Nothing Like Us

chapter 12

I squint my eyes up at the cop that is sitting across from me at the tiny cracked and scratched table that is centered in the room I've been held in for hours "You gotta be kidding me with this bro..."

"what? you too good to sign an autograph and take a picture for my daughter? I told you, she's a big fan."

I raise my hands and sweep them across my face with annoyance, then let them fall down onto the table, smacking the handcuffs that are still fastened around my wrists against it loudly. "didn't say that.." I begin sarcastically "just a little busy being arrested at the moment."

"No." he argues, hitching his belt up under his over-sized stomach importantly "You've already been arrested. Now you're just waiting for your fancy attorneys to make it into town. You've been informed of your charges right?"

"Yeah." I reply in a clipped tone. This guys a dick.

"Let's go over 'em again..." he smiles "just for fun. Let's see here...you got assault and battery, breaking and entering, destruction of property...should I keep going? Let's see your money buy you outta this one pretty boy."

The door swings open suddenly and I watch as Scooter and three of my attorneys file into the room. I avoid Scoot's gaze but feel it burn angrily into me anyway.

James, the head of my legal team, speaks first in a calm and authoritative manner "May I ask what you're doing speaking to my client? This entire precinct was given strict instructions that there was to be no questioning of any kind."

"Don't worry James..." I smile condescendingly "He was just asking for an autograph and a fucking picture." my voice raises with the last two words.

He ignores me but places a hand on my shoulder, a silent order to calm down "Why is he still handcuffed? Please remove them and then remove yourself from this room so that we can confer with Mr. Bieber."

"Don't think so..." the cop laughs "He's in custody and I'm under no obligation to uncuff him."

"Excuse me officer..." James leans in to study his name tag "Collins. You asked my client for an autograph, did you not? I'd be interested to see how your superiors would react to your unprofessional behavior, wouldn't you?"

Officer Collins shifts around on his feet for a moment and then unhooks a large ring of keys from his belt and unlocks the handcuffs. I keep my eyes trained defiantly on his face while he works and wait until he's gone to rub my wrists where the metal had been digging into my skin.

Scooter has remained frighteningly silent through it all, and I expect him to say something now that we're alone, but he doesn't.

James speaks quietly with the other two lawyers who's names I can't remember, a little litigation huddle that I absurdly want to laugh at, though I don't know why. None of this is funny in the least.

"So.." he finally turns to me "What happened? Why were you there? why did you assault him, and we also need to know why you entered his home uninvited."

"I didn't." I lie stupidly "Never been in his house before in my life."

"Goddammit Justin!" Scooter screams while pounding his fist swiftly against the table so forcefully I jump "Cut your shit! Tell them the fucking truth. Haven't I taught you to never lie to your lawyers? Use your head!"

"Scott..." James hisses quietly, too refined and professional to address him by anything but his given name "Lower your voice. This isn't helping." he then turns his attention back to me "You were in his house, that much is clear. The rest is undeniable as well, there's video footage and pictures. We'll have to approach this from a different angle..denying is no longer a possibility. So in order to do that we need to know everything. Every detail. If you are open an honest with us, we can help you. If you're not. We can't. That's the bottom line."