Page 96 of A Tragic Melody

“Unless of course you want to tell us who it really belongs to,” the first officer offers.

“It belongs to me,” I say, standing up.

“But you have no idea what’s in it?”

“Yeah.” I nod.

“Are you saying the drugs just magically appeared then?”

“Must have.” I shrug.

“Turn around.”

A set of handcuffs are slapped around my wrists before he shuffles me forward.

“Better call your bandmate a good lawyer,” one of the officers behind me says. “His bag has enough drugs to kill a horse.”

I glance over to see Tuesday staring at me. Her smokey eyes are brimming with tears, confusion etched on her face.

For a moment, I regretted my decision, but one look at her reminds me why I’m doing this. I’m determined to try and save her. It might be a hopeless cause, but as she looks at me in handcuffs for her crimes, I think maybe it isn’t completely hopeless.

My fingerprints and mug shot are taken, along with a blood and urine sample. Now I sit handcuffed to a chair in a questioning cell. It’s pointless, really. I’m not saying a word without a lawyer, and until my court-appointed one shows up, they are just wasting their time.

“Ready to talk?” one of the officers asks. He slides a can of soda in front of me.

I shake my head.

“Want to listen then?”

I shrug.

“I’m not buying the story that they are your drugs. I saw the girl. She was fidgeting and sweating bullets. I also saw how hot she is. Maybe you think if you take the fall for her, she will finally sleep with you, but you should know she has a hefty amount on her. Almost enough for a felony.”

Almost enough for a felony is great to hear right now. I could get out of this with a trip to rehab and light probation. That wouldn’t be so bad. It’s my first offense. I mean, I have a known drug problem, sure, but I’ve never been caught with drugs on me before.

“If you tell us the truth, we could have you released in the next hour.” When I don’t reply, he nods, grabbing the soda off the table. “Okay then, well you probably won’t get a lawyer until tomorrow, so that means you won’t see a judge until then. Meaning a night in jail.”

I shrug.

When they have me placed back in the cell with a drunk guy and a man in a stained suit, I realize it’s going to be a long day.

There is no way of knowing what’s going to happen now. All I can do is stare at the brick wall and wait for a lawyer.

Still with my life on the line, my freedom shrinking, and my future dimming, I find myself only worried about what Tuesday is going to do. I need her to stay out of this. I can’t have her doing anything to put herself in trouble right now. It’s best I take the fall so she comes out unharmed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

I don’t know why he did it. My mind can’t comprehend why he would claim the drugs as his own. It makes no sense. If he let me get arrested for it, I’d have had very little choice but to try to get sober. It probably would’ve ended my career, but then he would’ve won.

That was his plan, right? In the beginning, he was trying to push me out of the spotlight so he could have it all to himself. He had his chance to do it, and yet he still took the fall for me.

I’m sick with guilt and dread, because I may not be the one behind bars right now, but I know I’ll still have to face some consequences.

When my phone rings, I glance up to see Quinn still staring at me with a look of disappointment. I push myself off the couch and walk to my bunk.

When I answer, Hendricks instantly starts screaming at me. It’s hard to keep the phone held to my ear with how loud he is yelling.

“Do you know how bad this looks?” He shouts. “And don’t think for one second I’m buying the story that they belonged to him. I’m not a fucking idiot. I get reports back. I know all about the nose bleeds and show delays.”