“What’s happening?” I asked. “Is Steven okay?”
“Is he okay?” Guy’s sardonic laugh revealed a smear of blood on his front teeth. He wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and swore under his breath when it came away pink. “No, Finlay. Steven just assaulted a cop. He’s far from okay. He was only a few short hours from walking out of this place. Now he’ll be lucky if they don’t throw him in prison.”
“He assaulted a cop?”
“Not just any cop—Mike Tran,” Guy said, pulling a handkerchief from his breast pocket and dabbing at his lip. “We were in the interrogation room, answering the same damn questions they’d been grilling him with for the last two days. I had just finished telling Tran to file charges against my client or get off the pot. I told him we’d been more than cooperative and this was the last question I was giving him before I filed a complaint for false imprisonment. The next thing that came out of Tran’s mouth was about you.”
“Me?”
“Steven flew off the handle. He launched himself over the table at Tran. I took an elbow in the face trying to pull him off. Next thing I know, two uniforms are hauling him out in handcuffs and Tran’s pushing for assault charges.”
“But not murder?” I asked as Guy blotted his lip.
“Not yet. But let’s just say Tran didn’t look too upset about his fat lip. Might not have been the charge he was hoping for, but at least now he’s got one that’ll stick. And you know what? Maybe a little time in the cooler will be good for Steven. The guy’s a fucking hothead.”
I couldn’t argue with that. “Where is he?”
Guy jutted his chin toward the door he’d just come through. “They’re booking him now. When you talk to him, tell him I’ve done all I can do.”
“Wait!” I called after him as he headed for the exit. “You’re just dropping him?”
“I was trying to do Steven a favor. But if he wants to be an idiot and throw his life away, he’ll have to do it on his own.”
I didn’t have a chance to ask Guy for a referral, or what would happen to Steven now, before he was out the door.
Stunned, I returned to the counter. “I’d like to see Steven Donovan,” I said with a forced calm.
“No family is allowed. Attorneys only,” the officer said bluntly.
I claimed a hard plastic chair in the waiting area and stared at my phone. Against my better judgment, I sent a quick text to Julian.
Finlay:Steven is being charged. I’m at the LCPD. They won’t let me see him without a lawyer.
My knee bobbed an impatient rhythm as I waited for his reply.
A text message pinged.
Julian:Sit tight. I’m on my way.
I was getting ready to text Vero and fill her in when the inner door buzzed open again. Detective Tran held it wide as he scanned the room. One side of his face was shiny, his eye slightly discolored. “Mrs. Donovan, would you come with me, please?”
I hurried to my feet and followed him into a labyrinthine maze of hallways flanked by small offices. He directed me into an empty interrogation room.
“Have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the table in the middle of it.
“Thank you, but I’d like to see Steven.”
Detective Tran closed the door. “It’ll be a few hours before the magistrate can get to him. You might as well take a seat.” He pulled out a chair for me, claiming the one across the table for himself.
“I’ve called an attorney,” I said. “He’ll be here any minute.”
“Mmm,” Detective Tran acknowledged with a nod. “Yes, I heard Steven’s lawyer quit. That’s unfortunate timing.”
“For who?” The detective glanced up from his notebook. I hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but Tran looked amused. “I’m sure this was all a misunderstanding,” I said, careful to keep my tone civil.
“There’s no misunderstanding. Steven is here because he’s a suspect in a murder investigation. We can demonstrate that he hadmeans, opportunity, and a motive to kill Gilford Dupree. We can also prove he has a violent streak.” He didn’t bother pointing out the indisputable evidence on his face.
“Steven can’t be the only suspect!” I argued. “I mean, has anyone bothered to investigate Brendan Haggerty in all this?”
