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A knot forms in my stomach when I glimpse who exits the police cruiser. Officer Campbell has had it out for me since I moved back to Salem. His hate for me has only intensified since Mom’s release.
My window is already down when he reaches my side of the car.
“License and registration.”
My hands shake as I reach for my wallet and produce my license. Officer Asshole keeps his hand on his gun and a watchful eye on me as I do.
“Do you know why I pulled you over today?” he asks, plucking my license from my hand.
“No,” I say through gritted teeth.
The jerk sucks on his teeth and studies my license. It’s all for a show, of course. Nothing on my driver’s license had changed from when he stopped me for “speeding” last month. We both know I wasn’t breaking any laws.
“I pulled you over because you have a busted taillight.”
I jerk my head in his direction. “No, I don’t.” I stupidly call him on his bullshit and immediately regret it.
“You callin’ an officer of the law a liar?” He drums his fingers on the butt of his pistol.
“No.” The words taste sour on my tongue.
“That’s what I thought,” Officer Campbell sneers. “You sit tight. I’ll be right back.”
I detest the wicked gleam in his eye. I watch in my side mirror as he turns and walks back toward his cruiser. I’m left sitting on the side of the road for ten minutes for him to emerge from his car. This time he’s carrying something in his right hand. I watch helplessly as he pauses at the back end of my car and whacks out my driver-side taillight. I jump in my seat. I choke back my tears of frustration as he walks back up to my car and tosses my license and a ticket through my window. Both land on my lap. I refuse to show this man any weakness.
“You have yourself a good day now.”
It’s not until after he drives off that I let the first tear fall.
I park in my usual spot in front of my shop. But instead of going inside, I grab my crutches and cross the street. As I approach Sage and Juniper’s salon, I make eye contact with them through the window. Both women look like they have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Sage jumps up and opens the door for me.
“Hi, Sukie!” she says with too much cheer.
“Don’t ‘hi, Sukie’ me,” I huff. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Juniper trying to slip to the back. I point my finger and call her out. “Not so fast. I’m mad at you too.”
Juniper stops and turns. “Me? What did I do?”
I hobble over to the sofa and plop down. “I should strangle both of you for that little stunt you pulled yesterday at the clubhouse. How could you two just abandon me like that?”
Sage and Juniper share a look. “We kind of thought you and Harlem could use a little nudge,” Sage confesses, not looking sorry.
My mouth falls open. “A little nudge?”
Juniper nods. “Yeah.”
“A nudge for what?” I look back and forth between my so-called friends.
“You and a certain broody biker,” Juniper says.
It dawns on me what Sage and Juniper’s play was about yesterday. “Oh my God,” I breathe.
“Sukie,” Sage rushes.
I cut her off when I throw myself against the back of the sofa. “How could you two do that to me? Especially after I told you yesterday how I felt about him?” At that, I shoot up in a panic. “Wait! Did you tell anyone what I said? So help me God, I will murder both of you!” I stare daggers at Sage and Juniper.
They both shake their head. “Of course not,” Sage assures me. “We promised that the conversation would not leave that room. And we meant it, Sukie.”
Juniper comes to sit beside me. “We would never betray your trust like that.”
