The Falwell House
Friday. July 2, 1982
A little after 11:00 AM
Shelley was glad to have her keys back, but of course she couldn’t use them yet. Her car was still at Gary’s house, so she had to continue being Felicia’s passenger for now. They were on their way to the house of the Falwell family, the same house where she and Felicia had witnessed the standoff between Mouse and the police the night before, culminating in Mouse’s arrest. They hadn’t been able to interview the family at the time, but they hoped to do so this morning. As Felicia had pointed out, Shelley and Lana Falwell had something in common: they’d both been kidnapped by Mouse. Shelley hoped that that common ground would work to their advantage in seeking an interview with the Falwells.
Shelley’s thoughts wandered back to the keys, and the red tape she’d had to go through to get them back. Not being a lawyer, Shelley wasn’t very familiar with the legal concept of the evidentiary chain of custody, but she supposed the fact that the police had found her keys on Mouse was pretty convincing evidence that he had stolen them, and also (if a little more indirectly) that he had been involved in her kidnapping. That led her to start thinking about Mouse’s court case, and what it would mean for her. She realized that at some point she was going to have to appear in court as a witness and give her testimony against Mouse and any of the others that were apprehended. She had kind of known all along in the back of her head that that would be the case, but she hadn’t really consciously thought about it until now. She was sure it was going to be an unpleasant experience and she wasn’t looking forward to it, but it was her duty, and she would do what was needed to help the prosecutors convict those who had victimized her and her friends. Did she need to worry about the other car thieves who were still on the loose trying to stop her from testifying? That was a worrisome idea.
A few minutes later they arrived at the Falwell house, and Felicia was able to park much closer now that the area around the house wasn’t barricaded off. When she and Felicia arrived at the front door, Shelley pressed the doorbell. After a few seconds they heard a male voice say “Who is it?” although the door didn’t open.
“Hi! My name is Shelley Higgins, and I’m here with Felicia Jackson. We’re with the Teal Cove Chronicle. You may have heard my name on the news lately; I’m the reporter who was held hostage a couple of nights ago by that car theft ring your attacker was part of, along with some of my friends. I was wondering if we could talk?”
*tags*
Friday. July 2, 1982
A little after 11:00 AM
Shelley was glad to have her keys back, but of course she couldn’t use them yet. Her car was still at Gary’s house, so she had to continue being Felicia’s passenger for now. They were on their way to the house of the Falwell family, the same house where she and Felicia had witnessed the standoff between Mouse and the police the night before, culminating in Mouse’s arrest. They hadn’t been able to interview the family at the time, but they hoped to do so this morning. As Felicia had pointed out, Shelley and Lana Falwell had something in common: they’d both been kidnapped by Mouse. Shelley hoped that that common ground would work to their advantage in seeking an interview with the Falwells.
Shelley’s thoughts wandered back to the keys, and the red tape she’d had to go through to get them back. Not being a lawyer, Shelley wasn’t very familiar with the legal concept of the evidentiary chain of custody, but she supposed the fact that the police had found her keys on Mouse was pretty convincing evidence that he had stolen them, and also (if a little more indirectly) that he had been involved in her kidnapping. That led her to start thinking about Mouse’s court case, and what it would mean for her. She realized that at some point she was going to have to appear in court as a witness and give her testimony against Mouse and any of the others that were apprehended. She had kind of known all along in the back of her head that that would be the case, but she hadn’t really consciously thought about it until now. She was sure it was going to be an unpleasant experience and she wasn’t looking forward to it, but it was her duty, and she would do what was needed to help the prosecutors convict those who had victimized her and her friends. Did she need to worry about the other car thieves who were still on the loose trying to stop her from testifying? That was a worrisome idea.
A few minutes later they arrived at the Falwell house, and Felicia was able to park much closer now that the area around the house wasn’t barricaded off. When she and Felicia arrived at the front door, Shelley pressed the doorbell. After a few seconds they heard a male voice say “Who is it?” although the door didn’t open.
“Hi! My name is Shelley Higgins, and I’m here with Felicia Jackson. We’re with the Teal Cove Chronicle. You may have heard my name on the news lately; I’m the reporter who was held hostage a couple of nights ago by that car theft ring your attacker was part of, along with some of my friends. I was wondering if we could talk?”
*tags*
After talking to the cop at the front desk, Felicia and Shelley headed straight to the Falwell residence. There was no police presence and all of the crime scene tape and barricades had been removed. To Felicia's surprise, there were not any signs of any reporters swarming the house. It was if nothing had happened at all.
Felicia parked in front of the house and followed a few steps behind Miss Higgins as she approached the front door and rang the bell. Felicia tensed up for a moment. She expected the family to be upset at this invasion of their privacy. A voiced called through the door to them and Miss Higgins quickly explained who they were. Felicia braced as they door unlocked and opened, certain the doctor was going to yell at them to leave the family alone.
Instead, he invited the pair inside. "Yes, please come in," he said without hesitation.
"Who is it," A woman called from deeper in the house.
"Someone from The Chronicle is here to speak to us," Dr. Falwell replied. "Can you see if Lana is up to speaking with them?"
He directed the two reporters to the living room and invited them to take a seat. "Can I get you anything to drink," he inquired. Felicia shook her head no and glanced to Shelley.
A moment later, the mother and daughter appeared.
"You're one of the ones that was kidnapped by the car theft gang," Lana said immediately when she saw Shelley. "I saw you on the news the other night. Who knew the same thing would happen to me 24 hours by the same guy..."
Felicia parked in front of the house and followed a few steps behind Miss Higgins as she approached the front door and rang the bell. Felicia tensed up for a moment. She expected the family to be upset at this invasion of their privacy. A voiced called through the door to them and Miss Higgins quickly explained who they were. Felicia braced as they door unlocked and opened, certain the doctor was going to yell at them to leave the family alone.
Instead, he invited the pair inside. "Yes, please come in," he said without hesitation.
"Who is it," A woman called from deeper in the house.
"Someone from The Chronicle is here to speak to us," Dr. Falwell replied. "Can you see if Lana is up to speaking with them?"
He directed the two reporters to the living room and invited them to take a seat. "Can I get you anything to drink," he inquired. Felicia shook her head no and glanced to Shelley.
A moment later, the mother and daughter appeared.
"You're one of the ones that was kidnapped by the car theft gang," Lana said immediately when she saw Shelley. "I saw you on the news the other night. Who knew the same thing would happen to me 24 hours by the same guy..."
Moderators: LisaBlankenship AgentMilkshake