“Statute of limitations on domestic violence is a year. You’ve got a few months, but then this evidence is more gossip than legally binding.”
“It’s a bit more than gossip,” I scoff.
“I’m just saying, Ms. Tucker wouldn’t have legal recourse to go after him. Civil court is different. Criminal is what we’re talking about here.”
“Where’s the paperwork to file?” I say.
“Wait,” Sawyer says, her other hand landing on my arm. “I need a minute.”
“Sure thing,” Alan says.
“Can we have the room for a minute?” she asks Alan.
He turns off the monitor and heaves himself out of the chair to amble out of the office.
Sawyer stays silent for so long that I want to fill the space withanywords. She takes back her hand and says, “I still don’t agree with you going to my mom.”
“But you can’t deny it worked.”
“You can’t trust her.”
“She’s come through for us here.”
“Because it suited her. Because she’s incapable of letting anyone best one of us in any way. Because she wouldn’t be able to tolerate Dalton feeling as though he had the upper hand.”
“Or maybe she didn’t like the idea of him laying his hands on you. Doc, he fucking hit you.”
She goes pale, and she runs her hand over the back of her head. “I know that’s how it looks in the report…”
“What’s the hesitation in going after him? In filing charges?” I ask.
“It all becomes so public,” she whispers. “What will people think?”
“That he’s an abusive asshole who shouldn’t be in a government position.” All my Christmases coming true with one filing. Celia told me before I left that Dalton would lose his government seat. Any criminal charges or convictions immediately kick someone out of office in Bellerive.
“What if he releases the photos and videos he has of me anyway?” She worries her lip.
“He looks like a vengeful fuck. Hehityou, doc. Those pictures…” I take a deep breath, and I grip the arm of the chair with the hand that isn’t holding hers. After this, I need a skate, but I have to head to the airport instead. “Whatever he might have told you when you regained consciousness, hehityou. You didn’t trip. He didn’t shove you. Hehityou.”
She buries her face in her hands. Her shoulders shake, and I stand up to drag her into my arms. She clutches onto me while she cries.
“I don’t think I remember it right,” she cries. “How could I testify when I don’t remember?”
“We’ve got the evidence, doc. We’ve got the evidence. Officer Foster did his job.” I run one hand along her back while my other cups her head. There’s so much helpless anger rolling through me. My desire for vengeance is limitless.
“Will people believe me?” she asks, stepping back from me and wiping her eyes. “Why would people believe me?”
“Anyone who has ever met you will know, and those photos…” I take another deep breath. “Those photos… You can’t see those and deny what happened.” There’s a good chance if I ever see Dalton Worthington again I’ll be repaying him for that punch with my own fist. To think he could have trapped her into an abusive relationship by forcing a pregnancy on her makes my blood boil. “What if he does it to someone else?”
Bringing that up might be playing dirty, but Sawyer isn’t one to let others suffer.
She collapses back in the chair, head in her hands. “I should file, right?”
I sit down beside her again, and I rub her back. “If you get any pushback on the island or on social media, I’ll use every avenueI’ve got to make sure people know where I stand. You won’t face it alone, doc. I won’t let you face it alone.”
She leaves her chair and climbs into my lap, burying her face in the crook of my neck.
“I’ll file,” she whispers.
