Heidi had been finger printed, Handcuffed and locked in a bare room with only a large table and a window that seemed to just reflect the room back at her.

Heidi was very frightened and scared now. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen to her now as she sat by herself in a uncomfortable metal chair. She had been there for over 45 minutes and no one had come in to check on her. She had been there alone and handcuffed.

Heidi covered her face and started to cry when the door opened and Jessica walked though. “Hey there Heidi, I have soooo missed you girl.”

She looked up toward Jessica with tears still streaming down her face. “Hi Jessica.” Her face brightened at seeing Jessica. “I have missed you too. “

She ran up and gave Heidi a tight hug. “I am just sorry that it has to be under these circumstances. I feel responsible for it and im so sorry for teasing you and I promise I wont do it again. “

“It is ok, Jessica,” Heidi said. “I don’t think there is a way out of this now. But how did you find me?”

“You called me, Heidi,” Jessica said. “They could trace the call and luckily, The location was minutes away from the California State Police so they were able to send a team there.”

“Thank you Jessica for helping me out of that. What will we do now?”

Jess said, “Well for one, I do not blame you for anything. Donna and your family hurt you so they were owed. Donna wont be missed.” She laughed. “She had a son herself that lives a life of dispair. State Police freed him, or should I say her.” Jessica sighed, “I don’t know. It is difficult to know how to refer to someone forced to be the other gender. This whole situation breaks my heart Heidi and I wish I could convince the DA to go easy on you. But she cant with murder of this kind.”

Heidi said, “I understand. I shouldn’t have.”

Jessica said sharply, “Shut up, Heidi. Remember you are in a police interrogation room so don’t make statements about this. Lets not hang ourselves here. There is a lawyer coming to represent you and he is very good also. “

The door opened again and this time, two very serious looking suited detectives walked in. Jessica was kindly dismissed by the lead detective.

They sat across from Heidi. He opened the discussion, “Hello, Heidi. Before we begin, I must inform you of your rights. You probably know you have the right to remain silent and what ever you say can be used against you. “

“I understand. “

One of them approached Heidi and told her to hold out her hands and he put a clear tape and lifted it off of Heidi’s hands.

He smiled at Heidi, “We have gunshot residue and the shotgun was tested. It has your fingerprints. Heidi do you know what this all means?”

She gulped, “That you know I killed Donna?”

The lead detective said, “Yes we know you murdered Donna in cold blood. You will be convicted of it. “

Heidi knew it anyway. “I shot Donna. Do you know what she did to me?”

“We know, Heidi but we were going to prosecute her. You had no right to go shoot her. Now we have to prosecute you..”
Heidi said resigned, “I know you do. I don’t understand why, She was a child abuser. Pure scum of the planet that only other scum will miss. But I understand it is the law. “

He asked, surprised, “I am impressed Heidi. Are you confessing?”

“Yes, I admit I killed her.”

He laid a pad of paper in front of Heidi, “Then write down in your own words everything that happened including shooting Donna. “

“Alright, detective. “ The two walked out as Heidi started writing.
~~~~*~~~~
After Heidi wrote down her damning confessing, They lead her to a private cell and locked her in. A few hours later, Jessica opens the door and walks in with an older woman behind her. “This is Joni Small, She will represent you, Heidi. “

She sat down and said sadly, “I don’t know if there is much I can do for you Heidi. You wrote a detailed damning confessing. Why didn’t you wait for me? Jess said I was coming.”

She shrugged, “Because Joni, I did it and I don’t really care if anyone thinks it was wrong. We will try to get as much leniency as possible. But I Killed Donna. Can’t you argue it was justified?”

Joni responded, “Sure but don’t count on that working. You went to there place and shot her. There are women convicted of murder, for killing their abusive husbands while they were trapped in the house at the time. The law just isn’t very sympathetic to victims of abuse.”

“I had no idea.” Her shoulders slumped. “I guess I’m fucked. I lived 4 years in a prison my family created. Now I’m going to a state prison.”
~~~~*~~~~
“Defendant Heidi Peterson, the state is charging you with first degree premeditated murder. How do you plead?”

Heidi was frightened again. The judge looked very uncaring and cruel. She was standing in front of the judge behind a table and the state people were at the other side of the room behind their table. Her attorney standing reassuringly beside her spoke, “The defendant pleads not guilty, your honor. “

“The plead is so entered,” He said.

“Given the seriousness, Cruelly calculating brutality of the murder, The state requests no bail for the defendant.”

Joni said, “But your honor this is a 16 year old child that was abused by Donna. We can’t consider her a risk. I request the defendant be remanded to Jessica Roberts; She is a esteemed police officer. “

“Counsel, I am inclined to agree with the state. The defendant is to be held without bail.”

The police officers took Heidi and lead her away.
~~~~*~~~~
Heidi was taken to a state prison and held in isolation. This was perhaps the scarcest place she ever had been in. How ever, after eighteen hours of being held there, some visitors came and she was lead to what looked like a conference room. There were some very formal looking people there.

“Hello Heidi. My name is Jack grimes, I work for the United States Attorney General and these are federal marshals. “

“Um- hello.” Was all Heidi could squeak out.

“You were with general Choi, we are interested in him too. We have been investigating him for some time but couldn’t get any witnesses. He survived.“

She didn’t say anything and he continued, “If you will cooperate with us, the state will give you immunity from prosecution for the state charges. “

“What, they will? Really,” Heidi said surprised.

“Yes but they aren’t happy with it. They will cooperate with federal authorities anyway. We both realize the value of putting Choi behind bars.”