“I’m not sure you can move on if you don’t. And now there is more than just you to consider.”
He looked at Asher then and saw the worry in his eyes. He was right, of course. Before he’d learned about Blue’s pregnancy, it had just been him to worry about. One day, he’d have a kid to add to that. The thought was terrifying.
“I know, and I’ll think about it. I promise.”
They heard raised voices then, and Asher left Jay to hurry out to the reception. Curious, Jay followed, as the cell door was still open.
Two men and a woman were there. The men wore tailored trousers and button-down shirts. The woman also wore a suit plus heels. All three had that slick look about them, the kind you rarely saw walking down the main street in Lyntacky.
“A speeding ticket was issued to me,” one man stated, his voice carrying a sophisticated mix of American and British inflections. “A speeding ticket here, in this town,” the man added in a tone that suggested he was surprised there were even speed limits in Lyntacky.
“He was going thirty over the legal limit when he entered the main street,” Braden, the newest of the Lyntacky deputies, said from behind the reception desk. “I told him the fine could be paid here, or we’ll send it to him.”
Not overly tall, Braden was built like a heavyweight fighter, with no neck and wide shoulders. He wasn’t someone Jay wanted to mess with.
“What brings you folks to Lyntacky?” Sheriff Dans asked, joining the two other men and Sybil, who was listening avidly to every word.
“That’s no business of yours,” the man who had done all the talking so far said.
“Unless you plan to do anything illegal, you have a point. So pay the fine, and you can be on your way,” he added calmly.
No one as yet had looked Jay’s way, but he knew that the people behind the desk were aware of his presence.
“Your deputy was revenue collecting, I was not speeding,” the man said.
“Want me to show you the proof, sir?” Braden offered.
“Podunk locals,” the other man muttered.
Jay watched Dan smile. “That may be, but you’re still paying the fine, and if you don’t, and you keep throwing around those insults, there’s a nice comfy cell with your name on it.”
The man actually spluttered.
“You’re not in the big city now, sir,” Asher said. “We have different ethics.”
The man pulled out his wallet and paid, slapping the money on the counter, then threw “You’ll be hearing from our lawyers” over his shoulder as they all left.
“We could have asked them how to find Blue,” the woman said before they exited.
“I really hate those types of people,” Sybil said. “Make me madder than a hornet in a beer can.”
No one argued with that.
“I wonder why they want Blue?” Dan said.
“Someone should go after them and ask,” Jay said. “They could be trouble, and?—”
“They didn’t look dangerous to me, but then, it takes all sorts,” Asher said. “I’ll go have a wander around soon and see where they’ve ended up.”
Dan looked to where Jay stood. “And you need to get back in your cell. Because you haven’t yet served your full sentence.”
Jay raised both middle fingers and walked back to his cell, wondering who those people were and what they wanted with Blue. He wouldn’t have anyone hurting her. She was the mother of his child, and while things were all over the place between them, she was now someone under his protection, even if she had no wish to be.
Chapter 18
Blue’s mom had decided she needed to learn to cook baby food. Apparently, this was the first lesson she was going to be taught. Not what was happening to her body, or how to give birth. No, nothing important like that.
“We need to keep as many nutrients as we can in the food, Blue, so we’re not peeling anything.”
