Black Mercy (San Francisco Rock Romance Book 1)

by Stacy McWilliams

  Everyone came back into the family room after giving their statements in my office. I kept looking over at Amber, but she ignored me and continued watching TV. When she stood after being called to give her statement, she winced. I thought about how much pain she was in.

  I went to the kitchen and passed Deputy Carson. I grabbed her some Advil and water for when she was finished. Freddie was in the room. He had arrived with Mitch shortly after Kurt had been taken to the station.

  As I moved back towards the family room there was a flurry of activity. The band were all standing together, staring in horror at something I couldn’t see. I could see some of their expressions and I moved around them, catching a glimpse of Amber being led out by Deputy Carson. Freddie stood beside him and smirked at the band.

  “What the hell is going on?” I thundered. Then I saw the cuffs on Amber’s wrists. “Release her now.” I glared at Freddie. Mitch moved towards me, placing a hand on my arm, trying to restrain me.

  Amber had tears running down her face and her eyes were focused solely on me. It twisted my gut seeing her being led out. “Mason, she’s being arrested for her part in the assault of Ellis.”

  “She didn’t do anything. I should know. I was fucking there.” I shrugged him off and moved towards Freddie. “You were supposed to protect her,” I spat at him, “that’s why you were here to make sure shit like this didn’t happen.”

  Freddie smirked at me again and I wanted to punch the smug look off of his face. “No, I was here to make sure the law was upheld. At the moment, she’s a suspect in a homicide investigation. We need to take her in.”

  I stepped closer, so our chests were touching. “You are finished. You hear me? I’m releasing a statement tomorrow about you. How you arrested an innocent girl after she was assaulted by a murderer. There is evidence to prove he was stalking her, and I’ll be calling Devon Sanders.” Joe stepped towards me, nodding at his guy to take Amber out of the house.

  He placed his hand on my arm and nodded at Harris. Harris was already on the cell. The press were outside. I could hear them as the door opened. I shrugged Joe off and stormed outside, heading towards the gate.

  I stood in front of the gate and smiled over my shoulder at them, before turning and speaking to the press.

  “Hi everyone.” There were shouts from the various press gathered and I almost went blind from the flashes of the cameras. “So there was an incident at my home earlier tonight. A guy broke in and assaulted one of my employees yesterday. He’d been stalking her and had used her best friend to try and get closer to her.”

  I took a breath, and released the air. “The guy has a history of this. Four more girls have come forward to confirm that he assaulted them. There are images that will arrive at the news desks over the next few hours; the victims’ identities hidden, showing the results of their relations with this guy.”

  I glanced from side to side and saw Joe standing behind my car, smiling as I released the information into the world. I didn’t care anymore. He had the information already. Jimmy had sent it to him directly. It would be used to get Kurt and nail him to the wall.

  “Mason, are you okay?”

  “You weren’t hurt earlier, were you?”

  “There were reports of gunshots. Was anyone hurt?”

  The questions flew at me and I nodded at Joe, turning back to the gathered press. “I’m fine, thank you. No. no one was injured earlier, but my friend has been arrested because Kurt Anderson framed her for hurting her friend. Even though there is evidence to support the fact that the police screwed up and let her friend go back to him, they still want to pin it on her.”

  A collective gasp went around as I spoke, “he broke into my house and assaulted her earlier today, then tried again tonight, and the police have still arrested her. With the help of Freddie Scott. She’s being taken to the police station. I just wanted to let you know about it all so you can make up your own mind. Kurt is the son of one Detective Anderson and they are trying everything they can to pin his crimes onto someone else. To Anderson, I want to give you a message. Your sons’ crimes are about to come home to roost. You shouldn’t try to destroy someone when they have friends who can just as easily turn it back on you.”

  With that I spun around and walked back inside, ignoring everyone. I closed the door and leaned on it. Harris moved towards me and whispered, “Devon’s on his way to the station. He’ll have the evidence packet from Jimmy. Amber will be back by morning.”

  “She better be.” I nodded at him and climbed up the stairs to the nursery. I checked on the kids, who were both sleeping in my room. Lucca was fast asleep in his mosses basket and Sophia in a playpen. They both looked so peaceful. I collapsed onto my bed, wondering again how Kurt had gotten into the compound and known where the secret rooms of the house were? I drifted off to sleep thinking about it. I checked the clock last at two am.

  My cell rang at six. I snatched it from the nightstand, growling into the line. I wanted to murder whoever this was. When I heard Devon’s voice, I shot up in the bed.

  “Amber’s on her way. All charges against her were dropped as soon when showed the Captain the evidence packet against Kurt. The DNA for the rapes came back. They were a match for Kurt. He’s been charged with homicide, sexual assault, assault and battery and a few other things.”

  I groaned and sighed in relief. “Thanks Devon. I owe you.”

  “Na, you owe Jimmy. All I did was present it in a legal fashion. Just so you know, Richard Anderson has been suspended from the force. The PC is doing his nut because of the fact you called them out on their attitudes on TV.”

  I clicked off the line, sitting staring at the wall for a while; wondering what to do about Amber when my cell rang again. I glanced down at it, but I didn’t recognise the number so I answered cautiously, in case it was a fan. My number had been leaked a few years ago to the press and it wasn’t fun. “Hello. Who is this?”

  A deep sigh sounded on the other end of the line. My eyes went to my kids as the person answered me “You think you can mess with my family and there won’t be consequences ‘rock star’? But I’ll make you pay. I’ll make you all pay.”

  The line went dead. Footsteps sounded on the stairs. I sat up on the bed and moved towards my door, pausing and drawing in a breath as a knock sounded on the other side. I wanted to open the door. My hand was even on the handle, but I froze up. Then heard retreating footsteps.

  I opened the door slightly and glanced down the corridor just in time to see her walk into her room. My whole body wanted to follow her, but the flashback of how her eyes looked when we were in that closet made me step back and close the door.

  I avoided her for the rest of the weekend, taking the kids to my aunt’s house in LA. I had some fun splashing around in the pool with Sophia. I tried to avoid thinking about Monday morning and the funeral, Amber and the drama around her, and the call on Saturday morning.

  Amber

  Sitting in the police station, all I could feel was shock. I knew I hadn’t done anything. But apparently a cell phone was found in my room at Mason’s house that had been used to text Kurt. I’d never text him before in my life and I hadn’t loaded up my new cell.

  The officers didn’t believe me and left me sitting in a stiflingly hot office, only one window, with the kind of glass you see in police drama TV shows. Where you can’t see out, but they can see in. Mason’s friend Joe had been by a few times and was trying to keep me calm, but my heart raced, my palms sweated and my knees were knocking under the table. My head was hammering and my eyes buzzed. I had been there forever. At least that was what it felt like.

  Eventually, at three thirty am, the door opened. I lifted my head off of my arms, squinting at the door. As soon as I recognised the figure standing in the doorway, I closed my eyes again and leaned my head down on the table. He moved into the room, with all the grace of a king. I ignored him, keeping my eyes closed.

  “Amber. How could you do this? To your mother?
To me? To your brother and sister? Do you know that your brother was going to run for senate? Because of you and this creep, he can’t run now. Don’t you even care about that?”

  I kept my eyes closed, but struggled with my mouth. My father was always good at getting under my skin and I didn’t want him to know he was getting to me. He banged his hand on the table and pain shot through my head, making me wince. “Amber, so help me, you better answer me right now.”

  My temper won and I sat up abruptly, ignoring the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm me. “What do you want?” I glared at him through narrowed eyes. I wound my fingers together to keep from smacking him across the mouth. His gaze narrowed and he glared at me.

  “I want to tell you how much of a disappointment you are to me and your mother. That we have spoken to Bret about removing the trust fund your grandfather left for you. He’s looking into this as per our request. And I want to know how you could hurt Ellis?” His words flew out and spit flew from his mouth. His large stomach moved up and down with his anger. He curled and uncurled his fists as he glared at me.

  “Well Dad, since you seem to have all the answers. Why don’t you tell me how I could have hurt Ellis? Why don’t you tell me why I’m here? And why you even care? Or better yet, why don’t you get the hell away from me and never come back? You said you were done with me, well here’s some news for you. I’m done with you. Don’t ever call me again. Don’t text or email because I’M NOT INTERESTED IN BEING RELATED TO SOMEONE WHO ONLY EVER BELIEVES THE WORST IN ME!”

  My dad stood and moved towards the door as I yelled and screamed at him. The door opened and Devon, Mason’s lawyer, poked his head in. “All okay in here?” He asked with a smile. My dad walked through the door and spoke to Joe, who was standing beside Devon.

  “I’m done caring about what happens to her. Throw away the key when you are finished with her. I want nothing more to do with her.” My dad stormed away down the corridor. I sat staring at the desk in front of me. I couldn’t believe him. He’d only come here to accuse me of all of this when I hadn’t done anything wrong. What kind of person does that to their own daughter?

  “Amber?” Joe’s voice asked politely from the door, “do you need anything?” His face was towards me. He was good looking for a cop. I shook my head at him. I turned back to the table and laid my head back down. “Okay, then. We’ll be back in soon. We’re working through the evidence packet from Mason and we dusted that cell for your prints. So don’t worry, okay? We’re doing what we can to get you out of here.” I nodded in his general direction and he left, closing the door softly behind him.

  I put my hands down on the table and closed my eyes, trying to clear my mind. The door opened again and in walked, what looked like, an older version of Kurt. Devon and Joe followed him in Devon sat on my left, nearest the door. Joe sat opposite me. Kurt’s dad — I figured that’s who he was — sat down opposite Devon.

  “Amber. Before we begin, I’m Detective Anderson and I’ll be conducting the investigation. Can we get you anything before the interview begins?” His words on the surface were nice, but his eyes were narrowed and he looked like a snake. I shook my head and watched as he reached towards the video recorder.

  “Four oh-three am. Saturday, November Eighth, in the year two thousand and fifteen. Interview with suspect, Amber Davis, on the assault of one Kurt Anderson and one Ellis Walker.” Devon fiddled with his brief case, Joe glanced around the room so fast his neck cricked and Kurt’s father’s eyes were trained on me. His stare made me uncomfortable. I wanted out of this room, but I knew I didn’t have a choice. I had to sit and let him question me, until the evidence, hopefully, cleared me.

  “Present at the time of the interview are Supervising Officer Joseph Curaco and Detective Richard Anderson. Also present is Devon Sanders. Amber.” His snake eyes turned back to me from the glare he gave Devon. I nodded at him. “Did you receive your Miranda rights when you were arrested?”

  I nodded again. His smirk was evil as he stared at me. “You need to answer out loud.”

  “Yes. I was told my rights.” I answered sullenly. I was exhausted. Every ache and pain from yesterday was making itself known.

  “Did you understand everything?” He put his hands on the table and leaned towards me. I shrank back against the chair. His smile told me he enjoyed that, so I straightened my back and looked him directly in the eye as I answered.

  “Yes. I understood my rights.” My answer was spoken as a sharp pain shot through my head. My hand went to cradle it. “Amber, are you okay?” Devon’s voice asked quietly from beside me. “Yeah, I just have a sore head from where I was assaulted today.”

  Richard’s gaze narrowed at me when I said that. I could feel the anger emanating from him. “Amber,” he spoke through his teeth at me, “how well did you know Ellis Walker?”

  My back stiffened at his question and my teeth snapped together. I forced out my answer. “I knew her very well. We’d been best friends since we were young.”

  He nodded at me. “Were you there when she met Kurt?” I thought back to when she’d met Kurt last summer. I tried to remember if I was with her the night they officially met or if I was only there before he bumped into her. We’d seen him a few times out at our local pub. Whenever I’d came back from college, we’d go for dinner and hit the bar.

  “I’m not sure. I did see him a few times when we were out together, but I don’t know if I was there when he asked her out.” My eyes were narrowed as I tried to remember. I remembered her telling me she was seeing him. I was surprised because he’d given me the creeps. His eyes stayed on me the entire time and his predatory gaze made my skin crawl.

  “When did you first officially meet Kurt as Ellis’s boyfriend?” I closed my eyes and tried to remember, but I couldn’t pinpoint the exact date. I knew it was sometime in October, around Ellis’s birthday. I’d flown in for the weekend to surprise her and was surprised myself when she brought him out with us.

  “I think it was around October twentieth or something. I don’t remember clearly.”

  His face seemed closer to me and I sat back, leaning against my chair. “Did you hit on Kurt the first time you met him?”

  Devon leaned into me and spoke into my ear. “Don’t answer that.” I shrugged him off.

  “Obviously not, if I can’t remember the first time I met him.”

  His eyes narrowed at my words and my tone, but he nodded at me. “Did you kiss Kurt when you met him?”

  “No. Of course I didn’t. I wouldn’t kiss my best friends boyfriend. Ever.” And I hadn’t. I’d never have done that to her.

  Devon leaned in towards me again. “Amber, make sure that you check with me before answering, okay?” I nodded my head at him and glared at Kurt’s father. The interview continued in much the same way. Did you sleep with Kurt on this date? Did you have him out at campus? Did you meet him here?

  All the answers were no and eventually they broke for coffee. My eyes were almost rolling in my head. I needed some coffee too. Joe had walked out and came back in with a coffee cup, placing it down in front of me. I drank it gratefully and waited for the caffeine to take effect. At five-ten Joe and Devon came back into the interview room. They were.

  As they sat down, Devon smiled at me and nodded to a piece of paper in front of him.

  We got him.

  That was all it said. Detective Anderson walked back into the room, his eyes narrowed on Devon’s notepad. He didn’t say a word, but glared at it the whole time before he sat down. He then turned his glare on me. I glanced over at Joe who smiled at me and nodded at Devon.

  “Interview recommenced at five forty-two am. Amber, we have evidence that you and Kurt were having relations behind your fiancé’s back.” His smirk was back and I glared at him. Before I could speak, Devon leaned forwards and pushed something towards Richard.

  “Actually you don’t. Her DNA and fingerprints weren’t on that cell.”

  His smile was huge and Richard s
wallowed. “We have a testimony from…”

  “Actually, you don’t have that either. In fact all of the evidence in this case has been proven falsified. And there is evidence tying your son to a series of rapes across the city. There have also been a number of disappearances. If we get evidence that it was your son, then he’ll be up for more than a single count of murder.”

  Joe smiled at me and nodded. “Amber, all charges against you have been dropped. You are free to leave. Devon will take you home. Richard, you’re to report to the PC before you go.”

  As I stood up on shaky legs, Devon put his hand under my arm to lead me out. Joe followed after me a second later. Within moments there was the sound of furniture crashing in the room and two suits went inside. Devon sat me down. I looked down at my fingers and my heart thundered in my ears. It was over. I was cleared. I could get out of here. I wanted to see Mason, to speak to him, but all I really wanted was to go to bed.

  After another twenty minutes, Devon led me outside to a sporty little Bugatti. We shot off for home. He smiled at me as he began driving. “I’ve called Mase. He knows you’re on the way. I took the liberty of letting your father know all charges against you were being dropped. He seemed disappointed though.”

  Devon’s gaze landed on me for a moment and I glanced back at him, taking in his sharp Italian suit, navy blue in colour, his baby blue coloured shirt, black tie and black loafers. His face was handsome, but clean shaven. He had expressive grey/blue coloured eyes and a nice smile. A few crooked teeth, but his mouth was a nice shape. He was obviously fit and smelled amazing.

  I also noticed a shiny silver band on his wedding finger. He smiled at me again when he caught my eyes on it. “Ah yes, you noticed that. I’ve been married to Alysandra two years and we have a four-month-old baby, Zoe. She’s the light of my life, but don’t tell the guys that. I’d never live it down.”