Detective Maxwell
I was finally able to visit with Toni after hearing she was being seen by a doctor earlier this morning. I feared she'd gotten into a fight until she came into the visitation area with no bruises. She sat down with an evident attitude as she looked away from me.
"I heard you were in the infirmary. Are you alright?" I asked.
"Oh I'm great. Jail is delightful and I've got major street cred since everyone here thinks I'm a murderer." She said sarcastically.
"During your time here, did you decide on telling me what happened?" I asked her. She stayed silent. I sighed, "Off the record, if you did do it, it was totally justified."
Her head snapped up, "You talked to my daughter?" She asked staring daggers into me.
"I pulled your hospital records. You went to the hospital 4 times in one month and that was only a few months ago. Each injury was different; bruised rib, sprained wrist, and the list goes on." I simply said. She shook her head as her eyes watered. I grabbed her hand, "Tell me the truth and let me help you."
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Toni
I snatched my hand away and wiped a stray tear. Every time I think about what I went through with Aaron, I wish I had killed him myself.
Detective Maxwell sighed, "Or we can talk about where Kenny is. I know you called him."
"He didn't say where he was or where he was going. Happy now?" I snapped.
"I'm trying to help you here."
"Really? I can't tell."
"Look, if you don't start cooperating you could go to jail for a really long time. You'll never see Tiana again. Do you really want that?" She asked.
"No!" I said as the tears started flowing again. Her bringing up Tiana made me think of the news I got this morning. I know now I really have to protect Ken. He's not gonna leave me pregnant and alone again!
"Then tell me something! Anything! I'm trying to piece this together. Aaron's murder, Kenny, this missing machine, all of it."
"I didn't kill my husband." I said simply.
Before she could say something the door opened.
Brooks peeped in, "Tara..."
"Yeah." She answered.
"An anonymous source just posted her bail."
She scoffed, "Of course."
I stood up and they took me back to where they booked me in. I was given all my clothes and belongings back. Afterwards we hopped in the car and headed back to the station.
"Where's my kid?" I asked her.
"At the station." She said.
"Did you make her sleep in a cell too?"
"No, she slept in my office. You're welcome."
I walked into the station and saw my baby.
"Mommy!" She squealed running to me.
Catching her in my arms, "Hey! I missed you so much. Are you okay?" I asked pulling away to look at her.
"Yeah, I had fun. I drew pictures in Ms. Tara's office, we played board games, and this morning she got me donuts, AND I got to help feed the police dogs."
"That sounds like fun. You ready to go?"
"Yeah." She said as one of the officers handed me some release forms to fill out. Tiana went to hug Detective Maxwell, "Bye." She said.
"Bye cutie." She answered.
"Thanks." I said before walking out. Although I was angry, it was sweet that she took care of my daughter.
As we walked outside, a red sedan parked in back of the parking lot honked its horn. I went up to it and my eyes widened as I looked through the window.
"There's my little jailbird." He said as I opened the passenger seat door.
"Ken!" I said defensively.
"I'm sorry. I'm glad you're okay." He said kissing my forehead. He turned around seeing Tiana getting in the backseat, "Hey princess."
"Hi." She said putting her seatbelt on.
I looked around before looking at him, "You shouldn't be here. They could come-"
"Who cares? Let them come. I'll do the time to keep my family safe."
"Who's car is this?"
"Lola let me borrow it." He said starting it up.
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Kenny
By the time we made it to the house, Tiana had fallen asleep. Toni took her upstairs and laid her down in her room. When she returned we sat on the couch in silence while drinking wine.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that stuff and you're right, I'm the one ruining Tiana's life." She said breaking the silence.
I sighed pulling her into me, "You're not ruining her life. You're just trying to protect her. I'm sorry too." I said before pecking her lips.
"Ken, those men...the ones that you gave the machine to, they came here looking for you. They wanna hurt you."
I frowned, "What? No way, Ali won't let that happen."
"He was with them."
"Maybe he was just going along with them...to keep himself safe." I said. Ali was the one that helped me when they brought me back to the states. He's my friend. There's gotta be an explanation for this.
Toni scoffed and sat up, "He picked up our child and pointed a gun at her all while demanding I tell them your whereabouts. That's more than just playing along."
Her words tattooed themselves in my brain and all I saw was red. I went into the basement and opened the box I hid inside the wall. Luckily the cops didn't find it. I took everything out and went back to Toni.
"Here, if they come back here before I find them, blow their heads off." I said handing her a gun.
"What-"
I interrupted handing her a piece of paper with an address on it, "And here, if something happens to me, you take Tiana and go. You'll be safe, I know you always dreamt of going there anyway."
"I don't like where this is going." She said.
"No one is gonna threaten my family and get away with it." I said pulling out my own gun and heading for the door.
Toni sped past me and stood in front of the door, "Stop!"
"To-"
"Don't you get it? Every time we're apart, shit happens. It's always been like that and I can't take it anymore." She vented as she started to cry.
I wiped her tears and pulled her into a deep kiss. I realized she's right. I'm always leaving her alone and defenseless, then bad stuff happens. It's been that way since I left for war the first time. When we're together everything is right. I want to protect her and Tiana, but I can't do that if I'm never around. So from now on, it's us against the world.
