13. Interrogation Overload
Thirteen
Interrogation Overload
Amelia
On the way to the station, Sofia asks me to tell her about the day Bullet, War, Roscoe, and Blade went to Freddie’s garage. I tell her from start to finish, not once but twice.
“Great, Amelia. Just tell them exactly what you told me,” she reassures me.
“They’re going to try to trip you up. The police will change the wording around and look for a reason to cast more suspicion on the guys.
I’ll guide you through this. At no time should you speak with them alone.
They’re going to try to get me out of the room.
Sometimes I go, just to see their reaction. ”
“Don’t go today,” I insist, clamping my hand over hers.
She pats my hand. “I won’t. There’s nothing to worry about.
Satan’s Pride had nothing to do with this.
It’s all about appearances. Big bad bikers, and the reputation of being badasses.
Some MCs do illegal stuff, and the police like to paint everyone with the same brush.
I know that War, Bullet, Roscoe, and Blade did nothing to Sal. ” She points to her heart. “In here.”
“Me too. Blade went to get my money back, that’s all. I counted it, and it’s exactly what the bill came out to. Not a penny more.”
When we reach the station, Sofia says, “Let’s get this over with so I can get home to my little boy and you can rest easy.”
It took hours for the police to finally finish their interrogation.
Yes, I’m calling it an interrogation because they tried everything possible to make me implicate Satan’s Pride.
Sofia was as vicious as they were, and once she’d had enough of their insinuations, she threatened the detective with coercion and filing a complaint.
After what seems like the hundredth time I recounted the events of that day, Sofia stands up. “Are you charging my client?”
The detective knows he’s been beat and huffs out a terse “No.”
Sofia grabs my elbow and helps me up. “We’re done.
If you even think of speaking to my client without going through me first, I’ll slap a lawsuit against this department so fast your head will spin.
” With those final words, we walk out together to find Bullet pacing the hall and Demon leaning up against the wall, waiting for his wife.
As soon as I catch a glimpse of my man, I’m ready to race to him, but Sofia holds on to me tightly.
“You act calm, Amelia. They’re looking for a weakness between the two of you.
” I don’t know what she means, but I maintain a moderate pace, and when we reach our men, they open the doors for Sofia and me to go outside into the cool night air.
Bullet rests his hand on my back and guides me to the SUV waiting for us with Orion behind the wheel.
Before Sofia and Demon get to their own vehicle, parked the next row over, she says, “Keep the PDA to a minimum around the police. They’ll see it as a potential weakness. ”
I’m too tired to care, and I just want to go home. I nod and climb in the back of the car; Bullet gets in next to me. Orion gives me a two-finger salute from the driver’s seat. “Kept you there too long.”
“Yeah.” I sigh. “Sofia got fed up and walked us out.”
“Sofia doesn’t put up with bullshit for long. I’m surprised both of you were locked in there for as long as you were,” Bullet answers.
“Sofia was trying to find out if they had any new leads. We’ll get a brief from her in the morning,” Orion comments.
Bullet tucks me under his arm, his hand caressing my cheek. “I wanted to carry you out. You look so tired, baby.”
“It’s been a long day between the kids and parents, then the police showing up the way they did. I answered the same questions over and over.” I release a heavy breath. “I wish you had carried me out.” I grin.
“I wanted to, but Sofia is right about it giving cops ammunition,” he replies.
“How?”
“They can drop hints that they have more evidence than they do, and to help me out, they could try to trap you in a lie. That doesn’t make you a credible witness,” he says.
I’m appalled! “That’s deplorable!”
Orion grins into the rearview mirror. “Deplorable. That’s cute.” He chuckles.
I raise my brow, giving him my you’re-in-trouble principal look, which only makes him laugh harder.
“It’s over. Calm down, baby. We’re going home, getting some food in you, and then you can cuddle your cats until you fall asleep,” Bullet murmurs.
“They’ve been alone all day,” I groan.
“Nah, Crush is there. He wanted to make sure they were fed,” Bullet says.
“He’s going to steal my cats, isn’t he?” I tease. From the first time he stopped by, Puss and Boots have loved Crush.
“I wouldn’t let that happen,” Bullet says.
Orion drops us off, and I drag my weary body into the house. The aroma of cooking food reminds my grumbling tummy that I haven’t eaten since noon, and even then, it was a bagel on the run. Crush is in my kitchen, bent over a pot.
“You cooked,” I state, unable to keep the amazement out of my tone.
“I wouldn’t call it that. Opened a couple of cans, and made some garlic bread,” he replies, keeping his eyes down.
I don’t know what possesses me to do what I do next, but I can’t help myself.
I run over and hug Crush as tight as I can.
“Thank you. It’s been interrogation overload, and this is the sweetest thing you could do for me.
I’m being girly and emotional, and I’m sure you hate it, but I can’t help myself. ”
Bullet
Crush looks completely stunned at Amelia’s reaction to soup. To his credit, he holds her for a minute, staring at me, stunned and pleading with me to help him.
“I didn’t get that reaction,” I tease.
Amelia turns to me. “Sofia wouldn’t let me,” she whimpers.
“Feeling a little left out,” I say, urging her to come to me. She does so immediately, which makes Crush sigh in relief. “Serve up the soup, brother. We have to feed Amelia and get her into bed. It’s been a long day.”
I walk Amelia over to the kitchen table, but instead of sitting her in a chair, I pull her onto my lap. I don’t want to let go of her just yet, and I’m sure she doesn’t want to be let go of either. Crush serves up the soup and goes to grab his jacket, giving the cats pats on the head.
“Stay,” Amelia tells him.
“What?” Crush asks.
“There’s a spare room. Nothing fancy, but you’re welcome to it. It’s late, and you went to so much trouble for me and Bullet. It would make me feel better if you stayed. Then I won’t worry about whether you made it home okay.” She pauses, watching Crush take in what she’s said. “Please,” she adds.
Crush picks up the kittens and comes over to the table, holding them on his lap while we eat. He ate already when he fed Puss and Boots earlier. He listens as Amelia tells us about the interrogation.
When she’s done with her food, I gently urge her to head to bed. Puss must have sensed her mama’s mood, because she follows her into the bedroom. I clean up, and Crush keeps me company.
“The cops have nothing,” he states. “They’re reaching.”
“That’s what I figure. It burns me that they’re making this harder on Amelia.”
“That sucks. Amelia’s a good woman. How she even ended up at Freddie’s is a fluke.” Crush shakes his head.
“She saw it on her way into town. It was on the main route. Just bad luck.”
“We’re back down to the same question: who wants the Pride to take the fall?”
“It’s late, and we’re both wiped. I just want to go hold my woman and shut my eyes for the night. The shit will still be here in the morning,” I say wearily, running a hand over my face.
“Interrogation overload.” Crush repeats what Amelia said earlier. “Get some sleep, brother. I’ll keep an ear open.”
Crush can do that. Maybe it’s all the years of living on the streets on his own, but he’s able to shut his eyes and still wake up when he feels danger lurking.
He’s got the ability to go on very little sleep and still do what needs to be done.
I used to worry about him not getting enough rest, but over the years, I’ve learned that it’s just his way.
“Thanks, bro.”
“Never have to thank me for shit. This is what we do for each other.” He jerks his head toward the bedroom. “Go be with your woman.”