Raised voices get my attention, and when I come to the entrance of the living room, the officer who helped me yesterday is here, and he looks pissed.
“I’m here to arrest that girl for murder. She played me like a damn fool yesterday, Grayson. Hell, what if she is here to do the same to you?”
“She isn’t. You don’t know the full story, Howard. She didn’t kill those men for the hell of it. They were trying to rape her! She defended herself, like every woman should.”
“Oh? Is that what happened to you, Grayson? Did the woman defend herself, and you’re pulling the pity me card?”
Before I can think of what to say, Grayson launches a fist through the air, punching Officer Howard in the jaw. “Fuck you for throwing that in my face. You know damn good and well I didn’t do that!”
In the next instance, Jaxon levels a gun to Officer Howard’s head and tsks, “If I were you, I’d stop right now. You might be the law, but in this house? You can disappear, and no one will ever find you. You can either be amongst friends or you can get the fuck out.”
Officer Howard licks the blood off his lips. A few pieces of his slicked back hair came undone and hang in his face. He reaches for his gun, but Owen is behind him, snatching the gun from the holster on Officer Howard’s hip.
“Don’t even think about it,” Owen warns, placing the gun against the back of Officer Howard’s head.
“You guys are threatening a police officer, and you assaulted one. I could have you all arrested. You need to really think about this.”
“No,” a man I haven’t seen before struts into the room as if funky music is playing in the background. He reminds me of John Travolta in Grease. Slicked back hair, bad boy energy, and a great sense of style. He is wearing a loose fitted shirt tucked into black trousers with a black leather belt. “I think you need to wake up and smell the fucking death, my man. Don’t ya? Now, listen.” He takes out a cigar and places it between his lips, then lights it. He puffs a few times, his cheeks expanding and hollowing with every inhale. He blows out a cloud of smoke and keeps the cigar in his mouth. He smiles. “Ah, come on. We’re all friends here, aren’t we? No need for all this drama. We can sort this out.” He strolls up to Officer Howard and straightens the collar of the man’s uniform. “I like you, ya know? You’re the ‘grab a guy by the balls and twist them off type’. I like that about you. You’re a good cop.” He takes another drag of the cigar and then grabs Officer Howard’s chin and shoves him against the wall until the back of his skull creates a nasty thud.
I hold a hand over my mouth and watch the scene unfold. Are these guys mafia or something? Is that why they have so much money and are so damn scary?
No one has noticed me yet, but if I move an itch, that gun might be turned on me, and I’m not in the mood to get shot.
The greaser takes the cigar out of his mouth and blows smoke in Officer Howard’s face. “But we are better at our job. You get me?” He smiles, letting the burning ember of the cigar hover just above Officer Howard’s skin. “Do you want to know how many cops I’ve killed for less? Don’t make me add you to the list, friend. Apologize to Grayson. You know every man here was wrongfully convicted, and for you to throw that in his face was mean.”
“Mean? What are we, twelve?”
The man tosses his head back at the officer’s remark, and I didn’t know it was possible for a laugh to have a Northern accent, but his does. “Did ya hear the guy, Jaxon? He thinks we’re acting twelve.”
“I heard him,” Jaxon replies.
The composure of the greaser slips a little, and he elbows Officer Howard right in the gut. The cop doubles over and coughs while the greaser runs his hands through the side of his hair to make sure it’s still in place. “Do not fuck with us, Howard. I like you, but I’m not afraid to kill you.”
I can’t take anymore. I step into the room, and the sound of my foot hitting the ground has all heads turning toward me. Officer Howard’s eyes narrow when he sees me, and he spits a wad of blood on the ground.
“There the little killer is,” he greets.
I hold up my hands to show I’m not a threat.
“What the hell are you doing? Get back! You could end up getting hurt, Finley,” Grayson says to me.
I point to my face. “I’m already hurt.”
He doesn’t like to hear that. His jaw flexes. Grayson wraps his arm around my waist and holds me back from getting closer to Officer Howard.
“Who’s the chick?” the greaser asks.
“The woman I’m here for. She’s wanted for a double homicide, and I can’t believe you guys are protecting her,” Officer Howard spits. “Once criminals, always criminals; am I right?”
“I thought you were on our side. You keep saying shit like that, and I might blow your fucking head off anyway, Howard. Keep it up!” Jaxon knocks Officer Howard’s temple with the barrel of the gun.
“I didn’t kill those men in cold blood. I’d never do that. Look at me.” I wave my hands up and down my body. “I’m bruised and scratched from head to toe. I was protecting myself.”
“Then, you’ll give a statement and—”
“And nothing. We all know how the criminal justice system works. She’s already been accused. She could face prison time. The only reason I was
