Chapter 25
Cuffed
“Well, at least we don’t have to go looking for them,” Grace softly remarked as she turned off the ignition and lowered their windows.
Another police vehicle appeared in front of them and turned into the parking lot from the side street. A female officer jumped out with a weapon drawn and approached the car.
“Driver! Open the door from the outside!” the male officer yelled from behind them. “Passenger, stay in the car!”
Grace glanced at Rhyne, who gave a slow nod. “It’s going to be okay,” he promised.
Gathering herself together, she did as she was ordered and stepped out of the car. As she was cuffed and led back to the police cruiser, two more patrol cars arrived. Grace tried to see what they would do with Rhyne but the female officer blocked her view.
“What’s your name?”
“Grace Lockhart.”
“Do you have your ID with you?”
Grace diverted her attention to the woman who had to be around her age. “No. It’s in my purse, back at the Harbor County Hospital.”
The woman, whose name badge read R. OLDSTEIN, gave a brief nod and spoke on her shoulder mic.
“Driver says she’s Grace Lockhart.” There was more, mostly cop talk that Grace wasn’t able to understand.
She ignored the woman and watched as two male officers were cuffing Rhyne and leading him toward the other cruisers.
Grace tried to get the female officer’s attention. “Officer Oldstein, you have to listen to me. I’m in fear for my life.”
Oldstein smiled. “It’s okay, Miss Lockhart. We’re handling the situation.”
“Why were we stopped?” Grace persisted.
“This car and tag matches that of a vehicle that was reported stolen.”
“It’s not stolen!” she countered.
A voice came over the officer’s walkie. Something about a BOLO on a man named Rhyne Castille. Grace felt her panic rising.
“No! You don’t understand! Rhyne over there, he saved me at the hospital! The person who called in, he’s the one trying to take me hostage!”
Again, Oldstein tried to reassure her. “You’re not in trouble. We’re just trying to get some answers.”
Another officer, a man by the name of C. LEPOS, joined them. He remained standing to one side to listen and observe.
It took effort to keep calm. “Please. Rhyne is innocent. Welsh is trying to hurt me. Welsh came into the hospital looking for me. He’s been stalking me.
When he showed up, I tried to run. Welsh attacked Marcia and Susan.
Norris tried to stop him by jabbing him with a hypodermic filled with something, but Welsh fought him off.
Then he s-s-stabbed Norris—” Grace fought the rush of heat and tears rising in her face.
“He stabbed Norris in the eye with the syringe before I managed to get away. Rhyne showed up and beat down Welsh so we could escape. You gotta listen to me!”
Oldstein interrupted her, pointing in Rhyne’s direction. “You’re saying he helped you?”
“Yes.” Grace frantically nodded. “Yes! He knows Welsh is going to try everything he can to find me.”
“Who is this Welsh guy?” Lepos inquired.
From what she’d heard on the news, Grace knew he was already aware of a lot of information. Definitely more than what the authorities had released to the press. The man wanted to hear her side of the story to see how much of it matched.
“He’s Rhyne’s roommate. There’s three of them. Nash is the other guy. They rent a house over on Sagemore. I told Rhyne that Welsh creeped me out, but I never thought Welsh would…” She couldn’t continue. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her breath hitched in her chest.
Oldstein went to her cruiser, produced a box of tissues, and brought it back for Grace to use. Grace gave her a soft word of thanks before continuing.
“Welsh called right before you guys showed up. He threatened Rhyne. He demanded Rhyne bring me to their house.”
“Is that where you were going when we stopped you?” Oldstein asked.
“No. We were coming to find you. We were going to find the nearest police station and ask that you help us.”
Officer Oldstein raised an eyebrow. “Why didn’t you come to the police station after Mr. Roebuck’s attack at the hospital?”
Grace hung her head. “I don’t know. I was scared. I’d just seen a good friend and coworker get murdered by a crazy man. If it wasn’t for Rhyne…”
“How did—”
“Read her her rights before we take this any further,” Lepos commanded.
Oldstein nodded and recited the lines. “Do you understand these rights as I have explained them to you?”
“Yes.”
“Do you wish to continue with your story?” Lepos inquired.
“Yes.”
“How did Rhyne know you were in trouble?” Oldstein inquired.
Grace sniffed. “Norris called him to let him know Welsh had shown up.”
“Norris being Mr. Burch?”
“Yes.”
“So Mr. Burch already knew Rhyne and this Welsh guy?”
“Yes.” She didn’t explain how. She hoped the officers would assume it was a two-fold issue. That because Rhyne and Welsh were roommates, that would be how Welsh became aware of Grace in the first place. Same for why Norris knew of Rhyne and Welsh—through her.
“And Welsh called your boyfriend demanding he bring you back to the house they were renting?”
“Yes. Check Rhyne’s phone. Oh! It’ll say the call’s from Nash, but it was Welsh on the other end.”
“You’re certain it was Welsh?” Oldstein pressed.
“Yes. Rhyne put the call on speaker so I could hear everything,” Grace confirmed.
“What happened after Welsh called?” Oldstein inquired.
“That’s when Rhyne said we had to find the nearest police station. He thought he could protect me…at first. After Welsh called, I guess he figured he couldn’t do it alone.”
The two officers exchanged looks, then Lepos left. Oldstein gently guided Grace over to her vehicle and silently urged her to lean against the hood. “I guess you got your wish,” the woman remarked with a hint of amusement. “But instead of you going to the police, the police came to you.”
“How did you find us?” Grace softly asked.
“After someone called in to report their car had been stolen, we began a search. They also gave us a description of the two people who stole it.”
Grace snorted. “Let me guess. Rhyne and I fit that description?”
“As well as your car,” Oldstein confirmed. “This is a known drug area. I was on regular patrol when I spotted the vehicle. Then when I noticed you two climbing into the vehicle, I called for backup.”
Glancing back at where Rhyne was surrounded by the three male officers, Grace noticed he remained calm as he explained everything. Like her, he was handcuffed and leaning against the hood of one the officer’s cruiser.
“What happens to us now?” she wondered. Turning back to the woman, she noted, “He didn’t steal the car.
He and his roommates take turns using it.
Otherwise he rides a bicycle. This was Rhyne’s month to have the car.
And since Welsh and Nash couldn’t scour the city looking for us on their bicycles, they called you to report the car stolen so you’d do the leg work for them. ”
Oldstein made a face but didn’t reply. Her expression was all Grace needed to see to know the woman agreed with her.
After a few more minutes, Lepos strolled back over to where Grace and Oldstein were waiting.
“Uncuff her,” he ordered the female officer.
As Oldstein complied, he addressed Grace.
“Your story and Mr. Castille’s story are identical.
The car’s registered in Mr. Castille’s name, so he obviously can’t steal what’s legally his.
Plus the call log on his phone confirms he received a call from a person named Nash at four fourteen p.m.” Lepos looked at Oldstein.
“The car was reported stolen at three fifty-eight.”
“So Welsh called you guys first and waited a bit before calling Rhyne,” Grace surmised. “He was deliberately stalling us to give you time to find us.”
“It sounds that way,” Oldstein agreed.
Movement off to the side caught her attention.
Grace looked up to see Rhyne being led over to join her.
She noticed he’d also had his handcuffs removed.
She scooted over to make room for him to stand next to her as the officers made a semi-circle in front of them.
“What happens to us now?” she asked him.
“We’re aware of what’s happened at the hospital,” an officer by the name of Tolmoss informed them. “It’s good to know you made it out safely.”
“So far,” Rhyne interjected. “We have to get her to someplace where she can remain safe until you catch Welsh.”
Lepos addressed Grace directly. “Are you requesting we place you in protective custody?”
“Yes. Please.”
The man gave a nod. “Oldstein, take her to the station until we can get this settled and find her a safe house.”
The female officer smiled at her. “Let’s get you in my car. I’ll take you to the precinct.”
Grace turned to Rhyne. “What’s going to happen to you?”
“I’m going to help them find Welsh.”
“But…” She cast a wary eye at the officers. “But what if he’s already left the city?” She wanted to ask him whether Welsh being a vampire would be a problem for the police, but she knew she couldn’t ask him outright. Not now. Not until they were alone again.
Alone. But they were taking her someplace safe. Rhyne would go with the other officers, and…
“Where are you going? When will I see you again?”
He leaned over to give her a quick kiss. “You will. I just don’t know when. Until then, be careful and stay safe, Grace.” He snickered. “My saving grace.”
Lepos cleared his throat. “We need to get moving. Mr. Castille, will you follow us to the station?”
“Gladly.” Turning to her, he smiled that smile that said so much. “See you again soon.”
“You’d better,” she lightly threatened.
Another quick kiss, and she followed Officer Oldstein over to her vehicle and got into the back seat.
As they drove away, she turned around to stare out the back window and watched Rhyne get into his car to follow the lead police cruiser away from the motel in the opposite direction with the other cruisers tailing close behind him.