Page 277 of Wrong Pucking Player

No more Mittens.

No more Kenzie…

“Means he saw you as a big enough threat to get rid of earlier,” Officer Klettskarð sums up as he leans back into his chair. “The question is, how long do you want this to drag out?”

“How long?”

“If we announce tomorrow we have proof of your innocence, it may put you at risk,” Officer Klettskarð reveals. “Having you contained somewhat will ensure you’re kept watched, and no one can try to harm you.”

“I don’t care what they want to do to me,” I declare. “It’s Kenzie, my cat, Mittens, Caren, Leo, my team that I’m fucking worried about. All their dreams are going to be shattered because of this dimshit, poor fucker I’ve been protecting all these years ‘cause I didn’t want to fucking lose him!”

It takes everything to pull back the anger pulsing through me. Just seeing Kenzie teary-eyed and so fucking afraid.

“I put the people I care about at risk for having a heart and not being a cold-hearted bastard. How is that fucking fair?”

“You know life isn’t fair, Oscar,” Officer Klettskarð reminds me, but he has empathy for me as he sighs and sits forward. “If we drag this out, it’s a perfect case of payback in court with evidence that this was all a setup. We already have a strong belief who did this, yes?”

“Fernandez,” I growl. “Winchester has to be involved, too.”

“I already have my set of officers on the scene. Anyone who tries to tamper with evidence will be arrested and thrown into the slammer. The chief should be here shortly.”

“Fuck,” I curse. “The chief is coming?”

“Has no choice.” He gives me a sympathetic look. “You’ll have to deal with that.”

“Fuck,” I groan and look back at the iPad, only for my eyes to grow wide. “What the… Andrews?”

Officer Klettskarð follows my gaze as we’re looking at the video where Kenzie is on her knees with her arms stretched in front of Katherine. The officer in front of her has handcuffs, and the tension around them is insane, even as a video. The iPad is mute, so I can’t hear what’s being said.

“Katherine Ross? Isn’t that Agent Ross?” Officer Klettskarð mutters before he takes the iPad to look at the video himself. “Why would they try to arrest her?”

“They were accusing her of starting the fire,” I declare.

“Are they fucking mad? They don’t recognize her because she’s not sporting ginger hair and green eyes?” He sounds extremely mad. “She can’t wear handcuffs.”

“Why not?”

Officer Klettskarð glares my way, which makes me shut my mouth, but he sighs and reels in his anger while reaching for his own cigarette. I end up offering the remaining half of mine, which he gladly takes and has a go for a few puffs.

“Ross went through months of torture at the hands of Fernandez. That fucker should have been dead long ago, but because his family has him protected like the fucking Pope, he’s still free and causing harm here in Strattonville,” he reveals. “He’s a sick bastard. Stalks the shit out of females. Drugs and rapes them. He had a sick obsession with calling Ross a mental bitch and handcuffing her whenever he could. Even put her in straight jackets while he got off.”

Fuck…

My jaw actually drops because I’ve never heard of something so dark.

“Ross can’t do handcuffs. She goes into a full panic and temporarily stops functioning. All that runs through her mind is flashbacks. Wasn’t Leo there? He knows about this. He’s assigned to protect her.”

“He was there,” I defend. “The police and firefighters ganged up on us. If we fought against them, they threatened to arrest us. That’s how I got into this shit. Well, aside from me punching, choking, and breaking that dude’s arm.”

“Probably deserved it,” Officer Klettskarð grumbles. “Joseph is a controlling ass. Can’t de-escalate shit.”

“I noticed,” I mumble just as there’s a knock on the door. A creak reveals Officer Melody.

“Hey. I’m back but need to review some things,” she begins and looks concerned. “I know you’re busy, but I need you.”

“For?”

“Ross.” Officer Melody looks pleadingly at her partner. “She’s having flashbacks. I can’t calm her, and neither can her friend.”

---