“Hello, Charlotte.”

I looked up to see a man walking into the room that I was locked in. It was about time, I had been sitting in that stupid room forever just waiting and bored and alone and worrying about Thomas.

“I’m Detective Snyder, my partner will be in soon.” He informed me, adjusting his suit jacket before sitting down in one of the old seats on the other side of the table from me in the small room. “I’m just here to ask you a few questions.”

“You can ask me all you want but I’m not telling you anything.” I said quietly. I was already aggravated at the burning sensation in my midsection from that damn baton, even though a medic had wrapped it up in some large bandage, but then they added to that this muggy room for at least an hour, I just wasn’t in the mood at all to deal with anybody.

“Okay, well let’s just talk then.” He suggested. “I won’t ask any questions, but tell me what happened to you last Friday.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at the buff man in front of me, letting him know that I wasn’t going to say a word, not until my dad got there. I’ve watched crime shows, thank you very much, and I know that I need a lawyer before I speak at all.

“This is going to go a lot easier for you if you speak up, Charlotte.” The detective told me with a long sigh. I don’t think he liked me very much, which is stupid because he should love me. If people didn’t get arrested, then he wouldn’t have a job. So, really, I’m the reason that he has a job. He should be thankful. Clearly, that wasn’t the case at all.

“My dad’s a lawyer, I know my rights, jerk face.” I barked angrily.

“I’m trying to help you here.” The man told me with what he was hoping would be a soothing I’m-on-your-side kind of smile.

“No, you’re trying to hurt Thomas.” I said with my arms crossed as I leaned back in the rather uncomfortable chair inside of the interrogation room. Because I was so incredibly crabby, needless to say that I was a little less than friendly with the guy. The room was kind of dark with a metal table and three metal chairs, the detective was sitting on one and I was on the other with an empty chair beside me. He had a manila folder in front of him that he told me was Thomas’s folder of offenses and such.

“You do know that Thomas Jackals is a murderer, right?”

I nodded curtly. “Yes, I’m aware.”

The detective opened the folder and then flipped out a piece of paper with a photo on it. It was a man lying on his stomach in a mess of dirt, hay, and grass and there was a puddle of blood by his head and his arm looked broken. It was hard to look at, I’m not going to lie, but it was easy to assume that it was that Adams guy that Thomas told me about. I only glanced at it briefly before looking away quickly. “This is what your friend has done, look at it.”

“Boyfriend.” I corrected, pushing the paper away from me. “He’s my boyfriend and this is harassment, so put your demented porn away until my daddy gets here or I’m pretty sure I can sue or something.”

Snyder glared at me as he slid the photo back into the folder. He may not have liked me, but I already hated him for trying to turn me against Thomas. It wasn’t going to happen. “Do you know how much jail time you’re facing right now?” He asked.

“Jim, stop harassing my client.” The familiar, comforting voice of my father echoed into the room as the door opened and he started striding in.

“Daddy!” I cheered, running over to him and leaping into his arms, careful of my still-sore stomach.

He hugged me back and then pulled away with a kiss to my forehead and then led us back over to the two metal chairs, but he didn’t sit down. Snyder stood up and they shook hands before they both sat down.

“What are the charges?” My dad asked. I was incredibly glad that he finally arrived, because I was getting nervous with that man just glaring at me this whole time. Snyder was a weird dude.

“Many accomplice charges, grand theft auto, resisting arrest, aggravated assault, obstruction of justice, theft, extortion, fraud, and that’s just skimming the surface.” Snyder announced with a you’re-in-big-trouble frown as he read the paper.

“Extortion?” I asked incredulously. “That’s total crap, we didn’t extort anything!”

“Charlie,” My father said in a small, calm voice. “Stand up for me, please.”

I didn’t know what he was doing, but I stood up anyway.

“Please show the detective your injury.”

I was still confused but I knew that my dad was the best lawyer in the country, so I should do what he said, and I lifted my shirt to show Snyder the bandaging that was wrapped around my stomach, and then I sat back down.

“She was resisting arrest.” Snyder defended, seeing where this was going as I was catching on too.

“Are you telling me that a whole fleet of officers couldn’t have taken down a seventeen year old girl, who has never done sports at all, without using force?” My father asked incredulously. “We will be counter suing for that. And now, I would like to speak to my client alone.”

Snyder gave us one final scowl before getting up and exiting out the same door that my dad had just entered.

“Charlie, this is quite a mess you got yourself into.” He informed me with a small frown.

“I know.” I sighed. “But, for the most part, Thomas is innocent from all that they’ve said about him. He’s not bad at all and I really think that you can take his case.”

“We’re not talking about Thomas right now, we’re talking about you.” He insisted.

“Just please tell me that you’re taking his case. Please.” I pleaded desperately with my father.

“I’ll go talk to him after I’m done talking to you, but I need you to tell me what happened.”

I nodded and opened my mouth, explaining the last eight days of my life to the tee, except for the kissing and touching, of course, because how awkward would that be? I told him about what Thomas had said about Lily and I explained to him that the only laws we broke in the past week were to protect ourselves from getting caught. I know it’s not the best excuse by any means, but it was better than ‘we held a knife to a lady because we thought it was funny’ because that was not the case at all, despite what all of the cops and detectives believe.

“What’s going to happen, Daddy?” I asked after I finished telling him everything about everything that I could think of.

“I’m not too worried, girly.” He assured me. “And your sister is on her way here by plane, so prepare for that.”

“Valerie?” I asked with raised eyebrows. “What for?”

“Susanne sent her.” He told me, calling my mother by her first name. To say that my mother and father don’t get along would be an understatement, they’re like fire and ice and how they were able  stay together long enough to conceive two children is way beyond me. “Because she can’t come herself.”

“If they want me to go back home, I won’t do it. Go ahead and tell her that, it’ll save her some time, I bet.” I told him stubbornly.

A small smile tugged on the edges of his mouth, causing a few wrinkles to form by his nose and eyes. “I’m sure that’s what it’s about, and to give you an ear full. I already got one from Susanne over the phone, so I’m not going to be in the room when Val gets here, I can assure you that.”

I gaped at my traitorous father. “You’re going to make me suffer through a lecture from Mom Jr. by myself?”

His smile widened. “You’re the one who got arrested in the first place, so consider this your punishment if you will.”

I rolled my eyes at his stupid punishment. “Or you could be a normal dad and take away my phone or laptop or something like that.” I offered up.

“Really? Your phone is in an evidence bag, crushed to pieces.” He informed me. “So I don’t think you have any options here.”

I let out a heavy sigh and silently wondered how they found my phone, but let it go because I didn’t really care all that much. “Okay, fine.”

“Charlie, I want you to move in with me after all of this.” He said right out of the blue.

I looked at him with a huge amount of shock on my face. “Really?”

He nodded. “I knew that you didn’t agree with your mother, but I didn’t know that you were so miserable that you would get yourself into so much trouble. I don’t think you’re safe going back there. God knows what you’d get into next.”

“I am quite the rebel.” I said with a small smile.

“Obviously, or we wouldn’t be sitting here right now.” He teased, standing up from the table. “Okay, I’m going to go talk to your friend, Thomas. If anybody comes in here to talk to you without me here, don’t say anything, okay?”

I nodded. “I got it. And please keep an open mind with Thomas, Dad.” I pleaded desperately. “I swear, he’s a really good person, no matter how hard it is to believe.”

He let out a long sigh that told me that he would try his best but it was probably not going to happen. He’d see how good of a person Thomas is once he gets into the room to talk to him. He gave me a quick goodbye hug and then he was out the door of the room, only to be replaced with a lady who looked like she seemed to be friendly, but I didn’t buy it.

“Hi, Charlie.” She said in a soft voice.

I gave her a wave but didn’t smile back at her because I just didn’t trust the lady. “Hi.”

“How are you?”

I motioned around the room for sarcastic emphasis. “Oh, I’m just peachy, thanks for asking.”

“I’m Kristy, Detective Snyder is my partner.” She explained calmly.

“Okay.” Was all I said.

“I’m sure that once we get all of this cleared up, you’ll be out of here in no time.” She assured me, however I didn’t buy it, of course.

“And by ‘cleared up’ you mean, if I tell you things about Thomas.” I accused her bluntly. “Well, I’m not going to do that. And I’m not saying another word until my dad gets back.”

“I don’t want to talk about Thomas at all.” The lady denied. “Why don’t you tell me about your family?”

I shook my head and remained determined to stay silent. I wasn’t going to let her get to me and I sure as hell wasn’t going to let her manipulate me into telling her things. That’s what police do, they get you off topic and distracted and then they manipulate you into telling them the things that they want to hear, I’ve seen enough forensic shows to know that much. And, thanks to Olivia Benson, I was pretty caught up with my legal knowledge.

“Okay, how about your job at the café?” The detective attempted to try a different route.

Again, I shook my head before laying it down on my arms that were resting on top of the table. I wasn’t going to say a word.

“Well, maybe you can-“ The lady was cut off when there was a knock at the door and then it was cracked open by Detective Snyder, the man from earlier.

“Her sister wants to speak to her.” He informed Kristy without even acknowledging me.

“Well, she can’t have visitors right now.” Kristy informed Snyder.

“Trust me, you don’t want to keep this lady waiting.” Snyder informed her with a terrified look on his face. Yep, that’s my sister for you all right.

“Fine,” She sighed. “Bring her in.”

“You don’t really have to.” I said quickly, breaking my self oath to remain silent. “She can stay out there, I don’t want to see her.”

Snyder ignored me as he shut the door again to disappear behind the large mirror on the side of the room that I knew was a window on the other side.

“So, do you want to talk about your sister?” Kristy asked gently since she noticed that I would talk when my sister was here. I didn’t want to talk about her, I just really didn’t want to talk to her was the thing.

I shook my head and clamped my lips shut, restarting my oath.

I think Kristy gave up on talking to me, as she should, and it didn’t take long for Snyder to return to the room with a very angry-looking Valerie in toe.

Snyder stood with an officer at the shut door of the room and Kristy stayed in her chair as Valerie sat in the one beside me. She looked just like she did eight days ago, prim and proper and pissed, with that stick still shoved very far up her ass.

“I would like some privacy to speak with my baby sister.” Valerie spoke to Kristy with her nose turned to the air as if something smelled bad. I didn’t get offended, though, because that’s just how she always is. I wonder how she hasn’t broken her neck doing that, but I don’t question it.

The detective nodded and then stood up, ready to leave the room.

“Whoa, wait.” I said abruptly. “I don’t want to talk to her, don’t I get a say in this?”

Valerie let out a shrill laugh. “Of course she wants to talk to me,” She told the lady. “We’re sisters, she’s just joking. You can leave now.”

“No, I’m not. I’m a felon, how can you just leave me alone with her? What if we’re conspiring?” I argued, desperate not to be in the same room with Val with nobody to stop her from gabbing on forever.

“Snyder and Officer Jacobs will be at the door.” Kristy informed me as she walked out of the room. Valerie glared at me for some time and the room was completely silent until the officer dude let out an awkward cough and then everything was silent again.

“I do not even know where to start, Charlotte.” Well, the silence was nice while it lasted. I just wish that it could have lasted longer than five minutes.

“You could start by not saying anything at all and leaving.” I mumbled, although I knew that the request was unrealistic.

“How can you be so irresponsible?!” She shrieked.

“Something tells me you know exactly where to start.” I told her sarcastically.

“Oh, cut the crap!” She snapped. “Do you have any idea what Mother has gone through this past week? This has been so hard on us and you’re so… immature.”

“Being immature is so much better than being so boring and bitchy like yourself.” I fired back.

“I am responsible, that doesn’t make meboring.” She defended.

I shrugged. “I didn’t ask.”

“I don’t understand what’s going on with you. Mother raised us very well, how did you turn into a… delinquent?”

“Maybe it was the terrible childhood or the God awful sister?” I suggested. “I don’t know, I’m just throwing out suggestions here.”

“Awful?” She repeated incredulously. “I’m an awful sister? Who was the one who helped you study through the night for that science test when you were worried that you’d fail?”

“I did fail.” I pointed out. “And I didn’t need your help, I didn’t ask for your help, I only failed that test because you kept me up all night with your pestering.”

“I help you pick out your clothes. Without me, you’d look like… I don’t know, a hobo, or something.” Valerie informed me, crossing her arms over her chest.

“You are such an egotistical bitch, Valerie!” I yelled at her, my patience dwindling down into nothing. That’s just how easy it is for her to chew on my nerves. “You are such an awful person that even when you try to help other people, you are actually hurting them, but making yourself feel better.”

“I am helpful.” She snapped with a major glare aimed at me. “Unlike you, who obviously needs a personality check.”

“At least I have a personality.” I fired back.

“Not a decent one.” She shot with a snobby look on her face. “Look around, Charlotte. You’re in a jail cell and you’re messing around with one of America’s Most Wanted, a criminal.”

“And what did you do with your week, Val?” I asked her with feign curiosity. “Get a new pair of shoes? Follow Mom’s orders? You’re just a puppet for Mom and that’s all you’ll ever be. At least I have my own life.”

“One that you’re throwing away.” She added.

“Well, I had damn fun doing it, which is a lot more than you can say about yours.” I fought.

“Ew,” She snorted. “I do not need to hear about your ‘fun’ with the criminal trash. Just because you’re a slut now doesn’t mean that you need to publish it.”

I raised my eyebrows at her. “Slut? Okay, Val, there are a lot of things that you can call me but ‘slut’ is not one of them.”

“And why is that?” She questioned with raised eyebrows.

“Well, considering the fact that last summer, you hooked up with most of the football and baseball teams at our high school and promised the soccer team BJs after their games, and not to mention at least two pregnancy scares in the past two years, I’m not sure I’m the slut in the room.” I glared at her the strongest glare I could muster.

She was distraught by my mention of all of her past deeds but fired back just as quickly as she recovered. “You’ve been sleeping with a felon. A murderer. So, yes, you are a slut. He only kept you around for your body, that’s really all your good for.”

I clenched my fists as she said that and then I stood up from my chair because I was so mad that I couldn’t sit down anymore. That doesn’t really make any sense, but it did at the moment. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, but I do.” She sang smugly.

“Okay, no. You really don’t.” I was done, my patience was gone and she was really going to get it, because I wasn’t dealing with her anymore. “For the past week, I traveled across the country with a guy who actually gives a damn about me. He listens to me and he trusts me. I crossed state borders, I’ve seen rivers and lakes, I’ve driven through farms and mountains and I’ve eaten in greasy diners and slept in motels for the first time. I can do whatever I want and I can feel things. I may be in jail and the closest thing I have to a friend is a felon, but that’s better than what you can say because you’re just a heartless bitch with an empty future controlled by a mother who doesn’t love you.”

She gaped at me and when she was about to say something back, I interrupted her too soon.

“We’re finished.” I snapped at Snyder and the officer.

I think they were both slightly scared of my outburst, so they quickly nodded and the officer escorted a baffled and enraged Valerie out of the room. Still fuming, I sat back down in my chair and then my dad returned to the room with Kristy in toe.

“How is he?” I asked immediately. “Is Thomas okay?”

My dad nodded with a small smile. “Yes, and I have good news.” He informed me. “You’re free to go, Charlie.”

~~~~

Thomas’s POV

“You need to calm down.”

“The hell I will!” I roared at the officer in the room.

“Your lawyer is on his way.” He informed me.

I sat back down in the chair to refrain from punching him out of the anger that I was feeling towards basically the whole police force at the moment. I mean, really? Who needs to hit a girl with a huge metal stick to arrest her? Charlie isn’t even strong, she sure as hell isn’t strong enough to fight off an officer even with all of her strength.

“You must be Mr. Jackals.” A smooth, calm voice echoed through the small room.

I turned around to see a man in a suit coming into the room. I didn’t know if he was a detective or a lawyer, so I remained silent.

“I’m Mr. Brikers.” He announced, moving to sit beside me at the table, but he didn’t actually sit.

My jaw dropped slightly at the recognition of his last name- he was obviously Charlie’s father, but I really didn’t think that he’d seriously talk to me or even consider taking my case. Maybe he wasn’t considering it, he was just here to give me hell for basically kidnapping his daughter. “You’re Charlie’s dad.” I sputtered, standing to my feet to eagerly shake his hand. I had to impress him or do something to get him not to hate me. Usually, I didn’t care what people thought about me, but this was Charlie’s dad, so I did care. A lot, actually. “It’s so nice to meet you, sir.”

He nodded firmly and then sat down, so I sat back down and then he began to talk. “So, I’m taking on your case, Mr. Jackals, but before I talk to you as your lawyer, I’m going to talk to you as a father.”

For the first time in a long time, I was seriously nervous. “Is she okay? That officer should be arrested for hitting her like that.”

“We’re not letting that go.” He assured me. “And she’s fine. What I would love to know, is one- how the hell does a good girl like Charlie end up with a boy who is running from the police?”

“I, uh, it’s a long story, sir. I tried to keep her away, though, I swear. I tried and I made sure that she knew what I’d done, but she-“

“She’s stubborn, just like her mother, I know.” He sighed. “And Charlie is keen on thinking that you’re innocent.”

“I know that I’ve done some-“

“Mr. Jackals.” Mr. Brikers interrupted me. “She told me about your sister and I’m confident that with an innocent plea, you can get less than fifteen years.”

“I’m not going to plead innocent, I want to make a deal.” I declared.

He raised his eyebrows at me and I began to explain.

“I lied to Charlie about something.”