Free Lillian Duncan - Until Death Do Us Part by Lillian Duncan Page B

unless you want to see yourself in jail.”
    His eyes looked past her, checking out the empty room.
    “I wanted to make sure you weren’t hiding them in there.”
    “Satisfied?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Good.” She shut the door. Her knees shook and she leaned against the door waiting for her heart rate to normalize. How was she going to get them away from this horrible man?
    As she peeked out the window, a police cruiser pulled into the parking lot. No way to make a run for it now. They’d have to stay put and hope the police didn’t search every room in the motel.
    If they tried to search her room, she’d refuse. After all, being a lawyer, she knew her rights. An expectation of privacy whether it was in her home or in a motel room was a right the courts hadn’t taken away—yet.
    After letting the curtain drop, she hurried to the restroom and opened the door. Her voice soft, she said, “The police are here. Hopefully, this will all be over in a few minutes.”
    Reggie touched Suzie’s cheek. “Gotta keep quiet, Suzie Q.”
    The little girl nodded, her eyes wide with fright. She glanced over at Noah. Sadness and worry filled the young boy’s brown eyes, but he seemed calm—most likely it wasn’t the first time he’d hidden from his father.
    Reggie closed the door behind her and went back to the window. Two uniformed police officers stood talking with the manager and the husband. Frank, stood in the middle of the group with a worried expression and pointing at the door. A complete change of demeanor.
    She inched the door open so she could hear.
    “I’m sorry I acted like a crazy person before, but you don’t know my wife. She’s unstable. I need to make sure she and the kids are okay.” His voice cracked. “Especially the kids. They’re my life. I don’t know what I’d do without…” His voice broke and he put his hands up to his face.
    The manager handed the policeman the key card.
    How could they be so naïve as to fall for this guy’s act? Especially the manager, he’d seen Frank screaming and carrying on.
    The group disappeared from sight as they moved into the motel room.
    Moments later, the yelling started again. Not a happy camper. Frank wanted his punching bags back. And that wasn’t going to happen if she had anything to say about it.
    Reggie unlocked her adjoining door and opened it, hoping to hear what was happening. Putting her ear to the other door, she could just make out what was being said.
    “You need to calm down. She’s not here. Nothing we can do about it.” The policeman sounded exasperated. “It’s a free country and—”
    Frank’s next words showed his true colors.
    “I told you once to calm down, and I’m not going to tell you again.” Good, the police man wasn’t as naïve as she’d first thought. “This is a domestic dispute and not our business. She’s not here. Her things are gone, meaning she left.”
    “Then, why’s the car still here?”
    “Maybe, she decided she’d had enough of you. She left the car so you couldn’t follow her. I have no idea but the point is we’re done.”
    Reggie smiled.
    The manager’s voice was shaky. “And you didn’t pay for the room so you have no right to stay here.” Much braver with the police by his side.
    “It’s my car. I proved that. I showed you the registration.”
    “Yes, sir it is. And you have every right to take it.”
    “How am I supposed to do that?”
    “Don’t know. Not my problem.”
    Good, it didn’t sound as if the policemen were buying his loving husband and doting father act. The tone in their voices said it all. They had no plans to help the creep.
    “Fine, I’ll go pick up my brother to drive it back home.”
    “Sounds like a good idea.”
    “You got a problem with that, Mr. Manager?”
    “Nope.”
    “Don’t you touch that car. And if you see that wife of mine, you tell her she better hightail it home if she knows what’s good for her.”
    “I’ll be sure to give her the message.”