Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 140604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 703(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 703(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
“Do it, Tommy,” Deputy Morgan said. “I think Mr. Rollins reaction was more about past trauma than a current violent state. I think it’s safe enough.”
Tommy nodded and opened the door, walking in.
Garrett’s heart sank as he walked into that dank room and saw Keane. He sat at the table, perfectly still. His eyes were on the wall in front of him, and there was a blank stare that let Garrett know he wasn’t really here. He didn’t show signs that he registered the deputy was uncuffing his hands. When they were free his hands simply laid on the table.
Garrett waited until the door closed and he was alone with Keane. He quietly pulled the chair back and sat across from the man who had been the only solid thing in his life for the last fifteen years.
How sad that a large part of that had been spent in a tiny cell for a crime that should never have been considered a crime at all.
“Keane.”
Keane blinked and his eyes closed. He took a deep breath and then he seemed to be back.
Meditation. He learned it those years in prison. At least that’s what the outside world would call it. Garrett would call it survival.
He didn’t know everything that happened in prison, but he knew the Keane who went in wasn’t the one who came out. He’d gotten better over time, but it took therapy that Garrett had to force him into at first.
Garrett had thought he would lose him. When he’d come back there had been too much drinking, too much silence, too much sitting and staring and not letting anyone know the horrors marching through his head.
“I’m not going to let them railroad you,” Garrett promised.
Keane flexed his fingers and took a long breath like he’d been holding it in, waiting to see if the air was poisoned. “I don’t think you’ll be able to stop it if that’s what they want.”
His voice was so calm, but Garrett could hear the undercurrent beneath it. “I assure you it’s not what Olivia wants.”
Keane’s expression tightened. “This wouldn’t be happening without Olivia. I don’t know what went wrong, but I overheard some of the deputies talking. Jack Barnes wanted to make sure they arrested me. I think he wants both of us, but I’m the easy target. They say there’s a video of me spiking her drink.”
Garrett took a long breath. “You weren’t anywhere near her drink.”
“They claim they have a video of me walking up to the bar and ordering beers. When the bartender turns to pour them, they say I slip something into her drink. I suspect they’re going to find some kind of date rape drug in her system.”
Garrett went over the night in his mind. “You did go and order the last round. We couldn’t get a server’s attention, which is weird since that one server couldn’t keep her eyes off Gabe.”
She’d been a blonde, and if Gabe noticed her for anything beyond her excellent service, Garrett couldn’t tell. Gabe’s eyes had constantly been on Gigi and the men she was dancing with. But he had thought it was odd after an hour and a half of hovering she was suddenly nowhere to be found. Keane had offered to grab what was supposed to be their last round. He’d only been gone for a few moments.
The timing didn’t line up.
“We sat there for another thirty minutes after you came back. I don’t think Miranda ordered Olivia’s drink before you ordered ours.” He sat back. “I need to see the footage.”
“They said Olivia named me.”
The words dropped like a land mine ready to go off.
“Cops can lie. They’re under no obligation to tell the truth to someone they’re interrogating. In fact, lying can be an excellent way to throw off a suspect.”
“She thinks I tried to hurt her.” There was a deep shame in Keane’s tone.
This was going to be even harder than he thought. His friend was in a dark place. “She’s not awake, Keane. At least she wasn’t when we left.”
“We can’t know that because they wouldn’t give us any information. They wouldn’t let us back to see her. They let Gigi back. They let Gabe back. I overheard the sheriff talking to Jack Barnes, and he believes that I did this. He wants them to throw the book at me.” There was a slight tremble to Keane’s hands.
“I think Mr. Barnes is reacting to his daughter nearly being kidnapped. He isn’t thinking,” Garrett returned.
“Or he saw the footage and it’s believable.”
“It’s not true, so it’s not believable. Like I said, I suspect the timing is off. I want to see it.”
“They told me you would be in here soon.” Keane seemed to settle, clenching and releasing his fists. “I asked for my lawyer and they said you’ll see me in a cell as soon as they have some proof. They told me they would go easier on me if I turned you in. Maybe I could even avoid hard time if I gave you up.”