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I used the spare key I’d given Bliss to open the door, and slipped inside, quickly pulling on underwear and clean clothes. Despite my bravado, I really wasn’t in the mood to be arrested, so I made it snappy, shoving my feet into white sneakers without bothering with socks.
Back in the hallway, Bliss had the phone clutched to her ear. When I emerged, she looked over, a fierce expression on her heart-shaped face. “I’ve got Liam on the phone.” She stared at the officers; her words sharp as she practically spit them out. “Liam Banks? He’s a friend of ours, and a lawyer. A really fucking good one.”
It had been a while since I’d seen Bliss so worked up she swore at a police officer. She needed to settle down though, because I did not want her pregnant ass thrown in jail for obstructing justice or something. Her guys would kill me.
“We’re well aware of Mr. Banks and his reputation,” the office replied dryly. “Trust us.”
I’d only met Liam once, when one of Bliss’s guys, Vincent, had been kidnapped and tortured. We’d joined forces with him and some others to rescue him, because we all knew the police wouldn’t do shit. But judging by the officer’s irritation, Liam was a thorn in their side.
Which only made me like the man more. “Tell Liam I’m looking forward to catching up with him over stale police station coffee and donuts.” I poked the officer in his round belly. “Assuming you haven’t already eaten them all, that is?”
“You’re pushing your luck, Miss Kemp. Let’s go.”
Bliss widened her eyes at me, but I was enjoying sassing the officers. Was it smart? No. But it felt normal, and right now, normal was welcome.
Plus, I had the advantage of being tiny. Barely over five foot. Everyone underestimated me and assumed I was no threat, but it worked in situations like this. They probably already would have slapped cuffs on a man.
But I followed them downstairs and into the back of a squad car. It took mere minutes to get across town to Providence, and even less time to find myself marched straight through the station to an interview room. I grinned at officer tubby tummy. “VIP treatment, huh? No waiting in line. I feel so important.”
He pointed at the table with two seats on either side. “Sit.”
“Say please.”
His gaze narrowed. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
“Immensely,” I said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
He clearly hadn’t received the memo on sarcasm because he took it literally. “Good. Enjoy yourself now, while you still can. Because in a minute, you’re going to be accused of murder, and boy am I going to enjoy wiping that fucking grin off your face.”
The smile faded.
He chuckled as he walked out. “Yeah, exactly like that.”
9
REBEL
I left the police station a trembling, shaking mess. The moment I was out of sight of the horrid, squat building, I doubled over, sucking deep breaths in so I didn’t vomit.
Liam patted my shoulder awkwardly. “I’m going to call Bliss for you, okay?”
I covered my mouth with the back of my hand. “Please don’t. I’ll be fine. I just…”
Liam gave me a sympathetic smile. “Didn’t expect them to loosely accuse you of murdering your mother and her fiancé?”
Yeah. That.
“I swear, Liam. I didn’t do it.”
“I know. Don’t worry, we’ll sort it all out. You’re just an easy target. The poor bartender who wanted her stepdaddy’s money. The woman jealous of her mother’s rich partner. The mother-daughter duo who worked together to scam a rich businessman out of his life savings, only to have the entire thing go horribly wrong at the last moment when the mother eats the poisoned apple. There’s a million different, very creative ways they can spin this, and the Providence police do this all the time. Half the force is corrupt. The other half is lazy as hell, so they go after the easiest target to pin it on. But they don’t have anything concrete on you or you’d be in a holding cell right now, waiting for a bail hearing.”
I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans and stood up straight. “Okay. But everything they said in there…”
“Was designed to scare you into confessing. You don’t talk to them without me. Ever. Okay?”
I nodded. “Thanks, Liam.”
“I’ll drive you home.”