Unacceptable

Chuck Nolan stood and watched as Luna Maynard was loaded into the back of a police car. He watched as the mayor spoke with the police and a long line of high-profile individuals entered the house. Nolan looked behind him at the three security guards that effectively blocked him from leaving Barrett's study and arrogantly crossed his arms over his chest.

Nolan was fast becoming tired of being Barrett's prisoner. He had his own issues to deal with. He had known he had made a mistake yesterday when he had lost his temper with Shelly and struck her. He didn't care that he had struck the woman as far as he was concerned, she had deserved worse.

 Nolan had known it was a mistake because he knew the mark would show and they couldn't miss today's event. Even he wasn't arrogant enough to think he could bring the woman to her family's estate, and no one would take exception. He should have waited and beat her later.

Now he was trapped here and the whole day had gone to shit. Nolan growled under his breath wanting to charge the guard, but he wasn't an idiot. When it seemed like no one was coming to speak with him he finally sent a text to Shelly telling her to get her cousin to let him go or else.

Shelly read the text and was startled. She had been happy Nolan had been missing the whole reception. She thought maybe he was having a fling with one of his girls. Shelly had learned quickly after their marriage that she meant nothing to her husband. She was a paycheck and a warm body and nothing more.

Shelly was too embarrassed to speak to her cousin about the situation after he had warned her, and she disregarded his warnings. She kept quiet instead. Then the beatings started. Nolan was quick to anger and no matter what she did to please him it wasn't enough. He would get upset and it would always be her fault.

Shelly rushed out of the reception headed for the main house. She wondered why her cousin was holding Nolan. She wondered if it was because of the bruises? Timothy would likely be upset if she was injured. He had paid a great deal of money for her to have a good husband after all.

Shelly walked into the open door of the main house and saw a crime scene. There was a body in a bodybag that was being lifted on a stretcher. Shelly's hand went to her throat as she took in the people in the room. She glanced behind her at the people milling outside. There were paramedics, police, and was that Luna in the back of that police SUV? There was a car marked coroner that had one stretcher with a body bag already. What the hell had happened here?

Inside there were bodyguards and staff some of which were sitting and being attended by paramedics. Caleb and Jasmine were standing with the mayor. A short distance away Mia and Timothy stood with Grandma Laura and the two Barrett children, Sage and Ginger whom she had never met. They were being overseen by Dr Nicholas Merches. Where was Chuck, she didn't see him anywhere.

Shelly walked into the room fully and called to her cousin. "Timothy, where is my husband? Chuck texted me and said you are holding him prisoner."

Tim sighed walking over to Shelly as detective Gill looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. "I am not holding him prisoner necessarily. I wanted to talk to him and had him brought to my study. I planned on joining him immediately but then events beyond my control interfered with that plan and I honestly did not remember he was there until you spoke my name just now." Tim finished speaking glancing at the detective who gave him a nod of understanding.

Shelly wrung her hands. "Chuck said you had him guarded?"

"Of course I had your husband under guard. My children were in this house." Tim replied with irritation.

"Can you let him go then since this is a misunderstanding." Shelly asked hoping she could get this to go away before Nolan got too angry.

Timothy looked at his cousin. Her confidence was gone, and she didn't seem happy to him at all. All her overzealous pompousness was gone. Shelly was a notorious snob, and she was wringing her hands in front of him too nervous to look him in the eye. Timothy grasped her chin gently and tipped her face up to get a good look at her. It wasn't just the cheek. Shelly had a healing black eye, a busted lip and several other bruises in various stages of healing that the makeup didn't cover. She wouldn't look him in the eye. He finally released her.

"Where did you get all the bruises, Shelly?" Tim questioned causing the detective to look up again and start paying attention.

Shelly startled. "I..." she began.

"Don't bother lying to me cousin. I know what it looks like when a woman is abused by a man." Tim said and the detective walked over to them.

"I don't... umm, I..." Shelley stammered as the detective took a good look at the woman Timothy was speaking to.

The detective turned to Timothy. "Where is her husband, Mr..."

"Mr. Chuck Nolan, he is in my study with three security guards. I wanted to speak with him about his treatment of my cousin when all this happened, and it distracted me from that conversation. I now see that his treatment of her is much worse than I feared." Timothy explained to the detective.

"I can see that." The detective glanced at Mrs. Nolan's battered face again.

"But... I..." Shelly couldn't seem to find her words.

"Don't worry Shelly, I will let you keep the marriage contract and with a manager's help you can be quite comfortable. You don't deserve to be treated this way. This was never my intention. This is my mistake cousin. I knew what kind of man Nolan was, but I hoped he had changed since your feelings seemed genuine. I never should have allowed the marriage, but I can set it right. Don't worry about anything." Timothy vowed to his cousin reaching out and squeezing her hand. Then he and the detective headed toward the study.

The detective called to Shelly. Feel free to return to the reception and I will catch up with you afterwards to take your statement. Mia was prodding Caleb, Jasmine, the mayor, and Grandma Laura to return as well. Mia told them they had already been gone for too long and if they didn't return people would come searching.