Her irate voice bounced off the walls and echoed down the hallway.
I shrugged. “Maybe we should let her.” Then I added, “Keep the camera rolling.”
Daniels grinned, then set out to find Blair and David. He escorted them back to the interrogation room.
Blair laid into me. “How dare you arrest my daughter!? She’s done nothing wrong. How was she supposed to know the laptop was stolen? You ought to put that piece of trash, Megan, in jail.”
“She is, ma’am. You’ve got 30 minutes to talk to your daughter before she’s transferred to the pod.”
“Can’t you just release her into our custody?”
“I’m sorry. That’s not possible.” In a cordial tone, I said, “Would you like something to drink? Water? Tea? Coffee?”
“No, thank you,” Blair snapped in a snooty voice.
I smiled and grabbed the door for her.
Blair hesitated. “Is this conversation being recorded?”
“No,” I said.
In Florida, it was perfectly legal for law enforcement to lie. I may have misspoken.
She and David stepped into the room. Alexis looked much relieved to see them. Before the door closed, Blair called back to me. “Deputy, on second thought, I will take that bottle of water.”
“Certainly,” I said, trying not to smile too much.
I hurried to get three bottles, then returned to the interrogation room and set them on the table.
Blair managed to say, "Thank you."
I darted out and joined the sheriff and JD in the observation room. We watched as they talked.
Blair cracked open a bottle of water and took a sip. She opened another bottle for her daughter and set it before her. With her hands cuffed in front of her, Alexis could drink it.
"What have you said?" David asked in a whisper.
"Nothing," Alexis replied.
"No matter what, don't talk to these assholes."
Alexis broke down, and tears streamed. "I'm scared."
"I know. We'll get you out of here in the morning.”
"I can't spend the night in this place," she said, panicked.
"I'll do everything I can, sweetie," David assured. “I promise.”
"This is all your fault,” Alexis blurted.
David's face tightened. "Now is not the time to assign blame."
"I think you’re both idiots," Blair said. "You should have let me handle this."
David scoffed. "I'm not the one who had an affair with the tennis pro. I'm not the one who let him into our home.”
Blair glared at him. She took a sip from a bottle of water and left a smear of lipstick.
