Archer's Voice(99)

He hadn't said much as we ate breakfast together and I got ready to head home to get my uniform for work and drop Phoebe off. He seemed lost in thought, still lost inside his own head and yet when I went to leave, he'd pulled me to him tightly.

"Archer, baby, talk to me," I'd said, not caring if it made me late for work.

He had just shaken his head, offering a smile that didn't reach his eyes and told me he'd see me after work and we'd talk some more.

And now I stood at the window, worried. The diner was mostly empty since the whole town was at the parade and so I could lose myself in my thoughts uninterrupted for a few minutes.

I watched the old fashioned police cruisers go by, the crowd cheering louder for the vintage cars, and a bitterness swept through me. Archer should be here. Archer should be at his father's memorial dinner. And he hadn't even been invited at all. What was wrong with this town? Victoria Hale, evil bitch extraordinaire, that's what was wrong with this town. How did someone like her live with herself? She had ruined so many lives–all for what? Money? Prestige? Power? Pride? Just to win?

And now the whole town bowed down to her out of fear of the repercussions.

As I stood there, thinking about everything that Archer had told me last night, my tummy turned and I felt like I was going to vomit. The reality of what it must have been like for a seven year old boy to be there that day was revolting, horrifying. I wanted to go back in time and hold him in my arms, comfort him, make it all go away. But I couldn't and it hurt.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by my phone vibrating in my uniform pocket. I pulled it out quickly and saw that it was a call coming in from Ohio. I walked back to the counter where a couple customers sat and stood off to the side near the break table as I took the call.

"Hello," I said softly.

"Bree, hi, this is Detective McIntyre. I was calling because I have some news."

I glanced back at the counter, noting everyone looked like they had what they needed and turned my back.

I distantly heard the bell over the door ring, but didn't turn. Maggie could take care of new customers until I was done.

"You have news, Detective?"

"Yes. We made an arrest."

I sucked in a breath. "You made an arrest?" I whispered.

"Yes. His name is Jeffrey Perkins. He's the man you identified. We brought him in for questioning and his print matched one we found at the scene. He lawyered up so he's not talking. His father owns a big Fortune Five Hundred company here in town."

I paused, biting my lip. "Jeffrey Perkins?" I asked. "His father is Louis Perkins isn't he?" I asked, closing my eyes, recognizing the last name of the man that owned one of the biggest insurance companies in Cincinnati.

The detective paused. "Yes."

"Why would someone like Jeffrey Perkins come in to rob a small deli?" I asked, feeling numb.

"I wish I could answer that," he said. "My best guess is that it was drug related."

"Hmm," I said, remembering Jeffrey's, shiny, dilated eyes and jitters. He had to have been on something. Rich boy with a bad drug habit? I shivered, shaking my head slightly to bring myself back to the present.

"What happens now, detective?"

"Well, he's out on bail. His arraignment is in a few months so now we just wait for that."

I paused for a minute. "Out on bail. So, more waiting." I sighed.

"I know. It's difficult. But, Bree, we have some really good evidence against him. And with your ID. I'm hopeful here."

I took a deep breath. "Thank you so much, Detective. Please keep me updated on anything else you might get?"

"Absolutely, I will. Have a good day."

"You too, Detective. Bye."

I hung up and stood with my back to the diner for another minute. This was good news, so why couldn't I feel the happiness, the relief, that I should be feeling? I stood biting my thumb nail, trying to figure myself out. Finally, I took a deep breath and turned around. Victoria Hale and Travis Hale were sitting at the end of the counter, just to the right of where I was standing.

My eyes widened, and I took in Victoria's icy stare and then Travis's furrowed brow.

I spun on my feet and called, "Maggie! I'm taking a small break. I don't feel so good."

Maggie turned to me with a worried look. "Okay, honey," she called as I rushed to the back and stayed there until Travis and Tori left the diner.

A little while after they'd left, I was wiping down a table near the window when I caught sight of Archer on the other side of the street. My heart started racing. "Maggie!" I called, "I'll be right back!"

"Oh, okay," I heard Maggie call, confused, from the break table where she was sitting and reading a magazine. She had to be wondering what was going on with me today.