“No! It was an accident; it just went off. I think he got really nervous. She was threatening to kill me also.” Talking about it made it vivid and real. Her stomach cramped.
“Okay, Kristen. Just a few more questions. Not too painful, I hope.” He smiled, putting the pen down. She had his undivided attention. He took his time while she stared at him with large, wet eyes.
“Do you still live here?”
“No. I live with Jake. We just had a baby.” Her voice became dreamy.
“I see. How old?”
His eyes were glued on her. The warmth and kindness she found in them, drawing her in.
“He was born as a preemie nine days ago.” She felt the blush creeping up her face. Why am I telling him all this? She crinkled her nose and exhaled.
“Well, congratulations.” He smiled, still intent on her.
Despite herself she smiled back.
“So what were you and Jake doing here today?” His expression turned impassive again.
Her smile faded. “We were moving out all the baby's stuff. We were about to leave when she came in. Everything's in the truck downstairs.” The room began to tip before her eyes as the dizziness ripped through her. We need to get out of here and go to Alex. He must be going crazy.
“Was Logan here the whole time?” The detective resumed his scribbling, peeking up every so often.
What should I say now? We never spoke about this! She concentrated on the swirling colors embedded in the wood of the dining room table. “He came in shortly after we did.” Her voice was tiny, but he managed to hear her.
“And how long after that did Gina come in?”
“A while after. I don't remember exactly.” Her left eye began to twitch. She rested her head on her hand, hoping to stop it.
“And who is Gina again?” His eyebrows raised, but he didn’t meet her eyes.
“What?” She frowned at him, then regained her train of thought. “Some slu... he knows her from somewhere.” His glaring eyes told her he was waiting for more. “I don’t know her.”
Without warning, he leaned back, stretched, and rose to his feet. “Okay Kristen. That's all for now. Relax. I'll be right back.”
Then he was gone—just like that. Her mouth dropped open wide in surprise. She wiggled around in the hard chair to watch him leave. What did it all mean? She could feel the sobs rising in her chest. She needed to call Jake, but didn't dare. He was in the kitchen with the other detective. She wondered where Logan was. Unable to hold back any longer, she dropped her head on the table and burst into tears.
Jake tried to ignore the throbbing sensation in his leg. Detective Harvey was a tall dark skinned man with a soft voice and sincerity in his eyes. He looked around the room, then studied Jake with an intent expression on his face, as if trying to read his thoughts. After a few minutes of silence, Jake’s grogginess increased and his mind began to wander. I should've sliced Logan's other cheek also. Here I am struggling to push the self-defense crap, when I know that motherfucker killed Ray. If it wasn't for Kristen...
“So, Jake…”
Jake heard the faint sound of the detective’s voice somewhere in the back of his mind. Bouncing back to the present, he straightened up in his chair and looked him in the eye.
“You back with us now?” Without wasting another minute, Detective Harvey began hammering Jake with never-ending questions. Out of the blue, he stopped to offer him a bag of chips and a can of Pepsi. That's when it hit Jake—he was famished. It had to be late afternoon already, hours since he and Kristen had a light breakfast. His mind was spinning with thoughts of food.
Finally, the detective pushed his chair back and rose with a vibrating yawn. “Well that's it for now. But we need you to come to the station with us to give a recorded statement.” He took one more swig of the soda before tossing the can in the trash.
“I have to talk to my girlfriend first. We were going to the emergency room for my leg and also to see our baby.”
“Your leg? Did they document it? What happened?” Detective Harvey seemed to inflate with renewed energy.
“I told them. It was a stray bullet. Just a flesh wound.” Shit! That was a mistake. Sighing, Jake scratched his head.
More questions now and an inspection of his leg followed by additional note taking.
At last they returned to the living room where he was allowed to sit next to Kristen. The two detectives conferred and handed them cards with all of the case information and phone numbers. They stressed the importance of going to the station right then, but agreed they could come in the next day.
“Let's get outta here. We still have to go to the hospital and get some food.” Starving, exhausted and beyond the breaking point, Jake’s eyes and voice were dull.
“What about Logan?” She turned her head, searching for him through the congregation of workers stationed in the living room.
Frustrated, Jake dropped her arm and started storming to the door when a burning pain shot through him like a torch. Some of the investigative team had already taken up residence at the kitchen table. Wincing, he slumped against the wall to wait for Kristen’s return.
Logan’s hands were bound, the petite female detective leading him towards her. Kristen stood frozen in place as they approached. Logan had an impassive expression on his face. They gazed at each other without blinking.
“Can I talk to my wife for a minute?”
“One minute.” The detective moved off to the side.
Kristen ran to him, anxious to ask so many questions, but the words were lost in her throat. She touched his arm.
“Hey, don't worry. I'll be out before you know it,” he spoke into her ear.
His act of optimism couldn't fool her. She searched deep in his eyes for the truth. He was terrified.
“I'll call Nick! What about that attorney? Did they mention bail?” Everything was happening too fast. She was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
“Not yet.” He had to grin. “That comes later. He'll call the attorney.” The detective marched back to him. “You know where I'll be. Keep in touch.” He rushed to kiss her, right as the detective seized his arm to pull him away.
The sound of footsteps alerted Jake. Logan's head was bowed, his hair cascading around his ashen face. Jake’s eyes fixed on his shackled hands. He could hear his own heart pounding and couldn’t deny the elation sweeping over him. The detective clasped Logan’s arm as they walked past him toward the door, leaving behind an unusual tranquility. After so much turmoil, maybe it was all over at last.
Logan avoided his eyes, looking down at the floor until he reached the door. Unable to resist any longer, he turned his head back, his face sullen, searching every inch of the room. At that moment, Jake felt her presence. He let his eyes trail to Kristen, standing rigid and forlorn at the entrance to the kitchen. Her eyes were filled with misery, but they weren't focused on him. They fixed on Logan, unwavering. It was as if he were invisible.
KRISTEN/JAKE
The atmosphere was tense as they sat in the emergency room of Coral Beach Medical Center. Jake needed Kristen to be with him for moral support, but her mind was far away. Finding she was too perturbed to communicate with him, she decided to check in on the baby while he waited. He was still in line waiting to be seen by a doctor when she returned thirty minutes later.