Chapter 13 by Matt Wall
Twenty minutes before Chief Dean and Detective Granger entered the jail, Al Jackson, Attorney-at-Law, was walked down a dimly lit corridor and was let into cell number three.
“Thank you, Andy. That will be all. I’ll give you a shout to let me out when I’m done.”
Andy smiled. “Sure thing, Al.” He locked the door behind him and headed back to his desk.
Brody Mills was lying on his rack, staring at the ceiling. Without looking at who entered, he said, “What do you want?”
Al grit his teeth and placed his briefcase on the small metal sink. “Don’t you know who I am?”
Brody gave him half a glance. “I guess you’re some sort of lawyer.”
“That is true. I am some sort of lawyer.” He clenched his fists tightly.
“Well, I got news for you, pal, I don’t want or need any lawyer.”
Al took in a deep breath. “That’s fine. I’m not here to defend you.”
“Then what the hell do you want?”
“I want you to look at me. I want you to know who I am.”
Brody gave him another glance and rolled his eyes. “Do us both a favor and leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere. Not yet.”
Brody sat up. “Fine. Who the hell are you?”
“My name is Al Jackson. I’m Ciri’s father.” Al lunged at Brody and wrapped his hands around Brody’s throat. They fell back on his rack, and Al shook Brody’s neck back and forth, trying to halt Brody from getting a grip on his fingers.
Brody kneed Al in the groin and in the ribs, but Al wouldn’t let go. Brody moved his hands from trying to remove Al’s from his throat, and tried to shove his thumbs into Al’s eye sockets.
Al screamed, then turned his head and bit down hard on Brody’s wrist, causing blood to drip down his arm. Brody then punched Al repeatedly with his free hand, hoping that Al would release his grip in his throat. Al did let go with one hand, and proceed to exchange blows to the face, with Brody.
Brody finally, with all his might, flung Al on the floor and rolled over on top of him. Al let go of his throat and after a huge gasp of air, Brody began to unload on Al’s face, punch after punch.
Suddenly, the cell door flew open and Chief Dean ran in, quickly pulling Brody off of Al.
“I didn’t do anything to Ciri!” Brody shouted. “I found her on the ground like that!”
Al could barely move. He tried to get to his feet, to no avail, and crashed back down to the hard, concrete floor.
“Andy!” Tim shouted. “I’m gonna move Mills into cell two. Let’s just leave Mr. Jackson in cell three while we process his intake paperwork.”
