“We came to get him out already. You can’t hold him in here for just drinking. He wasn’t even in a fight or anything.”
“Do you want to tell your wife why you were arrested, or shall I, Darrell?”
“I told her already. You got me here on some bogus drunk-in-public charges. I was high, not drunk, when I grabbed her ass,” he hisses at me.
“What? Who?” she screeches.
“Margie’s niece. That fine piece of ass that was at the house the other day.”
“You prick. What is it with that little whore? The both of you couldn’t keep your hands off her.”
“You put your fucking hands on her,” I roar, grabbing Jeff by the collar of his jean jacket. My deputy steps in between us, breaking up the confrontation, so I don’t get caught up in any shit. Still, I’m seething violently, planning all the ways I can bury these assholes.
Debra pops the gum in her mouth loudly. Smiling brightly, she stares at me with a look of triumph mixed with hatred. “Yep. He tried to corner her and only because she said her Rider lover was on his way. You men take that loyalty shit really seriously. I could have done a lot better.” She turns to her husband and says, “Rot inside here.”
“I’m out. If you want a ride, Jeff, you can come now or join your brother.” She saunters out past the bullpen and out of the lobby straight through the exit. Jeff shrugs and says to his brother, “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He looks at me and says, “Don’t try to act tough, Sheriff. That hot piece of ass will be under me one day.”
“Like I’ve told your brother, nothing will stop me from protecting her from scum like you. Now get the fuck out of my station before I have you arrested for making threats.”
“Catch you later, Law.” He winks and walks out of the station.
“I’d watch out for him. He’s crazy,” Darrell says. “He’s diddling my wife too, the prick.”
“And you let him?”
“What the fuck am I going to do? The man’s a fucking sociopath. I’ll just sit here and enjoy my cell.” Darrell drops down to his cot, looking defeated and for a second I feel sorry for his pathetic self.
I want Jeffrey Wendall Motts watched, so I make a call to Cyber the second I’m in my office.
He takes way too long to answer, but I know it’s not like the man isn’t busy. “What’s going on, Law?”
“I need eyes on the Motts. Jeff in particular.”
“I thought it was Darrell who was used as a surfboard by your woman.” I give him the crib notes version of my conversation with the Motts, and he’s already clicking the background.
“I’ve got eyes on them. Do you want a tracker on their vehicles?”
“Yeah, when you get a chance I want them traced. They come near Vanessa again and I won’t hold back.” It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten my hands dirty with the guys. Normally, they try to keep me out of it.
“So when is the wedding?” I’m sure it’s on everyone’s mind, even though I haven’t even claimed her ass yet.
I let out a chuckle and shook my head with these guys. “It’s going to be awhile. I haven’t even fucking told her she’s mine yet.”
“What the fuck are you waiting for?”
“She just strolled into town.”
“No, she’s been here a week. You only noticed her arrival today, but I’ve seen her multiple times this week.”
“Fuck off, asshole.” I’m jealous as hell that I missed out on an opportunity to see her all week. It would explain the growing settled feeling that I’d had all week, though. “Still, get on it with the Motts.”
“I will. Although they mostly fly under the radar. It’s amazing that we haven’t run them out of town by now.” Cyber has a point. Most of the people who cause trouble in town don’t last long, deciding that skipping town is better than dealing with the Riders.
“We can’t get rid of all the trash. Darrell was a good worker until his brother was released from prison a year ago.”
“I almost forgot that. What was he in for? Do you remember?”
I looked it up as I was talking to Cyber and had his rap sheet right in front of me. “Armed robbery and assault.”
“Well, we’ll watch him around the bank and stores.”
“Thanks, brother.” I end the call and get back to work because getting out of here is a priority and dealing with criminals isn’t the sheriff’s only job. I’m the boss, which means more paperwork than actual police work.
My cell phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out to check and find a text from Mack. Vanessa says where the fuck are her things. She has nothing to sleep in. I groan, imagining her completely naked. Fuck if she’s sleeping at Wrenches in nothing.