“It was me.” Sinner takes a step forward. “Check your footage if you need to. I accompanied Ms. Callahan, who was meeting with a friend. A black van showed up while they were walking and several men wearing masks tried to take her away. I got Ms. Callahan to safety, but the suspects fled the scene.”
“Witnesses said they heard a gun. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
“Can’t recall. Any injuries? Damage?” Sinner’s smile is a master class in, ‘Who me, officer?’.
“And Ms. Callahan? She can corroborate your story?”
“I can.” She steps out of cover and moves to my side. Not waiting for my signal, but her timing’s good. Trust an actor toknow dramatic timing. “Sinner saved me, and I’m here on my own volition. Without him, I would’ve been God knows where by now.” Her voice is steady, but she slips her hand into mine.
“Quinn!” A woman forces her way out of the back of one of the police cars. Definitely not a cop. Not with that dress and the heels.
Quinn’s mom. She’s older for sure, but Sheila hasn’t changed that fucking much. She presses between a couple of the cops, who halfheartedly try and hold her back. “What are you doing with these people? Come with me. Now. We’re going back to your apartment where it’s safe, and we can talk to the police there.”
Quinn seems to shrink beside me, her shoulders rounding in and her whole attitude changing. “It’s okay, Mom. He was just doing his job.”
Sheila is about how I remember her, but seeing them together really highlights the similarities and differences. Her mother’s still a beautiful woman, always was, but Quinn is a torch to her mother’s fading candle. Hair is a little brighter, eyes a little greener, pale skin dusted with freckles and not dominated by them. The soft signs of age could’ve just made Sheila beautiful in a different way, but once a bitch, always a bitch.
The cop’s eyes widen in recognition when he sees Quinn. “Hey! You’re on that show, aren’t you? The demon lady? My wife loves it. I’ve had to sit through those episodes more than I’m willing to admit.”
“Desdemona, at your service.” She gives a little curtsy.
Maybe this isn’t gonna go to hell after all.
Sheila rattles the gate. “Quinn, we’re leaving. You have no idea how terrified I was when I got the call that you were missing. And then when I heard that violent criminals were involved—” She shudders, and as much as I hate the bitch, I can’t blame her for being scared. “I’m not leaving you here. I just can’t, baby.”
“Ma’am,” the officer starts, but she holds up a hand, and he actually shuts up.
“Sir, I’m speaking to my daughter. Please give me a moment.” Sheila stretches her hand through the gate and Quinn leaves me to comfort her mother. “Come on, let’s go. We’ll get takeout on the way. Humor your mother if nothing else, so I can see that you’re safe, and then you can tell me what you mean about that man doing his job.”
A female officer gets out of the second car and walks forward to whisper something to the lead cop. He nods, then turns to us. “Erika Adams has given her statement. Her story lines up with what you’ve told us. I’d appreciate a moment with both Ms. Callahan and Mr… Sinner, but then you’ll be free to go.
“Open the gate,” Hellfire orders. “The mother can come in, the invitation doesn’t extend to the rest of you, but we’ll be happy to cooperate so long as you don’t start waving your dicks around.” He nods his head at the woman. “Metaphorically of course.”
She looks like she wants to laugh, but schools her expression quickly.
Sheila rushes in, throwing her arms around Quinn, who melts into the hug.
“Mom, I’m fine. It was scary, but I hired them to keep me safe until we figure out what’s going on.”
“Baby, why would you do that without talking to me first, and why on Earth did you choosethem?”
I clear my throat. “Don’t recognize me, Sheila? It’s been a while, I’ll give you that.”
She stares, eyebrows furrowed.
“It’s Heath, Mom. Axel’s friend?” Quinn explains. Her jade flecked eyes catch mine, crinkling at the corners. “We reconnected.”
For a second, Sheila looks like she just swallowed a bug. “So I see. Why am I not surprised you ended up in a place like this?”
Quinn gasps. “Mom! Don’t be rude.”
Colt, Sinner, Hellfire and a dozen other men are all at my side, standing proud.
I look her dead in the eyes and let her see exactly how little I care about her opinion. “Was that supposed to hurt? I’ve got no regrets or apologies about where I am.”
I wonder, can she say the same?
The cops look over our paperwork and take Quinn’s statement first, leading her back to one of their cruisers so they can talk to her without pressure from us. Pisses me off, but so long as we have her in sight, I’ll deal with it. I’d do the same fucking thing if our roles were reversed. She comes back, slipping quickly to our side of the gate to stand between me and Colt while they take Sinner off for his own round of questioning.