Fire (Beautiful Ashes Series, Book 2)

by Ann, Lora

  Tar rushed to grab towels as Keeley pulled cell phones out of the liquid pooling.

  “I promise we’ll go back over there. Just let me fill you in on what happened first.”

  Lacey agreed as they all cleaned up the mess.

  Sitting back down, Keeley continued, “I found her at the cemetery. We talked and she forgave me. I forgave her.”

  “God, Kee, I should’ve been there.”

  “I thought that, too. But actually it worked out better than I expected.” Keeley went oddly still after saying something so positive.

  Tar held her hand. “Go ahead, Beautiful. We’re right here with you.”

  Lacey added, “No judgement, Keeley. We love you.” She had a hold of Keeley’s other hand.

  “Well, once Mom and I settled some things, I knew I had to talk to him. Dad might be dead, Lacey, but he needed to hear me out.”

  Both sisters were crying and Tar was at a loss on what to do for them. Keeley noticed how uncomfortable he was. “Baby, you can’t fix everything for me. Please know I don’t expect you to, ever.”

  “But I want to. That’s my problem,” he admitted with a little squeeze to her fingers.

  “E’s the same way, Tar,” Lacey confirmed. “And she’s right. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do but listen.”

  He ran his hand through his hair. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

  “True.” Lacey smiled.

  Keeley clasped his hand tighter. “First, I told Dad how much he hurt me.” Her eyes shot to Lacey’s. “Mom encouraged that.” Lacey gave a reassuring nod. “Anyway, I spilled my guts, especially when it came to that low life David.” Her breath hitched and Tar recognized the trigger.

  “Easy, Tigress. He can’t hurt you anymore. Not now, not ever.” His voice held the lifeline she needed. Again, Tar found himself wishing that son of a bitch were still alive so he could kill him with his bare hands. Truth be known, he wasn’t all too fond of her dad either and was more than grateful he was no longer alive.

  “Kee, stop.” Lacey stood and hugged her hard. “You don’t have to do this.”

  Keeley loved her sister so much, and at that moment even more. “Lacey, you can’t take responsibility for my actions. I did what I did, the reasons behind it aren’t important. I can’t heal completely if I don’t own my part. No one made me continue using drugs. No one forced alcohol down my throat.” She swallowed hard and stared at Tar’s feet. “And no one made me fuck for the sake of forgetting how I was used.”

  He lifted her chin and locked his gaze to hers. “I love you, Keeley Ann Kincaid. All of you.”

  Not that Tar needed them, but he just scored major brownie points with Lacey Strand in that moment. All she ever wanted for her sister was a man who saw her value and treasured her for the gift she was. Keeley had found him, or he found Keeley. Didn’t matter. Point was, they were perfect for each other. “You’re a good man, Tarius McNeil,” she affirmed.

  His eyes still on Keeley. “I’m blessed. And I will cherish,” he leveled a look at Lacey, “her until I take my last breath.”

  “Yeah, I know you will.”

  Keeley leaned over and kissed the side of Tar’s mouth. “You’re incredible. And I’m beyond madly in love with you.” She took a deep cleansing breath, knowing she needed to go on with what happened before she couldn’t. She stood and paced. “Most important, no one made me like pain.”

  Lacey popped out of her chair. “I beg to differ.”

  Keeley blew out a heavy breath and thought about that for a minute. She’d never once craved pain until Caleb Reynolds gave it as a way to counter the detox she was going through. So maybe, just maybe that one wasn’t all on her. She readdressed, “No one made me self-harm. That’s all me, Lacey.” She’d been doing it for years, a way to control. The pain part was recent when she accidently discovered self-induced agony fed her addiction. And that demon was still searching for a new way to claim her. She could still feel him, and knew that battle wasn’t over.

  Lacey stood there looking down at her sister. “I’m so fucking proud of you!” Then she grabbed her and pulled her in tight.

  A few minutes passed as the sisters cried and embraced before Keeley finished what she needed to tell the two most important people in her life. “So, I forgave Dad with Mom at my side. As in,” her gaze rose to Lacey’s, “I actually spoke those words out loud.”

  Tar’s turn to stand. He nodded his head at Lacey and then pulled Keeley into his big arms, lifting her up. The kiss was reverent. A true thing of beauty to behold. Love poured out of them and Lacey could feel its warmth all around her. Light so breathtaking encompassed them, like the sun breaking after a horrible storm. Lacey would never forget such a visual. And found herself craving her husband’s arms around her. Everyone deserved to know true love. The kind of love that says: no matter how hard it gets—I am all in.

  *****

  Mitch sat studying the video that just arrived. Pamela walked in and he noticed the slight cock to her head. “Where was this taken?” she inquired.

  “That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” he replied.

  “Well, I’m trying to figure out why Dr. Thompson isn’t up at the lodge, because I can guarantee that’s not where this was shot.”

  “Interesting. See anything else?”

  “I can’t make out any more.” She sighed.

  “My gut says, whoever is in the background there,” pointing at the screen, “is the key to this.”

  “You can’t zoom in?”

  “I’ve been trying. There’s some sort of lock on it.” He sat back rubbing his chin.

  Shelby knocked on the doorjamb since the door was open. The sight of Mitch always caused her stomach to flip. God, she shouldn’t feel this way.

  He motioned her into the office. “Hey.” Mitch wanted to grab her and kiss her hello. Where the hell were those thoughts coming from? “Did you learn anything new?”

  “No,” she huffed. “I’d never seen those goons before. Thanks for letting me make sure.”

  “You were helping us.”

  Pamela coughed a little. “Is there anyone else you could show that to,” motioning toward the computer screen, “that could shed some light?”

  Shelby’s attention was now drawn to the screen. Why did that place look familiar to her? Mitch replayed it for her but nothing popped. He sat there with a tremendous weight on his shoulders. Could that patient in the background be Chase McNeil? If so, how long did they have before his captors killed him? They were in a race against time. And this video actually put a ticking time bomb on the assembly man’s head. He stood, “Ladies, forgive me, I need to go,” and grabbed the laptop.

  But Pamela didn’t miss his sidelong glance toward Shelby. Or the little quickening of Shelby’s pulse as she fought to look away from him. In the midst of crisis, she wanted more than anything for those two to work out. A hopeless romantic at heart, Dr. Pamela Sheffield believed in true love. She waited until Mitch was out of hearing range. “You like him.”

  Shelby’s head shot up. “I never told you that.”

  She scoffed, “I wouldn’t be very good at my job if I didn’t notice things.”

  “Ah, hell. It’s that obvious,” defeat laced in Shelby’s voice.

  “To me, yes. But I am a professional on studying people and their emotions.”

  Shelby smiled at that. “True. But it’s silly. Romance isn’t for me.”

  “You can’t go on punishing yourself. Don’t you think the best gift you could give your late husband and daughter is to go on living your life, finding love again?”

  Damn. Why did she open up to her? “I think it’d be an insult to their memory.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Because I should be dead too.”

  Pamela stood and walked to where Shelby was sitting. She gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “You can’t move forward until you let go of what was.”

  Shelby shook her head. “I can’t lose them
completely.”

  “Oh, Shelby, you won’t. Don’t you see; giving yourself permission to really live; finding happiness; falling in love again will never erase what you had with them.”

  “I just don’t know,” came the tearful admission.

  “Don’t let the fear of living rob you of your life.” She let the words hang, hoping Shelby took them to heart.

  Shelby stood and limped out but not before she added, “I hear you, Dr. Sheffield, but I’m not sure I can.” What she should’ve said was: I don’t deserve it. No one but her knew about the argument in that car on the terrible night that took three lives. She shouldn’t be here. Her husband had just come off a grueling shift. He was exhausted. But she’d had a couple of glasses of wine and he was pissed she was driving, especially with their daughter in the car. His attention wasn’t fully on the road, so he didn’t have any reaction time when the semi crossed the double yellow lines into their lane. No, in her mind, this was her penance for her selfish behavior that night. Her debt to pay for still being alive when they weren’t. Also why she couldn’t let herself have feelings for Mitch Rolston. She made up her mind as she continued to walk away. Being alone for the rest of her life was best for her. My price to pay, she reminded herself.

  *****

  Tar entered the small house and was greeted by his excited nephew. “Uncle Tar!”

  “Hey there, Buddy. I missed you.” He realized how true that was.

  Lisa rushed around the corner when she heard his voice but slowed her pace before she turned his direction. “I thought you no longer wanted to be here.”

  He held Cole in his arms and took a seat, motioning with a nod for her to join him. “Listen, what I want to do is go get my brother and bring him home,” his jaw clenched tight from the situation. He was worried sick about Chase and knew the longer he was in the hands of that cartel, the least likely he’d come home alive.

  “I understand that. And am grateful.” Tears slid down her cheeks and Cole reached for her.

  The hug was awkward with the three of them. Tar couldn’t shake the feeling of evil crawling along his skin, which made no sense. This was his family; why would he feel something so diabolical? He cocked his head toward her. She glanced up at him looking so pitiful, so heartbroken. “We’ll find him.” Dead or alive he would bring his brother home.

  “I believe you. When you set your mind on something,” she ran her fingers along his forearm, “you see it through.”

  That. Right. There. Her touch was causing that same creepy feeling. He actually looked down where her hand was to see if there were spiders, or ants, or some sort of logical explanation. She wasn’t even touching him in a flirty way. “I do my best,” speculation was in his voice. Did she hear it?

  Lisa withdrew her hand. He was suspicious, she could tell. What the hell changed? Did Mitch inform him of what happened when he was there? She redirected, “Where were you?” His eyes lit up and she actually recoiled. My God, he was in love!

  “With my fiancée,” he confirmed with a huge grin on his face.

  “What? When did this happen?” She faked elation so well Cole bought it and began to bounce up and down.

  “What’s goin’ on, Mama? Uncle Tar?” he squeaked.

  He swept the little boy into his arms. “I’m getting married, Partner.”

  “Is she pretty?” he trilled.

  “She’s absolutely beautiful,” Tar crooned.

  “I wanna meeeeeet her,” Cole sang.

  Lisa interrupted, “Soon, honey.”

  “Really!” he clapped and jumped down. “Imma make her a picture.” And he raced to the table, dumping his crayons and markers.

  “I’m very happy for you,” Lisa pretended while once more placing her hand on Tar.

  He fought the odd sensations dancing along his arm where she held on. Warning bells going off like crazy in his mind. “Thank you.”

  Cole called out, “What’s my new auntie’s name?”

  Tar chuckled at that. “Keeley.”

  “Oh!” he exclaimed. “Pretty name.”

  “Yes, I agree,” Tar replied.

  “Have you set a date?” Lisa inquired, sounding interested while inside she began plotting how to stop this wedding.

  Tar shook his head. “If I could marry her today, I would.”

  “Wow! What’s the rush?”

  Tar turned to face her so they weren’t right next to each other. “We’re in love. Why wait?”

  “Fair point. When can we meet her?”

  “I’ll work something out with Mitch.”

  Her eyes widened. “You were with her last night.”

  Something told Tar to tread carefully like there was a live mine waiting for him to step on. He shrugged it off, neither confirming nor denying, and changed direction of the conversation, “You guys did okay without me.”

  “We missed you. Didn’t we, Cole?”

  His little head popped up from where he was concentrating. “Yeah!” he shouted out.

  Tar laughed at his enthusiasm. He couldn’t wait for Keeley to meet Cole, so they could take him to a park for the day. Visions of what it’d be like to have nieces and nephews fill their home with laughter and joy consumed him. Didn’t matter if they never had kids of their own, they would have children to love all around them.

  Lisa pulled him from his happy musings, “Does this mean you’re not going to stay on this case?”

  He sobered instantly. “I’m absolutely staying. My brother isn’t home. I won’t rest until he is.”

  Cole cried out, “Daddy! You’re going to bring my daddy home.”

  Fuck. “We’re doing our best to make that happen, Buddy.”

  “‘Kay, Uncle Tar,” he said as he went back to coloring.

  Lisa leveled a look at Tar. “You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep,” she whispered low.

  “Excuse me,” Tar stood and left the room. He planned on keeping that promise and realized it was best for him to no longer be around Lisa. Broke his heart to leave Cole but this really was starting to raise all kinds of alarms in him. She played the role of loving sister-in-law, but something about her screamed jealous lover. He was pretty sure Mitch would agree, considering how much he didn’t care for the woman, especially when he conveyed what just happened.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Lacey crawled into the car in front of their parent’s home and glanced over at Keeley. “Okay, you were right. How do we help Mom?”

  Keeley exhaled loudly. “She’s stubborn.”

  “Hello!” Lacey quirked a brow when she had Keeley’s attention “Pretty sure you live in that same glass house.”

  “Fuck you,” she said without heat, pulling away from the house that held so many bad memories.

  “You alright?” Lacey didn’t miss how uncomfortable her sister was the entire time they visited their mother. She knew it wasn’t Mom. They really had come to a point of understanding and forgiveness.

  “Not so much,” Keeley admitted.

  Lacey slid her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “You did great. And I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re both trying to move forward as mother and daughter.”

  Keeley shot her a half-smile. “I love Mom.”

  “Doesn’t mean it’s any easier to give mercy and grace, Kee.”

  “Probably harder,” Keeley sighed. “Hurts even more when someone close to you betrays your trust, or makes you feel like they abandoned you.”

  “Yeah, it does. Mom did what she did for us, not to cause more harm.”

  “I get that, Lace. But doesn’t change the chain of events that happened as a result.”

  “I know. I’m so sorry, Keeley.”

  They were at a red light, so she turned toward Lacey. “It’s me who’s sorry. You did not deserve the hell I dragged you through.” Tears were slipping down Lacey’s cheeks Keeley noticed before the light turned green.

  “Neither did you deserve to go to hell.”

  Keeley wiped
at her eyes as the tears blurred her vision. What more could she say? A part of her wanted to argue that she got exactly what she deserved. Yet another part kept telling her that wasn’t the truth. She actually glanced into the rearview mirror expecting to see a devil on her left shoulder and an angel on her right. The voices were that loud.

  Lacey interrupted her reverie. “We’re to meet E at the club.”

  “When?”

  “Now is what the text says.” Lacey held her phone up, showing it to Keeley.

  They entered the office to find it full of many familiar faces. Lacey asked E, “What’s goin’ on?”

  Nik answered, “Mitch needed us all here.”

  Keeley searched for Tar but he was nowhere to be found. Disappointment filled her as she took a seat. Alex reached over and patted her leg. “Maybe he’s coming with Mitch.”

  She shot him a smile. “Never know, right?”

  Sofie walked in and Keeley got up just as Lacey met her by the door. They were in a huge group hug when Mitch approached the door. The ladies stepped out of his way. Keeley once more turned to see if Tar was there, but he wasn’t. She sighed, and Lacey wrapped her arm around her shoulders. Sofie grabbed her hand.

  Mitch addressed them all, “Thank you for meeting me on such short notice.” He opened up his laptop. “I’m hoping at least one of you can shed some light on this video footage we received.”

  Everyone crowded around the desk. Keeley observed that Lacey and Sofie were not just hanging onto her but also to their husbands. She also didn’t miss the distraught look on Nik’s face. She nodded to her sister and sister-in-law and then went to stand by Nik. “Hey there, little sister.”

  “You doin’ okay?”

  He hugged her tight and whispered in her ear, “That noticeable, huh?”

  “Only to someone who understands missing the person they love,” Keeley mumbled back to not interrupt Mitch.

  Nik gave her a knowing glance before turning his attention to the video playing. Keeley did the same and gasped so loud every eye was on her.

  “What is it, Kee?” E queried.

  “That woman is Doctor…”

  “Thompson,” Mitch finished for her. “But this person right here,” he tapped on the screen to the patient in the background, “is who we can’t identify.”