by M. L. Guida
“You okay, Miss Hahn?” he asked.
His concern touched her. She didn’t want to be alone with the judge and jury woman.
“Am I under arrest?”
“No.” Detective Akao flicked her gaze over her. No sympathy reflected in her eyes and she curled her lip.
Deirdre cringed.
“Not yet.” Detective Akao flounced down the hallway. “This way please. We need to take pictures. Procedure.”
Deirdre refused to cry. Up yours Brandon.
For the next thirty minutes, a female police officer shot photographs of her and her blue and purple bruises on her face, hip and thighs and cut lip. What a great Christmas picture to send to all of her friends, thanks to Brandon Delaney.
After the photography session, Detective Akao led her to a green room with a one way glass mirror. There was a table and two chairs. She slid onto the chair and glanced at the mirror. Was Brandon behind there? Did he somehow convince the police that he was the innocent victim? She didn’t want to do this alone. She wished Janus was here. Why did she think that? She didn’t even know the man. She was tired. Damn tired.
Detective Akao gave her a brief smile. “Not much of a Christmas Eve is it?”
“No, it’s not,” Deidre choked. She pushed her hair back. “I’m sorry. I’m tired. Is Brandon behind the mirror?”
“Why would you ask that?”
“Because he always gets his way when he’s playing attorney. Like now.”
“What do you mean like now?”
“He’s acting like he’s the victim. That I attacked him.”
“And he’s not?”
“No, he’s not.”
“Then let me hear your version.”
“My version? Sounds like you’ve got me convicted already.”
Detective Akao folded her hands on the table. “Please, Ms. Hahn, tell me what happened.”
“Fine.” Deirdre relayed her story to a stone faced Detective Akao who clicked her long red nails painted with little Christmas presents on the table. Deirdre hoped everyone one of those hooker nails would break.
“Was anyone in the room with you when Brandon struck you?”
“No,” Deirdre said. She licked her cut lips and winced.
Detective Akao tapped a finger on the table. “Where is the engagement ring?”
The clicking chipped away at Deirdre’s nerves. She rested her head in her hands. “I don’t know. After he beat me, I ran down the hall and ripped the ring off my finger. I have no idea where it landed.”
“That wasn’t very bright, Ms. Hahn. The ring costs over ten thousand dollars.”
“I wasn’t thinking.”
“No, you weren’t. Mr. Delaney says you have financial problems and believes you intend to sell the ring.”
“I don’t have any financial problems.”
“He doesn’t want to cause any trouble and just wants the ring back. If you don’t produce it or the money—”
Despite the cold air blowing onto her, sweat trickled down Deirdre’s back and she squirmed in her seat. “I don’t have ten thousand dollars.”
“Then you’ll be arrested for theft.”
She hated Brandon’s manipulation. “He knows I don’t have that kind of money.”
“Ms. Hahn, Mr. Delaney is being very generous to you.”
“Generous? He beat the crap out of me.”
“So you say. He reports that you assaulted him and planned on stealing the ring and running away with your lover.”
“Lover? What lover?”
“Janus Morano.”
“I just met Janus tonight. He’s not my lover.”
“Then why were you with him?”
“I’m not with him. He helped me escape from Brandon.”
“To his condominium? Why didn’t you just come straight to the police station?”
“I can’t believe you’re on Brandon’s side.”
“Mr. Delaney reports that you planned to steal the ring—”
Deirdre glared. “I didn’t steal it.”
“Ms. Hahn, I can’t charge you with theft yet, but you’ll be charged with assault and battery.”
“Excuse me? And what about Brandon?”
“He was defending himself.”
Deirdre opened her mouth but shut it. Brandon must have been charming with Akao and the detective fell for it. She wanted to shake Akao until she thought like a police officer instead of woman smitten by a handsome attorney.
Someone tapped on the mirror.
Detective Akao frowned and put her hands on the table. “If you’ll excuse me…”
Deirdre clenched her fists to keep from strangling Detective Akao. “Interview Janus, please.”
Akao left the room. “Don’t worry. We will.”
Deirdre wanted to demand a retrial with another detective, a male detective. Someone who could see past Brandon’s charisma. This was like being on Law and Order or CSI or one of those other cop shows. Any minute Akao would bring in evidence to convict her. She had been the victim. Why had she thrown that damn ring? Where was she going to come up with ten thousand dollars?
Deirdre shivered and rubbed her arms. The air conditioner made the room so cold.
She glanced at her watch. A few minutes to midnight. Christmas Day was coming and she was stuck in an interview room at the Honolulu police station. She’d rather be sipping champagne on the beach with Janus. Wait. What was she thinking? Drinking wine with him started this whole nightmare.
The door opened and Detective Akao returned. “Come with me, Ms. Hahn.”
“Am I being charged?”
“Yes, with assault.”
Detective Akao read Deirdre her Miranda rights and Deirdre had entered the Twilight Zone. Any moment, Rod Sterling would walk into the interrogation room.
After Detective Akao finished, she motioned. “Come with me, Ms. Hahn.”
In an open door, shoulders slumped, Brandon sat at a table with another female detective. His puppy dog eyes were red and he wiped tears. “I just love her. I don’t know why she’s doing this to me. I’m not sure I should press chargers.”
“Mr. Delaney, she attacked you.”
“But I hurt her.”
He pressed his hand to face and bit back a sob. Deirdre bit back a scream. She was the one with the busted face, but because she defended herself and lost her engagement ring, she was the criminal. Damn him.
Detective Akao clasped her arm and forced her away from the closed door. “You’ve broken his heart.”
“Oh, but it’s okay, he beat the shit out of me.”
“Talk to your attorney.”
For the next hour, she was finger printed, searched and sat in a jail cell with ten other women. Some of the women wore high heels, too short skirts, and bright camisoles, leaving little to the imagination. Some women staggered in the cell and reeked of alcohol. But the scariest women were the ones with tears tattooed on their cheeks and sent her death glares. She wanted to vomit. How could Brandon do this to her?
What was she going to do? How would she get an attorney? Would she have enough money for bail? She knew no one in Hawaii. She was alone. No, siblings, no relatives. No one. Alone. Or was she? Was Janus still waiting?
Sitting in a corner away from the other women, Deirdre hung her head and hugged her arms around her knees.
At the end of the hall, the metal door swung open. Heavy footsteps echoed throughout the concrete walls. “Ms. Hahn,” a male guard said.
Deirdre looked up. “Yes?”
He unlocked the door. “You’re being released.”
She slowly got off the floor, but didn’t move. What if Brandon pulled another sleazy trick? She leaned against the wall. “Why?”
“We interviewed Mr. Morano and he’s taking responsibility for you.”
She frowned. “I’m sorry. What do you mean?”
“You’re being released to his custody.”
“His custody?”
“Yes, he posted
bail.”
Bonds never worked that quickly. There were procedures. Forms needed to be processed. “How did he do this so quickly?”
“It’s all taken care of, Ms. Hahn. You either stay with him or stay the night in here.”
“What about Brandon? Is he being charged?”
The guard shrugged. “I can’t tell you this. Not yet. But we’ll be in touch. This way, Ms. Hahn.”
She followed the wrestler-sized guard down the hallway, past the booking room and into the lobby. Janus stopped pacing when he saw her.
His eyes filled with concern, Janus gripped her shoulders. “Deirdre, are you alright?”
“No.”
She glanced over her shoulder. Where was Brandon? What would he do when he found out she’d been released? “I want to get out of here. I’m afraid of what Brandon will do.”
Her voice cracked. She wished her parents were alive. Her father would know what to do and her mother would tell her everything would be fine. God, she missed them both so much. She was alone. Alone and scared.
Janus tilted her chin to look at him. “I told you I’ll take care of him. He won’t hurt you again.”
She wanted to believe him. Was desperate to believe him. What if he was wrong?
Chapter Four
Janus pulled into his parking space at his condominium. Deirdre had been quiet on the way back from the police station and he hadn’t pushed her to talk. He hurried to open the passenger side door.
Instead of getting out, she stared straight ahead. “So what does this mean—you’ve got custody of me?”
“It was a means to get you out.”
“Janus, adults don’t get custody of other adults. I’m not a child. I want to know how you convinced them to let me walk out there.”
This wasn’t going as he’d planned. He should have known. Nothing was ever easy with her. “Deirdre, it’s late.” He ran his hand through his hair. “We’re both tired. Can we please talk about this inside?”
The sun would rise in a couple of hours and he’d be forced to go into the deep sleep. She needed to know the truth. What if she left him again? He couldn’t bear that. He needed to keep track of her.
She clung to the door. “Why can’t we discuss it here?”
“Deirdre, why do you always make everything so difficult?”
“Difficult? You just met me. How do you know I make things difficult?”
Shit. Another mistake.
“You can stay here. I’m going to bed.”
She got out of the car and slammed the door. “To bed? Well, I’m not going to sleep with you. I’m not your little geisha doll.”
“I didn’t ask.” He held up his hand. “This isn’t going anywhere. I’m through arguing. Do what you want.”
He turned to leave and hoped she’d follow. Just like in her past life, she did things on her terms. No one could force her. He had no idea what to do or say in this situation. The woman was exhausted but she’d deny it.
He was surprised when she ran up the stairs next to him. “I want to know about this damn custody.”
“What do you want to know?”
“How did you get custody?”
“I just posted custody.”
She grabbed his arm. “You don’t post custody. You post bail.”
He sighed and unlocked the door. “I wasn’t thinking. I thought the term was custody. I made a mistake. Are you coming inside?”
“No.”
Exasperating woman. “Fine.”
He shut the door and walked to the bar to pour a shot of whiskey.
Deirdre pounded on the door. “Janus, open up.”
He whipped open the door. “What?”
With each word, she jammed her finger on his chest as she marched into the condo. “What did you mean by using the wrong term?”
He stomped away, afraid he’d throttle the woman. “I’m having a drink. Do you want anything?”
She folded her arms across her chest. “No. I want an answer.”
He snatched a bottle of Irish and poured himself a shot.
She glared. “Well?”
Ignoring her, he tossed the spicy liquid back. If he had his way, he’d down the whole bottle.
She slammed her hands onto the counter and he actually flinched. Him, a master vampire. “Answer me.”
He poured himself another shot. “You won’t believe me.”
“Try me.”
Deciding not to lie, he had another shot and put the shot glass onto the counter. “I used persuasion.”
“Persuasion? You mean you bribed the cops?”
“No.”
“So?”
“I used mind control.”
She scoffed. “Mind control? You mean you’re a psychic.”
“No, I’m a vampire.”
“A what?”
Wincing from her scowl, he took another shot. “I told you. A vampire.”
She glanced at the bottle and back to him. “Are you drunk?”
“No.” He picked up the bottle. “I haven’t been drunk for the last five hundred years.”
“This is unreal. So, according to you vampires can’t get drunk?”
He studied the Kilbeggan’s Irish Whiskey bottle. “Yes, we can drink alcohol, but it has no affect on us anymore than water does humans.”
“Humans? Puh-lease.” She snatched the bottle out of his hands and placed it on the counter. “Just tell me the truth, Janus. I’m in no mood to play games.”
“Do you need a demonstration?”
She tilted her chin. “Yes, I do.”
With his vampire speed, he darted across the room.
“What?” Her eyes wide, Deirdre plopped onto the barstool. “You were just in the kitchen. How did you do get over there so fast?”
He shrugged. “No different than you, a simple use of gestures, but vampires can move at the speed of light.”
Her face turned pale. She stood and edged toward the door. “Are you going to kill me?”
“No.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
He gestured. “Please sit.”
She put her hand on her throat. “Please don’t hurt me.”
“Hurting you is hardly what I had in mind.”
“Then what?”
Her squeaky voice tore at his heart. “I don’t have any sinister plans for you, Deirdre. You’re safe here.”
“I don’t want to stay here.”
He tilted his head. “You’re free to leave.”
She crept closer to the door. “I am?”
He sat on his leather recliner and gripped the arms, forcing himself not to move. “You’re not a prisoner.”
She put her hand on the door knob. She was going to walk out of his life again. Panic bubbled in his chest. Unsure what to do, he blurted, “I knew you in another life.”
“Excuse me?”
His heart pounded so strong, he was afraid it would burst. “Your name wasn’t Deirdre Hahn back then. It was Delores Helm.”
She furrowed her eyebrows and lifted her hand off the doorknob. She rubbed her temples and swayed. “Delores Helm?”
He jumped out of the recliner. “Is something wrong?”
She held up her hand. “Stay where you are. All of a sudden my headaches have gotten worse. I can barely think.” She flashed her gaze over him. “Did you give me this damn headache?”
He sat on the recliner. “No, I’d never hurt you.”
“You’re a vampire.”
“We were married.”
“Married?” She rolled her eyes. “I’m not your wife, Janus.”
“Yes, I know.”
She leaned against the door and kept rubbing her temples.
He tried to read her mind, but he couldn’t pierce it. Why couldn’t he? She was a mere slip of a woman, but she possessed the power to thwart his power. He sighed. Once again, the right words fled him and he stated the obvious. “You don’t look well.”
She dropped her hands an
d gazed at him warily. “I don’t feel well.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have any aspirin.”
“Vampires don’t get sick,” she smirked.
“No, we don’t. Do you want me to call you a cab?”
“Yes,” she blurted.
He winced. He had done this all wrong. Lost her again. He picked up the phone and dialed information.
“City and State please.” An impersonal voice said.
“Oahu, Hawaii.”
“Hang up,” Deirdre said.
“What?”
She had slid down the door and sat on the hardwood floor. “Just hang up.”
“Sir? What listing would you like?”
Janus covered the phone piece. “Where do you want to go?”
“I have no money, no place to go, no clothes.”
“I can put you in a hotel and we’ll get you some clothes.”
“Sir?” The operator persisted.
“I’d like—”
“Janus, hang up. Just hang up.” Tears spilled down her bruised cheeks.
Janus hung up the phone. God, he was at a loss. “Deirdre, I don’t know what you want.”
“Can’t you read my mind?”
“Actually, I can’t.”
She wrapped her arms around her legs and laid her head down onto her knees. “Why? Because I used to be your wife.”
“Maybe. I don’t know.”
“If I leave here, Brandon could find me. If I stay here, I’m with a man who thinks he’s a vampire. I’m trapped.”
“I’m not Brandon and I won’t hurt you.”
She lifted her head. “So you keep saying. Why the hell should I trust you? You’ve got custody of me. So, does this make you my master?”
Janus wanted to scoop her into his arms and kiss her, taking away all of her misery, but she regarded him as part of her misery. Could this day have gotten any worse?
He glanced at his naked tree, remembering how in another life Delores used to love to trim the tree and she’d almost been giddy. An idea formed, a long shot and probably another failure, but worth a try. He picked up a hook and put a bright red ball ornament on it. Ignoring her, he hung it on a branch.
“What are you doing?”
He picked up another ornament, this time a silver bell and hung it on a tree. “Saving what’s left of Christmas.” He reached for the little horse with the roses on the saddle.
