Chapter 43
Jessie
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Carson asks for the second time as I park at the county sheriff’s office.
I switch my phone to the other ear and grab my purse. “I’ll be fine. I’m just going to tell them what he’s done over the last few years, answer their questions, and leave.”
“You packed a bag to come stay at the ranch, right?”
“Yes, Carson.”
“Alright, let me know when you’re headed this way.”
“I will. Bye.”
Between my mother showing up on my doorstep, telling me she was working with the police, to Gran’s letter, I knew I couldn’t keep living the way I was. I called Carson and told him what I was thinking, and he immediately agreed.
I’m walking up the steps to finally file a report and tell the police my story.
After I had some time to process, I’m grateful Sheila came to see me.
We won’t be best friends anytime soon, but I was ultimately glad to know she got out and worked hard to get her life together.
And if she’s brave enough to go after Daryl, so can I.
Gran would want me to.
I can admit I’m terrified, but I know I’m making the right decision.
The officer at the front desk gives me a look when I give him my name, but not in a cruel way. I’m sure they all know why I’m here—my father has hurt a lot of people, a lot of families, in this county. I can’t blame them for harboring anger for him and wanting a bad actor out of their community.
Sheriff Young and Detective Wilson lead me back to a conference room where they walk me though filing a police report.
“How long has this been going on?” Wilson asks.
“He never contacted me from age nine to eighteen. We have no relationship. But since I started college, he’s always kept his thumb on me.
” I clear my throat. “Then, when I got hired at the hospital, he started asking for money. At first, I refused, but he threatened people I love—threatened me. He told me things he could only know if he had been following me, watching me. This summer he threatened the man who was living with me, Trey.”
Sheriff Young nods, remembering Trey’s truck.
“I got scared after his truck was vandalized and kicked him out for his safety. I’ve always tried to lay low, stay off Daryl’s radar, but I’m tired of living in fear.” I struggle to find the words.
Wilson takes notes as Sheriff Young says, “We’re here to help you, Jessie. We have a solid case against him for other things, but you have grounds to press charges for extortion. We can also file for a restraining order.”
“Okay, yes. Let’s do that. I’m sorry I refused to talk to you before. I was scared—I still am scared. I’m going to stay at the Diamond Hart Ranch until he’s arrested.”
“I think that’s wise,” Wilson says. “We’ll get the necessary paperwork done and arrest him as soon as we’re confident we have enough to succeed in a trial.
We’ll let you know when it’s safe to return home.
Daryl is a dangerous man. Our office has been trying to build a case against him for years.
Thank you for your cooperation and your help.
” Detective Wilson is far more understanding and kind than the day outside my house.
It makes me uncomfortable thinking it’s because of pity, but if he’ll get my father sent to prison, it’s worth it.
They collect text messages and call records from my phone while we finish the interview and paperwork. I’ve arranged for bank records to be sent over this afternoon. Then, that’s it—I’m done.
Sheriff Young walks me out. I’m digging around in my purse for my keys when I notice I forgot my book. “You heading straight to the ranch?”
“Looks like I forgot something at home, so I’ll swing by to grab it, then head straight there.”
He nods. “Be safe. Call us if you see or hear from him.”
“Will do. Thanks for everything.”
I make the short drive back to the house and leave my car running while I jog inside to grab my book.
Maybe I should grab a couple. It might take the department a few days to arrest him, and I don’t want to run out of distractions while I wait.
I sit on the floor in my bedroom, to look through my bookshelf for my next couple of reads.
Slam!
What the fuck?
Heavy footsteps draw closer through the hallway. My house is so small, I only have time to stand before my bedroom door is thrown wide open.
Daryl’s angry form fills the doorway.
No. How did he find out so fast? I just got home. It’s only been twenty minutes.
“You fucking bitch!” he spits, lunging for me.
I scramble across my bed, narrowly avoiding his grasp. He’s between me and the door, now. I have nowhere to go.
“You think you can rat me out and avoid consequences? I warned you! I fuckin’ warned you what would happen if you crossed me.”
I don’t reply; I have no reply. He did warn me, but I got brave to believe I could escape him. My heart is pounding so fast I think I might pass out. I need to calm down and breathe.
He grabs my bookshelf and forces it over. A lamp breaks, and I use it as my opportunity to escape. I dart for the door, but he’s too close. His fist latches onto my hair, and he slams me into the wall.
“What the fuck! Let me go!” I scream.
“What did you tell them? You might as well tell me, I’m going to fuckin’ kill you either way,” he snarls, slamming my head against the wall.
I gasp at the pain and feel blood trickle down my forehead. I start to see stars at the same time I hear, “Cottonwood Valley Police. Let her go and put your hands in the air.”
From the corner of my eye, I can see Sheriff Young with his gun drawn.
“You’ll pay for this,” Daryl growls into my hair before throwing me to the floor. Another officer rushes into the room. Daryl fights him, but he easily takes him to the floor and cuffs him.
I sit up, but stay on the floor, shaking too badly to stand.
“Jessie,” a man’s voice says. “Jessie, look at me.” Sheriff Young kneels in front of me. “Your head is bleeding. Are you hurt anywhere else? Paramedics are on their way.”
“I’m okay. You got him?” I lean to look past him as more officers rush into the room.
Two officers hold Daryl to the floor, his hands in cuffs. Another officer pulls a handgun from Daryl’s waistband.
He had a gun.
He was serious. He was going to kill me.
The Sheriff nods. “Yeah, we got him. He’ll be going away for a long time. You did good, Jessie.”
“How are you here?”
“I got worried when you mentioned stopping back at home. We conducted a short drive-by and saw Daryl’s truck on the street.”
“Thank you.”
The effect my father has had by dealing drugs to this community is sickening. He’s torn families apart, ruined lives, and even ended them. I don’t feel sorry for him—I hope he spends the rest of his life behind bars.
And now, I hope I can spend the rest of my life doing exactly what Gran said.
Living.
Jessie
What time are you getting home? I’m at the ranch.
Kacey
A couple of hours. Come over whenever.
Jessie
Will do.
It feels ridiculous to be more nervous for this conversation than I was to talk to the police.
But here I am, mind racing as I walk from the main house over to Kacey’s place.
She visited Knox for the weekend and doesn’t know I’ve spent the last couple of nights here.
Even with Daryl in jail, Carson and Cody both felt better if I spent some time here.
It’s been good for me. I always feel at peace on the ranch. It’s been two days since Daryl’s arrest, and I asked Cody and Carson to let me talk to Kacey. For years I’ve hidden things, told half-truths, and even lies to hide my shame and protect her from him. That stops today.
I hate that I’ve lied to her, kept her at a distance at times, and been a shitty friend. I did it to protect her, but that doesn’t make it right. I owe her an apology.
Some days it feels like you’re my best friend, but I’m not yours.
Her words have haunted me since then. She’s wrong, she is my best friend, but it still stings.
I can understand why she would feel that way and ultimately, I’m grateful she told me.
Not telling her about my father was supposed to protect her, but the lies of omission have started to show, and I can see how much it has hurt her.
Rein bolts down the front steps to greet me as I walk up the drive.
“Hey, girl.” I pet her before climbing the steps.
Kacey sits in one of the two rocking chairs, two glasses of sweet tea on the table between them.
She has one leg bent, relaxed in her joggers and long sleeve.
It’s the end of September and fall has fully hit the Colorado mountains.
I take the chair next to her as she picks up her glass of tea. “I considered wine, but it’s only 11 a.m., so tea seemed like the more mature option.”
“Did we mature and no one told me?”
She smiles, but it’s strained. “How are you? Dad said to give you space, but it’s killing me.”
Now it’s my turn to smile. My sweet friend, always there for me. “I’m . . .” Not fine. I can’t say fine. I promised myself I’d stop lying to people. “I’m grieving. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and I’m making some changes in my life. I have a few things to talk to you about and tell you.”
She perks up at this, curling in a ball to turn sideways in her chair and face me.
“I quit my job.” Okay, I’m ripping off the Band-Aid, apparently.
“What?” she squeaks.
I fill her in on how I’ve been feeling over the last few months and with Gran’s death.
“That’s understandable. What . . .” She hesitates like she’s afraid to ask. “What will you do for work?”
“I have no idea what I’ll do, but I’ll figure it out.
I’ve kept a lot from you, and I’m sorry for that.
My pride wouldn’t let me accept help or even confide in anyone.
It will take selling Gran’s house to pay off my debt.
But once that’s paid, my cost of living is next to nothing.
Perks of owning a home worth nothing.” I shrug, attempting to lighten the mood with a joke.
“Your house is not worth nothing,” she scolds. “It needs love, but it’s your home, and you have time to work on it now. I’m sorry you’ve been alone in all this. I wish you would’ve told me.”
My stomach turns knowing I’ve made her feel this way. “I should’ve, and I’m sorry I didn’t. I’m sorry for a lot of things, Kacey. I heard you the other day when you said you don’t feel like my best friend. I want you to know that you are, but I understand why you feel that way.”
She swallows and nods but lets me keep going.
“In some small way, I’ve always felt like a failure.
Like, I always have to prove I’m better than what I came from and capable of doing something good—better—with my life.
But I shouldn’t have let that affect our friendship.
You’ve been there for me since day one, you never judged where I came from, but somewhere along the way, I think I forgot that.
I didn’t only hide my money problems from you, I hid—” I pause and look away from her, out to the ranch.
The ranch hands are riding in from the pastures.
Mares graze near the barn as their foals run, playing around them.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“I want to. I need to. It’s just a lot, and I’ve fucked up so badly.” I force myself to meet her eyes. “For years, my father has harassed me and extorted money from me—thousands, Kacey. It wasn’t Gran’s bills, it was him.”
“What?! Jessie, why—” She starts to freak. I probably should’ve started with ‘he’s in jail now’.
“It’s okay. He was arrested two days ago.”
Her jaw drops. “Tea was the wrong choice. Jessie, what the hell is going on?”
“I’m finally taking charge of my life, that’s what’s going on. Oddly enough, it took a visit from my mother—of all people—and losing Gran to wake me up. But I’m up and I’m fighting like hell to take control of my life.”
I go on to tell her everything. The harassment, threats, my mother, I leave nothing out. I even tell her about the horrible things I said to Trey to get him to leave.
I spill my guts to her before apologizing again. “I’m so sorry I kept all this from you. I just . . . I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t involve you with Daryl. He was too dangerous. I truly thought dealing with it by myself was my only option.”
Kacey has been fighting tears for about ten minutes. She gives my hand a squeeze, just like Gran used to. “You don’t need to apologize. I hate that you’ve gone through this alone, but you did it. You stood up to Daryl, and you’re taking control of your life. I’m so proud of you.”
“That I am.” We clink our near-empty tea glasses. “So, it’s past noon . . .”
Kacey stands. “I agree. Mature people drink as long as it’s past noon.” She disappears into the house, then returns with a bottle of wine and two glasses.
“So . . .” She circles the wine in her glass. “Now that you’re a woman in control, what about Trey?”
I knew this question was coming. I’ve been thinking about it nonstop since they slapped cuffs on Daryl.
“I’m not sure. I miss him. And even though we can argue about nothing, we were good together.
I’ve never felt so . . . comfortable, like I could be myself—not with anyone else.
I fell so hard, so fast. It still scares the shit out of me. Oddly, we’re kind of perfect together.”
Kacey laughs. “You’re like the same person. I knew from the minute I met Trey you two would be great together if you both ever got your shit together enough to realize it. So? Go get him back.”
She says it like it’s simple. “The things I said to him . . . Kacey, I hurt him. Worse, I intentionally hurt him. He shouldn’t forgive me. I don’t deserve it.”
She hums. “Reverse it.”
“Huh?”
“Reverse it. If he were in your position, if he had said those things to you. When he finally told you everything, would you forgive him? Take him back?”
“Of course I would, but—”
“Then there’s your answer. Talk to him, give him the chance to make his own decision.
” She smiles, knowing she proved her point.
“He’s miserable, Jessie. He misses you, too.
Hell, the man flew back here for less than twenty-four hours to be here for you on the worst day of your life.
If you think he’s given up on you, you’re wrong.
And if you don’t believe me, just wait until October first when there is a knock on your door. ”
Holy shit, she’s right. I sit up straighter, heart pounding. “There it is . . . dawning on you now, huh?” Kacey jokes, seeing all the pieces click together in my brain.
I feel like an idiot. He gave me the world’s biggest sign, flying back here in the middle of the rodeo season to be there for me.
I was too consumed by grief to see it. Even after I said all those horrible things to him and pushed him away, he knew how hard that day would be for me, and he came anyway.
“Where is he?”
Her grin turns to a full-blown smile. “I’ll text Knox, and we can make a plan.”