He addresses the detective again, coolly. “Miss Bailey knows that and is just as committed as we all are to finding the guilty party. But that doesn’t change the fact that she has rights, and that includes being Mirandized if this is going to shift into an interrogation.”
Before Detective Harvey can defend himself again, there is a knock at the door. Officer Pettit peeks her head inside. “Hey, sorry to interrupt. I am taking a group down to be fingerprinted. Is Miss Bailey coming?”
“I’d be happy to,” I offer, relieved to have an opportunity to clear myself before this goes any further.
“Fantastic. It will only take a second,” Detective Harvey says, but when I remember that I need to look to Jalen for approval on everything first, I notice too late that he is fuming beneath his cool exterior.
“Actually, Miss Bailey will not be giving her fingerprints today. And if there are no other questions, then we really need to get going for another appointment.”
Detective Harvey stiffens. I know from watching enough cop shows with Monika that he either has to agree to let us go or be forced to read me my Miranda rights so that he can detain me. While it’s not the same as placing me under arrest, we are getting dangerously close.
Officer Pettit watches from the doorway as Jalen and Detective Harvey engage in a silent stare-down that is so tense the only sound in the room is the clock hand ticking on the wall.
“Of course, you are free to go,” Detective Harvey finally concedes, snapping back into his friendly demeanor so fast that it makes my stomach twist. “I guess we will just have to hope that one of the other women provides us with new information to help us find out who did it.”
Jalen stands, buttons his suit jacket, and gestures for me to walk out ahead of him. We exit silently through the lobby to the front doors.
“Hold it until we get to the car, Drew,” Jalen whispers harshly. “Remember, there are cameras everywhere.”
I manage to hold in my panicked sob until we make it to the parking lot. Val has her back to us, talking to someone through the passenger-side window of a familiar-looking black sports car.
Cameron spots us through the windshield and jumps out the second he sees me. “What happened? Are you all right?”
“Jesus, Cameron. Get back in the car, she’s fine. You should have waited for us at the hotel like we agreed.”
Cameron ignores his brother and jogs to me, worry etching every inch of his face. I push my hands against his chest to put some distance between us to follow Jalen’s instructions. “I’m fine. I’ll see you back there.”
“Ride with me,” he begs, but reluctantly takes a few steps back, his concerned brown eyes darting to where cameras might be watching.
I open my mouth to argue, but Jalen cuts in. “Go ahead and ride back with him. I’m sure they are watching us as we speak. The damage has already been done.”
My legs grow weak beneath me as things continue to go from bad to worse. Val steps forward to help Cameron steady me, and they both murmur soothing words as they help me into the passenger side of the R8.
“Should I just follow you?” Val asks.
“Go get Ollie first. I’m worried about him driving based on what you’ve told me. I’ll text him the address.”
“Sounds good,” she says and gives me a sad smile before leaving. Cameron jogs around the front to slide into the driver’s side and starts the engine.
“Val and Ollie are coming to our hotel?” I ask, confused.
Cameron presses his lips together. “Ollie isn’t doing well. I know Jalen won’t be happy about it, but you don’t need to worry about that. I’ll deal with him.”
He reaches his hand over to hold mine across the seat and creeps out of the parking lot then speeds up to well over the limit as soon as the station is out of sight.
Chapter forty-four
SCARED OUT OF MY MIND
Oncewearesafelybehind the door of Cameron’s hotel room, I collapse onto the couch and close my eyes while Jalen and Cameron get into it again.
“What happened back there?”
“I stopped her from making a terrible decision. That asshole, Harvey, tried to slip into an interrogation without reading her rights and tried to trick her into giving a voluntary fingerprint.”
“What?” Cameron asks, horrified.
“Yeah, he pulled some trick by having an officer interrupt us to ask if she was going to give a print. Thank God I was there to intervene.”
