Page 34 of Seamus's Basement
“How about I meet with him first and then you come?”
“Seamus, I’d like to make only one arrest that day. Don’t get involved.”
“I won’t touch him.”
He arched his eyebrows disbelievingly.
“I won’t,” he insisted. “I’m not a violent person. I just want to talk to him.”
“If someone did that shit to the man I love, I wouldn’t be able to keep myself in check, no matter my intentions. Stay away from him and let me handle it. You have my word that I will deal with him and end this.”
“Fine.”
“I mean it.” Richard looked him in the eyes. “Don’t force me to arrest you. Everyone’ll run me out of town, and I like it here.”
“You could look the other way when I talk to him.”
“Seamus.”
“I know. I’ll call you right away and let you handle it, but you need to keep me updated on every detail. If I have to keep DJ locked down for longer, I need to know.”
“Keep him locked down?” He looked amused. “I’m sure that’s not what you meant to say.”
“It’s exactly what I meant to say. I had him call off work this week. He’s upstairs right now resting and I’m looking for any excuse to keep him that way as long as humanly possible.” He took a deep breath and then another. DJ ran himself ragged and that had to stop. Seamus would figure out how to get him to slow down and enjoy his life. The first step was eliminating the most dangerous problem.
“You need to take it easy.”
“You should see what he did to him. It can’t happen again, Richard. It can’t.”
“It won’t, but you need to think about what you’re doing.”
“What am I doing?” He furrowed his brow.
“You’re controlling your husband.”
“I’mprotectingmy husband.”
“You can’t lock him up.”
He blinked. Did his friend actually think he had taken someone prisoner? “He isn’t literally locked up, Rich. I just meant that I told him he needs to stay at home.”
“That’s the same thing.”
“Um, what?”
“Hey. Am I interrupting?” The sound of DJ’s voice in the closed bar stopped the weird conversation.
“Why are you out of bed?” Seamus immediately got up and rushed to him. “You’re supposed to be resting.” He gently curled his fingers over DJ’s shoulders and looked him up and down. “How’re you feeling?”
“It’s been five days.” DJ set his hand on Seamus’s forearm. “I’m fine.”
“Let me see.” He reached for his shirt hem, but DJ stopped him.
“You looked me over this morning. Nothing’s changed. And I’d rather not give local law enforcement a peep show.” He looked pointedly at the sheriff, who was walking over to them.
“Hello, DJ.” He held his hand out. “I’m sorry we’re meeting under bad circumstances.” He cringed. “Again. I owe you an apology for the other night. And I owe you for that pizza.”
“What other night? What happened?” Seamus hadn’t heard anything about the two of them meeting.
