Another One Bites the Dust

by Lani Lynn Vale

  “Well, when you put your thingy into my hoo-ha, and you shot your stuff into me, my baby house decided it liked one of your little wigglers. So she made the chosen one of yours and the chosen one of mine gets married, and now there will be a new…” Payton said facetiously before I interrupted.

  “Oh, my God. Would you shut it? I know how you got pregnant, what I want to know is how!” I ground out.

  “That’s the exact same thing, Max.” She goaded me.

  I snarled in frustration. Not that I was upset, she was just annoying the shit out of me.

  “Okay, okay. Jesus, calm down. I was just dumb. I should have known better, but when I’m around you, my brain decides to take a hike. I mean I’m a nurse for fuck’s sake. You’ve got to believe…”

  “Payton.”

  “…me, I would have never done this…”

  “Payton Evangeline Alvarez, will you shut your trap for one damn second so I can speak?”

  “…on purpose. I love you, but I would never trap you…”

  I pulled into the parking lot and whipped the truck into a parking spot that was probably meant for a compact car. Shutting the engine off, I opened the door, yanked Payton across the bench seat, and hauled her with me into the courthouse. Alpha trotted at Payton’s side, and I practically carried her. Not once did she stop apologizing.

  I really could care less how she got pregnant. I’ve always loved kids, and now that I’ve finally found the one, having them is the logical next step. I didn’t need to hear her explanations. I couldn’t be happier.

  The trip to the courthouse took all of ten minutes. Most of it was spent with Payton explaining to the clerk that they were getting married, but it wasn’t because she was pregnant. The clerk just smiled and nodded having heard her apologizing for getting pregnant. I still haven’t heard yet what happened with the birth control, even with all of her rambling.

  We pulled into the police station parking lot, and she finally stopped speaking. I turned to her, and saw her lips trembling, trying to fight back tears. My heart felt heavy, but sadly, there was nothing I could do to console her. My only hope was that I made it home in time for Thanksgiving dinner. I knew I would be arrested and put in holding until something was figured out. The evidence was incriminating, but it was only circumstantial.

  “I love you with all my heart, baby. Try not to worry too much. This isn’t going to stick. I’m happy about you being pregnant. It excites the hell out of me to know you’re growing my baby in there.” I said as I placed my hand over her stomach and kissed her lips softly.

  A sharp knock on my window interrupted our kiss. Turning swiftly, I saw Sam and Luke standing there waiting impatiently. Payton snarled something extremely unladylike under hear breath, and threw herself out of the truck door, slamming it behind her. Alpha looked over at me, and all I could do was shrug. “Must be the hormones.”

  Hopping out of the truck, I couldn’t help but laugh as I heard the ass chewing the two were not getting by Payton. “What do you mean there is nothing you can do, Luke? I know where you live, where you sleep. I’ll come to your bed and shave off that ugly ass beard you’ve got going on there. Who do you think you are? Get him out of this. I’m his alibi. We were busy that night; he wouldn’t have had time to…”

  “Payton just let me…” Luke started to say but Payton just spoke right over him.

  “…kill her. Moreover, I sleep with him stuck up my ass. He’s a blanket hog, too. If he left the bed, I would know it because I could finally…”

  “Payton, just hold on one second...” Sam tried but failed miserably.

  I just leaned against the truck, shoved my hands in my jeans, and waited her out. She’d run out of steam eventually.

  “…breathe. Here I am pregnant, and you’re taking my man to lock up where he’s going to be killed, or worse. Have you seen that Sons of Anarchy episode where Opie is killed? Yea that could be my Max; he would never even see his baby!” Payton finally said before bursting into tears and throwing herself into Sam’s arms.

  “Baby?” Luke asked me.

  I shrugged. “Apparently, she’s pregnant, or at least she thinks she is. We don’t know much yet, I only just found out on the way over here. She’s been having a little breakdown.”

  Sam looked incredibly uncomfortable, and it made me want to kick his ass seeing Payton enveloped in his arms, so I gently extracted her. She came willing, and buried her nose into the crease between my arm and chest. I ran my hands down her back and made the proper soothing sounds, but she continued with her crying.

  “So, what’s up?” I asked.

  Luke and Sam still looked incredibly uncomfortable, but they were professionals, and ignored the wailing woman in my arms.

  “The detective in charge is a dick head. He won’t give me anything on the case. I’ve gone to the chief about it, and he’s currently looking into it. From what I’ve surmised, there wasn’t too much evidence other than circumstantial. They probably won’t keep you that long at all.” Luke provided.

  I nodded and bent my head to speak in Payton’s ear. “Alright, Pet. Let’s get this show on the road. I want to eat that pot roast I smelled when I left earlier. The fast I get done here, the faster I’ll get to go home.”

  “You’re hungry?” She asked with red puffy eyes.

  “A little. Kicking James’ ass isn’t that difficult, but I didn’t eat breakfast before that.” I said offhandedly.

  She let go of me and pulled her bag out of the truck. She rambled through it for a few seconds before pulling out a Snickers, Butterfinger, and Nutrageous. We all looked on as she continued to search, and finally came out with a Chocolate Milk. “Do you need a straw?”

  “Uh, no honey. That’s perfect, thanks.” I said as she handed me her prizes.

  I watched her pass them over with envy, and was reluctant to take them since she looked like she really wanted them. “Are you sure?” I asked.

  “Yes, I have more in a box at home. I’ve been hiding my stash so you don’t eat it while I’m not home.” She confessed.

  “You little rat!” I said, but couldn’t hold a straight face.

  “I love you, Payton. Stay with Sam while I’m out. Keep Alpha around you.” I said before making my way into the police station.

  I walked to the first desk, and waited patiently for her to finish her phone call about a yeast infection that I really wish I could have erased from my brain the instant I heard it.

  “Can I help you?” The young woman asked with a blush.

  “My name is Max Tremaine; I was made aware that I have a warrant out for my arrest.” I said monotonously.

  Her eyes flared, and she turned sharply and whispered to the woman that was behind her. The older woman nodded and left the small room, coming back moments later with a police officer, followed by a plain clothes.

  “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to come with me. We have a few questions to ask you of your whereabouts from last night.” The uniformed officer informed me.

  “That’s what I’ve been told. I’ll try to help any way I can.” I conceded.

  “If you’ll follow me.” The uniform asked.

  I turned and blew a kiss at Payton, smiled, and was just about to turn back around to follow the man when the plain clothes shoved me in the back and snarled, “Get a move on, or I’ll put you in cuffs.”

  I stumbled, caught off guard by the man that apparently had a death wish, and turned to glare at the plain clothes. “Was that necessary?” I asked in a deadly tone.

  Alpha’s snarl from across the room, took the man’s attention from me to him. “Get that fucking dog out of here. This isn’t a goddamn zoo.”

  Luke rolled his eyes at the man’s command, and made not one move to comply with his orders. “Get over yourself, Dick.”

  “What’d you call me?” Dick asked.

  “That’s your name isn’t it, Dick?” Luke smiled.

  Dick’s temper got the better of him, and he took it out
on me by shoving me to get me moving. The shove didn’t move me, but he needed to stop touching me, or the small hold I had on my temper would no longer be in check.

  “If you don’t keep your filthy hands off of me, I shove that hand up your ass, pull it out, and feed it to you.” I gritted out through my clenched teeth.

  I saw the intent in his eyes before he even lifted his arm to let loose a punch that would take me in the jaw. I let it happen. This person obviously wanted to dig himself a hole, and I was going to let him bury himself. The punch landed on my jaw. I let my body sway with the motion. I’d been taught how to take a punch, and this was nothing to sneeze at, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been if I hadn’t flowed with the momentum.

  Payton’s screech of outrage was overshadowed by Alpha’s snarl. One moment I was staring into the cold eyes of Dick, and the next, Alpha had him down on the ground with his jaws firmly secured around his neck. I caught Payton as she slammed into me, and I swung her around to my other side so my body was in between hers and Dick’s prone form.

  “Get him off!” Dick screeched.

  “What is going on here?” A booming voice bellowed from the back hallway.

  A small man with the voice of a junkyard dog stood in the doorway. He was dressed in an impeccable navy suit, and not one wrinkle showed on it. His hair was short and cropped, and I visibly winced when I saw him. The man practically hated my guts. When James and I were teenagers, we were horrible. We were the source of many fights, parties, and trouble within a fifty-mile radius of Kilgore. The Chief knew us by name, and he hated our guts. He was a good man though, just ran a tight ship, and didn’t want any little shits screwing with his city.

  “Old Dick here thought he could intimidate the suspect, Chief. Unfortunately, his temper got the best of him and he plowed him in the jaw. The dog was just protecting his owner.” Luke said wistfully from across the room.

  “Is that true, Wilson?” The Chief asked the uniformed officer.

  “Yes, sir.” He said solemnly.

  “Dick, get your shit and get out of my precinct. This is the last straw. You’re officially fired.” The chief barked.

  Dick didn’t get up though. He couldn’t. “Payton, darlin’, you need to tell Alpha to back off.” I informed her.

  “Heal.” Payton said calmly.

  Dick got to his feet unsteadily, and walked out of the room. Everyone collectively let out a breath once he breached the doorway and disappeared down the hallway. I gave Payton a reassuring squeeze and walked slowly to the Chief who regarded me with disdain.

  The Chief’s lip curled slightly, and I barely contained a laugh. “Tremaine. Follow me.”

  “Love you, Pet!” I called over my shoulder.

  “You bet your ass you do, Tremaine!” I heard her call.

  “Sweet girl.” The Chief observed.

  “The best.” I agreed.

  He looked at me thoughtfully. “You don’t deserve her.”

  Chapter 11

  A husband is someone who, after taking out the trash, gives the impression he just cleaned the whole house.

  -E-card

  Payton

  “He’s not going to make it.” I said.

  Cheyenne and Ember’s eyes held sympathy, and I knew that they didn’t think he would either. They tried to keep my spirits up, but I just couldn’t. Max has been in jail for four days now. One delay after another kept him there, and they were using the holidays as an excuse to keep him there. In the meantime, I’d missed my first Thanksgiving with him due to their bullshit. If I saw that chief in a dark alley, I would kick his ass.

  “He’ll be here.” Ember tried her best to assure me.

  “Fuck this. Alpha!” I yelled.

  Alpha jumped up from his place on my grandfather’s couch and trotted to me. I turned, grabbed my keys and purse, and stomped out of the house. The click of my cowboy boots noted my arrival to all of the men, but I didn’t spare them a glance. I walked right up to Max’s Blazer, allowed Alpha to jump in, hiked my dress up, and climbed in, using the steering wheel as a hand hold.

  I made a mental note to speak with Max about adding a step to his truck. The yard was wet due to it raining non-stop for the past miserable assed four days. I took off, weaving around the parked cars, and was just about to make it to the driveway when I found myself stuck in mud. I growled with impatience. The tires spun and spun, flinging mud up in rooster tails ten feet behind me. I snickered to myself when I saw people running out of the way, but tried one last time before finally deciding that I would need four-wheel drive to accomplish this.

  I threw open my door, hopped down and splashed in the puddle, which was now brown due to the truck tires stirring up the mud. I walked around to the front tires, clicked the hubs in place, and stomped back to the open door, hauled myself back inside, and threw the shifter down in to four wheel drive.

  The truck battled for traction, found it, and then I was off down the road, slinging mud and dirty water as I went. Mud was being flung off the tires onto the side of the truck, and I was glad that I didn’t have to wash this beast. I turned on the radio and was blasted with Garth Brooks singing about his friends in low places.

  I sang along to the song, and arrived at the police station within six minutes. I parked illegally in the front of the station, got Alpha and myself out of the truck, and stomped my way up the front steps. The woman who blushed like a virgin when Max spoke with her four days ago was working again. She saw me coming and her eyes widened.

  “C-can I help you, m-miss?” She asked uncertainly while eyeing my attire.

  I looked down and grimaced. My wedding dress that was white when I left my grandfather’s house was now stained with mud, but I didn’t give a shit. A week ago when I bought it, I thought it was the shit. It came to rest at just about knee level. It was fitted at the top, and resembled a large ballerina tutu at the bottom. Pure white with sparkling sequins at the top, it made me feel beautiful and pretty. Now it just enraged me that I was ready and Max wasn’t out to marry me.

  “Yes. You can take me to your chief.” I commanded.

  She picked up the phone and made a call. The chief arrived a few minutes later looking aggravated that he’d been interrupted. “What do you need, Mary?”

  The blushing virgin, Mary, nodded her head into my direction. “That would be me. I want my fiancé out, now. We’re getting married in fifteen minutes.”

  “I’m sorry, I can’t help you. He’s being questioned right now. He’ll be out as soon as he can get out. This is all up to the judge now.” The Chief said.

  I stared him down for a few seconds before saying, “Take me to him. Now.”

  We stared at each other for a few minutes before his mouth twitched, and he motioned for me to follow him. We walked through the maze of hallways before he opened a door that read ‘Questioning in Progress” and let me through it. I stopped short when I saw that the room he led me to had a one-way mirror.

  My gaze connected with Max’s form instantly. He was in a pair of jeans that fit him just right, and a black t-shirt. His face was sporting facial hair that would look god-awful in our wedding photos, but that was the least of my worries at the moment. He also looked to be sleeping. I smiled my first genuine smile in four days when I witnessed this. The man had an uncanny ability to sleep absolutely anywhere.

  “Tremaine.” The detective that was questioning him shouted.

  Max opened his eyes as if he was waking from a lazy afternoon nap. His eyes connected with the man questioning him, and he stared right through him. I shivered a little at the chill that emanated from him, and wrapped my arms around my middle.

  “What?” He asked softly.

  “Did you have sexual relations with this woman?” The detective asked.

  Max didn’t even glance down when he answered. “No.”

  “She was raped according to the autopsy. You were the last to be seen with her.” The detective explained.

  Max studie
d him. He studied the detective for so long that he actually started to shift in his seat uncomfortably. “She was raped before she even left New Mexico. I’ve already told you that we were going to help her, yet you refuse to acknowledge that fact. What other way do I have to explain it to penetrate that thick skull of yours?”

  The young detective started to lose some of his fine control. The Chief muttered “rookie” under his breath while shaking his head. I watched intently as Max leaned forward slowly and asked, “What is it that you have against me?”

  “I have nothing against you.” The detective visibly swallowed.

  “Damn, he’s good.” The Chief surmised.

  “So why is your pulse so high? Why are you clenching your fists under the table? Why are you so close to throwing up?” Max taunted.

  “I’m not close to throwing up.” The detective squeaked.

  “What’d she give you in exchange for you setting me up?” Max asked him.

  The detective blanched. “I-I don’t k-know what you’re talking about.”

  “Bingo.” The Chief said happily.

  “You knew he was going to figure this out?” I asked perplexed.

  “I knew the kid was up to something when he jumped to be on this case. He tried to get it from Richard, but I passed him over due to his inexperience. Max is hard headed; I knew he could get the confession out of him. I just needed this on tape.”

  We watched for a few more minutes before Max finally broke him. It was uncanny how all he had to do was speak to him, and the detective admitted to everything. According to the detective, a little over a week ago a woman approached him and asked for his help. She’d threatened the man’s sister, and he had a bad feeling about it. He knew she was serious, too. She made him wear a wire to work every day, and apparently monitored his conversations throughout the day.

  “You know, all you had to do was say something to somebody, and this would have been resolved. Now a young woman was brutalized and killed due to your stupidity.” Max said harshly.

  There was no sympathy in his voice what so ever.