𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐞 // 𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐞

TWENTY

He jogged towards her and the officer. Ward extended his arms towards her and she backed away. Kamden slowly backed away as Ward tried to embrace her.

"No, no." She objected as she continued to back up.

Ward grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the officer.

"Let these people do their jobs." He nodded as he pulled her away.

"John B didn't shoot Peterkin!" She yelled.

The officer looked at Kamden as Ward gripped her forearm. Ward turned back to the officer.

"I can tell you that is not true. I gave a sworn deposition." He looked down at Kamden as she struggled. "My daughter wasn't there. She doesn't know what she's talking about."

"No," Kamden strived. "I'm not your daughter! That's a lie!"

Ward let go of her and looked down.

"Fine, who did it then, Kamden?"

She panted as she looked between Ward and the officer. She let out a soft sob.

"Kaleb." The SBI officer walked towards them. Kamden repeated his name. "My brother Kaleb killed Sheriff Peterkin. I saw. He had the gun."

"He was home." Ward objected over Kamden. "My wife can attest to that."

He grabbed Kamden's wrists and pulled her back.

"No! No!" She shouted as she ripped them away from him.

"Please, sweetie. Stop." He grabbed her head.

Kamden pushed him back and panted. Ward stumbled.

"What is wrong with you?" She exclaimed. "How long have you been lying to us? To my mother?"

Ward backed away from her as she yelled.

"Can I speak with you in private?" Ward asked as he looked at the SBI officer.

The officer nodded then looked back at Kamden.

"My men will take good care of you." He stated as another man grabbed Kamden.

Kamden objected as the man held her back. Ward turned towards the SBI officer.

"My daughter his falling apart." He spoke softly. "She was just diagnosed as bipolar, and right now, she's in a very unhealthy relationship. She is 16 and-"

"And she's protecting him." The SBI officer finished his sentence.

Ward looked from the officer to Kamden and back then nodded.

"I can't even tell you the number this guy has done on her. He has her so brainwashed, she doesn't even see him for what he is, and that is a very bad guy." Kamden panted as she continued to fight the guard holding her. "I know he uses drugs. He was involved in an assault with a weapon. All I'm asking is maybe if I can just take my daughter home and just be safe."

The officer nodded as he looked at Ward. He gave him a soft smile.

"I'm just gonna talk to her first."

He turned to where Kamden was standing. Ward sighed as he rubbed his eyes and looked up, the widened as he looked at the empty space, and the guard keeling over.

Kamden panted as she jumped over a fence. Tears blind her and she turned, running as quickly as her legs could carry her, bolting down the alleyway like an Olympic champion at the start gun; quickening her pace to an all-out sprint. The pounding noise of her converses resonated off the walls of the alley with a clanging echo that matched her heart throbbing with the thick adrenaline and fear she felt as she ran.