Page 32 of Murder in Calusa Cove
“Whoa.” Stacey held up her hands as if someone were holding a gun to her head. “I’ve done no such thing. You helped criminals run drugs and guns in and out of Calusa Cove. That’s a fact. You helped kidnap Audra. You held her at gunpoint. You terrorized her. Hit her and?—”
“That’s enough.” Mo stood, knocking his chair over, just as Dawson and Fletcher reached the table.
“Oh, my God. See?” Stacey lifted her hands, showing her palms, and taking a step back. Her eyes grew wide, as if she were terrified. “That’s what I’m talking about. Maybe I don’t want to do this interview.” She glanced over her shoulder, in the other direction from where Hayes and the rest of the guys had come from.
Shit. She had a cameraman, who looked like he’d been filming the entire thing.
“Be quiet, Stacey,” Dawson said, firmly and loudly.
Hayes tapped Dawson on the shoulder, pointing toward Stacey’s crew member.
“Stay right there, Stacey.” Dawson waved his finger under her nose. “Mo, please, sit down, relax, and don’t say another word.” He marched off toward the cameraman, who lowered his equipment.
The man stared at Dawson, taking two steps backward.
Hayes had no idea what Dawson said to the guy, but a few minutes ticked by while the dude opened his camera, flicked a few buttons, and nodded like a bobblehead.
Mo folded his arms across his chest and sucked in a deep breath. Fletcher stood by his side.
Hayes chose to stand between Stacey and the table.
“I’m leaving,” Stacey muttered, turning on her heels.
“Not yet.” Hayes reached out, curling his fingers around her biceps. “The police chief told you to stay put, so you’re not going anywhere.”
“Don’t you man-handle me.” She jerked her arm free. “Did you see this?” she asked a woman sitting at another table. “Did you see what he did to me?”
The woman turned, lowering her head, ignoring Stacey.
Dawson reappeared. “Stacey, I’m not giving you a warning. Not this time. You’ve gone too far. I’m recommending that Mo and Anna file a harassment charge and a restraining order. I have enough complaints from them for my office to follow through with that.” He shifted his gaze. “You two willing to do that?”
“Yes,” Mo said.
“Absolutely.” Anna nodded.
“Wonderful. Let’s head to the station and take care of that now.” Dawson pointed at Stacey. “You won’t be able to come near Anna or Mo. If you do, you’ll be arrested. I will be sending a copy of all this to your boss. You won’t be able to report on them, and I’ll outline what you can and can’t report on, as that case is now closed, to your producer. I will file every injunction if I have to. Do I make myself clear?”
“You’re a bully, Dawson Ridge.” Stacey swiveled on her heels and marched out into the parking lot with her cameraman in tow.
“Thank you.” Mo stood, stretching out his hand. “Most people in this town have forgiven me for my part in all that. But when she goes and flaps her mouth, it brings it all back, and I was about to do something stupid.”
“She’s worn my patience down to a thread,” Dawson said. “I have no idea why that news station doesn’t fire her ass. Her reporting is sketchy at best.”
“When she was little,” Anna said, “Tripp figured her mouth was gonna land her in jail. He thought she was a hundred times worse than Audra, not because she used foul language. We all could handle Audra’s colorful choice of words, spunky attitude, and sharp wit. But Stacey used her words to manipulate and get what she wanted. She would lie, beg, borrow, and steal. She never cared who she hurt, as long as people paid attention.”
“I don’t remember her being like this in high school,” Fletcher said. “But she went to a private boarding school. She only spent summers here. She always thought she was better than the rest of us. I was shocked to see she’d come back.”
“Only because of that job,” Anna said. “She hates Calusa Cove. She’d rather be in a big city, chasing bigger stories. It’s why she’s trying to milk what Mo did. It did make national news, and she jumped on that gravy train.”
Mo reached across the table. “Babe, I’m so sorry.”
“Honey, we’ve been over this. I understand why and how it happened.” Anna smiled.
“So does the rest of this town.” Dawson patted Mo’s shoulder. “You did what was necessary when it mattered most. I will always be grateful for that. Now, we can take care of that paperwork now, or in the morning. Up to you.”
“I’d rather do it now,” Anna said. “I don’t trust that girl as far as I can spit, and if for some reason we run into her before now and the time we get a chance to sign it, she might still get in our face, and that won’t be good, because it might not be Mo you have to worry about.”
“All right.” Dawson nodded. “Let me go tell Audra what’s happening.”
