The Space Beyond (The Space Between Heartbeats #1.5)

by Melissa Pearl

  His voice is kind and sincere, and I see Adam's head bob. I'm about to smile with relief until the sheriff looks at me. His glare is black and menacing. I shrink back from it and rub my elbow.

  Sheriff Hutton releases his son and pats him on the back. "I'll make some calls tonight and write the letter."

  "Do it now," I say.

  "Excuse me?" His gaze is on me again, trying to punch holes through my chest.

  "I want you to make those calls right now. I want to hear you talk to your brother." I rise as high as my short body will let me and stick out my chin.

  Before the sheriff can complain, Adam opens the passenger door for me. "I'll drive you to the station."

  Adam's around his side of the car before the sheriff can say a word. We do a U-turn and head back to Summit Boulevard. Adam doesn't look in the mood for chatter, but I can't help myself.

  "Thanks for standing up for me," I say.

  He shrugs and shakes his head.

  "I thought he was going to kill me for a sec, or at least beat the crap out of me."

  "Dad doesn't hit anymore." Adam’s voice is flat and hollow.

  His quiet statement makes my eyes bulge.

  "Your dad used to...to beat you?"

  Adam snickers and shakes his head. "He wouldn't call it that."

  I frown.

  "Let's just say my ass was redder than a tomato if I ever got in trouble. One time, I couldn't sit down for an entire day."

  "What'd you do to earn that?" My eyes round.

  Adam swallows, his lips dipping into a frown. "I accidentally broke his car window playing baseball. My brother missed the catch, and it went straight through the glass." He grimaces.

  My stomach quivers. My parents were never like that. I'd been smacked, like, once. I was about seven, and I'd just told Mom to shut up and stop being such a bitch. I didn't realize Dad was behind me. I got a swift slap on the leg and a very firm reprimand. I spent the rest of the day in my room, thinking my parents were evil child-bashers.

  Man, I had no idea how lucky I was.

  I can't say anything else after that. My throat is too clogged.

  *****

  Fifteen minutes later, the sheriff is slamming down his phone, a stark contrast to the plastic, jovial conversation he's just finished conducting. "My brother has Finnigan's details and will talk to the admissions office first thing in the morning."

  I nod and smile.

  The sheriff looks ready to pummel me.

  I clear my throat. "And the reference?"

  He glances from Adam to me and with painful slowness, swivels in his chair and opens up a fresh document on his computer. I know it's ballsy, but I step around his desk and watch him type. His neck tendons are straining big-time as he hits each key forcefully, compiling a very nice reference. I'm nodding along in approval as I read it.

  See. Not so hard. Dale Finnigan rocks.

  The ease with which the sheriff slaps something together is proof the guy knows Dale is good. He’s just decided to have this thing against him…all because he nearly busted his son.

  What a prick.

  "You misspelled upstanding." I point to the missing i. "And privilege doesn't have a d in it. Also, you need to swap the e and the i around in the word receiving."

  If the sheriff could kill me now, he would. I swear.

  Thankfully, Adam's nervous chuckle distracts him. "Thanks so much for doing this, Dad."

  Sheriff Hutton presses ‘print.’ The machine in the corner starts whirring and spits out the reference.

  Grabbing a pen, he scribbles his signature on it. "I shouldn't have to do this." His gaze is stern as he eyes us both.

  I try to ignore how unnerving it is. "Do you want me to scan that for you?" I point to the letter.

  "I'll get Helen to do it.” He raises his chin towards the reception area. “As soon as I know who to email it to, I'll send it off." His teeth are clenched so tight I can barely make out the words.

  "Excellent. Can you BCC me into those emails, please? Just so I know they've been sent." My voice is so friendly and professional it almost sounds foreign. Go me.

  The sheriff rises from his seat and speaks slowly. "Let me be very clear, Miss Tepper."

  I swallow. That cold and calculated tone has me waiting on a death threat.

  "I don't ever want to see you in my office again, do you understand me?"

  I nod.

  "I don't ever want you talking to my son again."

  My forehead wrinkles with a frown as I glance at Adam.

  "Don't look at him!"

  My eyes shift back to the sheriff, but not before noticing the sorrow cresting over Adam's face. Somehow, I don't think it has anything to do with me.

  "You leave my kid alone, you understand me? We've done you this favor; now stay the hell away from us."

  "Yes, sir," I finally mumble.

  Collecting my bag, I walk towards the door. Adam stands to join me.

  "Adam, stay here. We need to talk."

  A spike of fear runs through me and I almost don't want to leave Adam alone with his dad, but his gentle hand nudges me towards the door, opening it wide so I can leave. He gives me a stoic smile before closing the door in my face.

  Chapter Nine

  I feel awful as I walk away. What is Adam's dad saying to him right now? Is he yelling at him? Beating him? The images in my head are nauseating. Adam has the potential to do whatever he wants with his life, but he's being suffocated by a dad he fears. I hate this. I want to help him.

  My triumph at getting what I want is being completely overthrown by my heartache. I hate the idea that I feel sympathy for a guy who tried to kill me, but I get it. I mean, I really get it.

  Sheriff Hutton scares the shit out of me. Living with him must be a nightmare.

  "Hey, Nicole. Wait up!" I spin at Adam's call and am relieved to see him running down the station stairs, injury free.

  "Are you okay?" I grip his arm as he reaches me.

  "Yeah." He shrugs. I know he's lying. I'm starting to realize how much of his life he's spent doing that.

  "What'd your dad say?"

  "Just the usual bullshit about how I'm a weak coward, and if it wasn't for him, I'd be nowhere in life." He pulls the keys from his pocket and, with a head-flick, directs me towards his car.

  "What if your dad sees?" I hesitate.

  Adam’s grin is bleak. "Don't worry about it. His lecture was cut short by a phone call he couldn't ignore. There's still more to come tonight, so I may as well break the rules in between." Adam's eyes are glassy. He sniffs a couple of times as we walk toward his car.

  I slide into the passenger seat and give him a smile as he starts the engine.

  "I'm sorry you have to deal with him every day."

  Adam scoffs as he pulls onto the road. "I don't know any different. He's always been in charge, and it didn't take me long to figure out that it's just easier to do things his way. I'll be free soon. After the summer."

  "At Columbia, right?" I force a smile.

  Adam nods, his eyebrows pinching together.

  My smile fades as I study his desolate expression. "Is that where you want to go?"

  He clears his throat, his right shoulder hitching. "It'll be okay."

  "Adam." I tip my head. "That's not what I asked. What do you want to do with your own life?"

  "I don't know." He shakes his head. "I have no idea because I've never been given the option of thinking about it."

  "Okay." I keep my voice calm to contrast his. "Well, if you could think about it, like now. What did you used to dream about becoming when you were a kid?"

  Adam's laughter is strained as he shakes his head.

  "Come on, Adam. Play my game." I lightly swat his leg with the back of my hand.

  The car slows as we stop at the intersection. His finger taps the wheel, and finally, he sighs. "A Navy SEAL."

  "Huh?" I glance away from the red sedan passing in front of us and look at Adam, my nose wri
nkling in surprise.

  "I wanted to join the Navy, see the world, and train to be a SEAL."

  "Wow." I can't help smiling. "That's intense. I've heard training is super hard."

  Adam flashes me a crooked grin. "I've grown up with my dad. What could be harder than that, right?"

  We both chuckle, but the sound doesn’t last long. Adam keeps his eyes on the intersection, waiting for the minivan to have his turn.

  "You'd be good at that." I nod and watch a mother power-walking with her baby in a stroller.

  Adam scoffs. "No, I wouldn't."

  "What do you mean?” I turn to face him again. “Yes, you would. You've got the right build, you're smart and strong and athletic."

  "I'm a coward, Nicky." His quiet omission fills the car with a heavy silence.

  The intersection is now clear, but Adam still hasn't moved.

  "You don't have to be, you know," I whisper. "Bravery's a choice. It's not something you're born with or without. It's something that grows inside you each time you choose to stand up and fight for the right thing. Each time you choose to speak out instead of staying silent." I sniff. "Each time you take on a force greater than yourself for the sake of others." Tears slip down my face. I don't know why I'm suddenly crying. My speech was supposed to help Adam, not send me scrambling for a Kleenex.

  I guess it just suddenly occurred to me that for once in my life, I was actually being brave. I'd fought for Dale today. My emotions were a mixture of pride, astonishment and ultimate heartache.

  Adam lets out a derisive snort, which at first I think is directed at me, until he starts spinning the car around and heading away from school.

  "Where are we going?" I grip my seat.

  "To City Hall." Adam’s nostrils flare, his expression hardening with determination.

  "What? Why? Your dad's already written the letter. You don't have to do this, Adam."

  "Yes, I do." His voice sounds strong for the first time all day. He glances at me. "Do you really want the sheriff of this town being some guy who tried to murder you and get away with it? My dad's a bully, and Big Bear deserves better. If I go down, then Dad does, too. I don't want to do it, but it's not just about me anymore, Nicky."

  "I'm not going to press charges against you." I shake my head. "If they come to me, I won't deny what happened, but I'm not going to press charges, okay?"

  "You can if you want. I deserve it." His knuckles turn white as we turn into the City Hall parking lot.

  He pulls the car into an empty space and switches off the engine. We sit in frightened silence for a minute, both just breathing.

  "Do you want me to come in with you?" I finally ask.

  "No, I need to see him on my own first. I'm sure he'll want to chat with you after this, anyway." He suddenly grabs my hand, giving my fingers a tight squeeze. His gaze is so vibrant and blue I couldn’t look away if I wanted to. "Promise me you'll tell him the truth."

  "I'll do my best." I nod.

  His lips twitch with a smile, and he lets me go.

  I walk around the car as Adam locks it. His fingers are shaking as he shoves the keys into his right pocket.

  "What you're doing is really brave, you know?" I look up at him.

  He scoffs. "Probably the first brave thing I've ever done."

  "Which makes it epic.”

  His smile is filled with appreciation as he glances down at me. I grin back, but can't hold it as he walks towards the building. I'm rooted to the spot until I can't see him anymore. With a shaky breath, I turn back towards school.

  It’s too far to walk, but I make my way out of the parking lot and head in the right direction anyway. Thanks to my limp, I'm hardly a speed demon, and I'll quickly get too tired. I look at my watch. I've only got about five minutes before I need to be there. I limp a little faster, even though it's a waste of time. I’m never going to make it.

  With a reluctant sigh, I pull my phone from the side of my bag and decide to finally reply to Dale's text.

  I'm just unlocking my phone when a squad car screeches to a halt in front of me.

  Chapter Ten

  My breath hitches in my throat. My eyes bulge wide. The only thing I can think to do is turn and run.

  But I can't. My stupid leg won't let me. I kind of end up doing this fast-paced hobble, which is swiftly brought to an end when the sheriff wraps his vise-like arms around me and pulls me to a stop.

  He whirls me around, my neck jerking painfully.

  "Where is he? Where's Adam!" His eyes are large and wild.

  "Ow! Let go of me!" I try to wrestle my arm free, but he won't have it. His fingers pinch into my upper arm. I look along the street, hoping for human traffic, but there's none. A few cars drive past, but they're probably just seeing the sheriff trying to bring a wayward teen into line.

  Should I start yelling? Would that even help?

  The sheriff starts dragging me towards his car. I nearly trip, but he hauls me back to my feet.

  "Take me to him, now," he orders.

  "No." I try to stand my ground, but am forced forward. We're at the car now. He slams me against it and does that thing where he gets in my face again.

  "Tell me where he is. What did you make him do?" The sheriff’s voice catches on the last word and I spot his fear. He wants to blame me so he doesn’t have to face his child’s downfall.

  "It was his decision," I whisper.

  The sheriff's hard veneer cracks even further, his skin paling and his eyes flooding with horror. "He's gone to the mayor? You've made him throw his life away!"

  Opening the door, he shoves me into the car and marches around to the driver's side. I'm tempted to get out and make a run for it, but he's started the car before I can react. It takes less than two minutes to get to City Hall. He screeches into the parking lot and slams on the brakes right outside the door.

  My door is ripped open, and I'm once again hauled from the car. His voice is a desperate whisper in my ear as he drags me into the building. "You are going to tell the mayor exactly what I say or your little boyfriend is going down. That police record of his has him walking a very fine line. It's not going to take much to make him fall. One little slip-up and he's in for it. I can make that slip-up happen. Are you understanding me, Nicole?"

  I am. The look on his face tells me he's all too serious. If I don't get Adam out of this, he's going to frame my boyfriend.

  "You're such an ass." Man, it feels good to finally say that to his face. I've been thinking it for months.

  His brows pinch into a tight line. Yanking me past reception, I'm basically tripping over my feet as the sheriff leads us to the mayor's office. He's obviously familiar with the building because no one seems to question him as we march our way through.

  The mayor's PA is hanging up the phone as we stop by her desk.

  The sheriff loosens his grip and pastes on a smile. “Afternoon, Janine.”

  "Well, hello, Sheriff." She grins. "The mayor's just let Adam through, says he always has time for your boy."

  "Thanks." Sheriff Hutton forces out the words. "Sorry we're late."

  Janine looks slightly confused, but nods anyway. "Okay, well, just head on through."

  The door creaks as the sheriff pushes it open and guides me inside. I take in the orderly room with its old-world nuances—the finely crafted wooden desk with the engraved edging and the ceiling-high bookshelves against the back wall housing volumes of hardcover books. They look slightly out of place, as the rest of the office has a modern sleekness to it, but I guess they suit the mayor. He’s always had a George Washington vibe about him.

  Adam is sitting in an armchair, next to a low coffee table. The mayor is adjacent to him, looking concerned. There's a look of agony in Adam's eyes that quickly morphs to terror when he sees us barge in.

  "Mayor Stratham, sorry we're late." The sheriff’s tone is confident and slightly forceful.

  "Dad." Adam swallows. "What are you…what are you doing here?"

  A
dam looks to me. I mouth an apology then glance at the mayor. The man's narrow face looks sad and serious, his thin lips turned down at the edges. His salt-and-pepper hair is thick and usually styled perfectly, but it looks as though he’s just run his hands through it. Standing tall, he straightens his jacket and forces a smile at me.

  "Good afternoon, Nicole." He holds out his hand. I tentatively shake it then take a seat when he points to the chair next to Adam.

  The sheriff sits down beside me, his agitated fingers digging into his knees.

  "I'm so sorry about all the confusion, Johnson." He looks at the mayor with a strained smile. "These kids have been cooking up a plan behind my back, and I've only just found out about it. I brought Miss Tepper down here to clear things up…get the story straight."

  His pointed glare reminds me of his whispered words. I swallow and glance at Adam before opening my mouth.

  "I, um…" I scratch the side of my nose. Shit! What do I do? The sheriff can't get away with this, but if I don't lie, he'll bury Dale. "I…"

  "Don't make her do this, Dad." Adam sighs. "Just let us tell the truth and get it over with."

  "She is going to tell the truth, son." He grips my shoulder, his voice straining to stay bright and in control.

  I look to the mayor. His face is annoyingly neutral, giving me no clue how much Adam may have already told him.

  "Well, um..." I'm never usually this lost for words. Can I just weave some bullshit story?

  "Nicole." The mayor leans forward in his chair. "Do you know who was driving the car that hit you last year?"

  I sigh. I can't weave some bullshit story, because all of us have been sitting on the truth for months. I look to Adam, and he gives me an appreciative smile. He wants me to say it. He wants me to spill the beans.

  "Sir." I find the mayor's eyes and hold my gaze steady. "Adam Hutton hit me with his mother’s car. He'd been drinking and was afraid of what might happen, so he kept driving. When his parents saw the car, they questioned him and the truth came out."

  "That's not true," the sheriff interrupts with a fake little chuckle. I flick his hand off my shoulder and keep going.