It was Branna who told Macy that Cubby would need to be involved, and when she finally agreed, the sheriff arrived twenty minutes after Jake phoned him.
“You got a full house now, Branna?” Cubby wandered in, dressed in an old pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Jake had told him to come out of uniform and that they had Macy here and that Brian had been abusing her. He’d heard the hiss of his friend’s breath down the line, but nothing more was added, only, “Be there soon.”
“I’m a social sort of person, Cubby, you know that.”
Branna was sitting with Macy at the table still and Jake could see the stress in his girl. She was torn between rage and pity. Like him, she wanted retribution for the broken woman who had lived the horror she had for so long. Her smile was strained, and Jake wanted to wrap her in his arms and tell her how proud he was of her for handling everything the way she was. First her father, now Macy, and then the small matter of someone threatening her.
“Sure you are, never met anyone who likes people as much as you, all that soft mushy stuff you’re always spouting tears me up.”
Macy was watching the sheriff as he moved to take the seat across from her. Declan took one end of the table and Jake the other closest to Branna. Taking her hand, he rested it on his thigh and threaded their fingers.
“Hey there, Macy, hear you’re having a few problems?”
“This was a mistake, Cubby. I-I need to go home now.”
“Here’s the thing, Macy,” the sheriff said in his calm voice. “I heard that Brian has been abusing you and that you’re carrying a baby. Now, it seems to me that as there’s another life besides yours involved, that you shouldn’t think about going back to a man who has no respect for either of you.”
“Y-you don’t understand what he’s capable of, Cubby!” Macy cried.
“Macy, you need to calm down now,” Branna said, placing her hands over the ones Macy had clenched on top of the table. “You know you can’t go back to him, you know it inside you. Yes, you’re scared, and from what you’ve told me, you have every right to be, but it has to stop now, right here.”
“Macy.” Jake drew her eyes. “There are four people here in this room who will now watch over you. Four people who will do everything we can to keep you safe, and you know as well as me that there are plenty more like us in this town. This has to be stopped now, Macy, before Brian kills you and the baby.”
Jake had no idea if Brian would get to that point, but from what Branna had told him, the beatings must have been bad.
“Wh-what should I do?” she whispered a few minutes later, to the relief of everyone.
Chapter22
Cubby had gone to arrest Brian Delray after he’d left Macy at Branna’s, but Brian had disappeared, apparently fleeing Howling sometime during the night. That he’d left in a hurry was obvious by the mess the sheriff found. Clothes were scattered around the bedroom and papers in the office. After a thorough search, they found an envelope tucked down the back of a cabinet that Cubby reckoned Brian must have forgotten about or lost. Inside it was a document that incriminated Delray and gave Cubby more than enough, along with his treatment of his wife, to put the man away for many years.
“Seems he wanted Branna’s land to build some kind of housing development on. Had people lined up and plans drawn up. He wanted to put Howling on the map, from what I gather.” Cubby scratched his head as he looked at Jake.
Jake had come in to see Cubby and hear the news firsthand after the sheriff had called him. He’d left Declan at home with Macy and Branna, and he’d be home before it got dark. Because, even though the sheriff had assured him Delray had left Howling, Jake was taking no chances until the man was caught. Branna and Macy would be safe; he’d ensure it.
“I’ve put an APB out for the authorities to pick Brian up, and I’m hoping that won’t take too long, because he’s not exactly a man to hide out in the woods, if you know what I mean.”
“I’d like a crack at him,” Jake said.
Cubby nodded. “Wouldn’t mind putting a pair of cuffs on him myself and then watch him trip over and bang his head on something.”
“We’ll keep Macy with us until he’s found,” Jake added, as he climbed to his feet and headed for the door. “Mom’s just left after checking her over. Both she and the baby are doing okay.”
“Still can’t believe it, Jake.”
“Yeah, it messes with your head if you think about it too much.”
“Hard not to.”
Lifting his hand, he headed for The Hoot. It was getting late, but Buster was still there preparing stuff for tomorrow, and Jake had the idea of taking home a few muffins for his girl and Macy.
“You’re cheating.”
Macy laughed. “No, you’re just really bad at cards.”
Branna rolled her eyes and began to shuffle again. Her father was outside in the shed doing something, and she and Macy were playing cards in the lounge. Branna was on the floor, Macy sitting on the couch.
Jake had gone to town after taking a phone call from Cubby, and Branna was sure he was getting all the latest information on Brian Delray. He’d promised to return before it got dark, and even though they had her father here, she’d feel better with Jake in the house too.
