Chapter 20 Stick To The Truth
STICK TO THE TRUTH
Clay raced to town after throwing plywood in the back of his truck with his tools, then hit the button to call his brother.
“Hey,” Ford said.
“Someone threw a rock through Meredith’s window. I’m heading there now. She reported it. Not sure if it made its way up to you.”
“It hasn’t, but I’ll meet you there,” Ford said.
“Thanks.”
He disconnected the call. He was positive she wouldn’t be happy that she was getting more than one sheriff coming to take her statement.
He hit the gas to get there faster.
Maybe he shouldn’t have hung up on her, but he didn’t want to stand around gabbing and he knew she’d do that.
He could talk to her in person once he looked around himself.
When he pulled into her apartment complex, he’d beaten the sheriff’s deputy there. Even Ford. What the hell, it’d been over ten minutes since he’d called his brother. He was halfway to Meredith’s when he’d made the call.
And she didn’t listen.
Her SUV was still in front of her house and she wasn’t in it.
He turned when the door next to her place opened and she walked out followed by another guy. Older than her, but not like a father figure.
Bald, maybe five foot six, a good twenty pounds overweight and a thick belt on his jeans holding them up higher than it should.
The nosy neighbor who watched him leave on Sunday.
“Why didn’t you do what I told you to?” he asked.
She ran off the steps and into his arms. Unexpectedly, but he held onto her.
The neighbor was frowning, his stance rigid, his fingers curling and releasing.
“I was going to, but Karl offered for me to stay at his place. I had a cup of tea. It’s fine.”
She leaned back and he wiped the dried tear on her cheek.
Didn’t look fine to him. Her eyes were wary now. He wasn’t sure if it was from his move or what was going on. Most likely a combination of both.
“Next time, listen,” he said gruffly. “There is a reason for everything.”
“What reason?”
He gave a slight shake of his head. “Ford is on the way. He’ll probably beat his guy here.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Why did you call him? You’re making a bigger deal out of this.”
“I don’t think you’re making a big enough deal.”
She sighed. “I know. I am now. I called Gale first. I thought I could just have some legal letter sent to my ex, but she said I need to do this first and start the process of a restraining order. Fredrick said it’s not him.”
Clay’s fist clenched at her waist, his teeth grinding. “You called him?” he growled.
“I want him to stop.”
“Her ex is a horrible person,” the neighbor said. The guy had been watching them, but it’s not like Clay had anywhere to go other than sit in his truck. He wouldn’t even cover her window until Ford and his men were here.
“So I’ve been told,” he said.
“I’m sorry. I’m being rude. Karl Green, this is Clay Ridgeway.”
“Your friend who told you to stay in your car?” Karl asked, his eyes back on Meredith.
He shook hands with the guy and tried not to snort over the way Karl was squeezing his hand harder.
That comment didn’t warrant a response in his eyes.
He turned when Ford pulled in and dismissed the guy.
“Have you been in the house?” Ford asked.
“No. I just got here.”
“Hi, Ford,” Meredith said. “I’m so sorry that you were called for this.”
“Don’t be,” Ford said. “I’ve got a guy on the way now. Let’s go in and get this started.”
“You know where I am if you need me, Meredith,” Karl said.
“Thanks,” she said, reaching for her neighbor’s hand and squeezing it. Karl’s smile widened as if he’d just won the grand prize at the fair.
They walked up her porch, Clay taking the key from her to unlock the door while he looked around and took some pictures quickly.
Her place still smelled like apples and cinnamon.
He walked into the living room and saw the rock on the floor.
“Did you touch it?” Ford asked.
“No. I was going to pick it up, but once I saw what was painted on it, I jumped back.”
“Good,” he said. “Best not to do it. They can check for prints.”
“You can get prints off of it? What if whoever did this just picked it up off the street?”
“The chances of getting a good clean print are slim to none. Or getting so many it means nothing,” Ford said.
“But you’ll still do it,” he said.
Clay wasn’t asking, but telling his brother. He ignored the eye roll he got in return.
“Have you checked to see if anything is missing, touched, or damaged in the house?” Ford asked.
“No. I left as soon as I saw this.”
“Because she only half listened to directions,” he said.
She pinched his arm. “I was going to sit in my car, but Karl asked me inside. What’s the big deal?”
“I don’t like the way he looks at you and watches the house,” he said. “What’s his deal?”
“Are you seriously jealous of my neighbor?” she asked, laughing. “Clay. He’s like fifteen or twenty years older than me. He treats me like a daughter. I’ve known him for years and he’s always been super sweet and helpful. He’s just looking out for me like he does everyone else.”
“Is he single? Have you ever seen him with anyone?”
She lowered her voice. “I think he might be gay. I’m not sure.
I’ve never seen a woman, but men have been around before.
Maybe twice in the past few years. It doesn’t matter.
I don’t watch or pay attention like he does.
He’s just lonely and wants a friend. He’s like that with everyone around here.
Most ignore him, but I feel bad. It’s not like me to do it. ”
“I’m not jealous. Everyone should be looked at,” he said.
“I’m positive this is Lana.”
“Lana?” Ford asked.
“Tell my brother everything you told me about your ex. Leave nothing out.”
“It’s embarrassing,” she whined.
“But it’s the truth and you have to stick to the truth.”
The front door opened and another sheriff came in.
“We are going to take some pictures. I’ll fill Deputy Biles in,” Ford said. “Just sit over there for a minute.”
She moved to the stairs and sat on them, Clay going closer to his brother.
He wanted to take control of the situation but knew better than to step on toes again.
The rock was lifted and bagged, more pictures taken, then Deputy Biles left after Meredith’s face turned bright red as she confessed her part in her breakup and everything that followed.
You couldn’t change the facts no matter how much you wanted to, and Meredith had to get over any part she thought she played in this.
“Can I go change?” she asked. “You went through the house. There isn’t anyone here. The last person who was here other than myself was Clay on Sunday.”
“Sure, go ahead,” Ford said. “I’ll help Clay get the window secured.”
“I want to clean up the glass too.”
“We’ll do it,” Clay said. “Go. You need a break. Take it upstairs and let out a scream or something.”
Her bottom lip wobbled. “You won’t come running if I do that in the shower?”
“Are you going to actually do it so I know? I don’t want to worry that you slipped and fell and couldn’t get up.”
“While I was naked with water running all over me,” she said, lifting her chin, and turned on her heel to march up the stairs.
“Damn,” Ford said. “She really does like to get the last word in. I can’t believe you said nothing back.”
He wanted to yank her to his body and slant his mouth over hers, but resisted the urge in front of his brother.
Not that Ford couldn’t read what was on Clay’s mind by the look he was receiving.
“Yeah. That’s what I’m dealing with. And now this.”
“It messes you up inside when you’re worried,” Ford said. They moved to the kitchen and he opened a small closet and pulled out a broom and a dustpan.
“I’m not sure I want this right now,” he said.
“One thing I learned is it doesn’t matter if you want it or not. It’s there. It’s going to be about how you deal with it.”
“I can handle anything.”
“You tell yourself that enough.”
“You think I can’t?” he asked, spinning to pin his brother with a glare that had most men running from the room.
Ford didn’t even flinch. “I never said that. I’m saying that you tell yourself you can handle it all and yet you end up home worrying the rest of us.”
He let out a sigh. “I’m fine.”
“You’re getting there,” Ford said. “Almost at an accelerated pace since you opened up on Saturday.”
He snorted. “I don’t need you to be my shrink.”
“Nope. Not something I want to do, but I’d do it if you needed it.”
He dumped the broken glass in the trash bag, then found her vacuum and sucked up anything he missed.
The muffled scream had him freezing, Ford turning with his hand on his gun.
“If I go up there, she’s going to kill me,” he said.
“If you don’t, it’s going to kill you wondering.”
Fuck!
He raced up the stairs, Ford behind him.
“I’m fine, Clay,” Meredith yelled. “You told me to scream and I did.”
His shoulders dropped. He’d heard the water shut off when he’d gotten close to the door.
Now the thought of her naked and dripping wet brought another image to his mind that wouldn’t get pushed out soon.
There was no reason to answer her. She obviously heard them coming up the stairs.
He nodded his head for them to return downstairs.
“Let’s get this window boarded up,” Ford said. “Are you going to let her stay here tonight?”
“No,” he said. “She doesn’t have a choice in the matter either.”
Ford opened the front door and followed his brother out. They got the plywood from the back and some extra wood with his toolbox, then secured the window from the elements.
“She’s going to have to call her landlord if she hasn’t already,” Ford said.
“I’ll let her know,” he said.
The door opened next to them, the neighbor coming out. “Oh, you’re still here?”
The guy knew they were. “Yep. Going to be leaving soon,” Ford said. His brother was more diplomatic. Even nice when he interviewed Karl to see if he’d seen anything.
They’d gotten an earful on what her neighbor thought of the ex, what cars had been rifled through recently, and any other odd people on the property.
Karl was a regular old neighborhood watch.