“Carrie Harper.”
“You need to leave.” She looked as if she jumped out of her skin at the mention of Carrie’s name.
“Please, it’s obvious you remember her.”
“Yes, I remember Carrie and her bastard of a father. It was a long time ago. It’s part of a past I worked very hard to overcome and survive.”
“Yes, I can only imagine what you went through. A child in the system, hopping from one foster home to the next. An addiction to drugs that sent you to the ER for two reported overdoses.”
“Who are you? It’s obvious what I say here today comes as no surprise to you, so you might as well tell me the truth.”
“Amy, I was hired by the Harpers, Carrie’s parents, to locate someone for them, but then the more information I discovered about Tobias Harper, I realized I didn’t trust them. So, I’m here for someone else, not on their behalf. I need to help my friend, and with your help, I believe I can.”
“I don’t know what I can do for you. Carrie was my friend. She was kind to me when no one else was. Before I moved in with the Sullivan’s, I was living at a halfway house for wayward girls. It was more like the house of horrors, but I survived it. And what came next for me, I survived too. Carrie was a volunteer at the house. She would come by on Sundays and cook in the kitchen for dinners after Sunday service. We talked a lot, and she shared parts of herself that she felt she couldn’t tell anyone else.”
“When was the last time you spoke to Carrie?”
“It’s been a long time.”
“Can you be more specific?”
“I was a teenager, so you do the math. Mr. Mercer, Carrie was good to me, and for a short time, I believed her minister father was the same way. But I was wrong, and I paid a very big price for trusting someone that should have known better. Yes, I was on drugs, but I was trying to kick it. That’s why I was living there in the first place. Girls like me didn’t have too much support, but I had Carrie, and she had me. We were cleaning up the kitchen, and we got into a water fight. She got me good with a bowl of water, and then I splashed her. We were laughing and having a good time. We found ourselves in an embrace, and that’s when we kissed. She told me that she just wanted to know what it would be like kissing another girl. She then told me that she was gay, or at least thought that’s where she was heading. She was beginning to feel things for girls, but it was confusing to her.”
“What happened after you kissed?”
“We laughed it off and then went back to finishing the kitchen. I wasn’t gay, but I didn’t flinch away from her either. I was there as a friend, nothing more. A few days later, she came by and told me that she told her parents, and they were upset with her. She told me that they said she couldn’t help out at the house again and was told to stay away from me.”
“Did you?”
“No, we remained friends, and it was the only good thing I had in my life. She told me that she had met someone who was special to her, and there was no doubt in her mind that she was gay. She said she had a male friend that was gay too, and he was supporting her. I was happy for Carrie, and then I gave her a hug.”
“What happened after that?”
“We talked for about an hour, maybe more, and then she left. I didn’t see Carrie after that day, and then the unthinkable happened.”
“Amy, I can see how hard this is on you, and I certainly don’t want to cause you any more pain, but I have to know.”
She wrung her hands in her lap and was on the verge of tears, but she held back and continued to share her story with me. “He must have been listening and watching from where we couldn’t see him.”
“Who are you talking about?”
“Her father, Minister Harper. At first, I was surprised to see him, because it wasn’t like him to come into the kitchen. He didn’t look like the man I knew him to be, more like a stranger. A monster. He erupted in a rage and backhanded me across my cheek. He called me filthy names and continued to smack me around until he pinned me against him. He was struggling to get his pants undone. All the while I was dying inside because this man I had grown to trust was trying to rape me. He didn’t succeed, and I have a delivery man to thank for that. I had a busted lip and a few bruises, but still, no one believed me. Girls get into fights all the time living in the home, so it was my word against his. My record back then wasn’t exactly golden, but I wasn’t lying when I said what Minister Harper did to me. It never made it past the social workers, and then when I thought all hope was lost, the Sullivan’s took me in. I got clean, and for the first time in my life, I had a home.”
“You said you didn’t talk to Carrie after that? Not once?”
“No, I didn’t. After my case was dismissed, I was fostered out and left town. The Sullivan’s had a house upstate and moved us up there. Once I was eighteen and officially off the State of New York’s care, I continued to live with the Sullivan’s and continued cleaning up my life. I’m clean, Mr. Mercer, and I have never taken another drug since that day her father tried to hurt me. He’s not a good man. I hope his daughter got out from under that man’s control.”
“She did.”
“Good. I’m happy to hear that. I really hope I’ve answered your questions. It’s getting late, and my husband is due home any minute.”
“I really appreciate you taking the time to speak with me today.” I started to walk back to my car, and she stopped me before I began to pull away from her home.
“Mr. Mercer, I don’t know who you’re trying to help here, but if you care at all for that person, you will make sure that Tobias Harper stays far away.”
“I promise. No one is going to hurt them, and I’m so sorry you ever were.”
“Thank you. I was saved a long time ago, and I hope you will do the same for your friend.” She smiled as she waved me off, and my heart felt heavy after listening to her story.
By the time I got back to my hotel, I was beyond exhausted. It took too long to get back, so I wouldn’t be able to leave until tomorrow morning, which meant one more day without Devan. I knew after hearing Amy’s account of what happened with Harper, I knew I would have to come clean with Devan. It would be the only way I could truly protect him and Paxton.
I finished showering and began to peruse Mike and Jonah’s reports when I noticed I had a voicemail. How the hell did I miss a call from Devan?
I hit play on my phone and was lost in his voice: “Hi, Jake, it’s Devan. I didn’t see you today and was told by Miles that you were out of town. He actually said you left town, totally trying to bait me. Well, it worked. I want to know why you left and why I had to hear it from Miles instead of you.”
I listened to his voicemail again, and then I smiled knowing he was missing me. It’s what I’ve been wanting from him, and now I have it. But will he be so eager to stay with me once I tell him the truth about who I really am? I knew I would have to share my true identity with Devan if we had a snowball’s chance in hell making it as a couple. I guess I just wanted to enjoy him for a little while longer before it all blew up in my face.
I had to believe what we felt for one another would be strong enough not to break us. He would be hurt, this I knew, but I also knew I would move Heaven and earth to keep him. I wanted to hold and feel him against me, but that wouldn’t be happening until I got home. I looked at my watch, and it was too late to call back, but there was nothing stopping me from sending a text.
Jake: Hey, sorry I missed your call. Yes, I’m out of town but not permanently. I will be back tomorrow, late day. I want to see you.
I didn’t think I would hear back from him, but a return text came through right away.
Devan: Thanks for reaching out. I want to see you too.
Jake: Great! I’ll come to you.
Devan: Okay!
My heart felt right, probably for the first time since I took this case. I’m going to do everything in my power to keep Devan and Paxton safe, and then once I do that, I hope to still have the chance to
win his heart. I’ve seen a lot of ugly in my life, but I see kindness when I look into Devan’s brown eyes. He’s a good man who had to sacrifice more for his son and his own happiness than anyone should, and I respect him so much for it. He makes me better. Now I just have to prove I can do the same for him.
I assembled my team and had them meet me back in Boise. I wanted an in-person sit down with them and go over everything we had on Harper before I moved forward with Devan. I knew I needed to have everything ironclad before bringing this to his door.
“Boss!” Mike shouted as he entered my house.
Jonah and Marcy followed in behind him as Marcy said, “Just for the record, I hate flying.”
“Noted, now take a seat. Let’s get down to it. Tobias Harper is not the man he says he is and is one who should never be allowed anywhere near a child. After speaking with Amy Watkins, I am convinced that she probably isn’t the first one he tried to hurt or molest, but that’s not the matter I’m concerned with now. What happens next is a complete detailed outline of Tobias, and once it’s all compiled, I will take it back to them and deal.”
“What about Knight? How do you break it to him that his kid’s grandfather is some wacko pedophile coming for his son?”
“Let me handle Devan. We need to secure Harper before anything else happens. You had to see the look on that girl’s face when I mentioned Carrie’s name. She froze, and all I saw was fear in her eyes. It’s clear she’s worked hard to forget that life and all the pain that came with it. I certainly didn’t go there to dredge up past hurt, but then she surprised me.”
“What did she say?” Marcy questioned.
“She told me that I need to keep the person I am protecting far enough away from the Harpers. That gutted me because it’s the same feeling that I felt after our first meeting with them. This guy is filled with hate, and he hides it under the premise of being this do-gooder man of the cloth. We’ve dealt with scum like him before, but now we know he has hurt at least one young girl, maybe more. It’s our job to shut him down once and for all.”
“Well, if anyone can, it’s you, Jake.”
“You better fucking believe it. Okay, let’s get to work. I have someone I need to see.”
After my talk with my mom, I decided to listen to what my heart was telling me about Jake. If it was just a hookup he was looking for, then he would have walked by now. No, he’s coming on too strong for just a one-time thing.
Every night before I went to bed, I said a prayer to Heaven and hoped Carrie was listening. I prayed that she knew how much I loved our son and would move mountains to make him happy. But knowing all that, I also hoped that she understood that I needed something for me, and that may just be Jake Mercer. He came into my life so unexpectedly, a force of nature to contend with, someone I could probably fall for.
I tucked my son into bed and read him two stories before he finally was down for the count. His birthday was next weekend, and I had lots to do before then. It would be an exhausting weekend with the many celebrations we had planned for him. Turning ten was a big deal in a young boy’s life. I was so proud of him. He was so good with the kindest heart, and his smile brought me so much joy. I don’t know what I would do if I ever had to give up even the smallest of minutes spent with him. He is my entire world. My reason for waking up each day. And now that I’ve met Jake, I finally have the courage to entertain the possibility of sharing my life and my son with someone who makes me feel a million things that I can’t even put into words.
I finished all pending work on my desk and had the rest of the week free to do anything I wanted. I had so much nervous energy and wanted to see Jake. He had to be home by now. He said he would let me know when he got back, but what would it hurt for a surprise visit? Yeah, this is me going after what I want.
It was too late to call a sitter, so I went with my backup plan. Mom was all too happy to come over and sit with Paxton. When I opened the door, she actually had an overnight bag with her.
“Okay, let’s not get crazy here. I’m just going over to talk to the man.”
“I know, but it never hurts to be prepared. Speaking of… honey, do you have enough…?”
I raised my hands up to stop her from finishing that sentence. “Mom, don’t. I’m a grown man, and I certainly don’t need pointers or reminders from my mother on safe sex.”
I checked in on Paxton before leaving for Jake’s. He was sleeping soundly with the biggest grin on his face. I knew he was excited about his birthday and all we had planned for him.
I practically laughed the entire ride over to Jake’s house. I swear my mother was too much! I was thanking the stars that my father had remained at home, or both of them would have double-teamed me on the finer points of dating, etc.
When I pulled up, I noticed a car with out-of-state plates alongside his truck. It was definitely a model that you would pick up at a car rental shop. Maybe he had family in town visiting him. The house Jake was renting had a wraparound porch. His front door was set in, and you had to climb about ten steps to reach the top. Once I got closer, I heard voices coming from the inside. I was about to knock but then stopped my hand mid-air after I heard the conversation going on from the inside.
“What about Knight? How do you break it to him that his kid’s grandfather is some wacko pedophile coming for his son?”
“Don’t worry about it. I will handle Devan. You just keep Harper under surveillance until I get back to Seattle.”
“I have to say, boss, this is a first. You have never taken such an interest in any case we’ve worked before. You’re not going soft on us, are you?”
“Shut the fuck-up! Okay, the meeting is over. Good work, team. The goal is to wrap this up within the next week or so, and then I’ll be able to tell Devan that he never has to worry about the Harpers ever being a problem for him.”
I covered my mouth with my hand to keep from screaming at the top of my lungs. No, it can’t be. Carrie’s parents are looking for us? How the hell did they find out? And somehow Jake is involved! I have to get out of here, but I can’t move my legs.
I stepped into the shadows, and I watched Jake walk out with two men and a woman. The men were similar in build to Jake, probably military. The woman was pretty, dressed professionally, and carrying a laptop bag. He referred to them as his “team.” Just what kind of business was Jake Mercer involved in?
I made my way down the porch and back into my car before I could be noticed by Jake. My hands were shaking as I drove home. By the time I finally walked in, it was way past late, and my mom had gone to bed in one of my spare bedrooms. I checked on Paxton, and then I went upstairs to my private office where I spent most of my time conducting my business. I took a seat in front of my two 80-inch large display monitors and got down to work.
“Okay, Jake Mercer, who the hell are you?”
My eyes were burning after working the rest of the night, compiling everything I could obtain on Jake. I gathered everything I could that was a matter of public record, which wasn’t much since the guy had spent most of his adult life as some military ghost. He admitted that he was a Navy SEAL and to not bother asking him anything about it. After some digging, I did discover that he really was not a basketball coach but more like the president of a private investigation business that he founded a few years back after retiring from the service.
I rubbed the exhaustion from my eyes and then looked down to my phone, where I had several text messages, all from Jake.
Jake: Hey, I’m back in town. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.
Another text came in ten minutes after that.
Jake: You awake? I’m kind of wired. Feel like talking?
The last one came right about an hour after his team left when my heart was completely shattered by his betrayal.
Jake: Okay, heading to bed. Can I be so bold to say that I miss you? Because I do, Devan, and please know that you’ve been on my mind since Sunday. I can’t wait to see you.
Fuck! What the hell do I do now? I was so ready to just hand over everything to him, and he’s nothing but a fucking liar. As I shut down my screens and tossed everything I had on Jake Mercer, I said to myself: “Yeah, Jake, I can’t wait to see you too. We have a lot to talk about.”
I closed the drapes in my bedroom and locked the rest of the world out. I never believed I could ever feel worse than I did the day I lost Carrie, but somehow, even though this was a different kind of pain, it felt horrible. The feeling of when you are so lost that you never believe you will be strong again. Yeah, that’s what I’m feeling right now when I think of Jake Mercer. I was ready to give him everything—all the very best parts of me—and I come to find out that it’s all been a lie. I’ve never felt so betrayed.
Persistent knocking brought me out of my deep sleep, and I wanted to shout at whoever to go away, but then it could have been my son looking for me. I looked over at the alarm clock, and it was way past time for Paxton to be at camp, so maybe my mom brought him. The knocking continued. I threw off the covers and charged the door. Once opened, I got the shock of my life to find who was on the other side of it. Jake Mercer. The man I trusted. The same man I was ready to let my walls down and take a chance with. The same man that hurt me beyond words. A part of me wants to tell him to fuck off and go away, and then the other wants to beg him to stay.
The brooding man standing before me looked stressed, almost to the point of panicked. Before I could even say a word, he let go of the doorframe that he was leaning against and charged me. Crushing his mouth down to mine, his tongue begged for entrance, and fuck my stupid heart, I allowed him to kiss me. I was so foolish and blind for trusting him to begin with. I shoved my hands against his broad chest and tried not to forget what I learned last night.
“I’ve been calling you all morning. You didn’t show up with Paxton today at camp, and then when I spoke to your mom, she told me she hadn’t talked to you since last night. What the hell, Devan? I never pegged you as an irresponsible man.”
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