39. Casey
Chapter Thirty-Nine
CASEY
“Mom!” I jumped up, racing behind her when she leapt up from the table and began following Nathaniel.
I felt Leo right behind me. “Casey!” He caught me by the hand. “Hold up. Let me get your mom.”
Fortunately, the restaurant was crowded. That slowed Nathaniel down, along with my mom, who seemed downright determined to catch up to him. As I looked ahead, I saw a group of firefighters clustered beside the bar, including Parker, Cade, Graham, and Hudson. There was also another police officer, Tanner McAdams, who I knew from the café.
I heard Rex call out to Tanner. He moved quickly and cut in front of Nathaniel’s path, stopping him. My mom caught up to the group just as Leo and I reached her. “Mom, let the police handle this,” I said quickly.
She ignored me and promptly kicked Nathaniel in the balls. He cried out in pain and bent over with a groan.
Everyone nearby glanced at her in shock.
“Well, it’s effective.” My mother’s tone was pointed as she rested her hands on her hips.
“You’re not wrong,” Leo offered dryly while Nathaniel continued groaning.
When Nathaniel straightened up, his eyes were watering from the pain. He glanced around, his gaze landing on my mom. “I want to press assault charges,” he choked out.
Calm as you please, Rex glanced from my mom to me and Leo, his brows arching up in question. “How about you fill me in on why you bolted from the table?”
Nathaniel’s gaze went flat and he pressed his lips in a line. “I’m not talking to anybody, not until I have a lawyer.”
“You’re not under arrest at the moment,” Rex said, his tone dry as burnt toast.
“He’s under indictment for felony charges related to dealing drugs in North Carolina,” I said quickly. “I can get the officer handling the case on the phone if you’d like. What my mom said at the table is true. He had to get permission to travel and my parents had to agree to supervise him.”
Rex dipped his chin in acknowledgment. “Okay, then. Let’s go back to the station.” He turned toward Nathaniel, his gaze measuring. “You are currently being detained until we sort this out. Do I need to put you in handcuffs?”
Nathaniel’s parents had reached us, along with my dad, in the circle around Nathaniel and my mom. For a moment, it looked like Nathaniel wanted to argue the point, but he finally let out a heavy sigh. “Let’s go. I’ll ride with my parents.”
Rex shook his head sharply. “Oh no, you won’t. You’re riding with me.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Nathaniel muttered.
We followed Rex and Tanner out in a slow-moving group. My mother wouldn’t even make eye contact with David. As I studied Nathaniel’s mother, I realized that she might be the only one among the three of them who had no idea what had really happened. She looked horrified. Meanwhile, David appeared resigned and guarded.
With Leo driving and my parents riding with us, we went to the police station. By the time we arrived, Rex and Tanner had taken Nathaniel in the back with Nathaniel’s parents. After a few minutes, Maisie Steele came out from the back. “I’m gonna put you in the conference room while we wait.”
After she escorted us into the back and offered us coffee, she pulled Leo and me aside. “I heard the update. They’re going to hold him until they confer with law enforcement in North Carolina. Based on the charges, I don’t think he’s going to be released.”
She gave me a quick hug. “It’s going to be okay. I’d sit with you, but,” she tapped her headset, “I’ve gotta stay on duty up front.”
After she left, Leo sat beside me and reached for my hand under the table, giving me a reassuring squeeze.
My mother looked at me. “I’m sorry, honey.” She burst into tears.
I stood up and rounded the table to give her a hug. Straightening, I handed her a tissue from the box in the center of the table. “Mom, none of this is your fault. The only part I knew for sure was that Callie was getting her drugs from Nathaniel and that they were kind of dating. He suspected I knew the rest. I think he tried to pressure me into getting involved with him because he hoped that would keep me in line. When Officer Blankenship reached out to me, everything I suspected turned out to be true.”
“I’m so sorry. I miss Callie. I wish we could bring her back somehow.” My mother took a shaky breath and blew her nose, while my dad stood up to give me a long hug.
After that, I sat back down and explained how I’d gotten suspicious about Nathaniel. “I knew Callie was having trouble. She told me she had it under control. I didn’t know Nathaniel was purposefully giving her stronger drugs.” I swiped at my tears with my fingertips. Leo circled his palm between my shoulder blades, his touch comforting me.
My dad looked at Leo. “Are you really her fiancé?”
Leo waited just long enough that I cut in. “I’d like him to be. He’s really my boyfriend, and—” I looked over at my mom. “Since you were trying so hard to sell me on Nathaniel, I needed a way to get you to back off. Honestly, I know that’s stupid now. I should’ve just told you the whole story, but I didn’t know if I could ever convince anyone of my suspicions. His mom has been your best friend since before I was born.” I let out a heavy sigh as the enormity of what Nathaniel had done struck me anew.
My dad reached for my mom’s hand. “I don’t think his mom knew.”
“You don’t?”
Leo chimed in, “That’s not what I’m reading from her either. His dad knew something. Maybe he didn’t know the whole story, but I think he knew enough of it. They’ve been banking on you, literally, to pay his attorney bills.”
My dad narrowed his eyes. “I already texted the attorney that we are no longer covering any bills. They can pay for it themselves.” He shook his head before leveling his gaze with mine. “I’m sorry for this whole mess too. Your mom always thought it would be so perfect if Nathaniel married one of our kids. We should’ve trusted you and let it be. We got swept up in grief.”
The relief I felt at the whole truth being out there lifted an immense weight off my shoulders. We didn’t have to wait much longer before Rex came in and updated us that they were holding Nathaniel until they made arrangements to transport him back to North Carolina.
He shifted his focus to my mom. “I’m not gonna charge you, but…” Rex shook his head. “Next time, try to refrain from kicking him in the balls.”
My mom was unabashed. “He was trying to run away and that was an effective way to stop him,” she said tartly.