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“I’ll be thinking the same thing about you when you meet my mother, so let’s not do that. Okay. I’m not going anywhere. We’ll figure this out.”
She nodded, and he pulled her into him, holding her and running his hand up and down her back, wishing he could somehow snap his fingers and end this nightmare she’d been living in silence for too damn long.
Reid pulled into the parking lot, and Harley straightened. The wall was fully in place now. Reid came to a stop behind the car and hopped out of his cruiser. “Shit,” he said as he made his way around the car. “Do you have any idea who did this?”
“No,” Harley said.
“Do you think it was the same person who threw the water in your face?” Reid asked.
“It could have been, but it could have been someone else entirely.”
“What the hell happened?”
Garrett knew the voice, but the roll of Reid’s eyes confirmed it. Allison Winters jogged up to them, wearing a matching workout outfit that clung to her perfectly fit figure. Her long black hair was tossed up in a messy bun, and it was the most casual Garrett had ever seen the reporter.
Allison went right to the car, leaning in and touching the black paint on the windshield.
“Hey! What are you doing? This is a crime scene,” Reid all but barked.
“A crime scene, really?” Allison’s hand planted on her hips. “There are no dead bodies here or blood, even. Just some cheap paint and eggs. Not like you’re going to get any answers here.” She slipped her phone out and started taking pictures, then video. “Your best bet is to check Joe’s surveillance cameras. He has one pointed right at this parking lot.”
“How do you even know that?” Reid asked, then immediately lifted his hand. “Never mind. I don’t care.”
Harley stepped forward and nodded to Allison’s phone. “Why are you taking a video?”
“It’s a small town, and this is a big story for us.”
“No!” Harley exclaimed. “I don’t want this out there. I just want to clean this up and pretend it never happened.”
“But it did happen,” Allison said. Normally, Garrett would step in and defend Harley, but Allison had a point. If Harley continued to roll over and let these people do as they wished with no consequences, then they would never stop. She would never get a moment’s peace, always worried someone was waiting to pounce. “I looked into your social media. People are vicious. If anyone understands that, it’s me. Let me help you tell your story and clear your name, because I know damn well all this shit people are saying is not you at all.”
“How do you know that? You don’t know me.”
“Because right now I’m giving you the opportunity to have the spotlight on you, and you’re refusing. The person those trolls are describing would jump at the opportunity. You’re not that person.”
“Look Allison, I appreciate it, I do, but you’re right. I’m not that person, and I’m never going to be. I don’t want this story out there. I just moved here. It’s supposed to be a fresh start for me. I don’t want the people to know my dirty secret.”
Garrett’s teeth clenched at Harley using that damn phrase again. “There’s nothing dirty about you being harassed. If anything, you should expose these monsters for who they are.”
Harley spun to him, jaw clenched, hand up. “Even if I did, what’s the point? Do you think it’ll stop them? If anything, it will only provoke them. And no offense, Allison, but a local TV station is not going to make a difference.”
“You’d be surprised at the power of words and a determined social media following. I can blow this up. I can get everyone to know your side of the story.”
“I can’t.”
“At least think about it,” Allison said. “You’re one of us now, and we take care of our own.”
Garrett couldn’t help but notice the slight smile that tugged at Harley’s mouth. Allison knew exactly what to say, and she was damn good at delivery.
“She’ll think about it,” Garrett said, and wrapped his arm around Harley, not wanting to speak for her, but knowing she’d turn Allison down again without taking time to really think it through.
“Fine, I’ll think about it.”
“I’ll hold off on reporting the story then, but if I don’t hear from you by this afternoon, I’m running with it. If you want to control the narrative, then I suggest you get back to me sooner rather than later.”
“Allison!” Reid exclaimed. “Can you cut the woman some slack? Her car was just vandalized. The last thing she needs is you shoving a microphone in her face.”
“Fine, then I’ll just shove it in your face.” She smiled brightly, and Reid exhaled loudly.
