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Chapter 10
The jangling of keys woke me up, which was stereotypical for prison, but one hundred percent accurate. Footsteps were coming our way. I sat up slowly, feeling groggy and out of it. My eyes burned. Sleep had been fitful, but I’d definitely gotten some z’s in there, which seemed like a miracle, considering.
I was certain if we hadn’t just driven sixteen hours, sleep would’ve been impossible.
“What time is it?” Poppy asked in a tired voice.
“Not sure,” I answered quietly.
Annabel and Yasmine were still asleep, both sprawled at either end of the same bench, their feet almost touching.
“I can’t believe I was actually able to get any rest, but I did,” Poppy murmured. “But man, my back feels like somebody drop-kicked it, then stomped on it a few times.”
“Mine, too,” I said, reaching around to rub it. I could honestly say that I’d never slept sitting up in a jail cell before.
It was something I hoped never to revisit.
“Yasmine?” a male voice called. A tall, dark-haired man entered the room slightly ahead of the female officer who accompanied him. He was at least six five with broad shoulders and a very chiseled chin. His hair was cut short, but styled a little longer on top. He was stunningly handsome. He could be the next Jack Reacher. Maybe he was? We were close to Hollywood after all. “Yasmine, is that you?”
“Matt?” Yasmine struggled to sit up, obviously trying to figure out where she was. “Is it really you?”
He came close to the bars, grabbing hold of them as Yasmine rushed forward. “I came as soon as they told me you were here,” he replied. “They took their sweet time telling me what happened, and I’m a little pissed. Gavin just got off his shift and decided to drop by instead of calling me. He told me the whole story while I was getting ready for work. I came straight over.”
“I’m so sorry,” she started. “This whole thing blew up. I was just trying to get a letter to you. It was so stupid.” She shook her head. “I should’ve known better.”
Poppy joined me on my bench, leaning over to whisper, “This is totally playing like a scene out of a movie. The ex-cop comes to rescue his wrongly accused woman. Except he’s not a police officer, and she was rightly accused. And can I just say, she did not prepare us for how ridiculously good-looking he is. Holy cats. Meeeow.”
“He’s pretty dreamy,” I whispered back. “And he looks excited to see her.”
“Totally,” Poppy said. “I know a love face when I see one, and his is on point.”
“A love face? You just made that up.”
“Did not. Just look. He’s moony-eyed, at the same time hungry, at the same time protective. Like, he can’t wait to gobble her up, and if anybody gets in his way, he’s ready to do some harm with those big guns of his. Pow, pow.” She mocked taking a few punches.
I sized him up.
He and Yasmine were murmuring to each other in low tones. He was intently focused on her, like nothing else existed. I was pretty sure he didn’t know the rest of us were in here.
The cop next to him seemed to catch on to what was happening and graciously gave them their space.
Annabel waggled her eyebrows at us from across the cell, then flashed a double thumbs-up.
After a moment, Yasmine took a step back.
Matt addressed the rest of us. “You’re all getting out of here. No charges will be filed.”
We all perked up.
“They got a hold of the duke and duchess?” Poppy asked, hope leaking around her worried tone. It would be another good story.
“I’m not sure of the particulars,” Matt replied, glancing at the police officer. “But I think the Crawfords vouched for you. That was enough.”
“Kelly came through in the end,” Annabel said as she stood, stretching her arms over her head. “That means we were at the right house. I didn’t expect that plot twist, but it’s a good one. Kept us out of the clink long term.”
The police officer unlocked the cell. “Follow me,” she said. “We’ll get all your personal items back to you, and you’re free to go.”
“What time is it?” I asked as we shuffled out.
