“Jesus, you sure know how to make a guy feel optimistic, don’t you?” I remark. “Makes a man long for the comfort of an isolated cell.”
“You’re in luck then, because that’s the future you’re looking at.”
I grit my teeth, but I refuse to let the smile slide off my face. “With all due respect, ma’am, you don’t know a damn thing about my future.”
Her jaw tightens. “I know that you think you’re untouchable just because of your last name,” she says. “I used to think I was untouchable, too. I wear a uniform and a badge, and I thought that meant I was protected. Then Murtagh started taking over the force and the city. And now? Now, I wear my uniform and badge out of a sense of duty. To try and do what I can for the people I can save. Because God knows there’s a fuck-ton of people I can’t.”
She takes one step closer to the cell. Again, there’s a weird emotion in her face I can’t decipher.
Not quite pity.
Not quite anger.
A little of both, perhaps.
“I can’t do shit for you, son,” she says, her eyes hazing over with regret. “Do you know why?”
“Because helping me would be going against the Kinahan and the Murtaghs?” I conclude quietly.
She nods. “At least you’re in a better position than most. Not every person in here has a rich and powerful daddy to come bail them out.”
“Do you see my rich and powerful daddy anywhere?” I drawl. “Because I sure as hell don’t.”
She sighs, but she falls silent at the sound of approaching footsteps.
Another policeman steps into the elongated space. I recognize this bastard.
Officer Murphy is the sadistic fucker who decided to put the glass of water just out of my reach.
He’s in his fifties, pale-faced and balding. One of those assholes who gets high off a power trip simply because they’re loyal to the right men.
His eyes fall on Officer Rian for only a second before they slide over onto me.
“You gave him the water?” he seethes.
I have to resist the urge to roll my eyes. Instead, I decide to be a gentleman and save her ass.
“More like she stood there and drank it while I watched,” I snap, making a show of fake fury. “Are all your subordinates as thoughtful as you are?”
He slams his baton against the bars of my cell. Like I’m supposed to be scared of loud noises or some shit.
This prick is the fucking worst.
“Office Rian,” Murphy says without so much as looking at her, “you’re dismissed.”
“Sir?”
“You are dismissed,” he repeats impatiently.
“I was asked to stay with him until—”
“Those fucking orders have changed then, haven’t they?” he snarls at her.
She looks like she’s on the verge of saying something she’ll regret.
I interject, “Aww, Officer Rian! I’ll miss you as well. But I have to be fair to Ol’ Murph here. I’m sure he wants his quality time with me, too.”
She stares at me as though I’ve completely lost my mind.