This Charming Life [Tig Trager] [Book Two]

V. Redemption

The silence echoed in my ears and the darkness made my eyes hurt. I had been in solitary for over a week now and I had only spoken to the guards who brought food. I had given up asking what the hell was going on by the third day when it was apparent no one was going to tell me anything. I was losing my mind in here and I had been tempted to lash out so many times, but each time I managed to restrain myself. Lowen had told me that my best chance at getting out of here was showing that I was a reformed citizen. So each time a guard approached my door I asked as politely as I could when I was going to see my lawyer or when I would get a phone call. The only response I ever got was when I asked a guard if anyone had contacted my wife, I had tried to explain that she would be worried about me and he had taken pity on me admitting that Lowen had been informed of my new sleeping arrangements and would have told Anya.

Anya was the only thing keeping me sane in here. The only reason I kept my cool was because I had to get back to her. I couldn't leave her alone. She had been through so much and I couldn't stand the thought that her pain hadn't ended and that now I was the cause for it. As I laid in the quiet of my cell I would play back memories in my head. I would picture her smile, I would hear her laughter, feel her fingertips on my skin. I had to get back to her.

I was almost blinded when the guard fully opened the door for the first time in days. Two guards entered the cell and placed cuffs on me before leading me down the hallway. My questions fell on deaf ears as I wondered what the hell was going on now. They led me down to private visitations and, although I knew it was unlikely, part of me hoped that Anya had finally been allowed to visit. I was more than disappointed when I found Sheriff Roosevelt once again sat at the table.

"Good morning Mr Trager" his voice was low and purposeful. I'd never heard that tone of voice from him before and it instantly shot panic through me. I only nodded in response to his greeting, "Your wife's an incredible woman do you know that?"

"A lot more than I deserve yeah" I spoke quietly.

"A little over a week ago she went to see my wife. When I'd seen her at one of your visitations I had offered my help, she had refused. She told my wife that she now wanted my help, she wanted me and my wife to meet her at her house" I frowned, I didn't know where he was going with this and I wasn't sure I wanted to know, "She told me everything Tig" this was another trick, it had to be, Anya would never rat on me.

"Nice try man" I laughed, "There's nothing to tell, but nice try"

"I'm not lying Tig. Look around this room there are no cameras, I can assure you there are none on the other side of that glass and now I need you to listen to me" I frowned at the man across the table from me. Last time I saw him he was full of accusations, his eyes had been determined, he knew I had murdered that man and he was determined to prove it. Now he seemed resigned, withdrawn, he wasn't trying to be intimidating or questioning. "Anya showed me the letters, the pictures, the DVD. I know this guy was stalking her for years. I know she lived in fear for years. And I know that you saved her. Unfortunately the legal system isn't built for people in Anya's situation. She made the point that ultimately it would have been his life or hers. If you hadn't stepped in when you did she would have ended up dead and there was almost no way that the law was going to help her until that point, and by then it would be too late" he breathed in deeply before he continued.

"I like your wife Tig. She's a good woman. She's smart too" he laughed to himself, "she checked me and my wife for recording equipment when we arrived. Told me that if I tried to repeat anything she said then she would deny it, claim police harrassment. She knew what she was doing. She covered all her bases in case I decided not to help" I couldn't believe Anya had told him everything.