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“Not at all, deputy. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some place I need to be,” she says airily, but somehow she still manages to sound patronizing, and I have to stifle a laugh. With one last look to me, she spins on her heel and marches away. It’s just like six years ago when she left me at the graveside, not even a glance back in my direction. But I won’t let her run from me again.
“Mr. King. Asher, a word, please.”
Turning my attention back to Deputy Peters, I say, “What can I do for you?” I look back down the street to where Kenzie disappeared.
“Down at the station, Mr. King.”
My head snaps back to the deputy. “At the station? What is this about?”
“If you’ll come with me, I’ll explain then.”
I shake my head and point to my open front door. “I need to grab my keys and lock up. That okay?” I ask disgruntled. He nods, and I jog back to the house more than a little pissed off and mumbling to myself.
I’m aware that Deputy Peters has followed me, no doubt to ensure I don’t try to run. I know what this is about: the break in at Aria’s. I’m prime suspect thanks to my record. It’s total bullshit. I wonder if the chief knows about this.
At the station, I’m placed in a room, the usual, with just a table and a couple of chairs, where I spend the next hour waiting for the deputy to come and ask his damn questions. The longer I sit here, the more pissed off I get, which is exactly the purpose. It’s not like I haven’t been in this position before. If that were the case, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now.
Most people know my past, know who my father was. And for the most part, people know I’m nothing like the asshole, although I do have a juvie record. Deputy Peters on the other hand hasn’t been in town all that long. He’s put two and two together and come up with five.
The door opens and in steps Deputy Peters, along with another deputy. Pulling out the chair opposite me, he sits, dropping a file down onto the table.
“Mr. King, can you tell me your whereabouts on the evening of July 22nd?”
I sigh. “Look, I’ve already told you we spent the evening together and then I left. If you had bothered to check, you’d know that on the evening of the 22nd July, I was at the station.”
“Not according to your shifts.”
“And let me guess according to my juvie record, I’m number one suspect, right? ‘Cause there’s no one else in town who could possibly have broken into Aria’s house, right?”
“We found your fingerprints at the property, and Aria says that you showed an interest in her father’s office, which appears to be where the most damage was done. I’m just doing my job, Mr. King.”
“Of course, my fingerprints were there, I just told you I was at the house. As for her father’s office, have you seen it?” He nods, and I continue, “The view alone makes it interesting. Check with my chief, but I can assure you I was at the station that evening, deputy,” I tell him firmly.
I’m not lying. I wasn’t rostered on but one of the other guys had to call off and I stepped in to meeting.
“Are you aware of who her father is?”
“We didn’t exactly do a lot of talking when we got back to hers.”
“Preston Thomas, senate candidate for the state of North Carolina.”
I shrug indifferently, but now it makes sense why he’s riding my ass so hard. “Like I said, talking wasn’t a top priority. Unless you have any other questions or plan to arrest me, I’m out of here.” I get to my feet, as does the deputy.
“Don’t go far, Mr. King.”
“Whatever,” I say as I leave.
Heat hits me as I step outside, and so does the fury at the fact I’m still being punished for a crime that, firstly, I didn’t fucking commit, and secondly, for something that happened when I was a sixteen-year-old kid.
My father and uncle have a lot to fucking answer for. What type of man allows their son to take the wrap for him and his brother? The kind who skips town while you’re locked up in juvie, then turns up dead a year later.
Looking across the street, I spot a black Escalade that pulls away as I turn in the direction of home and start walking, only to stop a second later when I see Stu talking to a man I’ve never seen before. Walking slowly, I watch as the man hands him an envelope, then points right at him threateningly before shoving past him. Stu pockets the envelope then gets in his car and drives away. I change direction and follow the man as he heads for the Lake Side Parade.
I keep a safe distance away, casually strolling along behind him, but when his cell rings, I quicken my pace to listen in on his conversation.
“…it’s done… Yes, I’m aware, but it won’t be a problem.” There’s a couple of minutes pause while the person on the other end talks, then he says, “The daughter. I’ll take care of it. Just stick to your side of the fucking deal.” He ends the call as he reaches a car; the same black Escalade I just watched pull away that somehow circled back to pick him up.
What the fuck is going on?
