Letting You Go, page 4
I could feel his eyes on me. Hell, I could almost feel his breath, too.
“Well, well, what do we have here?” he said, running his finger along my arm.
My eyes fell to where his tatted fingers rubbed my arm. The letters GREE were visible, and then I looked at the snake on his forearm.
“I’m Garrick. This is Linden and Dorian. What’s your name, beautiful? Not seen you around these parts before. Are you new around these parts?”
When I didn’t immediately answer him, he chuckled. “That’s okay. We like shy girls, don’t we, guys? They are much more fun.” He said, running his forefinger over my forearm once again.
A chill ran through me, and I was about to say something when Glenn turned around and glared at the three of them. “Gentlemen, I’ve told you before, you can come in here, play pool, drink, and eat, but don’t bother my staff. Now what can I get for you?” he asked, not faltering once while he placed the beers on my tray and nodded for me to get out of there.
I rushed to the table where Dave and Ryan sat and set the beers down in front of them. “Here you go, guys. Did you want anything to eat?”
“Nah, we’re good right now.” Dave smiled at me and raised his glass before taking a sip.
“So, have you seen Jackson since you been back?” Ryan asked me outright as he, too, took a sip of his beer.
I looked at Dave and noticed he was giving Ryan the eye.
“What?” Ryan questioned, looking over at Dave. “Someone’s got to ask her,” he mumbled like I wasn’t even standing there.
“Cara is going to have your balls, you know that, right?” Dave questioned, looking over at me and giving me a wink.
I smirked and cleared my throat. “Just so you know, Ryan, no, I haven’t seen him. You can let Cara know that, too.”
A loud bang behind me caused to me to jump, and I turned in time to see a pool cue being thrown to the ground by one of the gang members.
“Fuckin assholes,” Dave mumbled.
“Tell me about it,” I said, looking in their direction.
“You make sure you steer clear of those guys, Bailey.” Dave said, nodding in their direction.
I nodded. “Have there been any updates on my brother’s case? Mom won’t tell me,” I questioned, looking at Dave. I knew this wasn’t the time or place to ask, but curiosity was getting the best of me. I needed to know the truth.
“We have a couple of suspects. Nothing solid.”
“You don’t think it’s one of these…” I swallowed hard, my throat getting tight at the thought.
“Bailey, don’t you worry. We are still working on it, okay? Just ignore the fact that these guys are even in here, and if they cause any trouble, call the station.”
I nodded, looking at the ground. “Will do.” I glanced around and noticed I was being flagged to a couple of tables. “I’ve got to go. Enjoy your drinks.”
The night went on, Ryan and Dave left and two hours later, the only patrons in the bar were the three Green Cobras members and two other tables of two. It was then that three other men walked in that I didn’t recognize. Glenn was in the back doing the order, and I was minding the bar. I watched as the three men walked over to where Garrick, Linden, and Dorian were playing pool. They exchanged words between them, and I watched out of the corner of my eye as I wiped down the bar. They looked at one another, and then one of them placed a pile of cash on the edge of the pool table and they racked a set of new balls.
I knew Glenn wasn’t a fan of the Green Cobras being in here, never mind them betting in his bar, but he said nothing to them. I did as Dave said and continued on with my job, pouring drinks and waiting on the two tables that were here. Once I’d delivered drinks to everyone, I began loading glasses into the dishwasher. I watched the game going on over in the corner. The three men I’d never seen before cheated their way to winning, only I wasn’t the only one who had seen it. Garrick had seen it, too.
As one man threw it in their face, he picked up the money. Garrick grabbed the other by the throat and shoved him up against the wall. The force of him hitting the wall caused me to drop a glass to the floor, shattering it.
“Fuck,” I whispered under my breath, afraid that the shatter of glass would turn their attention to me, but none of them noticed.
“You cheated, you fucker?” Garrick hissed, reaching around, and pulling a knife from his belt, holding it up to the guy’s throat. Linden and Dorian pulled their knives too and approached the other two men, completely ignoring the fact that they were in the presence of other people.
I didn’t wait another minute for this to move ahead any further. Instead, I stepped into the back room and dialed the police.
Jackson
The first half of my shift had been uneventful. I was making my way back to the station to catch up on some paperwork and grab a bite to eat when a call came over the radio. There was a problem at The Crooked Judge, and they were requesting police backup. It was an odd call for a weeknight. Normally, the place was full of couples having dinner. I radioed the station, letting them know I was on my way over to the bar.
I’d just pulled up outside the bar when Greg and Matt brought two men I recognized as members of the Green Cobras. Both men were in cuffs, and Matt and Greg took them over and placed them in the back of their cruiser.
“Gentlemen, what happened?” I asked as I climbed out of my car and approached them. I glanced into the back of their cruiser and recognized Dorian Patten and Linden Becker.
“Pool game gone bad. There were apparently three Cobra members here, but the one who started it all took off just as we arrived. Almost knocked Matt over on our way in. These two were still inside, causing shit.”
“You alright, Matt?”
“I’ll be fine. I didn’t even know what hit me.”
“Did you get a look at him or a name from these two?”
“No, these two aren’t talking,” Greg answered.
I nodded, looking over my shoulder in both directions. The street was quiet, and there wasn’t anyone to be seen in either direction. It looked like a normal Wednesday night.
“What about the other guys, the ones they fought with?”
“They are inside, sitting at the bar. These two roughed them up a little, pulled knives on them for cheating.”
“All right, so you taking these two in? Did you get statements?”
“We are taking them in, but we didn’t get statements. The bartender who saw it all had gone for a break when we got there. I guess she was a little rattled, being new in the area, so we are waiting for her to return.”
I frowned. I’d just been here two nights ago. There wasn’t a new bartender. “New employee?” I questioned.
“Yeah, apparently her first night on the job.” Greg chuckled.
“All right, well, if you two want to take these two in, I can go in, talk to the guys they fought with. I’ll also get a statement from the bartender and any other witnesses there may have been.”
“Matt can take them in. I’ll stay and give you a hand,” Greg said, heading back toward the door.
“Sounds good.”
Matt got into his car and drove off toward the station while we headed into the bar. While Greg went to talk to the three men who had been involved, I walked around the bar talking to the other customers to see if they had witnessed anything. I sat down at every table and took down notes as each person provided me statements of their version of what had happened. It all seemed to be started by the one guy who got away.
When I finished, I walked up to the bar. Glenn stood there, rag slung over his shoulder, and smiled. “Hey, Jackson, thanks for coming.” He extended his hand out, and we quickly shook.
“No problem. I see these guys are still causing shit in here.”
“No. They’ve been good since I laid down the ground rules. Not sure what happened tonight, I was in the back when it all happened.” Glenn said, nodding toward the three guys that Greg was still speaking with.
“Okay, I don’t recognize them from around here.”
“Me neither.”
“I was told that the bartender who called the police was on her break when my guys got here. Is she back yet? We’d really like to get a statement from her before we leave, especially now that we know one of them ran off.”
“She should be back in a moment. She was pretty rattled, so I gave her a little extra time. The Cobras haven’t been here in months, and the first night they are, this happens. They are going to have to stop coming in here, Jackson. This place is going to get a bad rap if they don’t.”
“Do you know which one of them ran off? Did you see him at all?”
“Yeah, the big guy, Garrick. He’d come in with them tonight. You’d know him, I’m sure.”
“I know of him, yes.”
“Well, the second he heard the sirens, he apparently ran out the door. I wouldn’t doubt if he isn’t the one who started it all, but then I was in the back, so I can’t say for sure.”
“How long had they been here?”
“Came in around six, I’d say. They ordered a few drinks, tried to hit on my new bartender and server, but you know how they are. These other guys, though, I have no clue who they are,” Glenn said, nodding toward the other three men who had been involved.
I nodded and then heard a door slam in the distance, and Glenn held his finger up and poked his head around the entrance to the back.
“Good, you’re back. The police want a word with you.”
“Be right there,” I heard a familiar voice say.
“She’ll be out in a minute.” Glenn went back to straightening up and clearing dishes off tables, and I turned around to see Greg make his way back over to me. “Just about ready to head out?” he asked as he put his notebook in his back pocket.
“Yeah, just waiting to talk to the bartender who called the police.”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m convinced it was the one who ran who started it all.”
I nodded. “Yeah, that was what the others said as well. We’ll wait and see what this bartender has to say and go from there. Those guys really should come down to the station, anyway. You should let them know that.”
“Already did. They said they’d meet us down there.”
“I’m sorry, you wanted to talk to me, officer?” a quiet voice asked behind me, and I turned around and met a face I’d thought I’d never see again.
It was as if all the air had left the room. The second my eyes landed on that dirty blonde hair, and those soft, dreamy blue eyes, I was done. My eyes skimmed down her sexy body, a body I’d once had in my bed, and I swallowed hard. I cleared my throat and fought the sensation that ran through my body, reminding me just how attracted I’d been to her.
“Bailey?” That was the only word I could get out of my mouth, as once again, my eyes ran the length of her body before returning to look into her eyes.
“Jackson,” she murmured, staring back at me.
“What are you…” I stopped mid-sentence, lost in her eyes. I didn’t need to ask. I knew she had moved back here. I just didn’t think I’d run into her this soon.
The sound of my name falling off her lips sent a wave of heat through my body. We stood in silence, staring at one another, and in those few moments, I had completely forgotten what it was I was even doing here and what I’d even wanted to see her for.
Greg cleared his throat and stepped in. “Miss,” he said, looking up at me and frowning. “we wanted to have a few words about what took place here tonight. I understand you were the one who called the police after the fight broke out. If you have a few minutes, we have a few questions we’d like to ask you.”
Her eyes never left mine as Greg continued speaking. Bailey stood there nodding at everything Greg said, but I doubted she was even listening. She confirmed my suspicions when he asked his first question. Instead of answering the question, she only nodded. Greg repeated the question once again, this time a little louder. She jumped at the sound of his voice, but finally, her eyes left mine and she slowly began answering what he wanted to know.
“Now, a little on the personal side. We were told by Glenn that the one man who left earlier had put his hands on you. Are you able to provide us a description of him?”
I met her eyes and clenched my fists at my side. The thought of another man putting his hands on her in any way boiled my blood.
She didn’t say anything, but when her eyes met mine, I knew what had happened earlier had her rattled.
“Bailey, if you can’t remember exactly what he looked like, it’s okay. Anything that may help identify him would be helpful.”
“Ummm…he had a snake tattoo. Wrapped around his forearm and letters.” She closed her eyes and brought her fingers up to her temples, rubbing them. “GREE, were on his fingers.”
“Okay. Thanks, miss, that will be all for now. If we have any more questions, we will be in touch.” Greg said, pocketing his notebook.
I hadn’t taken my eyes off her until I felt Greg pull me by the arm. I lifted my hand to wave goodbye to Bailey and followed him outside. As soon as the cool, fresh air finally hit me in the face, it was like I woke up.
“What the hell happened to you in there?” Greg asked as we stopped just beside my car.
“What do you mean?” I questioned, swallowing hard.
“Come on Jackson, you obviously know her. Some sort of history between you?”
Greg was new to Sunset Cove and did not know about the history between Bailey and me. However, Dave knew, and once he found out that I hadn’t kept my head about me, he’d pull me off this case faster than I could blink.
“Let’s not talk about it! It’s in the past, all right.”
“Didn’t seem that way.” He shrugged. “It seemed like it had just happened and there were a lot of things left unsaid between the two of you.”
Ignoring his comment, I walked around to the driver’s side door and ripped it open. Climbing in, I pulled the door shut, shoved the key in the ignition, and started the car.
“Are you planning on walking back to the station?” I yelled as I rolled down the passenger’s side window.
“No.”
“Then get in,” I barked as Greg pulled the door open and climbed in. The door had barely closed when I pulled away from the curb, taking off toward the station and in the opposite direction of Bailey Scott.
Bailey
I’d gotten home later than I’d planned from my first night at work. I’d never been so thankful that Mom wasn’t sitting in the living room chair waiting up for me like she used to do.
I hadn’t been able to forget about him after seeing him tonight. My entire way home, all I wanted to do was to revisit old memories. When I got home, I cracked a bottle of wine and sat cross-legged on the floor of my bedroom. I held my picture album in my lap, flipping through years of memories with tears in my eyes. Pictures of us when we were younger, prom pictures, pictures of the camping trips that Jackson, Connor, and I had gone on during the summers. I revisited the swearing-in ceremony all the police officers go through. Both Connor and Jackson looked so handsome in their uniforms as they took their oaths.
A couple hours passed and the bottle of wine I’d opened was gone. I flipped the next few pages and now I was looking at some sort of alternate universe—the year after my brother had died. Tears ran down my face as I looked at the picture of Jackson and I. Then, finally, I flipped to the very last picture we’d ever taken together, and that was when I lost it. I sobbed as the tears streamed down my face. I closed the book and climbed into bed and cried myself to sleep just like I had done for the first two years after I’d moved away.
A heavy feeling surrounded me this morning. I’d barely gotten three hours’ sleep after my trip down memory lane, and I was paying for it this morning. My head ached. I approached The Blessed Bean, took a deep breath, and pulled the door open. The familiar surroundings of my favorite coffee shop put a smile on my face. It was the first time I had been there since I had returned to Sunset Cove.
I glanced around the room and saw Cara sitting in a corner booth waving frantically at me. I lifted my hand in a wave and began approaching the table when she jumped out of her seat and wrapped her arms around me.
“Been in town almost four days and you haven’t even come to see me yet. It’s about time you got here,” she said as she squeezed me tightly to her.
“Sorry, it’s been…an adjustment. Just don’t tell my mom you didn’t see me until today. I told her we had dinner the other night. Now sorry I’m late, I had to stop at the pharmacy and pick up Mom’s prescription. There was a line,” I said, shrugging.
“Your secret is safe with me and forget about it. You’re here now. I ordered our coffees, but I didn’t order any food because I didn’t know what you would want. They have fresh pumpkin spice muffins, apple cookies, and cinnamon sugar scones.”
“Ooh, those scones sound like something to die for, but then I haven’t had one of those muffins since I left. Let’s get those,” I said, laughing and grabbing my wallet.
“No way, put that wallet away. You moved all the way back here for me. The least I can do is buy you a muffin and coffee,” Cara said, nodding to my wallet. She grabbed hers instead and headed to the counter. Seconds later, she returned with two pumpkin spice muffins.
