Innocent Blood; Blood Money; Blood Moon
Page 59
I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t going to be. But I was as ready as I was going to get anytime soon––maybe ever.
I didn’t pull into the driveway, instead parked on the street several car lengths down from their house.
I walked toward the familiar dwelling, feeling old familiar feelings. Susan and I had made love in this house. Tom and I had discussed cases in this house. I had witnessed Sarah’s PTSD in this house. We had crashed here after FSU football games and concerts and DOC meetings. One of Susan’s too-many bridal showers had been here. So had our engagement party cookout. This house was haunted for me.
Mind racing, heart pounding, I walked up the drive, along the stone path, and onto the front stoop.
Standing in front of the enormous oak door, I took a breath and let it out slowly.
I hadn’t seen any of these people who were once family since I had accused Tom of murder and Susan had said if I turned him in she’d not only end us, but the life of our child just beginning to grow inside her.
This would not go well. It would not end in any way pretty, only in pain. But I couldn’t not knock.
So I did.
To my surprise, it wasn’t Tom or Sarah, but Susan who opened the door. To my shock, she was holding a small child who could only be our daughter.
She had been distracted, looking back over her shoulder, opening the door like someone expecting takeout delivery.
It took her a moment to realize what was happening, not just that she was seeing me, but that I was seeing the beautiful, brown-eyed creature she was holding.
With recognition and realization came an extreme mix of emotion, culminating in tears––tears that streamed not poured, tears she wiped away with her free hand.
Something inside Susan broke. I could see it happening.
It took her a moment before she could speak, but when she did . . . she managed to say some of the sweetest words I’d ever heard, as if her carrying and giving birth to our baby had been truly transformative, as if in this moment, that we shared a daughter was all that mattered.
“John, I’d like you to meet Johanna. Johanna, this is your daddy.”
Also By The Author
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(Remington James Novels)
Double Exposure
(includes intro by Michael Connelly)
Separation Anxiety
Blood Shot
(John Jordan Novels)
Power in the Blood
Blood of the Lamb
Flesh and Blood
(Special Introduction by Margaret Coel)
The Body and the Blood
Double Exposure
Blood Sacrifice
Rivers to Blood
Burnt Offerings
Innocent Blood
(Special Introduction by Michael Connelly)
Separation Anxiety
Blood Money Blood Moon
Thunder Beach
Blood Cries
A Certain Retribution
Blood Oath
Blood Work
Cold Blood
Blood Betrayal
Blood Shot
Blood Ties
Blood Stone
Blood Trail
(Jimmy “Soldier” Riley Novels)
The Big Goodbye
The Big Beyond
The Big Hello
The Big Bout
The Big Blast
In a Spider’s Web (short story)
The Big Book of Noir
(Merrick McKnight / Reggie Summers Novels)
Thunder Beach
A Certain Retribution
Blood Oath
Blood Shot
(Sam Michaels / Daniel Davis Novels)
Burnt Offerings
Blood Oath
Cold Blood
Blood Shot
(Love Stories)
Carrie’s Gift
(Short Story Collections)
North Florida Noir
Florida Heat Wave
Delta Blues
Another Quiet Night in Desperation
(The Meaning Series)
Meaning Every Moment
The Meaning of Life in Movies
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