They didn't get a chance to talk in the morning. The sheriff had gotten dispatched at the break of dawn for a burglary. Which was odd, giving the town had a very low crime rate. When she arrived to the scene, the woman reported her jewelry and credit cards stolen by an assailant in a mask. Demi wrote down the woman's report, as her officers canvassed the area and talked to neighbors. She had a pretty good idea who took the jewelry. After all, this was a small town, people still had their struggles. One person in particular, more so than others.
"Leroy!" Demi shouted, waving her officer over as she reassured the victim they would find who did this.
"Yes, boss!" Leroy had been on the force for two years now. He was a sweetheart, and she considered him like a son. He was fresh out of college and wanted to dedicate his life to this line of work when he had many other fields of interest. She was also very familiar with the boys father. He was a local mechanic who worked on all the cruisers in the department.
"Can u bring Johnny in for questioning about this burglary? I have a feeling he might know something." Leroy grinned, already knowing how this was going to go.
Whenever a crime like this happened, the officers would make bets on who got to bring Johnny in. He was known for giving the officers a run for their money on a normal day.
Later that morning, Johnny was brought in, thrashing in two of her officers' arms.
"Hey! Let me go. I ain't do nothing!" Johnny shouted his southern accent coming into play. When he caught wind of the sheriff's gaze, he straightened up a cool expression, taking over his features. "Oh, hey there, pretty lady, if you wanted me to come visit you all you had to do was ask."
Demi scoffed as Johnny was thrown down into the chair in front of her desk. Opening the bare file in front of her.
"You been keeping out of trouble?"
The bored expression on his face answered her question for her. They went way back. She used to encounter him alot when she worked the beat. They quickly formed a bond, and he became her informant. They worked many drug trafficking cases together. She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed over her chest.
"I don't know anything. I ain't see nothing. How many times do I have to tell you?" He shrugged his shoulders, the ceiling suddenly becoming very interesting to him.
Demi slid Johnny a fifty dollar bill across the table, and his eyes bulged just thinking about the quick fix he was going to get with that kind of money.
"I didn't do it! But I heard a few of the guys talking. I can give you their name if you throw another fifty on that, " he bargained, leaning forward as if they were playing chess and he had the upper hand.
"How about you give me the name, and I won't send you to state for drug possession. I can see the meth baggies in your pocket."
Johnny's eyes froze with fear as he realized he'd been caught. When the officers came across the trailer park, he didn't have enough time to flush it.
"They call him DD he's at the park." Johnny's shoulders slumped as Demi slid him the money and sent him on his way.
Although it was a close-knit town, it had its good and bad side. She had been aware of a drug ring that was surfacing around the park, which was the most poverty-stricken part of town filled with low income housing. She had been trying to work with the mayor to get a center built that offered rehabilitation and safe injections sites. They were still trying to crunch the numbers to make it work within the budget they were given by the council. Which reminded her she had a council meeting tomorrow.
She typed up a report and sent a few officers over to the park to pick up DD, hoping he didn't sell Ms.Wartons things before they were able to retrieve it. She did promise her they would get everything back, and she wasn't keen on breaking promises.
She had not gotten a chance to talk to her deputy or Jessie as her day was suddenly very busy. She was honestly still processing everything that happened. Her body ached, which was a constant reminder of the woman's actions.
Demi can count on one hand the number of times someone laid a hand on her. It brought back very traumatic memories from her childhood that she didn't want to think about.
By the time she got home, she was more than surprised to still find Jessie there. Not only that, but the woman had also made them both dinner. She had done a good job covering what she could with makeup, and her long sleeves helped cover the bruises on her arms. Her officers knew better than to say anything to her.
"I want to apologize for the way I acted." Jessie started fiddling with her apron."There is no excuse."
Demi loosened her tie and hung it over the chair, "I can't imagine what you are going through. But if you ever put your hands on me like that again, I will have you arrested. "
Jessie gulped at the seriousness of her voice. "Understood." She moved forward to place their plates at opposite sides of the oval dining room table.
The food smelled delicious, whatever it was. In fact, Demi didn't even think she had half of this stuff in her fridge she had been meaning to go grocery shopping for the week when all of this started. Regardless, she dug right in moaning at the savory taste of her medium rare steak as it melted in her mouth.
"I will answer any questions you have," Jessie started as she spooned some mashed potatoes. "Ask away."
She didn't know where to start because she couldn't stand to even remember that version of herself. She once was happy, and her husband was loving. When they first started dating, he checked all her boxes and the red flags her best friend warned her about weren't there. He was the perfect boyfriend and husband.
It wasn't until they started talking about having a family and the media asking them in interviews and red carpets that things started to go downhill. Family was important to Malcom. He was very close to his mother, and she knew a part of him regretted not giving her a grandchild before she unexpectedly passed. That was the true trigger of his rage. So when they started trying to get pregnant and it wouldn't stick. He once loving and understanding husband had changed.
She reflected on a memory of her at the 2015 Grammy red carpet. She was interviewing with E news, and the anchor had asked if they planned on starting a family. She felt her husband tense beside her, his smile never wavered as he assured them they should be extending their family soon.
Later that night, when they got home, they had gotten into an argument. Jessie had told him he should've never promised something they both knew was never going to happen. Because Jessie was infertile. She couldn't have kids even if she wanted to, and seven miscarriages and countless testing proved that. Yet somehow, her husband was still in denial and blamed her.
"They will never stop asking now!" Jessie yelled. Slamming her purse onto the counter as she crossed her arms over her chest."Don't you get it? You promised them something, and now the blogs are going to have a field day!"
She hadn't felt so much rage in her life. Because he didn't have to live up to these expectations, she did. She had to be reminded every time she walked out that door how much of a failure she was. How she couldn't give him the one thing he wanted, children.
"You are such a screw up you know that? Maybe if they keep asking it will get through your thick skull and you won't fuck it up this time." He sneered inches away from her face, fist balled at his sides. She flinched, turning her head in submission. Not bold enough to meet his eyes as she took in a sharp breath.
"And if you ever raise your voice like that at me again or question why I do things. You will regret it." He stormed off and Jessie was left alone.
She was taken out of that memory by a warm hand on her shoulder. She hadn't even realized she was crying until she felt the dampness of her cheeks.
Demi handed her a tissue.
"He loved me. He truly did. I just failed him," she cried." All he wanted was a son, and I couldn't give him that." Demi pulled the woman into her arms.
"Sweetie, that's not love, and it's not your fault. " she whispered chin, resting on the woman's head as she sobbed into her chest. "He has no right to put his hands on you ever."
Her grip around the woman tightened this new urge to protect her coming forth. " If you allow me to, I can help you.. I can protect you."
Jessie lifted her head, turning to face the woman. " I can't drag you into this. I have to do this on my own," she said, putting some distance between them now. She couldn't possibly involve anyone else. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if something happened to the sheriff or anyone in this town because of her.
The sheriff was perplexed. She understood what she was saying but at the same time letting her do it alone just didn't sit right with her.
" I can take photos of your injuries, and we can build a case. Get a protective order, and it will help you in your divorce." The sheriff suggested litteraly out of options and just wanting the woman to accept her help
Jessie stood,"No, if I do that, he will know where I am and come here.... my picture will be plastered on every blog in minutes, and I can't have that happen." Despite everything, she still valued her privacy, and with this, she knew it would just cause a shit show PR storm that she wouldn't be able to get out of.
"You have to do something. He reported you missing, legally I have to call it in soon. You don't have much time." She said solemnly, "My department will hold out as long as we can you have my word." And with that, the sheriff walked out of the room. Dinner long forgotten.
As soon as Demi got into bed that night, she screamed into her pillow, needing to get her frustration out in some way. The situation was becoming more complicated by the second.
After several hours of tossing and turning, She shifted in her bed, letting sleep take over, not ready for what awaits in the morning.
~~
Hey all ! I'm thinking I can wrap this story up at the 20 Chapter mark we shall see.