Brady Remington Landed Me in Jail(65)

I braced myself for the shock to flash over the Deputy's face, but I was the one surprised. A calm acceptance was there instead and he stood to scratch his jaw. He spoke as he went to the door, "Always knew this day would come. Frank Stephens has some inspiring qualities in him, but the one that makes him dangerous is his lack of caring. He don't care about no one. When he fathered a child like Brady, who has all those same qualities plus a few he don't, I'd known this day would be one for the books."

His hand went to the door handle and I could tell that was all he was going to say. I shot to my feet. "That's it? That's all you're going to say? Aren't you going to go after him or something? Do you know what Brady might do?"

"That boy turned into a man quite awhile ago. I don't think he's going to go off the deep end finding out who his daddy is. The only thing that'll push him over is you—"

"Brady thinks Frank Stephens and my mother had an affair." I didn't realize I had thought it until I blurted it out, but it made sense.

He snapped his mouth shut, stunned. Comprehension and horror all flashed across his face. Then he stated, "Then you best be getting over there, Miss Rayna."

He swung the door open a second later and stood back.

As I started to go past him, I held his gaze for another second. Everything felt surreal now. No words were shared between us, but I knew what we both thought. Only I could stop something from happening. It rested on my shoulders. With that realization, I was again taken aback. Any other day I would've hid, but this time there was no fear. There was only a feeling of purpose. And strength. I felt strong.

I was starting to like this feeling.

"You're not going to put me in jail?" I questioned.

"Nah. You don't deserve jail for hitting the likes of Frank Stephens. You deserve a medal."

I looked down when I felt tears in my eyes and tried to blink them away. Then Deputy Doug roughly squeezed my arm in reassurance and they fell free. These tears were different. I couldn't explain them, but they were different.

I wasn't hiding anymore.

"Go on, Miss Rayna."

As I made my way out of the station, I felt foolish and oddly brave. I knew people in the waiting lounge were probably watching me, wondering what kind of a freak I was, but I didn't care. I just didn't care anymore. I felt the sunshine hit my face in a new light when I pushed through the door and embraced it. I wanted to see the sun and the sky in my newly acquired confidence.

"Rayna!" Clarissa screamed at me.

I jumped back and the glass door hit me forwards. As I stumbled forward, I tried to brace myself so I wouldn't fall onto the sidewalk. My hand flattened on the pavement and a sharp pain flared in my wrist, but I caught my balance.

Clarissa watched from her car. "Hurry, hurry. We have to go. Now!"

"What? Why? What's happened?"

"Get in the car!" she ordered.

I complied. "What's happened?"

We shot down the street. "I was at the hospital with Kid when Brady showed up. It is not good, so not good, Rayna. Kid shoved me out the door, but they were all yelling and then something crashed into the wall. I tried to get inside, but the door wouldn't budge. Someone hit someone and I took off to get you. You gotta stop 'em."

As she continued to ramble on, I wasn't scared. It was time the secrets were told.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

Brady burst through the hospital doors. It didn't take a detective to figure out which room his father would be in. It'd be the best room in the corner. The hospital officials wouldn't want to be sued so they'd give him their top service, including two nurses on hand and a doctor close to his door. So when he saw a group of hospital workers outside a room, he headed there and pushed through the doors.

Clarissa had been standing behind it with a carton of coffees. The door knocked them from her hands and she gasped, but Brady stalked to the bed where Frank sat up in a nightgown. He paled at the sight of him. Kid remained on the other side of the bed. He froze in place.

"Did you sleep with Leann Janke?" Brady ground out.

Kid jumped forward. "Clarissa, maybe you should head outside."

"What? No, I—"

He grabbed her elbow and led her through the door. "Thanks for all your help. I'll call you later."

"But—" The door closed and Kid stood in front to block anyone else.

"Did. You. Sleep. With. Her?"

Frank blinked, but that was his only reaction. He stared in Brady's eyes. Kid saw all of this and jerked forward a step. "Brady, what's this about?"

Brady reached for Frank's collar and Kid lunged for him. He threw an arm around his neck and jerked back. Both of them crashed into the window, but Brady rounded with a fist formed. He punched Kid across the face and then reared back with an elbow.

"Stop!" Frank yelled and hit his call button.

Brady shook his head and shoved Kid backwards into a chair in the far corner. "Stay out of this, Kid. You've done enough since you've been here."

"I've done enough?" Kid laughed on an empty note. His face twisted into an ugly frown. "Are you kidding me? I've done nothing but help you."

"Help me? How?"

Kid stood and shook his head. "Do you know how frustrating it is to leave a place I loved? I loved this place. I loved being friends with you and Rayna and then I come back. My whole word has been turned upside down and I come back to see that yours are all fine. They're all the same. Nothing's changed. Nothing!"