Page 14 of Wild Mustang Security Firm

“I’m going to have to insist, ma’am.”

“You do whatever you want, but I have a legal right to refuse—which I’m doing.”

“And I have the right to arrest you for it,” he threatened.

“You weasel. Go ahead. I’ll sue your sorry ass for false arrest.”

“Ma’am, I’m going to ask you to face your car and put your hands on the hood.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“I’ll ask you to refrain from using that kind of language and comply with my instructions.”

“I’ll comply with your request to put my hands on the hood of my vehicle, but I’ll also express my constitutional right to call you a mother fucker while I do it.” Mandy sighed and did what he asked.

The deputy made short work of putting her in handcuffs and in the back of his patrol car. He secured her vehicle after searching it and took her purse and cell phone into custody. He returned to his vehicle and headed back to his office. Once inside, she asked his desk sergeant if she could use her phone to make a call. She called Willa.

“You’re what?” Willa exclaimed, then started to laugh. “Let me guess, your redheaded temper got the better of you, and you were a pain.”

“If all he’d wanted to do was give me a ticket, I’d have taken it and been on my merry way. But oh, no. The little prick wanted to give me a lecture. These assholes have had it in for me. Honestly, Willa, if he’d just given me the ticket and not been such a dick about it, I’d have paid the fine and not even contested it. But he was a complete asshole, which I told him, so then he wanted to lecture me on my language, and when I told him to buzz off, he accused me of drunk driving.”

“I know you didn’t fail the breathalyzer.”

“I’d have to have taken it to fail it.”

“Jesus, Mandy.”

“He had no right to make me take it.”

“As soon as we’re out of here, I’ll send Gus to get you.”

“Thanks, Willa. I’m sorry, but these macho assholes just rub me the wrong way.”

“Well, hopefully, you’ll see John tonight, and he’ll rub you the right way.”

Mandy giggled.

“He did that numerous times last night and this morning. I’m not sure he knows how to rub me the wrong way.”

“Well, well, well. You’ll have to catch me up when I get back. Sit tight, and Gus will be there as soon as possible.”

“Thanks, Willa, and again, I’m sorry to have messed you up.” She handed her phone back to the sergeant. “Thanks. I appreciate you letting me do that.”

“No problem. I’m afraid you have to go in a holding cell until someone can come in to bail you out.”

“I know the drill.”

Mandy was led back by a deputy and put in a cell by herself. Several deputies stopped by to taunt her, but she just flipped them off. She hadn’t been there very long when another deputy came to get her. She was a bit surprised, knowing there was no way Gus, Willa’s head wrangler and all-around hand, would have been able to get there so quickly. She rounded the corner to see John standing with his arms folded across his broad chest, talking to the sheriff. She was escorted to his side.

“Hi, babe,” she said sweetly.

John glowered at her, then turned back to the sheriff and extended his hand.

“I appreciate the professional courtesy, Sheriff.”

“Not a problem, Marshal. In all honesty, I think my deputy may have been a bit overzealous. Your girl has a history with some of my men. I’m fairly certain both parties were at fault. I’m willing to even overlook the speeding ticket that started this whole thing if you can assure me this will be the end of it. She threatened my deputy with false arrest charges…”

“You have my word that won’t happen. Thanks again.”

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