She fiddled with a stack of papers and laid a scrap of paper on the desk.
“Sign here and here, and I’ll need both of your ID’s for verification,” she said.
I nervously dug out my identification and Rex slapped his on the counter. He was already signing his name on the paper, which he immediately thrust at me when he was finished.
I held it and scanned the document. This was it; I was saying good-bye to my old life. I signed my name to the paper and handed over my ID.
She took both of them and scanned them in the computer, and I couldn’t tell, but it sounded like she gasped.
“Take a seat over there for a minute,” she said, taking our IDs and waddling off toward the back of the office building.
I felt my nerves come back in a bad way. I wanted to get back on the bike and run for it, but Rex didn’t seem to care.
“Calm down, would ya? She’s just making copies,” he said.
I wanted to calm down, but things turned from bad to worse when two police officers walked back in with the old woman. They pushed past the desk and stood in front of me.
“Celia Murphy, you’re under arrest for assaulting an officer of the law. We’re going to have to take you into custody and return you to the proper authorities,” said the taller officer.
Rex started laughing.
“You’re joking, right?” he said.
“No, sir. This woman is under arrest,” the officer replied.
They threw me in handcuffs and started pulling me toward the back of the offices.
“You boys better let her go,” Rex said. “I don’t give second warnings.”
“Sir, if you want to file a complaint, you can file it right there,” he said, gesturing toward the old woman, “but this woman is coming with us.”
“Let me say something to her first,” Rex said.
The officers looked at each other and then nodded. They let me go and talk to Rex for a moment.
“These officers the ones you fought off the other night?” he asked.
I shook my head no.
“Listen, go with these two for now. You said you stabbed one of them in the hand, right?” he asked.
I nodded.
“I’ll keep my eyes peeled. If anyone tries to take you, they won’t get far,” he said.
I let out a small sigh to try to calm my nerves.
“Take my purse,” I said. “There’s a surprise in there for you.”
Rex took my large handbag and held it tightly in hand. Then I leaned in and gave Rex a big kiss on the lips. I didn’t think he was expecting it, because he stood still for a second. The goofy look on his face was almost worth being arrested.
Then the officers came back and grabbed me, pulling me into the holding cell they had in the station next door. I was the only occupant, so at least I had my run of the place. But that was a consolation prize. My mind wasn’t with me in the cell; it was dwelling on how much time I had left in the world if Rex failed to get me out before those dirty cops arrive.
6.
I heard their car pull up at what felt like midnight. The moon was still bright tonight, just as it had been last night. If I had to make a run for it, at least nature was on my side for now.
I heard the clattering of keys coming from the office area, and I stood up to see who might be coming. One of the officers from before strode down the aisle and unlocked the cell.
“Your ride is here,” he said, grabbing my arm and leading me toward the front desk.
“If it’s the people I think, you probably shouldn’t have me going with them. They’re dirty,” I said.
He laughed.
“Yeah, right. From what I hear, these guys are some of the best cops in the city,” he said.
“What?” I asked.
“The guys that are picking you up have a history of taking down drug dealers; I doubt they’re dirty. They wouldn’t last ten minutes in prison with all the guys they put away,” he said.
I sighed. Maybe it wasn’t the same cops from the other night. Maybe, just maybe, it was a couple of different guys who’d been sent over to straighten things out. I felt a little less nervous and more curious.
All my hopes died when I saw the same two cops from last night waiting in the lobby for me.
“Here she is, guys. I’ll have to have you sign for her,” said the local cop.
The guy I'd stabbed reached over and signed with his now bandaged hand.
“That looks nasty,” said the local.
“Feels worse,” replied the officer.
I looked through the windows of the station, hoping I’d see Rex any time, but he wasn’t there. All hope I had of surviving left me.
The two officers led me out the front door and shoved me into the backseat of the same car I had stolen last night. Once they were comfortably seated in the front, they turned and eyed me like fresh meat.
“That stab you gave me could have cost me my job, you know,” said the first.
“I’m going to enjoy this,” said the second.