Chapter 16 #2
“Nothing?” William raised his voice. “A few more letters and I’ll cost you the promotion you want so badly and maybe even your job. Then what are you going to do?” His hands shook, and Derek knew he was getting to William. His control was going to break and that was going to be the end.
“I could spread it all over the fucking town that your place is empty. It was so damned easy the first time.” Derek heard something move behind him, but he didn’t take his gaze from William.
“And maybe next time instead of sending you a message, I’ll just burn the house down.
I’ll take away your job, your home, everything and everyone.
Then you’ll have no choice but to turn to me.
And don’t think I can’t do it, because I can.
” Derek’s soul felt the damned cold and he forced himself not to shudder.
“And you don’t think I haven’t learned a lot about you?
” he retorted, trying to scare him. “I’m a librarian and I research all the time.
You think I don’t know where you live or that you work for the people who pick up the garbage?
Or that you still live with your mother?
” He made his tone sound derisive. “And you think I’m going to be interested in someone like that?
” He shook his head. “You really are delusional on top of crazy.”
William reached across the counter, and Derek jumped back, wondering if he had pushed too far, especially as Willam lunged forward, trying to get hold of him.
Derek wasn’t sure he could get away fast enough, when William came to a halt and then grabbed the edge of the desk as he was yanked back.
Derek lifted his gaze as Harm pulled William away.
“Did you hear everything?” Derek asked. Harm nodded. “You heard him admit to setting the fire and to instigating the robbery?” Harm nodded again before forcing William to the floor.
“I heard it too,” Connie said from the doorway just down from his chair. “The threats, the admission, all of it. I heard every word.”
“You tried to trick me,” William protested.
Connie leaned over the desk and put her finger to her lips. “Shhhh… you’re in a library.” Then she pulled out her phone and called 911 to alert the police.
“Ask for Carter or Red. They handled some of the other calls. They’ll know what’s going on,” Derek told her as Harm held William down.
“I can sit on him,” Connie offered.
“No. Harm knows what he’s doing.” He leaned over the desk. “Harm knows how to make it hurt without leaving any marks, and the rest of us aren’t going to say a thing.” He glared at William, who finally stilled.
“Yes. The suspect has been subdued and is being held on the floor. No weapons were involved. Just come in the front door and take the trash out for us. We’d appreciate it.” She ended the call and smiled. “I always wanted to say that.”
Derek rolled his eyes. They waited less than five minutes for the police to arrive and take custody of William. “Okay, what happened?” Red asked.
“Well, he was obnoxious in the library, then he admitted to stalking me, setting the fire at my house, and spreading the word that the house was empty so I’d be robbed. He admitted to sending letters to the board in an attempt to get me into trouble. Harm and Connie heard him.”
“That’s hearsay,” William said smugly.
“Actually, it’s not. They heard you say it and can testify to what they heard… directly from you. That isn’t hearsay. But you can deal with that with your lawyer,” Red told him.
“He also threatened Derek, saying that he would ruin his life, burn down his house, and get him fired. So I think that’s plenty of charges to keep his sorry butt in jail.
Please add that he’s a threat to the community at large and that he did all of this in the library.
” Connie didn’t smile, but Red certainly did.
“Okay. I’ll be sure to do that.” Red made furious notes as William protested, but it wasn’t getting him anywhere. Carter finally got him up off the floor, cuffed, and out to the waiting police cruiser.
“It looks like you got him,” Red said. “How did you do it?”
“I got him to admit what he did. Thankfully, Connie heard all of it. I had to get him angry, but once he started talking, he really wanted me to know how well he thought he could control my life.” Derek shook his head.
“I honestly think he’s got something wrong with him.
But that’s up to the courts to decide. For now, I’m glad that he’s in custody.
And for any bail hearing, can you make sure I’m notified? ”
“Yes. That I can try to do, but I’m not always informed.
Contact the district attorney’s office. They will prosecute the case, and they’ll probably be quite happy that you’ll work with them.
They don’t always get the cooperation they need.
” Red asked some more questions and got Connie’s statement as well as Harm’s.
Then he left the library. Connie returned to work, and all the excitement of the morning faded away, thank goodness.
“What are you doing here anyway?” Derek asked.
“Work called just after I dropped you off. There are data issues that have delayed the start, and they asked me to come in at ten,” he signed as best he could.
Derek got the idea. “So I came in to tell you I was going to have to work late tonight, and I saw him at the desk. I was ready to pull him back when I heard him admitting to stuff, so I listened and stayed quiet.” He grinned, and once again Derek sighed in relief.
It was over. This part of the nightmare was over…
at least for now. “Are you okay? You did really good. I could tell how nervous you were.”
“You could?” Derek asked. He thought he had hidden it well.
“Only because I know you. I’m very proud of you.” He smiled again and drew Derek into a hug.
“None of that. This is a library,” Connie quipped from behind them.
Derek sighed and backed away. “I’ll text you if anything else happens, but hopefully it will be quiet for a while.
At least with him gone, I can go back to the way things were.
At least some of them.” He hated to see Harm go, but he needed to go to work, and Derek had plenty he needed to do as well.
He waved to Harm as he headed to the door and then forced his mind back onto the things he needed to get done.
“You were awesome the way you played him to get him to admit what he did,” Connie said. “There is something seriously wrong with that guy, and he needs help.”
“I know he does, but he’s someone else’s problem now, and we have plenty of work to finish.”
“Aye aye, Captain,” she quipped and returned to her desk.
MOST OF the rest of the day was quiet. He made a call to the DA’s office and was told that the bail hearing had been scheduled for the following morning at ten.
Derek arranged to get a few hours off, and by the end of the day, his anxiety was back.
If William got bail, he was going to be right back to wondering what the crazy idiot was going to do next, regardless of what the judge ordered.
Still, he was glad he could walk home and went inside, making dinner without constantly looking into the backyard.
Harm worked late, but once he arrived, Derek got him something to eat, and then they sat together on the sofa.
“Okay, out with it,” Harm signed. “You’re saying nothing, but I know you’re tense.”
Derek shrugged. “What if they let him out?”
“Then we deal with it and get a restraining order,” Harm signed and then shrugged. “He will have to stay away. If he does not, then he goes to jail.”
Derek knew he was being dumb, worrying over something that hadn’t happened yet.
And it was likely that William would get some sort of bail.
He figured it was pretty common. Derek doubted that William had a pile of money or anything, so even if bail was granted, it was also a possibility that he wouldn’t be able to swing it.
“I know I’m worrying over everything, but I finally got him out of my life, and he could be right back in it. ”
Harm hugged him tighter, and Derek let go of some of the anxiety. Things would work out.
“I have to ask, what sort of plans do you have for Christmas? Are you going to Arizona?”
Harm nodded before sitting back. “Joe and Larry want me to visit. They don’t ask for a lot. I was going to go there for a few days, but I will be back here for New Year’s. We can celebrate then. Okay?”
“Of course it is.” He had planned to go to Rochester to see his sister, but apparently she was going to Florida for the holiday with some friends.
She had invited him to go too, but Derek wasn’t going to.
She deserved to have a good time, and that didn’t include her brother tagging along.
“You have a wonderful time. Joe and Larry are your family, and you should spend the time with them.” He leaned against Harm and closed his eyes, trying not to dwell on the fact that he was going to be alone for the holiday.
It was going to be fine. He’d spend the day watching sappy holiday movies, eating a ton of cookies, and drinking enough eggnog to float a battleship, and once Harm got back, they could have their own little holiday together.
The last thing he was going to do was make Harm feel bad for visiting his family.
“You will be alone?” Harm asked.
“I will be fine. There are plenty of things I’ll need to do, and some of the people at the library have offered to have me for dinner. Please don’t worry about it. Just go and have fun. Joe and Larry don’t get to see you all that often.” He smiled as the wind rattled the windows.
“Are you sure?” Harm asked.
Derek nodded. “I promise. Don’t worry about it.” He closed his eyes and made himself forget about everything that had happened. It was time for him to just be happy. Wanting things he knew he couldn’t have was not a recipe for happiness.