22

 

 

It was Cole and Dan-o who came back to the interview room fifteen minutes later. Cole was still seething, I could tell. He removed his handcuffs from his case, and for a second I thought they really were going to book me into jail. But Dan-o stepped in front of Cole and motioned for me to stand.

When I did, he handed me a plastic bag with my belongings in it. “We’re releasing you,” he said.

“For now,” Cole added.

I took my keys and wallet out of the bag, folded it and dropped it on the table. After I slid my wallet into my back pocket, I held up my keys and gave them a shake. “I’ll need a ride back to my car.”

“Take a cab, motherfucker,” Cole growled at me.

“Yeah?” I said. “Maybe after my lawyer’s done with you, I’ll take your car up there instead. If I can get the smell of bullshit out of it first.”

Fire flashed in Cole’s eyes, and he bowed up. I felt an odd combination of emotions in that moment. Anger, at him and the situation. For that reason, I was a little hopeful he’d make a move and give me a chance to tangle with him. Even if I lost, he was going to feel it.

Another part of me felt ashamed, though. Even as the words came out of my mouth, I knew I sounded like many of the shitheads I’d dealt with on the street myself. Always playing the lawyer card. Always threatening to sue and take the cop’s stuff. Or asking him to take off the handcuffs so we could see who was tough. It was a familiar dance, but now I was in a different role.

It didn’t feel good.

Dan-o saved both Cole and me from each other. “I’ll run you up there,” he said. “Let’s go.”

Cole stared intensely at me for a few, long seconds. I couldn’t tell if it was an act or not any more. Finally, he shrugged and turned and walked away without another word.

 

 

Neither Dan-o nor I spoke as we walked out of the building to his car. He led me on a circuitous route through the building, and I realized he was doing it to avoid running into more detectives. I didn’t know whether to thank him for that, or tell him off, so I opted for silence.

Silence seemed to suit him just fine, too. We rode back to Namaste Estates without a word. When he pulled up behind my Toyota, he put the car into park.

“Thanks for the ride,” I said, not sure if I meant it or not.

“No problem,” he said.

I reached for the door.

“I’m supposed to tell you,” Dan-o continued, “to stay away from the Brassart house and this investigation. It’s a formal warning, and Detective Matsuda has instructed us to arrest you if you violate it.”

I thought about arguing, but Dan-o was just the messenger, so what would have been the point? Instead, I just nodded that I understood. “Thank you, Daniel,” I said, and got out of his car.

I could feel his eyes on me when I opened the door to my car and got inside. Immediately, I knew that they’d been in it. For one, my driver’s seat was moved at least two notches further back. For another, I could smell a wispy trace of Cole’s cologne inside.

I clench my jaw in anger. Unless case law had changed radically, they had no right to search my car. I almost got out and laid into Dan-o for it, but once again, what would have been the point? He didn’t do it, and that reaction was probably what Cole was hoping for.

So instead, I started the car, made a careful U-turn and drove away.