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“Morning,” I call out, walking into the station for my shift. Detective Charles Goode is sitting at the receptionist’s desk, reading a book, and drinking his coffee. “What has you up here today?”
“Barb had to step out for an appointment and I was here. Slow day, and this is a good book,” he answers, holding up a Vivian Briar romance. “Barb left it and I haven’t read this one yet. Have you read any of these?”
“I think we’ve all read one or two, right? It’s not odd reading her sex scenes when you’re sleeping with her mother-in-law?”
Vivian Briar is the pen name of one of Briar Mountain’s residents, Abigail Thorpe. It used to be a town secret, but since she married Noah Bradley, she’s been much more open about what she does and the name she publishes under. Charles’ other half is Claire Bradley, the resident therapist at The Center, our town’s community center, where Delia also happens to work. It seems everything comes back to her lately.
“Where do you think I get all my ideas from?” he laughs, waggling his brows.
“She know this?” I laugh with him.
“Of course. She’s started highlighting passages she wants me to pay special attention to.”
“Must be nice,” I say before I can stop myself.
Charles sobers up, placing a bookmark into the book and putting it on the desk. “Heard about the Diner scene. Proud of you for not throwing her on the table and slapping your cuffs on her.”
“Not worth the hassle or paperwork. But she went after Delia. And I can’t have that.”
“Something going on with you two?”
Anyone who ever says women are the worst gossips have never met men in a small town. Seriously. But there’s no point in lying to the man. He’s like a human truth detector. “I wish. I don’t think she’s really looking, and I can’t rightly blame her. After what she went through? What she survived? I wouldn’t trust anything with a dick either.”
“I can see that. But give it time. Treat her like the Queen you want her to be, and let her know you aren’t an asshole, and see what happens. Be there for her, but don’t be a creep.”
“Speaking of assholes and creeps,” I begin, “she got a letter about her ex yesterday that he’s being released for good behavior. Guess it’s not fun beating up people who fight back. But he wants visitation with the kids. Wants to go to court to reinstate his rights. Can he really do that?”
“I guess he can do whatever he wants, but he won’t win. We all saw the pictures of what he did right before Daniel and the guys got her out. She’s got the police reports and hospital records of the times before that, and the judge stripped his rights as part of his sentencing. She didn’t request that.”
“Yeah, but we need to make sure he can’t track her down through her kids. Can’t get to them in any way. Those are good kids, protective to a fault of anyone being bullied. You should see Theo and Sebastian at practice. And their little brother is right there, ready to step up as well.”
“Sounds like you’re already in love with the kids, man,” he points out. “That’s half the battle right there, isn’t it? Being able to accept and appreciate that it’s not just her you want, but the kids, too. Keep being there for the kids, for her. Be what they need, not what you want, and it’ll all work out.”
“Says the man sleeping with the shrink.” I smirk at him. He shrugs his shoulders, knowing he’s been listening and dispensing knowledge from the good doctor. I tap on the desk. “Don’t forget, there’s a new family arriving this afternoon. Meet you at The Center for on-boarding?”
“You got it.” Charles picks up his book and flips it to where he stopped, and I move into the station and to my desk.
I arrive at The Center early, hoping to see Delia before I meet with the new family being brought in. Daniel Allen’s parents own The Center and have living space available for the families he rescues. When he brings in new people, we meet with them, get their story, and help them start the process of separating their lives from their abuser’s. It’s hard work but completely worthwhile and fulfilling when the people we help realize they are finally free. And protected.
“Hey, Marcus!” Victoria Thorpe-Allen appears at her office door, walking toward me and smiling.
“Hey, Vic, how’s it going? How’s my godson?” I pull her in for a side hug since the basketball she swallowed looks ready to pop.
“Daughter. Goddaughter.” She smiles even bigger, rubbing her bump. “You here to see Delia?” she asks, acting innocent.
“I’m here to meet your husband and the new family, actually. But I figured while I was here, I’d stop and say hi.”
“Of course.” She bumps my shoulder. Lowering her voice, she tells me, “She talked to Daniel this morning. He put her in touch with James Covey. He’s a shark in family court. Trust me.”
“Thanks. Anything to keep her and the boys safe, right?”
“Absolutely. She’s family. We protect our family.”
After a few more minutes of small talk Vic returns to her office, closing the door, but not completely. No way is she not listening in to hear what we say, and I’m sure her sisters, their husbands, her parents, and half of the town will know what we talk about before I get home tonight.
“Hey, Del,” I say as I walk up to her desk. “You sleep alright last night?” She jumps a little and looks away, embarrassed, but there’s no need for all that. “Sorry, didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”
“Oh, uh, it’s alright. I wasn’t paying attention. My fault.”
