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She sighed. “Listen, he’s in a shitty situation. I’m just asking you to think of a way we could help him instead of pushing him further down the destructive path he’s on.”
“Instead of working off the restitution at his father’s garage, he should work at Hailey’s. Seems fitting,” Dexter said.
Avery nodded. “I can get him to agree to that.”
“He won’t be happy about it,” Dexter said.
Normally, I’d resist any posturing by defense counsel at this stage, but this was a kid. I could say Corey was polite and cooperative. As the liaison to the community and shop owners, it was my job to recommend what would benefit the community. If Corey cleaned up the shop and worked off the damage, the judge would probably be lenient with him.
“What if he does it now? We both know it will look good in front of the judge once his case goes to court.”
“I have no problem with that if Hailey’s on board.”
“I appreciate it. I think you both know my husband’s nephew came to live with him when his brother died. I know a thing or two about kids being torn from what they’ve known and forced to live in a new situation.”
I remembered something about Avery’s husband, Griffin, the owner of a million-dollar start-up company who’d moved back to town before his brother died in a boating accident. He’d taken in his nephew.
“Kids don’t think rationally,” Dexter agreed.
“Let me talk to the chief.” I turned on my heel, knocking on his office door, and at his terse, “Come in,” I followed suit.
Leaning back in his chair, he said, “You only got the Spice & Tea Shoppe.”
I nodded. “Should we push it?”
“I don’t think it’ll look good if we do. Ask if he was at the other shops, but if he refuses to speak or denies it, let it go.”
“You got it, sir.” I turned to go.
“And Castle? Good job keeping your cool. I know it’s frustrating when you can’t use the usual tactics.”
“Ms. Arrington said she’s recommending he go to counseling and work off the damage at the tea shop.”
“If the owner’s okay with it… She might not want him there. I think that solution will go over well with the community, and if the incidents stop, then we’ll know we got the guy.”
We both knew criminals didn’t go down for all their crimes. One was usually enough. Stealing cash from the registers was more serious than the others, though.
I went back into the conference room, asking routine questions about the other stores, but he refused to answer. He had that right, so I kept calm. He wasn’t doing anything we hadn’t thought he would.
“Thanks for handling him with care,” Avery said after Ryan and Corey left.
“I didn’t have much choice.” I had Chief and Dexter breathing down my neck.
“Still, not everyone would.”
“What about the mother? Will she take him back?”
“Ryan wants him to stay. He thinks he can help him, get through to him.”
“I hope he’s right. For both their sakes.” I’d hate to see Corey squander this opportunity to get his life back together.
“Give him a chance,” Avery said, mimicking what Remi asked me to do last night.
I hoped I wasn’t making a mistake in giving this kid a break. “It’s his to screw up.”
She smiled. “You’re one of the good ones.”
When she walked away, Dexter said behind my shoulder, “You survived.”
