Chapter 19 A Re with the Devil #2
As he got closer to the active situation, he could hear raised voices.
The two unknown officers were each holding an arm of an adult male, around sixty years old, very disheveled and extremely belligerent.
He wasn’t someone Lucas recognized. A parent of a Riverbend student?
While community members came to the games even if they didn’t have children in the school, they were usually regulars and recognizable.
Rarely did people come from the neighboring school communities unless they were attached to the visiting team, and no matter who they were, it was concerning that someone in this state would be at the game.
When he got within twenty-five feet, he noticed her hand was resting on the hilt of her stun gun, as if she was prepared to draw and fire at any moment. Had this creep threatened her?
Looking up into the press box where the announcer was sitting, he hit the call button on his radio. “Get the announcements started, please. We need to distract this crowd and get this guy out of here.”
Immediately, the teacher behind the microphone began announcements. Lucas hoped that the homecoming fanfare of team introductions, review of fan etiquette, and then the anthem would be enough to drown out the voices at the field level as well as distract everyone from whatever was going on.
Focused back on the situation in front of him, he noticed Axton had physically put himself in front of Elyxandre, shielding her from the drunk’s reach.
He wanted to join the officer in protecting her, but he didn’t want to impede him from doing his job, so he stayed on the periphery.
It took several moments for his brain to shut off his worry for her and focus on what was being said.
The man lunged toward Elyxandre again. Despite his age and his out-of-shape physique, he was giving the two police officers holding onto him a difficult time restraining him. Adrenaline and high emotions could often do that.
“Go back to whatever hole you slunk out of, girlie. No one fucking wants you here. You ain’t worth shit!”
Lieutenant Axton spoke up, his demeanor calm but hard. “Mr. Parcell, I’ve given you three warnings. I will not give you a fourth.”
Who was this guy?
The man simply kept raging. He was so upset, his face was red, almost to the point of purple.
“You’re a coward, girl. You were always a coward!
Always needed someone to protect you! Back in high school, it was that motley assortment of kids you hung around with.
None of them were worth a goddamn thing!
That boyfriend of yours thought he was all big and bad because he was going into the Navy!
Thought he could threaten me. Me! Your father!
Thought he could make me stop laying hands on you when you needed to learn your place. ”
This was her father?
The man managed to break free from one of the officers, his arm flailing out toward Elyxandre.
Either he was faster than he looked, or he caught everyone completely by surprise, because even with Quint half in front of her as a buffer, the man managed to scrape his hand down her arm, pulling it from the stun gun.
Axton said, “That’s it. You’re under arrest for the assault of a police officer.
” The man who’d lost his grip on Elyxandre’s father regained his arm, and together they moved him forward on his feet to behind the stands.
His energy seemed to increase, so they were forced to put him face down on the ground in order to cuff him and read him his rights.
Axton had to assist because he wouldn’t stop struggling.
Meanwhile, Elyxandre stood still as a stone, her eyes staring straight ahead, her skin drained of all color.
As they carted Parcell away, he continued his rant.
“Just like your mother. A fucking whore! Spread your legs for anyone you could convince that you needed saving. You think because that old boyfriend of yours was in the military that I’m scared of him?
I ain’t scared of nobody, girl! Nobody! You tell him, if he’s a man, if he wants to kill me, he’ll come face me now, man-to-man, not while I’m tied up and him and his friends beat on me! ”
The crowd closest to the scene was still riveted by what had gone on and was paying no attention to where the players were being introduced as they ran onto the field. She was going to be mortified when she realized. He had to get her out of here before she became aware of it.
Approaching her carefully, he circled around until he was directly in front of her. He didn’t want to take the chance that she’d shoot him since her hand was back on the hilt of her stun gun.
“Elyxandre,” he said softly, a hand out in front of him.
She didn’t answer and didn’t even seem to see him standing before her.
“Elyxandre,” he said a little louder.
His hand reached out to touch the one loose at her side. It was ice cold. Slowly, he reached out to her other hand and pulled it away from the weapon at her side. Only then did her eyes appear to refocus.
“Hi there,” he said. He could feel how brittle the smile was on his face. “You okay?”
It was a stupid question. Of course she wasn’t okay. Even someone who didn’t know her would know she couldn’t possibly be okay.
“Lucas?”
Unmindful that people were watching, he put his arm around her and guided her toward the back side of the bleachers. “Let’s get you out of here, okay?”
As he guided her, Axton returned. The two officers were still struggling with her father, but they were making progress toward their squad cars along the curb at the parking lot’s edge.
“What the hell happened?” Lucas asked.
“Asshole came out of the stands when he saw her. Started screaming all kinds of fucked-up shit.”
In the space of a few seconds, she was starting to pull herself together, but he could tell she was still shaky. “Knox called him. Told him I was back home. Why would he do that? Why can’t he just leave me alone? Why can’t both of them just leave me alone?”
The two men shared a look.
“Officer Hookstead,” Lucas began. “Why don’t you go home for the night? The officers here have things under control.”
As soon as the final sentence was out of his mouth, he knew it was the wrong thing to say.
“And I don’t have things under control, is that it?”
She was furious with him. He’d never tell her this, but he preferred her furious to the frozen-stiff woman he’d witnessed minutes earlier.
“I didn’t say that,” he reminded her. “But you were just verbally attacked and almost physically assaulted by someone you know, someone you have a traumatic past with. It would affect anyone, even you, and going home to rest might help you reset from it.”
Her eyes were full of fire. “I’m fine, Dr. Vaughn. He’s just another individual to deal with on the job. I don’t need to reset, and he didn’t put me in the hospital, so unless my boss, the superintendent, fires me, I’m going back to work.”
She took off along the back side of the football field toward the visitor side. All he could do was watch her go.
“She’s tough. She’ll be okay.”
Lucas turned toward Axton. “I know. I didn’t mean to suggest she can’t do the job. She’s more than capable.”
“But you care about her, so you also want to protect her.”
He blinked at the officer. Was it that obvious?
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that intentions are always honorable.
We want to see our women get the best of everything.
But sometimes, in our effort to make their lives easier, we actually make them feel ‘different.’ Incapable.
And unfortunately, sometimes our pride gets in the way.
We’re men. We’re supposed to provide for them.
Protect them. But that means we don’t always see what they really need.
Our hearts are involved, and if they’re hurting, we want to fix it.
Make it better. But most of the time, they need to fix it themselves. ”
“Speaking from experience?”
“You could say that. My Corrie is blind. People see the white cane, and instantly, they rush to try and do things for her. Their hearts are in the right place, most of the time, but she’s learned to survive in this world.
She doesn’t need me or anyone else to help her.
Some days I think she’s more capable of survival than me. ”
“Her own father attacked her. He did it publicly. In front of students, parents, staff, and the community. How can I not want to help her?”
“Help her by letting her do her job. Don’t pretend it didn’t happen, but let her come to grips with it by distracting herself with work.
Let her chew on it. She’s tough. Eventually, she’ll need a supportive shoulder.
Might be later tonight, might be a day or two.
When that time comes, be there. Let her tell you what she needs.
You may have to ask her directly what that is because she’s proud.
There might be a bit of a fight before she tells you, but she will. ”
“It’s going to be hard not to push her.”
Axton snorted. “Believe me, I get it. Corrie still runs into challenges, and she can be stubborn. Every day, I still have to fight that primal part of me that wants to solve everything for her, then wrap her up in bubble wrap and lock her in a tall tower with no doors.”
“How do you keep from doing it?”
“By reminding myself that while she can’t see, it doesn’t mean she can’t see what needs doing and then find a way to do it herself. And…” He laughed. “I remind myself that I taught her how to drive.”
Lucas looked at him like a crazy person.
“She did it too. Now, would I turn her loose on the streets of San Antonio? No. That would be foolish, and she knows it. But I gave her something no one else did. I didn’t assume she couldn’t do something just because she was blind.
You need to do the same thing for Elyxandre.
Do something that shows her you see her, not the uniform, or what she projects herself to be.
You just have to find what that something is. ”
“She doesn’t really share herself with me. At least, not yet.”
“I get it. Things are new between the two of you.”
Lucas looked at him with surprise.
“Hate to say it, but the two of you aren’t as subtle as you think you are. Anyone half paying attention will notice the lingering stares, not to mention how you shine like lighthouses around each other.” He grimaced. “She’s got unresolved history, and not just with her idiot father.”
“You caught that about the military boyfriend and a beating as well?”
“Yeah. Not much gets past me. I’m gonna pretend I never heard that part because I have a feeling he deserved whatever happened.
” Axton scowled. “The ex-husband though? She told me a little bit about him earlier tonight, and after we saw you and your friend, while she was dealing with some kids, on a hunch, I had his name run. Unofficially. Took all of five seconds to find him and realize he’s a special kind of stupid, that one.
And bad fucking news, on top of it. I hate cops who give the rest of us a bad name. ”
Lucas frowned. “Is she in danger?”
“She’s smart, and she can take care of herself, but I’m going to make sure we have cruisers swing past the house as much as possible.
We can’t stake it out, but I’m pretty sure somebody’s sabotaging her.
A bit childish for her dick ex, but sometimes, when people can’t control their emotions, they do extra-stupid stuff. ”
“Thanks.”
“Good. And by the way. What I said earlier? About her needing help? She strikes me as the type who needs to figure it out for herself, and then have people support her however they can.” He gave a little laugh.
“And if you’re worried you won’t know when you’re stepping over the line with her, she’ll let you know loud and clear.
Every time I forget, Corrie reminds me.”
“I’ll remember. Thank you. For your help tonight with her father and for your advice.”
“No problem. When you two get your act together, Corrie and I would love to do dinner.”
“Sounds like a plan.”