I was surprised by this information, not because the sheriff ever treated me poorly, quite the opposite. He always treated me equitably, just like he treated everyone.
An odd twinge of guilt struck me between the ribs. I’d been funneling evidence out of Sheriff James’s station for months, replanting it in strategic locations along with forged listings of money laundering and loan sharking activities.
In my defense, the lists were an accurate accounting of the motorcycle club’s actual money laundering and loan sharking activities; but the Wraiths were irritatingly disordered. Their record keeping was unsystematic. So I’d recorded the details in an effort to make the club appear more organized. The stolen evidence just tied everything together in a nice big obstruction-of-justice bow.
On its own, if I hadn’t interfered, the evidence stolen might’ve led to the arrest of several members of the Iron Wraiths. And those arrests would have been minor wins for the sheriff. But the wins would’ve been fleeting, because none of the evidence would have led to the club’s downfall.
I had my eye on the big picture. Helping the club appear more organized in their criminal endeavors would lead to their destruction, because RICO charges didn’t just remove the head of an organization. RICO charges brought everyone down.
When I was done, everyone was going to prison for a long, long time.
Every. Single. Member.
Even Isaac . . . This realization gave me pause.
“Cletus?”
I refocused my attention, seeing that Jessica’s pleading smile hadn’t dimmed.
“You might think I’m crazy, but I’m not. I’m right. And you’re smart. So you know I’m right. Give a man a fish and you’ve fed him for a day, but—”
“Give a woman a vibrator, and she’ll orgasm for life. I get it.” I waved Jessica off, looking out the window to my left, while I debated her advice.
It felt like a big step. I didn’t want to frighten the woman with sex toys. “I don’t know, Jess. I have no idea how she’ll react. Put yourself in her shoes.”
“You want to help her? Empowering her is key.”
“I know that.” I did know it. That’s why the second homework had been for her to make changes, but only changes she wanted to make.
Jess continued to push. “She’s different already. How she’s dressing, wearing her hair, speaking up for herself. And that’s wonderful, it’s great to see. She’s taking control of her life with baby steps.”
“But me showing up with a genital stimulation device doesn’t seem like a baby step.”
“Then let me do it.”
I glanced at her askance. “What?”
“Let me do it. You bring her to Big Todd’s and I’ll walk her around. She can even choose the color.”
I groaned, a new and vast smorgasbord of lurid images assaulted my psyche: Jennifer standing in the bathroom using her toy; Jennifer standing in the bathroom using her toy in front of the mirror; Jennifer standing in the bathroom using her toy in front of the mirror while I stood behind her and . . .
I groaned again.
Forget whether or not Jennifer could handle the introduction of a vibrator. The real question was, could I?
***
“What are you planning to do with that?”
“Pardon?”
I glanced at Shelly. The woman stood before me, arms crossed, sharp gaze moving between my face and my hands.
“The torque wrench. What are you doing with it?”
I glanced at the socket wrench in my hand and discovered Shelly was right. It wasn’t a socket wrench. I’d mistakenly grabbed the torque wrench.
Dammit.
I needed to focus.
The last two days had been excruciating. Not only had Jessica been a plague, but the idea seed she’d planted in my brain took on a life of its own.
I spent the whole drive back to Green Valley Saturday night thinking about Jennifer. Wondering if she’d gone to the bakery to prep for the next day, or if she’d gone home. I’d tortured myself with images of her slipping into bed. What would she wear? What did she dream about? Was she getting enough sleep? Was she gardening in overalls? What was she gardening? Had she gone hiking again?
It rained on Sunday, and I knew she liked reading while it rained. Had she read a book? What book? Did she like it? What did she think about it?
Jessica showed up after church on Sunday and hadn’t quit her harassing until I’d agreed to her plan. But I hadn’t agreed because of her pushing, I’d agreed because it was a good plan. It was time for Jennifer to broaden her horizons. It was time for her to be pushed out of her comfort zone. This was a big step.
But the sooner Jennifer Sylvester stood on her own, the sooner I could remove myself from her life and establish normalcy and calm in mine.