Victorious: Part 5

My heart was pounding out of my chest.  I didn’t have the money to fly back to speak with the detective, so I was riding up with Luke’s parents.  The car ride was slow and painful.  Slow because it felt like time was standing still.  Painful because we didn’t know what was happening and we were all riding in silence. 

I tried sleeping most of the way to pass the time.

When we got to the police station that Monday, we had to wait, and then I was called back first.  I was escorted back to an interview room by Detective Stratton, the same one who had called me.

My hands were sweating and I was nervous.  I knew at this point that Luke was in jail, but didn’t know many details beyond that.  Detective Stratton started out asking me what I guess would be normal questions about me like my name, age, what I’m studying at UNL, how I know Luke,  and what our relationship was like.  He seemed calm, if not friendly. 

But then he asked me if I knew someone by the name of Aleah Lange.

That bitch.  What did she do.

I tensed up and said I did.

“And what is your relationship like with her?”

“There isn’t one.  She wanted Luke, but he didn’t want her.”

“I see, so what do you know about Aleah’s and Luke’s relationship?”

“They weren’t ever in a relationship!” I balled my fists up, under the table.  I was getting pissed.

“By relationship, I mean how do they get along?”

“They don’t,” I replied, flatly.  I also rolled my eyes.  It started to appear as if Detective Stratton was 

getting a kick out of this.

“Here’s the thing, Victoria, I’ve received information that alludes to the fact that Luke and Aleah were in a dating relationship at the end of last school year.  Do you know anything about that?”

I could feel my face getting hot, and I was seeing red.  There was no way, was there?  I attempted to keep my voice even as I said, “I don’t believe your information is true.  He’s been with me for years.”

“Where were you Friday night?”

“I was on an airplane to go home to Kansas.  Then I was in Kansas.”

He asked me questions about my flight and what time I left, go to the airport.  I started to get a really bad feeling.

“Was Luke with you?”

“Seeing as how he’s in jail right now, I’d say he probably wasn’t, wouldn’t you?  But speaking of, are you going to tell me why he’s there?  I’m sure whatever the reason, it isn’t true.”

Detective Stratton leaned back in his chair, linking his fingers behind his head, giving me a half amused, half disgusted look.  “Do you know where he was, then, if he wasn’t with you?”

I sighed.  I was over this game.  “To my knowledge, he was supposed to be going back to my dorm apartment to get a Christmas gift I’d accidentally left there for family.”

“Do you know if he did?”

“I don’t, because after he dropped me off at the airport, he was supposed to come back and catch the flight with me, but he never did.  I texted him and called him, and he never answered me.”

“How was he going to get into your dorm?”

“I gave him my key.”

He just stared at me.  I realized, then, I probably shouldn’t have said anything.  My hand flew to my mouth, as if to stop anything else from breaking free.

“Uh, do I need an attorney?” I asked, more to myself than to him.

“That’s up to you.  You aren’t being interviewed as a suspect, at this time.  You’re free to go whenever you’d like.”

I felt tears welling up in my eyes, and I didn’t even know why.  I stood suddenly, feeling an intense need to get out of the room, knocking over the chair as I stood.

I turned and ran out, to where only Luke’s mom was sitting, wiping her eyes with a Kleenex.  She looked at me sympathetically, but I didn’t know why. 

I sat down next to her, numbly.  “What is he in jail for?” I whispered.

His mom looked at me only momentarily, as if it hurt her to make eye contact.  She took a deep breath and said, “aggravated assault, sexual assault, and attempted rape.”  Her voice cracked on the last word, and my heart broke for her, for me, and because I couldn’t fight the sinking feeling and the growing pit in my stomach that it might possibly be true.