Page 71 of Saving Veronica
“What the fuck is that asshole doing here?”
“Who?” Everyone asked.
She pointed to the town car parked on the other side of Ronnie’s Jeep, and when Maggie saw the license plate, she swore some more. “It’s her ex-boyfriend’s car. They broke up three years ago. He was a controlling asshole who tried to tell her who to see, what to study in college, he even told her to sell her farm, and give the money over to him.”
“Not on my watch,” Finn said, and stared at the others. “Call 9-1-1 and wait for me out here.” He didn’t say anymore as he hurried over to the back porch, where he knew Ronnie went in and out of her house. As he approached he heard a man scream.
“You worthless whore! I told you, you weren’t allowed to see other men!” Finn heard a slap, and then Ronnie’s voice bit out.
“Fuck you, Steve! I’m not dating you anymore and haven’t for three years. I can date whomever I want. Get the fuck out of my house before I call the cops!”
When Finn heard Ronnie scream, he and Major approached the door, he used hand signals for the dog and pushed the unlatched door open. Without a sound, they entered and what Finn saw, made him see red. An unfamiliar man stood over a prone Ronnie, and it took all Finn could do not to reach for his gun and shoot the man. However, he wasn’t carrying. He gave hand signals and in less than three seconds, Major flew through the open doorway, latched onto the arm the man had raised above Ronnie, and took him to the ground. The harder the unknown struggled, the more Major growled.
Finn rushed over to Ronnie, quickly followed by Gerald and Hector, who had to wait until Finn called Major off the man, before they could apprehend him. Everyone was yelling and screaming, when suddenly a loud whistle rent the air. They all turned and saw Eric standing there in the doorway.
“Let’s take this shit outside.” He turned on his heel and stormed out. Gerald and Hector struggled with the man between them, and when he tried to escape, it shocked everyone when William reached out and coldcocked the man. While he was lying prone, Hector ran to the barn and came back with some bailer twine to tie his hands.
Lorna and Maggie rushed in, shoved Finn out of the way and attended to Ronnie. Lorna grabbed some ice from the freezer while Maggie started to wash her face.
“No,” Finn said. At their frowns, he said. “The Sheriff might want pictures.”
“Damn,” Maggie said, as she twisted the wet rag in her fingers. In less than a minute Ronnie came to, spitting and sputtering. If it wasn’t for Finn’s quick reflexes she would have hit her grandmother. With the women out of the way, he gathered her in his arms and whispered.
“You’re safe, it’s Finn.” He repeated this over and over, until he felt Ronnie relax against him.
“I’m okay,” she made to stand, but Finn made her stay down. He looked up when Grady kneeled down beside him.
The vet checked her over, and sighed. “I don’t feel anything broken, but you’re probably going to have two black eyes, and you’re going to need stitches above that eye.”
“Can you do it?”
“I’d feel better if you had a human doctor look at you.”
“Fine, but someone call Bronson, I want to press charges on that fucking asshole.”
“What’s going on here?” The man she requested entered the house, took one look at Ronnie and glared at Finn.
Finn raised his hands in defense. “Not me. The asshole Gerald and Hector have tied up outside.”
“Okay, can you tell me what happened?” Sheriff Bronson asked, after Grady and Finn helped her to her seat. He made them wait while he went out to his car and was back in two minutes with a professional-looking camera. As soon as he had the pictures, he gave Maggie permission to clean her up.
Maggie took her to the bathroom down the hall, and while they were gone, Finn gave his statement. By then, another police officer had arrived, and taken Gerald and Hector’s statements. Before he could haul the man away, Finn had to go out and call Major off. They stuffed the man in the back of the squad car, left him there, and came back in to help with the other statements.
“What’s going on?” Ronnie winced, as she asked when she returned from the bathroom.
“That’s what we’d like to know,” Finn said, as he pulled her onto his lap, and wrapped his arms around her.
Ronnie attempted to rub her forehead, but Finn prevented her. When she scowled at him, he murmured. “You’re bleeding there. You’re going to need stitches.”
“Son of a bitch,” she growled, and looked at the sheriff. “Can I press charges?”
“As I can see you were assaulted, he’ll be arrested for battery. The EMTs are on their way.”
“Shit,” Ronnie said, and sighed.
“What happened?”
“It’s going to sound far-fetched.”
