the middle of the floor crying and holding the gun with a box of shells in her lap.”
“Where was her husband?” asked a shocked Wyler.
“He was lying face down on the floor in the office. He said he was too trapped to do anything else.”
“Oh, that’s good if no one got hurt,” remarked Jezalyn.
“Well, I wouldn’t say no one,” replied the officer.
She eyed him peculiarly, “What do you mean?”
“You got hurt, didn’t you?”
She glanced over at Larkin for a moment, swallowed hard, and took a step closer to Chief Ellison out of Larkin’s direct line of view as she said, “Yes, but I don’t see how that has anything to do with Larkin attacking me.”
Larkin barely glanced in her direction as she continued, “I thought you were here to arrest him.”
“No, my dear. I will not be arresting anyone in this shop today,” replied Chief Ellison, letting his hands rest on his gun and handcuff holsters.
She hesitated but feared for her own safety, so she retorted with one hand on her hip, “And why not?”
Seeing she was not understanding the gravity of the situation, he motioned to Larkin and said, “Could I have the honor of telling her or would you like to?”
Wyler now extremely anxious over the situation said, “I wish someone would tell me already.”
Larkin said nothing. He put his hand on Wyler’s shoulder as a signal to relax as he gave the chief a little shrug and gestured for him to continue. Chief Ellison loved to tell a good story, and this occasion afforded him practice for later, so he continued, “When Mrs. Peterson began shooting at her husband next door, she didn’t quite try to kill him. She just shot aimlessly around the store trying to scare him, and several of the bullets penetrated the walls. Your neck injury is from one of the bullets that breached the wall.” They turned to look, all except Larkin whose eyes remained fixed on Chief Ellison.
“You see, my dear, Larkin is not your attacker; he is your savior.”
She instantly stared at Larkin; her green eyes enlarged and brightened from the events, and said, “I am so sorry. How could I ever think you would attack me after all your help? Please forgive me.” She ran up and latched onto him giving him the tightest squeeze she could muster up, all the while she thought, Why am I so relieved he did not attack me? And why am I holding onto him so hard? Larkin laughed inside as he listened to her apology until she immediately released him with her last thought. He was amused when she felt guilty about accusing him of harming her, but his entertainment faded when she realized she was clinging to him like her savior.
Wyler observed a minute smile cross Larkin’s face that quickly subsided when she pulled away. Wyler turned to the Chief of Police and said, “So, what is going to happen to Mrs. Peterson?”
“We have arrested her on several charges, including domestic assault and felony reckless conduct, but I suppose we will have to add assault and battery if Jezalyn wants to file a report on her.”
“A report!”
“Yes, and everyone will be expected to appear in court, so don’t leave town,” the chief ordered.
Before Wyler’s alarm had the chance to overtake his emotions, Jezalyn quickly said, “I don’t want to press charges.” More than one was intrigued by her declaration.
“You may not have a choice, if her bullet grazed your neck,” said Chief Ellison.
Jezalyn hesitated before she responded, “I am not sure the bullet even grazed my neck. I could have been injured when Larkin knocked me down.”
“Are you sure you hurt yourself while he was trying to protect you?” Chief Ellison knew he was trying to trap her into saying the bullet had actually hit her. He knew if she did not claim the injury as Mrs. Peterson’s fault, he could not add the third charge.
“Yes, I am sure; it’s more likely that the zipper or a button from his leather jacket caused it.”
He produced a card with his name
“Where was her husband?” asked a shocked Wyler.
“He was lying face down on the floor in the office. He said he was too trapped to do anything else.”
“Oh, that’s good if no one got hurt,” remarked Jezalyn.
“Well, I wouldn’t say no one,” replied the officer.
She eyed him peculiarly, “What do you mean?”
“You got hurt, didn’t you?”
She glanced over at Larkin for a moment, swallowed hard, and took a step closer to Chief Ellison out of Larkin’s direct line of view as she said, “Yes, but I don’t see how that has anything to do with Larkin attacking me.”
Larkin barely glanced in her direction as she continued, “I thought you were here to arrest him.”
“No, my dear. I will not be arresting anyone in this shop today,” replied Chief Ellison, letting his hands rest on his gun and handcuff holsters.
She hesitated but feared for her own safety, so she retorted with one hand on her hip, “And why not?”
Seeing she was not understanding the gravity of the situation, he motioned to Larkin and said, “Could I have the honor of telling her or would you like to?”
Wyler now extremely anxious over the situation said, “I wish someone would tell me already.”
Larkin said nothing. He put his hand on Wyler’s shoulder as a signal to relax as he gave the chief a little shrug and gestured for him to continue. Chief Ellison loved to tell a good story, and this occasion afforded him practice for later, so he continued, “When Mrs. Peterson began shooting at her husband next door, she didn’t quite try to kill him. She just shot aimlessly around the store trying to scare him, and several of the bullets penetrated the walls. Your neck injury is from one of the bullets that breached the wall.” They turned to look, all except Larkin whose eyes remained fixed on Chief Ellison.
“You see, my dear, Larkin is not your attacker; he is your savior.”
She instantly stared at Larkin; her green eyes enlarged and brightened from the events, and said, “I am so sorry. How could I ever think you would attack me after all your help? Please forgive me.” She ran up and latched onto him giving him the tightest squeeze she could muster up, all the while she thought, Why am I so relieved he did not attack me? And why am I holding onto him so hard? Larkin laughed inside as he listened to her apology until she immediately released him with her last thought. He was amused when she felt guilty about accusing him of harming her, but his entertainment faded when she realized she was clinging to him like her savior.
Wyler observed a minute smile cross Larkin’s face that quickly subsided when she pulled away. Wyler turned to the Chief of Police and said, “So, what is going to happen to Mrs. Peterson?”
“We have arrested her on several charges, including domestic assault and felony reckless conduct, but I suppose we will have to add assault and battery if Jezalyn wants to file a report on her.”
“A report!”
“Yes, and everyone will be expected to appear in court, so don’t leave town,” the chief ordered.
Before Wyler’s alarm had the chance to overtake his emotions, Jezalyn quickly said, “I don’t want to press charges.” More than one was intrigued by her declaration.
“You may not have a choice, if her bullet grazed your neck,” said Chief Ellison.
Jezalyn hesitated before she responded, “I am not sure the bullet even grazed my neck. I could have been injured when Larkin knocked me down.”
“Are you sure you hurt yourself while he was trying to protect you?” Chief Ellison knew he was trying to trap her into saying the bullet had actually hit her. He knew if she did not claim the injury as Mrs. Peterson’s fault, he could not add the third charge.
“Yes, I am sure; it’s more likely that the zipper or a button from his leather jacket caused it.”
He produced a card with his name
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