Martin raised his hands, dropping his phone to the designer rug.
"ON YOUR KNEES! HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD!"
Martin knelt and followed the officer's directions. A rough set of gloved hands grabbed his right wrist, then the cold metal of a handcuff wrapped around it. After cuffing both wrists, Officer Pellegrino dragged Martin up to his feet before a second pair of hands patted him down. He realized his weapon was gone.
"I didn't shoot them. I was about to call it in," he uttered.
Shaun Murray climbed from his patrol car with Bravo team’s Emerson “Coach” Davis as the two officers were bringing Martin out.
"Lieu, we found him standing over two dead men. A gun is on the coffee table," Officer Forrester said.
Shaun Murray shook his head. After a rapid discussion with the officers, he wrapped a palm around Martin's elbow. "Martin Bailey, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent.” The walk to the patrol car was short. Shaun repeated the pat down then guided him into the back seat of the car.
Martin banged his head against the seat rest. A white Lexus sped toward them and stopped. Celine McAllister ran right into Shaun, pounding on his chest, and he caught her before she fell to her knees. "He threatened him. He killed him," she screamed.
The door to the police car opened, and Detective Danny Logan introduced himself. "What happened out here, Mr. Bailey?"
"I'm invoking my rights; I want to speak to my attorney," Martin said.
"Now, we don't need to go that far. You're not under arrest yet."
Coach was sitting in the driver's seat. "Detective, Lieutenant Murray arrested him. He was read his rights."
Danny Logan couldn't disguise his fury. He turned from the car and roared, "Murray!" Outside the car for all to hear, Shaun pointed to the bars on his shoulder during an intense argument with Logan. “Do you realize, thanks to you jumping to arrest, invoking his rights means he can avoid any conversation with us, including making a confession?”
Martin looked up at the patrol car’s ceiling.Thank you, Shaun.
The coroner's van drove up, and an old man went into the house. "Farmer, I'll notify command,” Coach said.
"I didn't kill them, Coach. Tell them I'm still working the plan." The clock on the dashboard read 16:27. Martin lost a half hour.
"We’ll figure this out." Coach didn't say anything else.
Two black sedans rolled up, and Jason Krebs, Loren Ragan, and a handful of aides exited one car. Paul Young and Wilbur Blake exited the other.
Shaun spoke with the group and returned to the patrol car. Sliding into the seat beside Martin, he closed the door. "Donner, head to the house," he told Emerson. Turning to Martin, he asked, "How could you do this to Austin?"
Martin knew this would destroy Elizabeth. He tried to replay the afternoon in his head. His mind was foggy, and his gut seized. Who was going to tell Elizabeth her father was dead, and he was the prime suspect? On the ride, Shaun arranged for a crime scene technician to head to the station to process any evidence on him they could find.
Julian placed a firm hand in the center of Elizabeth's back. "Let me take you home; you're exhausted."
"I'm exhausted because some corrections officers beat and sodomized an inmate, and I tried to put him back together, but I couldn't. I'm not going home. I want to be with Lola. I'll wait for Marty there." Her emotions swung between anger and tears.
"At least eat and drink a little."
Elizabeth spooned down a cup of yogurt and some fresh fruit with a cup of tea. "Enough? I want to hold Lola." In spite of trying, she couldn't outpace Julian.
Her anger lifted at the sight of her sweet baby. Seth was bathing her when Elizabeth came in. "Precious, Mommy is here."
Seth opened his stance. "She's eating. The incision is healing well. Joyce thinks she can go home soon."
Elizabeth took over for Seth, who shrugged at Julian's worried expression. Elizabeth often checked with the ICU about Royce Mills, but, unable to keep her eyes open, she slept in the lounger.
Around five, Julian's phone beeped. "Dupart."
Mike growled, "There’s a problem.”
"Hold on."
