“But doesn’t help with the accused, especially when they’re innocent.”
“And we also received a call from her father,” another voice says as two uniformed officers come out from behind a clothing rack.
My lips pinch into a white slash, telegraphing my annoyance at this whole situation. My hands clench and I have to remind myself I can’t be with my girl, can’t be a positive factor in her life, if I get locked up again…especially if I served time again for something I took the fall for. I saved her dad once and this is how he repays me?
My eyes narrow and my expression pinches even further.
“Why isn’t she in school today?” one of the plain-clothed men says and it’s only then I realize he’s a truancy officer.
“Maybe because she already graduated…a year and a half ago.
“We’re going to need to see some ID,” the officer says. I go to reach into my pocket, but apparently, due to my size and bulk it throws the officers off and they draw their weapons. “Slowly, big fella.”
“Elijah!” Emma screams from behind me, two guns pointed at me.
“It’s okay, sweetie. Just stay there and wait for me. Everything is going to be okay.”
“I’m not so sure about that, Mister Ellis,” the more senior of the officers says, after looking over my ID. He mumbles some codes into his lapel, which is outfitted with a two-way device that broadcasts some police codes back.
“And your young lady friend?”
“I don’t have any ID. I left it at home.”
The officer pulls out his cell phone and holds it at arm’s length, looking at it and then at Emma a few times before he pulls on his lapel again and confirms to some superior somewhere, “Yeah, we found her.”
“Sir, you’re under the arrest for the kidnapping of Emma Martin. You have the right to remain—“
“No!” Emma cries out, and my heart shatters into a million pieces.
“It’s going to be okay, honey. Daddy’s going to get out of this.”
“They were right,” the officer says as he zip-ties my wrists behind my back. “You are some kinda sick fuck.”
He grabs me by the wrists and I clench my fists, leaning back into him and knocking the wind out of him.
“Did you just assault an officer?” the junior officer says.
“I weight two hundred and fifty pounds and my fists are like cement blocks. What do you expect it to feel like when you go throwing me a
round like a punching bag?”
The first officer clutches his stomach as he forcibly leads me to the door, while I hear the other officer try and “console” Emma. “It’s okay. Whatever he’s making you say you don’t have to say anymore. We know the truth. We’re gonna get you home, safe and sound.”
“I am safe with him!” she cries out, and I want to just go full Hulk mode right now and punch my way out of this entire nightmare.
I will get out of this, no doubt. It might take a few hours or a few days, but I will be a free man…and when I am her father’s going to have to convince me why he shouldn’t be a dead man.
I’m pushed into the back of a police car just as I watch the clerk from the shop run out. “Shoplifters! You need to pay for that dress, you thief!”
The car pulls away and the cop smirks before pulling out a pad and paper. “I’ll just add that to the charge. Will give us even more probable cause for the search. Thanks,” he winks at me and I make a note of his name and rank. I’ll never forget who tried and will have ultimately failed, to separate me from my angel.
And they’re going to meet the devil that lives inside, and I’ll show them what hell really looks like.
9
Emma
Watching those police officers take away Elijah had the tears flowing like I was peeling a lifetime supply of onions.