It Sometimes Snows In May: A B.E.A.N. Police Novella by Tope Oluwole Read Free Book Online Page A

who is still scanning the record.
     
    Morefishco taps on a relationship link leading to Roberto Brown; the third Brown on the list. The image renders. It resembles a clean-cut version of the John Doe Morefishco has in custody.
     
    “You’ll be happy to hear you’re not one of the usual characters we get.” Morefishco taps the top edge of the display firmly. The display powers itself off, and then slowly slides back into its place embedded in the table
     
    “Nice to know,” Ryles says.
     
    Morefishco studies Ryles for a moment. “I’m curious Misses Brown, where did you file a missing persons report for your brother? I didn’t find any record of one being filed in the state.”
     
    “My brother kinda does his own thing. It’s not unlike him to fly off to Brazil for a month and not tell anybody. I didn’t know he was missing until I saw him on TV.”
     
    “I see.” Morefishco gave Ryles an even expression. “I guess you guys aren’t close then?” Ryles responded with a scowl. “Sorry, occupational hazard. I can’t help but ask.”
     
    “No, we don’t swap recipes or bitch about our exes,” Ryles says.
     
    “What about his family?” Morefishco leaned in, resting his forearms on the table.
     
    “Family?”
     
    Morefishco recoiled. “You know...Wife, ex-wife, kids, a dog, a cat, a snake… People who might give a crap if he was missing for three months.”
     
    Ryles lowered her head, and hunched over, which inadvertently made her look softer to Morefishco; less I-don’t-need-no-man , and more I-got-problems-but-doesn’t-everyone. I’m the only family he’s got left.
     
    A light on the top of the display in the table glows green. Morefishco pushes down on the top of the display which toggles it back up to face him. “Can I speak with you sir? It’s important”,  appears in an alert message on the screen. Morefishco stares at the message for a moment, then closes the display.
     
    “Are we done?” Ryles asks.
     
    “Almost. I’ll be right back.” Morefishco exits the interrogation room from a different door than they had entered, and walks into a back room where a junior guardie and John are waiting.
     
    A bony young man rises at Morefishco’s entrance into the room. “He said he recognized her.”
     
    Morefishco turns to John. “This is your sister?”
     
    “Well, I remember her face…”
     
    “Is she your sister, or isn’t she?” Morefishco’s face turns pink.
     
    “I remember her face” John nods “And her voice.”
     
    Morefishco scowls at the junior guardie . “You interrupted my interrogation for this? I remember the voice of President Obama; doesn’t make him my cousin.”
     
    “It’s what I remember,” John says. He walks to the one-way camoglass separating and obscuring the inner room from the outer room where he stands. The glass is cool to his touch as his presses his palms against it, and stares at the mocha-skinned woman.
     
    “Patel, you know how many weirdos we’ve had in here since the broadcast? I almost regret authorizing it,” Morefishco says.
     
    “I know this, but she is the only one he recognized ,” Guard Patel says.
     
    “I’ll bet,” Morefishco hisses.
     
    “You can’t prove she not my sister.” John turns to Morefishco. Guard Patel swallows. Morefishco can’t see his tan face go crimson.
     
    “And you can’t prove she’s not one of the bandits that put you on ice!” Morefishco stands in front of John. “Did you ever think of that?” The room is silent.
     
    “If it makes you feel better, you can keep an eye on me. I mean her. Well, us…” John says.
     
    “And waste more taxpayers’ bitcash? I don’t think so.” Morefishco steps out of in front of John and extends his hand to the door separating them from Ryles. “Go say hi to your sister.” Patel’s eyes widen, but Morefishco doesn’t react to it. He open’s the inner door, and lets John through.
     
    Morefishco and Patel watch as John walks in and