“Find a way to get that syringe in the courthouse and get rid of my guards. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Julian pressed end on the video and slipped the phone in his pocket. He’d had doubts the mailbox would have what he needed, but watching the video changed everything. He’d found the smoking gun that would free him.
Julian turned.
The tourists who had been pouring over postcards were being escorted out of the door. Julian stared at the tall, commanding man approaching him. He wore a dark jacket with St. Basil Police Department etched across the chest. Six other police officers flanked him, assault rifles pointed at Julian’s face.
“This was too easy. Getting your girlfriend to betray you. You falling for the setup,” the cop said, flashing a badge in his face. Detective Desmond Francois.
Julian eased the boxes to the floor and raised his hands in the air.
Detective Francois said, “Julian Montgomery, you’re under arrest.”
Chapter Fifty-Four
Feet and ankles shackled in heavy prison cuffs, Julian shuffled down the wide hallway separating the near empty jail cells inside the St. Basil Municipal Jail.
“Round three of questioning by the detectives?” Julian called out to the guard. “Or am I being transferred back to Tiverton?”
The past seventy-two hours had been filled with almost nonstop interrogation by Detective Francois. Octavia had been swift and direct with her instructions on which questions he could answer and which the detectives would have to be left wondering.
Julian had protected those he cared about. Denying any knowledge of how he was abducted from Tiverton was easy since TIDES hadn’t let him in on that little secret. Weaving a story to carve them out of his days after being free had been tricky. He’d kept Beaujean Ali and the Genesis Gallery out of his new story as well.
“Above my pay grade, Montgomery. I’m throwing you in the holding room and someone else will let you know what’s going on,” the guard said, remotely accessing the lock on the thick, steel door. He pulled Julian forward as the door slid open and pushed him onto the other side.
Stepping inside the dim holding room, Julian glanced at the four walls, similar to the rooms he’d been in over the past three days as he was hammered with questions for hours on end.
The detective had taunted him about Mena’s betrayal that led to his capture. Pointing out how she’d quickly cracked under pressure and agreed to lead the cops to him. He was in custody and he had the love of his life to thank for losing his freedom.
Julian hadn’t flinched. He was stoic as he waited for the monologue to end and the questions to resume. Each time Octavia had tried to find out what happened to the evidence from the post office box, the detective evaded her questions. At one point, he’d slipped up and acknowledged that while Adam Russell was still in PIIB custody, the man was stonewalling the federal agents, providing nothing to help or hurt Julian’s case.
Julian held his hands out, waiting for the guard to lock him down to the table.
“They said no lock this time.” The door slid closed behind the guard, resounding with a loud echo as the lock was re-engaged.
Julian took a deep breath. Drumming his fingers across the table, his mind wandered to Mena.
She’d looked stunning the last time he saw her, dressed in the coral sundress she’d purchased on one of their impromptu trips to St. Killian before Dumay’s trial had begun. He remembered how she’d playfully teased him with a mini fashion show as she tried on dress after dress in the exclusive boutique near Avalon Estates. Julian had swelled with love for her, pleased that the five-figure price tag on the piece no longer bothered him. The payday from Timothy Irungu meant he could spoil the woman he loved with the finer things in life.
She’d left with quite a haul that day, but the coral sundress had been his favorite. The warm color made a striking contrast to her deep brown skin, giving her a carefree and exquisite air.
Even though she’d worked with the cops to set him up, he wanted to see her. He yearned to be near her, to talk to her, to tell her—
The door opened slowly.
Julian leaned back in the chair, guarding himself for another onslaught from Detective Francois.
Except, it wasn’t either of the detectives walking through the door.
Mena eased past the guard, then stopped, standing near the middle of the room. Her eyes locked onto his. Guilt and shame clouded her beautiful face.
“Hey, don’t cry,” Julian called out to her. “Mena, come here.”
She shook her head. “I shouldn’t be here. Not after I betrayed you.”
Julian stood quickly and tried to rush toward her. Stumbling over his feet, still shackled at the ankles, he tumbled to the floor.
“Julian, are you okay?” Mena rushed to his side, kneeling next to him.
