Reagan's Redemption: Book Eight In The Bodyguards Of L.A. County Series

by Cate Beauman

  She stared into Jenny’s sad eyes, her heart breaking for the girl. “Concert tours aren’t exactly low key, I imagine. They’re probably traveling all the time, and it’s undoubtedly more than a full-time job keeping Cally safe.”

  She nodded. “I’m just thinkin’ maybe he forgot about us already.”

  She shook her head, kissing Jenny’s temple. “He hasn’t forgotten you anymore than you’ve forgotten him.”

  “Maybe.”

  “I can promise you he hasn’t.”

  “I just miss him so much.”

  She smiled sympathetically. “I’m sure you do.”

  Jenny swiped at the tears on her cheeks. “What about you? Do you miss him?”

  If she wanted Jenny to communicate honestly she needed to do the same in return. “Yes.”

  “A lot?”

  She needed to be honest, but she didn’t have to wear her heart on her sleeve. “Enough.”

  She pulled a tissue from the box on her bedside table. “Maybe you can come to Los Angeles with me and Faithy when we go.”

  She stood and grabbed the plates, handing Jenny her piece of cake, hoping to change the subject. “Here you go.”

  “Thanks.” Jenny took the dish and sampled a section of the pale-purple frosting flower. “Mmm. Good.”

  Reagan helped herself to her own slice, nibbling at the white cake. “It is good.”

  Jenny settled back against her pillow, crossing her ankles. “So why won’t you come with me and Faithy? You and Shane can see each other again. Maybe he could take you out on a date or somethin’.”

  She swallowed her bite, ignoring the rush of longing for even one more minute with him. “What Shane and I had was special while he was here, but now it’s over.”

  Jenny paused with more cake on her fork. “It doesn’t have to be.”

  “Yes it does.” She sat on the bed again.

  “He’s got a thing for you, Reagan. Trust me on that.”

  She thought of Shane’s phone conversation with the woman named Amber. “‘Things’ fade.”

  Jenny swallowed her bite, holding her gaze.

  Reagan leaned forward, setting her plate on the side table. She didn’t want to talk about Shane anymore. He was gone, but she still had plenty of problems to deal with right here. “I need to ask you about something.”

  “Yes, I do think you should call Shane.”

  She rolled her eyes as she smiled. “My question has nothing to do with your buddy.”

  She smiled back. “Okay.”

  She pressed her lips together and expelled a long breath through her nose, unsure of how Jenny would react after an already shaky afternoon. “Does Terry use drugs?”

  Jenny frowned. “He might, I guess. He didn’t when we were screwin’ around, but he’s different now.”

  “How is he different?”

  “The last couple times I’ve seen him he was angry and kinda paranoid.”

  “But he’s never mentioned anything specific to you?”

  Jenny’s gaze left hers. “Not exactly.”

  She took Jenny’s hand. “This is really important.”

  “When I first came back to get Faith, he—he wanted me to steal pills from the clinic.” Her lips wobbled. “I didn’t. I never wanna break your trust.”

  Reagan nodded. “Okay.”

  “But that’s why he’s been gettin’ so mad at me—that time with Shane and today.”

  Her heart sank, realizing the tough situation Jenny was in. “What kind of pills does he want you to take?”

  “Anythin’, really—prescription stuff.”

  “Did he ever ask you to get him pseudoephedrine?”

  “No. Nothin’ specific. He just wants whatever I can get—probably so he can sell it.”

  “Has he mentioned anything to you about meth?”

  She shook her head.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I would tell you.”

  “The reason I’m asking is because I noticed he has sores all over his face. They look like meth mites.”

  “I don’t know what that is.”

  “Meth users often feel like bugs are crawling all over their bodies. They pick at their skin until it bleeds.”

  Jenny grimaced.

  “I want you to stay away from him—all the way away from him. No phone calls, no e-mails, no contact whatsoever. He’s dangerous. If he asks you for anything else or bothers you in any way I want to know immediately.”

  Her eyes filled. “He said he’d hurt you if I said anything.”

  “He won’t hurt me.” She thought of Terry’s threats while she’d been pinned against the wall. “Has he said anything to you about wanting Faith?”

  Jenny frowned. “No.”

  “Okay.” She sighed, the weight on her shoulders growing exponentially as the urgency to get Jenny and Faith out of The Gap grew. “Jenny, what would you say if I said I wanted to take you and Faith with me when my contract is up here in Kentucky?”

  Her eyes widened. “You want me and Faith to come with you to New York?”

  “Well, I don’t know if I want to go back to New York, but I want you to come with me wherever I go—and not just for a visit. I would want you and Faith to live with me permanently. We could enroll you in college and I could help you with Faith until you’re through school.”

  “Are you askin’ for real?”

  “Yes.”

  “I—I never thought I’d ever really get out of here.”

  “I’ll help you if you want it.”

  “Yes, I want to go. I want Faith to have more’n this.”

  She nodded. “My contract doesn’t end for nine more months, but what if we could go sooner?”

  “If we could go tomorrow I would start packing right now.”

  “And it wouldn’t bother you to leave your mother and sister?”

  She shook her head. “Mommy’s nothin’ like you, and Shirley’s already got her mind set to marryin’ Michael Rogue as soon as Mommy will give her blessin’. I’m bettin’ Shirley’s the one who told Terry where I was gonna be today.”

  The thought had crossed her mind as well.

  “Next time I speak to her on the phone I’ll be tellin’ her to keep her trap shut.”

  She nodded. “That sounds like a good idea. I’m going to talk to an attorney so we can figure out what we need to do, then I want us to speak to your mother and see what she thinks about the whole thing.”

  “What if she says no?”

  “We’ll figure out what our options are. I want you to let me worry about the details for now.”

  “Okay.”

  Her mind raced with all the things there were to do, but she stood and handed Jenny her gift. “You should probably open your present. Faith really wanted you to have this.”

  Jenny grinned, looking toward the crib. “She did, huh?”

  Reagan smiled back. “Definitely.”

  “I wouldn’t want to go and disappoint my baby girl, even if she’s sleepin’.” Chuckling, she took the wrapped box and opened it. “It’s a camera. It’s a really nice camera.”

  “I want you to be able to take pictures of Faith. She’s growing so fast.”

  Jenny stood and threw her arms around Reagan. “Thank you.”

  She hugged her back, holding on. “You deserve it. You’ve been working so hard for this moment. You passed with distinction. Charge up the batteries, because I’m going to take a picture of The Gap’s newest graduate.”

  “It’s kinda hard to believe I actually passed my GED.”

  Reagan shook her head. “I’m not surprised at all.” She took out her phone, holding it up, focusing on Jenny with the flowers and half-eaten piece of cake in the background. “Smile. This will have to do for now.”

  Jenny smiled.

  She snapped the photo and examined the shot. “Perfect.”

  “Will you send it to my e-mail?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’m gonna check my inbox befor
e Faithy wakes up.”

  Jenny had checked her e-mail every day since Shane left. “Use my phone if you want.”

  “Thanks.” Jenny logged in, gasped, and laughed. “He sent me a message.” She beamed. “Shane sent me a message. Look.”

  Break a leg, kid, Reagan read on the screen. She smiled, her heart melting.

  “He didn’t forget me.”

  “Of course he didn’t.” She kissed the top of Jenny’s head. “I’m going to go make some phone calls. I’ll be up in the loft if you need me.”

  “Okay. I’m gonna tell him about my new camera and the flowers and cake.”

  “Have fun. Congratulations, graduate. I’ll see you at dinner.”

  “See ya.”

  Reagan picked up the tray as Jenny’s thumbs flew over the keys. She stepped into the hall, glancing into Shane’s empty room that still smelled like him. She glanced toward the bed where they’d spent their final night, wishing desperately she could forget about him. Swallowing, she closed his door, not wanting to remember anymore.

  ~~~~

  Reagan settled in behind the desk in the loft as the sun sank along the horizon of trees—another eventful day coming to a close in The Gap. But at least she was certain Jenny was committed to leaving. Now she could move forward with her plan to get the three of them out of here.

  She opened her laptop, punching in her password, and accessed her contacts, reaching for the phone just as the clinic line rang. “Black Bear Gap Clinic, this is Doctor Rosner.”

  “Doctor Rosner, this is Cliff Yancey.”

  Her eyes widened with surprise. “Doctor Yancey. It’s nice to hear from you.” She picked up a pen and grabbed a pad of paper, more than ready to talk shop. “How was your honeymoon?” She frowned when the line stayed silent. “Hello?”

  “Doctor Rosner, I can’t help you with your patients.”

  The pen fell from her fingers. “I can’t—” She shook her head. Was this really happening? “Cliff, I was counting on this. You said you—”

  “Some things are better left alone. I’ve deleted the files you sent to me. Goodbye, Doctor Rosner.”

  “But—” The line went dead, and she hung up, resting her forehead in her palms. “Damn it.” She knew she was asking a lot. Over the last few weeks, she’d come to the realization she’d stumbled onto something big when she diagnosed four men with progressive massive fibrosis, but that didn’t mean she was going to give up. People were dying. Hard-working men and women were going off to the mines every day, trying to earn a living for their families, and their lives were being cut short by shoddy safety practices. Apparently she would be standing up to Corpus Mining alone, but that would have to wait until later. Jenny and Faith were her priority right now.

  Shaking her head, she reached for the phone again as her e-mail announced an incoming message. She clicked over to the open screen, hoping Cliff might have written to offer some sort of explanation for his unexpected out, but frowned at the address instead.

  “Who’s this?” She clicked on the unopened message and gaped, staring at big blue eyes, shiny black hair, and a sweet peaches and cream complexion as Mable Totton smiled in the picture accompanying her obituary. Her breath backed up in her throat, and she slammed her computer closed as she rushed to her feet.

  How? Why? She walked to the window on weak legs, gripping the sill as darkness loomed in the distance. She listened over the pounding of her heart, craving to hear Chase’s deep voice muttering into his phone, but as she looked down to the quiet living room, she realized the big space was empty. Rubbing at the goosebumps covering her arms, she went back to the phone, picking it up, wishing to be anywhere but here, dialing a number she knew well.

  “Good evening, Shurman, Shuster, and Finch.”

  “Um, yes, I was wondering if Marsha Finch might be available.”

  “I’m sorry, ma’am, she’s in a meeting.”

  “This is, um, this is Doctor Reagan Rosner.” She brushed unsteady fingers through her hair. “Can I leave a message?”

  “Yes, Doctor Rosner.”

  “Can you please have Marsha call me on my cellphone—she has the number—as soon as possible? It’s extremely important. I need help finding a good family attorney in Kentucky right away.”

  “I’ll send this on immediately.”

  “Thank you.”

  She hung up and turned away from her laptop, hurrying downstairs. Faith’s muffled cries carried down the hall and she walked faster, welcoming the noise of Jenny’s sweet baby girl.

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Reagan stayed a few steps ahead of Jenny and Chase as they walked the final muddy hundred yards to Jenny’s family home. Luckily the sun had come out and the temperatures warmed a bit after three days of pouring rain. The inclement weather and the Hendley’s disconnected phone line had prevented Reagan from reaching out to Jenny’s mother for a much-needed conversation. Marsha Finch, her former malpractice lawyer, put her in touch with one of Kentucky’s best family-law attorneys; now, she just needed Mrs. Hendley to hop on board with their plan and do what was best for her daughter.

  The small group passed a row of tall pines, and the dilapidated white house came into view. Reagan scanned the trash and broken-down vehicles littering the yard, the plastic wrap covering windows in lieu of glass, and sighed her relief that Jenny no longer lived there. Turning, she smiled, studying the pretty teen with her shiny blond hair tied back and her slender figure showing off her new designer jeans, sweater, and hiking boots while she held Faith in the front pack. “Looks like we’re here.”

  “It’s been a while since I’ve been back. I’ve been poor my whole life. We sure never had much, but now that I have what I do and know what I want, I don’t want to be here anymore.”

  She wrapped her arm around Jenny’s shoulders. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting more.”

  Jenny nodded. “I guess we should go knock.”

  “Chase, if you don’t mind, we’ll have you wait out here.”

  “Yeah. Sure.”

  He looked good—really good—as Jenny had pointed out, with his ball cap tucked low on his head and his shades in place, but she imagined it was Chase’s excellent physique in his black Ethan Cooke Security zip-up jacket and snug blue jeans Jenny had been admiring. “Thanks. We shouldn’t be too long.”

  “Take your time. I’ll enjoy the view,” he said as he took his water bottle out of the small backpack and drank deep.

  “Me too,” Jenny mouthed as she swept her gaze up his body, rolling her eyes dreamily as he turned his back to them.

  Reagan swatted at the teenager’s shoulder, earning a huge grin and small giggle. “Let’s go, Jenny.”

  “Okay.” Laughing, she led the way up crumbling concrete steps, composing herself before she knocked. “Mommy, it’s me, Jenny,” she called as she rapped her knuckle against rotting wood.

  Mrs. Hendley opened the door in an oversized t-shirt and baggy jeans. “Jenny, what’re you doin’ here?”

  “Reagan, Faith, and me came up for a visit.”

  She closed the door slightly. “I don’t want nothin’ to do with that baby of yours, Jenny.”

  “Mommy, look at her.” Jenny turned to her side and adjusted Faith’s tiny wool hat, exposing Faith’s sweet face. “She ain’t the devil. She’s my pretty baby girl.”

  Mrs. Hendley stared at the baby. “She’s cute enough, but she’s a Staddler.”

  “No, mommy, she’s mine. She’s as much Hendley as she is Staddler.”

  “You get kicked out or somethin’? Are you wantin’ to come back?”

  “No, I’m wantin’ you to let me move out of The Gap with Reagan.”

  Reagan barely suppressed a wince. She’d been hoping to ease Jenny’s mother into the idea. “Mrs. Hendley.” Smiling, she moved up a step. “It’s nice to see you again.”

  “Doctor, I don’t think I’m takin’ too kindly to you bein’ here, turnin’ my girl into a Fed.”

  “Mrs. Hendley
, I’m simply a physician trying to help the people in Black Bear Gap.”

  Jenny’s mother crossed her arms, eyeing her suspiciously. “Sounds like you’re more trouble than help.”

  She let the insult roll off her back. “Apparently so.”

  “That’s not true,” Jenny defended. “Reagan’s a wonderful doctor. She saved me and Faith’s lives. She’s helpin’ me raise my girl. I took the GED because she and Shane helped me. I’m gonna go to school for nursin’, Mommy. I have a chance to get out of here and make somethin’ of myself.”

  “You’ve been prayin’ to our Lord and Savior about your sins?”

  Jenny nodded.

  Mrs. Hendley opened the door. “Come in, I guess.”

  They walked in to the room with worn furnishings that were new long before Jenny was born.

  “I ain’t got nothin’ to offer for drink.”

  “That’s fine, Mrs. Hendley. We don’t want to take up too much of your time.” She sat next to Jenny on the couch, unzipping her jacket in the stifling heat by the coal stove. “First, I want to tell you how incredibly proud of Jenny I am. You’ve raised an intelligent, sweet young woman.”

  Mrs. Hendley gave a decisive nod. “I’ll thank you kindly.”

  “I’m hoping we might be able to work something out so I can bring Jenny and Faith with me when I leave The Gap. Jenny’s an amazing mother and excellent student. I have no doubt she’ll do very well in a nursing program.”

  “Where would you be goin’?”

  “I live in New York City—”

  “That’s a mighty long way—a big place too. Full of sinners.”

  There was a fair share of “sinners” right here in The Gap, but Reagan kept her thoughts to herself. “New York is certainly large, but with a place that big comes a lot of opportunities. With a bit of hard work on Jenny’s part she has a real shot at giving herself and Faith a wonderful life.”

  “I passed my GED, Mommy—with distinction.”

  “You’ve always been a smart girl—too smart. It get’s you into trouble.”

  “Mrs. Hendley, Jenny is capable of making a huge difference in other people’s lives. College will give her that chance.” She licked her lips, ready to play her hand. “And she would be far away from Terry’s influence.”