“He’ll find him, and I feel sorry for the guy when he does. Evan’s liable to kill him or make him wish he were dead,” Kayla said.
“Thanks, y’all,” Evan said as he entered the room. “I need my girl for a minute, please.”
Kayla patted Evan’s arm as she walked past. Evan sat on the edge of the bed beside Ginger. “Darlin’, I have to go back for a little while. I’m giving these to Ben,” he said as he held up the envelope. “Who all touched them?”
“Me, Kayla, Mitchell, and you. Cat was in the kitchen until Mitchell came through the door. Kayla showed them to her, but she didn’t touch them.”
“Okay. Nathan has a picture of a guy he hopes to find a front to go with the back we have. As soon as we get his face, we’ll run him through every database, including one for military personnel. We’re going to get him.” Evan kissed her forehead.
“I don’t want him ruining our wedding, that’s all.”
“Gin, I’m more worried about him adding stress to you. Are you sure you’re okay?”
Ginger clasped her hands around one of his. “We’re okay. I’m not going to worry because I know you’re doing enough for the both of us.”
“Damn straight,” he said. “Your parents should be here soon. I’ll see you around three.” Evan kissed her while he rubbed her belly. “Hang in there, bud. Be good for Mama.”
Ginger smiled with tears in her eyes as he walked out the door.
As soon as Evan got in his car, he hit a speed dial number.
“Cox.”
“Do you have anything yet?”
“Hell no. We’ve got eight more discs. I don’t think I can see straight anymore,” Nathan said.
“Ginger received a package today. Our rehearsal is tonight. We need something, man.”
“I know. I’m working on it. We’ll find him,” Nathan said before Evan disconnected the call.
30
At three o’clock, Evan stopped by the central desk. “Rita, I’m gone until Thursday. Nathan is in charge.”
“Got it, Chief. I’ll see you at the street dance tomorrow night, though.”
“Would you do a favor for me and call old man Reynolds and ask if Mitchell and I could use the drag strip?”
“Sure.”
“Thanks, Rita.”
“Don’t get cold feet now, ya here?”
Evan smiled. “Not a chance,” he called as he walked out the door.
Since Mitchell and Evan couldn’t see the girls tomorrow, they decided to go fishing at the Gregory’s with Thomas, and they were getting dressed there so the girls could have the house. He wasn’t about to leave Ginger tonight after her delivery today. Screw tradition. Knowing she was safe was far more important. He’d agreed to leave in the morning, but that was it, and he knew his soon to be mother-in-law wasn’t happy, but was glad his father-in-law helped him out.
Mitchell met him in the driveway before he could get out of the car. “Park over there. The photographer doesn’t want any cars in the pictures for tonight.”
“Fuck, I thought this was supposed to be a quiet ceremony,” Evan said.
“Apparently, this is quiet, or so I’ve been told,” Mitchell said.
“How many people are coming tonight?” Evan asked as he got out of the car.
“Including us and the girls, about forty or so,” Mitchell replied. “I think we’ve planned on fifty though.”
“For a rehearsal? Please tell me it’s the same people tomorrow, right?”
“I think so.”
“I’m ready for this to be over with. Ginger doesn’t do well with a lot of people, and I don’t want her getting nervous.”
“Do you have security for tonight?”
“Yes, a couple off-duty county officers will be here. We’ve got to pay them fifty bucks each.”
They walked inside as someone yelled, “The caterers are on the way. Where are they setting up?”
“We left a bay open in the garage. There’s electricity and plenty of room for food, eating, and dancing,” Mitchell said.
“I’ll watch for them while y’all take showers. What time are Roger and the guys getting back? They can handle the caterers during the rehearsal, right?” Thomas asked as he shook Mitchell and Evan’s hands. “Are the two grooms getting nervous?” he asked as he wiggled his eyebrows.
Evan and Mitchell flipped him off where no one could see them, and Thomas burst out laughing. He slapped them on the back as he moved outside.
“Where’s Ginger?” Evan asked.
“The girls are getting ready in one of the bedrooms,” Mr. Monroe said as Evan walked toward him.
“Good to see you again,” Evan said. “I’m going to jump in the shower before the preacher shows up.”
“Me too,” Mitchell said as they headed in opposite directions.
Evan found Ginger on his way to the shower. “Hey, darlin’. How are you?”
“Can I speak to you a minute?” Ginger asked as she grabbed Evan’s arm. Her eyes were wide, and she was shaking.
“Darlin’, you okay? You aren’t about to leave me at the altar, are you?” Evan asked, only half-joking.
“Evan, my mother is driving me crazy. She and Mrs. Gregory are over the top. Can we highjack the preacher later and just get married? I don’t have to walk down an aisle. We can grab someone to witness, please,” Ginger stage-whispered. She wasn’t joking.
“Darlin’, take a deep breath. I’m here, and I’ll try to run interference for you. Come get dressed with me,” Evan calmly said.
“What am I going to tell them?”
“Tell them I want you to dress with me,” Evan said very slowly to emphasize every word.
“And what about tomorrow? You won’t be here tomorrow,” she said.
Evan pulled her close and held her tight. “Ginger, you need to calm down. You’re going to make yourself as well as the baby sick. I’ll help you get your things. We’ll deal with tonight and figure out tomorrow later,” he kissed her head. Her body relaxed in his embrace, which made him feel better.
When he released her, he followed her back into the guest room, gathered what Ginger told him to, and started back toward the door. They’d made it to the doorway when Mrs. Monroe appeared.
“Where are you taking Ginger’s things? She’s getting ready with us girls. You need to put those back. Ginger?”
“Mrs. Monroe, it’s good to see you.” Evan leaned down to kiss her cheek. “I need Ginger with me for a little while. She’s going to get dressed with me. I know she’s going to miss out on some girl fun, but I’ve missed her today. I’m sure you understand,” Evan said with a sincere, polite smile.
“I’ve missed him too, Mom. Thanks for understanding,” Ginger said as she slipped past Evan.
They walked into their room, and Evan locked the door. He hung up Ginger’s dress and laid her shoes by the sofa. “Relax and take a deep breath while I take a shower. When I get out, I’ll help you with your dress.” He gently kissed her before he walked into the bathroom.
31
Everything was going as planned for the rehearsal.
Evan was pacing and looking at his watch. What was he worried about? Ginger looked around. Ben was here, and so was Sam. She didn’t see Nathan. Maybe that’s what had Evan worried.
The wedding planner who her mother and Mrs. Gregory hired, was clapping his hands. “Attention, everyone, gather around. We’re going to start now that the musicians are here. Grooms, you’re up here with the pastor.” The guy put the pastor in the middle with Evan on his left and Mitchell on his right. “Ladies, do you see your groom? I want you to walk down the aisle to your groom. Fathers, you’ll flip the veils before they step up here. Brides and fathers inside until you hear the music. Questions?”
Everyone went to his or her designated spot. As soon as the music started, the girls walked out on their father’s arms. As they passed the edge of the house, something caught Ginger’s attention, and she looked up. There stood the man she saw
in the drugstore.
“Evan! It’s him!” she screamed with her hand over her heart.
Evan turned, jumped off the platform and took off in a full sprint. Within seconds, Evan had tackled the man as Mitchell, Sam, Ben, and Mr. Monroe followed. Ginger saw headlights turn into the driveway as she hurried toward the huddled men.
When Ginger got close enough, Evan had the man penned on the ground with his body. The man’s collar was in one hand while he punched the man’s face with the other. The sound of bone cracking caused her stomach to lurch.
“Who gave you permission to come on this property?” Evan yelled with his chest heaving.
“Call him off! Gingersnap, call him off!”
“What did you say?” Ginger asked.
Evan flipped the man on his stomach and reached out for someone to give him a set of cuffs. The man struggled to get free. “Get my glasses. Ginger, it’s me.”
“How the fuck do you know her name?” Evan asked.
“Because I’m her brother! I’m Grayson,” the man said while he still tried to get Evan off him.
“What the hell is going on?” Nathan said as he ran up with papers in his hand. “I’ve found the stalker.”
“Who is it?” Evan asked.
“You’re sitting on him, Mayson Grooner.”
“I thought you said you were Grayson.”
“Take off my glasses. Ginger, look in my eyes. The eyes are the window to your soul, remember?”
Ginger walked around the men as Evan lifted the man. Blood trickled from his mouth. With a shaky voice, she said, “Evan, please.”
“Mitchell, you and Nathan hold this asshole,” Evan said as he walked toward Ginger. Once his arms were wrapped around her, he said, “Okay. Take them off.”
Ginger removed the glasses and gasped. “Oh, God. It’s you. It’s really you,” she said with tears rolling down her face.
A big smile spread across Grayson’s. “Yeah, Gingersnap, it’s me.”
“Grayson?”
“Dad!”
“Where the hell have you been?” Mr. Monroe asked.
“I’ll explain everything,” Grayson said as the joy left his eyes and he reached out for Ginger. Her legs gave out from under her as she slowly fell toward the ground.
“Shit,” Evan said as he caught her.
Evan picked her up and started toward the house. “Thomas!” Evan yelled.
“What happened?” Thomas said as he flung the doors open.
“That asshole,” Evan said as he jerked his head toward Grayson.
As Evan laid Ginger on one of the sofas in the living room, Thomas nudged him out of his way while holding Ginger’s wrist to feel for a pulse. “Her pulse is good. What happened?”
“He said he’s her brother. She hasn’t seen him in over two years. She didn’t recognize him until she saw his eyes.”
“She’s not far enough along to hear the baby’s heartbeat. The only thing we can do is take her to the hospital for an internal ultrasound,” Thomas said just as Ginger was starting to stir. “She wasn’t out long, but it may still be a good idea.” Thomas looked up at Evan. “If she were my wife, I’d insist on it.”
Evan nodded. “Do we need to call an ambulance, or can she ride in a car?”
“If we call an ambulance, I can ride with her and keep watch on her vitals,” Thomas said.
“Make the call,” Evan replied as he walked outside. He no sooner cleared the door when he saw Mitchell, Nathan, and Grayson. Evan charged and pinned Grayson against the wall. “You better pray to God nothing happens to her or the baby from the stress you’ve put her under, because so help me, I’ll fucking kill you,” Evan said through gritted teeth before Mitchell pulled him off the man.
“Baby? She’s pregnant?” Grayson asked with incredulity in his voice.
“Yes, you moron,” Evan said as he jerked out of Mitchell’s grip.
“Man, I didn’t know,” Grayson said barely above a whisper.
“You knew everything else. How the hell didn’t you know that?” Evan pointed at Grayson before he turned to go back to Ginger.
“Can I see her?” Grayson asked.
Evan stopped in his tracks. “If she so much as breathes funny because of him, you better take him out,” Evan said to Nathan and Mitchell.
“Bro, they won’t find the body,” Mitchell said.
“Or the shovel,” Nathan added.
When the men walked in, Ginger was sitting up sipping orange juice. Evan walked straight to her and knelt at her feet. He ran his hands over her face then cupped it with both hands to force her to meet his eyes.
“Darlin’, you gave me a scare,” Evan said with a small smile. His gaze dropped to her belly before he moved a hand there. “Please be okay, little one.”
“I’ve already called the ambulance, Evan. They’ll be here shortly,” Thomas said as he pulled Evan to the side. “Look, she said she didn’t eat today. I think that could be most of the issue, but the shock of her brother knocked her over the cliff. I believe everything is okay, but I want to be sure.”
Evan cut his eyes to Ginger. “She knows to eat. Dammit.”
“Don’t make it worse by fussing at her,” Thomas warned. “I’m sure with the excitement of the day, she just forgot.”
Evan nodded. “I won’t.” He moved for the EMTs to get to Ginger and saw that Nathan had removed the cuffs from Grayson who was talking with his parents, but Nathan stood between them and the door.
Good man.
32
Grayson has been here.
He was in the mountains.
He’s been the stalker.
What the hell?
Ginger was caught up in her own head when she heard Thomas say, “Evan, you can ride with us, but make sure we have transportation back.” She heard voices outside the ambulance, but couldn’t make out what was being said.
“Thomas?”
When he turned toward her, she saw the professional doctor with the great bedside manner everyone talked about. “Hey, are you cramping?”
“No,” she said as she shook her head. “Is this absolutely necessary? I feel fine.”
“Just a precaution, Ginger. Do it for me and Evan, okay? You know how he’ll be until he knows you and the baby are fine. You checked out okay, now let’s make sure the little one is good. I think it was just the shock of your brother showing up compounded by not eating today.”
“Yeah,” she quietly said. My brother.
As soon as Evan joined them in the ambulance, they took off. Thomas listened to her heart once more and took her temperature while Evan held her hand. The worry on his face couldn’t be hidden, and she was glad he didn’t try to hide it from her. After a few minutes, Thomas placed a call.
“This is Dr. Thomas Gregory. I’m bringing in a white female, twenty-four years of age, pregnant—hang on.” He covered the phone and asked, “How far along?”
“Nine weeks. I’m due to go to the doctor on Monday,” Ginger said.
Thomas nodded. “She’s nine weeks. She passed out, and mother is fine, but we need to check the baby. Please have the on-call OB ready when we get there for an ultrasound. We’re in ambulance two. Call them for ETA.” Thomas disconnected the call.
When he turned back to Ginger, his eyes softened with concern. “Ginger, have you discussed ultrasounds with your OB?”
“Yes, I’m supposed to have one on Monday. He said that I should be far enough along to see the baby’s heart beating,” she said with a smile.
Thomas cut his eyes toward Evan and back. “Did he explain how this ultrasound is going to work?”
“Is this doctor a female?” Evan asked.
“As a matter of fact, she is. She’s doing her residency here. We’re hoping to keep her,” Thomas said.
“Then we’re good because we know how it’s going to work,” Evan said pointedly to Thomas.
Thomas chuckled. “Dude, I know you. I just didn’t want you killing a doctor, and I sure as hell w
asn’t going to do it.”
When they got to the hospital, the OB and a team of nurses were waiting on them. They took Ginger out first, followed by Evan and Thomas. As they walked down the hall beside Ginger, Evan looked at Thomas.
“Will they let me in with her or do I have to show my badge?”
Thomas shook his head. “You can go. I won’t try to stop you, and I don’t think those nurses could either,” he said as he nodded toward the group of nurses.
Once Ginger undressed from the waist down and put a sheet over her, Evan cozied up next to the bed she was lying in. The nurse got Ginger’s feet in the stirrups and the sheet in place. A few minutes later a woman about Evan’s age walked in. Her eyes widened with approval of the man in front of her. Ginger smiled because she knew Evan was gorgeous, and the woman blushed when she saw Ginger watching her.
Ginger glanced at Evan to see his eyes were on her. When Ginger looked back at the woman, she blinked her eyes and placed her hands on her cheeks before she introduced herself as Dr. B.A Tucker. She slipped on a pair of gloves and settled at the foot of the bed with a wand. She showed it to Ginger, and Evan groaned.
“Watch the screen,” Dr. Tucker said.
A few seconds later, Ginger saw something that looked like a lima bean. “There’s your baby,” Dr. Tucker said. She moved the wand around, and Ginger heard clicking as she stared at the screen then looked at Evan. The doctor zoomed in on the lima bean. “And we have a four-chamber heart pumping away. Everything looks good. How long were you out for?”
Ginger looked at Evan. “No more than three minutes,” Evan said with a rough voice.
“Let your doctor know the next time you see him, but I think everything is fine,” Dr. Tucker said.
The doctor left, and Ginger dressed. A nurse walked in and gave Evan paperwork to fill out so Ginger could leave. As they walked out of the room, Ginger saw Thomas speaking with a nurse. His hands were in his pockets, but she laid her hand on his arm in a gesture that looked intimate.
“Who’s here to take us home?” Ginger asked.
Unexpected Guest: A Riverton Crossing Novel - Book Three Page 12