Page 37 of Red Queen (Red Thorns Crew 3)

I blinked. “I want to speak with someone else.”

He shrugged. “There is no one else.”

I hissed, “That’s bullshit, and you and I both know it.”

“There is. No one else.”

I slammed my fists against the bulletproof glass. “Stop fucking with me and get someone else for me to talk to or I’m going to scream bloody murder and your boss will rain holy hell down on you. You got that?”

I tried to stand my ground as much as possible, even though my mind was working a million miles a second. Take a dip. Why choose those exact words? I hadn’t given a statement yet. There was no way in hell anyone knew about me being there and being tipped back into that pool.

Unless Max has already given a statement.

I didn’t know. Something didn’t seem right about any of this. Including the officer behind that damn glass.

As his grin grew into a wide smile, I thought my threat might not work. Until there was a knock at the door behind him. His smile faded into an annoyed sort of frown before he got up and answered it. He murmured something to the person standing in the darkness, and when they stepped into the light I saw a female officer locking eyes with me.

She came over and sat down behind the bulletproof glass before shooing the other officer away.

“Hello there, ma’am.”

I nodded. “Hello.”

“My name is Captain Riley. And I’ve heard there might be a disagreement taking place. I’m hoping maybe I can provide a solution that benefits all of us. How can I help?”

I leaned forward. “Can we speak someplace more private? I need to talk to you about what happened last night at the Ryddle Estate.”

She nodded. “I’m sure I can make that happen.”

“I also want to see Max.”

“Max Ryddle?”

“Yes. You have him in custody here. I’d like to see him after giving my statement, please. That shouldn't be an issue, seeing as the gentleman before you informed me that he’s still in holding.”

“Is that so?”

“I read up on some things on the way here.”

She nodded slowly. “We can try our best to--”

“You don’t get my testimony unless I see him.”

“You know I could technically swing that into a crime, right?”

I shrugged. “The only thing you have to do is let me see him. That’s all I’m asking for. In my eyes, it’s your issue. Not mine.”

She didn’t look too happy with me, but I didn’t care. If getting arrested and thrown in holding myself is what it took to see Max, then I’d make it happen. Because I wasn't going anywhere or doing anything until I got to sit down and see him. Talk to him before anything else happened. I needed to know what I could do, if there were any guys he wanted me to contact since it was very clear to me he wasn’t being given the rights he was afforded as a U.S. citizen.

“Well?” I asked.

Captain Riley nodded. “Come through the door to your left with the orange handle. I’ll wait for you in the hallway. You can follow me into a private room where we can take your statement.”

I shook my head. “Not until I have some sort of physical proof that you’re going to agree to let me see Max.”

“You have my word, as an officer of the law.”

I shrugged. “Cops are dirty all the time.”

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