Page 108 of A First Sight

“Dale, I know you’re in here. You need to turn yourself in to the police,” I called out into the room.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Dale sneered as he came out of the bedroom. “Lock me away while you go off and play house with that new guy you’re fucking.”

“Shit, Dale.” Mr. Leighton shook his head. “Are you a pussy or a man? Control your woman.”

“I broke up with him,” I said. “You were right. He’s an asshole and you scared him off.”

Dale broke into a bright smile and turned to his dad. “See dad. I’m a man, like I told you. That british fucker is over the hill.”

“Take me back, Dale, I miss you. Let’s go and get the charges dropped. I’ll deny everything to the police. I’ll tell them I was jealous of you with Chelsea, and I made it all up.” I placed my hand on his chest and slid it to his hand. “Come with me.” As he moved toward me I knew my bluff was working. Once we got to the station, they would arrest Dale, and all this would be over.

Mr. Leighton stepped in between us and faced me. “I don’t believe you. Why don’t you just call the police right now and tell them you lied? You don’t have to go there.”

I lifted my chin and tried not to show the jolt of fear that went through me.

“No, Mr. Leighton, I don’t. But anybody can fake a phone call. We have to go there in person and show ID.” My voice was steady as I spoke. “This is the best way. Your son has gone too far. Assaults on multiple people. Breaking and entering. Running from the police. Stabbing. He can’t walk away from this. Not this time. Not without my help.”

“The hell he can.” Mr. Leighton’s face was taking on the same ruddy hue as his son’s. “I’m not letting you ruin my son’s life.”

A knock on the door startled us all, my heart leaping into my throat.

“Get into the kitchen,” Mr. Leighton told his son, and then he looked at me. “You keep your mouth shut.”

Mr. Leighton opened the door as much the chain allowed, only a few inches. “What’s the problem, officers? It’s pretty early for a house call, isn’t it?”

“Mr. Leighton, we’ve received a tip that your son is here.”

“A tip?” Mr. Leighton glanced over at me, fury on his face. “I don’t know who would call you guys with something like that.”

“Is your son here or not?”

“If you let me know who they are, I can tell you if you can trust them. I have friends at City Hall, you know.”

I tried getting myself into the cop’s line of sight, but Mrs. Leighton jerked me to a stop.

“It doesn’t work like that, sir.” A second voice came from outside. “May we come in?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

He said it with a smile. The Leighton men were the type who could tell someone to fuck off and convince them they should be grateful for it.

“It’s late, officers. We would like our privacy.” His voice was firm.

“We have a search warrant. Open up, or we’ll bust the chain.”

Mrs. Leighton sucked in a breath, her head snapping around to where Dale stood in the entryway between the kitchen and the living room. Her grip on my wrist tightened as I tried to pull away.

“I don’t give a damn what you have.” Mr. Leighton slammed the door shut, and I heard the deadbolt click home.

The police were pounding on the door, yelling that they’d kick it in. Mr. Leighton grabbed the armchair and yanked it over to block the door. He had completely lost it.

And he wasn’t the only one.

“You were lying, you cunt. It was all a setup. You told the police I was here.” Dale lunged at me, shoving his mother in his haste to get to me.

My back hit the mantle as I tried to get away.

Mrs. Leighton’s head collided with the wall.

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