THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

CHAPTER 4

The questioning went on for hours, but when they saw they weren’t getting anything useful from me, they ended it. I was told to write a statement, though I had nothing to offer. What could they possibly expect? I knew nothing.

Later, I was taken to a cell at the far end of the prison, isolated from the others. When I entered, I realized I was the only occupant. The guard informed me my trial would be held in a week and that an attorney would be assigned to me.

Liam’s POV

I woke the next morning to the sound of something banging against metal. My body ached from sleeping on the cold floor with no blanket. Sitting back against the wall, I tried to focus my thoughts, but a guard’s voice interrupted them.

He unlocked the cell door and motioned for me to follow. I was led to a small room where I met my attorney.

“Hi, my name is Patrick Parker, but you can call me PP,” he introduced himself, extending a hand. “Take a seat, Mr. Brown.”

I sat across from him, aware of the guard standing outside the door, watching us.

“Tell me everything,” Patrick said, pulling out a recorder.

I explained the events in detail—the bag switch, the phone call, the warning to run, and how I was arrested. I made sure not to leave anything out. Patrick took notes while occasionally nodding or asking clarifying questions.

Once I finished, he assured me he’d dig deeper into the case. Though I wanted to believe him, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this situation was airtight. Someone had gone to great lengths to frame me.

Back in my cell, I thought about how quickly my life had unraveled—from being buried in work at the office to sitting on the cold floor of a prison cell.

Later, an officer slid a tray of food through the door. It was pitiful: two slices of bread and a small carton of milk. Still, my stomach growled, grateful for anything after two days of starvation.

As I ate, I thought about Patrick. He hadn’t reached out since our meeting, and now there were only two days left until the trial. Wasn’t an attorney supposed to stay in touch? Where was he?

Patrick’s POV

After meeting Liam, I decided to head straight home to review the case. It was unlike anything I’d handled before, and I knew it wouldn’t be easy.

Arriving at my house, I parked and climbed the steps, fumbling with my keys. Suddenly, I felt two hands grab me from behind. I tried to turn, to see who it was, but before I could, a bag was forced over my head. Darkness.

I struggled, but then came a sharp pain in my neck—a needle. My body grew weak, and the last thing I felt was being dragged away.

When I woke, I was disoriented. My muscles were sluggish, but I could feel the effects of whatever they’d injected into me starting to wear off.

I heard faint footsteps and voices approaching.

“What are we supposed to do with him now?” one voice asked.

“I don’t know. Let’s keep him here until we get more information,” another responded.

That’s when I lost patience.

“What do you want from me? Why did you bring me here?” I shouted.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” one of them said before walking away.

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