Forever Chance (Five Points Book 2)

by CJ Murphy

  “Good thinking. Somedays, this job sucks. This is one of them.”

  “You did the right thing, Chance. We’ll be a better department, now that we aren’t dragging that anchor. I’ll start working on covering the courts, too.”

  “I wouldn’t know what to do without you, Taylor.”

  For the next hour, Chance documented the incident until she heard a ruckus. Loud voices followed by a crash brought Chance and Zeus out of her office into the lobby. She found Brad Waters being restrained by Carl, with Penny on the floor. Carl’s dog, Petra, stood in front of Brad nearly in attack mode.

  Chance dropped like a stone to her knees beside Penny. “What the hell is going on here? Penny, are you all right?”

  Penny lay on the floor, holding her abdomen. “I think so.”

  Chance hit the phone intercom. “Taylor, I need you in the reception area now.” She leaned down to Penny and looked up at her deputy. “Carl, you hold onto him until I tell you differently.” She could hear Taylor’s pounding footfalls coming down the hall. When she got to the front, Chance watched her go ghostly white at the scene. Midas immediately went on alert, seeing Zeus and Petra in a protective stance. All three dogs bared their teeth in Brad’s direction.

  Taylor dropped to her wife’s side. “Penny! Are you okay, honey? What the fuck happened?” Taylor looked up to Brad, who was being forcibly restrained by Carl. “What did you fucking do?” Taylor attempted to stand up until Chance put a hand on her.

  “Stay with Penny.” Chance stood and left Penny to Taylor’s care. She took three long strides toward a visibly nervous Brad. “What happened here? You’d better start explaining, or I’ll have you sitting in Huttonsville so fast, you’ll think we time warped. What did you do?”

  “I didn’t do anything. It was an accident. She got in my way. All I was trying to do was come back to your office. She blocked my path. When she wouldn’t move, I pushed past her. It wasn’t a hard push. She’s just being a good actress.”

  Chance turned just in time to catch Taylor by the shoulders of her vest.

  Taylor’s face was blood red, and spittle came out with each word. “You son of a bitch. You better pray my wife and baby aren’t hurt. If they are, even God can’t save you from what will happen to you.”

  “Go back to Penny and let me handle this. I promise you, I’ll take care of it. Penny and the baby need you. Check and see if she needs an ambulance.” Chance released Taylor and directed her back to Penny.

  Chance whirled on her former deputy. “Brad Waters, did you make physical contact with my office administrator?”

  “I was trying to get to your office. I didn’t push her that hard.”

  Chance stared him directly in the eyes. “Brad Waters, you’re under arrest for assault and battery, as well as intimidating an employee of the sheriff’s department. Read him his rights, Carl, and take him to the magistrate’s office. I’ll be there shortly with the criminal complaint. Cuff him.”

  Carl pulled the handcuffs off Brad’s belt and locked his own with them to form a larger set of restraints. He pulled one of Brad’s arms behind his back.

  “Get your fucking hands off me.” Brad wailed at Carl who stood nearly a foot taller. Petra put her ears back and stepped forward.

  Carl followed department procedure to the letter of the law. “Brad Waters, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you? With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me? Settle down and stop fighting me, or Petra will hold you in place. Do you understand?”

  “Every one of you will pay for this. Mark my words.” Brad continued to thrash.

  Carl leaned in close to the man he restrained. “Brad, I’m only going to tell you once. If you resist, I will have no choice but to tell Petra to subdue. If that were my wife on the floor, you’d be in a coma by now. Come peacefully, or I’ll make this public spectacle a great deal more embarrassing than this is likely to be.”

  Brad glared at Chance. “Dyke lovers, every one of you. Fucking dyke lovers. This whole place is a joke.”

  Chance pointed to the door. “Get him the hell out of here, Carl, now!”

  Carl turned Brad around and pushed him through the door and onto the sidewalk. When he was out of view, Chance came back to Penny’s side. “Penny, I want you to go get checked out, even if it’s just at the clinic. I’d prefer you go to Garrett, but I know you’re going to fight us. So, as your boss, don’t make me order you to go, please?”

  Taylor cradled Penny’s head in her lap. “Please, honey. Do it for our baby if you won’t do it for me. I won’t be able to stand worrying.”

  Penny reached up and cradled Taylor’s cheek. “For you, I’ll go. Cancel that ambulance or no deal. We’ll go over to the clinic. If they find something, I’ll go to Garrett. We’re okay— nothing more than a little shaken up.”

  Chance looked at Taylor and put her hand on her friend’s back. “I’ll take care of everything with Brad. You go with her and call me if you need anything.”

  They both helped Penny get up. Chance held onto her as Taylor grabbed her purse and jacket. They walked her out to Taylor’s cruiser and put her inside. Taylor turned to face Chance. “Whatever you can do, do it. She’s got bruises on her upper arms. He did more than push her. Rest assured, Penny will press charges. Nail his ass, Chance. I’ll call you as soon as I know anything. If she’s okay, I’ll bring her by the magistrate’s office as soon as possible.”

  “Okay, I’m going to call Jax and see if she is close to finishing. I know Penny would appreciate her being there with you.” Chance leaned in and pulled Taylor close. “They’re going to be okay. Hold it together for Penny. I’ll make sure he never wears a badge again.”

  Taylor nodded then got in the cruiser. As they drove away, Chance called Jax and filled her in. Jax was pissed and said she’d be right down to the health clinic. Back in her office, Chance gathered the paperwork she’d need and made a copy of the lobby video surveillance. Few people knew about it, and Chance rarely had reason to view the footage. Brad Waters was done. If the video showed it, he’d lose more than just his job.

  Twenty minutes later, she walked into the magistrate’s office where Brad Waters sat fuming. He might be pissed, but Chance could see how nervous he was. He had a tell; his leg bounced like there was a spring in his foot. She didn’t acknowledge him, as she made her way to the clerk with the paperwork and a CD copy of the confrontation in the office. Brad was saying something derogatory, though Chance didn’t bother to answer.

  A slight woman with gray at her temples met Chance at the desk. “Sheriff, what can I do for you?”

  “I need to see the magistrate on duty. Is he in?”

  “I heard him come in the back door a few minutes ago. Go on back to his office. I’ll let him know you’re here.”

  “Thank you, Nancy.” Chance made her way back to the door marked Dean Halsey. She was grateful not to have to deal with Lonny Reap, brother of the prosecutor. Even in his seventies, Dean wasn’t afraid to take on the tough cases. She knocked on the open door.

  “Come on in, Sheriff.”

  Chance greeted him, and then took a seat in the chair opposite his desk. She put a packet of papers in front of him. “I wish I were coming with something that wouldn’t stir up a hornet’s nest. I’m charging Brad Waters with assault and battery, and intimidation of a Tucker County Sheriff’s Department employee.”

  Dean’s eyes got wide as he read through the notes. “What the hell, Chance? I’ve known Brad for twenty years. There was no doubt he was bitter about losing the election, but this?”

  “I fired him this morning for insubordination and a few other things. He came storming back into the office. When my secretary tried to stop him, he grabbed her by both arms and threw her down.” She held up the CD.

  “Holy
Shit. You have that all on video?”

  “The assault and battery, yes. The things that happened in my office were witnessed by my chief deputy and are also on the CD. Penny Lewis is pregnant and on her way to the clinic to be evaluated.”

  “Let’s check out the footage.” He held his hand out and put the CD in the laptop. After watching the incident, he grabbed the paperwork. “I assume he’ll post bail?”

  “I don’t have a clue, and I don’t care. Brad’s no longer a member of my department. He broke the law. No professional courtesy, Dean. I’m sorry, but he put his hands on a pregnant woman. There are bruises on her arms. God help him if something happens to Penny’s baby.”

  Dean stood up and led Chance from his office. “Let’s go arraign him.”

  Chance’s cellphone rang with Taylor’s number on the display. She didn’t even bother with a greeting. “How is she?”

  “She’s spotting. We’re on our way to Garrett. Her obgyn is going to meet us there. All her vitals are strong, and the ultrasound doesn’t show anything wrong. It’s more of a precaution. I swear, Chance if something happens, I—”

  “They’re going to be all right, Taylor. You have to believe that. I’m about to hand Brad his ass. I’ll make my way to the hospital after I finish with this.”

  Chance stood at the counter signing papers, with Brad bellowing in the background. Petra and Zeus stood at attention, staring directly at Brad with an occasional, deep rumble growl.

  Brad was led to the counter where Carl uncuffed his right hand to allow him to sign paperwork. His left wrist was handcuffed to a pipe affixed to the surface, designed to hold prisoners in place. It took an hour for him to be charged and entered into the system. Once everything was official, Carl moved him into a holding area where he could make a call.

  Brad pointed a stubby finger at Chance. “This isn’t over. I’ll see you in court, and I’ll hand your ass to you. You won’t get away with this. I’ll sue you until you don’t have a dime to your name.”

  Chance walked over to the holding cell and stood with her hands on the bars. “You’d better hope Penny and that baby are all right, or you won’t see the outside of a jail cell for years. I promise you that. You’ve got one call; I’d make it a good one. If you don’t post bail, you’ll be spending the night at Huttonsville.”

  Brad surged forward. “You can’t do that! I’ll be in danger as a police officer in there.”

  Chance narrowed her eyes. “Former police officer.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “Not if you were the last human being on earth, and I was desperate for the human race to continue.” She stepped even closer to the bars of the cell. “You say what you want about me. Think what you want about me. The minute you put your hands on Penny, you went over the line.”

  Brad sneered. “It’s my word against hers. Who do you think they’re going to believe? You’re expecting them to believe the word of a glorified secretary over a twenty-plus year law enforcement officer? Not likely.”

  “I think they’re going to believe the video evidence.” Chance let a thin smile cross her lips, as she watched Brad’s jaw drop. “Oh, did I forget to mention the reception area has two cameras that record everything? Must have slipped my mind. You apparently missed that little sign on the door. It’s all in the details, Brad. I’m pretty sure it’s you who’s going to get your ass handed to them. Count on it.”

  Chance turned and strode out of the magistrate center and holding area. She pulled out her phone. The minute she heard Jax speak, her mind settled. “How is she?”

  “She’s stable. They have her on a fetal monitor and the heartbeat is strong. The doctor thinks she’ll be fine but has her on bed rest for a week. What in the hell did Brad think he was doing?”

  Chance rubbed her eyes as she and Zeus got into the Suburban. “Brad’s been arrested and arraigned. After that, I couldn’t give two shits about what happens to him. He’s in a hell of his own making, and it’s not up to me to dig him out. Are they keeping Penny tonight?”

  “Yes, they want to monitor her and the baby overnight. I already called Kendra and Maggie to tell them dinner was off. Are you coming over?”

  Chance buckled her seatbelt. “Thanks for that. I completely forgot about them. I’m on my way. Unless I miss my guess, Taylor is going to stay with her. I’ll be there in about an hour, and I’ll bring Midas home to stay with us for the night. I need to ask Randy to take care of the horses. Thanks for being with them, Jax. I’m sure Taylor and Penny appreciate it.”

  “I can’t do much beyond offering a hand to hold, or another set of ears to hear what the doctor is saying. I wouldn’t be anywhere else. Drive carefully, babe. I’ll see you in a bit.”

  “You’re doing more than you’ll ever know. I love you.” Chance disconnected the call and got on the road.

  Chapter Six

  A FEW MINUTES PAST four in the afternoon, Jax paced the waiting area in the emergency room. She was waiting for Taylor to come and get her, or for Chance to arrive. The phone call from Chance explaining what had happened to Penny incensed her. How could he have thought that was okay? On her next turn, she came face to face with someone she recognized.

  Dr. Faith Riker approached. “Jax, what are you doing here? Is Chance okay?”

  Jax braced herself and looked directly at Chance’s ex, who was determined to get her former lover back. “Faith. Chance is fine. Penny and Taylor are back in the exam room meeting with their obgyn.”

  Faith crossed her arms. “Is Penny okay?”

  “She and the baby seem to be. I don’t have much information.”

  “And you probably wouldn’t reveal it to me anyway.”

  Jax bit the side of her cheek to slow her response. “Probably not. That’s Penny and Taylor’s personal information. I’m here as moral support.”

  “And standing in for Chance, unless I miss my guess. Sooner or later, you’ll figure out you’re nothing more than a part of Chance’s routine. One more obligation, like her job or volunteer work.” Faith crossed her arms over her chest in a defiant stance.

  “Faith, I’m not here to get into a pissing match with you.” Jax held up her hand and pointed to the ring. “Nothing you say to me will ever change my mind about spending my life with her exactly as she is. Over thirty years ago, I walked away, looking for something I didn’t realize I’d already found. I was a fool, and I’ve spent my time in hell paying for it. I won’t make that mistake again. Your former relationship with Chance has no bearing on our current one. Your mistakes aren’t mine, and mine aren’t yours.”

  “All that might be true, but Chance is still who she’s always been. A woman haunted by losing her father and always seeking the next natural high. Settling down might be fun for a while, but she’ll get bored and start looking for that next rush. When that happens, I’ll be right on your heels. I’m not done with Chance.”

  Jax shook her head. She had to give it to Faith for her persistence. “Did I miss something? I thought you were already married to Theresa. That probably puts a real crimp in your plan to get Chance back, doesn’t it? Did your wife ever mean anything to you, or did you just use her to get back at Chance? How can you be so cruel to someone you professed to love so much you married her? Do you even care how badly you’re hurting someone who doesn’t deserve any of this? What you’re doing to Theresa is beyond cruel and completely demoralizing.”

  Faith interrupted her. “My relationship with Theresa is none of your business.”

  “You’re absolutely right, and neither is my commitment with Chance any concern of yours. I feel sorry for you. You’re burning your life down around you and pouring gasoline on by the gallon.”

  Faith looked like a warrior ready for battle. “I love Chance, and I’m not giving up. We will be together.” She spun around at the sound of a choking sob.

  “Nice to know I don’t factor into that decision at all.” Theresa stood behind Faith with a bouquet in her hand, tears streaming down her face.
“At least I know where I stand. I’m done fighting for something that obviously doesn’t mean a damn to you. I don’t have a clue who you are anymore, certainly not the woman I married.”

  Faith reached out to grab her wife. “Theresa, wait!”

  Theresa shook off her hand. “Nothing to wait for. You made yourself perfectly clear. You have no intention of spending your life with me. God, what a fool I’ve been.” Theresa looked at the roses in her hand then jammed them into the trash receptacle as she walked out the door, right past Chance.

  Faith tried again. “Theresa!” Theresa never turned around.

  Chance approached Jax and took her hand. “Faith, what was that?”

  Faith said nothing. She looked at Jax before she turned and walked through the doors to the treatment area, leaving the two stunned women behind.

  Jax leaned into Chance’s chest and put her arms around her fiancée. “My heart is breaking for Theresa. I’ve been in her shoes. Nothing hurts worse than to know the person you gave your heart to doesn’t feel the same.”

  “I’m sorry she’s dragging you into this mess.”

  Jax pulled back and looked into Chance’s eyes. “Honey, we’re in this together, no matter what happens or who tries to step in our way. None of this is your fault. I feel so sorry for Theresa. She walked in on Faith professing her determination to get you back. I’m starting to really worry about her obsession with you.”

  Chance pulled her close. “I think you’re in a unique position to talk to Theresa. You’ve been in her shoes.”

  “I’m not the only one. You’ve had someone cheat on you. I’m sure you have some wisdom you could share with her.” Jax caressed Chance’s jaw.

  “Talking to me is like pouring salt in a wound. Nothing I say will make this any better. Theresa’s lost in this storm. She needs someone who can show her she will come out on the other side of the pain. You’re in a better position to do that. Why don’t you go see if she’s still outside?”