Daisy, Corinne’s best friend forever, was slightly amused at the thought she was being ‘used’ as the excuse for Corinne to escape her parent's watchful eye. Corinne had long lamented her lack of freedom, and this was not the first time Daisy had helped her.
“You haven’t told me what this field trip is about,” Daisy said.
Whenever Corinne wanted to ‘escape’ it was always to do something that pushed boundaries, not that she really cared all that much, she was already a rebel.
They had just left Corinne’s apartment, supposedly on their way to the movies.
“My brother has given me a job.”
“Which brother? Neither Jacob or Neville could care less about you.”
“Harry.”
“Mr. Defiance himself. Are you mad? If your mother and especially your father, find out, you’ll be in a lot of trouble.”
“Well, if you don’t tell them, and I don’t tell them, how will they find out?”
“Your mother has spies everywhere.”
It seemed that way, Corinne thought. She’s already been caught out a few times on a lie, but it would pale to insignificance if her parents found out she was working with Harry. Defiance had its price, the question really was whether she wanted to accept the consequences.
“Then we will have to be careful.”
They went down into the station at 86th Street and waited for the 1 train. While waiting on the platform, Corinne told her, “I’m going to help my brother solve several murder cases.”
“Isn’t that the job for the police?”
“Harry is a Private Detective. He’s been hired to find out who killed several men.”
“Why isn’t he doing it himself?”
“He’s in hospital.”
“I’m guessing, shot by a jealous husband or wife?”
“Why would you say that?”
“I watch television. It’s very dangerous. You might get shot yourself.”
It was a possibility, Corinne thought, but she was skirting the issue of danger until it happened.
“We’re going to see the policeman in charge of the case to ask him a few questions. What could possibly happen to us at the police station?”
The train came; they got on, then got off at 14th Street, walked to the 6th Avenue station and took the L train to 3rd. From there it was a short walk to the Police Department building.
Both had deliberately avoided talking any more about the reason they were making the trip until they were both standing outside the front of the building
Daisy looked at the building, then back at Corinne. “Are you sure you really want to do this?”
It had also sounded so much easier in her head, but now she was there, Corinne realized this task was going to be a lot harder than she imagined.
She shrugged. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
Daisy didn’t say, but her imagination was running wild right at that moment.
© Charles Heath 2016-2019
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