“While you're playing house.” Unfazed at his glare, Brianna grinned.
“Yes, she is staying with me, and that's all I'm going to say on the matter.”
Both Brianna and his mom opened their mouths to comment, but his dad cut them off. “I think she seems like a very nice young woman and I'm glad you've found someone you're interested in spending time with. I look forward to seeing her again and getting to know her better—when and if you decide that's what you'd like.”
Ian's mouth twitched into a small, satisfied smile. His dad had a way of ending a conversation that brokered no arguments.
“So, do I still get to have ice cream?” Chris asked—the simplicity of his concern taking some of the tension out of the room.
“Of course you do, honey. I don't think Dr. DeMarco would promise you ice cream and then not follow through on that promise. That doesn't strike me as the kind of person Vivi is.”
Ian met his sister's knowing gaze and gave a small nod of acknowledgement. Vivienne was most definitely not the kind of person to back down from a promise.
* * *
Several hours later, Vivi was pulling out of Ian's driveway with a clean uniform for Ian and Rooster's stuffed toy and blanket at her side. Earlier, Ian had called to tell her that the vet needed to keep Rooster overnight and asked her to drop off the dog's comfort toys on her way back down to the hospital. She'd spent several hours at the station, and with the strain of the day, all the driving, and the stress of the case, she was looking forward to giving Rooster a good rub at the vet's and then spending some quiet time with Ian. Granted, the hospital wasn't the ideal place to spend time together, but at this point, she'd take what she could get.
Vivi followed the directions to the vet that Ian had given her and pulled into the nearly empty parking lot. After grabbing Rooster's toys, she walked into the office and found the reception desk empty, so she rang the bell on the counter.
Within seconds, a tall man in a white coat, whom Vivi assumed to be the vet, walked out. He was unusually good looking, with dark brown hair and eyes that matched, and looked to be about Ian's age, maybe a year or two younger.
“I'm Dashiell Kent,” he said, striding forward with his hand outstretched.
For a split second Vivi found herself just staring at him. It wasn't that she was attracted to him—she wasn't—it was just that his face was the kind a woman couldn't help but admire. But then he smiled at her—the kind of smile that was more self-effacing than arrogant—as if he was aware of his looks but found them more amusing than anything else, and the moment was gone.
She smiled back and shook his hand. “Vivi DeMarco. Ian sent me with a few things for Rooster. How is he?”
Dr. Kent waved her toward the back. “Come with me and you can see for yourself. In general, he's doing okay,” he said as they made their way through a few doors. “We stitched the paw, but then his hip seemed to be bothering him. We dug around and found a couple of pieces of glass embedded pretty deep. Given Rooster's thick coat, we did an x-ray to make sure we knew where all the pieces were, and then we had to put him to sleep for a bit so that we could dig them out. He's good now, but because he was put under, I wanted to keep him overnight just to be sure he handles the anesthesia.”
They'd arrived at the kennels, and Rooster was the only dog in occupancy. He was lying on his side with a cone over his neck to keep him from chewing on his stitches. His tail thumped against the kennel floor as she approached, but he didn't move much more than that.
“But he'll be okay?” Vivi asked, reaching for the kennel door.
“Rooster will be fine. He's tired now, but I'm glad Ian had you bring his things by. It's always helpful to have reminders of home when in the hospital. For animals as well as people.”
Vivi placed Rooster's blanket and stuffed toy beside him, then ran her fingers through the thick fur on his head, rubbing the spot behind his ears. “I wonder what he was doing in the car with Ian in the first place?” she pondered, mostly to herself.
“Ian had an appointment for Rooster's shots this afternoon,” Dr. Kent surprised her by answering. “He takes very good care of this guy,” he added.
Vivi didn't doubt that, but there was something in Dr. Kent's tone that hinted at something more. She turned an inquisitive eye on him, even as she continued to massage Rooster's head.
The vet shrugged. “Ian found Rooster abandoned on the side of the road the first week he was back from Walter Reed. By my estimate, Rooster wasn't even six weeks old. I'm not sure who needed whom more, but they both helped each other heal and survive, that much I do know.”
Vivi hadn't known that but had no problem seeing Ian nursing Rooster back to health, maybe even bottle-feeding him. It had probably been something Ian needed more than he knew—a reason to get up in the morning, a reason to push through each day. Yes, he'd had his job, but having a job is different than having a living thing depending on you.
Vivi leaned down and gave Rooster a big kiss. “You get better, Rooster, and Ian and I will be back to pick you up tomorrow, if Dr. Kent says it's okay,” she said against his fur.
“Call me Dash,” Dr. Kent said. “And if he keeps recovering the way he is, he should be more than ready to be home tomorrow.”
Vivi gave Rooster one last kiss, then took a step back as Dash locked the kennel door. “Call me if you have any questions or just want to know how he's doing,” Dash said as they made their way back toward the front of the building. “Ian and I went to school together. He's a few years older than me, but it's a small town. If there's anything I can do for either of you, please let me know.”
Vivi stopped at the front door and looked at Dash Kent again. His face was still striking, but more to the point, she saw a friend of Ian's—yet another person who cared about him. “Thank you,” she said. “We will.”
After leaving Rooster and stopping by Frank's Café for some dinner, Vivi arrived at the hospital and peeked her head into Ian's room.
“It's safe,” he said.
“I didn't want to interrupt,” Vivi countered, entering the room. It was partly true, she didn't want to interrupt him if he were with the doctor or his family, but by the look on his face, she knew he knew that wasn't the primary reason.
“You're afraid of my family.” Ian smiled as he held out his good hand to her.
“Not afraid, it just seems premature to be at the “meet the parents” stage of the relationship, that's all,” she said, putting down the bag she'd brought and coming to his side.
“Too late for that, and besides, nothing about our meeting or being together has been normal. I think abnormal is probably our normal.”
She inclined her head. “You do have a point. How are you feeling?”
“Better, less sore. They let me get up and walk around this afternoon despite being on pain meds. I think it helped get the blood flowing again. They said I can even take a shower tonight.”
“That sounds like an exciting night.”
“Not nearly as exciting as a few nights ago.” His hand came to rest on her thigh. Again, she wasn't inclined to argue.
“Be that as it may, I did bring some entertainment,” Vivi said.
“And food, if my nose is still working.”
“And food. And some clothes, a clean uniform for you for tomorrow,” she added, pointing to the bag. “But no ice cream. What's The Scoop was closed, but I'll promise you some for tomorrow if you're good,” she said, leaning down and brushing a kiss against his lips.
“I'm always good,” he countered with his own smile. One that faltered when she pulled away and stifled a yawn. “It's been a long day for you, hasn't it?” His hand curled around hers. Her eyes watched his bigger, rougher hand entwine with hers.
“Probably not as long as yours.”
In truth and in different ways, it had been a long, tough day for both of them. Physically for Ian, and, well, for her the emotional roller coaster she'd been riding almost all day wasn't something she was g
oing to stand in line for again, if she could help it.
“Anyway, let's eat. I brought a laptop and a copy of a few of the surveillance videos. I figured this is our best shot at dinner and a movie these days.”
Ian chuckled. “Like I said, abnormal.”
She unwrapped the food as he pulled the table over the bed. It probably wasn't the big meal he craved, but Vivi hadn't wanted to load his stomach down given he'd just had surgery. Ian didn't seem to mind too much, and while they ate, Vivi updated him on what they'd gone over at the station that afternoon, which wasn't much. The only new development was that Carly was able to eliminate one more woman from the list of possible victims. Charlene Wycoff, one of the missing women, had a two-million-dollar insurance policy and a brother chomping at the bit to have her declared legally dead. The cops were trying to keep the case open, but without more evidence to support their belief in the brother's involvement, they were running up against a brick wall.
“So, how much of the video did you watch yesterday?”
Vivi gathered up their wrappers and napkins and, after tossing them into the garbage, pulled out her laptop. “I went through about twelve hours of the office party traffic cam videos between yesterday and this morning. But I haven't seen all of it,” she added, “or any the videos from the fundraising event or the university.”
She plugged in the computer, popped in a disc, and pulled the table back over the bed. Tucking herself in alongside Ian, she hit play. A darkened intersection popped up on the screen. The image quality wasn't HD, but it was enough to see cars and people. Snow banks lined the streets and pedestrians hurried by wrapped in thick coats and hats.
“I take it this is the one of the street cams near the office party?” Ian asked. “Any identification of people is going to be a bitch,” he added.
Vivi grimaced. “I know, winter gear is good at doing its job, but it sucks for us. Still, we can see what crops up and who knows what kind of cars or vans we'll see.”
“Did you see any vehicles that might fit what we're looking for in the video you watched?”
“Two. I noted the time stamps and Nick is looking into them,” she said.
They watched a few hours of video in a quiet that was occasionally punctuated with commentary by one or the other. They saw three more vehicles that were worth looking into, and Vivi dutifully noted each one, texting the information to Nick as it came up.
But by ten thirty, Ian was waning. And when Vivi found herself checking on him more than the video, she decided to stop for the night. Ian's eyelids had drifted closed and every few minutes the arm he'd wrapped around her would twitch, reliving some memory.
She eased herself from his side and, as quietly as she could, packed up her computer. When she was ready to go, she paused by the bed and took a moment to study this man she'd really just met. The bruises were growing more prominent on his arms and face, but the cuts and scrapes and the gash on his forehead had been cleaned since she'd seen him earlier in the day.
She felt a wave of anxiety wash over her when she allowed her mind to think about how he'd gotten those injuries. But she also realized that anxiety wasn't the strongest emotion she was feeling.
She reached out and brushed a finger across his forehead, then traced his jaw, pausing over his cheek. She'd been overwhelmed by her own fears and memories for most of the day. But now, standing here looking at Ian, watching his chest rise and fall with each breath, she gave thanks that he was okay to whatever god that would listen. Not because she wouldn't have been able to stand yet another loss, which was probably true, but because the world would have lost another good person if anything worse had happened. And the world needed all the good guys it could get.
CHAPTER 17
VIVI HAULED HERSELF OUT OF HER CAR, more tired than she'd realized, and made her way to Ian's back patio. She missed Rooster's greetings, which were so much more pleasant than arriving alone at the dark house that seemed to loom in the night in front of her. She let out a little sigh and fumbled with the key. Her imagination was already getting the better of her. Ian's house was a cute, colonial-style bungalow. It didn't “loom” anywhere. Especially not with its white sides glowing in the moonlight and flowers hanging from little baskets, no doubt a gift from his mom.
She entered the quiet house and flicked on the light before shutting and locking the door behind her. How many countless times had she walked into her own dark, empty apartment, or a hotel room, and not felt even a hint of unease? Even when she was working the ugliest of ugly cases.
But pausing in the kitchen, absorbing the silence, she felt it now. The thought of heading into The Tavern and bunking with Naomi crossed her mind. Her cousin would love it. Only Vivi couldn't bring herself to do it, to leave Ian's house—a house that, just two nights before, she'd felt so safe in.
She glanced at the bottle of wine, recorked two nights ago, and thought about knocking back a glass or two and crawling into bed. Then, as a gust of wind came over the hill and rattled the trees, she could no longer deny what her instinct was telling her—now was not the time to be alone. She could ignore it and, chances were, she would be fine. But if she did ignore it, and something happened, she'd have to live with all the what-ifs, and god knew she had enough of those already.
Without leaving the kitchen, Vivi pulled her cell from her purse and dialed Naomi.
“You're up late. I heard about Ian, how is he?” Naomi said when she answered the call.
“He's going to be okay. He has to stay at the hospital tonight. What are you up to?”
“Um, nothing.”
“Naomi.”
She let out a breath. “I persuaded that cute, young Officer Granger to let me make copies of the surveillance videos. I figured I could run them through our facial recognition programs. It's not linked to a database, so it won't pull up data on the people in the video, but it will pull up faces that appear multiple times.”
Vivi wasn't quite sure what to make of this news, or her cousin's third insinuation into the case. She flip-flopped for about five seconds between scolding Naomi and being intrigued by what the program might find before she realized she was too tired to care either way at the moment, so she went for denial.
“Want to come for a sleepover?” Vivi asked.
“At Ian's?” Naomi didn't bother to hide the surprise in her voice.
“Yeah, it's quiet here. No Ian, no dog, no sounds of Boston's North End.”
“You don't want to be alone after the day you've had.”
“And, I don't want to be alone after the day I've had,” Vivi conceded.
“Give me five minutes to pack. I'll be there in fifteen.” Her cousin didn't miss a beat. Vivi smiled.
“You can bring Brian and Travis if you want, they'll either have to share the queen bed in the guest room, or one of them can bunk on the couch.”
“Not that they wouldn't want to, but Brian is already asleep, and I don't know where Travis is. We had dinner together, and he said something about wanting to see the light from some hill or something. So it's just me.”
“Just you is perfect. I'll have a glass of wine waiting.”
Vivi hung up, looking forward to seeing Naomi. Walking through the rest of the house and turning on a few lights here and there made her feel even better. She poured herself a glass of wine and picked up her cell again, calling Kiera this time. Not only was it good to hear her other cousin's voice and touch base, it was a perfect way to pass the time until Naomi showed up, precisely two minutes early.
“Kiera says hi,” Vivi said, placing her cell on the kitchen counter.
Naomi dumped her bag on the floor and plopped herself down at the kitchen table with a grin. “That's nice. I talked to her today, too. So, we can cut through the chitchat about the baby. Pour me a glass of wine and spill all the details on Deputy Chief of Police MacStudly.”
“I don't know what you're talking about. There are no details,” Vivi said, but couldn't hide the smile tugging at her l
ips.
“You suck at lying. Always have. Brian and I, on the other hand, are masters. Which also makes us good at spotting lies. So bring that bottle over here and don't even think of sugarcoating anything. He's hot, he looks like he has the goods, and he looks like he likes giving them to you. Now, tell me all about it.”
* * *
The morning sun and fog drifted through the tree branches, creating an almost surreal, dreamlike effect. Which wasn't helped by the headache Vivi now sported thanks to Naomi's insistence on not only finishing the bottle of wine already open, but opening a second. They'd talked long into the night about Ian, about life, about work. They hadn't talked like that since Vivi's parents and brother had died. And though she wished they hadn't had so much to drink, Vivi didn't regret calling her cousin over. She did regret that it had taken her so long to reach out to her own family and that she'd only done so because she'd had a sudden case of the heebie-jeebies. But she'd learned her lesson and made a promise to herself to value the family she still had.
With these life thoughts floating in her mind, Vivi pulled her car to the side of the road and killed the engine. Ian stood about forty feet away, his uniform crisp, his wrist in a cast, staring down into a ravine—the expression on his face unreadable. Her heart ached for him, for the sense of responsibility she knew he felt for the kids involved, for the confusion the accident had brought into his life. And for what she knew he was being forced to accept—that safety wasn't a promise in life, no matter where you lived. He might have left one kind of danger behind him in Afghanistan, but that didn't mean the world couldn't or wouldn't come up with something different to lie at your doorstep.
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