I keep my eyes averted so I don’t give someone else an invitation to start shit and make a promise to myself that this is the last time I let this happen. I wanted to believe in the system. I had faith it wouldn’t let me down because I’m a good person, and I had the truth on my side. The problem is the truth doesn’t matter more than the person telling it.
I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting here staring at my knees, when I hear a commotion. I lift my head when a cop comes in, cursing someone out. I see him turn, his eyes landing on mine before they widen a fraction. His mouth drops open when he sees the sight of me, and I can only assume why. My nose has been bleeding all over the place, thanks to the cop’s rough handling of things, and not a single person thought to inquire as to what the hell happened to me or to offer me so much as a tissue.
“Are you fucking serious right now?” the angry cop snarls at the one behind the desk nearest to him, who holds his hands up.
“I have no idea what’s going on. The rookie said she resisted arrest and got violent. We’re waiting for the chief to come down.”
“And what the hell has the chief got to do with all this?”
“Like I said, I have no idea what’s going on.”
The pissed-off cop walks toward my cage, his anger palpable, but I can see it’s not aimed at me. “My name is Wade Jackson. Can you tell me what yours is?”
I sigh, vaguely recognizing the guy. I think he was a rookie himself when I was arrested. I press my hand to my throat and mouth before shaking my head.
He frowns for a second before he blinks. “You can’t talk?”
I shake my head and indicate for a pen and paper.
“Fuck.”
“Can’t give her a pen, man, you know that.” Another cop walks over.
“She can’t talk. So, I can only assume she hasn’t been given a chance to make a phone call or ask for a lawyer. Looking at the state of her, I can guess at the laws we violated. What’s a few more, right?” he hisses.
The other cop gets a good look at me and winces. “I’ll get something to clean her up,” he mutters.
I shake my head and point at Wade. When I have his attention, I pretend to take photos.
“You want me to photograph you?”
I nod as he swallows.
“Careful, Wade, you know how shit can be twisted. Before you know it, this will be all over the news, a sign of police brutality when Denny himself said she got combative.”
“Police brutality is not a fabricated thing. It’s a reality, and honest to fuck, I’m two seconds away from getting pretty brutal myself. Besides, I have to assume the rookie has proof of what happened, right? So he should have nothing to worry about.”
“I was just doing my job, sir.”
I look over when I see the rookie walk in with a folder in his hand. “Is that right? Care to explain why she looks like this?”
“She resisted arrest and got violent with me, sir. I was forced to restrain her.”
“What was she arrested for?”
“Resisting arrest and driving while under the influence.”
He turns to look at me, and I mime for Wade to give me another breathalyzer. I’m not sure he understands what I’m asking for, but he turns back to the rookie. “How long has she been there for?”
“An hour, sir. The chief is coming to question her.”
“Hard to question someone with no means of communicating.”
“We can provide her materials to write with when the chief gets here.”
“Just not right now, in case she asks for a lawyer, right?”
The cop standing beside them hisses, as if realizing the severity of how things have been handled.
