Page 66 of The Gentleness of Rage

“On it, Drake, did you hear that?” Slate asked.

“Loud and clear. We’ll search the neighbourhood,” Drake replied from somewhere behind him.

“Listen, dude, I’m a state trooper. You’re holding a cop hostage,” Lewis said to Slate.

“Do you think I look bothered, asshole?” Slate retorted.

“Jaelynn is ill! For fuck’s sake!” Lacey cried.

“No, she’s not! Because we had two doctors and a therapist check her over. There’s nothing wrong with Jaelynn,” Slate replied.

“Is that what she is telling you?” Lewis asked.

“We’ve also the medical records and police reports that were buried that prove domestic violence. There’s a warrant out for that motherfucker’s arrest,” Slate continued.

“Actually, there’re now two, and Damien’s been handed over to the Feds. Howser called Willow, and she’s taken the case. Keep your hands up where I can see them. I’m Detective Antonio Ramirez, and this is my partner, Eric Benjamin. Detective Benjamin is going to pat you down and cuff you,” Ramirez announced, appearing from around the side of the house with his own weapon drawn.

“Look. This is getting out of hand. We came here to take Jaelynn home. Damien hoped she’d trust us because we’re friends,” Lewis said.

“You call yourself friends when you believed Damien over her?” Slate sneered. “The asshole manipulated everyone around him. The truth is out: he tortured and abused Jaelynn.”

“Jaelynn…” Lacey exclaimed.

“Keep your damn hands up,” Ramirez snapped as Lewis began to lower them.

Lewis put them back up, and Ben patted him down, removed a handgun, which he handed to Slate, and then cuffed Lewis. Lewis was starting to get angry.

“Jaelynn, stop this bullshit now!” he spat.

“Shut the fuck up,” I retorted and sat down once Lacey was arrested.

“What’re the charges?” Lewis snapped.

“Trespassing, aiding and abetting, and hiding a criminal for a start,” Ben replied.

“Who?” Lacey cried.

“Damien Barclay and Wade Winslow. If you know where they are, you better say,” Ben ordered as Ramirez spoke into a radio.

“They’re not criminals! They are good men,” Lewis bellowed.

“That have so far been implicated in four murders,” Ramirez snapped.

“What?” Lacey gasped.

“Remember that whore Lucy Rogers? The one Damien was having an affair with… oh yeah, Lewis, the one you said was all in my head? She’s dead. Lucy’s body was dumped here,” I interrupted.

“What the fuck. No… you’re mistaken,” Lewis exclaimed, paling.

“No, dude. You are. You fuckin’ trusted a guy you barely knew over your good friend. He beat Jaelynn black and blue. Damien gaslit her and lied to everyone about her supposed illness. Did anyone bother to check to see if she’d actually been diagnosed with Munchausen?

“When a doctor tried to get help, he was threatened until he left the state. We have evidence. And now Barclay and Winslow are implicated in four local murders. The FBI has taken the case because Lucy Rogers had been dead for five days before they dumped her here. Which means she was transported across state lines,” Ramirez said.

“And no, Jaelynn didn’t kill her and set Damien up. Because we have a very solid alibi for her. Barclay and Winslow lied about Jaelynn and everything else, and now their house of cards is crumbling. The Feds have even taken over Jaelynn’s case, and IA is about to crawl all over your asses. Fuckin’ assholes,” Ben hissed. “Nothing I hate more than a dirty cop!”

“Jaelynn, is this true?” Lewis gasped, looking at me.

“Don’t talk to her,” Slate ordered.

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