Chapter 1 - The Extraction
The silence in the precinct lobby was deafening.
Captain Landry stared at me, his jaw tightening as he realized I was not backing down.
"This is ridiculous," he muttered, dropping his hand from his utility belt.
"It is only ridiculous if you ignore protocol, Captain," I replied, my voice steady.
I turned my back to him and looked at the rookie officer behind the desk.
"Uncuff her immediately," I ordered.
The young officer hesitated, looking nervously between me and his captain.
"Do it now, or I will add unlawful restraint to the federal file I am opening on this department tomorrow," I stated coldly.
Landry gave a curt nod, and the officer rushed forward to unlock the metal bracelets from my mother’s bruised wrists.
My mother let out a sharp gasp of pain as her arms fell to her sides.
I wrapped my coat around her shivering shoulders.
Brooke stood up, her fake tears instantly vanishing as her face contorted with rage.
"You can't just take her!" Brooke shrieked, grabbing Arthur's arm.
"She assaulted me in my own home!"
I finally looked directly at my brother.
"Arthur, if you have a shred of decency left, you will keep your wife quiet before I have her arrested for filing a false police report," I said.
Arthur looked away, unable to meet my gaze, his silence confirming everything I needed to know.
I helped my mother to her feet, supporting her weight as she leaned heavily against me.
"We are going straight to the hospital," I told Landry as we walked toward the exit.
"And if any of your officers attempt to lose the security footage from this lobby, I promise you will face a grand jury."
The heavy glass doors slammed shut behind us, cutting off Brooke’s hysterical shouting.
The freezing rain felt like a baptism as I guided my mother to the car.
May you like
Tonight was the end of their lies.
Tomorrow, the real investigation would begin.
