THE DOOR OPENED. It was Picard and LaForge again. Mischa didn't know how much time had passed. Her best guess was three hours, perhaps four. She was dehydrated and nauseated and completely off the scopes. She was, she assumed, just like they wanted her.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDELBQUfVn
It was about control, after all. Manipulation. They held all the cards, Picard and LaForge, and Mischa Barton had none. None except her complete innocence, if that counted as a card. She hoped that it still did.
"I need to use the restroom and I need some water," she said.
LaForge shook his head dismissively, as if her request wasn't even in range of reasonableness. "Not until you---explain to us."
That wasn't going to happen. She'd spent the last few hours steeling herself. Don't say a word, she thought. Wait for a lawyer, no matter how long it takes. What in the hell was she doing talking to these assholes? They didn't have anything on her. They couldn't possibly.
Keep telling yourself that, thought Mischa.
"I want a lawyer," she said yet again.
"You do not have that right," said Picard.
"Do the French still have to prove people guilty? Or did you do away with that, too? Will I even get a trial?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEvVfoPP9e
LaForge held up a large plastic bag and walked over to her. Inside was her black purse.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7H7TaNcbyJ
"This is yours?" he asked.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbCljfsRkiy
She stifled her initial instinct to respond. She'd just spent the last few hours promising herself she would stay quiet.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKxxOof59p
LaForge looked at Picard. "A simple question, I would think."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UkHnCQp8s
"It's my purse," she said.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtP2SJ9wztv
LaForge, wearing a smug expression, returned to the door, where he made an exchange with someone in the hallway and returned with the second bag.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0J12LMIyir
It held a handgun. Not the one Renaud had last night; this gun was smaller. He displayed the weapon to Mischa with pride, watching her reaction. She didn't know how to react.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3NAcHr4JhB
"So? It's a gun."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuW7bD1tCMd
"It's your gun," he said.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0167nwDiYb
"No, it's not. I don't own a gun. I've never seen that thing before in my life."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ660qBUccFq
"Why do you lie to us? Admit it. Admit that this your gun."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtGn7lx1i7
"Fuck you!" said Mischa. It felt good, empowering.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjWoXeQFEb
He held it closer, mere inches from her face, shaking it for emphasis.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QxP6L8JpJ
She turned her head. "We've got nothing more to say to each other."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2xTTpkywA
"Nothing more. Nothing more. I am---so sorry to hear that. I had hoped you could explain something to me."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0XkWi8rQh
Mischa looked at him. "Yeah? What do you want explained to you?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcyo4s5xnP
He leaned into her, a gleam in his good eye. "This gun that you say is not yours? If you would please explain to me why we found it in your purse?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSrCB0Lj8G
