Page 73 of My UnTrue Love
“I believe my sister’s word over anybody.” Hank snapped, twisting Stew’s broken arm hard enough for the man to shout in pain.
Bill’s brows lifted in surprise. Hank was one of Clem’s brothers? Damnation, that made a world of difference! His animosity towards the man evaporated into relief.
Stew’s eyes bugged out. “She’s yoursister? No fucking way!”
“Yes fucking way.” Clem chimed in triumphantly. “Hank is my foster brother. I lived with the Bunyon family, after my parents died.” She looked up at Bill. “They specialized in hard-to-place kids. Most of the foster homes in Red River Valley are run by humans, you see. I was a muse, so child services didn’t think I’d fit in there.”
“You fit in with humans, just fine. You fit in with everybody.” No one could be around Clementine and not crave her warmth.
Clem hesitated. “Well, I guess it was more the human foster-mothers didn’t want a teenage muse hanging around the foster-fathers. People assume we’ll try to seduce every man we meet, even though…” She trailed off with an uncomfortableshrug. “I mean, I wouldn’t have done that. It wouldn’t even have occurred to me.”
Bill’s jaw tightened. Fucking idiots.
“But, the Bunyons were very kind to me, even though they typically took in boys.” Clem rushed to say. “They understood what it’s like for rarer species. And Hank was there, too! He’s a mountain man and they can be scary, if people don’t get to know them. They’re very large.”
“Yep. I can see that.”
Hank smirked at him, no doubt envisioning how he could crush Bill like sagebrush under a boot heel. The “mountain man” name was apt for his species, given the sheriff’s geological proportions.
Clem beamed. “The Bunyons aregreatwith mountain men. Their biological son Paul is one. I told you about my foster family, right?”
“You mentioned you had big brothers.” Bill allowed.
“Well, this is one of the biggest. John Henry.” She pointed towards the sheriff. “Everyone calls him Hank.”
“Nice to meet ya.” Bill said politely.
Hank didn’t seem to agree. “So you almost killed this dickhead, because he grabbed Clem?” He held Stew by the scruff of the neck.
Stew wailed louder than a cat in a cooking pot.
Bill canted his head to one side. “You looking for a confession, Sheriff?” He asked, raising his voice so Hank could hear him over all the bellyaching.
“I’m looking for an answer.”
Bill weighed his options and went with the truth. Honesty always worked best, he found. “Stew put his hands on Clementine, so I put my hands on him.”
Hank grunted. “Well, you and I are about to have a conversation, during which I may or may not putmyhands onyou.”
It sounded like a threat, because itwasa threat.
“Seems fair.” Bill was feeling all kinds of obliging, now that he understood the sheriff saw Clem as a kid sister. Why, him and Hank were family, now.
“Stop being so paranoid.” Clem snapped at her brother. “Bill is a peaceful artist.”
Hank wasn’t buying it.
It amused Bill some that Clem’s brother so obviously didn’t trust him. He was Bad, of course. And a coyote. Not many folksdidtrust him, but Hank regarded Bill with the wariness usually reserved for a sleeping rattlesnake. Like he sensed that Bill could be a much bigger threat than his present circumstances let on.
“Pecos Bill is free to go.” Hank decided, not real happy about it.
Stew immediately started protesting that decision, even as another officer came over and led him away. He should be grateful that the cops saved his life. …Or maybe not. Death would’ve been quick. Now, Bill would destroy Stew in a quiet, indirect way, so the suffering went on and on. That would be much more satisfying.
“Take my sister home and put her to bed.” Hank told Bill, ignoring Stew’s shrieks about grave legal injustice. “Herownbed.”
Bill tended to struggle with authority figures. He accepted that failing in himself. No man was perfect, after all. So, Hank’s words instantly conjured the idea of Clem sleeping beside Bill that very night and he didn’t do a thing to dispel it. The picture seemed real natural, in fact.
“Hank!” Clem flushed bright red. “Bill has never suggested anything remotely inappropriate with me.”
