Eddie's POV:
Ripley is quiet and staring off into space while we wait for Hopper to get to her house. The deputy that originally showed up asked a million and one questions to which I refused to answer, wanting to speak directly to Hopper. When he realized I wasn't going to cave, he finally called the older man and he now wanders around Ripley's room, taking photos of the damage with a Polaroid camera while we wait.
I sit beside Ripley on the couch, stroking her arm absently as I replay the contents of the note over and over again in my head along with my previous conversation with Patrick.
When Hopper finally shows, he marches into Ripley's living room and stares down at us expectantly, his hands on his waist.
"This had better be good," he warns and I note that he isn't in uniform, but rather a blazer and nice jeans. My eyebrows furrow slightly at his clean attire and I stand, gesturing for him to follow me outside. We step out onto the porch and I look up at him, sighing softly. I reach into my pocket and hand him the note that was attached to the rock. He unfolds it and reads it, his expression shocked. When he looks up at me, he looks disappointed and tired.
"It's Jason," I say matter-of-factly, and he nods slowly, folding the note back up and clutching it between his fingers.
"I'd bet money on it," he agrees, his eyes dart over to his car and I see a silhouette in the passenger seat, moving slightly. I try to focus on the matter at hand even though my interest is peaked.
"But why couldn't you tell the deputy in there about this, kid?" Hopper asks, a little of his annoyance leaking into his voice.
"Because I also wanted to let you know that Patrick called here the night of the trial," I sigh and Hopper's eyes nearly pop out of his head. His lips set in a hard line and I can tell his anger is growing.
"You aren't kidding me, right?" He clarifies. "Because if you aren't joking, some of the guys down at the correctional facility are going to get my foot so far up their asses-"
"I'm not joking, Hopper," I say, doing my best to make my tone and expression serious. He straightens as he looks down at me before he shakes his head in annoyance.
"Do you know what McKinney wanted?" He asks and I nod.
"He wanted to apologize to Ripley and also to warn her about Jason. He said he had been talking about some pretty sick and twisted stuff and he wasn't sure what he was planning, but none of it sounded good."
"How'd she take it?"
"She doesn't know," I mumble and Hopper stares at me, his expression unreadable. "I was the one who answered his call. He gave me his warning and I told him to never call again. I didn't want to worry her unnecessarily, but now I'm thinking maybe I should have."
Hopper reaches out to pat me on the shoulder and my eyes meet his, surprised.
"You did the right thing, kid," he tells me with a small smile and I nod in appreciation. "I'll make sure to find out who let him call her and take care of them. I'll also pay a visit to Jason and get an official investigation going. For tonight, though, you two try to get some rest. I'll have Deputy Martin call her mom to let her know about the damage to her window and that we stopped by."
Hopper's eyes dart restlessly back over to his car and I realize that whoever was waiting in the passenger seat has gotten out and is standing by the hood, looking over at us. I squint slightly as I look at them and when realization finally hits me, I glance up at the sheriff with wide eyes.
Joyce Byers walks slowly towards us, her hands in the pockets of her coat and a sheepish expression on her face.
"Sorry," she calls as she approaches. "I just wanted to check and make sure everything is alright. If we don't head out soon, we will miss our reservation."
She gives Hopper a meaningful look before her eyes dart back to me. She offers me a warm smile.
"Hi Eddie," she says softly. "You been doing okay?"
"I've been hanging in there, Ms. Byers," I nod with a grin and she leans forward to touch my arm once before pulling away.
"I'm just wrapping up here," Hopper assures her, squeezing her hand. "I'll be back to the car in a second."
She nods and turns to go back to the car, huddling more deeply in her jacket as she goes. Hopper watches her retreat before turning back to me with a sigh. I grin up at him and he gives me a wary look.
"I didn't know you were dating Ms. Byers," I say smugly and Hopper rolls his eyes.
"That's none of your business," he warns, pointing a finger at me and my grin deepens. "Your business is to keep that girl in there safe and calm until I can get this sorted out. Do you think you can handle that?"
"It's what I live for," I say honestly and Hopper finally smiles down at me. He pats me on the shoulder.
"You know, kid, you aren't half bad," he says with a chuckle. "Lay completely off the dealing and maybe you and I can get along."
My eyebrows shoot up at his admission to knowing I deal and I blanch slightly, wondering if I'm in deep shit. Hopper chuckles at my expression before he turns away.
"Easy, Munson," he says. "I know you're harmless, but just remember I know everything and you aren't slick. Shape up. If not for yourself, then at least for Ripley. I'll talk to you guys tomorrow. Behave yourselves."
He waves over his shoulder, the note still between his fingers, as he trudges back to his car. Deputy Martin meets him outside of his vehicle and they talk for a few minutes before Hopper and Ms. Byers pull away. I head back inside, eager to be back beside Ripley.
She's curled up on the couch still, her legs tucked underneath her and a sad expression on her face. When I step inside, her eyes meet mine and my heart clenches in my chest. She looks so tired. I kneel before her and push some of her hair out of her face. She leans her head into my hand and I offer her a timid smile.
"Deputy Martin is going to call your mom and explain the damage and the reason for their visit," I explain and she nods, chewing at her bottom lip. "Once he is gone, we can clean up your room and try to find something to cover up your window for the night. That way, you can get some rest."
Her eyes drift from mine and she looks into the distance with a vacant expression. I wait with batted breath before she turns back to me, her expression desperate.
"Can I just spend the night at your house tonight?" She asks, her voice soft. I nod, not even hesitating to give her whatever she wants. I want her to feel comfortable and safe and if coming home with me will do that, then so be it. She stands up and goes to move forward but looks down at her outfit and crinkles her nose.
"How much longer do you think he will be?" She asks.
I move to peek down the hall at Deputy Martin, who is still in her room, talking quietly on the phone with Ripley's mom. I look back at her with a shrug and she sighs heavily.
"You can always wear some of my clothes to bed," I offer and she chews on the inside of her lip before nodding.
I walk down the hall and step into the doorway of her bedroom. I clear my throat loudly and Deputy Martin turns with his eyebrows raised, the phone still pressed to his ear.
"I'm taking her to my house," I tell him. "There is a key under the mat for you to lock up once you are done."
He nods slowly and explains to Ripley's mom that she has requested to go to my house. I guess Ms. Marro asked to speak to me because Martin held out the phone for me, an annoyed expression on his face.
"Hello?" I say and I hear Ripley's mom let out a relieved sigh on the other line.
"Oh, Eddie, dear," she says. "How is she? Do you need me to come home? I have a bowel resection in about 45 minutes, but I'm sure I can get someone else down here to fill in if necessary."
"No, Ms. Marro," I reassure her. "She's alright, she just doesn't want to be home with what went on and has asked to spend the night at my house. I'm fine to keep an eye on her."
"Thank you, sweetheart," Ms. Marro sighs and I can hear the relief in her voice. "I honestly don't know what we would do without you. I'm so glad she has you in her life."
"Don't mention it," I say. "I definitely have a lot more to gain from having her with me. I'm just happy to repay even a fraction of what she gives me."
Deputy Martin holds out his hand in annoyance, obviously growing impatient and I sigh.
"Deputy Martin still needs to speak to you, so I'm going to pass you back," I say softly and she thanks me again before I hand over the phone. Once their conversation has resumed, I turn away and back down the hall. Ripley is by the front door, playing with the hem of her shirt. She looks up at me expectantly as I approach and I smile warmly at her.
"Time to go, princess," I say softly, wrapping my arm around her waist and spinning her towards the door. She let's me usher her outside and into my van, moving slowly beside me. Once we are on the road, I reach over and place my hand affectionately on her thigh, giving her leg a squeeze. I glance over at her every once in a while as I drive and her head is resting against the window, her eyes heavy. She has soft circles under her eyes and she yawns softly. I turn the stereo down slightly so that the music isn't too loud, just playing lightly in the background and she smiles appreciatively at me.
My mind wanders as I continue to drive. A million thoughts flutter to the surface and I tap my thumb against the steering wheel anxiously as I think over the note and what Jason may have planned. I want so desperately to drop Ripley off at my trailer and try to find him. I want to beat him bloody, ensuring he won't mess with her anymore. She doesn't deserve any of this. He needs to leave her alone.
Before my temper can spike too much, we make it to my house and I park outside. I turn to ask Ripley if she wants to eat when she gets inside, but she is fast asleep. Her head rests firmly against the glass of the window and her lips are slightly parted as she takes even breaths. I sigh softly as I look at her, bemused at how much the evening has taken a turn. A few hours ago I was consumed by the idea of laying her out across her mattress and having my way with her. Now, my body feels like lead, fatigue riddling my body and exhausting me. I'm so tired the very thought of sex exhausts me.
I reach over to pat Ripley on the shoulder, but she doesn't stir. I try to jostle her a little harder and her head bobs back and forth, but she remains asleep. Resigned, I hop out of the van and move to the front door of the trailer, unlocking it and opening it so it rests ajar. I walk slowly back to the van and open the passenger door slowly so Ripley doesn't tumble out. I gather her in my arms, tucking her into my chest and stroll inside. I make my way down the hall towards my bedroom and I kick open the door. It hits the wall with a loud thud and I cringe slightly at the noise. I make my way over to the bed and gently ease Ripley down onto the mattress. I move to pull away from her, but her hand has come up and is clinging tightly to my collar. I reach down to try to pry her fingers away, but she won't let go. With a sigh, I ease out of my shirt, letting it slide up and off my head. I pull away, topless and gaze down at Ripley. My beautiful girl looks so sleepy with my shirt clutched between her fingers and her legs tucked up against herself. I shake my head with a small smile on my face as I duck down and kiss her forehead. I leave the room, softly closing the door behind me and I walk back towards the front of the trailer to close the front door.
As I reach the door, I realize there is someone just beyond the threshold and my eyebrows furrow as I approach. Peeking out, I see Max Mayfield and Lucas Sinclair standing just outside my front door. Max glances unashamedly inside the trailer as I come around the corner. When our eyes meet, she ducks back out and turns to Lucas, whispering something in his ear. I step up into the threshold and place my hands on the door frame, looking down at them with curiosity. Lucas smiles up at me while Max regards me with tolerance, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Hey Eddie," Lucas says sheepishly, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. "Sorry to disturb you. We were hoping we could talk to you about something."
I raise my eyebrows at them and Lucas peeks over at Max, who gives him an encouraging nod.
"What's up, Sinclair?" I ask him.
"It's about Jason," Lucas sighs, his expression troubled. "I think he's plotting for revenge against Ripley and he has been saying some nasty shit to the guys."
I'm frozen for a moment, taken aback by the fact that Jason is ballsy enough to mention his plans in front of Sinclair, knowing Lucas and Ripley are friends. After a pause, I nod slowly and step back, gesturing them inside. I have a feeling this is going to be a lengthy conversation and I'd rather not risk my neighbors overhearing. Lucas and Max step inside and I close the door behind them, bracing myself.