Page 97 of Ink's Devil

“Those were some slick moves,” he says approvingly, but his face is tight. “Thank fuck you disarmed him and got the gun.”

“I thought you were supposed to protect us,” says Mom. I notice she’s looking extremely pale.

“I couldn’t take a shot as Beth was blocking him.” He almost glares as he adds, “Why do you have to be so damn tall?”

Glancing back at the stairway, I see what he means. I was directly in his line of sight, and the man completely hidden by me.

“You can’t go and identify them,” he warns. “If you do, there’s no doubt the cops will know they have something to do with drugs, and that will just bring more trouble to Beth’s door.”

He’s right. Christ, what a mess.

“What’s happening to us?” Mom suddenly cries out, her hand finding the back of a chair and she eases herself down. “I’ve a son leaving a fortune in drugs in my house, a daughter who’s having to lie to the cops and now strangers holding us at gunpoint demanding to know where their drugs are, and I can’t admit they’ve been taken by an outlaw MC.”

Suddenly she’s crying, and I’m rushing over, pulling her into my arms.

“What the hell is going on, Bethany?” The bravery Mom had shown when faced with a gun-toting criminal has fled now. I’m surprised to feel my own cheeks are wet, as the situation catches up with me too.

Vaguely from behind me, I hear Dirt talking into his phone.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ink

“The cops have spoken to Beth? What the fuck for?” I hiss at Sykes. I’ve tried my best to keep her out of it. Why would they speak to her? I’ll tan her backside if she’s fucked up and dropped herself in it. The only thing keeping me sane is the thought that they haven’t got both of us locked up.

Sykes frowns. “I don’t know. But you did have a relationship. I suspect they’re talking to all your contacts.”

I suppose that makes sense.

“Oh, and Demon rang this morning. I didn’t let him say much.” Sykes reads my irritation. “If I as your lawyer know too much, and especially if I pass that on to you, then it’s possible something will slip out while you’re being questioned. But what he did say was, Beth’s got a story that holds up and he’s satisfied with it.”

I sit up straighter. “She’s innocent?”

He shoots me a look. Yeah, okay, so she was carrying a fuckload of H and was the reason I got locked up. But if Demon says she’s in the clear, he means it.There could be a good reason for what she did.Though fuck knows I’m unable to see it. Could she have been coerced or forced in some way? Jeez, now I’m worried about her. If she was, it must have been that asshole brother of hers.

“Is that all Demon said?”

“You know he wouldn’t give me much. He had nothing to help with your case. Unless you’re going to give her up?”

No fucking way. Especially now Demon’s given me hope. If she’s gotten herself into trouble, I’m not going to worsen it.

“Cops let her go, though?”

Sykes nods.

At least that suggests she didn’t give herself away. Maybe she got my message that I wasn’t interested any longer and is happy to leave me here to rot. I lower my head into my hands. Christ, this place is making me go nuts. That’s what I want her to do, isn’t it? Truth is, the thought hurts, and it’s not likely to be the behaviour of the Beth I remember.

Now I’ve been locked up for thirty-six hours, my anger has started to fade and another sentiment is taking its place, a sense of loss. Lost chances. Knocking my palm against my head, I’m not sure how the confirmation that Beth acted with good reason helps me or not. Christ, I wish I was out of here and could talk to her.

The idea police are presumably trying to connect her to me is extremely concerning. Fuck. What I did becomes worthless if they arrest her. Should I change my story to some bullshit, shifting all the blame from her? Fuck it! I need answers.

“Has she got a lawyer?” If not, she’ll need one.

“Mel’s father arranged it. Good move. It shows her independence. If the club had sent her to me, the cops would try to make something of that.”

“Do we know what she told her lawyer?”

He shakes his head. “Eventually, witness statements will be shared with me, but not now. Ottoman, her lawyer, plays it straight down the line. As do I. It would be unethical to step on each other’s toes or share confidential information.”

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