Whatever It Takes

14 | surprise visitor

Roseanne turned her head back to see both detectives standing in the doorway of the interrogation room, talking to one another. She looked up at her new attorney. "Seriously, who are you and why are you here?"

She smirked. "I told you, your friend hired me to come and save you."

"My friend?"

Seungwan nodded.

Roseanne pointed to her suit. "That looks expensive, which means you probably charge an arm and a leg for an hour of your time. I don't have rich friends."

"More like an arm, a leg, and a toe," Seungwan quipped. Her mouth broke into a smile as she nodded ahead of her. "Luckily, your friend there is definitely rich."

Roseanne's eyes followed Seungwan's direction and her mouth fell slightly open. Jeon Jungkook was standing near the exit of the police station.

"Thanks, Seungwan. I owe you for coming on such short notice," Jungkook said, shaking Roseanne's new attorney's hand.

Seungwan waved him off. "Don't worry about it. You autographed all those pictures for my nephew's class. I'm his favorite aunt. Besides, I'm billing you for this."

Jungkook chuckled and nodded. He waved as Seungwan waved at Roseanne and left them alone.

"Why?" It was the only question Roseanne needed to be answered. "Why would you hire an attorney for me?"

"Was she not helpful?"

"It's not that. You hardly know me. We aren't friends. I can't pay you back if that's what you're thinking."

Jungkook laughed before pointing towards a black Mercedes. "That's mine. Come on and I'll give you a ride home. Is your head okay?"

Roseanne nodded despite the pounding she'd had in her head for the past hour. She needed pain pills--the good kind.

"We can stop by the pharmacy and pick up your pain medication," Jungkook offered.

"I can take an Uber or something."

"Not a chance, Rosie. You and I have some things to talk about."

Roseanne's eyes narrowed. "What things?" For a moment, she wondered if Jungkook had really murdered Tzuyu and wanted her to help him hide his crime. Perhaps he was trying to butter her up with free lawyers and pain medication.

"Get in and I'll explain," he said, opening the car door for her.

"I'm getting in but only because my head hurts and I'm too broke to buy pain medication."

"Fair enough. I'll make you a deal. I'll pay for your pain medication if you let me play SHINee songs on the way."

Roseanne shrugged. She didn't care what music he played in his own vehicle. Once they buckled in, Jungkook cleared his throat. He looked at Roseanne. "I'm sorry."

She wasn't sure how to reply. Was he sorry for murdering Tzuyu?

"Sorry for what?" Roseanne asked.

"Jaehyun should never have tricked you like that. Had I known, I would've stopped him. He was just trying to protect me. We're like brothers and he just--"

"Is that why you got me a lawyer? Because you felt guilty I got hit by a baseball, because Jaehyun asked me to meet him at the baseball field?"

"That and I didn't want you caught up in Tzuyu's murder."

A SHINee song played softly in the space between them. "What do you mean you didn't want me caught up in her murder? Aren't I already?"

"I mean I didn't want you to get caught up anymore than you already are. I don't know who murdered Tzuyu but I know it wasn't you. It couldn't have been."