“Yes, but I still want to see you before that. I’m going to come up there tonight after my shift.”
“Yay! I can’t wait.”
There’s a knock at my door. “I’ve got to go, babe.” I end the call and stand as my deputy Hart comes in. “What’s going on?”
“There’s an issue at the inn.” Damn it. I rush out and jump in my patrol vehicle with Hart jumping in my passenger seat.
“What is happening?”
“Jenny called because Derek has your mother pinned down after she attacked Jenny.”
“Shit.”
“Okay. You make the arrest, and I’ll be the second on it.”
“Yes, sir.” We enter the building and find Nicki tied to the floor and Jenny with a handprint on her face.
“Fuck.”
Deputy Hart nudges Derek out of the way and takes over, cuffing Nicki. As he lifts her off the floor, he says, “Nicole Blakely, you’re under arrest for assault. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.”
“Do you need a doctor, Jenny?”
“No, Mark. I’m fine.”
“I think she needs to go in.”
“After we get everything squared away, we will.”
He takes her outside and loads her into the backseat of my patrol vehicle and then comes back in. “Mrs. Mason, can you please tell me what happened?”
“She came in here looking for a room, or so she said, but she started asking about Mia and your relationship to her and her family. I told her she wasn’t welcome here. I went in the back to call Derek up front, and she went onto my computer, trying to get Mia’s information, but the computer was locked. I don’t know why she wants to know all that, but she’s crazy. When I pulled her away from the computer, she slapped and then backhanded me. Derek tackled her down, and that was it when I called.”
“Do you want to press charges?” Deputy Hart asks.
Derek snarls with his head bobbing up and down. “Yes, and if anything happens to my unborn baby, she better pray they don’t let me know where she’s at.”
“Mr. Mason, I’m going to pretend that I didn’t hear that.” He’s right, though. We have ways of disposing of bodies from back when we were contractors overseas. Our lives were darker back then, but just because we want the family life now doesn’t mean we won’t go dark to protect them.
“Seriously, Jenny, I think you need to see the doctor, for Derek’s sake.”
“I will, but I need someone to watch the inn.”
“Call in Frank and get going. I’ll be standing outside until then.”
“I’m sorry about this, Mark.”
“No. I’m the one who’s sorry. She doesn’t belong in any of our lives, and I have a feeling she’s here to cause more trouble. What she’s after, I don’t know exactly. Is it to ruin my life? Get revenge on our dad’s happiness? Or is she just looking to get rich by scheming—who knows? But what I do know is she’s not going to get anything she wants.”
“Frank’s on his way. Come on, my heart. Let’s get you out of here.” He scoops her up in his arms before she can argue and rushes her out the door. I chuckle and step out in front of the inn and wait for Frank to arrive. It doesn’t take too long since he lives above the hardware store with his mom.
“Hey, Sheriff Stone. Everything okay with Mrs. Mason?”
“Yes, just needed a quick checkup with the doctor.”
“That’s good. I’m due to help uncle Hank this afternoon at the store.”
“They won’t be that long.”
“Thanks.” He’s a really good kid with a bright future. I leave and head to the office, walking since Hart took my vehicle. I arrive a few minutes later, cheeks a little frozen but the heat from my anger keeps me warm.
“You piece of crap. This town is nothing, and you’re nothing,” I hear Nicki shout down the hall by the cells.
I dial the number for Detective Larson, and she picks up after a couple of rings. “Hello, Sheriff. How can I help you?” She says it so suspiciously that I’m taken aback by it, but then Nicki shouts again about how much of a pussy I am and how I’m just a loser like my daddy. “Sheriff?”
“Oh, sorry. I called because I have Nicole Blakely at the station this morning. She’s been detained after an altercation at the inn. She’ll be facing the Warren County judge on Tuesday.” The courthouse is closed for the holiday. They run a much shorter week between Christmas and New Year’s.
“I guess she just booked herself for a nice long stay. We’ll be down there in about an hour to ask her some questions.”