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Authors: Ann Mullen
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County Regional Jail.”
“What? Why am I
being transferred to Orange ? I’m not a criminal!” I was on the verge
of a spastic tantrum. “You can’t do this!”
“You’ve been
charged with assault. That’s a felony.”
“But…”
The deputy
gripped my arm and led me down the hallway. She opened the door, took me to the
sheriff’s office, and then presented me to the king. I walked in to see Sheriff
Hudson sitting behind his desk… and Billy and Mom sitting in chairs across from
him. The sheriff stood up and said, “Sit down, Jesse. We need to talk.
Actually, I’m going to talk, and you’re going to listen.”
I looked over
at Mom and Billy.
“Don’t look at
them for help. They’re just as guilty as you are.”
I sat down in
the chair next to Billy, placed my hand in his, and then murmured, “I’m sorry.
Please don’t be mad at me.” I looked up at the sheriff and said, “Do whatever
you want to do with me, but leave them out of this. I’m the one to blame. All of
this was my fault.”
“Yes, it is,”
Sheriff Hudson said. “And now you have to pay for what you did.”
I had fouled up
big time. I was going to be transferred to Orange County Regional Jail, then to
court, and then to prison. My kids were going to grow up without a mother. I
cried.
I’ve always
said that Billy and I were just a footstep away from jail, but this time it was
for real. I was going to prison—and that’s where I was going to die. Escape was
not in my future. I had to take my licks… like it, or not. Busted over a bottle
of shampoo. What was the world coming to?
Chapter 5
Sheriff Hudson placed his
hands on his desk, leaned forward and said, “What do you have to say for
yourself? And don’t tell me you didn’t do anything wrong, because we both know
that’s a lie.” Before I could explain, he silenced me with a wave of his hand.
“Never mind. I don’t want to hear it. If you ever go near Dakota Stone again, I’ll
have my guys come after you, and it won’t be pleasant. I promise you that!”
I was shocked.
I thought for sure this was the end for me. I just knew the sheriff wanted to
lock me up and throw away the key, but he wasn’t going to. He was letting me
off with a stiff warning. I dried my tears with the back of my hand and said a silent
prayer of thanks to the man upstairs. I was going home!
Mom and Billy
still hadn’t said a word. Taking a cue from them, I remained silent. I wanted
to ask the sheriff why he had kept me in jail so long, but I didn’t. I knew the
best thing I could do was let him have his say. And have his say, he did.
“I told both of
you that I would lock you up if you broke our agreement,” Sheriff Hudson began.
“But…” I
started to say, but was silenced by the sheriff again.
“Stop! Don’t
say a word. You’re going to sit there and listen and you’re going to keep your
mouth shut.” He gave me a hard stare, and then continued. “You’re lucky that
Dakota Stone is such an agreeable person. She won’t press assault charges if
you pay for her blouse and leave her alone. That means no calls, no stalking,
no nothing. Do I make myself clear? Don’t say anything, just nod your head if
you understand what I’m saying.”
I nodded in
agreement.
“The cost of
the blouse is a hundred and twenty-five dollars. Billy has already given me a
check, which I will give to Ms. Stone.”
Whew! What a
relief. I was getting off with a slap on the wrist and a measly hundred and
twenty-five dollars. It was my lucky day. God had answered my prayers. That’s
what I thought until Sheriff Hudson spoke again.
“How did it
feel to sit in jail?”
“It wasn’t so
bad.” I lied. I should’ve said it was awful, instead of trying to be so macho.
“Good, because
you’re going to spend the night here.”
“What?” I said,
jumping up out of the chair. “But you said Stone wasn’t pressing charges.”
“Sit down! That’s
right. She’s not.”
“Then why do
“What? Why am I
being transferred to Orange ? I’m not a criminal!” I was on the verge
of a spastic tantrum. “You can’t do this!”
“You’ve been
charged with assault. That’s a felony.”
“But…”
The deputy
gripped my arm and led me down the hallway. She opened the door, took me to the
sheriff’s office, and then presented me to the king. I walked in to see Sheriff
Hudson sitting behind his desk… and Billy and Mom sitting in chairs across from
him. The sheriff stood up and said, “Sit down, Jesse. We need to talk.
Actually, I’m going to talk, and you’re going to listen.”
I looked over
at Mom and Billy.
“Don’t look at
them for help. They’re just as guilty as you are.”
I sat down in
the chair next to Billy, placed my hand in his, and then murmured, “I’m sorry.
Please don’t be mad at me.” I looked up at the sheriff and said, “Do whatever
you want to do with me, but leave them out of this. I’m the one to blame. All of
this was my fault.”
“Yes, it is,”
Sheriff Hudson said. “And now you have to pay for what you did.”
I had fouled up
big time. I was going to be transferred to Orange County Regional Jail, then to
court, and then to prison. My kids were going to grow up without a mother. I
cried.
I’ve always
said that Billy and I were just a footstep away from jail, but this time it was
for real. I was going to prison—and that’s where I was going to die. Escape was
not in my future. I had to take my licks… like it, or not. Busted over a bottle
of shampoo. What was the world coming to?
Chapter 5
Sheriff Hudson placed his
hands on his desk, leaned forward and said, “What do you have to say for
yourself? And don’t tell me you didn’t do anything wrong, because we both know
that’s a lie.” Before I could explain, he silenced me with a wave of his hand.
“Never mind. I don’t want to hear it. If you ever go near Dakota Stone again, I’ll
have my guys come after you, and it won’t be pleasant. I promise you that!”
I was shocked.
I thought for sure this was the end for me. I just knew the sheriff wanted to
lock me up and throw away the key, but he wasn’t going to. He was letting me
off with a stiff warning. I dried my tears with the back of my hand and said a silent
prayer of thanks to the man upstairs. I was going home!
Mom and Billy
still hadn’t said a word. Taking a cue from them, I remained silent. I wanted
to ask the sheriff why he had kept me in jail so long, but I didn’t. I knew the
best thing I could do was let him have his say. And have his say, he did.
“I told both of
you that I would lock you up if you broke our agreement,” Sheriff Hudson began.
“But…” I
started to say, but was silenced by the sheriff again.
“Stop! Don’t
say a word. You’re going to sit there and listen and you’re going to keep your
mouth shut.” He gave me a hard stare, and then continued. “You’re lucky that
Dakota Stone is such an agreeable person. She won’t press assault charges if
you pay for her blouse and leave her alone. That means no calls, no stalking,
no nothing. Do I make myself clear? Don’t say anything, just nod your head if
you understand what I’m saying.”
I nodded in
agreement.
“The cost of
the blouse is a hundred and twenty-five dollars. Billy has already given me a
check, which I will give to Ms. Stone.”
Whew! What a
relief. I was getting off with a slap on the wrist and a measly hundred and
twenty-five dollars. It was my lucky day. God had answered my prayers. That’s
what I thought until Sheriff Hudson spoke again.
“How did it
feel to sit in jail?”
“It wasn’t so
bad.” I lied. I should’ve said it was awful, instead of trying to be so macho.
“Good, because
you’re going to spend the night here.”
“What?” I said,
jumping up out of the chair. “But you said Stone wasn’t pressing charges.”
“Sit down! That’s
right. She’s not.”
“Then why do
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