by J L Belcher
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Small Town
Hero
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By J.L. Belcher
WARNING: THIS BOOK IS INTENDED
FOR MATURE AUDIENCES 18+ ONLY
AND CONTAINS EXPLICIT SEX
SCENES AND ADULT LANGUAGE
“This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue were created from
the author’s imagination and are not to
be construed as real. Any resemblance to
actual people or events is coincidental.”
Small Town Hero
Copyrights 2020 J.L. Belcher
About the book
Amber’s life was perfect. Happily married to Jeremy, her high school sweetheart, with two young boys who she loves and treasures with all her heart.
It only took one night out on the town for her perfect life to turn into a nightmare.
Being placed in the Witness Protection Program hasn’t been easy. Hiding from the world was the only way she knew how to protect her sons. Building a wall around her heart, she has learnt to trust no one.
Until Constable Max Larson walks into her life…
contents
Cover … … … … … … 1
About the book … … 5
Chapter 1 … … … … 9
Chapter 2 … … … … 18
Chapter 3 … … … … 26
Chapter 4 … … … … 39
Chapter 5 … … … … 50
Chapter 6 … … … … 59
Chapter 7 … … … … 105
Chapter 8 … … … … 115
Chapter 9 … … … … 125
Acknowledgements … 156
Also by J.L. Belcher … 157
Chapter 1
Three years has passed since Amber and her two young sons were put in the Witness Protection Program.
Her nightmare started the night when Amber and Jeremy, her husband, were out on the town having their monthly date night.
As they walk through the double doors the loud music pumps through their veins and immediately they have a bit of bounce in their step.
After a drink they make their way to the dance floor.
They may be about ten to fifteen years older than the kids in there, but Amber and Jeremy could still teach them a thing or two about getting their groove on.
The DJ slows the music down a bit with an old school club classic song. A couple of girls drag their boyfriends and start swaying side to side on the floor.
This song was Amber and Jeremy’s song. The first song they ever danced to when they met twelve years ago in a club similar to this one.
Things heat up as they dance. Jeremy lightly kisses Amber’s soft lips before leaving a trail of kisses down her neck. She tilts her head to the side, giving Jeremy better access as he kisses her neck. He squeezes a knee between her legs and in that moment Amber stares into his eyes, forgetting about the crowd surrounding them. Grinding her crutch along his thigh, her groans are lost in the loud music. If it wasn’t for the thin layers of clothing separating their two bodies, they’d practically be having sex in the middle of the dance floor.
After dancing to a few more songs and downing a couple more drinks, for some reason, she had a sense of being closely watched all night. It could be just paranoia, but she just put it down to others watching her and Jeremy getting hot and sexy on the dance floor.
Amber knows Jeremy is ready to leave and is wanting her as much as she is needing him.
It was getting late when they left the popular nightclub. Jeremy wraps his arm around Ambers shoulder pulling her into his side as they wait for their uber to
arrive.
Four men approach and force them at gunpoint down a dark quiet alley. Three of the men grab Jeremy, slamming him against a brick wall, while the fourth captures Amber from behind forcing Jeremy to watch. She struggles and screams aloud before a rough hand covers her mouth.
It will always haunt her, his gravelly voice and the smell of cigar on his breath when he whispered close to her ear, “You are a delightful thing,” says Damon. Amber struggles in his tight grip. “Don’t take this personally, but I believe in an eye for an eye.” Damon smirks at Jeremy as he presses his nose into Amber’s hair, inhaling the sweet floral aroma of her shampoo.
“Get your filthy hands off her, asshole,” Jeremy demands, struggling to free himself to get to Amber. “Let her go.”
Damon runs his tongue up the side of her neck, “Mmm, you taste so sweet. It’s going be a shame to have to kill you after your husband has watched me make you my bitch. Don’t worry sweet thing, I guarantee you’ll like it.”
“Leave her the hell alone, you bastard.”
She remembers crying and screaming out into his hand, begging for them to stop. Jeremy fights with all his strength, trying to get to Amber. He manages to escape the grip of one of the henchmen then kicks him away. Without warning the guy pulls out his gun, shoots Jeremy in the chest as Amber watches his lifeless body drop to the ground.
“NO!” she cries out as she tries to
escapes the tight grip so she can get to Jeremy. “Oh God. No, no. Jeremy.” Her legs collapse underneath her and the man holding her shoves her to the side, hard against a dumpster. She cries uncontrollably, tears stream down her face as she stares at her husband, waiting for his lifeless body to move.
“What the fuck?” says Damon. He grabs the guy around the throat. “Why the fuck did you shoot the bastard? That was not the plan. He needed him to feel the pain of watching his wife being fucked. I needed him to see her take her last breath.”
Someone gasps from the alley door of the nightclub and then it slams shut.
“Shit Damon. Someone seen us,” one of them said.
“What the fuck is wrong with you
assholes. Stop using our names.”
“Diesel, Merrick, Damon and I’m Lou. That’s all of us. Did you get that bitch? What does it matter? We plan on killing her pretty little ass anyway.”
The group of men are wearing faded jeans and leather vests with a picture of a cobra on the back and the same picture is tattooed going up their right arms. Amber takes in as much descriptive details as she can, whilst thinking this could be her only chance to escape and she had to do it quickly while they are distracted by someone seeing them.
Amber knew she had to get out of that alley alive for her sons. She was not going to let them lose both parents on this horrific night.
“You three get in there and find whoever the fuck it was. I’ll take care of… Where the fuck did she go? Motherfucker, son-of-a-bitch. She’s gone. The fuckin’ bitch got away.” Damon kicks a box of empty bottles and smashing them against the brick wall. “Get in there and find whoever it was that saw us, I’m going after the bitch.”
* * * * * * * * * *
Having to move twice within the first year wasn’t easy. And now having another new identity… ‘Claire Turner’.
Claire made the decision to take the kids out of school and have them home-schooled to make sure they stayed safe.
It’s two years now since they moved and settled in this small country town.
Kane, seven, and Leo’s sixth birthday is seven days away. Both her sons don’t understand the seriousness of our situation. They think it’s all fun and games having to keep changing their names and move to a different town across the other side of the country. Keeping her children safe is Claire’s top priority.
Two weeks ago at the dinner table, they both begged Claire to allow them to attend school. They were wanting to make friends with the other kids.
It took Claire a week to get the courage to set them free and spread their wings a lit
tle.
Two years in this country town and there has been no sign of those evil men who murdered her husband. So, she thought, who was she to deny them having some sort of a normal childhood with friends.
Chapter 2
Claire sits nervously on the front steps of her home, as she’s been doing every day this week. Checking her watch every couple of minutes while she waits for her two young boys to come running through the front gate and into her arms.
When a squad car pulls into my driveway, “No. Oh please God, no,” Claire mumbles, to herself as she sprints to the car. Panicked, her first thought is, ‘are my kids alright?’ Then she thinks the Witness Protection Program has failed her again and they need to pack and
move once again.
When the back door opens, Kane and Leo climb out. She scoops them up in her arms and tears stream down her face.
“What happened?” She pulls back at arm’s length, “Kane, did something happen at school? Both of you, inside now and start packing.”
“Whoa, wait. Ma’am… Ms Turner” The officer steps closer and reaches out a hand to shake Claire’s.
She stares at his hand for a moment hesitating before shaking it.
“I’m Constable Larson,” he said and peers down at their joined hands when he feels her hand shaking like a leaf in his. “Everything is fine. I am just giving the boys a ride home.” A young boy climbs out of the car and stands beside him. “This here is Dillon, my son. The three boys wanted me to talk to you about hanging out after school sometime.”
Claire looks at Kane and Leo, seeing them silently begging for her to say yes.
Constable Larson taps his son on the shoulder and asks him to grab his ball play with Kane and Leo while he talks to Claire.
“Ma’am__”
“Please, Constable, call me Claire.”
“Then, Claire it is,” he smiles. “And please, call me Max. Hey, whoa there!” He quickly grabs her by the elbows when she starts swaying. “Are you alright? You’re as white as a ghost and you’re trembling. Let’s get you inside and I’ll get you a glass of water.”
“I’m alright… Really.”
“Claire, you’re not alright.” Max leads her to the front door and she suddenly stops. Just as she’s about to call out the boys to come inside he assures her they will be fine.
Claire watches them for a moment laughing and playing with Dillon. It’s been more than three years since she has seen her kids this happy.
“Come on, before I have to scoop you up off the floor. Trust me, they are fine.”
They walk into the kitchen and Max sits Claire at the dining table then he grabs a glass from the sink and fills it with water.
“Here, drink this.” Max sits in the seat beside her. “Our kids have become best friends over the week, and I’d like to think we could be friends too.”
“Um… I…”
“I mean, I’m a good listener if you need
to talk about anything. If something is wrong, I’d like to help. After all, I am the local law enforcer. Constable Max Larson, at your service ma’am,” he says as he lifts his cap slightly.
Claire giggles at his silliness. It’s the first time she has genuinely laughed and smiled in at least three and a half years.
“Max, thank you. I appreciate the offer.” Even though she knows it can’t happen. She can’t risk letting anyone finding out about the Witness Protection Program.
“Would you like to come over for dinner tonight and some drinks? I can whip up a couple of my famous homemade pizzas. That way the kids can still play together.
“Famous? Really? And who says they’re famous?”
“Dillon… And me of course.”
Claire laughs again, “Well, that doesn’t count. It needs to be someone outside of your family.”
“Well then, I need you to come over and judge them for yourself. I only live five doors down the road. It’s the house at the end of the cul-de-sac. It’s only a two-minute walk.”
“I can’t, sorry. I already have plans for tonight.”
It was a half-truth. A weak lie and she knew it. She did want to wash her hair tonight, though she still could have gone for dinner and drinks. But the fact is, she is still scared to leave the house.
Max stands up, “Maybe next week then.”
“Friday next week is Leo’s sixth birthday. You’re very welcome to bring Dillon and your wife over here? I’m having a party for him. We’re having cake and playing all sorts of party games after school?”
“Sounds great. But there is no wife, it’s only me and Dillon. We’ll be here. I’ll bring my famous pizzas and we’ll make it a dinner too.”
Claire grins, “Okay, we’ll taste these famous pizzas of yours for dinner next week.”
She follows Max to the door, calling Kane and Leo inside after waving bye to their friend. She tell Leo she has invited Dillon and his dad to join them for his party next week.
Leo and Kane start squealing and jumping up and down with excitement. This will be their first birthday with a friend in three years.
* * * * * * * * * *
Every day after school, Claire waits for Max to pull into her driveway with her boys in the back of his police car. She is feeling more comfortable knowing they are in safe hands being escorted home.
For the first time in three years she feels as if she can finally trust someone.
Chapter 3
Friday afternoon, when Constable Larson pulls into Claire’s driveway, as usual she is sitting on the steps waiting to make sure her sons arrive safely home.
Max suspected something is going on, but he won’t push her. He has been on the force for long enough and he has seen all the signs. When she’s ready to talk, he’ll be there for her.
He steps around from the back of his squad car, balancing four large boxes in one arm, and carrying an esky in the other.
“What’s all this?” Claire asks with a giggle. She takes the boxes from him and helps carry them into the kitchen.
“Those are the pizzas I promised for your party.” He places the esky on the floor near the back door. “And this is full of drinks. Some drinks for the adults, and some soft drinks for the kids. So, when is everyone else turning up?”
Claire looks at him confused. “What do you mean? We’re all here. Are all these boxes full of pizzas?”
“Yeah. I was expecting more people. More kids.”
“We don’t know anyone else in town.”
“Claire… How long have you lived here? Last week was the first time I’d seen anyone in this house. Word around town was some old cat lady lived here. No one has seen you. Not even the kids playing in
the yard.”
She lowers her eyes to her hands as she picks at her fingernails. Unsure if she should answer. Every time someone knows who she is, Damon and his men come close to finding her, she and her sons have to move and get another identity.
“Claire? Whatever is going on? I can help you. But you need to trust me. Can you do that?” Max pulls out his wallet from his pants pocket and slips out a card. “Please call me anytime you need me or want to talk.”
“Um… Just over two years. We’ve
been here just over two years,” she finally answers.
“Why have I never seen you around town before. I mean, it’s only a small town and everybody knows everybody around here. The first sign of someone new in town, word spreads like wildfire. By the end of the day everyone knows you’re here, your name, where you’re living and even where you’re from. But somehow you snuck in without anyone knowing. ”
Claire shrugs her shoulders and plays along, “I guess, maybe I know the right people then.” She didn’t want to lie to him, and it was the truth.
“Yeah, I’ll say you do.” He drops it for now, but he wants to continue this conversation later. Being the Constable in town he figures it’s his business to know who’s here so he can keep everyone safe.
He is curious though, when and where is
she buying her groceries.
Mavis owns the local supermarket. It may be small, but it has most things you need to get you by if you run out of the basics. Forty-five kilometres west from here is a larger supermarket where most people do their fortnightly shop. Mavis is the biggest gossip in town, she knows everything that’s going on. If she’d seen Claire in her shop everybody would know about it by now.
“I’m going to warm up a couple of these delicious pizzas. Did you want to take some drinks out for the kids,” she says, needing to change the subject.
“I’m on it.”
While Claire puts two pizzas in the oven, Max takes the esky out onto the back patio and calls the kids for a drink. Then she walks out with a bowl of chips and another with lollies.
After ten minutes they’re sitting around enjoying the homemade pizzas Max brought over, as he talks about his little country town with much pride. How he grew up here and he is the third generation with being the local policeman.
After playing a few party games and kicking the ball around with Claire and Max versing the three kids. Later, Claire walks out with the cake, which she had been working on all day, and starts singing happy birthday then everyone joins in. The moment she places the cake down on the table Max and Dillon gasp.
“Holy sh__” Max look at the kids and smiles before continuing, “shoot, Claire! That’s freaking amazing. Where did you buy this? No one in town decorates cakes like that, not even the local bakery.”
Before Claire gets the chance to answer, Leo proudly says, “Mum made it. She makes all our cakes.”
“Seriously! You made this?”
A dragon curled up on a rock cake was
a bit of a challenge, but she knew she could do it.
“Leo, you better blow out the candles before they start dripping down and we’ll be eating the wax.”
Being on the Witness Protection Program, Claire has had a lot of time learning new things. Baking cakes and decorating cakes is something she has come to love doing. Cupcakes, cheesecakes and sponge cakes, she has made more cakes than she can count and now she has perfected the skill.
