“I’m not. I won’t. You’ve told the uncles I’m okay.”
“Yeah, I talked to them. Don’t worry.”
“I don’t want them to. I’ll call them as soon as I get home.”
“Then you’re taking one of those pills,” Xander said, “and zoning out.”
“I probably won’t argue about that one. Are you still going to see Bowes?”
“I will.” Mason nodded. “But it can wait.”
He drove into town, pulled into the slot closest to the station house they’d cleared for him. The minute Xander helped Naomi out of the car, reporters rushed toward them, shouting.
“Tag, too. He should see the dog, too.”
Sam Winston opened the door for them, stepped out.
“Every one of you keep back, and stop yelling or I’ll have every last one of you arrested for disturbing the peace. This is my town, and I’ll do it.”
He closed the door, took Naomi’s hand. “This is your town, too. Are you feeling up to this? You’re certain?”
“Yes. It won’t take long.”
Not so different, she thought, no, not so different, from that police station so long ago. They’d have put her father in one of the cells in the back, behind the steel door.
“Mason, Xander, and Tag. All of us.”
It hurt to keep her back straight, but she’d deal with it. She needed to walk in, unbowed. When she did, Chaffins rolled off the bunk where he’d sprawled. And, despite the blackened eyes, the bruised, swollen, and taped nose, the split lip, he smiled, showing gaps from missing teeth.
“Kid brother, grease monkey, and your little dog, too. Afraid of me, Naomi?”
“Not in the least. I just wanted us all to have a look at you in what’s now your natural habitat.”
“I’ll get out,” he snapped as Tag growled low in his throat.
“No, you won’t.”
“I’ll get out, and come for you. You’ll always look over your shoulder.”
“No, I won’t.” She laid a hand on Xander’s arm, felt it vibrate. “Would you give us a minute?”
“Sure.” But Xander stepped up to the cell first, whipped a hand through quick as a snake, rapped Chaffins against the bars. She couldn’t hear what Xander murmured in his ear, but it drained the color from Chaffins’s face.
“Fuck you! I should’ve beat you to fucking death.”
“But you didn’t,” Xander said easily, and, stepping back, looked at Naomi. “You don’t move from this spot unless it’s back.”
“Don’t worry.” She took his hand, kissed his bruised knuckles. “You, too, Mason. Just for one minute.”
“I’m on the door,” he said.
Naomi waited, studying Chaffins, seeing the boy he’d once been, the monster he was.
“They might write books about you.”
“Damn right, they will.”
“Even make movies. You can have the sick glory your kind enjoys. I’m fine with that. But you and I, and everyone else, will know that when you came for me, you lost. You lost, Chaffins. I put my father in a cell, and he once meant something to me. Now I’ve put you in one, and you mean nothing.”
“You got lucky. Next time”
“Dream about it. I hope you do. Every cold, dark night, dream about me.”
“You’ll dream about me.”
“No. I’ll forget you, just like I forgot you years ago. I’m the daughter of a monster. Monsters don’t scare me. Come on, Tag. Let’s go get you a Milk-Bone.”
“Come back here! You come back here, I’m not finished with you.”
“But I’m finished with you.”
She kept walking.
“Feel better?” Xander asked her.
“Yes. Yes, I do. But oh God, I’ll feel better once I get home and take that pill.”
She closed her eyes on the drive so she could focus on pushing through the pain. She had only to get home now, let everything go.
She breathed out relief when the car stopped. “Definitely drugs, but I’d really like to sitsprawl out on the deck for Whose car is that?”
Before Mason could speak, the front door of her house flew open.
“Oh God. Oh God.” Tears spilled as Seth yanked open her door.
“Don’t you think about getting out by yourself. I’m going to carry you.”
“You came, you’re here. You’re both here. How? No, you can’t carry me. I can walk.”
“You’re not walking anywhere.” Harry eyeballed Xander. “You’re Xander?”
“Yeah. I’ve got her.”
To settle it, Xander slid his arm under her legs, wrapped the other around her back, gently lifted her.