In Silence

CHAPTER 54

Hunter paced the length of the windowless interrogation room. Two CSPD uniforms had retrieved him from his home that morning. His father had requested they pick him up, they'd said. Bring him in for questioning. Cooperation hadn't been an option.

They had dumped him here, told him Buddy would be in shortly and left. That had been nearly twelve hours ago.

He stopped. Moved his gaze over the room. A single table made out of wood. Three chairs, also made out of wood. They'd been around a while and bore the evidence of each of those years in the form of cigarette burns, chips, scratches and carvings. He continued his inspection. No fire alarm. No phone. Reinforced door, locked from the outside.

This was wrong. He had known it was wrong this morning. Had sensed a setup.

The officers had said it was about Avery. She was in trouble. Buddy had said to tell him that.

So he had come. And left Avery on the outside. Alone.

He pivoted and crossed to the door. "This is bullshit!" he shouted and pounded on it. "Charge me or release me!"

He pressed his ear to the door, swearing at the silence on the other side. He had to get out of here. Avery was in trouble.

He pounded again. "Hey! I gotta take a piss. Unless you want a mess to clean up, you better get your asses to this doo-"

The door swung open. A pimply-faced officer with big ears stood on the other side, Cherry directly behind him.

"Cherry?" Hunter said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Dad needs our help. Inside," she ordered the officer, nudging him forward.

With a gun, Hunter saw. A big gun. A.357 Magnum, long barrel. He returned his gaze to hers. "You really know how to use that?"

"I'm not dignifying that with an answer." She grabbed his arm with her free hand. "Come on, we need to get out of here."

She pulled him through the door, slamming and locking it behind him. She pocketed the key. The officer began pounding on the door.

"What the hell's going on?"

"We'll talk in the car." She hurried forward. "Sammy there was manning the station alone, but the patrol guys are going to be checking in soon."

"What time is it?"

"Eight-thirty."

"I've been locked in that room since early this morning, I need to use the John."

"Make it quick."

She was waiting for him when he emerged moments later. Wordlessly, they went to her car and climbed in. His mother sat in the back seat. She had been crying: her eyes were red and swollen, her skin blotchy.

She looked on the verge of falling apart.

He glanced over at Cherry. "Somebody better start talking, fast."

Cherry pulled away from the curb. "Dad said if we didn't hear from him by eight, to come and get you."

"Get me? What was I doing there?"

"He wanted you to be somewhere safe. He figured locked up at the CSPD was about as safe as he could find."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Matt's the one," she said. "And he's got Avery."