Page 64 of Chaos Crown

“No, it’s better for you to show me. I might recognize something.”

Yeah, like an opportunity to give your boss, Dante, more leverage over the Bedlam Boys. Maybe this wouldn’t be the hard part.

“I parked out front.”

I led the way, not saying anymore lest I overplay my hand. I dangled a chance to make the Bedlam Boys suffer, and she followed me right out the door. If there really was a box, I had no doubt Quinn was scheming too... to take it from me.

Together we tromped past the jumping pledges and left the pretty lake house behind. I rounded the car, beeping the trunk open. “It’s here.”

Quinn came up next to me, again a little too quickly. “Where?”

I lifted out the golf clubs and pointed to the mahogany box waiting underneath. “Do you think you will recognize something? Will this box get me away from them?”

“Maybe,” she said, snatching it out. “But you should leave it with me for a few days, so I can make sure—”

I swung, bringing the gold club down in a graceful arc on her head.

“Uh.” Quinn wobbled on her feet and tipped, falling face-first into the trunk. I helped her the rest of the way, shoving her legs inside.

“Don’t worry. This trunk comfortably fits two people.” I dumped the clubs in after her. “You’ll be fine.”

***

LEGEND

“Hey. Hey! I know you can hear me,” I shouted. “We get a phone call. You either hand over your fucking cell phone, or my lawyers will tie you up in so many civil rights suits, you’ll burst into tears whenever you hear the word motion.”

“Shut up,” snapped one of the officers.

“You three are idiots. Everyone saw you arrest us. The lawyers are on the way. Do you want them to hear you were good to us, or that you beat us to shit then refused our phone call?”

“Beat you? We didn’t lay a hand—”

“Roan.”

My love and boyfriend of five years punched me dead in the face. Blood burst in my mouth.

“Hey! What the hell are you doing!” Officer Mars scrabbled out of his seat.

“Oh shit, you broke my nose too.”

Roan reared back.

“Stop! Fuck’s sake,” he cried, rushing the bars. “Get away from him. Grab the wall. All of you.”

Smirking, Roan backed up and faced the wall as ordered. Arsenio, Cairo, and Jacques followed suit.

“Crazy, lunatic thugs.” Mars muttered to himself as he fiddled with the keys. “You’re going to an interrogation room where you can’t cause any trouble. And yes, you’ll get your damn phone call.”

Mars hauled me out none too gently and dragged me across the station. He shoved me in a seat and tossed his phone at me.

“Thank you very much. I’ll also take a bottled water and first aid kit. Wouldn’t want my lawyer to hear you denied me medical treatment.”

He rattled the two-way glass slamming the door.

I laughed, but only for a second. There was nothing funny about the situation we were in.

What now? How do we get out of this?

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