Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 85183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
"I'm Detective Lawson," she introduces herself. I don't respond. "Please, sit." She gestures to the chair in front of me, and I take a seat. "Is there anything I can get you? Anything to eat or drink?" She keeps her voice soft, as though she might scare me.
I glare at her. "No. Thank you."
She nods and pulls out the chair opposite me. There's a long moment of silence as she watches me.
"Can you tell me your name?" She asks.
I instantly tense. Anything I say could implicate Jude, so I say nothing, keeping my eyes fixed on the table. I jump when I feel her hand touch mine. "He can't hurt you anymore, Victoria."
I narrow my eyes at her, pulling my hands underneath the table. "So you already know my name."
She purses her lips. "Your facial profiling and fingerprints match one Miss Victoria Deveaux. Only, Miss Deveaux is presumed deceased."
"Well, I'm not," I whisper.
"I can see that." Her gaze strays down to my stomach. "I can see that." She repeats, and then hesitates. "Victoria, I just want to ask you some questions. I want to help you, but I need to ascertain your involvement in the murder of Joe Campbell, and your connection to Jude Pearson."
I don't want her help; I just want Jude. My stomach twists violently as I think about what has happened to him. We killed Joe. We're going to prison. Tears prick my eyes as I think of spending my life behind bars. I press my hand to the small bump, straining against the front of my t-shirt. Will my baby be raised by strangers? Will she never know who I am? Worse, will she think I'm a criminal?
She nods as she exhales. "Victoria, you went missing seven months ago..."
I grit my teeth. "I know."
"How does a resident from Vanderbilt University end up with a notorious bookie from Alabama? Help me understand why you were with him when you were arrested." I start to feel pressured to say something, anything. I couldn't even make up a lie elaborate enough to cover this, so I tell her the truth. Rich took me.
"I... My ex-boyfriend owed him a debt. One of his enforcers took me instead. It was a mistake."
She nods, and something in her expression changes. She's curious, eager to know my story. "Your ex-boyfriend being Euan Wright." I nod. "Are you aware that Mr. Wright was killed shortly after your disappearance?"
Again, I don't respond.
"I can't help you if you won't say anything."
"I have nothing to say."
"You had Joe Campbell's blood all over you Victoria. You are a suspect in a murder case."
I flash her a cold, hard look and remain silent.
"Jude Pearson abducted you, held you hostage." Her eyes flick to my stomach again. "Abused you," her voice is barely above a whisper.
I glare at her, anger bubbling to the surface. "He did not abuse me," I snap.
She pauses, narrowing her eyes at me. "Do you know who the father of your baby is, Victoria?"
"Yes." I grate.
"Who is the father?" She pushes, refusing to take my one-word answers. I say nothing.
"We can take DNA samples and find out either way," she threatens.
I don't want them touching my baby. "Jude is her father."
I see the judgement in her eyes, the pity for the poor girl who was abducted and raped. "I don't have to explain myself to you. Charge me or release me."
She nods solemnly and leaves the room.
I'm going crazy. I keep telling myself this is all just some nightmare, that Jude will get out of this because he's Jude, and he always gets out of everything right? Shit. He has to. I know he wouldn't leave me. I've never felt so vulnerable. Whatever happened to me, no matter how awful, I somehow always knew that he would come. I knew that he would save me from anything, but with him in prison... I feel so painfully alone.
Everyone keeps telling me it's over now, and no one will hurt me. I don't want it to be over. I would rather live in Jude's world, surrounded by danger, than in this one without him. Safety, security... what's it worth really? Safety assures survival. Jude is my life. I want to live, not survive.
I've been asked the same questions over and over for what seems like days. Back and forth they go until I snap and tell them again what I've already told them: I love Jude, and I killed Joe. They take my clothes, DNA samples, photograph the scars littering my body, and even want to do a rape examination on me. It's at this point I lose my shit and refuse to speak to them anymore. It's clear that I've gone from suspect to victim over the course of their questions. Eventually they send a woman into the room to ask me more bloody questions. She wants to 'help'. I'm a doctor. I know a shrink when I see one. She was doing a psych evaluation. They think I have Stockholm syndrome, which is bullshit. I mean, yes I fell in love with a man who held me hostage, but... he didn't really. He let me go. I chose to stay with him. I was with him by choice, not necessity.