Page 72 of Fight or Flight

CHAPTER XXIV

IT’S BEEN FIVE DAYS since I’ve been put in a small cell. The police officers are unwilling or unable to tell me shit, and I’m literally on the verge of losing my mind.

I have no idea what’s been going on outside these walls, and it’s fucking hell. After the first night spent in the arrest, I got permission to make my one phone call, and I used it to call Jenny, of all people. Of course, she already knew everything from Brody, who’s apparently been out of the police station after just a few hours of interrogation. She also told me that Claire still hadn’t woken up but was stable.

But that was four days ago. And not a word.

“Linden, you’re out of here!” I hear coming from the end of the room. I’m so stiff and numb that I don’t react at first. “You deaf? Stand up. You’re getting out. There’s someone waiting for you.” The police officer grumbles and unlocks the cell.

My tired brain catches up eventually, and I get up from the cot to walk out on leaden legs.

I go through the motions on autopilot, too tired and sleep-deprived to actually comprehend what the officers are saying, and just nod when it looks like I was asked a question.

The sun blinds me as I walk out of the precinct. I take a deep breath and march forward. Then, I notice someone waving at me.

I was sure to see Brody waiting for me, so the sight of Sandra leaning on her black BMW throws me off for a bit even more when I notice how normal and humane she appears today.

There’s no bright red lipstick coloring her mouth or actually any kind of makeup. Her hair is down and swaying slowly in the wind. The lack of high heels makes her look ridiculously smaller than usual. The sweatshirt and yoga pants she wears look expensive and new, but it’s still weird, a weird contrast to her usual sexy outfits.

“Here’s the little culprit,” she announces as a way of greeting me and surprises me with a quick hug.

I know I smell like shit, but Sandra doesn’t seem to mind. She moves back to give me a critical once over, for the first time bringing a worried mother to my mind, before she slaps me on the chest.

“That was really stupid what you did, Aidan. Do you have any idea just how much paperwork your little trip to Chicago landed on my desk? You owe me big time. As does Damon, actually.”

“Um, Sandra? Not that it’s not nice to see a familiar face after the week I had, but... What are you doing here?”

Then, a thought hits me, and I step back from her.

“Did you come here to transport me back to prison? Because I broke the parole and um... shot the-”

“La-la-la-la,” she sticks fingers in her ears and exclaims, “Didn’t hear that.”

I snap my mouth shut and give her a questioning look, to which she rolls her eyes.

“Come on, jailbird. I’m here to give you a ride home. Brody is unavailable because his lady love is giving birth to their offspring as we speak. I’m so jealous...” She opens the door to her car and motions for me to get in. “Anyway, we’ll talk on the way.”

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