Series: Shame On You Series by Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 51495 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 257(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51495 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 257(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
My thoughts are still racing by the time they park in the back of the station. The female cop pulls me out of the back.
With my arms pulled back and the metal biting into my wrists, it’s far less than comfortable. She mutters something to her partner as he opens the large metal door and holds it so we can enter the station. Immediately, I’m assaulted with bright lights and stale white painted brick walls.
My heart races as I realize no one else is there. Thump, thump. It just doesn’t feel right.
“Why aren’t we going in through the front?” I dare to ask, speaking for the first time.
The female cop doesn’t answer my question. It doesn’t make sense, though. Why wouldn’t they bring me through the front to the desk.
“I want to talk to my lawyer. His name is Michael McHale.”
The other cop chuckles, deep and masculine. My heart races, faster than it did in the cruiser or in the motel. I’ve been through a lot of shit in my life, but that cop laughing because I want my lawyer scares the fuck out of me.
It’s sobering and my reality comes in a sharper focus as our footsteps echo in the empty hall.
They pick up the pace and I follow, doing everything I can to stay calm. We’re heading toward the front, I think, and it’s loud out there. People talk over each other with cops barking orders and people arguing.
It’s an odd sense of relief that floods me, but it’s short lived as we never made it that far.
We stop outside a metal door well before we get to the lobby. He opens it and she leads me in. Thump, thump.
It’s like the hospital all over again.
“I’d like to talk to my lawyer,” I repeat calmly and once again I’m ignored.
“Stand here.” Metal clinks and she uncuffs me. I swing my hands in front of me and rub at my wrists. Both arms are sore, though it wasn’t long ago when I was cuffed at the motel.
“Thank you.”
“Nothing to thank me for.” She takes me by the arm and sits me down in a metal chair behind a metal table. One by one she cuffs my hands to the table. They’re too tight and the cold metal bites into my skin. She checks them one more time, then turns to leave.
“I want my lawyer.”
They both ignore me, and the door shuts tight.
I’m alone.
Fear floods in. I was mostly numb in the car, hell, I was numb before Declan walked through the door. But now I feel it all. And everything is breaking.
Every bit of me is breaking down and filled with regret. I wish I could just go back.
He said he loves me, and he said he’ll fix it, but how? How is he supposed to fix anything? Hours ago I would have sworn he was going to kill me.
It’s all just too late.
It’s fucking cold in the room and the chill of it brings me back to the here and now. To a fresh new nightmare. The cops said things to me at the motel.
Conspiracy to commit murder.
Aiding.
Abetting.
I’m being charged, but…I don’t understand why. Someone was supposed to explain it to me. I should be able to call my lawyer. I nearly call out again, demanding to speak to my lawyer. But I bite my tongue. They’re watching. I know they are.
More emotions pile in and I find my hands shaking. I swallow again and again, not wanting to cry. I don’t have control over my body, but I can keep myself from crying. Just barely.
How the fuck did any of this happen? How did I let it get this bad?
A painful knot grows in my chest, but I refuse to let it take over. My body feels colder than it did in that tank of ice water.
The memory is chilling and again, I look to the door. With every small movement, the metal clinks on the table. Apart from the occasional jolt from the less than warm heater being turned on, the metal clinking is the only sound I can hear.
As I slowly slip, I know one thing is true. I wish I could call my mom. I wish I had talked to her.
It all feels hopeless, but if I could just talk to her, she would make me feel all right. Even though she’d know there isn’t anything at all that’s all right.
With a sudden bang, the door opens. Shocking me back to reality and startling the shit out of me.
Two new cops come into the room, letting the door bang closed behind them. I shiver in the gust of cold air. Both men, one clean shaven and the other with scruff. Neither of them give a kind expression as they stare at me so uncomfortably I have to look away.