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.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9XvhEUiQ5
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?"659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMhY5SBNlZ
LaForge held up a large plastic bag and walked over to her. Inside was her black purse.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQMEJCHCCQ
"This is yours?" he asked.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhD9irDpxA
She stifled her initial instinct to respond. She'd just spent the last few hours promising herself she would stay quiet.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39JAbdvrIU
LaForge looked at Picard. "A simple question, I would think."659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LXr3r5bg6
"It's my purse," she said.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHabWBtOQQ
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.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHSAbYGklva
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.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqWUHVRge7
"So? It's a gun."659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCx5zS19Qx8
"It's your gun," he said.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiqPA24Xd7
"No, it's not. I don't own a gun. I've never seen that thing before in my life."659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGXRqTd7Yt
"Why do you lie to us? Admit it. Admit that this your gun."659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTHEWBqIeu
"Fuck you!" said Mischa. It felt good, empowering.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWzxgJwruN
He held it closer, mere inches from her face, shaking it for emphasis.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TO8Dlp6ze
She turned her head. "We've got nothing more to say to each other."659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbVvyKr3aq
"Nothing more. Nothing more. I am---so sorry to hear that. I had hoped you could explain something to me."659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sCQBtSbd7
Mischa looked at him. "Yeah? What do you want explained to you?"659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HqUp7zYsI
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?"659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWFYKxYhDg
