Page 66 of Fairy Tale Lies
O’Brien’s gaze didn’t veer to either man. “Uh huh, whatever, lay off. Meier is out of your league.”
“Maybe not. If she opens her legs for this guy, the uppity bitch’s standards must not be too high.”
“You fucking asshole,” Jacob bellowed, erupting. He banged his open palms on the divider, ignoring the sting and their startled jolts. His rage owned him and poured from him like poison. “Keep talking, and you’ll be able to add assault to the warrant. I swear—”
“Enough, Mr. Grimm. Calm down,” O’Brien barked. “Don’t make the situation worse by threatening a police officer.”
Jacob slammed back into the worn seat, taking deep breaths, trying to cage his venom.
It wasn’t working.
“And, Bill, for the last time, shut the hell up,” O’Brien said.
The rest of the drive was in an oppressive, angry silence. When they pulled into the station and parked, O’Brien opened Jacob’s door. Smithson stayed far back, scurrying to the entrance.
Good thing. The desire to tear the man limb from limb hadn’t lessened.
Jacob scoffed bitterly at his murderous desire. Now, there’d be something—getting arrested for a crime he actually committed.
~ * ~
After a call to Jacob’s lawyer, Greta and Will scrambled to his car, promising to call Roger when they had more information. The poor man was distraught, unable to decide if he should stay or go with them. In the end, he remained at home, afraid too many people would further confuse the situation.
Greta couldn’t stop apologizing, first to Roger then to Will. Blake was without a doubt to blame for this mess. His revenge.
Yet, she held some of the blame. She just wasn’t sure how much.
“I’m sorry,” she said for the umpteenth time.
“I told you, there’s no need to apologize.” Will braked at a red light. A feeble smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “I know what you’re feeling. Jacob was arrested once because of me.”
Greta’s self-reproach momentarily quieted, and a morbid sense of curiosity awoke. “Really? When?”
“During my heavy partying days, I’d moved away and lost touch with everyone. I think, deep down, I didn’t want them to see what I was becoming. Dropping off the face of the earth didn’t sit with Jacob. He kept finding me and trying to convince me to come back home. To get help. Anyway, one time he had the bad luck of arriving at my most recent ‘home’ shortly before a raid. The police assumed Jacob was another drug dealer or user hanging around. Luckily, everything was sorted, and the charges were dismissed.”
Greta groaned and hunched into her seat, covering her face with her hands.
Will patted her back. “Don’t worry. We’ll fix this too.”
She hoped it was possible. Doing her part, she tried to call her mother, yet again. To her surprise, this time she answered her phone.
“Mother,” Greta said in a frantic rush. “What’s going on? What have you done?”
Her mother’s indignation carried through the line. “I would like to ask you the same thing. Today I was informed by a close friend my husband’s heirloom watch was stolen by a man we hired to install a chandelier. A man you’re apparently dating. In fact, I got a call from another friend, whose husband’s a city official, and she tells me you were with the man during the arrest…in a rather compromising position.” The last sentence reached a hysterical screech.
In Mother’s world, this was a catastrophe. Not the supposed theft, the gossip of her daughter sleeping with a possible criminal. Nothing upset her mother more than negative chatter surrounding her family.
The lingering traces of Greta’s timidity died in the face of her mother’s trivial concerns. The woman was willing to ruin Jacob’s livelihood on shallow evidence and pride. Greta’s disappointment in her mother had tears prickling behind her eyes.
“Where are you now? Are you at the police station hoping to put the final nail in Jacob’s coffin?” she spat.
“Of course I’m at the station. I need to identify the stolen property. Plus, I’m trying to keep your name out of this mess. I don’t want my daughter associated with a lowlife thief and drug dealer.”
“Drug dealer! What are you talking about? Never mind. I’m almost there. Don’t do anything until we talk more.” Greta hung up and turned to Will, dread filling her veins. “Jacob will never forgive me for this mess.”
“He can hold a grudge, but I suspect it’ll be more at who caused it, than at you.” He rubbed a hand along his jaw. “Though, I wouldn’t plan on too many cozy dinners with your family and Jacob.”
Greta gave a bitter laugh. “No problem. After this disaster, skipping any and all family gatherings is ideal.” They drove into the entrance of Petite Bois’s small brick police station, and she asked, “Would you mind stopping at the door? I need to get in and find my mother.”
