Chapter 35
“Arrest?” Liz and Lucky shouted. Lucky shook his head. “This has to be a mistake, I was invited here.”
“So was I,” Liz added.
Taggert shrugged and stepped forward to cuff Lucky. “Sorry, you’ll have to take that up with whoever sent the invites, because this is private property. The restaurant is closed for renovations, and no one is allowed inside. You know, next time, pick someplace that isn’t owned by the Police Commissioner!”
Lucky rolled his eyes as Taggert put his hands behind his back and slapped on the handcuffs.
“Hey, Lieutenant, what am I supposed to do with this one?” Taggert’s partner asked, motioning to Liz’s sling.
“Hm,” he mumbled, thinking. “That’s from the shooting at Luke’s, isn’t it?’
Liz nodded.
“Well, I have to say you made a smart move getting away from Morgan, but by the looks of things, Spencer here isn’t much better.”
“Hey, I told you this wasn’t my idea!” Lucky shouted.
“Okay, bring her over here,” Taggert said to his partner. He herded Liz over to where he and Lucky were standing and handed the handcuffs to him. Taggert locked on end to her right wrist, then attached the other to Lucky’s cuffs. “There, that should keep them in line. Let’s get them down to the station.”
“Oh, come on, you can’t do this!” Lucky shouted as they pushed the two out of the restaurant. “It’s just a misunderstanding, that’s all.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that you’ll be sleeping in the PCPD tonight. You can make bail in the morning. Now get in the car.” Taggert motioned for Liz to go first, since she was cuffed to Lucky’s left. She ducked her head in and scooted to the far end of the seat, pulling Lucky in after her. Once they were seated, Taggert jumped in the passenger side, and they drove off to the police department.
“I can’t believe I’m chained to you,” Liz muttered, moving her hand so the handcuff wasn’t biting into her wrist as much.
“Hey, watch it there!” Lucky said, jumping slightly as her hand brushed against him. “Unless you’re trying to feel me up,” he added jokingly. He was having a hard time sitting comfortably, not only because his own hadn were handcuffed behind his back, but because hers was as well.
Liz rolled her eyes. “How can you make jokes now? We’re being taken to jail, Lucky! I think my touching your butt should be the last thing you’re worried about!”
“Oh, come on, it’s not the end of the world. We’ll just call someone, and they’ll bail us out.”
“Yeah, in the morning! Didn’t you hear what he said? We have to spend the night in jail.”
Lucky shrugged. “It’s only one night. Anyway, they don’t put men and women in the same cell, so at least we don’t have to spend it together.”
“I guess that’s a small consolation,” Liz grumbled. She thought for a minute, chewing lightly on her lower lip, then chuckled. “Better watch out for your cellmate, though. I’ve heard some pretty scary things about guys in prison!”
Lucky squirmed in his seat at the thought, causing Liz’s hand to brush up against him again. They both remained silent for the rest of the trip. Once the car had stopped in front of the police station, Taggert opened the door so they could get out, then ushered them inside. Once they were fingerprinted and photographed, he brought them to an empty cell.
“This isn’t the way we usually do things, but it seems it’s been a busy night. This is the only cell left, so you two are just going to have to share.”
“What? Since when are jail cells co-ed?” Lucky asked.
“Since it’s the only one left. Hey, we’re all adults here, right? Suck it up and get in.” He shoved them both inside and locked the door.
“Hey, don’t we get a phone call?” Liz asked, grabbing one of the bars and shouting after Taggert as he was leaving.
“Sure, once we’re done with the paperwork, someone will come get you. Until then, make yourselves at home.” He walked out of the room, chuckling softly to himself. “Leave it to Luke Spencer to come up with something like this.”
He picked up the phone at the nearest desk and dialed. “Hey, Mac, it’s Taggert. Everything’s all done. Yeah, it went fine. They argued a little, but so far, they’re buying it. Yeah, I know, it’s crazy, but I have to admit, it was kinda fun. I even had them do mug shots and fingerprinting to keep it authentic. I’ll let you know if there are any updates.”
~*~
“This is ridiculous,” Lucky said, pacing around the small cell. He pulled at his tie, trying to loosen it, but in his frustration, wasn’t getting anywhere. Liz stood up and walked over to him.
“Stop, you’re just making it tighter,” she said, reaching up to loosen the knot. “There, you can take it off now.”
“Thanks,” he grumbled, pulling off the tie and tossing it onto one of the beds. He then took off his coat and threw it down as well. “There’s something fishy about this whole mess. They never put men and women in the same cell.”
“Maybe what Taggert said was right. Maybe they’re just really full. Hey, at least we’re not stuck with a bunch of drunks.” Liz walked over to the empty bed and sat down, curling her feet underneath her and leaning her back against the cold cinder-block wall.
“It’s not just that, it’s the whole thing. We both got those invitations to the Outback, but neither of us sent them. So, who would want to set us up like that?”
They looked at each other for a moment, realization finally hitting. “My dad!” Lucky groaned slapping himself of the forehead. “I’ll kill him. When I get out of here, he’s dead!”
Liz chuckled, pulling her shawl around her arms. “You know, this isn’t the best place to be threatening murder.”
Lucky rolled his eyes and began to pace again. “I bet he did all of this, even the jail thing. That would explain why we’re in the same cell.”
“Why would he have his own son arrested? And why me? It doesn’t make any sense, Lucky.”
He spun around to face her. “Of course it does. Don’t you know that he’s been trying to get us together since the day I came back? He was behind all of that stuff at the Bachelor Auction, and now this.”
“Why would he go to so much trouble just to set us up?” she asked, shivering.
Lucky walked over to the other bed and picked up his jacket. “Because he’s convinced we were meant to be together or something. You’re a Webber, I’m a Spencer, he thinks it’s fate. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, my dad’s not quite right in the head.” He walked over to her and held out the jacket, motioning for her to lean forward. She did, and he draped it behind her, letting it rest on her shoulders. “Better?’
“Yes, thanks,” she said, pulling it down around her. “Well, he’s going to be disappointed, because this isn’t going to work.”
Lucky sighed and flopped down onto the mattress next to her, leaning against the wall. “Ow,” she said, holding her shoulder as the sudden movement of the bed jarred it.
“Sorry,” he said softly, looking over at her. “I can sit over there.”
“No, it’s okay,” she replied, shaking her head. “There’s enough room for both of us here.” She reached up to rub her face, leaving behind a black smudge.
Lucky chuckled. “You, um, just got ink on your cheek.”
“What?” she asked, rubbing at it, making it worse.
“Stop, you’re making it worse,” he said, grabbing her hand. “See, you’ve still got that fingerprint ink on your fingers, and now some of it’s on your face.”
Liz groaned. “Great, this night just keeps getting better!”
Lucky stood up and walked over to the small metal sink, wetting a corner of his sleeve. He went back over to the bed, sitting down next to her, then reached up to wipe her cheek with it.
She chuckled nervously, looking into his eyes. “What’s Nikolas going to say about you getting ink all over his shirt?”
Lucky smiled slightly. “I’ll just buy him a new one. There, all better.” He sat back a little, studying her face to make sure there was no more ink, then looked up, meeting her gaze again.
“Are you sure? I mean, the ink’s all gone?” she asked softly.
He nodded. “Mm-hm. Good as new.” He reached up and touched her cheek lightly, their eyes still locked.
“Okay, who wants to go first?” a guard asked loudly, causing them both to jump. They turned to look at the door, shaken. “The phone? Do you want your phone calls or not?”
“Oh, um, you can go,” Lucky said, looking briefly at Elizabeth. She sat up, trying to regain her composure.
“Sure, um, I’ll be right back, I guess.” She got off the bed and walked to the cell door, waiting for the guard to open it, afraid to look back at Lucky for fear that whatever feelings she was just having would resurface.
Once the guard had taken Liz to the phone, Lucky sighed and sat back against the wall. “What was that all about?” he asked himself. “Dad, I don’t know what you thought would happen here, but I’m not going to fall for it. I’m not falling for Elizabeth, there’s no way. I just have to figure out how to make it through the night.”
