“Billy!” Daniella pleaded.
“Daniella, damn it…” he said. “Let me finish, would ya?”
Jett put his arm around her as Billy continued. “I have to arrest you but I am willing to listen to whatever it is you want to tell me.” He said. “In exchange, you have to promise me neither one of you will breathe a word about what happened the day I arrested Jett. Got it?”
“But how do we know that you will do anything with the information we provide or if you will even believe us at all?” Jett asked. “You’ve already lied before. Why should we trust you now?”
“Because I told you so.” He replied. “Look, you don’t have a lot of options at this point so if I were you, I’d shut up!”
“I should have waited until you woke up that day and beat your ass myself!” Jett fired back.
“Well, I’m right here!” Billy said. “Why don’t you…”
“Stop!” Daniella said with a loud whisper. “The both of you. Jesus! You both want the same thing… Kane.”
“Who the hell is Kane?” Billy asked.
“He’s the one responsible for Wyatt’s death.” Daniella said. “He’s the whole reason we’re even way out here in the middle of nowhere. And this poor man you shot is the only chance we have of getting to him. If he dies, everything is ruined!”
For several seconds, the three of them stood in silence over an unconscious Owen.
Billy rubbed his face with his hands and exhaled. “Daniella,” Billy began. “Look, we aren’t going to get to the bottom of anything out here. Even though you may not trust me right now, I promise, I’ll agree to take the lie detector test if I don’t give you every opportunity to explain your side of things.”
“But you’ll fail the test, Billy.” Daniella replied. “Because you did lie.”
“Exactly, that’s my point.” He said. “I am telling you that I will investigate your side of things but in exchange, I must take you into custody. I cannot let you leave here so you can run off seeking vigilante justice against this Kane guy, or anyone for that matter.”
“Well, can we at least go to the hospital?” Jett asked. “Like Daniella said… If Owen doesn’t pull through…”
“No,” he interrupted. “Not right away, anyway. You’ll have to be booked and processed first. After that, I will take you to the hospital but you will be under the supervision of either me or my deputies the entire time.”
“The dogs…” Daniella said. “Max and Amigo… What will happen them?”
“They’ll be fine.” Billy said. “I’ll make sure they are taken care of.”
As he finished speaking, he extended his hand towards Jett. “Now, do we have a deal?” He said.
Jett paused for a moment and narrowed his gaze at Billy. Finally, he extended his hand and said, “Fine.”
As Billy took it, he produced a set of handcuffs and slapped one of them on Jett’s left wrist. Within the hour, they were on their way to jail back in Pine Hill under a full police escort while Owen began a fight for his life.
***
As they drove, Daniella and Jett sat in the back seat of Billy’s patrol car.
“Alright,” Billy said. “Let’s start at the beginning. That man that we shot, Owen Carmichael, I am assuming that you know all about whatever happened there. Is that true?”
“Yes,” Jett replied. “We do.”
“So before the Chief of Police laughs me out of his office and kicks me off the force, would you mind explaining it?”
In the simplest terms possible, Jett spent the next fifteen minutes or so trying to convince Billy to believe what sounded like little more than a fantasy. Unfortunately, it didn’t have the desired effect. Almost as soon as Jett finished his explanation, Billy shook his head in disbelief.
“Okay,” Billy began. “So what you’re telling me, Jett, is that your brother is dead because you are the orphaned son of the leader of a clan of bear people.”
“Uh, Billy!” Daniella exclaimed. “You saw with your own two eyes what happened to Owen. How can you sit there and say that? Everything Jett says is true!”
“You know what Daniella?” He said. “Maybe I imagined it or it was some kind of trick or something. I don’t know. What I do know is that it’s not possible for a person to turn into a bear.”
No sooner did Billy finish his sentence when a huge paw slapped against the plexiglass divider. Daniella glanced over at Jett to see his entire right arm had changed.
“What the fuck!” Billy yelled. He looked back at Jett and then swiveled his head back towards the road in front of him. The vehicle swerved on the street as Billy fought to keep it under control.
“Now, do you believe me?” Jett asked. His arm changed back as he leaned into the seat.
Billy shook his head and remained silent for several moments. At last he spoke and said, “Alright, alright…”
“Sorry I had to do that, man.” Jett replied. “I know it sounds insane, trust me. I only recently discovered all of this about myself.”
“So you haven’t always been like… this?” Billy asked.
“Not that I knew. That’s why we were at Owen’s cabin.” Jett replied. “He’s helped me to learn how to control that part of myself.”
“You can do it at will now?”
“No,” Jett replied. “That’s what he worked with me on. Without that ability…” he said as his voice trailed off.
“What?” Billy asked.
“It’s a long story.” Jett replied. “For now, we have to hope that Owen pulls through.”
As he finished his thought, Daniella glanced at Jett. He had a faraway look in his eyes as he stared out the back seat window. She reached over and took his hand in hers.
“No, I get it…” Billy began. “I mean, shit, I have no idea what to think about any of this.” He gripped the steering wheel, looked to his right and said, “Hold on…”
All of a sudden, Billy slowed the vehicle to the side of the road. As he parked, the other officers pulled up behind him and stopped as well.
“I’ll be right back.” He said as he exited the patrol car.
“Wonder what’s going on?” Daniella asked.
Jett shrugged as he turned and looked out of the back of the vehicle. Billy leaned against the cruiser behind them and talked to the office driving it.
“Poor Owen,” Daniella sighed. “I’m so worried about him.”
Jett nodded and took her hand in his. “I know,” he replied, “but try not to think about it too much right now.”
“You’re right.” she said. “I can’t help it.”
As they talked, Billy walked past them and around to the front of the vehicle. It looked as if he was on a phone call. Over the next ten minutes or so, he made a number of calls and then walked back towards the car.
“Okay,” he said as he climbed inside of the vehicle. “Slight change of plans…”
“What?” Daniella said.
“The old man, he’s…” Billy began.
“Oh no!” Daniella interrupted. “No, no, no!”
“Daniella!” Billy replied. “Calm down. He’s fine. In fact, they’ve managed to stabilize him. He’s conscious and asking for Jett.”
“That is such good news…” Daniella groaned.
“Yeah, it is,” Billy said as he started the engine. “I’ve got a few questions of my own for the old guy.”
As they pulled back onto the road, Jett said, “So does this mean we are going straight to the hospital instead of the police station?”
“That is does…” Billy replied.
***
They arrived at the hospital about fifteen minutes later. After learning the location of Owen’s room, the three of them and a couple of additional officers headed towards it. When they arrived at the floor, a nurse greeted them as soon as they entered.
“Are you here for the shooting victim?” She asked.
“Yes,” Billy replied. “I understand he is conscious, is that true?”
/> “Hmm, in and out of it I’m afraid.” She replied. “Come with me, Dr. Reynolds will explain the situation to you.”
As they entered the room, a middle aged man approached them.
“Hello,” he said as he looked at them over a pair of gold rimmed glasses. “Is anyone here a relative of this man?”
“No,” Jett said. “He has no family that I know of. We’re very good friends of his though.”
“I see,” the man replied. “Well, the good news is that he’s alive. It’s pretty incredible when you consider how close the range of the entry wounds were. Remarkable really…” The man’s voice trailed off as he looked back over his shoulder in Owen’s direction.
“Excuse me, sir?” Daniella replied. “You gave us the good news. I’m almost afraid to ask but is there bad news as well?”
“Oh, forgive me, I forgot to introduce myself.” He replied. “I’m Dr. Alan Reynolds and over there are Nurses Madison and Weems. The bad news, I’m afraid, is he sustained a significant head trauma which resulted in brain swelling. We’ll have to keep a close watch on it.”
“Doctor?” Billy interjected. “Do you have a moment? I need to ask you a few questions about your findings as it relates to the gunshot wounds.”
“Yes, of course.” He replied. “Talk in the hallway?” He said as he gestured towards the door. Billy nodded and followed him out with the other two officers in tow.
As the door closed behind them, Daniella looked at Owen clearly for the first time. He seemed so frail and helpless with all the tubes and wires connected to him. Her eyes began to fill up with tears as she looked at him. She’d really come to love the gruff old bastard.
“You okay?” Jett asked.
“Yeah,” she replied. “It’s just sad.”
“I know,” he replied. “Come on.”
They walked over and stood nearby as the nurses finished their tasks. As they turned to leave, Nurse Weems stopped and said, “If he should wake up, try to keep him as calm as possible. He’s a long way from being better as I’m sure Dr. Reynolds told you.”
“Okay,” Daniella replied. “We’ll be careful.”
The nurses left and for several minutes, they stood quietly beside his bed. From behind, they heard the door to the room open.
“Jett!” A woman’s voice said.
They turned around to see Jett’s mother and father enter the room.
Jo rushed toward her son and hugged him followed by David. They then both hugged Daniella as well.
“Mom,” Jett said. “What are you doing here? I thought you were in jail.”
“Well… I wouldn’t go that far,” his father said. “They had us in there for questioning. Hard to say if they would have made something stick sooner or later. Anyway, Office Holder had an apparent change of heart. He said the police needed us here to verify the story you’d told them and to identify Owen.”
As David spoke, Jo leaned over Owen.
“My God, David, how long has it been?” She said as she covered her mouth.
“Hmm,” he replied. “Twenty-five, thirty years…”
“Doesn’t seem like it.” She said.
“Yes, seems like only yesterday when we left Fesser’s Grove.” He exhaled. David turned his attention to Jett and said, “Son, how was your time with Owen?”
For the next several minutes, Jett recounted his adventures with Owen at his cabin. As Daniella listened, she watched the reactions of Jett’s parents. The fact that he was able to finally experience the gifts of his birthright thrilled them. But at the same time she detected a sense of melancholy in their faces. As Jett finished, his mother leaned into his father and started to weep.
“Mom,” Jett said. “What’s wrong?”
Overcome, it was clear that Jo couldn’t respond. David stepped in for her instead.
“We always knew the day would come when you’d have to learn about your heritage.” He said. “Of course, we never imagined circumstances like this. Obviously, you know the identities of your real parents now.”
Jett nodded. “Yes, I do.” He replied. “Jo and David Conrad.”
Jo lifted her head from David’s chest. “Jett, your parents, they…”
“Yes, Mom,” Jett said. “I know all about the man and woman who conceived me. I am grateful for the fact that they gave me life but make no mistake. You are my parents. That will never change.”
Jo’s puffy red eyes filled with tears once more as she threw her arms around Jett and kissed him. After a moment, David joined in and the three of them held one another close for several seconds.
David looked at Jett and said, “We were lucky to have such a good friend in Owen. The world is a far better place with men like him in it.”
They smiled and looked at one another for several seconds when all of a sudden a scratchy, throaty voice said, “I should hope so. I don’t imagine I would enjoy a world without me in it either…”
“Owen!” Daniella shrieked as moved towards him.
“Daniella,” Jett replied. “Remember what the doctor told us? No excitement.”
“Ahh, doctors,” Owen said with a dismissive wave of his right hand. “They don’t know shit from apple butter. I’ll be out of here in no time.”
“Same old Owen,” Jo replied. “Stubborn as ever.”
“Indeed,” he replied with a wink. “And I see you are as lovely as the last time I saw you.” Owen looked at David and said, “And you, you old man, how did you manage to hang onto her all these years?”
“Good lovin’,” David said with a sly smile. “It makes up for a lot. Not everything, but a lot.”
“That it does.” Owen said with a nod.
“How are you my old friend?” David asked.
“Been better…” he said as he winced.
“Oh,” Jo replied as she touched Owen’s arm. “Please try to take it easy.”
Owen coughed for several seconds and then rolled his head in Jo’s direction. “Now, you know me better than that.”
She smiled at him as he spoke.
“Say,” Owen continued. “I was, um, real sorry to hear about your boy, Wyatt. I’m sure he was a fine young man if Jett here is any indication of the way you raised him.”
Jett chuckled. “Owen,” he began. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you just gave me a compliment.”
“Not you, boy,” Owen said as he coughed again. “Your folks. I’m sure they had their hands full with the likes of you. And I’ve only known you for a little more than a week. I can’t imagine twenty plus years of your shenanigans.”
***
Just then, Billy poked his head in the door.
“Daniella,” he said. “Need you out here for a second…”
“Okay,” she replied as she turned and hugged Owen. “See you in a bit.”
He smiled at her and a few moments later she exited the room. As she walked out, she noticed Dr. Reynolds and the two nurses who were in Owen’s room earlier. They appeared to be involved in a discussion of some kind.
“What did you need Billy?” She asked as she approached the policeman.
“Oh,” he began. “You, um, have visitors.”
“I do?” She asked as she looked around the room. Other than Billy and the two other officers, she didn’t see anyone. “Who? Where are they?”
“Yep, they’ll be here any second,” he replied as he looked at his wristwatch. “My guess is in five… four… three… two…”
Daniella wrinkled her brow in confusion but as the countdown neared its end, the doors to the waiting room swung open and through them walked her mother and her best friend.
“Mom? Tricia?” Daniella said as the women entered the waiting room. “What are you… How did you know I was here?”
As they rushed over to embrace her, Billy said, “I called them. Sorry I just figured you could use a little support.”
“Yes, honey.” Her mother said. “Billy told us that you are here with a friend of yours and…”
/> Just then, Jett emerged from the Owen’s room. As soon as he saw the women, he stopped dead in his tracks. Marilyn and Tricia looked at him in complete shock.
“You!” Daniella’s mother exclaimed as looked at him with a mix of disgust and surprise. “Do you have any idea the havoc you’ve wreaked in my daughter’s life?!” She screamed.
Tricia completely lost it. She lifted her purse and took off straight towards him but just as she neared him, Billy intervened and stopped her.
“Billy!” Tricia yelled as she struggled to break free from him. “What are you… doing? He’s the bad guy here, remember?”
“No!” Billy replied. “Stop! I… I don’t think he is. In fact, I don’t think he’s guilty of anything except being born into a bad situation.”
Over the next several seconds, she relaxed until her body went limp in his arms.
“What?” She said.
Daniella’s mom looked at him in confusion. “So, are you saying that he’s not a suspect in all of this after all?”
Billy released his hold on Tricia and turned towards Marilyn. “Well, sort of… I mean… things are a bit murky right now.” He replied. “New evidence has come to light that made me reconsider.”
“What new evidence?” Tricia said.
“I really can’t discuss it with you.” He replied. “But you should forget everything you think you know about this man for the time being.” He gestured towards Daniella and said, “Put your focus where it belongs. On her. She needs you right now…”
Daniella looked at Billy. “Thank you.” She said. “Maybe I was wrong about you after all.”
“No,” he said. “You weren’t. I was a piece of shit. All I ask is a chance to redeem myself. I hope you can at least give me the opportunity.”
“Of course,” Daniella replied as she hugged him. “Absolutely.”
“Daniella,” her mother began. “Sweetie, I am totally confused. Why are you here? You’re not hurt, Jett appears to be alright…”
“Yeah,” Tricia said. “What is going on?”
“I’ll explain all of it to both of you.” Daniella replied. “Right now, there’s a man in there that’s in bad shape. We need him to get better. I’ll leave it at that for now.”
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