Page 19 of Werewolf Heart

Finally, finally, he seems to listen. Robert stares at her with confusion in his eyes, twisting into disgust; at himself.

“Sara—”

“What the fuck, Rob!” Her whole body trembles. She was this close… She was this close to losing him again. “Jesus Christ! It looked like you were gonna kill him!”

He doesn’t say anything. What could he possibly say, anyway? I’m sorry I almost killed your stalker? I’m sorry I’m probably going to prison?

Fuck, she thinks, beyond exhausted. God, what a huge fucking mess.

Sara glances at Robert once more before deciding what she must do.

1. Is your thesis getting on your nerves? (Portuguese to English)

2. It's everything. You know how it is. (Brazilian Portuguese to English)

3. No, I don't know. That's why I asked. (Portuguese to English)

4. Fuck, did you wake up grumpy too? (Brazilian Portuguese to English)

5. I'm serious. Don't forget, ok? (Portuguese to English)

6. Ok, ok. I won't forget. Go work on your thesis! (Brazilian Portuguese to English)

7. I know, mom! (Portuguese to English)

Chapter 5

Robert

The trip to the police station wasn’t as bad as Robert feared. They were nice enough. Weren’t rough or anything. Even offered him a cup of tea.

A young female officer took his statement, then guided Sara to another room. An older looking cop came right after, and asked Robert, again, what were the provocations for the assault. The young man told him—again—word for word what Tom had threatened to do and the harassment Sara faced at his hands. The officer’s pencil scribbled away on his notepad.

“And he specifically said he’d kill you both?”

“Yes,” Robert says.

“He threw the first punch?”

“Yes,” he says again.

“So you defended yourself?”

“That’s exactly right.”

“And between that and the call for an ambulance, what exactly else happened? Did you not notice Tom was falling unconscious?”

Robert flinches. Then turns away, hands clinging to his blood spattered jeans. He remembers his head being heavy during the assault, a buzzing filling up his ears. It makes him sick. Thank God he’s sitting down, otherwise he might have vomited on the floor.

“Look,” the officer says, putting his coffee down. “I’m not judging you, alright? We have Miss Ramos’ older testimony on record. We know what he was capable of. He was a danger to others. But if this goes to trial, we need to be thorough on the facts of the incident, okay? You have no idea how many pricks get a slap on the wrist because the officer in charge didn’t do his diligence.”

“I understand,” he breathes out. “You’re just doing your job.”

He must look ghastly because the officer takes a cereal bar from his drawer and gives it to Robert. With some hesitance, he takes it. He devours it in three bites.

“Just tell the truth,” he says, patiently. “That’s all I ask.”

Sara comes back forty minutes later. The female officer whispers something to the man, to which he nods, then tells Robert he’s free to go.

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