Blackmailed by Her Bully

“You see anything you like?” Logan asked. “Nah, I don’t think so. None of these are defenseless little boys.”

“What is it you want? I can’t keep coming whenever you need me.”

“Oh, you will. Believe me. Or you won’t like the consequences.”

“You can’t threaten me,” he said.

“I just did.”

“I got a call. Ava tried to call. She wants to speak to me. Why?”

“She seems to be under the impression she told you something else twelve years ago. Do you know anything about that?”

“I have no idea what she’s talking about.”

“You have no idea?” Logan asked. “No clue at all?”

“Ava has always exaggerated the truth. You saw the statements. I took down exactly what she told me. What lies has she been spilling to you?”

He stared at the sheriff. Something was off.

“She told me Luke raped her,” he said.

The sheriff burst out laughing.

Logan didn’t like his reaction. It was the exact same one he’d had when she told him.

“Did you laugh at her back then?”

“Son, I don’t know what lies she is spreading, but you’ve got to get your head out of your ass. I did what the good justice system told me to do. What happened was because of her, not me. I followed protocol.”

Logan grabbed him, slamming him to the desk, lifting him up, and doing the same again.

“Let’s get one thing clear right now. I don’t like you. I think you’re a piece of shit who gets his kicks off hurting little boys. I can’t stand you. You’re useful to me by the information you can provide me. But if you ever laugh again at Ava, I will cut out your tongue. Do you understand me?”

The sheriff nodded.

Letting him go, Logan stepped back.

“Look, Luke could have any girl he wanted, even back then. He didn’t need to force anything. I’m not saying she and Luke didn’t have something going on. They probably did, and when he got bored and moved on, she felt ashamed.”

“Did she report the rape to you?”

“Yes, she reported a rape. You were the person she named. No one else.”

“So she’s lying to me.”

“Yes.”

He nodded. “Get out. Do your job and don’t allow anyone to come here. You know the rules.”

With the sheriff dismissed, he made his way out of the library, and paused. He didn’t know what to fucking do.

Ava was lying, but why did she sound so convinced of it?

There was no way to talk to Hunter.

Why had Luke hit her? Was it because of what she did to Logan? Logan ran fingers through his hair, not liking being clueless to what was going on.

Making his way up to her room, he found the door open. Her closet door was open, but her clothes were hung up.

Going to the window, overlooking the back yard, he saw her walking across the field. She still wore jeans and a shirt. She didn’t have any shoes on, and for a few seconds, he watched her, wondering what was going on in her mind.

Was she thinking about her next lie?

Leaving her bedroom, he headed outside to find her still standing, looking up at the sky.

“Did you get to see the sheriff?” she asked.

“You have a way of eavesdropping when it’s not wanted?”

“I saw him leave.”

“Yes, you did.”

“What did he say?” she asked.

He stared at her, seeing the hope in her eyes. Was this still an act? Nothing had changed.

“You did ask him, right?”

“He told me you never mentioned Luke. You only reported me for rape.”

“What?”

“Just drop the act, okay? This is all fucking boring. Nothing happened, or did it and you want to hide it?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Turn on the waterworks, if you think that’s going to work?”

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” Her voice rose as she screamed at him.

“What’s the problem? Truth hurt? What exactly happened between you and Luke? Were you ashamed of what happened? Is that why you dragged my ass into it?”

“Nothing happened between us! He raped me. I’m not lying.”

“Come on. You and I both know it didn’t happen. You reported me, and I got my ass thrown in jail.”

She opened her mouth, closed it, looked around her and shook her head. “And you know this because you were there?”

“Luke doesn’t need to force someone. And I’m the one who went to jail over your accusation.”

“You know, I didn’t think it was actually capable of hating someone, but right now, I really know how to. The sheriff is lying, and seeing as I can’t find any evidence or convince you of the truth, then what’s the point? Luke’s in on this with the sheriff. I don’t know how or why, but he changed my statements. He had to have. I can’t do this. I don’t want to do this. Fuck it.” She pushed past him, marching her way toward the doors.