Fallen Woman(66)

“Certainly, Mr. Lane.”

“Would you mind saying hello to the kids before we go? They were excited to see the police car outside.” The two officers must have thought it was as asinine a request as did I given the circumstances, but they conceded. “I don’t want them to associate anything negative with the police. If they think you’re my friends, they’ll be okay.”

The light bulb seemed to go off for them at the same time it did me. He was more concerned about the children being negatively affected by whatever was going on than what was actually taking place.

Jase called them all downstairs and Emmy jumped into his arms from the second to last step. They were all excited to meet real police officers and couldn’t get to them fast enough. Both were engaging, and the kids were in love. While they answered their questions, I went after Jase.

“Can you tell me what’s going on?” I searched his eyes for fear, confusion, anger, but only saw love.

He lowered his voice to keep anyone else from hearing him. “I told you I was going to deal with Holland one way or another. I did. He’s being a pussy and pressing charges.” This proclamation came like he was delivering the weather.

My hands found my hips. “What did you do?” My eyes narrowed, and I stared him down.

“I can assure you he’ll never touch another woman again.” He eyed me like I should understand what that meant. He was speaking in half thoughts, cryptically. I needed a diagram drawn out, a detailed outline with pictures.

“What did you do?” I asked again, my voice laced with irritation, verging on anger. “Are you going to jail for this?”

“If I do, I won’t be in long. It’s a misdemeanor. I just roughed him up a bit.”

The smile he gave me should have eased my panic, but the thought of Jase going to jail because of me hurt. Another man was ruining his life to protect me. A tear leaked from the side of my eye, but his thumb swept it away.

“Don’t cry. I’ll be fine. I knew what I was doing when it happened.”

“When?” As if the details now mattered.

“The day I took off from work.” He tucked my hair behind my ear before he pulled me in for a hug. “Twice you’ve gotten hurt because I fell down on the job. I trusted men I shouldn’t have. It’s not going to happen again, Gia.” He spoke the words so only I could hear them. His lips met mine in a soft caress, but when he pulled back, he was all business.

“Okay, guys. You’re gonna stay here with your mom, and I’m going with my friends for a little bit.” They all groaned like only little kids could do before stepping back to allow the officers to leave. As they were walking out the front door, Jase called out to them, “I’m right behind you.” They both put their hats on as they stepped off the porch and walked to their car.

Jase told the kids goodbye and sent them upstairs. Emmy clung to his neck a little longer than the others and kissed him on the mouth before she scurried after her brothers and sister. He wrote down his lawyer’s name and phone number and promised me he’d be home soon.

“Then why do I need this?” I asked holding up the slip of paper.

“Just in case. He knows who you are. He’ll contact you if this doesn’t go the way I think it will. Don’t worry. I’ll be back in a bit.” He kissed me quickly one last time and left.

Minutes turned into hours, resulting in me doing bedtime and baths alone. I didn’t realize how quickly I’d become accustomed to Jase participating in our routine until he wasn’t here. The kids were oblivious to his absence. They assumed he was off with his buddies the policemen…all except Emmy.

“When’s my daddy coming home?” she asked with surreal innocence. I brushed her blond curls, not sure how to answer.

“When he’s done. He’ll be home as soon as he can.”

“I need night-night kisses.”

I tried to give her the biggest smile I could muster and sank the tips of my fingers into her little sides until she cackled in delight. “Are my kisses not good enough?”

She threw her arms around my neck but never answered. I knew she loved Jase. He and Derrick had a unique father-son thing going, but Emmy…she was the end-all, be-all for him. The sun rose and set in her. The other kids didn’t notice—I think they assumed she was the baby and the sick one so she needed more attention. He doted on all of them equally, but he carried her everywhere, and there was a gleam in his eye when he looked at her that wasn’t there with Derrick, Megan, or Trace. Emmy was the apple of his eye.

Around eleven, his lawyer called to tell me he had been detained. He refused to give me any more information but assured me Jase would be home tomorrow. I was livid. I had a right to know what was going on, but all the guy kept telling me was Jase didn’t want me to worry. Surely, he knew that was all I’d do—all night and into the next day.

I dropped the kids off at school, called in to work, and then went to the precinct downtown to get some answers. The moment I gave them my name and showed them my identification, things became weird. Instead of blowing me off as I expected, I was ushered into what I assumed was an interrogation room. Waiting must be part of the mind manipulation. For hours, I sat there staring at blank walls, and every time I’d ask for assistance, I was told someone would be with me shortly. There wasn’t even a magazine to pass the time.