Say You Need Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

a tight smile.
    “Mornin’, ma’am. How can I help you today?”
    Serena leaned forward to speak through the hole in the fiberglass partition. “Last night,” she began, “someone was arrested and brought here. I’m assuming he spent the night.”
    “Depending on when he was arrested, he might have already been transferred to the Dade County detention center. Do you know what time he came in?”
    Serena’s heart spasmed in her chest. God, Cecil had to be here. “He was brought in around midnight.”
    “Then there’s a good chance he’s still here,” the cop said. “Last night was busy, and not everyone was processed.”
    Serena’s shoulders drooped with relief. “Great.” She gave the cop a small smile. “Um, I’m wondering if there’s a chance I can speak with him.” She paused, wondering if she should add that she was his victim.
    The cop gave her a stern look. “Are you family?”
    “No.”
    “His lawyer?”
    “No.”
    “I’m sorry, then. Prisoners aren’t allowed any visitors. This is just a holding cell until they’re taken to the detention center. Once there, he’ll be allowed visitors after seventy-two hours. But he’ll have to put you on his visitor’s list in order for you to see him.”
    “Oh,” Serena replied, unable to hide her disappointment. As if there was any chance of that happening! What was she supposed to do now?
    While she hesitated, the cop looked beyond her to the next person in line. He said, “Can I help you, sir?”
    Hurriedly, Serena said, “Wait.”
    The cop looked at her once again. “Yes?”
    “Can you check? If he’s still here, I mean.”
    “Ma’am, I already told you—”
    “Please,” Serena said, interrupting the cop. Maybe if she told him what Cecil had done, he would understand her urgency in seeing him. “This man, I really need to see him.” She lowered her voice, then continued. “He stole a necklace from me worth a small fortune. I’m wondering, now that he’s arrested, am I guaranteed—”
    “Do you know who brought him in?”
    “The cop who arrested him, you mean? There were two—” Serena stopped short when she saw movement to her left on the far side of the foyer. Something made her turn. And then her heart slammed against her ribcage.
    There was Cecil, walking toward the front door with a female police officer.
    “Ma’am?” the cop behind the information desk prompted.
    “Uh,” Serena replied, never taking her eyes from Cecil. “Never mind.”
    Slowly, Serena started toward the cop and Cecil. Was he about to be taken to the detention center? If so, why wasn’t he wearing handcuffs? And why were he and the cop smiling?
    Good grief, had he charmed this woman, too?
    Serena picked up her pace. Her stomach did a nosedive when she saw Cecil shake the cop’s hand. She might know nothing about police procedures, but she certainly knew that cops didn’t tend to shake hands with felons.
    No, something didn’t make sense. Worried, Serena hurried toward them. For the first time, she noticed that Cecil had a small suitcase with him—another bad sign.
    Cecil and the cop separated as she closed in on them, and with a quick wave on both their parts, Cecil turned and headed to the exit while the cop retreated toward the back offices.
    “Wait a second,” Serena cried, unable to keep her voice low. Her eyes darted between the cop and Cecil. “Why are you letting this man go?” Something was terribly, terribly wrong. “How can you let him walk out of here, after everything he’s done?”
    A smug smile danced on Cecil’s lips as he looked at her and replied, “I tried to tell you yesterday that I’m not Cecil. You were too hard-headed to listen.”
    Serena’s eyes flew to the cop. “W-what?” she sputtered. She could barely think straight, much less make sense of this situation. “I-I don’t believe this. You’ve fallen for his lies!” Facing Cecil, she gaped at him. “And what do you mean, hard-headed? I may have been a