First,my son, thenmy kid. “What’s his name?” I ask the drunk man with the quickly bloodying face.
Beck reaches up and wraps her hand around my forearm. “Beau,” she says, but I shake her off.
“What’s his name?” I ask Dustin again. “The son you just have to fuckin’ see because you love him so much. What’s his name?”
There. I’ve got him.
His beady eyes flick to Beck’s, and he makes this stupid, sad, melting-like face that I’m pretty sure is meant to elicit sympathy or some shit.
“Dustin,” Beck breathes. “You can’t remember his name?”
A tear rolls down her cheek, and anger claws through my chest. An hour ago, she felt committed to me. An hour ago, things were right. She wanted all of me, even the parts I hadn’t figured out yet.
And now she’s wasting a single tear on this piece of shit whom she apparently went and saw yesterday, and I can’t fucking handle it. Any of it.
Just then, there’s awhoop-whoopof a siren and a cruiser at the end of the street heading towards us.
“Good,” Dustin nods, looking pleased with himself. “They can arrest him for assault.” He presses his bloodied hand back to the gash in his eyebrow. “I’m pressing charges.”
Beck brings the heels of her palms to her temples and applies pressure, squeezing her eyes shut. “Dustin, go, please.”
The commotion stops. I’m silent because my anger and confusion are overwhelming me, and I’ve already committed assault. Twice. Standing quietly is my best option now.
In the near background, two doors slam shut and boots crunch in the road.
“Got a call there’s a scuffle out here,” a voice calls, and I look to see Sheriff Ingram and one of his deputies walking up.
I met Ingram years ago when I started to apprentice for Atticus. Apparently Atti is good friends with Ingram’s husband, Mars, and his younger brothers. They’re part of a progressive motorcycle club and they own a bike repair shop in town.
I’ve tagged along for beers a few times. We’re acquaintances, yet, Ingram knows just who I am.
He approaches the scene, taking note of Dustin’s face after tipping up his aviators. “Everyone okay here?”
When his uncovered eyes come to mine beneath the dark rim of my baseball cap, his expression goes soft. “Burns, how are ya?” He extends half a handshake to me, which I return easily.
“Well,” I muse, teetering my head rather sarcastically. “I’ve been worse.”
The deputy with Ingram tucks the folded arm of his shades into his uniform before sizing up Dustin. He turns to me, his eyes widening.
“Mr. Burns, nice to finally meet you, sir.”
“Sir?” Dustin spits blood as he mimics the formal greeting the deputy gave me. “This kid is no fuckingsir.”
Beck is still silent, no longer holding her temples. Now her arms are folded, and she’s watching the four of us like a movie. I peer inside the splayed open back door and see Jett’s car seat still inside.
“Take him in the house,” I say to her. “Please.”
But she doesn’t move right away. She blinks at me, her lips part like she wants to say something, and her eyebrows are pulled so tight I know exactly what’s going through her mind. She wants to know if I know she went and saw him yesterday. She’s searching desperately for a clue.
Giving her zero answers and without watching to see if she takes Jett inside, I turn back to the deputy and shake his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“He fucking hit me. Twice,” Dustin says, motioning to the growing knot in his bottom lip.
Jett’s high-pitched cry nabs the attention of all of us. Ingram, who has two daughters, winces at the noise and the other deputy runs his hand across his chest. He must be a father, too, because only parents grow antsy and uncomfortable at the sound of a baby crying. I know I feel antsy and uncomfortable.
“Let me see him, Becky Bear,” Dustin begs in the phoniest fucking attempt to tug at her heartstrings ever. God, this guy is a real piece of work. And Becky Bear?Je-sus Christ.
“Don’t talk to her,” I say, stepping in front of the open door so he can’t see Beck or Jett. She holds the car seat with one arm, and I turn from Dustin to crouch next to Jett. Kissing his head, Jett smiles in response. “Bo!” he says. Then, “Pa, pa, pa, pa!”