The Real Thing
Previously: Jeannie stands up for herself; the press starts to gather in the wake of the raid on the Hartman home.
To catch up on The Spring, please visit the chapter index here:
1:11 PM - Friday, November 6, 2014
US Park Police Office, Ft Winfield Scott, The Presidio
Jeannie took a bite of a mediocre deli sandwich, barely tasting the roast beef and cheddar inside. The beef was under-seasoned and the cheddar wasn’t sharp enough. It needed more mayo and a lot more mustard..maybe a pickle. Something sour assaulted her tongue and she set the sandwich down on the kitchen counter, swallowing in a hurry. Tipping the top pieces of bread to the side, she gently pulled the thinly sliced red onions off of the meat and dropped them into the sink, wincing. The last thing she needed today was a case of onion breath. The broad leaf of head lettuce followed, but the deep red, tart tomato slice stayed — late October tomatoes in Northern California being excellent, even in mediocre deli sandwiches. Finding a set of salt and pepper in the cupboard, she dosed the meat with a generous helping of both, and replaced the sandwich tops, gobbling down a full half standing next to the sink, trying not to think.
The meeting at the federal building ended in a detente, the Lieutenant (who had stayed silent during the debrief) glaring at her as he left the room ahead of the Captain who walked out with Mark and Paco, after complimenting them all on their work on the case. The Sergeant let them go ahead of him and Jeannie considered him with a small amount of suspicion. That slight look of pride was still on his face, but it could mean anything. He faced her silently as though he knew she had questions.
“Were you warning me?” She ventured softly, unblinking. He sighed a little and looked down.
“No — I — I suppose I wanted you to figure it out for yourself, so I pointed you in the right direction.” He lifted his chin and looked at her, eyes grave.
“Is he dirty?” She whispered.
“I don’t think so.” He responded slowly, carefully. “But his friends are quickly becoming a liability.” Jeannie nodded at him slowly, eyes narrowing. “I thought you’d have seen that photo.”
“I had, but I didn’t know who the players were. I had Choy confirm for me. And Dunne did the research at Xavier.”
“So all three of you know?” His eyebrows raised.
“Three is better than one.” Jeannie said tilting her chin. “So, you can point him in that direction if you need to. Do you think you’ll need to?”
“I think you made your point. And made it well.” He gave her a half smile. “Well done, Hagen.”
“Sir, thank you sir.” She whispered as he moved out the door.
Mark and Raj were still at the other office wrapping up their evidence, but she and Paco had returned to take some time to review what was still outstanding, especially considering the potential press conference planned for later in the day.
Jeannie compressed the second half of the sandwich and tucked it into a fresh paper towel to carry it into the conference room where she considered the to-do list on the whiteboard, making edits.
Vin & Angela Parisi - Vin? Do we think he knows anything? Need Angela statement.
Tyler Shea - Admission to wolf pack - follow up? Pr3pSF activity?
Reconfirm Talbot Briggs timeline - what else do we need to ask Tally?
Discipline reports from XP - Hartmans - received?
Alexa boyfriend? “Feo”? Who has overseas phone?
Why would Alexa leave the party with Jen?
Who has Alexa’s Pr3pSF login/who posted Lake Tahoe video & how did they get it?
ppl in room: Alexa, Seb, Dash, Tripp, Jen - one of these
Who is the Admin/hacker?
Why was Alexa being bullied? Who disliked her?
Why a wolf pack? Motivation?
Hartman/Con Sullivan - why? where is the Hartman money?
is this even pertinent to Alexa’s case?
Jeannie photographed the list and then erased the board, re-writing it with new points down the left side.
CAROLE & SPIRO THOMAS:
Reveal contents of July 4th statement?
Hear/see anything between Tally and Alexa at July 4th drop-off?
Spiro gave permission for Alexa to go skiing with Dagonets at Xmas - did not admit to relationship; what did they know? Did they see signet ring?
JEN:
Why would Alexa leave the party with Jen?
Did Jen know Alexa’s Tito’s shot was dosed?
Did Jen know about the video of her with Seb & Dash? Did she know about other video(s)?
Who is the Admin/hacker? — Rumor that Jen knows who this is?
TALLY:
Reconfirm Talbot Briggs timeline - Owen compiling photos
Tip line - request photos from 9pm and afterward
Confirm interest in Charlie Dagonet/cotillion
Presence at Hartman’s late night - dose drink for Charlie?
Sequins on Lanvin dress - Cherry St
trench coat + wolf mask, diamond bracelet
Did Tally see Alexa wearing signet ring? Who may have noticed it?
Confirm cocaine from Tripp Hartman - how much, how often for how long?
Federal charges for online bullying via Pr3pSF account? - what charges?
TRIPP:
What is on his phone/laptop? Anything we haven’t seen yet?
What is the play here? Indict for Alexa - charge?
Whose idea was the “wolf pack”? Who purchased masks - mother or Tripp? WHY?
why did the group need faces to be concealed?
Federal interest - knowledge of drug dealing?
Federal charges for video content online?
SEB:
Confirm SA video? How to approach/necessity?
Confirm Seb did not know about Alexa + Charlie
Confirm knowledge of Dash + Tally
VIN/TYLER/ANGELA:
Gather school files & any discipline reports
Confirm Angela’s activity on Friday night - any crushes, etc, outside of Tripp?
Confirm boys’ in “Wolfpack” - whose idea was it and why?
HARTMANS:
Federal interest?
Hartman/Con Sullivan - why? where is the Hartman money?
is this even pertinent to Alexa’s case?
Jeannie rewrote with one hand and fed herself her sandwich with the other, her mind moving quickly. Paco entered with a pair of cold Diet Cokes, easing his way into one of the chairs at the table and leaned back, studying the list as she re-wrote it. Jeannie shoved the last bite of sandwich into her face and licked her fingers before blotting them on the paper towel. Wiping her mouth, she stood back and considered the list.
“I feel like every time we finish one thing we have ten more things.” Paco huffed, cracking open his can of Diet Coke.
“That’s how it goes.” Jeannie re-approached the board and wrote Means-Motive-Opportunity on the right side of the board, and considered the list of suspects, drawing an arrow across from Jen, Tally, and Tripp to the new column on the right. Sighing, she stood back and reached for her own can of Diet Coke.
“Everyone is means and opportunity, but not a lot of motive.” Paco grumbled quietly, looking at the board.
“I agree. Or —” she took a long swig from the can, “Or — oof that burns — “ she said, putting the can down, “or, the motive is just barely there. I mean, teenage jealousy? I feel like it’s a stretch. The only real compelling motive would be getting to Alexa before she exposed Tripp and the rest of the Xavier boys for what happened July 4th. That, or Tripp didn’t want her exposing his father…or his father didn’t want her exposing him.” Jeannie let out an almighty belch, her face going red with embarrassment. Paco burst out laughing. “Ohmigod — I’m so sorry, excuse me.” Jeannie blinked.
“Ha - I’ve been waiting for you to do something like that,” Paco howled. “Finally — you’re a human.” Jeannie held the paper towel to her mouth, worried more would be coming, while Paco kept laughing.
“I should have known. Diet Coke always does that to me. I’m mortified — so unladylike, I’m sorry.”
“Oh please — you’re a lady even when you rip a belch like that.” He gasped. “I’m proud of you.” He hooted. Jeannie tossed her paper towel at him which Paco batted away laughing.
“What’s happening in here?” It was Mark, followed closely by Raj who immediately dropped his bag and opened his laptop, diving into its contents.
“Oh you just missed Jeannie serving up a belch that would make a long-haul trucker proud.” Paco laughed. Jeannie rolled her eyes, while Mark actually cracked a slight smile.
“Sad to miss that. What else?”
“I re-worked our list. Did you get a hole of the Thomases? We have a few questions for them.”
“Yeah, they’re on their way over. Apparently there was a news report from Presidio Terrace — they said they just saw it.” Mark looked between the two, “it’s beginning.” He moved over to the board to review the list, arms crossed.
“Well, all we can do is help them. And prepare them.” Paco offered, his laughter fading.
“What do you think about giving them a copy of what Alexa wrote about July 4th? Or should we read it to them?” Jeannie asked Mark who shrugged slightly. “I don’t know, I sort of feel like it may help them to know how she stood up for herself.”
“For a few months anyway.” Paco added softly.
“Yeah, let’s start with that, and then we get into the Tally question, and what they knew about Charlie.” Mark indicated the points at the top of the board. “Then we’ll coordinate on the press conference, and then we’ll go talk to Jen Tyson.”
Carole and Spiro Thomas sat together at the table in the small conference room down the hall. The bright sunlight outside belied the atmosphere in the room as Jeannie read out Alexa’s statement found inside her mother’s vintage purse. Paco watched the faces of the two parents as she read, changing from bereft to wistful to proud to consigned. Jeannie finished the long recitation and placed the copy of the statement flat on the tabletop, considering the Thomases who looked grayed out and muted. No one spoke for a long moment.
“Do — did either one of you see or hear any interaction between Alexa and Tally when they returned to San Francisco on July 5th?” Jeannie ventured quietly.
Spiro Thomas shook his head. “I — I honestly don’t remember. I don’t think I was there, or at least I didn’t see the drop-off.”
“I did.” Carole asserted softly, her watery eyes turning to Jeannie. “I did. I thought it was odd.”
“What do you mean, why odd?”
“Odd because…because it was cold. There was a tension between them. I saw the car pulling up outside from our bedroom window, so I came downstairs right away. I knew something was wrong since they weren’t expected back.” She inhaled slowly. “Plus, she’d left with Seb, who had an old Jetta, and they pulled up in a new black Porsche Cayenne — I had no idea what was happening, but it didn’t set well with me.”
“So, what did you —”
“I made it to the front door right as Tally and Alexa got to the top of the stairs. Something — I saw them through the door, but I didn’t open it — they were talking, and again it seemed tense. I couldn’t hear what Tally said, but I heard Alexa say something like…something about a bathtub? It didn’t make sense. I think she said “you don’t need to worry — it’s not like I’m curled up in a bathtub”… I had no idea what she meant by that.” Jeannie glanced at Mark, meeting his eye.
“Did you happen to see Tally’s reaction?”
“Her face fell. She — she looked dismayed somehow. That was right when I opened the door.”
“Did either of them say anything more?”
“I— I greeted them, and asked why they were home, but Tally was light and bubbly about it — very polite, servile even. It felt like an act. Alexa was silent — she didn’t tell me anything until after everyone drove off, and even then it wasn’t much.” She took a shaky breath. “This — this statement is the most we’ve ever heard about any of it.” She looked to the side at her husband’s collapsed face for confirmation. He nodded slightly in agreement, reaching for her hand.
Jeannie leaned back slightly in her chair and glanced at Mark again.
“Okay, we need to know about Charlie Dagonet.” Mark began. “Why didn’t you tell us about him before? We asked you both pointedly about Alexa’s relationships on Saturday, and you told us about Seb Podesta.” Spiro Thomas’ head swung slightly and then he looked up to the ceiling.
“Charlie and Alexa were friends.” Spiro said flatly.
“They were more than friends.” Carole asserted, “and you knew that, Spiro.” Her tone was gentle, as though reminding him. “You gave her permission to go skiing with him in Europe over Christmas. That’s serious — definitely more than friends.”
“Mrs Thomas — “ Mark began again, “as you obviously knew this, I don’t understand why you didn’t tell us this before.”
“Alexa — Alexa didn’t even tell me until a few weeks ago. I’d suspected, but I wanted her to tell me on her own. I — I sensed that everything that had happened with Seb — I don’t know. I wanted her to take her time with dating and give her space to figure it out, to listen to her instincts.”
“Did you know that she and Andrew Barrington had been intimate during your east coast vacation?” Jeannie ventured quietly. Both parents’ heads snapped to her face.
“Wha—?” Spiro began.
“Andrew?” Carole gasped slightly.
“Yes.” Jeannie answered. “We spoke with Andrew and he said that Alexa initiated it as friends. He said she seemed to want to be with someone she could trust after everything that had happened with Seb.” Jeannie placed a hand on top of Alexa’s printed statement on the table. “That, and the bullying online. Apparently there was a lot of speculation about Alexa’s sex life with Seb on a private chatroom called Pr3pSF? Have you heard of it?”
“She — she did mention something about a chatroom, yes.” Spiro Thomas’ eyes narrowed. “That was months ago — last spring maybe?”
“Did you ever see it, sir?” Paco asked quietly.
“Never. She seemed to talk about it as more of a concept, or something that was rumored? She never admitted she was on the site.”
“She was on it for a short time, apparently.” Mark added. “The activities on July 4th escalated a lot of chatter about her and Seb — apparently, and I hate to say this — apparently there was a betting pool about Alexa losing her virginity to Seb on July 4th.” Spiro Thomas’ eyes grew wide, first with surprise, then anger. “When nothing happened, and Alexa got herself out of that Tahoe situation,” Mark glanced at the statement next to Jeannie, “the chatter increased.”
“She — she never told us any of this.” Carole whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. “But - Andrew?”
“Andrew was a friend.” Jeannie said, trying to reassure. “He said Alexa had told him all about what had happened at Tahoe, and didn’t want it to happen again. It seemed she was afraid of what would happen once she returned home and had to face that chatter again. Somehow —” Jeannie shrugged, “your daughter seemed to think that being with Andrew would take some of the pressure off of her? She could tell people about him and then the chatter about her and Seb would stop? If I could speculate, I think it was because she wanted to take her power back. She wanted agency and found it in Andrew. He was safe and kind and she didn’t have romantic feelings for him, but it sounds like there was a lot of respect. On both sides.” Jeannie was gentle describing a situation that most parents would find incongruous. Spiro reached a hand up to rub his forehead, and then looked back to the ceiling, his hand covering his mouth.
“It seems that Alexa started dating Charlie in late September. Were you aware of that?” Mark asked.
“No. Not at all.” Carole answered, staring into the mid-distance. “Alexa didn’t tell me until a few weeks ago, I told you.”
“What were the circumstances of her telling you?”
“The circumstances? I mean…she came home late one night. You were traveling,” she said to her husband. “She said she and Charlie had movies to screen for their project, but she got home close to midnight, which was against our rules, especially on a school night. I was waiting when she snuck in the back door and we had a chat. She told me about Charlie and that she was really falling for him. We talked about staying safe, and I told her my concerns after how things had ended with Seb, but she assured me how different this was — that she felt happy and adored. Just, just the way she was smiling —” Carole’s face collapsed in a sob.
Mark saw Jeannie inhale deeply, while Paco slid a box of tissues over toward Carole Thomas.
“They were in love.” Jeannie said softly. “And it sounds like it was the real thing.”