But she’d never thought herself blind. Until now.
It was the video that had chilled her.
She wasn’t sure how they’d gotten them, but supposed since Doug was dead, it didn’t matter, and Quinn had said Foxworth had friends in a lot of places, and very good ones in law enforcement. It helped that they never wanted credit for what they did, even if it helped solve something the police hadn’t been able to.
It was undeniably Doug. In small interview rooms, in apparently three different places, one after the arson arrest, and two following the stolen car incident. Quinn had set the laptop in front of her and played them, one after the other. She watched as he admitted to it all, the police versions, not the sad tales he’d spun for her.
She’d never seen that Doug before. Had never heard such things spoken by him. Foulmouthed and arrogant, disdainful and smug, she was hard-pressed to simply chalk it up to him reacting to being in police custody. She tried, told herself he was just acting that way because he was scared. It even worked.
Until Quinn had called up a fourth video.
This one wasn’t Doug. It was Baird. An interview done after his conviction for the robbery, when he had nothing to gain by lying or to lose by telling the truth. And in the part Quinn made her watch, he was talking about her.
“Doug’s bitch? Yeah, I know her.”
An unseen questioner asked, “Did she know about your plan?”
“Nah. Doug’d never tell her. Didn’t want the grief.”
“Grief?”
“He said she’s the whiny, good-girl type. Good for sex, but not much else.” Baird grinned at the camera, waved with his left hand in an obscene gesture. He was left-handed, she remembered. Inanely. “He said I could do her, if I wanted. But I knew she was knocked up, and it kind of took the fun out of it, you know?”
For a moment Alyssa just stared at the frozen image in the video clip Quinn had stopped.
She’d known the police suspected she’d been involved. It had been only to be expected, given her connection to Doug. But they’d been surprisingly gentle with her, more than she’d ever hoped. So she owed Baird Oliver for not getting sucked further into that investigation? Ironic, she supposed. Perhaps she should thank him someday.
Maybe you should thank him for not taking Doug up on his generous offer to use you like a whore. After you were pregnant with his son.
She told herself Baird was lying. But Baird had never hidden who he was or what he did, it was out there for anyone to see if they really looked. She’d seen it enough after Doug had taken up with him, to her dismay.
In the beginning he’d promised her it was only temporary, that Baird had plans that would get them back in the money again, after they’d blown through what was left of the inheritance. And then she’d found out she was pregnant, and Doug went a little crazy. He’d screamed at her for being careless, as if she’d been the only one involved. As if it were all her fault. Worried about how he would provide for them, she’d told herself. But now she was having more trouble than usual hanging on to the old excuses.
Because Drew never blames you for anything, and you’ve gotten used to it?
It was a thought she’d never had in quite that way before. It was true, though. Doug had often blamed her for anything that went wrong, so often she’d come to accept it. But Drew never did. If anything he took the blame on himself. And then fixed whatever had gone wrong, as best it could be fixed. She hadn’t realized until this moment how much she’d come to rely on that steady support, to count on it always being there.
She’d been so sure that if Foxworth found anything, they would find proof that Drew was wrong.
Now she wasn’t sure of anything.
* * *
“So, how did you get through three years without hashing this out?”
Drew sighed. He had never talked about this with anyone. But somehow he knew that he could tell this woman. Or Quinn. And it would never go beyond them. He’d done a little homework on Foxworth before their call had come today, and had been both surprised and a little awed by what he’d found. They’d helped a lot of people around the country, people up against odds that seemed impossible, people who had no other recourse in their battle against anything from rank injustice to the proverbial fighting city hall.
People who felt as helpless as Quinn had when the person responsible for the deaths of his own parents had been released under false pretenses, with little or no thought for his hundreds of victims.
“We made...a deal. Not talking about Doug was part of it. But sometimes, like the day we all met, we blow it.” He grimaced. “Most times it’s me. I never mean to, but...”
“A deal?”
He let out a compressed breath. “A sort of business arrangement. When I found them, Alyssa was so sick she couldn’t take care of herself or Luke. In fact, I probably only found her because she was in the hospital. But I wanted Luke to be with family, taken care of, provided for.”
“So, you married her?”
“I know, I could have made legal arrangements to become his guardian, I had a blood claim, but he’d already been taken away from his mother. Setting it up would take a lawyer, and it would have been long, complicated and expensive. And Luke would have to stay in foster care while it was being done. I thought the time and money could be better spent taking care of them.”
“And she agreed?”
He let out another breath. He didn’t like talking about it, didn’t like the way it all sounded, but now that he’d started he didn’t quite see how to stop.
“She was so weak, and grief-stricken over Doug’s death. And she was scared for the future. Scared she’d never get Luke back. She was really on the edge. Getting married seemed to offer the fastest solution.”
“And you got Luke back.”
“It still took a while, had to go to family court, but it was a lot faster. We got him in time for his third birthday.” His mouth quirked. “Sometimes I guess being a boring straight arrow pays off.”
“I happen to be very fond of straight arrows,” Hayley said. “I’m surrounded by them here. And I don’t find them boring at all. And obviously Alyssa must find something appealing about them as well.”
Drew blinked. “What makes you think that?”
Hayley shrugged. “She’s still with you. She’s healthy, back on her feet—she could make her own way.” She lifted a brow at him. “Unless you’re holding her prisoner, of course.”
Drew pulled back in shock. “What? No! Of course not.”
“So she could leave any time, right?”
He looked away. He didn’t want to think about that. “Yeah,” he muttered.
For a moment he stared at the tree, the maple among the firs, thinking that the eagle had it right. Just watch the world, hunt and fly. Sounded like a pretty good life to him just now.
“So when did you actually fall in love with her?”
He froze. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence he opened his mouth to deny it. He’d never said it out loud to anyone, as if he could continue to deny it as long as he never said the words.
He glanced at Hayley. She was looking at him, an expression of warmth and understanding on her expressive face. “I don’t meddle,” she said softly. Then, with a smile, she added, “I leave that to Cutter. He’s better at it anyway.”
He nearly laughed, and the pressure eased.
“I’m not sure when it happened. I realized it on her birthday last year,” he finally answered. “She’d changed so much. Grown. She wasn’t that sick, scared girl anymore. She was a woman, smart, kind, strong and the most loving mother I’d ever seen.”
“And lovely.”
“Yes.” It would be foolish to deny that when the proof was sitting right inside that door. Alyssa was lovely. The big blue eyes, the wis
py blonde sweep of hair, that ever so kissable mouth...
“I gather she doesn’t know?”
He shook his head, sharply. “And she can’t. That wasn’t part of the deal.”
“At her request or yours?”
His brows lowered. “Hers. She was clear about it. That’s one of the reasons she said yes. She’d never love anybody again anyway, so she might as well marry me so Luke could have a stable home with family.”
“So, she’s changed in every way...except that one?”
He frowned, puzzled. “What?”
“You said she’s grown, gotten strong, changed so much since you found her in that hospital. But that single thing hasn’t changed? She’s still cut herself off from love with all the dramatic flair of that seventeen-year-old who ran off with your brother?”
He stared at her. “I...never thought of it that way.”
Cutter, who had been investigating an apparently fascinating bit of greenery off to their right, suddenly lifted his head and looked toward the building. He abandoned his inspection and trotted over to them. When he had their attention he started toward the back door they’d come out through. At about ten feet away, he stopped and looked back.
“I guess it’s safe to go back,” Hayley said.
Drew blinked. But he couldn’t deny he was glad of the interruption at this particular moment.
He looked from her to Cutter and back. “You mean he’s psychic, too?” he asked drily.
“Sometimes,” she said, “I would find it hard to deny that.”
Her tone was such a combination of love, ruefulness and acceptance that he couldn’t help smiling. And he felt much better as they headed back inside. Nothing had really changed, after all. He’d known he could never take Doug’s place with Alyssa. Had never wanted to. He wanted his own place.
And getting that was up to him.
Something had definitely changed. Drew sensed it the moment they got back inside and he saw Alyssa’s face. She looked shaken, unsettled, rattled...something. And she wouldn’t look at him. He wanted to ask her what was wrong, but the presence of Quinn and Hayley stopped him.
Quinn. What had he done? What had he told her, shown her? His gaze flicked to the other man’s face. To his surprise, Quinn gave him a barely perceptible nod.
What the hell did that mean? Was he admitting he’d put that look on her face? Telling him it would be all right? What?
“I was just telling Alyssa that we’re waiting on some further details from L.A. About the robbery. A friend of ours with the local sheriff’s office, Detective Dunbar, used to work there. He’s making some calls.”
“You think they’ll tell him more than they told me back then?” Drew asked.
“Frankly, yes,” Quinn said. “Cop to cop, and all. There are things the police don’t always tell family, if they don’t think it’s necessary.” He flicked a glance at Alyssa. “Contrary to what some think, they have hearts. They don’t want to hurt anyone who’s already grieving, with things they might not need to know. At the time, anyway.”
“Or send someone who’s already hurting so badly over the edge.” Hayley said it to Drew, but she was looking at Alyssa, who was still staring at her hands, folded and still in her lap.
He wanted to go to her, to steady her, tell her everything would be all right. But he didn’t know what had happened, what Quinn had told or shown her, so how could he promise that? He wasn’t Doug, who made wild promises assuming he’d never be held to them. If he made a promise, if he gave his word, he would damn well keep it. He—
The familiar sound of Alyssa’s cell phone broke off his thoughts. She jumped slightly, as if she’d been a million miles away and had been yanked back to the present and this place.
Or maybe just back with Doug, before her life had fallen apart.
“Sorry,” she said, aimed at Quinn and Hayley. “I have to get this, it could be school, about Luke. There’s a lot of flu going around right now.”
Her insistence, Drew knew, wasn’t lingering concern after the boy’s stunt, she’d always been that way. To her, it was simply being a mother.
She dug into a side pocket on her purse, the big leather bag he had teased her about so often. Once she had dumped it out on the floor, gone through item by item and explained why it was in there, how often she used or needed it, pointed out that most of the things that were in there were for Luke, like the mini first-aid kit for scrapes and cuts, two of his small metal cars to keep him occupied during unexpected waiting time, extras of the vitamins he always forgot to take before rushing out the door in the mornings, sanitary wipes for grubby hands, and a half-dozen other things he never would have thought of.
He’d thrown up his hands, admitting defeat. She’d smiled at him then, and they’d both ended up laughing when he had offered to carry the bag for her with all the officiousness of a trained valet. It had been a sweet moment, a memory he treasured. A memory that had given him hope.
Until the next time he slipped up and they’d fought about Doug.
She had the phone out, frowned at the screen before tapping it and putting it up to her ear.
“Hello?” A pause, then, “Yes? Who is this?”
Three things happened simultaneously.
Alyssa went pale.
Her eyes widened in shock.
And Cutter launched to his feet, seeming suddenly twice as big as he was as he zeroed in on Alyssa. Drew gaped at the dog for an instant, but quickly dismissed the oddity and went into action himself.
“Lyss?” Drew cross the distance between them in one long stride. “Luke?” he asked, his heart hammering in his chest. “Is it Luke?”
She shook her head. Shook it again, sharply.
She hit the mute command, then looked up at him. Her eyes were still wide, her expression stunned.
“It’s Baird,” she said.
Chapter 10
Quinn moved so quickly it startled Alyssa almost as much as the unexpected, unwanted call. He signaled everyone to be quiet as he grabbed for the laptop. Alyssa was thankful for that; the computer’s screen had still been frozen on the image of Baird’s snigger, and seeing that while hearing that never-forgotten voice in her ear had taken the breath out of her.
“What is it, Alyssa?” that voice said. “So glad to hear my voice you can’t even talk?”
“Try and keep him talking,” Quinn said. “Hayley, call Ty. See if he can at least start a trace.”
For a moment Alyssa couldn’t seem to move. But then Drew was there, sitting beside her, putting a strong, warm arm around her. She unmuted the phone.
“I’m just surprised, that’s all.”
“You shouldn’t be.”
Although he didn’t say it in the menacing tone she knew he was quite capable of, it sounded ominous just the same. She knew Drew had heard by the way his arm pulled her closer. She leaned into him, grateful for his solid strength.
“Where are you?”
“Oh, I’m close. Very close.”
Her hand tightened around the phone. She heard a low sound, realized it was Cutter, growling. The distraction of wondering, even if only for a split second, how the dog had known instantly this caller was a threat, enabled her to get a grip on her nerves.
“When did you get out?” she asked, although she already knew. Quinn had said to try and keep him talking, but she had no idea what to say to this man who had destroyed her world and ended up almost costing her her life, almost landed Luke forever in the grinding machinery of the system.
No. Drew would have found him. Even if you had died, Drew never would have stopped until he’d found him.
She supposed that the thought that hit her now, when she was talking to the man who had so led Doug astray, wasn’t really surprising. The certainty with which it struck
didn’t even surprise her, not anymore. She’d spent three years with Drew Kiley, and she knew now that behind that cool, businesslike exterior was a very strong, very determined man.
A man who loved Luke and took care of him as if he were his own.
“—time off for good behavior,” Baird was saying in her ear. She gave herself an inward shake; she should be paying attention, he might say something she should know.
“Good behavior? You?” She managed a laugh.
To her surprise, Baird laughed, too. “Nah. It was money. It always is, innit? They let a bunch of us out, because the government needs to study butterflies more than it needs to keep harmless folks like me locked up.”
That jab got her full attention. “Harmless? Tell that to Doug. Oh, wait...”
She heard a long, low whistle. “You grow some teeth while I was inside, honey?”
“Don’t call me honey!”
“Why not? I was thinking now that Doug’s out of the way, we could hook up. You know you always wanted to.”
Alyssa’s stomach churned. She’d only occasionally thought about this man in the last three years, she’d been too busy getting well, then taking care of Luke, trying to make up for the chaos of the first couple of years of his life. But it had only taken a minute for it all to come roaring back, how much she hated him. Just the idea of being with Baird Oliver was enough to turn her stomach.
In the midst of that flood of emotion, she realized Drew’s arm had tightened, that his entire body had gone rigid. Somehow that enabled her to keep back the flood of invective she wanted to unleash on this man. Drew was worth a hundred, a thousand of this piece of slime.
A sudden, vivid memory shot through her mind, of that summer day just a few months ago, when her gratitude to Drew and for all he’d done for them had welled up inside her and she’d reached out to him. He’d kept his promise, he’d never pushed her for more intimacy than she wanted to give, but that day it was she who wanted it.
And had found an entirely different kind of connection, a kind she’d never known before. He’d been gentle, then urgent, then surprisingly fierce, but through it all she felt treasured in a way she’d never felt with Doug.
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