“Exactly. A big conflict of interest.” He taps his pen against his notepad before pointing it at all three of us.
“Is this really necessary?” Aria asks.
“It is if a rape kit exam is in order.” Instantly, I freeze despite the blankets on top of me and I want to burrow under them and sleep through the rest of winter.
Aria and Cal look at me and I watch as the blood drains from both of their faces, but my eyes stay focused on Cal. I shake my head slowly, letting him know that he didn’t. That no one’s touched me but him. I’m yours.
“Not necessary,” Cal says.
“Cal…” Officer James warns.
“I don’t need one.” I speak up. “He didn’t touch me, like…that.”
“Listen, I know you have a different relationship with Cal and Aria, so if they need to step out of the room so we can talk to you privately, we can do that.”
“No.” I shake my head. “They stay. He didn’t touch me, but we can do one if you don’t believe me?”
“That’s not how this works,” Cal growls. “And they’re invasive and often times a little traumatic. You’ve been through enough. If you say you don’t need one, you’re not taking one.”
I bite my lip and look at Officer James. “I don’t need one, I swear,” I whisper.
“Well, we do have a few questions to ask if you don’t mind.”
“Do we have to do that now? The suspect is…” he pauses and clears his throat as he prepares to speak of the suspect who just so happens to be his brother. “deceased.” Cal says and I watch as Aria flinches. She looks down and I reach out to grab her hand giving it a small squeeze. Her eyes meet mine and a flash of sadness floats across her face.
I’m sorry, I mouth.
She shakes her head as if to tell me that I’m the last person who has anything to be sorry for.
“And this is precisely why you two are off this case. This is personal for both of you. Your brother, your husband.” He looks at them and shakes his head. “And from what few of us have noticed, you’re romantically involved with the victim.” He points at Cal and then turns his head towards me.
How did they know? I vaguely remember him calling me baby earlier and maybe a kiss, but I thought I imagined that.
“We should remove you both from the room while we speak with her,” he continues and I freeze.
“No!” The word bursts out of me like an explosion. “What part of I don’t want to be away from them do you not understand? They saved my life and they’re my family.” I look over at them; Cal’s posture is rigid and tense and Aria looks like she’s on the verge of tears. I turn back to Officer James. “They’re two for two for saving my life.”
He lets out a sigh and flips his notepad up before pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’ll need to come down to the station when you’re strong enough, alright?”
“Okay.” I nod.
The room starts to clear out after a few of the officers take turns hugging me and giving me even more flowers and stuffed animals. I realize that my pink bunny is next to me and I wonder where it came from, when I remember who I haven’t seen.
“Where’s Margie?” Aria and Cal exchange a look and then turn back at me and I frown. “Where is she?”
“She’s…in the waiting room. She’s…not taking this well,” Cal tells me.
“Can I see her? I mean…does she want to see me?” Is she upset with me? Does she wish Henry was alive over me? He was her child…and I’m…not. I feel the familiar prickle in my scalp at the idea of being resented by Cal’s mother for the rest of my life.
Cal frowns and shakes his head, assumedly at my question. “Of course, she wants to see you. She’s worried that you hate her. Hell, she thinks we all do.”
“I’ll go get her and give you guys a second,” Aria says as she slips out of the room.
“How are you feeling about…everything?” I ask, and Cal sighs before sitting next to me on my bed.
“I haven’t really given it a ton of thought yet. I haven’t been able to focus on anything except you,” he whispers. “Seeing you tied up like that gutted me. When I walked in the room and saw you like that…I had to force my gaze away from you because I was seconds from losing it.” He raises the sleeves of my gown and kisses my wrists that are wrapped in gauze. “Does it hurt?”
“I’m okay, Cal. I promise.”