Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
The cell they put me in left much to be imagined.
Then again, if lockup was fun, there wouldn’t be a deterrent to criminal behaviour.
Thankfully, the holding cells at this station were divided by gender. Each had three concrete walls with the front composed of thick bars. It was the first time someone had thrown me into a holding cell, but I knew it wouldn’t be the last. No matter how careful I was, there would always be a chance of being arrested for what I did. Whether it was a task for the MC, or just being in the right place at the wrong time, it was going to happen again.
I stood with my back against the wall at the edge of the cell where the concrete met the jail bars. It was an excellent vantage point to see the whole cell and hear what was happening further down the hall. Which, to be honest, sounded horrible compared to where I was. The men’s cell was close to the main door, so the incessant hollering about being innocent and needing their phone calls made complete sense.
There was a window in the cell, but it was up high on the wall, too far to reach and not made in a size that would allow for any sort of jailhouse escape. Metal benches lined each wall and were currently occupied by women of varying demographics. The only thing I doubted I would see in here was some Suzy Homemaker type, although that had probably occurred at one time.
Just not tonight.
It wasn’t a completely boring evening considering I was getting to know a couple of chatty girls with highly questionable first names.
By the look of it, Cinnamon and Sage would spend their night in lockup. I had been in the cell with them long enough to learn they had arrested them on the wrong street during rush hour, trying to gain the attention of any businessman looking for a wild night. Hopefully, these ladies didn’t have a pimp who expected a nightly quota.
Just as I was about to ask if they would be okay when they got out, the keys jingled in the metal lock, followed by an officer calling my name to tell me I was being released.
Just as I had predicted, Brandt had me out of the cell within an hour of the metal lock as it clanged into place. Thank fuck for the connections in our club. I couldn’t imagine being one of the sorry suckers who was in here for an undetermined amount of time. Normally, the booking process would have taken a lot longer, but they didn’t really have anything on me besides hearsay. The most they could do was bring me in to take me off the streets for the night.
Somehow they got it in their heads that if they didn’t lock me up I would go back and rain unholy hell down on that cheating bastard. Sure, I didn’t agree with the whole infidelity thing, but that didn’t mean they deserved the same treatment as a pedophile. All I wanted to do was warn him so he didn’t get dead because he played hide the gherkin with his secretary. Apparently, that was what a person got when they were trying to help some ungrateful jackass.
Unfortunately for me, someone had to do it.
By the look on the officer’s face, he didn’t appreciate letting me out this soon, but too bad. His fellow officers arrested me based solely on whatever the duffus in the suit had said when he called them. Sure, I realized the police could approach me if I had threatened bodily harm on someone. As far as I was concerned, a warning wasn’t a threat.
I briefly wondered where good old Officer Erickson had gone.
I had a bone or ten to pick with him.
Officer Sourpuss directed down the pale-coloured hallway without touching me once. Male detainees being kept in the holding cells next to the exit door hooted and hollered when they saw me appear. My companion instinctively stepped over, placing himself between me and the bars. I immediately realized he had expected one of the detainees to reach out and grab me. What he didn’t realize was If they had, it would have been the last time whoever touched me would lay their hands on anything ever again.
“See you later, boys,” I told them as we walked past.
There were several people in the waiting room. The ones who weren't sitting in the randomly placed chairs shifted their feet from boredom and impatience. Sounds in the open area drew my attention as phones in the room rang incessantly. Arrestees yelled about being innocent and the jangle of cuffs against the metal bar of the bench where people waited to be booked.
They lined the walls of the room with crime stopper bulletins, informative posters and maps of the city. There weren’t any case files hanging, which was completely understandable, even if not a little disappointing. To the left of the waiting area were desks pushed together, so that officers had to stare at one another while they worked. Each of them had a chair where they could talk to the person they were booking.
I spotted Brant leaning against the wall near the front entrance. He smirked at the sight of me walking obediently beside the officer. Maybe he had reason to think I might kick up a fuss, but I wasn’t about to make my night any worse. No one wanted to experience the claustrophobic sensation of being locked up behind those bars. I definitely didn’t want to have handcuffs on again, unless it was in a fun way.
“Thanks for getting her so quick,” he told the officer.
“Have a wonderful night, officers,” he told them as I waved my fingers like a little brat.
Before we left the building, I needed to get my wallet, cell phone, and keys. As we got to the back entrance, I halted
Safely seated behind a glass partition was the officer who had my personal items.
“Sign here, and I’ll retrieve your personal effects,” he told me.
I signed my name and pushed the clipboard back through the slot at the base of the window. He walked to the back of his office, opened one drawer and pulled out a clear zip locked bag containing my things. The knife officer dickhead found on me wasn’t turned in. I made a mental note to ask him about it the next time our paths crossed. This city wasn’t big enough for me to avoid him.
I nodded my head at the intake officer after the lock buzzed to let us through the door.
“You’re in such a good mood that I can’t even tell you got arrested and locked up with the ladies of the night,” Brandt commented.
“No one we know says ladies of the night, dweeb.”
“They can be very ladylike, you know.”
“Ew, I don’t want to know. It’s bad enough I’ve seen more of Gunner’s balls than his first two wives combined.”
He barked out a laugh. “There’s more truth to that statement than I would like to admit.”
It took us twenty minutes to get back to the clubhouse for the night.
Dick: Hi
Dick: I just finished my term paper.
Dick: What are you doing tonight?
Me: Not going out with you.
Dick: Don’t be like that.
Dick: I’ve got a great night planned out for us.
Brandt walked ahead of me while I dealt with my phone.
Dick: Come on baby, you know you miss me.
Me: Like I would miss having crabs.
I hit send, then turned my phone on do not disturb for the night, before I walked up the steps and pushed open the doors. Not too many people had shown up for drinks yet, so the night was still young. I would have an hour before I had to situate myself behind the bar.
“Hellcat!”
“Hey guys,” I answered back.
“How was the slammer?” Kujo asked.
“I doubt it’s changed from when you were in there last night,” I responded.
Hunter’s attention focussed solely on me as he perused my body from head to toe.
“Did someone make you their bitch?”
“No, but if I ever get fired from my position here as the bartender, I know where the best corner is to earn twenty bucks in exchange for a blow job,” I replied, glancing at Hunter. His gaze held mine a little more than usual before he quickly looked away. I redirected my attention back to the other guys.
The look on Kujo’s face was priceless.
None of my brothers wanted to know I wasn’t a virgin, let alone imagine their baby sister turning tricks on the street. My brothers would hunt me down and lock me in a room if I ever turned to the streets.
Cinnamon and Sage were full of suggestions for where I could make some real money. They seemed to think I was in their line of work. It was likely the sexist comment from my arresting officer. The next time I saw Officer Erickson, or whatever the fuck his name was, I would give him a piece of my mind. If Brandt wouldn’t have been my saviour, I would have been more vocal on my way out.
That asshole didn’t know who he was messing with.