black stick figure jumping into black triangles with a big red X going right through the middle.
“That could mean anything,” Nick muttered. “For all I know, that means don’t jump onto shark fins.”
“And the words right underneath that say something about absolutely no swimming?” Right Cop asked.
Nick shivered. He was cold and smelled like ass. “I have ADHD. Sometimes, it’s hard for me to focus. Are you holding me responsible for my disability? Because I’ll have you know, that’s just cruel.”
Left Cop snorted. “Mr. Bell, I highly doubt it affects your reading comprehension.”
“Yeah,” Nick said. “That was low, even for me. There are people out there with worse disabilities, and also people who actually can’t read. I feel bad now. You know what? I’ve learned my lesson and humbly ask that we forget all about it. How about you let me out of the cuffs and I’ll promise to never do anything like this again? My friends can hold me to that promise.” He nodded toward Jazz and Gibby who stood next to the cop car. Jazz waved at him. He tried to wave back, but since his hands were still handcuffed, he could only jerk his elbow a little bit. “How about it, guys? Everything good?”
“What do you think?” Right Cop asked Left Cop.
“It could work,” Left Cop said. “But then, we’ve already radioed dispatch. And I haven’t arrested anyone today. You know how I get when I haven’t arrested someone in a while.”
“There is that,” Right Cop said. “And also, Aaron Bell would probably be upset that we let his son go when we were told in no uncertain terms releasing him wasn’t going to happen.”
Nick panicked. “You know my dad? I mean, I have no idea who Aaron Bell is. He sounds devious. You should ignore him.”
“Says the guy who jumped into the Westfield River wearing nothing but his underwear and a ring for drag queens.”
“It’s not for drag queens!”
Right Cop rolled his eyes. “My son performs at a bar in midtown as Ivy Chantal. He’s got the same ring, kid.”
“How’s he doing with that?” Left Cop asked.
“Great,” Right Cop said. “Makes good money for school with his performances. Helps out his old man quite a bit. Books are expensive these days.”
“That’s wonderful,” Left Cop said. “I had a blast when we went last time. We’ll have to do it again. Mr. Bell, by order of your father, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used—”
“Record this,” Nick bellowed at Jazz and Gibby. “Record this so I can use this in a lawsuit I’m going to file against my dad and the city for police brutality! I will have—”
* * *
“—my vengeance,” Nick’s tinny little voice said from the phone sitting on the table in the interrogation room. “I will have my vengeance!”
The video cut off.
“Gibby didn’t need to forward the video to you,” Nick muttered, laying on his arms on the table. “That was rude.”
Cap snorted and pulled his phone back in front of him. “I hope your friendship survives.”
“And the dust mask you’re wearing is a little overkill, don’t you think?”
Cap adjusted the strap around his head. His mustache stuck out oddly from the sides of the mask. “You smell terrible.”
Nick buried his head in his arms, the blanket he was wrapped in slipping off his shoulders. “Today is the worst.”
“Eh. You’re alive, aren’t you? Mostly naked and stinking up my interrogation room, but alive. At least for now.”
“Because of the potential diseases I might get?”
Cap shrugged. “Or because of your father.”
Nick groaned. He was afraid of that.
“You have to admit, Nick. This was pretty stupid. Even for you.”
“I admit nothing.” Then, “Is he mad?”
“Oh, sure.”
“Great.”
“He’s also relieved that you’re okay.”
Nick could work with that.
“But mostly mad.”
Or maybe he should stage a jailbreak and flee the city. “I’m grounded, aren’t I?”
“I suspect so.” Cap sobered, and Nick knew he was in for it. “You could have gotten hurt, Nick. Or worse. At the very least, you took away police resources from someone that might have needed help. Those guys aren’t in my precinct, but they still took the time to bring you here.”
Nick’s stomach twisted slickly. “I didn’t think of it that way. I’m sorry, Cap. I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone. It was … stupid, I guess.”
“You’re lucky they know your dad. You could be sitting in a cell on Sixth right now. Not the best place to be.”
Nick’s face heated with shame.