Chapter 25: Liar, Lair

It was difficult to believe that this strong confident woman who sat in front of me could have once been such an easily manipulated teenager. JJ clearly had a strong hold on her in order to convince her to go along with his lies.

"Mom, how did you know Tino saw you?"

"He called me," she answered.

My eyes widened as mom continued to explain.

"The lead detective, Detective McCree, called my house asking if my parents would bring me to the station to help answer some questions. I tried to get out of it, but I knew if I pushed too hard it would look like I had something to hide, which of course I did. And I definitely didn't want your grandparents questioning my reluctance to help. About an hour before we were due to leave for the police station, Tino called."

"Did he tell you he saw you put the note in his mailbox?"

"When he called, I was really surprised. I mean, Stacey's brother never called my house. I had a sinking feeling he might have seen me."

"Debbie? It's Tino."

"Oh hi. What's up?"

"If you know where my sister is, where she ran off to or who she's with, you've got to tell me."

"What are you talking about?" I don't know anything."

"I don't believe you. You covered for her once before and I know you are doing it again. I know you are!"

"He raised his voice with each word he spoke. I remember I had to hold the phone away from my ear because he was shouting so loudly."

"Tino, I am sorry, but you're wrong. I don't know where she is."

"I managed to keep calm because I was convinced that I was telling the truth. Remember, I only had JJ's word as to where Stacey was. I didn't know for sure."

"Then why did you put a note in my mailbox for her?" Tino revealed.

"My heart sank. I didn't know if I should confess, stick to my guns, or just hang up the phone. But then he said something that made my decision easier."

"A note?"

"Yeah, a note. I know it was you. Well, you or the other one, Franey. I saw one of you last night. And I told the police I saw one of you."

"I am sorry Tino. I can't say that I have any idea what you are talking about. I have to go now."

"And I hung up the phone before he could argue with me further."

"Oh wow. So, you knew what the detective was going to ask you. He was going to ask you about the note."

"Right. However, I also knew that Tino wasn't sure. He said he saw me or Franey. When I got to the station, I was a bundle of nerves. But at least I wasn't going to be blindsided."

"How did you manage not to freak out and hold yourself together?"

Mom shook her head, brought her hand up to her chin, and rested it there before she spoke.

"I honestly don't know how I made it through, but somehow I did."

"Did they have JJ there at the station?"

"No, he wasn't there. And the detective never asked me about him."

I tried to think about what I would have done if I were in her shoes. Would I be able to protect someone I love and who I thought loved me to this degree?

"Mom? This means you lied to the detective. You did put the note in the mailbox."

I wasn't angry with her, but I was disappointed.

Mom nodded her head and dropped her chin to her chest.

I turned away from her. It wasn't easy learning that the decisions young Debbie made could be the same person I knew. She's the first person to remind us how important the police are and how they are to be thanked and respected for what they do to keep us safe. She has preached the same words about those who serve in the military and who are firefighters too.

I turned back around and faced her. I wanted to know what she said to convince the detective that it wasn't her that Tino saw.

"Do you remember what you said? What you said to make them believe that it wasn't you?"

She took a sip of her water and squinted her eyes.

"When Detective McCree asked me where I was the night prior, I said I was at home. And that he was already told by my father that I had been sick with the flu for the last few days. Before he could ask me anything else, I said, so it couldn't have been me who put the note in the Orlando's mailbox. I went on to explain to him that Tino called me an hour ago accusing me of covering for Stacey. I further explained that I told Tino I had no idea what he was talking about."

Knowing my grandparents like I do, I asked, "What did grandma and grandpa say?"

"Oh, they were getting pretty upset. Grandpa said something about a fishing expedition and that we were going to get an attorney if Tino or the police harassed me."

"Oh boy. I could see grandpa saying something like that."

"The detective did not look happy at all. He seemed annoyed that Tino called me. Obviously, he wanted me to be surprised about the note, but it was clear that he was the one who was caught off guard. Grandma stood up and said we were leaving."

I snickered at the idea of mom upsetting the detective. What mom did was wrong, but I couldn't help routing for her.

She continued to explain how my grandparents talked in the car about how ridiculous it was that Tino thought she would go to such lengths to help Stacey.

"Grandma turned around in the front seat and looked at me and said, I just know you would never worry her family like that. I know you would help if you had any information. Her confidence in me to do the right thing was difficult to listen to. All I could do was stare out the window to avoid looking at her."

Mom sat silent and waited for me to ask a question. Instead, I picked up the picture of her and JJ. I examined the way his arms wrapped around her waist, his face turned away, but also tucked close to hers. How could this awful boy put my mother in this horrible position?

As if mom could read my thoughts she said, "I should never have helped him. The part I played is something I will always regret. What I did was unforgivable."

I looked at the photo again. Two young teens. One innocent and one a monster. I felt anger, which quickly turned into rage.

I erupted, "I hate him! I hate what he did to you. I hate him!"

I took the picture and tore it up. I kept tearing and ripping until the pieces were small enough that I couldn't tear the photo anymore. Then I tossed the tiny pieces away from the two of us.

Mom took me into her arms.

"Shh. It's okay sweetheart," she said trying to consol me.

Mom stroke my hair as we held each other and cried.