I shrug.
I do, but I’m not going to tell him.
“Give me something,” he pleads.
“I wish I could.” I put my arms out. “Arrest me if you have to.”
“No, this…I can’t do it. Why are you being so damn difficult?”
I’m done with this conversation. While this is absolutely not the way I planned to have my day go, I’m not going to tell him something that will cause more issues. I’ll go to jail, get my charges, pay the bail, and be home by dinner.
Then I’ll figure out a way to get out of this mess.
“Because I’m a difficult man, Jimmy. Like I said, I’ll go willingly. Can I get bail?”
“You can’t be serious. I know you didn’t do this. I know there’s some logical explanation for this video.”
“I’m sure there is too.”
“You fucking know what it is!” he exclaims.
“I do.”
“You really want me to do this? To arrest you in front of the house? Truly?”
“No, but there is no option. I just ask you one favor,” I say.
Jimmy eyes me warily. “What’s that?”
“Don’t tell anyone about the recording. Not my family, not Sadie. No one. Just pretend it doesn’t exist, okay?”
He shakes his head. “This is…insane, Tristan. You can’t actually think this is the best thing.”
“Will you keep it between us?”
Jimmy huffs. “Yes, sure, fine. If this is what you want.”
We both know that’s the last thing I want, but this is the reality I’m faced with. Sadie will understand once I explain that I was helping a friend. My family will just figure this is well overdue and that I’ve been behind it anyway. As for me, whatever. I’ve endured far worse conditions than the Infinity Ridge Police Station.
“Can I go inside and tell Sadie?”
He blinks, and I see the resignation on his face.
One time, when we were sixteen, Jimmy stole a dirt bike. We both knew it was stupid. It belonged to his brother’s friend, who told us not to touch it.
But they were drinking, and…we touched it.
When the cops came, I took the heat for it. I knew that Jimmy had a lifelong dream of being in law enforcement. I did not. So no matter how many times he tried to say something, I cut him off and took the heat.
He had that same look in his eyes then.
“Yeah, I…okay,” he says with reluctance.
We go inside, and Sadie, Pop, and Harper are there. “I’m going in with Jimmy, and I’ll be out in a bit. Harper, if you could bail me out, that would be great.”
“What?” Harper nearly screams. “What the hell do you mean?”
I raise my hand and look to Sadie. “I didn’t do anything, but I need to go down there with Uncle Jimmy. Okay?”
