Page 117 of Fire Fight

The police don’t arrest people without evidence.

I gasp, jerking my gaze up and Drake is staring at me with such intensity I can feel it drilling into my eyes.

His voice is firm. “I didn’t do this.”

They’re just words.

People use them all the time to evade responsibility for something they’ve done.

Am I really going to trust his word when I’ve seen how easily he can lie? When the police are there, saying he’s a murderer? When I know from experience, the first weapon Drake reaches for is a lighter.

And the answer is yes.

Yes, I trust his word.

I would trust it even if he hadn’t explicitly said he wouldn’t lie to me just because the truth is unsavoury.

The certainty floods me, driving away the panic, bringing me strength.

“I’ll phone your dad,” I call as the police lead him away. “We’ll get you out of there.”

Then, I sprint after him, ignoring the officers to steal one last kiss. Before the police can jerk him away to stash him in their car, I whisper into his ear.

“I love you.”

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

CADENCE

The policeimpound Emily’s car as evidence, leaving me stranded. I call Mum but she doesn’t answer her phone, and I leave a message. Already knowing I’ll call again and again until I reach her rather than trusting she’ll hear the voicemail.

Arnold is next. I fight with his office manager until she connects me. When I try to speak, tears come pouring out instead.

“Cadence? What’s wrong?”

“It’s Drake. He’s been arrested.”

He immediately expresses concern, a change from the monster I’d built him into inside my head. Of course, he cares about his son. Even abusive fathers want their children to do well.

“Can you continue your classes?” he asks when my crying jag tapers. “We won’t be able to do anything for a couple of hours. Not until the police tell us more.”

“I won’t be able to concentrate.”

He sends a car service, and it takes me to his office rather than home. “Your mother’s not answering,” he says when I ask why. “I didn’t want you to sit there alone if she’s tied up with party planning all day.”

I’m anxious. Ready for action. Needing to help Drake but not able to think of a single useful thing. “Do you have a lawyer?”

“I’ve already sent him,” Arnold replies, sounding distracted. “He’s helped Blaine out of a sticky situation at school before.”

“This isn’t a school altercation.” My voice is strident, and I clamp down on my anger, not wanting to upset the only person with resources to help. “Don’t you know a criminal defence lawyer?”

The only applicable candidate I can think of is Hudson’s mother and I doubt she’s in the mood.

“He’ll be fine. It’s not as though they’re putting Blaine on trial. They’ll ask questions and he’ll advise him not to answer and once we know what they have, we’ll be able to adjust our approach.”

It’s sensible.

Of course, it’s sensible.

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