Page 31 of Maggie’s Match

Maggie groaned and laid her head back. She was tired and sore. But above all, she was worried about Rick. She didn’t have time to think about Royce. Actually, she never wanted to think about or see the guy again.

Just then, her aunt and uncle rushed into the small room and Maggie was once again comforted. Nurses came and went and, almost an hour later, an older female doctor came in.

This was the first medical person to ask to speak to her alone. When it was just the two of them, she ran through what they had found in Maggie’s system and during the internal exam they’d given to her shortly after she’d woken up. She offered to give Maggie the names of a few counselors. She confirmed that there weren’t any fluids found inside her. Talking about that possibility seriously disturbed her, but it also lifted a huge weight from her.

Rick had saved her.

Once the doctor left, she was released.

Her aunt and uncle had brought a change of clothes for her and while she was pulling on her sweatpants and sweatshirt, she heard Rick’s family outside the bathroom.

Taking a moment to herself, she leaned on the counter and took several deep breaths. Then the door opened and her mother came in and shut the door behind her.

Tears rolled down her cheeks and for the first time in her life, Maggie realized just how fragile her mother was. How much she cared. Then she was engulfed in her arms, and her knees went weak.

“I’ve got you baby girl,” her mother said into her hair. “I’ve got you.”

Only, she didn’t really. They both sagged to the floor, crying, holding onto one another.

“You’re okay,” her mother kept saying over and over.

She didn’t know how long she and her mother sat on that bathroom floor. When someone knocked on the door, they gathered themselves, cleaned up, and went outside, where her father held onto her for almost as long.

“Where’s Rick’s family?” she asked, looking around.

“They headed down to the station,” her father told her. “We’ll take you out to the ranch.”

“No, I want to go be there for Rick. He was there for me.” She knew her parents would try and convince her to go back and rest, but she doubted she could sleep without him by her side. She wanted—no, needed—to know that he was okay.

“Okay, sweetie,” her mother finally said, giving her dad a nod. “We got this,” she told him. “She’s okay.”

They rode to the police station and when they walked in, she wasn’t surprised to see every single member of Rick’s family crowded into the small waiting room of the station.

The only thing that was odd about it was that everyone was quiet. Only Grant Holton, Rick’s uncle, was speaking to the sheriff, who stood behind the counter with his arms crossed over his chest, looking rather smug.

Emma and Trace, Laura and Clay, Cooper, and all of Rick’s aunts and uncles crowded around the desk, listening to Grant request to pay bail for Rick’s release.

She pushed her way through the crowd and stood by Grant’s shoulder.

“Rick saved me,” she said firmly. “Royce drugged me and was in the process of sexually assaulting me.” She was practically screaming now. “If Rick hadn’t pulled him off me…” Her voice hitched. “I don’t care that he’s your nephew. He drugged me and was going to rape me,” she said a little louder. “You need to drop all charges against Rick right now and release him.”

Grant gently took her shoulder, but she shoved him aside.

“If you don’t, I’ll sue you and your entire family. I know Royce is your nephew, and that the mayor Arnold Tillerson is your brother. You don’t even have him under arrest. I swear to god that if you don’t let Rick go right now, I’ll go to the biggest news station in the state and tell them everything. How you and one of your officers assaulted Rick while he was handcuffed.”

“I’ve sent it to my friends at channel seven already,” her cousin chimed in as she held up her phone.

“Let him go,” Maggie said in a low voice. “Now.”

The older man’s eyes narrowed, then he glanced around the room.

“You may not know us, but let me assure you, each and every person in this room is very powerful,” Grant said in a calm voice. “Go ahead.” He nodded towards the computer sitting on the desk. “Google me. Grant Holton, J.D.”

The older man sighed heavily, then clicked on the screen.

Maggie waited with the rest of the group and smiled when she saw the man flinch at something he read on the screen.

“If you drop all charges, and let Rick go in the next ten minutes, I promise you that things will go a lot smoother for you,” Maggie said with a smile. “I’ve seen what this family can do. Trust me.” She leaned against the counter. “You don’t want to mess with us.”