Chapter 45 – Five
Tony
I get to the police station and James Heung is there. He's my friend and a very good lawyer. I called him on the way here to help Dom out of this mess.
"Hi James, have you seen Dom yet?"
"I'm just about to. They will not let me talk to Letty without her guardian's consent."
"Thanks for this."
Two detectives walk over to us. One male, one female.
"I'm Det. Blake and this is my partner Det. Fox. Are you Toretto's attorney?"
"I am. But first, this is Anthony Toretto. He's my client's father. But he also has the legal right to make decisions for Miss Ortiz if her mother is unable or unavailable."
James pulls out some paperwork and gives it to the detective.
The female detective, Det. Blake, looks it over and then looks at me. "Let me get this straight. You're the vic's guardian and the perp's father. That's a conflict of interest!"
"Doesn't matter what you think, it's how the situation is. I want Leticia released into the custody of Mr. Toretto right now."
Det. Fox looks at his partner. "I'll go get her."
Fox walks away, but Blake keeps talking. "Don't you think as her guardian you should be protecting her?"
"I am protecting her. That's why I'm here. I'm protecting her from the man who was supposedly concerned about her. The man who has tried to kill her mother on more than one occasion and who is conveniently absence considering how concerned he is about her well being. Doesn't that seem at all suspicious to you?"
"That reminds me." James opens his briefcase again and takes out more paperwork. "This is a copy of the protective order that says that Mr. Alameda is to stay away from Miss Ortiz and her mother."
He gives that to Det. Blake.
"This is a document stating that the court does not acknowledge that Mr. Alameda has any legal rights to Miss Ortiz as he was never listed on the birth certificate. He has the right to petition the court at his discretion for a paternity test anytime before she turns 18, if he would like his parental rights acknowledged. That means, the claim that lead to this investigation has no validity. Which most likely means that all the evidence that stemmed from that claim won't be admissible in court. Including the apprehension of my client."
"This is bullshit, you're helping a sexual predator get away with a sick crime!"
"I'm just doing my job as I'm sure you're trying to do yours."
Det. Fox comes back with Letty.
"If you need someone to talk to or have something you want to say, call us." He hands her his card.
"Tony!" She notices me and comes over and gives me a hug. "Is Dom ok? What's going on?"
"It's taken of. Don't worry."
"Dad!" I turn around to see Vince, Mia and Jason running over to me.
I hug Mia when she gets to me. At least my girls are safe. Luz is going to kill me for keeping her in the dark on this.
"Dom got arrested?" Mia asks.
"In a second honey, we have to…" my phone rings.
It's Luz!
"Vince, take both of the girls home now! We'll talk about everything there."
I have to let her know what's going on, I can't ignore her or lie to her.
"Lucia! I have something to tell you, but do not panic and stay at the hospital. Rafe had Dom arrested for statutory rape."
"What!"
"I don't know the details but I'm handling it. I think he's trying to get you alone! If we're all busy with this, you're by yourself."
She pauses for a second and that scares me.
"I left the hospital."
"Go back now!"
I can hear her running and then she stops.
"Tony, he's here!"
"Do not hang up the phone! James, take care of Dom." I say to my friend and run out of the police station.
"Tony, my phone battery is dying."
That's all the warning I get and she's gone!
Damn it!
I see the kids up ahead.
"Go back inside, tell the police what hospital Luz works at and that she's being attacked and they need to get police there now!"
I can't worry about scaring them right now. I just have to protect Lucia. I keep running to my car. I takes me a second to realize Letty is with me.
"Absolutely not! I'm not arguing with you, get back there."
"I'm sorry Tony, I'm not arguing either, I'm going!"
I don't have time for this. We get in my car and race towards the hospital. Please God don't let me be too late. You saved her life years ago, she's about due for another miracle.
Dom
The detectives come back in and they have James Heung with them.
"James."
"Dominic, I'm representing you."
My Dad works fast. I bet Letty called him. He's probably here.
There is another knock the door. An older woman sticks her head in. "Blake, Fox, I need three minutes."
After they leave the room, James sits next to me.
"They have absolutely nothing unless you gave them something."
"I didn't."
"Good. At the most you'll be here overnight until I get the charges dropped, but it shouldn't take that long. The complainant completely invalids the basis of their investigation."
The door opens and the detectives come back in.
"You're free to go," the female cops spits out.
"See, I told you it wouldn't take long at all." James says. "Let's get your belongings and get you back to your family."
"Don't you mean, back to his victim?" Fox says.
We get up and walk out.
"I hope you find something better to do, Toretto, then rape little girls." Blake says as I'm walking out of the room.
A rapist? Is that how people see me? It makes me sick to my stomach that people would see me that way.
Twenty-one and sixteen. Five years. That's something new to consider.
A/N – Sorry, I couldn't resist keeping up the suspense a little longer. On top of that, I didn't think skipping over what was going to happen with Dom and Letty and saving it for later would work. So I wanted to wrap that part of the story up first.
