“Um,” I answer him, “I taped him snoring.” I smile finally. “He was with me the whole night.”
“Do you mind if we take the phone into evidence?” Jackson asks me, his voice softer than his partner’s.
“Here, take it.” I give it to them. “Can I see him?” I look from Mick to Jackson. “Please.”
Jackson nods. “Give us a minute,” he says, going to the back and coming back out. “Okay, till this gets straightened out, he has to stay here, but you can see him for a bit.”
I get up, walking toward him, following him down the white hallway, where he opens the door and the man I love sits with his head down and his eyes closed.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Matthew
I hate this fucking room. It has a smell of stale coffee and smoke, which is weird since I didn’t see anyone smoke. I’m sitting at the table, my hands on top, my foot moving a million miles a minute.
“So tell us where you were last night,” the detective who calls himself Martinez asks while he leans back in his chair.
“I told you I was in my room as soon as I got back from the game.”
“Were you alone?” the other detective, who goes by Mabie, asks, leaning on the table. “The whole night?”
“Yes, the whole night, alone.” I’m not bringing Karrie into this. I don’t give a shit what happens to me and my name, but they aren’t fucking touching her.
Martinez snickers while he leans back, the button on his gut about to pop open. “You want me to believe the player of all players just finished the game and went back to his room?” He laughs.
Mabie, who is balding on top, leans forward. “The woman says you called her from a private number at about one a.m. Then you went to her hotel room. You guys had sex, but then you flipped.”
“I’m telling you it wasn’t me.” I shake my head. “I was in my bed all night.”
There’s a knock at the door and a huge detective comes in. “You read him his rights?”
“They haven’t and I want a lawyer,” I say out loud, making Martinez and Mabie get up, glaring at the guy who came in. They shut the door behind them. I breathe out a sigh, wondering if this is actually happening to me. This is a fucking nightmare. My thoughts go straight to Karrie. The need to go to her. I don’t think long because the door opens and Noah comes in, closing the door behind him.
“Noah,” I say with hope.
“Hey there,” he says, sitting down. “So this is the story. This woman claims you called her, went to her apartment or hotel, had sex with her, then you wanted rough sex, and when she said no you didn’t listen. You beat her. From the pictures I just saw, if you did this your knuckles would be bruised. She can barely see. One side of her cheek is swollen so much you can’t see her eye. Her lip is cut open. She looks like she went twelve rounds with Tyson.”
“I was with Karrie the whole night.” I shake my head. “But there’s no way in fuck I’m dragging her into this mess.”
“Oh, you don’t need to drag her into this. She is here willingly,” Noah says while he leans back in the chair. “Your girl just about laid out her father, or at least that’s what I’m told.”
“What?” I ask, my mouth dry, my tongue thick. “Where is she?”
Noah smiles at me. “She’s outside in the room with your mother, Cooper, her father, and some chick who looks like she drank way too much fucking coffee.”
There’s a knock on the door again. The one who came in before asking if I was read my rights comes back in. “Hey there, sorry to interrupt. I’m Mick Moro. There has been a development in the case,” he says, sitting next to Noah.
“What development?” Noah asks, sitting up now.
“We have a video putting you not at the scene of the crime. In fact, the video shows that you snore like a fucking hog.” He smiles at us. “You owe your woman more than you know. She just saved your ass. Although I will say there’s no way this was going to stick. She couldn’t identify you in a line-up. Plus, her description of you didn’t even add up.” He shakes his head. “I’m sorry that you got dragged into this,” he says, rapping his fingers on the table. “Hang tight, we should be able to let you out of here soon.”
He closes the door.
“Well, my work here is done. I’ll be billing Cooper more than I’m worth.” Noah slaps the table, walking out.
I sit here, looking at my hands that are still shaking with fear and anger. My head is down as I think of the mess this is going to make for me, but most of all for Karrie. A tear escapes as the door opens again. This time when I look up it’s into the eyes of the woman who saved me without even knowing it.