Kyle
I had almost forgotten how hard and lumpy jail mattresses were. I looked up at the ceiling, my hands folded under my head. Closing my eyes, I thought of Linda. I wondered whether she would show up soon. Her image appeared in my mind. Her soft, fair face. Her pink lips. The look in her eye when she told me she wasn’t afraid of anything. I chuckled. The girl had guts. I liked that.
I heard the sound of the cell opening and I propped myself up. “I’m leaving already?” I asked, raising an eyebrow in question.
“Your lawyer would like to have a word with you.” The guard pulled me out, tightening the handcuffs around my wrists.
“You know, I don’t understand why you think it’s necessary to handcuff us. Doesn’t that just make it easier for inmates to choke people if they manage to get the handcuffs pressed against someone’s neck?”
The guard didn’t say anything, but he did take a step away from me, his baton still pressed against my back, urging me forward.
“I hope you know I’m kidding.” I chuckled. I sighed as he didn’t answer me. “Fine. Silent treatment it is.” As I walked along, I passed some of the other cells, where other inmates looked bored with their lives. They should have thought about that before they committed their crimes. I laughed again, thinking how ironic that sounded.
The guard shoved me into one of the visiting rooms. I nearly fell forward. I looked back and glared at him, but he was already gone. Straightening myself out, I stretched before finally sitting down. “Do you think I could get some water?” I asked, knowing they were watching me. Of course, no one bothered to acknowledge my existence. It was like I was less of a human just because I had been accused of a crime. I hadn’t even murdered Ross. But of course, no one believed me.
I heard the click, click, click of what could only be Linda’s heels. I looked up to see her standing at the door, her blue eyes blazing. Seeing her for the second time that day, I realized just how striking she really was. If we had met at the bar, I would’ve definitely bought her a drink.
“How did it go?” I asked, running my fingers through my hair. After a few nights in jail, my usually slicked-back hair was just a mess.
“Not exactly as I planned.”
“So, you got me a court trail then?”
“No.” She sat down. “Like I said, it would never hold up. There might not be any solid evidence to support the case, but the jury won’t care about that. In their eyes, they would be putting a violent gang member away for good.”
“You know, we aren’t all that bad,” I mumbled.
“Hmm?”
“I said, we aren’t all that bad.” I stared into her eyes and moved a little closer. “We’re people just like everyone else. Flesh and blood. The only difference is, we like to ride motorcycles.”
“That doesn’t really interest me, Mr. Johnstone.” She pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to me. “The judge set your bail at $500,000.”
“What happened to the $100,000 plan?” I asked, looking a little shocked. I wasn’t quite sure if my members would have enough resources to spring me.
“Didn’t work out as well. The prosecutor brought up the point that the judge shouldn’t release a murderer back into society. So, they set the bond for half a million dollars, thinking it would stop you from paying.”
“And if it does? Would you be okay with letting me go to jail for a crime I didn’t commit?”
“This case is no longer my concern. I have done everything that I could, given the circumstances. You people work in morally gray territory and it’s hard to give you justice when you think it’s appropriate to use violence to achieve your goals.”
“But I didn’t. Do you really think I would kill someone? Does this look like the face of a murderer?” I grinned at her, flashing my pearly whites. I saw her eyes flicker over my face, taking in my features. I wasn’t usually one to brag, but I was pretty attractive if I do say so myself. Had a few girlfriends in the past who were completely obsessed with me.
“I’m not going to answer that –”
“Because you know I’m telling the truth. You know I didn’t do it.”
Linda got up. “As I said, this case is closed. Your bond is set at half a million dollars. If no one pays that within thirty days’ time, then you are to spend ten years in jail for manslaughter.”
“You can’t do this!”
“I didn’t do anything. I just did my job.”
I was seething with anger. How could she treat me like this? “Is this how you defend people? Let them out to dry with yesterday’s laundry. I’m telling you, I didn’t do it.”
“And I’m telling you, there’s nothing more I can do, so I suggest you find the bail money and get back to your life. Just forget that this ever happened.”
“How am I supposed to forget about it when I have the label of a murderer on my record now? I’m not some lowlife coward like the man who killed Ross!” My voice started to escalate. “And you should be ashamed of yourself, blaming me when the man who did this is still running free on the streets.”
“If he is, then the authorities will catch him. I can do nothing about that myself.”
“You could believe me.”
“And how will that help to apprehend him?” She held her ground as I continued to grill her. She was stronger than she looked, that much was certain.
“It will keep an innocent man out of jail!” I screamed at her, but she was already leaving. I ground my teeth together. I had to make her believe me. One way or another.