Free Keep No Secrets by Julie Compton

other cop that you'd driven Celeste home." When he doesn't answer, she cries, "Jack? What's going on?"
    What the hell! They questioned my son ?
    Jack glares at the Chief as Claire repeats her question, but the Chief doesn't notice because he's reading the screen of his Blackberry.
    Claire gets that Jack can't answer her just then, doesn't she? "Okay, I got it," he says into the phone, his eyes still concentrating on Gunner as the chief squints to read his device. "Thanks for letting me know. I'll call you back in a few minutes, okay?"
    The Chief glances up and shakes his head. "It'll be more than a few minutes, Jack."
    "Call me on my cell," she says. "I'm going over to the school."
    "I'd rather you wait for me." He tries to sound calm.
    "Just call me when you can." Before Jack responds, she's gone.

    When Jack returns his attention to the men in front of him, the Chief doesn't look so good. Whatever he read on his Blackberry has him upset, too.
    "What's going on, Gunner?" Jack asks, his voice level. He can't let Gunner know what he knows, not yet.
    The Chief sighs loudly. With a jerk of his head, he motions for the other cops to leave the room.
    "Okay, Jack," he begins when they've gone, "this is all off the record for now, okay?"
    Jack crosses his arms over his chest.
    "Our earlier conversation wasn't?"

    Gunner shrugs. They both know it
    doesn't matter; it'd be inadmissible anyway.
    "Go on."
    "Your son's girlfriend is making an accusation against you."
    Jack stares at him, his insides twisting like a tornado. "What kind of accusation?"
    "The worst kind."
    "The kind where it's my word against hers?"
    Gunner nods without taking his eyes from Jack. "She went ballistic when they tried to examine her. She refused."
    Jack wants to go ballistic himself, but he can't let the Chief know how riled he is. But when he speaks, his shaky voice betrays him. "And what's that tell you, huh?"
    "I know, I know." He speaks to Jack as if Jack is a child he's trying to soothe.
    "But here's the thing. I just received some information that'll make it difficult for me not to arrest you."
    At the word arrest , Jack jumps from the chair as if his ass has been stung. " What ?"
    "Sit down," Gunner orders. "You tell me what happened, and I'll tell you what she's saying."
    But Jack's not listening. He's too busy pacing the small room as he tries not to hyperventilate. He can't let his family go through this again. He can't let Claire go through this again. It's bad enough that Jenny's back, but now, this . If Celeste was in the room, he'd strangle her. He might even strangle Michael.

    "Gunner, listen to me. I didn't do anything. My only crime is trying to protect that girl from her asshole of a father."
    "Why don't you sit down and tell me what happened? What you're talking about?"
    His word against hers. Jack knows what his word will be worth when it gets out what his accuser looks like, and that he lied to his wife about taking her home.
    "Jack." Gunner practically whispers his name. It works. Jack stops mid-step and turns. The Chief motions to the chair, and Jack falls into it, his legs splayed. He leans forward and clutches his head in his hands.
    "What's she saying?" he asks from the small cocoon he's created. "And what evidence do you have other than her word?"
    "Look, you know I can't go into specifics yet. Why don't you tell me what happened. Then I'll bring my boys back in to put it on the record. You and I can talk in private again afterwards and I'll fill you in more. Okay?"
    "And then you'll arrest me?"
    He regards Jack sadly, but doesn't deny it.
    "Gunner, you saw me on Sunday afternoon, remember? The Bedford
    interrogation? Did I look like someone who'd raped a girl the night before?"
    "There's too much circumstantial evidence, and given your position, and your past" —Jack cringes when he says your past — "there's no way I can get away without booking you. I'll try to make it easier for you, but . . ." His voice trails off and he shrugs