“Since you’re his lawyer, you should know that his arraignment is set for two days from now. I don’t consider him a flight risk, but he’ll still need to turn in his passport tomorrow.”

I know the process, but I nod my head and thank him again.

“Mel,” he says, stepping close and lowering his voice. “I don’t know what the hell has happened…but I do know how much your job means to you. You need someone to talk to, call me. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Matt disappears back through the door he came through.

Fifteen minutes later, a disheveled, younger-looking version of Grayson Knight comes through the door. Matt is leading him forward with a tight grip on his arm.

“Thanks,” I say to Matt, getting to my feet.

Tyler looks at me and then back to Matt. “Who’s she?” he asks, jerking his chin in my direction.

“She’s your bail money and ride home,” Matt says to him, definite contempt in his voice.

I take a few steps toward Tyler and say, “I’m Melissa St. James. Your brother asked me to come and get you.”

Tyler stares at me. “Why didn’t he come himself?”

I glance at Matt and then back to Tyler. “He wanted to, but…it’s…difficult, with his…situation. So I offered to come.”

“You got this, Mel?” Matt says, heading for the door. “I need to get back to it.”

“Yeah, we’ll be fine from here. Thanks again, Matt.”

Matt pins Tyler with a stare. “Remember I want you back here first thing tomorrow to turn in your passport.”

“Yeah, yeah. I got it.”

Matt gives a frustrated look and shakes his head. “I’ll see you later, Mel,” he says to me. Then he disappears behind the door, leaving me alone with Tyler.

“Well, thanks for coming to get me out,” Tyler says as he heads for the exit. “Tell Grayson I’ll call him.”

“Tell him yourself.”

He stops at the exit and turns to face me.

“You’ll be seeing him soon. I’m taking you to his place.”

“And if I don’t want to go?”

“I’m not giving you a choice. You don’t come with me, I’m taking you right back in there to Sergeant Daughtry and telling him I’m rescinding bail.”

“You can’t do that.”

“I can do anything I want,” I say, and put my hands on my hips. “So what’s it going to be?”

He tilts his head to the side. “You’re not like Grayson’s other girlfriends.”

“That’s because I’m not his girlfriend.”

Though I’m not really sure what I am right now.

“Fine,” Tyler says as he walks out the door. I follow quickly after him. He’s waiting near the side of the road for me. “You got a car, then?” he asks.

“No. We’ll catch a cab to Grayson’s place,” I say. Then I stick out a hand to an approaching cab. It pulls over.

Tyler opens the back door and waves me in first. “I do have some manners,” he says after I give him a surprised look.