There will be no update next week as I will be on vacation.
Ch. 6: Ripples
"You're making a mistake."
Whitlock taking her in cuffs to Cady's office caused a hell of a stir. He kept one hand on her back as they took the stairs. Walt tried to follow along and earned another warning from Whitlock. The presence of Anna and Julian was problematic in the moment. He met her eyes as Whitlock took her arm and pulled her away.
"We will sort this out."
That was all he managed to say before she was out of earshot.
Cady's reaction was predictable. In hindsight, she knew Cady was likely calling to warn her that Whitlock was looking for her. Not that it mattered now. The morning was playing out like a bad movie.
Whitlock presented his evidence to Cady and there wasn't anything she could do about it no matter how she felt personally. The lawyer in her knew that. Getting herself in trouble wouldn't do anyone any good. When Whitlock asked Ferg for the key to the cell, the deputy refused and kept his seat. No admonishment came from Cady and Whitlock retrieved they key himself, removing the cuffs, and giving her a light push into the cell.
For her part, Vic had gone quiet.
Once she was secured in the cell, Cady and Whitlock retreated into Cady's office. Raised voices could be heard through the door. Ruby was quiet, but observant. Ferg sat looking sullen at the unexpected turn of events. His eyes kept shifting between Cady's closed office door and Vic.
Too restless to sit, Vic paced the small cell suddenly understanding how caged animals must feel when their instincts told them they should be free. Her nerves were on edge with not knowing what was going to happen next.
Cady's office door opened suddenly and they all looked. Cady emerged with her jaw set in unhappiness. Whitlock's phone was in his hand. He walked out and surveyed the room.
"I have a couple of calls to make. Arrangements. I trust that you will do your job as Sheriff."
Cady gave him a look, her blue eyes cold. She didn't respond. Vic braced her hands on the bars.
"You're making a mistake."
Whitlock looked her way.
"I am going by the evidence."
Vic kept her eyes on him.
"Your evidence is wrong."
"That's quite a claim. Are you accusing me of something?"
"Yes. Being wrong."
He huffed out a breath and walked out the door. As soon as it closed behind him, Cady walked over to the cell.
"Vic, what is going on?"
"I don't know. He says that my gun is the one that killed Perry. But…that's not possible."
Cady nodded.
"I know. He showed me the reports. But, how is that not possible? We both know…"
Her voice broke off and her eyes moved away to some unseen point. Vic knew she was struggling and gave her a minute.
"Cady, look at me."
Cady raised her eyes and looked at Vic again.
"I didn't kill anyone. The last time I used that gun was when I went after Walt a couple of weeks ago. As far as I know, it was locked up."
Cady swallowed.
"Could someone have taken it?"
Vic didn't give it much thought. In her experience, anything was possible.
"Yes. Walt and I both have a key. But…if someone took it…they could have gotten the gun and replaced it I suppose."
Vic moved her eyes to Ferg.
"Ferg?"
He was on his feet.
"Can you go check on Walt?"
He nodded.
"Sure thing."
He quickly left the office. Cady turned back to Vic, redirecting the conversation back to her line of thinking.
"Have either of you lost your key?"
"No."
"Then…how…"
Vic pushed out a breath of frustration.
"I don't take my keys with me all the time. Neither does Walt. It would be hard. But…it's possible."
Cady nodded a little.
"So…the question is…who would want to set you up?"
The door opened and Whitlock came back in. They all went quiet. Cady backed away from the cell as Whitlock tucked his phone into his pocket. He glanced between the two women, his eyes finally settling on Vic. He grabbed the cell key again and opened the door, swinging it open. Vic stood there, unsure of what he was doing.
He tipped his head towards Cady's office.
"Let's talk."
She stepped out and walked in front of him into the office, where he closed the door. Vic turned to face him.
"I haven't had my phone call yet."
He smiled slightly.
"We'll get to that. I'd like to ask you a few questions. Sit."
He motioned at a chair, but Vic made no move to sit.
"I want a lawyer."
He remained where he was.
"Well…you say you're innocent. So…tell me your story."
She knew what he was trying to do and it wasn't going to work. Vic shook her head.
"You read me my rights. You're not interested in my story. You want me to slip up and say something that you can hold against me. So…I am exercising my right to remain silent and I want a lawyer."
"Vic…"
He tried once more, his tone almost friendly.
"I. Want. A. Lawyer."
She emphasized each word. For another moment, Whitlock continued to look at her in a quiet standoff. Vic returned his gaze, giving as good as she got. If he was trying to intimidate her, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. She was a former cop herself and she knew exactly what her rights were. Fed or not, there were certain things he would have to honor or it would come back and bite him on the ass. They both knew it.
Vic tilted her head slightly.
"Your play."
She was getting to him. A slight flush worked its way up his neck and his jaw clenched. He finally stepped back and dipped his chin in acceptance.
"Fine. Have it your way."
He opened the door and she walked out. Vic started for the cell, but Whitlock called out.
"Not…here. You're not staying here."
Cady faced him.
"What do you mean?"
"For now, I'm having her transferred to Tri-County. No offense, Sheriff. But, you are her husband's daughter and you are all her friends. The Cumberland County Sheriff is your husband. You people have some kind of grip on the law enforcement around here. There's no way in hell I'm leaving her with any of you. I've already made arrangements to have her moved. So…we'll be out of your hair."
He pulled out his cuffs and looked to Vic.
"Hands."
She held them out and he cuffed her all over again. Taking her by the arm, he led her out.
xxx
Walt's head was buzzing.
The first emotion that flooded him was anger. He was mad and he wanted to take it out on someone, preferably Grayson Whitlock. In that moment, it was his children that kept him tethered. Were he to storm upstairs, he would only succeed in getting himself locked up and then he was no good to anyone.
The blinding anger passed.
It was quickly followed by a feeling of helplessness. He hated the way that felt. He was not a man who simply let things happen. He was a man who took action. And, he would. But, he needed to give that some thought. Some rational thought.
Not too long after Whitlock took Vic up, Ferg came out of the building and he was clearly looking for Walt. He found him immediately and came over.
"Ferg, what's going on in there?"
Ferg glanced around.
"Whitlock is in Cady's office making some calls. Vic asked me to come out. What do you need?"
Walt's eyes drifted to the kids who he had put in Vic's SUV to keep them corralled more than anything.
"A baby-sitter."
Ferg nodded and pulled out his phone. He called Meg. Walt could only hear Ferg's end of the conversation, but that was all he needed. Ferg hung up and gave Walt a quick look.
"Meg can take them for now. She's home today."
Ferg glanced up at the building.
"Do you want me to take them?"
Walt nodded.
"Thanks, Ferg."
He offered Ferg his keys.
"You can take this. I'll be in town for a while."
Ferg took the keys. Walt walked over to the back door and pulled it open. Julian looked up at him with a face full of worry and questions.
"Daddy?"
All of his questions were wrapped up in that simple word. Walt reached out and touched his son's shoulder.
"Ferg is gonna take you to his house for now. Okay? I need to go and check on your mama."
Julian looked at him with those blue eyes that were so perceptive.
"Mama okay?"
Walt didn't want to lie, but there was no way for him to properly to explain this to a five year old. He wondered if she should send Julian on to school instead. He pushed aside the thought. That would likely backfire. He could imagine Julian being okay at school with all of this going on. He stuck with the current plan.
"We'll talk about it later on? Go with Ferg. You can play with his son and keep an eye on your sister for me."
Julian nodded slowly.
"Okay."
Leaning by Julian, Walt pressed his mouth to the top of Anna's soft head and breathed in for just a moment before he stepped back and closed the door. Ferg gave him a look as he slipped into the front seat, started the car, and pulled out. Walt watched until they were out of sight. Then, he turned his attention to the Sheriff's Department. He looked up at the window where Vic's old desk sat. The blinds were pulled, though, and he couldn't see anything useful. Gathering up himself, he started for the door. Just as he moved to reach for the knob, the door opened and he backed up to avoid getting hit by it.
Whitlock appeared with Vic handcuffed. Walt stepped out and blocked their path. The irritation that crossed Whitlock's face was obvious.
"Excuse me."
There was nothing polite in his tone. Walt held up his hands.
"You're making a mistake here."
Whitlock shook his head.
"Move, or I'll arrest you, too."
Walt maintained his position.
"Where are you taking her?"
Whitlock was quiet for a moment.
"I'm taking her to Tri-County for holding. So…"
He gestured at Walt, clearly wanting him to move.
"Can I have a minute?"
Whitlock sighed and waited, making it clear he wasn't leaving them alone. Walt turned his attention to Vic. She looked up at him and he could see the apprehension in her face. She was trying to hide it, but she was scared. He could see it. Walt suppressed the urge to grab her. That wouldn't solve anything. He reminded himself that he wouldn't be any good to her if he was in jail right alongside her.
Controlling his temper was not something that came easily.
"You okay?"
She bit her bottom lip and he could see her fighting for control, refusing to allow her emotions to get the better of her. He knew her well enough to know that Vic would not give in if she could help it. She wouldn't do that in front of Whitlock.
"Yeah."
Her voice was quiet, unusually sedate.
"I'm okay."
He nodded a little. He wanted to reach out and touched her. He refrained. That wouldn't do much for her frame of mind. He didn't want to be the one who upset her and tipped her emotions in the wrong direction.
"I'm gonna call someone."
She didn't respond. Their eyes connected for a handful of seconds before Whitlock cleared his throat and placed his hand on Vic.
"There…I gave you a minute. Now…move."
He knew it was the last time that Whitlock would ask and stepped out of the way. Vic held his eyes for as long as she could. Something in him pulled taut when that contact broke. It took every ounce of self-control in him to allow Whitlock to lead Vic to the same SUV he came to the cabin in both times.
Then, they were gone.
Walt looked up at the window again, the same one that was just at Vic's former desk. The blinds were open now and he could see Cady looking out. Even from this distance, their eyes connected.
xxx
"You know. This would all go easier if you would cooperate."
Vic sat in the backseat of Whitlock's SUV still handcuffed. She didn't bother looking up into the front seat where he sat behind the steering wheel. She kept her eyes on the tinted windows watching the world go by. She wasn't looking forward to being stuck in here with him for any length of time. He was just so sure that he was right, there was a smugness she really wanted to wipe from his face.
"You mean you want me to lie."
"I want you to tell the truth. It could possibly go a long way in what the next step is."
Vic gave her head a slight shake.
"I told you the truth. You don't believe me. You are so focused on what you want the outcome to be that you are blind to any other possibilities."
"I didn't want the outcome to be anything. I followed the evidence."
"You followed some evidence. You never considered that there might be other evidence."
He made a sound.
"Vic…"
She leaned forward slightly and finally turned her attention to the front seat.
"Don't talk to me like you are my friend or that you care what happens here. You got what you wanted. You don't care about the truth or anything else."
He lifted his eyes and glanced in rearview mirror at her briefly before turning her eyes back to the road.
"You know…cops are people too. You were one."
Vic shook her head.
"I don't think that goes for everyone. You arrested me in front of my children. There was no need for that. You could've handled it differently. Tells me everything I need to know."
He grew quiet and she wondered if she might have hit a nerve. He wore a wedding ring. There was a possibility a man his age had children the same age or even older than her own.
"Sorry about that."
When he finally spoke again, his voice was more somber. Vic turned her eyes back to the window.
"Sure."
The word was full of sarcasm and disbelief. She heard him sigh and it made her wonder. She didn't trust him at all. She knew that it was too easy to present a façade when you wanted to make someone think you were on their side or wanted to help them. She wasn't stupid. Later on, you would only use it against them. She wasn't going to make that mistake. He was not her friend or ally or anything else. At this point, the list of people she actually trusted was very short.
"All I'm trying to say is that if you accept responsibility, it can only help you. It's just you and me here. You can tell me the truth."
"What truth are you looking for exactly?"
"What really happened between you and Garrett Perry."
Vic released a sigh of her own. She had personal experience with single mindedness.
"That's your problem, Whitlock. You've created a story in your mind and you refuse to believe it might be wrong. I already answered that question…you know…back when I was cooperating. Nothing happened between us."
"Come on. He was a young guy. Nice looking. A ladies man."
"So…I automatically want to fuck him?"
The language was deliberate. He was getting on her nerves and she wasn't going to do him any favors. His lack of a response clicked in her mind and a piece of the puzzle that made up Grayson Whitlock slid into a possible place.
"Who cheated on you? Your wife?"
She was looking his way and she saw the way that his hand tightened on the steering wheel.
Bingo.
"You're breaking the number one rule here. You're letting your own personal experience cloud your judgement."
Whitlock shifted in his seat.
"You don't know anything about me or my personal experience."
"Just making the same assumption. You seem so sure that there's no possible way I turned Perry down. He asked, I must have agreed."
Vic shook her head.
"I don't know what happened to you. You're right about that. But, I've never cheated on my husband. I've never even been tempted to. I'm sorry if you can't say the same."
She needled him just a little bit farther.
"That's enough!"
He snapped out the words. Vic leaned back against the seat. It was impossible to really get comfortable. Not that she wanted to. She needed to stay on edge. She needed to be prepared for whatever was coming. In the moment, there were so few things she could actually control. She could control herself and the way that she reacted.
"You're the one who wanted to talk."
He didn't reply that time and she let it go. She'd gotten to him and they both knew it. There was no reason to take it farther. The two of them lapsed into silence and her mind started to wander. She thought about Walt and hoped that he was okay. She also thought about Julian and Anna and how they would not be able to understand what was happening. Julian might to some degree, but not really. Hell, she didn't even understand it all herself. There was no real way to expect a child to.
Vic knew where they were and she knew they didn't have much longer. She had made this drive herself over the years. She closed her eyes and took a breath trying to center herself and keep her mind and her heart under control. She knew where she was going, but not really what awaited her there. She wasn't accustomed to being on this side of the law.
The car stopped and Whitlock cut the engine. Whitlock sat for a minute with one hand on the wheel. The air between them felt heavy. For a minute, she thought he was going to say something. The moment passed them by and he opened his car door.
He tossed her a look as he got out.
"We're here."
xxx
Walt took the steps up to the office as soon as Whitlock and Vic were gone. Cady was talking to Ruby when he came in and turned her full attention to him as he closed the door behind him and crossed the floor to her.
"Tri-County?"
Cady nodded, a somber expression on her face.
"Yes. He says that we…"
She gestured in between them.
"…have too much legal control around here."
He knew she was referring to their family which included Carson Cooper over in Cumberland County by marriage. He could see how it looked, but he wasn't interested in outside opinions. Both Cady and Cooper were both staunch followers of the law and it wasn't like they were doing anyone favors. That was one of the principals that Cooper ran on in the first place when he unseated Jim Wilkins.
Walt removed his hat and ran his hand over his hair nervously.
"Cady, you know…"
Cady waved him off.
"I know that she didn't do this. She told me and I believe her. The problem that we have is figuring out who did. I know that I don't have any jurisdiction on this case anymore, but…"
Cady shook her head.
"I won't let Vic be railroaded like this."
She paused and took a breath. Walt put his hat back on.
"If what Whitlock said is true…"
She broke in again.
"I saw the reports. He's telling the truth. The bullet that Garrett was shot with did come from Vic's gun. That doesn't mean it was Vic who fired it. There's no concrete way for them to prove that. Her prints were on the gun, but they should have been. This long after, they won't have any residue tests or physical proof that it was Vic."
Walt nodded.
Cady had shifted quick from Sheriff into attorney. Unfortunately, she couldn't be Vic's attorney. Still, the fact that she was on that mindset could be helpful. She could certainly help lay the groundwork for disproving what DCI was trying to prove.
The realization was clear and disturbing.
"She's being set up."
"Yes, she is. By who? Who would want Vic to be convicted of a murder that she didn't commit?"
Walt made a face.
She had been out of law enforcement for a while.
"Is it possible it's someone that she and Zeke crossed?"
Walt mulled over the idea. Truth be told, most of the cases that Zeke worked were minor things. There were a few serious situations that popped up, but they were few and far between. A lot of it was distrusting spouses and missing persons. The job certainly wasn't as exciting as television would have someone believe. Also, if it was about Zeke, why go after Vic. She wasn't a private investigator. She simply did research and legwork to save Zeke time. Most of his clients didn't have any interaction with her. He would be willing to bet they didn't even know who she was.
"I don't know. Seems like they would target Zeke. But…I'll give him a call to make sure there's nothing going on she hadn't mentioned."
He made a mental note to do just that when he left here.
The list was growing. He needed to focus and take this one step at a time. Just like when he was Sheriff. It had been a while. He would treat this like an investigation. That was what he told himself. It would be easy to get overwhelmed by it all.
"Right now, she needs an attorney. Do you know of someone?"
He could see Cady thinking. She would know. She still had extensive connections in the legal community. Cady walked into her office. Walt waited, shifting with uncharacteristic restlessness. Cady returned with a small piece of paper. She passed it to him.
"Here. He's the best."
Walt dropped his eyes to the paper. Cady had jotted down a name. Rick Parker. Sounded like a lawyer to him. There was also a phone number. Walt shoved the paper into his pocket.
"Thanks, Punk."
She offered him the best smile that she could muster and reached out to touch his forearm.
"What do you need other than the obvious?"
He took a breath, mulling over that very thing.
"Can you and Cooper take the kids?"
He was reluctant to ask. It wasn't what he wanted at all. He didn't even think it was what was best for them. There would be uncertainty and questions, especially from Julian. However, he needed to be free to come and go without having to worry about finding a baby-sitter.
It was a big ask.
"Of course."
Cady didn't hesitate.
"You want to call Cooper?"
Cady shook her head.
"No, he'll understand."
She sighed.
"I need to call him anyway. He has no idea what's going on."
Walt thought about his son-in-law. Carson Cooper was Cady's new husband the Sheriff of neighboring Cumberland County. He was an honest, steady man and Walt liked him. He didn't doubt that the man would be willing to do whatever he could to help.
"I sent them with Ferg."
Cady nodded.
"He called to let me know. I'll pick them up. We'll run by the cabin and get some things for them. Don't…worry about them."
She smiled ruefully.
"I know that's impossible, but you need to concentrate on Vic."
"Yeah."
Walt cleared his throat as he forced himself back into investigative mode.
"I'll call Zeke and check on that. In the meantime, we all need to give some serious thought as to who would do this. Who could do this. They would've had to break in and get one of our keys, take the gun, commit the murder, and return it. That's a lot. That should tell us something."
"Someone knows what they're doing."
"Yep."
Cady looked away and scanned the office.
"We'll go through some old files and see what we can come up with. You…"
She pointed at him.
"…call Zeke and call Rick. He's the best I know in criminal law around here. His office is in Cheyenne, but he takes cases all over. Tell him that I gave you his name."
Walt dipped his chin.
He needed to call the lawyer first and set something in motion to help Vic. She needed to know that they were all working to get her out.
"I'll call him as soon as I leave."
Cady stepped up and pulled him into a hug. Walt returned it. She tilted her head close to his ear.
"We'll figure this out."
She gave him an extra squeeze and released him.
Walt collected himself and left the office. There was a lot that he needed to do.
xxx
She thought she would have been glad to be rid of Whitlock. She was not. Once he took Vic inside and signed off on the transfer, he didn't say anything else to her. No surprise there. She was handed over and he was gone. After that, what stretched out in front of her was the arduous process of being booked into jail.
It was something she hadn't ever experienced from this side of things. Even with the periods of trouble in her youth, she hadn't ever been arrested or gone to jail. With her father being a detective, all anyone ever did was call him and let him deal with whatever mischief she or her brothers might have gotten into.
Her mugshots were taken. Her clothes were taken and she was given a baggy orange jumpsuit to change into. Her personal belongings, including her wedding ring, were also taken and stuffed into a bag along with her clothes to be held. The officers handling her were all quiet, not making any unnecessary comments other than giving her direct instructions. She certainly didn't have anything to say.
It wasn't until a tall, burly man appeared that she felt any hostility from anyone she encountered. He was as tall as Walt, but he was large with his stomach hanging over the front of his pants. His hair was dark with a smattering of gray and he had a mustache that seemed like something out of a western.
"Moretti?"
She nodded as the man stepped in too close and made her feel claustrophobic. He was clearly accustomed to being in charge.
"Yes."
He looked her up and down twice before his eyes settled on her face. What she saw there bothered her. Clear dislike. Something that seemed to run deep.
"I don't like dirty cops."
The words came out gruff.
"I'm not dirty, nor am I a cop."
In hindsight, it probably wasn't wise to reply so sharply. But, standing there and stripped of everything, it happened before she could stop it. She could almost hear the comment Walt would make about her mouth getting her in trouble.
"I like smartasses even less. You used to be a cop and that's good enough."
He looked away and gestured.
"Baxter!"
A young man appeared who barely looked old enough to even work in a jail. He looked like he was fresh out of high school. The young, slight man also looked nervous. The nametag on his uniform shirt contained the last name that had just been barked at him. He looked nervously from Vic to the large man in front of her.
"Sir?"
A meaty hand pushed her roughly.
"Put her in general."
Baxter hesitated, clearly unsure about his orders.
"But…"
He stammered out the word. The large man gave the younger one an icy look.
"Problem?"
Baxter shifted uneasily on his feet.
"Shouldn't she be in protective as a former deputy?"
A feeling of dread started to work its way through her. She knew exactly what the debate was about. She used to be a cop. That would make her a target among the jail population. It wasn't unusual for high risk inmates to be housed separately in order to keep them safe.
"Are you in charge here?"
Baxter swallowed and shook his head at the question.
"No, sir."
He all but mumbled the answer.
"Then do what the fuck you are told."
Baxter dipped his head.
"Yes, sir."
He shifted watery blue eyes to Vic.
"C'mon."
He didn't touch her. He simply gestured with his hand which direction she should go. She went without a look back with equal parts relief to be away from the other man and dread that she was about to be put in with other women who would love to take a crack at a cop, former or current. They wouldn't care that she didn't do that work anymore. They would only care that she represented the system they were all stuck in for various reasons.
Baxter walked her in and to a cell.
"You'll be in here."
He paused and looked at her thoughtfully. She could read the regret on his face at leaving her. As endearing as it could be, she had the fleeting thought that he wouldn't last in a place like this. At some point, he would either be fired for speaking up, or it would prove to be too much for him to stomach.
"I'm sorry."
He mumbled again and she could barely decipher what he said.
Then, he was gone and she was alone. Vic took a breath and retreated into the cell. The other female inmates were milling around in a common area. There was a TV bolted up close to the ceiling set to a channel that was playing a show she didn't recognize. There were a handful of tables centered in the room with seats around them. Everything was bolted to the floor and understandably so.
A small group sat on a ragged looking couch watching the TV. Other sat at tables either reading or playing cards. Vic figured her safest option was to keep a low profile. She sat down on the narrow bed and thought that it might even be less comfortable than the cot in the cell at the office in Durant.
There was nothing in the cell to occupy herself with and that left her mind plenty of time to take off and start weaving through a hundred different scenarios. There was still hope that she could get bail at her court appearance and get the hell out of here. At least, she would be at home.
Home.
She tried not to think about. That would do nothing but depress her at this point. It was impossible, though. How in the hell were her kids going to understand this? She couldn't even wrap her mind about it. She knew that Walt would be working overtime to get her out of here. She wanted to take some solace in that. It wasn't going to happen today, so she would be spending the night here.
The thought worried her. She was confident enough in her ability to handle herself. She'd been doing it her entire life. This was different than anything she'd experienced before. That was what worried her. Not to mention that if and when they came for her, it wouldn't be one on one. She would be outnumbered.
All she could do at this point was sit in her cell and prepare herself mentally as much as she could. There were no allies here. No one was going to swoop in and save her. For all the connections she had on the outside world, not one of them could help her just then and that scared the hell out of her as much as she hated to admit it. Even to herself.
It didn't take them long to find her and hone in.
Vic saw someone eying her. A woman playing cards kept looking over every few minutes. That was when the dread really kicked in. After a while, the woman stood up and stretched. Three other women rose at the same time and Vic could see the pecking order immediately. The woman said something to the group and smiled, her eyes shifting back to Vic.
They started her way.
She took a deep breath. This was it.
"Whatcha in for?"
That was the greeting the woman tossed her way when they appeared in the cell door. She wasn't a big woman. She was about the same size as Vic, but younger with stringy blond hair that looked like it needed to be washed. She was pale with a sickly-looking complexion. The other three women with her were similar in age. None of them look particularly dangerous alone. It was the group of four that would prove sketchy.
"None of your business."
Vic looked up into the woman's face with an expression of defiance. She sure as hell wasn't going to shirk away. That could be deadly. The woman smiled.
"Oooh. Feisty."
The smile disappeared suddenly enough to be jarring.
"Being a bitch in here will get your ass kicked."
"Something tells me you're gonna kick my ass anyway."
The comment was ignored. This train was already on a track.
"Know what else will get your ass kicked?"
"I bet you're gonna tell me."
"Being a cop."
Vic stood up slowly.
"Who told you I'm a cop?"
She was met with a shrug.
"Word gets around in here."
Yeah right. She could come up with an educated guess as to how they knew and who it was that let the other inmates know there was an enemy among them. Cops didn't generally like dirty cops either. She was caught in the middle of opposing sides who shared one common thing. Their dislike of her and what they perceived she represented.
"That so."
"Yep."
That was when blondie stepped in closer. Vic didn't take a step back. She held her ground knowing there was no way out of this. She might as well meet it head on. It might discourage others from trying to pick an entirely different fight.
She was halfway waiting for another comment when she was met with a fist to the stomach instead. Vic felt the air shoot out of her and she doubled over. The woman grabbed for her hair, which was down, but missed when Vic bowled into her. The move sent them both sprawling on the floor just outside the cell door. Vic ignored the pain in her stomach and scrambled onto her knees. Her shoes slipped on the floor as she was again confronted. She managed to keep the woman off of her feet by shoving her back down on her rear end.
It was then that she was grabbed from behind and flung off to one side. Vic lost her balance and hit the hard floor with a spark inducing thump. She was back on her feet, but now she was surrounded. She was again grabbed, this time by two separate women as blondie pushed her own hair back from her face.
"You're gonna regret that, bitch."
Truth be told, she already did.
The woman drew back and hit her in the face. Vic felt the pain spread across her face and head as she was hit one more time. The next hit came to her stomach, doubling her over again. That was when the thumping on her back started. She could feel both hands and feet hitting and kicking her.
There was a shout and the women scattered away from her.
Vic could feel blood running out of her nose and could taste the metallic tang in her mouth. She resisted the urge to spit it out on the floor as she forced herself up and onto her feet. A hand took her arm and steadied her. Once her mind cleared some and she looked up, she found herself looking into the concerned face of the young guard Baxter.
"Everyone…back to your cells."
It was the first time she heard him say anything with any authority. His hand was still on her arm. He gave her a look.
"I'm sorry."
Vic inhaled and it hurt. Jesus! Did she have busted ribs? She tried to clear her throat, but it felt raspy all the same.
"Yeah. Me too. By the way, I never got to make my phone call."