“Well mark this day in your calendar.”
“What? Where’s my phone?”
“Upstairs in your room? But see that little contraption there, it’s called a wall clock, and it is just as accurate.”
Smart ass.
Usually by this time of day, Lauren would’ve checked the market, worked out, driven the gauntlet that was Oakland to San Francisco traffic, had at least five meetings, spoken to Derrick?—
She blanched, reached for the cup of coffee Lina sat in front of her.
Stay in the here and now, she told herself.Give yourself permission to let that shit go.
“You said I had visitors?”
“Saige and Audrey came by, then the mayor came in looking for an apology from the woman who’d ‘accosted’ his ‘dear mother.’ Santi came to make sure you’d gotten out of town okay. Imagine his surprise when I told him you were still sleeping. And you may want to get dressed soon, the mayor said he’d return after lunch.”
“Is that right? Expecting an apology?”
“He will.”
“Well then, let me go get ready to provide him the sincerest apology of my life.”
Halfway up the stairs, Lina called out, “Saige and Audrey will be here for the meeting tonight, should I tell them we’ll have a temporary plus one?”
“Only if part of the agenda includes you and Saige having your business plans and expenses ready.”
“Bueno, we’ll see you this evening.”
CHAPTER 8
“Dalton,son, today is the Sabbath, and I know that means something to you because you’ve attended church with your family every Sunday since your oldest was born. What today is not, is the day to test me. Had a bad night and I’m struggling not to take my frustrations out on others.”
Roan glanced at Santiago, then turned her gaze back to Dalton, her weapon drawn.
“Put down the knife and let Mercy go,” Santi ordered.
“To hell with youandher on the goddamn Sabbath, Satan Stillwater. Where were you when she was fucking Tommy Lewellen with my damn kids in the house!”
“I didn’t, I swear!” Mercy cried out.
“Shut up!” Dalton screamed like a mad man, tightening his arm around her neck, the tip of his knife moving closer to Mercy’s swollen belly.
Santiago advanced slowly, arms up and spread wide, to show Dalton he wasn’t a threat.
“You know Mercy loves you and your kids. You harm her, you harm your unborn son, and for what?” he asked, moving closer. “Tommy Lewellen? No woman wants Tommy Lewellen, the man’s a leech and a user and if I were to bet money on it,I’d say he’s the one that got you hooked. Now you’re out here paranoid and threatening the life of the only woman who’s loved you; who’s treated you with any kindness. She’s had your back when half the town refused to believe there was any goodness in you.”
The abuse Dalton experienced as a child was a secret to no one. After his mother and father werehauled off to jail when he was eight, he was placed in the care of his uncle two towns away.
Dalton swallowed, blinking, as if fighting to see the situation clearly. He began to tremble and the arm around Mercy’s neck loosened as the knife moved away from her protruding stomach. Just as Santiago moved close enough to take the knife away, the rumble of a loud motor could be heard moving up the dirt road.
Roan cursed and Santigo glanced over his shoulder to see Tommy Lewellen’s souped-up blue pickup come to a stop next to the cruiser.
Almost convulsively Dalton’s harm tightened around Mercy, but this time it seemed protective not possessive. It was Mercy’s response, the way her light brown hands took hold of Dalton’s dirty pale arm with both hands, holding on to him as if for protection rather than fear.
He looked at Roan and nodded slightly. She shifted position to cover Dalton and Mercy as Santiago moved toward the newcomer.
“Lewellen, get back in your car and head to wherever you need to go that’s not here. We’re handling this.”
