“That’s what she said. That’s what they all say.” Mitch gestured with his knife hand, pointing the tip at his head.
As if it wasn't enough that a client was about to slit her throat, Leigh had to smell this fucking swine's horrific body odor. Fuck that. She'd survived cancer and college and had tasted love for the first time. She wasn't about to let body odor and a rusty knife be the last thing she knew before she took her last breath.
Jesse charged forward. Leigh rammed her knee into Mitch’s groin and ducked away, feeling the sting of her hair being ripped out. She flew to the other side of her desk and dropped to all fours, peeking around to see what was happening.
Sheriff Stanton pulled his taser and nailed Mitch on the back with the probes. Mitch went stiff, dropped the knife, and hit the floor face first, his body convulsing from the 50,000 V charge. Sheriff Stanton glanced at Jesse, who still had his gun pointed on Mitch. Sweat dripped down Jesse's forehead. His arm muscles quivered, his face red with rage.
Leigh held her breath. She hated Mitch with a passion, but she didn't want his death on her conscience, or on Jesse's.
Finally, Jesse holstered the gun and went to where Mitch lay writhing. He whipped out his handcuffs. When Mitch went still, Jesse jumped on his back, wrenched his arms behind him, and clamped on the handcuffs.
“Leigh, you okay?” Jesse asked.
“Y-Yeah.” She moved to the wall by her desk, sat, and hugged her knees to her chest. The air was too warm, too thin. Her labored panting did little to deliver enough oxygen to her lungs.
Jesse looked back at her as he pulled Mitch to his feet, the anguish in his eyes making it even harder for her to breathe.
"I've got him," Sheriff Stanton said. "You take care of Leigh." The sheriff held tight to Mitch's arm and hauled him out of her office.
Jesse dropped to his knees beside Leigh, taking her hands in his. "Are you okay? I saw blood."
"Just a s-scratch. I'm more pissed off about my hair."
His quivering smile and glossy eyes brought her to her knees. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight. "Thank you, Jesse. If you hadn't been here, I don't..."
“You're okay. That's all that matters.” He stood and offered a hand to help her up. "You were really brave to kick him like that."
She took it, standing on shaky legs, her back against the wall. Despite her near-death experience and trembling jaw, she managed a little smile. “No, not brave. I just c-couldn’t stand to smell him anymore.”
"That's my Leigh." Jesse touched her cheek and headed for the door.
Though she had no desire to lay eyes on Mitch again, she followed him. The sheriff stood outside her office, still holding Mitch. Surprisingly, he didn’t fight back, but muttered to himself, something about the alien queen demanding tea.
Dr. Gadbury stepped out of his office, adjusting his suspenders. His gaze flitted from one person to the next and his forehead creased in confusion. “What in the world is going on out here?”
Behind him, a familiar redhead peeked around the door, her eyes bulging when she saw the sheriff with his handcuffed prisoner. Of course, Sheriff Stanton honed in right away on his wife in Dr. Gadbury’s office. And the bra she had forgotten to put back on. It hung halfway off the desk. Her blouse was buttoned wrong too. They must have gotten dressed in a hurry. Mostly dressed, anyway.
“Penny.” Sheriff Stanton set his hand on his gun holster and drummed his fingers on it. A disgusted frown sank the corners of his mouth. “I should have known.”
“Ken, I can explain!” Penny wailed. Did she know how ridiculous she looked with her hair all disheveled and her lipstick smeared across one cheek?
“I didn't want to believe it, even when the whole damn town whispered about you. How many has it been?”
Penny gave Dr. Gadbury a furtive glance.
The good doctor shook his head, applying a fake as hell smile. “No, Penny’s my client. We were—”
“You son of a bitch.” Leigh stepped forward, glaring at her boss and his lover. "So, this is thong lady, huh? I almost died just so you could get your cock wet!"
Dr. Gadbury held up his finger as though he was about to launch into a sermon. “Listen here, now, if you want that license, you better—”
“No, you listen here.” Leigh got right up in his face, fists clenched at her sides. “You were in there fucking the sheriff’s wife, and didn’t even bother to watch the session. You left me to deal with that psychotic man. He could have killed me.” She pointed to the cut on her neck, then the bare spot on her head. “Do you know how long it took me to grow this after I finished chemo?”
He tripped all over his words, blinking so rapidly, she could barely see his eyes. “Chemo? When did you… I didn’t know…”
“You wouldn’t, would you? You’ve never bothered to get to know me. I don’t go around proclaiming I’m a former cancer patient, but I would have told you if you had asked.”
“I’m sorry, if you need some time…”
“I don’t need time, you dirty bastard, and I don’t want anyone’s pity, especially yours. I get by on my own merits, and I don’t screw people, figuratively or literally. That’s all on you.”
Mitch had stopped mumbling about tiny aliens who lived in his closets and stole his shoes. He and Jesse both followed the exchange, heads turning from side to side like watching a ping-pong match.
Dr. Gadbury pushed his glasses up on his nose. “This has been a big misunderstanding. You see, I—”
“Shut your damn mouth,” Sheriff Stanton said. “We’re done, Penny. I’m tired of this shit. And you.” He pulled out his billy club and pointed it right at Dr. Gadbury’s face. The man turned three shades whiter than his already pasty complexion. “Leigh’s earned her license and then some. I’ll be making sure you don’t interfere with that, and I’ll be speaking with the Kentucky Board of Professional Counselors. You won’t be licensed in this state anymore, I can tell you that.”
“What are you going to tell them? That I fucked your wife?” Gadbury smirked and hooked a thumb in one of his suspenders as if that made him look like a tough guy. It didn’t.
Sheriff Stanton tapped the square, black object that hung by his badge. “Police cameras don’t lie. Jesse, get him out of here.”
“Yes, sir.” Jesse shared one last look with Leigh and led Mitch to the exit.
Sweat beaded on Leigh's forehead. She couldn't get enough air. Pain squeezed her chest. She doubled over, gasping. No, not now, please not now. I want to live. Sobs welled up, but there was no air left to furnish them. She gulped in what little she could and clung to the doorframe.
"Jesse!" Sheriff Stanton yelled.
Footfalls pounded toward her. Strong arms swept her off the ground like she weighed nothing. Her body bounced as Jesse ran with her. Yelling, crying, and door chimes followed them outside. Sun blasted her face with blinding light. She clenched her eyes shut. Hot tears seeped from their corners.
"Stay with me, honey," Jesse said. He sounded desperate as he dropped her somewhere.
Next thing she knew, the world sped by in a blur. Too fast. A siren screamed above her. Her chest was in agony. Sweat drenched her body. She didn't think, just breathed as best she could.
Then she was in his arms again, more sun, fluorescent lights. What little air she captured was tainted with the smell of disinfectant, plastic flowers, and metal. It seemed too familiar. She'd arrived there like this before, long ago, with frantic parents instead of the man she loved.
"Help her!" Jesse demanded.
She landed on a lumpy bed. Something covered her mouth and nose. It was tight and smelled like plastic. God, no, please! I can't breathe! Her eyes popped wide open. Blurry faces hovered. Her shirt was ripped open. Cold things stuck on her chest. She gasped for air and found some. It flowed into her mouth and lungs. She willed her gasps into long, filling breaths. Someone mentioned heart attack. She was too young for that, wasn't she?
"You'll have to wait outside," a woman said.
"Leigh." Jesse's face hovered.
She wanted to touch him, but he squeezed her hand instead. "You're gonna be okay. I'll call your mom and dad. Just breathe, okay? Keep breathing."
She nodded, or thought she did, and then her hand was empty. But she closed her eyes and did as Jesse asked. Just breathe.