The Lunar Destiny Series

Chapter 35

Things didn’t start off as smooth as I’d hoped they would. Rollards slammed every wrong thing I had done in my face. It took everything in me not to jump across the table and slam his head against it one good time. I glanced over at Azzo from time to time when he spoke and I could tell that he was trying very hard to keep his cool. Rollards kept walking slow circles around the table as he spoke.

“You had numerous occasions to be honest with me. Why didn’t you tell the truth? Something that dangerous living around so many innocent people…”

He said. His voice held disappointment.

“Lio isn’t a ‘something’, he’s ‘someone’ just like us. I didn’t come forward for obvious reasons, officer. The way he’s been treated so far is one of those reasons.” I said.

“Do you understand how dangerous he is? A secret like this could have changed the outcome for him had you came forward in the beginning. Be grateful the entire city didn’t march down here to collect his head.”

Rollards said, raising his voice to me a little.

“Surely the good sheriff wouldn’t allow such things to occur, right Sheriff Glenndale?”

Azzo asked, looking him square in the eyes. Sheriff Glenndale gave Azzo empty, neutral eyes.

“I wouldn’t allow it, but I don’t blame people who feel that way.” He said.

“He’s a dangerous beast. If we hadn’t taken the precautions we did, I don’t want to know what could have happened.”

The sheriff was defending the actions of his subordinates no matter what we said.

“My client has been living a normal, peaceful existence up until last night. If he was the dangerous beast you accuse him of being, wouldn’t there have been a blood bath a long time ago?”

Azzo asked, looking from Glenndale to Rollards. Neither of them said a word.

“You two probably haven’t even stopped to wonder how long he’s lived in this city undetected. If he wanted to harm anyone, he’d have done so long ago.” Azzo said matter-of-factly.

“Be that as it may Mr. Eckehard, he’s deemed himself a threat to public safety as of last night.” The sheriff said, leaning forward over the table slightly.

“Miss Ilithyia, are there others like him and the leopard man in this city? Anyone you could identify for us?”

Rollards asked, staring at me intently. Azzo answered for me.

“My client will not answer any questions that will endanger the well being of innocent people.” He said sternly.

“You’re not going to give us an inch, are you Mr. Eckehard?”

Rollards asked. Azzo ignored him.

“Fine, then answer this one question; If we felt that ‘they’ should leave the city, would they go?” He asked.

I glared at him because of the sheer stupidity of the question. I wanted to ask him if he would leave his house just because people weren’t comfortable with him living there. I knew the answer would be ‘hell no! They would just have to deal with it.’

“No, they wouldn’t leave. This is their home just as much as it ours.” I said.

“I see, well thank you Miss Ilithyia. If we need you to come in for questioning again we’ll give you a call. In the meantime, I believe it would be in your best interest to keep your distance from the jail.” Sheriff Glenndale said.

“I can’t visit him? Why?”

I looked over at Azzo hoping he would protest but he just shook his head no.

“They’re right Astraia, it wouldn’t be wise to visit until things calm down.”

I sat back in the chair and bit my lower lip to keep quiet. Officer Rollards nodded with a disgustingly satisfied grin.

“Glad we have an understanding. That’s all of the questions we have for now, you are free to go.” He said walking over to the door and holding it open for us.

When we were back outside standing beside my car, I was able to let out my frustrations.

“I don’t like this Azzo. If I can’t see him, who knows what else they’re going to do to him?”

Azzo pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed before looking at me again.

“Astraia, they want to cut him off from anyone who wants to help him. We’re lucky they didn’t kill him on the spot last night.” He said.

“They wouldn’t know how to kill him Azzo.”

I said, leaning against my truck. Suddenly I was more grateful for the authorities’ lack of knowledge.

“True, but you would only be making things worse for him by not cooperating. Just stay out of this for now, let me do my job.” He said.

I wanted to protest further but he was right. If I wanted to help Lio I had to stay out of this whole situation entirely.

“Fine. Call me if anything changes, anything at all.” I said.

Azzo gave me a nod before he walked past me towards his car.

I looked past Azzo to see Baltasar’s car cruising down the street towards me. I rolled my eyes and shook my head just knowing how pissed he must be right now. I watched him park across the street and Githinji got out of the car from the passenger side. Judging by the look on his face he wasn’t too thrilled to see me down here either.

“Githinji I had to see him, I’m sorry.” Githinji looked really mad, like I’d struck out three times already with him.

“Get in your car, let’s go.” He said walking past me and around to the passenger side door of my car.

I pressed the unlock button on my keychain and we both got inside. I looked out of my window to see Baltasar driving off. I buckled myself in and started the car, knowing I had a few lectures to hear when I got back to Lio’s house.