Caught in the Middle

Chapter 24

"How many times do I have to tell you?" I sat down on the chair as I lost track of time. I was hungry and exhausted but the two officers in front of me didn't that care about my condition. They were too caught up on treating me like a criminal. They believed I did something wrong to Nathan Price when in fact he was the one who was doing everything wrong to me.  But no matter how many times I tried to tell them Nathan Price is not the man they thought he was, they were nailing me with something else. "Nathan Price isn't who you think he is."

"Really?" one of them said as he took a seat from across me. He adjusted his suit jacket and then his dark eyes lingered on me. "We have many witnesses who claimed to have seen you with Mr. Price at dinner in Portofino."

"It was just one dinner," I replied. "After he attacked me, I ran home.  I didn't attempt to see him again."

"Why didn't you file a report at the police station if he assaulted you?" the other officer replied. He raised his eyebrows in skepticism.  "If that's what happened?"

"I didn't think he would try to contact me again," I answered honestly.

Again, they weren't listening to me.

"We know why.  He was the first one to file a claim in police precinct.  At least if you have done so, you have some viable claim about your story but you have nothing, cupcake."

Then, they the first officer put a bottle on the table and the air in my lungs froze.  The maraca sound made me stiffened.  It was the meds for my anxiety problem.  "How did you....?"

I couldn't complete my question.  "Don't delusional people take these form of meds?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"  There was another bunch of papers that was put on the desk.  "According to Dr. Shaw, you have some cases of hallucinations.  And these hallucinations  make you do unpredictable things like harass an innocent man.  Or let's say a rich business man."

"No!"  A bubble of resentment began pooling in my abdomen.  "You're lying!"

"What was your true motive?  Money, fame, or perhaps you want a new start in life?"

"No, I was living comfortably!" I yelled as tears began to form in my eyes.  Why didn't they believe me?

"Cupcake, you were working two jobs to live in an apartment by yourself.  You have a best friend, Irene Shover, who is more successful and perhaps you feel inferior to as well. And just the other day, you panicked and ran out of Paltos without paying your bill.  Hmmm...  Sounds like you're in need of money."

"Let me explain about that."

"We have enough facts that can land you in jail or worse lock you in an insane asylum for the rest of your life. So be a good girl and confess to everything. Mr. Price will be lenient. He won't press charges."

Words wouldn't convince the officers that the charges against me were false. They were willing to believe a darkly dangerous man because he could provide fake evidence and pay his way to the top unlike me. This incident reminded me of the one business class I took one summer when I attended college. The class was Business Law and the professor who was a lawyer mentioned that the prisoners he came across in prison were innocent but they didn't have enough money to pay for an attorney.

I did the only thing that could save my hide. I lowered my head and mumbled, "I want my phone call."

"What cupcake?" The second officer moved toward me. The upper part of his body loomed over the table, making me scoot backwards in the chair I currently occupied.