Chapter 51 Part 51
Maggie
She waited for an hour and a half with Deputy Mike glancing at her every now and then. He’d offered her coffee, which she’d accepted and kept waiting. It was a burning desire that kept her there, knowing she had to see Asher.
At the sound of footsteps, she looked up but didn’t recognize the man walking toward her. He slowed, smiled at her, then sat down next to her.
“You must be Maggie,” he said.
“I am,” she said, a slight frown appearing on her forehead.
“I’m Preston Michaels. I’m Asher’s lawyer,” he said.
Relief flooded her, and she smiled at him, feeling more at ease now. “Is he okay? Are they keeping him here?”
“He’s not talking. I got the feeling that he recognized the man on the video footage, but I didn’t want to ask him in front of the sheriff. It’ll be better for him if he just tells me what he knows. The court doesn’t open until Monday morning, which means he’ll stay here for the weekend. The results from the blood they found in his shed and truck might also be available on Monday. That will determine if he gets bail or not,” Preston said, and took a business card from his suit pocket. “Call me if anything happens or if you can convince Asher to talk.”
“Thank you,” Maggie said, and took the card from him.
“Also, don’t answer any questions the sheriff might ask. Insist on calling your lawyer then call me. I’ve been the Fitzgerald family lawyer for 15 years. The sheriff can’t insist on being present when you see Asher, not if you’re outside his cell. Don’t insist on going in, then the deputy or the sheriff will stay.”
“Thank you, I’ll remember that,” Maggie said. The man had a calming presence, and she guessed he was in his late thirties, or early forties. His hair had a few gray streaks at the temples, but his eyes held confidence, and that’s what Maggie liked about him.
She watched him leave through the front door, turning back to look at the deputy when he cleared his throat. “I can take you to see Asher now.”
“Thank you, Deputy,” she said, and stood up.
Maggie followed Mike through a wooden door and down a short corridor. Another door led to a longer corridor, and then suddenly the cells were there. She was taken aback, thinking of Asher inside one of them. Mike led her to the last cell in the corner, and tears sprang to her eyes, when she looked at Asher.
“I’ll give you a few minutes,” Mike said, disappearing down the hall.
“Don’t cry, Maggie. Everything will be fine,” Asher said.
“How will everything be fine?” She suddenly understood Preston’s warning. She wanted to be in that cell with him, wrap her arms around him, and never let go.
“I didn’t kill him, Maggie.”
“But the blood they found, and—”
“It’s not his blood. They will let me go the moment that blood test comes back.”
Maggie frowned, and rested her hand against one of the bars of the cell. Asher’s hand wrapped around hers, and she took a deep breath. “Whose blood is it?”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s not his; that’s what matters,” Asher said.
“You really didn’t kill him? I’d understand if you did, Asher. I just want to help you get out of here,” Maggie said.
“I’ll be fine. Just trust me on this. It’s not his blood.” Asher moved closer to the bars, and cupped her jaw. “Go home, Maggie. I’ll be out before you know it. Let Finn sleep in the guest room. I don’t want you to be alone.”
“I hate seeing you in here,” she whispered.
“It won’t be for long, I promise.” Asher let go of her, and stepped back. “Go home, Maggie.”
It felt like a dismissal, but she knew what he was doing. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Maggie stepped away from the cell just as Mike rounded the corner. “Sorry, Asher. Sheriff says visiting time is over.”
“Tell Finn what I said, okay?”
“I will.”
Outside the station, Maggie’s hands began to shake, and she clenched them into fists as she walked to her truck. The drive back to the ranch felt much longer than it actually took. Lights were on in the main house as Maggie parked the truck next to Blair’s.
The porch door opened, and the truck’s door was opened. “Come on, you’ll freeze outside.”
“It’s so wrong, Blair. Him in that cell. It’s just wrong.”
Blair helped Maggie inside, and she felt the instant warmth on her face. Everyone was in the dining room, and they stared at her. Once she sat down, Blair brought her a cup of coffee.
“What did he say?”
“He said he didn’t kill him, and that it’s not Malcolm’s blood they found.”
“If it’s not Malcolm’s blood, then whose is it?” Colt asked.
“Maybe it’s cow’s blood,” Blair said.
“If it was animal blood, why didn’t he say that?” Thomas asked.
“I can still log into the national database to see if anyone went missing,” Finn said.
“No, leave it alone,” Thomas said. “We don’t need more attention.”
“You should stay here until Asher’s released. You and Melody can sleep in his old room,” Blair said.
Maggie shook her head. “No, I’m going home. It’s only two miles away, and Malcolm’s dead.”
“Finn, you go on over with Maggie and stay there,” Thomas said.
“Of course,” Finn said, and stood up from the table. “I’ll just grab a bag for the weekend.”
“Asher said he’d only be in there until the results from the blood come back,” Maggie said.
“I don’t get why he doesn’t just tell them what the hell’s going on,” Dylan murmured.
“I don’t think he’s going to tell any of us,” Thomas said.
“I know we all want to know what’s going on, but Asher will tell us if he wants us to know. We should respect that,” Eden said.
“I’m afraid of what might happen to him in that cell,” Maggie said, softly.
“The Sheriff’s Department is probably the safest place to be,” Colt said, with a frown.
“He has PTSD, Colt. He’s locked up in a small cell. He can hardly move in there. I think Asher might be a little depressed. The mind can be a dangerous thing when it’s let loose.”