Page 93 of Sweet Sin

“Falcon…” Lola admonishes.

“Well, come on, Lola. Did I realize I could have gotten shot? Of course. I’m not some nitwit.”

“You are an ex-con, Mr. Bellamy.” From Ericson.

“I’m also aware of that, Detective.”

“All right.” He sighs. “What happened next?”

“Carlo and I were at a standoff, and he made it pretty clear he didn’t care about Abel’s life. I could shoot him, as long as Carlo took Savannah, which was not going to happen.”

“And…”

“I saw Savannah sneak out of the pool house. I’d told her to stay put, but she didn’t. I realized I couldn’t let Carlo know she was out, so I kept him focused on me. I was also worried the dogs would bark and give her away, but they didn’t.”

“They didn’t?” He raises his eyebrows.

“Surprised the hell out of me too, but they didn’t. Savannah crept closer, until finally Sydney barked, Carlo turned, and Savannah lunged at him with a jagged piece of glass she’d broken from one of the mirrors in the changing room.”

“Then…”

“She was going at him with a vengeance, so I clocked Abel in the head with his pistol, and he fell onto the ground. Then I pulled Savannah off Carlo and made her give me the robe she was wearing so I could try to stop the bleeding from his carotid.”

“I see. That all seems to be here. Then what?”

“I told Savannah to get some clothes on. She was covered in Carlo’s blood. She went into the house and found the landline and called 911.”

“Did you consider leaving?”

“No, Detective,” I lie.

If Savannah had gone with me to the safe house Hawk and Eagle set up after I was incarcerated, we’d be long gone by now.

“Why not?”

“Because neither of us did anything wrong. The men were trespassers, and they held us up at gunpoint. Plus, I just got out. I wasn’t about to leave my family. My sister is sick with leukemia.”

“Yes. I’ve heard. How is she?”

“I haven’t checked in with her yet today. I had to come here instead.” I don’t even attempt to disguise the resentment in my voice.

“I’m sure she’s doing fine, Falcon,” Lola says. “Thanks to you.”

“Yes,” Ericson says. “I see here you were released early because you were the only one of your siblings who was a match for your sister’s bone marrow transplant.”

“That’s correct.”

“So you’d still be inside if it weren’t for her getting sick.”

“I was up for parole next month, and my counselor said I’d probably get it.”

“Except the last time you were up for parole, your sentence got extended because you attacked an inmate.”

“Incorrect. I defended myself against another inmate. My sentence got extended because I was in possession of contraband. Which, had I not had it in my possession, I’d have either spent a month in the infirmary or I’d be fucking dead.”

I expect admonition from Lola, but she resists.

Good.

---