Chapter Thirty-two
West
Sheriff Paulson takes down my statement as his partner leads a handcuffed Buck to the back seat of the cruiser.
“Am I being arrested? For wanting to hold the baby?” Buck shouts.
“We’re just gonna have a seat while these nice people tell us what happened.”
“Winchester’s ain’t nice people, my daddy said. West hurt my arm. I didn’t hurt no one. And Daisy-Mae ain’t a Winchester anyway. Talk to her, she’ll tell you I did nothin’ wro—” his shouts are cut off by the car door closing.
Sheriff shakes his head. “That boy’s always been sharp as a marble.”
“It isn’t his fault,” I flex my wrist, which is a little sore after strong handing Buck. He’s a tough fucker, and quick too. “Old Man Thornton should have gotten the whole family help after their mama shot herself in front of him.”
“Yeah, it was tragedy what happened to those kids. Doesn’t stop ’em from ending up in lockup every now and then. All tarred with the same brush, I’m afraid.”
“What are you gonna do with him?”
“That depends on if Miss Daisy-Mae wants to press charges. You know where she is?”
“Inside, I think. I was a little busy keeping him from attacking her.” He’s lucky he’s still drawing breath.
When I drove up and saw him pinning Dais against the wall, I saw fucking red.
No one makes my woman feel unsafe, and no one is ever gonna hurt her or Waylon and live to tell about it.
As long as there’s breath in my lungs, I’ll use it to ensure she never feels that way again.
“Alright, let’s go talk to her.” Sheriff Paulson leads the way. Once inside, Bonnie calls to us that she’s in exam room five.
Sheriff raps on the door. “Daisy-Mae, it’s Sheriff Paulson. Can we come in?”
The door opens and a brunette with a familiar face stands on the other side, scrutinizing us. Somehow, I feel neither I nor the Sheriff measure up.
“Lacey, what the hell are you doing here?” I say, maybe a little too sharply.
“Lainey,” she deadpans.
“Right, sorry.”
“Mind if we come in, ma’am?” Sheriff Paulson asks.
She turns to Daisy. “That’s my cue. Hope you and Waylon are okay.”
“Thanks, Lainey, for everything.”
“What are besties for?” She winks, and then side-eyes me as she brushes past in a hurry to exit. “Excuse you.”
I step into the room and park my ass on the bed beside Dais. “You okay, darlin’?”
“Yeah, just a little shaken. He said some truly awful things.”
She recounts the ordeal to the Sheriff—which just makes me madder. Then she asks if they’re arresting Buck.
“That depends on if you’re pressing charges.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t wanna do that.”
“Are you sure?” I ask.
She nods. “He just gave us a fright, is all.”
“We can book him for harassment and disturbing the peace, ma’am.”
Daisy sighs. “I don’t think he really meant to harm us.
Buck and his brothers have always been the first customers at my porch pickup.
Every week, they were there like clockwork.
I know they don’t have a good reputation, but they helped keep a roof over my head. I don’t feel right pressing charges.”
“Well, if you’re sure?”
“I am,” she says resolutely, as she tucks a sleeping Waylon into his stroller. “Thank you.”
I clench my jaw, gritting my teeth. I don’t like that they were on her doorstep first thing.
I don’t like that they know where she lives or that Eddie left her in that position and I wasn’t made aware of her financials sooner so I could have given her a raise to cover it.
Fucking Thorntons. I can just see them skulking around a single mother’s house before half the neighborhood was awake.
“Y’all are free to go then.” Sheriff says, and then whispers in an aside to me. “I’d make sure she isn’t alone tonight. Just in case there’s some kind of retaliation from the rest of the family.”
“I don’t plan on leaving her alone any night ever again,” I say.
He gives me a knowing smile. “Y’all take care now. Daisy, you call us if you need us.”
“Will do.”
He closes the door quietly behind him. I pull her into my arms. “I’m sorry, darlin’. Shurl was down a man, so it took a little longer to get the truck loaded.”
“It’s okay.”
I pull back, rubbing my hands up and down her arms. “You sure you weren’t hurt?”
“Just my ego and Buck’s reputation.”
“When I saw him standing there, with the two of you backed up against the wall? I could have killed him. I wanted to.” I shake my head. “All I could think was that Waylon is so small, and you looked so terrified.”
“I was headed back inside. I really was, and then I ran into Lainey and—”
“It’s okay, darlin’. It’s not your fault.”
“Take me home?”
“You bet.” I wrap my arm around her and push Waylon’s stroller with one hand toward the door. I don’t plan on letting Daisy and her son out of my sight.
One thing I know for certain though, if Buck ever comes near either of them again. I’ll kill him.