Please Try Not to
Previously: A press conference with remarks from Alexa’s stepmother.
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5:28 PM - Friday, November 6, 2014
US Park Police Office, Ft Winfield Scott, The Presidio
Spiro Thomas was waiting just inside the hallway, immediately wrapping his wife in a long embrace. Jeannie heard a soft, broken Thank you whispered into Carole’s ear, which pulled at her insides.
“Mr and Mrs Thomas, let’s get you upstairs for a few minutes while the press clears out.” Mark suggested to them quietly. Paco went ahead to seal up the conference room, hiding the evidence boards. Gathering in the office space, Jeannie offered the Thomases water or tea, both refusing.
“That went very well, I think.” Jeannie began gently. “We appreciate your help.”
“We appreciate yours.” Carole Thomas whispered back. “What’s next, what do we do?”
“At this point, there’s nothing else. We need to finish up our interviews and see what charges we can file.” Mark answered in a low voice. “We then would need to hand the case off to a grand jury for them to determine any indictments. This will be a bit of a process, I’m sorry.” Both parents made faint gestures of nodding in agreement.
“I’m going to post a patrol at the top of Arguello and another at Infantry Terrace for the next few days and nights,” Paco added. “We want to make sure no one’s bothering you with interviews or anything like that. One of the benefits of this being federal land — we can control access a bit better.” He tried offering them a slight smile.
“I don’t know how you can keep track of all the trails.” Spiro mused, “it’s such a big place.” Paco thought of how Baker had missed the whole party at Inspiration Point last Friday night and felt the guilt creeping through his belly. “I — I was looking at the maps — of the trails?” Spiro added, his voice wavering slightly. “I was looking, and I realized that where they were at the party wasn’t at all far from our house. I — I just can’t believe it. She was only a quarter-mile or so away on that Ecology Trail — she, she could have made it home — I just, it just — it’s just not fair.” He pleaded to Paco who nodded.
“Yes sir, it’s very unfair.” He agreed quietly, his normally bright eyes shuttering. “But as well as I know those trails, I’d never walk them at night by myself. They aren’t lit — it’s incredibly dark out there, and still wild. Even on someone’s best night it would be difficult.” Paco swallowed hard. “Sir, please try not to think that way — it —” he paused, not sure what to say next. Spiro Thomas gave him a long, helpless look and then nodded slowly.
“We should get home to the kids, Spiro.” Carole said quietly, folding her hand into her husband’s.
Mark escorted the Thomases down to their car, promising them updates once he knew more. Watching the pair drive away in a large BMW SUV, he finally let himself heave a deep sigh. The fatigue washed over him from the crown of his head through his shoulders, tightening in a band deep in the center of his back. He had to get home, and soon. But there was still one more stop to make. Checking the time, he bounced up the stairs again to rally the group.
Mark opened the conference room door to find Raj and Steph huddled around a laptop at one end of the table, with Owen on another laptop at the opposite end with Jeannie.
“Okay, I need everyone to give me a one-minute recap of where they are on their projects and then you can all go home. Steph you go first.”
“Ah — yeah, okay. So we have the tip line up and running, but no calls as of yet, and while we haven’t received any form submissions, we have the site activated and ready to receive anything anyone wants to send over. Right?” She looked to Raj for confirmation.
“Yeah, that’s right.” Raj agreed, looking up to Mark with wide eyes.
“Okay, well the news is probably only just getting the story, so it could take a while for any calls or images to come through. I’m guessing your little site submission form will be popular, but you never know. Who’s keeping an eye on it over the weekend?”
“I will be.” Steph answered. “The phone line allows for messages to be left, and I’ll keep noting them down and clearing it.”
“I’ll watch the site since I’ll be watching Pr3pSF too.” Raj huffed.
“Okay, good is that your update?” Mark asked perching on the end of the table.
“Yeah, and I secured everything we found on Tripp Hartman’s laptop and phone. The video we were looking for was on the laptop in a hidden file.”
“Oh was it now? How interesting.” Mark tossed out wryly.
“Yeah, I’m guessing maybe he got spooked after he showed it to Ryan?” Raj suggested, “and then hid it away someplace. But it was still active — he’s watched it a lot.”
“Ugh.” Jeannie and Steph said almost at the same time.
“Keep in mind that since Carole Thomas mentioned a “private school chat room” in her remarks that there may be some fallout on Pr3pSF — see what they’re saying. Also keep the trace running — maybe the Admin will get scared and do something wild.”
“Yeah, I thought that too. I’m on it.” Raj’s eyes went back to darting over his screen.
“Owen, you’re up.”
“Yeah, we’ll see what images come through the site, but for now I have the timeline of images pretty precisely laid out, and I’ve ID’d everyone we looking at wherever I can. Maybe it isn’t important, but it will help us keep track of things, I think.”
“Thank you, that’s a good idea. Stay in touch with Steph about any images that may come in over the weekend.” Owen nodded and shut his laptop, standing to gather his things.
“Okay, you guys can take off. Thank you for this week — very good work, all of you. Try and get some rest.” Steph gave him a whisper of her usual beaming smile and made her way out the door, giving Jeannie a quick hug, followed by Owen and finally Raj. Mark tried stretching his eyes open and sniffed. “Let’s check out this video.”
“Tonight?” Jeannie asked, “what’s the rush?”
“We need to know if there’s a crime there, Jean.” Mark was trying not to be impatient. “We need to know what happened and if Seb Podesta was even aware of what was happening.”
Jeannie sighed deeply, moving to take a seat next to Mark’s laptop, Paco flanking his other side.
“And then what —”
“If this goes the way I think — the way we all think it went — then we’re paying a visit to Seb immediately.” Mark set the video screen and pressed play, showing the barely-lit room that they’d seen before in the images from Ryan Dominguez.
“Is — is that necessary?” Jeannie asked weakly, “I mean —”
“Jeannie, we need to get Tripp Hartman,” Mark stopped her. “If he assaulted Seb and took a video of it happening,” he gestured to the screen, “that’s two crimes, maybe more.”
“I think Tally’s the brains of this operation, Mark.”
“I don’t disagree. But Tally won’t be straight with us unless she has no other choice. We take away Tripp and she’ll start to see the cracks in her plan. She’ll have to give him up to try and save herself.” They watched the muddy-looking screen, finally seeing the camera angle change to show Tripp Hartman’s face in the low light. Eventually his face turned into a twisted grin as he moved faster in the dim light, turning the camera around one more time to show Seb’s unconscious face planted on the quilt below him.
6:09 PM - Friday, November 6, 2014
3rd Avenue and Hugo St, Inner Sunset, San Francisco
Paco drove the three of them over, pulling into the driveway of the modest Edwardian house that looked squat next to the three-story apartment building next door. An old fashioned wooden garage door fronted the street, with a pair of bay windows above. Despite the worn paint here and there, Jeannie thought it looked tidy — a thought confirmed by a large planter on the porch that was lush with greenery accompanied by a cheery welcome mat.
A lit hallway could be seen through the gauzy curtain inside the glass-fronted door, with scraps of the local evening news sounding somewhere down the hall.
“Okay,” Jeannie said softly, “I know we’re all tired, but this is a really sensitive situation, okay?” She looked at Mark and Paco. “Let’s just try and go easy on him.” Mark nodded softly, pressing the doorbell. A loud, old-fashioned sounding buzz rang out, followed by quick footsteps toward the door, and a snap of the porch light above them. The gauzy curtain was tugged to the side revealing a woman whose eager face melted into concern at the three uniformed officers on her porch.
She opened the door a crack, soft hazel eyes full of questions. “Yes? What can I do for you officers?”
“Mrs Podesta?” Mark began, introducing all of them. “We were hoping we could speak with you and your son, Seb.”
“It’s Julie — Julie Richards. Seb is my son, but Podesta is my ex —his father’s name.” Julie pulled the door open to reveal her somewhat tall frame dressed in scrubs, complete with clogs. She moved aside, inviting them in. “I — I just got home from work. I just finished up three twelves — I usually do Wednesday through Friday to keep things consistent, but once Seb’s basketball starts up I try to do earlier in the week so I can make the games.”
Jeannie offered her a small smile. “What kind of nursing do you do?”
“Surgeries — all types. I’m in and out of operating rooms all day.” She gave a smile that looked just like her son’s. “At least it’s close to home — I just walk down the hill.” She shrugged. “Um — Seb’s in the shower, but I’ll get him. Why — why don’t we talk in the kitchen?” She led them down the hallway toward the back of the house. Seb’s large sneakers were discarded at the bottom of the stairs along with what looked like his school bag. “I’m — I’m assuming this has something to do with Alexa?” Julie said over her shoulder as they entered the kitchen, “I saw the update on the news — I actually just saw all three of you on there. You can imagine how surprised I was to see you at the door!” She giggled nervously.
Jeannie took in the kitchen which was clean but slightly cluttered with appliances on every countertop. The fridge was covered with photographs of Julie and Seb together over the years, along with newspaper clippings of “Bash and Dash” from last basketball season. The Xavier prep basketball team workout schedule was mounted in the center of everything. Julie moved to turn off the kitchen television, immediately cutting the background chatter. Something was cooking in the oven and it smelled homey and delicious. Mark’s stomach growled in response — he thought it could be meatloaf.
“Yes, this is about Alexa, but it’s actually more about your son.” Mark said gently.
“Ah — okay, I see! L-let me get him.” Just as she moved back toward the hallway, Seb Podesta appeared in the doorway, looking at all of them warily. He wore sweats and an oversized hoodie, golden curls still damp from the shower. “Oh, here he is — the officers wanted to chat with you sweetheart — why don’t we sit down at the table? Does anyone want anything? Some water?” Julie fluttered with nervousness, trying to usher everyone over to the simple pine table nestled at the back of the kitchen. A set of broad windows flanked the sides overlooking a dark garden below.
“We’re fine for now, Julie, thank you.” Jeannie reassured her. “Let’s sit down.”
Seb immediately went for the first side chair, which Jeannie thought must be his usual chair at the table, as every family member had one. Julie went for the head nearest the kitchen, which was likely her usual place too. Jeannie and Mark sat next to her, while Paco sat on the other side of Seb, thinking that it would be too isolating to be staring down three officers during this conversation.
Seb pushed back his damp curls and considered Jeannie across the table from him, eyes narrowing slightly.
“What’s this about?” He asked softly, “I told you everything I know about last Friday.”
“We know, Seb. But this is about something else.” Jeannie began. “You — you told us about what happened at Lake Tahoe last July 4th, and you told us that after you’d returned home that Tripp Hartman admitted to dosing you with GHB that night, is that correct?”
“Seb?” Julie whispered in disbelief, reaching for her son’s hand which he quickly pulled off the tabletop and into his lap.
“Yes, that’s correct.” He whispered.
Jeannie licked her lips and nodded slightly. “Do — do you happen to remember anything at all that happened while you were under the influence of GHB that night?”
Seb stared at her coldly, his high cheekbones in counterpoint to his strong jaw. The boy remained silent, Jeannie meeting his stare.
“I don’t really remember anything.” He said quietly, swallowing hard.
“You don’t remember Dash Reilly leaving the room after you and he had an encounter with Jen Tyson?” Seb’s eyes darted toward his mother whose mouth gaped slightly. Seb shook his head. “You don’t remember being alone in the room with Tripp Hartman?” Jeannie continued quietly. Seb seemed to quake in his chair. Jeannie tilted her head a little, assessing him. “Are you close with Tripp Hartman, Seb?”
“I’ve known him my whole life.”
“Would you consider him a close friend?”
“No. He’s just the guy that puts the party together.”
Jeannie nodded once. “So you’re not friends, but you go to his parties. Apart from GHB, has Tripp ever told you about any other drugs he’s had in his possession?” Seb scoffed at this, leaning back in his chair.
“Everyone knows Tripp has drugs.”
“What kind?” Mark asked quietly, Seb’s eyes darting toward him for the first time.
“All kinds. Oxy, weed, cocaine, Molly, whatever.” Julie exhaled slowly, looking down at the tabletop.
“Have you ever bought recreational drugs from Tripp?” Mark countered.
“No. I sometimes smoke weed, but it’s usually Dash’s weed. And I never do it during the season. I don’t do drugs like that.”
“But you drink alcohol.” Jeannie tossed out. “And twice now Tripp has dosed your alcohol with GHB leaving you without any memory of a party. It happened on July 4th and it happened last Friday night. Why do you think Tripp would do that to you?”
Seb stared at her again, his eyes beginning to narrow.
“Where were you when you woke up on the morning of July 5th?” Jeannie continued.
Seb licked his lips and sniffed slightly. “I woke up in the bedroom where we’d been partying. Jen was there, Dash was there. I think Tripp was in the chair in the corner.”
“We know that Dash left that room to meet Tally Briggs on the beach that night, after you and Dash had your encounter with Jen. Do you remember him leaving you alone in the room with Tripp?”
“What are you asking me?” The boy murmured at Jeannie, folding his lips over his teeth.
“Would you say that Angela Parisi is Tripp’s girlfriend?” Seb stared silently. “We aren’t exactly clear on who Tripp is dating, if he’s dating anyone. Are he and Angela serious?” Seb scoffed again.
“Why don’t you just ask me what you want to know?” The boy demanded quietly, brows knitting.
“We’ve heard that Tripp doesn’t have any interest in Angela,” Jeannie pressed. “We’ve heard that Tripp is actually interested in other guys, but has never been open about this. I’m asking you, Seb, if Tripp Hartman has ever shown any interest in you?”
“You already know the answer to that.” Seb murmured, his eyes staring at Jeannie blankly.