Brady Remington Landed Me in Jail

He was pressing charges.

"I understand, Mr. Stephens. I can promise that this will be the last altercation between the two boys. The restraining order will come into effect at midnight and this should be the last you see of Mr. Remington," Deputy Dog rasped out. He stood to his fullest height and held a firm hand out to Frank, who ignored it and instead swept cold eyes towards his son. He narrowed them for a brief second and an inaudible look was passed from father to son, but it was gone the next instant as Frank Stephens scanned his nephew and landed on me.

Chills went down my back.

I'd always known about Frank Stephens, how he had terrorized half the town into selling their businesses. Viola had ranted and raved about the injustice of our system when he'd hiked up the prices in every store and gas station that he owned. He would've been banned from having a monopoly over the town if it weren't for a small family-owned gas station. The stories hadn't mattered to me because I had never seen the infamous Frank Stephens in person and now that I had, I wished I hadn't come.

He stood tall with a muscular build underneath a three-piece suit. With sandy brown hair that looked swept carelessly to the side and piercing blue eyes, I could see why the Senior Kidrick was rumoured to go from affair to affair. He exuded a cold disdain that was mixed with strong confidence. None of that mattered to me, but I sucked in my breath at the sight of pure hatred in his eyes when he stared at me.

"Dad," Kid growled in warning.

Deputy Doug cleared his throat.

I couldn't look away from Mr. Stephens. I desperately wanted to, but I couldn't for some reason.

"Let's go, Dad." Kid moved back across the room and stood in the line of fire between his father and me.

I jerked at the sudden loss of…whatever it was. When my hand trembled, I flushed and tucked it in my back pocket. Then a door to the left opened and everyone heard the sound of locks turning in a back room. A police officer led the way and I tensed even more when I heard the familiar sound of my best friend's swagger.

The police officer pointed him towards another desk in the far corner. As Brady bent over the counter and was given a pen to sign some papers, I looked back and noticed that Kid had grasped his father's arm. He pulled him towards the door, but Frank Stephens stared at Brady, riveted. He didn't budge.

"That should be it, Brady," the police officer murmured, amused. He patted his shoulder in approval. "Dougie's pretty adamant, man. You gotta stay away from that other kid or your butt's going to be in a different jail for a lot longer than you've spent here. Trust me. Dougie's serious on this. You can't bust anymore skulls."

Brady laughed huskily and turned around. The amusement vanished as he took in the group behind him. When he straightened in a flash, an ominous feeling swept through the room. I sucked in my breath and glanced at Frank Stephens. Remorse flashed in his eyes before a wall slammed in its place. I saw nothing after that. Puzzled, I looked back and caught Brady's gaze. He was asking if I was okay and I nodded with a small smile. I didn't dare say anything else. The room was ready to erupt.

"We should go, Dad." Kid tried to pull his father towards the door, but Frank Stephens didn't move. His eyes were still glued on Brady.

Brady took a step towards us, but was halted as the police officer slapped a hand on his arm. "They need to clear the room."

He frowned, but said nothing.

Josh snorted. "Well…this is awkward. If no one's going to start throwing punches, we should go, Uncle Frank."

Then we heard Viola in a backroom. Her voice grew as she approached. "Bailor, if you didn't know how my ass looks in a grass skirt, we'd have to throw down here and now. You let that boy out or I'm going to Veronica about your indiscretion at the CornFestival of 1986. Don't think I don't remember what I saw because I do, even if things were a little fuzzy at the time."

"Jeez, Vi. I was just joshing you. The boy's been released already. No charges were filed in the first place."

She stopped in the doorway as she heard Judge Bailor's sheepish comment and spun around to the assembled group. Unlike Brady, she didn't have a police officer to hold her back as she surged forward. Her finger was drawn in the air with a pinched nerve on her forehead. Rage filled her shoulders. "What did you say to her, Frank? I won't have you berating my granddaughter. You get away from her, you and your son. I don't want either of you in her life!"

Brady jerked forward against the officer's arm. Then Kid stepped in front of his father and stopped Viola in her tracks. "Stop it. He hasn't said a word and he's not pressing charges against Brady. Just…chill, old lady."

Oh no.