“I don’t have time and I can’t leave Cam.”
“Did you look at this cut?” She tilts my hand so I can see it.
There’s a long gash, but it doesn’t look too deep to me. “Just tape it up. There’s butterfly tape in there somewhere.”
She shakes her head but starts rummaging in the box.
Kian comes in from the front. His face is a stony mask. My gut tightens again.
“I talked to Larry, or Laurentia, and she insists the two of you have been intimate.”
I rear off the seat. “I’ve never touched her. She works in the front and babysits my son. I barely looked at her.” He’s got to believe me.
Kian holds up his hands as if to trying to calm me. “I believe you, but that isn’t what matters right now.”
I sit back on the stool and let Deidre tape my hand.
“I’m a police officer. Jenna works at Baxter, Cole’s a firefighter. Each one of us is under an obligation to report her accusations.”
I look at each of them individually. Cole and Jenna nod, but I can tell by the looks on their faces that they are not happy about it at all.
“Social Services has to be called in to talk to the girl, and her parents need to be told.”
This is not happening. It’s a fucking nightmare, and I’m going to wake up. It has to be. This cannot be happening.
“Don’t hyperventilate.” Deirdre puts a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “We’ll get through this. They may have to report it, but I don’t think there’s a person in this room who believes her.”
I look at them individually again. With a nod and slight smile, they let me know that they believe me, but they’re stuck, with no choice but to report. I get that. If I were in their shoes, I’d have to report it too.
“She claims you were intimate last night so a female officer will meet her and her parents at the hospital for an exam,” Kian continues to explain.
“Rape kit?” I push my fingers through my hair. I need to wake up. I’m a good guy. I don’t hurt kids. This isn’t happening.
A cry comes from upstairs. How could I forget I left Cam up there alone? After I fed him I put him in the playpen with his toys. It was only going to be gone for a second, while I helped the guys bring in the paintings because I saw them from the upstairs window. He’s been up there this entire time.
“I’ll get him,” Jenna says and heads for the stairs.
I hope Cam doesn’t make a bigger fuss because she’s a stranger, but I’m in no shape to help my son right now. Physically, emotionally, or mentally.
“You should probably call your parents to take your son,” Kian suggests.
“They’re in Florida right now.”
“Do you have any family near?” Kian asks.
“No.” My panic stars again. “You can’t turn him over to family services. Who knows where he’ll end up?”
“With no family, we have no choice.”
“I’ll take care of him.”
I turn and meet Deirdre’s eyes. She would do that?
“I’ll stay here and watch after Cam until you can get all this straightened out.”
At least I know he’ll be cared for. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Twelve
Cam’s been fussy since Jesse left. I can’t really blame him. I’m a bit fussy myself.
I can’t believe that Larry is about to destroy his life. Does that girl have any idea of the damage she just caused?
Kian took Jesse away hours ago. As much as he hated to do it, he had no choice. And, Kian wanted to do it himself, even though it’s his day off, instead of another officer. Jenna and Cole left a little bit after them to talk to the school administrators. They need a heads up about what happened and what we believe is the truth, so they can be prepared if Jesse’s name comes out in the news and he’s linked back to Baxter.
Cam’s asleep and all I can do is stare out at the square. This is where Larry stood last night, watching us. Was she planning her lies then? Would she have even said anything if Jesse hadn’t taken me to dinner? Was it jealousy that set her off?
Guilt eats at me that somehow I’m the cause, even though I know it’s not true. Any female threatening what Larry perceived as her territory would have set her off. I just happened to be the one who came along.
How long are they going to keep Jesse? Are they charging him? Has he been thrown in jail? I just wish someone would call.
As if on cue, my phone dings with a text message. It’s Kian. “At the back door. Let us in.”
I blow out a sigh of relief. Jesse and Kian are back. He won’t have to spend the night in jail.
I hurry down the stairs, unlock and open the door. But it isn’t Jesse and Kian.
The metallic taste of blood stings my lips and slides down my throat just as another fist crashes into my jaw. “You like teenage girls?”
Another fist slams into my gut, taking the wind from lungs.
“Perv!”
I can’t remain standing and fall to me knees. My bones hit the hard concrete floor and pain shoots up my legs. One of my eyes is swollen shut and I’m pretty sure my hand is broken from trying to defend myself when these two guys attacked me the minute the guards were gone. My hand was barely taped closed as it was, but now the tape is gone and blood is everywhere. I’m not sure how much is from my hand or my face, or anywhere else, but I’m pretty sure most of it’s mine.
They aren’t supposed to know what I was arrested for, but they found out. Now I’m paying and if they don’t let up, they’ll kill me.
One of them grabs my right hand.
“You’re a fucking artist?”
He jerks
