*Author's Note*
Thanks for reading, faving, following, and reviewing.
Sorry for the delay on this, but I was on a role writing Surviving With The Devil's Son, the sequel to Thrown Into McCoy's Feud. I was on a Law & Order binge when writing this so…LOL
Ain't Just Nothing
Nancy POV:
I was sittin' at a table with my husband and children in the Pikeville Hotel conference room Perry Cline rented for my husband's political rally he was holding today since he was runnin' for Pike County Sheriff. It was Sunday afternoon and many people were comin' in after havin' attended services at the Tug Fork Church Of Christ. So many people were backin' my Frank for sheriff, which was great since I wanted him to win. Bad Frank would get rid of Hatfield corruption in Kentucky, keep them over the river in West Virginia.
Roseanna, my sweet, but naïve an' foolish cousin, Perry Cline, and the frail little Sarah Elizabeth were currently here at the luncheon rally and were sittin' at a nearby table. Moses wasn't here, but he should be. Apparently, he got home late last night from a trip to see a football game in Louisville, or at least that's what Perry told me an' Frank.
It was almost time for Bad Frank to go on stage and make a speech for his campaign whenever the man that would act as his personal deputy when he's elected, Ransom Bray, left the table he was at with his wife and children and rushed over to my husband's side. "Boss, look at this article in the Logan Banner." Ranson told Frank, shoving his phone in his face.
"Nothin', but a hillbilly rag." My Franks scoffed, battin' away the phone from his face. "Why'd I need to see something from West Virginnie?"
"Cause the article's in the announcement/celebration section and it's bout how Devil Anse's son Cap Hatfield married Nova Landon yesterday on the Hatfield homestead." Ransom answered in his slow drawled tone while still holdin' his phone out to my husband.
"What? Give that here." I shrieked, holding my hand out for Ransom to pass me over his phone. Ranson quickly handed over his phone while givin' me a worried look. I looked at the article, my heart droppin' into my stomach as I did. I can't believe it, that bitch. First, she two-times on Tolbert with that fog-eyed Hatfield then she has the nerve to marry him. "This is bad, can ruin the trial for my cousins."
"Maybe she did it to help. If she married to the ADA she could control the case." Random said, soundin' like a fool, as I handed him back his phone.
"No, she don't care 'bout my cousins' trial. Hell, she don't even care 'bout Tolbert no more either."
"Tolbert, thought she loved him." Ransom remarked, most likely hearin' 'bout Tolbert and Novella's past relationship from his wife Mary, who used to be friends with that copper-haired Hatfield lover back in high school.
My Frank shook his head while remarkin' in a hard-quipped tone, "She don't no more."
"I need to tell Tolbert 'bout this." I told the men, risin' from the table.
"Now?" Frank asked me with a quirked brow arched high up on his forehead.
"Yes, now." I told me husband, givin' him a narrowed look. "Perhaps he can call her, guilt her into revealin' her motives." I sighed before walkin' off into the direction Tolbert's table was at.
Tolbert POV:
I was stuck at a stupid political dinner rally for my cousin's husband, Bad Frank cause he was runnin' for Pike County Sherrif. I couldn't care less 'bout politics. Whoever got in got in. Yea, I voted an' all, did my civic duty, but I wasn't the kind'a man to donate money or sit at rallies. I'm stuck at this one, so is my lil girl, cause it's dinner style an' the can'date's kin.
Sally Elle looked bored t'death. She kept swingin' her legs, hittin' the the table a few times ac'dental, while scannin' the room. She picked at her plate, a sign that she was bored. I had et a few things, but wasn't too impressed wit' the food. Too rich for my blood. Bet Nova would've ett'd the entire plate if she was here tho.
My brothers Bud, Pharmer, and Calvin were sittin' 'round the table wit' me. Pharmer's fat ass was gobblin' down the food. Bud an' Calvin were talkin' to each other 'bout somethin', but I wasn't payin' 'tention to what. Hell, truth be told I was barely listenin' in on them. My mind was elsewhere.
"Tolbert, I need to talk to you for a minute." Nancy hissed into my ear, snappin' me outta my thoughts.
Lookin' over my shoulder at my cousin I shrugged an' said, "Okay."
Givin' me a pointed look wit' her black eyes she advised, "Away from the table, too many ears."
"Fine." I relented in a quick groan. Turnin' to look at Sally Elle I told her firmly, "I'll be right back, sweetheart. Stay at the table wit' yer uncles."
"Okay, poppy." Sally Elle told me wit' a toothy smile an' a bored tone to her tiny childish voice.
Quickly I stood from the table an' trudged to the back of the room wit' Nancy hot on my heels. Once I reached the back corner of the room near the doors, I stopped an' folded my arms while furrowin' my brows, silently motionin' for Nancy to tell me what she had on her mind.
"I'm 'fraid I got terrible news for you, cousin. Ransom, my Frank's personal deputy, showed us an article in the Logan Banner 'bout how Novella married ADA Cap Hatfield yesterday."
"What?" I asked in a ragged breath. No, she could've done that. Damnit, she's pregnant with, most likely, my baby. How could she'd go an' marry that fog-eyed bastard?
"You heard me, Tolbert. Novella Landon's now Mrs. Nova Hatfield as of yesterday." Nancy told me, her tart voice full of pity, as she gave me a tight look full of sympathy.
"Uh, 'cuse me, I gotta make a call." I told Nancy 'fore pushin' past her an' walkin' out of the door an' into the lobby. I needed to call Ella, hear from her what's goin' on. Damnit, she can't be married to him. Shit, I gotta bad feelin' 'bout this.
Leanin' 'gainst the wall I pulled my phone outta my pocket an' powered it on. Quickly I scrolled my contacts, hit the name Ella an' put the phone up to my ear. I listened to ring after ring til Ella's voice answered wit', "Hi, Tolbert. Um, what're ya calling for?"
"Heard from Nancy, who read in the Logan Banner, that ya married Cap yes'day. Is it true?" I confronted Ella, my velvet-gruff tone demandin' the truth from her.
"Yes, Tolbert, it's true. I married Cap yesterday afternoon." Ella's voice sounded into my ear, her words rollin' off her tongue like a heavy boulder.
"Why, Ella? How could ya do it, 'specially when yer pregnant wit' my baby?" I asked, leanin' 'gainst the wall so that I wouldn't sink to my knees. My legs felt like they'd buckle right out from under me, that's how much Ella's confes'ion got t'me.
"I love Cap and I'm having a family with him, that's why I married him."
"Darlin', say whatever ya want, but we both know that yer carryin' my baby an' are still in love wit' me. May not be a strong love, but it's love never-the-less."
"Tolbert, you're my client so our relationship's strictly professional. It's my job to council you and your brothers legally, not to hang out with you and swap parentin' tips." I was so tired of hearin' that sorry ass 'cuse of hers. She's been usin' it since she moved back. Hell, nothin' 'bout us was strictly profes'ional an' never would be.
"I don't know why yer bein' so hateful towards me for, but I bet yer new husband's got a lot t'do wit' it." I snapped gruffly at the love of my life. I hated Cap Hatfield, if it weren't for that fog-eyed bastard I'd be wit' Ella right now. "I'll be by t'morra t'see ya 'bout my case. Hopefully you'll be nicer to me then."
"I'll be in my office by 7, you can come anytime after that to discuss your case." She told me in a flat, but profess'nal tone.
"I love ya, Ella. Can't believe yer Mrs. Hatfield now." I solemnly sighed 'fore clearin' my throat an' tellin' her gruff, but smoothly, "Reckon I'll let'cha go, I gotta get back to Bad Frank's Sherrif bid char'ty dinner." I didn't wait for her to say anythin' back, I just hung up my phone an' shoved it into my back pocket.
Novella POV:
I was sittin' in my desk after having just arrived at my office a few minutes earlier with my yeti full of green tea. I was opening up my work email whenever the door swung open with a slight squeak. I looked up from my computer screen only to see Tolbert's broad and tall form walking into my office, shuttin' the door behind him. "Take a seat and we'll discuss your case." I told him in the most profession tone I could muster while pointin' to the open seats in front of my desk.
"He got'cha a big rock didn't he." Tolbert scoffed as he walked over to the open chair, taking a seat in it.
"Tolbert, don't worry bout my ring." I ordered him in a sigh, my tone warnin' him that I wasn't in the mood for any bullshit. "Now, 'bout your ca-" I began to say until I was rudely cut off by Tolbert's velvet timbre snappin', "I can't believe ya married him so quick. Why'd ya do it, darlin'?"
"I love him and were havin' a baby." I told him, soundin' like a broken record since I told the jackass the same thing yesterday when he called me. He happened to call me when I was in an afterglow moment with Cap and sayin' that my husband was annoyed by Tolbert's call to confront me 'bout bein' Mrs. Hatfield's an understatement.
"No, ya mean yer havin' a baby wit' me an' lettin' him think it's his." Really? He's still harping on that. Damn, Tolbert's acting like a dog with a bone. Won't drop it.
"Tolbert, it is his." I ground out thru gritted teeth.
"How far long are ya, if ya don't mind me askin'."
"I'm 6-weeks and 3-days." I answered before quickly adding in a quick, "Why?"
"Like I said, my baby." Tolbert told me before adding in with a sneer, "I can do math an' had a baby 'fore. Ain't some dumbass hillbilly hick even tho I'm a dropout."
"I never said that you're a dumbass."
"But ya imply it a lot wit' how ya act towards me." Tolbert acused, his stormy eyes narrowed at me. Shakin' his head he asked, "Hell, does he know that's my baby?" Before I could utter a word the ginger jackass sneered, "Ya think he's really gonna accept it, havin' McCoy blood an' all? He'll hate it."
"It's a Hatfield baby, Tolbert. Can you accept that, me havin' his baby?" I countered in a low tone, my cornflower blue eyes narrowed at him.
Tolbert avoided givin' me a clear answer by answering my question with his own question of, "I have a child from my failed marriage, a child ya accept an' love, so why wouldn't I accept yer child?"
"It's not just my child Tolbert, it's Cap's too. You'd never be able to love a Hatfield baby, you'd hate it and treat it differently from your child." Tolbert wasn't Cap, he wasn't capable of viewing a baby as innocent. Cap, even tho he had a cold demeanor, had a huge heart and I knew would accept my child no matter what. Hell, Cap was adamant that it was our baby and that was that. Tolbert would push for a blood test if he was in Cap's shoes, his hatred runs too deep.
"Ya really think so low of me, Ella?" The redheaded man asked me, hurt an' puzzlement in his slate eyes. Shaking his head he remarked incredulously, "Sam's Hill, I know I broke yer heart a decade 'go, but I never thought ya'd think of me as a cruel man towards ya an' any child of yers." Tolbert took a deep breath 'fore tellin' me, "I know how it is to get married in a rush, thinkin' yer in love an' doin' the right thing. At the time it might be the right thing, but then down the road it falls apart." Lockin' his eyes onto my cornflower blues he vowed, "I'll be there to pick ya up when everythin' falls apart. Be there for both ya an' yer baby."
"Most likely you'll be in jail, you won't be pickin' up shit."
"Yer defendin' me, darlin', so I'm not s'pose to get jail time." Tolbert reminded me, a slight lined smirk crossing his face.
"The case is very hard, Tolbert." I told him, which just result in him rolling his eyes at me. "There's witnesses that say you and your brothers started the fight, pulled the weapons and attacked without reason. The prosecution has a solid case." I told him, honestly letting him know that my husband had a solid case against him. Tolbert just rolled his eyes at me again before tilting his head at me, silently telling me that he wanted me to get him cleared of his charges despite my ADA husband having evidence against him. I grabbed my thermos of green tea off my desk and took a sip before telling Tolbert my defense plan. "All I can do is try and appeal to the fact that you're a single parent, hope that the jury's hearts soften at that."
Tolbert's nostrils flared, much like an angry bull's, and his face turned a shade of red as the vein's in his neck popped out angrily. His storm blue eyes went black as he spat out angrily, "But Ellison punched me, tossed me to the ground. Was tossin' both Bud an' Pharmer 'round like flour sacks."
"Is there anythin' in your past that if dug up might make your character look bad? Right now, Cap knows how to press your buttons, get you to blow." Softening my look, I honestly told my ex, "I need'a know what he might find on you to use against you."
"Can't ya just take a look at yer husband's files?" Tolbert asked me, his posture tensing up slightly. So, Tolbert thinks that Cap dug up something on him.
"No, he doesn't show me what he has on your case. Just says he won't be goin' easy on you and your brothers." I honestly told my client, letting him know that I wasn't aware of anything my husband was cooking up for his trial strategy.
"I cheated on Mary with some girl I met at The Barn. Her name's Misty Wells, we got a son t'gether named Brett. I pay her rent, she lives over in Mate Creek in an apartment down town." Tumbled out of Tolbert's mouth faster than a tumbleweed rollin' down Tombstone.
"What the fuck?! Seriously, Tolbert?!" I shrieked, my eyes popping out of my head while my face turned an angry shade of red. "There goes your family man persona. Bigger then shit Cap's diggin' that scandal up, if he hasn't already." Slumping back in my chair I let out a heavy sigh. "Great…just great…"
"So, how ya think my chances are wit' my case?"
"You're goin' to jail. Don't pass go, don't collect $200, just go straight to jail." I deadpanned while making a reference to Monopoly. I needed to try and make light of the situation or I'd strangle the redheaded bastard sittin' across from me.
Cap POV:
I had just pulled into the parkin' lot of the apartment that was located a street 'way from the tavern in Mate Creek. After one of the paralegals at the office tossed a file on my desk with the name and address of a woman bein' support by Tolbert McCoy in it, I knew I had to chase the lead and go pay the Miss Misty Wells a visit. I was going to ask her 'bout Tolbert, use this woman to smear his character in my case against him. I was gonna make sure everyone saw him for what he really was, which was a lying murderous crazy cheat.
After gettin' out of my truck I walked up to the apartment that belonged to Misty and knocked on the door. I knew she was home since the information in the file said that she was unemployed. Basically, Tolbert supported her and their bastard. A few moments after I knocked the door swung open to reveal a tall young golden-blonde balancin' a little boy on her hip. A boy that looked to be 'round 3 or 3 ½-years-old. "Yes, how may I help you?" The woman asked me, lookin' me up and down. No doubt she knew I was here for something legal related since I was in a three-piece suit.
"I'm ADA Hatfield and I'm heading the case against the McCoy boys. I'm here to discuss Tolbert." I introduced myself to the golden blonde woman standing in the doorway.
"Oh, so you know 'bout me and him then?" Misty asked, albeit dumbly, as her face paled and blanched a bit.
"Yes, and I have a few questions." I honestly told the woman. Raisin' my hand and gesturin' to the room behind her I asked, "Can I come in?"
"Yea, you can come in." Misty told me, steppin' aside to free up the doorway for me to enter.
As I entered the apartment, she placed her son, who looked like the spittin' image of his daddy, on the ground while tellin' him, "Go to your room and play, Brett. Mommy's gotta visitor."
"Okay, mommy." The ginger haired boy, Brett, told his mother 'fore quickly runnin' off down the hall.
"Would you like any coffee, tea, or water ADA Hatfield?" She asked, closing the door, as I quickly took in my surroundings.
The living room of the apartment was small and minimally furnished. A small tv was in the corner near the wall that had the kitchen archway. The only seatin' in the room was an older styled floral sofa and a faded easy-chair. A coffee table was in front of the sofa and a toy chest was the back corner. A few pictures of Misty's son hung on the white walls, but no other decorations. All in all, the place felt like it was missin' something, didn't have that warm homey feel to it.
Hell, both mine and Nova's apartments back in Baltimore were set up better then this dump Tolbert stuck his baby mama in. Our apartments felt, for a lack of a better word, warm and lived in. Misty's apartment had a lingerin' cold feel to it and it wasn't cause of the thermostat either.
"No, I'm fine." I told her, takin' a seat on her floral sofa. A sofa which was a bit too soft and sunk in. "So, Miss Wells, when did your affair with Tolbert start? His daughter and your son due seem close in age."
"We started to see each other shortly after Tolbert got married to his ex-wife, Mary. Brett's three, he's 14-months younger then Sally Elle." The blonde told me as she walked over to the sofa and took a seat by me.
So my estimate on the boy's age was right. Only one reason for that, a reason that's pretty good to my case. "So, his wife was heavily pregnant when he knocked ya up is what you're admittin' to?"
"Yes." Misty nodded, a shameful look shinning in her emerald eyes.
"Do you know why he was neglectin' his pregnant wife to fuck 'round wit'cha for?"
"Yes, I know why," Misty nodded 'fore asking with wonderin' emerald eyes, "but what does it have to do with his case?"
"Everythin', Miss Wells." I grinned devilishly. "See, I'm diggin' into his past to develop a picture of his character for the jury. So, if ya wouldn't mind answerin' my question."
Misty stared at her hands that were folded over her knee for a few moments before looking up at me and saying in a half-sigh, "She got pregnant; he did the right thing and married her since they were already engaged. He loved her, but wasn't in love with her, and needed a distraction from his life."
"And you were that distraction." I concluded, trying to sound as neutral as I could even tho I was thrilled that Tolbert had strayed from his ex-wife Mary. His character is tarnished. He's not this church goin' family man that's devoted to his kid and had to fight for self-defense, but instead a compulsive hot-head that's word can't be trusted.
"Yes, I was."
"Are you still?" I asked since I had a funny feeling that Tolbert was still hooking up with Misty. No way was Tolbert a monk and if he claimed to be, I call bullshit. Him hooking up with his baby mama'd be easy, he'd know that she's more then willing and can butter her up.
"What?" She sputtered, her eyes poppin' out of her head while giving me an odd look.
"You heard me, are you still a distraction for him?" I cut my eyes at her, indicating that I wanted an answer.
"He visits Brett once a week 'tween his moonshine runs and sometimes we hook up if that's what ya mean." Oh, yes, now that's an answer I love hearin'. That crazy ginger bastard's actin' like he's so devoted and in love with my wife, but he's got himself a secret mistress. A secret mistress over in the town we live in too. "We're not actually t'gether, he's made it clear that he's highly interested in somebody else that's just moved to town." Yea, that jackass has a thing for my wife. Eh, ain't tellin' Goldie Locks the kept whore that tho.
"I bet'cha know a bit 'bout his divorce. Care sharin' anything 'bout that?"
"I don't know much, just that 'fore Mary left him a detective called Bad Frank showed up at their place a lot." My brow quirked up at hearing that which caused Misty to quickly tell me, "Nothin' too bad tho, just arguin' I guess." Yea, I bet it was just arguing. In my experience with trying cases a cop getting called on a couple ain't for just nothin'. "But all I know is one day she walked out on Tolbert and the baby so he had a family friend that's a lawyer get him a divorce."
Hmm, somethin' smells fishy 'bout Tolbert's divorce and events leadin' up to it. Bad Frank Phillips was answerin' calls to his house, hmm maybe some domestic disputes he was calmin' down and coverin' up? I gotta get the legal aids diggin' into this for me when I get back to the office. I need'a find Tolbert's ex-wife, Mary, and have a sit down with her.
"Well, thank you for talkin' with me. I don't have anymore questions to ask, so I'll just be on my way." I politely told the woman while standin' up.
While making my way over to the door I heard Misty ask in a soft and shaky voice, "ADA Hatfield, what'll happen to me if ya get your way and lock up Tolbert? He pays all my bills, makes it so I'm able to be a stay at home mommy."
"I advise you to get on welfare and food stamps, Misty, cause he's gonna be in the Kentucky State Penn for a very long time." I bluntly told the golden blonde before walking out of her apartment.
Novella POV:
It was almost lunch time and I was holding my head while reading the notes I had scribbled down on a legal pad 'bout Tolbert's defense. I knew now that my honest and hardworking family man defense was blown out of the water. I knew without a doubt that Cap would use Tolbert's hidden child and ex, that he cheated on his wife with, to paint Tolbert out to be deceitful and impulsive. I had no idea how to present Tolbert to a jury. Hell, I knew that with Pharmer and Bud I could go with the worried brothers helping their older brother, their leader, cause they have an urge to protect him defense. Now that'd work for them, but with the hot-headed ginger I was at a loss for when it came to thinkin' up a defense tactic.
Feeling defeated I tossed my legal pad onto my desk, causing a loud thump to echo out into the room. Right as I took my hand off my head and leaned back in my chair with a sigh the door to my office opened. In walked my Uncle Perry with a grim and disappointed look on his fox-like face while snappin', "Novella LaVerne Landon, I don't know what the hell's wrong with you, but how could you think it was even remotely a good idea to marry Cap Hatfield?"
"Uncle Perry, I thought it was a good idea to marry him cause I'm pregnant and I love him."
Standing in the middle of my office my uncle crossed his arms over his chest and gave me a tilted and stern look while telling me in his slick voice, "Novella, you know that this quick wedding was not in your best interest. He's using you, manipulating you in order to win the case against us."
"No, he's not and if he wins it has nothin' to do with manipulation, but with how Tolbert has skeleton's in his closet that paints him in bad way."
"Oh, so you found out about Misty and Brett."
"You knew about Tolbert supportin' Misty and their kid, along with their affair when he was still married to Marry, but never told me?" I sarcastically asked while shakin' my head. I was so disgusted with my uncle right now. How could he know and not tell me? Damnit, he should've told me since I'm helpin' him defend this lost cause of a case.
With a slight shrug my slimy uncle told me, "I didn't think it was prudent to the case."
"You're wrong 'bout that. His defense is now toast, I can't make him out to be a loyal family man that doesn't deserve locked up when in fact his character portrays him as the complete opposite."
"You're married to the ADA now, convince him to ignore Tolbert's infidelities and bastard during your pillow talk with the one-eyed demon." My uncle ordered me in a loud hiss before storming out of my office.
The rest of my day seemed to go by in a blur and before I knew it, it was time for me to go home. As was the routine, Cap's black Dodge Ram was parked in the lot and waiting on me. It brought a smile to my face knowing that my husband carpooled with me as a way to keep my safe, to keep any potential McCoy enemies from learning my plate and tag numbers. Cap's love for me ran deep and I felt the same way about him. Our relationship wasn't exactly normal considerin' the feud surrounding the Hatfields and the McCoys, but I couldn't imagine being anybody's wife, but his.
My black heels clicked against the pavement as I quickly made my way over to my ride. Once I reached the truck, I opened it only to have Cap look at me and ask, "How was your day, babe?"
I got into the truck, shuttin' the door behind me, while remarkin', "Awful, how bout yours?"
"Pretty good, got a break in my case." Cap smiled while shifting his truck in gear and pullin' out of his parking spot.
"Yea, if it's what I think it is then I just got that bombshell today." I let out in a long sigh while my husband pulled out of the lot and onto the road.
"Ah, I see. More shit he was keepin' hidden from ya then."
"I'm fightin' a useless battle with Tolbert, I might as well focus my defense strategies on Bud and Pharmer cause as of right now they stand a better chance."
"I can make a deal for Bud, get him off in exchange for his testimony." Cap told me, taking me by surprise. Cap looked over at me real quick before returning his mismatched eyes to the road. "All of my witness statements say that they only saw Bud active in the fist fight. That he was trying to pull Tolbert off of Ellison's back and then tried to push Ellison off of Tolbert and Pharmer, but that he never actually stabbed my uncle. Bud picked up a knife and stood frozen in place with it right when Pharmer shot Ellison. He ran cause Tolbert told him and Pharmer too."
With my brow arched up curiously I asked, "So, Bud's innocent?"
"Of murder?" Cap rhetorically asked before nodding, "Yes, it seems that he is."
"But if he makes a deal with you for clemency then he's giving you his brothers' heads on a silver platter. He'd become the state's golden goose witness."
"Yep." Cap popped his tongue. While switching lanes, in order for us to be able to get to the bridge that'd bring us across the Tug, he sighed, "You can either save one or none. You won't be able to get them all off, baby."
I just nodded my head, knowing that he was right. "I'll talk to Bud, see what I can do." I sighed while looking out of the passenger's side window, watching the trees and grass as my husband drove us to the direction of West Virginia.
Cap didn't say a word, just turned the volume up on the radio. As he drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel to the beat of the song playing over the radio I was stewing over my options, or lack of them, for the McCoy boys' case. On one hand I could ignore what Cap told me and do what Uncle Perry wants, no deals and to run with a self defense plea, or I can go behind my uncle's back and try to talk Bud into a deal that's save him, but prove his brothers to be guilty. I know the chances Bud has without Cap's help are slim to none and know that I need to get him a deal, but I also know that the McCoys will hate me even more for it.
AN:
Dun dun dun, the plot thickens. Will Bud flip on his brothers for his freedom or keep his mouth shut?