Houston: Robinson Destruction – Paranormal Tiger Shifter Romance

by Kathi S. Barton

  Chapter 10

  Shasta didn’t care for the way she was being treated. First and foremost, having to wear the orange and green striped outfit was clashing with every part of her body. The stripes were the wrong way, making her look wide instead of tall and slim. Then there were the stupid slippers she had on. They were itchy and hot. Pulling her hair back in a ponytail wasn’t good either. It showed every gray hair she’d not been able to have touched up in weeks. Christ, this had better be over soon so she could get on with her life.

  “Mrs. Arnold, are you paying attention to me?” She smiled and told him she was just admiring how nice he looked today. “Don’t try that on me. I’m an old fat man who has had just about enough of people in general. I asked you what you have to say for yourself.”

  “About what?”

  He rolled his eyes at her, and she wanted to point out that he’d done it wrong when someone from the back of the room asked to approach the bench. When the person was given permission, Shasta stood up and put out her hands to be uncuffed. When she was told to sit down, she shook her head.

  “I don’t think so. If this is about me, I have every right to know what is being said. I want this to end right now. If you’re up there whispering about stuff, then how am I to defend myself? I can’t. So I want to hear what is being said. Uncuff me from this ridiculous set up so I can stand up like I should be able to.”

  The woman turned and looked at her. The smile on her face didn’t just not reach her eyes, it also looked as if she was ready to do serious damage to her. After Shasta sat down, the woman spoke to the judge, but this time loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

  “As I was saying, Your Honor, Mrs. Arnold is being transferred to a federal prison pending a trial for treason, as well as the attempted murder of an agent, knowingly participating in a prostitution ring, and the selling and manufacturing of drugs and paraphernalia. There are other charges of—”

  “Just a damned minute.” The woman cocked her brow at her. “None of that is true. I would have remembered prostitutes around me. Also, I didn’t have anything to do with the drugs my husband was selling. I just reaped the money from the sales.”

  Instead of saying anything, the woman pulled something out of her pocket, and Shasta’s voice rang around the room. Shasta was royally pissed. This had been recorded without her permission. Opening her mouth to point that out, the woman, whoever the hell she thought she was, spoke again.

  “We would also like, with your permission, sir, to try her for child trafficking. The FBI has a recording of her speaking with a family member, asking him to purchase her children from her so she and her husband could have enough money to flee the country.” Shasta said they were planning to return once things cooled down. “Your Honor, you know as well as I do that is something we cannot allow to happen. It is the opinion of this agency, as well as others, that if the Arnolds are allowed to leave, they won’t return.”

  “This isn’t right. First, they take my home and all my money from me. Then they lock up my husband for trying to make a living. That’s just not right. Sure, he had to do other things to make ends meet. You people should be proud of him for doing something about that rather than putting him in prison. Do you know there were people that lost their jobs because you arrested him? How the hell is that helping anyone?” The judge asked her if she thought it was all right that he was stealing, using women, and selling drugs to people that might die. “It’s not our fault what people do with their lives after they’re paid. I mean, sure, some people died from doing the drugs he made. Some of the whores died when men liked it rougher than they wanted. If they didn’t like what they were doing, then they should have gotten a better job. Don’t you think?”

  The judge sat there staring at her for a long few minutes before he spoke again. Shasta was sure he was thinking about what she’d said, and he was wondering the same thing she was—why did they arrest a man for wanting to make it in this world?

  “You are the most despicable human being I have ever had in my courtroom.” Shasta looked around to see who he might be speaking to. “You, Mrs. Arnold. You are a horrible person. How you have lived this long without someone taking exception to the way you think and speak about your fellow race is astounding to me.”

  “I don’t know what burr you have up your ass, Your so called Honor, but I don’t think anyone has ever had the nerve to speak to me in such a manner before.” He said he didn’t doubt that no one had the nerve. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that not only are you a horrible person, but I’m betting you’re very physical when things don’t go your way.” He looked at the woman again. “Agent 0032, you may take this woman anywhere. So long as she is no longer in my courtroom.”

  “I’m also here for her husband, Your Honor.” Shasta asked if she was going to get to stay and see him. “That would be up to the judge here, I suppose.”

  “Yes, bring in Mr. Arnold. I want these creatures out of here as soon as possible.” Mike was brought in, and she nearly sobbed at how bad he looked. “Mr. Arnold, the FBI is going to take you with them today. And as such, I will remand you over to them.”

  “Wait. Just wait a minute. What is his bond?” The judge and the woman looked at her. “Bond? You know, the money it’s going to take to get him out of jail today. Christ. Do either of you have any idea how the system is run? What will it take to get him out of here right now? And myself too. I told you we have plans.”

  Mike looked at her and told her to shut up. The courtroom, the few people in the room today, laughed. Telling them to shut up themselves, she turned back to the judge to find out what was going on.

  “My sister is supposed to come here and give us the money to get out of here. She doesn’t want to, so if you could have her arrested, so she has to appear here, that would be great. Also, my dad. He owes me money too.” Mike told her to shut up. “I will not. They’re making it so we can’t go away, Mike. I might not love you, but I don’t want you to rot in prison. And the way things are going right now, it looks as if we both might.”

  “Shasta, shut the hell up before you get us both shot right here.” Mike turned his back on her and looked at the judge. “My wife is a little stressed out, Your Honor. She’s not sure of what she’s saying right now.”

  “I know exactly what I’m saying. Don’t belittle me, Mike. You know how much I hate that. I want them to tell you what our bond will be so we can get out of here.” Mike simply sat down. “Well? What is it going to be?”

  “Your Honor, if you could simply sign off on this paperwork, I’ll take them off your hands.” The judge seemed to jump at that and did what the woman asked him to do. Now they were getting someplace. They’d be getting out before dinner. She asked about her house and things. “Your house is going to be sold off, as well as the contents, so we can compensate for the damage and deaths you and your husband were responsible for. Each of the larger ticket items will be sold off at auction, the monies from which will be put into a fund to cover any lawsuits that will occur now that you’ve both been arrested. You have no money, no stocks or bonds. The boat and the houses around the country have been taken to be sold. All banking accounts have been seized and the money put into the fund.”

  “No. That’s not fair.” The woman told her fair or not, it was done. “Well, you undo it. Right now, bitch. I’m going to sue you for everything you have.”

  With a nod, not only was she pulled up from the chair, but she was told to keep her mouth shut as well. Even when she started to argue with them that she wasn’t finished yet, the man yanked her up to him and told her to shut up.

  “Or so help me, I’ll gag you. I have the right to do whatever it takes to make you come along without any lip from that trap of yours.” She opened her mouth to argue, and the man, a very large man, pulled out some silver tape and tore off a large piece. “What’s it going
to be?”

  She didn’t open her mouth. Shasta went so far as to bite her lips so she’d not mess up and say something that would get that nasty looking roll of tape put over her mouth. But she did give him every nasty look she had in her arsenal. However, it didn’t seem to bother him the least bit.

  The vehicle she was put into was much different than the one she’d been brought to the courthouse in. In fact, it resembled more of a small bus that had been modified than a van. There were large eye-hooks at each seat. Heavy fencing was over each of the windows, and between the driver and the rest of the seats. Once she was put in one of the seats at the front of the thing, she was not only bolted to the floor, but she was also chained to the hooks she’d not noticed at each end of the seat.

  When Mike was brought it, he glared at her as he was being seated. She wasn’t sure what was up his ass, but she’d tried her best to get them out of the mess he’d gotten them in. The big burly guy sat in front of her, and some other person sat in front of Mike. They were told the rules even before the driver of the thing got into his place to take them wherever they were headed.

  “No talking. No bathroom breaks. You will not spit on the floor or on any person around you. There will be no moving your seat. No sightseeing as we make our way across the state.” She tuned him out as he read the rules that didn’t pertain to her and tried to think what she was going to do to get in touch with her dad.

  Surely he’d not be happy about his daughter being taken to a federal prison. How would he visit her? How would he make sure she was getting the things she needed until he could make arrangements for her to be released? The fact she was in this mess would have been a moot point had he just given her the money in the first place.

  “I need to make some notes.” When the guard stood up, she waited for him to pull out the pen and paper he would need to write her list down. Instead, he put a piece of tape around her head that covered not only her mouth but her nose as well. As he pulled out a huge knife, she thought for sure he was going to cut her throat. Instead, all he did was cut a hole in the tape so she could breathe. The mother fucker was going to pay for this.

  For the rest of the ride, she was forced to sit there with the tape over her mouth. Once, when Mike turned and looked at her, he laughed so hard she thought for sure he was going to get tape over his mouth too. But all that happened was that the burly man laughed with him, and that pissed her off more.

  When they finally reached their destination, she was told to stay put—as if she could move anyway. They uncuffed Mike first, and he was taken off the bus. The man with him signed the paperwork, then handed it back to the guard that was there. Just as she thought she was going to have the same thing done to her, she saw the woman from today standing there with the clipboard in her hands.

  She was ready to give her a piece of her mind when she got out of this thing. As soon as she was released from the seat, Shasta tried to tell someone to remove the tape. Instead, all they did was stand her in front of the woman. Her smile, or what Shasta thought the woman was doing, didn’t look like she was happy to see her. Well, she wasn’t happy about things so far, either.

  “They’re not removing the tape until you’re in your cell. You and Mike both will be in isolation, and not permitted any visitors until your trial. The last I heard, the trial was going to be six years from now. Give or take. I think that’s not long enough, but then, I don’t make those sorts of rules.” Shasta spoke to her the best she could. “I don’t care what it is you’re saying, Shasta. I’m only here to tell you a few things, then you’ll never see any of your family again. I want you to know there will be no one to come to your aid. Your sons have been adopted by your mom and dad, and will no longer carry the name, Arnold. As far as they’re concerned, and this is from them, you’re dead to them. They know you had plans to sell them off to the highest bidder. You have no rights in this prison. Either you learn to do what they tell you, or you’ll suffer the consequences. I imagine you’ll be suffering a great deal from now on. Also, and this cheers me up to no end, you’ll not have a job to occupy your time. You will not be with other prisoners, nor will you ever have a conversation with any of the guards. They’ve all been instructed to not speak to you.”

  She screamed at the woman, telling her to remove the tape, but she only stood there with her clipboard in her hand, laughing with one of the other guards. When the guard said she’d take her now, the agent—that’s what she’d been called twice now—moved out of the way. When she said her name, the guard stopped, and Shasta looked at her.

  “I’d take care not to piss anyone off in here, Shasta. This is hard time you’re doing.” Then she laughed. “They might well send Tru in to end your life if you fuck up too much. Then it will be as if you never existed. Goodbye, Inmate 11532.”

  As she was being dragged away, she watched the agent move along the fence line and to the awaiting limo. As soon as she was out of sight, Shasta broke free of the guard and was two steps away when she was not only tackled to the ground but had a weight on her back that made her sick to her stomach. She was able to peel the tape away before they picked her up.

  “You mother fucking bitch. I’ll get you. See if I don’t. I’m going to hunt you down, and fucking kill you. Do you fucking hear me?”

  Shasta was dragged into the building and past all the cells until she was in the back of the huge building. The tape had been replaced now, and all she could do was listen to the taunts and insults of the other inmates, all criminals, that she was being forced to be with.

  Put in the box, there was no other way to put it, she looked around the thing. Concrete floors and walls. A toilet that hung on the wall, as well as a small sink, were there for her to use, she supposed, but nothing in the way of any privacy. No desk, no window, and nowhere for her to sit other than the thin mattress on the metal cot chained to the wall. The sheets laying atop the thing were gray, just like the walls and the floor surrounding her.

  As soon as she was released from her cuffs, she asked for a phone call. The guard just smiled at her and walked away. These people were going to pay for this. She didn’t know how or when, but she’d make sure everyone did. Including her sister, who she knew had had a big part in how she was being treated.

  ~~~

  Houston was waiting for Tru to come out of the bathroom, and then they were going to finally get to see the bank manager. She’d been getting around in the wheelchair now for a few days, and she didn’t care for it. He didn’t either, simply because she didn’t like it. But it was fun to see her struggle with trying to get out of using it when she could.

  Seeing her coming toward him, he noticed no one asked if they could assist her anymore. They just got the hell out of her way, just as she’d told them when she made her way across the bank about ten minutes ago. Trying very hard not to smile at her, he knew it was a waste of his time when she glared at him.

  “Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson. I do hope you’re ready to finally get this all signed over. I know I am.” The manager of the bank was a very young man by the name of Sherman Townsend. Houston wondered if he thought he was charming Tru into a good mood. “Your financial guru was in here a few minutes ago but had to take an important phone call. When he returns, we can begin. I would like to tell you thank you for choosing our bank to do this in.”

  “It’s the one that would take my money.” Confused, Sherman looked at him when Tru spoke. “It’s a great deal to have to mess with. Most banks would rather not be involved in the maintenance of it.”

  “I assure you, Mrs. Robinson, we don’t care how you make your money so long as the check is good.” The attempt at humor was lost on the both of them. “Ah, I see your gentleman now. Shall we get started?”

  As soon as Houston opened the file that Thomas Melrose, the man the Feds had sent to help them, handed him, he knew he was in trouble. Closing it again, just to make sure, he opened it slow
ly to read what was written on the first line under salary and income.

  Scanning down the page, he felt his tie around his neck start to strangle him. Then as he tugged on it, he started to have a bit of blurred vision. Closing the file, he put his head between his knees while he tried his best not to pass out. Holy fuck. Tru had all the fucking money.

  “Are you all right?” Houston nodded, then shook his head at Tru when she spoke to him. “Yeah, I was thinking that too. You want to explain to me why you’re currently trying to kiss your own ass?”

  “You have money.” She said she did, and so did he. “I mean, you have lots of money.” He thought of something. “Are we alone in here?”

  “Yes. You can raise your head up now. Oh, and by the way, Shermie might not be back. I did warn him no one wanted to mess with my funds. But now that he’s figured out why, he’s turned everything over to Melrose. He is going to handle things for us and put us in a bank that we can use. Are you really all right?” He asked her if this was a joke. “I don’t joke about money. Much of anything really, but never about money. I did tell you there was a lot of it, Houston.”

  “Yes, you did. And for some reason I had it in my head you meant there was going to be a lot of paperwork. I had no idea—do you really have sixty billion, not million, dollars?” She told him they both did. “I’ve never even seen that much money. I mean, you can’t be that wealthy from what you do, can you?”

  “I am. I’m also very good at investments. I pay attention to the market. I’ve not been doing that as much as I normally do since I met you, but it hasn’t hurt us any. Since I have been laid up, I have done a bit more. Are you pissed at me?” He asked her why she thought that. “I don’t know. You’re acting all freaked out. It’s money I’ve taken care is there for me and you for our retirement. Also, you should know the number on that first page is just an estimate and doesn’t include homes and other things we both own together now.”