Free Safer With You by Trisha Madley

I can’t make myself. I don’t know the outcome of this horrible morning. I want to go back to last night and tell the Senator I couldn’t help his worthless nephew. I want her to be ok - alive.
    Officer Grant shakes my shoulder. “I need to ask you a few questions.”
    “What?” I respond, blinking rapidly trying to focus on him.
    All of a sudden the world around me comes to life. “Sir we need to ask you some questions. Are you hurt?” Only one police officer holding me now. My gaze falls to his fingers clamped on my arm.
    “No I’m ok. Just give me a moment.” I inhale a sharp breath. Thinking back, I’ve been interrogated by the police more times than I can count. This is my job and what I’ve done all my life. “What the fuck is wrong with me?”
    “Sir, what was that?”
    “Nothing, look I’ll talk to you when we get to the hospital.” I need to get my shit together, then head to the hospital and see how Nora is. Slowly I stand, gaining strength with each breathe.
    “I’m afraid that isn’t possible. Since it’s fresh in your mind I need you to give me all the information you can. Like where you might have been standing or how you found the victim. This will make for a better case, especially should the victim die.”
    My stomach drops at his last words. The Officer is speaking like she’s already gone.
    “What the fuck did you just say?” I want to throw this asshole to the ground, what the fuck is wrong with him. I’m filled with rage and my hands fisted at my side ready to plow him if I have to.
    “Calm down or I’ll haul your ass in. You got that asshole? Maybe you did this to her? I see this is difficult for you, care to explain how you know her?” taunted Officer Grant.
    I’ve dealt with officers like him many times. Bullying is not something I tolerate. This Officer has no idea what I’m capable of. All I have to do is make one phone call and his precious career vanishes.
    “I get you’re doing your job, but I found her beaten and bloodied. Now do your goddamn job and find out who did this to her instead of wasting time questioning me.”
    I’m inches from his unrelenting face and shouting at him. Probably seconds away from my ass in jail, I could care less. I’m at my limit with this asshole.
    “Just start at the beginning, from when you woke up this morning.” Lucky for him a fire fighter interrupts. “Don’t go anywhere. I’m not taking any chances here. I’m not convinced you’re as innocent as you seem or want me to believe.” Officer Grant strides away from me towards the fire fighter.
    Officer Grant picks the knife off the ground and places it in an evidence bag. I sink to the ground and take a few moment just to calm down. Needing to see her, I yank my phone out of my pocket and run through some contacts at the hospital but my phone rings disturbing me. Max’s name appears on my screen
    “Hey man, sorry to call so early but I’m worried. Nora didn’t show up to take us to the airport. She must have overslept, do you think you can stop…” Max asks but I cut him off. I don’t want to tell him what I just saw but if anyone has to tell him, I want it to be me.
    “Max, I’ve got something to tell you, where are you?”
    “At the airport, we took a taxi, like I started to say Nora…”
    “I know Max, I’m with her. Look I don’t know how to tell you this. Something has happened to Nora. Is Jenny close by?”
    “Yeah, dude you’re scaring me, if you fucked with Nora in anyway…she’s not one of your girls, Jase.”
    I try to remain calm after his comment. It’s easy to understand why he feels this way. My reputation with women sucks but Nora is different. “Don’t let Jenny hear this ok? She doesn’t need all the details yet.”
    Max lets out a breath in frustration, “Just tell me what the hell is going on. I can barely hear you. Are those sirens I hear?” Panic surfaces in his voice.
    “Listen, I had some business to deal with last night and