Page 38 of Forbidden Hearts
Her lips mash into a thin line. “Then you, my darling, are human and will find a way through it.”
Then I tell her everything about Jonathan and lift a huge weight off my shoulders.
nine
ASHER
My shift is over, and I am beat. I grab my gear and start to head out, but as soon as I reach the door, Chief Bettencourt calls my name and waves me toward his office.
“Hey, Chief, what’s up?”
“Nothing, just wanted to see how the call went this afternoon?” he asks as I take a seat.
“I think we handled everything well and it resolved peacefully, which was the desired outcome.”
Thank God for that. Rarely do I have to assemble the SWAT team, but this was a close call. It was a domestic call that escalated when we were informed of possible weapons and that the suspect had priors.
Thankfully, there was only a short standoff before we were able to get him to comply.
“He surrendered without provocation?”
“He did after some convincing. We were able to take him in, but she wasn’t willing to talk or press charges, so he’ll most likely be released. The bruises on her face were enough for us to remove him from the home at least.”
He huffs once. “I wish the laws were different and victims were more willing to come forward. We’ve had a few instances, and I’ll never forget responding to Ellie’s call. Still haunts me to this day.”
“Thankfully, that ended well,” I say, not sure what else to say at this point. Ellie Arrowood’s ex-husband was a horrible bastard. Kevin caught Ellie trying to leave him and lost his mind. Hadley ran to the neighbor for help, called the cops, and then went to her house to try to stop him. She and Connor have been married for a few years now.
Still, it was one of those cautionary tales about falling in love with the wrong guy.
“Hopefully, the laws will change so more people are willing to press charges. I know Sydney has been working hard at a reform bill.”
He nods. “She’s a good egg that one.”
Everyone loves Sydney Arrowood. She handled my mother’s estate. Mom moved back here when Brynlee was in middle school. After her fourth divorce, she decided maybe she should stay single, return home, and take care of my grandparents. We all agreed that was a wise choice, especially after being married to the douchebag that is Brynn’s father.
“She was a big help when my mother passed away.”
He gives me a sad smile. While my mother was a disaster in the love department, always finding the rotten apples, she excelled in every other part of her life. Her kindness was unparalleled, which made her loved by this community.
“No one in this town was sweeter than your mother, and I miss her. She was a good friend.”
“I do too.”
Her cancer diagnosis rocked our family. Brynlee was only fifteen, and I immediately moved back to take care of them both. Mom was gone two months after I got here. Rowan came once he quit school to help, and Grady, well, he marches to the beat of his own drum. His navy career was just starting, and there was no way he could do anything but wish me luck.
“You boys have done a good job with Brynlee,” he praises.
I think we have too.
She gave me the chance to screw her up so when I had my own kid, I wasn’t a total shit parent. When Sara told me she was pregnant, I didn’t freak out or wonder what I was going to do—okay, maybe I had a little. Neither of us were exactly happy, but it was the hand we were dealt, and I stepped up immediately.
“She would probably disagree, but she’s alive and has all her appendages.”
Chief Bettencourt laughs. “I felt the same way about Phoebe.” Ahh, Phoebe, the one who is currently watching my entire world and who I can’t seem to stop remembering seeing half naked on the floor. “When her mother passed, I wasn’t sure what I would do. I had this fourteen-year-old kid, no clue about anything to do with her school, activities, or day-to-day life. Of course, no one expects tragedy.”
It’s funny how the mind works, considering what we do. How many times have we walked to someone’s door after a car crash to give them bad news? Too many to count. We just never think it’ll happen to us.
“No, we don’t, but thankfully, Sara is organized and has a living life bible for that kid. If something were to happen, I wouldn’t even miss a beat. I’d just need to find long-term childcare.”
