Witness

•CHAPTER 22•

They had finally let me out of the hospital today and the police told me to go to the station in for questioning. Just what I wanted to do on my first day off...

Ricky drive me while a cop trailed us to make sure we didn't try to escape. I was done tying to escape. I just wanted to go back to the casino, stela more money, blah blah blah. Yet something inside me was screaming for me to see Ashley. I don't know why, but I needed to...

Once we were inside the station, Ricky sat in the waiting room while a cop led me to an isolated room with one window and a table in the center. I wondered who was watching me on the other side of that window.

As I sat down at the table, the cop closed the door and did the same across from me.

"We have reason to believe that you card read." He began and sipped from his coffee. He already annoyed me...

"What's your proof?" I asked.

He leaned back in his chair. "Well, cameras had caught your face. We reviewed the footage and it revealed a pattern that you used. Any other gambler randomly bets on luck. You, though, you have a pattern- counting and calculating cards."

"Why don't you arrest me now?" I asked after I rolled my eyes.

Sighing, he said, "Someone has a statement against your crimes. It's pretty legitimate, too. Nothing leads to them lying."

Someone testified against me? "Who?"

"This is the strange part-they've requested that they don't share their name with you. For now, you are free to go until we get any evidence that the statement is false."

I sat there stunned for a few minutes. Who? Who was this mystery person? My dad? Mom?

"I thought you were done for." Ricky said as I entered the waiting room.

"Thanks." I smirked. We walked back into the parking lot and Ricky started the engine to his tuck. As we climbed in, I added, "Tale me back to the motel."

Ricky froze and stared at me. "What. The hell. Is wrong with you."

"You can come with me!" I reasoned. Reluctantly, we drove the few minutes to the motel.

"Everything is moving so fast now." Ricky blurted as he stopped the truck. "You just got back and it feels like we are just rushing through everything."

An awkward silence passed. I knew what he meant, but honestly, I had no idea what else to do.

"You sure you're okay?"

I opened the door. "If you ask that one more time, I'm running away on purpose this time."

"Fine, jeez." He out his hands up in surrender as we both slammed the doors in unison.

As I walked into the motel omg room of Ricky, it was swarming with police. They had arranged a search through all the rooms but they had only told me. Luckily, despite the police, the desk lady was still there.

The only thing different was the smell; instead of rotten it smelled like someone dumped Febreeze on everything they could. It's like they were trying to cover something up...

"I remember you!" She smiled sympathetically. "I'm sos prey about what happened. I had no idea, I swear!"

There was something about this girl that made me uneasy. Probably her smiles... I'm calling her Febreeze lady form now on.

"Yeah um-" I checked my pockets unable to find my keys. "I lost my keys to my room."

"Oh don't worry about that! You're room has been payed for, too. You're welcome to check it out- the police are checking the rooms out soon. I'm sure they will let you go in."

"Have they checked George's room?"

Her expression turned serious and I had the sudden feeling that Ricky didn't want to go up there.

"They checked that room as soon as the search for you was conducted. I don't think you'll find anything- police took all evidence."

Ricky smiled and nodded while gently pushing me away from the desk so she couldn't hear what we were about to talk about.

"You're not seriously thinking about going up there, are you?" He stared me intently in the eyes.

"Well, Yeah." Is don't see what the problem was, though I guess going out there was the reason I got kidnapped.

"Look, we saw what we needed to. Going up tot hat room will do you no good whatsoever."

I turned away from him and headed for the stairs. Ricky called after me and I heard his shoes stomping after me.

"You're a dick." He said as he caught up on the stairs.

There were only a few police in the hall. Deja vu flooded over me as memories form the past days can back.

I stopped at George's room. What a jerk. Dick. Whatever you wanna call him- jerk-dick!

"Ricky, what are they gonna do tot he motel once the search is over?" I asked him while staring at the wooden door.

"I don't know. Probably tear it down, build another."

Good. I was done staring at it and finally twisted the cold metal knob as the door opened with a creak.

Almost everything in the room had been taken; bed sheets, silverware, cups.. the room was almost bare.

Something caught my eye in the miniature trash can. I kneeled on the ground to pick it up and froze. It was He note I wrote to Ashley when I paid to see her.

I smoothed our it's wrinkles and flipped it over. She had written on the back: George is my father. He works for the police. Jack.

"Ricky, who were all the members of the SWAT team that rescued me?" I turned to him still holding the paper in my hand.

"Ugh," he tried to remember. "Zander, Jadon, Winnie, Tyler, Jack, and Isaac."

"The whole team?"

Ricky looked at me confused. "Why are you  asking so many questions? Yes, I think so."

Shoving the paper in my pocket, I said, "We need to find them. Now."