by K. C. Crowne
I yanked my hand out of his grasp. What happened next was all in slow motion. Accidently, my hand brushed his chest. I didn’t think I’d touched him all that hard, but Officer Mayer stumbled back a few inches. When he regained his composure, he glanced down at my chest and then back at me.
“That…” he said with another pleased smirk “…sure as hell looked like assaulting an officer to me.” Mayer rushed me fast, tackling me to the ground, my face slamming into the dirt.
“What the hell?”
Before I knew what was going on, he had cuffs on my wrists as he dragged me to my feet. Once I was standing, he pushed me toward his car. Seconds later, I was in the back, the door shutting hard behind me.
“Don’t know how to be smart,” he grumbled once he was in the driver’s seat. “That’s your damn problem. Let’s get you down to the station. We can talk this out like grownups.”
I had a pretty damn good feeling that wasn’t what would happen. Mayer pulled back onto the road, and all I could think was that I’d just made a bad situation a hell of a lot worse.
Skye
I was still shaken up from the fight between Adam and Travis. Getting yanked out of sleep by two men screaming at each other right after you’ve just found out you’re pregnant will do that to you.
Travis didn’t seem to be in the mood for talking. I didn’t blame him. I wondered if they’d have come to blows if I hadn’t stepped in to put a stop to the nonsense. He and I were now on the couch, sitting in silence until he broke it.
“Sorry you had to see that,” Travis mumbled.
“It’s fine. I get it. You guys got some serious damn news.”
“That’s no excuse. We need to put our shit aside and help you through this.” He shook his head, ashamed of his behavior. “We got at each other like a couple of kids, like you said.”
I was happy he seemed to be seeing reason. But that didn’t mean whatever bad blood was between them hadn’t been sorted out. The silence fell again. But before it could go on for too long, Travis’s phone rang. He snatched it up and answered.
“Hello? ...Yeah, this is him…Adam?...What? Are you fuckin’ serious?”
I frowned as I listened. I could tell it wasn’t good news.
“He’s there now? ...Shit, alright, alright…I’ll be down as fast as I can.” He hung up and without another word got out of his seat, going for his keys.
“Wait, what’s goin’ on?” I asked, watching him move.
“It’s Adam.”
“I got that, but what’s happening with him?”
“Dumbass got himself arrested.’
“What? Are you sure?”
“Unless this is some kinda fuckin’ prank, then yeah, I’m sure. Officer down at the station told me they had him in booking.”
My stomach sank. Adam had just told us he’d had a strange run-in with some cops driving outside of his house, and now he was arrested. Sure, there was a chance he’d gotten himself into some trouble, but he’d only been gone a half-hour. Not nearly enough time to get into some kind of drunken nonsense.
“What’re you gonna do?” I asked.
“I’m gonna go down to the station and find out what I can. And you’re gonna stay here until I know what’s what.”
“No way.”
Travis stopped and turned toward me. “No way?”
“No way,” I said as I rose to my feet.
“You heard what Adam said about the cops. They’re the law, but we sure as hell don’t know if we can trust them. You’re gonna stay here where it’s safe until I get to the bottom of what happened.”
“No,” I said. “I’m not gonna let you do that. If somethin’s happenin’, I wanna know about it.”
He took a slow, deep breath. “Skye, I know where you’re comin’ from, and I get it. But you gotta remember that you’re pregnant. Puttin’ yourself at risk means puttin’ the baby at risk.”
It was still surreal as hell, hearing him talk about the baby. Hard to believe I was actually pregnant. But I needed to put that aside for the moment. Adam could be in some serious trouble.
“Travis, we’re all in this together. If we’re gonna get through it, see the other side, we’re gonna need to stick by each other’s side. I might be pregnant, but I’m not helpless.” He opened his mouth as if to speak, but I continued before he could. “Now, maybe when I got a big ol’ baby bump to worry about, we can talk about me sittin around like a helpless waif. But for now, I’m not sittin’ at home like a good little girl.”
Travis said nothing at first, processing my words. But his face softened, and I got the impression he finally understood that when I got something into my mind, he wouldn’t be able to talk me out of it.
“I tell you to stay and you’re gonna start walkin’ into town the moment I’m gone,” he grumbled.
I smirked. “Now you’re gettin’ it. I don’t really take orders.”
“Alright, alright,” he said. “But we gotta be smart. No gettin’ into trouble if we can help it.”
I raised two fingers. “Scout’s honor.”
He laughed. “Come on – move your stubborn, pregnant self. We got a friend in trouble.”
Adam was more than a friend, no doubt about that. But the point was made. Together, we headed out and were soon on our way off the property towards Crawford. I spent the drive wondering what the hell was going on. It was clear as a sunny day by that point that the cops weren’t on our side – not even a little. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they were on Bryce’s payroll, doing his bidding like his private little army. It was a scary thought. But until we got down to the station and got some answers, worrying about what-ifs wouldn’t do us any good.
We were about halfway into town when I spotted a cop car behind us. “Travis,” I said, pointing at the rear-view mirror.
“Shit.” The word came out in a hiss, as if he knew the stakes of what was happening. “Alright. It’s a cop –they’re not gonna start any trouble if we don’t start any trouble. Just sit there and let me do the talkin’, alright?”
I seethed at his order, but Travis was right. The cop’s lights began flashing, the blare of the siren cutting through the night air. I had a bad, bad feeling about what was about to go down.
Travis, calm as hell, pulled the truck over to the side of the road and came to a stop. The cop car pulled up behind us, with the lights continuing to flash, filling the truck cabin with reds and whites and blues. My stomach tightened into a knot.
Through the dark of the night I could see the figure of the cop. Couldn’t see his face, but I recognized that build, that swagger. Officer Mayer.
“Shit,” I murmured. “Travis, it’s that cop who’s been givin’ Adam shit.”
“Just stay calm. As much as I hate to admit it, if we’re gonna get outta this, we have to do exactly what he says to the letter. Can’t get in trouble if we don’t do nothin’ to get in trouble.”
I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be that simple.
Officer Mayer was soon at the side of the truck wearing those damn sunglasses, a toothpick in his mouth as he leered at us. “License and registration, please,” he said in a deep, commanding voice.
Travis nodded to me and I opened the glove compartment, getting out the documents as Travis reached for his wallet. He handed them to Officer Mayer, who didn’t look at them before tucking them into his back pocket.
“You know why I pulled you over?” he asked.
“Honestly, officer,” Travis said politely. “I don’t know why. As far as I could tell, I wasn’t breakin’ any laws.” I had to admire Travis’s restraint.
Mayer said nothing. Instead, he took out his night stick and wandered behind the truck. I looked back and watched him raise the club over his head before bringing it down hard against the back of the truck. There was a thud and a crash.
“What the hell!” Travis shouted, looking over his shoulder.
Mayer returned, slipping his club back into his belt. “Broken taill
ight. Not a smart idea to be drivin’ around with one of those.”
“What’re you doin’?” Travis asked, as surprised as he was pissed. “You just smashed up my fuckin’ truck!”
Mayer grinned. “Not a smart idea to talk to an officer like that, either. In fact, some might consider that kind of language threatening. Assault, even.”
“Assault?” Travis exclaimed. “Officer, I didn’t raise a single finger to you.”
“But you took a tone with me. And that tone’s more than enough for me to feel mighty threatened.” He shook his head, an ugly smirk on his uglier face. “I can see where this is goin’. Hot head like you’s probably gonna start swinging before too long. Might as well take you in for assaulting an officer right now, save us all the trouble.”
“That’s fuckin’ insane,” he replied, disbelief in his tone.
“There’s that tone again. Get out of the car, kid – I’m takin’ you to the station.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, but I remembered Travis’ advice and didn’t speak. But I stared at the man with my mouth open in shock.
“I’m not goin’ nowhere,” Travis said, shaking his head.
“That so? Hate to get rough with you, young man. Don’t think that’d turn out too well for ya.”
Travis was fuming. He knew he was in a hell of a spot, right in the middle of a total injustice. Mayer was the law, but he was breaking it at the same time.
He turned to me. “You know how to drive a standard?”
“Of course I do. Used to have one before it got wrecked, remember?”
“Alright,” he said. “Here’s what we’re gonna do – I’m goin’ with this…officer” –it was obvious he wanted to use a different word— “down to the station. You take the truck and drive back to the ranch.”
“No. I’ll follow you to the station, find out what the hell’s goin’ on.”
“Skye, this ain’t the time for that,” he argued. “I need to make sure you’re safe, and the only way that’s gonna happen is if I know you’re at the ranch. Once you’re there, tell my family what’s goin’ on. You wanna help, do it with the rest of the Walkers, okay?”
As much as I wanted to argue, Travis had a good point. And I knew I’d feel better if I had the entire Walker clan at my back. I nodded my head and said, “Okay, I’ll do it. But call me when you’re there so I know you’re okay too.”
“I promise.” He leaned over and placed a kiss on my cheek. Despite everything, it felt so good, so right.
Travis climbed out, and as soon as he did, Officer Mayer put his hands behind his back and slapped cuffs onto him. With one more look in my direction, Travis was forced into the back of the squad car. I watched as they drove away, the lights fading into the distance.
Then I was alone. I hated it. I’d never been afraid to be independent, to be on my own, but at that moment I was keenly aware that I was pregnant and by myself. I wanted nothing more than to get back to the ranch and tell the Walkers what had happened.
I slid over into the driver’s seat and turned the engine over. The truck was a beast – much larger than my truck, but I was able to wrangle it once I scooted the seat up enough to reach the clutch more comfortably. The headlights cut through the black of the night as I drove up the winding road that led to Rainbow Canyons. Fear ran through me like hot steel pooling in my gut. Shit was getting out of control, and I didn’t know what might happen.
It occurred to me to call the Walkers. I took out my phone and pulled up the main number for the ranch and prepared to hit the “send” button. I didn’t get the chance. After a loud crash which jolted me, the truck lurched forward, yanking me toward the windshield. Pain ran through my body at the pull of the seatbelt.
Someone had hit the truck.
With frantic eyes I glanced at the rearview mirror, spotting the headlights of a truck that was somehow even bigger than Travis’s. My heart pounded. However scared I was before, now I was over the limit.
The truck slammed into mine again, causing me to jerk the wheel to get myself right. Then with a roar of the engine, the truck pulled up to my side. It was too dark to see inside, but it looked to be two men. Then the truck yanked hard to the right, grinding into the side of mine.
It was more than I could handle. The force of the impact caused me to overcorrect, pulling the wheel to the left hard enough to swerve the truck, cutting forward behind the other and slamming into a tree on the side of the road. A booming crash sounded out as the truck came to an abrupt stop.
I sucked in breath after breath, trying to focus. A quick look over my body revealed no injuries. But that didn’t mean I was safe. I glanced around and spotted the truck, which came to a stop nearby. The doors opened and two looming figures stepped out.
It dawned on me what Travis had said – it wasn’t only my safety at stake, but that of my baby. I was scared out of my mind. My phone had fallen out of my hand onto the floor where I couldn’t reach it. After undoing my seatbelt, I made a mad dash for the phone, ready to call 911. But it was too late – the men were at the sides of the truck.
“Hey there, Ms. Philips,” said the one on the passenger’s side. “Nice night for a drive, huh?”
I said nothing, frozen in place.
“Get out of the damn car – you’re comin’ with us.”
Travis
I was fucking furious. Really, that didn’t even begin to come close to covering how I felt as I was led into the station. Mayer was at my side, his hand on my wrist as he walked me inside, as if I were some kind of flight risk.
“Got a guy who thinks it’s a good idea to assault an officer,” he announced as we reached the front desk. “Not the smartest tool in the drawer, if you ask me.”
“I didn’t do anything of the damn sort!” I said, raising my voice and catching the attention of the other officers in the area. “This man’s lyin’ through his teeth!”
Mayer jerked my wrist hard, and I flinched. “Now, young man, it ain’t exactly a crime to call an officer a liar. But let me tell you, your night in booking’s gonna get a hell of a lot harder if you keep up with that bullshit.”
I bit my tongue, holding back some more choice words I wanted to throw in his direction.
“We need to book this guy,” Mayer told the desk sergeant. “Let him cool his heels in a cell until he learns how to show a little respect.”
The woman at the front desk nodded before setting to work typing. I stood in front of the desk, fuming. And I wasn’t just worried about myself –more than my own skin, I had Skye to be concerned with. I hated the idea of leaving her on her own, even if she was only a little way away from the safety of Rainbow Canyons. If she could get to my family, that’d be no small worry off my mind. But with her out of sight, I was stressed as all hell. I felt helpless. Stewing in a holding cell was the last thing I wanted.
Mayer led me further into the station until we reached booking. He chuckled. “They’ll take good care of you from here on out,” he smirked. “And think about what I said about showing a little respect. It’ll keep you healthy, if you get what I’m sayin’.”
He smirked again before letting go of my wrist and leaving the room. Down the hall was a long series off cells, chatter from the other prisoners filling the air.
A thought occurred to me. “Wait a minute, what about bail?”
The officer at the desk glanced up at me. “Bail?”
“You know, the thing I pay to get out of here.”
Another officer spoke up. “You’re in for assaulting an officer. Not the kind of thing you can just slap bail down for.”
“Yeah,” said the officer at the desk. “You’re likely gonna be in here until you can see a judge.”
“Fuckin’ hell,” I said. “Don’t got time to wait for that.”
“Maybe you shoulda thought about that before assaulting an officer,” said the standing man.
“I didn’t assault no damn officer!” My words didn’t do any good. “What about a
lawyer? I got a right to speak to mine, don’t I?”
The two officers regarded one another before turning their attention back to me. “Yeah, fine, fine,” said the one at the desk. “Get his sorry ass his phone call.”
The officer led me over to a bank of phones – the old-fashioned pay kind with the cords. I fished a little money out of my pocket after the officer took off my cuffs and dialed Dave Pritchard, our family’s lawyer. I told him my situation, and he let me know he’d be down to the station as soon as he could.
“There,” said the officer at the desk. “You happy now?”
“Not even close.”
After I was booked, one of the officers led me down the hall. As he did, another officer opened one of the iron doors, entered, and came out with a familiar face at his side. Adam.
“Travis!” he said. “What the hell happened?”
“Probably the same shit that happened to you,” I grouched. “What’s goin’ on?” The officer at my side jerked my wrist, signaling that I didn’t have much time to talk.
“I got brought in for assaulting an officer.”
“Fuck, same here.”
“But I guess he didn’t have a case, because I only got booked for disorderly conduct. Paid my bail and I’m outta here.”
“Come on!” said the officer at my side.
“I called my lawyer,” I told him as the officer pushed me. “But if you’re gettin’ out of here you need to get to the ranch – that’s where I told Skye to go.”
“I gotta go to impound and pick up my truck,” he grumbled. “No idea how long that’ll take. I’ll let you know what I know when I know it.”
The officer pushed again, signaling the conversation was over. Adam nodded to me and turned to go. The officer pushed me through the door that had been open for Adam and shut it behind me. No one was in the cell, which was fine by me. Last thing I was in the mood for was conversation. I spent the next hour stewing, pacing back and forth as I waited for Dave to show up and give me some good news.
All I could think about was Skye and making sure she was safe. If Dave couldn’t get me out, at least Adam could keep me posted on what was going on with her. After about an hour, Dave showed up. He was tall and lean, with greying hair around the temples and a face that always reminded me of an owl.
