Shades of Truth

by Sandra Orchard

  Kim, her expression torn, glanced from Dina’s room to her brother.

  Darryl caught her arm. “We need to talk.”

  “Excuse us a minute,” Kim said to Ethan, and then pulled Darryl into the stairwell. “Why are you really here?”

  “Have the police talked to you?”

  “No. Why would they?” Her words echoed off the block walls.

  “Because Dina’s parents reported her missing, and you found her.”

  The real fear in Darryl’s voice squeezed Kim’s chest. He’d only wanted to spare their father more grief. He never could’ve imagined the domino effect of his actions. If he had…

  Oh, if only he had.

  “You can’t tell them about me. They can’t be trusted. Derk’s got to have at least one cop in his back pocket. If he finds out I squealed…”

  “You think he’ll come after you?”

  His remorse-filled gaze clung to hers for a moment before dipping to the floor. “It’s a possibility.”

  “Darryl, a girl almost died today. We have to expose this man.”

  “Please, just give me a little more time.”

  She couldn’t do that. It was bad enough that she hadn’t told Ethan the moment they’d handed over Dina’s care. But he’d been so distracted, she’d struggled to find the words. “I promise I won’t say anything to a cop I don’t know,” Kim said. “But that’s all I’ll promise. Now, how’s Dad, really?”

  Darryl let out a resigned sigh. “The same.”

  “Okay, then I need to see Dina.”

  Kim rejoined Ethan outside Dina’s room, but ignored the question in his eyes. Her news could wait a few more minutes.

  Dina sat up as they entered.

  “You’re feeling better, huh?” Kim moved to her side.

  Dina ducked her head. “Yes, thank you for finding me.”

  Kim smiled and motioned to Ethan. “This is the guy you need to thank.”

  “A promise that you’ll never touch drugs again is all the thanks I want.”

  Dina held up her hand Girl Scout-style. “Oh, I promise. I can’t believe my so-called friends just left me there after I passed out.”

  “Who gave you the drugs?” Ethan asked, giving the impression that the question was born of casual curiosity.

  Kim knew better.

  “A guy in my class.” She snorted. “That other kid’s death should’ve been my first clue the stuff was crap. I can’t believe I was so dunce.”

  “This guy in your class, he have a name?” Ethan pressed, unwilling to speculate whether it was the drug she bought or something else.

  The girl looked away.

  Kim rubbed the girl’s arm. “Honey, you need to tell us.”

  “If I snitch, the kids at school will make my life miserable.”

  “I promise no one will know,” Ethan said. “I just want to talk to him, find out his supplier, get this pipeline turned off.”

  “Are you a cop or something?”

  To spare Ethan from having to lie, Kim said, “Ethan works with me at Hope Manor. We want to keep other kids from ending up there.”

  “Or worse,” Ethan added.

  Dina’s gaze darted to the door and back to them. “His name is Ryan Adams.”

  Kim gasped. “Adams? As in Lieutenant Adams?”

  “Yeah, his son.”

  “Who’s Lieutenant Adams?” Ethan asked.

  “A cop whose reputation the papers smeared a couple of years back by circulating rumors of his connection to a pyramid scheme. The allegations were never proven.”

  Ethan’s eyes brightened. “And you’re sure this Ryan kid is the lieutenant’s son?” When Dina nodded, Ethan’s expression slowly transformed as if pieces of the puzzle were connecting in his mind.

  But she still held the biggest piece. Kim’s heart pummeled her rib cage. She had to tell him. As much as she didn’t want to, she had to.

  But how did she do that without destroying her family?

  SIXTEEN

  As quickly as he could, Ethan wrapped up their visit with Dina and excitedly ushered Kim out of the room. “We’ve found our dirty cop,” he whispered in her ear.

  “You shouldn’t jump to any—” Kim’s head turned, bringing her face within inches of his.

  Ethan’s heart rate kicked up for a whole different reason than excitement over the breakthrough. Had Kim’s eyes always had so many intriguing flecks of color?

  “This is the young man I was telling you about.” Joy’s cheery voice rang through the hall. The dark-haired gentleman pushing her wheelchair smiled indulgently. A gold band encircled his third finger, and for the first time Ethan noticed a matching one on Joy’s.

  Ethan blinked. “You’re married?”

  “Yes. I thought you knew,” Joy exclaimed. “This is my husband, Blaine.”

  Ethan shook the man’s offered hand. Joy was married.

  A constriction in his chest he hadn’t been aware of loosened and he took a deep breath. Deeper than he could remember taking in a long, long time.

  “Our daughter’s visiting her grandma in room 308,” Joy nattered on.

  “You have a daughter, too?” Ethan struggled to tone down his surprise.

  “Yes, a real sweetie. Blaine’s first wife died when Sarah was an infant. We’ve been married almost six years now.” Joy fluttered her hand. “But enough about me. Look at you two. I knew the first time I saw you together you were smitten. Didn’t I tell you that, Blaine?”

  Blaine patted Joy’s shoulder. “Yes, you did.”

  “I… We’re not…” Kim spluttered, drawing a grin to Ethan’s lips.

  “Oh, hush now,” Joy scolded. “Life’s too short to deny what’s as obvious as the nose on your face.”

  Kim’s gaze shifted to Ethan and her cheeks bloomed into a gorgeous shade of pink.

  Blaine turned Joy’s chair. “Come, dear. You’ve embarrassed them enough.”

  Joy fluttered her fingers in a jovial wave and flashed them an unrepentant smile.

  Hope bloomed in Ethan’s chest. Feeling more lighthearted than he’d felt in years, he turned to share the newfound feeling with the woman he’d tried so unsuccessfully to resist.

  But one look at Kim’s face made his heart run cold. He knew that look. The look of a cop who had to deliver the worst news a person could hear.

  He didn’t need it spelled out to him. Just because she’d urged him to take to heart the youth pastor’s message the other night didn’t mean she was interested in him romantically. She was just being Kim—kind, compassionate and caring.

  “Ethan, I—”

  “Forget about it,” he said, more sharply than he’d intended. “Joy’s just being Joy. I’m not looking for a relationship, so go ahead and breathe.”

  “No, you misunderstood.”

  “I said forget it. You don’t owe me an explanation. I’m not the kind of guy you’d want to get involved with.”

  Kim stared at him in shocked silence. She’d been so preoccupied with how to tell him about Darryl that she hadn’t known how to react to Joy’s observations about them. Except to know deep down in her heart that they were absolutely true.

  If only things could’ve been different.

  “I’ve got to talk to the chief,” Ethan said, heading for the exit once again.

  “Wait. I need to tell you something.” She couldn’t let the wrong guy get in trouble.

  Then again, Lieutenant Adams might be exactly the dirty cop Darryl was worried about. If only she knew for sure, maybe they could catch the real bad guys without getting Darryl in trouble. “You can’t just assume Adams is dirty because his son’s selling drugs. He may not even know what his son�
��s doing.”

  “How can a police lieutenant not recognize the signs in his own son?”

  “Parents don’t want to believe that their kids would do something like that.”

  “They may not want to believe it, but most suspect. I need to go.”

  “No, wait.” Kim caught his arm. At his impatient scowl, her pulse rocketed. She dropped her voice to a whisper. “I know who the person is.”

  “What?” He steered her toward the exit. “We’ll talk in my car.” His voice reverberated with barely controlled anger, and it occurred to her that he might assume she’d known about Darryl all along.

  Ethan’s grip on her arm wasn’t the least bit forgiving. Visions of him storming into her father’s hospital room and handcuffing Darryl in front of him cut off her breath. How had she let the situation come to this?

  She stumbled. Ethan’s hold kept her from falling, but he didn’t slow his dogged pace.

  Inside the car, the air was so hot and sticky, she couldn’t breathe. Ethan’s expression was fierce. Not even the most belligerent residents looked at her so severely. Her heart cracked.

  Ethan started the engine and turned on the air conditioner. “Okay, talk.”

  “My brother…” She felt as if she’d dived off Niagara Falls and was flailing in the water, on the brink of being sucked under. She drew in a deep breath. “My brother is the one recruiting residents.”

  A momentary widening of Ethan’s eyes was the only hint of his surprise. “How long have you known?” His jaw clenched as though he fought to keep his tone even.

  She dropped her gaze, unable to bear the disappointment in his. “I suspected a couple of days ago. But I didn’t know for sure until just before you showed up at the house.”

  When Ethan didn’t respond, she added, “I’m sorry. I know I should’ve told you right away, but we had to find Dina, and then…”

  “Let me guess. You’re telling me now because as soon as I talk to Ryan, or his lousy excuse for a father, I’ll find out anyway?” The bitterness in Ethan’s voice stung.

  “No. I’ve been trying to tell you all night. I wouldn’t keep this from you. I couldn’t live with myself if someone else died and I could’ve prevented it.”

  A muscle in Ethan’s cheek flinched. “Too bad your brother never felt the same.”

  “He did. But he didn’t know who he could trust. Ethan, please, you’ve got to believe me. Darryl is not a bad person. A guy named Derk is blackmailing him. Years ago, my dad was Derk’s partner in a botched robbery attempt.” The whole story tumbled out, choppy and disjointed. “Mom begged Darryl to do what Derk said so Dad could die in peace. They planned to go to the police as soon as he died.”

  “It doesn’t matter what they planned to do. What he did is illegal. At the very least, he’s guilty of obstruction of justice and corruption of a minor.”

  The chill in Ethan’s voice ripped through her like an Arctic blast. Her insides trembled uncontrollably. Ethan’s disappointment—no, disgust—with her, for not coming forward sooner, hurt almost as much as her fear of what he’d do with the information now.

  “Darryl’s certain Derk has a guy inside, like you said.”

  “Lieutenant Adams?”

  “Maybe. I don’t know. But don’t you see? This guy will know Darryl talked, and Derk’s bound to retaliate.”

  “I can’t cover up Darryl’s role in this.”

  Kim clutched Ethan’s arm. “But if Darryl helps you locate Derk, couldn’t you keep his name out of this?” If Ethan cared for her at all, he’d understand why she wanted to protect her brother. Darryl had been foolish, but he’d acted out of love. She couldn’t bear the thought of him behind bars. And his arrest would kill Dad on the spot.

  Ethan stared through the windshield at the black clouds gathering over the hospital building. Kim’s brother had cost three youths their lives by cooperating with this Derk guy, and she was still defending him!

  “Since no one knows you’re a cop, you can question Darryl without Derk realizing the police are on to him.”

  “What makes you think Darryl will talk to me?”

  “I’ll tell him he has no choice. That if he doesn’t, he’ll be arrested.”

  “That’s not my call. I can’t overlook your brother’s crimes.” After the way Curt had clammed up when he’d spotted Kim, and then hearing about Beanpole’s you-don’t-want-to-know comment, he should’ve guessed it was her brother.

  “I know he has to pay for what he’s done. But with his life? Don’t you see? If you arrest him before you have Derk in custody, they’ll kill him!”

  Her broken expression tugged at the ragged edges of his anger and left him completely undone. “How often does Darryl see this guy? If Darryl cooperates, maybe we could give him a wire and record Derk’s negotiations.”

  “Darryl’s never met Derk. They’ve only talked on the phone.”

  “Then how is Darryl supposed to help me find him?”

  “You could trace the call. Couldn’t you?”

  “Maybe. Assuming the guy calls.”

  “I think Derk might be the guy I saw in the black SUV, the one who scared off my purse snatcher.”

  “How do you figure?”

  “If he hates my dad so much, he probably gets his kicks out of frightening me.”

  “He scared off your purse snatcher.”

  “Okay, that part doesn’t make sense. But I saw him come out of Dad’s room a few days before that. And Dad was really upset afterward.”

  “Why didn’t you—” Ethan hauled his voice down to a growl. “Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

  “I didn’t make the connection to anything happening at the manor the first time I saw him.” She dropped her gaze. “After I saw him at the park with my purse snatcher I was afraid you’d think my dad had something to do with the drugs, too.”

  Yeah, he would’ve, but her lack of trust still irked. “Okay, we’ll pull Derk’s arrest photo and see if you can ID him. But I’ll need more than Darryl’s testimony if I’m going to make the charges stick.”

  “If Derk believes Darryl’s still cooperating, he’s bound to say something incriminating.”

  Ethan didn’t miss the hopeful note in her voice. “Yeah, maybe.” Ethan thumbed open his phone. “I need to tell the chief to get someone on Adams. And to pull his phone records and figure out where he’s been sticking his nose, before he’s tipped off that we’re on to him, too.”

  Kim threw her arms around his neck. “Oh, thank you. Thank you.”

  He steeled himself against a rush of emotion and reminded himself that her embrace was nothing more than spontaneous appreciation. Because, the last person she’d want to hug was the man who intended to arrest her brother, and by default, expose her father’s secrets.

  Ethan clasped her arms and set her away from him. “Go see your father. I’ll be up after I talk to the chief. I’ll want to hear everything your brother knows.”

  As she walked into the hospital, Ethan scanned the parking lot. He felt as though every eye was on him, from the intern in the bottle-cap glasses lounging on a park bench—the one who’d been reading the same page of the newspaper for the past fifteen minutes—to the heavily made-up redhead collecting money at the parking kiosk. Any one of them could be an informant for this Derk person.

  Ethan called the chief and filled him in on the latest developments, minus Darryl. The chief said he’d email Derk’s photo and anything else he could find to Ethan’s cell phone, and that he’d ask Rick Gray to investigate Adams. Recognizing the name as that of Kim’s friend’s husband, Ethan was satisfied that the wrong people wouldn’t be tipped off. And since they didn’t want to alert Lieutenant Adams to their suspicions, interrogating his boy would have to wait. Ethan made his way int
o the hospital.

  He hovered at the door of Mr. Corbett’s room. Kim’s father lay with his upper body propped up, oxygen hooked under his nose. His translucent skin hung from his cheekbones and pooled at his jowls in overlapping folds that made him look ninety instead of fiftysomething.

  Darryl sat next to the bed, one hand cupping his bowed head and the other resting on his dad’s arm.

  Unwelcome feelings of pity filled Ethan. He hardened his heart against them. Sure, Darryl had only wanted to protect his dying father. But three kids were dead.

  Kim stood on the opposite side. She spoke brightly to her father, and although he didn’t open his eyes, his lips turned up, realigning his wrinkles.

  A lump swelled in Ethan’s throat. Kim’s love for her father was undiminished despite the disturbing revelations about his past.

  She exchanged a sorrow-filled glance with her brother and a pang of envy caught Ethan in the gut. Kim’s loyalty to her family was remarkable. If his parents had stood by him as steadfastly, perhaps…

  He shook his head. The past was better left where it was. Even if Kim could look past his mistakes, hoping she’d forgive him for destroying her family was too much to wish for.

  Engrossed in watching Kim with her dad, Ethan didn’t notice Mrs. Corbett until she touched his arm.

  “Thank you for finding Dina. We’re so grateful,” she said, cradling his hand between hers.

  Her warm welcome filled him with longing and made him hate what he had to do. “I was happy to help.”

  “Oh, Ethan, you’re here,” Kim said, her voice jittery.

  Darryl darted a nervous glance from Ethan to Kim as their mother drew him to her husband’s bedside.

  “I’m afraid he isn’t terribly alert today.” She patted the man’s hand. “Dear, this is the new staff member Kim was telling you about.”

  The man’s face brightened even more than it had earlier, and for some reason, that made Ethan feel worse.

  Who was he kidding? He knew exactly why he felt like something you’d scrape off your shoes. Here he was plotting to expose their secrets, while they welcomed him as a hero.