The cracks inside are beginning to show. I can feel it. But I can’t break. I won’t. Not here. Not now.
“I don’t knowwhatyou’re talking about,” I counter. “Now are you gonna show me your ‘evidence’ or what?”
Without hesitation, Felch pulls a page from the manila envelope and tosses it over to me. It slides across the table to reveal photos of a woman with bruises all over her face and blood dripping from her lip.
“Gareth’s ex.” My stomach drops. I try to draw breath, but my chest won’t move. It’s like I’m paralyzed, staring at this photo. “And in case you don’t believe me, here’s the arrest report.”
Another page. This time, a police form that’s foreign to me. But I quickly scan it with my eyes and make out enough:Gareth Rawls, arrested on charges of assault and battery. Neighbors reported screaming, called police. Officers arrived on scene. Rawls was taken into custody.
It’s just so awful.
“Pretty brutal, right?” Felch asks. “Bet he never mentioned that to you.”
Before I can continue reading, he takes the pages back, stuffing them into the envelope.
“So…when was this?” I ask.
“Few years back.”
“And yet, you still let Gareth be part of the department?”
Felch raises an eyebrow, almost like he appreciates my digging. “Politics, little woman. Politics. Every department has ‘em. And we all gotta play by ‘em.”
“Mm-hmm.” I nod. “What else?”
“What else?” Felch looks surprised by my question.
“Yeah, I mean…is that all you had to show me? Some poor woman and an arrest report?”
My heart’s spinning in my chest, wrapped in slowly-crackling flames. The interrogation room is cold, but I’m burning up.
Right where I’m sitting now is where Gareth had me sitting, cuffed to the table, as he spread my legs and went down on me, giving me my first true release.
Right here is where my life took a new course.
“Well, he probably didn’t tell you about his excessive force complaint—”
“No, he told me,” I reply. “He said it was a man who had a knife to his mom’s throat.”
“The man had dropped the knife when Gareth beat him. Took three officers to drag him off.”
This is a spiderweb. Felch’s spiderweb. And I’m being tangled up in it. But I can feel the threads starting to slip.
“I see,” I reply, leaning back in my chair. “Sounds like he was just protecting his mom to me.”
Something snaps, and Felch leans forward, smashing his fists onto the table. I almost jump back, but he grabs me by the wrist, holding me in place.
“Listen to me,” he growls. “Garethisgoing to go down for something. Understand? It was just a matter of when and how.”
“Yeah,going down on me,”I counter, flashing him the fakest smile ever.
“Do you know what happens to citizens who side with corrupt cops?” His voice is low and biting, like he doesn’t want to be heard. “Especially young truck stop waitresses? They lose their jobs. Their moms get visited by Social Services. They end up on lists they didn’t even know existed then wonder why they can’t find a job anywhere in the state.”
I wish Sarah was here. She’d know what to do. She’s used to dealing with men. But you know what? I’ve been friends with her a long time. And I have some bite in me too.
“Are you threatening me, Captain Felch?” I ask, breathing strength into my voice.
“It’s not a threat,” he replies. “It’s apromise.”
