Salted Caramel Coffee (COMPLETED!)

Chapter Twenty Four} €¡rçü$

     I gape at how nonchalant this bitch is being. My whole world is being flipped upside down, and she doesn't even seem to care. I guess that's how these things work, isn't it? I wonder how many murderers pass through her door every day. Five? Three? One? None?

     "I need to see her. Now." I hold my chin high, pretending that I'm my old, confident self. I could really use the Stone Cold Emma. The- Screw You Emma. But as far as I can tell, she's nowhere in sight.

     Jansen remains poised. "I don't believe her interrogation is over yet."

     "When will it be?"

     "Soon, I believe."

     I scoff weakly. "Fuck it." I whip my phone out of my pocket, typing in Jess' number forcefully. Holding it up to my ear, I wait for it to ring, begging her silently to pick up.

     "Phones don't work in here," Jansen chirps. Zero empathy. Zero.

     I throw my hands in the air, out of ideas. "What the hell, lady!" A fresh tear squeezes it's way between my eyelids, dripping down my cheek. "So what, I wait until she's done getting ripped to pieces by some dude, and then I can see her? What about James- can I see James?"

     Another click on the earpiece. She's silent for a moment, and in that silence, I can hear my foot tap tap tapping on the white, concrete floor. "They should be done in about a minute or so..."

     "So is that a yes?"

     Jansen takes another long pause, one so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. "Kind of."

   "Kind of? You think kind of is a good response?" I snap, wiping my runny nose with the back of my hand.

     Jansen throws me a nasty look, but doesn't snap back. "Yes. You can see her." She says. "But there will be some restrictions."

     "Restriction?"

     Jansen's thick eyebrows furrow as if two caterpillars are crawling across her face, her forehead scrunching in annoyance. "Would you stop answering my questions with more questions, for God's sake?"

     I cross my arms over my chest, my face going red. My foot continues to slap against the floor, taking no particular rhythm. Tap tap tap tap taptap tap taptaptap tap- "I don't know, was that a question?"

     "Was that?"

I don't exactly feel like going back and forth like this, although normally I'd want to. Right now. All I want is a straight answer. One that doesn't make me feel like spattering the pristine walls with red blood from banging my head against it. "Listen, Jansen. Can I see her or not? Cause I'd like to know how difficult I should be right now."

Jansen touches her finger to her ear one final time, pursing her lips just so. My stomach fills with butterflies, wings fluttering in my gut until Jansen finally speaks again. "Your friend is being transferred to a holding cell downstairs. You and your friend James Hardell may speak to her separately, but not at the same time. Your conversation will be unmonitored. However, we will be standing in the same room as you for safety reasons. If either of you try anything, it's straight to the Graveyard." She looks me dead in the eyes, making my insides do a backflip. "No exceptions, no second chances."

     I swallow hard. What would I even say to her? "Yeah, you tried to murder me... but it's all cool cause I love you." Yeah, right.

     "Okay." I wipe my eyes violently and sniff, hoping my eyes and nose aren't still red. I don't want her to see me like this, especially if I'm going to keep up my facade.