Page 88 of East (The Moral Compass 3)

“Mrs. O’Brien?”

“Erm, yes, who’s this?”

“I don’t know if you remember me, but my name is Mateo. I was one of the security guards at the hospital in Las Vegas.”

“Yes, vaguely.”

“Well, I don’t know if Zed told you or not, but I am also a police officer. I have your husband in custody, and I am calling to let you know that he won’t be home any time soon.”

“What do you mean? What’s he done?”

“He attacked his brother and has caused significant injuries. He also destroyed his hotel suite, and the two women who were in the room were extremely traumatised. He is being held in custody until we can get him a court date, but that could be a few weeks at the earliest. He will be transferred to a local prison by the end of the day.”

“Oh, God. Oh no, please no. Mateo, isn’t there anything you can do?”

“His bail is set at ten million dollars. I don’t even have ten thousand dollars or I would pay it. I know he’s not a bad guy, and whatever they did to rile him up like that, I am sure they deserved it, but that doesn’t help him right now.”

“I’ll pay it. Can we get him back to the UK if we pay it?”

“No, not until he’s been seen by the judge, but I bet you could speed up the hearing if someone was to donate a lump sum to a certain campaign that’s running at the moment.”

“Really, you mean bribe a judge?”

“No, I mean pay to have it moved up the list. I’m a law enforcement officer, Mrs. O’Brien. I would never condone bribery and corruption.”

I feel my throat closing and my chest tightening. Fuck, he’s going to prison.

“Can you talk to my brother, please?” I hand the phone to West and put my head in my hands.

What the hell was he thinking? Why didn’t he wait or at least try to talk to me?

He should have known I wouldn’t believe it. I’ve never doubted anything he has said. I have to admit, those photos were fairly convincing, and if I hadn’t seen the switch from Zed to Drake, I don’t think I would have worked it out either.

But he should have had more faith in me like I have in him. It wasn’t him I was worried about, it was what Alicia would try to do, and I was right.

They better get me a cell right next door to Zed when I get my hands on that skanky pair of bitches.

West disappears into the kitchen and is away for a really long time. If anyone can sort this out, it’s him.

When he comes back, his face is solemn.

“I’ve posted the bail, so he should be able to at least get out of the police cell, but he can’t come back here until he’s been seen by the judge. It all depends on Drake. If he presses charges, the likelihood is Zed will probably serve three to six months, but if not, then he could be on a plane home the next day.”

“Right, everyone get packed, we are going to Vegas,” North announces as if it’s a fucking holiday.

“What?”

“You heard me. We can’t leave him out there on his own. He wouldn’t leave us. He’d be the first on the plane, and you know it, so move your butt, Mrs. O’Brien. Let’s go and bring your husband home.”

Two hours later, the six of us board the jet. I pick the seat right at the front and put my bag on the seat next to me. I don’t really want any company right now. West takes the seat in the opposite aisle. Daisy looks around in awe; I know she’s never seen anything like it before. It reminds me of when she first came to the house. Her jaw was on the floor. South takes a seat beside her, and North and Kara head to the back of the plane.Do they never give up?

I’m sure Daisy is running on some sort of heavy duty batteries. God, she never shuts up. What’s this? What’s that? How far are we now? How long will we be?

I want to tell her to just be quiet, but it’s not her fault I’m in such a shitty mood. Ten minutes before we got on the plane, I got my period. I thought I’d be happy. I thought it wouldn’t bother me but, strangely, it has. I’m a tiny bit sad, and mix that with a gripping stomach ache, you have a recipe for a crazy woman on a mission.

Chapter 36

Zed

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