by Tara Randel
More so, though, he was a good partner and had a big heart. Trusted her decisions, even if he didn’t always agree with her. And his sense of humor? The way he pushed her out of her comfort zone? A bright light in the structured life she’d created. So yeah, her heart was in real trouble of falling dangerously close to love. Which was crazy. He might kiss her a little more often than was appropriate considering their undercover status, but she didn’t stop him. Did that make her a hypocrite?
Rules were important to her. She didn’t need grand plans and gestures to get the job done. That might work for Dante, but not her. She needed the facts laid out before her, and right now, the facts were telling her they had a reasonable case, even without the leader. But if waiting to discover the identity of the ringleader made the case stronger, was she wrong to put Dante off?
This is all about the promotion, a tiny voice nagged. You’re playing it safe.
Yes, she wanted the job, but on the merits of good police work. At this point did good work mean they should throw caution to the wind and delve deeper in case they found the ringleader? Accusing Dante of going after the ringleader just to get a promotion, well, that wasn’t fair. He wanted to solve the case as much as she did. Was in just as deep. Could they come to the same conclusion using different methods?
Her emotions were running away from her like a high-speed roller coaster, and if she didn’t get her act together, she might derail.
Dante turned off the ignition. Stayed in his seat. Curious, Eloise waited.
“You know I respect you,” he finally said.
Okay, not how she’d like a conversation with Dante to start, because respect meant distance and despite everything, despite all her arguments not to push this attraction, she still wanted to get closer to the man sitting mere inches from her.
Cautiously, she asked, “Do I want to hear the rest?”
The garage lights illuminated the inside of the truck cab. She could see his features as clear as day, closed off and serious.
His voice was steady when he said, “I’m going to get this guy.”
The intense focus on his face made her wary. “Of course we are. Together.”
He shot her an enigmatic look.
A shiver ran over her skin. “Dante...”
“Just remember that.”
He exited the cab. A million thoughts raced through her head. One stood out from them all. He’s going to do something impetuous. For the sake of everyone, it was up to her to stop him.
She finally opened the door and stepped into the temperate night, perfumed with traces of night jasmine. Stars studded the sky. Crickets hummed. All normal, yet chills pebbled her skin. She was about to go inside when she noticed the front porch light on at Martha’s house. Odd. The woman usually retired early.
She walked over to investigate, surprised when she glimpsed the silhouette of someone sitting on a rocker.
“Martha?”
“Ellie, dear. I didn’t expect you to come by so late.”
“I saw your light on. Are you okay?”
“Having trouble sleeping.”
Eloise knew the malady. “Can I get you anything?”
“No. Sitting in the silence is good for the soul. When I have an off night, I like to come out here and think about my life. All the wonderful memories with my husband, children and grandchildren.” Her gaze glistened as she met Eloise’s. “A lifetime’s worth, like you’re making with Dan.”
Since she couldn’t answer, Eloise sank onto the top step of the porch, angled to face her friend. “What would you say were the most treasured moments of your marriage?”
Martha chuckled. “Do you have an hour?”
“Actually, I do.” Eloise spoke honestly. She had no desire to go into the house just yet. Not with her revelations about Dante so raw.
The wooden porch creaked as Martha rocked. Eloise found it comforting. Steady and strong, much like she imagined Martha’s marriage to George.
“I almost didn’t marry George,” Martha said.
Eloise’s mouth fell open. “What?”
“It’s true. I had this notion that I wanted to become a nurse. Help sick people, maybe work in a hospital.” She shrugged. “Wasn’t sure it would ever happen.”
“Why not? It’s a wonderful dream.”
“It would have been, until I turned fourteen. My father had recently died and my mother had to work to keep the family above water financially. To help out, I worked odd jobs to supplement the family income. It was pretty clear we would never have enough money to put me through nursing school, but I kept my hopes up. A pipe dream, really.”
“When did George come into the picture?”
“Four years later, he walked into the store where I was shelving merchandise, shopping for a present for a woman he’d corresponded with when he was in the military. He said he took one look at me and lost his heart forever.”
“And the other woman?”
“She’d moved on, George found out.” Martha went quiet, staring out over the night shadows. A car drove by, breaking the silence. When she spoke again, a profound sadness laced her tone. “The years after my father died were difficult, almost like a bad dream. My mother changed, for the worse, then quickly remarried a man I didn’t like. My older brother got into trouble with the law. We had once been a close-knit family and, suddenly, we were strangers. Nothing was what it seemed.”
Eloise might not be remembering painful memories, but she understood the concept of nothing being what it seemed. Right now her life was entirely out of whack.
“Did you return George’s feelings?”
Martha shook off the melancholy. “Not right away. It wasn’t until my stepfather told me they weren’t behind my dream to go to school. I fell apart. It was like my heart was wrenched from my chest.”
Eloise recalled her parents’ disappointment when she announced she wouldn’t follow in their footsteps. “I always craved my parents’ approval. Never got it, so I can relate.”
Martha dabbed her eyes. “I walked around in a fog for days. Back then, it was difficult to go against your parents, especially a female, but my stepfather was especially hard. All I wanted to do was help people and they denied me.”
Blinking the moisture in her eyes, Eloise confided, “I had a different type of argument with my folks. They wanted me to attend college, on their terms. With the major they picked. Even though I bucked their demands and chose an entirely different path, I think, in a small way, they were proud I carried through with my decision.”
“I’d like to believe so.”
A long moment passed as Eloise pondered the journey of her life. A journey that led her to Dante.
“Tell me, Martha, how did George finally capture your heart? You mentioned something about a grand gesture?”
A smile curved her lips. “We had been seeing each other for a few months by the time I learned I wouldn’t be going to school. George came upon me as I was leaving work one day. I was trying desperately to keep myself together, but apparently not succeeding. He could see beyond the fake smile I presented to the world. When he asked why I was upset, I just broke down and cried. I’d never told him of my desire to become a nurse. I finally pulled myself together, explaining how my parents were not supportive and that my dream would never become a reality.”
Eloise straightened. “And?”
“He told me he would put me through school.”
Placing her hand over her heart, Eloise blinked back fresh tears. “How sweet.”
“He believed in me.”
I respect you, Dante had said. Was that the same as believing in her?
“It took many years. We married, then had children. I finally graduated when I turned thirty-five. Fulfilled my wish of working in a hospital.”
“George clearly loved you.” Eloise brushed her tea
rs away. “You made me cry with your lovely story.”
“Well, my dear, you started it by asking about my marriage.”
“I did indeed.”
A faraway look reflected in Martha’s gaze. “George always supported me. Laughed with me. Cried with me. We had a wonderful life together.”
“And to think, you didn’t even want to get married.”
“Sometimes the things we want are right before us and we can’t even see them.”
Dante’s face materialized in Eloise’s mind. One didn’t have to be a therapist to know what Eloise wanted.
Martha started to cough, startling Eloise from her thoughts. She jumped up. “Can I get you some water?”
Tapping her chest, Martha nodded.
Eloise ran inside to the kitchen, familiar with the floor plan by now after having spent many hours with Martha, and hurried back with a cool glass of water.
Martha drank, clearing her throat before she was able to speak again. “Thank you.”
“Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”
“Not as spry as usual, I will admit. I’ll call my doctor in the morning.” She placed the small glass on a table beside the rocker. “Maybe I’m coming down with a cold.”
Eloise hovered over Martha, shaken by the sudden coughing spell. “You did get the flu shot, didn’t you?”
Martha grinned. “Yes. My granddaughter asked me the same question when I spoke to her this morning.”
“We’re just looking out for you.”
“And I love you for it.”
Eloise’s heart seized. She realized she also loved Martha, a woman who had drawn Eloise into her life and cared about her, even if they weren’t blood relatives.
A grin curved Martha’s lips. “I just knew from the first day I met you we’d be grand friends.”
Eloise took Martha’s hand, her paper-thin, cool skin the most precious object Eloise had ever held between her fingers.
With a sigh, Martha reached out with her other hand for her cane. “I’ll go inside now. I’m finally feeling tired.”
“Do you want me to stay for a while? I don’t mind at all.”
Martha waved her off. “All I needed was some fresh air and heartfelt conversation.”
Eloise helped her friend rise. Gave her a quick peck on her soft cheek.
“You promise to call if you need anything.”
“I promise. Go home to your husband.”
“Thank you, Martha.”
“For what?”
Eloise swallowed hard, the depth of her emotions rising. Her voice caught when she said, “I don’t have many friends, but you’re one of the best.”
Martha patted her arm. “Back at you, my dear.”
Eloise helped her through the door, then waited until she heard the lock click. Minutes later, the lights went out inside. Swallowing the lump still taking up residence in her throat, she made her way across the damp grass. She quietly entered her house, hoping Dante had turned in. With her emotions so close to the surface, she didn’t think she could handle a conversation with him right now.
* * *
“C’MON, MAN. I asked for your advice about the op, not Eloise.”
“Aren’t they the same thing?” Dante’s brother Derrick asked from the computer screen.
“You know I could just shut the laptop and tune you out until Dylan logs on.”
Derrick smirked. “You could, but then you’d miss all my older-brother advice. It’s priceless, you know.”
“So you tell me every time we talk.”
“And I’m right, aren’t I?”
Dante’s lips twitched. Derrick was nothing if not self-evolved.
“Thanks, but right now, I only want your take on the op.”
Coming home after the disappointing rendezvous, Dante had bits of ideas forming in his head. He’d intended to hole up in his room to think, until a text from Derrick popped up on his private cell phone screen, informing Dante that there was new information on their mother and he should log on for a video chat. As usual Dylan was delayed, so Dante had brought his brother up to speed.
“Sounds like you need to go back to the beginning,” Derrick said. “Go over every event and person you’ve come across so far. The answer could be staring you right in the face.”
“Good advice. Eloise has detailed notes. We’ll go over them from front to back.”
Derrick’s amused expression turned to concern. “Sounds like she’s turned into a valuable partner.”
“She’s smart. Has great instincts.”
“And that line we talked about? Have you stayed on your side?”
Dante fought to hide any telltale emotion from his brother. “Why would you ask me that?”
“Because whenever you mention her name, you get that twitchy guilty look I remember from when you were a kid.”
Dante scoffed. “Like you paid that much attention.”
“You’d be surprised what I noticed.”
“Like what?”
“How handy you were around the house fixing things.” A genuine smile curved Derrick’s mouth. “Mom couldn’t believe she had a child who could take care of broken appliances. It was like she had her own private handyman. And then the cars you and Dad worked on? We were all proud.”
“Wow. I didn’t think you’d paid any attention.”
“You probably also never paid attention when I took the Mustang you and Dad were tinkering with out for a ride.”
It took a moment for Dante to speak. “Wait. You took the car on the road?”
Derrick shrugged, like revealing this piece of information was no big deal. “Not before I checked with Dad to make sure it was safe, but yeah, I took it.”
Dante gaped at his brother. “Unbelievable.”
“Would you have let me take it if I’d asked?”
“Of course not!”
Derrick grinned.
“There were times I thought the car had been moved, but I figured Dad had been working on it. Never thought my sneaky brother took it for a joyride.”
“Best car I ever drove,” Derrick reminisced with a great deal of awe.
Dante shook his head. “Well, I can’t be all that mad at you.”
The teasing expression on Derrick’s face vanished. “Why?”
“Remember that bike you saved up all your allowance and birthday money to buy?”
“The ten-speed with the navy blue color scheme.”
“The same.”
Derrick aimed him a dirty look.
“I kinda borrowed it when you went to baseball camp one summer.”
“Kinda?”
“Did. And I crashed it. Dad helped me bang out the dents before you got back.”
“I... You... Wow. You are way more than a pretty boy.”
“Been trying to prove it.”
“I guess we’re even, then,” Derrick conceded.
“A car verses a bike? Hardly. But it’s all water under the bridge now.”
“What bridge?” Dylan asked, finally logging on.
“Nothing,” Dante said. “Just some childhood memories.”
Dylan nodded, then jumped right into business. “You guys ready for an update?”
“What about Deke?” Derrick asked.
“He must be out of cell range. Couldn’t get ahold of him.”
“What’s up?”
“The man Mom is dating is James Tate.”
“You finally met him?” Dante asked, noticing a shadow in his peripheral vision. Eloise materialized, then when she saw he was busy, backed up. He waved her over.
“Are you sure?” she mouthed.
“You’re welcome,” he said.
“Why are you thanking me?” Dylan asked. “I haven’t told you everything yet
.”
“No. It’s...” He reached out and grabbed Eloise’s hand, tugging her beside him. He angled the laptop to capture both their images.
“Guys, this is Eloise.”
“Hi,” she said, waving at the screen.
“Finally, we get to meet the brains of the operation. I’m Derrick.”
Eloise nodded. “And you must be Dylan,” she said to the other image.
“That’s right. I was just giving my brothers the lowdown about our mother.”
“Oh, then I’ll leave you be.”
“Don’t rush off,” Derrick said.
Dante smiled. “It’s okay. I want you to stay.”
She shot him a surprised glance, then moved behind him to get a better view of the screen. This close, her jasmine scent stirred his senses, made him acutely aware of her presence in the room. Looked like his awareness of Eloise wasn’t going away anytime soon.
It was official. Eloise was definitely under his skin.
“Like I was saying,” Dylan went on. “James Tate. I met him yesterday.”
“And,” Derrick prompted.
“Mom mentioned he was doing a little handiwork at her condo. He told me the name of the company he worked for and I looked it up. Public record.”
“Let me guess,” Dante said, controlling a laugh. “He’s a fine upstanding citizen and Mom is furious with you for interfering in her life.”
“The exact opposite. I called and the company said they have no record of him. Concerned he might be ripping Mom off, I did a basic background check. Prior to ten years ago, James Tate didn’t exist. At least not a man of his age and description.”
Dante leaned back, stunned. Eloise laid a hand on his shoulder and he reached up to take hold. “Did you tell Mom?”
“I mentioned it, but she said she’s a good judge of character, there are things we don’t know and to butt out of her business.”
“Are we backing off?”
Dylan’s cynical expression conveyed Not in this lifetime.