Dream

Chapter 30

           

By the time Lucy hit the city limits of Belfort she was exhausted. She had stopped for coffee and had the radio tuned to something upbeat, but none of it was helping. The expanse of long dark road that wound before her had a hypnotizing effect.

Perhaps that was why the raccoon that darted out in front of her caught her off guard, and she slammed on her breaks swerving so hard she ran off the road, barely missing a tree. It only took seconds for police lights to turn on behind her. She had noticed a car some distance back, but with the light blinding her she had no clue that it was a police vehicle.

Putting the car in park she rested her head against the seat's headrest. She was sure that the police officer had seen the raccoon and was only coming to check on her, and it would give her a minute to calm down before she continued to her grandmother's.

She turned off her radio and prepared to roll the window down, but when she saw it was Joel Bradley approaching she groaned, mentally preparing to defend and deflect as she rolled down her window, but she had no chance as her door was automatically wrenched open and her arm was grabbed as she was pulled from the vehicle.

"I should have known it was you Lucy Monroe."

Lucy was quite sure he had known it was her, which was why he had been following her.

"Have you been drinking?" He pulled her away from the car, his hand like a steel band around her arm.

"No," Lucy answered.

"It looks like you have been drinking, you ran off the road and almost hit a tree." He pulled her to the back of her car and spun her around. "Place your hands on the back of the car."

"Why?" she asked, unwilling to comply and open herself to him like that.

"Are you resisting arrest?" he demanded roughly, grabbing her arm and twisting behind her back.

"Arrest! What crime have I committed?" She fought him.

"Driving under the influence," he said, completely serious.

"This is harassment, you haven't even tested me to see if I have been drinking, which I most certainly have not!" she insisted.

But he wasn't interested as he threw her up against the car and reached for his cuffs. Lucy was really starting to get scared, it was the middle of the night and it was unlikely another car would pass them for some time. Joel could do whatever he liked to her.

It took him only a few seconds to cuff her since she was no match against his strength. He spun her around and started to pat her down, taking what felt like an unnecessary amount of time around breasts and inner thighs.

Lucy closed her eyes feeling humiliated, there was nothing she could do, she was close to tears when a car pulled over in front of hers, and her body sagged in relief at the sight of Zeb's massive form unfurling from the car. She hadn't wanted to see him again, but she was relieved that she was.

"Is there a problem here?" he asked, approaching Lucy at a steady and unhurried pace. It was too dark to make out the expression on his face, but she could hear the steel in his voice.

"This is police business, you need to get in your car and leave, otherwise I'll be forced to arrest you for obstruction of justice." Joel pushed Lucy towards the back of his squad car.

"It looks more like harassment to me, but go ahead, call for back up and arrest me," he suggested, stepping in front of the backdoor of the squad car, blocking Joel from placing Lucy in it.

When Joel tried to stop her Lucy kept walking right into Zeb's chest. Zeb stayed close, but otherwise he didn't touch her.

"I'll ask again, why are you arresting her?" Zeb stared down at Joel, expecting an answer.