Blood Loss - A Magnolia Novel

by Ashley Fontainne

  Karina held her tongue, hoping the hateful stare conveyed her anger.

  “You never know when to let go and give up do you? Haven’t you had enough thrill-seeking and close-calls? Jesus, Karina, you aren’t a twenty-something anymore! Start thinking before you act!”

  “You want to talk about thinking before acting? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Did you think things through when you started screwing my best friend, or was it just a blue-balls moment?”

  Cal threw his hands up in frustration. “You’re still harping on that? It’s been two years and countless apologies ago.”

  “Okay, I’ll give you that. So, how about this? Explain to me—the truth mind you—why you moved here. You hate everything about the South. Everything! You haven’t asked me to do one thing in terms of We’ve Got Ya, so that’s an obvious lie. Be honest for once in your life!”

  Calvin almost caved and told Karina the truth. Seeing the pain behind her eyes, he refrained, unwilling to cause more. His instincts told him now wasn’t the time to come clean about Melissa. Karina was already teetering on hysteria, so bringing up the topic might get him shot. Instead, he changed the subject. “You know, you’re only alive because of Lucas Hill! The next time your life is in danger, there may not be a safety net waiting in the wings.”

  “Nice way to sidestep your feelings, Cal. I see some things haven’t changed.” Karina whispered, fighting back tears. Ranger jumped onto the bed, rubbing his cold nose against her arm. It was perfect timing, giving her a chance to bury her face into his neck while getting her emotions in check. “And you’re wrong. I know when to let go. I did that last year when I made the decision to move. This conversation is over just like we are. Leave—now—and don’t come back. There’s nothing left to say.”

  “Fine. Just remember to take care of yourself and watch your back. The mob bastards may be out of the picture, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods yet. In case you need a reminder, the Jubilee appeal is in May, and rich bastards will stop at nothing to keep themselves out of the slammer. If you need an example of that, think about Maud and Carolyn.”

  “I said go.” Karina kept her head buried in Ranger’s fur until the door opened and closed. Looking up, she took in a deep breath as Cal’s boots tromped down the stairs. Ranger whined and then licked her face.

  “I know, buddy. It hurts me to see him too…”

  The words trailed off as a deluge of tears came. Her beloved dog tried to lick them away, but too many raced down her face for him to keep up. Seeing him again with that look—that damned look!—again made the memories of the day she left him, their business, and California roar back. Exhausted, in pain and emotions all over the place, Karina was helpless to stop the memories…

  …“You sure I can’t talk you out of this?”

  Shaking a loose strand of black hair from her face, Karina looked up from the empty desk. Cal leaned his buff body with casual ease against the door frame. His dark brown eyes shimmered with a teasing gleam, but Karina swore she saw a small hint of sadness behind them.

  The early morning sun streamed through the window and caught the silver streaks in Cal's hair, making him look even more appealing. With his arms crossed over his chest, Cal's enormous biceps bulged, stretching the thin cotton material to its limit. The tattoo of two arms locked at the wrists with silver handcuffs, and the words Gotcha in black underneath, seemed to quiver.

  “Cal, how many times are you going to ask me the same question?”

  “Until I get the answer I want.”

  Picking up the last box off the top of the desk, she gave him a weak smile. “You’re as tenacious as a pit bull. That’s what I used to love about you. But remember, my bite is just as strong.” Karina watched Cal's tattoo shake as his muscles tensed.

  “Yeah, I know. I have the marks to prove it.” A smirk crossed Cal's full lips. “But don’t try to change the subject. I can’t be swayed by your seductive charms. I’m immune.”

  Using the box like a shield, Karina nudged Cal out of the way. Their hot and heavy romance of seven years ended during her undercover stint two years prior. She ignored the urge to tackle him and shred all his clothes off his smokin’ body. Cal's scent always drove her wild.

  She learned after their breakup to keep her physical distance and let running their business be the only thing between them. They worked much better as a team on paper rather than between the sheets.

  “Once bitten, twice shy baby.” Karina made it past him and out into the hallway. “Now, be a gentleman and open the door for me? This is my last box.”

  The sound of Cal’s heavy boots reverberated off the hardwood floors as he came up behind her. The energy of his stare sent waves of heat up her back. Karina’s mouth went dry. His steps matched her heartbeat in intensity.

  “Hmmm. You really do need a break. You just called me a gentleman. That’s a first.”

  “See? Told you,” Karina retorted, her smile real this time. “A term I’m sure you’re unaccustomed to hearing when said in reference to you.”

  Karina slipped past his six foot three frame, out the back door and into the bright light. Final goodbyes had already been said to the rest of the gang. Without any sunglasses, the yellow glare of the vibrant sun and the shimmer of heat from the blacktop made her eyes water.

  Damn—Cal will think they are for him.

  The thought made Karina move at a quicker pace toward her car. She wasn’t about to let Cal think he’d gotten to her. Karina knew this was the right decision for her life. Cal had been shocked when she approached him two weeks prior with the papers to buy out her share of their successful private investigation firm, We’ve Got Ya! When he asked her why she wanted to sell and she told him, Cal questioned her sanity. After the large payout from their biggest—and longest—investigation yet, Karina needed more than a break. She needed a new direction and a new life.

  Karina had enough cash to live off of for at least five years, long enough to figure out what she should do with the rest of her life upon arrival in Arkansas. At the moment, fresh, smog-free air and a slower pace is what she craved. The life she had been living almost drove her to the brink of insanity. After two years of undercover work and then another year of sitting through the gut-wrenching court trial, Karina couldn’t get out of Los Angeles fast enough.

  It was a struggle to retrieve her keys out of the front pocket of her jeans. Karina cursed under her breath, regretting her choice of skin tight denim. She should have just thrown on a pair of sweats, left her hair in a messy bun, and came in without a stitch of makeup on. Her last day at work would go down in history. No employee of We’ve Got Ya! had ever seen Karina sans makeup, except Cal. It would give the rest of the remaining staff plenty to gab about for the next few days.

  But she didn’t. She took extra time while getting ready earlier, applying just the right amount of eye shadow, liner, powder and gloss in front of the mirror, stopping every few seconds to check out her handiwork. The look was finished with finger-tousled hair and two squirts of Red between her breasts. It was Cal’s favorite perfume. While driving to the office earlier, Karina felt like he deserved to suffer a bit.

  Bastard.

  Cal’s muscled arm reached past her and opened the passenger door. He was close. Too close. The heat from his body, the smell of cologne and the musk of his personal scent made her breath quicken. Cal was playing the same game. Karina bit her lip to keep from biting his. Leaning down, she set the box in the back seat and wished she could just crawl in right behind it and drive away. Instead, Karina stood, snatched the door from Cal’s grip, slammed it, and then stuck out her hand. “The business is all yours now, Cal. Take good care of her—better than you did me.”

  “Shut up,” Cal growled.

  In a flash, Cal pulled Karina to him and devoured her lips with his own. The kiss was long, needy and full of pent up passion. Regret. Sadness. Love. For a few seconds, Karina melted into his strong embrace, reliving their past
connection. Swam in the strength of him and the way Cal's body felt wedged up tight against her own. But then the image of catching him doing the same thing with the bottle blonde whore, Misty Pierce, flashed in her mind, ruining the moment.

  Coming to her senses, Karina pulled back and slugged her balled-up fist into Cal’s mammoth chest. “Be glad I’m leaving the state or I’d make you pay for that,” she said with more gusto than she felt. She stayed true to her nature and hid the sadness from her face, preferring to unleash the pain in a rude manner.

  Cal responded to her smartass reply with a sly smile and a coy wink.

  Bubbling anger rose inside her. Karina was just about to spew her thoughts out when her cell phone rang. “Once again, your ass is spared the kicking it deserves by my mom.”

  Cal blew her a kiss and she flipped him the universal sign for Have a Nice Day—asshole. Karina answered the call at the same time she slid behind the wheel of the Charger. “Hey Mom. I’m leaving the office now. Had to pick up the last box.” Cranking up the V-8, a smile appeared when the duel exhaust growled.

  “Watch out for the gun-toting rednecks. And if you hear banjo music—run!” Cal yelled from the curb…

  Karina chuckled softly as she remembered what she’d done next: flipped him the bird. She’d gunned the engine and drove away, unwilling to look in the rear view mirror at the man who’d been part of her life for over seven years.

  Wiping the last traces of wetness from her face, Karina cooed to Ranger. “Mommy’s a big baby isn’t she? Just our little secret, okay? I’m not crying over Calvin. In fact, I’m not crying at all. I’m releasing some water weight, right?”

  Ranger’s limitless brown eyes stared back, his tongue lolling from the side of his muzzle. Hugging him close, Karina stared at the ceiling, waiting for her beloved dog’s presence to ease her frazzled mind and heart.

  Chapter 11

  Hot Springs, Arkansas – Friday Evening, March 3, 2017

  LiAnn remained quiet while driving the loaded Tahoe to the hospital, Andrew following in his vehicle. Having him come and help while Karina rested had been a godsend. Though she honored Karina’s request not to tell anyone about the miscarriage, Andrew detected something was wrong yet never asked. He just gave her a hug and kiss when he arrived promptly at six a.m. and then playfully asked how he may be of service.

  Wiley, Seth, and Pop chattered away, excited about visiting their friend who made it through the arduous surgery. Her mother smiled at appropriate times, nodding in agreement at others, yet LiAnn sensed her underlying tension. She wondered if it stemmed from the events in Camden more than worry about Betty’s health.

  “I hate to hear Karina’s sick. I hope whatever ails her didn’t pass along to Betty. She’s gonna have a tough enough time recoverin’. She surely don’t need to fight off a cold or flu.”

  Glancing in the rearview mirror at Seth, LiAnn forced a smile. “Betty made it through a tough surgery, so I’m sure she can fight off a cold too.”

  “The woman’s almost eighty! Colds can turn into pneumonia in us old folks in a flash,” Wiley responded.

  “That’s enough!” Ruth snapped. “Time to think positive thoughts and nothin’ else. I mean it.”

  No one said another word until LiAnn pulled up to the entrance of National Park Medical Center. “Okay, you all go in, and I’ll park. We’ve only got an hour to visit, and the doctor said only two at a time. I’ll wait until you all visit first.”

  The foursome exited, and LiAnn stifled a yawn. She hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours, and this was her second trip to the hospital in the same space of time. Shaking her head to clear the awful memories of Karina’s miscarriage, LiAnn eased the Tahoe to the back of the parking lot. Andrew pulled up next to her and parked.

  After shutting the engine off, LiAnn sent a quick text to Karina. Going in to see Betty now. Should be back in about an hour. How are you feeling, baby?”

  Andrew tapped on the window, startling LiAnn. She exited the SUV, and he immediately wrapped his arms around her tight shoulders, hugging her close. “Checking on Karina?”

  Pulling away, LiAnn nodded while clasping her hand with Andrew’s as they walked to the front door. “Yes. She hates it that she can’t come visit.”

  Andrew tugged on LiAnn’s hand and stopped. Searching her face, noting the exhaustion and worry, he asked, “Want to tell me what’s really going on?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean,” Andrew brushed his fingers against LiAnn’s cheek. “You’re stressed more than you should be over Karina’s illness. I get the sense it’s more than a cold.”

  LiAnn chuckled. “Am I that transparent?”

  “You’re doing a good job of hiding it from others, but not from me. I’m listening if you want to get it off your chest, out of earshot of elder ears. I can keep secrets.”

  “Yes, I know.” LiAnn smiled while thinking about what Pop told her about the house. She fought the urge to tell him the truth about the baby, yet she promised her daughter to keep the secret. She wouldn’t break the trust about Karina’s personal struggles, yet she didn’t feel the same loyalty about the mystery in Camden. The cop in her itched to solve the case, and who better to dissect it with than another cop and retired captain of the Major Crimes Division?

  “LiAnn? What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Decision made, LiAnn squared her shoulders and gave Andrew’s hand a light squeeze. “Nothing. Just a general observation. You’re right. There are some things I need to get off my chest. Let’s head to the cafeteria for some coffee.”

  “If you’re drinking coffee this late, whatever it is must be a bombshell. It doesn’t have anything to do with the mob, does it? If you’re about to tell me some relatives of the Calvanio’s or DeNucci’s are planning to—”

  “No, it has nothing to do with them. Promise.”

  As the duo neared the front entrance, LiAnn started the tale from the day Betty had a heart attack. She stopped in midstride, immediately signaling to Andrew to remain quiet. Her sharp gaze watched in stunned awe as Cecil emerged from a side entrance, head lowered and steps fast as he crossed the parking lot to his vehicle. Neither one moved or spoke until his car turned on to Central.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Tugging Andrew forward, LiAnn answered, “Cecil mentioned at dinner he wasn’t feeling well and was going to bed early.”

  “Maybe he wanted to visit his friend without an audience in case he got emotional, so why is that a big deal?”

  A shiver of concern slithered up LiAnn’s back. “Let’s get that coffee, and I’ll tell you why.”

  “I don’t like the sound of that.”

  Stepping inside the hospital, LiAnn veered left toward the cafeteria, breathing a sigh of relief only a few people sat in the chairs. “It’s not going to get any better. Trust me.”

  Thirty minutes later, LiAnn’s legs bounced with nervous energy under the table while waiting for Andrew to say something after she recounted the entire story. The look on his face was unreadable. He’d always been better at hiding his thoughts than she’d been. Part of her hoped his response would be she was being overly paranoid and reading way too much into things, yet another wanted confirmation from the man she respected her entire career to agree with her conclusions.

  Sighing, Andrew finally said, “Let it go, LiAnn.”

  Stunned by a response she wasn’t expecting, LiAnn blurted out, “After everything I said, that’s all you’ve got to say?”

  “Yes.”

  Searching his face, LiAnn noticed a hint of worry crease his brow. “That’s not good enough for me. I want to know why. Do you think Karina and I are way off base here? Surely that’s not it! You see the connections, right?”

  Standing, Andrew grabbed the empty cups and walked over to the garbage. When he returned, LiAnn noticed the stern look on his face. She recognized the expression. His mind was made up.

  “What I see is a nightmare neither you or Karina need
to get involved in, and honestly, after what happened six months ago, I’m surprised you two want to tempt the fates again. You almost lost your child, LiAnn. It was just sheer luck the rest of you were gone the night the Calvanio clan blew the house up. If all of you had been home when your parents’ place was destroyed, some might not have survived.”

  “And I’m surprised you expect us to walk away from solving two murders.”

  Andrew’s brows furrowed with frustration. “You mean for you to walk away. Karina already did. Why is it so important for you to do this? It was sixty years ago for God sakes! All those involved are dead or on the cusp of death. If Betty or Cecil are tangled up in some macabre way, exposing them will hurt people you love. Your daughter recognized that fact. Why can’t you?”

  “That dig was uncalled for, Andrew.”

  “It isn’t a dig. It’s the truth.”

  The two stared at each other from across the table, each battling their own thoughts. LiAnn kept her anger in check from the hurtful words.

  “There’s a flaw in your conclusions.”

  Crossing her arms in defiance, LiAnn asked, “What flaw?”

  “If Betty is really Carolyn Singleton, whether she’s a suspect or an innocent victim, and Cecil possibly knows something or was involved too, explain the local cop’s reaction to Karina.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Leaning forward, Andrew lowered his voice. “Why would a small-town cop who wasn’t even a gleam in his parents’ eyes yet in 1957 risk his career by threatening Karina? Do you really think the powers controlling that city and county give a rat’s ass about keeping the secrets of two elderly folks? They don’t. They’re protecting someone else, or at least, the relatives of someone else.”

  “Shit, you’re right. I totally missed that,” LiAnn responded.

  “Which is why I said at the beginning of this conversation to let it go. You certainly don’t need…”

  Andrew didn’t finish the comment. Instead, he stared at his fingers, unwilling to meet LiAnn’s inquisitive gaze. “I don’t need what, Andrew?”