Bones Of Contention: The McKinnon Legends - The American Men Book 3

by James, Ranay

  Saber barked incessantly keeping the second boy pinned down.

  Jamie backed away. Her anger spent, she did not want to touch him any longer wishing to place distance between her and her attackers.

  “I’m sorry, Lady. Really, I am. The guy said he set it up. He told Derek it was what you liked, and for a hundred dollars we could do anything to you we wanted. I had no idea Derek would be so violent with you. I swear! I was the one who called the Campus Police,” the hog-tied one protested.

  “Shut up, Taylor,” Derek shouted.

  Josh still held Derek face-first against the bark of the live oak.

  Taylor kept talking which was all right. Josh had already given him his rights.

  “The guy said she was a hooker, honest. He said she wanted it rough.”

  Derek saw a possible out and went with it, having no idea his intended victim was a well-respected professor. He was just digging a deeper hole. “Yeah, I was just giving the whore what she asked for.”

  Josh growled deep in his throat. Yet, he was far from losing control. That was just exactly what Derek would have liked, to be able to cry police brutality.

  “Shut your stinking mouth,” Josh warned. Advising him if he had any brain cells left from all the alcohol he had consumed now would be a good time for Derek to use them. Josh read him his rights before this got much further along.

  Derek was in no condition to tangle with him. The young man did not seem to comprehend the fact Josh had him out muscled, out gunned, and out maneuvered.

  “I’ll find where you live, Bitch! I’ll find you and fuck you yet! I paid a hundred bucks to tap that any way I wanted.” He spat at her.

  “Derek. Shut up, man. You have gotten us in enough trouble already,” his friend warned.

  “Fuck you, Taylor, you double-crossing son-of-a-bitch.” He was trying to resist against the hold Josh had him in as he walked him toward the parking lot.

  “I’m not scared,” Derek slurred.

  Josh leaned into his ear warning softly and totally without emotion. “Well, Derek, my friend, you should be.”

  That did it as Derek went deadly still. Something in Josh’s voice finally penetrated the fog.

  Josh softly laughed as he saw the color drain from Derek’s face, and the kid peed on himself down his right leg.

  “I would wager, Derek, if you really understood how much shit you are in right about now, you would have piss running down both legs,” Josh’s words were spoken in that calm, cold voice that all McKinnon men had when something they cherish was threatened.

  Derek was scared, but was never going to show it. “You are a nobody, shit on the bottom of my shoe! And you will be sorry once my daddy gets done with you, you two-bit piece of shit.” He spit venom at Josh.

  Josh just laughed sardonically.

  “Is that all you’ve got? Not very original.”

  He had seen much more exciting opponents both verbally and physically. This punk was like a Sunday afternoon drive in his mamma’s sedan, slow and easy.

  The boy continued to fight.

  Charlie arrived, much to Jamie’s relief, offering up his honest opinion on Derek’s threat. “No one cares a flying donkey’s ass about who your daddy might or might not be, son, especially me or the sheriff here.”

  Even if Josh could technically make the arrest, he had no official jurisdiction in Lubbock, much less the campus grounds. Charlie’s presence made the arrest official and brought Jamie some comfort now that there was backup for Josh. From the looks of things, Josh really did not need any backup which was a good thing. She was no good to him. Her legs were rubbery, failing to support her any longer as she sat on the ground shivering from the cold and aftereffects of the attack.

  Holding her tattered dress together as best she could, there was way more flesh showing then Josh cared to have exposed to the elements. As soon as he could let the perpetrator go, he would find cover for her to give her some modesty and warmth.

  She watched as Josh dragged Derek across the sidewalk. Tossing him unceremoniously across the hood of the squad car, the young man just did not seem to get it, Jamie thought. Josh held Derek effortlessly against the hood of the squad car and kicked his legs further apart, and Derek was just too far gone to realize he needed to keep his mouth shut.

  “Pray you have a pension, old man, because when my father is finished with you and this stinking college, you won’t be able to even stand guard at the grocery store at Christmas.” Derek spit at the campus officer laughing at his handiwork just before he threw up.

  Charlie looked down at the wad of spit and vomit marring his perfectly polished boots.

  Charlie took a deep, calming breath. He had spent too many years dealing with punks just like this guy to rise to the bait.

  “Listen to me, young man. Whether Professor Gillman presses charges or not won’t change the fact you are in some serious, stinkin’ trouble. No one hurts my faculty or students and stays in school to talk about it. And no one ever, ever touches the Doc.” Charlie was beside himself as he shoved the boy into the first of two squad cars bound for the county jail.

  “You’re kidding, right? No way that piece is a professor. She’s way too hot.” Taylor looked to Josh for a ray of hope. There was none.

  “But she is,” Taylor said.

  Taylor's spirits dropped even further as Josh moved in closer. This one was worth saving in Josh’s estimation. Josh would put in a good word for him. The boy was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and if scared enough he just might be salvageable.

  “Oh, son, she is way more than that. She’s going to be the mother of my children.” Josh whispered just to add more anxiety to the situation.

  “Oh, fuck me. We’re soooo dead,” Taylor summed it up moaning just before Josh shoved him in the second squad car bound for the jail.

  “And they say alcohol dulls the senses,” Josh added smartly. “I think, Taylor, you have rightly figured this one out all by yourself.”

  Just as Josh returned from his truck with a jacket to cover Jamie, he watched as both boys were hauled away. Undoubtedly, he would have to give Charlie a statement. He just hoped it could wait until he got Jamie settled and warm.

  Charlie was in the process of taking a preliminary statement from her. Before Charlie was done, she had managed to fold her frame into Josh’s protective embrace. He was not sure how it happened. Neither was she. However, if she needed the support, he would be happy to give her that support.

  With the events past and she now safe, the stark reality of just how close she came to being a statistic of a violent crime became obvious to her. She could not stop shaking uncontrollably for the night’s damp chill and adrenaline overload. The only thing keeping her upright was Josh’s arm wrapped around her.

  “Where were you during all this?” Charlie asked Josh in a way that left him feeling inadequate. There was an undertone of accusation reading between the lines that was unmistakable. Charlie was accusing him of not protecting his charge.

  “I was in my truck sitting across the way,” Josh inclined his head to the south indicating he was sitting in the parking lot across from the science building some thirty yards away.

  “You two weren’t together?” Charlie asked while taking additional notes and looking back and forth between their faces.

  “No,” Jamie said hovering close to Josh for warmth. “I came back to get some papers to grade over the weekend.”

  That peaked Charlie’s interest. Something did not smell right. Yet, Josh seemed like a reasonable man. However, Charlie was not born yesterday and understood looks could be deceiving. Earlier in the week he had called the sheriff of Lubbock County to have Josh checked out. By all accounts the young sheriff was well respected in the law enforcement community and was very active in several state chapters. He also was reported to have turned down several opportunities to go into private enforcement where he could have made a lot more money. Instead, his choosing to stay in public service said a
lot as far as Charlie was concerned.

  “You followin’ her around, Sheriff?” Charlie asked narrowing his eyes, wondering what was going on here. There had to be more here than just a young fellow admiring the Doc from a distance. Josh did not seem like the type to admire from afar. If this sheriff wanted something, his bet was Josh would just go for it on a frontal approach. This had to be a professional issue where the Doc was concerned.

  “Yes,” Josh answered honestly.

  There was no way he could deny he had not been following her. Even he would never believe he was just in the right place at the right time. “I was just keeping a close eye on her, Charlie. I was worried.”

  Charlie wanted to know exactly why Josh seemed to be hanging close to the Doc these days.

  He explained how she had accepted a date with a man she had just met. “I could not talk her out of it.”

  Charlie could see Josh’s point. “So, you felt it was the next best thing given the public exposure the Doc’s had lately?” Charlie felt the Doc was overly independent and just a little naive where men were concerned. The combination could prove disastrous. Thankfully, Josh had the sense to hover close.

  She could not believe they were talking as if she were not even there. She pushed out of Josh’s arms. Now, she was returning to normal, and it was all making sense to her.

  “You were following me? You followed me all evening? You watched me with Trey through the windows of the restaurant while we ate dinner?” She was more shocked than angry.

  “Jamie, you make it sound as if I’m stalking you.” He placed his coat back around her shoulders pulling the edges together with his hands.

  She did not shrug them off. She was cold and he recognized that fact. She appreciated it. It still did not change the fact that he had followed her against her desires.

  “Well, if that isn’t the definition of stalking, I don’t know what is. So, tell me, Josh, exactly what would you have done if I had accepted Trey’s invitation to fly to New York this weekend?”

  Her question was asked very calmly.

  Josh was not taking the bait. “I’m not going to fall into that one, Jamie.” He shook his head. He knew exactly what he would have done. However, it was a moot point in his mind. She was not going anywhere. She was in no shape to be doing anything except having a nice, long, hot shower, a cup of hot chocolate, and a sleeping pill. After what she had endured, all three were in order. A trip to New York was not on the menu.

  “Doc, I want Josh to drive you home,” Charlie ordered her. Josh could see he was worried.

  “No, I’m fine, really. I can drive myself,” she insisted looking back and forth between the two. She could take care of herself, she always had. She did not need him to drive her home. Besides, she needed her car in the morning, which would mean if he drove her, she would have to take a cab or catch a ride back to pick her car up.

  Charlie changed his approach. “Dr. Gillman, please do this as a favor to me. I’d do it myself, but I have to go downtown and book those little bastards into county for assaulting you.”

  Jamie looked over at Josh and then back to Charlie.

  “Fine, he can follow. However, I’m driving my own car home,” she said retrieving her shoes and purse. Josh already picked up as many of her papers as he could find. Many had taken off on the late October wind.

  Charlie was very fond of Jamie. She reminded him of his own daughter, Kay, at that age. He knew that if the night Kay was murdered she had been followed by a secret protector, just as Jamie had been tonight, his baby would still be alive today. He did not want to see that happen to the Doc.

  “Doc, I want you to let him search your house and then make sure you are securely locked in before he leaves. Will you let him do this, as a personal favor to me?” Charlie asked.

  She nodded. If it made Charlie feel better, then why not? She got into her SUV. Josh watched as she sat there for a few moments. He could not see into the interior. If he could have, he would have seen she was shaking again so badly she was not completely sure she could drive safely. Logically, she knew she was safe yet, her heart was racing again.

  Josh got out of the truck and came to the door of her Explorer. She was staring straight forward. Tapping on the window he saw her slowly turn.

  “Come on, Doc. Let me take you home,” he asked sympathetically. She was shaken up more than she really knew.

  She nodded allowing him to direct her back to his truck where he helped her into the passenger seat.

  Josh was formulating a plan on the drive to her house. He would stay on the couch just in case she needed him. Tonight was horrific for her and being alone was not a good idea. Then tomorrow he would insist she let him fortify her house. It had not taken long, while he was waiting on her to return home earlier that evening, to access the safety features of her domicile.

  In short, there were none.

  The home was not properly secured by any stretch of his imagination. Once that was accomplished, he would convince her to take a vacation some place out of the country. If not out of the country then perhaps she could go to Dallas for a few days and stay with his cousin Robert and his wife, Kate. Jamie needed to get away from the campus and out of Lubbock. Robert was the driving force behind McKinnon-Bride Personal Securities and an expert in the field of personal protection. Josh figured if he could not personally oversee her protection, then Robert was his next best choice for Jamie. She would just be safer there, and until the authorities found the killer, who was again on the loose, she was not safe. Tonight was an unrelated, albeit unfortunate event. Convincing her was going to be about as easy as holding back Niagara Falls. He conceded it would not be easy as he pulled into her driveway. However, if he approached her gently, he felt sure he could get her to relent.

  Pulling in he turned off the ignition. He walked around to open the door for her, patiently waiting for her to exit the truck.

  He waited as she gathered her belongings and unfastened her safety belt. The interior light was bright against the dark background of the front of her house serving to emphasize the fact he needed to install a motion sensitive floodlight. He added that item to the ever-growing list.

  Tomorrow, he told himself. Tonight, she would be secure enough as long as she let him stay. If not, then he would move to Plan B.

  Walking up on the porch she opened the door, turned on the porch light, but made no moves to invite him into the house.

  “Good night, Sheriff.”

  She tried to close the door.

  He stopped it with the toe of his boot. She looked surprised.

  “Jamie, don’t shut me out, please. If you won’t let me in, then is there someone you can call to stay with you tonight? You don't need to be alone, Doc, not after the close call you had this evening.”

  She looked closely at his face. He was genuinely concerned for her, and it was a place she had not been for a very long time. She had people who liked her and her mother loved her, but what Josh was doing was different. He was showing her a side of herself she had never seen before. He was exposing that side desiring to be sheltered and protected. It was a side she could not afford to indulge.

  “I’m fine, Josh. I can take care of myself.” She was thinking a call to her mother might be in order. Her mother lived in Fredericksburg, and at the very least it would take her mom ten hours to get there. She could call her girlfriend from aerobics, but at this hour she would never find a sitter for her little boy. She would just tough it out.

  “Jamie, under normal circumstances, I would probably agree you can take care of yourself. This is different,” he said reaching out, touching her face. “Post traumatic stress can be tricky. You may feel fine now, but you have no idea how you may react later. Please, let me stay. If not me, then call someone, anyone, but please do not stay alone, Jamie, not if you don’t have to.”

  Jamie wondered why she had the urge to ask him to stay. She knew he was following her around all evening and was very grateful he had, r
egardless of the fact it annoyed her. He had absolutely no right to interfere, wondering why he had taken her on as his latest pet project.

  Regardless of how she might feel, if he had not been there to intercede, she would be a statistic in the record books. As nasty as Derek was earlier, she actually felt he might have killed her. The kid had some real anger management issues. It would now be for a judge and jury to decide his fate.

  She supposed she owed Josh something for his foresight. She did not wish to appear ungrateful.

  “I want to get one thing very clear. I do not condone you spying on me and following me around. If I need personal security, I will hire it.”

  Josh thought that was fair enough and told her so. He also encouraged installing an alarm system.

  “That being said, thank you for being there tonight, even though you were there for the wrong reasons.”

  He softened, smiling tenderly almost patronizingly gentle. “That is where you are wrong, Doc.”

  “I disagree,” she countered.

  “Feel free to disagree, but it won’t change things. I was there for the right reasons, Jamie.” He leaned in cupping her face, rubbing the pad of his thumb across her swollen, broken lip. She saw him tighten his mouth as he witnessed Derek’s handiwork. “It is my job to protect and serve. I almost failed you, Doc. I’m sorry I wasn’t quicker. He never should have even gotten this close.”

  Surprising them both, she threw her arms around his neck and cried. It felt good having someone who really cared and had the desire to be there for her. He held her as the dam broke and he gently rocked her for comfort.

  Eventually, she stepped away.

  “Oh, Josh. You cannot save us all, and I should have listened and been more careful.” She stood there arms crossed hugging herself, closing her feelings off. As long as she stayed distant then she was more in control, because right then she was battling the need to have him hold her again and tell her it was all a bad dream which would go away with the rising of the sun.