by Gwen Taylor
Sean nodded. "Me either." He looked at the curled green thing in his hand, a pliable spring of potpourri. "Piper."
He shoved the potpourri in his breast pocket. His mind raced, trying to remember everything she'd said. "In the apartment."
He looked at the coffee table. The potpourri basket was still there. He reached in and pulled out the SD card and a piece of paper with shaky writing on it.
It's Hardy.
28
Piper sat rigid in the squad car. Had Sean gotten her message?
The gun she'd tucked in her waistband was a last resort. She glanced at Hardy's hands on the steering wheel, his Omega ring on his left hand giving her a chill she couldn't hide.
"Cold?"
Piper forced a smile. "Just a little. I could use my jacket. If you'll pull over, I'll grab it."
Piper, you need to get the hell out of this alive. She glanced back at the car behind them. The driver she had recognized from the file. One of Gamble's associates. Even if she got Hardy to pull over, she would have to escape all three men.
Hardy adjusted the thermostat. "No need for that. These cars have good heaters. So, tell me. How are you feeling? Everything clear in your mind? Are you ready for the trial?"
"No, not really. Everything's still a little fuzzy. Maybe I need more time."
"Harris said you had all your memory back." He tapped the ring against the dash and cast her a sideways glance. "Are you having trouble remembering what you saw? If so, we'll go on your statement and keep you out of the stand. Can't have a mistrial due to faulty memory. That would only undo what we've tried to accomplish."
"It's been less than twenty-four hours since my memory has returned. Maybe you're right. Maybe I should give it a few days." Piper put a tentative hand to the power controls. She needed to get out. She felt his too-sharp gaze and forced herself to control her body language. Hardy wasn't a fool. He was skilled at reading people, too. She felt like they were caught in a power struggle. And her life depended on her winning.
Piper tried to roll the window down only to find it was locked.
"Too warm, now?" She saw his nostrils flare. "You need some fresh air? I can pull over."
Piper dared to hope. "That'd be great."
Instead of pulling over, Hardy took a right off the main road and headed up the mountain. Her stomach sank. He was taking her to the falls.
His next words confirmed it. "You know I've never seen these falls of yours that everyone talks about. It'll be a good place to get out, stretch your legs a little before we head back."
Piper managed a nod. Her mind went through scenario after scenario. And none ended well. She checked the side mirror, saw the black and white following maybe four or five hundred feet back, far away enough for her to jump out, get some distance. She wondered what three against one meant for her odds of running. She felt her gun pressing into the small of her back. If she pulled it now...
"You know, it's too bad about Ms. Chester."
The car jarred as it took another right, leaving the pavement for the dirt road leading to the falls. Piper looked down at the sheer drop off running alongside the road. There was no jumping out here.
"What about her?"
"Tried to escape. My men had to shoot her."
Piper's heart pounded so hard she thought it might burst. "What?" Her voice betrayed a slight tremor.
Hardy looked over, all pretense gone. "Too bad, isn't it?”
"What do you mean?" She wasn't ready to give in.
"Let's not play games, shall we? You're one of my best detectives. Smart, determined, always going above and beyond." He snarled. "You and I both know what you know. What you remember, what you obviously have pieced together. Right, detective?"
Piper felt for the door handle. She could jump. She thought about the drop. Her chances of survival were not good. Either way.
The parking area came into view. The only vehicle there was a battered van with a tie-dye mural. No people. Piper did the only thing she could think of doing.
She grabbed the wheel, sent the vehicle crashing into the embankment. Hardy hit the brakes, grabbing her arm and wrenching it away.
"You little—"
Her fist connected with his jaw, and the car ran up the embankment and into the peace van parked at the edge. Hardy lunged toward her. Piper fought his grip, pushing her palm up forcefully toward his face. It connected solidly to his nose and his head whipped back.
He let go and she opened her door, falling onto the hard ground and scrambling for balance. She got to her knees, heard Hardy's door open. She reached behind her, pulled her gun, and aimed it in the direction she thought he was.
His voice came from the other side. "My men are right behind us. There's no escape, Piper."
She gauged his whereabouts, moved as silently as she could to the other side of the car door. She needed cover. The trees were too far away. She backed up toward the van.
A bullet whizzed past her head.
Piper ducked, fired back toward Hardy, and ran for the cover of the van.
"It's useless, Piper. I hear them coming. Do you hear them?"
Piper peered around the van, crouching low behind a tire to hide herself. She glanced under the vehicle and saw Hardy's feet inching forward on the other side. She aimed and fired.
A sharp curse rang out. Pay dirt.
The sound of a vehicle caught her attention. Piper's breathing hitched. She needed to run.
She looked around. Her only route was a path through the woods where she would be in the open, but it was her only hope. She took a deep breath and listened for Hardy.
Then she ran, firing toward his vicinity with practiced accuracy, creating a wide circle of hits to keep him ducking. And she was in the woods, dodging, moving from tree to tree as she ran. She heard Hardy behind her, heard shots, thud after thud.
She stumbled over a rock, hitting her arm on a low branch, and bit her lip to keep from crying out. The falls were just ahead. The rushing water of the twin spouts hitting the rocks below deafened any sounds she might discern. She grabbed for a low limb, pulled herself up the steep incline above her and pushed her body to move up the mountainside. Her lungs burned, her legs ached, her mind raced. She couldn't go fast enough. She would have to find a defensive position.
Piper reached for another limb and hauled herself toward the jutting rocks above her. Her arms protested, so did her legs. She couldn't take much more. Her lungs were going to collapse.
She dug into the side of the cliff and got a hold on the rocks. She leaned back, her chest rising so hard and fast she was sure she would never stop gasping.
She tried to listen for him over her own labored breathing. The sound of a twig snapping had her jerking her head toward the underbrush below. She heard a muffled curse and then a crashing that meant one thing. A body falling in the woods. She held her breath. Only the water's roar met her ears.
Piper dared ease down, using the ridge of pines as cover. Her feet hit the changing incline, sloping toward the flat ground above the falls. Fresh scrapes were visible against the ground where the leaves had been and now earth showed the descent, Hardy or one of his men. She followed the marks. Two feet before they ended she saw something black in the leaves. She bent, keeping her eyes on the woods, and reached for it.
A gun. With almost a full load unlike her own.
Piper crept toward the opening. She peered between the trees, keeping her head covered, the gun ready. She saw Hardy backing away, a limp in his retreating steps evident.
She heard running footfalls, saw Sean come into the clearing, his weapon drawn, trained on Hardy. Hardy held up his hands. No weapon.
Piper raced out, waving the gun. "Wait. He's not armed."
Sean turned toward her voice, and Pipers saw Hardy reach behind him.
A split second passed, she aimed, saw a flash of silver, and fired.
29
Sean’s head whipped to Hardy's cry.
Hardy clutched hi
s shoulder and fell forward, the blood seeping dark and wide. Hardy's knees hit the ground and Sean rushed over to kick the gun from Hardy's reach.
Piper ran forward. "I thought I had his only weapon. I’m so sorry."
She pulled his gun from her waistband and handed it to Sean before picking up the other gun and emptying its chamber into her trembling hand. She tossed the now empty gun back to the ground and took the one she had given him before. He reached for his cuffs and started toward Hardy.
His eyes shifted between the groaning man and Piper. "Are you hurt?"
"No, just realizing how out of shape I really am." Piper raised her own weapon toward Hardy. "Haven't had target practice in a while."
"Looks fine to me." Sean was surprised at her steady aim, considering the tremble he'd just witnessed. She moved her neck side to side and narrowed her eyes. If looks could kill, Hardy would have bled out before his very eyes. He could see the rage in Piper's face.
She glanced back toward the road. "Where are his men?"
"Wrecked."
"Wrecked?"
"Yeah, you're not the only one who can shoot straight. Blown tires put them a little off course. Walsh has them in custody." Sean heard the sound of sirens. Back up was here.
Piper's eyes didn't stray from Hardy who appeared to have passed out. "The other car—" She tested Hardy's leg with her foot. "His men killed Charlene. Or were going to. He told me so."
"We figured she wouldn't make it back to Barton. Some of the boys went after them. We haven't had word." He knelt beside Hardy's prostrate form. He wasn't moving. Sean pressed two fingers to the man's fat neck. "He's alive."
"Good." She sounded relieved. "Even though...I'd hate..."
"I know." And he did.
She looked at him and back down at Hardy. She bent and checked the wound.
"He won't bleed to death. I'm so glad you understood my message. I didn't have time for more. But like you said, you know me better than I do." She smiled, and his stomach clenched.
"I wasn't sure for a moment there."
Her smile wavered and disappeared. "Sean, I’m sorry. More words I didn't mean."
His breath caught. Her eyes held his. He swallowed. Hard. "More words?"
"Like the ones I said three years ago."
She didn't look away, and he wanted to know if she meant what he thought she did.
"I'm sorry for everything."
His heart hammered. "I'm sorry, too, Piper. I let pride get in the way. I should’ve come after you, tried to work it out. You were right about the good old boys. We both failed each other. I’m sorry."
She shrugged. "We must not have been ready then."
Then. What about now? He wanted to ask if she were ready now, if she wanted them again. And he wanted to gather her to him and never let go.
The sound of running footfalls stole the moment. Sean wished they had waited.
Walsh's voice boomed out over the sound of the falls. "Clear?"
Sean turned his head, yelling over his sore shoulder, "Yeah, all clear."
But things weren't clear with Piper.
With the busy scene, he couldn't get her alone, say what needed to be said. Stay. With me. He watched Walsh and a couple of paramedics haul the chief onto a gurney. Hardy let out a groan and gave Piper a last evil snarl.
"It isn't over."
Sean wanted to take his bare hands and strangle the man. "It is for you. By the way, Charlene sends her regards. Seems she knows you pretty well. After she understood just what kind of reward you had in mind, she had a lot to say about you. Real interesting stuff."
He spat at Sean and then laughed as they wrangled him back toward the road and the waiting squad.
Piper shivered. Her eyes were dark, her jaw tight. "I have to go back, Sean. This isn't over until I've made it so."
He nodded. "What can I do for you?"
She faced him. "Keep Nana safe. Keep yourself safe. I will be okay. I have to do this."
He didn't know what to say or what to do. The desire to hold her in his arms was still so strong. And she was within reaching distance. For now anyway. For the moment.
She smiled at him, and this time he didn't know what it meant, if it were a mask, a goodbye, a request. She squeezed his arm. "I have to go testify, Sean. And my life is in Barton."
She might as well have been squeezing his heart. "The life you want."
Stay. He couldn't ask what she wouldn't give. It was too much to hope. To ask. To want.
Sean pasted on his own smile. "Then go, Piper. Go home."
"Is that what you want?"
He gave her the only truth he could. "I want you to be happy. If your life in Barton is what you want, then that's what I want for you."
"And for you?"
He studied her face, the dilated pupils, the lower lip she was biting. "I want you."
"Sean, I want you, too." She stepped into his arms. "You are home. My home."
"What about Barton?"
"I do have to go back." She pulled away. "I have the trial, my apartment..."
"Your job."
"Yes, my job." She smiled, a genuine smile. "But for me, Piper right now, I don't want that life anymore, didn't really want it while I had it. Haven't for a long time."
"But you wanted more, you said so when you left. You needed more than a cop's job and a wife's world." The last words still stung.
Piper lowered her eyes. "I still mean that. The first part. I do my job, but it's just my job. What I really love, what has given me the most satisfaction in my work, is what I did for the community, for the women and children I helped take back their lives, stop being victims."
She stood straight again, her gaze back on him.
"Now that I've been one, I know more than ever that that's where I'm supposed to be, helping victims get their lives back. I could do a lot of good. Here, in Barton, wherever."
"Then you don't intend to stay in Barton?" He heard the hope in his voice and hurried on before she answered. "Even if you do, we can make it work." This time he would compromise. If that's what it took to keep her, then he was willing to meet her halfway. Or give all.
She shook her head and took his hand. "No, it's not home."
"You can have your job here, you know."
"No, I'm done with cubicles. In Barton and here. No more for me. That's not the life I want. I’m pretty sure I’m done." She squeezed his hand and this time his heart felt full, expanded. She laughed. "And for the first time, I know where home is, no matter where I am."
He pulled her to him, the feel of her arms wrapped around his waist, the warmth of her embrace anchoring him in the moment.
"What about you? What does Sean right now want?"
He didn't have to think about it. "Only you, the Piper you are right now, any Piper you’ll ever be. You're not the only one who knows where home is. It's right here." He held her tighter. "Always."
He bent his head, tasted her lips, felt her soft sigh, knew in his heart that he never wanted to let her go. And he wouldn't.
"Piper," he pulled back, taking her hands in his, "Piper, I love you. I want only your happiness. Are you sure this is what you want? Me, this?"
"Yes, I’m sure. I’m completely sure. Always. I love you."
He gathered her to him, and as her head rested at his chest, a slight crackle at his breast pocket had him reaching in and smiling.
Piper pulled back, gazing up at him as he broke off a piece of the potpourri spiral and reached for her hand.
No words passed between them as he slid it onto her finger, but she nodded, her eyes brimming as she laughed, and then her lips answered his unspoken question with a yes that promised him forever.
Epilogue
Piper sat at her desk. The cooling evening was signal enough that it was time for her to go. She saved what she was working on and called for Lily to come print the schedule for the next two weeks. Two weeks she wouldn't be there to run the place. But she was counting on Lynn and Lily to
keep things going smoothly.
The door opened and a gust of wind rushed over her, scattering a few of her papers. Most were held down by her paperweight, the picture of her and Sean smiling at her from a stack of things to do. It was her reminder. Of what it meant to be a victim, to overcome, and to find her home.
"Piper Adams, of all things!" Amy's exasperated voice caused Piper to grin. “Why are you here? And who are those two kids outside with Bridemobile written on that jalop? They said to tell you to hurry up. They’re fast, but not that fast.”
"Oh, some old friends I looked up. They’re giving me a ride to Nana’s and then dropping us at the airport.”
Amy arched a brow. Piper shrugged. “They’re good kids, and I think one of them has a crush on Lily. And speaking of her, I was just about to print off her schedule and be done. I was on my way to Nana's right now. Scout’s honor."
Amy sighed. "When in Mirror Falls, I guess. But shake a leg, sis. You're the only person I know who would be at work at a time like this."
"It had to be done."
"So does your hair." Amy handed her a box. "Oh, and this got here in time. Jai had it sent overnight."
Piper took the box, her hands shaking as she lifted the veil from the tissue packaging. Her mother's veil, Amy's veil, and now hers.
“Oh, thank you so much.”
Amy nodded at Piper's trembling hands. "Nervous?"
Piper smiled. "No, not even a bit." And it was true. She'd never been more at peace, more in love, more ready for anything.
She looked down at Nana's engagement ring on her finger and the spiral of potpourri she'd slid on behind it today. She was ready.
And so were all her friends and family that had gathered at Nana's to finally celebrate her and Sean making their vows.
Piper cherished each moment, savoring the words she spoke in promise, the exchange of rings, the pronouncement that they were, at last, husband and wife.
She turned to Sean, relishing the look in his eyes, the one that said her whole world was there with him.
Their lips met, a slow, tender kiss that stirred her heart and soul.