35. Sutton
Sutton
M y Bronco’s tires squealed as I jerked the wheel to tear down Main Street, swerving around cars since I didn’t have lights or a siren to warn them out of my way.
Heart racing as fast as the engine, I sent out prayers to whichever gods might be listening to keep my baby boy safe. I’d only just allowed myself to love again—for real this time—the type of devotion that consumed a soul and owned a man’s heart.
I hadn’t yet found the guts to tell him my truth.
“Please,” I whispered, hands in a white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel.
Two cruisers already angled in front of Stefen’s shop, and I swerved in behind them, slamming on the brake and hopping out of my truck without turning the engine off.
Pulling my gun from my waistband, I hunched over and rushed toward the entrance.
Screams sounded from inside, curses and warnings to stay back.
Dozens of people littered the area, some hidden in case bullets flew, others standing upright and pointing, gossiping with those beside them.
“Take cover!” I hollered at the morons, so goddamned disappointed in my townsfolk who couldn’t smell danger even if it rotted like roadkill beneath their noses. We’d never had such an event. Peace was our norm.
Had been.
A sense of immense change hung on the horizon of our futures, the kind that clenched my guts and worried at my mind. I was in charge yet felt powerless over the hurricane force winds pushing us forward toward an unseen future.
Officer Davidson crouched on the far side of the door, gun drawn, face pale.
I hurried up the stairs and huddled beside him, heart slamming.
“Sent Jones around to the rear,” he said, tone tight and quiet. “No shots fired—yet. Wallace has Stefen held at gunpoint, and it’s only a matter of time, Chief. The guy is out of his mind. Fucking batshit crazy. You should hear some of the shit he’s spewing.”
Jaw clenched, I leaned around Davidson, quickly looking through the glass door. The situation was exactly as Davidson had said.
“You treat her like shit!” Kurt screamed, gun trained on Stefen, who faced our way, eyes wide, body trembling. “And she still chose you last week when I asked her to leave with me!”
Stefen’s mouth moved, but I couldn’t hear him through the glass separating us.
“You’re right,” Kurt continued to holler, “but this misery ends today for both of us!”
“Fuck,” I whispered as puzzle pieces fell into place.
A quick scan of the rest of the interior in my line of sight didn’t allow a glimpse of Jimmy.
He could already be broken and bleeding out. Gasping his final breaths. Would he be whispering my name? Begging for me to save him?
My throat tightened as I read the cards before me. I feared what Kurt planned and expected. Possibly even hoped for.
I had heard about this possible scenario at the academy but never expected to be faced with such a situation. This would be my first time putting a bullet into someone in order to protect my town, but I had to try peace first. Attempt to make sure we all crawled into our beds tonight.
Calm leaked in, who the fuck knew from where, but I clung to the roots settling deep, holding me steady. Upright. Strong in the face of storm.
I would do whatever it took to eliminate the threat. I’d sworn to do so even at the expense of my own mental health.
“I’m going in,” I murmured, praying like hell I read this wrong.
“Chief—” Davidson’s voice cut off as I eased the door open. He kept it from closing with his heel, freeing up both of my hands.
I itched to have my gun held out in front of me, aimed at the man who would dare to bring this kind of drama to our small community. Instead, I made myself as unintimidating as possible, a lesser threat so I might stand a chance of talking him down rather than have things turn violent.
“Kurt?” I called quietly, my voice as friendly as always.
“Chief!” A woman shrieked from inside near the back of the store as I stepped over the threshold, Glock hanging at my side, my free hand up, palm facing Kurt to show him I meant no harm.
Kurt glanced over his shoulder at me, face red, eyes hazed over yet blazing. He swayed on his feet. “It’s about fucking time, Chief! You need to know the truth!”
Stefen tensed as though readying to charge, and Kurt swung around toward him, almost stumbling sideways. “One more step, and I’ll blow your fucking brains out all over the floor, Kaufman!”
A quick glance assured me no one bled?—
Jimmy.
The breath left my lungs in a rush at seeing him unharmed. He huddled to my left, pale face wet with tears, his body trembling as he stared into space as though unaware of my presence even though I stood mere feet away.
My heart ached to see him broken and thrust into the past, reliving the abuse of his father.
If we escaped this situation unscathed, I would see my sweet boy through his healing no matter how that might look. Fuck knew how the outcome of this setup would mess with my head too. We could go to therapy together as I had some shit to learn, or perhaps un learn, as well.
I wasn’t responsible for everyone. Not even those who came crawling back and begging for forgiveness. Like Jamie had said, people made their own choices, and it was simply my job to clean up the resulting messes.
Not grant restitution.
“Kurt—”
A gun exploded, tearing the words from Stefen’s lips. He spun, red blooming on his shoulder as he flew backward.
Time crawled, shutting down my brain.
My exhale sounded loud above the ringing in my ears.
Jimmy flinched in my periphery, crying out for mercy.
Kurt began to turn toward him, smoking pistol outstretched?—
My arm raised, free hand lifting to offer steadiness.
Feet once more rooted.
My choice made for me by a man bent on ending his misery.
I pulled the trigger, the boom deafening through the fog surrounding me.
Kurt slumped to the floor.
Shrieking flooded my ears, snapping reality into focus.
Footsteps pounded into the shop behind me.
I kept my gun trained on the unmoving man my bullet had torn into.
Damn you, Kurt.
Blood pooled beneath him, spreading outward. His glassy eyes stared unseeing at the ceiling.
Davidson rushed past me toward Stefen, who groaned a few curses while clutching his bleeding shoulder.
Sarah ran up the aisle, bypassed her husband, and fell to her knees beside Kurt, hands scrambling over his face. “Kurt! No! Please, no ! I didn’t choose him! I didn’t !” She sobbed, gathering his limp form against her heaving chest. “Don’t leave me!”
I lowered my gun.
Turned.
Jimmy curled in a fetal position, eyes hazed over.
For this man—I’d taken another’s life.
Gram and DJ would hate me, even though I expected a suicide note would be found somewhere on Kurt’s person or in his home.
It didn’t matter Kurt had chosen his fate. Sarah would want my blood.
Stefen would live, a piece-of-shit, abusive husband who was the cause of this drama, even if an affair had taken place behind his back.
And my sweet love…
I went to one knee beside Jimmy, smoothing hair off his forehead with a shaking hand. “Baby boy,” I whispered, trailing my knuckles over his pale cheek. “You’re safe, sweetheart. Everything is going to be okay.”
He blinked up at me, attempting to focus on my face.
“I’m here, Jimmy.
Recognition finally lit his haunted eyes, and a sob tore from deep in his chest.
Someone called for an ambulance behind us as creeping numbness from shock settled into my bones.
More heavy footfalls entered the door.
“Dad!”
“I’m fine,” I told Jamie even though I was anything but, setting my gun aside and gathering Jimmy up in my arms.
He clung to me as he used to as a young boy, burrowing his face into my neck. “Y-You’re here,” he choked out.
“Always.” I rubbed his back. Kissed his hair. Held him tight, giving him the solid foundation he—and I—needed at that moment.
A poor decision had almost cost me the future I’d been hoping to share with him, a rewarding existence with the perfect man by my side, one who fulfilled my needs by allowing me to care for his.
I loved Jimmy more than life. More than all of Pippen Creek. Even more than my title and what I’d seen as my purpose when I’d been appointed to watch over this town.
Jimmy was my everything, and I’d almost lost him.
A shudder ripped through me, and I sucked oxygen into my lungs, attempting to keep my stinging eyes from overflowing. “I was so afraid, baby boy…” I swallowed hard, hugging him tighter. “Couldn’t let him hurt you—need you so much.”
Jimmy sobbed, attempting to burrow deeper against me.
He and I had a serious conversation ahead, but considering the circumstances we huddled in, admissions of what we wanted for the future would have to wait.
Duty called regardless of how shock lingered in my body and mind.
Glancing around while soothing him with gentle touches, I took in the consequences of adultery, abuse, and drunkenness.
Sarah continued to sob even as Officer Jones pulled her from Kurt’s body. I didn’t need to see the lack of chest movement to know his heart no longer beat. Years of target practice in my backyard ensured I didn’t miss.
I’d given Kurt exactly what I had feared he hoped for today.
And now, I, along with the rest of those left behind, would have to suffer the consequences.
EMTs arrived.
Led Sarah from the building, far from the grisly sight of her lover.
Carried Stefen out on a stretcher.
Jamie crouched beside us to block off the sight of disaster, studying my face, hand on my shoulder, helping to ground me in reality. “Tell me what to do, Chief.” His tone held assurance—his trust in me even after taking the life of one of our own.
My first priority was the man still clinging to me. Once he was squared away for the time being, I could focus on work and the hours of tedious bullshit ahead for my department.
“Call the Sheriff’s department then get ahold of Dex,” I said. “He’ll take Jimmy home for me while we deal with the fallout.”
Jamie nodded and moved off, pulling his cell from his pocket.
Releasing a slow exhale, I closed my eyes and allowed myself one last selfish moment of holding my love before attempting to clean up the mess. While the danger had been ended, the aftermath would linger far into the days ahead of us.
The Chief of Pippen Creek had killed one of the residents beneath his protection—and I would do it all over again.
Would the forgiving spirit of this town remain after what I’d done?
Honestly, I didn’t care if the townsfolk scorned me for answering the call of duty.
Jimmy and I would go wherever the wind carried us—together.