Chapter Thirty-One
CHAPTER
THIRTY-ONE
At the station, an officer took Scarlett and Cass to a windowless room that held nothing but a table and a few chairs, and after asking if they had any immediate needs, he left her and Cass alone.
Who had been behind the attack? Could it have been a new enemy or were Moira and Laylani behind it all?
Forcing herself not to jump to conclusions, Scarlett tried to imagine why Moira might have had her attacked in public.
Or why someone else might have. All she could think was that doing it at the theater exposed Brayden.
Otherwise, why wouldn’t the person responsible have ordered the hit in a more private location?
She prayed the men who attacked her wouldn’t turn out to be from Sigur Vieur.
She hadn’t clocked an accent, but things had been moving so quickly it was hard to be sure.
Scarlett was sure of one thing: She would obliterate everyone involved. She’d rain legal and physical pain down on all of them with all the means available to her. Visions of Lachlan using his specter powers to slip into their cells and end them spiked a dark excitement.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you look freaking terrifying right now,” murmured Cass. “If you’d like my resignation, I understand. I can’t believe how quickly they incapacitated me.”
Fantasies of revenge faded from her mind, and Scarlett grasped Cass’s hand.
No part of her resented or doubted her. “I was thinking I want to find who’s responsible for tonight and make them pay.
You took a Taser for me—I’m not mad at you.
Please don’t resign. I need you more than ever right now.
As for what happened, it was five men, completely out of the blue, and they had that rope with the balls they threw at you. ”
“Yeah, that was a new one for me. I assumed shooting one would be enough, but…” Cass shook her head. “He was up so fast—they must’ve had bulletproof gear on.”
Scarlett flashed back to the sight of Cass passed out on the floor. “Are you okay? They tased you till you passed out, didn’t they?”
“I’ll be fine. I’ll see a doctor tomorrow.” Cass rubbed her abdomen in the spot where the Taser prongs had touched her.
Scarlett started to shake—from shock or cold or both. “Goddess knows how long Brayden will be locked away. I need to contact his father.” She craved Lachlan’s solid, capable presence, but she also feared what he’d do. If he extradited Brayden, what would that mean for them?
“Call Beni when you get your phone back. He can get in touch—”
The door opened, and a plainclothes officer stepped into the room. “Sorry to keep you waiting. I’m Officer Geruda. I’m the lead on the investigation involving your husband.”
“I’m Lady Scarlett Heroux.”
“Lady Heroux—of course I’m familiar,” said Officer Geruda.
“Cassidy Darwish.” Cass held out her hand.
The officer shook it as he noted her empty holster. “The front desk told me they checked your gun. You have a permit for that weapon?”
“Of course, Officer. I’ve been a professional bodyguard for several years. I fired shots to incapacitate, not to kill, but I didn’t succeed in stopping anyone.”
He sat at the small table. “Noted. Who wants to go first? What’s your recollection of events from start to finish?” He was ready, with a pen hovering over his notepad.
“I’ll go first, but can you tell me, where’s the prime minister? Is she safe?” The thought had belatedly occurred to Scarlett that she and Brayden might not have been the attackers’ sole targets.
“I heard over the dispatch radio that she was gone as soon as the incident started,” he said. “Now, please proceed.”
Scarlett cleared her throat and rested her elbows on the table in front of them.
“My husband Brayden and I were in the lobby waiting in line for drinks when five or so masked men came for us. Cass shouted a warning and shot one of them when they didn’t listen, but they threw something at her to incapacitate her and tased her.
Then they grabbed my husband, and three of them worked together to handcuff him.
I believe they meant to abduct both of us. ”
Gold smoke. He agreed so far.
“I see. What happened when the men restrained your husband?”
Scarlett paused, choosing her words with care. “He fought them. I hit one of them in the face. He came for me, and I ran. He caught me and picked me up. The others had managed to handcuff Brayden. That was when he used magic to overcome them—when it was clear we weren’t escaping them without it.”
Black and gold smoke.
The officer’s eyes flashed. “Which is still illegal. Can you be more specific about the magic he used?”
“He’s from Clair de Lune. He has fire magic. If he hadn’t used his magic, we would’ve been kidnapped and probably killed,” she protested.
“And did you know he had these abilities?”
“Of course I did—we’re married,” Scarlett snapped.
“I saw in the papers you were only recently married, so please forgive the intrusive question. Cass, do you have anything to add?”
“No,” she said. “Lady Heroux gave an accurate account.”
He made a note. “Are you aware that two of the men he burned are in critical condition?”
“I’ve been in here since the incident, so no, I was not aware,” said Scarlett.
“Additionally, the smoke damage to the property was considerable, and there’s water damage from the sprinkler system. Luckily, the fire department arrived before it could spread beyond the lobby.”
“But if he hadn’t, we might be dead right now.
Those men had guns. Maybe you recall my father was recently assassinated, and also, I’ve just taken up the work that got him killed.
” Scarlett locked eyes with the officer.
“Doesn’t that change how he’s charged? In a typical self-defense case, wouldn’t it be warranted to incapacitate your assailants?
I’m happy to pay for the damages to the theater—”
“He used deadly magic,” interrupted Geruda, his expression guarded. “We haven’t had a case quite like this one before, so it’s hard to say how this will pan out.”
Scarlett let out a growl as she glared at the officer. “I’ll change that law if it’s the last thing I do.”
He shrugged in a way that said, Go ahead, but it’s not changing shit tonight, lady.
Cass cleared her throat. “What happens now?”
“Lord Maddox will be charged for Class A magic use. Further charges depend on witness statements and security footage.” He paused for a moment. “Unless you have further questions, leave your number with reception, and we’ll be in touch.”
“What about bail? Can’t Brayden come home tonight? Can I see him?” He’d told her he regretted not getting the North Star runes. She’d meant to tell him she felt the same, but the moment had passed too quickly. Now he was gone. She needed to see him.
“There’s no bail for a Class A offense. He’s currently being processed, and visitation won’t be possible until tomorrow.”
Scarlett stood. “Don’t think for one minute I won’t use all my vast resources to come down on this precinct with the fire of a thousand suns if you don’t do everything by the book.
If I catch one whiff of bias in how you handle this investigation, you won’t be able to get a job as a security guard. ”
Officer Geruda’s face flushed red, his jaw working for a moment before he spoke. “I assure you, everything will be by the book, although threatening me won’t make me any more charitable toward your case. I’ll see you out.”
He escorted them to the lobby and walked off without a backward glance. They got their stuff back from reception, but when Scarlett pulled her phone out to call Beni, the screen was black. She sighed and stuffed it back into her clutch.
Cass and Scarlett stepped out onto the street. It was close to midnight. The rain had stopped, but the streets were still shining.
“What a fucking mess.” Scarlett burst into tears. “I’m going to get him back,” she added.
Cass put her arm around her shoulders. “You will, and I’ll help.”