Deadly Commitment

by Kathy Harris

  Angela extended her hand to Danni. “I hope we will see you again.”

  “I hope so too.” Danni said goodnight to the facility manager, waved goodbye to Rachel, and followed Jamie out the front entrance of the building.

  The drizzle they’d had on the way over had turned into a downpour, so they waited beneath the small entryway cover for a few minutes, hoping it would subside. When it didn’t, Jamie buttoned her jacket and told Danni, “Wait here. I’ll get the car.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t mind getting wet.” Danni pulled her sweater around her face and head, preparing to make a dash for the vehicle.

  “No reason for us both to get wet. I’ll be right back.” The petite blond took off running, screaming with childish delight when she splashed through a puddle halfway across the parking lot toward the Volvo.

  Seconds later the car exploded, and the night sky lit up like a fireworks display gone horribly wrong. Shrapnel and shards of glass flew in every direction. Flames surrounded the car, and Jamie’s slender frame, which was silhouetted against the light of the exploded Volvo, folded and then fell backwards.

  Danni screamed, twisting her body sideways to avoid a large object speeding toward her. Throwing herself against the building behind her, she bent forward, covering her head with her hands. The debris ricocheted off the wall less than a yard away, falling onto the pavement with a loud clang.

  Gulping, Danni went on offense, running into the billowing black smoke to find Jamie. In the now dim light of the fire, which had been somewhat diminished by the pouring rain, Danni saw a body on the ground. It lay twenty feet from the vehicle.

  She pushed forward. The heat grew more intense, despite the rain, and the chemical-filled air sliced at her throat. Danni coughed and wheezed, fatigue and the sheer wetness of her shoes and clothing slowing her steps. Time seemed to be standing still. It was as though she were reliving each second over and over.

  Reaching the young woman’s motionless body, Danni called her name, but there was no response. Danni fell to the ground searching for any sign of life. Thankfully, the smoke was less dense down here, but the sight of the inferno that had once been Jamie’s Volvo, along with the popping and cracking of the flames, unnerved her.

  She put her finger to Jamie’s temple. A slight, but rapid pulse. The smell of gasoline and charred metal mingled with the distant sounds of sirens, but Danni’s focus returned to Jamie’s motionless body. Could she move her on her own?

  Then she felt a firm tug on her shoulders.

  “Let me help.” It was Angela Tomas.

  Angela gently pulled Danni away from Jamie, helped her to stand, and then handed her off to the night guard, who stood nearby. Angela knelt close to Jamie, placed one hand on her shoulder and one hand on her arm. Then Danni saw Angela’s lips moving, as if in silent prayer.

  Danni wiped rain from her face and bowed her head. Please, God, don’t let her die. Her baby needs her. I remember You said that when two or more pray in Your name, and if it is Your will, You will hear and answer.

  Without warning the darkness descended upon her. Danni tried to tell her companion that she needed to sit down. But the words wouldn’t come, and she slipped from the larger woman’s grip onto the ground.

  Minutes later she awoke to chaos all around her. Men and women shouted back and forth. Unintelligible conversations cut in and out of the static of an emergency radio. Farther away, gushing water struck hot metal, searing it into rancid steam that mingled with the smoke already surrounding her. The acrid smell almost sent Danni’s stomach over the edge.

  A bevy of emergency workers dressed in rain slickers had gathered around Jamie. Danni watched as they worked with her, shouting instructions back and forth. One technician fitted an oxygen mask over the young woman’s mouth and nose and then solicited two others to help lift her onto a stretcher. The bed was quickly raised and rolled into a nearby ambulance.

  In a matter of minutes, the vehicle sped away with lights flashing. Its siren faded into the darkness.

  At some point, a fireman wrapped a blanket around Danni’s shoulders, leading her to a dry spot beneath the cover of the HGRC building entryway, putting more distance between her and the noise and activity that still surrounded the smoldering car.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked.

  Two EMTs, rain dripping from their slickers, joined him. Following them was Angela, who looked as though she had taken a shower in her street clothes.

  “I’m okay.” She acknowledged Angela. “But how is Jamie?”

  The female EMT squatted beside Danni and reached for her wrist. “We’re not sure yet. She’s on her way to the hospital.”

  “I don’t understand why her car would explode like that, do you?” Danni asked.

  The EMT exchanged glances with the fireman. “Could be lots of reasons.” She released Danni’s arm and smiled. “It looks like you made it through relatively unscathed.” The woman climbed to her feet. “Would you prefer to go to the hospital in the ambulance or by private car?”

  “Hospital? Why do I have to go to the hospital?”

  “I’ll take her.” Angela took a step forward. “And while we’re there, we’ll check on Jamie.”

  Danni nodded. “Yes, I want to do that.” She took the hand extended by the second EMT, who helped her stand.

  The hospital staff was expecting Danni when she arrived. She and Angela had hardly warmed their seats in the waiting room when a nurse came to retrieve Danni. She led her through a set of double swinging doors and down a hall to a door labeled with the numeral 14. The room was only large enough for a hospital bed, a row of cabinets, and two folding chairs.

  “Have a seat on the bed.” The nurse reached for the blood pressure cuff. “You’re one of the car bomb victims, aren’t you?”

  Danni shook her head. “No. The car just explod—”

  The nurse stopped what she was doing and waited for Danni to finish her sentence.

  “Oh.” Now it made sense. Her life had forever changed. Car bombs and drug overdoses were no longer reserved for the news on her television. Or tomorrow’s headlines. In fact, she would probably be among tomorrow’s headlines in The Tennessean.

  Danni nodded. “Yes, I guess I am the lucky one. The thought of that just doesn’t seem right.”

  “I understand, sweetie.” The woman laid her hand on Danni’s arm.

  About ten minutes into her preliminary exam, the door opened, and a tall, older man strolled into the room. He introduced himself as Dr. Williams, the physician on call.

  “You’re very fortunate, Ms. Kemp.” He studied her chart and then gave a cursory glance to her face and extremities. “The first young woman who came in tonight wasn’t nearly as fortunate.” His voice dropped, and Danni’s heart took a plunge. Surely Jamie hadn’t…

  Dear God, please, no.

  The doctor must have read her concern. “She’s going to be okay. She had a number of first-degree burns, mostly superficial cuts, and smoke inhalation, but her worst injuries were a gash on her arm that required stitches and a concussion from being thrown to the ground.”

  “Thank God.” Danni whispered.

  The doctor studied her over the top of the rim of his glasses. “Are you ready to go home?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Give me ten minutes to prepare the paperwork.”

  He stopped on his way out the door and turned around, “I want you to take it easy for the next twenty-four hours. You’ve been through a lot tonight.”

  “I will.”

  “Do you have someone who can take you home?”

  “Yes, sir. A friend brought me to the hospital.”

  He nodded and left.

  True to his words, Dr. Williams released her within ten minutes. Hopefully Angela wouldn’t mind driving her home. But when the large sliding doors opened into the waiting room, Angela wasn’t there. Instead Caleb was sitting in her place, fidgeting with a magazine. As soon as he saw her, he jumped to his feet and rus
hed toward her. He pulled her close to him and cradled her in his arms.

  Feeling his strength, Danni’s pent-up emotions broke through the dam of defenses she had built around herself. Not just those required to get through the past few hours but also those that had built up since her childhood.

  Her mother’s drugs of choice may or may not have been prescription, but her family had suffered the same loss as those of the young women at the rehabilitation center and the family and friends of Michael Ryan.

  Rachel had gotten to her tonight. And then Jamie had almost lost her life. How did people live with themselves knowing they caused such pain? How could they put greed and dishonesty before the lives of those they were hurting?

  Please, God. Don’t let me be a part of hurting someone by turning a blind eye to the problem. By turning a blind eye to Rob.

  As she held tightly to Caleb, tears she had needed to shed for a long time finally poured down her cheeks. Silently. And without fanfare. The cleansing came. And Danni made her decision. She would fight until every last drug dealer was taken off the street. And if that meant Rob Evans was going to jail, so be it.

  CHAPTER 30

  She felt so right in his arms. Caleb’s heart ached as he held her. She could have been killed tonight. Only by God’s grace did she, and Agent Wade, survive.

  But his heart had not.

  In his hurry to compare Danielle Kemp to his brother Jonathan, wanting to keep her safe, he had failed to protect himself. Without trying—because he had little doubt that she would never reciprocate those feelings—she had slipped through the wall he had built around himself.

  She pulled away and wiped the corners of her eyes, their color an extravagant green, despite the things she had endured tonight. He reached to rub a smudge from her cheek.

  This wasn’t the well-kempt and confident woman he first met. Her fashionable clothing had been saturated with smoke and rain, her hair was straight and limp, but he had never seen her more beautiful.

  Angela had told him, while they waited for news about Jamie, how Danni’s words had made an impact on one of the girls at the center. Angela had seen what Caleb had always known was there. A strong woman. And one with enough wisdom to eventually see her way around Robert Evans.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” Danni took a second step backwards and straightened her disheveled sweater. “I look terrible, don’t I? I’m dirty and smelly and—”

  “You’re alive and well.”

  She stared at him, her expression softening. “Yes, I am. Miraculously. And did you hear the good news about Jamie?”

  He nodded. “Angela and I were in the waiting room when we got the word. I sent her home after we found out. Although I’m sure she’ll return to the center.” He scrubbed his brow. “And it looks like I’ll be up for most of the night. Are you ready for me to take you home?” He gestured toward the door, but she didn’t move.

  “Will you tell me about the explosion?”

  “When I can.” He caught her by the elbow and started to walk her toward the exit.

  She stopped, and he jerked to a halt. “Does that mean you can’t tell me what you already know?” She asked.

  He set his jaw and turned to look at her. “No. It means I don’t know enough to tell you. Everything is subjective until we finish our investigation.” He started her walking again. “It also means we don’t know if it was related to the Evans case.”

  She nodded. “Fair enough. But what else could it be connected to?”

  Once outside the exit, he stopped her this time. “Danielle.”

  She turned to him.

  “Jamie works a lot of dangerous jobs. The explosion could be related to any one of them.” The emergency room doors closed behind them. “Don’t beat yourself up, okay?”

  She bit her lip and nodded.

  “Wait here, and I’ll get my truck so you don’t have to walk in the rain.” He zipped his jacket.

  “Are you kidding? I’m not doing this again.” She smiled for the first time tonight. “Look at me.”

  He resisted the urge to kiss her. “Okay, let’s go. Let’s get out of here, before—”

  “Before what?” She stared at him suspiciously.

  Before something else happens.

  This case was about to escalate. He could feel it in his bones. The timing of the car bomb was too suspicious. Word had just hit the street that Maximilian Roman had been arrested.

  “Caleb?”

  “Before I fall asleep.” He glanced at his watch. “Would you be up for a cup of coffee before I take you home?”

  “Sure. But let’s just go to my place. I make better coffee than we can buy anywhere this time of night.” She gestured to herself. “And besides, I’m not really dressed to go out.”

  “You look beautiful. I’d be seen with you anywhere.” He grabbed her arm and guided her through the downpour toward his truck. The rain didn’t appear to be letting up anytime soon.

  They kept the conversation light on the way to her condo. It was always safe to talk about the weather. Although it was also easy to let her mind wander when talking about life’s trivialities. Danni had to rein in her thoughts more than once.

  Had Caleb really told her she was beautiful? She glanced in the side mirror when they stopped at a red light. You would have to be half blind to call this beautiful. She pushed her stringy hair behind her ears. Unless you had feelings for someone.

  Did Caleb Samuels really care for her?

  Within fifteen minutes, he had parked in the multilevel lot beneath the Rutherford and escorted her up the elevator. When they reached the door, Danni inserted her key in the lock.

  “Do you think Sophie will let me in?” Caleb’s expression showed genuine concern. “Remember what happened last time I came in.”

  “After all of the chicken you fed her on Sunday?” She reassured him.

  “I’d feel a lot better if I had a drumstick on me right now.” He eyed the big Newfoundland that greeted them when the door opened. “Once bitten . . .” He laughed nervously.

  Danni tugged on the dog’s collar to get her attention. “Hey, Soph. Be a good girl and welcome Caleb into our home.”

  Sophie sniffed the hand Caleb offered, licked it, and then looked behind him.

  “She thinks Zach is with me.” Caleb pulled the door closed and stepped farther into the foyer. “What’cha think, Sophie? Am I trustworthy?”

  “She associates you with Zach now.”

  Caleb visibly relaxed. “Saved by the boy.”

  Danni laughed. “Zach’s not here, girl. But you remember Caleb.”

  The dog wagged her tail and led them toward the living room. After Caleb took a seat on the sofa, Sophie plopped on the floor in front of him.

  “She’s got me cornered.” He laughed.

  “Stop it. She likes you. I’ll be back with coffee.” Danni left the two of them to get reacquainted.

  After setting the coffee to brew, she retreated to her bedroom to scrub her face and try to wrangle her hair. Applying makeup would have helped, but she’d already reasoned that her house-guest was farsighted.

  Returning to the living room with two cups of coffee, she set a creamed and sugared version on the table beside Caleb, settling into the chair a few feet away with her undiluted brew.

  “It looks like you’re not only friends but good friends at this point.”

  Caleb glanced up from scratching the dog behind the ears. “Either that or she’s keeping me here until the police show up.”

  Danni almost spewed her first sip. What a difference a few weeks made. Just over a month ago, she had been a wreck when Caleb broke into her life. Now, just having him in her home made her happy.

  “I like this relationship much better.” He picked up his cup. “To Agent Wade’s good health.”

  Danni returned his toast with a nod.

  After a long draw from the cup, his expression grew serious. “How much do you want to know about Ramirez?”
<
br />   Danni cradled her hands around the steaming mug. “As much as you can tell me.”

  Ten minutes later, as Caleb continued his lengthy exposition on Ramirez’s connection to a well-documented global narcotics operation, Danni set her drink aside, curled up in her chair, and folded her arms over her stomach.

  “We’re not sure how involved he is in the international operation,” Caleb confided. “But we know he’s key to US distribution.”

  “And you think Rob works for him?”

  Caleb took another long sip from his cup, set it on the side table next to him, and looked squarely at her. “You tell me. Is there another reason Ramirez would suddenly take interest in your life?”

  A chill crawled up Danni’s spine. “More coffee?”

  Caleb accepted her offer, and after she had refreshed their cups, she answered his question.

  “I don’t understand why, or how, Rob could ever get involved with something like this.” She shook her head. “It doesn’t make sense. It’s not like he’s some kind of macho man.”

  Caleb remained silent.

  “Rob is, well, you know, a pretty boy. He doesn’t like getting his hands dirty. He studied business in college. Just as I did.” She blew air from her lungs. “Maybe his love for money drove him to it.”

  She retreated to her thoughts, studying her hands, which were folded in her lap. She could make excuses all day long, but there was no other explanation.

  She looked up at Caleb. “He has to be involved, doesn’t he?”

  Caleb nodded. “We’re sure of it.”

  “So how is Edwin Burton involved?”

  “He’s not who we thought he was. Not exactly anyway.”

  Danni’s heart took a dive to her stomach.

  Caleb continued. “His name’s not Edwin Burton. It’s Maximilian Roman. Ever heard of him?”

  “No.” Danni sifted through her memory. “Never.”

  “He’s wanted on a felony for treason against the US government. It’s how we’re holding him without bail.”

  She swallowed hard.

  “You’ll be interested to know he’s also an accountant.” Caleb continued. “He tried to scam the fed for millions of dollars.”