Sugar and Spice

Chapter 4

Officer Charles Berle was one of just a handful of police officers in the area. He lived in a quaint house, with an adorable wife and three children in a home that he will be paying on for pretty much the rest of his life. The most excitement he usually gets is a speeder or a few kids caught smoking weed once.

So you can imagine the surprise on his face when he sees a half-naked bodybuilder lifting and tossing a beaten up suit at his feet. When I called him, I knew he was a sweetheart, kind and courteous to the max, but I also knew he was a bit of a greenhorn when it comes to the major violence. Still, it's the only number I knew at the top of my head when all the commotion went on, his was one I dialed many times, giving him a heads up on people too drunk to drive but too stubborn to admit it.

Charles opens up his car door in time to have the dust fly up from the crying man being thrown on the dirt and he takes out his flashlight. Shining it over the scene, he lands the beam on me.

"Melinda? That you, girl?" he calls, nervously tiptoeing around the still-feral looking Jason.

I wipe my face and take a deep breath to calm my nerves enough to speak.

"Yeah, Chuck. That pissant on the ground is the one who decided he wanted to come back after being tossed out once. He would have got me, too, Chuck, if it hadn't been for Jason," I shudder at the thought. Charles walks back to Joseph and crouches down.

"Looks like you took one helluva fall there, fella. Maybe lets get you over to the station and you can sober up there, huh?" He says.

"I'm pressing charges, Chuck," I say, rising to my feet and walking towards him. "He destroyed my door, shot up my bar... I'm looking at a few grand in damages alone, let alone scaring me half to death and almost breaking my arm earlier."

Officer Berle takes his cuffs out of the pocket and shakes his head.

"You heard the lady, son. In the back seat you go." He takes Joseph by the arms and puts him in the back seat of the police car. Jason glares at him through the window before slowly walking in the large hole that use to be my bar's doorway.

"Alright, Mindy... Tell me what happened here so I can get your statement and your friend here," Charles pauses to glance up at Jason, "can get dressed."

After a summary of what happened, Jason confirms my story and Officer Chuck takes down notes. I sign at the bottom of the statement, indicating what is written down is what happened. Charles tips his hat at me, reassures me that even though Joseph has full rights when he is arrested, he will be detained until Monday when the Judge can look over his case.

"No bail," the kind officer says. "And I'm putting in a restraining order, first priority, on the top of the pile."

I smile with relief, bid him to say hello to his family before he sits back into the driver's seat of his car and pulls away.

Silence filled the bar. I look all around, assessing the damage, but a movement from Jason catches my eye. He walks over to me, towel still miraculously tied to his waist, and squats in front of me. Had this occurred in broad daylight I may have been given quite the show. Too bad for darkness.

"Are you alright? I mean, really alright? Did he even get a chance to touch you or hurt you in any way?" Jason asks, grasping my hand and holding my face with his other.

I shake my head and assure him he had come in the nick of time, fortunately.

Jason startles me by pulling me up to a stand. My knees quake because of the delayed shock but he holds me still by my shoulders.