Chapter 5 Protective Custody

"He did. All he has so far is the poison. He doesn't know how it got in their systems or what the motive for murder could be", Colin Said. "There's a slight chance that they ingested the poison accidentally".

"Except what are the chances they both ingested the same thing at the same time?" She said out loud,not meaning to. She shouldn't add fuel to fire. Colin might find out the truth about his father and that would crush him. She still could scarcely believe that the man would have an affair. She'd argued with Richard, putting up more of a fight than she knew better to,refusing to accept his accusation at first. And that had led to an even bigger fight between them when he's accused her of defending the O'Briens because she still loved Colin.

In order to survive,she'd had to swallow her emotions and convince Richard that she loved him. Only him. If someone had told her that she'd be able to sell that lie a year ago she would've laughed. Finding out she was pregnant had changed her priorities. Nothing mattered more to her than keeping Colin's baby safe.

As a mother,she'd found a new well of strength to draw from than she had ever known existed inside her. Angelina's safety took procedence over everyone and everything.

"It's late, Colin. I need to go", she said,using all the courage she could muster to speak those words. Being with Colin again was taking a toll on her,body,soul and mind. She was grateful that Angelina was a sound sleeper. Melissa had a prayer of getting out of this situation without doing any more damage.

She pushed the door open as wide as it would go. "Please,Colin don't make me ask again". She prayed he didn't pick up on the desperate note in her tone

COLIN SAT IN his vehicle contemplating the conversation he'd just had with Melissa for a good twenty minutes. Something about the way she'd asked him to leave didn't sit right.

What was the point of worrying about it? She'd said that she was about to move and was homesick. Colin needed to accept and move on.

He was just about to start his ignition and drive off when he saw twin hear lights exist the Alley.

Curiosity got the best of him,so he followed Melissa's car.

Melissa's cat finally came to a halt at a parking lot and Colin had wondered why she'd meet her husband after midnight in an empty parking lot?

Colin pulled over to the side of the road where he could see vehicles as they entered and exited the lot. He wanted eyes on Rancic and then he could finally convince himself to let her go.

As Colin drew near everything happened so fast and all he could hear was a gunshot. Next he could Richards figure getting away and a figure laying in a car. Obviously that was the person who got shot.

Colin was surprised to know it was his friend Tommy who also was a sheriff that got shot. He pulled his friend from his vehicle and laid out of the cement. Blood was everywhere as Colin scanned Tommy's body assessing the damage.

"Damn shotgun",Tommy said and his voice was a little too calm. No doubt he was in shock.

Tommy had taken a bullet to his left side and Bloor covered his shirt. A red dot flowered.

"How bad is it? Be honest", Tommy said as he searched Colin's face,no doubt looking for a reaction so he could gauge his injury.

"You're going to be just fine". It was the lie every soldier had told no matter how grave the damage looked.

Suddenly Melissa was there,too,and sound of a baby crying came from a distance.

"It's getting colder out there", Tommy said,already shivering.

"Stay with me man",Colin said.

"What can I do? Melissa asked as Colin looked up at her.

"Call 911.Now",He said.

COLIN PACED in Bluff General's waiting room after giving his statement to Deputy Garcia. The deputy had gone to speak to hospital staff,leaving Colin to wait alone for update.

The thought of Melissa having Richard Rancic's child hit Colin harder than a battering ram.

Dallas should arrive any minute. Tommy was more like a brother than a friend and he was fighting for his life. Colin pushed off the chair as Melissa rounded the corner. A pink blanket swathed a small bundle cradled in her arms. Melissa's baby was somehow tinier than he'd expected. The child must be asleep because she didn't move.

"How's Tommy? Melissa's eyes was wide and stress lines bracketed her mouth.

"He's In surgery",Colin said,noticing how she kept one arm underneath the little bundle and her other hand on the baby's back. How much did it blow his mind to think that Melissa had a daughter?

"Damn"

"What happened back there? You told me that you were meeting your husband and then you looked scared to death when he showed. What aren't you telling me?" Colin asked taking note of the dark look that passed behind her eyes when he said the word "Husband"

"It's nothing. A misunderstanding" Melissa said and the corner of her mouth twitched in the way it did when she scared.

"That's impossible. Tommy's lying on a bed being cut open right now and that sure isn't because of nothing". Colin said,his voice raised in frustration.

"I didn't mean__" The little girl stirred and panic washed over Melissa's features.

He needed to take a minute to calm down.

"I can't talk about it right now"she said quietly,motioning toward the baby.

Colin rubbed his chin and turned to face the other direction. He'd have to figure out a way to make peace with the fact that she'd married someone else and was now a mother.

"Have you been happy?" He surprised himself with the question.

"About her? She asked ,and then answered before he could respond.

"Absolutely"

There was so much conviction in her voice that he didn't question her answer.

"What was all that about back there, Melissa? I saw Richard. I know he shot Tommy", he said.

Her husband's name sat bitterly on his tongue. "What's he doing that you won't talk about?"

She turned away from him.

"The man just shot a sheriff, Melissa",Colin said, his anger on the rise again.

He shouldn't be frustrated at thinking about a time where there were no secrets between them. She betrayed him,he reminded himself,needing to gain his bearings again.

Melissa bounced her little girl gently, continuing to ignore him while the baby slept. Curiosity was staring to get the best of him. He couldn't see the baby's face which was just a distraction anyway and he wasn't sure he could handle seeing the product of Richard and Melissa together.

"I can't talk about it with you",She said

"Can't or won't?"

"Does it matter? Either way I'm not talking,Colin." Again,hearing his name on her tongue brought an onslaught of feelings he needed to ignore.

"Why not , Melissa?" Did she hate him that much?

"It's complicated",She said on a sigh,still bouncing as the nervous tick returned.

On closet look,there was so much stress and worry in her eyes.

"What's going on between you and your husband?" Colin asked a little too loudly,causing the baby to stir again

"Shh. You'll wake her". Melissa patted the little girl's back and started humming.

Colin didn't want to disturb the baby. From what he knew about little one,which wasn't much until recently,once they were awake all grown-up discussion ceased.

"I need coffee",he said ,stalking out the door. Needing to walk away and gain some perspective. He didn't want to notice how much she was trembling or how hard she was working to put on a brave front.

The coffee was just how Colin liked it, strong and hot. He took a sip to clear his head. Took another that didn't work. There were too many residual feelings coloring his thoughts,not to mention the stress that came with not knowing how Tommy was doing yet. Colin had already checked three times in fifteen minutes before Melissa had arrived.

"Any word on Tommy?" Dallas asked as he walked inside the break room.

"All I know is that he's in surgery". Colin gave his brother a bear hug before shaking his head. He poured a fresh cup and then handed it to Dallas.

"It could be a while before we hear anything".

"Well then,no news is probably good news". Dallas took a sip,worry lines etched in his forehead as he have Colin a once-over,his gaze fixed on the large red stain centered in Colin's shirt.

"It's all his blood. I'm fine", Colin reassured.

"I might have an extra shirt in my truck if you want to put on something clean", Dallas offered.

Colin had washed his hands not long after arriving at the hospital when a nurse had tried to put him in a wheelchair and take him into the back for a check. He'd had to lift his shirt to show her there were no marks on his body to convince her.

"I may take you up on that",He said to Dallas.