He sat down beside her and tossed the bag of chips on the coffee table. His arm slid across the back of the couch, and he leaned close. “You are. You are everything I like . . . and want.” He moved closer and kissed her nose.
“What about the bike ride?”
“I stopped by Julie’s to pay her for tutoring Austin. She was cleaning her garage and asked me to move the motorcycle for her. It was her late husband’s. Apparently, they used to ride a lot. I had one years ago, and she asked if I wanted to take it for a spin.” He shrugged. “And I said yes. I could tell how seeing the bike affected her, so I asked if she wanted to go along. That’s all.” He kissed her ear and whispered, “I promise.”
“Why did you invite her for dinner?”
He pushed her hair away from her shoulder and kissed her neck. “She took Austin home from school, since both of us were working, and when he said he was hungry, she took it upon herself to raid the kitchen and make dinner.” He kissed her neck again. “She said she likes to cook but doesn’t do much of it since her husband died. There was plenty of food, and I asked if she wanted to join us.” He worked his way to her jaw. “Austin was there the whole time. I swear there is nothing going on between Julie and me. Never has been and never will be.”
“It looked pretty cozy to me.”
“Trust me, there wasn’t anything cozy about it. It was just old friends talking about old times. I think Austin called us lame and old fogies more than once.”
His lips covered hers. His arm slid around her waist, pulling her closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Goosebumps formed on her soft skin as his hand slipped under her blouse. She dropped her head back and moaned when he began nibbling on her throat. His phone rang.
Pete sat back and rubbed his hand down his face. “We need some alone time.” He pulled the phone from his pocket and answered, “Yeah, this is Pete.” He listened a moment then sighed. “Okay, I’m on my way.” He put the phone back in his pocket. “Sorry, Wilbur Springfield is drunk again, and this time he found where his wife hid the shotgun shells. Apparently, he’s already put a hole through the chicken coop. I need to go.”
When she walked him to the door, he asked, “So are we good? Is everything okay between us?”
“Yes, we’re fine.”
“Good.” He gave her a quick kiss.
“What about Austin? Do you need me to watch him while you’re out?”
“He’s at Derik and Kelly’s for the night.” He kissed her ear and added, “All night.”
She hummed when his tongue tickled her neck. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah, why don’t you come over and crash at my place? I’ll be back as soon as I get Wilbur under control.” He kissed her again. “I miss you.”
“Okay, I’ll see you there.”
He kissed her hard and long. “I’ll make this as fast as I can, I promise.”
“Be careful, Sheriff.”
His smile hinted of the night to come. When he was out of sight, she tossed a change of clothes in a bag. Before she left the house, she picked up the half empty sack of chips from the coffee table and threw it in the trash.
Chapter 23
The next day Austin was heading into the school restroom when Tye, Frankie, and two other boys hurried out the door. Coach Applegate followed them and said, “Get to class, all of you.” He looked at Austin and said, “Better hurry, Riley. The bell’s about to ring.”
“Yes, sir.” He walked into the empty room and approached a urinal. He heard sniffing from the last stall and glanced over his shoulder. The door opened, and Virgil peeked out.
“Are they gone?”
Austin zipped his jeans and looked around. “Yeah. What’s going on?”
Virgil stepped out, and Austin saw the ripped sleeve and the swollen area on his left cheek.
“What happened? Is Frankie giving you a hard time again?”
Virgil walked to the mirror and studied his reflection. He slipped his glasses in his pocket and splashed cold water on his face. “It’s nothing.” After drying off with a paper towel, he slammed it into the trashcan. He braced his hands on each side of the sink, looked in the mirror once again and began to shake his head. “I’m dead. I’m so dead.”
“What are you talking about?”
Virgil put on his glasses. “Never mind, it’s nothing.” He walked out of the room just as the bell rang.
When Ms. Jansky’s class was over, Austin caught up with Virgil at the door. “Come on, eat lunch with us today.” They stepped into the hall and saw Frankie walking toward them.
“Hey, Virgil, the guys are waiting. Let’s go.” Frankie fell in beside them.
“We’re still working on that project. He’s eating with me today,” said Austin. Before Frankie could respond, Austin grabbed Virgil’s elbow. “I think I see Page up ahead.” The two hurried off, leaving Frankie behind.
After they ate, they lingered at the table until Frankie and his friends left the lunchroom. Once they were gone, Austin nudged Virgil. “Come on.” Page and the boys went outside and walked to a corner of the yard. “Okay, tell me what’s going on,” Austin said.
Virgil was staring at the ground. He looked over at Page.
“You know you can trust her. Now, what’s up?”
Virgil kicked the ground a few times, then his shoulders dropped. “Awhile back my dad got into some trouble. Some people claim he stole something from them.” He looked around and continued, “They’re forcing me to pay them back by working for them.” He wiped his nose on his sleeve and pushed up his glasses. “They said they would burn down our house if I don’t do it.”
“What does that have to do with Frankie?” Page asked.
“He’s friends with them.”
“What are they making you do?” Austin asked.
Virgil kicked the ground harder. “I have to get something from a man and bring it to school and give it to a high school kid on the bus. He gives me money, and I give it to Frankie.”
“So, what was going on in the restroom this morning?”
“My mom called the office and left a message that I have a dentist appointment right after school and she’s going to pick me up early.” He paused. “I told Frankie that I couldn’t do it today and tried to give him the stuff, but he wouldn’t take it. He said if I didn’t do my job something bad was going to happen. Now I’m stuck with it and have no way to get it to anyone.” He wiped his nose again.
Page and Austin looked at each other.
“These guys mean business.” Virgil’s voice cracked. “They already shot my dad. They’re gonna burn our house down. I know they will.”
“Did you tell your father what’s going on?” Page asked.
“No, they said if I told anyone they’d do something bad to my mom and make me watch.”
The three stood in silence for a few moments. Austin ran his hand through his hair and said, “Give it to me.”
Page and Virgil both stared at him.
“Austin, you can’t,” Page said. Her voice was almost a whisper.
“No way, man,” Virgil said. “These guys aren’t messing around.”
“Give it to me, and I’ll take it to my uncle. He’ll know what to do.”
Virgil looked at him and chewed on his lip.
“He’s right, Virgil,” Page said. “His uncle is the sheriff. He can help.”
“It’s the only way, Virg. If you don’t turn these guys in, they’ll just keep hassling you. Where’s the stuff?”
“In my locker.”
“Okay, after lunch we go to our lockers. You give it to me, and I’ll keep it in mine until school is out. When Mikki picks me up, I’ll have her take me to the station. I’ll give it to Uncle Pete and tell him what’s going on. He’l
l probably want to talk to you, and your dad, too.”
“Man, I don’t know.”
“Let him help,” Page said.
The boy kicked the ground a few more times then sighed. “Okay.”
When the bell rang, Page went to class, and the boys went to their lockers. Austin shuffled things around until he felt his friend tap his back. He held a book open, and Virgil dropped an envelope between the pages. Austin put the book back in the locker and slammed the door. The boys headed to their next class without talking.
Chapter 24
Mr. Dipton walked into the front office and faced the two uniformed officers. “Good to see you again, Sheriff.”
Pete shook the principal’s hand. “Mr. Dipton, this is Lieutenant Benjamin Tate with the Bryer County Drug Task Force. And this is his partner, Sherlock.” All eyes went to the brown and black German Shepherd sitting between the two men. There was a badge attached to the dog’s vest identical to the one worn by the lieutenant.
“What a magnificent animal,” said Dipton.
The officer shook Mr. Dipton’s hand. “I’m sorry we couldn’t get here sooner. We’ve been pretty busy lately.”
“That’s fine. I told Sheriff Foster we could do this whenever it was convenient. I was glad when he called this morning and said you were going to be in the area. We haven’t announced to the students that you would be coming, so this will be a total surprise.” He looked back at the dog. “If you men are ready, why don’t we see what he can do.”
“Yes, sir,” said Lieutenant Tate. He tugged on the dog’s leash and followed the principal into the hallway.
Mr. Dipton pointed to his left. “Let’s start on this side.” They worked their way down the corridor, checking closets, restrooms, and lockers as they went. They were almost near the end of the second row of lockers when Sherlock stopped and wagged his tail. He stood on his back legs and began scratching at a top door.
Tate patted the dog and ordered him to sit. “He’s found something. Can you open this locker?”
Principal Dipton used a passkey and released the lock.
When his master gave the command, the dog pawed at the contents, focusing on a green textbook. Lieutenant Tate slipped on a pair of rubber gloves and pulled the book out of the locker. It fell open, exposing a white envelope. The dog whined and nudged the packet with his nose.
“That’s a positive alert,” the officer said, holding the envelope between his thumb and finger. He looked at the principal and raised a brow. “Who does this locker belong to?”
Dipton pulled the roster from his pocket. He double checked the number on the door then looked at Pete. “Austin Riley.”
~ ~ ~
After the three men completed searching the school, they returned the office.
Pete walked to the window and clasped his hands behind his back. He began to rock on his toes.
Tate lifted the plastic evidence bag containing the envelope. “Do you want me to take this to the lab and run it?”
Pete stared out the window. Without turning around, he said, “Yes, and run it for prints. I’ll get Austin’s when we get to the station and send them to you.”
Dipton said, “Sheriff, I’m sorry about this. Would you like to ask for another officer before I send for Austin?”
Pete continued to rock. “No, go ahead and call him in.”
Tate looked from one man to the other. “I don’t understand. Did I miss something?”
Pete cleared his throat. “Austin Riley is my nephew. I just moved him into my home to get him away from the wrong crowd at his previous school.” His voice lowered. “A lot of good that did.”
Tate shook his head. “Oh, man, I’m sorry. Do you want me to handle this?”
“No, this is my responsibility,” Pete said, still staring out the window.
Dipton hit the intercom on his desk. “Mrs. Atherton, will you please send Austin Riley to the office, and have him bring his things.”
Tate and Dipton sat in silence as Pete remained frozen in place by the window. The only sound in the room was the large dog panting beside his owner.
A knock on the office door invaded the quiet. “Come in,” Mr. Dipton called.
As Austin walked into the room, the principal said, “Close the door, Austin.”
The boy shut the door and scanned the area. When his eyes landed on Pete, his brow wrinkled. “What’s up?”
The room was silent except for the dog’s loud breathing. “Uncle Pete?” He looked at the officer and Mr. Dipton then back to the window. “Uncle Pete, is it Mom or Chloe?” His voice went higher. “What’s wrong?”
Pete turned toward his nephew. His face was cold and void of any emotion. “Lisa and Chloe are fine.”
Austin sighed with relief. “So, what’s this all about?”
Pete stepped closer and cleared his throat. He paused for a moment and said, “Austin Riley, you are under arrest for possession of a controlled substance. Turn around and put your hands behind your back.”
Austin’s backpack hit the floor. “What? Is this some sort of joke? What are you talking about?” His eyes went from one man to another then back to his uncle.
“Turn around Austin.”
“I don’t understand.”
The K-9 officer pulled the evidence bag out of his pocket. The dog sat up and began to whine, his tail beating against the floor. “Can you explain this?”
Austin looked over his shoulder. “Yeah, it’s not what you think. That’s not mine.”
Pete snapped the cuffs closed, stepped in front of his nephew, and pulled a small card out of his shirt pocket. He cleared his throat before continuing, “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.” He paused and took a deep breath. “You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.” He cleared his throat once more. “Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?”
“Yeah, sure. Will you let me explain?”
“No, Austin. I don’t want you to say anything. When we get to the station, I’ll call a lawyer.”
“But, Uncle Pete, I want––”
“Shut up, Austin, now.” The radio on his shoulder crackled, and Pete answered. When he was done, he said, “My deputy’s here. He’ll take you to the station. I meant what I said. Keep your mouth shut until I can get hold of a lawyer.”
Austin’s eyes filled with tears. “Yes, sir, but I can explain if you’ll just listen to me.”
“Not now, we’ll talk at the station.”
There was a knock on the door, and a deputy walked into the room. He nodded at the other men in the room then looked at Pete. “What do we have?”
“I need you to transport him to the station. I’ve Mirandized him, and he’s been instructed to keep his mouth shut until he speaks with his lawyer.” He nodded toward the backpack on the floor. “Take that and put it in evidence until I can get a search warrant.”
Tears ran down Austin’s cheek. “Uncle Pete, please, let me explain.”
Pete put his arm around the boy’s shoulders. “It’s going to be okay, Austin, I promise. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
When the deputy started to lead the boy out of the office, Pete said, “He’s only fourteen, so put him in a cell by himself. And don’t let him talk to anyone.”
Lieutenant Tate stood and slipped the bag with the envelope back in his pocket. “I’ll take this to the lab and let you know what we find.” He shook Pete’s hand. “I think Sherlock and I will head back now. You guys feel free to call anytime.” He nodded at Dipton and led the dog to the door.
Pete returned to the window after Tate left the office.
Mr. Dipton said, “Sheriff Foster, I know how hard
this must be for you, but there is another matter we need to discuss. With this being Austin’s second offense, I have no––”
Pete spun around. “What do you mean his second offense? What other problem has he had? I don’t recall being notified of a first offense.”
The principal opened the file on his desk. He picked up a piece of paper and handed it to Pete. “He was caught smoking on school grounds and given two days in ISS.”
Pete took the form and read it. When he saw Mikki’s name at the bottom of the page, he looked at Mr. Dipton. “Why was Mikki called instead of me?”
“We tried to contact you, but you were unavailable. We went to the next contact number, which is Ms. Gray. She came to the school and talked with me, and Austin. He did his time in ISS without any incident, and that was the end of it. We haven’t had any problems since then, until today.”
Pete waved the paper in the air. “May I have a copy of this?”
“Sure.” Dipton paged his secretary, and she made a copy for Pete, which he stuck in his pocket.
“Thank you. I’ll be getting back with you.” Pete shook hands with the principal and left the office.
Chapter 25
Page chewed on her eraser and listened to Mrs. Atherton’s voice drone in the background as she watched two birds hop down the sidewalk. She had been staring out the window ever since Austin was called to the office. A movement caught her eye, and she leaned forward to get a better look. A deputy parked in front of the school and exited his car. A few minutes later the officer returned and put Austin into the back seat. His hands were cuffed behind him. The bell rang as the car pulled away.
When school was out, Page went to her locker. The hall was full of whispers and gossip. She heard the words dog, drugs, and surprise search. Tears welled in her eyes as she put her books in her locker.
Page walked through the double doors and looked for her mother’s Taurus. When she saw the Mustang that always picked up Austin, she ran through the crowd until she reached the car. She stopped beside the yellow convertible. “Hi, my name is Page. Are you here to get Austin?”
Arrested Romance (Oak Spring Series Book 2) Page 7