Sunrise Point (Virgin River #19)(60)

“And I went,” Jack said. “She was banged up pretty bad and crying. I tried to take her to the hospital, but she wouldn’t go. So I called the police and stayed with her until they came.”

Mel looked at him. “What did she want, Jack?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” he said with a shrug. “Moral support, I guess. I suggested she get herself away from whoever would do that to her and she said she’d go anywhere I’d take her, just to get her out of there. But I couldn’t do any more—I was scheduled out on a military transport with a squad of marines. And our destination was privileged. So she told the MP’s who beat her up and then, wouldn’t you know, he stumbled in, half drunk, knuckles bruised, denying he’d ever touched her…”

“And Jack,” Mel asked. “Who told the military police that he was the one? Was it you? Did you say, that’s him?”

“He could hardly stand up! He’d been passed out and looked guilty as all hell.”

Preacher made a sound. “Fortunately that sort of thing never happened to you.”

“That’s how I got to read his tattoos,” Mel said. “Remember that, Preach? He was completely toasted, face down on the floor and I sat up with him all night.”

“All right, all right,” Jack said. “Did I need an alibi? Did I have bruised knuckles?”

Mel shook her head. “My Jack,” she said. “A hundred women have loved him, wanted him, been willing to lie or kill to get him… .”

“Come on,” he said impatiently. “She just needed some help!”

“Possibly,” Mel said. “Okay, probably,” she amended. “It does sound like there might be more to it, like maybe why the waitress couldn’t get charges against the soldier to stick, or maybe he had an alibi besides being crocked or something. If they arrested him but let him out and he stayed in the Army, there’s a piece of the puzzle missing. Don’t you want to know what that piece is? On the highly improbable chance you could be wrong?”

“I heard sarcasm there,” Jack said.

“Sorry,” Mel said. “We have a little problem in the marriage,” she said to Paige. “Two people with an overwhelming need to be right.”

“I did nothing wrong,” Jack insisted. “When a woman is battered and names her assailant, you call the cops.”

“It’s not about right or wrong, Jack—you did nothing wrong. It’s about the details. Don’t be so stubborn.”

“That’s just you,” Jack accused his wife. “I’m flexible.”

“Right,” Preacher said. “I’ve seen a lot of that, just not lately.”

“Look, he doesn’t want to explain the circumstances to me any more than I want to hear them from him,” Jack said in a sulk.

“Ducky,” Mel said. “Listen, Jack, it probably doesn’t matter whether you and this soldier kiss and make up. He’s just a visitor. But you should work things out with Luke because he’s permanent. And he’s a good friend of yours.”

“I haven’t heard from him in a week,” Jack said. “I didn’t do this, you know. What would you do if you had a patient, beat up? Would you tell her not to make so much noise with all that crying?”

“Try not to be such a jackass,” Paige said. He shot her a surprised look. He was at once shocked and not; Paige had been in a very scary, abusive relationship before she met John. But Paige wouldn’t say shit if she had a mouthful. “Just saying,” Paige added.

“I suggest you get his story and see if you can check it out for accuracy,” Mel said. “Really, I tend to lean the other way—the man is always lying.”

“And always guilty,” Jack muttered. When he saw his wife’s slow smile he actually flushed.

“Since I’ve been in this town, I’ve come up against a couple of situations with really naughty women who faked being abused by men who were the gentlest angels alive. Remember that ex-wife of Aiden Riordan’s? Pretending he beat her up when he was actually with Erin in San Francisco for days? Lord help us all! So if you won’t talk to the guy, why don’t you ask Luke for some details? Preacher here will be happy to do a background check for you, see if the guy has any kind of record. And there’s always Walt Booth if you need some Army brass on your side to find out what really happened back then.”

“I guess it’s possible,” Jack muttered.

“We need to bury this,” Preacher said. “I know Luke. If this friend of his turned out to be guilty of felony assault, he’d want to know. He’d want to be done with him. And we owe it to Luke.”

“I think my work here is done,” Mel said, standing up. “I wondered what was eating you,” she said to her husband. “Call Luke right away—this thing has been festering long enough. I thought we were going to need counseling or something.”

“You didn’t see what I saw,” Jack said.

“But I have, sweetheart,” Mel reminded him. “I know, I know—it’s never as simple as it looks. You don’t know the guy but you know Luke. You should talk to him about this, then see if you can figure it out.” And she leaned toward him for a kiss. Then she patted his cheek and smiled. “No wonder women fall at your feet. You’re such a soft touch.”