“Yes, although I imagine going through withdrawal in a jail cell will be a bitch,” Ridge said shaking his head.
Drugs?
“She was on something?” I asked my first question of the day which hadn’t been prompted from a police officer or Ridge himself.
The well-built man nodded, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Yes, looks like she was on the last of her boyfriend’s stash.”
“That would explain why she thought stealing a book of blank checks from Pierce would solve her money problems,” Oliver said.
Ridge nodded and then another of his men in the same outfit whispered in his ear, and he scowled. “Excuse me. It seems I need to go pick up my fiancée and her friend. You are free to go back into the house whenever you like. Please let Pierce know I’ll be in contact with him per our agreement.”
I didn’t know what agreement he meant, but Oliver nodded and then Ridge pivoted and jogged to one of the black SUVs which delivered him and his men three hours earlier.
We slowly made our way into the house, Oliver never letting go of me, and I shivered even though the day was still warm in Pelican Bay. He squeezed tighter, and I leaned my head against his shoulder relishing having him so close. My life had been full of crap in the past, but I’d never had anyone hold a gun on me. And I definitely never had a man place his body between mine and a weapon.
It was wonderful and stupid. Heroic and terrible.
I loved him.
Is that what I always wanted in life? A man who put my safety before his own. I hoped Oliver never showed me his commitment in such a form again, but I would never forget what he did that afternoon, how he sacrificed himself for me.
In the house we found Pierce in his living room. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were wild as he wheeled on us and a smile broke out across his face.
“This is perfect,” he said as if he’d found buried treasure.
Obviously the man had lost his mind in the events of the afternoon.
Oliver slipped his arm from mine and jarred me a little to stand beside him as if he thought he now needed to protect me from Pierce.
He may not have been far from the truth when Pierce’s eyes grew to the size of saucers and he stepped up, his smile looking as if he was auditioning for the role of Joker in the next Batman movie. “You two need to leave. Tonight.”
“What?” I asked stepping around Oliver. Pierce didn’t scare me, even if he was acting crazy. “We can’t leave now.”
Pierce was attacked in his own home. He didn’t need to be alone. He needed family and friends who loved him to surround him in happiness.
“Yes, get the fuck out,” he said with his thumb pointing to the back door. “I’ll tell the town you were too scared of the events of today and you didn’t know how you could stand to live in Pelican Bay. You returned home. Then when you get there, your grandmother will fall sick and you be unable to return. It’s perfect.”
I thought over his idea for a moment as Oliver rubbed his thumb against his jaw, considering as well.
It had merits. As far as ideas went it wasn’t half bad.
After all, my first thought after the detective left us alone was that I needed to get as far away as possible. I felt safer in Guatemala than I did on the streets of Pelican Bay after being confronted by Melissa.
“But what about Katy?” Pierce hadn’t spoken to her, and for all she knew, I caught the two of them cheating.
Pierce crinkled his nose and shook his head as if she wasn’t a concern. “I will handle Katy.”
“Really?” Oliver asked with disbelief in his voice.
“Of course. The most important thing is getting you two out of town. How fast you think you can pack?”
I laughed, shaking my head at the assertiveness of his plan. He’d been so fast to force me to move in and now he was practically kicking me out just as fast.
Oliver smiled and shook his cousin’s hand as if they had agreed to something silently between them, which I was unaware of. “I’ll have her out of your hair by midnight.”
“Perfect,” he said his eyes crinkling in excitement. “I mean, I’m so sorry to see you go, Mari. How tragic things didn’t work out between us.”
“Yes, I can tell you’re broken up over it,” I said and then laughter bobbed my head.
