Page 23 of Savage in the Streets
I keep my eyes fixed on hers because liars shun eye contact.
“Mr. Ward, I was raised by a liar. I’ve been lied to my entire life. After a while, lies became easy to spot.”
“Let’s just leave it at it doesn’t matter how I know your brother. What matters is that you tell me the truth, and I promise, I’ll do my best to get you off.”
“Is it really you getting me off when you give me my drawer full of toys?”
A chuckle escapes my throat. I pegged Bailey as a lot of things, but witty was not one of them, and it’s coming as a complete surprise that I’m finding myself enjoying her company.
And her excitable nipples. Fuck, if I’m gonna be working with her, she needs a bra.
“So what now?” she asks.
“You’re staying with me for the foreseeable future. If you try to leave, I’ll call the cops.”
She nods her head. “Understood.”
“Speaking of cops, you’re going to have to give your statement to the police. I’m going to tell you what to say, the right words to use. I’ll be with you. If at any time I tell you to shut up—shut up. Got it?”
She nods her head again.
“I’m going to take a few hours to familiarize myself with the case. You can go…watch television or something.”
“Can I have my cell?”
I hand it over to her, saying, “Be careful. They’ve already gone through it, and at any moment, they can do it again.”
“I know.”
She gets up to leave, and I pull out my phone to reply to Caleb’s text.
Ashton:Impossible to meet up. Too many eyes on the case. Bail was conditional, and they’re waiting to pounce.
Caleb:You better get this straightened out. It would be a shame if Liz were to have…issues.
My hands shake with anger,what little good it does me. The only way around this, is through it. I have to get Bailey off.
Chapter 7
Bailey
If it weren’tfor Ashton Ward, I’d be sitting in jail right now. Eventually, I’d be rotting in prison. The case they’ve built against me is just too good, and people love believing that I’m born of bad seed. There’s not a public defender out there that’s gonna care to do the legwork it takes to undo my father’s tangled web.
I gave my statement to the detectives at the police station, using the exact words Ashton advised me to, but it was clear they’ve already assigned my guilt.
Thankfully, Ashton is willing to go the extra mile because his reputation depends on it. That and because there’s something between him and my brother that I haven’t quite figured out.
I’m pretty sure Ashton doesn’t do drugs. He drinks each night, but not in excess. It’s possible there’s some kind of sex scandal, but I doubt a fancy lawyer like him would go for the hookers my brother hangs out around.
For once in your miserable life, you’ve caught a break. Just feel happy. Lucky.
A knock sounds on my bedroom door, and I open it to see Mabel.
“Oh my gosh—I accidentally butchered Ricky Mink’s hair today!”
Shit!I love my business and would do anything to protect its reputation.
“How bad?”
