Page 55 of Red Queen (Red Thorns Crew 3)

“I think it’s about time we rose up from the shadows he pushed us into!”

“Yeah!”

“And I sure as hell think it’s about time to get Max out of jail!”

“Hell fuckin’ yeah!”

The guys started clapping and whistling. I peeked through the crowd at John and saw a massive smile spreading across his face. He held his hands out as if to say Look at what you’ve done. Look at what you’ve rallied. And as the men high-fived one another and chest-bumped each other into walls, John let out another piercing whistle, settling the crowd down one more time.

“If we do this, gentlemen, we do this right. If we take back this city, we do it right. For Max, for ourselves, and for the future of our families. If we really do this, we’re going to put Ashton Ryddle exactly where he belongs. Behind bars, for the rest of that fucker’s life. This is it, gentlemen. This is our call to action. So are we going to stand by? Or are we going to stand up?”

19

Max

Of course I was being held for the full ninety-six hours. Why the hell should I have expected differently? The only thing that made me nervous was that I hadn’t seen my lawyer yesterday. Ever since our Monday meeting where she gave me the rundown of how this might pan out, I hadn’t seen her. Or heard from her. I hadn’t gotten a phone call, I was lucky if I got snacks for meals, and I felt my mouth running dry.

I could drink that fucking pool right now.

While I shouldn't have expected anything different, I had been hoping my lawyer would get me out of here sooner rather than later. Time passed by much too slowly, and I had been interrogated over a dozen times. But at least the cops were playing hardball now. Not once did I sit in an interrogation without her present. Which is what frustrated me about not having another private meeting with her.

She was here for the interrogations. Then she’d leave before those assholes released me from the damn table.

What if she’s working for him, too?

The thought had occurred to me more than once. And it wouldn't have shocked me one bit. The way these cops looked at me, the way they jeered at me and the things they asked in these interrogations, I knew without a shadow of a doubt at least half of these fuckers worked with my father. Miss Hall gave me knowing looks, too. Nothing got by her, I was quickly coming to find out.

I had to keep convincing myself that she was on my side.

And I didn’t like that.

I watched the torturous clock on the wall slowly tick down. Every time the door at the end of the hallway opened, I jumped. I didn’t want to tell my story another fucking time to a bunch of cops I knew were just getting paid off by my father. I didn’t want to recount everything and relive what happened to Dani and rehash that nightmare to assholes who were only going to turn it around on me. Who were going to use it against me.

Who were going to toss me in jail for the rest of my life over it.

I ran my fingers through my hair. I talked myself through some deep breaths. If I had to be interrogated again, at least I’d see my lawyer again. And maybe I could talk her into having another meeting with me before I was ultimately released. I raked my hands through my hair. I felt someone approaching my cell. Sounds around me were muffled as I slowly lifted my head, trying to fight through the hopelessness I felt burrowing into the marrow of my bones.

Then I heard the iron bars rattling open.

“You’re free to go, Max.”

Miss Hall’s voice piped up behind me and I shot to my feet. I whipped around, staring at the tired, grinning woman. On either side of her were two very displeased-looking officers. And as Miss Hall stood there with her grin continuing to grow, she folded her hands in front of her.

“Don’t tell me you love this place so much you want to stay,” she said.

I blinked. “I’m free to go?”

She nodded. “Yep.”

“Now.”

“Uh huh.”

“Right this second.”

The cop piped up. “Get out or stay in. But make a choice.”

My lawyer dismissed the officers with a flick of her wrist. And as they grumbled to themselves, they started back down the hallway. I was more confused than ever before. But she didn’t look as if she was joking.

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