"Get your ears checked, Officer, I'm telling you the last time now! I am not telling you anything." Emily spoke with venom in her voice and the look she threw at him wasn't any better.
"It's Detective and I recommend you start talking about the third person in your little group. Dr. Henry Lawson is pretty sure that his bother needs medical treatment. It didn't happen much by now, but it could easily be murder, if we find him too late."
Emily laughed. "You got the impression I care?"
The detective was going to say something, but a new voice from behind stopped him. "Don't say anything, Emily."
"I wouldn't. They are just annoying, but not very convincing. Couldn't make me talk, if I was doped up. Glad you made it, Thomas."
The man smiled at her and then turned to the two detectives. His face was all business now. "I'm Thomas Wagner. Her lawyer. My client isn't talking to you any further. So you may just leave us alone so that I can talk to her in private. If we have to say something we will come back at you or the attorney."
The cops looked at each other. There wasn't much they could do. They told their goodbyes and left the room. Emily didn't reply she just waved them out with an annoyed gesture.
"So, Emily, tell me what happened. You asked for a lawyer for your husband as well? I brought someone with me for him, but tell me first about him and about the trouble you got yourself in."
She had tears in her eyes. "Oh Tom, I don't know how all of this could happen."
He took her into a tight hug. "Don't worry, girl, I'm gonna help you out of it. Stop crying, just tell Uncle Tommy what's wrong." He wasn't her uncle, well not really. Just an old friend of her father. His arms comforted her.
Emily didn't really need it, but she was glad she could make believe him so. Thomas Wagner was hard to convince and if her faked tears and desperation made it through him, she could do it to anyone. Thomas knew her since she was born, but he was a tough guy and it wouldn't mislead him, if she wasn't playing this well. And by all means she did damn good. "Tommy, this doctor broke my heart and it was all his brothers fault.. and they did some dirty talk about me and my medical skills to my patients and tried to ruin me. Eddie was just nice, he helped me, but I didn't know what was going to happen to Evan. Aaron helped, too. They both were so good to me, supported me, when everything started to fall apart in the Hamptons. That's why I did what I did. My parents will hate me, even you will hate me." And her tears kept falling, she even managed some sobs.
"Sh sh sh, no baby girl, nobody will hate you. I'm sure will figure out what happened and there is a way to help you, I'll help you."
Her face buried in his shoulder, a hand in front of her mouth so he couldn't see her smile. Things were going well and her game had just begun.
Eddie was hurting everywhere, like the bullet had gone through his whole body, what it hadn't had, of course. The doctors told him that there wasn't any improvement by now. They were still worried. He wondered, if it was worth living through this, when prison was waiting for him after this. He would never admit it, not even to himself, but Eddie wasn't exactly brave. If leaving a sick, dying wife hadn't been proof enough, the fear of the coming punishment would do the trick.
He missed Emily. Her blond hair that always smelled like a garden of apple trees. She was beautiful, like the woman he had loved so much, when Evan had been on his way to the world. Evan had been the reason he had stayed with his wife, when in reality his heart had been with a different woman. Emily wasn't the same sweet person as her, but she was great. She made him smile, laugh and just completed him in a strange way.
His thoughts wandered to his sons. He hoped everything would turn out the way it was meant to be. No matter, if he'd live or not. He rather wanted to die than rot away in a lonely cell with some real bad criminals around him. Because he didn't think of himself as a criminal. No, he actually thought that he had done what needed to be done. What was best for his oldest son, for Emily, Aaron and himself. He had done Hank a great favor. The kid just didn't appreciate it, yet.
So, maybe there was a reason to live. He could use the court room as his stage and explain Henry and everybody else, why he had done it and what good he had done. Yeah, Eddie Lawson had his way with words. He was sure, that he could reach everyone with them and hoped even his stubborn son, Henry, would be able to see what Eddie had been doing for him. In the end, Hank would thank him.
Hank finally gave in to the cops repeated offer to bring him some food. He finally gave in and ate, only because they made sense, when they told him he'd need his strength once his brother was found. So he sat and ate his second sandwich, drank his third coffee and a bottle of water. He was tired, and even more exhausted. They offered him a quite comfortable cell, where he could get some sleep or at least rest.
He brought his dishes to the small kitchen in the police station and went to the cell. There was a small bed. It wasn't like a normal bed, but it would do for now. It was better than sitting on a chair and resting his head on the table. Something he had done the last two days.
His thoughts were with Evan. His sweet annoying baby brother. The kid could really get on his nerves, but was also able to make him smile in an instant, just by being his special different self.
Henry didn't think he would be able to sleep, with the constant worry on his mind, but he hadn't laid down for longer than five minutes, when sleep took over and pulled him into a dreamless darkness.
Evan had trouble to keep his eyes open, partly because he didn't want to. He didn't want to see the combat boots that kept kicking in his ribs, his kidneys, everywhere. There was blood all over him and the floor. But the man wouldn't let him rest his eyes. No, he demanded that Evan kept them open. He should see the wounds that were inflicted on him.
A strong hand grabbed him by the throat and pulled him on his feet. The other was closed to a fist and aimed several times for his face. Blood running out of his mouth and his nose. He swallowed some of it, probably a tooth, too. Tears were running down his face, not many due to dehydration, but it was enough to make his torturer laugh at him. It was a mean sound. There was no sympathy for the victim.
The hands let go of him and he fell down on the floor again. He crawled away from his attacker, smeared his blood all over the place. The next kick hit him so hard in the side that he rolled through the half room right into the stair. The pain made him cry out. There was nothing else, only agony.
Nothing happened for a while and he wondered, if the guy was still there with him. He waited for another few seconds, that felt like eternity. His vision was blurred and blood kept dripping in his eyes. His body was broken, his spirit, too. All he wanted was to give up and die. But there was something stronger than his wishes. It was love and admiration for his big brother. Henry was a doctor, a grown and reasonable man, but he didn't laugh enough. No, the older Lawson would need him to make him smile, to bring some action and fun in his life. So no matter how hard it was, he had to try to get out of this prison.
It were only a few stairs, but it took him endless minutes to crawl up to the second. He didn't stop. Evan knew he would pass out, if he stopped once. He was already up at the last step, before he noticed that his attacker was standing there and waiting for him. "P'ease, lemme go, p'ease." Evan was pleading to the man, or better to his knee, there was no way he could make his body rise enough to look the guy in the eyes. "'ave money, big broth' pay, lemme go. No tellin', lemme go, beggin' ya. Will ya?"
One of the boots in front of him came in view. Crimson liquid was dropping from it. Evan needed a second to realize it's his blood. The boot left his view again for a short time and came back with full force. His nose finally broke, one of his cheek bones shattered loudly. Evan flew backwards, unconscious before he landed. His head made a terrible noise, when it crashed on the floor, before the rest of his battered body followed hard.
Aaron was satisfied with himself. He felt content. Beating this guy up made him feel better than he had his whole life. This spoiled ass stood for all that had gone wrong in his and his mothers life. Nobody could really blame him for hating the stupid kid. The boy wasn't much younger or older than him, but he was weak, a coward. The boy was nothing, he wasn't tough like him. So in Aaron' eyes, the man was just a kid. A scared SOB.
Yes, Aaron was happy with himself, when he went outside to do some shopping. He loved his new toy. He was thinking about ways to hurt the prey. Damn, it felt so good. He wished that moment would never pass.
A car with two men followed him slowly. They waited outside the big store, when he went in. Yes, that was the man on the picture they had seen. It was the guy they were looking for. He was wanted by the police in several states.
He came outside again, no bags with him. They followed him for a few minutes more. They were supposed to follow him to his hideout. But they were afraid to lose him. Plus, truth to be told, this guy seemed to be a pretty big fish and that was what both of them needed for their career. So why risk to lose him and let someone else get the commendation for this? They looked at each other and jumped out the car. It was easy. The guy didn't expect them and was on his knees and handcuffed in no time.
They informed the headquarter and congratulated themselves for the catch.