Читать книгу Texas Pride - Gerry Bartlett - Страница 11

Chapter 4

Billy thought he’d done a decent job of hiding how that phone call had him tied in knots while he was with Shannon. Now he had to arrive at the county jail on the back of Albert’s motorcycle since he hadn’t planned to get his car back until morning.

When he climbed off the bike, he got some looks from the cops clustered in front of the glass doors of the massive jail near downtown Houston. It was time for a shift change so there were more men standing around than usual. A few he recognized.

“Pagan.” A sheriff’s deputy stepped into his path. “Not your usual ride. Where’s the rest of your gang?” He nudged one of his buddies and they cracked up.

Billy knew better than to start something. He just smiled. “Even lawyers like to cut loose now and then. But the bike isn’t mine. I’m sure Slash would take it really hard if something were to happen to it here.”

“Yeah, I bet he would.” The deputy eyed the bike. “I’m a veteran too. Slash is all right, though some of his crew needs a firmer hand. I’ll make sure nobody touches the bike, though it looks like somebody already did.” He frowned at the dent in the tailpipe. “Good luck in there. I heard she’s been making quite a lot of noise.”

Billy winced. “Thanks for the warning.” He’d been afraid of that ever since the phone call. Now he knew his connection to the perp was common knowledge. Shit. When the deputy stepped out of his way, Billy headed on inside and passed through the metal detectors after emptying his pockets. He knew this place too well. By the time he got to the women’s lockup, his stomach was churning. Damn it. Tonight of all nights, when he’d been feeling so good, she’d pulled this.

“Sally Marie Winthrop.” He gave the name to the clerk and showed his identification. “I’m her lawyer.” He sat and waited while they sent for her. The smells and the sounds were always the same. It wasn’t a place he wanted to ever visit, much less come to see a woman he knew and was supposed to love. He heard his name called and headed for the room the clerk indicated. He found Sally slumped at a table. What the hell was she doing in an orange jumpsuit? It didn’t suit her and was a bad sign. Her dark hair was matted and she looked like she’d washed off her usual makeup. When she raised her face, he could see her eyes were bloodshot.

“Billy, sweetheart, you’ve got to get me out of here.” She didn’t bother saying thanks for coming. Of course. He was always going to be there for her. He’d promised his mother on her deathbed to take care of Sally.

“Aunt Sally, I’ll do my best.” He sat across from her and took her shaking hand. His mother’s sister. If ever there was a reason for him to hate drinking, it sat right here. Sally was only forty-six years old, his mother’s baby sister because of what his grandmother called a “change of life” accident. She looked closer to Gran’s eighty-four.

“They won’t let me smoke in here. Nazis. And this is all a big lie. I only had a few belts. Was driving home from bingo when that cop pulled me over. I know I wasn’t going over the speed limit. Didn’t do a damned thing to make him stop me.” She squeezed his hand. “He made me get out of the car when he saw I was driving on a suspended license.”

“You still had a couple of months to go on that last DUI, Sally. The arrest report says you were weaving and hit a construction cone.” Billy dropped her hand and sat back. How the hell was he going to get her out of jail this time? Third strike and it was a miracle this was only the third time she’d been caught driving when drunk. At least she hadn’t hurt anyone. Yet.

“I can’t just sit at home, Billy. I go crazy. The bingo hall is only a few blocks away.” She ran a hand through her hair and seemed surprised when it got tangled and she had to jerk it free. A few dark strands came with it and she cursed. “Look at me. The guards were so mean. Just because I threw up when I got here. Ruined my outfit. They gave me no privacy. Stuck me naked under a shower. The water was cold, Billy.” She started crying, big heaving sobs.

“Sally, honey.” Billy got up and walked around to hug her thin shoulders. His heart broke for her. But, damn it, why the hell couldn’t she pull herself together? He stopped when a thought struck him. “Gran wasn’t with you, was she?”

“No. It’s her night for Dancing with the Stars. She likes bingo but you couldn’t blast her out of her recliner on a Monday night when that show’s on. She bitched at me for driving but I got the car keys anyway.” Sally wiped her eyes and grabbed a tissue from the box on the table to blow her nose. “She’d hid them in a coffee can.” She snorted. “Like I didn’t know that trick.”

“It’s her car, Sal. And she was only doing what I told her to do. You weren’t supposed to drive. If you want to get out, call a cab or Uber.” Billy sat across from her again. Damn it, what now? He’d paid for her to dry out after the last DUI and yet here she was again, reeking of alcohol. A couple of drinks? Not if the way she smelled was any indication.

“I can’t afford to pay for a ride. Renee was supposed to pick me up, but she forgot.” She grabbed another tissue. “She’s got a new boyfriend. Me? I’ve got nothing, Billy. Can you blame me for wanting to have a little fun?”

“I blame you for getting behind the wheel after you drank too much. You could have killed someone, Sally. Then what? You want that on your conscience?” Billy leaned forward, sick of what had become a familiar scenario. “I’ve a good mind to leave you in here. Let you sweat this shit out of your system in jail.”

“No, you can’t. I’m sick. The doctor said so.” She reached for his hand again. Her skin had a yellow cast he recognized. Her liver was failing. Her doctor in rehab last time had warned them she had cirrhosis. She was flirting with the need for a liver transplant. Except she wasn’t a good candidate. Not if she wouldn’t stop drinking.

“You’ve got to get me out of here, Billy. I’ll go to rehab again. I swear it. And never drink again. But I can’t do jail. The women in here are hard. You should see the way they look at me. Mean eyes.” She leaned against him. “I’m scared.”

“You got yourself into this situation, Sally. It won’t be easy to get you out this time. I saw you failed the field test for sobriety.” He didn’t take drunk driving clients as a matter of principle. Family was the sad exception.

“I explained why I couldn’t stand on one leg to that cop. Inner ear problems. Would he listen? No. I told you. I only had a few drinks. And they were weak. That bingo parlor waters down the booze and charges an arm and a leg for it.” She stared at him, pleading.

“You’re drunk. I doubt you weigh more than one-twenty soaking wet. Three drinks and you’re over the limit, Sally. Honest to God, I can smell the alcohol on you from here. If that’s from three weak drinks, I’m Superman.” He leaned back, looking away from her welling eyes. “Face facts. You can’t drive. I’m taking the car keys this time.”

“Who will take Mama to her doctor appointments? The grocery store? You know how she likes to shop and pick out her produce.” Sally swayed in her chair.

“Gran can drive, you can’t. But I’ll make sure she gets where she needs to go. If you’re in rehab, what difference will it make? First we need to see if I can keep you out of jail. The only good thing going for you as far as this infraction is concerned is that you were close to home and no one got hurt.” Billy looked around the dingy conference room. “And that you’re one of hundreds of DUIs on the Harris County rolls each month. If I can work a deal for rehab and community service, a judge will be glad to get you off his over-crowded docket.”

“I love you, Billy. Your mama would be so proud of you.” Sally dissolved into tears again then noisy gulps and sobs.

Billy hardened his heart. Sally had made a mistake bringing up his mama. He’d worked his ass off to become successful so he could rise above a life where three generations crowded into a run-down two-bedroom house, living on food stamps and charity. He’d made it too late to help his mother, who’d died early from her own alcoholism and the cancer that had taken her fast at the end.

As he saw Sally being led away by a hard-eyed guard, Billy realized this was just one more chapter and verse of what he’d lived with all his life and what would probably be in his future. Maybe he was being selfish, asking anyone to take on the misery his family represented. Shannon certainly had no idea what kind of baggage he brought with him.

He had plenty of time to think while he worked his way through red tape during the rest of a long night. Wait for a judge, file a paper, wait for a court time—it was a game he’d played many times—but it was necessary so he could get Sally out of lockup and into rehab.

Of all the women in the world, why did he think he had to have Shannon Calhoun, a party girl who thought she couldn’t have fun without a drink in her hand? Maybe he was the sick one. Why was he drawn to a woman with the same problems he’d resented since he’d been old enough to understand them?

She didn’t drink tonight. That thought made him unclench his fists a little. He was so crazed about this issue, he was going to drive Shannon away if he wasn’t careful. Was that what he wanted? It had happened before. He’d make demands and she’d run like hell. Who could blame her? He sure didn’t let anyone dictate to him. Shit.

If he didn’t get his shit together and soon, he was going to lose her. And this time, he didn’t think he’d get another chance.