Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
I don’t think that’s going to be necessary, though, because Deputy Eli looks downright green. “I know,” he hisses, scanning the room like someone might hear him speak out against his boss. “You think I haven’t seen the video? Marcus told me about it before we even got to the station.”
That must’ve been the phone call he took in the car. I wonder how he knows the boat-tour operator, but in small towns, it’s probably a case of everyone knowing everyone or being one degree of Kevin Bacon away from knowing them.
“Yeah, Deputy Eli,” I say conversationally, “how do I go about pressing charges against Roy Laurier for assault? Oh, and of course, Sheriff Laurier, Deputy Leeson, you, and the entirety of the Wilson County Sheriff’s Department for conspiracy to kidnap, false imprisonment, and excessive use of force.” I let every bit of darkness I possess bleed into that threat as I dramatically overstate the severity of everything that’s happened.
“Shit,” he mutters under his breath.
Am I going to do any such thing? No. But I could, which gets me back to the trash-talking. Don’t write checks you can’t cash, and while I don’t want to go to the bank, I will if I have to so that I can get the fuck out of here and back to Hope.
We have some things beyond a trip to California to discuss. Like if she loves me. And what my job actually is, because it’s sure as fuck not business consulting.
I can see the war raging in Eli’s eyes. He doesn’t agree with what the sheriff did or is doing, but he also doesn’t want to lose his job. Finally, his own morals win out. “If I lose my badge for this, I’m coming at you, Barlowe.”
Jim nods tersely, taking that challenge, and offers Eli a handshake. About ten seconds later, I’m free, from the cell and the handcuffs.
“I’m pretty sure my lawyer helped you understand the possible ramifications here, and you did a good job looking out for the department’s—and the sheriff’s—best interests,” I tell Eli as I shake his hand, too, adding a hint of hard asshole to my tone. I was never offered a phone call, but it’ll help him to have a cover story if shit hits the fan with Laurier.
We walk straight out the front door, and I take a big breath of fresh air. I’ve never been outdoorsy, but I’m feeling like outside is exactly where I want to be. A bit of sunshine, freedom, and a woman I need to see . . . right now.
“You really gonna do any of that?” Jim asks me, his eyes narrowed as he takes my measure.
“What? Sue?” I clarify. When he nods, I say, “No, just offering a different perspective for Deputy Eli.”
I decide to interpret his answering grunt as approval.
“If you went after Shep and showed him up the way you did Roy, I can’t honestly say that I wouldn’t have done a whole lot more than a gravity check on you.” His lips twitch as he fights off a grin.
I think that’s Jim’s way of telling me good job on knocking Roy down a peg or two.
Shepherd makes a noise of disbelief. “Pssshaw, you wouldn’t have shown me up.” He does some fancy footwork with his fists lifted into a guard position. “I got skills and thrills, make the girls go—”
“Ill?” I interrupt to suggest, and he whips his head my way. His anger at the insult is quickly replaced by a good-natured laugh when I remind him, “Hockey’s different than street fighting, as we’ve established.”
“Man, that shit with Roy wasn’t even a street fight. Did you see his punch?” Shepherd slow-motion mimes the horrible punch, complete with sci-fi-esque sound effects and his thumb tucked into his fist like some sort of catfight punch-slap. In Shepherd’s mind, that’s probably one of the worst, most serious insults he can give, but Roy wasn’t quite that bad. Not much better, but he did at least have his thumb on the outside of his fist.
“What about Roy?” Jim asks, sticking with facts rather than insults.
I think about that for a second. The younger me would’ve hunted him down, fucked him up, and made sure he knew not to come around again. I’d like to think I’m not only older but also wiser. Plus, I have significantly more to lose now. I’m not a broke-ass kid with a too-busy mom who can spend a few months in juvie and be out.
I have a life, one I don’t want to fuck up, especially right as it’s getting so much better.
“That’s up to Hope. I don’t have any issues with Roy beyond her, and it sounds like she’s handling herself just fine. I’m happy to be her backup support system and let her lead on this. If she needs me to step in, I will.”