Chapter 16 – Chris
I’ve never been so scared in my life as I am when we enter Jennie’s house through the unlocked side door. Dawn Keller had called the station, and Darlene forwarded her message to me. Dawn had left the side door unlocked.
When we arrive, it’s still unlocked, and that buys us several precious seconds. I, along with five other officers, sweep into the kitchen. We find Granny seated at the table, alone, looking terrified. The moment she sees us, she points toward the hallway. “That bad man is in Jennie’s room.”
We waste no time getting to her door and find it unlocked—thank God because every second counts. Jace turns the handle and kicks the door in so hard it bounces off the wall. Immediately, we spot Braggart pressing Jennie up against a wall.
The thoughts going through my head at that moment are chaotic and crazy. I want to kill him. I want to get my hands around his throat and choke the bloody life out of him.
But before I can act on this impulse, Jace and Randy grab Braggart and haul him off Jennie.
She immediately sinks to the floor. I help her up and walk her to the living room so I can assess her condition.
She and Braggart were both still fully dressed, so that allays one of my worst fears.
But that doesn’t mean he didn’t hurt her.
She’s too distraught right now to answer any more of my questions, so I just hold her in my arms and let her cry.
“He’s going to jail for a very long time,” I tell her. “It’s over. No more fires. No more threats.”
Randy and Jace strong-arm Braggart, who’s cuffed, out of the bedroom. They drag him, kicking and cursing, toward the kitchen.
I start to set Jennie aside, so I can assist in getting Braggart out of the house and into a patrol car, but she clings to me, refusing to let me leave. And I don’t have the heart to release her just yet.
I can hear him scuffling with the officers as they drag him toward the door.
“You bitch!” Braggart yells. “You’re making a huge mistake! I’m the best thing that ever happened to you!”
Jennie flinches in my arms.
“Get him out of here!” I tell my deputies. Then, to Jennie, I say, “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to go to the station. I need to oversee his booking and shove him into a holding cell myself. I’ll call someone to come sit with you.”
“Call Maggie,” she says. “Her brother usually takes over for her in the afternoons. She should be free.”
I make the call. Maggie promises to be here in fifteen minutes.
“I don’t want to leave you, but I have to,” I tell Jennie.
She nods. “I know.” As she turns to face me, she takes my good hand in both of hers. “Chris.” She can barely meet my gaze. “I’m so sorry. I’ve been so stupid.”
“Hey, no. Don’t say that.”
“But it’s true. When we were in school, I made some bad choices. I thought I was protecting you, but in reality, I hurt us both. And then later, with David, I made a monumental mistake that’s haunting me still to this day.”
I link our fingers, our palms pressing together, and bring her hand to my lips to kiss.
Her hand comes up to touch my face, her fingers gentle as they trace the edge of my cheek. Unshed tears glimmer in her dark eyes like stars in a night sky. “I don’t deserve you,” she says as she presses her forehead to mine.
“Well, if we’re going down that route, I don’t deserve you either. I’m the damn fool idiot who sent you into this house where that motherfucker was waiting. I practically handed you right over.”
She shakes her head. “It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known he was here.”
And then there’s a knock on the kitchen door.
“Jennie? It’s me, Maggie. I’m here.”
Jennie pulls back from me, her eyes glistening. “We’re in the living room!”
Maggie walks into the living room.
Jennie practically jumps off the sofa and nervously tidies her hair and clothes.
“Is that awful man gone?” Granny asks as she walks out of her bedroom.
“Yes, Granny, he’s gone,” Jennie says as she goes to put her arm around Rosie’s thin shoulders.
“You need to put him in jail, young man,” Rosie says to me. “He’s a vile monster. He hurt my granddaughter.”
I stand. “Yes, ma’am. I’m on my way to do that right now.” To Maggie, I say, “Thanks for coming. I’ve got to get to the station so I can oversee Braggart’s booking. We can’t afford to screw this up and give him any leverage when he goes before a judge tomorrow.”
“It’s no trouble,” Maggie says. “Owen is at home with Claire, so I can stay as long as I’m needed.”
Maggie opens her arms, and Jennie walks right into them, undoubtedly needing a hug after what she’s been through today. First the fire, and then Braggart attacking her in her own home.
When I reach Jennie, I pause long enough to hold her a moment. “Everything will be okay,” I murmur to her. “I promise you.” And then, after giving her a quick kiss, I head for the kitchen.
“Are you all right?” Maggie asks Jennie. “Did he hurt you?”
“I’m okay,” Jennie says, but her voice is quiet and subdued.
I pause. “He did hurt her,” I tell Maggie. “And I’m going to make sure he pays.”
* * *
I head to the Larimer county jail to be present when Braggart is booked and placed into a holding cell. As soon as I walk into the jail, I hear him yelling his damn fool head off.
“Do you know who I am!” he shouts. “Who my parents are? They won’t stand for this. You can’t treat me like this!”
When Braggart sees me walking toward him, he grows even more livid. “Arrest him!” he yells, nodding in my direction. He would point at me if he could, but his hands are cuffed behind him. “Arrest the fucking sheriff!”
Rolling my eyes, I ask the booking staff if they’ve performed a breathalyzer test on him yet. I could easily smell the alcohol on his breath back at Jennie’s.
“We sure did,” Officer Cindy Carver says with a grin. “We could smell it on him the minute he walked in. It read zero-point-one-six.” That’s twice the legal limit.
“Good. Add three more charges: public intoxication, disorderly conduct, and DUI. And that’s on top of the kidnapping, assault, and battery charges.” I’m going to throw the book at him. See how he likes cooling his jets in jail.
Braggart is still screeching his head off, demanding that someone call his parents and his attorney.
“Hold your horses,” I tell him. “You’ll get your phone calls.”
After he’s processed, he’s permitted to make a call to his attorney. Then he’s put in a holding cell, where he’ll stay until his arraignment. He might get to see a judge tomorrow, if he’s lucky.
I can’t help stopping by his cell to see him behind bars. “Just making sure you’re in for the night.”
Braggart is sitting on a bench seat in his cell, arms crossed over his chest. He sneers at me. “You’re gonna regret this, Nelson. When my parents find out about this, they’ll have you removed from office. You can’t do this to a Braggart.”
I smile smugly. “You sound like you’re twelve years old and still need your mommy and daddy to bail you out of trouble. I’m sorry to break it to you, pal, but you’re a grown up now. You have to face the consequences of your actions.”
He surges to his feet and rushes the bars, reaching out in an attempt to grab me. “You’re a fucking idiot, you know that?” he sneers.
I step back easily, beyond his reach. “Actually, I’m feeling pretty good right now. You’re behind bars and off the streets, and Jennie can rest easy tonight. I hope the judge denies you bail and you rot in jail until your trial.”
He scoffs. “I’ll be a free man tomorrow, I guarantee it.”
God, I hope not.
I leave the jail then and head home so I can pack a few days’ worth of clothes and necessities. There’s no way I’m leaving Jennie home alone right now. At least not until Braggart is incarcerated. I’ll sleep in the guest room, of course. I have no expectations.
I’m going to talk to Jennie about requesting a restraining order. If the judge does give Braggart a bond, he’ll likely pay it and be out on the street by the afternoon.
As I drive the four blocks to Jennie’s house, my shoulder is on fire. Fortunately, my sling is still at Jennie’s house. I think it’s time to put it back on.