“Nah, man. Link was just following orders like the rest of us. You really don’t want to hear about the shit we did, and I can’t talk about it.”
“I can respect that.” I pulled out my recorder and set it on the desk between us, hitting record. “Let’s get down to business. Wanna tell me what a guy like you is doing in a place like this?”
“You know, Netflix and chillin’,” he deadpanned.
I folded my arms and stared him down, waiting.
Finally, he cracked a smile. “You’re not half bad for a skinny little white broad.”
“Thanks, I think. Now… tell me everything. From the beginning.”
He started in on the night he’d been arrested while I watched his features for tells. No ticks, no extra blinking, no trembling, no patterns. He did rub his head a few times, but that seemed to be more of a memory enhancer than a tell. Either he was legit, or both he and Link were incredible liars.
He’d sat at the bar, ordered a stout, and watched a basketball game overhead. He rattled off the teams playing, their scores, details about the bartender and the guys around him, and what time it was when he went out back to smoke. Then, once he saw the girl being raped, details blurred. Noah Kinlan was wearing khakis and a black jacket. The guys who jumped in were all nondescript. He couldn’t remember a damn thing about them, which seemed to frustrate him even more than it frustrated me.
“Sorry. I just saw red, you know? It gets like that. I just need to bust shit up. Make him hurt the way he was making that girl hurt.”
Yep, Havoc and I were gonna get along just fine.
“You don’t know the girl?” I asked.
“No. I couldn’t even tell you what she looks like. White girl. She had on a short jean skirt and a white shirt with some sort of pattern. I don’t know what. Sorry. I’m usually more observant than that, but I—”
“Lost your goddamn mind. Got it. I’m guessing that sort of behavior is what earned you the nickname Havoc?”
He ducked his head. “Yes ma’am.”
“That’s unfortunate. Judges tend to frown upon people nicknamed synonyms for widespread destruction. While you’re in here, I’m going to need you to bottle that temper. Be on your best behavior and don’t let anyone goad you into a fight.”
“Yes ma’am.”
I leveled my best ass-kicking stare at him. “I mean it, Havoc. I believe you. I respect and appreciate what you did for that girl, so I’m going to take a risk and help you out. You seem like a man of your word, so I’m gonna need you to promise me you won’t let me down.”
He grinned. “Yes, ma’am, I promise.”
“Good. When we get you out of here we’ll have to find you a hobby to channel some of that aggression. Maybe baking or gardening or knitting or something.”
“Knitting?” he asked. “You’re fuckin’ with me, aren’t you?”
I shrugged. “Maybe.” About to knock on the door to call the guards back, I paused. “What are you grinning about?”
His grin only widened.
“Havoc…” I warned.
“Link’s gonna have his hands full with you.”
Before I could ask him what the hell that was supposed to mean, he pounded on the table and the guards returned to take him away.
