Suddenly One Summer

by Barbara Freethy

  “The cliff.”

  “Oh my God, Reid—”

  “It’s over, Jenna. She’s safe.”

  “Mommy smiled at me,” Lexie continued. “She said, ‘I’ll love you forever. Be happy.’ She’s going to heaven now. She just wanted to say good-bye.”

  Jenna’s mouth trembled, and Reid felt tears gather in his own eyes. The little girl had lost both her parents, but she still believed in heaven. Maybe that was the true miracle.

  Lexie’s arms tightened around Reid’s neck and then she buried her face in his chest.

  “Brad?” Jenna whispered.

  “It’s over. You’re safe now.”

  She nodded, relief in her eyes. “They want me to go to the hospital to get some stitches.”

  “We’re coming with you.”

  “Thank you. I want you to be with me, and I don’t think Lexie intends to let you go.”

  “I’m not letting her go, either.” Reid looked up as Joe approached them. The chief ’s face was grim.

  “Did you tell her what happened?” the chief asked, obviously not wanting to discuss Brad’s death in front of Lexie.

  “I will,” Reid answered.

  “I need to talk to both of you, but right now I have to get to the hospital,” Joe said. “I’d prefer it if you spent the night elsewhere. I’d like to keep the crime scene intact. I understand your brother-in-law broke into your house.”

  “Yes, through the window in Lexie’s bedroom.” Jenna paused. “I’m so sorry that Brad shot Colin. I feel terrible. I brought this monster to the town, and it’s my fault.”

  “No, it isn’t. Officer Lynch was doing his duty,” Joe said heavily. “One he chose gladly and willingly.”

  “I pray that he’ll be all right,” Jenna said.

  “So do I,” Joe returned. “So do I.”

  TWENTY-THREE

  Kara Lynch woke up abruptly, and glanced at Colin’s side of the bed. It was empty; he was on the night shift. Everything was fine, she thought—but a shiver ran down her body. The curtains rustled as if by a breeze, but the windows were shut.

  Then the doorbell rang.

  She knew she’d been waiting for it, though she didn’t understand why.

  Now she was afraid to answer it.

  The bell pealed again, followed by a determined knock. Kara got up, put on her bathrobe, and walked slowly to the front door. Looking through the peephole, she saw Joe on the step, his face pale and grim under the porch light.

  Her hand trembled as she opened the door.

  “What happened to Colin?” she asked, her stomach turning over.

  “He was shot, Kara. He’s on his way to the hospital. I’ll take you there now.”

  “He’s going to be all right,” she said. Because there was no alternative.

  “Yes, of course he will,” Joe said, but she saw the fear in his eyes.

  “We’re having a baby. Colin has to be okay. I need him. I can’t do this alone. I can’t.”

  “You’d better get dressed, Kara.”

  Terror swept through her like a wildfire, but she couldn’t break down. She had to get to her husband. She had to believe in Colin. He was going to live. He was going to make it. He simply had to.

  Colin had been airlifted to a hospital thirty miles away from Angel’s Bay, a facility that handled serious trauma cases. Kara was barely aware of the drive along the foggy coast in Joe’s squad car. The siren blazed through the night, the strobe lights flashing off the water. During the trip she prayed to God, to the angels that Colin believed in, to all of her family members who had passed on, and to the universe in general. She offered up bribes and bargains, things she would do if only Colin would live.

  How could she go on without him? He was her husband, her lover, her best friend—the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. He was the father of her child. She put a hand to her abdomen, feeling the flutter of a tiny foot or hand against her rib cage. Her baby needed Colin. So did she. They’d been together forever. He was her first love—her last love. It could not end now—not like this, not without warning. She wasn’t ready. She would never be ready.

  Tears streamed down her face, and she was vaguely aware of Joe pressing a tissue into her hand. She wiped her eyes, knowing she had to be strong. She could hear Colin’s voice in her head, telling her not to worry, that everything would be all right. She had to keep the faith.

  When they arrived at the hospital, Joe took her upstairs to a waiting room. Two of Colin’s fellow officers were already there, both in their street clothes. They hadn’t been on duty, but they’d come as soon as they’d heard. They each gave her a hug, but she couldn’t feel anything but mind-numbing pain. Someone helped her into a chair. Someone told her that Colin was in surgery and the doctor would be out as soon as it was over.

  Over? If Colin didn’t survive…She couldn’t even finish the thought; it was too terrifying. So she stared at the clock on the wall, watching the minutes go by.

  Whenever she woke in the night after a bad dream, Colin took her in his arms, smoothed her hair, kissed her on the lips, and told her that everything would be fine in the morning, that she wouldn’t even remember the nightmare.

  She wanted the sun to come up now. She wanted the nightmare to end. She couldn’t wait until the morning.

  After getting her stitches, Jenna found Reid and Lexie in the waiting room of the Redwood Medical Center emergency room. She knew that Colin Lynch had been taken to a trauma center down the coast, and she wanted to go there as soon as possible, but it was the middle of the night, and Lexie was exhausted. In fact, she was stretched out on a couch fast asleep. Reid stood up as soon as he saw Jenna and quickly moved to her side, concern in his eyes.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, his gaze dropping to the sling supporting her arm and shoulder.

  “I don’t feel a thing now,” she said with a tired smile. “They gave me something for the pain. But it was just a surface wound. I should have ducked more quickly.”

  “You shouldn’t have had to duck at all. I should have been there with you.”

  She heard the self-recrimination in his voice and it bothered her. “You were there with me,” she reminded him.

  “Too late. If I’d come over earlier—”

  She cut him off, putting her free hand against his mouth. “Shut up, Reid. I won’t let you take on any more guilt. We were never your responsibility. And the truth is, you were there when it counted. You saved Lexie’s life! I can’t ever thank you enough.” She lifted her hand. “Why did you come to my house? I thought we weren’t going to see each other tonight.”

  An odd look entered his eyes. “I went out to take a walk, and I saw that woman again—the one with the red hair, the one who reminded me of Allison. At least I thought it was her. I followed the vision, and the next thing I knew I was on your street, and she’d disappeared. I saw Colin on the ground next to his squad car, and I knew Brad was in your house. It seemed to take forever for me to get to you.” He put his hands on her waist, pulling her close. “When I walked into that room and saw Brad with a gun, and you on the ground—” He shook his head. “If I’d been a second later, he might have killed you.”

  “But you weren’t a second later. And I’m all right.”

  He lifted one hand to her hair, tucking a strand behind her ear. “I might have to stare at you for the next couple of days just to make sure.”

  She gave him a soft smile. “That’s okay with me.” She pulled him farther away from Lexie, then drew in a breath. “I have to ask, Reid: What happened out on the bluff? How did Brad die? And are you sure he’s dead?”

  “When I found Brad, he was struggling with Lexie. She was fighting him like a little tiger cat, but they got too close to the edge, and she slipped. Brad reached for her and they both went over the side. The hillside goes down about ten yards and then hits a sheer wall of rock. Brad managed to grab on to Lexie’s leg and a boulder before they reached the point of no return.” Rei
d swallowed hard. “I went down to get her. I told him it was over, that we knew everything about him. For a minute I didn’t think he’d let her go. But then she looked at him, and she said Daddy in that sweet little voice of hers, so full of hope that he’d do the right thing. She must have gotten through to him. He told her that he loved her, that she was best thing that ever happened to him, and that he was sorry for her mother’s death.” Reid paused. “Brad let me save her, Jenna. He could have taken her with him over the side, but some small piece of his soul wouldn’t let him kill his child.”

  “Thank God for that. I can’t believe he’s really gone, though. I wish I could have seen it for myself.” It would take a while to really feel safe.

  “He’s gone,” Reid replied. “It was a hundred-foot drop to the sea with jagged boulders anywhere he would have landed. He couldn’t have survived. But I’m sure the police will look for his body in the morning.”

  “What about the angel Lexie mentioned? Was it just her imagination?”

  A small smile crossed Reid’s lips. “I did see what appeared to be an angel—an angel that looked a lot like Lexie. There was a moment when I thought I wasn’t going to be able to pull both of us up the cliff. The dirt was loose, I couldn’t get my footing, and Lexie was in an awkward position. And then I felt new strength, as if someone had given me a hand. Want to tell me I’m crazy?”

  “How could I? I’d like to believe that Kelly is all right, that she’s in a better place. And the fact that Brad saved Lexie is something that she can cling to as she grows up, as she tries to make sense of it all. But I’m still afraid that she’s going to be totally messed up.”

  “You’ll straighten her out. It may not be easy, and it may take a long time and a lot of love—but Lexie is lucky to have you. You’re an incredible woman, Jenna.” His lips tightened. “When I heard you scream, I was so afraid that I’d lose you before—”

  “Before what?” she asked.

  “Before I had a chance to tell you that I loved you.”

  She sucked in a quick breath of air. “You don’t do love, remember?”

  “Yeah, I remember.” Reid took her hand in his, his fingers curling around hers. “I didn’t want to come over tonight because I was afraid to give in to what I was feeling. I wanted to be able to walk away without looking back—but I was lying to myself, Jenna. I’d already fallen for you; I just wasn’t ready to admit it. Now I am. Because life is short, and I don’t want to waste another second being stupid.”

  “Oh, Reid.” She gave him a teary smile. “I’m crazy about you. I know it’s fast, but it’s also true. Maybe it’s this place. I feel like this was meant to be—you and me and Lexie. She loves you, too. And just so you know, we can take things as slow as you want. We don’t have to rush into anything. We don’t even have to stay here,” she said, wanting to make sure that he understood that. “If you want to go back to your paper or do something else, we can work it out. I’m finally free—not just of Brad, but also of my father and his expectations, and a life I didn’t want anymore. I want you to be free, too. Free from your guilt over Allison, free from your difficult past. I want you to be happy. I want us to be happy.”

  Reid tilted up her face. “When I was a little kid, the only thing I ever really wanted was a family: people who I could love and who would love me back.”

  “You have that now.”

  “Then we’ll figure out the rest as we go along,” he said, with a tender kiss.

  Jenna threw her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to hers, starting a kiss that would last for the rest of their lives.

  It was just after seven o’clock on Monday morning when Charlotte found Joe standing alone at the end of the hospital corridor, down the hall from where Kara Lynch and her family and friends waited for a report on Colin’s condition. She’d arrived at the hospital thirty minutes ago, wanting to check on Kara before she returned to the clinic and her schedule of patients.

  “Hey,” she said quietly.

  Joe turned quickly. “Is there any news?”

  She shook her head, wishing she didn’t have to disappoint him. “No, not yet.”

  “He’s hurt bad,” Joe said.

  “Yes, he is.”

  “I shouldn’t have put him on patrol last night without more specific instructions. Jenna told me that her brother-in-law was after her, and I knew trouble was coming our way. I just didn’t think it would get here so fast.”

  “I’m sure you prepared Colin.”

  “I didn’t say enough. I didn’t do enough.” His eyes were pained and angry.

  She put a hand on his arm. “You did your job, Joe, and so did Colin. I grew up with Colin, and he was always the first guy to jump into battle to save someone. When the bullies on the playground would come out, Colin would take them on, even when he was a scrawny, underweight, geeky kid. He loved the role of protector.”

  “He might die, Charlotte.” Joe shook his head in despair. “I don’t know if I can forgive myself—or if Kara can forgive me. She’s having a baby, dammit. Do you know how much Colin has been talking about that kid? He’s been over the moon.”

  “I do know. He never misses one of Kara’s appointments. But I’m not giving up hope, and neither should you.”

  “I’m trying not to, but I’ve seen a lot of bad things happen to good people. It’s difficult to be optimistic.”

  “I know. Sometimes life isn’t fair.” She hesitated for a long second. “Joe, would it be all right if I hugged you?”

  He opened his arms. She moved into his embrace, holding on for far too long, but she couldn’t help it. He was hurting, and she was hurting for him. His wife should be here with him. Charlotte wondered where Rachel was, but it was none of her business.

  She pulled away and smiled. “Take care of yourself, Joe.”

  “You, too, Charlotte.”

  “I will. I’ll see you around.”

  The entire town seemed to be crowded into the fourth floor waiting room at St. Mary’s Hospital late Monday morning. Jenna wasn’t sure how Kara would take to seeing her, knowing that her husband might lose his life because of the situation Jenna had brought to Angel’s Bay, but she’d come anyway because she wanted to support the woman who’d given her nothing but friendship.

  The Murrays were out in full force, as well as most of the police department, and Jenna recognized some other people from the town. Kara was sitting on a couch, a quilt over her shoulders. When she saw Jenna, she beckoned her over.

  Reid gave her hand a squeeze of encouragement before she made her way across the room. She sat next to Kara, noting the extreme pallor of her face, the fear in her eyes, but also the hope.

  “I’m so sorry, Kara,” Jenna said. “So sorry this happened to you and to Colin. How is he?”

  “They removed the bullet from his head,” Kara said, “they don’t know what’s going to happen, or how bad the damage will be, but he’s probably going to be asleep for a long while. Catching up on his rest, I guess,” she said with a teary smile. “Colin could use a vacation. He always goes a mile a minute; tries to squeeze too many things into too little time.” Her voice caught, and she drew in a shaky breath. “But I’m feeling hopeful, because…well, because I have to. And I don’t want you to blame yourself.”

  “It’s hard to blame anyone else.”

  “How about the monster who shot my husband? I heard that he’s dead and I’m glad.”

  “Me, too,” Jenna said. They’d found Brad’s body just after dawn, ending the worst nightmare of her life.

  “Joe told me a little about what you and Lexie went through,” Kara continued. “I’m glad you’re safe now. I knew you were afraid of something. I wanted to help, but I didn’t want to be too pushy.”

  “You did help. You gave me your friendship. It meant a lot to me. It still does.”

  “So what now? Will you stay in Angel’s Bay?” Kara asked.

  “I’m not sure. I think we might, for a while anyway. I have a lo
t to tell you, but now isn’t the time.”

  “I’ve got nothing but time,” Kara said with a helpless shrug. “It’s actually good to have a distraction.”

  “Well, to make it short, I think Lexie and I were sent here for a reason. I found Rose Littleton’s journal, and I believe she was my grandmother. You see, Lexie has a birthmark on her heel, an angel’s wing, just like Rose, just like the other descendants—”

  “—Of Gabriella,” Kara finished, her eyes filling with wonder. “Oh my God. That’s incredible! I can’t wait to tell Colin that he saved a child of Gabriella’s. It’s as if history came full circle. You know, it was right after you first came to town that the angels appeared. I wonder if they knew that Lexie would need them—that Gabriella’s child had come home to be saved.” She smiled. “I sound like Colin, don’t I—believing in all that angel crap? I can hear his voice now saying, ‘It’s not crap, Kara; just believe.’ And that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to keep believing until I can’t anymore.”

  “That’s a good plan.”

  Kara’s gaze moved from Jenna to Reid, who was watching them closely, and she smiled. “So that’s the way it goes. You didn’t just find your history and a safe harbor at Angel’s Bay. You found something else, too.”

  “Yes,” Jenna said. “I found love.”

  Kara slipped her hand into hers. “That’s what it’s all about. Love. You won’t let me forget that, will you? Because I have a feeling that in the days and weeks to come, I’m going to need a reminder.”

  “I won’t let you forget,” Jenna said, squeezing her hand. “And Colin won’t, either.”

  “I’m going to fight for him. I’m going to fight for us,” Kara declared.

  “I know you will—and we’re all going to fight with you.” Jenna looked around the crowded room. “Because Angel’s Bay takes care of its own.”

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