Page 145 of Jackass

“Hey, Shortcake, I’ve got Uncle Derek. You go with Mommy.”

Charlie’s arms loosened on my neck, and she turned to look at her dad.

“You promise you won’t leave him?” she asked Jack.

“I promise I won’t leave him,” Jack replied, his eyes on me.

Charlie crawled off my lap and stood up. She looked up at the sheriff. She narrowed her little eyes and pointed her little finger at him.

“You be nice to my Uncle Derek. He’s a hero. If you are mean to him, I’s telling Auntie Beck and Uncle King.”

I couldn’t stop the snort. I heard Sammy chuckle next to me.

“I promise, Charlie,” the sheriff said, his hand on his chest.

Sammy stood, taking Charlie’s hand and walking her away. I watched until she was far enough away, then I stood.

Once I was on my feet, Jack slammed into me, his arms wrapped around my shoulders. My first thought was, he was going to take me down until I heard him say, “Thank you, brother. Thank you for keeping my baby safe.”

He hugged me tight. My arms went up around his waist and I clung to him.

“Always,” I replied.

I held on for another moment before I took a step back, pushing Jack away from me.

“Step back, Jack. Please.”

Jack moved away. I lifted my arms, my hands parallel to my face.

“I’m gonna turn around. I have her gun in my waistband.”

The sheriff rested his hand on the butt of his gun and nodded for me to proceed. I slowly spun my back on the sheriff and waited. A deputy came over and removed the gun. When I saw him move away, I lowered my hands and placed them behind my back.

“Mr. Reynolds, please turn around.”

Confused, I spun back to the sheriff, keeping my hands behind my back.

“Please tell me what happened,” the sheriff directed.

I retold the story of Marsha knocking on my door. Taking Charlie into the bathroom, laying her in the tub. Arguing with Marsha until she pulled the gun on me. Fighting over the gun and it going off, shooting her in the belly.

I was honest when I told him I left her there, lying on the floor. My priority was Charlie. I told Jack how I held her face against my neck so she wouldn’t see anything when I carried her outside.

“Thank you, Mr. Reynolds. I will need you to come down to the station and file a formal statement. But that can wait until tomorrow. It looks like you could use some time with your family first.”

“Thanks, Dec,” Jack said, shaking the sheriff’s hand. When he turned to leave, I stopped him.

“Wait, you aren’t arresting me?” I asked, still confused.

“No sir,” the sheriff replied.

“But I killed someone.”

“The law is clear. You did what you had to do to protect a victim of kidnapping. A child, and your family member.”

The sheriff walked away, leaving me there with Jack.

I couldn’t look at my brother. I didn’t know how to talk to him, what to say. There had been so much resentment toward him ever since my mother told me he was alive. And that only got worse once I knew he was the man my wife cheated with.