Point of Contention (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (25 page)

to lead her inside, rolling her eyes at Stuart, hoping he’d get the

message that she wanted to talk to him privately.

“All right, everyone inside, I’m sure the police will want to take

statements. Let’s all just settle down.” Martha’s directions were

followed without question. “Come on all of you, give them a minute.”

Kay watched as the staff wandered into the house and sighed in

relief when they were finally gone.

“We’ll be there in just a minute, Martha. Please get Kay some

aspirin and make sure Hoyt and Travis have Timms securely tied.”

Martha turned to enter the main bunkhouse and gave him a wave

of her hand. “He’s secure, but I’ll get the aspirin. I’m sure Kay could

use a hug and without an audience.”

There were several groans and comments, but Martha reminded

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the staff of the poker game they were playing when they heard the

ruckus. That seemed to take the onus off Kay.

“Stuart, he was in the barn the night of the storm. He watched

us…fuck. Started relating the details to me, telling me he wanted to

reenact them.”

“It’s okay, we’ll deal with him. Are you sure you want to go in

there with him? I could carry you upstairs to rest.”

“Oh no, I want to be in there when the sheriff comes to arrest

him.”

“Kay, this is all my fault in too many ways. I’m sorry he hurt

you.”

“Technically, I think I hurt myself more when I fell on the steps.”

“Martha said he was dragging you by your hair and you were

struggling to get free.”

“Yes, I was trying to get away. The idea he thought he could

touch me the way you did was revolting. I knew from the look on his

face he’d hurt me, Stuart, in more ways than I care to think about.”

She hesitated. “I should have pressed charges the last time and none

of this would have happened. He’s crazy, Stuart. He wanted to hurt

me, and from his actions, he would have enjoyed it.” An involuntary

shudder ran through her. Stuart tightened his arm around her shoulder,

and she leaned into his comfort.

“That won’t happen now, I promise you. He’s done enough to put

him away without bail for a while. We’ll make sure he’s not let out

for a long time.”

“I’d appreciate that. I don’t want to keep looking over my

shoulder wondering if he’s there, waiting to pounce.”

“Don’t even contemplate it. I promise that won’t happen.” The

siren noise got closer, and Martha appeared in the doorway. “Martha

has your aspirin. Give Timms a wide berth for now. Go inside, Kay, I

want to talk to the sheriff.”

“But…”

“Please, Kay, just this one time, do as I ask.”

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“I do want the aspirin,” she said, leaving him alone outside as the

police pulled into the lodge compound.

Kay took the aspirin with the offered glass of water and leaned on

the kitchen counter, watching Timms from across the room. His hands

were tied behind his back and his chest anchored with bungee cords to

the wooden chair. Even his legs were tied together. He glared at her,

and she refused to flinch. Instead, she stared directly at him and

wondered who had given him the black eye and swollen lip.

“Thanks, guys,” she said to all the men in the kitchen, not singling

any one out. Hoyt stood beside him with his rifle in hand. Travis

stood on the other side, his knuckles wrapped in a kitchen towel.

She’d bet there were ice chips in it but didn’t ask.

“You bitch,” Timms slurred, and Kay caught him wink at her with

a cynical smile.

“You weren’t that drunk when you tried to rape me, Timms. Don’t

assume the sheriff will assume you were inebriated. I’ll have him give

you a breathalyzer for the record just to prove you were in your right

mind.”

“I should have just taken what I wanted. That damn dog.”

“Precious dog,” Kay answered, turning to see Stuart and the

sheriff enter.

“Well now, what do we have here?” The sheriff’s tone was all

business. “Mr. Timms, to start with, you’re trespassing among other

things.” He turned to Kay and gave her a once-over. “You okay,

miss?”

“By the grace of God and the dog,” she told him. “I’m okay but

pissed. He’s been on lodge land all this time, skulking around and

watching me, spying on all of us.”

“Sounds like stalking to me,” he said and asked everyone to clear

out of the kitchen. He sat at the table and invited Kay to sit. Martha

made herself busy with coffee and cake while he took notes. She

noted Stuart stood still in the doorway, crushing the band of his hat

between his fingers when she relayed how she found Timms in her

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apartment and what he had in mind. Travis watched the whole scene

through lidded eyes, and she understood he was the one who hit

Timms. She’d have to thank him later.

“Well, Mr. Timms, it seems you have a lot on your plate right

now.” He glanced to Stuart. “Who does your background checks?”

Stuart rattled off a security company name. “Well, I’d say it’s time to

get a new company. Seems Mr. Timms here has a lot more to his

background than originally thought.”

“What are you talking about?” Kay watched Stuart straighten and

take the seat beside the sheriff.

“When the call came in about him tonight, I had the office run

him for outstanding warrants. On deeper inspection, it seems Mr.

Timms has several aliases and outstanding warrants in several states.

He likes to use his fists to settle arguments. Your attempted rape,

stalking, and trespassing are going to have to take a backseat to his

manslaughter charges in New Mexico and the two armed robberies in

Idaho. Seems he was convicted of the robberies and got away in

transit to the state prison by assaulting an officer. That will be another charge added. The manslaughter charge came after the grand theft of

a jewelry store in New Mexico went wrong.”

Timms started struggling with his bonds when Travis moved

behind him and wrapped his arm around the man’s throat. “Try it,

give me an excuse to snap your pathetic neck. Save a lot of states a lot of money prosecuting you and keeping your ass in jail for life.” Kay

saw him snug his arm up a bit tighter. “Sheriff, does New Mexico or

Idaho have the death penalty, or will he rot in a cell for the rest of his life?” Kay noted the sheriff didn’t answer, just nodded at Travis, who

released his hold on Timms. He made a production of slumping back

onto the chair.

“I think I have enough for now. Kay, Stuart, I’ll need you both to

come into the office tomorrow morning and make formal statements.”

“No problem, we’ll be there early. Any idea when his first court

appearance might be?”

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“We’ll know that all tomorrow, after we’re done processing him.

He’ll have a hearing here about these charges. In the meantime, I’ll let the district attorney contact the other states and see what they want to do about extradition.”

“Thank you, Sheriff. I appreciate your help. I’ll sleep better

knowing he’s in a cell tonight.” Kay stepped forward and shook his

hand.

“You’ll be safe tonight. He isn’t going anywhere. Just for general

principles, Ms. Farrell, let the deputy take a few photos of that knot

on your head and the bruises on your arm.”

“Of course,” she said and understood the more evidence, the

better the case against him. She felt humiliated sitting in the brightly lit kitchen and posing for the deputy to photograph the knot on her

head and the bruises starting to show on her upper arm. Stuart and the

sheriff had walked outside, Travis following as Timms was led out in

handcuffs.

The next hour was a blur for a bit, everyone hovering and wanting

to hear what they missed. Travis stepped back inside and sent

everyone on to their evening activities. They were asked to be careful

what they said to any media outlets that might ask for statements,

reminding them their paychecks depended on the lodge maintaining

its reputation in all directions.

Finally, with the crew dispersed, Travis took Kay by the hand and

mentioned to Martha they were heading to the office. She nodded and

went about cleaning up her kitchen. Kay was thankful she’d slipped

away to freshen up and change her clothes while the sheriff was

downstairs. It was silly, but she felt safer jumping in the shower while he was in residence. It was a quick transformation, but at least she felt almost human again. Her head throbbed slightly, and her whole body

ached where she’d hit each wood riser as she tumbled down the steps.

She stood and walked beside Travis, holding her head high, wanting

to crumble in his arms as soon as they were out of sight.

They’d rounded the corner of the building, out of anyone’s sight,

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when he pulled her against his chest. “Kay, I’m so sorry. If I never

brought you here, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“This is not your fault—it’s Timms’s fault for being a scumbag

and trying to hide here at the lodge. Besides, I’d not have missed this

time working with you for anything.”

She felt her cheeks heat and knew they were turning shades of red.

“And the sex wasn’t bad either.”

She tried to laugh, but he pulled her tighter and whispered, “I love

you, darling, you know that. Whatever Stuart decides he wants, I’m

always here for you…in my own way.”

She pulled back and smiled. “You mean for friendship and sex but

not for a commitment that includes the word marriage.”

“Some dogs you can’t teach new tricks.”

“I like your tricks as they are and accept you as you are.”

“Kay, if anything had happened, I would have had to hurt him.”

“I know, Travis, and I appreciate it. And I’d condone it.” They

paused for a few seconds before they both started to smirk then finally

laughed in relief. “Come on, let’s go hear what Stuart has to decree.”

At his office, it was clear he was agitated. Even old Harley

seemed on alert, sitting by the desk instead of sprawled on the old

leather sofa.

“Kay, I’m so sorry this happened. Are you sure you’re all right,

that you don’t need medical attention?”

“I’m okay. A fall down the stairs won’t stop me. And now that I

know for sure Timms is gone I feel much better.”

“How about a drink?” Travis asked and got a stern look from

Stuart.

“Tomorrow, we’ll all go to the sheriff’s office for statements. I

want you both in top shape in case he gets a lawyer with thoughts of

getting him bail.”

“We’ll be ready,” Travis offered. “Ah, before this all happened

you wanted to see me and Kay. Want to tell us what that was about?”

Stuart looked confused for a moment and shook it off. “That

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doesn’t matter right now. Best we take care of Timms first. Why not

get some sleep, Kay. Tomorrow will be a long day, and you’ll

probably be sore from your fall.” He was distracted, she noted, his

fingers flexing and the vein in his temple throbbing prominently.

“Okay, you’ll let us know what you wanted when things settle

down.”

“Do you want to stay in the main lodge tonight instead of going

back to your apartment?”

“‘No, I don’t feel threatened anymore. I’ll be fine. I guess I’ll see

you both in the morning.” She paused and bent to hug the dog, staying

to untangle her favorite silver chandelier earring from his collar.

“That was a good idea, Kay. We saw the jewelry on his collar just

as Martha called to tell us there was a problem.”

“Timms knocked the box to the floor. I was more surprised that

Harley showed up when he did. It’s like the dog had some kind of

ESP.”

“Whatever he has, I’m glad he’s around.” Travis’s voice broke

with emotion, and he left the office quickly.

“Well, emotion from Travis, you guys really are upset. I’m okay,

really. He didn’t hurt me.”

“We all are upset, Kay. This could have ended much differently.”

“I know, Stuart. Trust me, I know. When I found him in my

apartment, I got sick. When he started telling me how he watched us

fuck and would do the same, I knew I couldn’t let him take me. I

guess I’m just too stubborn.”

“While I hate your stubborn streak in many ways, tonight it came

in handy.” He took a step toward her, his hand rising, but he stopped

short of touching her. “Let’s get this all settled. Call if you need

anything tonight.” He turned and left her alone in his office.

“Well, I guess I’ve been dismissed.” She petted the dog a bit

longer before heading back to her apartment.

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Chapter Nineteen

Kay was exhausted when they finally returned to the lodge. She

had been prepared for a long day, but not for the way Timms was

represented at his hearing. To hear his lawyer’s version, she was a slut who invited him to her bed. As for the charges in the other states, they claimed it was a case of mistaken identity. Thankfully, fingerprints