Chapter 6

• *Hasiat P.O.V*
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• Exhausted and insanely overwhelmed, I walked hand in hand with Sam outside the workshop. We watched as they carried Ben into the ambulance. James followed them insisting he wanted to be by his father. I understand his flight perfectly. Having lost his mother at a tender age, he was raised by his father with little help from relatives like Stella, Fred and his wife.
• I tried to calm myself by breathing in the air. Shortly after the ambulance left, another truck pulled out, taken by Ben’s men. They must be following the ambulance to be with their boss. Leaving me, Sam, the police men and Mayor's.
• Michael came with a note pad and pen to where I stood with Sam. He asked questions about what happened and Sam filled him the details while I listened and nodded in agreement. As Sam narrated the event, Michael took notes in his pad. There was confusion written on Michael’s face by the time Sam finished, so he dropped the question hitching him.
• “ So Ben just collapsed on seeing you?” Michael turned to me to ask in doubt and I looked up at Sam for help.
• “ Yes, I just said it man. She wasn’t even close to him” Sam almost shouted back.
• “ Ok man, ok. That’s it. You should calm down. I’m just trying to understand what happened here. ” Michael put up his hand to show he doesn’t mean any harm. "It doesn't make sence that the man see someone and just faint." he whispered to himself. I and Sam exchanged look.
• Michael is black and cool compare to other officers at the station. He is always eager to assist anytime I visited the station to report Ben. But once Sergeant Andrew heard about my report, he will dismissed my case immediately.
• Michael finished taking his note and said “ Thanks for the cooperation, I'm going to get in touch if we have any more questions. Miss Tanner, Sam, Enjoy the rest of your day”. He gave us a nod each before walking away towards the patrol car and his colleagues that just arrived.
• When we are alone, Sam turned to me, standing way too close I could feel his Breath on my face. He removed my hat from my head revealing my hair and pulled the stray strands off my face and behind my ear in a romantic gesture.
• “You ok?” he asked looking down into my eyes searching for any sign of discomfort. I wonder why he’s suddenly being romantic.
• I closed my eyes briefly before answering him “I’m fine Sam”. I let my eyes dart behind him unconsciously towards the gathered crowd and my eyes meet with the Captain’s. He had his jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed towards us. It looks as if something had made him angry and i suddenly have this urge to sort him. 'What is wrong with me'. He turned to his men and said something I couldn’t hear, then walked towards his ride. Michael trailing after him. They jumped into a Chevrolet truck and drove off.
• “Let get you back to the ranch” Sam said bring my attention back to him.
• “No, I like to know how Ben is. We should go to the hospital”
• “ No Hasiat, we are calling it a day. Besides we need to talk about what happened between you and Ben” I looked at him in question.
• “ What do you mean by that. They attacked me” I responded.
• “ I mean why were they so shocked on seeing you Hasiat”
• “ Because they believed they killed me Sam. It’s obvious they were surprised I’m still alive”
• “ What?” He asked shocked “ I don’t think Ben will go that far as to killing you. And why did you insisted on not reporting him to the police.”
• “ Oh yeah, so you know Ben so much now you believe him over my words” I put my hands in my jacket's pocket in an angry pose and walked pass him heading to the town.
• “Hasiat” Sam tried to stop me but I ignored him.
• Peterson came towards me at that moment and I blew out air of frustration.
• “ Miss Tanner, we are bound to meet eventually” He called with his devilish smile, stopping in front of me. I stopped on track and looks at him while Sam joined us.
• “Mayor” Sam said also nodding at him in greeting.
• “May I have words alone with Miss Tanner?” Peterson asked Sam.
• “Sure” he answered reluctantly looking at me and then he walked away. I don’t like the fact that he left me alone with him. Peterson can be intimidating sometimes but he definitely can’t intimidate me.
• “ Firstly, I like to congratulate you on the inheritance.” Peterson begins in his shallow voice roaming his eyes all over me which annoys me. “ Nobody saw that coming. I guess now I know the reason you turned down my offer”
• “ I wasn’t aware I was offered anything” I said back to him, frowning my face at him.
• He grinned ignoring my comment and continued “ I think fate eventually brought us together as we are going to be doing a lot together”
• “ What do you mean?” I asked getting confused.
• “ You see, Fred and I have been in business for a while now. I’m sure you are not aware of that but it a good one that favor the two parties. I buy all the ranch produce saving him the cost and stress of shipping” he said in a proud manner.
• I was taken aback shaking my head in the process as I’m hearing of this for the first time. “ I wasn’t aware of that”
• “ Of course you are not darling” he laughed out loud which infuriates me more. “ You were just his nurse so he wouldn’t have shared such an information with you. Anyway, I have another proposition. I know about the fact that you can’t sell off the ranch in the minimum of five years and I know you don’t want to be saddled up with the ranch business. When the time comes for you to sell it off, let me be on your first list. I’m a fair man and I’m gonna give you a fair price for it.” He finished still having that devilish grin on his face.
• Of course I can sell off the ranch after five years according to Fred's will but over my fucking dead body I’m I selling the ranch to this asshole. He made a move to touch my face but I stepped back not wanting to have any contact with him. He disgust me. He laughed before looking around to make sure nobody was watching. Pervert.
• I would need to have a discussion with Craig when I get back to the ranch as he is the one that handles the ranch's produce, marketing and accounting.
• “ I will leave you now Hasiat. Hope to see you again soon in a more better and more friendly situation. And ohh, about Ben, I will deal with him if all goes smoothly between us that you wouldn’t have to worry about him” He winked at me before heading to his car where his men were waiting for him.
• I watched as they left. Sam came back to me.
• “ What was that all about?” He asked. Not wanting to discuss Peterson's offer with Sam I ignored his questions and said. “ I agreed with you Sam, we should head back to the ranch. Enough drama for the day.”