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“Sorry,” I say meekly, trying to pull myself back together. “It’s been a bad day.”
“I hate to do this to you, but I need to take you to the station and get a statement,” Caleb says.
“I don’t want to press charges.”
“It’s not only about you. A lot of other people were involved.”
“He needs help, not jail.” I point to the window. “Those are good people out there. If they knew what was really going on, they’d agree with me.”
“It’s not that simple,” he retorts, then blows out a heavy breath. “We’ll try to get his arraignment done early. I’ll speak to the DA’s office and explain the circumstances and see if we can get him the help he needs.”
I suddenly feel exhausted. I’ve expended every bit of energy I had with Malcolm, and bringing up Zaira again reminds me that she’s no longer with me. Normally, I remember the great times. The way she loved cupcakes with extra chocolate icing and sprinkles, or the way she sang all the words to the movie Frozen. She was a beautiful child.
I feel my shoulders sag, then a warm arm coming around them as Caleb guides me outside. The bright light of the sun forces me to squint. A little body rams right into my legs, and a child wraps his arms around them.
“Miss Honeyton, are you okay?”
I gaze down to see Ryan Kean. He’s a darling little boy. His mother has been bringing him to the library since he could walk. He’s the first one on the magic mat at story time, listening attentively, and always has a ton of questions afterward. He’s inquisitive and has a creative imagination.
“More than okay, sweetie.” I hug him back.
“Why would that man do that? It’s mean.” His little voice trembles.
“I can understand why you would think that, but sometimes things aren’t always what they seem.” I point to my heart. “In here, the man is really hurting. He did a bad thing, but he was in so much pain, he didn’t realize how that would affect others. I hope he gets the help he needs.”
Ryan looks a little confused, but he’s a good kid, and whether he fully understands or not, he agrees with me. “I want him to stop hurting in here too.” Ryan pats his chest.
When I scan the area, I see Malcolm being hugged by a woman. His head bent, he reaches down to allow her arms to wrap around his neck. Malcolm sees me. I send a small smile his way. He doesn’t smile back but gives me a small nod.
* * *
After the day I’ve had, I should be able to shut my eyes and sleep for a week, but every time I try, crazy thoughts go through my head. I met all of Caleb’s team. The men seem like really nice guys. Zeke was kind enough to go back in and get my purse and jacket for me. I didn’t feel the severity of what could have happened in the moment, but all of a sudden, I was trembling all over. Damian threw a blanket over my shoulders and the other man, named Alex, grabbed me a cup of coffee. It tasted like tar, but it was still nice that he thought of me.
I think they should be called the hotness squad. Each of these guys is really good-looking. Alex, with his dark hair and complexion, is the Latin-lover type. Damian is more the American-hero type, with his winning smile and charm, whereas Zeke is the boy next door. Not that Zeke is any less handsome, but in a different, more brotherly way.
Caleb, on the other hand, is all that! Not only is he gorgeous, but he commands a room. When he speaks, people stop and listen. Caleb insisted that I ride with him. When I told him that I needed my car, he barked out an order to another officer, and I found myself handing over my keys so that the poor man could drive my car to the station, only to find out later he took it directly to my home. I didn’t want to get him in any trouble, and he was a pretty young cop too. The last thing I wanted was to cause him embarrassment.
Once we arrived at the station, Caleb put me in his office and took my account of the story. When he asked me to sign my name on the document, I hesitated.
“Gwen, I made a promise to do what I can for the man. I keep my promises,” Caleb said in a low voice. I signed reluctantly and was glad to put this behind me. I just wanted to go home.
Caleb insisted he was taking me, but before he did, he needed to speak with someone. While he went off to do his thing, the rest of the guys kept me company.
“How long have you been working at the library?” Damian asked.
“About three years now. I love it there.” I managed a smile.
“Caleb says you’re his neighbor,” Zeke said.
“Yes. Although I don’t think he likes that very much. I’m a bit of a nuisance,” I told them. What I really wanted to say was that Caleb is overbearing and is always interfering with my personal business, but that would be unkind. Especially after he treated me so gently today.
“I can’t believe that to be true,” Alex said. “Caleb can be a little intense, but he’s a damn good man.”
“Well, I don’t know him that well, but you all hold him in such high regard, then it must be true,” I said. After today, we’ll probably go back to me trying to avoid Caleb as much as possible anyway, and I’ll never see these guys again.
Not long after that, Caleb returned and took me home. He walked me all the way to my door and made sure I got in safely. Since then, I’ve been a nervous wreck. Every sound makes me jolt. I can’t stand it any longer and feel the need to turn on all the lights in the house. I’m afraid of the dark. I need to see the doors. I’ve checked the locks twice, but my belly is still in knots.
Going to bed isn’t an option, so I gather my pillow and the remote and move to the couch. I turn the television on and flip through the channels. Scary thriller, nope. Zombies, uh…nope. Documentary on prison breaks, hell no. Even the news is freaking me out. I settle on a comedy and lay my head on the arm of the couch.
