Be Mine Forever (Detectives Kane and Alton)

Jenna chewed on her fingers. “I guess we should’ve told him we’d found a body at least.”

“We couldn’t ask either parent to physically identify the victim.” Kane shrugged. “We identified the victim through DNA to prevent the parents being distressed. We didn’t know for sure it was Laurie Turner.”

Jenna sighed. “It’s done now.” She climbed inside the truck. “I sure could do with a strong cup of coffee.”

“Sure.” Kane headed back to town.

Inside Aunt Betty’s Café, the wonderful aroma of fresh pie and coffee closed around Jenna like a warm hug. There was something special about the café, the name said it all really. The décor and homely atmosphere brought back memories of her childhood sitting on her grandma’s lap and eating cookies fresh from the oven. Kane was right to bring her here after a grueling morning. Yeah, they could’ve collected takeout and eaten in her office but she needed a timeout to get her head right before another stressful afternoon. After finishing her meal, she sipped her coffee and allowed her mind to wander.

Dr. Turner had taken the news without blinking an eye and talked about arrangements for Laurie’s funeral, which was a little strange considering how he’d acted the first time they’d met. It had been like speaking to two different people. If he suffered mood swings, he would be the last person she’d consider capable of advising troubled kids. As soon as Kane had placed his empty cup on the table, Jenna pushed to her feet. “Let’s go. I need to drop by the office.”

As they drove through town, she scanned her notes on the investigation. When she returned to the office, she’d need to set her deputies to work. They had to go through Laurie’s laptop and she’d be interested to know if Wolfe had had time to check out her phone. She glanced up as Kane slowed to avoid a group of people spilling onto the road. When he hit his siren, a woman clutching a baby to her chest burst through the crowd and ran toward them. “What now?”

“Help me, please.” The woman’s long blonde hair was a mess, tears had tracked mascara down her cheeks. In her arms a baby screamed. The woman hammered on Kane’s door. “Don’t let him hit me again.”

“I won’t let him near you.” Kane turned to Jenna. “Orders?”

Jenna assessed the situation. “Take care of her. I’ll go see what this bunch of cowards are doing, standing by and watching a woman being assaulted. Call for backup.”

“Jenna—” Kane stared at her.

“Don’t say a word. The townsfolk need to know I can deal with trouble alone. I know you care about my safety.” Jenna glared at him. “My town, my problem. Let me do my job, Dave.”

“Okay.” He held up both hands in surrender. “Go do your job but just remember, people like to see a strong leader, not one who is trying to prove they can knock a guy off his feet.” He smiled at her. “Even if you can.” He waved a hand toward the group of men cheering the offender on. “Then you have the crowd. If they step in, I’m there and nothing you say will stop me. That’s what I’m paid to do, Jenna.”

“Your first priority is the woman and her baby.” Jenna climbed out the truck and pushed her way through the group of men spilling from Antlers, the new tavern in town. She didn’t recognize any of them as locals and as they all had the same club jackets—clearly, they belonged to a group of men on a hunting trip or similar. She raised her voice. “What’s going on here?”

“Nothin’ for you to be lookin’ at, Sheriff.” A man with a smug expression stepped away from his friends. “It’s a private matter.” He wiped blood from his knuckles onto his jeans. “Ain’t it, boys?”

After murmuring their agreement, all eyes turned to her. Many of the men had grins from ear to ear. Indignant, Jenna straightened. “Assaulting people in my town is an offense.”

“She hit me first.” The man rubbed his cheek. “I was just showing the boys here how I deal with a wife who just won’t listen. I told her I’d be away this week and she goes and follows me here. Then she takes offense to me chatting with the girl behind the bar. I mean—” he opened his hands out wide and flashed her a lop-sided smile “—what woman wouldn’t want a piece of this?” He looked around as his friends laughed. “I gave her a baby to keep her quiet but she don’t stay quiet. Followin’ me here, checking up on me. That makes me look weak.”

Jenna shook her head. “I’m taking you downtown for a little chat. The townsfolk hereabouts don’t like men who beat on their wives. I’ll get my deputies to speak to the witnesses.”

“She ain’t gonna press charges against me.” He glared at Jenna. “And do you figure you’re strong enough to cuff me?” He pointed to her sidearm. “Oh, that’s right, you’ll hold a gun to my head.” He looked around at his friends and grinned. “Get out your phones, boys, police brutality coming my way.” His gaze shifted back to Jenna. “I’ll have your badge, lady. You don’t know who you’re dealing with.”

People had collected on the sidewalk. To one side, she made out Kane getting the woman and her baby inside his truck. He looked over the top of the Beast and raised both eyebrows. Jenna gave him a slight shake of her head, unbelted her duty belt, and handed it to the local gun store owner. “Okay, now it’s just you and me.” She shrugged. “What’s your name?”

“John Law and I ain’t going nowhere.” He stood his ground, hands on hips, grinning at her. “It’s easy for you hiding behind a badge. If I make the wrong move, you’ll have me for resisting arrest.”

Noticing Rowley pushing through the crowd, she smiled at him. “Here, hold these for me please.” She peeled off her jacket and handed Rowley her badge. “There, that makes us even.”

“Even?” Law laughed at her. “The badge and coat don’t make you a sheriff, the town makes you the sheriff. Whatever. Stay out of my business.” He turned to walk toward a pickup.

Jenna charged after him and grabbed one arm. “I’m arresting you for assaulting your wife.” She pulled his arm up behind him and reached for the other, cuffs in hand.

In an instant, he’d twisted around. The slap caught her across the cheek like a whip and she tasted blood. She ducked his second blow and caught the rage on his face. He planned to strike her again and that was not going to happen. The years of training she’d done with Kane in the early hours of the morning had prepared her for men like Law. They liked to dominate and control. Rather than get mad, everything around her went into slow motion. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Kane restraining Rowley. She ducked the next slap and Law, red in the face, came at her like a raging bull, his fists clenched.

Perfect. Kane had taught her how to disable by aiming in just the right place. She spun and kicked hitting Law’s kneecap with the heel of her boot. One strike and he fell into a pile of pain. She turned and looked at Rowley and Kane. “Cuff him.” She read him his rights. “When you get him in a cell call Doc Brown but I want him charged with assaulting a law officer, resisting arrest, and spousal abuse.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Rowley cuffed Law and dragged him limping to his cruiser.

“You broke my leg. I’m going to sue you. This is police brutality.” Law’s face contorted. “You’re dead, lady. My friends have everything on film.”

Jenna collected her things and buckled on her duty belt. “That’s good and so do many of the local townsfolk. The judge will see you resisting arrest and striking me.” She touched her cheek and ran her tongue over the split inside her mouth. “You came at me first, Law, a defenseless woman. I just defended myself.” She turned to Rowley. “Get him out of my sight.”

“Do you want me to collect the phone footage?” Rio was at her side.