“This way.” I walk behind the female officer, and I try to keep up with everything she tells me. She proceeds to take my picture, a DNA swab in my mouth, and takes my fingerprints.
“I need to call my dad.”
“We’ll let you know when you make a call. This way.”
I try to take in as much as I can of my surroundings until she opens a scratched up white painted metal door.
A holding cell.
“You’ll wait here till I return. There’s a phone inside, you can call your dad.”
I go to thank her, but she shoves me inside and slams the door closed as soon as my feet are over the threshold.
An older woman sits in the corner and cocks her brow as she eyes me up and down. I spy the phone on the wall and make a call I never thought I’d make.
27
Darius
“What’s wrong with you?” I bark, having had enough of Tariq’s bouncing up and down from the couch, snorting more coke than usual, and not meeting my eyes.
“N-nothing, man. I’m fine.”
Meeting Jermaine’s eye, he’s just as concerned as I am and slides his gaze back to our friend.
“Where’s your girl?” Jermaine asks him.
“She’s… gone to see her dad. He’s in town and…”
He’s lying and we all know it. He disappears into the kitchen and Jermaine shakes his head in despair. Tariq’s been losing his edge for months now. I’d like to say it’s because of Clare but I personally feel like they’re as bad as each other. They bring out the worst in each other and they get off on it.
My phone vibrates across the table, and I contemplate ignoring it when Mr. Haynes’ name fills the screen.
“Why would the father-in-law be calling you?”
“He’s not my father-in-law,” I grind out, then more softly, “Let’s find out.”
Hitting answer, I press the phone to my ear, and I finally find out what it’s like to have your world stop with just a few words.
“Darius?”
“Yeah?”
“I need you to come watch Elsa-Marie.” I’m on my feet before he continues, “Amelia’s been arrested, something to do with drugs, I don’t know, I couldn’t understand her through the crying.”
“I’m leaving now.”
I hang up and race through to the kitchen, finding Tariq sat at the table, head in his hands.
“What the fuck did you do?”
Lifting his head, his eyes meet mine and I see he knows he’s fucked up tonight.
“Why would have Amelia been picked up on drug charges?” I snap.
His brows pull together in a deep frown.
“I have no idea…”
