She walked around her desk, and he could see how livid she was as she shook her head. “So buckle up, because the last round of sentencing coming up, I guarantee you, is going to be a fucking gong show. For the first time in my life, I feel as if I’m on the wrong side of the law, considering the DA made a deal for Hunter Rowse, the one who actually hid the body and committed a felony, to walk.”
His hand was pressed over his mouth, and he lifted it, not sure he’d heard her correctly.
“Yeah, my response exactly,” Eileen said.
“No way,” Marcus said. “He can’t walk. He and Rita Mae dragged Jackson…”
Eileen was looking at him intently. “Right, Rita Mae, whose lawyer is the same as Hunter’s and is screaming at the DA about something you’ve done. The DA seems to be on your side, saying that’s impossible. He isn’t listening. But then, you know Tibo Lewis. He doesn’t want any scandal or problems in the sheriff’s office right now. You know what, though? I’m asking you, because there’s something there.” She gestured quite dramatically toward him. “After seeing how this is blowing up, and we’re seeing the kind of injustice that was common not even thirty years ago, something here isn’t sitting right with me. Did you do something, Marcus?”
She leaned down on the desk, and he could see the fighter in her. She was scarred by the kind of ass-kicking that only life could dish out, the same kind of pain and hurt that he’d seen in his mother.
“You know what?” he said. “I did my job here, Eileen. I didn’t hide any evidence in this crime. This is about Jackson Moore and a group of stupid teenagers who raided their parents’ medicine cabinets, thinking it was a brilliant idea to pop pills, and then Jackson died, and instead of calling for help, every single one of those kids ran and is responsible. How is this being shifted my way? How about you focus on getting Jackson some justice—or should I be talking to Tibo Lewis about this?”
He didn’t like being cornered or bringing up the DA’s name, considering he knew the only thing Tibo did well as DA was flaunt his twenty-year-old bride, play all sides, and know exactly which calls to make for political gain.
“Go on, Marcus,” she said. “You want to talk to Tibo, be my guest, considering he’s deciding who’s getting charged and who’s walking. He’s already clipped my wings, not wanting to ruffle the feathers of any sitting judge. You both speak the same language, so to speak.” The way she said it, he felt the slap.
“Wow, really, the race card? Didn’t expect that from you, Eileen. We’ve known each other a long time, and—”
“And we’re, what, friends, Marcus?” she snapped, cutting him off.
“Nope, we’re not, and maybe that’s my fault, but I didn’t see you reaching out my way, either. It’s a two-way street. You know I’ve never treated you differently because of the color of your skin. I was raised better.” He let his meaning sink in.
“You did something, Marcus,” she said. “Whatever it is, you should know Rita Mae’s lawyer’s going to keep pushing until he gets a deal for her. She’ll walk and won’t get the obstruction charge that’s on the table. Tibo is wavering, you know, and he sees himself in you.”
He knew what she was referring to, but Tibo was twenty years his senior, distinguished, a member of the country club scene, to which he’d never be invited. They weren’t the same. He could keep saying it, but there was a point where enough had been said.
“I’m not Tibo,” he said. “Rita Mae isn’t walking on this, and those other kids… No way. Then there’s PJ. You know he’ll never sit by and be okay with the fact that his kid isn’t getting justice. He’s smarting over what Judge Root said, as if his son doesn’t matter.” When she didn’t say anything, he put his hand on the door and pulled it open.
“Marcus, I know you’re not him, but at times like this, that’s all anyone sees, and lines get drawn.”
He turned back to her and took her in. “Maybe so, but I won’t be picking a side. The only side I’m on is the one that sees justice served for Jackson,” he replied, then started toward the door, still without a clue what she was thinking.
“Sheriff,” she said, stopping him. “You make sure nothing will come back your way. And, just so you know, the opioids that killed Jackson Moore belong to Angela Rowse, Hunter’s mother, for a back injury she had three years ago.”
There it was, back to business. He knew she was giving him a heads-up because it would be only a matter of time until PJ figured it out.
“Thanks, Eileen,” was all he said.
“I mean it, Marcus,” she added. He rested his hand on the door frame, looking back to her. “I like you, but whatever it is that Rita Mae has on you, clean it up.” She reached for her glasses and sat down in her chair. “Close the door on your way out.”
He knew that was her way of telling him to go. She was damn difficult.
As Marcus turned the corner, he took in the DA ahead of him, speaking with another lawyer, seeing the practiced smile, the older charm. He went down the stairs and out the door.
Chapter Four
“You okay?” Charlotte said as she walked into the kitchen, sliding her hand over the small of his back and pressing against him so he could feel all of her.
He saw the time and heard a car door close outside. He still needed to change, and he needed to have a word with Suzanne. Then there was Harold, whom he couldn’t keep avoiding.
“Yeah, just one of those days, you know.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips, feeling the weight of the world. He took in her long dark hair, which was hanging loose, and her white cotton T over yoga pants, and he pressed his hand to the baby bump, his baby, who was growing bigger every day.
Charlotte was always touching him, and he realized now how quiet it was and how off she seemed. She was biting her lower lip. Yeah, something was wrong.
“Where’s Eva?” he said.
“Guess you didn’t see my text.”
He went to reach for his phone as she sighed, something she did when she was holding on to something.
Since meeting with Eileen, he’d been trying to get his head around the PJ thing. Then there was the fact that Hunter had supplied the pill in question.
Charlotte put her hand over his wrist. “Don’t bother. I’ll just tell you. Change of plans: Everyone’s coming over here tonight instead at Suzanne’s insistence. Your mom had Eva today. She picked her up from school. She’s also bringing Alison. I think they’re stopping to pick up ice cream. I got a call from Karen because she couldn’t reach you. Reine’s father, Darryl MacDonald, reached out,” she said. “He wants to see Eva before the adoption goes through.”
He took in Charlotte and realized there might be more. She wasn’t as calm as she normally was. Maybe that was what he was picking up on.
“I guess I wanted to talk without Eva here,” she said. “Are we going to lose her, Marcus?” A tear spilled out, and she quickly swiped it away. “I mean, nothing with this adoption has gone smoothly. Ever since that incident at the old house, when that man died, it seems as if everything has come to a standstill. Problems that weren’t there before suddenly exist.”
It really felt as if everything around them had been spiraling, one thing after another, as if life couldn’t just be simple and easy but instead was insisting on kicking him in the ass over and over.
He heard the screen door open before he could think of something to say. He was starting to get that feeling that something was in the works in the background.
“Marcus, I saw your car. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you.” It was Karen, her heels clicking on the floor. She wore a black skirt that went past her knees and a white blouse, dressy, likely just from work, and she carried a bottle of white wine that looked well chilled. She sat it on the island and let her blue gaze settle in on him and then on Charlotte.
“I was just telling him you were trying to get a hold of him about Mr. MacDonald,” Charlotte started.
Marcus found himself having to shove the Rit
a Mae shitstorm aside, and the weight of being sheriff, as he pictured a little girl he wasn’t ready to let go of. Hell, no! He’d find a way to keep her or go down fighting.
“What the hell is going on, Karen? Reine’s father wants to see her? I don’t like this blindside. This simple adoption, which should’ve been done already, is having the kind of complications that shouldn’t happen. Charlotte, we’re not going to lose her,” he added to his wife, who was looking to him to make things right. “Are we, Karen? Seriously, level with me as to what the fuck is going on, and do it before Mom shows up here with Eva.”
He hadn’t planned on snapping, but he could feel the edge of too many things he had to look after and handle.
“Look, I don’t think it’s anything like that,” Karen said. “At the same time, the ask came not from Reine or her father but from social services, via her father’s lawyer. I’m getting the feeling that something’s not on the up and up. There’s too much formality, which means someone’s not comfortable. Something’s likely in the wind. Look, have you talked to Reine recently?”
Karen had both her hands on the counter, next to the bottle of wine. Her hair was still red with blond highlights, pulled back in a tight bun, and he took in the ring on her finger, the flashing rock. He didn’t know why he was noticing it now. He didn’t remember seeing Karen or her husband, Jack, listed as lawyers in the Jackson Moore scandal.
“No, she won’t see me,” he said, “but I haven’t tried in over a week. I’ve been kind of busy, you know.” He let his meaning sink in, knowing well that Karen understood everything that was going on behind the scenes.
“Well, I think you need to go see her, and do it now. This can’t wait. You settle this thing and find out what’s going on, because the adoption should’ve been done by now. The social worker’s been dragging her feet, but I’m thinking there’s more to it. So call Reine again. If she won’t see you, find a way. Call in favors, whatever you need to do to go and see her, Marcus.” His sister gave him everything, direct, to the point, then dragged her gaze over to Charlotte. “And, Charlotte, I think it would help Reine to see you, as well, so she understands how important Eva is to both of you and knows that even with the baby coming, she’s very much wanted.”
Charlotte was giving him everything, and he ran his hand over her shoulder, lifted her hair, and touched her cheek. She shrugged. “I think that’s for the best. Do you think that’s what this is about?” She gave everything to Karen. “I mean, that’s silly. How could we consider tossing Eva aside? She’s ours, our daughter, just like this baby.”
Marcus pulled Charlotte in closer. “I’m sure it’s not, but in case it is, yeah, we’ll talk to her.”
Karen went over to the kitchen cupboard, where the wineglasses were, and strode back to the island to set one down and twist off the bottlecap. “And, just so you know, if you have trouble getting in or she won’t see you, I can get in, as her lawyer. But do you really want me to handle this when you need to sit across from her, face to face, and find out what the issue is?”
He knew what his sister was saying. He heard more cars outside, doors being closed, voices, and knew his family was about to invade their quiet house.
“I’ll handle it,” he said to Karen, then lowered his gaze to Charlotte. She settled into his arms again, and he ran his hands over her, trying to at least put a smile back on her face even though he still couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was unraveling. “I will. Don’t worry. She’s ours, okay?” he said to Charlotte, wishing it could be that easy.
He pulled her closer and kissed her again before looking up to see Suzanne coming in, followed by Harold, who was carrying a case of beer. His sister’s eyes were wide, and he knew that panicked look well. Evidently, Harold wasn’t going quietly into the night. Time was up.
Harold was giving him everything, still dressed in his deputy’s uniform, his gun holstered. From the way he walked toward him, Marcus could tell he wasn’t willing to wait a moment longer.
He nodded to Harold and stepped away from Charlotte, letting his hand fall away as he took in the rest of his family coming in. Eva raced his way, wearing pink and white, and he lifted her and kissed her. “Hey, you! How was school? You have fun with your grandma?”
“Yeah, Mrs. Kramer brought in a pet lizard, and Patrick Turner let it out, and it ran under the bookcase, and we couldn’t get it out, and there was screaming, and the principal came in, and the janitor got it out with a stick and a net…”
Right, it seemed nothing had changed since he’d gone to school. He put her down and ruffled her short brown hair, seeing her front tooth missing. Charlotte had played the Tooth Fairy and left two quarters under her pillow. She really did handle everything for them.
“Sounds like there was some excitement.” He tilted his head to the kitchen, where Charlotte was, and said, “Go on and check in with Charlotte, okay?”
Just then, his niece, Alison, walked past and gave him one of her looks, not a smile, and he spotted his mom, who was shaking her head in a way that said there was evidently some teenage drama occurring that he’d best steer clear of.
Meanwhile, Harold was already out the front door and was looking back to him. Marcus took another second before pulling in a breath and following him out. Across the street, Jenny was on her way over, but Ryan didn’t appear to be home yet. Luke was gone again, and Tessa and Owen would likely be there shortly.
“So is this you blowing me off or you coming clean?” Harold started. “Because Suzanne…”
“Look, I know Suzanne doesn’t agree with us not having shared this with you, but no one knows. So no, I’m not blowing you off,” Marcus said. “And, just for the record, Suzanne didn’t want to keep this from you, but it isn’t her secret to tell. She wanted you to know.”
Harold made a rude noise that sounded like a laugh but wasn’t. “Then by all means, let’s hear it. Does it have anything to do with what Eileen pulled me aside and asked me about regarding the accusation by Rita Mae and her lawyer? Did you do something?”
It was truth time.
He had to glance back, hearing voices from inside. “Let’s go talk down here, out of the way.”
“You mean so no one can hear.”
Marcus didn’t bother answering. He started down the stairs, toward Jenny, who was headed across the grass, carrying a square cake pan. “Ryan held up?” he asked.
She wore blue jeans and a jean jacket, her hair hiked up in a ponytail, and he took in the ring on her finger. An engagement? Evidently something else they were going to hear about.
“He should be here soon,” she said, then lifted her finger in the air. “We have news.” She was all smiles.
He gestured toward it and winked. “Hey, congrats! That’s great.”
She kept walking into the house, and he could hear the excitement of everyone noticing. Harold, who was standing at the edge of the front lawn, by Suzanne’s car, didn’t say anything.
“This can’t go anywhere,” Marcus said.
Harold didn’t look away. For a minute, Marcus thought he wouldn’t agree. “Did you cover up a crime?” he finally said.
“This was something that happened when I was a kid,” Marcus said. “I only just found out about it from Owen. He kept it a secret for years, thinking he was protecting someone…”
Harold furrowed his brow. “Go on, continue. So what does this have to do with what Rita Mae and her lawyer are saying about you? Who was Owen protecting?” He glanced back to the house. “And Suzanne knows?” he added, sounding accusatory.
“Yes, but don’t be angry at her. We told her she couldn’t tell you, and it just about killed her not to. You should know that Charlotte doesn’t know, either. It’s just Suzanne, Karen, Ryan, Luke, and me. We only learned of this from Owen, so this isn’t some big secret we’ve been keeping from everyone for a really long time. It’s about the night my dad disappeared.”
Harold hesitated for a second. Marcus could see that wasn’
t what he’d expected. It wasn’t lost on him that Harold had never agreed not to say anything to anyone.
“There was a fight downstairs while we were asleep,” Marcus said. “Owen went down and found our mom upset. Our dad’s office had been wrecked. She handed him a bloody knife wrapped in a cloth and told him to get rid of it. He did, thinking she’d done something. He buried it in the woods, scared, and never told a soul. Apparently, Rita Mae was out there, doing God knows what, and saw him. During the investigation, she said some things to Owen that let him know she’d dug up what he’d buried and kept it all these years. It was then that he came clean to us about what had happened. Would she have been willing to use it against him and me? She threatened as much, holding it over us so we wouldn’t look her way in this Jackson thing, but evidently, she had a change of heart, and when Owen paid her a visit, she gave him the knife back. As far as Rita Mae and her lawyer trying to use this now to get her out of this jam… Well, that’s everything.”
Harold glanced back to the house. The expression on his face was all cop, and Marcus wasn’t sure if he’d just screwed himself or Owen, who still wasn’t there. “Did your mom kill him?”
It was the question they had all asked. He just shook his head. “We talked to her, and she said no. Something must’ve happened, because she found his office like that, with a note that said he was gone and not to look for him. No, she didn’t do anything. Whose blood it was, I don’t know. Our mom said our dad had been having a lot of visitors all of a sudden, and he’d become secretive. Did something happen? Yeah…” He breathed out. “I don’t know what, though. Are you going to use this?”
#7-9--The O’Connells Page 14