Reese came over to her as she stood as straight as she could. “Are you all right?” he asked in her ear.
Cherie nodded. “I think so,” she said, recovering her voice.
“I want you to get behind me and don’t move.”
“Okay.” That’s when she noticed he was pointing a gun at her attacker.
Reese shifted the automatic to his other hand without taking his gaze off the man blinking and humming to himself. “Get face down on the ground. Now!”
The man obeyed, his body jerking as if he’d been hit by a jolt of electricity, and Reese thought the man who had attacked Cherie was either physically ill or mentally disturbed. Reaching into breast pocket of his sheepskin-lined jacket, Reese removed his cell phone and tapped the speed dial for the station house. It took less than thirty seconds to relay a message that he needed someone ASAP to come to the parking lot of the Seaside Café.
He felt a lump in his throat when Cherie buried her face in his jacket and released a strangled cry. Reese wanted to comfort her, but knew he couldn’t take his eyes off the man; he didn’t know whether he was feigning being crazy to get the upper hand and jump up and attack them both. And he hadn’t issued an idle threat. He would’ve shot him—not in the head, but in both legs to prevent him from getting away.
“It’s okay, babe. You’re safe now.”
Minutes later, he heard the wail of a siren coming closer and closer. It was rare that lights and sirens were seen and or heard along the beachfront community. He quickly relayed what he’d encountered to the uniformed deputy, who put the man in handcuffs while reading him his rights and then escorted him to the rear of the cruiser at the same time Derrick emerged from the restaurant.
“What the hell is going on here?” Derrick shouted.
“It appears as if one of your customers was waiting here to attack Cherie.”
“Is she all right?”
“She claims she is.”
“Please don’t talk about me as if I’m not here,” Cherie said. Her voice was low, void of emotion.
Reese tucked the automatic handgun into a holster behind his back and turned his full attention on Cherie, who was massaging her throat. He called on all his self-control not to take her into his arms to offer some comfort. “Do you want to go to the hospital to be checked out?”
“No. Thanks for asking, but I am okay.” Again, she spoke in a monotone.
Derrick walked over to Cherie. “Did he hurt you?”
She rested her hand against her throat. “I’m certain I’ll have a few bruises where he tried to choke me, but other than that, I’ll survive.”
“I want you to take the rest of the week off—”
“I don’t need—”
“Don’t argue with me, Cherie, or so help me, I will fire you. Reese, can you see that she gets home? I’ll bring the food over to the station house.”
Reese took Cherie’s arm. “Do you think you’ll be able to drive?”
She glared at him. “Yes, I do.”
He bit back a smile when she exhibited a modicum of spunkiness. Bending slightly, Reese picked up the bag she’d dropped. “You head out, and I’ll follow you.”
Derrick patted Reese’s shoulder. “I’m glad you came along when you did because that crazy sonofabitch could’ve really hurt her. I’d noticed him hanging around longer than most folks, but didn’t think too much of it, because it’s off-season and business is slow. It’s only during the summer that we don’t allow people to use the place as a hangout. They sit, relax, eat, and then leave.”
“I don’t recognize him, so either he’s new to Coates Island or he’s just passing through. But once we book him, we’ll find out who he is and hopefully where he’s from.”
“What going to happen after that, Reese?”
“We’ll contact the sheriff in Shelby and have him transferred to their jail,” Reese explained as he watched Cherie start up her Honda and drive out of the lot. “I have to leave now. I’ll call you later to catch you up on what’s happening with everything.”
* * *
Cherie drove slowly while taking furtive glances in the rearview mirror to see the daytime running lights from Reese’s pickup. She’d lied to him and Derrick. Her throat felt as if it was on fire; she’d been nearly strangled to death, and it hurt each time she attempted to swallow. And she did not want to think of what would’ve happened if Reese hadn’t come along to rescue her from someone who was obviously a madman.
