Read Online The Prey Bites Back: A Jesse Watson Mystery Book #8 by Ann Mullen - Free Book Online Page B

I
have to spend the night in jail?” I sat back down. My knees were getting weak.
    “Well, since
you didn’t mind being in jail, I guess you haven’t learned anything, because if
you had, you wouldn’t want to go back. I want you to know what it’s like to be
incarcerated and have your freedom stripped from you, because the next time I
find out that you’re back at it again before our agreement is up, you won’t be
so lucky. You’ll be facing hard time. Judges take obstruction of justice charges
very seriously. Five to ten. Does that mean anything to you?”
    I swallowed
hard.
    “I thought so,”
he said, and then looked over at Billy. “I’m going to give you ten minutes with
your wife. You’ll be able to pick her up tomorrow afternoon at six o’clock .”
    “ Six o’clock ! That’s ridiculous! You can’t do this to me. Where’s my lawyer?”
    Sheriff Hudson
raised one eyebrow. “Want to make it two nights?”
    Billy reached
up, grabbed my hand, and then pulled me back down in my chair. “Say nothing,
`ge ya.”
    The sheriff
continued, “Unfortunately, you won’t be staying in our presidential suite. Got
a real dangerous guy in there. So, you’ll be put in with the general population.
You’ll have a cell to yourself, unless we get overcrowded. Then, you’ll have to
share.” The sheriff shifted gears. “Nights are our busiest time. We get our
fair share of hookers, drunks, thieves, killers, rapists…”
    “I get the
message.”
    “No, I don’t
think you do.” The sheriff walked out from behind his desk over to me. “You
know Jesse, I really don’t want to do this, but I don’t have a choice. I
purposely kept you in jail for six hours, with the consent of your husband,
hoping you’d get the message, but you didn’t. You’re laughing behind my back.”
    “You’re locking
me up because you think I’m laughing at you? That’s not legal.”
    “Neither was
that agreement you signed. I’m doing you a favor, so shut up, do your time, and
then go home to your family. You won’t get another break from me. This is the
end of the line. My patience is gone.” He turned and looked at Billy. “Say
goodbye to your wife. I’ll be outside.” The sheriff walked out of the room.
    “I’m so sorry,
Billy,” I said as soon as the sheriff left. “I couldn’t help myself. That b…”
    Mom spoke up
for the first time. “This is my fault.”
    “No, it’s not,
Mom. I’m a big girl, but I should’ve known better. I think Mae is right, and we
have to do something.” I looked back at Billy. “You let him keep me in jail?
Why?”
    “I had to. I
wasn’t given much of a choice. Spend the night here and don’t make waves, Jesse.
I’ll be back for you tomorrow, and then we’ll go after Dakota Stone.”
    “Tell her about
the SUV, Billy,” Mom said.
    “What SUV?”
    “The one that
was following you the other day,” Billy answered. “It’s registered to The
Body Shop .”
    “Hmm,” I said.
“That puts a whole new slant on everything.”
    “It sure does,”
Mom added. “That Stone woman has been having someone follow Mae, that’s why you
were being followed. What does that tell you?”
    “That she has
something to hide.”
    “I’m going home,”
Billy said. “I don’t want you to misbehave. Just keep quiet until this is over.
Do the time and get it over with.”
    “I’m sorry,
Billy. I’ll try to be good…. if I don’t die in here first.”
    The sheriff
popped his head back into the room and said, “Time’s up.”
    I hugged Billy
and Mom and then watched as they were led out. It was an ominous moment. I felt
as if I’d never see them again.
    “Don’t look at
me like that,” Sheriff Hudson said, leading me to the cell. “You brought it on
yourself. You’re lucky I like you and Billy, or I’d be having you carted off to Orange so you could spend the night there.”
    After he locked
me up, he turned and said, “I knew Billy would keep his word, but I had my doubts
about