drugs?”
he accused, shining a small light in her eyes.
“No, I was being chased by my ex girlfriend.
She hit the back of my car.” Jenny pointed frantically to her
bumper.
“ Girlfriend , huh?” he said
condescendingly.
“My friend who is a girl,” Jenny stammered,
not wanting him to get the wrong idea.
The cop shook his head in disbelief. He
strode to the back of the car and looked the bumper over. “There
are only a few scratches here, but no real damage. Nothing to
indicate you were hit.” He stared at her disapprovingly. “I did not
see anyone chasing you. However, I did witness your speeding car
swerve severely to avoid a turning vehicle. You do not appear to be
safe to drive, so I am taking you in.” Jenny sobbed as he helped
her into the cop car. It smelled of sweat, tobacco and
humiliation.
Dan and Ryan arrived at the police station
together a half-hour after she called. She didn’t give them any
details, just that she wanted to go home.
The two men burst into the police station
and ran to her. They hugged and kissed Jenny, forgetting there was
a roomful of police. The officer watched the three in disapproval.
“Disgusting,” he snarled. “Our paths better not cross again, Miss.
If they do, I will make it my personal mission to revoke your
license.”
He thrust the paperwork in her face and
walked off. Dan pulled her into his arms. “It was Kelly, wasn’t
it?”
She looked up at him in surprise. “How did
you know?”
“I told you she is bad news. I’m so sorry,
Baby. So, so sorry.” He kissed her again, squeezing her so tight it
restricted her breathing.
Ryan was visibly upset. “What the hell are
you two talking about?”
Jenny squelched her guilt about not telling
him. “I tried to talk to Kelly a few days ago and apparently I
really pissed her off.”
Dan let go of her so he could talk directly
to Ryan. “Kelly called me and balled me out because Jenny went to
her work. Kelly said some pretty malicious things, but I trusted
once she calmed down it would be okay.” He glanced over at Jenny.
“I also instructed Jenny not to contact her again. I always
suspected Kelly was certifiable, but she proved it tonight.”
“The cop doesn’t believe me,” Jenny cried.
“He claims he didn’t see anything.”
Ryan took charge of the situation. “You are
going to file a complaint. Whether or not he saw it, we need to
have the incident on record.” He lifted her chin up and looked into
her red-rimmed eyes. “We won’t let anything happen to you,
Jen.”
Dan asked Ryan, “Do you think she knows
about the three of us?”
Jenny admitted to both of them, “I think she
was at our apartment this morning and saw me kiss both of you.”
Dan’s look of concern contorted into a
frown. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well, I wasn’t sure.”
Ryan wrapped his arms around her. “From now
on you have to tell me everything .” He looked over Jenny’s
head and added to Dan, “That goes for you, too.”
That night the three ate their meal in
silence. Worry flowed tangibly from both men, making Jenny antsy.
She got the distinct impression their ménage was in jeopardy.
Dan confirmed it when he stated, “I think it
is best if I go.”
“No, Dan!” she protested. “You can’t let
Kelly win.”
“Maybe Dan is right,” Ryan replied. “If she
is mental, we don’t want to do anything to set her off.”
“I refuse to live my life in fear!” She
looked at Dan in disbelief. “Do you really want to give her that
power over us?”
He cupped her chin tenderly, “No, but I
don’t want you to get hurt either.”
Jenny gazed into his dark brown eyes and
whispered, “You’ll hurt me if you leave.”
He groaned and glanced over at Ryan. “What
do you think?”
She was sure he would choose the safest
path, but he surprised her. “If anything more happens we are
slapping a restraining order on Kelly.” Jenny jumped up and gave
Ryan a hug.
She leaned over whispered in his
Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Martin A. Lee, Bruce Shlain