Chuck shook his head. “No, ma’am, that’s not at all what I was suggesting. I believe in honesty and integrity in all areas of life, but I’ve been Sheriff for many years now and I’m well aware of how the media likes to spin things. This story has all the necessary elements to become a giant clusterfuck in a matter of hours. Surely, you can understand that,” he explained.
Avery nodded. “Yes, I know all too well how easily the media can get carried away. Obviously, Kellan does, too.”
“I’ll tell you what. I’ve already heard his explanation. Let me hear yours and we’ll see about getting you two out of here while we finish up,” the Sheriff suggested.
Avery proceeded to tell him everything that happened from the moment she woke up to the moment the police arrived. Her ability to recall so many details during a traumatic event was beyond impressive.
Chuck looked up from his notepad and nodded. “Got it,” he said and glanced over his notes. “I don’t see any reason why either one of you need to stay. Just don’t leave town until we’ve officially cleared you both.”
“We can’t stay here!” Avery blurted. “We live in Devil Springs! Our baby is in the NICU. I have to take more breast milk to the hospital today,” she said and pointed to her chest causing the Sheriff’s cheeks to flush.
She turned to Phoenix with her hands on her hips. “Can they do that? Can they make us stay here if we aren’t under arrest? Because I’m telling the lot of you right now, someone will be taking my breast milk to my baby today and every single day that I’m stuck here!”
Phoenix smiled. “You’re going to fit in nicely around here. As for you question, the answer is no; they can’t make you stay in town if you aren’t under arrest.”
Phoenix turned to Chuck and glared. Chuck held his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, it’s an old habit I’ve yet to break. Let me just verify your contact information and you’re both free to go. Though, we will be putting your firearm into evidence. I assume it’s registered to you.”
“It is,” I confirmed. I expected as much, which was why I left it on the kitchen counter. That, and I didn’t want a new cop with a twitchy trigger finger filling my body full of holes if it was on or near me when they arrived.
After confirming our information, I took Avery’s hand and started for my truck when Phoenix stopped me. “Go to the Croftridge clubhouse and let Avery take a shower before you drive back to Devil Springs. Annabelle’s bringing a change of clothes over for her.”
“Thanks, Prez,” I said and shook his hand.
He immediately pulled me in for a man hug. “Ranger and I will hang around here and make sure everything goes smoothly. Carbon and Shaker will follow you back to the clubhouse. You did good. Now, go take care of your woman.”
He didn’t need to tell me twice. I helped her into the truck and got us to the clubhouse as fast as I could.
40
Avery
After showering and changing into some clean clothes, Kellan and I got right back into his truck and started heading back to Devil Springs. I couldn’t stop replaying Mark’s words over and over in my head, each time sparking a new combination of feelings I wasn’t sure how to process.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Kellan asked.
“Do you?” I returned.
“I think we should. He had a lot of things to say. What do you think about what he said?”
“I honestly don’t know what to make of it. I had no idea he had feelings for me. He was Ian’s best friend, for fuck’s sake. My kids called him Uncle Mark. Why would he pretend to be our friend for years if he really wasn’t? That just doesn’t make any sense to me.”
“It doesn’t make any sense to you because you think rationally,” Kellan said simply. “Something was wrong with Mark that prevented him from thinking like a sane person.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” I agreed.
“Come on, Avery; get it out. Don’t hold it in and let it fester.”
I inhaled deeply and let it out. “I’m fucking pissed. How dare that self-centered son of a bitch try to kill you and my children! Did he really think I’d want to jump into a relationship with him after suffering a loss like that? And what if he had killed the three of you? What was he going to do about Sienna? Kill her, too? Every time I think about those words coming out of his mouth, I wish I’d had my eyes open when you blew his head off,” I fumed.
“Good, baby. Keep going,” Kellan encouraged.
“And I’m upset about what he told Ian. Did Ian die thinking I was unfaithful to him? I just can’t bear the thought of that,” I cried. “I never cheated on him. From the day I met him, I never looked at another man while we were together. I didn’t even touch another man until I met you,” I confessed.
Kellan inhaled sharply. “The first time we were together was the first time you’d been with anyone since him?”
“Yes.”
“Fuck, Avery. I’m sorry. I didn’t know. If I had I would—”
