Page 66 of Back To Our Beginning

“Yeah, I was able to close three cases today, which was really good.” She picked up her bread, then put it down again.

“Hey. That has warm cheese on it. Tell me what’s really wrong?”

“Eli.”

My gut clenched when I thought about the little boy who had huddled under the steps. “What about him?”

“That son-of-a-bitch got bail because his public defender was able to make his case look good.”

“He’s out on bail?” I shouted.

“Yeah.” Maddie sounded dejected as she looked down at her half-eaten meal.

“Jesus, Maddie. I need to be driving you around the clock until he’s back in jail. He could come after you.”

“Didn’t you hear me? The D.A. told me the case is looking pretty good that he’ll get off. Colleen is in no condition to testify. According to the hospital she’s in, she can barely string two sentences together, which is sad and great. Great, because Eli might just be adopted, instead of fostered, sad for her.”

“But why can’t he be locked up? I don’t get it. He came after you with a frying pan.”

She picked up her plate and headed to the kitchen. I followed her.

She got out a plastic container and put her uneaten ziti into it, then put it in the fridge and turned to me.

“He didn’t touch me, Beau, so the D.A. doesn’t feel he has a case to make against him since it was his house.”

“That’s utter bullshit. So, it would have been better if you let him bash your brains in?”

Her shoulders slumped. “Stop it, Beau. You know what I mean.”

“What about Eli testifying?”

She sucked in a deep breath. “I talked to Fran Patterson today. She’s been trying to see if she could get him to talk about Bruce, but he clams up, and she doesn’t want to push it. Fran’s been having him go to a psychologist.”

I was trembling with rage, just thinking about it.

“I left a message with Oliver. He called before he left for vacation. I’ve been sitting with it since Monday. I promised to update him on my conversations with Eli.”

“I’m confused. Is Oliver the D.A.?”

Maddie nodded.

“How could he be on vacation if he called to tell you Bruce was out on bail?”

“He told me that three days ago.”

“Fuck! Maddie, why didn’t you tell me three days ago?” I yelled.

She jolted. I ran my fingers through my hair, staring at her.

She rolled forward on her feet and glared at me. “Don’t you fucking dare yell at me, Beaumont! This is not my first rodeo, and it won’t be my last. Do you know how many fathers, husbands, assholes, and perverts I’ve run across in my job? Do you? I sure don’t need some over-protective alpha demanding that I run everything by him.” She shoved her hand into my chest. Hard.

“Maddie—”

“I’m not done. When you followed me, it was not the first time I’ve been threatened by some meathead. I’m careful about what I do. I’ve taken extra training in de-escalation techniques, domestic violence intervention, and mental health crisis response. This. Is. My. Job.”

“Then why in the hell are you marching around in the middle of the night to your car all alone?”

“I have my pepper spray.”