Vice(26)

"Didn't say you did." The Sheriff inclined his head toward the trailer,  lifting his brows a fraction of an inch but it was enough to convey  surprise. "Might want to go help the little one with that bag he's  toting. Thing is nearly as big as he is."

Abraham's only response was to brush a kiss over my temple before  turning and striding across the lot to help Conway, who seemed bound and  determined to carry all his stuff in at the same time. I watched them  for a moment before turning back to the sheriff. "Something tells me you  didn't drive all the way out here just to crack jokes."

"Didn't know you were dating Abraham Hansom." He pulled a pack of gum  out of his shirt pocket and offered me a piece, shrugging and taking one  for himself when I declined. Returning the pack to its place, he popped  the little square in his mouth, chewing for a few seconds before  continuing. "Boy always did have a thing for you. Guess he decided it  was finally time to make a move."

I shoved that little bombshell away to be digested later, saying, "I  don't know if you could call it dating. We're... spending time  together."

"Word of advice from an old married man-anybody who willingly takes a  carful of kids across the state and endures what looks like hours of  shopping is looking to do more than ‘spend time' with you." He smacked  on his gum for another minute or two before saying, "But that's  something for a different conversation. I need to talk to you about  Kitty."

"Oh, hell." Suddenly exhausted beyond measure, I ambled over to his  cruiser, leaning back against the hood and crossing my arms. "I had  permission from the judge to take her out of the county so I sure hope  you're not going to try and threaten me with kidnapping charges again."

"No, no, nothing like that." He pulled his hat off, running his fingers  over the brim and I steeled myself for whatever bad news he was about to  drop on my head. "Had the social worker out there yesterday, along with  the judge. Then they both went and spoke with Kitty's doctor."

"I know I'm not an expert on these kinds of things but don't they usually move slower? The wheels of bureaucracy and all?"

"In a larger place, they probably do, but this is Cotton Creek,  Jeannie." The Sheriff shook his head and sighed. "Sometimes that's good  and sometimes that's bad."

I waited a beat and then said, "Well. Which one is it this time?"

"Guess it depends on which side of the line you're standing on." He  slapped his hat against his thigh a few times before continuing. "I  won't go in to details-can't, really, since it's an open investigation  and all-but I will say Kitty didn't tell us even half of what those  vermin did to her."

"If that's the truth, I don't think I want to hear." Whatever was bad  enough to have Pete Underwood calling someone ‘vermin'-spitting it out,  even, as if the word left a rancid taste in his mouth-must be very, very  bad indeed. Uncrossing my arms, I ran one hand through my hair, tugging  on the ends to try and clear my mind. "So what does that mean for  Kitty?"

"Right now, it means the social worker, who cried as if she was at a  funeral when she left that hellhole, is willing to let Kitty stay here  while they sort things out. I know you were pushing for her to go the  emancipation route but if we're being honest, she doesn't meet even half  the qualifications." He perched the hat on his head again, adjusting  the brim until it sat perfect. "Neither the social worker or Judge  Hawkins have a problem with you taking over guardianship and custody but  like I told you before, there's going to be home studies and reams of  paperwork and all sorts of other crap."

"I don't mind wading through a little crap if it means that girl doesn't  have to live in a fucking jail." I pinched the bridge of my nose,  longing for a shot of tequila, a couple of aspirin, and a solid ten  hours of sleep. "Now, I'm going to say something which is probably not  going to go over very well but it needs to be said anyway."         

     



 

"I've never known you to bite your tongue before. Don't expect you'd start now."

"She hasn't given me a definitive answer one way or the other but she's  acting as if she wants to keep the baby." I dropped my hand to my lap,  tapping my fingers on my knees. "If she does, she's going to petition to  receive child support from the father."

"Don't have a problem with that. After all, he did his part in making  the baby, he should do his part in supporting it." The Sheriff pulled  another piece of gum from his pocket, making me wonder where the first  one went, popping it in his mouth and chewing for a minute before  continuing. "Now, normally if the boy is paying child support, he's  entitled to visitation rights."

"The court can work that out but I'd be willing to bet that same court  doesn't look kindly on individuals who abandon their children before  they're even born."

"You're probably right." He shifted his gaze to some point behind me,  chewing silently for a few minutes before speaking again. "Your sister  was awful proud of you, you know. Bragged about you all the time. She  had copies of all the print editions you did of your magazine-at least  until Harold got pissed off and burned them in a trash bin one night."

I swallowed down the sudden lump of tears, simply nodding.

"She'd be happy to know you were getting the kids out of the trailer  park. That you were getting Kitty out, too." He reached over and  squeezed my shoulder, resting his hand there for a few seconds before  stepping back. "I'm going to wander down and deliver the restraining  order to the Havertys-covers you, Kitty, and all your sister's kids."

I nodded again, waiting until the echo of his footsteps faded away  before giving in to the urge to drop my head in my hands and cry a  little. Not a lot-I couldn't afford a good crying jag and it would only  make the headache worse-but I just needed a moment or two to grieve my  sister. I hadn't really had time, not with the way she died and then all  the paperwork with transferring guardianship and custody... and then  the house...and then Kitty... and then Abraham.

I just needed a minute. Just one.

"Hey." A second later, Abraham gripped my shoulders, pulling me off the  car and wrapping his arms around me. "Hey, what's wrong? Is it something  with one of the kids?"

"Just... be quiet for a few minutes, okay?" Even though it was stupid  and would only tangle the already sticky web we were flailing around in,  I leaned in to him, returning the embrace. "Just stand there and hold  me and be quiet for a few minutes, okay?"

"Okay." He rested his cheek on the top of my head and after a few  seconds, our breathing synched up. My heart, which felt as if it had  been going a million miles a minute, slowed down to something a little  less stroke inducing. My blood settled, seeming to grow thicker in my  veins. When he spoke again, his voice was so low my bones seemed to  vibrate. "Better?"

"Some." I closed my eyes and pressed my face to his shirt, breathing him  in, which was stupid and I knew it but if I was allowed to grieve and  miss my sister for a few minutes I was allowed to be stupid about the  boy I'd had a crush on in high school. "I'm tired, is all. It's been a  long month."

"I imagine for you it has been." He stroked his hand down my back,  pulling me tighter against him. "You know you can lean all you want. I  don't mind the least little bit."

"Hmm." There was no point in telling him I'd been standing on my own two  feet for so long I wouldn't know how to lean if somebody stuck a gun to  my head. It would only start a fight and something told me we hadn't  really made up from the last one. "The kids get everything inside?"

"Yeah, and Dolly and Conway are passed out on the living room, snoring  like grumpy old men. The two older girls are huddled up in Tammy's  bedroom, probably planning first day of school outfits."

"Knowing Tammy, she's probably planning first week of school outfits." I  sighed and stepped back, shoving my hair out of my face. "What with  moving this week and school starting next week, I don't know when I'm  going to find time to see you again."

"We can grab lunch Thursday afternoon before I have to open the bar." He  gave my nose a gentle kiss, smiling when I scowled at him. "I'm sure by  then you'll be annoyed enough with the kids to want some adult  company."

"Either you have a very low opinion of those kids or you have a very  high opinion of yourself." Before I could talk myself out of it, I rose  up on my toes and pressed my lips to his. "By the way, warn me the next  time you plan on referring to me as your girlfriend."