True believer - Nicholas Sparks [104]
Rodney wouldn’t meet her eyes; instead, he continued to look in the direction of the holding cell.
“Where were you last night?” he asked.
She crossed her arms. “I was at the cottage at the beach.”
“With him?”
Lexie hesitated, wondering about the best way to answer. “I didn’t go with him, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Rodney nodded, knowing she hadn’t answered completely, but suddenly realizing he didn’t want to know any more.
“Why did you arrest him? Honestly.”
“I wasn’t planning to. He brought it on himself.”
“Rodney . . .”
He turned around, lowering his head to his chest.
“He was hitting on Rachel, and you know how she can get when she drinks: all flirty and without a speck of common sense. I mean, I know it’s none of my business, but someone has to watch out for her.” He paused. “Anyway, when he was leaving, I went over to talk to this guy to see if he was planning to head over to her place and what kind of guy he was and he starts insulting me. And I wasn’t in the best of moods, anyway . . .”
Lexie knew the reason for that, and when Rodney trailed off, she said nothing. In time, Rodney shook his head, as if he were still trying to justify it to himself. “But the fact is, he was drinking and planning on driving. And that’s illegal.”
“Was he over the legal limit?”
“I don’t know. I never bothered to check.”
“Rodney!” she whispered loudly.
“He made me angry, Lexie. He’s rude and weird-looking and hitting on Rachel and calling me names, then he says he’s working with this guy . . .” He motioned with his head toward Jeremy.
Lexie laid a hand on his shoulder. “Listen to me, okay? You know that you will get in trouble if you keep him in here for no reason. Especially with the mayor. If he finds out what you did to the cameraman—especially after he’s gone through all this trouble to make sure the story turns out okay—he’ll cause trouble for you.” She let that sink in for a moment before going on. “And besides, you and I both know that the sooner you let him out, the sooner the both of them can leave.”
“You really think he’ll leave?”
Lexie looked Rodney in the eye. “His flight is tomorrow.”
For the first time, Rodney held her gaze. “Are you going with him?”
It took a moment for her to answer the question she’d been asking herself all morning. “No,” she whispered. “Boone Creek is my home. And this is where I’m staying.”
Ten minutes later, Alvin was walking out to the parking lot beside Jeremy and Lexie. Rodney was standing in the doorway of the county jail, watching them go.
“Don’t say anything,” Jeremy warned again, keeping hold of Alvin’s arm. “Just keep walking.”
“He’s a hick with a gun and a badge!”
“No, he isn’t,” Lexie said, her voice firm. “He’s a good guy no matter what you might think.”
“He arrested me for no reason!”
“And he also watches out for people who live here.”
They reached the car, and Jeremy motioned for Alvin to get in the backseat.
“This isn’t the end of this,” Alvin grumbled, crawling in. “I’m calling the D.A. That guy should be fired.”
“The best thing you can do is forget about it,” Lexie said, looking through the open car door at him.
“Forget about it? Are you insane? He was wrong and you know it!”
“Yes, he was. But since no charges were filed, you’ll let it go, anyway.”
“Who are you to tell me what to do?”
“I’m Lexie Darnell,” she said, drawling out her name. “And not only am I a friend of Jeremy’s, but I have to live here with Rodney, and I’m not lying when I say that I feel a lot safer with him around. Everyone in town feels safer because of him. You, on the other hand, are leaving tomorrow, and he’s not going to bother you again.” She smiled. “And c’mon, you have to admit that this will make one heck of a story when you get back to New York.”
He stared at her in disbelief before glancing at Jeremy. “She’s the one?” he asked.
Jeremy nodded.
“She’s pretty,” Alvin commented. “Maybe a little on the pushy side, but pretty.”
“Better yet, she cooks like an Italian.”
“As good as your mom?”
“Maybe better.”
Alvin nodded, silent for