9. Felix
CHAPTER NINE
FELIX
My head ached, every muscle in my body tender from the car wreck the night before.
I was covered in cuts and scrapes, small bruises forming all over from how hard the two cars had collided.
Police arrived just minutes after Dream and the twins had left, and once EMS cleared me from any internal injuries, I was then detained and put in handcuffs.
I was shoved into the back of a car that brought me here, to the local police precinct.
I’d been sitting in the interrogation room for what felt like hours, a technique I knew all too well.
I scooted my chair, noticing one leg was faintly sawed down to make it wobbly—another petty interrogation tactic they were using on me. Much like the flickering lights and raised room temperature. It brought a smile to my face to see the flip side of such methods.
Petty tricks like this won’t work on me. Nah, these fuckers have no idea who they’re messing with.
I stared at my reflection in the two-way glass, noticing how fucked up I looked.
I raised my arm and played with the faint waves for a bit before the door finally opened.
A couple of older gentlemen stepped inside, both dressed in dull-colored suits and carrying a stack of files and an evidence bag.
“Sorry for the long wait.” The tall older man, wearing thick-framed glasses and—what appeared to be—an expression of permanent melancholy sat down, slapping the stack of files onto the table. “I know it’s been a long night for you,” I scoffed.
No shit.
The second man, stout and overweight, joined the first man. “Is there anything we can get you? Water? Coffee?”
I didn’t speak. Just stared past them to the mirror.
The two men looked behind before exchanging a look. “Before we dive in, I wanted to give you a chance to ask for an attorney.”
I rolled my eyes and turned to look at the jolly giant. “Am I under arrest?”
He made a face, scrunching his eyebrows with pursed lips. “You’re currently being detained.”
I looked away from him and sighed, shaking my head.
“Alright then, let’s just jump right in, shall we?” The tall man cleared his throat. “In case you’re wondering, my name’s Detective Freeman. I’m from the local homicide division here, and this is my partner, Detective Brookes.” He looked at me over his glasses. “I’m sure you know why we’re here?”
I shook my head again.
Detective Freeman looked at his partner before opening the thick file. “You were found at the scene of a car wreck, one that involved numerous traffic violations, damage to city property, damage to personal property, and homicide.” He looked back at me. “Ring any bells?”
I smiled. “Is that all?” They didn’t seem amused. “Look…” I leaned forward. “Aside from being in the vehicle that was wrecked, you can’t prove anything.”
Detective Brookes sighed heavily, tossing the evidence bag across the table. I rotated it, noticing it was all the stuff I’d kept on me. “Then explain the balaclava and gloves, which tested positive for gunshot residue.”
I popped the evidence bag open, then pulled out my pack of cigarettes and lighter. Both of the older men watched me in disbelief as I pressed a single cigarette between my lips and lit it up.
I took a deep breath, holding the smoke in before finally exhaling with a loud sigh. “Ahhh, nothing beats a good fucking cigarette, does it?”
Detective Freeman shook his head, his eyes narrowing. “I’m old school. A little respect, please.” He reached across and plucked the cigarette from my mouth before throwing it down and stomping on it. “There’s no smoking in here.”
I grimaced, reaching back into the bag to pull out a piece of hard candy. I fumbled with the loud plastic wrapping, tossing it at the tall, old man before popping the candy into my mouth. “What?” I snapped. “Gonna bust me for eating candy?” I smiled, enjoying myself a little too much.
The detectives were already visibly annoyed with me, and we were just getting started.
“Alright, let’s back up a bit.” Detective Freeman opened a second file, this one thicker than the first. “Felix Phillipe Osvaldo.” My smile fell as he continued to read aloud.
“First born to Cuban immigrants, Ignacio Dominguez Osvaldo and Dulce Marie Osvaldo…born here in the United States…ahh, Scorpio. I guess that makes sense with your history.” He flipped to another page, skimming the unimportant details.
“Let’s see…Mom died while Dad was in Cuba.
Her murder remains unsolved as you were the only witness…
says here you were just seven at the time.
Wow. That must’ve been a traumatizing thing to experience so young. ”
I crossed my arms, refusing to give him any inkling of satisfaction with my reactions.
“Right.” His eyes returned to the file. “Dad remarried not long after, followed by the birth of your younger siblings—” He stopped. “Ah, Haze and Indigo Osvaldo. Both of whom are currently wanted for murder…among other things.” He then turned to the other detective who finally spoke up.
“Pretty tragic childhood if you ask me.”
I cocked my head to the side and grinned, sucking on my candy. “I didn’t.” He glared back at me, his face turning a faint shade of red.
This is too fucking easy.
Detective Freeman flipped a few more pages. “You think this is funny? Is murder some kind of joke to you?” I shrugged, unbothered. “Yeah, you would think that wouldn’t you, Gunnery Sergeant Osvaldo.”
My entire body tensed at the mention of my military rank.
“Ahh, I struck a nerve there, didn’t I?” The tall detective smiled.
“I must say, when we ran your prints, I didn’t expect to come across such an impressive military background.
” He continued to read. “Let’s see…enlisted in the Marine Corps fresh out of high school, serving a four year Infantry enlistment.
You caught the attention of higher ups during your time in boot camp for excellent marksmanship, getting sent for tryouts for Scout Sniper after earning the rank of Lance Corporal. ”
I clenched my jaw, dropping my arms into my lap as he continued to read the extensive details of my military service.
“You then excelled tryouts with flying colors, being personally selected by your battalion and joining the Scout-Sniper Platoon after completing all the required training. You then served back to back deployments overseas, successfully completing numerous missions with your unit before reenlisting for another four years. You were then attached to a MARSOC unit as a Scout Sniper, quickly earning the rank of Gunnery Sergeant with a pay grade of E-7.” He looked up.
“That’s pretty impressive for someone barely in their late thirties. ” I didn’t react.
The detective sighed, flipping to the page I dreaded most. “Aside from a couple write-ups for your temper, it seems things were looking up for you. But then, in your last year of enlistment, your convoy drove into an IED during a mission. A piece of scratch metal nicked your brain, resulting in a TBI.” He looked up, examining me from across the table.
“Ahh, that must be the scar.” He pointed to my temple.
“After initial recovery, you were then placed on light duty for a good year until you were med-boarded out and forced back into civilian life.” He slammed the file shut.
“But what I find the most intriguing about you, Felix, is that after your return to civilian life, there’s nothing.
No list of employment, no address or phone number on file…
not even a parking ticket. You’re like a ghost.”
I leaned forward. “Boo.”
He grimaced. “Very funny.”
Detective Brookes inched closer as well, tapping the opened evidence bag.
“These gloves—your gloves—came back positive for gunshot residue. The driver of the black SUV was found, a bullet embedded straight into his skull, murdered by the same gun found at the scene of the wreck. Care to explain any of that?”
I slouched back in the wobbly chair. “I wore those gloves when I was at the gun range not too long ago.” I grinned. “Don’t believe me? Check their security footage.”
Detective Freeman stared at me. “You mean the same gun rage that an innocent man was attacked in?” He pulled out another file. “Apparently, he was pistol-whipped by a Hispanic male, mid to late thirties, with green eyes.” He pulled out a poorly drawn police sketch.
I picked it up and burst out laughing. “This could be anyone.” I held it up to my face, mimicking the expression.
“Well? What do you think? Uncanny, isn’t it?
” I mocked, crumbling the sketch up. “Like I said, could be anyone.” I tossed it at the fat detective, watching as it bounced off his double chin.
“Where were you a few weeks back?” My eyes shot to him, already knowing where this conversation was going.
He pulled out yet another file. “A man who worked at The Red Eye came in to file a report as well. He said, and I quote, ‘a crazed Hispanic male in his mid-to-late thirties who attacked me for no reason, dragged me into the alley where he proceeded to beat me, eventually sawing my right ear off.’ Damn near identical to the last complaint we received. According to the man’s statement, he was only able to escape when a young woman arrived.
” My body tensed immediately. “Both descriptions are a dead ringer for you. But I’m curious… who’s the young woman, Felix?”
I spat the candy at the detective, watching as it hit his glasses with a loud tink then rolled onto the table and then the floor.
He simply sighed, then wiped his lenses. “That could be taken as assault, you know?”
I smiled. “Assault by candy, yeah, that’ll stick.”
The fat fucker next to him spoke up. “What about the young woman who went missing last year?” He slid a photo of a red-haired woman toward me.
“Her name is Mary-Jane, and she’s been missing ever since your sister, Indigo, moved out of their shared apartment.
Not long after her twin, Haze, went on the run.
He’s still wanted for the murder of Carter Hayes, the kidnapping and torture of Mary-Jane, and now her disappearance and suspected murder. ”
Fucking twins.
Detective Freeman cocked his head. “It seems to me your whole family is mixed up in a tangle of crime. Murder, kidnapping…what’s next?”
I leaned forward again and smiled. “My lawyer.”
The two detectives exchanged a look as the door to the interrogation room swung open.
“Felix!” Dream shot into the room, taking us all by surprise. She rushed over to me and hugged me tight, whispering into my ear, “Don’t worry, I’m here to bring you home.”
Home?
Hearing her say such a thing made my stomach flutter.
I pulled back from her grasp, looking her up and down. She was wearing a skintight black sweat outfit that covered most of her body, her pale skin completely blemish free. “But how—” She popped her gum.
“No more talking.” A tall, Asian man with dark, sleep-deprived eyes stepped into the room.
He was dressed in a black formal suit over a moody blue button up.
He toyed with the black cuff links, his long, black hair tied up into a bun, a few stray hairs tucked behind his pierced ears.
He sighed, obviously annoyed by having to come all the way down here.
“Hui.”
He raised a brow, showing no positive emotion. “Not another word, Felix.” Hui then shot his dark eyes to the detectives. “Unless you have something to charge my client with, we’ll be leaving.”
“Now, hold on just a—”
Hui stopped, turning to them with a cold glare. “If you have a problem with the decision, I suggest you take it up with your police chief.” His gaze shot to Dream and I. “Let’s go.”
Dream grabbed my hand as I stood, grabbing the evidence bag. “So long, fuckers.”
Detective Freeman grabbed me, stopping me.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Felix.
” I ripped my arm free and brushed it off as if his touch were dirty.
I wrapped it around Dream’s neck, leaning on her as I turned to leave.
“Tell me this, at least.” I stopped. “Who was driving the BMW?” He held out a picture of my wrecked car.
Fucking Haze.
Dream pulled the chewed up gum from her mouth and pressed it into the image, smiling.
I smiled, answering the old man. “Your mom.”
The detective remained still. “Real classy.”
I scoffed. “I didn’t see anyone.”
He eyed me closely. “Somehow, I find that hard to believe.” I shrugged and walked away.
Hui waited until we were out of earshot to speak. “You could’ve named Kief as the other driver…let the police handle him for you.”
I stopped, looking around before responding in a low voice. “The only person who is going to handle that bastard is me. Besides, getting the police involved in network issues would only be a headache…for all of us.”
He nodded.
The three of us quickly exited the police precinct. A car was waiting for Hui as he unbuttoned his collar and opened the back door. “Consider us even now, Felix.” He let his long hair down, exhaling as if being so formal was such a task. “No more favors.”
I nodded. “Thanks for being my attorney.”
Hui made an apathetic face. “Stay away from the hotel.” He then slammed the door behind him and drove off.
“Who was that?” Dream asked.
I sighed, pulling her close. “A friend.”
She took the evidence bag from my grasp and helped me down the steps. “He doesn’t seem real friendly.” I tried not to laugh because I was still struggling from the wreck.
I sighed. “That’s Hui for you.”
We walked a bit before she spoke up, breaking the silence. “Haze and Indi are safe. They went back to their apartment for the night.”
“Good.” I stopped, turning to look at her. “But what about you?” My finger reached out, unzipping her tight long-sleeved jacket to see the hidden cuts and darkening bruises. My body burned at the thought of her suffering because of me. “Dream…I—”
She gently placed her hand atop mine. “I’m fine, Felix. And this time, it’s my turn to take care of you. Now, let’s go before anything else fucking happens.”
I leaned against her as her smell wrapped around me, instantly taking the pain away. “Yes, let’s go home.”