“Red!” He yells, raising his arms in the air. “I’m back, baby!” He says in a joking tone and I watch as she rolls her eyes in his direction. About eight guys follow him in, all looking a bit menacing and intimidating. The mom again tries to rush her son and this time he throws a fit, wailing in frustration.
“Hey! Shut that kid up!” The leader yells and all of the other men laugh like it was the funniest joke in the world. The mother looks absolutely horrified as she scrambles to throw some money on the table and rush from her booth.
“Caleb, don’t yell at the baby!” Roxanne sneers at the leader and I make a mental note of his name; Caleb.
“Well, if Josie would just invite me over while Gabe is at work, I could teach that boy some manners,” says Caleb while glancing in the mother’s direction before puckering his lips. The disgust is apparent on her face is saddening.
“Go ahead, Josie! I’ll get it later,” Roxanne waves her on as she tries to escape the humiliation, the entire crew laughing and watching her scramble out of the door.
Following her with my eyes, I see the door open before she gets there, though I can’t see who is outside holding it for her. She looks happy and relieved to see whoever it is, so I assume that’s a good thing. Once she finally makes her way out I stare waiting to see who walks through.
Chapter Five
JESSIE
A gasp escapes me when Daryl strolls through the doorway, wearing a clean white t-shirt, denim jeans and a black baseball cap turned backwards. My knees press together as he strolls through clenching his jaw. He really is handsome, I think to myself.
“Hey Daryl!” Calls out one of the older men with his back to me. Daryl stops, sliding into the booth beside him so I can no longer see his face, but if the older man sitting across from them is any indication, they’re having a good conversation. I watch them all laugh and joke before Daryl finally gets up, tapping the man’s shoulder before glancing around the diner, his eyes landing on me, as I pretend to be busy with my now lukewarm breakfast.
Drinking my coffee, I can see him walking towards me, when a small figure cuts in front of him. Glancing up, I watch as Daryl lifts a boy about three years old into the air as he squeals with delight, his red hair shining in the sunlight peering through the windows.
“You’re getting heavy,” Daryl teases, before putting him back on the ground. Roxanne comes from around the bar and the little boy runs behind her leg as she blushes at Daryl. I realize the little one must be her son, because I didn’t see him come in with anyone else.
“Did you say hi to Daryl?” She speaks gently to the young boy as he smiles up to her.
“Yeah, he said hi, didn’t you buddy?” Daryl ruffles the boy’s hair before glancing up to me, catching me gawking like a complete creep.
“Leave that little rascal alone, Daryl. He might be your nephew,” the vile man I’ve learned is named Caleb calls out and his leather-clad chorus all laugh in unison.
The smile vanishes from Daryl’s face, and he says something quietly to Roxanne before turning to face Caleb, who is now yelling at the younger couple sharing the bar seats.
“You see the Marauders are here; make some room!” He yells, throwing his hand in the air to emphasize the need for urgency.
“They were here first,” a woman at a booth says a little too loudly and all the men in leather turn to face her as Caleb stands from his chair.
“Look at this…” He glances over his shoulder to his crew, who are all smiling in anticipation of his antics. Daryl is facing the bar, seemingly oblivious to the man’s show. “Of course your fat ass has something to say,” he snarls before slowly sliding her plate of food across the table, stepping back so that it falls just at his feet. “Oops,” he raises his hands, feigning innocence and heads back to his bar stool.
The woman looks on horrified as the men all swivel in their seats, now facing the bar again. Roxanne comes around and picks up the food before returning to the kitchen, shooting Caleb and his friends a dirty look on her way.
“Do I need to repeat myself?” Caleb yells down to the couple, who are still eating their meal and then adds, “Or do you want to eat off the floor too?” He stands, and I feel myself heating up watching the two teenagers cower in fear.
“That’s enough.” My voice is stern and authoritative, I feel like I’m back on the force, the adrenaline rushing through me as I stand from my booth. Daryl spins around as I move closer to the rowdy group.
“Oh, are you here to save everyone?” Caleb asks in a mocking tone, before grimacing as he steps forward.
“Everyone was having a good time before you got here. There’s plenty of room for all of us, but you seem hell bent on being nasty. Cut it out. Order your food, let others enjoy their space, and go on about your business,” My arms are crossed now, my frustration rising for this obnoxious man. I can’t believe Daryl is friends with someone like this.
He must be reading my thoughts because he speaks up for me, “Drop it, Caleb,” he says softly in a suggestive tone instead of insisting.
“Yeah, she’s new here,” Roxanne chimes in from behind the counter and I glance over at her soft eyes urging me to back down, but I’m not having it.
“Oh, so you need to learn the lay of the land,” Caleb smiles, flashing his yellow stained teeth. Taking two steps towards me, he rubs his hands together.
“I don’t need to know anything,” I raise my chin while widening my stance in preparation. I’m not sure what he plans to do, but I want to be ready when it happens.
“Little lady, you definitely need to learn some respect for the Marauders, and if I’ve got to be the one to teach you, then so be it,” he whispers the last words close to my face, his breath wreaking of cigarette smoke. Before I can respond, he wraps his rough fingers around my bicep and I feel my heart begin to race.
Jamie always told me to never let an adversary get a leg up on you physically. If they try touching you in any form, you have to set the boundaries hard and swift. This is a test by Caleb; he wants to see how far he can push me and I’m already at my breaking point. He’s disrespected everyone in this diner, including me, and if anyone needs to learn a lesson it’s him.
“You’ve got three seconds to let go of my arm,” I warn him calmly, and this seems to amuse him. He looks over to his minions, who all seem shocked and if I’m reading them right, a little worried.
“Caleb, seriously,” Daryl stands now, patting the man on the shoulder, but he shrugs him off and turns to me.
“Or what?” He asks while squeezing my arm tighter. He’s speaking so aggressively I feel his breath and sprinkles of his saliva on my cheek.
“That’s three!” I yell, while twisting my body to place my foot behind his leg, which disrupts his balance, causing him to release his grip. Grabbing his arm, I push him forward, his chest slamming into the bar counter as I fold his arm behind him.
“Whoa!” The leather-clad group all jump at once, raising their hands in surrender.
“Who the fuck is she?” I hear one whisper to another.
“Don’t ever put your hands on me again. Do you understand?” I ask Caleb while the entire diner watches in disbelief. When he doesn’t respond, I twist his arm further.
“Yes!” He growls after shrieking from the pain.
“Good,” I nod as I twist his arm one last time before letting him up.
Taking a step back, I prepare myself for his retaliation, but after a tense stare down, he shakes his head roughly before looking over to Daryl and then the rest of his crew.
“Let’s get out of here,” he grumbles, and they all follow behind him shocked.
Daryl is the last to leave, and he shoots me an apologetic look as Caleb screams for him to follow. I don’t have much time to analyze Daryl’s response, because as soon as the Marauders make their departure, the diner erupts in applause. Shocked, I look around with reddened cheeks as the patrons sm
ile back at me.
“Don’t you worry about lunch. It’s on the house,” Roxanne says over my shoulder.
When I decided to stand up to Caleb I had no idea it would draw so much attention. Maybe I should have, but I was just upset about how he was treating everyone and determined to do something about it. Who the hell does he think he is to behave that way?
After making my way out of Donna’s Diner I decide to head to the Sherriff station, hoping the boys can give me some insight into just who this Caleb character is. Thankfully, they’re all in the office when I arrive, crowded around Earl’s desk drinking coffee.
“Oh, you’re indulging in the caffeine today?” I joke to Cole and he furrows his brows together.
“This is green tea, it helps with digestion,” he informs me in a snarky tone.
“Ahh,” I smirk before greeting both Earl and Jed.
“What’s going on, partner?” Earl asks as I settle into an empty chair.
“I was just over at Donna’s Diner,” I begin.
“Oh, I love Donna’s,” Jed says while rubbing his big belly.
“Oh, it was delicious,” I close my eyes slowly, remembering how delicious the buttermilk pancakes were before continuing, “But it was ruined by this commotion when a group of guys showed up on motorcycles.”
“The Marauders,” Cole rolls his eyes and sips his tea.
“Yeah! That was their name, and the leader… Ummm,” I stutter as I try to recall the man’s name.
“Caleb,” they all say in unison.
“Yes! He was just down right rude to everyone in the diner,” I recall the story and they listen intrigued until I get to the part where I slammed him into the table.
“You did what?” Jed blurts out, choking on his coffee.
“Someone had to say something,” I shrug.
“We never get to see him as he is to everyone when we’re not around. He’s a nut, but he knows who he can disrespect,” Cole explains.
“He’s just a petty criminal. The Marauders are annoying, but they don’t cause any real trouble. Basically, he avoids us and no one files any reports on him for the regular nonsense you witnessed today. I’m glad he didn’t know you were with us though,” Earl smirks.
“That’s a hell of an introduction to the newest deputy,” Cole raises his hand and I slap him with a high-five.
“Captain actually has a meeting scheduled for your first day tomorrow. I think there’s some new info on the club, and he’s got a little intel,” Jed shares.
“That’ll be interesting,” I say while contemplating whether or not I want to ask about Daryl.
Could he possibly be a part of their motorcycle crew? In some ways I’d rather not know, but I’m definitely curious. Mrs. Parker said he’s a good guy, but Caleb is anything but, and if they hang together there must be something they have in common. There’s something about Daryl, and maybe the way he looks at me, that makes me unsure of what to expect from him. The last thing I would want is for the guys to think I’m interested in him, or even worse, for me and Daryl to later become friends and this inquiry being a strange beginning to our friendship. No, I’ll hold back on questions about him. Caleb’s backstory is enough for now.
After leaving the Sherriff station I head to my new home. It’s even more quaint in person. Mr. and Mrs. Parker have taken great care of it over the years. When I first talked to Mrs. Rose she told me how it was their first family home. After outgrowing the small house, they moved to their current place, but never wanted to get rid of it, so they chose to rent it out instead.
It’s a small home painted a pale shade of yellow with a bright red door. It definitely won’t be hard for me to find it when maneuvering through the new town. Walking inside, I first notice the large bookshelf in the living room. It looks sturdy and well built, much different than the Ikea shelves I got for my first apartment, the ones Michael made me throw away when we moved in together because they looked too cheap.
There’s a large television in the living room and a comfortable looking black sofa. Flopping down onto the large cushions, I decide it passes my comfort test and go on to the next room. Mrs. Rose has set the kitchen up perfectly. Looking through the drawers I see everything I could possibly need to cook a large feast tonight.
The bedroom is upstairs and mostly white with light gray accents. It looks refreshing and clean, and I can’t help but think of my fresh start when I look around at the blank walls. I can hang anything here, there’s space for whatever I want, just like my life at this point. I get to choose what goes where and why, the freedom and possibilities excite me.
Tomorrow I’ll be able to get my things from the repair shop, and maybe I’ll talk to Daryl while I’m there. When I dropped the Jeep off he looked to be the only person working so it’s likely he’ll be the one to help me. I bet he’ll have something to say about the incident at Donna’s Diner today. He looked embarrassed for Caleb, or maybe embarrassed he was with him.
If he’s such a soft spoken person he might have a difficult time standing up for himself and that would be such a turn off. The last thing I want is to become friends with a man that follows behind such a disgusting person as Caleb. If I ever get the opportunity, I’m going to tell Daryl just that. If he’s smart enough to build a motorcycle from spare parts, he’s smart enough to know that Caleb is the wrong type of person to hang around.
These thoughts stick with me for the rest of the night as I make myself a sandwich from the few groceries Mrs. Rose has stocked for me. She is such a thoughtful landlord, and I make a quick note to send her a gift of gratitude for all she’s done. After my light dinner I enjoy a long bath in the deep soaker tub that sold me on the home when Captain McCall first directed me to the online listing.
Being alone used to scare me; it’s the silence of it. But tonight there’s something serene about being able to think without worrying if my silence is making anyone else uncomfortable. There’s a bit of selfish appreciation for the freedom to only worry about me; it’s such a new and welcomed feeling to pay attention to myself first after years of shaping my life around Michael’s.
Laying in my new bed for my first night in my new home, I feel very optimistic about my first day on the job tomorrow. Everything seems to be shaping up and I’m eager to watch it all play out. I’m embarrassed to admit how much I think of Daryl, and our impending interaction tomorrow, but I figure it’s better to be over prepared than caught off guard.
Chapter Six
JESSIE
“Can I help you?” Asks a heavyset older woman with silver hair as the door to the repair shop office jingles behind me.
“Oh, I… Umm… I was… Uh… Is Daryl here?” I stumble through my words, completely caught off guard by the sight of the older woman, but even more shocked from the absence of Daryl.
“Oh, Daryl doesn’t wake up this early, darling,” she giggles.
“I see,” I smile before telling her all about my situation. “I dropped off a red Jeep Wrangler a couple of days back and left my things in the storage room. I was hoping to get them both today if the Jeep is ready.”
“Oh yes, the Wrangler; it’s ready!” She flashes a smile in my direction before flipping through a large notebook and making a few markings.
After settling my tab, I’m given my keys as well as access to the storage room. It’s much more difficult to reload the Jeep on my own, but I can’t stand to let the older woman lift anything so I manage without her help. I find myself looking over my shoulder whenever I hear a loud noise, but Daryl never shows up, so I make my way to the Sherriff station instead.
My uniform is waiting for me, and I’m quite impressed with myself when I’m fully dressed. Unlike the black uniforms from the LAPD, Danville uses the cliché light brown deputy uniform. Staring at my reflection in the full length mirror of the locker room, I practice making stern faces until I hear my co-workers talking out in the office. Making my way out, I
hold my arms out before spinning, as they all applaud my transformation.
“You look right at home!” Earl cheers me on and we all laugh before congregating around the coffee machine.
The Captain comes in just as I’m stirring the sugar and cream into my coffee, and he immediately calls us into his office. It’s strange to be on such a small team, but I guess it allows for informal meetings like these. We’re in the Captain’s office before he’s even settled in and Jed, Cole and Earl all look pretty comfortable like this happens regularly.
In my two years on the force in LA I never once sat in my captain’s office with co-workers. The captain’s office was the principal’s office to me, somewhere I didn’t want to be. Here it appears to be much different, the captain is our teammate, and they all seemed to get along great.
“How was the evening shift?” Captain McCall asks as he adjusts in his seat, and Jed rattles off a summary without missing a beat.
“A few calls, sir, but no incident reports were filed. Mrs. Ladie had a fall, but the fire department arrived with us and they handled it. Other than that, we had three calls about the light outage on Lincoln Rd. and that was about it. Oh! And Lucille Gray complained about the noise at Blue’s Bar, but when I told her she would have to make a formal complaint she said it wasn’t that big of a deal.” Jed finishes and sips from his mug.
“Sounds good. You see, Jessie, your days and evenings won’t be as exciting as LA, but you’ll know everyone in the city by name,” Captain smiles and I nod in agreement.
It’s unbelievable to think that there was a night, or even an hour, without any reports at all in the entire city. Danville is small, but over fifteen thousand people live here; that’s more than enough for a little drama. This must be one of the safest places in the country to only need four deputies.
Southern Riders (Scars Book 1) Page 4
