Right Where We Belong

by Brenda Novak

  “Are you kidding me? He could’ve left his bloody clothes there, because he certainly never brought them home to me. I know you don’t believe me about that—or haven’t in the past—but it’s true. Tell the judge you’re searching his mother’s house for Gordon’s bloody clothes and possibly a pair of boots.”

  “I’ll try, like I said. Have you heard from Gordon this morning?”

  “No.”

  “Call me if you do.”

  She covered the phone to tell Branson that he’d served up enough revenge on his little sister, and they finally went back to cleaning out the pool. “He’s not going to admit to having anything to do with Emma,” she said when she removed her hand. “He knows those phone calls are recorded.”

  “Is there any chance you’d consider going to see him, then?”

  She took a step back, even though he couldn’t see her. “No, I can’t do that. I don’t want to see him. Besides, I live in California now, and I’d have no one to watch my kids while I was gone.”

  “We’d provide a licensed caregiver to stay with Branson and Alia, and we’d fly you in, so it wouldn’t take that long. What’s the flight time from LA to Salt Lake? An hour and a half? That’s nothing.”

  She pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. Would Gordon tell her anything even if they were sitting face-to-face? Probably not. Visits were probably monitored, too. “He doesn’t trust me. He won’t give anything away.”

  “You could convince him to trust you. You know him well, know what he’d most want to hear.”

  He’d want to hear that she’d take him back and that she’d give him the money she had for his defense. Desperate as he was, that would make him amenable to almost anything. It would be her best shot, at any rate. But telling him those lies, trying to trap him, was dangerous. If the DA wasn’t able to get a conviction in the end, Gordon would go free. And if he could kill a poor, innocent stranger, a girl of only sixteen, what might he do to her?

  Gordon’s going to kill you when he gets out... Maybe Dorothy’s text would prove more prophetic than she’d actually intended.

  Savanna opened her mouth to refuse again, but her conscience stepped in. If every person who could help the police thought only of the danger involved, how many more evil people would be running around in society, continuing to harm innocent victims?

  She had to be brave, had to do all she could. Didn’t she?

  Shit, she silently cursed. “I’ll think about it,” she said, and disconnected.

  20

  The next week seemed to last forever. Heather stayed over for most of that time, while she was healing, which was probably why every day proved a new challenge for Gavin. She claimed she was afraid to go home for fear Scott would confront her, but as angry as Gavin had been a week ago Wednesday, when he’d picked Heather up from the hospital, he didn’t think Scott would continue to be a threat. Scott was already out on bail, so it wasn’t as if he couldn’t come by, but he had a court date in a few weeks, seemed to know and care that he was in a lot of trouble and wasn’t acting like he would do anything to make matters worse. He’d texted her to say she could relax, that he wouldn’t so much as approach her, and so far he’d kept that promise. Although she was at Gavin’s from dinnertime on, which meant she had protection, Scott knew where she worked. He could easily have gone by her classroom after the final bell. She sat there alone for two hours, usually didn’t leave until five. If she was truly afraid of him, she would’ve changed that pattern and asked someone to be with her then, too. That was what Gavin secretly thought, but he hadn’t said anything. He didn’t want to be wrong again and have her get hurt.

  The last thing he’d expected was for Scott to approach him, so he was surprised when his mother called, interrupting his lunch on Friday to say that Scott was at the administration building. Although Gavin normally ate in the cafeteria with the students—it gave them another chance to socialize with an adult who cared about them, something they desperately needed—the past few days he hadn’t been interested in talking to anyone, even the boys. He’d been eating in his small office, which was where he was today.

  “Hello? You still there?” Aiyana asked when he didn’t respond.

  His first inclination was to ask what Scott wanted, but if his mother had to relay that question, it would only drag her back into his business. He preferred she not get involved, since she didn’t seem entirely supportive of his current course of action. She refused to accept that he had to get back with Heather. “I’m in my office. Tell him how to find me, will you?”

  It was her turn to hesitate. “Don’t you think you should take this off campus?”

  “I’m not going to start anything. And I doubt he’d choose this setting for a fight. He’s already facing a court date.”

  She covered the phone. Gavin got the impression that Scott had overheard her and was trying to convince her that he wasn’t looking for trouble, because she came back on the line and said, “I’m sending him over.”

  Ten minutes later, a knock sounded on his door.

  Curious, as well as a little apprehensive, just in case, Gavin turned the knob and shoved the metal panel open with one shoulder. “Wow. It’s bright out today,” he said, squinting against the sudden intrusion of sunlight. “Come on in.” He motioned to the only other chair he had, a cheap fold-up he kept on hand for the occasional visitor.

  Scott stepped inside but didn’t take the chair. He didn’t even approach the desk. He kept his distance, probably to prove he hadn’t come to fight. “I told myself I wasn’t going to do this,” he said. “You’ll think it’s just sour grapes, that you got the woman I want and now I’m jealous and vengeful—”

  “You have been jealous and vengeful,” Gavin broke in. “And what you did last week—”

  He lifted a hand in the classic stop motion. “I know. I shouldn’t have let her get to me. I can’t explain what happened. I snapped, have never been so angry. But hitting her was stupid. She isn’t worth the trouble she’s bringing me.”

  “That’s what you came to say?”

  “No, I came to tell you the truth.”

  Gavin straightened the calendar on his desk. “And that is?”

  “Heather got pregnant on purpose, Gavin.”

  Feeling his shoulders tense, he studied Scott closely. Was Scott still out to hurt Heather, just in a different way? Was that why he’d come? “How do you know?”

  “By the way everything went down. She wanted you back, and she knew a baby would make all the difference.”

  “She couldn’t have known that.”

  “She couldn’t be positive. But she knows you well, knows how you feel about kids—what you do out here for so many orphans and boys who are in the system. And if it didn’t go her way? She was confident that she had a worst-case scenario.”

  “Which was...”

  He widened his eyes as if it should be obvious. “She knew I’d marry her even if you didn’t.”

  Gavin sat on the corner of his desk. “And you drove all the way out here to tell me this because you’re doing me a favor?”

  When Scott chuckled without mirth, Gavin knew he’d heard the sarcasm. “No. I’m telling you because I’d hate to see her get away with it. But all I can do is warn you. What happens from here is up to you. I’ve told the police—her, too—that I won’t bother her again, and I haven’t. I won’t bother you again, either.”

  He started to go, but Gavin stopped him. “You’re washing your hands of the whole affair?”

  “I am,” he said when he turned back. “I’ll pay the price for what I’ve done and then...that’s it.”

  “What if the baby’s yours?”

  “I’ll demand proof, of course. And if I get it, I’ll pay child support, but only because the state will force me to. I no lon
ger want anything to do with Heather or the baby.”

  And Gavin had thought the situation was bad when Scott still maintained an interest in Heather. Now, if the child did belong to Scott, and Gavin didn’t marry her, the baby would have no father. “The child’s not to blame,” he pointed out.

  “I’m not to blame, either. I was honest in my intentions all along. I loved Heather—I would’ve married her. But she wanted you, and she used me to get you. Now we’re all in this terrible mess together. Sure, I was wrong to strike a woman. But what she did was worse. Think about it. A busted lip will heal in a few weeks, but she’s screwed up all our lives, possibly for good,” he said, and walked out.

  The meeting with Scott hadn’t drifted anywhere near violence, and yet Gavin felt as if he’d taken a strong right hook. Could Scott be telling the truth?

  No. Heather would never do something so terrible. Gavin knew her. She’d been single-minded in her pursuit of him, and she was certainly using the situation to her advantage now that she was carrying a child, but she was a decent person, a kind person. The pregnancy was an accident, as she claimed.

  But what if Scott was right? How would that change things?

  For one, Gavin would be as angry as Scott was. Manipulating other people to such a degree was unconscionable, especially when it involved a baby.

  He checked his watch to see what Heather would be doing. He wanted to talk to her, see what she had to say in response to Scott’s claims, but she’d be teaching right now. She had to take her lunch earlier than he did.

  Anyway, he knew what she’d say. She’d say it wasn’t true. Given the possible consequences of admitting to something like that, she’d almost have to. So what difference would it make to ask her?

  She couldn’t be that bad, he decided, and tried to finish his lunch. But he wasn’t hungry anymore.

  * * *

  Gordon hadn’t called Savanna since she’d mentioned Emma Ventnor. That, more than anything, made Savanna believe he was the one who’d kidnapped and possibly murdered the girl, which made her feel a greater sense of responsibility to grant Detective Sullivan’s request to return to Utah and meet with her former husband. She didn’t want to see Gordon, had been putting off making a final decision. But she knew in her heart that she’d most likely have to go. How would she live with herself knowing that Emma’s parents were suffering and she’d done so little to help? Gordon had to be guilty. Otherwise, why would he back away the minute she mentioned Emma’s name? He still didn’t have the money for the high-powered attorney he felt he needed, and yet Dorothy had quit bothering her, too. Savanna had texted and called her ex-mother-in-law numerous times over the past week, but Dorothy hadn’t picked up or responded, not until Savanna threatened to involve the police to make sure Gavin received remuneration for the damage to his truck. Then Dorothy had sent her insurance information, but that was it. No other comment. No pleas for money or threats that Savanna would be sorry if she didn’t stand by Gordon.

  Savanna had forwarded Dorothy’s text to Gavin so he could get on with taking care of the financial arrangements. He was already moving forward with having his truck repaired; she’d seen the rental car he was driving. Now his insurance could get reimbursed. Although he’d thanked her, that was about the only contact she’d had with him since the night they’d made love so spontaneously outside under the stars—other than a few texts where he’d been showing her various carpet remnants for the living room and trying to schedule a day when he could come over and take care of the dry rot repairs. They’d agreed on a week from tomorrow, a Saturday when he’d be off work, but she would see him in less than forty-eight hours if she attended the barbecue at his mother’s place. He insisted she should still come, despite his current situation, but she wasn’t convinced either one of them would be comfortable. Would Heather be there? Would Savanna have to see Heather and Gavin together?

  Probably. Heather was staying with him. Savanna had seen the Pathfinder parked in his drive. Sight of that vehicle made her sick, because she knew what it meant.

  Fortunately, she hadn’t bumped into Heather in person since learning of the baby. Savanna purposely went to the mailbox before Heather could get back from work. She didn’t want to feel obligated to wave and speak to Gavin’s girlfriend. Just knowing she was there with him, and probably in his bed at night, was bad enough.

  Realizing that she’d once again allowed her mind to drift back to her sexy neighbor, she sat down with her computer at the kitchen table and forced herself to focus on searching the classified ads for the Silver Springs area. She was tired of ordering out or making dinner in a slow cooker; she needed to find a good deal on a stove so that she could at least fry eggs in the mornings.

  Although there wasn’t anything nearby, she saw several options in LA. Problem was, she no longer had a vehicle with which to transport such a large and heavy object. She’d been hoping to use Gavin’s truck, but, thanks to Dorothy, it was in the shop.

  She wondered if Eli would mind loaning her his. Borrowing a vehicle was a lot to ask of someone she didn’t know well, but he’d been so friendly and helpful. And she had his number from when he’d texted the address for the barbecue.

  She tried to make herself reach out to him but didn’t have the nerve. And she couldn’t think of a better alternative. It wasn’t as if she could ask the seller to deliver to an address that was an hour and a half to two hours outside of LA. She doubted anyone would be willing to do that, not for a five-hundred-dollar stove.

  She decided she’d just keep limping along without one and hope for a better opportunity later.

  Because she’d decided to give up, for now, she was surprised when she received a text from Gavin as she was closing out of her browser so she could get dinner on for her kids.

  How are you?

  She bit her lip as she studied those words. It was difficult not hearing from him all week, always wondering what he was thinking and wanting him in spite of everything. But any contact only made the desire she felt more acute. Fine. You?

  Hanging in. Any word from Gordon?

  No. Nor Dorothy.

  That’s a good thing, isn’t it? You want them to leave you alone.

  I do, but it’s weird. They both backed away, went completely silent, as soon as I mentioned Emma Ventnor.

  She saw his name come up on caller ID as she was waiting for his next text. “Hello?”

  “You think that means Gordon did have something to do with Emma’s disappearance?” he asked.

  The sound of Gavin’s voice was far too welcome to her, which just went to show how infatuated she’d become. “I do.” She told him about Sullivan’s request to have her meet with Gordon in Utah.

  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Savanna. Sounds like a long shot to me.”

  “They have to try everything. And they think I might have some pull with him.”

  “You don’t?”

  “That’s the thing. I might. I have the money he wants, so he should at least talk to me. I’d say I have a small chance of getting something out of him.”

  “So what are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know yet.”

  “If you decide to go, when would you leave?”

  She toyed with the hem of her shirt. “We haven’t discussed that yet. I haven’t even given the go-ahead. But I think I’m going to do it. I’ll call Sullivan after we hang up.”

  “What about the kids? Would you take them with you?”

  “Sullivan said he’d get a licensed caregiver to stay here with them while I’m gone. He claims it wouldn’t be a long trip, a night and a day at most.”

  “I’ll help keep an eye on Branson and Alia. Bring pizza for dinner. Make sure they’re happy while you’re gone.”

  “I’m thinking your girlfriend might have a problem with that.”
>
  He hesitated briefly. Then he said, “She isn’t my girlfriend.”

  She was staying at his house every night... “Then what is she? Your fiancée?”

  He sighed. “There’s no label yet.”

  When she said nothing, he added, “I’m sorry for the position I’ve put you in. I feel bad about it. I hope you know that.”

  “Mom, when’s dinner going to be ready?”

  Savanna whipped around to find Branson poking his head into the kitchen. He and Alia had been playing a board game in the living room. “Soon,” she told him.

  “What are we having tonight?”

  “Leftovers.”

  He wrinkled his nose. “Oh.”

  She covered the speaker on the phone. “I’ll get a stove soon. Then things can get back to normal.”

  “That’s what you keep saying, but...when?”

  She couldn’t mistake the complaint in her son’s voice. “The first chance I get. I promise.”

  “Branson, are you coming?” Alia called.

  “I beat her,” he stated with a proud grin. “Now she’s dying to play again.”

  He hurried off, leaving her to her conversation with Gavin. “I shouldn’t come on Sunday,” she said. “It’ll only make things...weird, awkward.”

  “Are you kidding? Knowing you’ll be there is the only thing getting me through the week.”

  In an attempt to siphon off some of the nervous energy pouring through her, she stood up and began to pace. “I’d rather not see you with Heather. I’m not...not ready for that.”

  “Heather won’t be there. She leaves for Vegas first thing in the morning. Her older sister is throwing a big birthday bash there for the weekend.”

  “That’s even more reason to back out.”

  “Don’t,” he said.

  She pressed a palm to her forehead.

  “Savanna?”

  Cursing her lack of self-control, she dropped her hand. “Okay.”

  There was a long silence. She could tell he wanted to say more. She wanted to say a few things herself. But neither one of them spoke.