by Karen Rose
‘What’s with the old-style laptop?’ she asked.
‘It has no internet card. Has no WiFi or even Ethernet cable capability. I use it when I either don’t want any chance of someone hacking into my system or when I’m unsure of the file source. I don’t want to corrupt the entire Ledger server if I open a contaminated file.’
‘Diesel taught you that?’
‘I knew it myself. I’m moderately skilled with systems, but Diesel is an artist.’ He shouldered the bag, then came back to her for a kiss that took her breath away. ‘For courage,’ he murmured.
‘Mine or yours?’
‘Ours.’
Thirty-two
Cincinnati, Ohio
Wednesday 5 August, 4.30 P.M.
‘I haven’t been to the Meadow in years,’ Marcus murmured from the passenger seat of Scarlett’s department car, his gaze fixed on the roofline as they approached the shelter. This time of day, he might catch a glint of sunlight off the barrel of a rifle, giving them a split-second warning. Sometimes a split second was all a person needed.
Scarlett’s gaze was fixed ahead as she drove, searching every shadow and suspicious movement in the ground-floor windows. ‘You’ve been to the shelter?’ she asked, and he knew he’d surprised her.
The Lorelle E. Meadows shelter had been around for as long as Marcus could remember. Located in the part of the neighborhood that had not yet been gentrified, it was sandwiched between two buildings with windows that had been boarded up even when he was a kid.
‘Many times. Jeremy would bring Stone and me down here on Saturdays to help in the soup kitchen while he worked the clinic. I was twelve or so, Stone ten when we started. We were regular volunteers for years. Of course we were the only volunteers with our own bodyguards,’ he added wryly. ‘Mom insisted.’
‘I understand why.’
‘So did Jeremy. He’d bring Sammy with us.’
‘Sammy was Jeremy’s first partner, right? Stone mentioned him to Deacon and me when we were interviewing him last November. He said that Sammy died in the car wreck that burned Jeremy’s hands. And that later Jeremy married Keith, that they’d been friends since high school.’
Marcus nodded, pleased that she’d remembered his family’s history, odd as it was. ‘Yeah. We didn’t know that Sammy and Jeremy were lovers at the time. We just thought they were friends. And that Jeremy trusted him to keep us safe.’ His lips curved sadly. ‘I don’t think Jeremy’s been down here since Sammy died. He was so lost, he kind of drifted for a while.’
‘That’s when Mikhail was conceived?’
‘Yeah. That Jeremy was Mikhail’s biological father was something only Mom knew until last fall, when Mikhail found out the truth. Even Jeremy hadn’t known.’ Even though he’d understood her reasons, her actions had made Marcus want to shake his mother for not allowing Jeremy to know his son. And Mikhail to know his father. It was damn sad. His mother had kept it secret because she was afraid of Keith, afraid he would take it out on Mikhail if he found out that Jeremy had . . . taken comfort from her while grieving Sammy.
Too damn sad. ‘I often wonder how things would have been different if Jeremy had been allowed to be Mikhail’s father from day one. I mean, he always treated him like he treated us when he came to visit – like his own son. Ironic, because Mick was the only one of us brothers who really was his.’
‘What do you mean? How things would have been different?’
‘Jeremy did things with us every day. He was our dad. He made sure we ate our veggies and did our homework and never, ever forgot that having wealth was a privilege. He made sure we knew what it meant to give back to the community. Mikhail didn’t get that. I got out of the army when he was twelve and couldn’t believe what a brat he’d become. A spoiled brat. So I did with him what Jeremy had done with us.’
Her voice softened. ‘You became his father figure. I didn’t realize you were so close.’
Marcus nodded, his throat growing thick. ‘The last five years, yes. I made him deliver papers for the Ledger and made sure he had a curfew, even though he had a bodyguard. I played ball with him and checked his homework. And when Diesel was building affordable housing, I put Mickey’s rich ass to work. He whined at first, but he really enjoyed it.’ His lips curved on a good memory. ‘Especially when he started to see muscle tone, because “the chicks” dug it.’ He drew a breath and let it out, the good memory fleeting, a painful one taking its place. ‘Mom was smothering him to death with bodyguards. He never got a second to himself. He was like a pacing cat in the zoo. I was the one who convinced Mom to give him some freedom, to get him a car when he turned sixteen.’ He closed his eyes, made his mouth utter the words. ‘When he ran away, I felt responsible. He picked up his friend and drove to the cabin, then gave his friend the car keys and told him to come back in a week and get him.’
‘You know you weren’t responsible, Marcus. The monster that shot him was.’
‘I knew Mom was scared for him, every day. But I didn’t want Mickey growing up scared of shadows, like me and Stone. Too scared to sleep with the light off.’ He met her eyes, no smile on his face or in his heart. ‘Don’t you tell anyone I said that. We both got over it.’
‘Your secrets are safe with me,’ was all she said, and his heart cracked in two.
‘I know.’ He shrugged, forced lightness into his tone. ‘It’s just . . . not very manly to be afraid of the dark.’
She smiled at him. ‘Your manliness has never been in question. Nor is your love for your brother. You wanted him to have an easier life, a better life. You wanted him to be a good man and you showed him how.’ She swallowed hard, her eyes suddenly bright. ‘You’re gonna make some lucky kid a good dad, Marcus O’Bannion,’ she whispered.
His chest felt like it was going to burst open. ‘Thank you.’
Coming to a stop in front of the shelter, she scrubbed the moisture from her eyes, took a long look around them, then up. ‘Appears clear. Stay low and don’t dawdle.’
‘Yes, ma’am,’ he said obediently.
They made it through the doors with no issue, immediately running into Diesel, who was waiting just inside. ‘I brought the files.’ He held out an external hard drive like it was red hot.
Scarlett slid it into her jacket pocket. ‘Thank you, Diesel. I appreciate it.’
‘Diesel!’ The delighted cry came from a small boy of about five who was hobbling across the room using crutches. On his leg was a bright green cast.
Diesel looked down in surprise. ‘Emilio?’ He went down on one knee. ‘What are you doing here? What happened to your leg, kid?’
Scarlett looked at Marcus, brows raised in question. ‘Pee Wee Soccer,’ he murmured. ‘Diesel coaches.’ The stunned look on her face was priceless.
Emilio gazed up with unadulterated hero worship, because even on one knee, Diesel towered over the boy. ‘My brother’s got the croup. That’s what my grandma said. She took him to see Dr Dani.’
‘I don’t know who he is,’ Diesel said, and the boy giggled.
‘She,’ Emilio said.
‘Dr Dani is Deacon Novak’s sister,’ Scarlett explained. ‘She’s taking care of Tommy and Edna, the two people Marcus and I came to see.’
Diesel’s mouth bent in mild interest. ‘Deacon’s sister? She got white hair like he does?’
‘Only kind of,’ Scarlett said. ‘Think Rogue from X-Men – black hair, white streaks.’
Emilio’s smile turned little-boy sly. ‘She’s real pretty. You should meet her.’
Marcus had first met Dani Novak when she’d visited him in the hospital. She’d accompanied Deacon and Faith to a few of Jeremy’s parties in the months since and had endeared herself to his adopted father forever when she’d been able to quote from his most recent article in the Journal of Medicine. Dani was kind and funny and it was easy to see that she and Deacon were related. And Emilio was right – she was very pretty, just not as pretty as Marcus’s detective.
But if cops were
Stone’s trigger, doctors in white coats sent Diesel into a PTSD tailspin. Marcus wondered how Diesel was going to get out of meeting Deacon’s pretty sister.
Diesel ruffled the boy’s hair. ‘Not today, kid.’ He leaned forward. ‘I’m scared of needles, so I don’t go around doctors unless I have to,’ he said in a low voice. ‘Even pretty ones. You gonna tell on me?’
‘No,’ Emilio said seriously. ‘I promise. But she’s nice. You’d like her.’
‘I’m sure I would,’ Diesel said, ‘but it still ain’t happening.’
Emilio bent his head. ‘Who are those people?’ he whispered.
‘That’s Mr Marcus – he’s my boss and my friend. And that’s . . .’ He glanced up at Scarlett. ‘Miss Scarlett. She’s not my boss. Just my friend.’
Scarlett’s smile was a little wobbly as she understood she’d just been accepted. ‘It’s nice to meet you, Emilio. Your cast is cool. How’d you get it?’
‘I tried to slide into home plate,’ he said, dejected. ‘It didn’t work.’
Marcus coughed to hide a chuckle. Scarlett swallowed hers, but Diesel didn’t crack a smile.
‘That’s gotta hurt,’ he said. ‘I guess it explains why you missed practice last Thursday. But if you want, you can still come to the games and sit on the bench and keep score. You can count, right? And write your numbers?’
‘Up to twenty.’
‘That should be plenty, since we never score anyway. We can—’
‘Emilio! Where are you?’ Dani Novak came running from a back room, her white coat flying out behind her.
Scarlett waved her over. ‘We’ve got him, Dani.’
Dani rushed over, her mouth bent in a frown. ‘You know you’re not supposed to take off like that. Especially not here. Your grandmother nearly had a heart attack.’
Here, Marcus thought, where more than three quarters of the clients were either homeless or addicts or both. With a wary look at Diesel, who was still on one knee, Dani Novak also went down on one knee, putting her body close enough that she could protect the child if she had to. Which was as ridiculous as it was unnecessary. At six-six and almost three hundred pounds of solid muscle, Diesel could toss Dani Novak like a ragdoll.
Not that he ever would. Despite his shaved head and interesting tattoos, the man was shockingly gentle with everyone except the abusers he lived to squash like bugs.
Right now, Diesel was no threat to anyone. Frozen in place, he was staring at Dani’s lab coat like it was alive. Marcus considered intervening and finding an excuse to get Dani back behind the clinic door, but he didn’t. It was way past time Diesel dealt with his issues.
‘But if Grandma had a heart attack,’ Emilio said logically, ‘you could fix her, right? She says you’re a miracle worker.’
Dani pursed her lips, then gave up trying to hold back, and a smile lit up her face. ‘You little charmer, you. Maybe I could fix her and maybe I couldn’t. Let’s just not risk it, okay?’ She held out both arms. ‘Time to go back to Grandma.’
‘Wait.’ Emilio tugged her hand. ‘Meet my coach, Diesel.’
Dani’s brows lifted. ‘The coach who encouraged you to slide into home?’
Diesel’s shoulders lifted as he sucked in a breath. ‘No, ma’am,’ he said quietly, making Dani tilt her head the same way Marcus had seen Deacon do.
‘That was baseball. Coach Diesel is soccer,’ Emilio said proudly.
Dani smiled at Diesel. ‘I’m Dr Novak. Everyone calls me Dr Dani.’
Diesel lifted his head and . . . nothing. The silence went on so long that Marcus leaned around to check out Diesel’s face and was stunned to see his friend’s eyes locked on Dani’s, looking dazed. Diesel’s mouth seemed to have forgotten how to speak.
‘Diesel works with Marcus at the Ledger,’ Scarlett said, taking pity on him. ‘Come on, Emilio. I got things to do and people to see.’ She swung the kid up on her hip like she’d done it a million times.
Given that she was the babysitter of choice among her nieces and nephews, she probably had. She’d told Marcus he’d make a great dad. She’ll make a great mom too. It was a heady thought, having a family of his own. He was so taken by the idea that it took him a moment to realize that Emilio was no longer smiling and had gone completely still. The boy darted an alarmed glance at Dani, then back at the bulge of Scarlett’s gun under her jacket. He’d probably felt it when she’d picked him up.
‘My gun,’ Scarlett murmured to Dani, having gone as still as the boy.
‘It’s okay, Emilio,’ Dani said, rubbing his back. ‘She’s a cop. My brother’s partner.’
Emilio’s eyes grew round. ‘Oh.’
Dani picked up the boy’s crutches. ‘Tommy and Edna are in the clinic waiting room, Scarlett.’ She looked over her shoulder. ‘You coming, Marcus? Coach Diesel?’
‘In a minute,’ Marcus answered. When the women were back behind the clinic door, he grabbed Diesel’s biceps and with a groan yanked him to his feet. ‘Lay off the beer, buddy. You’re putting on weight.’
Diesel didn’t answer, just stood staring at Dani Novak’s retreating back. Marcus waved his hand in front of his friend’s face. ‘Yo. Diesel. You in there?’
A mute nod, then Diesel spun on his heel and walked out of the shelter, not saying a single word. Marcus followed him to the door, watched him take the steps down to the street in one giant stride. ‘Diesel? Kennedy, stop!’
Diesel turned and looked up. Expecting to see the dazed, glassy, shaken gaze that came after one of his friend’s episodes, Marcus was shocked to find himself staring into the saddest, most defeated eyes he’d ever seen.
‘Diesel, wait.’ He started walking down the steps until he realized he’d promised Scarlett he’d stay out of bullet range should any shooters be camped on the roofs. ‘Talk to me.’
‘I’ll be all right, Marcus. Stay with your detective. I’ll see you later.’
Cincinnati, Ohio
Wednesday 5 August, 4.50 P.M.
‘So,’ Dani murmured as she and Scarlett went back to the clinic. ‘You and Marcus?’
‘Oh yeah.’ Scarlett chanced a glance at Dani’s face and saw that her friend wore a delighted smile. ‘It’s been him for a long time. I just didn’t know he felt the same.’
‘I’m really happy for you. I’ve been grinning ever since Faith called and told me.’
‘I didn’t think it would be a secret all that long the way you two burn up the phone lines,’ Scarlett said wryly. ‘Still, less than a day is pretty fast.’ She set Emilio down and Dani gave him his crutches. The boy hobbled over to his grandmother, who began to scold him.
Dani looked over her shoulder, her smile dimming. ‘Is Marcus’s friend okay? I didn’t want to embarrass him by asking, but he didn’t look so good.’
‘I don’t know. I only met Diesel last night, but I know there’s something going on there. He seems like a decent guy, though. Marcus will tell me if I’m supposed to know. Otherwise . . .’ Scarlett shrugged.
‘I know. I just can’t help but try to fix things.’ Dani sighed. ‘And people.’ She pointed across the room to where the elderly Tommy and Edna sat snoozing in front of the television. ‘I’ve got patients to see, so I’ll leave you to your job.’
‘Thanks for keeping them here, Dani.’ Scarlett took stock of her friend’s face, the dark circles under her eyes expertly covered with makeup. ‘How are you? Really?’
Dani sighed again. ‘Tired. And nauseous. But my counts are back in whack, so I’m healthy. I’m just stressed over not knowing where I’m going next.’
Dani had taken a leave of absence from the hospital where she’d worked in the ER when her HIV status had been exposed. Now she looked around at the waiting room bursting at the seams with people. ‘I love my work here, but it doesn’t exactly cover the bills, especially since I moved back into my apartment. At least I’m getting some sleep again.’ She scrunched up her face. ‘Deacon and Faith were keeping me up every night. They weren’t exactly quiet while, yo
u know, in the throes. “Oooh, Deacon!”’ she cooed.
Scarlett laughed. ‘I know. I’m getting to the point where I’m afraid to call him at home. I keep interrupting them.’
Dani tilted her head. ‘I haven’t heard you laugh like that since . . . maybe never. I’m glad. Marcus is a good influence on you.’ Her eyes were wistful for a moment before she forced a smile. ‘I have to go. Keep him safe, and yourself too.’
‘You always have a room at my place if you need to ditch the apartment.’
Dani walked backward toward her office, shaking her head ruefully. ‘Not that I don’t appreciate the offer,’ she said lightly, ‘but then I’d have to hear, “Oooh, Marcus!”’ She chuckled when Scarlett blushed, then blew her a kiss. ‘Bye now.’
She felt Marcus come up behind her. ‘What was that about?’ he asked.
‘Oh, you know Dani. She and Faith have been giggling over us.’ She studied his face, saw his worry over Diesel’s abrupt exit. ‘I know, I know, some secrets aren’t yours to share,’ she said gently. ‘But you know you can, should you need to.’
‘Thanks.’ He curled his hand around her neck and pulled her in for a kiss. ‘Thanks for that too. I needed it.’ He scanned the waiting room. ‘That’s Tommy and Edna?’ he asked.
‘Yeah. Let’s wake them up.’ She took out her phone and brought up her email. ‘I had Isenberg’s clerk work up a photo array with Drake’s picture in it, just in case they did see something. Oh, and don’t mind Tommy. He’ll propose marriage at least once before we leave.’
‘To you or to me?’ Marcus asked.
She grinned at him. ‘Edna might propose to you. We can have a double wedding.’
‘How long have you known them?’
‘A long, long time. I walked a beat around here when I was right out of the Academy. I’ve tried to get them housing so many times, but this is the life they know.’ She walked over to where they slept, shook them both gently. ‘Tommy. Edna. Wake up.’
Edna came awake in a panicked jerk, while Tommy roused slowly. Edna looked around, disoriented. Then she saw Scarlett and relaxed.