LITMIR.BIZ

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don’t think you’re a deadbeat,” Lexi said, sounding almost contrite. “You’re not stupid, either. But I have to do my job. The Johnsons—”

      “They call the shots, right? You do the dirty work for them, digging up damaging information on me and probably countless other family enemies.”

      “It’s not personal.” Lexi’s voice was a miserable whisper.

      Julia felt a quick stab of sympathy before her temper began to boil over. She was always too gullible, wanting to believe people weren’t as bad as they seemed. It led to her being taken advantage of on more than one occasion. Not this time, though.

      She had to physically restrain herself from grabbing Lexi’s crisp button-down and slamming the petite attorney into one of the metal stalls. “How can you say that? You’re helping them take my son away from me. My son!” Tears flooded her eyes and she turned away, once again feeling helpless to stop the inevitable outcome.

      “I don’t want you to lose your son,” Lexi said quietly. “If I had my way...” She paused then added, “Hiding who you are and the reasons you did things isn’t going to help your case. You’re not the one with the big secrets here.”

      Julia whirled around. “Are the Johnsons hiding something? Do you have information that could help me keep Charlie?”

      Lexi shook her head. “I’ve said too much.” She reached for the door. “You’re a good mother, Julia. But you have to believe it.”

      Julia followed Lexi into the hall, but before she could catch up a loud crash from down the hall distracted her. She heard a round of shouts and her first thought was of Charlie.

      Chaos reigned in the gymnasium as people pushed toward the exits. Julia stood on her tiptoes and scanned the crowd, spotting Joe Callahan with his arm around her mother near the bleachers. Vera held Charlie, who was contentedly spooning ice cream into his mouth, oblivious to the commotion.

      Julia elbowed her way through the throng of people to Vera and Joe. “Charlie,” she said on a breath, and her son launched himself at her.

      “Banilla, Mama.”

      “I see, sweetie.” She hugged him tight against her.

      “Why is everyone rushing out of here?” She noticed that many older folks, like Joe and Vera, hung back.

      “Big fight outside,” someone passing by called. “Eddie Kelton caught his wife in the back of their minivan with his best friend.”

      “He’s going to kill him,” the man’s companion said with a sick laugh. “Someone said Eddie’s got a knife.”

      Julia grimaced. She’d gone to school with Eddie’s older brother. “The Keltons are not a stable bunch,” she murmured.

      Joe patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry, hon. Sam will handle it. I’d be out there but I don’t want to leave your mom.”

      “Such a gentleman.”

      “Sam?” Julia’s heart rate quickened. “Why is Sam out there?”

      “Because he’s the police chief.” Vera spoke slowly, as if Julia were a small child.

      “He’s not on duty. Shouldn’t they call a deputy?”

      “Cops are never truly off duty,” Joe said with a sigh. “But Sammy can take care of himself.”

      “Eddie Kelton has a knife.” Julia practically jumped up and down with agitation. Her palms were sweating and clammy. Sam could take care of himself, but she couldn’t stop her anxiety from spilling over. “This isn’t part of the evening’s entertainment. It’s real life.”

      Joe nodded. “Being the wife of a law-enforcement officer isn’t easy.” He patted her shoulder again and she wanted to rip his wrist out of the socket. He pulled his hand away as if he could read her mind. “If it will make you feel better, I’ll check on him. I may be rusty but I could handle a couple troublemakers in my day.”

      Vera gave a dreamy sigh. A muscle above Julia’s eye began to twitch.

      “I bet you were quite a sight,” Vera practically purred.

      “You know what would make me feel better? If I go and check on him.” She sat Charlie on the bleachers. “Stay here with Grandma, okay, buddy?”

      “Gramma,” Charlie said around a mouthful.

      “I’ll escort you,” Joe said in the same cop tone Julia’d heard Sam use. “If you’re okay for a few minutes on your own?” he asked Vera.

      “Be a hero,” Vera answered, batting her lashes.

      Julia thought about arguing but figured he could be useful. “Can you get me to the front?”

      “Yes, ma’am.”

      He took her elbow and, true to his word, guided her through the groups spilling into the parking lot. Was it some kind of police Jedi mind trick that enabled cops to manage throngs of people?

      She poked her head through the row of spectators to see Sam between two men, arms out, a finger pointed at each of them.

      Eddie Kelton, his wife, Stacey, and a man Julia didn’t recognize stood in the parking lot under the lights. The unknown man had his shirt on inside out and his jeans were half zipped. Julia assumed he was the man Stacey had been with. Another telltale sign was the black eye forming above his cheek.

      Stacey stood to one side, weeping loudly into her hands.

      “For the last time, Eddie, put the knife down.” Sam looked as if he’d grown several inches since Julia had seen him minutes earlier. He was broad and strong, every muscle in his body on full alert. A surge of pride flashed through her, along with the nail-biting fear of seeing him in action.

      Eddie Kelton couldn’t have been more than five foot seven, a wiry strip of a man, aged beyond his years thanks to working in the sun on a local construction crew. His face sported a bloody nose, busted lip and a large scratch above his left eye. Julia gathered he’d been on the losing end of the fight until he’d brandished the six-inch blade jiggling between his fingers.

      “That’s my woman, Chief.” Eddie’s arm trembled. “My wife. He’s supposed to be my best friend and he had my wife.” Eddie’s wild gaze switched to Stacey. “How could you do this to me? I loved you.”

      She let out a wretched sob. “You don’t act like you love me. Always down at the bar after work or passed out on the couch.” Her eyes darted around the crowd. “I found the adult movies on the computer. I want someone who wants me. Who pays attention to me. Who makes me feel like a woman and not just the housekeeper.”

      “I loved you,” Eddie screamed.

      “It was only—” the half-dressed man began.

      “Shut up, Jon-o,” Eddie and Stacey yelled at the same time.

      Eddie slashed the air with his knife.

      Sam held his ground.

      Julia held her breath.

      “Eddie, I know what you’re feeling.” Sam’s voice was a soothing murmur.

      “You don’t know squat,” Eddie spat out, dancing back and forth on the balls of his feet. “I’m going to cut off his junk here and now.”

      “Don’t you threaten my junk,” the other man yelled back. “If you were a real man—”

      Sam’s head whipped around. “Jon Dallas, shut your mouth or I’m going to arrest you for public indecency.” He turned back to Eddie. “I do know. A few years ago I walked in on my brother and my fiancée getting busy on the kitchen table.”

      A collective gasp went up from the crowd and several heads turned toward Julia. “Not me,” she whispered impatiently. “His

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