Free as a Jailbird

Chapter 31

It always makes me wonder why they put me in the same cell. Why not mix it up a bit? I could have dug my way out of there by now, what with all the time I've had sitting in that same square of fucking cement. And here I am again, trapped. A bird in a cage for the next something hours until they figure out what the hell they're charging me for.

I stare across my cell at the one on the other row. The blond tramp inspects her nails and scrapes dirt from beneath them. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't be in this joint again. She and Rusty are the only ones from their crew who got caught. Rusty is in interrogation with Sarge. Apparently he's wanted for another crime. I guess today isn't a good day for him after all.

"What's your deal with Rusty?" asks the girl and I look up from the roach I'm staring at. She glares at me through eyes that burn. Dried blood stains her pink shirt and drips down her nose. "He seems to have it in for you."

I sigh. "We were in a gang together. I've known him almost all my life."

"Yeah but why does he hate you?"

"It's really none of your business, Blondie." I turn away from her gaze. It's really piercing.

"My name is Hazel," she sneers.

"Whatever."

Silence falls and there is a crash from another room inside the station. Hazel jumps and tries to peer through the bars in her cell. I ignore it. Happens all the time.

"He's in deep shit, you know," she tells me. "When we first met I thought he was incredible. A former leader of the Southbend Bikers, still alive. They say that's really rare."

I snort. She's right about that. "Rusty's an animal," I say, scratching at the cement between the bricks on my right. "He settles down with girls, gets too physical and ends up scaring them away or gets bored and moves on. So how long have you two been together?"

Hazel rolls her eyes. "We're not."

"Well you looked pretty friendly."

"I'm just like that with a lot of guys," she tells me proudly. "Me and Rusty are pretty much the same."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" I ask with a fake smile.

"Judge all you want but there's perks to knowing a lot of guys in our world."

My eyebrows shoot up and there's another crash. "Our world?"

"You know, the Underbelly. The Backstreets. The-"

"I get it." I throw a chunk of cement across my cell and watch it roll across the walkway. It stops a foot from Hazel's cell. "I know a lot about 'our world'. More than you can imagine."

Hazel laughs and it's like nails on a chalkboard. "Yeah right. If you knew half the people I knew, you wouldn't be walking around the streets alone."

"Maybe I like my space." The door at the end of the corridor squeaks open. Please God don't be Nick, I beg.

"Speaking of people I know," Hazel smirks and gets to her feet, brushing dirt off her gloves. "Here's my ride."

"Hey," I scramble to the door. We've only been here half an hour and she already makes bail? Is that even allowed? "How did you–"

Sarge comes into view, his keys jingling as he walks up to Hazel's cell. He rocks back on his heels, glancing at the both of us in turn.

"You got plans for the weekend?" he asks Hazel with a teasing smile.

Her face falls. "Actually, I have a party–"

"Well you'd better cancel then," says the Sergeant. "Your boyfriend confessed."

"He's not my boyfriend!" she shouts and stamps her foot. I hide a laugh behind my hand. "And you don't get it, this party is going to be huge. Lizzie Garcia's parties are always huge."

I press myself up against the bars of my cell, my heart suddenly stopping. "Did you just say Lizzie Garcia?"