HoneySuckle Love Page 8

  “I’ll get my dad to force them to release you. Your dad is ready to go ape shit on Albert.”

  “Dear God please do not let my dad do anything stupid. Albert is likely to press charges on an old man, just as easily as he did on someone he claimed to have loved at one point in time.”

  “Okay M just hang tight let me head over there can you give me the address?”

  “No, Jessie I am scared, they did a fingerprinting on me, I have a record now.” He could hear the tears forming in her voice and that broke his heart. He really wanted to kill Albert for this, badly.

  “Baby it will be okay, I promise Dad is going to get you out and he will turn this around on Albert, just wait and see. He will get your record expunged. I promise.”

  “Jessie, don’t make promises you can’t keep. You know that you cannot control any of this.”

  “Let me call my dad so he can head that way. Do you want me to come too? I will.”

  “Only come if he thinks they will release me, no sense in you driving all this way out here. We took the belt around until we crossed the county line. We are south of Sugarland somewhere, but I don’t know what city exactly.”

  “Okay M I will help you fix this, and I will call your parents.”

  “Thank you Jessie, I owe you big for this.”

  “You don’t owe me anything Merewyn; this is what you would do for me if the situation was reversed. This is what friends do for each other.”

  He could hear her crying now, she wasn’t holding it back or trying to cover it up, and it broke his heart. There was really nothing he could do right this moment to take her fear away, and he hated feeling so crippled.

  “I’ll see you soon okay M, be strong for me.”

  “I will Jessie, bye.”

  The silence on the other end killed him, like a spear through the heart. “Siri call dad.”

  His iPhone responded, “Calling Dad.”

  Jessie could feel his heart pounding as if it was going to jump right out of his chest. He had to keep it together Merewyn was depending on him.

  “Hey Jessie have you heard anything?”

  He took a few deep breaths and then responded, “Yeah she just called me, the arrested her, she is in the Brazoria County jail. Dad you have to get her out.”

  “You know son it is after closing time, there are no courts open. She is going to have to spend the night there.”

  “Dad come on it is M you can’t call someone?”

  “I don’t know anyone well enough in that county The best I can do is reach out to my contacts in Harris and see if I could get any favors. But looking at the time it is damn near seven there isn’t anyone who could magically get her released in twelve hours let alone two.”

  “Dad, I love her you have to.”

  “Son I know you have always loved her. I will do everything that I can, but I just cannot promise you anything. But trust me I will be there first thing in the morning. They still have to process her.”

  “She said they finger printed her, that she has a record now, they are processing her as we speak.”

  “Once this gets cleared up I can get her record expunged.”

  “That’s what I told her, but are you going to be able to get it cleared?”

  “I won’t promise, but I am going to do my best it is a flimsy case from what you’ve said. This Albert guy seems like a real piece of work. I will call my partner and see if he knows anyone.”

  “You know you can just call him Uncle Ed right, you don’t have to say partner.”

  “I know but he likes being a partner so I try to help his ego.”

  “Whatever Dad, just please help her.”

  “I promise son, I will do everything I can. But right now there isn’t anything you can do to help her so just go home, and try to sleep. If she can get out tomorrow she will need you.”

  Jessie let out an audible sigh, “I should have told her I loved her.”

  “No, you shouldn’t have. That will just mess with her head. And she was just engaged Jessie what are you thinking telling her that? Hell that could prove the DA’s case if there is motive for her to break up with him. You got to stop thinking with your heart and start thinking with your brain.”

  “Anyone ever tell you that you’re mean?”

  That made both father and son laugh, “Yeah your Uncle Ed all the time growing up.”

  “Just so long as you knew.”

  “I know this is hard Jessie, trust me, just go home and we will do battle in the morning.”

  “I’ll come with you to the jail.”

  “You know you cannot see her right away.”

  “Can’t you say I am with the firm? I mean, Dad, technically it is a family business.”

  “I suppose I could. Okay I will look up the address and text it to you because I assume you don’t know where it is at.”

  I started to nod but then remembered he wasn’t in the car with me. “Yeah that would be great Dad, thank you.”

  “No problem get some sleep son, we start battle tomorrow.”

  Jessie waited for the phone to completely disconnect before he said, “Siri call Mr. Smith.”

  “Calling Sara Trist.”

  “No Siri, I said, call Mr. Smith!” He yelled into his iPhone and hit the end call button over and over. He looked up and suddenly slammed on the breaks. He almost made it out of the incident unscathed but when he blinked open his eyes he realized he had barely rear-ended the driver in front of him.

  “Ugh! You have got to be kidding me! Damnit!”

  He reached into his glove box and pulled out his insurance paperwork and opened his door, while killing the engine all at the same time.

  “Can’t you see where you’re going man! You hit me!”

  The angry driver was walking towards him and based on the size of his strides, he was ready to kill someone.

  “I just bought this car twenty days ago man and now you’re going to make me take it to the shop! What do you have to say for yourself?”

  “Look man, you’re not hurt, and I am not hurt, just take my insurance information and give me yours, and let’s call it a day okay?”

  “I don’t think so, my wife is already calling the cops from the front seat.”

  Shit. Jessie knew this was going to take a long time and he still needed to call Merewyn’s parents.

  “I’m going to take a couple pictures of the damage may I have your insurance information?” Jessie decided the best course of action was to remain calm and attempt to be neutral. He knew he was at fault, but the first thing his dad taught him was that you never admit fault in a wreck.

  “Kindle bring me my insurance!” The man yelled towards the front of his vehicle. A few moments later the passenger door opened and a tall woman stepped out of the car. Jessie’s gut instantly dropped when he saw the round bulge of a stomach pressing out against her body. She was pregnant. Double shit.

  “Here you go Monty.”

  Monty? Great. Jessie thought with a name like that he was sure to get the shaft end of this deal when it was all said and done.

  “Look man, why don’t we each just take pictures of the insurance card and call it a day. I am in the middle of a family emergency and I need to get home.”

  “You put my unborn baby in jeopardy; we are waiting for the police!” The pregnant woman yelled in his direction.

  Jessie let out an exhausting sigh, “Fine I will wait in my car for the cop.” He walked back to his car and took his seat in the driver’s side. The only thing he had going for him was in this town his dad knew almost every officer and maybe there was someone who would take pity on him and not site him a ticket. Even though it was his fault and he did feel bad about the whole ordeal.

  The time passed by slower than time had ever passed by in Jessie’s life. He was ready for the whole thing to be over, Jessie was about to just drive away when he heard the sirens then saw the flashing lights in his mirror. As he focused closely on the person who stepped out o
f the cop car his gut felt a little better when he saw not his dad’s friend but his uncle’s college roommate walking towards him.

  Thank god for small favors. With a quick sign of the cross in thanks to God Jessie stepped out of the car and gave a half smile of innocence to the man who Uncle Ed used to call Brewster.

  “Hi officer.”

  The cop simply shook his head back and forth and began taking both parties statements about what happened.

  Chapter Nine

  I never pictured what jail would be like before, and sadly, what I was experiencing was far worse than I could have imagined. From the stench of the air that permeated around me, to the stickiness of the floor. The ripping sound my shoes made each time I walked anywhere in the facility. Who knew what had been on the concrete before the sole of my foot. The pillow they gave me was so flat, I was probably better off sleeping on paper. At least then I would have known if it was clean or not.

  I could kill Albert, and I wanted to more now than the moment I saw him in bed with my cousin. How could he do this to me, over a stupid ring? Maybe in hindsight I should have just given it back, but I was hurt. He hurt me in a way no woman or man for that matter, should feel. Then to top it off he actually stole money from me. This whole mess was ridiculous and there was nothing, nothing at all, that I could do to change any of it.

  Hopefully Jessie’s dad could help me. When we were kids he was always very kind to me, but I wasn’t feeling like I had much hope right this moment.

  The clock across the hall showed it was eleven forty five at night. I was completely exhausted, but I couldn’t sleep. Officer Oliver made sure that this experience would be the absolute worst of my life. He even made sure I was cavity searched. Absolutely humiliating. What did they think I had up my rear, the bloody ring?

  My heart rate was racing and my adrenaline was soaring. The idea of sleeping scared me, and the thought of no sleep made me worry about my sanity in the morning. I was already very snippy to them, and they threatened discipline towards me. They didn’t elaborate what that meant, but I was too scared to confront it.

  Whenever I got out of the hell I was presently living the first thing I was going to do is take a hot shower and scour every inch of my body in soap. Then I was going to find Albert and wring his neck.

  After countless sleepless hours passed by I was finally allowed out of my cell for breakfast. Which, in and of itself, was a loose term. The oatmeal they provided looked more like dried oats in a cup of milk, and tasted even worse. It felt like time was going by as slow as possible. The sensation of spiders crawling all over my skin wouldn’t stop. It was a combination of stress and the feeling of being dirty that kept dragging my mind and emotions into the dark hole. I didn’t know how to save myself from the feelings I just prayed over and over that Mr. Anderson would come through for me.

  “Ms. Smith your lawyer is here.”

  I looked up at the clock, twelve thirty. It had almost sounded like God himself was speaking to me offering salvation. I stood up as quickly as I could and waited patiently for the guard to open my cell.

  “Turn around and cross your hands please.” She said.

  “You don’t have to cuff me I am not a criminal.”

  “That’s what they all say, now if you want to see the lawyer do it.”

  There was little point to arguing it never got me anywhere, so I complied with her request. As we walked down the jail hallway I felt the women staring at me; it was almost like those nightmares you have as a child, walking to school naked. Like they could see right through you. I was escorted to a room and the moment they opened the door I saw not just my lawyer but Jessie too. The tears started, and I had never been so glad to see anyone in my life.

  “Take those cuffs off my client please.”

  “Whatever you say, you have five minutes.”

  The moment the cuffs were removed and the door was closed I ran into Jessie’s open embrace and let his shoulder act like my pillow. I know I didn’t cry for very long, but it felt like forever. Happy tears angry tears, tears of all kinds.

  “Merewyn are you okay?” His dad was the first one to speak.

  “I don’t even know, I have been violated, humiliated and I feel disgusting. Am I going to be able to get out of here?”

  “Yes,” Jessie said without even a moment’s hesitation. But I cared about what the other tall dark and handsome man thought was going to happen to me.

  “That is the plan, but first we have to go before the judge. I got a new outfit from your mothers and a brush. For when you’re released.”

  “I want to kill Albert for this. They even did a cavity search! I mean wasn’t the strip search bad enough?”

  “Dad you are going to tell her the good news right?”

  His dad nodded and I finally felt a shred of hope, “Tell me …”

  “I talked with a prosecutor friend of mine this morning. As soon as we are out of here we are going to file charges against Albert and he will actually go to jail for filing a false police report and for taking your seven thousand dollars. Jessie also tells me he has been stalking you and harassing you; we will get a restraining order.”

  Now I was hugging Mr. Anderson. He was going to fix it, make it all better, and I had nothing to say. Just more tears.

  “It’s okay M, Dad is going to get you out soon, and I will take you home so you can shower.”

  “I think it is safe to say I love both of you so much right now.” I said in a sniffled voice.

  “Love me once you’re out. Come on let’s prepare for court.” Mr. Anderson smiled as he spoke.

  Three hours later I was walking out of jail with a smile on my face and relief in my heart. I wasn’t going to have to spend another night in that filthy environment. Jessie’s dad was really magnificent in the court room. He not only got me released from jail but he was able to get me released on my own recognizance so I didn’t have to come up with any funds in order to be free. He said his next step was going to be getting the whole case thrown out for a lack of evidence. Hopefully he would be able to get that finished by mid next week, at the latest.

  “Miss Escapee you ready to go home?” Jessie looked good leaning on his car with his arms crossed and a big smile on his face.

  “Yes but I don’t like that implied statement that I am breaking out illegally. I don’t need any more trouble.”

  “Now now, you know what I mean, come on Ms. Smith, your mom and dad are anxiously awaiting your return.” Jessie opened up his passenger door for me and I slipped inside. When the door shut I suddenly started to cry again. His driver side door opened up and he slipped into the car. “Hey now why are you crying? What happened in the six seconds it took me to get into the car?”

  “I am just so happy to be out of there, Jessie it was horrible. I want this nightmare to be done.”

  “You could just give him the ring back you know.”

  I looked over at him to see if he was serious, “No, he cheated on me with my own cousin, who knows how many of times, and I just caught him three days after he gave it to me.”

  “I did a little Googling, and it is custom that the woman return the ring.”

  Jessie turned on the car, then pulled out into the street and began driving towards Kemah. I didn’t like that it felt as if Jessie didn’t have my back on this one. I thought he, and everyone in my life, agreed what Albert did was wrong, and I was in the right, but maybe I wasn’t.

  “Hypothetically if I did give it back to him we don’t know that he would back off at this point because I did keep it for so long now.”

  “I think he would back off. I mean, I don’t know him like you did but if I were him I would.”

  “None of this is fair, he is the one who broke my heart and ripped my world apart, and I am the one suffering through everything because of his choices.”

  “I know you’re in pain Merewyn but just think about it okay?”

  Jessie seemed sincere in his concern and I knew that he had
a point in his own way, but I didn’t want to back down. “I feel like if I backed down then he would be winning, and I am tired of him winning. He has hurt me over and over and I am just sick of it.” I crossed my arms and looked out the window for a while.

  “I’ll think about it, but I doubt I’ll change my mind.” I said after about ten minutes of silence.

  “That’s all I can ask for, you think about it.”

  The remaining time in the car driving to my home was left in silence. I had no desire for anything more talking wise and I still just wanted a shower. I saw my mother looking out of the window as we pulled into the drive way. I was relieved to use her as an excuse to get out of the tension filled car.

  “There’s my mom I am sure she is worried sick, I’ll talk to you later Jessie. Thank you for everything and thank your dad for me okay?”

  “Merewyn, I’m sorry.”

  “You don’t have anything to be sorry for Jessie I know you are just helping me and trying to do the best things for me. Honestly you have nothing to worry about.”

  “May I call you later?”

  I shook my head back and forth, “No I need a bit of space. I just, I need to relax, it has nothing to do with you just me okay?”

  He nodded his head a couple times and I knew I had hurt him. “Now I’m sorry.” I said to him. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings I really just need some alone time okay?”

  “I know Merewyn.” He said with almost a sulking tone.

  “When your dad gets this cleared up for me, will you come with me to go apartment hunting?”

  “Apartment hunting?” He questioned.

  “Yeah, I need my own space, and I just, don’t think it’s good for me to still be living with my mom and dad, you know?”

  “I know. Sure, I’ll be glad to help you, once it is all cleared up and you’re ready to go looking.”

  That gave me a smile, an honest to God real smile. “Thanks Jessie, again for everything.” I leaned over across the seat and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re really a good friend; you’ve been there for me so much in such a short time. I could never repay you.”