“Dawson has already been tried in a court of law, Pete. He was found not guilty. So... I’m not sure who killed the Reeds. From everything I’ve seen and heard, no one is certain.”
He added a touch of cream to his coffee. “When you work in law enforcement, you get a feel for these things, Sadie. You can tell when someone’s lying. Dawson Reed is guilty as sin. Don’t let him or anyone else convince you otherwise.”
She put the coffeepot back on its warmer so that the other servers would be able to get to it. “Even cops get things wrong now and then. If that wasn’t true, we wouldn’t have so many innocent people in prison.”
The expression on his face suggested he didn’t appreciate her daring to argue with him when he was such an authority on the matter. She’d seen that look before, many times, on Sly’s face.
No wonder they were friends...
Leaning back, he rested his hand on the butt of his gun as he appraised her. “If you think there are a lot of innocent people in prison, you’re more delusional than I thought.”
“Delusional, Pete?” Sadie said, shocked that he’d go that far.
He shrugged. “Just sayin’. You’ve got this one wrong, sweetheart. And you’ll pay a hefty price, if you’re not careful.”
“You don’t know I’m wrong.” By the way Pete was treating her, Sly had been flapping his gums again, running her down even though she tried so hard not to disparage him. He was, after all, the father of her child. “But, now that’s out of the way, what can I get you both this morning?” she asked, pulling the order pad from her apron pocket.
“I’ll take some biscuits and gravy,” George said.
Obviously tempted to pursue the argument, Pete hesitated. But then he closed his menu and handed it back to her. “I’ll have the pigs in a blanket.”
“Great. Your food’ll be out in a few minutes.” She’d already turned away when George tried to stop her.
“Sadie...”
The order window was right behind her, so she stuck their ticket on the rounder for the cooks. “Yes?”
“Look, you and Pete got off on the wrong foot. We’re not trying to be jerks. We understand things have been a little...rough financially since you and Sly split up. Divorce is never easy. But is going to work for Dawson Reed the best solution? I mean, think about it. If we’re right and you’re wrong...something terrible could happen.”
“I appreciate your concern,” she said. But she didn’t really believe it was concern. They were supporting Sly while attempting to isolate Dawson, to make sure he was reviled for his “crime,” even though a twelve-person jury had heard all the evidence and determined he shouldn’t be punished for what happened to the Reeds. “But I’m hoping my faith in our court system hasn’t been misplaced.”
“You’re not going to listen,” he said, incredulous.
She remembered the terror that’d shot through her when Dawson grabbed her arm as she was leaving the farm yesterday—and how quickly he’d backed off when she turned. That made him seem safe, but there was nothing to say he wouldn’t harm her later. She just hated how certain everyone else seemed to be when they didn’t know whether he was guilty any more than she did. “I’m sure everything will be fine.”
Pete made a clicking sound with his mouth. “Sure hope so. Either way, you’ve been sufficiently warned.”
“Meaning...”
His eyes widened at the challenge. “If you get into trouble now, you’re going to have to call someone else.”
Although Sadie had empty plates to collect farther down the bar, she put that off. “What?”
“You heard me,” he replied.
Her jaw fell open. “You’re on the police force! Don’t tell me you’re saying that if I call for help from the Reed farm, no one will come...”
“Of course someone will come,” George said.
Pete nudged him. “But we can’t promise whoever it is will come real quick,” he added with a laugh.
Sadie glared at him. “You’re a self-righteous bastard, Pete Montgomery. Now I know why you get along so well with Sly.”
He sobered instantly. “Whoa! Sounds to me like you deserve whatever you might get!”
“And it sounds to me as if you’ve appointed yourself judge, jury and executioner—not only for Dawson Reed but for me, as well.”
“You’re the one putting yourself in a bad situation.” He shoved his coffee out of the way as he leaned forward. “The question is why? Do you and Dawson have something going on? Is he warming your bed at night now that he’s out of lockup?”
She shook her head. “You’re disgusting.”
“What?” He gestured as if he’d said nothing wrong. “You wouldn’t be the first to want to spread your legs for him. You should’ve seen the women on that jury, preening and making eyes at him whenever he walked into the courtroom. If not for them, he’d be in prison right now, awaiting an execution date. So next time you think he’s innocent because that damn jury handed down a ‘not guilty’ verdict, you might consider there were seven women on it.”
“Women can weigh evidence as well as men,” she snapped.
He nearly spilled George’s coffee when he shoved his water glass into it. “Don’t give me that feminist bullshit!”
“Pete, that’s enough,” George mumbled, looking around. “You’re going too far.”
People were starting to stare, but he didn’t seem to care about that. “She’s the one who won’t listen!” he responded.
“Thanks for your concern, but tell Sly I’ll make my own decisions,” she said.
Glenn Swank, down the bar, was growing impatient with her lack of attention. “Hey, Sadie! Are you going to bring my check sometime today or what?” he called out. “I gotta go to work!”
Sadie nodded to reassure him. “I’m coming.”
“Remember, you’re taking a big chance,” Pete growled as she hurried away. “Are you sure he’s worth it?”
* * *
Sadie was still livid when she reached the grocery store. Every time she thought about that visit at the diner from Pete and George, she wanted to go ballistic. How dare they say what they did! They had no right. They were just taking up for Sly. He’d sent his buddies over because she wouldn’t listen to him.
“Pricks,” she muttered.
“What’d you say, dear?”
Sadie turned to see the organist from her church standing behind her in the aisle and felt her face grow hot for cursing. “Nothing,” she muttered.
“I’m sorry. I thought you were talking to me.”
Fortunately, Mrs. Handley was partially deaf. “No. I was just...mumbling to myself.”
“Nowadays you never know what people are doing.” She shook her head in apparent exasperation. “What with those little devices—blue teeth or whatever they’re called—they have in their ears.”
“Bluetooth. People talk on Bluetooth.”
“That’s it.”
Sadie smiled, trying to relax. “How have you been?”
“Good, and you?”
“Busy.”
“Will I see you at church on Sunday?”