“It’s protocol to put children in jail?” Halcyon asked.

“In the eyes of the law, she’s not a child,” Randy said.

“But why is she there?” Marina asked.

“She attacked Chastity LeDoux this morning,” Randy said. “I’m waiting to hear from the doctor, but Kyle seemed to think her nose is broken.”

Marina clasped the top of her head with both hands. “I don’t understand. Avery is supposed to be in New Orleans. How could this happen?”

“You’ll have to get the details from her,” Randy said.

“Can I take her home?” Marina asked.

Randy hesitated a minute and she could tell he wasn’t happy about what he was about to say. “I’m afraid not.”

“Because?” Halcyon asked, leaning forward in her chair.

Randy shot Halcyon a nervous look before turning back to Marina. “Chastity is pressing charges. I’m trying to get Avery in front of the judge today so he can set bail. If everything lines up, you should be able to get her out by this evening.”

“Pressing charges?” Marina felt as if she were going to be sick. “You can’t be serious. She could lose her scholarship. Surely something can be done. I’ll pay the medical bills.”

Randy squirmed in his chair, looking miserable. “I’m really sorry about this, Marina. Truly, I am. But Preston is involved…”

“So your hands are tied,” Halcyon said. “Because in all the years you’ve been here, you still haven’t figured out how to stand up to the biggest asshole in town. What the hell does he have on you? Is it so bad you’re willing to be the devil’s puppet and ruin a girl’s future?”

Randy stared down at the desk. “Leave me your number, Marina. When I get a court time, I’ll call so you can be there. You should probably find a lawyer.”

He never looked back up and Marina knew that was as far as things would go with him. Preston held all the cards. Again. She grabbed a pad off his desk, jotted her phone number on it, and practically threw it back at him. How the hell was she supposed to find a lawyer when the only one in town was Preston? And on such short notice. Was there even such a thing as a public defender for a place like Last Chance? Good Lord, she was so far out of her territory that she wasn’t even on the map anymore.

“Can I see her, at least?” Marina asked. “Unless Preston has video cameras in the sheriff’s department, he’ll never know. His spy left when we came in.”

Randy blushed and grabbed a set of keys from his desk. Then he headed out of the office without so much as saying a word and they followed him to the end of the hall where the holding cells were. As he unlocked the metal door that led to the cells, Marina grabbed Halcyon’s hand.

“I’ve never seen a jail cell before,” she whispered. “Randy never put Letitia in one.”