Absolute Power (Southern Justice #1 (39 page)

We were all silent, Carson’s body heaving from the story he had just finished. Austin’s face was blank, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.

“He was following Claire wasn’t he?” Carson spoke, the question hanging in the air around us. “She’d embarrassed him in front of the fucks who were in lock up with him and he decided to go after her to get his street creds back, make it known he couldn’t be fucked with. She was the girl he spoke about on the phone, the one he wanted found?”

There was no point in denying anything, “I didn’t realize he was following her until it was too late.” I admitted, sitting up straight in my chair. “Someone had started some trouble in the shop and I was worried it would get back to Claire; well a version of it anyway. So I called her phone, made sure she was home, only Lainie said she was at the ER, something about letting the ‘mountain girl’ in her come out. I headed over there just as she came out and Cash tried to get her.” My beer had gone warm, so I tossed it into the trash, but remained in my chair.

“I’ve worked for the system long enough to know he wouldn’t have been in jail for no more than a few hours, then he would have been right back out, and going after her again.” I shook my head, my eyes never leaving Carson’s.

“I’m sick to death of the pieces of shit who walk away free every fucking day, only to return to the street and fuck us over again and again.” My voice was full of the agitation I’d tried to rid myself of. “You know it’s the sole reason I took this leave of absence.” I lowered my head, allowing my body to release some of the anger, frustration and heartache.

“The system is broken, maybe beyond repair. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do what the police are not able to do.” I raised my head back up, taking in the room.

“Does Chase know you helped Cash fall off the bridge?” Carson looked at his hands, flicking his fingers against his palm.

“Who do you think helped him over the fence?” Carson’s eyes flashed to mine, he wasn’t expecting the answer he received. I was about to tell him the rest of the story, when the security buzzer sounded. I stood to see who it was, when the distinct smell of my girl floated in. “Hello?” She called, timidly peeking around the edge of the door. “Dylan?”

Everyone stood to their feet as she walked into the shop, all fresh faced and happy. She had no doubt heard of Cash’s demise and you could see the weight had been lifted from her.

“Oh, I’m sorry to interrupt.” Her eyes grew large as she took in the three men before her.

“Princess, you’re not interrupting anything.” Carson assured her, crossing the room to hug her.

“Hey.” My smile was automatic as my heart started to beat again.

“Hey,” she replied, with her toothy grin. “I suspected you may be working late, so I brought you some food from the deli you love.” She held up the two bags in her hand. “I didn’t know what you liked from their dinner menu, so I grabbed a few things.” She crossed the room, sitting the bag on the small table we’d once shared. “I’m glad I got extra, I wasn’t aware the three of you would all be together.”

Austin helped her unpack the first bag, greeting her with the manners our Momma taught him. “Miss Claire, you are a life savor. This man of yours was pumping us good Christian folk full of beer and spirits. Why I do believe the good Lord above sent you to save us.” Carson blinked several times and then coughed the word “bullshit” under his breath.

“Did you bring yourself anything?” I asked, taking her tiny hand in mine.

“Oh, no. Lainie and I are headed over to get our toes done.” She pointed in the direction of what I assumed was the salon. “Some new place she wants to try, something about the polish they use,” she waved her hand around. “I don’t know, I’m just going because she has me addicted to this stuff now.”

I once again heard the words my granddaddy said, “Give them a few dollars to make them pretty, you will benefit in the long run.” I reached into my pocket for my money clip and removed two fifties, having no idea how much toe polish costs, only how expensive motorcycle paint is, so I figure a hundred ought to cover it.

“Here you go, have a good time.” I handed her the money, but she looked at the bills with an expression I can’t make out.

“What is that for?” she questioned, moving back slightly and pointing to the money.

“For you to pay for your toes.” Her question caught me off guard.

“I have money, Dylan.” Her tone was defiant and I couldn’t understand it.

“Miss Claire, please don’t be offended.” Austin stepped in. “We were brought up to always take care of the ladies in our life. Dylan was only doing as Granddaddy showed us.” I would owe my brother so much after he was able to put the smile back on her face.

“Oh, well, see, the cost for my toes is no where close to a hundred dollars, so you can keep the money.” She shoved the bills back toward me. “When I um…become what you said…” she pointed to Austin, his expression of understanding allowed her to avoid finishing her sentence. “Okay, um, I need to get going or she’ll start without me.” Her eyes avoided mine as she turned and walked out the door.

Everyone waited for the sound of her car starting, and then the engine accelerating as she left down the street.

“You haven’t had the talk yet have you?” Austin directed at me, slowly turning his head in my direction with a raised eyebrow.

“What talk?” I tossed, annoyed by how lost I felt.

“The one where you tell her you don’t want to see other girls and you eventually want to take her home to meet your momma.” He rolled his hands in a circle to emphasize the point he was trying to make.

“She knows I’m not seeing anyone else,” I huffed back, still very confused.

“Really? Because from what I just witnessed, she had no clue where she stands with you other than a close friend.”

“Oh, bullshit! She knows I have feelings for…” I started.

“Bullshit is right, you haven’t even kissed her yet,” Carson interjected from the side.

Hearing his voice brought my world to a halt, he knew everything and it was his job to arrest me.

“Well it doesn’t matter much now anyway, now does it?” I looked at Carson.

“The fuck it doesn’t!” He shouted. “Claire is like my daughter, Lainie too for that matter. I’ll be damned if I let anyone hurt them, especially her so called ‘boyfriend’.” He flipped his hand in my direction.

“Not after tonight, once the words gets out I’m in jail, I expect her to deny she ever knew me.” There was an edge to my voice and stinging behind my eyes.

“Why the fuck would you go to jail?” Carson asked, a glint in his eye.

“You know why. Just give me a minute to let dad know where my legal documents are and then you can do your job.” I moved to my desk to get the key, which opened the safety deposit box at the bank.

“I’m not going to arrest you, Dylan, if that’s what you mean.”

My movements stopped as I looked back at him. “No?”

“Fuck no!” He tossed back, his face scrunched.

“Then…?”

“For a former Detective, you don’t pick up much.” He chuckled, pulling out a chair and sitting down casually. “You’re right…”

I crossed my arms as I stood to my full height and waited.

“You can’t protect anyone with the way the system is right now. I can’t protect Georgia, none of us can. You did what you thought was best in order to let Claire sleep at night. To be able to go have her time with her friends without worrying about some crack head roughing her up.” He leaned over the table, taking a huge bite of the pasta dish Claire had brought over.

“I don’t want to arrest you, Dylan. I want to join you.”

God gives us relatives; thank God, we can chose our own friends.

~Addison Mizer

L
ainie and I had planned a movie weekend. We were going to stay in our pajamas, drink lots of wine, and watch movies. Thursday afternoon I received a text message from her letting me know she had been called out of town to fix some glitch in San Diego. I was certainly disappointed, but knew she was the best at what she did with computer programs.

Then there was Dylan. After leaving the shop the other night, I was afraid to face him. It seemed he hadn’t been honest with his family about me. Austin had assumed we were together, but we had never really defined what we were; other than two people getting to know one another better.

I chose to ignore the situation, at least for the time being. Instead, I decided to head to the grocery store to pick up some items for my weekend alone. I opened the door and caught a surprised Dylan, hand raised about to knock on my door.

“Dylan?” I questioned, my heart racing from surprise. It seemed fate wanted me to deal with him sooner rather than later.

“Hey,” he said. His eyes were sad with a scattering of scruff along his jaw. “I’m sorry for coming over unannounced, but I was hoping we could talk.” Swallowing hard, I nodded my head and moved to the side so he could enter. “Do I dare ask how you got past my security?”

“Nothing as sinister as you may think. Carson had some business in the building and he encouraged me to come on up.”

I nodded my head at him, encouraging him to take a seat. “I wanted to clarify a few things with…”

A pounding on the door stopped the much-needed conversation. Dylan reached behind him, pulling his gun from his back holster, and then brought it up, raised and ready. “You expecting anyone?” He questioned, his stance indicative of being ready to take down the door.

“It’s probably Carson.” I pointed to the door behind me, taking two exaggerated steps around the couch. Dylan stood, still in his defensive stance and followed me like a SWAT member about to ambush a drug dealer.

As the painted wood slowly revealed the person in question, I silently wished for the drug dealer. Standing in the hallway, looking like a bad episode of the Beverly Hillbillies was my entire family.

“We’re here.” Gigi announced, her hair, red as a firecracker, was backcombed so high a bird could’ve nested in it. Dad had his hands buried in the pockets of his overalls, a scowl on his face as he walked past me.

“Is this your man’s place, baby girl?” Gigi questioned as she followed him in the living room, looking around like she was planning on stealing something. Her red chipped fingernails followed the seam of my couch. Her skirt was short and midriff bareing. She had added skin divers to the area around her navel, in a heart shape. A large circular diamond peaked out from the center of her belly button. These were her hunting clothes as she called them; showing off what she has to offer if the price was right. Her overly made up eyes were honed in on Dylan. She knew how to read men, give them what they wanted and take what she needed. As she sits on the couch, she very casually flashed the goods in Dylan’s direction.

All I could think about was how dirty they still were. They may have been my family, but they’ve embarrassed, ridiculed and disrespected me. I was about to have a panic attack, when I heard a voice from behind me.

“Hey, boy! Your momma ever teach you any manners? Put that food back in the fridge!” Dylan holstered his gun as he took long strides toward Benny. He’d run past everyone once he figured out where the refrigerator was. I was half inclined to let him eat whatever he wanted, as the chances were high, Gigi hadn’t fed him or anyone else today. With the orange glow of her skin, I’d bet she’d lathered up her tanning lotion before they came in, hoping to catch the eye of her next victim.

“Hey! Who do you think you are? That’s my boy and he can eat what he wants to,” My dad challenged, moving around Gigi to get between them.

Dylan spun around, his face full of disbelief as he pulled his wallet from his back pocket. “I’m the law around here, and Miss Claire’s boyfriend. That’s who I am.”

Dad took one look at his badge and then the star belt buckle he wore everyday, and began backing up slowly toward the door. “Benny, you heard the man, close that damned icebox.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of hot pink. I turned in that direction and came face to face with Cheyenne. Her hair is the brightest shade of pink, with baby blue tips. On one hip is a little girl, one I’ve never seen before. Her face was dirty, her clothes too small, with a bottle in her mouth containing something lime green in the bottom. Behind her, stood a man I hadn’t seen in many years, Shane. He, too, had a baby in his arms; this one so tiny I’m guessing it wasn’t yet a month old.