Chapter 23
“Nell!”
The next morning Nellie and Rowan had made love before she’d gone to take a shower while he made them breakfast. Nellie grabbed a towel and hurried from the bathroom dripping wet at Rowan’s call.
“Look,” he told her pointing to the television.
“Holy shit,” Nell muttered, dropping onto the couch in shock. “I never thought anyone would challenge him.”
“Go call your sister. I don’t know if they saw it.
” Rowan kissed her quickly and handed her his phone.
She really needed to get her own phone. “I ordered you a new phone. It’ll arrive today,” he told her as if reading her mind.
“Gator did the same with Sue Ellen. By tonight you’ll be able to talk to each other anytime you want. ”
“Thank you! It’s been nice not having a phone. But at the same time, I don’t like not being in contact with Sue Ellen. I’ll call my sister, check my email, and be right out.”
Nell grabbed the phone and hurried to Rowan’s room that she’d pretty much moved into over the past couple of days. She called Gator’s phone and talked to her sister while on speaker. She got dressed as she told her about the report on the news.
“Ingram will lose his mind,” Sue Ellen told her, clearly sounding worried.
“Good, I want him to. I’m tired of backing down from him. I’m tired of running. Let him come for me. We’re not alone anymore, Sue Ellen.”
“I can’t risk the kids, Nell.”
Nellie shook her head even as she brushed her hair. “I’m not asking you to, Sue Ellen. I’ll handle Ingram. He came after me too. I’m ready to go after him.”
“It’s not your job to protect me, Nell. I’m your big sister, remember? I need to be protecting you.”
“No,” Nell said seriously. “You need to protect Tally and James. Period. But, you know Ingram better than anyone. What will be his next move?”
Sue Ellen was quiet for a moment. “Intimidation. He’ll try to do a show of power and make you feel toyed with. He wants you to feel threatened and scared, never knowing when he’ll strike. It’s his way of taking back control.”
Yeah, that sounded like him. As she and Sue Ellen talked, Nell checked her email and felt her stomach drop when she saw one from her boss dated last night.
She clicked on it as Sue Ellen was telling her how great Gator has been to them.
“Sue Ellen,” Nell said, cutting off her sister’s gushing about Gator.
“Would Ingram get me fired to make a point?”
“Definitely. Oh, no. He didn’t, did he?”
“Yup. I have been relieved of my job.”
“Why don’t you sound more upset?” Sue Ellen asked. “You love that job.”
Nell sighed. “Yeah, and I love the kids. I did not love Holland Springs though.”
“I used to think Holland Springs was everything,” Sue Ellen admitted. “Now I never want to go back.”
“Maybe we don’t have to. I don’t have a job to go back to. I could sell my house and you could end your lease. We could move here. Live together in a cute little house and find jobs, maybe at the school.”
“Gator has offered to build an addition onto his house for all of us.”
“That must have been one hell of a date night,” Nell teased her sister. She could practically feel her sister blushing over the phone.
“It was. But it’s probably too fast. I told him I’d think about it.”
“Well, I’m in love with Rowan, so maybe it isn’t too fast.”
Her sister gasped. “Really?” she asked hopefully.
“Really. Head over heels, can’t imagine my life without him type of love. I just haven’t told him, because, like you, I felt it was too soon.”
“Thank you so much for telling me. I thought I was going crazy developing these feelings for Gator so quickly.”
“You’re not. Look, I need to go. Rowan just made breakfast. He said we’re getting our own phones today. Let’s talk tonight. In the meantime, let me handle Ingram.”
They said goodbye and Nell pulled up Rowan’s texts.
She wasn’t snooping. She was looking for one very specific name.
She found it and sent a message. Miss Tibbie, this is Nellie.
Can you pass on to Scarlet that I’ve been fired from my job?
She might find it interesting that Ingram is still going after me.
Nellie walked into the kitchen and handed the phone back to Rowan.
It pinged with a message and Rowan read it.
“Miss Tibbie says that reports are already coming in that Ingram is totally unhinged. He asked the sheriff’s deputies to arrest you and drag you back to Holland Springs.
His neighbors called the cops right after the news report because of the breaking glass coming from his house.
Miss Tibbie says to be careful and she’ll pass it along.
” Rowan paused, read up the text chain and frowned. “You lost your job?”
“I did. It seems that Holland Springs is as done with me as I am with them.” Nellie thought she’d feel upset, panicked, or something else except the relaxed take she had on it now.
“Gator was going to ask about any job openings at our schools. I’ll let you know what he finds out.” Rowan paused. “That is, if you’re interested.”
“Of course, I’m interested! Also, I’m interested in buying some new clothes. Now that Ingram knows where I am, I can use my credit cards again. I love your sisters-in-law, but I’m ready for my own clothes ? especially, not to be indelicate, but, um, delicates.”
“Let’s go shopping after we eat.”
Nellie grinned as she ate. She didn’t know why, but instead of feeling like an end, it felt like her life was just beginning.
Rowan held the bags from Bless Your Scarf as they walked out of the store with bags of new clothes. Nellie didn’t realize he’d slipped his credit card to the cashier, but he wanted to take care of her. He thought she’d be nervous and fearful, but today she shone with newfound joy and hope.
“Ro,” she suddenly gasped as she reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him from heading down the sidewalk.
Rowan looked down at her and saw her face had gone pale as she stared across the street. Two men in sheriff’s deputies’ uniforms were walking toward her. “Ingram’s guys?”
“Yes. They’re the ones who took one, single photo of Sue Ellen’s injuries. Reluctantly. After I shamed them into it.”
“Those boys?” the voice of Miss Ruby came from behind them.
Rowan turned to see Miss Ruby, Miss Winnie, and Miss Mitzi standing behind them with Mr. Gann and Mr. Knoll on their scooters beside the women.
“Hmph,” Mr. Gann grunted, leaving Miss Mitzi to fill them in on the deputies.
“Hello, Harry. Victor. I’d like to say it’s a surprise to see you here, but I’m guessing Ingram has his panties in a wad after losing the legal case and having a reporter call him on his bullshit.” Rowan was proud of Nellie for sounding so unconcerned by their appearance in town.
“You need to come with us,” the one she addressed as Victor told her.
“That’s not going to happen,” Rowan casually told them. If Nellie wanted to handle it in a relaxed way, he would too.
“No offense, but you can’t stop us.”
Suddenly, two sword blades and a small crossbow appeared out of thin air. The two blades stopped an inch short of Harry and Victor’s throats. “We can stop you two cowards,” Miss Ruby said, with no trace of humor in her voice.
“Two cowards who wouldn’t even protect a woman and child being beaten. You should be ashamed of yourselves,” Miss Winnie said, her blade not wavering.
“My pussy is braver than you,” Miss Mitzi spat at them. Rowan had to bite his lips hide a smile since he wasn’t sure which pussy she was talking about. Either herself or her cat, and either one was funny.
“How can you call yourselves men?” Mr. Gann asked, rolling up to stop between the deputies and Rowan and Nell.
“They can’t since real men would never allow women and children to be hurt.” Mr. Knoll flanked them and then revved the engine on his scooter. An engine that a dirt track racer would be envious of.
“In our time, we’d take you behind the woodshed and beat the piss out of you,” Mr. Gann told them. Rowan saw the men looking both ashamed and unsure how they should handle this scolding.
“What’s going on here?”
Rowan and everyone looked to see where Reverend Floyd Winston and his girlfriend, Reverend Melinda Jones, approached, hand in hand.
“These so-called deputies are the ones who wouldn’t protect Nellie’s sister and children from her husband,” Rowan answered.
“God’s going to judge you harshly for your cowardly actions,” Reverend Winston told them very seriously.
“Where are Sue Ellen and the kids?” Victor asked after clearing his throat.
“Who?” Melinda asked, the picture of innocence.
“Nellie’s sister and children,” Harry asked, clearly uncomfortable now that they were being surrounded by townspeople.
The sound of multiple guns cocking and the sound of metal pulling free from sheaths seemed to echo around downtown.
“We don’t know Nellie’s sister, but if we did,” Maggie said, one hand resting on her pregnant belly that hadn’t even formed a bump yet, and the other holding a gun with a very steady hand. “We wouldn’t tell two men who failed in protecting innocent women and children.”
“Hey!” Harry snapped, but then changed his tone as Miss Ruby’s blade pressed against his throat. “We were put on traffic duty after turning in that photo.”
“Boo-hoo,” Lydia Langston said sarcastically, her own weapon drawn and ready. “My husband was trapped in a cave after being ambushed and shot while protecting our country and Tristan’s country. And you’re going to cry about traffic duty?”
“That’s so cringe.”
“Jesus! Do you not see a teenage girl holding a dagger?” Victor sputtered at Lacy.
“Jesus knows and approves. She’s protecting her flock.” Reverend Winston stepped closer to Harry and Victor. “Nellie is one of us and we protect our own. Have for centuries. Don’t make the mistake of thinking Nellie is here alone. She has support from the entire town. Take a look.”
The men finally looked around. A circle had formed around them, three and four armed townsfolk deep, and it was clear they were there to support Nellie.
“We’ll go,” Harry said slowly. “But you know Ingram will send more people.”
“Good,” Kenzie said from where she approached with her billionaire husband, Ryker Faulkner. “Bubba’s hungry.”
“Who’s Bubba?” Victor asked.
Kenzie just smiled. “Come back and find out.”
“Did you just threaten us?” Victor accused.
“Miss Mitzi is right,” Ryker chimed in. “Her pussy could take you down if you’re scared by a little threat from my wife. Now, if you want a real threat, why don’t you try pissing me off by touching Miss Hale.”
“And you are?” Harry asked, trying to find some bravado.
“Ryker Faulkner.” Harry’s face paled as he recognized the billionaire businessman well known for being rather ruthless.
“And I’m Sheriff Granger Fox. You have no jurisdiction here.
Don’t be worried about me doing anything to you, though.
Instead, I’d be scared to death of my wife if you come in here and mess up her getting another sister.
To prevent you from that slow death, I’m telling you, leave Shadows Landing and don’t come back. ”
Rowan watched as the men hurried off, but then Victor turned back. “We won’t be the last people Ingram sends.”
“Let him. I’m not scared of him anymore. And you shouldn’t be either. He’s a sinking ship, guys. Don’t let him take you down with him. You know you have evidence against him. Give it to the reporter or even Granger. He’ll make sure it gets into the right hands.”
Granger nodded. “If you’re doing the right thing, we’ll back you one hundred percent. All of us will. Nell is right. Ingram is going down. The question is, do you want to go down with him?”
The two deputies looked thoughtful. Granger gave them his phone number just in case they needed it before they headed out.
“Thank you all for looking out for me.” Nell couldn’t describe how she felt having the whole town back her up.
A teenager had pulled a dagger for her. She’d asked Rowan about it, and apparently, there was a self-defense class taught by the reverend at the church.
Lydia promised to take her to the next class.
And here she was, once again, having more roots put down in Shadows Landing.