Page 27 of Unwrapping Deviance

Maybe it’s the city part of me but I doubt a city cop would randomly notice someone parked on a main road lined with shops in broad daylight, surrounded by people, especially when they’re parked directly in front of the police station. What kind of shenanigans did they think I was up to?

“I’m okay,” I say, hoping they’d get the hint and leave.

They don’t.

If anything, they seem even more suspicious of me.

“Can you roll your window down, ma’am?” the man says.

“Why? I’m not doing anything.”

I’m not intentionally being difficult, but I also know I haven’t done anything wrong. They asked if I needed help. I said no. They have no reason to stay and bother me.

“We just want to chat.”

“I don’t. I’m okay. Thank you.”

I’m about to roll the window back up when he says, “We saw you arrive with Daniel MacAllister.”

That stops me. So much for randomly coming across the truck. They saw me arrive with Daniel, which meant they saw Daniel go inside. There is no reason for them to be standing outside my window.

“So?”

I don’t try to hide my annoyance. They brought it on themselves.

He shifts. Stubby thumbs hook into the loops of his belt.

“Just curious, is all. Haven’t seen the MacAllister boys in ... shoot, near seventeen years?”

He glances over his shoulder at the one with the goatee who nods his confirmation.

“Great. Daniel’s inside. So is Christian. You can go catch up with them there.”

I reach for the button again.

“Would you mind getting out of the vehicle, ma’am?”

My finger stops. A prickle of unease slithers down my spine. My gaze darts to the lock, double checking it’s sealed before glancing up at the trio.

“Why?”

“Just to chat.”

I’ve never been questioned by the police. I’ve never had to deal with them. I have no blueprint on how to handle achat, but I have heard enough from Daniel to know that’s not a legal reason.

“Have I done something?” I ask, darting a glance in the direction of the Sheriff’s office, wishing Daniel would hurry up.

“Have you?” the man counters with a hint of irritation. “Can you just step out please? It’ll be easier to talk.”

I can argue they had no reason to ask me to get out. I can roll up the window and wait until Daniel comes out. I can do a many number of things, but all of them would only cause Daniel trouble. Besides, I’m in the middle of a whole town full of people in the middle of the morning. What could possibly happen?

Confident in my own safety, I prop my phone into the cup holder and open the door. I start to slide down only to immediately regret my decision when the door is wrenched out of my hand. The loss of support has me tumbling off the footrestand being saved from busting my knees on concrete by mustache who digs five fingers into my elbow and hauls me up.

“What the hell?” I bark, twisting free of his bruising grip and trying to take a step back.

The truck comes up behind me. The side of my seat collides with my spine.

Any hopes I might have that they would do the right thing and give me space vanishes when they shift to block me, trapping me in a wall of beige.

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