Page 30 of Abandoned

He patted the shoulder of the young man nearest him. “I’ll talk to you guys later. That woman doesn’t look too happy.”

“Rainie Bishop is never happy. Crankiest lady in the neighborhood.”

The other boy said, “Good luck.”

The two skated off, and Will turned his full attention to the woman who was storming straight for Zara.

She tucked the woman she was talking to behind herself. The moms gathered their kids and dispersed.

Rainie was yelling at Zara, every other word a cuss word.

Hand still ready on his Taser, Will walked over.

Zara held her hands up, palms facing Rainie. “Calm down. Let’s talk. I don’t understand what the issue is.”

“You filthy little pig. It’s all your fault my Ernie got visited by those stupid detectives on Saturday. That one thinks he’s a freakin’ cowboy, coming into my house in his stupid cowboy hat and boots.”

Wyatt. The man couldn’t help it—he was from Texas.

Zara said, “I’m sorry that was a problem. They had to do their job, and Ernie was a suspect. Where was Ernie on Friday night?”

“Heck if I should know. I’m not his mother.”

Zara shot Will a did-you-just-catch-that-admission look. “Who are you then?”

“I’m his girlfriend, so you better back off. You can’t have him. He’s mine! We came all the way from Indiana together, and we’re gonna stay together.” She raised the rolling pin. “So you’d just better leave him alone.”

“I’m not messing with him. Put the rolling pin down, miss.”

“Who are you calling miss?” Rainie yelled.

Will said, “Rainie? That’s your name, right?”

“Stay out of this, pig.” She chucked the rolling pin in Will’s direction.

He dodged it by jumping to the right.

Rainie ran at Zara, who had reached for her Taser but couldn’t pull it out of its holster fast enough. Rainie slammed into Zara but didn’t knock her over.

The women grappled with one another, and just as Will got to them, Zara took Rainie to the ground.

The woman smacked into the grass with a thud. The force of the takedown knocked the air out of her, and she gasped for breath.

Zara rolled the woman onto her stomach. “Hands … behind … your … back.” Zara coughed as she slapped cuffs onto the woman’s wrists.

Will said, “Rainie Bishop, you’re under arrest for assaulting a police officer.” He finished Mirandizing her and got her to her feet.

Zara sat on the ground and coughed again.

You okay? He signed to her.

She nodded.

But he didn’t believe her. After taking Rainie to his squad car and shoving her into the back seat, he went back to Zara and offered her a hand up.

She crammed her inhaler back in her pocket and took his hand.

“Are you sure you’re fine?”