They walked back into the room and sat together on the couch. Riley’s mother stroked her hair and rocked her slowly. Her mother always did this whenever Riley was frightened or sad. At least she knew her mother wasn’t angry at her for all of the crap she’d done these past five years.
“Mom?” Riley breathed in a heavy breath. “Thanks for sending Kurt to stop me from making the biggest mistake of my life.”
“Shh… We don’t need to talk about that now.”
“I know, but I can’t believe how I allowed Mark to lure me in. He was behind your kidnapping, you know.”
“Yes, I know.” She tightened her arms around Riley. “I’m just glad Kurt helped you see that Mark wasn’t being honest with you.”
“It took a little bit for him to convince me, but…in his own way, he did. Can you believe Mark had even bugged my engagement ring?”
“Yes, I do believe that. His brothers were very crooked, and they would do anything to live a criminal’s life. Some people just never learn from their mistakes.”
“Well, I’m definitely going to learn from my mistakes.” Riley pulled away from her mother and wiped her eyes. “I don’t ever want to feel that vulnerable again.”
“I raised you to be a strong woman. I know you are.”
Several voices out in the main office grew louder. Riley jumped off the couch and ran out of the room. Martinez and the others were walking in as the other cops stopped them to ask questions. When Martinez saw her, he stopped. The frown on his face wasn’t doing a very good job of convincing her Kurt would be all right.
He moved away from the others and came straight for her. Riley wrung her hands against her belly. Her body shook with uncertainty. Her mother stood beside her, but for some reason, it wasn’t soothing Riley’s nerves any.
Stopping in front of her, Captain Martinez released a deep sigh. “Riley…” He shook his head as a tear formed in his eyes. “Kurt didn’t make it. I’m sorry.”
Loud gasps ricocheted off every wall. Riley couldn’t absorb it. Her mind wouldn’t allow the possibility of Kurt being dead.
Her mother sobbed and hugged Riley tightly. Numb, all she could do was watch everyone else’s reactions. Kenna cried into her hands. Hawke had sat on a chair. His shoulders wilted as he covered his hands over his face. Even Tyrone and Gibbs were wiping their moist eyes.
Finally, reality crashed around her. Her chest tightened. Something stabbed her heart and twisted, making it impossible to breathe. Her throat even squeezed to keep the air flow from passing through. Buckets of tears fell from her eyes as she crumbled against her mother.
The one man she could actually see spending the rest of her life with was no longer here to share that with her.
And it was all because of her!
SIXTEEN
Life had never seemed so lonely. Riley knew it was because she’d felt happiness for a brief moment in time and thoroughly enjoyed the blissful experience, only to have it snatched out of her grasp.
The only good thing in all of this was that Mark and his thug cousins were finally arrested and were awaiting sentencing. Her mother wasn’t their judge, this time. Soon Mark would be joining his brothers in a long awaited family reunion.
It had been three weeks. Three weeks of crying herself to sleep every night. Twenty-one very long days of doing nothing but staring at the walls. She wasn’t motivated to return to school, so she’d been living with her mother in Seattle. If not for her mother, Riley probably wouldn’t have eaten—or even bathed. At least her mom was trying to keep Riley alive. But it didn’t matter. Her heart had died with Kurt.
Kurt’s funeral was this afternoon. They waited this long to have the funeral, mainly because they needed to gather all of Kurt’s family, who were scattered all over the United States. Although she wanted to go, she didn’t want to relive the heartache. Seeing him buried inside the ground would be torture. Her mother would be there to support her, and Riley was sure she’d received the same kind of comfort her mother had been providing for the past two weeks.
She stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at her reflection. She looked like death warmed over. There was no color in her face, and absolutely no spark in her eyes. Exhaling slowly, she tried to tell herself to snap out of it. Unfortunately, when one’s heart is dead, it’s hard to restart it.
She didn’t fix her hair in any special way. Kurt had liked it long. She only put on a little make-up, only so she didn’t look like the walking dead. Of course, the gray dress she wore probably didn’t help her complexion, either. As she left the bathroom, she practically had to drag her feet to get from one point to the other. When she walked down the stairs and entered the front room, her mom was just paying the pizza delivery boy. She shut the door and walked toward the dining room.
“I hope you’re hungry. I bought some pizza. I figured this would be a quick way to eat before going to the funeral.”
A memory flashed through her head of when she was kidnapped. Her mind had tried to block out everything that had happened to her that devastating night, but now scenes flashed through her head. She saw Joe and Daren. She could vividly see the small motel room, and especially the pizza box. She heard Joe’s voice when he asked her if she was hungry.
Suddenly, other things that were said filled her memory. They’d wanted Kurt dead…but there were more men out there who were being paid by some guy named Phillips. Daren had compared their organization to the Reynolds’s brothers, saying they were the professors while Mark and his brothers were the students. Could they be doing drug cartel, too?
Had Kurt known this? What about the other detectives? She didn’t think they knew. It was up to her to tell them.
Without answering her mother, Riley darted up the stairs to her bedroom. She grabbed her new cell and dialed Brittany’s number. When Brittany answered, Riley said, “Hi, Britt. It’s me, Riley.”
“Oh, Riley. How are you?” Brittany’s caring tone brought tears to Riley’s eyes. “Are you doing alright? Do you want to ride with me and Austin to the funeral?”
“No, I’m fine. I’ll take my own car. But I’m calling to let you know I finally remembered things about the night I was kidnapped. I think someone needs to know what Daren and Joe talked about before they died. It has something to do with a man named Phillips.”
Brittany hitched a breath. “Call the precinct and ask for Captain Martinez. I don’t think he’s left for the funeral yet. It’s still early. He’ll definitely need to hear what you remembered.”
“I’ll call him now. Thanks.”
Riley hung up and called the precinct. When she was transferred to Captain Martinez, she explained to him what she’d heard Daren and Joe talking about after Daren had received that phone call. Although it was difficult to relive those moments, she clung to the hope that she was in some way making amends for Kurt losing his life to save her.
“Thank you, Riley. This is very helpful. I’ll let the team know so that we can be on the lookout for others,” the captain said.
“I hope you catch these people soon.”
“So do we.”
“Okay then, I guess I’ll see you at the funeral?”
“Yes. The whole team will be there.”
Tears pricked her eyes again. Kurt would be so happy to know how supportive they have all been.
She hung up and wiped her eyes again. There was no use adding more make-up, especially since she’d cry it off at the funeral. She looked forward to the day she wouldn’t cry when remembering her time with Kurt Hamill.
When she went back downstairs, her mother was on the phone. Her mother was upset. Riley had heard her mother use this tone of voice. This was the very thing that had driven Riley’s father to move out. Why her parents didn’t see the need to divorce, she didn’t understand. But apparently, living apart made them happy.
Her mother hung up the phone and shook her head. “Sweetheart, I have to run to the courthouse.”
Riley frowned. “Seriously? I
t’s almost time for the funeral.”
“Go on without me. I’ll be there soon.”
Nodding, Riley grabbed her purse off the counter and headed out the door. As she hurried down the long steps of her mother’s very expensive porch, she grumbled. Another reason Riley didn’t like living at home was because her mother never put her first. Not that Riley needed to be more important than her mother’s job, but there were certain times in her life—like now—when she really needed her mother.
Oh, well…life goes on.
She knew approximately where the cemetery was, only because her mother had lived in this area for several years. The road going to the cemetery was up a hill, and at times, the road had some hard curves, which made her have to slow down and be cautious. At times, she remembered when Kurt was trying to get them away from the people chasing them. He knew this city like the back of his hand. And he was a great driver.
Riley took another deep breath. She must get past this. Had she really fallen in love with a man she’d only known a few days? Most definitely! And the love she had for him would last a lifetime.
Storm clouds were gathering quickly, and she realized she hadn’t brought an umbrella. She wasn’t used to Seattle’s rain since she’d been living in Montana for these past several years. Hopefully, it wouldn’t rain on them. But if it did, she’d just imagine it was the sky weeping for the loss of a great man.
When she reached the cemetery, other people had gathered. Brittany and Austin were there. When Brittany saw Riley, she gave her a big hug. Riley tried not to cry then. Austin gave her a hug, too. Hawke was nearby, and he didn’t seem shy taking her into his embrace, either. Apparently, what they had all shared brought them closer together.
“How are you doing?” he asked as he pulled away.
“I’m taking it day by day. It’s hard.” Her voice choked, so she cleared it. “How are you doing, Liam?”
“Work is keeping me busy. Of course, with the bit of information you gave the captain earlier, I’m sure I’ll be even busier.”
“Yes, I’m sure your precinct will be busy.”
She looked around and saw people who didn’t wear uniforms. A few elderly people came in. One man was in a wheelchair, sitting close to the casket.
“Would you like me to introduce you to Kurt’s family?” Hawke asked.
She shook her head. “I didn’t know him that well to meet his family.”
Hawke slid an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “You knew him enough to be called part of his family.”
Tears filled her eyes again and a lump formed in her throat. “I did?”
Hawke nodded. “Brittany and Austin love you, Kenna and the others love you, and…” he bent his head toward hers and whispered, “and I know Kurt loved you, so you might as well let Kurt’s family love you, too.”
She had such conflicting emotions at this moment. Although her heart grew with happiness, at the same time, it was crumbling because she’d never get to share that love with Kurt. “He…did? He loved me?”
“Indeed, my sweet Riley. I knew my former partner well, and he had never become that emotionally involved with any other woman.”
She took a ragged breath. “What about Brittany? I know he loved her.”
“He did, but…it was different. I can’t explain it. But with you, he connected immediately, and he fell hard.”
A tear slid down her cheek, and she wiped it away. “Liam, I’m very happy to know this, but it’s killing me inside at the same time. I didn’t have very long to be with him. I feel cheated.”
Hawke frowned and nodded. “We all feel cheated.” He motioned his hand toward the group of older people. “Come, let me introduce you.”
She should have resisted, but part of her felt the need to meet these people. Maybe she would get to know Kurt better by knowing his family. At least she hoped.
Hawke introduced her to the little old ladies who were Kurt’s aunts. They looked a lot alike; both with dark gray hair and blue eyes. Apparently, the lovely blue eyes run in the family. A few other men and women stood together. Their ages ranged between thirties and forties, Riley guessed. These were Kurt’s cousins.
The old man in the wheelchair had many wrinkles. He frowned as he stared at the casket. A small plaid blanket was draped over his legs. He was very pale, and she worried he might be the next to leave this world out of Kurt’s family.
“Uncle William,” Hawke said loudly, getting the man’s attention. “This is one of Kurt’s good friends. This is Riley Peterson.”
She smiled her best as she looked into his watery blue eyes. He nodded, but didn’t say anything. He peered back at the casket.
Hawke pulled her away. “Uncle William has not been doing well, lately. I was told by his sister, who you just met, that William is upset that he didn’t die before Kurt.”
“He does look sick.”
“Yes, he certainly does.”
Thunder boomed in the distance and a light wind picked up. Hawke took Riley to the rows of chairs set up for guests on the other side of the casket. Kenna was there and gave Riley a hug. She sat between Brittany and Kenna. As the minister conducted the graveside service, Brittany cried into her white handkerchief. A few times Kenna wiped tears on her cheeks. Several people sobbed into their tissues. But all Riley could do was stare. She didn’t want to be here. She wanted to be back in Kurt’s log cabin in Big Sky. Mentally, she took herself away from the cemetery and imagined being with Kurt. He could teach her how to stream fish…and even go whitewater rafting the right way. She wouldn’t mind riding with him on an ATV again, but this time they’d go up the mountain to have a picnic, or just lie together on a blanket and watch the stars come out at night.
Before she knew it, the service was over. People stood and started leaving. She shook herself out of the daydream and told her friends goodbye. Her mother finally made it, but she was busy discussing something with Captain Martinez. Riley just wanted to be done. She wanted to go home…to her real home in Bozeman, Montana.
Just as she reached her car, the sky opened and the rain fell. She glanced back at the casket. The cemetery workers were covering the flowers and casket with tarps.
On the drive back home, she tried to think of the good times with Kurt. She recalled that first day when he had picked her up for her wedding. She remembered exactly everything that was in his truck, especially the radio that didn’t work well. She especially recalled studying his profile. He was one very gorgeous man. She didn’t want to judge him on his appearance alone, and thankfully, he proved himself a hero to her over and over again.
As she headed down the hill, she noticed a car coming upon her quickly through her rearview mirror. She rolled her eyes. Idiot driver! Didn’t they know this wasn’t a road to pass on? And why was he going so fast in weather conditions like this?
Maybe if she could find a spot to pull over, the jerk would just pass her. Yet, if he wouldn’t ease up on the gas, he would be pushing her off the road.
She gripped the steering wheel tighter. Her heartbeat thumped faster. She mustn’t let this driver make her lose concentration. Because of the rainfall, and the tinted windows on the dark blue, GMC Terrain, she couldn’t see who was driving.
Within seconds, the SUV eased up. She sighed with relief. Maybe the driver realized she couldn’t do anything on this road. But before her body had relaxed, the driver sped up.
He’s going to hit me!
She tightened her fingers on the steering wheel again, and stiffened her body. The SUV bumped into the back of her car. She jerked forward, letting out a little sob. What is he doing? And why is he doing this?
She swerved, nearly running off the road. That would be a bad thing to do, because her car would probably roll down the hillside.
She didn’t dare slow down, but she didn’t dare go any faster on these roads, either. Switching her gaze between the road and her rearview mirror, she tried to keep her attention on both.
The GMC Terrain sl
owed down a little, but within seconds, sped up and hit her car, once more. She could call 911…but her cell was in her purse, which was on the floor on the passenger’s side.
Her body shook with terror as she drove down the hill. How many more curves did she have to take before they reached the main, and straight road?
The SUV replayed the same game…slowing down, and then speeding up and slamming into her. Her body ached from holding it so stiff, and she was going to break her fingers for gripping the wheel so tightly, too.
Where was her superhero Kurt when she needed him? Would she always be in danger now that she knew about the Reynolds brothers and the guy named Phillips? Who would save her now?
SEVENTEEN
Riley sobbed softly as she steered her car into another sharp turn, going too fast. But she wanted that crazy vehicle to stop crashing into her. Her wish went unheard because the SUV followed too closely. She tried to stay away from the edge of the road for fear the crazy driver would push her down the hillside. She pictured it now…her vehicle would roll down the wet hill and she’d die.
Through her rearview mirror, she saw another vehicle approaching. This was a black truck with large tires. What was wrong with these Seattle drivers? Didn’t they know how to drive on wet, curvy, roads? But as she tried to watch—as well as the road in front of her—she noticed this truck started passing the SUV.
Suddenly, the truck slammed against the side of the SUV. She gasped. Was he trying to stop that Terrain from hitting her? Riley could only hope. Either that or it was psycho road rage.
The truck moved away again, but within seconds, rammed into the SUV. The Terrain fought back, slamming against the truck. But the truck was bigger…at least the tires were.
By the time the truck pushed against the SUV, he kept in that position. Slowly, the Terrain moved toward the edge of the road. Riley held her breath. Somebody’s vehicle was going to roll down the hill. She just prayed it wasn’t hers.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Altar (Your Every Day Hero Book 2) Page 14