“Hi, Mrs. Malus,” she says and it’s still weird to hear anyone call me that. “Can I take you to the station? Only to get your statement in privacy and get you off the street in case this wasn’t a random event.”
Offering a polite smile, I just nod, certain this is some sort of rule Xavier has put in place. I don’t need anyone to swoop in and rescue me and going to the police station isn’t something I really have the time or mental bandwidth for. However…I look at the man lying in the street and see a cop retrieve a wallet from the man’s back pocket…if I go to the station, there’s a chance I can get a little more info on this guy.
Devon came to me freaked out about something he discovered relating to exactly this. Whatever he found was jarring enough to want to run away from. I have to find out anything else I can.
“Yeah, I can certainly do that,” I tell the officer, who’s looking around for anyone who might come running out of the shadows.Yep, Xavier definitely told the cops I’m under his protection. “Thank you, Officer Whitmore,” I say, reading her name off of her uniform. She leads me to her cruiser and opens the front passenger door for me. I’ve never been up front in a cop car before.
I do my best to look meek and human on the way to the station, all the while listening to whatever is being said over the radio. It’s nothing of interest, and she turns the radio down when something about an overdose is said.
Only a few moments later, we’re at the station and she takes me into a conference room, brings me water and asks if I want coffee before leaving. I get up and look out of the window and into the hall, listening to any conversation I can hear.
“These druggies are becoming more and more unhinged,” someone says, coming down the hall. I duck back, out of sight, and press my ear up against the door.
“The last one didn’t have any drugs in her system,” someone else replies.
“None we could detect.”
Footsteps draw near and I hurry back to the table seconds before Officer Whitmore comes into the room.
“Hi, Florence. I know that was upsetting,” she starts, sitting down at the table across from me. “But if you can tell me exactly what you saw, that would be great. I just need a quick statement and then you’ll be free to go.”
“I was standing on the street corner waiting to cross and saw a man out of the corner of my eye rushing up to the two women standing on the corner with me. He grabbed one of their arms and I thought he was going to go for her purse but he said something I couldn’t understand. I took a self-defense class in college and remembered to do this—” I bring my fists down in the air—“when someone has grabbed you.” I inhale and shake my head, remembering to look rattled. “He let go of that womanand turned to me. He said something in a different language maybe and then ran into the street.”
I swallow hard, nodding as I replay it all in my head. That is what happened, and I know there is footage of the whole thing so there’s no point in changing details—only the little one about his demonic eyes.
“Do you think he was on something? I’ve heard there’s been a rise in drug problems downtown.”
“We’ve been seeing it more and more,” she tells me, giving me a concerned look. “I’m really sorry you had to witness that, Mrs. Malus.”
“It’s not your fault,” I tell her, able to sense that she’s a little worried this is going to come back on the Charlotte PD for the streets being dangerous or something. “Has there been an increase of drug-induced suicides like this?”
“I really shouldn’t say,” she goes on nervously. “But, uh, we’ve been busy.”
“Got it,” I nod. My phone buzzes in my purse and I pull it out, seeing a text from Leo.
Leo: I think this is the first time you’re at the police station without being arrested, right??
Me: Hah. Listening to the police scanners?
Leo: Yeah. Meet me outside.
“Do you need anything else from me?” I ask.
“No, now that I have your statement, you’re good to go. I’ll have someone take you home to make sure you get there safely.”
“My driver is here,” I tell her and hold up the phone. “Xavier just texted me and said he’s pulling up now.”
“Oh. Okay, great.”
I smile again and get up, following her to the front of the station. I thank her and then go outside, able to sense her relief not to have to put up a front with me. She’s scared of Xavier butalso thinks it’s bullshit he’s bought his way into the department. I don’t necessarily disagree.
Squinting when I step outside, I spot Antonio’s Bronco right away. Leo is in the passenger seat, and my heart skips a beat when I look in the back for Ryder. I don’t know if I want him to be there or not. It’s a complicated mess, and it shouldn’t be.
Ryder lied to me for a year. Promised me everything was going to be okay and that he would make sure nothing came between us. And the whole time, he knew that he would never choose me.
But last night, he did. Didn’t he?
It shouldn’t matter. The trust is broken, he made his choice, and I’m fucking married to someone else.
