Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 55510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
I chewed on the edge of my bottom lip as I nodded, figuring that was a worthy sacrifice. I didn’t want any of these guys out on the street, but Deviau was a bigger threat than any of them. If they were willing to snitch on their boss, I would be fine with a reduced sentence for them.
“If I can help in any way, please let me know,” I told him. I needed Deviau behind bars for all of the atrocities that he had done. If he remained out on the streets, he would just continue to hurt people.
“We will,” Landon replied with a nod. He watched me fidget slightly in my seat. “Is there something else you wanted to talk about?”
I nodded.
“I want to talk to you about my father. I know he still committed a crime, but Deviau told me that he blackmailed my father into going into business with him. He threatened my life, and nothing means more to my dad than my safety.”
Landon twined his fingers together as he leaned back in his seat.
“That makes sense. Unfortunately, there will need to be proof of that for when he goes to court to affect his sentence,” he explained to me.
I frowned, figuring that was the case.
“Maybe there’s proof in my father’s belongings,” I replied. “I’ll try to find anything I can.”
Landon leaned forward and rested his forearms on his desk.
“We’ll ask about your father’s involvement when we talk to the three guys we booked,” he told me. “Their testimony could help your father’s case.”
Hope warmed my chest.
“That would be great,” I said. “If it is proven that he was blackmailed, will it lessen his sentence by at least a little bit?”
Landon nodded.
“It will be less harsh. He won’t have to serve as much prison time, but he’ll still have to do some,” he replied.
“It’s still something,” I sighed. I was still grateful for that, even if I hated the thought of my father having to endure prison. That probably meant I would still be in charge of my father’s fortune during his imprisonment. I could still work on my organization. Maybe even get some help from Leandro, too—he had been mentoring me before all this had started, after all.
“Would you like to visit him?” Landon asked.
My eyes widened. I was supposed to visit him, but then I was attacked. Everything changed after that.
“I’d really like to,” I said.
So much had changed in such little time. I went from feeling like a prisoner in my childhood home to my father being locked up behind bars, granting me more freedom than I had ever experienced before. Maybe he had been too scared to set me free from his own overprotective nature, but I was willing to do anything to bring him back home where he belonged as soon as possible.
“I’ll arrange for someone to take you where your father is being held,” Landon said as he rose to his feet.
“Thank you, Detective,” I told him sincerely, feeling better about the future. I wished that Deviau was in prison instead of my father, but I had a good feeling that would eventually happen one day. I wouldn’t stop fighting until he was taken down.
“I’m glad you escaped your captors, but you still have to be careful, Emery,” Landon warned me. “He’s still out there. If he’s smart, he’ll move far away and won’t mess with you. These guys usually aren’t as smart as they think they are, though.”
I swallowed hard, fighting against the tightness in my throat. There was always a possibility of Deviau coming after me again, especially since I still had control over my father’s fortune. However, I had the best protection, and I proved that I could kick a little ass too.
“I will,” I replied.
Landon smiled a little and walked out of his office to get an officer to take me to the local detention facility.
When I arrived, I checked in and was searched before being taken to a room with spaced out tables and chairs. Other prisoners talked to their friends and families at the tables, and I took a seat toward the back, glancing around and waiting for my father to be led out. If I was honest, I was a little nervous to see my father.
A lot had changed.
Truthfully, I wasn’t the same person I was when he was arrested, but I was happy about that. I figured things out about myself that I wouldn’t have discovered any other way. I hoped he realized that and didn’t try to control me, even while he was in prison. That would be hard, but he would figure out a way if he was really determined.
Technically, he hired the bodyguards to do that, but they showed me more freedom and excitement than I had ever experienced before.
Finally, my father walked into the room with a dark blue uniform on. His short, blonde hair was a bit matted in the back with a few strands sticking out in the middle and front. His usually clean-shaven face now had stubble on it, and there were dark circles under his eyes. His tall, lean body looked thinner than usual under his uniform, but he still smiled brightly at me.