Helga moved to unlock the door.
“As you were, Deputy.” Chief Walcott stalked belligerently into the room.
“I said, release her,” Mayor Burnett repeated.
“You have no right,” he growled.
“I’ll deal with you in a minute.” Her eyes flashed dangerously as she took in Olivia’s appearance. “You,” she beckoned Helga forward. “For God’s sake, go and get the poor girl some warm clothes before she freezes to death.”
“Olivia West is my prisoner, and I will deal with her as I see fit.” Chief Walcott stepped toward her but found his path blocked. “Who the hell are you?”
“Captain McCallister, Philadelphia PD,” he introduced himself. “And you are under arrest, Chief.”
“What?” Walcott roared in disbelief. “On what charges?”
“The physical assault of Judge Andrew Lloyd, falsifying evidence, wrongful arrest, harassment, basically anything else I can make stick,” Mac told him pleasantly.
“You have no jurisdiction here,” he spat.
“I think you’ll find you’re wrong, Chief Walcott,” Mayor Burnett answered coldly. “I told you to do your job or I would find someone else to do it. I spoke with the Commissioner this morning, and he has agreed that Captain McCallister here will fill in for you temporarily until we can straighten out the diabolical mess you have created.”
“I did my job,” Chief Walcott hissed in contempt. “I caught a murderer.”
“No, you didn’t.” She shook her head angrily. “You framed and arrested an innocent woman because you have a grudge against her father. You are suspended, pending a full inquiry into your conduct, as is Deputy Cameron Walker. You will also face charges regarding the assault of Judge Lloyd and the theft of a blood sample from the medical center with the intention of incriminating Miss West here. You see, Mr. Walcott, I know how to do my homework. I have spoken to both Judge Lloyd and Doctor Hughes, and I am appalled that a man I appointed as chief of police could behave in such a manner. By the time I’ve finished with you, you’ll be lucky not to end up in prison yourself.”
“You can’t do this,” he hissed.
“I think you’ll find I can,” she replied coolly. “If you would be so kind, Captain McCallister.”
“My pleasure.” Mac smiled.
“You son of a bitch.” Erica came sailing angrily into the corridor.
“It’s alright, Erica, we have this,” Mayor Burnett told her gently. “Go and take care of your friend.”
Erica swept past Walcott, throwing him a dirty look, and in through the wide-open door of Olivia’s cell. Olivia looked up through chattering teeth and blue-tinged lips as Erica sat down on the uncomfortable cot next to her and rubbed her arms vigorously, trying to restore some of her body heat.
“Theo called as soon as they left,” she murmured. “Jake went to pick him up, they’ll be here soon.”
“I want to go home.” Olivia shivered.
“Soon,” she replied soothingly. “We’ll get all this straightened out. They’ll probably want to take your statement.”
Deputy Helga re-entered the cell with a pair of police issue pants and jacket, some socks, and a pair of boots. “These might be a little big, but it was all I could find.”
“Thank you,” Erica snapped, taking the pile of clothes from the tall woman roughly. “We can handle it from here.”
Helga’s eyes met Olivia’s for a moment. Olivia wanted to ask her what she had meant earlier when she said she wasn’t watching her because of the chief, but she couldn’t get the words out as her body was wracked by deep shudders.
Helga nodded then disappeared, and Erica helped Olivia to dress quickly. She had to fold the waistband on the pants over several times, but they still hung low on her hips. The thick socks felt heavenly wrapped around her frozen feet, even though the boots were two sizes too big. Pulling on the padded jacket, she wrapped the blanket back around her shoulders, and slowly the violent shivers began to ease.
“Here, this might help.” Mac walked into the cold cell carrying a cup of coffee.
Olivia stared at the offered cup and then up at the face of the man offering it to her.
“Please,” he said softly.
She took the cup from him warily and took a small sip, her eyes never leaving his. “It tastes like crap.”
