Free Stone Cold by Joel Goldman Page A

grabbed her arm. “Did he hurt you?”
    “No. A couple of cops were guarding him and he was cuffed to the bed rail. He said when he got out of jail that he’d come back and give me something to remember him by. I was so scared and pissed that when I examined his laceration, I made sure it hurt.”
    “That’s never going to happen,” Alex said. “I’ll make sure of that.”
    Bonnie wiped her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. “I can’t believe I did that to him, but I was so mad, so frightened, I just did it without even thinking. And then I taunted him about taking something for the pain, like I was questioning his manhood. That’s when he threatened me again. He said the police had nothing on him and that he’d be waiting for me when I came home. That’s so not me, and I feel awful, except for one thing.”
    “What?”
    She pressed Alex’s hand against her heart. “So help me God, if that prick ever tried to hurt you, I’d rip his heart out and feed it to him.”
    “Let me get this straight,” Alex said. “You’d kill him if he threatened me but you feel bad about fantasizing about killing him after he threatened to rape you?”
    “Hey, babe. That’s true love.”
    “Well, they’ve got him on possession, so he isn’t going anywhere for a while.”
    “But what if you get him out of jail? Then what? Look what he did to that poor family.”
    Alex wanted to make a speech about innocent until proven guilty but doubted Bonnie would hear her and was less sure that she would believe her if she did. Even more, Alex questioned her faith and certainty that the speech made sense anymore.
    “How is he?”
    “He’ll live.”
    Alex nodded. “Then at least you did your job.”

Chapter Fifteen
    ALEX STEPPED INTO THE examination room. Dwayne propped himself up, smiling.
    “I’m sorry, ma’am,” Officer Evans said. “This room is restricted. You’ll have to leave.”
    “I agree. I’m Alex Stone from the public defender’s office and this man is my client. So until I’m done talking with him, this room is restricted. You’re the ones who have to leave.”
    “We don’t know anything about that, ma’am,” Evans said.
    “You know Detective Rossi, don’t you?”
    “Yes, ma’am. He sent us down here.”
    “Then call him and tell him what I said.” Evans hesitated. “Go on. Call him unless you want me to file a complaint against you for denying me access to my client.”
    Evans dipped his chin, speaking into the two-way radio strapped to his shoulder. “This is Officer Evans, East Patrol, badge number 1229. I’m at Truman with a prisoner and I’ve got a situation. I need to talk to Detective Rossi.”
    “Can you believe this shit?” Dwayne said.
    Alex raised her hand. “Not another word, Dwayne.”
    They waited in silence for five minutes until Evans’s cell phone rang.
    “Evans,” he said, listening. “Understood.” He closed the phone. “Detective Rossi is on his way.”
    “When’s he supposed to get here?” Alex asked.
    The door opened behind her. “Now,” Rossi said. “That soon enough for you?”
    Alex turned around. Rossi stood in the doorway, Bonnie right behind him.
    “Dr. Long, are you ready to discharge my prisoner?”
    “Yes. He’s good to go.”
    “Officers, take my prisoner downtown. Ms. Stone, you can drop by for a visit after we’re done booking your client.”
    Alex knew there was no point in arguing. “Don’t say a word,” she instructed Dwayne. “And don’t question my client outside my presence. Understood, Detective?”
    “No need to take me to school, Counselor. I graduated a long time ago.”
    It was another three hours before Alex was able to see Dwayne, long enough for him to have been booked and transferred to the Jackson County jail, where he traded in his boxers for an orange jumpsuit. They met in the visitor area, separated by Plexiglas, talking over phones hung on either side of the divide. It was Saturday night, well outside