“She can say whatever she wants.” Arthur’s voice was dead calm. “It’s a free country. Listen to Brooklyn and get out of here before we call the cops. We have a court order giving him custody of Cheyenne. Heck, she can’t leave since she’s under his protection.”
I wasn’t sure if that was exactly right, but who cared? At least he’s making it clear she’s here with us legally.
“Your California order doesn’t mean jackshit back in New York.” He said California as cali-forn-eye-eh. Basically, spelling out the last two letters and showing his absolute ignorance. Or purposeful disdain. Could go either way. He laughed in my face. “You always were a pussy. You think you can stop me now?” Then focused on Cheyenne. “Get into the truck, girl, or there will be consequences.”
She shook her head. “Three against one, Harvey. You can’t bully us.” Again, just a touch of quaver. As if she wasn’t certain we three could take the massive man.
Hell, I wasn’t convinced.
If Arthur was healthy and Cheyenne didn’t have two leashes? Possibly, but even then, not without getting hurt. The men of Piperston learned to fight, and Harvey had relished the training, while I’d always dodged as much as I could get away with.
The rage at my own impotence angered me. Should’ve spent the past twelve years bulking up and training, preparing for this confrontation. Except that notion was ludicrous. No way could I have predicted Cheyenne showing up and needing my protection from my old nemesis.
“Get lost, Harvey.” Arthur’s blue eyes glinted steel as he dug in his pocket. “I’m dialing 9-1-1 right now.”
A decent threat, given my former community’s desire to stay off the radar of the law. Well, the law they didn’t control. The Piperstown sheriff was one of the community, but Harvey’s cop friends back home wouldn’t be able to protect him out here.
“Cheyenne!” He bellowed her name, lunging toward her.
My sister yelped and flinched back.
I fought the urge to punch him with my bare knuckles, not sure if I’d make things worse.
But it was Sadie who snarled like a miniature wolf, jerked her leash out of Cheyenne’s grasp, and leaped at Harvey. What the damn dog thought she’d do was beyond me, but clearly she was freaked out by this entire shitshow.
Harvey scooped her up by the scruff.
She yelped in pain.
Cheyenne gasped and reached for the dog. “Let go! You’re hurting her!”
Arthur, forced to lean on his cane and barely balancing, tried to step in front of her while growling, “You hurt that dog and I’ll bash your head in.”
Harvey bared his teeth. “If you want this stupid dog to live, Cheyenne, you’ll get in the fucking truck. Hell, I might even let you keep the scrawny piece of shit.”
Never. Not in a million years will he let her keep the dog. Just as likely, he’d throw Sadie out of the window on the interstate and cackle when she got run over.
Little Sadie, apparently highly unimpressed with this turn of events, twisted in his grip and sank her teeth deep into Harvey’s arm.
He howled in pain, and tossed her. Hard.
She hit the ground with another yelp and took off down the street, the leash trailing behind her.
“Sadie!” Cheyenne appeared ready to chase after her, but didn’t dare bolt past Harvey.
“I’m going to kill that fucking dog.” Harvey glared at me. “Then you. Slowly.” He turned his attention to Arthur. “You as well, you crippled turd. Think you can fuck my future wife and get away with it?”
What the hell is he talking?—
“You! Get away! I’ve called the police!” Mrs. Bollinger stepped onto her porch, brandishing her cell phone in her bony little hand. The pint-sized woman barely reached my chest, but she knew how to bellow. Often yelled at noisy kids on the street.
Up until this moment, I’d considered her an interfering woman with nothing better to do than complain. Right now, though, I wanted to kiss her.
“Yes, officer,” she added loudly into the phone. “Making threats and abusing animals. Hurry!”
Harvey clamped his left hand over his bleeding right wrist and took a step toward Arthur and Cheyenne, but jerked his head up as the sound of a siren carried across the previously still night. “This isn’t over.” He glared at all of us, including Mrs. Bollinger. With most families tucked into their homes for the night, we’d been mercifully alone. No small children coming out to witness this clusterfuck. No one else for Harvey to threaten.
He strode to his pickup, swung in, and slammed the door. With a loud squeal of tires, he pulled away and rounded a corner before the approaching cop car came into sight.
