Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74749 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74749 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Is it possible that they have something that is innocent but they’re reading it as evidence against me? It’s not unheard of for innocent people to go to prison for crimes they didn’t commit.
I grow angrier and angrier as I sit outside the hospital, hating how the tables have turned. I have more integrity in my fucking pinky toe than half of the people I’ve ever come in contact with, and that includes some of the assholes at the police station. Don’t get me started on what my thoughts of the police chief are turning into if he was willing to release someone he thought was a rapist and murderer just to save his ass or prevent the department from being sued while he gathered more evidence.
I pull out my cell phone, calling the only person I know who can help me right now.
“What’s up?” Max, the club’s main IT specialist, asks when the call connects, but I can already tell in his tone he either expected this call or he was warned that it might be coming.
“I need you to tap into the hospital’s system.”
Silence fills the line, but I know better than to think he might be considering doing this.
“Patients’ records are federally protected,” he says, his tone even.
“Colton just took Lennox into the hospital. I need to know why she’s there.”
“You’ll have to ask her,” Max says.
“He won’t give me access to her,” I growl. “Why the fuck would he bring her to the hospital?”
“For DNA collection,” Max answers.
“My DNA is on file,” I remind him.
Silence fills the line, the seconds ticking by before he speaks again.
“If they think you sexually assaulted Rochelle and then had sex with Lennox then they’re—”
“Motherfucker,” I interrupt. “They’re expecting to find a dead woman’s DNA on Lennox? That’s fucking disgusting.”
“It’s used more often than you think,” Max says. “Numerous serial rapists have been caught that way.”
“I’m not a rapist,” I growl, wondering just how much more pressure my phone can take before it snaps in half with how hard I’m squeezing it.
“I fucking know that, man. Everyone here at Cerberus knows that. I bet Colton knows it too. Have a little faith in—”
“I swear to God, Max, if you tell me to have faith in the police department…”
“Have faith in Colton. Have faith in Lennox. They’re both good cops. I can’t access the hospital’s files. I’ll be of no help to Cerberus if I’m in prison.”
I end the call without saying goodbye, but I consider it nicer than what I wanted to say to his refusal.
I’d like nothing more than to ride for hours at a time, but it’s not possible. Not once in my life have I ever considered needing an alibi or making sure I had a witness to what I’m doing. Disappearing with a flimsy excuse as to where I was isn’t an option right now. Things are already fucking bad enough, so I leave the hospital and head right back to the clubhouse.
I hate that I can’t stand the sight of Drake’s truck still in the parking lot, and I openly cringe when I see Boomer walking across the living room with two bottles of water in his hands the second I step back inside. It means Drake is not only here, but he’s in the living room.
Part of me wants to head straight to my room and hide out until all of this shit settles, but I’m not really the type of person to hide from a fight.
I stand to the side, my eyes glued to the television although I couldn’t really tell you what teams are playing in the baseball game they’re watching.
I stiffen when I sense Drake stand up and approach me.
I know the man is hurting. He’s lost a friend, but he got two free punches in earlier, and I’m not in the mood to offer my face as a punching bag a second time.
I look to Boomer first, but he shrugs at my warning, telling me pretty much that Drake is a grown man and makes his own decisions.
“I wanted to say I’m sorry,” the man says rather than attempting to take another shot at me.
I drop my eyes to him.
“I know you didn’t hurt Rochelle.”
I swallow against the lump forming in my throat, not realizing until now just how much I needed for someone to tell me they don’t think I hurt women.
“I also know you weren’t responsible for her safety. You went above and beyond making sure she made it inside her house as many times as you did.”
I have to wonder if his opinion of me would change if he knew I went into her house that night. It seems with Lennox allowing Colton to escort her to the hospital that she thinks I had time to hurt and kill the poor woman.