by Marie Tuhart
“I only...”
Colby stepped around Lara. “You need to leave, now.” He was holding on to his temper by a thread, but that was only because Lara was standing behind him.
Walter hastily stepped back, turned, and briskly walked away. Colby turned back to Lara. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” She let out a sigh. “Why can’t my family get it into their heads I am not going to get back with Walter, nor am I going to fall in line with any of their plans.”
“Stubbornness.”
“Well, I can be stubborn too. Plus, I have better friends.”
“That you do.” Colby made a mental note to let Logan know about what happened today with her ex.
Chapter 14
Lara waved as the bikers left the café, and she emptied the tip jar. They tipped so well. She was happy. The last two weeks had flown. The café was constantly busy from nine until two.
She’d hired a young man who would cover Saturday afternoons with Megan while Lara got everything ready for the catering gig at the club. Lara had talked with Max about having someone come pick up the hot boxes rather than her bringing them out that night. It was a lot of work for her to do that, in addition to having to load and unload them in her car.
Max had given her one better. He bought two hot boxes for the club and a half-dozen insulated thermal bags. She could use the thermal bags to put the pans in and take to the club. They’d stay warm, and the hot boxes would stay at the club.
Plus, once she set up, she would have help when she needed it. Hannah was a godsend. This way if she and Colby wanted to play, they could.
Less traveling for her, less mess and everything. She was excited about this new venture. Not only catering the club, but she’d talked with Mr. Torrino, and he was thrilled to sell the ice cream shop to her so she could expand her café.
Lara had met with her accountant this morning. She’d need a new loan, but it was more than doable, and the accountant would accompany Lara to the bank to get the loan. Not her father’s bank, this time. She wanted out from under her father. So she mentioned to her accountant that she was thinking about combining both loans into one.
She agreed it made sense, but she suggested adding some extra capital. Lara made a note to call Zeke about the remodel. He’d taken a cursory look around the ice cream shop and her café to give her an idea of what could be done. They needed to make solid plans once she had the loan.
Lara was feeling optimistic, not only about her business but about her life. She and Colby spent most of their free time together. Either at her house or his apartment. They’d had dinners with his mom and Aunt Tammy, who enjoyed talking with each other and had more in common than Lara thought they would. Life was good.
With a sigh, Lara finished cleaning up the café, making sure everything was ready for tomorrow morning. Then she grabbed her purse, set the alarm on the café, and closed the back door, double-checking it was locked. She dropped her keys in her purse. It had been a long day. An SUV pulled up. Lara hesitated. Her brothers climbed out.
“I have nothing to say to either of you,” she said.
“That’s fine,” Keith said, taking her right arm and Scott taking her left.
“What are you doing?” For the first time in her life, she feared her brothers.
“Getting you in the car.” Keith and Scott pulled her toward the SUV.
“No.” Lara struggled with them.
“Come on, Lara,” Scott said softly. “Mom and Dad just want to talk with you.”
“Hell, no.” She almost got her arm loose from Scott, when Keith twisted her right arm behind her back.
“You have to do things the hard way, don’t you?” Something slipped over her wrist as Scott pulled her left arm behind her. Her wrists were secured behind her back.
Lara opened her mouth, and Keith clamped his hand over her face. “No yelling, no screaming.” As much as she fought and thrashed, they were still able to get her into the SUV.
“This is kidnapping,” she said as Keith pulled out from behind her café.
“They just want to talk,” Scott said.
Lara struggled in her seat. “I politely refused. Don’t think I won’t press charges. I’m done.” She was. This was the final straw. She wasn’t putting up with her family anymore. It was time they got the message, and if it took a court battle, so be it. When they got to the family home, Keith pulled in back.
Lara allowed them to pull her out of the car and into the house. Once she was out of the cuffs, she’d leave. There was no way she’d allow them to keep her confined in this house. Her parents and Walter were waiting. Great. Walter was the last thing she needed.
“You tied her up?” Walter’s voice held outrage.
“She fought us,” Keith said.
“Get them off,” Walter ordered.
Keith glared at Walter, but soon her hands were free. Lara rubbed her wrists. Thank goodness she had her purse across her body.
“I’m sorry, Lara; we just wanted to talk to you,” Walter said.
“I said no.” She marched toward the door. “I’m done talking.”
Her father grabbed her arm. “You have to stop seeing that man.”
“That man, as you call him, has a name. Colby. He’s a better man than all of you. You need to let me go. I’m already charging those two idiots”—she waved her free hand at her brothers—“with kidnapping, so unless you want to be charged as an accessory…” Her father let her go, and her fingers curled around the doorknob.
“Lara, please.” Her mother’s soft voice stopped her. “We’re just trying to stop you from making a mistake.”
“No.” Lara turned. “You’re trying to control my life. I’m done. Expect the police.” This time she was able to open the door and leave. They didn’t try and stop her. She could hear arguing, Walter, her father, and her two brothers.
Two blocks from the house, Lara realized she couldn’t walk home. She pulled out her cell. Colby? No, she wouldn’t pull him away from his business for this. If he got angry with her for it, so be it. This was her choice. Her fingers curled around the small business card she’d thrown in there weeks ago. Time to stand up for herself against her family.
“Officer Wolfe.”
“Hi, Officer Wolfe, this is Lara Meyer.”
“Is there something wrong?”
Lara heard the alert in his voice. “Yes.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I’m at the corner of Fifteenth and Paulson; I need to report a kidnapping.”
“Colby?”
“No, me.” This time, there was no stopping the tears as fear overwhelmed her. She’d never been truly afraid of her family until now. What if her family came after Colby? “I need to warn Colby.”
“I’ll take care of it. I have a car on the way to your location right now. Stay on the phone with me.”
“Okay.” Lara kept an eye out for her family as the tears continued to fall. She normally wasn’t this emotional, but damn it. After being on a high about her life, now it was falling apart. She heard Logan speaking but not the words.
“Ms. Meyer.”
Lara let out a cry and spun around.
“Lara,” Logan yelled.
“It’s okay, Logan. The officers you sent are here.” She hadn’t even heard them arrive. “I’m hanging up now.” She wiped the tears away.
“Ms. Meyer, I’m Officer Adams, and this is Officer Harris.” He gestured to the female officer.
“Thank you for getting here so fast.”
“Let’s get you to the station and take your statement.” They guided her to the car. While she had to sit in back, Lara felt safe, and she could finally breathe.
When they reached the police station, the officers guided her inside. Colby was pacing by Logan’s desk. Colby’s gaze clashed with hers. The relief in his eyes made the tears well up again. She loved this man so much.
In an instant, Colby folded her into his arms. “Sweetheart, I’m here.”
She put her arms aro
und his waist and snuggled up to him. Now she felt totally safe. Colby wouldn’t let anything happen to her. While, intellectually, she knew she could stand on her own two feet, being in Colby’s arms felt right.
“Why don’t we take this to the conference room,” Logan said.
“Sure,” Colby said. He kept her close to his side and even inside the conference room, he pushed his chair close to hers and took her hand.
“Lara, tell me what happened,” Logan said.
Lara told him about how she left her business, and her brothers were there; they forced her into the SUV and cuffed her hands behind her back. Colby lifted her arm, and there were red marks on her wrist.
“Oh.” She lifted her other arm; there were marks there as well.
“Let me go get a camera to document those marks.” Logan left and returned. Her wrists were photographed, and she continued with her story up until the point where she called Logan.
“So we have your brothers for kidnapping, and your parents and ex-husband as accessories.”
“Yes.” Lara froze. “Aunt Tammy. Oh my God, Colby. What if they go after Aunt Tammy?” Her voice rose.
“It’s okay.” Colby rubbed her shoulder. “I sent a couple of the guys over to watch her place when Logan called me and told me you were in trouble.”
Lara slumped in her chair. “Thank you.”
“Do you think your family will go after your aunt?” Logan asked.
“At this point, who knows what they’ll do. I never thought they’d try to kidnap me. This is really going to drag their names through the mud.”
“I wouldn’t worry about them,” Colby said.
“Now what?” Lara asked.
“You’re willing to press charges, right?” Logan asked.
“What will happen?” Lara didn’t want to let her brothers get away with what they did, yet... What? They didn’t have to kidnap her.
“I arrest them, all of them,” Logan said.
“And after that?”
“They’ll be processed, and the DA’s office gets involved to see if they want to prosecute or not.”
“My father has friends in the DA’s office,” Lara muttered.
“Can we get our own prosecuting attorney?” Colby asked.
“Not for the criminal case. You can pursue a suit in civil court in addition to the criminal case, and you could ask for damages. But either way, you’ll need discuss that with your attorney,” Logan said.
“I’ll take care of it.” Colby stood and pulled out his phone as he walked out the door.
“How soon will they be out on bail?” she asked Logan.
“Depends on the judge at their arraignment once you press charges. But you should talk to a lawyer about pursuing a civil case. In any event, you definitely want to retain counsel to help you through the criminal and civil process. This is second degree kidnapping, a class B felony. Your brothers and parents are in some serious trouble.”
“Jordan and Crystal are on their way,” Colby said, reentering the room.
“I’ll escort them in here so you can talk. Once you make a decision, I’ll take it from there.” Logan stood. “If you need anything, let me know.”
Lara crossed her arms over her stomach.
“I need to hold you.” Colby’s husky tone made Lara shiver.
“I need that too.” She stood, and Colby pulled her onto his lap, her legs over the arm of the chair. Colby buried his face in her neck. “They hurt you.”
“I won’t say they didn’t.” Not only were her wrists sore, but her heart was bloodied and bruised.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly.
“For what, sweetheart?”
“I didn’t call you.”
His arms tightened around her. “While I would have preferred you did, I understand why you called Logan. You were scared, and the police were necessary, just in case.”
“That was part of it.” She tilted her head back and gazed up at him. “I didn’t want you to get hurt if my family did come after me.”
“Never again, sweetheart.” He brushed a soft kiss over her forehead.
They sat there in silence until Jordan and Crystal walked in. Lara straightened, and Colby tightened his hold, then released her. She slid off his lap and took her seat.
“Logan gave the rundown version; I’d like to hear from you,” Jordan said, taking a seat across from Lara with Crystal by his side.
“Are you okay, Lara?” Crystal asked.
“As best as I can be.” She let out a sigh. Colby took her hand in his as she told the story again. When she finished, Jordan had a grim look on his face, and Crystal was frowning.
“And I thought my family was a mess,” Crystal muttered.
“Are you willing to press charges?” Jordan asked.
Colby squeezed her hand.
“What will happen, Jordan?” Lara asked.
“Once you press charges, they’ll be arrested, booked, and held in jail until they are arraigned and bail is set. If they don’t post bail, they’ll be held in jail until the trial. Your story meets the criteria for second degree kidnapping under the Washington State code for your brothers and accessories to same for your parents and ex. Kidnapping is a serious felony and carries significant jail time. To save the cost of a trial, the DA might offer them a deal, but there is likely going to be jail time in any event. I can speak to the DA and look out for your interests in the criminal case, and we can decide later if you want to pursue a civil case.
“And how long will all of this take?” Lara didn’t want this to drag on for years.
“Depends. Once you agree to press charges, Logan has enough evidence for an arrest warrant. Your parents’ and brothers’ lawyer or lawyers will do everything they can to delay and make life difficult for everyone, but your brothers were not careful. They were picked up on security cameras, and those videos and the marks on your arms make this a pretty much open and shut case. If we get a no-nonsense judge, this could move relatively quickly.”
“What videos?” She stared at Jordan.
Jordan looked at Colby.
“I may have had someone check the camera feeds in the alley from other businesses. You’re not the only one with them.” He met her gaze. That was Colby, see a problem and find a solution.
Lara closed her eyes. If she didn’t do this, they would never stop. If she did, it would destroy what little relationship she had with her family. No question, that relationship was toxic. It was time to cut ties.
“I’ll press charges against my brothers and ex. I’d like to leave my parents out of it with a warning.”
Jordan nodded, stood up and called Logan in.
* * * *
Three weeks later, Lara was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. She still worried if she’d done the right thing or not. Colby and Aunt Tammy both assured her she had. The café was bustling as always, so it helped her keep her mind off of everything.
As she guessed, her brothers and ex were out on bail the day after the arraignment. She hadn’t pressed charges against her parents. She couldn’t bring herself to do it. But her brothers and ex weren’t going to stop. Jordan was in contact with her as the family lawyer was trying to work plea deal.
Jordan kept her informed and advised her. So far what the family lawyer was asking for was a joke, and she wasn’t going to let them get off with a slap on the wrist. The DA had also made it clear that whatever deal was struck, her brothers and ex were definitely going to do some serious jail time, but the DA was open to less than the ten year maximum.
Lara smiled at the bikers, who were sitting at a table in the café. They were here later than normal, but she suspected Colby had something to do with that.
“Do you guys need refills on anything?” she asked.
“No, thank you. We’re good.”
“Okay.” Lara turned away from them as someone walked into the café. She stiffened. “Get out, Walter.”
Walter held his hand out in front of him.
“Hear me out, Lara.” He glanced at the bikers behind her. “You need to drop the charges against me and your brothers.”
“Not going to happen.”
“If you don’t, I’ll go to the press about you and your boy toy. I know what you’ve been up to.”
“Are you threatening me?”
The bikers stood, walked over, and formed a protective half moon around Lara, who was grateful for their presence.
“You’ll regret this,” Walter sneered.
“I doubt it.”
Walter turned and stormed out.
“Thank you,” Lara turned to the bikers.
“He threatened you,” one of the bikers said.
“Bear is right,” another said.
“I’m fine.” She waved them back to their seats and made her way behind the counter. She wasn’t all right. What did her ex know? How would that affect her business and Colby’s?
She glanced at the bikers. No phones. She should call Colby, but he’d told her he had a meeting today with a major store who wanted him to make some specialized items for them. She’d tell him about this later. He had to trust her to do what was right for her. With a sigh, she picked up the phone and called Jordan to let him know what had happened.
Jordan said he’d draw up paperwork for no-contact orders. It should have been done at the arraignment, Jordan wasn’t sure how it was overlooked, and told her he’d get back to her once he’d talked with a judge. They might be able to do this without a formal hearing. Lara hung up and sighed. Her family was making this difficult, but what else did she expect?
The bikers stayed until she closed up, and then she noticed Bear was keeping watch until she drove away. The bikers were good guys and didn’t deserve to be treated like dirt.
Lara hardened her heart against her family. No more feeling sorry for them. They caused this chaos not her. Unfortunately, she was also paying the price for it. She had some tough decisions to make.
* * * *
“Want to tell me what’s bothering you?” Colby said after dinner at Lara’s house.
“Nothing.” Lara flittered around the kitchen. Why was she hesitating in telling him what happened today?