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booksgivemelifeiswear · 3 months ago

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I am having new feelings about Higgins...like we know he tried to help Andrew while he was still living with the Spears, so imagine, he was used to deal with “problematic” teens and probably had already dealt with abused children too so he noticed something was wrong with Andrew. Underneath all that apathy was a big layer of anger and beneath that there was so much hurt.

He must have noticed that that blond kid was starting to use long sleeves even on the summer (he probably thought it was bruises, bruises caused by someone else and sometimes it was).

He probably noticed that even if everyone was scared of him, Andrew flinched when anyone touched him (at the time he still hadn’t taught himself not to do that, to stare at the person in the eyes and tell them silently that any unwanted touch would be responded with a knife on the gut). He probably tried to talk to him, tried to get him to open up, he knew the Spears were trying their best but sometimes these things happen where you least expect it. He must have some connections to the school Andrew attended and was informed that he wasn’t a problem maker, didn’t get detention, nor was he a exemplary student either, but they told him it was usual for him to stay at the library until late night, the librarian caught him sleeping there a few times.

He must have turned to the person he was the closest with that was involved in the story so he questioned Drake about Andrew’s behavior, asked if he noticed anything wrong but Drake told him that no, it wasn’t new the way Andrew was acting, he was already acting like that when he came to live with them, that it had probably something to do with his old foster families.

Higgins tried to be assured after that, bc then it means that he could get better but it crushed onto him when, next week on the regular meeting he made with every teen he saw that Andrew was walking stiffly, he was quieter than normal and worse, he had a bruise on his lip. It wasn’t the kind of bruise made by a fall or a punch on the mouth. Unfortunately, Higgins had seen that kind of bruise on another teen before, a angry girl that refused to speak in anything but curse words. It was the kind of bruise made by teeth. The officer felt an hole on his chest, it was impossible that no one on the Spears house hadn’t noticed the bruise, Andrew was problematic but he rarely got into fights in school (no one dared to go against him). He tried to speak to the boy but he got nothing, he refused to say that anything was wrong, when Higgins asked about the bruise on his lip Andrew froze for a few seconds before laughing a terrible laugh that Higgins didn’t want to hear ever again, and said “you should have seen the other guy” and left. Higgins decided he had to get him out of that house.

But it didn’t matter how much he talked to the social worker, they couldn’t simply move Andrew without any evidence. Higgins snapped “you won’t take him away even if I say that there is undeniable evidence of abuse?” He said, screamed at the woman’s face. “Not undeniable, we both know Andrew Doe is not an saint, he could have involved himself into some fight for all you know. Even if we try to go with your hunch, where do you suggest we take him to? Doe is already considered too old by the families interested in adoption, he has a historic of problematic behavior, no one will want him.” She said coldly and Higgins almost lost it right then an there.

He was desperate for an answer, he had to find evidence or something. It was then that he met Andrew on a baseball match of all places. Except it wasn’t Andrew. He could barely contain his excitement when he got the woman’s, Andrew’s mother, contact and address, he thought he had found his answer. When he told Andrew, Cass and Richard present, the boy didn’t seem to know how to react, but Higgins saw his eyes shine brighter before he left to his room.

Only, later, Cass told him that Andrew didn’t want to meet his brother (Higgins can’t look at any of the Spears in the eyes anymore, he might not be sure who was the corrupt but he knew that in the end, the blame fell to all of them.) said his twin, Aaron, had sent him a letter that he had answered with a very eloquent “Fuck you”. According to her, he had shut down any further conversations about the subject and soon the Minyard’s had become a forbidden subject in the Spear’s house.

Higgins probably tried to talk to Andrew but he noticed the boy was getting quieter, more subdued, it was like he was disappearing right before his eyes.

And then Andrew got arrested. Nothing big, just enough to get him into juvie for a few years, Cass called him in despair wanting help in how to handle the situation, she wanted to adopt Andrew and wanted to make sure this wouldn’t delay her plans, Drake was going to the army soon and she wanted to reform the house so Andrew would feel included into the making of his “new home”. The cop didn’t hesitate in calling the number he had kept, but it wasn’t Tilda Minyard that answered the phone, but her brother Luther, so Higgins explained everything. On the next week the man came and visited Andrew in juvie, four days later Andrew finally met his twin, the next month Andrew got a deal based on his good behavior and left juvie as Andrew Minyard.

Higgins had never been so happy to see one of the teens leave town, but even if Andrew was safe, the new boy that the Spears were fostering wasn’t.

Higgins probably dedicated the next years trying to find proof of what was going on in the Spears house. At first he thinks Richard is the one abusing the children, opens a case against him even, but still no kid confirms a thing. He tried to call Andrew, he knows he is moving on with his life but the Spears are already fostering their fourth teen and Higgins thinks its getting worse, so he calls PSU and manages to talk with Andrew but it’s not really a talk. Andrew’s voice is different, he is an adult now and there’s something there that wasn’t there before. Higgins had heard that Andrew had been charged for assault after some kind of fight outside a nightclub and had made a deal, some anti psychotic meds for his freedom. He talks in an agitated tone, hanging up on him before making go to the point, his energy completely different from what he is used to, but not in a natural way.

Higgins already hated it.

After the fruitless call he decided to try harder, got the help of a psychiatrist that also worked voluntarily and together they got strong indicatives.

It kills him inside but he decides not to mellow on it for now, he has to be sure before he can feel guilty, before he can beat himself for ignoring the obvious alternative.

He just needed a confirmation and Higgins knew he had to ask for it personally so he bought the tickets to Palmetto for the next day.

Finding the athletes dorms in PSU was easy but finding Andrew was not. On the first floor he asked for the number of Andrew’s room and got a few looks of fear and an warning of “be careful around there” that he didn’t really understand but knowing Andrew maybe it was coming from experience. He knocked on the indicated door and got no response, knowing already it would be a hard conversation.

He knocked again and maybe he let his desperation show in his knocking because the next door over opened. The girl crossed her arms when she saw him, her expression closed off, behind her he could see the tall boy, his eyes curious. There were a few mumbles behind them but no one else stepped out.

“Hi” Higgins said with a tight smile, unable to hide his tension and it made the girl frown harder. “I am here to see Andrew D- Minyard.” He corrected himself last minute and now the boy’s eyebrows were at the top of his forehead. “My name is Phil Higgins, I work for the Oakland PD” And now he could see them both close off completely and realized that they probably were Andrew’s teammates. The thought of them being protective over him brought him some unexpected joy.

“He’s not here…I will let him know you passed by.” The girl asked, trying to dismiss him but he won’t budge, not now, not when he is so close.

“I would rather wait for him, can you tell me when will he be back?”

The girl and the boy exchanged looks before shaking their heads but make no move to take out their phones to call or message Andrew.

As a last try, he took out his card and hands it to the couple.

“I will be waiting for him, can you give me a call when he gets back?” He said.

“Sure.” She answered but still looks unsure.

He had no choice but to give them space and hope they do call, so he walked around the campus, not getting too far from the dorms. He saw a few white and orange banners, promoting the Foxes, one talking about their recents wins and he felt a little pang of pride that at least Andrew seemed to be doing fine in his sport.

It was a little surprising but relieving when he got the message telling him that Andrew is coming back to the dorms.

He rushed back and saw the two new faces with the couple from before on the hall.

He introduced himself, noticing one of the new boys taking a small step back from him, a look of mistrust in his face.

He knocked on the door again and this time Andrew was the one to open it and Higgins realized it’s not just Andrew’s voice that changed. He had broader shoulders, his posture firmer, looking like someone who wouldn’t be moved unless forced to, and no force in the world was strong enough to do so.

The carved smile on his face didn’t hide his anger in seeing him there, Andrew was ready to dismiss him again, to close the door on his face, but one word, one name is enough to make him stop. Instead of denying anything, of trying to cover up his slip up, eh asks the one question that chills Higgins spine.

“How many kids?”

And the number tastes like ash on his mouth because this is proof. He was right, but he was too late, and too many kids were hurt because of it.

Andrew left and he followed him, getting to rooftop, overlooking the whole campus.

The blonde boy struggled to light up a cigarette, inhaling deeply when he is finally successful.

“Andrew…” He started, unsure on how to finish but the other interrupted him with a laugh and a shake of his head.

“Why did you come here, pig?” He asked.

“The other kids won’t testify, I need…” He is interrupted again by the other’s laugh and the sound grated on his nerves because of how forced it was.

“What? You can’t do your job so now it’s up to me to fix up your mess?”

The words felt like a stab in his heart because he was right. He knew something was wrong, and who he went for help? Drake.

The man he helped, the man he put in contact with countless kids, the man who hurt and scared them so much they would refuse to talk about.

He blinded himself, made it so he wasn’t trustworthy enough to any kid to confide in him, and now he has to look in the eyes of one of the kids he failed and ask for him to open up a wound he is also responsible for.

“I wouldn’t be here if it was necessary, you can’t let other kids be hurt because he is still there.” He tried, knowing it isn’t fair.

Andrew snapped the cigarette in his hand in half, and crushing it under his heel before lighting up another.

“You won’t put that burden on me, Higgins.” He said almost in the tone he is used to before the smile splits his face again. “I already gave up too much for that family, I have things to take care of here, I won’t be distracted by this.”

“Distracted? Andrew, you can’t just let this go, not after everything.”

“You don’t get to tell how to feel.” He answered with a laugh and putting down his second cigarette. “Go back from where you came from, pig. There’s nothing for you here.” He said and passed through him and Higgins knew better than to hold him back.

He stayed on the roof, looking out and around at the campus, knowing Andrew was right. What right does he have to come here after years, and try to drag him back into that?

But he couldn’t give up either, he couldn’t ignore the cries for help, he couldn’t let the injustice go on for longer.

So he went back to Oakland, worked with more people, built a task force, all of it trying to catch Drake slipping, trying to catch something. But these things take time and out of sudden it is November and he still hasn’t gotten what he needed.

Then he goes to work and they tell him he got a call, someone named David Wymack, and it takes some time for him to remember the name but soon he figures out who he was.

“He said something happened with Andrew Minyard and that it was connected with your case on Drake Spear.”

The words make him freeze and he hurries to look it up, maybe it was nothing but then there would be no need for a phone call. It doesn’t take long for him to find out.

The case open in Columbia.

A body.

One arrest.

A homicide in self-defense.

One victim of sexual assault.

He failed.

#aftg #tfc #andrew minyard #phil higgins #mine #my smog son #this one turned out to be a monster #much longer that I thought it would be #drake spear #all for the game #the raven king #tw sa mention

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