Chapter Fourteen #2
about my great nephew? The last time you were in town I told you all about him.
He’s got a degree and everything.”
Gabe stepped up. “She’s not dating right now.”
Gigi grinned as she walked through. “What he said. But thank
you so much for thinking of me.”
Olivia was already halfway down the hall. She could hear
them talking behind her.
“No one ever tries to set me up,” Miranda said.
“You don’t want to get set up with Gary,” her mom replied.
“He’s a lovely young man but you are not his type. Now Gabe…”
“Is not dating either,” Gabe said. “Who the hell is this
witness?”
Olivia was about to say she had no idea, but then her gaze
caught on a woman sitting at one of the many desks. Her back was turned, but
there was something about the way she held herself that seemed extremely
familiar. Then she turned slightly and all doubt was removed.
“Jessica Fellows.” Olivia braced herself. “What a surprise
to see you here.”
Jessica’s eyes went wide and watery, and she stood looking
delicate and fragile. Olivia had to admit. She was beautiful. She was also a
snake who liked to play games with her prey. She started crying in earnest.
“Olivia, I’m so happy you’re okay. I saw what that man tried to do to you and I
reported it immediately.”
Had she? “Jimmy, when were the police called? Were you in
your normal spot on the highway behind the sign for GrabItQuick? You should
have been roughly two minutes away. How did Garrett and Keane get by you?”
Jimmy stared for a moment and then looked down at the
report. “Yeah, that call didn’t come in until you were already gone. You were
probably at the hospital when her call came in. Keane called earlier. He told
us he was taking you to the hospital. You know it’s weird. If he was kidnapping
you, why would he call us?”
“Dumbass, he wouldn’t have,” Olivia shot back. “You arrested
an innocent man. Again. You are racking up those frequent flyer miles.”
“Olivia, don’t take it out on Jimmy. He’s trying to do his
job.” Jessica was crying but the tears were awfully pretty. Artistic. Like she
practiced them in front of a mirror. “I know you hate me because I fell in love
with a man you were dating, but I still care about you. You’re still a friend.”
Jimmy stood, looking Jessica over with new eyes. It seemed
like he did have some instincts for his job. Buried. Really deep. “You told me
you saw Keane put something in the drink and you called immediately. But the
drug would take a few minutes to set in, and from what I can tell she didn’t
get the drink until Miranda… I need to look at that tape again. I think we’re
missing something.”
Jessica’s eyes flared, a bit of panic coming into them. Like
she knew she was losing control but had no idea how to get it back. So she
tried what always worked for her. She batted her eyes and lied. “I think I was
in shock. I’ve never seen a crime before.”
Olivia simply sighed. “Jess, you literally grew up in the
roughest part of this town. Your brother went to prison for dealing meth.”
She put her hand over her mouth like she couldn’t believe
Olivia said it. She shook her head and looked Jimmy’s way. “That’s not true. He
was innocent.”
“Like Keane is innocent? Or like you don’t want to be
associated with criminals? Because I’m pretty sure the evidence was clear.”
“Olivia, I was trying to help you.” She moved in, getting
closer. “I am still trying to help you. Please, listen to me.”
Was she going to try this? It wouldn’t be the first time.
Jessica liked to play the victim, and when she couldn’t find someone to turn
her into one, she did it herself. It was straight out of her playbook.
As she approached, Jessica put a hand on Olivia’s shoulder
and then fell back on a gasp.
Yep, she was playing that game.
“Olivia, why did you push me?” Jessica asked on a cry.
She suddenly had Jimmy’s attention again. He rushed over to
her. “Olivia, did you push her?”
Miranda shook her head. “She did it to herself. Livie didn’t
lay a hand on her.”
Jimmy looked so confused. He now had a trembling doe in his
arms, clutching him like he was the hero she’d been waiting all her life for,
and it was working. He looked up at Olivia, his expression going dark. “Looks
like your boyfriend won’t be the only one in a cell tonight.”
“Please help me. She has so much money and she will use it
to ruin me and all I tried to do was help her,” Jessica sobbed.
Jimmy stood up, his shoulders squaring. “Olivia
Barnes-Fleetwood, that is assault.”
Olivia wasn’t really thinking. It had been a rough night,
and the last thing she needed was this moron walking in and causing trouble all
over again. She should have known the minute Scott showed up that the world
would go to hell. But she wasn’t about to let Jessica think she could get out
of this without some damage.
“Oh, shit,” Miranda said. “I know that look.”
“She asked for it. That fake-ass falling. Girl, if you were
in the NBA, you would get fined for that,” Gigi said with no sympathy.
Her papa stepped forward. “Livie, sweetie…”
Her mom put a hand on his arm. “There are some things a
woman just has to do. Let her take it out on that mean girl so she’s calmer
when she deals with her dad.”
Olivia slapped the shit out of Jessica, the smack deeply
satisfying.
Jessica’s head snapped over with the force.
Jimmy started to step in.
Her mom had her cell phone out. “What was Betsy Ann’s
number, Tanya?”
Tanya was grinning like this was the best show she’d ever
seen. She whipped that number out of her brain in a heartbeat, and Jimmy
stepped back.
Apparently, the law wasn’t as important as his wife not
finding out he was flirting.
“That’s what I thought,” her momma said.
Olivia looked down at Jessica, narrowing her eyes. “Look,
I’m sure you’re here because Scott showed up like the awful memory he is, but
I’m not taking your crap this time. You don’t work for me anymore. You don’t
have any power over me, so I’m going to say this once and only once. I do not
care about your man. I do not want your man. I am only talking to him because
he forced my hand. If you try this short drama crap with me again, I’ll show
you how that works in my world, and I promise you will not like it. And you
need to understand that when I prove you’re lying about my man, it won’t be my
fists that take you out. I’ll ruin your life. If Keane goes to jail for this, I
won’t care about anything else. I’ll have one job in the world and that is to
make you miserable for the rest of your life. You’re right. I’m rich. You took
my boyfriend and I didn’t do a thing to you. I let you walk off into the sunset
with him.”
Jessica’s eyes were red from crying, and her voice sounded
hoarse. “He left me in New York. After he lost his job, he said he made a
mistake.”
Olivia held a hand out. “I don’t care. I don’t care if he
hurt you. There’s no sisterhood here. I left you alone after you humiliated me.
Well, you’re finding my line, girl. Here it is. You hurt a hair on my real
man’s head, and I will destroy you in every way possible. You will end yourself
to get away from me. Am I understood?”
She audibly heard Jimmy swallow, and when she looked up he
was nodding.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Olivia rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t talking to you.”
Jessica got to her feet, her shoulders squared. “Well, if
you want to be with some asshole who tried to hurt you, who am I to stop you. I
won’t try to help again. You can have that loser ex-con.”
She turned and walked out.
Her mother moved toward the hallway where her father could
still be heard. She looked back at Olivia. “Do what you need to do and I’ll
handle your father.”
Her mother knew her so well. Her plans had changed. She
watched as her mom disappeared behind the door.
Olivia turned and held her hands out. “All right, Jimmy. I’m
ready now.”
He frowned and took a step back. “Uh, I don’t think she’s
pressing charges.”
“Are you going to let Keane out right now?” Olivia asked.
“There’s paperwork and stuff,” Jimmy replied, looking at her
wrists like they were snakes that could bite him.
“Then you better cuff me and put me in that cell with him,”
she announced.
“Or I could not cuff you and we could call it a visit,”
Jimmy offered.
“You sure you want this, Livie?” a new voice asked. Kelly
Morgan stood there, a brow raised. “After listening to that witness and talking
to Mr. Rollins, I’m inclined to look at all the evidence again. He could be out
in a few hours. I could let you back there, but I think your father would be
upset.”
“This is not my father’s business,” Olivia announced.
“Livie,” her papa began.
“What would you have done if someone tried to come between
you and Mom and Dad?”
Her papa’s eyes widened. “Someone did. That mean old lady
called your momma’s car a whore and then told her she would ruin us and then
shot Jack.”
“Why did she call your mom’s car a whore?” Miranda asked.
Tanya took that one. “She didn’t. She painted the word whore
on the vehicle. I think she was referencing Abby, not the car. But it’s okay.
Jack cubed it and got her another one.”
She turned to her papa, putting her hands on his cheeks.
“Papa, I’m in love, and it’s time to get on board.”
“You don’t know…” Papa began.
“I’ve spent days with them both, uncle. They’re good men. I
like them. I’m going to give them Hideout memberships,” Gabe explained.
Her papa nodded. “Okay.” He turned to Deputy Morgan. “Please
arrest my daughter.”
When the cuffs went on, she sighed in relief.
* * * *
Garrett stared up at the man he never thought would
be his enemy. Hell, he still didn’t think Jack Barnes was his enemy, but it was
clear the man didn’t have the same belief. “Mr. Barnes, if you would listen.”
“He’s not going to listen. He’s made up his mind.” One of
the deputies had a hand on Keane’s elbow and started to lead him out.
Garrett couldn’t stand the thought of him going into that
cell. “They weren’t through questioning him.”
“He’s said all he needed to say.” Jack Barnes stared at
Keane, his arms crossed over his big, muscular chest. “There was a witness and
the security cameras.”