by Mysti Parker
“Yeah, sorry. I was just trying to remember everything. It’s been a busy few weeks.”
She nodded her approval for his hasty excuse. “That’s okay, and remember, you don’t have to tell me any specifics if you don’t want to.”
“That’s nice of you, ma’am.” Her eyebrow arched at that, so he sat up straight and scratched his jaw, staring solemnly at his lap. “Well, a lot of them went wrong. So, I’m not sure how helpful I was.”
“That’s okay. Focus on the positive, only on the things that went right.”
“There was Mrs. Donner. I fed her dog while she was away and also saved his life.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, long story. There was Garrett Mann—I spilled all their paint, but helped him with some renovations. Then there was Reverend Simpson. I let him out of a speeding ticket. Of course, because of that, I had to take Mrs. Burton shopping and bathe her ornery Chihuahua. And Marge Richardson, she threw candy at me and burst into tears in the waiting room, but I called her up later, and she accepted my apology. Then I took her to a cooking class.” With every positive he listed, he realized that he had been more help than harm. As usual, Leigh knew how to show him the brighter side of things.
Leigh didn’t say anything for a while. He raised his eyes to find her staring right at him with a soft smile and tears in her eyes.
She cleared her throat again before scribbling something quickly in her notebook. “Sounds to me like you did a lot of good, Jesse. How do you feel about that?”
“Good. Really good. You’ve made a new man out of me.”
“You did that, remember? I simply gave you some tools to get there quicker.”
“Thank you, then. For everything.”
Leigh’s mouth curved into a sweet smile. “That’s my job. Do you feel as though we need to continue our sessions?”
“No, I think we’re good. I’ll be on my way. Maybe I’ll see you around town.”
“Maybe. I wish you all the best, Jesse. Let me show you out.”
She went to the door and opened it, standing on one side of the threshold, leaning against the doorjamb, well out of camera view. Jesse walked out and leaned against the other side. They both scanned the reception area and her boss’s nearby office for any activity. No one stirred. As if on cue, they both dove in for a quick kiss. It was all Jesse could do to pull himself away.
“I’ll see you soon?” he whispered.
“Soon. I have a couple more appointments today.” She twisted her mouth to one side, hugging herself as though worried about something.
“What is it?”
“Nothing, just a challenging client is coming in after you. He…he scares me a little.”
Jesse’s protective instincts kicked in. “How so? You want me to hang around in case of trouble?”
“No. Dr. Gadbury is supposed to be watching from the camera in his office. But don’t worry. I’ll call you as soon as I’m finished today, okay? You better get back to work.”
He gave a reluctant nod. “Okay. Call me if you need me before then. And be careful.”
He swooped in and gave her a peck on the cheek. Good timing, too, since Becky the receptionist came out of the restroom just then, the echo of a flushing toilet behind her. Jesse had already passed the receptionist desk before she stopped adjusting her skirt and noticed him.
“Oh, hi, Deputy Maddox, how are you?” She fluffed her permed hair and batted her eyes.
The best way to answer was short and sweet. “Fine, thanks. Last session. Take care.”
He headed out before she could start talking about her addiction to Cops. Back at the car, he unlocked the door and climbed in. Glancing in the rearview mirror, he knew he’d have to wipe the shit-eating grin off his face before he got back to the office. A navy-blue Lexus sat in front of the adjoining hardware store. He’d seen that car before, but where? He backed out, then drove past it slowly enough to read the license plate: SEXY CHIC. There was only one woman with that license plate in their county. But why would Penny Stanton be at the hardware store? Maybe she was picking up something for the animal clinic. Or banging one of the store employees. More likely the latter.
If Clara was right, no wonder Sheriff was in such a foul mood. Jesse felt bad for him. He deserved to be treated better than that. Jesse made it back to the office, ready to finish up some paperwork and try not to count the hours until he could see Leigh again.
Clara stood behind the counter in front of the computer and aimed the camera at a bearded man in a chair. “I wouldn’t recommend you carry your pistol in your pants. My ex-husband shot his balls off like that.”
The guy went slack-jawed, his eyes bulging. Clara snapped the picture.
No wonder half the licenses Jesse had asked for during traffic stops had people who looked shocked as hell or red-faced. He shook his head and continued to his desk. Sheriff had emerged from his office and hovered near the coffeepot, pouring a heap of creamer into a cup.
He glanced up at Jesse. “Hey, sorry about earlier. How did your last session go?”
“Good. Real good. I…” He almost mentioned that he and Leigh were probably going to start dating, but clammed up and blurted something even stupider. “I saw Penny’s car in front of Bits ‘N Bolts hardware store.”
A scalded shade of red climbed up Sheriff’s neck and face. His hand trembled, and he sat the creamer down with a thump.
“She’s probably getting something for the animal clinic,” Jesse added.
“Bullshit. Where’s your hat?”
Jesse patted his head, feeling like an idiot, but what was new? “I must have left it in Leigh’s office.”
“All right, then let’s go fetch it.” Sheriff went into his office, then returned, stuffing his own hat on his head, the brim so low it almost hid his eyes. He always meant business when he did that. It usually resulted in someone getting arrested.
“I’ll drive.” Jesse hurried after him to the patrol car, sliding into the driver’s seat.
Sheriff buckled up in the passenger seat and gave one firm nod. Jesse knew that signal, too. It meant don't waste any time. He started up the car and flirted with the speed limit, but still observed the stoplights and signs. He couldn’t turn on his lights and siren unless he was responding to a call.
His phone beeped in its holder on the dash. He glanced at the text. It was from Leigh. Only one word: Help.
“Sorry, Sheriff, but we gotta move it.” Jesse turned on his siren and lights and stepped on the gas, flying down the highway toward the main drag of town and the strip mall where Leigh’s counselor office and Bits ‘N Bolts resided. He had to stay calm so he didn’t hit anyone or run off the road. But all he could think about was Leigh. Someone might be hurting her right now. If he didn’t get there in time…
Sheriff gripped the door handle and the edge of his seat. “My wife ain’t worth breaking the law. Slow the hell down!”
Jesse didn’t answer. He kept his eyes on the road and quickly swiveled the phone around so Sheriff could see it.
The older man leaned in and squinted at it, then sat back in his seat. “Is that from your therapist?”
“Yes, damn it!” Jesse pounded the dash with his fist, swallowing back the rage threatening to destroy his common sense. "I'm sorry."
"What’s it mean?"
“It means she’s in trouble. She told me about a client that scares her, and she was supposed to see him today. I told her to call if she needs me. She needs me.”
“In that case, just get us there in one piece.”
Jesse felt his boss's stare. The sheriff had realized how Jesse felt about Leigh. That didn’t matter now. All that mattered was getting to her in time.
The drive usually took about ten minutes, but he made it in four. It still seemed like an eternity. Jesse screeched into the parking lot and skidded to a stop in front of her office. He kept the lights on but turned off the siren, wrestled himself from his seat belt, and bolted out the door before Sheriff ha
d even unbuckled.
Jesse wrenched open the glass entry door. Electronic chimes screeched as he ran inside. He released the thumb break on his holster and drew his gun. Becky stood from her desk, the phone and earbuds dangling until they popped out of her ears. The phone clattered onto her desk.
She paled, her eyes big as saucers. “W-what’s going on?”
“Is Leigh in her office?”
“Y-yes.” She pointed a shaky finger toward the door. “She’s w-with a client.”
He nodded then ran down the short hallway, disengaging the safety. The door chimes sounded again. Jesse glanced over his shoulder. Sheriff was there, his gun in both hands, pointed at the floor.
Jesse knocked, just in case he’d been wrong and hoping to God he was. “Sheriff’s Department! Is everything okay in there?”
The thump of falling objects hitting the floor, followed by Leigh’s plea, “Jesse!” was all the signal he needed. He turned the knob, thankful it wasn’t locked, and flung the door open.
Sheriff filed in behind him.
Fear ran a cold current down Jesse's spine. “Drop the weapon!”
A man in dirty overalls had Leigh backed into a corner, a knife to her throat. Jesse and the sheriff aimed their guns right at him, but they couldn’t fire and risk hitting Leigh. The man slowly turned his head and looked back at them. His eyes were wild, his face scrunched in a snarl, showing decayed and missing teeth.
Jesse recognized him then. He’d been out to his house a few times when neighbors complained about his hogs getting loose and ransacking their gardens. He’d also been out there when Mitch had called to report someone banging on his windows and doors and another time when he swore people were fighting in his basement. Either his house had some asshole ghosts or Mitch had a screw loose. Jesse bet on the latter.
Mitch shook all over. His lips twitched before he spoke again, spit flying. “She won’t get the voices out of my head. I think she put them there. If I kill her, they’ll be gone.”
“No, Mitch. Killing her won’t solve anything. Drop the knife!” Jesse flicked his gaze to Leigh. The terror in her eyes hit him right in the core. His chest felt heavy, his breaths coming in shaky gasps. But he had to keep it together.
The man had a handful of her hair and held tight, forcing her head against the wall, exposing her throat. A drop of blood trickled down to her shirt collar.
Jesse’s jaw tightened. He stood firmly in place, resisting the urge to run to her. His finger hugged the trigger, itching to fire. He wanted to kill this man. It had been years since he had felt this kind of rage, spurred on by fear. But he was a boy back then. He had to get his anger under control. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to breathe deeply.
“Drop it, Mitch!” Sheriff yelled. “We’re not here to hurt you. We’ll get you some help.”
Chapter Twenty
“That’s what she said. That’s what they all say.” Mitch gestured with his knife hand, pointing the tip at his head.
As if it wasn't enough that a client was about to slit her throat, Leigh had to smell this fucking swine's horrific body odor. Fuck that. She'd survived cancer and college and had tasted love for the first time. She wasn't about to let body odor and a rusty knife be the last thing she knew before she took her last breath.
Jesse charged forward. Leigh rammed her knee into Mitch’s groin and ducked away, feeling the sting of her hair being ripped out. She flew to the other side of her desk and dropped to all fours, peeking around to see what was happening.
Sheriff Stanton pulled his taser and nailed Mitch on the back with the probes. Mitch went stiff, dropped the knife, and hit the floor face first, his body convulsing from the 50,000 V charge. Sheriff Stanton glanced at Jesse, who still had his gun pointed on Mitch. Sweat dripped down Jesse's forehead. His arm muscles quivered, his face red with rage.
Leigh held her breath. She hated Mitch with a passion, but she didn't want his death on her conscience, or on Jesse's.
Finally, Jesse holstered the gun and went to where Mitch lay writhing. He whipped out his handcuffs. When Mitch went still, Jesse jumped on his back, wrenched his arms behind him, and clamped on the handcuffs.
“Leigh, you okay?” Jesse asked.
“Y-Yeah.” She moved to the wall by her desk, sat, and hugged her knees to her chest. The air was too warm, too thin. Her labored panting did little to deliver enough oxygen to her lungs.
Jesse looked back at her as he pulled Mitch to his feet, the anguish in his eyes making it even harder for her to breathe.
"I've got him," Sheriff Stanton said. "You take care of Leigh." The sheriff held tight to Mitch's arm and hauled him out of her office.
Jesse dropped to his knees beside Leigh, taking her hands in his. "Are you okay? I saw blood."
"Just a s-scratch. I'm more pissed off about my hair."
His quivering smile and glossy eyes brought her to her knees. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight. "Thank you, Jesse. If you hadn't been here, I don't..."
“You're okay. That's all that matters.” He stood and offered a hand to help her up. "You were really brave to kick him like that."
She took it, standing on shaky legs, her back against the wall. Despite her near-death experience and trembling jaw, she managed a little smile. “No, not brave. I just c-couldn’t stand to smell him anymore.”
"That's my Leigh." Jesse touched her cheek and headed for the door.
Though she had no desire to lay eyes on Mitch again, she followed him. The sheriff stood outside her office, still holding Mitch. Surprisingly, he didn’t fight back, but muttered to himself, something about the alien queen demanding tea.
Dr. Gadbury stepped out of his office, adjusting his suspenders. His gaze flitted from one person to the next and his forehead creased in confusion. “What in the world is going on out here?”
Behind him, a familiar redhead peeked around the door, her eyes bulging when she saw the sheriff with his handcuffed prisoner. Of course, Sheriff Stanton honed in right away on his wife in Dr. Gadbury’s office. And the bra she had forgotten to put back on. It hung halfway off the desk. Her blouse was buttoned wrong too. They must have gotten dressed in a hurry. Mostly dressed, anyway.
“Penny.” Sheriff Stanton set his hand on his gun holster and drummed his fingers on it. A disgusted frown sank the corners of his mouth. “I should have known.”
“Ken, I can explain!” Penny wailed. Did she know how ridiculous she looked with her hair all disheveled and her lipstick smeared across one cheek?
“I didn't want to believe it, even when the whole damn town whispered about you. How many has it been?”
Penny gave Dr. Gadbury a furtive glance.
The good doctor shook his head, applying a fake as hell smile. “No, Penny’s my client. We were—”
“You son of a bitch.” Leigh stepped forward, glaring at her boss and his lover. "So, this is thong lady, huh? I almost died just so you could get your cock wet!"
Dr. Gadbury held up his finger as though he was about to launch into a sermon. “Listen here, now, if you want that license, you better—”
“No, you listen here.” Leigh got right up in his face, fists clenched at her sides. “You were in there fucking the sheriff’s wife, and didn’t even bother to watch the session. You left me to deal with that psychotic man. He could have killed me.” She pointed to the cut on her neck, then the bare spot on her head. “Do you know how long it took me to grow this after I finished chemo?”
He tripped all over his words, blinking so rapidly, she could barely see his eyes. “Chemo? When did you… I didn’t know…”
“You wouldn’t, would you? You’ve never bothered to get to know me. I don’t go around proclaiming I’m a former cancer patient, but I would have told you if you had asked.”
“I’m sorry, if you need some time…”
“I don’t need time, you dirty bastard, and I don’t want anyone’s pity, especially yours. I get by on my own merits, and I do
n’t screw people, figuratively or literally. That’s all on you.”
Mitch had stopped mumbling about tiny aliens who lived in his closets and stole his shoes. He and Jesse both followed the exchange, heads turning from side to side like watching a ping-pong match.
Dr. Gadbury pushed his glasses up on his nose. “This has been a big misunderstanding. You see, I—”
“Shut your damn mouth,” Sheriff Stanton said. “We’re done, Penny. I’m tired of this shit. And you.” He pulled out his billy club and pointed it right at Dr. Gadbury’s face. The man turned three shades whiter than his already pasty complexion. “Leigh’s earned her license and then some. I’ll be making sure you don’t interfere with that, and I’ll be speaking with the Kentucky Board of Professional Counselors. You won’t be licensed in this state anymore, I can tell you that.”
“What are you going to tell them? That I fucked your wife?” Gadbury smirked and hooked a thumb in one of his suspenders as if that made him look like a tough guy. It didn’t.
Sheriff Stanton tapped the square, black object that hung by his badge. “Police cameras don’t lie. Jesse, get him out of here.”
“Yes, sir.” Jesse shared one last look with Leigh and led Mitch to the exit.
Sweat beaded on Leigh's forehead. She couldn't get enough air. Pain squeezed her chest. She doubled over, gasping. No, not now, please not now. I want to live. Sobs welled up, but there was no air left to furnish them. She gulped in what little she could and clung to the doorframe.
"Jesse!" Sheriff Stanton yelled.
Footfalls pounded toward her. Strong arms swept her off the ground like she weighed nothing. Her body bounced as Jesse ran with her. Yelling, crying, and door chimes followed them outside. Sun blasted her face with blinding light. She clenched her eyes shut. Hot tears seeped from their corners.
"Stay with me, honey," Jesse said. He sounded desperate as he dropped her somewhere.
Next thing she knew, the world sped by in a blur. Too fast. A siren screamed above her. Her chest was in agony. Sweat drenched her body. She didn't think, just breathed as best she could.