Meant to Be Immortal (Argeneau #32) - Lynsay Sands Page 0,99
live with Keith’s daddy. I’ve pretty much been the boy’s mama since he was twelve years old. I was at the sink rinsing out the coffee cups as he pulled out of the driveway, and the lights were working just fine. They were two big red eyes in the darkness. Jefferson is lying. He just pulled him over to bully him.”
“I see,” CJ murmured, and then asked, “Why do you think Jefferson would want to bully Keith?”
“’Cause that’s what the bastard does,” Laurie said grimly. “He struts around like his shit don’t stink. Thinks he owns the town just because he’s a cop and his wife’s daddy is the police captain. Hell, he even does it in here. I don’t know how many times he’s come in when it’s busy and kicked kids out of a booth just so he can have it. The girls tell me about it all the time. But he doesn’t do it when I’m here,” she said firmly. “No, ma’am. The first time he tried that shit while I was working I gave him hell. Told him those kids were here first, it was their booth, and he could just march his butt over to one of the stools at the counter, or leave. But I wasn’t having him harassing my customers. He didn’t like that, I can tell you,” she said, nodding, and then grinned and added, “But the kids did. Thought I was a hero for putting him in his place. I got a real nice tip from those kids too and Lord knows teenagers are usually the worst tippers so you know they appreciated it.”
CJ smiled faintly and nodded. “How long ago was that, Laurie?”
“About three, maybe four days before he beat the hell out of Keith,” the waitress said grimly. “See, I only took this job about a month and a half ago. Used to work at the Dollar Store, but the manager kept grabbing my ass and I’d had enough. Quit and applied here. Got hired the same day. But that was the first time he’d come in while I was working.”
“I see,” CJ murmured thoughtfully.
Laurie shifted in her seat before asking with concern, “You don’t think he beat up Keith ’cause he’s like my stepson and I stood up to him, do you? I’d feel awful if it was my fault. The bastard really gave Keith a walloping.”
“It’s not your fault,” CJ said at once, but then hesitated to say anything else. Fortunately, that seemed to be enough for the woman. At least she started talking again.
“Well, anyway, it’s like I said, those rear lights were working fine that night when he left the house. Keith said Jefferson smashed one with his baton when he asked why he’d been pulled over when he hadn’t been speeding or anything. Slammed his baton into it and said, ‘’Cause you have a light out.’ All shit-eating grin while he said it too.” She shook her head with disgust. “And then he turned the baton on Keith when he protested his doing that and said he was going to charge him with destruction of property or something.”
CJ nodded. “Yes, he told me.”
“Well, I can tell you that Keith don’t lie. He’s a damned good kid. Never been a lick of trouble. Truth is, we’d almost like to see him act up a bit. He doesn’t go out with friends, girls, nor nothing. Mostly stays in and plays video games. That night he borrowed the car to drive to the city. Some game he wanted was out and he wanted to buy a copy. Instead, he ended up in the hospital with a broken arm, black eye, and fat lip.”
CJ murmured sympathetically, but couldn’t say what she really thought. She was supposed to be impartial, and she was trying her damnedest, but between Keith and this lady who was like a stepmother to the boy, Jefferson wasn’t looking good. Finding out he’d put two more boys in the hospital the night before wasn’t helping much with that impression either.
“Well, I got nothing else I can tell you. I wasn’t there, though I wish I was. I just know his taillight wasn’t out when he left the house.” Sighing, she shifted back to her feet, and managed a smile. “You go on and look over your menus. I’ll be back for your orders when you’re ready.”
“Thank you,” CJ murmured.
“She was telling the truth,” Mac said quietly as the waitress walked away.