He looked to where Frank and Jared were conversing with Maggie in the shadows of the old tree in Sara’s yard. “I only agreed to help the DEA out in the first place because Sheridan was rubbing me the wrong way. They’d already tagged him, but at that time, he was low man on the totem pole. They were after the leader. We still are.”
“And what about those caught in the middle? It pisses me off to think both you and the fricken DEA let that fucker get away while you went hunting the big fish. Sara shouldn’t have had to pay the price for some asshole’s decision to let Sheridan walk.” Nick growled.
“Frank mentioned things were bad between Sheridan and his wife. If we’d known we would have stepped in, man, you need to believe that. We want the head of the syndicate but not at the cost of women and children. Never.”
While Nick was angry they hadn’t done something to protect Jessica and Sara long ago, he did understand. What went on behind closed doors often stayed behind closed doors. “I get it. I wish you had let us know what you were involved in though. Maybe we could have helped catch the S.O.B instead of watching you go down. You should have trusted us to have your back. Instead you had to go and play the super-hero. Worked out well for you, didn’t it?”
“Wow, not pulling any punches hey, buddy? I fucked up, I admit it, but I’ve also paid the price for five long years, so cut me a break.”
They stood silent for a couple of moments, each lost in painful reflection, then Adam grinned and changed the subject. “She’s feisty.” He nodded to where Sara had disappeared.
Nick’s chest swelled with pride. “She’s getting stronger every day. It’s not been an easy road, as you can imagine. I can’t conceive what she must have gone through with that prick, all I know is he’s not going to get anywhere near her ever again. That’s a heads up to you. I know you want him, and the rest of the ring, but Sara is not your pawn, understand?”
Adam stared hard at Nick before breaking into a slow smile. “You’re hooked. I never thought to see the day when a woman brought the great Nickolaus Kelley low, damn. Guess you owe me fifty, hey pal?”
Nick’s lips twisted at the reminder. Funny, he’d thought that very same thing not so many hours ago. It was the easiest cash he would ever part with. Both because it was true, he was hooked, and because Adam was standing right fricken here asking for it. Who would have thought? Slapping him on the back, he guided his friend into Sara’s home.
***
Sara wasn’t sure how to explain the men, and woman, Tess had watched enter her house. After only Jessica and herself for the last eighteen months, it was hard enough for her to reconcile the fact they weren’t alone in this anymore, much less trying to explain it to her new friends. She’d hoped when they moved here her previous life would be behind them, that they could shed it like an old skin, instead Tom continued to be an albatross around her neck.
Which was the main reason she’d come over to Tess’s house. If Nick knew what she planned, he’d step in, endangering himself and his friends. She couldn’t allow that. Tom was her problem. When he’d taken Fiona and hurt her, he had broken the final straw. Years of oppression and manipulation fought to free themselves from her body like live entities.
Nick wasn’t aware of it, but she’d made copies of the infamous file. She was going to use that to trap Tom and get Fiona back, without risk to Nick. If she failed, he would still have the original copies and could then turn them over to the authorities. She’d also filled in the necessary paperwork so that if, God forbid, something happened to her, there would be a record of why and her wishes that Jessica stay with Annie. Though she prayed it wouldn’t come to that.
“Honey child, I’m getting the feeling you didn’t come completely clean with me about what kind of trouble you’re in. Now you sit yourself down, Grace is on her way over and we’re going to figure this out,” Tess said the moment she walked through the door.
Feeling rather like a chastised child, Sara sat.
“Okay then, while we wait you can tell me about those very nice looking young men Nick seemed to know rather well.”
“He does know them. They all worked together when he was in the Marines. The one I met today, they all apparently thought had died.” Tess sucked in a shocked breath. “I know, right? It’s a long story, I don’t know all the details yet. Did you notice the tall sandy haired guy standing by the hulk? You’ll never guess who that is, it’s Grace’s son!”
Tess clapped her hands together and brought them to her chest. “Oh my good Lord, Jared is back. I thought he looked familiar but it’s been so many years. Has Grace seen him yet? She’s going to be over the moon. It broke her heart when that boy left like that. He’s not been back in probably eight years or so. Life is too short for those kinds of misunderstandings. I hope the two of them can work things out now.”
Sara hoped for Grace’s sake they could too. She couldn’t imagine anything keeping her away from Jessica. Except maybe death. The reality of what she stood to lose should she fail hit her, firming her resolve to end this. Her years of subjugation were over. She was her own woman, and it was time Tom learned that.
With a quick knock, Grace came breezing into the little kitchen, a pan of freshly baked cinnamon buns in her hands. “I hear we have ourselves a state of emergency, so I brought reserve sustenance. Okay, Sara Sunshine, tell us all about it, and then we’ll figure out how we’re going to fix it.”
Quick tears sprang to her eyes. These two scarcely knew her, but had taken her and Jess under their wings and treated them like family almost since day one. She thanked God every day for bringing her here to Tidal Falls.
“Have I mentioned how much I love you guys? I don’t know what I would have done without your friendship these last months.”
“Oh honey, you’ve been every bit as special to us. We hate to see you under all this stress, let us help you, Sara.” Both women rushed to hug her and the warmth and love she felt flowing between them gave her the strength to explain everything to them, including the guilt she had carried for so long now.
“As you already know my marriage was a mistake. I think maybe the fact I’d spent my childhood in and out of foster homes made me hope for someone for me, to give me the safe and secure home I’d never had. And I thought for a while Tom was that man. In the beginning everything was perfect, he treated me like a princess, we were happy. Then I became pregnant and he changed. He became possessive, cutting my friends and my art out of my life. Then he began to drink, and turned mean.” She picked at the still warm cinnamon bun between her fingers. The crumbs falling to the table were like her dream of a happy marriage.
“One day a call snuck through security. It was one of my old friends. She invited me out for lunch. We spent the day shopping and had so much fun. It was late when I returned home. Tom was angrier than I’d ever seen him. He freaked, and accused me of horrible things. Then he hit me.” She shuddered in remembrance. “I thought that was the end of it, but instead he followed us to our room and raped me.” There, she’d said it aloud, surprised by how freeing it felt to admit.
After a moment of shocked silence Tess said, “It’s a good thing that son-of-a-bitch is nowhere near here, I’d shoot him.”
Grace disagreed, “I wish he was here, I always wanted to try a Lorena Bobbitt.”
A startled, laugh escaped Sara’s throat, “I had no idea you ladies were so blood-thirsty.”
“Only when it’s necessary, dear,” Tess replied as she poured them each a cup of steaming tea into delicate porcelain cups.
“Well I appreciate it, but I’m okay now. It only happened the once, after that he never touched me again.” She didn’t see the need to upset them further by telling them about all the belittling times until she escaped.
“I found out he’d created liaisons with people from a Mexican Cartel. He’s a U.S. attorney, they paid him well to keep them out of the jail system. In addition, he was transporting drugs, guns and who knew what else for them.” She smiled half-h
eartedly at the tsking sounds coming from her friends. “I found out he’d made a file detailing all of his transactions, including dates and names. An opportunity arose and I took the file, grabbed Jessica, and ran.
“Good for you, I hope they slam the book on the SOB.” Grace said, rocking forward and bumping the table, sloshing the tea.
Sara reached across and grasped her hand. “My friend Fiona, she helped by giving us a vehicle and cash, we couldn’t have made it without her. Now, somehow Tom found out and kidnapped her. He’s threatening to hurt her if I don’t return to him with the file, and I know he will. I have to help her.”
“Of course you do, but not alone. What about Nick? I’m sure he would want to help.” Tess insisted.
“Yes, he would, and that’s just it, Tess, I can’t let him. If he was hurt because of me, I couldn’t handle it. Besides, like I said before, this is something I need to do for me. Please tell me you understand?” She used her free, slightly sticky hand, to catch Tess’s as she went to walk away in frustration.
“We do understand, but we can’t let you do this alone. So if not them, you’re going to have to accept our help. Do you understand?” Tess’s gaze speared her own, willing her to agree.
Overwhelmed at their generosity, she answered in the only way she could. “Yes, ma’am.”
Grace heaved a relieved sigh, “Okay then, this is what I propose we do. I just happen to have the perfect venue for this little exchange, Grits and Grace.” And at Sara’s instant denial, “No really, it’s perfect. It’s public, downtown, and our own domain; we’ll have the upper hand.”
“Grace, you’ve had that restaurant for twenty years, are you sure you want to take that chance?” Tess looked as worried as Sara felt.
“Darn rights. It’ll be fun.” Grace squeezed out a smile.
“Fun, that’s it, now I know you’ve gone and smoked something funny. It’s going to be dangerous, that’s what it’ll be. I think we’d better hedge our bets. I’m going to call Jack. Remember, Sara, I told you about him. He’s the Chief of Police, he’ll know what to do.”
Sara nodded, liking the idea of someone with a badge showing up to save the day. As long as Nick and Jessica were safe, that is. “Tess’s right, Tom is clever. He’s going to know we’re planning something. We need to distract him long enough for the police to make their arrest. That’s where I come in, he feels that I’ve betrayed him, he’s going to want revenge. We can use that.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing, honey child. That daughter of yours needs her Momma.”
Which was exactly why this had to work.
The strident ring of the doorbell reverberated down the hall, echoing through the quiet rooms, and causing all three women to jump. Sara hopped out of her seat first, waving Tess back down, it was probably Nick, wondering what was keeping her so long. Whereas with Tom she had felt smothered by his overbearing watchfulness, with Nick she only felt cherished, loved.
Smiling as she flung open the door, she said, “I know, I’m la…” The blood drained from her face and her knees went week as she latched onto the door for support, too stunned to do more than stare blankly at the surprise visitors.
“Hello, dear. Aren’t you going to invite us in?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Nick looked towards the back door for the tenth time in so many minutes, where was she? Intellectually he knew that she was perfectly safe next door at Tess’s house, but he still fought an almost irresistible need to keep her next to him where he could make sure of her well being.
The mingling of deep voices behind him along with the lighter tones of Ms. Holt as she tried without much success to explain the protocol the DEA had to adhere to, was a welcome reprieve from his thoughts. He hated that they had decided to bring Sheridan to them. Nick would have much rather held ball in the other man’s court rather than having him anywhere near Sara and Jessica.
The only spot of relief was that Adam had assured him there was a team watching the Sea-Tac airport and would be following Sheridan and company like white on rice. He knew their investment in the case dealt with Tom’s involvement with the Syndicate, but for Nick it was much more personal than that. He hoped to see the bastard fry for what he’d done to Sara, and even to Jess. That little girl had managed to burrow her way into his heart; he would do anything to protect them.
Wonder what they would think if he asked them to settle in Tidal Falls—with him. Just thinking it made his palms sweat a little as his heart leap-frogged in his chest, marriage. He was really contemplating marriage, wow.
“What are you looking so serious about? Don’t worry buddy, we won’t let anything happen to your girlfriend.” Deep in thought, Nick hadn’t noticed Adam coming to stand next to him.
“You better not, I would be extremely unhappy if that dickwad gets within a mile of either one of them, so you better make fricken sure your guys don’t lose him.”
“We won’t, don’t worry we want this case over with every bit as much as you want that guy’s nuts on a skewer.”
“I doubt that, it’s Sara’s story to share, but trust me, jail’s too good for that asshole. If it was up to me his life would be over, and it would end slowly and painfully.”
“I hear you, brother, I hear you. If it’s any consolation, when they find out he snitched on the syndicate, which you and I both know he’s going to bend over backwards to do, his life on the inside will be a series of unfortunate events. He’ll be singing Soprano for the rest of his short existence.” Adam grinned.
Nick ached with the need to avenge Sara, but acknowledged Sheridan’s last days would not be good ones. It would have to suffice.
“So what’s with you and the beauticious Ms. Holt? I sensed a little history between you two, am I right?” He’d missed so much of his friend’s life, it was hard to fathom that he could ask the man about it now, instead of talking to his spirit.
“We have a past, but that’s what it is, in the past. I was a real dick for a while, did some things I’m not very proud of and it cost me a smart, gorgeous, incredibly sweet, woman. I’m lucky she forgave me enough to remain my friend and partner. I would’ve hated like hell to lose her completely due to my own stupidity and who knows, maybe one day she’ll see what a great catch I truly am.” Adam smiled, but it was empty of humor.
Nick gave his friend a little manly nudge, hard shoulder to hard shoulder. “You’ll meet someone one day and things will click, you know? Any woman would be lucky to have you—even if you are a moron.”
“Aw, I love you too, you homely son-of-a-bitch.” Adam shot him a grin, this one filled with affection.
Laughter rumbled through the room, and they turned to see Frank smiling at something Jared had said, and Nick’s chest filled with satisfaction. No matter what else happened, he needed to make sure they all remained this close.
He noted Maggie standing off to one side, her attention riveted on Frank as he replied to Jared, laughter still lighting his grey eyes. He hoped Adam was too busy watching the two men to notice. He sensed whatever had happened between the two of them, Adam still had strong feelings for her. He would hate to see his friends torn apart over a woman, not after they just found each other again.
Seeking a distraction, he cleared his throat loudly, then said, “Maybe we should go ahead and start. I’ll open the file, Jared, throw on a pot of coffee. I think we’re going to need it before the night is over.”
“Always the slave, never the master.” He quipped, already opening cupboard doors in search of Sara’s stash of cups.
“Whine, whine, whine, I can’t imagine why some hot young babe hasn’t snatched you up yet.” Frank said as he pulled one of Sara’s suddenly diminutive looking kitchen chairs towards him and gingerly sank down, letting out a faint grunt as his knees protested.
“Back at ya, big guy. Fine looking man such as yourself, in the prime of life, what’s not to love?”
“Whatever, is that coffee done yet, peon?”
&n
bsp; “Okay, sheesh, you two should get married.” Adam broke in as he joined Frank, gesturing Maggie to come have a seat. Instead, she went to the counter, waiting while Jared filled the mugs with steamy, rich smelling nirvana in a cup, carrying two over to the table for the men, smiling as Jared brought her one.
Nick listened to the banter with half an ear as he dug through the kitchen drawer where they’d stuffed the printed copies, grabbing the cup left sitting on his way to the table.
“Okay, before I hand this over I need a promise from the DEA.” He focused first on Agent Holt, then Adam. “Sara is free and clear of any charges of theft for these documents, otherwise we have no deal.”
Adam chortled, while Maggie affirmed, “Mrs. Sheridan was married at the time of the, dispersal shall we say, of said file, therefore she has as much claim to ownership as Mr. Sheridan does, unless so noted. Now if he wants to claim sole responsibility for said file, we would certainly have to look into the matter. However, as said file is supposedly loaded with crucial information critical to our case, we would consider those issues and act upon them accordingly.”
She glared at Frank as he clapped, a sarcastic smile on his full lips that did not extend to his gunmetal eyes. “Nice job, Special Agent, how many years of schooling did it take to learn that claptrap?”
Maggie visibly bristled at the condemnation apparent in Frank’s tone. “Not that it’s any of your business, Chief, but I became a lawyer before entering the academy. I know what I’m talking about.”
“Well, I’m glad one of us does…ma’am.”
Pissed off, Maggie turned to Nick, “Look, you don’t have to trust us, and in fact you probably shouldn’t. I recommend you call a lawyer as soon as we tag this person. That way you’re covered. Now why don’t you let us see what you have and then we can determine how much use it’s going to be.”
“Oh it’s useful, all right.” He laid the folder on the table and pulled the overflowing file from within. “There are a lot of names here our government’s been watching for a long time. Some we were even tasked with keeping an eye on. I think you’ll find everything you need, including a few surprises.”
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