by Melody Anne
“Finally!” Lucian said. “I was beginning to lose hope. I knew they were made for one another. I just wasn’t sure my son was bright enough to realize it.”
“Yeah, we’ve all been there,” George said. “There were times I wasn’t sure I even liked my kids. I always loved them, but I didn’t always like them.”
“My kids were always perfect,” Joseph said, puffing out his chest and taking a big puff from his cigar. “I guess not everyone is as lucky as I am though.”
Richard, George, and Lucian all laughed at him.
Joseph glared as he took another puff. Then he smiled. “Okay, I might’ve wanted to hit them over the head once or twice. But look at all of them now,” he said as he held out his arm so they could see their ever-expanding family out on the lawn.
There was laughter and love and true joy. There wasn’t anything this family wouldn’t do for one another. He was a very blessed man.
“They just needed some help along the way. There’s nothing wrong with parenting, even after they are technically adults,” George said. “We all get lost at times and need some guidance from Dad.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Lucian said. “You’ve done very well, and I appreciate the help you’ve given me with my family.”
There was nothing Joseph liked more than acknowledgment for a job well done. He might not be able to brag to his kids about all he’d done for them, but he could certainly tell some stories to his brothers and friends.
“Joseph Anderson, what do you think you’re doing?”
It was comical how quickly grown men could toss away cigars and try to put innocent masks on their faces. They looked like teenage boys in grandfather bodies. It was a picture-perfect moment.
Katherine Anderson had her hands on her hips as she stared down at her husband with a stern . . . and very affectionate look.
“I was just having a few puffs with the boys,” he said. The only person he was ever this subdued with was the love of life. His wife was his entire world, and she would be until the day he died.
“Mmm hmm, a few puffs huh?” she said, not at all fooled.
“It’s a party, darling,” he pleaded.
Joseph was one of the most powerful men in the world, but he was no more than a purring kitten in his wife’s presence.
“Which is why I let you get away with it for about ten minutes. Now that’s enough. I want you with me for the next fifty years,” she said as she reached out and took his hand, squeezing his fingers.
He still felt chills when she touched him. His love and desire for her would never disappear. From the moment he’d met her he’d known she was the one, and not once had that love faltered.
“You are so beautiful my lovely bride. I want even more years than that,” he said, meaning it.
“You’re a smooth talker and know exactly how to get out of trouble,” she said.
“It’s only smooth talking if the words aren’t meant,” he said. “Every word I say to you is from the heart. You are beautiful, kind, and still take my breath away. Not a single day goes by that I’m not grateful to have you waking up beside me each morning.”
Her eyes shimmered with tears. “I’m not as eloquent as you, but of course I feel the same. Come dance with me.”
She didn’t need to ask twice. He could dance with her the entire night and still not have enough of holding her. They reached the dance floor and she melted against him. He was always careful with her. Katherine was petite and he was large. He never wanted to forget how easily he could hurt her.
He cupped her cheek and looked into her vibrant eyes. “You truly are the most beautiful woman here, darling,” he whispered. Only with this woman did he mute his booming voice.
“You make me feel like I am,” she told him.
She leaned her head against his chest, and Joseph looked out at the crowd of loved ones before looking up at the sky.
“Thank you,” he mouthed. He was blessed and he thanked God every day for all he’d been given.
Chapter Twenty-Four
A week went by with no more answers than Declan had in the beginning. The gang was lying low. He was worried because these guys weren’t going to stop. His property was secure. He had zero doubts of that. But the town wasn’t, and he couldn’t keep Angela cooped up forever. She’d go crazy, and it wasn’t her fault there were bad people in the world.
But what if they got to her? His town was about the safest place for a person. The officials were aware of what was going on and would have their eyes out, but that didn’t mean someone wouldn’t be able to snag her. It could happen in an instant.
After the party at Joseph Anderson’s house, she’d pulled back from him. Not completely, but she wasn’t sleeping in his bed. And he didn’t want her to feel she had to. He wasn’t sure what would be taking advantage of the situation and what would be him showing an interest in her.
If they weren’t living in the same house, it would be an entirely different matter. But he was protecting her, so there was a line he didn’t want to cross. He wanted her to want to be with him, not feel obligated.
If he could read her that would be an entirely different matter, but he couldn’t seem to. The way she looked and responded to him told him she felt something. But the way she held back made him unsure. He’d never dealt with a situation like this before. He’d never questioned whether a woman wanted to be with him. It was all new territory.
He didn’t like it one little bit.
“Sit,” he said when his brother’s dog Max stood looking at him as if he was restless. He was dog sitting and had to admit Max was the smartest animal he’d ever been around.
He was pretty dang fond of the animal. Max had saved his sister-in-law Keera’s life. The dog was a true hero with a unique personality. His brother would argue with the mutt, and Declan wouldn’t admit it out loud, but man, it seemed like the German Sheppard could answer back and actually win. He didn’t mind dog sitting at all.
As soon as Declan told the dog to sit he seemed to give a bit of an eye roll, but he obeyed. He liked surveying rooms, so Declan could see why he’d been a valuable asset to the police force he’d served most of his life.
“Retirement must be good,” Declan said, and Max seemed to smile at him. “Weird dog,” he muttered. Max let out a breath of air almost like a mocking sigh. He really was a strange animal.
Declan walked in the back door of the hospital where Kian worked, glad Max was a service animal. He could take him anywhere. Angela had an appointment at the hospital to speak with a counselor. Maybe it would give them more leads. He could only hope.
“Hey, Declan,” a nurse called out. “And hello, Max. You look mighty fine today.” Max practically purred as she ruffed him behind the ears.
“Yeah, he knows how good he looks,” Declan told her. She laughed before moving down the hallway.
He moved into the lounge where Kian was pouring a fresh cup of coffee. His brother turned and smiled.
“How’s my favorite dog?” he asked as he moved over to them and gave Max a scratch.
“He’s fine. So am I by the way,” Declan said.
Kian laughed. With as much darkness as his brother had to deal with, Declan had a lot of respect for how positive he remained. From the time Kian had been born he’d always chosen to look on the bright side. Like everyone else, he had his moments, but he was truly a good man.
“What brings you in today?” Kian asked.
“Angela has an appointment, and I like keeping her nearby,” Declan said.
“Have you discovered any more information on the case?” Kian asked. He’d been working long shifts and they hadn’t had a chance to talk for the past week.
“We’re stone cold right now. But I’m not worried. I’m waiting for what’s next. I’m sure there’ll be a showdown.”
“And how are things going with Angela?”
Declan could pretend he had no idea what his brother was talking about, but he didn’t see a point i
n it.
“I honestly have no idea what’s happening. She’s friendly, thanks me for the help at least a dozen times a day, and makes some amazing food. But she’s keeping her distance. I don’t want her to feel obligated to me.”
“I don’t think she does. I think she’s simply afraid,” Kian said.
“Afraid of the gang?” Declan questioned.
“Well, there’s no doubt she’s afraid of that. But that’s not what I’m talking about. I think she’s afraid of what she’s feeling. I know Roxie went through that. And in your case with Angela, she’d dependent on you as well, so that has to throw the entire dynamic off.”
“I hadn’t really thought about it that way,” he said, grateful for his brother’s insight.
“Maybe try talking to her about it. We never get anywhere with innuendos and trying to guess what someone is thinking or feeling. She might have no idea what’s happening inside her.”
“I can understand that; I’m not really sure what I’m feeling either.”
“Well, talk to her and maybe the two of you can figure it out,” Kian said.
“Is that professional medical advice?” Declan asked.
“Yep. And I won’t even charge you for it,” Kian said. “But I do have to get back to work. ’Tis the season for boating accidents,” he added as he stood.
They walked from the room together and parted ways at the end of the hall. Declan went to the mental health clinic and found Angela sitting in the waiting area.
“There you are,” she said with a smile.
Declan’s stomach tightened at her words. He wished she was saying them to him and not to the dog. But Max knew who she was talking about. He gracefully walked to her and sat. She immediately reached out and started petting him.
“I wish he was yours and lived at the house,” she said. “He’s such a good boy.”
“My brother absolutely didn’t want him when I took him to his house to help with the case. But the two of them bonded. When Max saved Keera, my brother worshiped him. He’s not going anywhere now. My brother loves him and so does Keera. She’s going to be a mess when his time comes.”
“Don’t even talk about that. It absolutely breaks my heart that animals have such short lives. I don’t understand it.”
“Yeah, it sucks. But as long as we give them as good a life as possible while they’re with us, we don’t need to have regrets. I think animal abusers should have the same consequences as people abusers. If the laws were harsher maybe animals wouldn’t suffer so much.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more. People who are cruel to animals, or to the young or old, are the biggest monsters there are.”
“Yeah, I’ve never understood it.”
She continued petting Max, who seemed to be very aware she needed comforted right then.
“Are you ready for this?” he asked.
The look she gave him was full of apprehension. He wished he could take some of her fear away.
“Not really. But I’m not sleeping well, and I know if I can help in any way, it’ll make it better. I can’t be a good mother when I’m scared and worried all the time,” she said.
“I’m sorry. You have to let me know if there’s anything I can do to make it better,” he said. “I’m not just saying the words. I really mean them.” She gave him a grateful smile before looking back down at Max. “Take him in with you. I think it’ll help you feel calm.”
“Really? They’ll let me do that?” she asked. Some of the anxiety in her eyes lifted, and he was glad he’d thought of it at the last minute.
“Of course they will. Max is a working dog, even if he’s retired. He can go anywhere he likes.”
Max looked up at him, seeming to say: of course I can. Declan really wished dogs could talk. He was sure the conversation would be fascinating.
“I want this all over with, Declan. I want to go back to a normal, even boring, life.”
He smiled at her. “I don’t think life is ever boring if you live the life you love,” he told her.
“That’s a good way to look at things. But sometimes a little boredom is good for the soul.”
“It certainly can help us slow down when we need to,” he agreed.
“Angela, we’re ready for you,” a woman called.
“Will you come in too?” she asked.
Declan was surprised. “Are you sure?”
“You need to know anything I talk about, so it would be better to get it firsthand,” she said.
“Okay. Let’s do this.”
He wanted to take her hand as they walked through the doors, but he knew she needed to do this alone. He was just there to watch and be there if she needed him. He felt helpless again. He was determined to do something to change that because it was a feeling he couldn’t stand. He wasn’t a sidelines kind of man. He liked to be at the front where he could help the most.
Change was coming. He just prayed it was the good kind.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Angela was nervous as she sat across from the counselor. The lights were dim and soothing instrumentals were playing low in the background. This office was meant to relax its patients. Declan chose a chair in the corner of the room so he was out of the way. She appreciated that. She knew he needed to hear what she had to say, but she didn’t want to feel like she was being interrogated. She was beginning to think that’s why it had been so hard for her to recall things before.
“You’re safe here,” the counselor said. “My name is Ava, and I’ve worked with many people. If you can’t recall everything, don’t worry about it. Let’s just talk and see what we come up with.”
The woman had a smooth voice that was very effective for calming her nerves. Angela did relax a little. It also helped that she had Max at her side, curled up on the couch with his head in her lap. She continued petting him while Ava talked.
“Have you spoken with a counselor before?” Ava asked.
“No. I spoke with the police, but never a counselor.”
“Okay, well we’re not going to do anything to make you too uncomfortable. It might be difficult recalling a traumatic past event, but we’re going to do it as gently as we possibly can. I want you to sit back and close your eyes. It’s much easier if you’re fully relaxed.”
“Are you going to hypnotize me?” Angela asked.
“No, but we want you completely relaxed so you can think about the night you were attacked.”
“I try to avoid it,” Angela said.
“I know. I also know you had a head injury. But everything is still there. We just need to try to find it. If we can’t, we can either try again or try something else entirely. There’s absolutely no pressure,” Ava assured her.
She closed her eyes as she continued rubbing Max’s head. She felt a bit sleepy. Relaxing was easing her anxiety.
“Let’s talk about a normal Saturday night for you a few years ago,” Ava said. “Tell me about a typical evening.”
Ava had avoided going into the past so much she hadn’t thought of that in a long time. But she smiled a little as she did, not focusing on the bad, but the good instead.
“I loved the weekends. I still do. Normally if the weather was good I’d take my son to a park or out fishing. We’d do something outdoors. If the weather was bad, we’d go to a movie and skating or an indoor gym.”
“Did you ever go out with friends?”
“Not too often.”
“How about four years ago, the night you were attacked?” Ava asked.
Everything in Angela wanted to block this from happening, but she continued petting Max and pushed that thought away.
“Timothy was having a sleepover, and I decided to have a couple drinks on my own. I hadn’t been to a bar in forever, but the apartment we shared was beginning to feel like the walls were closing in on me, so I walked two blocks down the road to a local pub. I’d been there a couple of times and it had always felt safe. People usually left me alone.”
“What did
you have to drink?” she asked.
“I was sipping on a lemon drop. I didn’t have a lot of extra money so I gave myself a two-drink limit. I ordered some French fries and waited for them.”
“Where were you sitting?”
“I was at the bar. I didn’t want to take up a whole table when it was just me. And I liked talking with the bartender. She was a young gal in her twenties going to college. She loved the tips she made working weekends. I was thinking it might be a good job for me, but I didn’t want Timothy to have babysitters all the time.”
“So you were talking to the bartender. Were there many people in there?” Ava asked.
“No. It was still pretty early. There were a few guys at a table laughing about something and a couple sitting a few stools down from me. But the bartender had a lot of time to chat.”
“Do you remember her name?”
Angela concentrated. “Wendy!” she said after a moment. When she told me her name I’d thought a frosty sounded good.” She smiled at the memory. “I didn’t say that though, because I’m sure she’d heard it before, and it was a silly thought.”
“So Wendy was talking to you a lot?” Ava asked, getting her back on track.
“Yes. She had a daughter and lived with her parents. We were both single moms so that gave us an instant connection.”
“That’s nice. How long were you there?”
“I ended up staying longer. Wendy gave me a free drink and we kept chatting. Then the bar started getting more and more people and she got busier. I thought about leaving, but I didn’t have anything else going on that night.”
“Did anyone sit by you?” Ava asked.
Angela shifted in her seat and Max snuggled a bit closer. It really helped.
“Yes,” she said after a few moments. A woman sat down beside me. She wasn’t too nice. She was complaining about the slow service, and I remember thinking I didn’t want Wendy to overhear. She was working hard. So I started talking to the lady.
“My new drink came and the woman started talking to me about her day, her job, and her boyfriend. I couldn’t keep up with her. My head was hurting all of a sudden and my stomach started turning. I didn’t often drink, but I’d only had two and a half drinks over a two-hour period so it didn’t make sense to me. I hadn’t eaten anything all day except those French fries, but I still shouldn’t have felt that bad,” she said.