Page 88 of Fighting Jacob

“Okay...” I wait for him to fill in the gaps.

Mercifully, he doesn’t leave me hanging for long. “Jacob has been arrested for assault and battery again.”

“Is his original probation over?”

Hank sighs. “I don’t know; he’s cutting it close.”

“Fuck.” I have no better response. If he’s convicted of assault while on probation, he won’t skip jail this time. That’s not a probability; it’s a given.

“Where did they take him?”

“Ravenshoe PD. Meet you there?”

“Yep!”

After disconnecting my call, I race toward Pete's office. He grants my request to leave without a five-page explanation. It probably helps that I didn’t elaborate that I’m going to the police station instead of the hospital like he assumes.

When I pull into an empty space at the front of the police station, I spot Hank waiting for me on the front steps. He’s as uneasy about our visit as me; he just does a better job of hiding his emotions. I’m a jittering bag of nerves.

As we enter the lobby, I scan the area. There are dozens of men and women in blue, but I'm not looking for a uniform. I'm seeking a familiar blue suit.

I find it a few seconds later. “Ryan!”

He inches back from the interrogation room to crank his neck my way. When he realizes it’s me, apprehension washes over his face. If that didn’t occur more times than I can count the past few months, it would bother me more than it does.

“I’m doing everything I can, but it’s out of my hands this time.” Ryan’s low tone sinks my heart into my gut.

“Can we see him?”

My heart slides straight past my stomach to collide with my feet when he shakes his head. “He’s in the process of being charged with three counts of battery.”

“Three counts?” When Ryan nods, I ask, “Is his original probation period over?”

His nod turns into a shake. “He had one week left. That’s why it’s out of my hands. It’s higher than me.”

My tongue darts out to replenish my lips with moisture, but no amount of wetness makes my next question any easier to ask. “Will he go to jail?”

Tears burn my eyes when Ryan replies, “Most likely.”

“Is there anything we can do?” This question comes from Hank.

Ryan shakes his head again. “If he didn’t have his original conviction, we would have had a better shot of keeping him out of jail, but with that hanging over his head...” An uneasy shrug finalizes his reply. “I’m sorry. I wish I had better news; I just don’t.”

His gaze flicks between Hank and me for many heart-thrashing seconds before he pivots on his heels and walks away.

Just the thought of Jacob going to jail makes me sick to my stomach. I can’t let this happen to him. If he weren't protecting me, he would have never been on probation...

I stop reflecting when a brilliant idea pops into my head. After telling Hank to wait for me outside, I dash to the desk clerk, praying she’ll have answers to the questions I have.

She’s not overly smart, and she’s somewhat deaf, but she slathers my idea with so much sugary goodness, I’m on the verge of becoming diabetic by the time I join Hank outside.

“I need your help, but you can’t tell anyone what we’re about to do.”

Hank’s nearly black eyes stare deeply into mine. “Is it illegal?”

I grimace. “Quite possibly?”

He twists his lips. "Okay, then. Let's do this. What have I got to lose?"

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