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Yes, from what she could tell Hale hadn’t been cooperative at all, and that was strange for him. She needed to get her embarrassment and anger under control because this was not at all like him.
“I think that guy might have done something to Hale while he was on the potty,” Max said. “One minute the guy was fine, and the next he was throwing punches.”
“And you decided to help him?” Nate asked.
Max shrugged. “I’m his mentor. One of the things he needs to learn is that when your friend does something real dumb, you pretty much have to do it with him. Now if I had known Van here was going to throw his own body into the fray, I would have taken a more laid-back approach.”
“All the good it did me.” Van cupped his jaw. “He punched me. I was trying to help him and he decked me. Also, I think this was a false arrest. I was trying to break up the fight. I didn’t hit anyone, but I get hauled out? This is profiling.”
“No.” Cam Briggs looked entirely amused at the scene. “It’s not what that means at all. Now who was the other guy because when we walked in, it looked like it was the three of you fighting.”
“He got away.” Hale’s jaw tightened. “I didn’t even get his name.”
Max pointed Hale’s way. “See, I told you. That fellow did something nasty to him.”
She’d been going about this all wrong. When she’d seen they were being arrested, she’d closed herself off and gone cold. She’d heard that Hale and Van had been fighting and gone to the worst place she could. “Nate, can we let them out? It was a bar fight, and apparently the person who they were fighting isn’t here. Is Zane pressing charges on destruction of property?”
“It was one table. Hale can build a new one,” the sheriff said. “I’m far more interested in why we’re here. I thought this was some pissing contest between the two of them.”
“Only because no one ever listens to me,” Max complained. “I told you what was going on. Hale went all raging bull on that guy. Now he did appear to be an asshole tourist. I can understand that, but as his mentor, I think we’re going to have to work on how to handle them without resorting to this kind of violence. See, man, you gotta find another kind of violence. One the cops can’t see.”
“You need a new mentor.” She was pretty sure Max was a terrible influence.
Hale stood up and came to the bars, looking at her through them. “I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to lose it like that, but he said something and that’s pretty much the last thing I remember until Van was yelling at me and Cam was putting me in cuffs.”
“He had that vacant look in his eyes,” Van explained. “Like he wasn’t really there.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Hale looked back at Van. “I didn’t know it was you. I thought it was him.”
“Who is him?” They were finally getting to the questions that should have been asked. She understood that Nate and Cam had to get them out of Trio, but if they’d known these two men better, they would have known something was wrong.
“Asshole tourist fellow,” Max insisted. “He looked like one of those lodge people. I bet he can’t ski for crap, though. None of them can really. They like to sip their craft beer and take their pictures for social media. Hey, you got any beer, Nate? Has someone called my wife? Because I was supposed to be home for dinner, and she can get antsy.”
“She told me to hold you overnight,” Nate retorted with a grin.
“Nate?” She wasn’t going to get to the bottom of this with Max around. “Come on.”
Nate sighed and then he was opening the cell door. “Fine. The new deputy is intent on getting down to business, so be on your way, Max. You two, though, need to go to the conference room. If this wasn’t a throw down between the two of you, we need to talk.”
Max stepped out of the cell, straightening his shirt. “This has been the worst experience here yet, Sheriff. No food. No beer, and the padding on that bench has gone flat. This will be reflected in my review. Also, I will take the protein bars, Gemma, as a parting gift.”
Gemma snorted and grabbed her purse. “I’ll give him a ride back to his car and then head home, unless you need me. The temp guy is out patrolling and should be back in the office in an hour, so you have some time to talk privately.” She looked at Van and Hale. “Get your shit together, you two. She’s pretty cool, and there are other men around here who will snap her up.”
