Twisted Perfection (Rosemary Beach #5)(58)

The officer opened the door to the backseat, put his hand on my shoulder, and pushed me inside. I wanted to tell him to stop hurting me that I would go willingly but I couldn’t. My words weren’t working. I’d forgotten how to use them. The terror was starting to take over.

I wanted Woods. I was scared. Tears trickled silently down my face and I focused on Woods. On his face this morning when he’d kissed me awake. I loved him. I’d never told him I loved him. I needed to tell him.

The car came to a stop in front of Woods’ house. I was relieved. I wasn’t going to jail. I didn’t know why I was here but the relief pushed the other thoughts away.

Two black Mercedes were parked in the driveway. The driver’s side door opened to the first one and out stepped Woods’ father. Something was wrong. Why was he here and why had he had me arrested?

The police officer opened my door and jerked me out of the car when I didn’t move. I stumbled on the split brick road and managed to catch myself before I fell and the cop holding my arm jerked it out of socket.

“Thank you, Josiah, for helping me handle this matter delicately,” Mr. Kerrington told the officer. He let go of my arm and nodded. He tossed a set of keys to Mr. Kerrington before stepping around me and getting into his car.

We stood there in silence as the cop drove off with me still in handcuffs.

“Hello again, Miss Sloane. I hope this time you can stay in your coherent state long enough for me to explain to you exactly what is about to happen,” he said taking a step toward me.

“After our last encounter when you blacked out on me I had your background checked. I found out that my son is throwing away his future for a woman who is mentally insane. Or at least she will be soon. It apparently runs in your family. You’re already showing signs of instability. You are supposed to be seeing a psychiatrist three times a week but you ran off without so much as a word six months ago. You have been in jail for the murder of your mother, which you were proven innocent on because your alibi checked out. However, a track record of crazy is there. I can’t let the heir to the Kerrington name waste his life on someone like you. You’re not good enough for my son.”

He pulled out a diamond bracelet that had to cost a fortune. “And to assure that you won’t be stepping foot back in Rosemary Beach ever again, I have evidence that you stole this bracelet from a customer. She dropped it while dining with us and you brought it back here and had it tucked away in your suitcase. She is willing to forgive you and let it be if you leave town. The officer who brought you to me has this on record and will arrest you and the victim of this theft will press charges if you don’t leave town immediately.”

He pointed to the other black Mercedes sedan sitting in the driveway. “Your bags are inside. I trust you will willingly get in this car and let it take you somewhere far from here. Doesn’t matter where. Just go.”

I stood there weighing my options. I didn’t have my phone. I wasn’t sure where it was. I’d left it in the house this morning. I still had handcuffs on and I was very likely going to jail for a crime because I’d been set up. Where was Woods?

“If you love my son and I believe in that unstable brain of yours that you think you do, you will leave him alone. Let him go. He doesn’t need this or you. He needs someone who can give him healthy children. Someone he doesn’t have to take care of. Don’t you want that for him?”

I did. I wanted all of that for him. I nodded.

“Good. Then get in the car and leave Miss Sloane.”

I looked up at the house that represented the man I loved and a tear rolled down my face. This was right. It was time I left.

“Can I ask you to do one thing? Please tell him I left because it was what was best for him. Not because I didn’t love him. Because I do love him. I want him happy and I want him to have the best in life. I know I’m not the best.”

Mr. Kerrington didn’t reply. He only stood there holding open the back door of the car waiting on me to get in.

“Please, I don’t want him to think I didn’t love him. He doesn’t deserve that,” I begged.

“Woods won’t care that you’re gone. Stop kidding yourself, girl. You are just a distraction for him.”

I knew in my heart that wasn’t true but my emotions couldn’t take another hit. I was too close to shutting down. I tried to swallow past the lump in my throat. “Okay but what about my car?” I asked as I walked over to the sedan with my hands still locked behind me.

“It will make its way back to you. But for now you’re leaving it here. We need to make sure you’ve not stolen anything else before we release it. I’ll leave the key to the cuffs with Leo, your driver. Once you are safely where you’re going he will uncuff you. It’s for his safety, of course.”

I didn’t respond. I just crawled inside. When the door slammed closed behind me I laid my head over on the window unable to lean back because of my hands. I watched Rosemary fade in the distance as he drove away from the small town.

“Where to, Miss?” Leo asked from the front seat.

“Macon, Georgia,” I replied. It was time I went home.





Woods



My mother had called and said my father wanted to meet with me. I had been ready for this confrontation so while Della was working I went to see him. Except he wasn’t home. Mom told me to have a seat and she’d fix me breakfast while we waited for him. After two hours of listening to my mother’s concern for my future and telling me my grandfather’s wishes, I stood up. I wasn’t staying any longer. Della would get off her second shift soon and I was going to be there when she did. I didn’t have any more time to waste.