Kick Read Free Page A

happened.”
    â€œKevin’s a good boy,” Mom said. “He really is. Believe me, he’s never been in any kind of serious trouble.”
    â€œI believe you, and I’m sure you want him home. If he gets to go home, I’ll be talking with him from time to time as the case develops. Is that okay with you? Now I’m going to be frank with you. Your son’s in trouble. He’s up against serious charges. I’m sure that if Kevin gets out and there’s the least bit of trouble, he’s coming back here.”
    â€œI really appreciate your taking an interest in my son, sir.” My mom sat back in her chair, her hands shaking with nervousness.
    â€œWell, we don’t want our young people in jails if we can help it, ma’am,” Sergeant Brown said.
    Sergeant Brown kept talking to Mom and Abuela. I thought about this television show where two cops were interviewing a guy. One was playing the “good cop” role and the other one was the “bad cop.” I wondered if Sergeant Brown was playing good cop or bad cop.
    Mom kept nodding to anything Sergeant Brown said. Abuela just looked at me and kept shaking her head. I was glad when a guard came into the room. Judge Kelly was ready to see us.
    The guards drove me in a van to the Highland Municipal Courthouse. It was an old brick building with white columns in the front that looked like something on the cover of my social studies textbook. Mrs. Fox, the lawyer who had handled the paperwork when my dad died, was waiting for us in the hallway. I walked in with the guard behind me. I was relieved to see a familiar face, even though I really didn’t know her that well.
    It was weird having someone watch my every move. I noticed the guard’s gun. When I was little, my dad used to show me his gun. He always warned me about how dangerous guns were, and I used to think it was so cool. But now that the guard who was watching me had one, guns didn’t seem so cool anymore. The guard saw me staring at his gun. I turned away.
    I didn’t even want to imagine what my father would say if he were still alive. I had just been helping out a friend.
    After going through the metal detectors, Mom, Abuela, the guard, and I walked down the hall and up a long flight of stairs to the judge’s chambers with Sergeant Brown trailing behind.
    Judge Kelly was the tallest man I had ever seen. I wondered if he had ever played basketball. His wire-rimmed glasses made him look smart. I imagined him playing college ball. My mom, Abuela, and I took seats, and Mrs. Fox started speaking in low tones to the judge. I could tell that it was about me.
    â€œMr. Johnson, I presume,” Judge Kelly said, his glasses lowering on his nose.
    â€œYes. Nice to meet you, sir,” I answered, standing up and trying to be extra polite.
    â€œJerry! How are you?” Judge Kelly said.
    I turned around to see Sergeant Brown sitting behind us.
    â€œUp for another game of Ping-Pong at the Ebony Club?” asked Sergeant Brown.
    â€œNot tonight—I’m swamped with work,” Judge Kelly said, looking right at me.
    Judge Kelly turned to me. “So, Kevin, you’re charged with kidnapping, grand larceny, destruction of property, and giving false answers.”
    â€œYes, sir,” I said.
    Mrs. Fox interrupted, “Judge Kelly, Kevin has never been in any sort of trouble before. The only reasonable solution would be to give him probation.”
    â€œWe’re going to give him every break we can under the law,” Judge Kelly said. “There are a number of issues to be worked out first. This is not a victimless affair, and the victims’ rights have to be considered, too. Frankly, I don’t understand how the son of one of our town’s finest police officers could have gotten involved in something like this. Kevin, can you explain yourself?”
    â€œI just . . . just did it, I guess,” I said. “I’m