HoneySuckle Love Read online

  “What?”

  “I’m not over here tonight because of your mom.”

  “I’d hope not.” I said with a laugh.

  “There is some, bad news, I just found out about and I thought you would rather hear it from a friend.”

  “Great now what, what on earth could happen now?”

  “Albert went to the police.”

  “About?”

  “The ring.”

  “Oh for Pete’s sake! How do you even know?”

  “You remember Aaron?”

  “Course I do, I was actually just thinking of him why?”

  “He was there filing a report himself and asked Albert what he was up too. Aaron heard I kind of, well, didn’t correct anyone when they said you and I were back at it again so he called to give me the heads up.”

  “What the hell really Jessie? You’re coming in here telling me that first, my low life ex is filing charges on me and second that you’re,” I huffed and puffed and wrapped my arms around myself trying to not cry, “that you’re not correcting people. That’s probably why he is so angry he thinks I’ve moved on!”

  “You have moved on!” Jessie hollered back at me.

  “I have and you’re the expert? We had sex we didn’t make love, big damn difference.”

  “What do you want me to say Merewyn, you’re in trouble I found out, I am here to help.”

  “Assume you told my folks?”

  “No I thought you should know first, so we could come up with a plan.”

  “We?” I said softly while looking at him through my tear stained lashes. “We? You really want to latch your life back onto me?”

  “I don’t know, but what I do know is we are friends first, no matter what and my friend needs help, so I am here to help, however I can. It’s never that simple with Albert.”

  “Nope, and now we are doubly screwed because my mom wants us together. So she isn’t helping the matters any with him.”

  “You know I always loved your mom.”

  “Lie, but that’s fine I’ll let it slide. Guess I need to go talk to a lawyer.”

  “As soon as you can, they probably have an arrest warrant out for you at a minimal.”

  “Ugh, damn don’t say that.”

  Jessie shrugged and stepped towards me, “I’m going to hug you okay? It is just a hug between two friends as a sign of support.” I nodded and opened my arms. “Don’t get carried away again M. This isn't a proposal.”

  He still made me laugh, that never changed about Jessie. Even during all this he found a way to make me laugh. “Well you know any good lawyers that want to help some poor sap who hitched her wagon to the wrong star?”

  “Just so happens I do. My dad.”

  “No…” I said hesitantly.

  “Yes… and don’t worry he will take the case. I’ll put a good word in for you.”

  There was a knock at the door and Jessie moved away to go answer it. My mom stood in the door way looking frightened. “Merewyn there is an officer here to see you.”

  “Great and so it begins.” I felt utterly sick to my stomach. This day was total crap and now it was turning into the worse nightmare. What did I ever see in Albert to make any of this worth it?

  “I’ll call my dad.”

  “Wait let’s see what the officer wants first.” I shuffled my feet a few times and then took in a long breath and pushed out the door. I really couldn’t see how this would get me in actual trouble since I hadn’t done anything wrong but my nerves were still racing.

  “Ms. Smith?” I heard a man say from across the room, as I walked into the living room out of the hallway.

  “Yes sir, what can I do for you?” I thought it would be best if I played innocent of what they were here for, that way it didn’t make me look suspicious right off the bat.

  “I was wondering if there was somewhere we could talk alone Ms. Smith.”

  I shook my head, “My parents are fine to speak in front of and Jessie is a lifelong friend, he’s okay.”

  “As you wish Ms. Smith.” I watched him pull out a pen from his shirt pocket and a small notebook from his back pocket. He flipped through a couple pages and then looked up at me. “Do you know an Albert ma’am?”

  “I do, he is my former fiancé.” I said firmly. I wasn’t going to let anything shake me, not anything at all.

  “I see, and why did you two break up?” The officer was looking at me very pointedly. I didn’t like it.

  “I walked in on him screwing my cousin, three days after we were engaged.”

  “I see, and did that upset you?” The officer who I realized hadn’t shown me any credentials began to write on his paper.

  “You didn’t say what your name was, officer?”

  “Oliver.” He said harshly.

  “Officer Oliver, can I see your badge and credentials?”

  “I already showed them to your father Ms. Smith.”

  “Seeing as I am over eighteen, Officer Oliver, I believe I am entitled to review them myself. Correct?” I certainly wasn’t going down without a fight and this guy was already pissing me off with his holier than though vibe he was putting off.

  He looked annoyed but reluctantly handed over the information I had requested. I took my cell phone out of my pocket and snapped a picture of his badge number and information.

  “What are you planning on doing with that Ms. Smith?”

  “Protecting myself. Now onto your question.” I handed him back his badge and credentials and moved over to the couch where I sat down next to my father. “Of course I was mad, I mean I just told the man I wanted to spend forever with him and I catch him sleeping with her. How would you feel?”

  “This isn’t about how I would feel ma’am it’s about you and what you did or felt after seeing this.”

  “What I did after, I came home and cried, to my parents. Ask them.”

  They both nodded quickly giving reassurances to what I just said was the truth.

  “He says that you won’t return the ring.”

  “He’s right, it is mine, and I am not giving it to anyone.”

  “It’s yours?” The officer questioned.

  “It is, when he got down on one knee and gave it to me, it became mine. Isn’t that how a transfer of property works, someone gives you something saying ‘this is yours’ that means you’re free to keep it?”

  “He says it is his family’s ring, shouldn’t you give it back to him?” Officer Oliver was trying to play tough guy, but he was coming up short.

  “Why don’t you go ask Albert, what his taking seven grand from me was all about? If he can give me that seven grand back, I’ll give him this crappy ring back.”

  “Is that why you are keeping the ring, you think he stole your money?”

  “There is zero thought, I know he stole it, go ask my banker and no I am keeping it because he gave it to me. It is out of principal.”

  “That’s called stealing Ms. Smith, keeping something that isn’t legally yours.”

  “It is mine, Mr. Oliver are you not listening?”

  “Officer ma’am.”

  “Officer…”

  I looked around the room and my mom and Jessie were looking very upset, they didn’t like where this was all going too and truthfully neither was I. “I think I am done answering questions where I am being treated like I did something wrong. Why don’t I show you out Officer Oliver?”

  “I am not quite done, so if you refused to finish I can take you down to the station.”

  “Now wait a minute, there is no reason to take her anywhere,” Jessie piped in.

  “And who are you?”

  “Jessie, and my father is her attorney, do I need to get him down here now, because you’re not giving her the rights she is entitled too?”

  “Jessie, I haven’t broken any laws, it is Ms. Smith here who is breaking the law.”

  “Now wait a damn minute, don’t talk about my daughter like that officer. I’ll ask you to leave my house.
”

  “Dad don’t.” I tried to protest. I looked over at Jessie for help. Pleading with him mentally.

  “Mr. Smith, I will place you under arrest for impeding an investigation.” The officer began removing his handcuffs from his belt.

  “Wait a minute, fine I’ll go down to the station but do not take my father anywhere he is old and has health issues.” That wasn’t true but no one needed to know that.

  “Are you going to give me the ring?” The officer asked me point blank.

  “Give you the ring, no, why would I?” I turned and looked at Jessie, “I think I need your dad. Please get him down quickly.”

  “Right on it M, don’t you say another word.”

  “Time to go Ms. Smith.” The officer stepped towards me and my fight or flight instantly kicked in. I could feel the adrenaline rush swarming my body.

  “Am I under arrest?”

  “Do you need to be?”

  “No, again I am not the thief it is that whore of a man that is a thief. He has you wasting time questioning me. I’d like to file a counter complaint of stealing seven thousand dollars.”

  “If you say so, come-on, this will be easier away from everyone else.”

  He ride in the cop car was not the thrill of my life like one would think. Not only did it smell, but the seat was sticky, god only knew what had been on this fake leather bench. The officer seemed to be overly excited about the idea of booking me, but he hadn’t officially arrested me. My Miranda rights hadn’t been given, and I had watched enough Law and Order to know that at the very least that had to be said before anything I said could be used in court. So technically, I could admit to stealing it intentionally but I didn’t.

  “This is what is wrong with the justice system; innocent people like me end up the villains when we are just the victims.”

  “Save it for the judge ma’am, she loves sob stories. We are arresting you as soon as you set foot into my county.”

  “Wait what?”

  That was when I realized I had no idea what county this cop was from, or even the city. Hell, Albert could have gone anywhere and filed this complaint. Instead, it seemed he filed this complaint with Brazoria county Sheriffs. Why hadn’t I noticed that before? Not that I know it would have made any difference, I was screwed every which way from Sunday because it was clear, this jerk wasn’t going to believe anything I said.

  Chapter Eight

  “Anderson Law firm how may I direct your call?”

  The voice on the other line was Charlotte’s, Jessie had known her since they were both in kindergarten, and she was practically family. “Hey Char can I talk to my dad?”

  “Sure Jessie one moment, he is just walking out of a meeting.”

  The on hold music used to drive him insane but since he had opened his own business and was stuck getting on hold music himself, he had come to appreciate the fact it was current popular songs. Instead of the traditional elevator music he was stuck with using. The copyright costs for that feature was more than he had realized. He, and his dad, had been discussing a small business loan. It wasn’t until he started adding up all of the different costs of the random items that he realized, maybe his dad was on the right path.

  “Hello Jessie, you’re calling pretty late.”

  “Yeah I know Dad, I am at Merewyn’s, we need some help.” Jessie thought to himself that his dad was one to talk given the fact it was six in the evening and he was just walking out of a meeting, but decided now wasn’t the time to point that out.

  “What kind of help son?” The concern in his father’s voice brought him some comfort he hadn’t realized he needed. It wasn’t his life this was involving but in so many ways he felt he was responsible for her.

  “Remember how I told you she broke up with her fiancé?”

  “Yes and that you were trying to win her back.”

  “That isn’t relevant.”

  “Of course it is son, but continue.”

  “The ex went and filed charges against her for theft of the engagement ring. Cops just took her away from her folks place.”

  “Did they Mirandize her?”

  “Not that we heard, I am here with her parents right now.”

  “Then they didn’t arrest her. They must have taken her down to their station for questioning. Do you have their station number I can go sit with her.”

  “Thanks dad. I don’t, all I know is the officer’s name, Officer Oliver.”

  He heard his dad laugh, “I hope it isn’t the same officer from Brazoria County, he doesn’t do anything by the book.”

  “I don’t know what county the guy was from.”

  “Was he in a Sherriff’s uniform or a traditional cop uniform?”

  “Hell dad I don’t know, I didn’t pay that much attention to details. Let me ask her folks.” I turn my head towards Merewyn’s parents and ask, “Do you know if he was a cop cop or a Sherriff cop?”

  “He was a sheriff’s officer; I saw it on the badge.” Her dad said firmly.

  “Hear that dad? He was in the sheriff’s office.”

  “Has to be the same guy, I’ll make some calls and start heading that way. Did she do it son?”

  “Do what, steal the ring?”

  “Yeah is she guilty?”

  “She kept the ring after she found him banging her cousin, but he gave it to her three days earlier. Isn’t what you say ‘possession is nine tenths the law’ going to apply?”

  “It can I’ll have to get more info on it.”

  “You should also know dad that Albert stole seven grand from her, she should file a counter claim.”

  “Thanks for that info, now let me go so I can find out how to set your girlfriend free.”

  “Ha ha thanks dad, love you too.”

  “You know I will always love you and do anything I can to help you.”

  “I know, her folks say thank you as well.”

  Jessie hung up his cell phone and looked at Merewyn’s parents. Neither were saying anything but he could tell in both of their eyes they were very thankful that his dad had agreed to help.

  “Charlie Anderson is a good man. Your mother would be so proud of you two.”

  “Thank you Mrs. Smith, I know she would be too.” It still hurt to talk about his mom, but that was okay, right now was about Merewyn, and her mother was simply trying to be nice.

  “Dad is going to find out where she is at and meet her there. Hopefully she will call us soon.” Jessie started to pace around and then suddenly stopped. “Do you know exactly what happened?”

  Both of her parents nodded and then her father started to speak, “I feel like I should go rip that boy in half, how he is misusing my daughter like this. He should be ashamed of himself.”

  “That won’t do anyone any good. Let my dad do some work, he is killer in the court room he will handle it I promise.”

  Jessie watched the former love of his life’s parents both nod their head in unison, the grief and anguish on their face was evident to even a blind man. “I am really sorry this is happening.”

  “It isn’t your fault son,” Mr. Smith said to him.

  “No but I still feel bad for all of this. Maybe if she and I hadn’t been spending so much time together, Albert wouldn’t have taken after her like this.”

  “You think he is jealous?” Her mother questioned.

  “Sure, wouldn’t any man be? A great woman like that dumping him and then taking off with some other guy from her past.”

  “You two aren’t an item Jessie.” The motherly tone in her voice was comforting. But it didn’t make it any easier to know that she was in trouble, and there wasn’t anything he could do right this moment to help Merewyn.

  “I want to be, you both know that.”

  “We know son, but it will happen in due time, if it was meant to be, you know that you’re a smart lad.”

  “Mr. Smith I haven’t been called a lad since I was a teenager in this house.” The men laughed and Jessie started to make
his way to the front door. “I am going to head out; I will call you if I hear from my dad. Please let me know if you hear from Merewyn, and if she is okay. I can help go pick her up once we find out where she is at, if it is needed too.”

  “Thank you Jessie for everything.” Mrs. Smith pulled him in for a hug; the embrace warmed his body in such a soul lifting way. It made him miss his mom more and more, because there really was nothing quite like a hug from a mom.

  “It is always my pleasure, you know that. Talk soon.”

  He nodded his head and walked out of the front door then down the driveway. The truth was he was kidding himself if he thought that Merewyn was a former love of his life. He was head over heels in love with her but he didn’t know how to handle that fact, or more importantly tell her that.

  When he started the car up, he looked over onto the passenger seat and pictured her sitting there. Like when they were kids. She would lean her head back and gaze up into the sky from his convertible. He still had the convertible at his dad’s house. When she got over being taken by the police and was ready for company, he was going to pick her up in the yellow stallion and take her for a spin. That would be what she needed to bring a smile back to her face, and to remind her of how much fun the two of them had together, so many moons ago.

  Jessie was in a daydream driving on auto pilot towards his apartment when his cell phone went off. When he looked at the screen to see who was calling he didn’t recognize the number.

  “Hello?”

  “Jessie! Oh my god you will not believe what is happening!” The sound of Merewyn’s panicked voice was enough to put him into full over protection mode. He began clutching his fist to the steering wheel.

  “Merewyn what happened where are you? I’ve called my dad.”

  “Good I need a lawyer, they arrested me! This is my one phone call. I am in the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Department jail.”

  “They can’t arrest you! How could they do that when you weren’t even in their county to arrest? They didn’t have jurisdiction.”

  “That’s what I thought, but I willingly went in for questioning I didn’t know the whole time they were just trying to get me to cross into their territory so they could arrest me.”