dressed the way they were and rousted you would you question them?"

"Well no. Maybe. Depends if they were wearing badges, though I guess I’d be more worried about what they wanted and why they were hassling me."

"Exactly. And this took place in a dark alley where Minnie and Scooter probably didn’t get a chance to take more than a quick look before those men, be they cops or impersonators, forced them to submit."

"Hell of a racket if they aren’t cops."

"True, and they know who to prey on."

"Runaways like me who for sure aren’t going to report them. Yeah."