Gangland

"Tell me again."

Maya rolled her eyes and barley kept herself from letting loose some choice words. "What the fuck do you want from me?" Well, almost. "I've told you three times already. The guy goes by Petey. He's my dealer. Was my dealer. I met up with him to get a refill of some weed. We had just finished our deal when someone popped him in the head. Then the cop showed up and now we're here, where you insist on asking me the same questions over and over."

There was silence for a moment. Detective Dermot sat across from her at a silver rectangular table. Maya had been handcuffed to the table and had been being interrogated for the past thirty minutes. So far they were getting no where.

"Tell me why you killed him." Dermot said folding his arms across his chest.

"Oh, so now we've moved on to dumb questions. Well, demands. Either way answer is still the same. I didn't kill him."

"Okay. Who did you have kill him?"

"Oh my God! He was a drug dealer! Who knows the amount of people he had issues with. I mean, does the line of questioning really make sense to you?"

"I'm just trying to get to the bottom of things. I'm just letting you know now what people are going to say. That you had a man killed for drugs. I've got a dead civilian and a woman standing over him. You may not have killed him but I think you know something. Something you're not telling me. Now I've got you carrying a ounce of marijuana. Personally I don't see what the big hub bub is about it. People want to smoke it, what do I care. Unfortunately it is illegal in this fine state. I would much rather catch a killer than see another kid behind bars of weed. I can get you a deal, all you gotta do is talk."

Maya glared at the ceiling and reveled in her uncomfortableness. Somewhere in the trek from the street side to the precinct Mayas scrunchie had fallen out and her curly hair sat hotly against her back and shoulders. It was night time, but it was also August in Texas. Night time didn't mean shit, it was still easily 85 degrees out. The blood on her shirt and face and dried and felt itchy against her skin. She had a slight headache and she could really use a burger. All these things compiled made Maya a bit snippy.

"Why the hell would I know anything? I just wanted some weed. I've had a day. I just want to go home."

"Actually, I'm afraid she'll need to be released immediately."

Both the detective and Maya looked toward the door where a suited man stood. Just behind him was the police captain. Both hustled in to the moderate sized room taking up more space than seemed possible. Especially when the detective stood as well a look of bafflement on his face.

"Captain, what's going on?"

The captain looked a bit put out," All charges have been dropped, uncuff her."

"Captain she's a murder suspect! Besides she was carrying enough marijuana to qualify as a felony." The detective looked on incredulously as the Captain sucked in a bit and straightened to his full height.

"You have your orders. Let her go and see her things returned to her." The captain glared as he spoke, glared so fiercely it heated the detectives face and fierce blush rose combating his pale blond hair.

Maya sat and watched it all quietly. She had no idea what was going on but as it seemed to be leaning in her favor she figured not rocking the boat was the best option. She looked at the man in the suit. She could tell his suit cost a lot of money, she could also tell he was sweltering in it in this heat.

He was so smug and confident though, you barley paid attention to the glisten of sweat that ran along his hair line. His black hair was slicked back, not a single strand out of place. His skin, already a beautiful shade of cinnamon, was also flushed, from the heat Maya guessed. He had dark eyes that had a hardness to them. The suit was a dark gray with a baby blue pocket square peeking up from his breast pocket. He was very well put together, he had money and power and he wanted everyone to know it.

"Who are you?" Maya asked, unwittingly throwing away her plan for silence.

"I'm your lawyer."

Maya stared. "You're a public defender?"

He looked mildly insulted. "I was hired to take your case."

"By who?" The detective demanded hands on his hips. He had taken his jacket of when he first came into the room so his shoulder piece stood out even more.

"That's no concern of yours. The fact is, the charges have been dropped. Your captain has even commanded you release her. The interrogation is over. Let her go."

There was silence again and Dermot and the lawyer stared before Dermot swore under his breath and came around the table to uncuff her.

Outside the precinct she could feel the detective burrowing holes in her back as she and the lawyer were greeted by the hot humid heat that was Jackson Texas, not to be confused with Lake Jackson our neighbor and biggest football rival.

They had given Maya back everything, including the weed. Maya was not stupid. She should not be standing here free right now. She did not have a lawyer, and even if she did, she definitely wouldn't be able to hire this guy. He was so far out her price range she shouldn't even be looking at him. But she was.

Maya stopped at the bottom of the steps outside the precinct and stared at the lawyer. "I don't know you. You don't know me. Why are you here bailing me out? What's going on?"

The lawyer kind of grimaced as he took in the dried blood on her. "We'll be in touch."

"Who is we? What the hell is going on?"

"You'll find out soon enough." He smirked and turned on his heel walking to a black Tesla. He looked back at me, "When the call comes, answer it." After that enlightening piece of shit he got in his car and pulled off leaving Maya standing there staring at the place she saw his lights disappear.