Page 50 of Lost in the Light

“Actually I’m her security. I go where she goes,” Kane corrected.

“Not in here, buddy. Money might by these Lyle’s whatever they want everywhere else, but hereI’min charge,” Harding threw back. He clearly had an issue with my family and the fact they had money.

“Detective, I was told you wish to speak with me, so I came to oblige. If there’s going to be an issue, I’m sure I could get a lawyer here as soon as possible. Will that be necessary?” I asked, using my haughtiest tone, and trying my best to channel the irritated look I’d seen my brother get when people were annoying him.

“No. But your guard dog will need to stay here. You don’t need security in a police station,” he acquiesced as he opened the door wider and motioned for me to enter.

Kane moved to get mad and I quickly stepped in. “I’ll be fine. Just wait here for me, okay? I have my cell. I’ll call you if I need you,” I told him quickly.

“I don’t like this,” he growled low.

“Nor do I, but I have to do it.” Before he could argue, or even see it coming, I reached up onto my tiptoes and kissed him chastely. He stood looking shocked as I walked through the door, the detective closing it behind me.

“Where are my brothers?” I asked.

“They’re still being questioned.”

“How much longer do you plan to hold them? They’ve been here for hours. They have nothing to tell you. They had no idea what was going on. They didn’t even get along with Joseph,” I argued.

“I can hold them for up to another ten hours,” he told me smugly. I stopped in the middle of the corridor, which he had directed me down, and glared at him.

“You’re turning this into a witch hunt, all because you resent the fact my brothers have money,” I accused.

“No, Miss Brooks. I’m simply doing my job. A young woman lost her life in the home of yourhalf-brothers. They need to account for that,” he threw back, and I glared hard when he seemed to take pleasure in emphasizing the ‘half’ when he referred to Asher and Eli.

“They haven’t even lived in that house for almost a decade! This is a load of crap and you know it! Why don’t you do your actual job, and find the monsters who are still out there, hurting, torturing, and raping girls, just like they did to me? Why don’t you try and put a stop to that instead of railroading innocent, good men?” I raged, so irate at this petty little man that I could barely breathe when I was finished.

“Are you giving a statement or not, Miss Brooks?” Harding asked, dismissing me with a roll of his eyes.

“Yes I am, and I want it recorded. I’d also like another officer present,” I said firmly. I didn’t trust the detective and I wanted to make sure the statement was actually used to help Eli and Asher get out of this messed up scenario, as soon as possible.

“So demanding. You really are one of them, aren’t you?” he sneered with a look of disgust, “Take a seat in there. I’ll need to get another detective if you insist on one being present.”

“I do.” I said firmly, refusing to let him see even one iota of weakness. He thought his comment was an insult, but if he was likening me to Asher, Eli, or both, I saw it as quite the opposite.

***

I had been in the interview room for over two hours. Harding had brought in another detective – a female named Kyla - who seemed to be a little more rational than Harding, thank God!

I had started by explaining what I knew so far about what had happened to me. I told them about the parties Hilton had taken me to, and then about Joseph being there. I explained what I remembered had happened when he had taken me to that room, about him tying me down and taking out the whip. I fought hard to keep it together, refusing to give Harding the pleasure of seeing me crumble, but it had been so freaking hard to recite all of my hell to two perfect strangers, and I knew I’d been visibly shaking by the time I was done.

Then the questions had begun. Harding seemed positive that I knew more about my father than I had told them. He seemed to think I was lying about the gaps in my memory and the whole interview had become very reminiscent of the brutal interrogation that had broken me in Vegas.

I made sure to explain that Asher and Eli had been home the morning of the arson and even implored them to talk to Kane, who Asher had dragged from the explosion at our home, but Harding didn’t care about that. It was like his mission was to try and trip me up and prove I was lying about my memory loss and the things I had recalled.

Finally detective Fields, or Kyra, as she’d said I could call her, had called an end to the interview. I was shaking so hard I couldbarely speak by that point, and I was hanging on by a threat, just fighting to keep myself in check.

They had both left, asking me to wait for them to return. I’d been relieved for the reprieve at first, but now a half hour had passed and I just wanted to get out of there and to someone I could feel safe with.

Kane, Adam, and Jordan were going crazy, blowing my phone up with text messages, demanding I walk out and come back to them where they waited in the entrance for me. I had continuously assured them I was okay, but I felt it was only a matter of time before Kane lost it and burst his way through the locked doors to me.

I once again tried to reassure him I’d be out soon, then set my cell on the table before me. I was still shaking hard, but I was doing an okay job at keeping my demons and darkness at bay. I hadn’t cried and I refused to break down now. I was, however, freezing cold and completely exhausted. It was the middle of the night and I was fading. I needed my family, food, sleep, and a ton of reassuring hugs.

“Where is she?” I heard the shout from outside the door and did let a sob slip free then. I had never been so relieved to hear anything in my life. I leapt up, grabbed my cell, and opened the door as fast as I could. As soon as I stepped out into the hallway, I saw Asher with his back to me, yelling at detective Harding. “I’ll have your badge for this. I told you she wasn’t to be questioned!” he raved irately.

“Asher!” I cried with relief. I was already running to him as he turned. I landed hard against his front, knocking a loud grunt from him as he took the impact and wrapped his arms around me.

“Sweetheart…”

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