Archer's Voice (A Sign of Love Novel)(100)

"Hello," I said softly.
"Bree, hi, this is Detective McIntyre. I was calling because I have some news."
I glanced back at the counter, noting everyone looked like they had what they needed and turned my back.
I distantly heard the bell over the door ring, but didn't turn. Maggie could take care of new customers until I was done.
"You have news, Detective?"
"Yes. We made an arrest."
I sucked in a breath. "You made an arrest?" I whispered.
"Yes. His name is Jeffrey Perkins. He's the man you identified. We brought him in for questioning and his print matched one we found at the scene. He lawyered up so he's not talking. His father owns a big Fortune Five Hundred company here in town."
I paused, biting my lip. "Jeffrey Perkins?" I asked. "His father is Louis Perkins isn't he?" I asked, closing my eyes, recognizing the last name of the man that owned one of the biggest insurance companies in Cincinnati.
The detective paused. "Yes."
"Why would someone like Jeffrey Perkins come in to rob a small deli?" I asked, feeling numb.
"I wish I could answer that," he said. "My best guess is that it was drug related."
"Hmm," I said, remembering Jeffrey's, shiny, dilated eyes and jitters. He had to have been on something. Rich boy with a bad drug habit? I shivered, shaking my head slightly to bring myself back to the present.
"What happens now, detective?"
"Well, he's out on bail. His arraignment is in a few months so now we just wait for that."
I paused for a minute. "Out on bail. So, more waiting." I sighed.
"I know. It's difficult. But, Bree, we have some really good evidence against him. And with your ID. I'm hopeful here."
I took a deep breath. "Thank you so much, Detective. Please keep me updated on anything else you might get?"
"Absolutely, I will. Have a good day."
"You too, Detective. Bye."
I hung up and stood with my back to the diner for another minute. This was good news, so why couldn't I feel the happiness, the relief, that I should be feeling? I stood biting my thumb nail, trying to figure myself out. Finally, I took a deep breath and turned around. Victoria Hale and Travis Hale were sitting at the end of the counter, just to the right of where I was standing.
My eyes widened, and I took in Victoria's icy stare and then Travis's furrowed brow.
I spun on my feet and called, "Maggie! I'm taking a small break. I don't feel so good."
Maggie turned to me with a worried look. "Okay, honey," she called as I rushed to the back and stayed there until Travis and Tori left the diner.
A little while after they'd left, I was wiping down a table near the window when I caught sight of Archer on the other side of the street. My heart started racing. "Maggie!" I called, "I'll be right back!"
"Oh, okay," I heard Maggie call, confused, from the break table where she was sitting and reading a magazine. She had to be wondering what was going on with me today.
I went out the front door and called to Archer. He was stopped on the side of the street, watching the police cruisers go by, a tight expression on his face. Had he been thinking the same thing I had been thinking?
As I was about to step off the curb, a hand grabbed my arm and I halted and turned slightly to see Travis. I looked to the left of him and Victoria Hale was standing there, trying to pretend I didn't exist, her eyes focused solely on the parade in front of her, a phony smile on her face and her nose in the air.
I looked over my shoulder at Archer who was now starting to walk across the street toward us.
"I have to go, Travis," I said attempting to pull away.
"Whoa, wait," he said, not letting go. "I overheard your phone call. I'm concerned. I just wanted to–"
"Travis, let me go," I said, my heart beating faster. This was the very last thing Archer needed right now.
"Bree, I know I'm not your favorite person, but if there's something I can do to help–"
"Let me go, Travis!" I yelled, wrenching my arm away. The crowd around us suddenly seemed to quiet slightly, eyes moving away from the parade traveling slowly down the street in front of them, and toward us.
Before I could spin around, a fist was flying at Travis's face and he went down hard, a spray of blood seeming to move in slow motion through the air in front of me. I gasped and so did Tori Hale and several people standing close by.
I looked over my shoulder and Archer was standing there, breathing hard, eyes big in his face, opening and closing his fist by his side.
I gaped at him and then looked back at Travis who was just standing up. His eyes filled with rage as he took Archer in. "You motherf*cker," Travis hissed, gritting his teeth.