Star-Crossed(43)

“I love you too.” Wyatt walked back to his office with Jules still wrapped around him as if he didn’t have time to wait for her to stop playing. “Now get the fuck off me.” Jules leaped off. She landed on her feet and then held out her hand expectantly.

Wyatt put Terry’s file in it, giving her a stern look. “He needs to be gone before anyone gets back here, and with the night we’re having—”

“He’ll be gone,” Jules assured him.

“His car’s eastbound on Kirkman Road before Westridge Lane. I called Kyle to tow it, but he’s busy tonight too. Someone could probably meet him there before he impounds it.” Wyatt put his jacket on and was working the zipper just as the phone started ringing. “Dispatch.”

Jules turned and rushed out of his office. She grabbed the phone and slid into the chair at the same time. She turned to the paper shredder as she said, “911, what’s your emergency?”

“Jules! Terry’s car’s wrecked on Kirkman. We got into a fight, and he left. When he didn’t answer his phone, I went after him, but—”





111

“Hal, calm down,” Jules interrupted the panicked rambling. “We got him. He’s here at the station. I was just gonna call ya.”

“Is he okay? Is he hurt?”

“He’s fine. A little shaken, a little drunk, but fine,” Jules assured him. “You have to come get him, though.”

“I’m on my way.”

He hung up without a good-bye, which was okay. Jules knew Hal was still trying to get his bearings and recover from the shock. She started to feed the police report into the shredder, deciding to do that before she let Terry out because it was the more incriminating evidence. Wyatt locked people up to cool down without charging them all the time.

The phone rang once more, and she answered as she shredded the last of Terry’s DUI evidence. “911, what’s your emergency?”

“He ain’t there ’cause he’s in trouble, is he?” Hal asked, a new kind of concern sounding in his voice. “Am I coming to bail him out?” Jules tossed the empty folder on the desk. “No, you ain’t got to bail him out, but he’s had a real bad night. I suggest you forget about whatever fight you had before you get here.”

“Shoot, I just found his empty car married to a tree. I done forgot about that fight

’bout three minutes ago,” Hal said, his voice choked with a rare show of emotion. “Are you sure he’s okay?”

“He seems fine. He must’ve had someone looking out for him.”

“Must have,” Hal agreed, breathing a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Jules.”

“Sure,” she said, looking toward the back, thinking of Terry still in lockup. “I have to go, Hal. Busy night.”

“See ya soon.” Hal hung up a second time without a good-bye.



112



Jules rushed back to the lockup, wanting to get Terry out before Hal got there, but Wyatt beat her to it. With his hat in hand and his jacket zipped up tight against the cold, her brother stood at the open door to the cell shaking Terry’s hand.

“I’m gonna make this up to you,” Terry promised him. “I swear, Sheriff, I’ll pay you back somehow.”

“Just don’t drink and drive anymore.” Wyatt patted his back, pushing Terry lightly toward Jules. “That’s how you can pay me back. I don’t like calling the coroner, Terry. I’ve had to do it too many times in my life, and I sure don’t wanna do it for you.” Knowing this speech and hating it, Jules reached out and caught ahold of Terry’s hand before he could respond, and pulled him down the hallway to the front desk. She forced him into her seat and asked, “Want some coffee?” Terry shrugged. “If it ain’t too much trouble.”

“Cream and sugar?”

“Black’s fine.”

“I’m leaving.” Wyatt poked Jules in the ribs as she walked up to the coffeemaker.

“Stop screening calls and telling people I’m in a mood.”

“Sure thing, Sheriff.” She gave him a smile. “Be careful.”

“Always am.” Wyatt put his hat back on and brushed at his jacket. “Tell Hal I want free breakfast for the next month.”

Jules laughed. “I ain’t telling him that.”

Jules poured Terry a cup of coffee once Wyatt left, and then made one for herself.

She rolled one of the chairs from the deputies’ desks up next to Terry and sat beside him.

“I sort of got a fella I’m interested in,” Jules said because she needed to tell someone, and Terry was as good a person as any. She smiled against the rim of her coffee cup as she brought her legs up and rested her knees against the dispatch board.