Chapter 11

Emma

T he second time I found myself sitting inside the police station with a square metal table between me and Sheriff Cross and the angry man they called Detective Massey, I found them far less friendly than the first time. It was clear to me that they were starting to suspect me of something, though I couldn’t quite figure out what. As far as I could tell there was nothing to suspect but I refused to focus on that and instead remembered Slate’s words to me.

Don’t do their job for them.

That was easier said than done but knowing that Ash was with him helped me relax as much as I could. Ash was happy and safe and that was what mattered to me. I was still wrestling with the idea of telling Slate he was her father, but everything just seemed so surreal right now and it was clear he had no recollection of me. Though seeing how he interacted with her made me think that if the worst came to the worst and the cops found out what I’d done, then she’d be safe with her father. In the meantime, I had one other thing on my side. Anger. White-hot anger that these men who had never come to help me were bending over backwards to find him.

They thought the oppressive silence would work on me, but they had no idea just how effectively Alex had wielded that particular tool. In the early days he would remain silent for hours, sometimes days when I displeased him. I learned to withstand the silence, and it served me well now.

“Mrs. Edwards,” Sheriff Cross began. He was a handsome older man with an exhausted look about him, but his eyes were kind.

“Roberts, actually. I didn’t change my last name when we married.” Too much information, I reprimanded myself.

Detective Massey flashed a phony smile at me. “That seems like a lot of freedom for a man described as controlling.”

“The reason was simple, I wanted my daughter to have the same last name as me, and Alex didn’t want to adopt her.” It had resulted in a trip to the ER, but it was the first and last time I disobeyed him and won. The detective continued to stare at me as if he was trying to read my thoughts, something about his manner triggered me and I found myself biting out, “He wasn’t controlling, he was abusive, but I know that to men like you it’s all the same.”

His nostrils flared angrily, and I found myself shrinking back. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that Sheriff Cross had seen me flinch. His colleague continued oblivious, “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

I took a deep steadying breath trying to remember that I wasn’t a victim anymore and said, “Only that you all have a knack for downplaying abuse, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why.” The few times the police had shown up at the house, they’d taken one look at my black eye or split lip and twisted the story until it was my fault. I’d learned quickly that calling the police only made Alex angrier.

“This isn’t about me,” he snapped but the sheriff reached out to grip his shoulder.

“Emma,” he began in a soft tone. “Why didn’t you take his last name?”

“Because I didn’t want my daughter to ever feel like she wasn’t part of the family and Alex refused to adopt someone else’s bastard. His words, not mine.” I’d never been more grateful for that one decision of his in my life. That level of control could have ended terribly for me and Ash.

“Okay,” he nodded. “And what about your mental stability?”

I let out a bitter laugh. I wasn’t shocked about it but still, it stung. “Your mind is already made up, so it doesn’t matter what I tell you.”

“Try us,” Massey grunted.

So, I did. I told them about the special date night and the drinks and waking up the next morning with no memory. “There was an anonymous call, and they found drugs when I was tested, much to my surprise. I didn’t have a prescription, but I also didn’t have any cash to buy them on the street, not that I would know where to get them. Alex only allows me to use the credit card and I can’t get cash back, but they didn’t believe me . You know who they believed? Him when he said it was a mix up and I didn’t take drugs.” I shook my head, still angry about it. “And then he took Ash away for three days just to show me he could, and you all wouldn’t do a damn thing about it, even though he’s not her guardian or parent.”

Massey laughed, his gaze wicked and menacing. “Women always shout abuse when they get mad at their husbands.”

“Right,” I snorted. “I guess I also beat up myself and broke my bones, while going to out of the way hospitals just to avoid his colleagues.” I glared at the sheriff because I knew he knew the truth.

“That’s why you’re the ideal suspect,” Massey added.

“Suspect for what? Yeah fine, I burnt the steak and that’s why Alex left the house and hasn’t come back. It’s all my fault.” I folded my arms and stared at them both, anger radiated off my body dampening down any guilt I felt in that moment. “If I’m all you’ve got then you have less than nothing.”

“Alex isn’t really a man who would leave his life though, is he?” Sheriff Cross tried the gentle method, but it was too late for that.

“I wouldn’t have thought so, but I only know what Alex wants me to know. He’s never been gone this long which is why I filed the report but if I had done something to him, I would have left town as quickly as I could.”

“That would have drawn suspicions,” Cross reminded me.

“Maybe, but you wouldn’t know he’s missing right now if I hadn’t reported him, would you?” It wasn’t smart to push them, but I was angry and offended and I was over this damn police station.

That seemed to strike a chord with the sheriff, but Massey was undeterred. “Or maybe this was all part of your plan.”

“I don’t have a plan, detective. If I did, I wouldn’t be where I am right now.” I stood, remembering what Slate said about the cuffs. If I wasn’t under arrest, then I didn’t have to stay. “If only battered women warranted this kind of police response.” I kept my head held high and left the interrogation room and headed for the door with a uniformed officer right behind me.

“Ms. Roberts!”

I ignored the sheriff’s voice and kept walking.

“Please.” He caught up to me with a bashful smile.

“What is it, Sheriff Cross?”

“Nothing, just I’m sorry that you were ignored when you tried to get help.”

“There’s nothing to be done about it now except blame that same woman for the man’s indiscretions. Some things never change, do they?”

“If you didn’t do anything to cause his disappearance you have nothing to worry about.”

“Yeah,” I snorted. “Because that works out so well for women all the time, doesn’t it? Your detective has it in for me and I’m guessing he’ll fit whatever he finds into a narrative that makes me guilty. Until that happens, I plan to spend time with my daughter.” And maybe look into getting an attorney. “Goodbye, Sheriff.”

It wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be, but the police have lasered in on me as the cause for Alex’s disappearance which means the clock was ticking.