Patriot (Hades Abyss MC 6) - Harley Wylde Page 0,35
heard her teeth rattle. I unbuckled her and helped her down. I was trying to shake the glass from her clothes when two officers approached, guns out and pointed at me.
“Hands where I can see them,” the older of the two said.
I slowly lifted my hands and turned to face them. “Just trying to get the glass off my woman. The asshole on the ground smashed a metal pipe into the window. She’s been hurt.”
Two of the diner employees rushed out, both leaping to my defense. I noticed one was Beth.
“He didn’t do anything but defend himself and his wife!” Beth wrung her hands. “I called you. That guy came out of nowhere.”
Wife. I liked the sound of that. I tried to look at MaryAnne to gauge her reaction. She took a step closer to me, but her eyes were huge and full of unshed tears. I wanted to hold her, but I didn’t dare move in case either of the officers was a little trigger happy.
The older cop lowered his gun a fraction. “Self-defense?”
I nodded. “I was just having dinner with my wife. Came out and helped her into the Bronco. Soon as I closed the door, I saw his reflection. He swung at me and ended up busting out the window. The glass cut my wife. He swung at me again and caught my arm when I lifted it to block him from hitting my head.”
The older one eyed me a moment. “Raise your sleeve. Nice and slow.”
I lifted it and winced, noticing the skin had split open. Didn’t look bad enough to need stitches, but it didn’t exactly feel amazing. The older cop lowered his weapon the rest of the way and motioned for the younger one to do the same.
“Name’s Officer Bowers, and this is Officer Jenkins. We’ll get the guy into cuffs and put him in the car, but I’m going to need an official statement from you if we’re going to hold him.”
“I need to finish getting the glass off my wife’s clothes, and she needs medical care.”
“So do you,” Officer Bowers said. He reached for the mic at his shoulder. “Dispatch, need a box at 223 Main. Two injured.”
“Box?” MaryAnne asked.
“Ambulance,” the officer said. “Looks like a box on wheels.”
She smiled faintly and I started shaking the glass from her clothes again. Getting the window on the Bronco repaired wasn’t going to be fun. Normally, I’d do it myself, but I might pay someone else this time around. Wouldn’t be too hard for an auto glass place to track down one that would fit the big beast.
When the EMTs arrived, I had them check MaryAnne first. They cleaned and treated the wounds on her face and neck, which seemed to be superficial, then worked on my arm. I’d been right about not needing stitches, but they put some butterfly strips across it once it had been disinfected.
Officer Bowers came over with a wallet in his hand. “Says here the man’s name is Walter Wilcox. Lives two towns over.”
“Never heard of him,” I said.
“He didn’t say anything before he attacked?” Officer Bowers asked.
“No. Just appeared at my back and swung. I have no idea why he came after me. Never seen him before. I typically recognize anyone I’ve pissed off.”
The officer chuckled. “Well, we’ll haul him in and see what we can find out. On the off chance he isn’t acting alone, might want to keep a close watch on your wife. And be careful.”
I shook his hand and walked over to the Bronco. There was too much glass for her to sit in the front, so I folded the seat down and helped her into the back. “Sorry, Little Bit. Can’t have you riding up here with all this glass.”
“I just want to go home. Are you sure you’re all right?”
I kissed her forehead. “I’m fine. Promise. I’m afraid it’s going to be a bit cold since the window is gone. I’ll get us home as quick as I can.”
I’d have Wizard look into Walter Wilcox and see what he could find out. I didn’t think this attack was about MaryAnne. I hadn’t seen him in any of the videos, and she hadn’t seemed to recognize him. This was either personal, or had something to do with the club. Unless it was a case of mistaken identity. Either way, I needed to know it was over now that he was being hauled off to jail, or I’d be looking over my shoulder every