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“I wish you had called me before you came to turn yourself in,” Mr. Diaz says to me with his hand outstretched to greet me.
I shake his hand firmly, hoping it tells him I’m not scared one bit, and this is what I need to do.
“I didn’t call you. Why are you here?” Dad asks Mr. Diaz.
“I’m here for my client, Dalton,” he responds, unfazed, looking at my dad fiercely, making sure he knows he’s not afraid of him.
Makes me like and respect him even more.
“Your client?” Dad asks, shocked.
“Yes, he hired me to represent him earlier today.” Mr. Diaz holds his head slightly higher.
I’m thankful he goes along with my plan though he had no clue I was going to do this. It makes me wonder what his true feelings are of my father that he would take my side like this.
Maybe everyone doesn’t love my dad after all like he thinks…
“And you let him turn himself in? Without you here?” Dad chastises.
Mr. Diaz turns to me. “No, I did not advise him to do this, but I’m here to support him in any way I can.”
“Your services are not needed, Alex.” Dad spits his name out like it’s trash. “My attorneys are on their way.”
“No,” I state. “Mr. Diaz is my attorney. I don’t want anything to do with you, Dad. I’m here to turn myself in for setting fire to the Spencer ranch, just like you did all those years ago. That’s the real reason why Mr. Spencer held that gun on me. He had every right to do so, and I’m man enough to admit that I was wrong. Unlike you.”
Dad steps up, getting right in my face. “What does that mean?”
I stare right in his eyes. “It means, I know you started the fire that caused so much damage to the ranch years ago. I was just trying to finish what you’d started. You know, put my own mark on the Spencer-Wick battle.”
“What are you talking about? What fire?” Dad tries to deny it.
I get more in his face. “Don’t lie. Soon, everyone will know the truth of what you did and who you really are. And now, thanks to you turning in Mr. Spencer for pulling a gun on me, I’m forced to be the better man and take responsibility for what I did. I guess I just wasn’t as good as you, and I got caught. Looks like I’m going down for the both of us.”
He grabs my arm. “We need to talk.”
I push him off of me. “There’s nothing to talk about.” I turn to face the sheriff. “Sheriff.” I hold out my wrists to him.
Sheriff Townsend looks at my dad, then Mr. Diaz. When Mr. Diaz nods his head like he’s approving his client to be arrested, Sheriff Townsend walks throughthe swinging door, standing between Mr. Diaz and us, and turns me around to put me in handcuffs.
“Dalton Wick, you’re under arrest for trespassing on the Spencer ranch and setting fire to it.” He goes on to read me my Miranda rights, then guides me through the swinging door.
When my dad tries to follow us, Sheriff Townsend stops him. “I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to stop right there. He’s an adult, and only his counsel is allowed back here while we process him.”
Mr. Diaz walks through the half door, and we all walk back to the processing room. I know I should be scared about what I just did, but as I stand here, giving my fingerprints and taking a booking photo, I’m positive this is absolutely the right move.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Natalie
Darkness covers our land as I sit on our porch, waiting for any news about my dad. It’s gotten so late, but I can’t go to sleep until I hear anything. My dad has already spent one night in jail, and I can’t believe he’s about to spend another one.
All because of me.
When my mom drives up our dirt road, parks, and walks up the stairs, looking absolutely deflated, I rush to her.
“Were you able to get him out?”
Tears roll down her face. “No. We have to wait for a public defender to go before the judge.”
