Hallows: Merciful Death

The Usual Culprits

Five Finger Death Punch- Jekyll and Hyde

B.B:

I am shoved into a cell with Stacy and a couple of her friends. In the cell across from us are Carson, Luc, Marco, and Marco's boyfriend. I haven't caught his name. I'm sure they haven't formally introduced us because I'd remember his name. These are the people who were with us last night. I sit back without saying anything. How many times did I come down to this very station to pick Delilah up? How many times did I shout at her for putting mom through this? The irony is not wasted on my sister. Not even a little. So, this is what this looks like. What this feels like. To be part of the usual culprits.

"This is a seriously f****d up joke," I sigh. They all laugh.

"Blackstone," one of the officers calls out. "Come on. You're up," I stand up and go over to the door. "Hands the in the square," she tapped the little opening. I put them through. "This your first time?"

"Yeah," I nod.

"You're taking it well. Try not to make a habit out of it," she smiles and lets me out.

I am escorted to a room with a metal table. Where she cuffs me to as soon as I take a seat. There's a huge mirror to my right. I looked over at it as she cuffs my legs to the table. The door behind her opened up and that f*****g asshole Espinosa walked through the door with his partner. He drops a file on the table separating us as he takes his gray trench coat off and sets it on the backrest of the metal chair before he takes a seat. His partner didn't have a coat on. He's wearing a bulletproof vest over his button-up. What a f*****g dumbass.

Espinosa isn't really the piece of s**t I make him out to be. He has a temper but he has been looking out for us Blackstones since he married my mom. We tried to push him away but he's resilient and I love him for that. I'd never admit it to him but I do. He was a good stepdad. I was just a shitty stepdaughter. All I wanted was my dad back and he's nowhere near his glory. No one is. He was different.

"This is definitely a first for us, Bella," Espinosa greets me.

"Okay?" I shrug.

"Where were you last night?" he asks. I look between them.

"At the Whitmore Estate. Isn't that why I'm here?"

"Do you know why you're here?" he asks me. Am I high or is he new at this?

"I have an idea but no. I don't. Not really,"

"All right, what's the idea?" he humors me.

"Uh, well I was arrested right after Rosa confronted me in the middle of the Jamba Juice on Main Street while I was out running with mom. She said about her being in the ER all night. I'm guessing it has something to do with that,"

"You were confronted by Rosa. What Rosa?" he glances over at his partner as he writes what I'm saying down.

"Rosa Delioncourt," I answer. "She said something about a water bottle in someone's ass hole. I couldn't really make everything out. She was being crazy,"

"Last night, Holland Track was assaulted outside of the Whitmore Estate," he informs me.

"Oh, s**t," I sit up looking over at the glass.

"A lot of people are saying they saw you inside the party talking to him just moments before," the other officer states. I turned my attention to him.

"Yeah, yeah. I saw him there. I was dancing by myself and he approached me. He wanted to dance but I was there with someone,"

"I thought you said you were dancing by yourself?" Espinosa asks.

"I was. Carson had gone to get us drinks. I told Holland I was there with Carson and he left. I didn't see him again after that,"

"Carson Hayashi?" he asked. I nod. "Are you two together?"

"Uh, I don't know yet. It's new," I shrug feeling my face flush.

"What did you two do all night?"

"We danced. Hung around with Luc and Stacy. It was a party and I haven't been to one since-" I pause clearing my throat. The lie was feeling a little too casual anyway.

"Since?" the other detective pushes.

"Since Delilah," Espinosa sighs. "You get how this looks, right, B.B?"

"No," I shake my head. "I honestly have no idea what's happening,"

"Detective Espinosa. Your wife is here. She has three lawyers with her," a voice says from a speaker somewhere.

"f**k," he shouts making me jump. See temper and it's always hiding behind his cute soft brown eyes. There's never a warning when he's about to snap. Not like my dad. My dad would go very still before he snapped. His muscles would all relax and then suddenly tighten up and he'd explode. Not Espinosa. His temper is similar to Delilah's. It hides behind their cool composure before it jumps out and scares the hell out of you.

"Detective Espinosa," the door behind him opens up. Three of my mom's lawyers walkthrough. "Sorry, but Ms. Blackstone is coming with us. You're violating several laws-"

"She's my stepdaughter. We're just having a f*****g conversation," he bites out.

"Do you often have conversations with your stepdaughter while she's being illegally contained and handcuffed?" the woman claps back.

"What happened to Holland?" I ask him ignoring them. He turns to look at me.

"Ms. Blackstone you don't have to say another word," one of them informs me. "Remove the handcuffs," the officer from earlier comes over and begins to remove them. "She shouldn't be in here and you know that,"

"Someone shoved a beer bottle up his ass," Espinosa answers my question anyway.

"Espinosa," the woman scolds him.

"f**k," I whisper looking down at the officer taking my handcuffs off. She gives me a tight smile.

"Do you know anything about that?" he continues.

"No, I don't," I shake my head as I rub my wrists. "What would make someone do that?" I ask, going over to him when I'm free. "Holland and I were friends. I used to be a cheerleader. Back when I was dating Shane,"

"The mayor's son?" he asks. I nod. "Do you still talk to Shane?"

"No, I mean I spoke to him last night. He apologized for what he did and asked me if I had seen Holland. I told him the same exact thing I told you and he went off to look for him,"

"What did he apologize for?"

"For f*****g Rosa Delioncourt in our pantry during my sister's wake," I answer. He sighed. "He seemed pretty out of it. His face was red,"

"Thank you, B.B," he flexes his jaw. "That was really helpful,"

"Okay," I shrug.

"Stay out of trouble. That Carson kid is-"

"What are you my dad now? What happened to me being that f*****g emo girl?" I scoff. "Don't act like you care about me, David. Your s**t is in the driveway. You should pick it up before it rains again. Holland was my friend. You were never even close,"

"We should go," the lady lawyer waves me toward the door.

"We'll be taking the rest of the kids you arrested with us as well," one of the other lawyers adds.

"We haven't questioned them," Espinosa sighs.

"And you won't. They're minors. You can't just pick them up off the street the way you did. Emancipated or not," he scoffs.

"Let them go," Espinosa says tight-lipped. "I got what I needed anyway,"

He follows us out.

"Are you okay?" mom asks as soon her eyes land on me. She's looking me over like I was assaulted or something.

"I'm fine," I take a step back. Who is she putting on this show for? The others are released not long after. They pour out into the station's main lobby.

"Don't you ever send a f*****g squad car to pick my daughter like that again, David," she shouts making a scene. Carson pulls me into him when she almost steps over me to get to my stepfather. "This is the same s**t you used to pull with Delilah," she cries. "The same s**t,"

"Ash-"

"Don't f*****g Ash me," she screams. "Sign the f*****g divorce papers David. Sign them!" she cries. "Let's go, B.B. Cullen clear things up here. Haley help me take these kids home,"

"Yes, Mrs. Blackstone," Haley agrees right away.

"Espinosa," Detective Espinosa corrects her. "She's Mrs, Espinosa until I sign those f*****g papers,"

"Shut the f**k up," my mom sneers. She takes my hand pulling me along with her. "Let's go, B.B,"

"Waiting on you," I smile.

"Wipe that f*****g smirk off your face. I'm not too thrilled about you getting arrested either," she snips at me. "Stacy, Lucien, Carson, you're coming with us,"

"Yes, ma'am," they answer at the same time.

Stacy and I exchanged knowing looks as we follow my mother out to her car. I press my lips together trying not to laugh. I love my mom. She just matches my energy sometimes, in a way that no one has ever before. This is really going to make them think twice about arresting any of us. My mom is literally the richest person in this town. It's the biggest reason Blackstones run this place the way we do. The last thing they want is to piss her off. What if she pulls her donations? They wouldn't want that, would they? Now that I'm out in the open again, I think I'm going to have to start contributing to the community. Debutante balls, tea time, weird traditions. I'm not excited about that but it can't be helped. Not anymore.