The holding cell is small, big enough for the two of us to stand up and move around a little, but not big enough for anything else. Cat took the top bunk almost as soon as we arrived and has been sitting motionless, meditating ever since. I’ve relegated myself to the bottom bunk, mostly because there isn’t enough room in the cell to pace around, but also because Cat hasn’t been very talkative. I’m not excited about being picked up by the police either, but I’m not sure why Cat has been so quiet. Maybe she’s mad at me for telling her not to fight the police SWAT team, or maybe it’s something else.
The silence is finally broken when the large sliding bolt lock, which secures the main door of the holding area, disengages with a thud. The door swings open with a metallic growl and a local deputy comes padding down the hall whistling an unfamiliar show tune.
I’m not sure what he could possibly want, since they’ve already booked us and taken all of our information. Not that there’s a lot of guessing at who we are, since my picture has been all over the news since the night I left my mom’s house. The deputy stops in front of our cell and jingles his keys a little.
“Well now,” he says casually. “I don’t mean to break up the fun, but the detective finally showed up and he has some questions for you two.” He unlocks the cell door and swings it open.
I swallow hard and stand up.
“Sorry, not your turn yet little lady,” the deputy says. “Anderson says he wants Catherine first.”
Cat hops down next to me and, without a glance, heads out the door with the deputy. He snaps the door shut behind her and latches her hands behind her back with a pair of handcuffs.
“All right, let’s go,” he says to Cat. “And don’t you go nowhere,” he adds with a little wink toward me.
Without a watch, it feels like hours pass while Cat is gone. I would guess it hasn’t really been that long or I would be falling asleep. Despite being completely exhausted, I still can’t seem to close my eyes.
Eventually the bolt lock unlatches and Cat is unceremoniously returned to our cell. She slides close as we pass and whispers, but I can’t understand her.
The deputy smiles at me. “Your turn hon.” I walk out of the cell where he repeats the process, handcuffing me and leading me out of the holding area. We head down another hallway to a small room. It is nearly empty, except two chairs and a small table with one wall covered by a large mirror, no doubt hiding witnesses to the interrogation. The deputy leads me in and helps me into one of chairs while the sound of another’s footsteps follow close behind.
A second man steps around the table and flops a rather hefty file folder in front of the chair opposite me. He looks thin and young, dressed in a light blue polo shirt and khakis. He sort of fumbles with the chair as he slides it out and awkwardly sits down.
“Hi, uhh.” He clears his throat. “I’m detective Anderson.” He puts out his hand to shake mine, but I’m unable to move with the handcuffs on.
“Oh yes, well you can take those off,” he says to the deputy while waving his hand toward me.
The deputy purses his lips and gives a sort of sideways glance at Anderson, who now has sweat beading on his forehead. The man flips open the file while the deputy takes off my handcuffs.
“Well now, it says here there’s a warrant out for your arrest. You’re charged with arson, assaulting an officer, evading police, and multiple counts of homicide.”
Homicide? “I didn’t do any of those things,” I say in a bit of shock. “I mean, I was there, but I didn’t do them.”
“Well, you and your friend out there are in a lot of trouble. Now if you come clean with us we might be able to help you out a bit.”
YOU ARE READING
In Factorem - The Coming Winter
Science FictionA young woman trapped in her life and isolated by her past suddenly finds herself bound to a sökare, running as a fugitive, and hunted by shadow. Losing everything, she finds herself thrust into a world her mom hid and an existence her dad died to s...
