A Kiss To Send Us Off

Chapter 24

Once Amelia was checked in, x-rayed and the like, they settled her in a room for a few days of observation while they treated her for dehydration. Raylan gave her some time, not as much as she would have liked, before interrupting her solitude.

"Already?" She moaned with an over exaggerated pout.

"Sorry, I have to get your statement." He also had to break the news of Helen's passing but he wasn't exactly sure how to go about doing that to her. "How are you feeling?"

"Honestly? I don't know."

"I'm sorry that I didn't move fast enough, I should never have left you out there like that. Your husband was right, some of this falls on me."

It was sincere and sweet and the crinkles in the corner of his eye along with the slight graying at his temples made it seem all the more honest and humble. He wasn't overly emotional, usually one of the things she loved about Juice, and that was refreshing while she was so confused and drowning in her own emotions.

"Thank you, Raylan."

He nodded, a lopsided grin turning his lips up for a moment before disappearing, as his ran his index finger along her knuckles. "Now, we have a lot to talk about and I probably should take your statement first but it feels too much like lying, even if just by omission."

"What is it?" A heaviness fell over them and Amelia nodded, figuring there was only more other thing that could have happened. "My aunt?" She asked sniffling as the tears filled her eyes.

"Yeah, her blood pressure just dropped and they couldn't bring it up. She passed away a few days ago."

—

"Change of plans," Tig shouted over the rumble of their engines. "No reservation, head up toward Chigger Woods."

Knowing Happy was the one with Hale; hearing of the change in location was not good. They buried bodies there, a lot of bodies, and Juice suddenly worried he'd lose his chance.

"He say why?" Juice asked before the light turned green.      

Tig shook his head as they rolled through the intersection and Juice's stomach twisted around. He needed this, even just an explanation more than the actual act of murdering the man.

They arrived; Clay and Tig trudged on while Jax kept Juice behind for a short, hopefully positive, conversation. "Hey man, you alright? You all here?"

"Yeah," Juice answered quickly. "Well, no," he corrected himself. "I got more on my mind then getting Hale, you know? This shit with Meels-"

"Will be settled when we talk to Hale." Cutting Juice off, Jax tried his best to encourage the young man as well as gather his focus. If they killed Hale, it had to be meticulous considering who he was and his prominence in the area, there was no room for mistakes.

"Mr. Hale," Clay greeted Jacob with a disturbing grin. "I hope Chibs and Happy had treated you well."

"Kind of an ironic name," he mocked with a few trickles of blood on his chin. "Salazar?"

Clay's drew his head back and looked at Jax and Juice as they finally made their way to the group. "That was easy."

"Yeah, let's not make it easy on him then." Juice was a different man as he stepped into the small ill shaped circle. "Why? Why do you keep going after her?" As infuriated as he was, there was profound emotion in his voice and twisting his expression as he spoke. "Come at me!" He shouted in Hale's face with a ferocity that surprised even Happy. All of them though could still see how fragile Juice was, he was not a changed man, but feeding off the adrenaline and rage, he felt in his belly.