Chapter 5
Clare couldn’t believe she was standing there breathing. She thought for sure her time was up when Jeremy headed toward her in his car. The man had serious anger issues. She knew he was deranged but not insane to the point of wanting to kill her. The thought made her shake uncontrollably as Malcolm gently moved her toward Devon.
“Watch her,” Malcolm said to Devon, then walked away.
“Damn, Clare,” Devon said, looking down at her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Clare noticed many people were now surrounding them, and she felt exposed. She hated any type of attention directed toward her, especially after something like this. She hadn’t even fully understood what had just happened, and now everyone was staring at her.
“Clare?” Devon said, gaining her attention.
“I’m okay.” She lied just as she noticed Malcolm heading toward Jeremy, who was trying to free himself from Dell. “What is he doing?” She asked just as Malcolm grabbed Jeremy from Dell and began raining blows into Jeremy’s face.
“Looks like he’s beating the shit out of the bastard and doing a fine good job at it,” Devon said as if he was a proud father.
She had to admit he was right. Malcolm punched Jeremy in the face over and over again until Jeremy wasn’t even protecting himself anymore, let alone throwing anything back at Malcolm. It took not only Dell but Hunter and Marcus, who came running, to pull him off Jeremy.
Clare watched Malcolm as he finally regained control, then walked a few steps away but was still focused on Jeremy, who was spitting out blood.
“If you ever come anywhere near her again, I will kill you,” Malcolm warned in a deadly calm voice as he pointed directly at Jeremy. “You are damn lucky she isn’t hurt, you son of a bitch.”
Jeremy said something back, but Clare couldn’t hear. Whatever was said, had Malcolm rushing toward him again, with Dell and Hunter almost tackling Malcolm to the ground.
“Get him the fuck out of here,” Dell ordered just as Garrett came into view.
Garrett grabbed Jeremy by the throat and lifted him up before slamming him on the ground, then put his foot on his chest. “Call the police,” Garrett ordered, looking at Clare’s car and then toward her. “You are pressing charges, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” She nodded without hesitation. No way in hell was she going to let him slide on this. The man was insane. No telling what he had done to other women, and maybe she could save another woman from this asshole.
“You fucking whore!” Jeremy yelled, his words slurred from the swelling of his face, but his words were loud and clear.
Malcolm roared, fighting Dell and Hunter to get back at Jeremy. She watched Jamie head toward Malcolm as Devon cursed beside her. “I swear that woman never listens. I told her to stay in the damn house.”
“Maybe she can calm him down,” Clare said, watching Malcolm with a confused frown. “Why isn’t he listening to Dell? Jeremy is of no threat now that Garrett has his humongous foot on his chest.” She actually gave a little smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, but seeing Jeremy humiliated with a huge foot on his chest made her strangely happy.
When he didn’t answer, Clare looked up at Devon, who just gave her a smug smile as if he knew a secret. Before she could question him further, she spotted Janna and Emily rushing toward her. “Are you hurt?” Janna reached her first, wrapping her arms around her in a hug.
“No, I’m fine,” Clare reassured her, then hugged Emily.
“We heard yelling,” Janna said, looking back at the car. “Garrett got out of bed and headed downstairs, telling me to stay in the house. I watched what was happening out the window and saw that man almost hit Devon and head straight for you.”
“Who is he?” Emily peeked around the crowd to where Garrett still had Jeremy pinned to the ground.
“My date,” Clare replied, watching Malcolm, who seemed to have regained his composure. He looked toward her. Their eyes met and held.
“Damn,” Emily said with a whistle. “You sure know how to pick them.”
Clare decided not to throw Roxy under the bus, so she remained quiet. Malcolm finally looked away and headed for the garage, disappearing inside. Frowning, she pulled away from Emily and Janna. “I’ll be right back.” She said as she headed toward where Malcolm disappeared.
As she made her way, it seemed like everyone stopped her to ask if she was okay. She was at the point of wanting to scream she was fine so everyone would return home. She didn’t want to seem like she didn’t appreciate their worry, but she hated the attention. As she passed her car, her stomach flipped at the sight. She had almost died in that very spot, and if not for Malcolm, she would have. There was no way she could have survived being hit and pinned between the cars. She pushed the nausea away as she turned her attention back to the garage and the man who saved her life.
Finally making it to the door, she opened it and walked inside. It took a minute for her eyes to adjust. Walking around the vehicle that was parked inside, she searched for Malcolm. He sat on a cot, pulling on a pair of boots. His hands were a bloody mess. As if sensing she was there, he stopped and then slowly looked up. His eyes were the color of sea moss and seemed to stare into her very soul. She swallowed hard, looking away back to his hands.
“Clare?” He said, slowly, standing up. “Are you okay?”
She swore if she heard those words one more time, she was going to lose her shit. Instead of answering, she looked up into his eyes once more. “I should be asking you that.” She walked toward him, stopped, then glanced back down at his hands, taking one in her own grip.
“It’s not my blood.” Was his answer, and she realized he was right as she stood there looking at his hand. Not one cut nor scrap.
“Oh,” She said, then chuckled as she smiled back at him. “My mistake.”
A grin slid across his full lips, making her legs feel wobbly. Damn, he was handsome. His black hair hit the tip of his long lashes; those eyes were enough to make any woman wobble. Slowly, she let go of his hand and stepped back.
“Then I suggest you wash them well because God only knows what diseases that man carries.” She replied, meaning every word. Seeing the smile disappear at the mention of Jeremy had her cursing. “Thank you, Malcolm.”
“You already thanked me, Clare,” Malcolm replied, his eyes watching her closely.
“Well, I think saving someone’s life deserves more than one thank you.” She said with a shrug and a half grin. “I most definitely owe you one or a thousand. Maybe even a pie or something. I’m not really up on what to give someone who saved your life.”
“You owe me nothing,” he replied, then looked like he wanted to say more, but the door behind them slammed open, and Malcolm quickly stepped away from her. Feeling embarrassed by his reaction and a little hurt, Clare frowned.
“Hey! The cops are here!” Hunter called out and then walked around the car, spotting them. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to disrupt anything.”
Malcolm didn’t say a word as he just stood there. Clare turned toward Hunter. “You didn’t disrupt anything. I was thanking Malcolm.” Clare replied, then gave him a stern look. “I’m not in the mood for your mouth, Foster,” Clare warned, knowing that Hunter was about to say something about her thanking Malcolm alone in the dark. She knew how Hunter’s mind worked.
“Now, would I go and do something like that?” Hunter grinned, then helped her around the car with a chuckle. “It’s like you don’t know me at all.”
“I know you well enough.” She waited for Hunter to open the door, forcing herself not to turn to see if Malcolm followed. He had stepped away from her, which told her everything she needed to know. He was not interested, and she wanted to be fine with that, but surprisingly, she was not. Something had happened between them, and it shook her a little.
“We pretty much filled them in on what happened, but they have questions for you,” Dell informed her when she approached them by the cars.
“Ask away,” Clare said, doing her best not to look at her smashed vehicle. Instead, she looked toward one of the police cars where Jeremy sat, glaring at her through swollen eyes. Blood still trickled out of his nose from Malcolm’s beating. He mouthed something at her, but she ignored him as she looked up at the officer, who started asking questions.
Clare spent the next thirty or so minutes telling the police every detail, from the time they arrived at the restaurant to where they were now standing.
“Do you have the name of the manager or waitress?” The cop asked, looking up from the notepad he had been writing in.
“No, but I promise you they will remember us,” she said, then shrugged. “Actually, I can find out. I’m calling tomorrow to see if he paid his bill. I told the manager I would pay it if he didn’t because I didn’t want it coming out of the waitress’s paycheck.”
“Why do you think he wanted to hurt you?” The officer said, which was an odd question since the evidence was literally right smack in the officer’s face, as well as the witness statements that were likely in the notepad he held.
“Because he’s insane.” Clare cocked her eyebrow, then added as she looked back toward where he continued to pound on the window glaring at her. “And he knows his…let’s just say…free ride in life is about to be nonexistent.”
“I take it you are pressing chargers?” The officer frowned down at his notepad before looking back up at her.
“Absolutely,” Clare replied with a frown of her own. “Wouldn’t that be obvious?”
“Not really, ma’am.” The officer sighed, putting his notepad back in his pocket. “This isn’t the first time we have dealt with Mr. McNeil. His family has some pretty powerful lawyers.”
Anger raged inside her as she listened to this officer. “How many other women have you had this conversation with—” She looked at his badge. “Officer Biles?”
His eyebrows rose slightly, taken back by her question. “A few, but it’s well known in our district how things work when we see Jeremy McNeil walking into our station.”
“And how many women back away from pressing charges?” She knew her voice cracked with anger, but she didn’t care. When he didn’t answer, her voice rose slightly. “How many?”
“Most.” He offered, looking a little ashamed of admitting that sickening fact.
“Then shame on you.” She once again glared at the man who by what she was learning was a menace to women and by damn she swore to herself long ago she would fight for women and that’s what she was going to do. “I don’t care if he has OJ Simpson’s legal team; I am pressing charges for attempted murder.”
“Ma’am, we just try to—” The officer tried to explain himself, but Clare wasn’t having it.
“How much do Jeremy’s parents contribute to Sheriff Dawson’s election fund?” Clare cocked her eyebrow.
“That information is above my pay grade.” The officer said, then cleared his throat. “I’m just a deputy.”
“Do you have a wife? Children? A little boy? Or maybe a girl?” Clare asked, but before he could answer, she narrowed her eyes. “If you do, then maybe you should rethink how you approach a woman who has every right to press charges against a bastard like Jeremy McNeil. Scaring them may work, but not on me. And no matter what your pay grade is, you should know who you are really working for, Officer Biles, because right now you are not working for the victim, but the bastard who almost killed me. I have a big mouth and know people. I will say this one more time. I am pressing charges of attempted murder. I will be at the station to sign any papers that need to be signed. Or should I seek the State Police to ensure the report is filed?”
“Yes, ma’am. That would be best.” Officer Biles nodded, not quite able to meet her eyes, letting her and everyone else know that Sheriff Dawson had been bought and paid for by the McNeil family. Clare would bet her last dollar Jeremy’s parents weren’t the only ones. Talk of Sheriff Dawson’s dirty dealings spread like wildfire, and yet, he still got elected. “We have an officer getting statements from the restaurant. You can come to the station later this evening or early morning. Or, as you stated, you can go to the State Police.”
“Thank you,” Clare responded with a nod. She rubbed her arms as the chill of the night started to hit her. She was coming down from her adrenaline rush and was beginning to feel. There was no way she would dive into her car right now for a jacket. She was still having a hard time looking at it.
“Ma’am.” The officer said as he turned back around to face her. “I have a wife and a daughter. I’m glad you’re standing strong. It takes guts.”
“I’m not doing it for me,” Clare said and meant it. “I’m doing it for the other women who were too scared to.”
“I’ve gota tow truck headed this way for his car. Do you need one for yours?” Another cop walked up after Officer Biles turned away.
“No, we will take care of it,” Dell answered for her.
The cop nodded, glancing down at Clare. “You’re a very lucky lady.”
“Yes, I am.” She replied, her eyes meeting Malcolm’s, who was again staring at her with those eyes. She quickly looked away from him and back to the cop who was heading toward the cruiser that Jeremy was in. He was still glaring at her. Suddenly, Malcolm stepped into her vision, blocking Jeremy. With a sigh, she looked toward her car.
“OJ Simpson’s legal team?” Hunter grinned, giving her a sideways glance.
Clare shrugged but didn’t respond; instead, she looked toward Garrett, who was staring at her. “I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t bring trouble here with what I said about Sheriff Dawson. I know you’ve been staying off his radar, but?—”
“We know all about Sheriff Dawson, and he knows all about us,” Garrett said, glancing at Dell and then back at her. If he wants to start trouble, he will be making a huge mistake. I would have been disappointed if you had reacted any other way.”
“Thank you,” Clare said, then sighed, looking toward her car. “Guess I better see if it’s going to start.”
“You aren’t driving it anywhere tonight,” Dell said, gaining her attention. “It took a hard hit. Malcolm will look it over to see what needs to be done and get a price on fixing the damage.”
“Are you sure?” Clare frowned, looking first at Dell, then at Malcolm.
“It’s my job.” Was all Malcolm said before walking around her to the car. He went to the undamaged side, looking in. Opening the door, he grabbed her bag and coat.
“Malcolm can give you a ride home,” Dell said as he inspected the damage.
“No, it’s fine.” Clare protested as she took her coat and bag from Malcolm with a nod of thanks. She also noticed he didn’t look pleased about being volunteered to take her anywhere. “I can call an Uber.” She saw the look Dell gave to Malcolm and frowned.
“I got you,” Malcolm replied as he headed toward the garage. “Wait here.”
Not liking being a burden to anyone, which it seemed that she was to Malcolm, she started to say something when Devon walked up. “You get used to his…surliness.”
“Oh, is that what it is?” Clare smirked, shaking her head as she put on her coat. “My. My. Devon. Such big boy words.”
“Got a kid now,” Devon said with a huge grin. “Time to better my vocabulary.”
Clare chuckled but remained silent. Her eyes shifted back to her car as a shiver of dread for the upcoming nights of nightmares on her horizon. Hearing a motorcycle had her looking away as Malcolm rode toward them. He had saved her from death, and she wondered briefly if he could chase away the shadows that were going to haunt her dreams. She shook that thought aside. She quickly learned she could only depend on herself in most things no matter how much she wanted different. Once again, their eyes met as he stopped before her, and she wished that, for the first time in her life, a man would find her worth the fight.