THE CARMINE CASE PRIVATE EDITION – FIRST DRAFT PAGES 1-41 © 2014 Malcolm J. Lee

A few hours later, now in the early morning, cars are starting to pile up in the parking lot. They arrive early less than a few hours before the students, whether they’re walkers or in busses or cars, arrive. The first one arrive to the high school this early morning is the office secretary Ms. Sanchez, who’s walking toward the school’s entrance with her bag. She has the key to unlock the school entrance door, which is already opened. As she walked into the school sidewalk, another secretary arrives. Her name is Mrs. Benson. “Good morning,” Ms. Sanchez said to her as she stopped walking. “Good Morning Ms. Sanchez,” Mrs. Benson said as she walked toward her. “You have a good night sleep?” she asked “Yep,” Ms. Sanchez starts walking with her while talk. “I was watching The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallen last night. Malcolm Lee guest star.” “Oh Malcolm Lee guest star last night?” “Yes. He was great.” “Well I don’t watch late night television.” “Why?” Mrs. Benson stopped walking and stand in front of Ms. Sanchez “Because really,” She said. “How many hours do Americans sleep…after watching about, I don’t

know, one-and-a-half hour to two hours of late night comedians entertaining them?” “Um Mrs. Benson, Many Americans only watch the first late-night show. Then they either go to bed, watch the second show or recorded it.” They turned around. They’re already in front of the school entrance door. Nobody check to see if it’s locked yet. Then another officer come by. This time, it’s man, a somewhat old man in a white button-up shirt tucked in into his gray leather pants walked by. His name is Mr. Trucker. “Morning guys,” he said. “Good morning,” Ms. Sanchez said. “Hey Mr. Trucker,” Mrs. Benson said. “You guys forget the key?” he walks into the school sidewalk and approached them. “Nope,” Ms. Sanchez said as she holds the key in her hand. “I got it. But first let’s see if it’s locked first.” The office are always there to guard not just the entrance door but also the rest of the doors in the high school. “Alright…,” Ms. Sanchez tried to see if the entrance door was locked but she the door was suddenly opened. “Well, somebody unlocked it for us,” she said as she let Mrs. Benson and Mr. Trucker into the school, all of them unaware of a security breach.

“Oh thanks,” Mr. Trucker said. “Thanks mam,” Mrs. Besnon said. “Oh you’re welcome,” Ms. Sanchez said. They’re heading for the office. However while the entrance door was open, when Ms. Sanchez tried to open the door, it was locked to the confusion of the three sectaries. “Well that’s odd,” Ms. Sanchez said. “The front door was open but nobody was inside the office.” They looked around. Mrs. Benson stare at the long hallway in front of them. “Does somebody break into this building?” she asked as she starting walking. “I don’t know Mrs. Benson,” Ms. Sanchez said as she starts unlocking the main office door. “I’ll find out,” Mr. Trucker said as he followed Mrs. Benson. “Good Mr. Trucker,” Ms. Sanchez has entered the office. “Call me back when you get updates and information.” “Okay Ms. Sanchez.” As soon as Mrs. Benson and Mr. Sanchez walked down that hallway, they suddenly stopped. They slowly opened their mouths. They started to see glass. Lots of glass. On the floor. They slowly looking up and saw that the sports trophy closet, which is beside the gym (which

has not been open yet since the gym teachers are not arrive yet), was heavily shattered. To make things worse, most of the trophies that are displayed are now disappeared. “Holy moly,” Mr. Trucker said. “So somebody did broke into this building,” Mrs. Benson said. “Yeah somebody broke into…,” he paused his sentence and looked at her. “We gotta tell Ms. Sanchez and the school principal and the gym teachers,” he told her as he start walking back. “Yeah I’m right with you,” Mrs. Benson said as she followed him. As soon as they walked back towards the main office, another sectary arrive. This time, that person’s name is Mr. Browls. “Hey Mr. Browls good morning,” Mr. Trucker said it fast. “Hey guys,” Mr. Browls said in a questionable look on his face. “What’s going on?” “There’s a break in.” “What, a break in?”

“Yes Mr. Browls,” Mrs. Benson said. “A break-in. Somebody broke into the gym’s closet…” Before she finish her sentence, Ms. Sanchez, opens the main office door.

“You guys found anything?” Ms. Sanchez asked. “Yeah,” Mr. Trucker said. “There’s a…” “There’s a break-in,” Mrs. Benson said. “There’s a break-in?” Ms. Sanchez said. “Yes somebody broke into the gym trophies closet.” Mr. Browls gave a glance stare for a few seconds and then walk down the hallway that they went. Ms. Sanchez also gave a glance stare when she heard it. “Really?” she said as she started following Mr. Browls. “Yes some of the trophies are stolen,” Mrs. Benson said. “What?” Ms. Sanchez looked back. “Really?” she then continued down the hallway. Mr. Trucker and Mrs. Benson looked at each other and then started following them, walking down the same hallway they’d been before. As Ms. Sanchez and Mr. Browls walked down the hallway, they suddenly stopped. They saw the gym trophy closet was shattered. “Oh my…,” Ms. Sanchez said as she and Mr. Browls shake their heads. Mrs. Benson and Mr. Trucker walked back to the same area that the other two office sectaries are now responding. Ms. Sanchez turned around and looked at Mrs. Benson. “Who did this?”

“I…don’t know,” Mrs. Benson struggled to talk and react at the same time. “Somebody should bring a camera, take a picture of this and show it to the staff and the gym teachers because everybody should be careful walk around the glass,” Mr. Trucker told. “But wait,” Mr. Browls said as he looked at him. “Should we call the police first?” “Well students are going to be here any minute so…,” Ms. Sanchez, turning around at them shaking her head again. “Sure we can call the police,” she continued. “But if we call the police right now, especially before all of the students arrive, it will create massive chaos.” “Well can we call the police after the students arrive?” Mrs. Benson asked. The women looked at each other. The men looked at each other. Then they all looked at each other. Suddenly another staff member, named Mrs. Beals, walking toward them. “Good morning,” Mrs. Beals said. Everybody looked at her approaching them. “What’s going…,” Mrs. Beals stopped talking to see the situation that the office sectaries are reacting. She couldn’t believe her eyes. “Did somebody…broke the glass…and stole some trophies?” she asked in disbelief.

“Mrs. Beals I don’t know what’s going on,” Ms. Sanchez said. “Somebody did broke the glass and stole some trophies.” “Maybe we should call the school principal and the police.” “Yeah we should call the school principal now,” Mr. Trucker said as he gets out of the group and walked back towards the main office. Everybody else followed. “Once again we have to tell everybody about the dangers of walking around the glass,” he said. They went into the main office and saw another office secretary, named Ms. Morals, who entered already not knowing what’s going on. She then stopped and looked puzzled as she saw group of five people, including her other secretaries, entering together. “Oh good morning Ms. Morals,” Mr. Trucker said as he walked towards the telephone on Mrs. Benson’s desk. “Good morning Mr. Trucker what’s going on?” she said without a pause. “We have a situation,” he looked at her while picking up the telephone and dial the numbers. “Yeah somebody broke into the building,” Ms. Sanchez said. “They broke into the gym closet, shattered the glass, and stole most of the trophies.”

“It’s unclear…,” Mrs. Benson struggles as she looked at the rest of them. “Which trophies have been stolen. Because we cannot walk through the glass.” “She’s right,” Mr. Bowls said. “We gotta tell…” But before he could finish his sentence, Mr. Trucker notified everyone that he’s on the phone. “Shh,” he said. “It’s the school principal.” At the school principal’s house, the school principal, named Ms. Bacon, is in her and her husband’s room already getting dressed. Mr. Bacon, who’s already dressed in a suit and a tie, walked into the room. “Hey do you need help?” Mr. Bacon asked. “Um no honey,” Ms. Bacon said. “I got it.” “Okay.” He then walked out. As soon as she got in her suit and pants, a phone call rang. She then walked to her smartphone that is on the bed. “Hello,” she answered. “Is this Ms. Bacon?” Mr. Trucker said. “Yes good morning Mr. Trucker. What’s happening?” “Well there’s a break-in near the gym.” Ms. Bacon gave a sudden look as she put her left hand on her right elbow while holding her smartphone on her right ear. “There’s a break-in?” she said. “Yes.” “Near the gym?”

“Yeah somebody shattered the gym closet’s glass door and steel trophies.” Her eyes were widen and her face is slowly turning red. Rather than asking them information she then rushed out of the room. “You know what call the police,” she told him. “Right now. I’m on my way,” she then hang up the smartphone. Mr. Bacon is looking at the mirror when he suddenly saw his wife storm out of their room. “What’s going on?” he asked her. “Somebody break into my school,” she said as she start quickly pack her stuff in her suitcase. “I gotta go honey,” she finished packing and locked her suitcase. She then walked toward her husband and kiss him on the check. “Good luck,” she added as she heads for the exit. “Okay mam,” he said with a chuckle. “Don’t get mad too much now when you get there.” She stopped in front of the front door as she about to exit and looked at him. “Oh I’ll try,” she said. “As soon as I gather everything I need.” She then exits out of the house. “Have a nice day honey,” she yelled before she locked the door, just in case an intruder will walk into the house. She then get into her red Madza car and turn on the ignition. She then slowly unpark and start driving right.

Meanwhile back at high school, Ms. Sanchez, Mrs. Benson, Ms. Morals, Mrs. Beals, and Mr. Bowls watch as Mr. Trucker is dialing on the telephone again. They all looked at each other. “Um are you calling the…,” Ms. Sanchez begins to say. “Yes I’m calling the police,” Mr. Trucker said as he looked at them while nodding his head and raising his eyebrows slowly. “Ms. Bacon told me that.” The gang looked at each other again. Mrs. Benson gave a susgestion. “When the police arrive at school we could have a road plan to the highway for both students who walk to class and students who walk to gym,” Mrs. Benson whispered. “We should cooperate this situation with the police,” Mrs. Beals said. “Students should never walk through the glass.” “Maybe we should get the janitor to sweep the glass off the way so that the police will do an investigation,” Mr. Bowls said. Mr. Trucker hangs up the phone and looked at them. Everybody turned around to hear what he’s gonna say. “Alright,” he said. “Ms. Bacon is on her way. The police are on their way. I think we gonna need backup because this is going to be chaos this morning.”

On the road, Ms. Bacon is on the hands-free phone (which is installed on the radio system) talking to her assistant principal, Mr. Cooper. “So somebody broke into high school,” Mr. Cooper said. “Yes,” Ms. Bacon said. “Mr. Trucker called me this morning and I’m on my way to find out what the situation is.” “Wasn’t a intruder, a theif, a…” “I don’t know Mr. Cooper. But when somebody is gonna suffer the consequences. I’m not guessing names.” “Maybe some gang member did this.” “Listen we’ll get to the bottom of this, are you coming?” “Yes I’m coming,” Mr. Cooper said. “Just gather a few things before I’m on the road.” “Okay I’ll see you there.” “Bye.” “Bye.” Ms. Bacon is already on the school road almost there to the school. She was ahead of the police as she enter the school zone. After she parked in her principal parking spot, she get out of the car and walked mad towards the school entrance. It was less than a half-hour before the students arrive. Seveval staff members, who had just

stepped out of their parked cars, watched her stone mad as she walked fast than usual. “You had a bad morning Ms. Bacon?” Mr. Roberts asked. “No Mr. Roberts,” Ms. Bacon said without looking. “It’s something else. Somebody brake into our school.” The group (of four people) looked at each other and followed them. Ms. Bacon enters the school building without holding the door for the group and entered the main office. Ms. Sanchez, Mrs. Benson, Mr. Bowls, Mr. Trucker, and Ms. Morals looked at her when she enter the office. “Good morning everybody,” Ms. Bacon said in an unhappy mode as she stopped in front of them. “Morning,” the staff said. Just that, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Mac, Ms. Jackson, and Ms. Howard enter the main office. “Good morning everyone,” Ms. Bacon said at them. “You guys made just in time for this…kind of a conversation.” She then looks at everyone back and forth a she talk. “There’s a break-in this overnight right?” “Yeah,” Mr. Trucker said. “And that break-in was the gym.” “The gym closet,” Mrs. Benson said. Ms. Bacon nodded her head. “And the trophies are stolen?”

“Most of them,” Mr. Bowls said. She paused for a moment and gave a glance stare at everyone. “The police will arrive shortly,” she continued. She start telling everybody what to do. “Ms. Sanchez, Mrs. Benson and Ms. Morals you guys coordinate on the teachers. Mr. Roberts, Mr. Mac and Ms. Jackson you guys coordinate with the police. But everybody else come with me.” She starts walking to the right side. Everybody else including Mr. Trucker, Mr. Bowls and Ms. Howard followed her. She then take them to the security room where a security officer is montoring the cameras. His name is Mr. Williams. He turns around when they walked to the room. “Good morning Mr. Williams,” Ms. Bacon said. “Good Morning Ms. Bacon,” he said. “I’m just about to tell you that there’s a robbery that occurred last night.” “Oh we know that already. These guys first witness it, Mr. Trucker notified me when I was getting ready to go. Do you have the video tape?” “Yes mam,” Mr. Williams swings back in his chair as he push the rewind button to find the robbery situation that was recorded. She walked closer beside him to watch the video closely. Then he gets to the picture where the gym closet was stayed the same as the previous days before it has become the target of the

robbery. The time on that recorded scene was 12:00:45am. Midnight. “So there’s the gym closet,” Mr. Willams said. “Hm mm,” Ms. Bacon said with a nod. “The glass is good. All of the trophies are there safe and sound. The floor is neat.” He then slowly fast forward to find any suspect. And he found one. He paused. The time was 1:37:19am. That suspect smash the glass. Ms. Bacon moves her face closer to the screen. The suspect was wearing a black suit and black mask. “Hit play,” she told him. And after he did, the video resumed. There, after the suspect smash the glass, a second suspect came through to her surprise. “Wow two people,” she said. “As of this recorded time, yes.” While Ms. Bacon, Mr. Williams, Mr. Trucker, Mr. Bowls and Ms. Howard watching the security videos, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Mac, and Ms. Jackson are outside and starting to see the gym teachers, Mr. Michaels and Mr. Jacks coming out of the gym and first saw this. “Oh my gosh,” Mr. Jacks said shaking his head in disbelief. “What the hell just happened,” Mr. Michaels said.

“Oh somebody just break into the gym trophies closet overnight,” Mr. Roberts said as he walks toward them. Mr. Michaels and Mr. Jacks looked at the shattered closet again. “They stole most of the trophies,” Mr. Roberts continued. “Be careful you guys don’t wana walk on the glass.” There, a janitor comes by with broom and a trash sweeper. “Alright I’m here,” he said. “Good Morning,” he said as he starts sweeping the glass off the floor. “So many trophies have been stolen?” Mr. Jacks asked Mr. Robbert. “Yep,” Mr. Robert said as Mr. Mac and Ms. Jackson started followed him. “I see that the janitor is cleaning up the floor,” Ms. Jackson noticed. “Yep I’m cleaning up glass off the floor,” the janitor said. “Well okay which trophies are stolen?” Mr. Michaels asked as he looked at the damaged gym trophies closet. “Why did they stole so much trophies?” Mr. Jacks asked. “It’s like getting a trophy you want so bad that you actually didn’t earn it.” “You can say that again Mr. Jacks.”

After the janitor finish sweeping the room, the gym teachers take a look on the trophies they still have left. It seems that the trophies where made by girls sports team, so it is believed to be that the boys’ trophies had been stolen. “It looks those thiefs want to clam their trophies,” Mr. Michaels said. “I wonder if those thiefs were from rival high schools,” Mr. Jacks said. “Yeah I wonder that too.” Just then, this group of staff hear a siring. They turned around and looked at the entrance window. The police has just arrived a mere fourteen minutes before the students arrive. Back at the security room, Ms. Bacon, Mr. Williams, Ms. Howard, Mr. Trucker, and Mr. Bowls are still watching the videotape recorded from a security camera overnight. There they watch the two suspects started stealing the trophies. “Do we have sound on this?” Ms. Bacon asked Mr. Williams. “Yes mam,” he said as he press the sound button. (PLEASE NOTE THE DALAGUE SHOULD COME FROM AN EAILER SCENE) “So wait those thieves…,” Mr. Trucker paused with a wondering look. “Are high school students?”

“They look young and sound young,” Ms. Howard said. “So it must be them.” “It must be, Ms. Howard,” Ms. Bacon said to her before looking back at the videocam. While they watch two thieves putting trophies on the floor, a third suspect came by to everyone’s surprise. “Okay,” Ms. Bacon said it slowly with her eyebows raised. “That’s a shock. Looks like these guys gonna be suspended or expelled. Matter of fact, they going to be expelled if they’re high school boys.” The third suspect has a bag. A some sort of a garbage bag. They begins to put the trophies inside the bag. “Okay so they put them in a bag,” Ms. Howard said. “Some kind of a bag,” Mr. Trucker said. Ms. Bacon finally heard enough and turns around to look at her group of staff members. “I think I know them,” she said. “Maybe.” She gets her hands off the system. “Alright Mr. Williams you can stop the video,” she told. “Okay Ms. Bacon,” he said as he press the stop button. “Thank you sir,” she said as she walked out of the security room. As she then walk back down the main office, she saw two policemen and a female police chief entering the office. The female police chief’s name is

Chief Laura. The other two men were named John and Jack. “Good morning mam,” Officer Laura said. “Do you have an incident happened at this school building?” “Ah yes,” Ms. Bacon said. “It happened overnight. And My name is Ms. Bacon by the way,” she shake hands with her. “Nice to meet you Ms. Bacon, I’m Officer Laura and this is Officer John and Officer Jack.” Ms. Bacon then shake hands with the men. “Nice too meet you John,” she said. “Nice to meet you Ms. Bacon.” “And nice to meet you too Officer Jack.” “Nice to meet you too Ms. Bacon.” Ms. Bacon then clapped her hands once. “Okay let me show you the incident.” She then start walking past them and opens the door for the police offices to exit. They starting to walk out. “Ah thank you,” Officer Laura said. “Thanks mam,” Officer John said. “Thank you,” Officer Jack said. “You’re welcome,” Ms. Bacon said as she close the door. Mr. Trucker, Mr. Bowls, and Ms. Howard are staying in here with Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Morals and Mrs. Benson.

“So you guys came out of the security room?” Ms. Morals asked. “Yeah,” Mr. Trucker said shaking his head in disbelief. “There’s a videotape showing the robbery that happened overnight.” “Is it reordered?” Ms. Sanchez asked. “Yes it is recorded all the way through as always,” Mr. Bowls said. “Mr. Williams will save or copy it to show the police officers later,” Ms. Howard said. “Right now they’re looking into the incident in person.” “I have a question,” Mrs. Benson said as she push her spinning chair slight off of her computer desk and looks at everyone back and forth. “How we gonna handle this when students arrive?” After she asked that, everybody looked at each other with no clue. Then Mr. Trucker had a thought. “I go talk with them,” he said as he walks out of the main office. Back near the gym, Ms. Bacon was showing them the already-damaged gym trophies closet with the police officers Laura, John, and Jack. Mr. Michaels is there with them Mr. Jacks start preparing for the students to arrive. The students are going to be arrive in any minute. Mr. Roberts, Mr. Mac and Ms. Jackson were outside waiting

for the busses and the walkers. Mr. Trucker went outside to them. “Hey guys do you have a plan?” Mr. Trucker asked. “The gym trophies closet is already damaged. The police officers are already at the scene, there’s police cars far from the bus lane and we need to tell the students about this situation and how will they walk past the police scene.” “We already got a plan,” Ms. Jackson said. “Yeah I think this plan will work without any chaos,” Mr. Roberts said. “Are the police officers still there?” Mr. Mac asked. “Yes they are,” Mr. Trucker said. “I don’t want the students to clash with them.” “Okay like we said,” Ms. Jackson said. “We got a plan. We have to coordinate our students and tell them exactly where to go.” “Alright sounds good. Let me tell those people inside,” Mr. Trucker went back into the building and walked toward the police officers, Ms. Bacon, and Mr. Michaels. “Excuse me,” he said before everybody looked at him. “Sorry to interrupt. The students are coming right now in less than a few minutes. The guard staff are gonna coordinate the students, we gonna file those students in a single file line here,” he was showing them one block of a line. “They are not supposed to come very

near to that damaged area at all,” he was shaking his head. “They gonna come in a single file line,” he said it. “Got that?” “Yeah,” Ms. Bacon and the police officers said. “I go back to my car,” Officer John said as he starts walking out of the scene. “Are you gonna oversee the line Mr. Trucker?” Ms. Bacon asked. “Yes I am,” Mr. Trucker said with a nod. “Alright is they anything else you like to show me,” Officer Laura asked Ms. Bacon. “Come with me we have the security tape to prove it,” she then takes the female officer to the main office. As officer John walks out outside, a bus is approaching the school lane. “Alright the first bus is coming,” Ms. Jackson yelled. “The first bus is coming.” She, Mr. Roberts, and Mr. Mac saw the bus coming towards them in a cautious pace while Office John walks towards his police car, turns around, and stands behind it. When the first school bus reached at the school entrance, Ms. Jackson was in front of the school bus door, holding her clipboard. The bus driver tells the students to stay seated because of this. The school bus opened. “Good morning Mr bus driver,” Ms. Jackson said.

“Good morning mam,” Mr. Bus Driver responded. “Can I come?” “Sure.” She step into the school bus and started talking in front of the passengers. “Okay everybody listen up there’s an incident happened last night,” she tells everybody. “Somebody break into the school building.” Most of the students begin to gasp. “Hold on, hold on,” she shouted. “Now Mr. Trucker is gonna coordinate you guys into a single file line. Single file line. Understand.” The students stay slient. “Now,” she gets down off the school bus. “Thank you sir,” she said to the bus driver. “You’re welcome,” he said. The students then get off their seats and start getting off their school bus. As the students from the first bus walk into the school entrance, another school bus approaches. “Mr. Roberts, Mr. Mac,” Ms. Jackson called their names. “You give those students directions while I coordinate this first section.” “Okay,” Mr. Mac said with a nod. “We’ll do that,” Mr. Roberts added. “Good,” Ms. Jackson walk inside the building. As Officer John watches the situation, he gets a call from his walkie-talke.

“Officer John where are you?” Female officer operater asked. He then grabs his walkie-talke. “I’m in high school,” he said. “There’s an incident happened in high school. A break-in. Somebody break into the school last night.” “Okay any procedures did the school is doing?” “I’m not sure,” he moves his head right to see what the school staff are up to before the first school bus starts a u-turn and left the school. “I think they making a single file line.” Meanwhile, Ms. Bacon takes Officer Laura and Officer Josh to the security room. The police officers already turn down their walkie-talkies. Mr. Williams turns around again. “Good morning,” He said. “Good Morning,” Officer Laura said. “I’m Laura, I’m the police officer,” she shake hands with him “Nice to meet you.” “And this is John,” she said as he shake hands with Mr. Williams. “Nice to meet you,” Officer John said. “Nice to meet you John.”

“We heard that you guys have the tape of proof,” Officer Laura said. “Yes mam,” Mr. Williams said as he turns back his chair around and press the play button on the master

control. The picture on the main big screen turns to the scene where the first suspect starts smashing the gym trophies closet. “There’s the first suspect,” Ms. Bacon said to them. “It not just one suspect. It’s not one, not two, but three.” “Or maybe four or more. I’m guessing because I may be thinking that they’re some sort of a network,” Mr. Williams added. “Or there we go a second suspect,” Ms. Bacon shouted as shows them the proof. “Another suspect is coming up next.” Officer Laura is watching it closely. “Question,” Officer John said. “Are those thieves high school students?” “Good question,” Ms Bacon said. “Mr. Williams can we show the audio?” “Yes mam,” As soon as Mr. Williams press the audio button, right after a third suspect is on the scene, they can hear that it sound it like high school teenagers. “So it sounds like they’re teenagers,” Officer Laura said. “Yeah Laura,” Officer John agreed. “Teenagers are going to be arrested.” “Yeah,” Mr. Williams said as he presses the pause button turns back his chair around. “They had done much damage right now.”

Then Ms. Bacon suddenly realizes that she hear a familiar sound when viewing the tapes. She wonder if any of those thieves was a student she had know. That student she know so much through the school year has good grades, made honor rolls, but sometimes caught into trouble. He almost went into trouble when he was in a gang. He was almost gonna steal a chocolate from a convenience store. He put back there, but then he was caught. The gang was arrested but him. Then in another incident, he got into a fight with some sort of a friend. He and his ‘friend’ were sent to detention. His name is Alex Huggerman. He’s a ninth grader. He’s an intelligent student but more of a rebel. “I have to find evidence of this,” Officer Laura said. “Wait,” Ms. Bacon stoped her. “What you think you know who one of those thives are?” Ms. Bacon didn’t answer immediately. She thinks for a moment before she could say who one of the suspects was. “Oh you just thinking something else?” Officer Laura keep asking. “Sorry I was thinking about a student that I know,” Ms. Bacon said. “You know the person?”

“Yes, but….” Ms. Bacon is shaking her head struggling to spit out the student’s name. The audio of the video belives that Alex was one of the suspects. She wants to talk to him immediately. But at the same time she doesn’t believe he will do it. She wants to know right now. “Is there something wrong?” Officer Laura asked. “You thinking that someone else other than those teenagers did this?” Officer John asked Ms. Bacon. “It was a student that I know of and I want to talk to him right now,” Ms. Bacon spit it out. “But at the same time I don’t believe he did this.” “Well what’s his name?” Officer Laura asked. She still spill out the student’s name. “Play the tape again Mr. Williams,” she told. He did as she told. She walked back closer to the screen and started to hear the audio again. As soon as she hear the familiar voice she has been wondered, she founds that it was the student, Alex Huggerman. She turns back around. “I think it’s him.” “Who?” Officer Laura asked. “Alex Huggerman. I bet he’s in line getting breakfast or already eating breakfast in the cafeteria. You know what let me get him,” she begins to walk out of the security room.

“Wait,” Officer John stopped her. “You think that Alex Huggerman did this?” “I don’t know,” she said in exaggeration. “All I know is that this security tape proves it.” The police officers watch as she begins to exit out of the main office. “Excuse me,” she stopped to look at Ms. Sanchez, Mrs. Benson, and Ms. Morals. “Can anyone of you tell Alex Huggerman to come to the main office?” “What’s going on with Alex?” Ms. Sanchez asked. Ms. Bacon shakes her head again. “I don’t know. Something from the security tape tells me that he’s the suspect.” She then exits out of the main office. The office secretaries looked at each other. Before the police officers walked out of the security room, they want to thank Mr. Williams. “Thanks Mr. Williams,” Officer Laura said. “You’re welcome,” he said. “Thank you,” Officer John said. “It’s been a pleasure.” Officers Laura and John walked out of the room as Ms. Morals starts talking at the intercom. It’s been a few minutes away before school starts and most of the students are either eating breakfast or hanging out on the halls. Incoming students are still file in a single line in order to avoid the crime scene.

“Pardon the interruption,” Ms. Morals said in the intercom. “Alex Huggerman, could you please come to the main office. Alex Huggerman, please come to the main office. Thank you,” she turns off the intercom. Officers Laura and John are beginning to exit. “Alright,” Officer John said to the office sectaries with a nod. “Thanks a lot,” Officer Laura added. “We gotta go.” “Okay,” Ms. Sanchez. “Thank you,” Mrs. Benson said. “I wonder if Alex Huggerman would stay out of a trouble,” Ms. Morals said to them while leaning her left hand on Mrs. Benson’s desk. Ms. Sanchez and Mrs. Benson looked at her when she talks. “If Alex Huggerman was not one of those suspects…or any other high school student, wouldn’t that make a difference?” “What did you mean?” Mrs. Benson asked. “I mean Alex is one of the good students…in the education side. But on the outside, he’s a pretty a bad student. He got in trouble for a few incidents. The most publicized one is the fight.” The women nodded. “That fight,” Ms. Morals continued. “It’s everywhere online.”

“Yeah we suspended him and the other guy,” Mrs. Benson said. “Yep,” Ms. Sanchez added. “I just wish Alex should get his behavior together,” Ms. Morals comes back to her desk and sat back down. Meanwhile at the gym, Mr. Jacks and Mr. Michaels are setting up the gym, still shocked that someone would break in to their gym trophies closet. “Can’t believed that someone steal…most of our trophies,” Mr. Jacks said while he setting up the benches with a remote control. “You can say that again,” Mr. Michaels said as he walked toward a small office table he already set up for them and the other gym teacher, Ms. Robins, who arrived a few minutes before gym (and school) starts. She arrived hearing a little about the incident. “Good morning,” she said. “Morning,” Mr. Michaels said. “We had a break-in.” She stopped. “Yeah somebody stole our trophies,” Mr. Jacks added. “Most of them.” Ms. Robins looked back and forth. She was stunned. “So you guys telling me that…,” Before she could finish saying the question, a male student walked into the gym. The left door was opened. “No sir,” Mr. Jacks shouted.

“Huh huh,” Ms. Robins shaking her head. “Gym starts when you come to the locker room and get changed,” Mr. Michaels said. “But not until the bell rings.” But the male student didn’t listen. He was still walking slowly. He was gonna ask them a question. “I was gonna ask you…,” “Ask us later,” Mr. Jacks said. “Right now school bell didn’t ring yet. The situation gets complicated and it gets worse if you and your classmates don’t follow instructions. So right now stay behind the locker room until the bell rings.” The male student turns around and exits out of the gym and did what Mr. Jacks told. After he left, the gym teachers looked at each other. Mr. Michaels shook his head slightly as he looked left. “You know what we have to be cautious of what’s going on today,” he said. “Because this class and the rest of the class through the day is going to be chaos as ever.” “Yeah people want to talk about the mystery of the stolen trophies,” Ms. Robins said. At the cafeteria, Ms. Bacon walked in front of the opened door. She gazed around to find Alex Huggerman, the student who believed to be one of the suspects behind the overnight incident. She take a few steps looking around. She looks around the tables. When she

didn’t find him, she turned at the lines. No sign of him anywhere. She then walked toward Mr. Franklin, who is a security officer who was in between two servers of lines. “Excuse me have you seen Alex Huggerman,” she asked. “Alex Huggerman?” Mr. Franklin said. “Um…usually he was around here but for the past week I haven’t seen him.” “You haven’t seen him?” “Nope,” he shakes his head. She glance around the cafeteria one more time before she began to walk out. “Okay,” she said to him. “Alright,” he said. Outside while the buses unload students, Police officers were at the school parking lot. “So how was it coming?” Officer Jack said. “Well we got one suspect’s name,” Officer John said. “It’s not confirm,” he looked at Officer Laura. “Yes the school principal believed it was Alex Huggerman,” she said. “Who?” Officer Jack asked. “Alex Huggerman. Actually the school principal doesn’t believe it was him. She just want to talk to him because the video believes it was the student.” “Actually the audio of the video,” Officer John corrected her.

“Thank you.” “Besides the video do you also believe it was him?” Officer Jack asked. “Well no we haven’t met him yet,” Officer John said. He looked back at the school entrance which is usually blocked by the school buses approaching to unload the students before school starts. “I think the school principal got him already let’s go check and see,” he said. Officer Jack had a thought for a moment as the wave of school buses began a u-turn and exited out of the school zone. “I’m not sure,” he said. “Because I’m thinking he might be late. He may be in the building, but like this last incident…” He was trying to get them remember an incident that happened at the McDonalds restaurant this late-February. Alex Huggerman was buying breakfast when he gets into an argument with the restaurant clerk. Alex doesn’t have money to buy a breakfast meal while the clerk doesn’t want to give him the meal for free. Then when the argument unfolds, the clerk (and the manager) wants him to get out. As he turns around he takes an oriange juice out of a customer and then splah into the customer’s face and then left. He was arrested but wasn’t charged with attempted murder. Officer Laura and John starts to remember that incident once Officer Jack said that. “Oh yeah,” Officer Laura said.

“We remember that,” Officer John said. “We just hope that boy won’t do that again.” “Or skip school,” Officer Jack added. “Well let’s go back in to find out whether that student is in the building or not,” he then walks past them and walking toward the school’s entrance. Officers Laura and John started following him. Back inside the school, Ms. Bacon walked back into the main office. She looked at Ms. Sanchez, Mrs. Bacon, and Ms. Morals and not one person sat on the bench that was beside the entrance door. “Is Alex there yet?” Ms. Bacon asked. “Nope,” Ms. Morals said. “Haven’t seen him yet,” Mrs. Benson said. “Nope I haven’t seen him walked through the office yet,” Ms. Sanchez added. Ms. Bacon looked straight at herself. She shakes her head again before walking down the hall again for the third time. This time she’s going to the principal’s officer on her right. After she went, the police officers came back again at the office. The office secretaries looked at them. “Hello again do you forget something?” Ms. Sanchez asked. “Ah no,” Officer Laura said. “We just came back to see if Alex Huggerman came yet.”

“Nope. Ms. Bacon came back here for the same one and went into her office.” The police officers looked around before they looked at each other again. “Okay you guys stay outside and find Alex,” Officer Laura told. “I’m gonna go to the principal’s office.” “Okay,” Officer Jack said as he exit the main office again. “We sure can do Laura,” Office John added as he too exit the main office. Officer Laura then walked down the office hallway and went into Ms. Bacon’s office where she is on the telephone calling Alex’s parents. Ms. Bacon looked up. “Hi again,” Ms. Bacon said. “Hello,” Officer Laura said as she sits down on a black chair in front of her and her desk. “Who are you calling?” “Alex’s parents.” “Oh,” Officer Laura slightly nodded. “I can see that because Alex hasn’t showed up yet.” “Tell me about it,” Ms. Bacon hang up the phone after no one in the household answered. “I can’t get through his parents,” she was looking down at her desk shaking her head slightly again. “Why, no connection?”

Ms. Bacon then looked at her. “Can I make a logical guess, Officer Laura?” “Sure.” Ms. Bacon took a deep breath before she begins talking. “I guess Alex’s parents don’t want to talk to him on the phone anymore because of his constant phone calls he made.” Officer Laura wondered a moment. “So you’re saying,” she said. “That Alex relies on his parents too much that he was so annoyed.” “Well that’s a correct translation,” Ms. Bacon piles her papers and put them behind the brick that is below the glass window. “Well until that student shows up I’m gonna go do the morning announcements,” she gets up from her chair walked to her left and exited out of her office. She let Officer Laura to come through and she closed the door. As they walked back down the main office, Officers Jack and John, as well as Mr. Trucker, enter the main office again. This time, they got Alex Huggerman, who just came from the bus late. “We got him,” Mr. Trucker said. “What’s going on,” Alex asked in frustration. “What’s going on,” Ms. Bacon said as he walked toward him. “What’s going on is that a pair of thieves

damaged the gym trophies closet and stole most of the trophies.” “Why does it have to do with me?” “Because Alex we believe you’re one of the suspects,” Officer Laura said. “Well…we didn’t believe it,” Ms. Bacon said in frustration. “Then why….,” “The video tape sounds like it’s you,” She interrupted Alex’s question. “What videotape?” Ms. Bacon grabbed his hand “I’ll show you,” she said as she starts walking down the office hall. Everybody else followed them. They walked into the security room once more. Mr. Williams turns back around. “Whoa wait a minute,” he said. “Is he the suspect?” he asked referring to Alex. “Yes Alex is one of the suspects in the videotape,” Ms. Bacon said but then she started to feel unsure. She said the videotape was sure that Alex was one of them. But not herself, even though she thinks that, she doesn’t believe it. “Mr. Williams, can we play the tape again?” Mr. Trucker asked. “Sure can,” he said as he turns back around and press the play button again.

“And the audio too.” “Oh yeah,” he press the audio button. Alex is starting to watch and hear the videotape for the first time as the situation recorded unfold. When he hear that particular voice, he begin to believe that it was similar to his voice but at the same time he wasn’t sound like that. He doesn’t believe he would do this. He’s shaking his head and turns around. “Look it wasn’t me,” he said. “Yes it was you,” Ms. Bacon said before she looked unsure again. “Maybe.” Everybody looked at each other. At the conference room, 15-year-old Alex Huggerman was the center of attention. Ms. Bacon was sitting directly in front of him while Officers Laura and John sat beside Ms. Bacon on her right while Officer Jack and Mr. Tucker sat on her left. It was ten minutes after school started and Ms. Bacon thinks he shouldn’t be in class right now because of the situation. “We want to know that,” Ms. Bacon talks to Alex. She paused while she stares out of space before looking back at him. “Stealing….is against the law. It’s against the school law. And it’s against the county law.” “We’d seen dozens of high schools around the country getting stuff stolen, computers stolen, money stolen and classic pictures stolen,” Officer Jack said.

“We also seen high schools getting vandalized and we had to arrest most of them,” Officer John said. “Those arrests were high school students and young adults,” Officer Laura added. “Your behind is on the line Alex,” Mr. Trucker began to speak. “You might be a good student. An intelligent young student. But you have been into too much trouble and the scene that we just showed you is gonna get you in jail.” Then there was a moment of silence. Ms. Bacon, Mr. Trucker and the police officers wanted Alex to speak for an answer. Alex was terrified and disbelief. “We’re waiting for you Alex,” Ms. Bacon said straight to his face. “Speak up.” Alex looked down the desk and put his fist on the table. He looked up. “Listen,” he said. “I know what’re you guys been thinking. I know what’re you guys been believing. And you all…think and believe…it was me,” he paused. Nobody talk or interrupt immediately after that. They’re still quiet and wanted to continue his statement. “I’m a great student in school. I worked hard in all of my classes. It’s just that I didn’t work hard in decisions I make. Yes, I was a bad person. Yes, I was a stupid person. Yes, I was an idiot person. Sometimes, I make the carless mistakes that almost put me arrested. One mistake did

put me into that situation. I would never make that mistake or any other mistakes again. I learned my lessons. I learned through my mistakes. I should’ve thought about it. I should’ve known better. I wanted to tell you guys that I’m a better person. I am. And I’m doing that for that for the past month. I’m getting good grades. I’m getting A’s. I’m getting honor rolls. All for the past months. Right now, I’m a better person. In school and outside.” Another round of silence. Clearly, everybody looked at each other from left to right and right to left, agreeing with what Alex is saying. Ms. Bacon starting to feel unsure again for a minute. She wasn’t feeling like he was one of the suspects. Officers Laura, John and Jack hear his understanding. “But,” Alex continued. “I’m not a suspect in this situation made overnight. I didn’t even commit that kind of a crime. I never steal. Not once. Not at all. Yes, the videotape sounds like me. Telling people what to do. Telling them instructions. It sounds like I’m the thief. It’s sounds like I’m a suspect. Matter of fact, this security tape sounds like I’m the suspect.” Another round of silence once again. “But please let me be clear,” he continued. “Of all of this. I’m not a suspect. I’m not the suspect. I never steal at all. I never commit a crime. I’m not part of the gang.

I’m not even part of a gang. One time I was, but then I left. Really I never directed a gang before. Never in my life.” Another round of silence for the fourth time. They seem to agree with him even more that they started to trust him. “Really,” he begins to finish his sentence. “I’m a better person who…wrongfully committed a crime.” Once again, Ms. Bacon, Mr. Trucker, and police officers Laura, John and Jack all looked at each other left to right and right to left. Then they looked back at Alex once again. Ms. Bacon takes a deep breath before begins talking. “Okay,” she said. “We heard your statement. We heard that you defended yourself. And we starting to believe you. We starting to trust you. But when the police finds out that you’re giving us false information....then we’ll expelled you. Understand.” Alex stays in silence for a few seconds before he answer. “Yes,” he said. “I understand.” “Good,” she begins to stand up from her seat. “Well I think we made a good intervention. Alex follow me, I’ll get you a pass.” She then exits out of the conference room. Alex followed her too. Then everybody else. She then went into her office takes her sticky pad and her

pen out of her desk. “Which class are you in right now?” she asked Alex. “Biology,” he said. She writes the pass, peal it off and give it to him. “Here you go,” she said. “And don’t be late.” “Okay.” She, Mr. Trucker, and the police officers Laura, Jack and John watch Alex as he walked out of the principal’s office and then exits the main office. “Well looks like our investigation has just begun,” Officer Laura said to Jack and John. “It surly has begun,” Officer Jack agreed. Ms. Bacon looked at the police officers. “Thanks for the help this morning,” she said. “Oh you sure welcome,” Officer John said.