Chapter Forty Six
Cam shut the door behind him and turned the deadbolt. As he slid his laptop bag off his shoulder, he set it down and kicked off his sneakers. Heading into the kitchen, he opened the fridge and took out a soda.
It had been a long, tiring morning and he just wanted to relax. Grabbing a bag of potato chips, a bottle of water, and some napkins, he made his way to the sofa, where he flopped down and stretched his long legs before he reached for the remote and turned on the television. Leaning his head back, his eyes were closing quickly.
“…and in today’s local news, the daughter of NASCAR legend Bo Duke was involved in a shooting in Texas —” Cam’s eyes snapped open and his head jerked forward. There was a picture of a younger Bo and Luke in their orange racing suits in front of the General Lee. “—and while the plea is self-defense, Aralyn Duke is being held at the Amarillo police station. Mr. Duke, and his two cousins, all US Marshals, have arrived in Amarillo. We go live to our affiliate, Darcy Maynard, who’s on the scene.”
Cam stared at the footage of the police station. He could see Trixie and Honey getting out of a dark SUV and escorted by men in suits. Both women ignored the press.
“Tory, this footage is from when the girls’ mothers arrived at the station house. Both women were Federal Marshals in the past, and came in by private jet, owned by Matthew Wheeler of Wheeler International, father of former socialite and US Marshal, Madeleine “Honey” Wheeler; she’s the taller of the women there. The women are not speaking to the press but the precinct is crawling with federal agents. What we know is that around eight-thirty this morning, nineteen year old Aralyn Duke and her cousin Tiffany Duke were getting ready to leave town, continuing on what’s been a year long trip around North America. Aralyn Duke was confronted at her car by Billy Lee Watson, a local man with a reputation as a belligerent alcoholic.
"According to Watson's friends, there was a disagreement last night between Watson and the girls about dancing. Watson allegedly showed up this morning at the hotel and is now dead. Other hotel guests report hearing a single gun shot, and both girls carry concealed weapons permits and have 9mm's registered in their names in the state of New York. It's suspected he followed the girls back to their hotel or came back this morning. Nineteen year old Tiffany Duke was in their room with the girls’ dog, while Aralyn Duke was loading the car.
"The wall of blue silence seems to have descended here, as no one will give us any more information than that. The girls are expected to be released into their parents’ custody.”
Cam just stared at the screen, frozen. Aralyn and Tiffany’s high school senior pictures were flashed on the screen, along with the mug shot of a heavyset, mean looking man with a bushy mustache.
The girls looked so young and innocent, especially compared to the clearly drunken brute in the third picture.
Cam rubbed his face in disbelief.
Dear God. Aralyn had shot and killed a man. Self-defense or no, he knew she would be shaken to the core. He hoped she hadn’t seen all those reporters; the noise and flashes would spook her in the big crowd. She hated crowds and being closed in. Was she in some tiny holding cell, with only a few feet to move in? She’d lose her mind.
He wanted to go to her. He wanted to be on the next plane out. But he had no doubt that Bo would bring her home safely, probably on the Wheeler corporate jet, and she would want to hide out for a while. And what about Tiffany? Not much information about her, just that she was being held there. Cam knew Tiffany would stay as close to Aralyn as possible. And what had the reporter said about a dog?
He heard a key in the door and then it opened.
“Cam?”
“Come here,” he answered. “Aralyn’s in trouble.”
“I know.” Dean shut the door and joined his friend. “I was with Natala this morning when it happened. She got all pale and twitchy and said something had happened to Aralyn. Nat made me go to Trixie’s. I texted you but you didn’t answer. I took Nat to pick up the twins and Jace, and dropped them all off at Brian’s.”
Cam ran one hand over his face. “I was in class. I forgot to even look at my phone. I’ve got to know if she’s okay.”
“Last time I talked to Nat, she seemed to think so. Aralyn’s probably terrified right now, but her parents are there.”
Cam just nodded, his mouth dry. Dean put his hand on his friend’s shoulder.
“Hang in there, man. She’ll be home soon enough. She’s got her family with her, she’ll be okay. You know Mr. Wheeler will have her out of there ASAP, and Bo himself will shoot anyone who gets in his way.”
Cam couldn’t smile though, all he could think about was his beautiful golden goddess, trapped in a tiny cell and terrified.
***
Trixie had arrived and forcefully shoved her way through the crowd of reporters until a Marshal realized who she was and escorted her and Honey in. They were immediately reunited with their daughters and Aralyn burst into a fresh round of tears, sobbing into her mother's shoulder.
Aralyn was arraigned and released into Bo and Trixie’s custody that evening, while there was debate of if Aralyn should be charged and how to charge her. Tiffany, not being an eyewitness nor being charged, had already been let go to Honey and Luke. Dixie went with her.
After several days of conversations between lawyers, Aralyn, some locals and the responding police officers, the prosecutors finally decided not to press charges against Aralyn. A witness came forward that had seen Earl lunge at Aralyn right before she fired. Earl also had a rap sheet filled with assault charges, indecent exposure and petty theft. Aralyn was a good kid with no record, from an upstanding family full of law enforcement, and had a powerful team of lawyers ready to defend her. The prosecutors decided it was a clear cut case of self defense and their efforts were better spent on true criminals.
She, Trixie, Bo, Honey, Tiffany and Dixie finally boarded the Wheeler jet to return to New York. Dan and Luke would drive the 4-Runner back to New York.
Aralyn sat between Bo and Trixie, eventually falling asleep with her head in Bo’s lap on a pillow, like she used to do when she was a child. Trixie held her daughter’s hand. Tiffany had fallen asleep with her head in Honey’s lap, Honey’s slender hand stroking the long hair. Dixie lay below Tiffany, on the floor, dozing.
The adults didn’t say much, not wanting to wake the girls. Bo knew Trixie had a few choice words, but she would hold them until they were home alone. Years ago they had agreed never to quarrel in front of the children. He also was pretty sure some of Trixie’s upset would be taken out of him, for allowing their daughter to take the trip. This was one of many things Trixie had feared happening. Bo would take her temper until Trixie wore herself out. Bo knew she was blaming herself just as much.
They didn’t wake the girls until they were ready to land.
There was a noisy reunion at the Duke house, as the family was reunited. The twins were thrilled to see Aralyn had picked up a dog, but Dixie seemed to have no interest in them, to their dismay. Sean, however, was another story.
Aralyn watched Dixie carefully, making sure she didn’t move too quickly but the Malamute held still while the small boy inspected her. Sean wasn’t growing nearly as quickly as his siblings had, and was still small for his age. Next the giant dog, he looked fragile.
“Wolf,” he said suddenly, very clearly.
His family exchanged glances.
“No Sean, she’s a Malamute.” Aralyn corrected him. “I think they’re descended from wolves.”
“Wolf,” he said again.
Aralyn smiled. “She does look like one, doesn’t she?”
Sean wrapped his arms around the big dog and smiled. “Wolf,” he said happily. Dixie turned and licked his face eagerly.
“Mom, I promise, she’s not a wolf that I know of.”
“Well, either way, she stays,” Trixie sighed, not about to remove the dog that her youngest son had just fallen in love with.
***
Aralyn lay awake, staring at her ceiling. Now that she had some peace and quiet, she kept reliving those awful moments.
“You jackass, this is ridiculous! Stand down!” Aralyn snapped.
“Little girl ain’t gonna shoot me. You dumb city-Yankee bitches can barely hold a gun, let alone fire one and hit anything!”
Billy Lee stared at her for what felt like forever. He looked down at the red stain spreading across his chest closed his eyes for the last time, and his body crumpled to the ground.
Over and over, the gun went off, blood spread across his chest, and he was staring at her in disbelief.
She kept hearing the gun blast echoing in her ears. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face change as the bullet went in, that horrible, accusatory stare, as he fell backward.
Rolling over on her side she pulled the pillow over her head but it was to no avail. Finally, she sat up, rubbing Dixie’s ears and as the big dog looked at her mournfully.
“I know. You want to sleep too,” she sighed, “Sorry, big girl.”
The floorboard outside her door creaked and Aralyn tensed. Billy Lee is dead, she assured herself. The door opened and a tiny head peeked around.
“Sean,” she said softly, in relief. “Come on.”
Dixie rolled over, making room next to Aralyn for Sean’s small body. The boy climbed into the big bed, hugging Aralyn. Snuggled between his sister and the dog, he was asleep quickly, his breathing even and undisturbed. Aralyn finally drifted into a fatigued sleep.
Dixie opened her eyes when the door opened again a while later. Her tail thumped softly on the bed when Bo slipped into the room. Bo rubbed her ears, watching his oldest and youngest children sleeping. Sitting in Aralyn’s chair at her desk, he sat watch until dawn, when he finally dozed off.
Trixie awoke with a start, and realized Bo’s steady breathing was missing. His side of the bed was cold, he had been gone a while. Knowing her husband’s fondness for pie in the wee hours of the morning, she smiled to herself, before she remembered there wasn’t any pie in the fridge currently.
Throwing the covers back, she slid her slippers on and crept down the darkened hall. Leif and Sean were light sleepers and Sean would scream his head off if something spooked him in the middle of the night.
Seeing Aralyn’s door cracked open a bit, she poked her head in and had to smile. Sean was curled up against Aralyn, whose arm was thrown over him. Dixie slept on Sean’s other side, facing the door, but one eye opened and recognized Trixie. She gave a lazy thump of her tail. With the big dog on the bed, the trio was crammed in tight. Trixie’s eyes drifted to the desk, where her husband was asleep, leaning back in the chair. When Aralyn had had nightmares as a child, Bo had often been the one to comfort her, sleeping next to her until she reached the awkward stage of her body developing, and then he would sit at her desk, watching until she fell back asleep.
Trixie knew she would find Bo here for several more nights. While Aralyn had been gone, he had gotten up more than once to go look in her room, and he worried endlessly about her. He rarely expressed it but she knew her husband and how to read him. The twins were extraordinarily self reliant, or reliant on each other and Aralyn was Bo’s little girl, and Sean was Trixie’s baby boy.
Crawling back into her bed, she was sound asleep when Bo returned. Bo smiled at the sight of his wife sprawled out in bed, blonde curls wild. Any time he got up, Trixie automatically rolled over to hog the bed. Bo didn’t mind, it gave him an extra reason to press up against her, and run his hands through her hair, and on occasion, seduce her into waking up.
Smiling to himself, Bo snuggled against his wife, drawing her as close to him as he could, thanking God his little girl was home at last.
***
Dean Acklen shut the door and called out to his roommate.
“In the kitchen!” Cam called back.
“Dude, check it out. Guess who’s back in town.”
“Not a clue, man,” Cam said absently, sliding the chicken into the oven. He couldn’t stop thinking about Aralyn.
“How about the love of your life?”
“What?” Cam looked up from the oven. “Aralyn? She’s back already?”
“Saw her myself. That mess in Texas really messed with her, Cam. She’s super twitchy.”
Cam didn’t answer, just staring at his roommate as he was spun back in time. That very day she had come bouncing into the room freshman year… watching her play on the hockey field, tutoring her, escorting her to the Homecoming dance, their first kiss that night, the first time they made love…
She was back. Aralyn was back in town.
“Think it’s for good?” he asked, trying not to appear as shaken as he was. They weren’t due back for three more months. But the incident out West had made national headlines, of course they’d bring the girls home.
“I don’t know. Natala sure seemed to think so. She was happier than I’ve ever seen her, to have them back.”
Cam leaned against the counter.
“You gonna call her?” Dean asked. His green-blue eyes were concerned. Cam had gone dead white and Dean knew he was thinking about Aralyn and their past. Dean couldn’t stand Cam’s current girlfriend, she was a manipulative and snotty bitch. Dean knew she was a rebound for Cam, someone to keep him from dying of loneliness. She was tall and blonde but she was no Aralyn.
Cam hesitated. “I don’t know. This is twice she’s gotten back into town and not called me. I don’t think she’s wanting to pick up where we left off.”
“So be friends with her,” Dean shrugged. “You two were friends before you started going out, even if it was just your ulterior motive to ask her out,” he chuckled.
“True. But I have a girlfriend, I don’t think she’d like it.”
“Screw her. Never mind, you already are. Ditch the bitch. You wooed Aralyn once, you can do it again.”
Cam rolled his eyes.
“Man, this could be your golden opportunity. Not only am I dating her cousin, but she’s back in town. The universe is giving you an opportunity, Cam, don’t pass it up.”
***
It became apparent quickly in the next few days that Aralyn was not herself. After a joyful reunion with Natala, she seldom left her room, let alone the house, except to take Dixie outside, but Sean often took the big dog out without asking if it was necessary. Since Natala and Brian were just around the corner, Natala came by daily. Tiffany called or came over, and the three girls stayed in Aralyn’s room, occasionally going out to the back patio to sun themselves. Summer was coming, which meant camping and parties at the lake, but anytime something was brought up, Aralyn would just shrug and give a non-committal grunt.
Keeping mostly to her room, even Tiffany and Natala couldn’t coax her to go out with them.
“I think she needs to talk to a professional,” Trixie ran her hand through her blonde curls.
“A shrink? Trix, our girl don’t need a shrink, she just needs some time to get over that whole mess,” Bo replied.
They were in their bedroom, and Trixie was brushing her hair before they went to bed. Bo came up behind her at her vanity table, where she sat, and took the brush from her, gently running it through her hair.
“It’s been weeks, Bo,” Trixie replied, agitated. “She hardly smiles, she won’t go out with the girls. She won’t even get the mail.”
“She’s just adjustin’ to being back home with her family. It’s a rough move after bein’ on her own so long. We both went out on our own once,” he reminded her.
“I know,” Trixie sighed. Tears welled in her china blue eyes as she stood and turned to her husband. “But I didn’t shoot a man while roaming the country trying to find myself.”
Bo pulled her against as she cried, soothing her with his gentle voice, when she suddenly pulled back and punched him in the chest.
“Ow-Trix, what the Hell?”
“You gave her that gun!” she hissed. “You had to go and get her a gun!”
Here it was. “Trix, that gun was for protection, and that’s what she used it for. It’s not like she went on a homicidal binge!” he snapped back, glad their door was shut. He didn’t want the kids hearing any of this. He had been waiting for her explosion that never came after the shooting.
“An eighteen year old girl shouldn’t be running around with a gun! I shouldn’t have agreed, I should-it’s-” she began to hiccup as the tears came.
Bo pulled her against his chest, letting her hit him as she cried.
“What saved her life,” Bo interrupted. “Trix, if she hadn’t had that gun that man could have killed her, or raped her. She shot it in self defense, which is exactly what she was raised to do. You know a well as I do, it was her last resort.” He softened his tone to calm her.
Trixie’s sobs softened to a low whimper, as Bo held his wife lovingly. He had been waiting for this. Waiting for Trixie’s bottled up emotions to come busting out, as they inevitably did. She blamed herself for Sean’s condition, and now she was going to blame herself for letting Aralyn follow her dream. Bo had to convince her otherwise.
Bo reached over to the vanity table and had the tissues in hand when Trixie finally pulled away and reached for them. Wiping her eyes, and blowing her nose, she looked up at him with watery eyes.
“I didn’t mean to attack you,” she said mournfully.
“It’s ok,” he kissed the tip of her now red nose, “you know how much I love making up.”
Trixie had to laugh, which ended in a hiccup.
“I’m just so worried about her,” she sniffled. “That’s our little girl in there, and she’s so far removed from being herself that it’s scaring the crap out of me.”
“Tell you what,” Bo slid his hands into her robe and around her waist. “I’ll talk to her tomorrow, and if she stonewalls me, I’ll see about getting her to talk to a shrink, ok?” Trixie nodded as he kissed her slowly. “Natala likes her doctor, maybe she’ll do. This wasn’t your fault, Trixie. Aralyn is an adult, and she did the same thing you would have done. She did exactly what Daisy did, all those years ago.”
Trixie nodded as she remembered that night, so many years ago, when Dan had come close to death defending Daisy, and Daisy shot and killed Earl Johnson . Bo rubbed her shoulders gently, his lips grazing hers.
“In the mean time Mrs. Duke, let me relax you a little.”
Trixie closed her eyes as his lips began to explore her.
***
Aralyn glanced up towards the door at the knock. Sighing, she called out “Come in.”
She had been lost in thought, trying to recall last night when she joined Tiffany and Natala and Dean for a movie. It had taken everything she had not to start screaming at the people around her, from the noise and the paranoia. She had closed her eyes and shut out the movie, the laughter, the people. Natala had noticed immediately and they had left early.
Bo opened the door and came in, shutting it behind him. He was surprised to see her in the window seat, knees tucked up, and she was staring out the window.
“Got a few minutes for your old man?” he asked, trying to use his usual teasing tone.
“I wondered how long it would be before she sent you,” Aralyn replied with a heavy sigh.
Bo sat on the long seat with her. “Your mama didn’t send me, I volunteered because it’s tearin’ her apart to see you so withdrawn. And I don’t like it either. It ain’t you.”
“I just don’t feel like doing anything,” she replied. Bo caught her chin in his hand, bringing her face to look at him.
“Sweetheart, you know I’ve had to kill before, in the line of duty. It ain’t fun. And it don’t get easier. But there comes a time when you have to accept what happened. You didn’t go lookin’ for that bastard. He went lookin’ for you. I thank God everyday you had that gun, because the other thoughts of what he could have done to you are just too horrible for me to imagine.”
“Daddy, I shot a man!” she burst out, tears welling up in her sapphire eyes. “I took another human being’s life!”
“In self defense, sweetheart,” Bo said gently, taking her hand. For a moment she was five years old again, and had accidentally knocked a birds nest out of a tree she had been climbing. Finding the shattered eggs made her cry for two days.
“It was horrid Daddy,” she shuddered. “He was coming at me and I practically begged him to stop. I didn’t want to shoot him,” she whispered, tears spilling over as she looked up at Bo. “I didn’t. I told him to stand down and he wouldn’t!”
“I know you didn’t sweetheart,” he whispered, pulling her up against him as he ran his hand over her soft hair. “You didn’t have a choice.”
“But I killed him,” she wept, “I killed a man.”
“Not your fault,” he kept whispering as his oldest child wept from heartbreak. “It’s not your fault, baby girl.”
Meet the cast in full & see the family tree!
***
Author’s Notes
- A huge yeee-haa to Ronda, my lovely editor who helps keep me on track!
- Word Count, 3,642
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