by Karen Rose
And then stared. Names. She counted them quickly. Nearly a dozen names. Scott King was one of them. And near the bottom of the list?
John Brewer, Blake Emerson, and Richard Fischer.
Oh. My. God.
‘What’s wrong?’ Diesel asked, rolling his head sideways, a frown on his face. ‘You just said “Oh my God.” What is it?’
A little laugh bubbled up Dani’s throat, sounding hysterical when it burst free. ‘Grant actually got him to confess. Kaiser, I mean. I was kidding when I told him that Kaiser would need a priest, but Grant did it. This is a list of Kaiser’s victims.’
Scarlett twisted in her seat, stunned. ‘What the hell? Gimme.’
Diesel took the book from Dani’s hands, suddenly alert. ‘He gave you the phone, Scarlett. He gave me the book.’
Scarlett’s eyes narrowed. ‘Diesel,’ she warned.
‘Chill, Scar,’ Marcus said soothingly. ‘He’ll hand it over. Let him look first.’
Diesel was doing more than looking. He had his phone out, searching the names. Dani held the Bible open, tilting it so that the lights from the interstate’s lamps illuminated the page, allowing Diesel to type with one hand while holding his phone with the other.
‘Missing,’ he muttered, then searched for another name. ‘Missing. Suicide. Missing.’ Fifteen minutes passed, and they were nearing the exit for Diesel’s house when he lifted his head. ‘They’re all reported missing or dead, either accidental causes or suicide. All except one. Leigh Gladwin. Don’t get off here,’ he ordered when Marcus moved to the exit lane. ‘We’re getting off at New Haven. Hurry.’
‘Why?’ Scarlett asked, clearly impatient.
Marcus said nothing, merely moving over a lane and flooring it.
Diesel leaned back, deep lines etched in his cheeks. ‘Henry Lindquist fell down his basement stairs three and a half years ago, breaking his neck.’
‘Like Charlie Akers,’ Dani said. ‘Quincy’s CSU tech.’
‘Yes.’ Diesel spoke heavily, his teeth still clenched. Still in pain. ‘But Leigh Gladwin, the first name on the list, hasn’t been reported dead or missing or anything. He’s still paying property taxes on his house. In Harrison.’
Dani understood. ‘That’s not far from where the guy was killed after buying Pampers and baby formula.’
Diesel handed his phone to Scarlett, then fell back against the seat. ‘There’s the address.’
Scarlett plugged it into her GPS. ‘Step on it, Marcus.’
Harrison, Ohio
Wednesday, 20 March, 3.40 A.M.
‘Getting shot sucks,’ Diesel grumbled. He’d watched Scarlett kick in the front door of the house supposedly owned by Leigh Gladwin, a seventy-year-old veteran of the Vietnam War. Dani had followed her in, against everyone’s wishes, especially Diesel’s. But she’d argued that if Evelyn and her baby were there, they might need her help, and Scarlett had reluctantly agreed.
But they’d been in the house for a long time. Actually, it had been less than a minute, but it felt like a fucking long time.
Marcus chuckled. He was standing outside the Subaru, talking to Diesel through a lowered window. Diesel knew his friend really wanted to be at his wife’s side but had stayed behind to keep Diesel safe. ‘That’s what you said the last time you got shot.’
Diesel pressed the heel of his hand to his chest, over the bullet that he’d carried for ten years. He’d gotten used to it, he realized. ‘It’s gonna be weird not having it anymore,’ he said, knowing Marcus would understand what he meant.
‘I can’t believe you wouldn’t let Dad help you. You’re a real asshole, Diesel.’
‘Yeah,’ Diesel agreed. ‘It’s . . . I don’t know. It’s almost like I needed to keep it.’
Marcus looked at him sharply. ‘Why? So that I’d feel guilty all these years, knowing you were walking around with my bullet in your heart?’
Diesel blinked at him. ‘What? Why would you . . .’ Oh. It had honestly never occurred to him, not in all these years, that Marcus would feel guilty that Diesel had taken a bullet meant for him. But it should have.
And maybe he had wanted Marcus to feel guilty. Or at least responsible. A little. No, not really. ‘I didn’t want you to feel guilty. But I did like being . . . part of you guys. Part of the family.’ And the bullet had been his entrée. He’d earned his place at the O’Bannion family’s table.
Marcus was scowling at him. ‘You fucking asshole. Did you really think we only love you because you almost died for me? My God, Diesel. I can’t—’ He yanked open Diesel’s door and leaned in so that they were nose to nose. ‘We love you for you, you idiot.’ He hooked his hand around Diesel’s neck, then stilled, his touch gentling. ‘Sorry, man. You got me so mad that I forgot you were hurt.’ He let him go, bracing his hands on the vehicle’s frame. ‘But tell me that you believe me, that we don’t care about the damn bullet. We care about you.’
They love me for me. ‘I know.’ He’d always known it, down deep.
‘Do you?’ Marcus shook his head. ‘Do you really? Goddammit, when you’re better, I’m going to kick your ass.’
‘Nothing says love like an ass-kicking,’ Diesel said dryly, but he was smiling. ‘I knew, Marcus. I did. But maybe I . . . I don’t know. Maybe I didn’t feel like I deserved it for only being me.’
And maybe he and Dani Novak had even more in common than he’d thought.
Marcus’s expression softened. ‘But you feel different now?’
Diesel thought about the woman who’d devoted her life to caring for others so that she’d be more deserving. When everyone who mattered already loved her for herself. ‘Yeah. I think I get it now.’
He hoped Dani did. If she didn’t, he’d spend the rest of his life convincing her.
Marcus smiled slyly. ‘So? You and Dani? Finally?’
Diesel realized that he and Marcus hadn’t talked since the night Stone was shot. ‘Yeah. It’s all good. Finally.’
Marcus swallowed hard. ‘Good. I want my child’s godfather to be happy.’
Diesel’s mouth fell open. ‘But . . .’
Marcus grinned. ‘Still not naming him Elvis.’
‘Thank God,’ Diesel muttered. ‘What about Stone, though? Won’t he want to be the godfather?’
‘He can be godfather to the next one. He’s happy to be an uncle. And Diesel, I can’t think of a better role model for my kid.’
Diesel wiped his eyes with his sleeve. ‘Shit. Not fair, man.’
Marcus ran a hand over Diesel’s head, but Diesel could feel his hand tremble. ‘I can’t get used to you with hair. It’s been forever.’
Subject changed. Thank God. Too much emotion for one night.
The front door of Gladwin’s house opened and Marcus straightened abruptly. ‘It’s Scar, and she’s got the woman and her baby. Be right back.’
‘Where’s Dani?’ Diesel yelled after him. He heaved his body, managing to turn himself in the seat, but had to stop with only his feet out of the door because the world started to spin.
And it hurt. Motherfuck, it hurt. It had been bad when he’d remained still. But moving? ‘Shit.’
The passenger door opened on the other side of the Subaru. ‘Diesel, get your ass back in the car,’ Marcus snapped, then his voice gentled. ‘Sorry, Evelyn. My friend just left the hospital against medical advice. Diesel, Evelyn. Evelyn, Diesel. Sit tight, Evelyn. The ambulance will be here soon.’
Diesel edged himself back into the seat. The woman was late twenties, but looked a lot older due to the circles under her eyes. ‘Hi, Evelyn. Where’s Dani?’
The woman’s lips curved slightly as she climbed into the car, reaching for the baby that Marcus held. Once her child was safely in her arms, she turned to Diesel. ‘Dani says for you to stay the hell put and that she’s fine.’ She sighed wearily. ‘There’s a guy down there
and she’s taking care of him. He’s been in and out of consciousness since Kaiser stuck me in there. I don’t even know how long ago that was.’
It took Diesel a moment. ‘It’s Wednesday morning and he escaped with you on Monday morning, so two days. Do you know who the guy is?’
‘Andrew McNab. He came to enough to tell me that.’
‘Oh good.’ Diesel breathed out. The interpreter wasn’t dead. ‘And how are you?’
‘Unhurt. Just . . . tired. I’m so tired.’
‘Join the club,’ Diesel said, and she laughed wearily.
‘Dani said that you found me. That you found this place. Thank you.’ Her voice broke. ‘Thank you so much.’
Diesel gave her a nod, then they both lapsed into silence until several police cruisers and two ambulances arrived. The first ambulance took Evelyn and her baby. Paramedics raced from the second, carrying a stretcher into the basement.
Minutes later, they reappeared, a man strapped to the stretcher, followed by Dani. She stopped at the ambulance to talk to the paramedics, then stepped back when they drove away, siren screeching.
She dropped into the seat Evelyn had just vacated. ‘Andrew the interpreter.’
‘Will he be okay?’ Diesel asked.
‘I think so. He came out of it for a few minutes and the first thing he asked was if Michael was okay.’ She settled in the seat so that she was looking at him. ‘I don’t know how much longer he would have lasted. He’s got some internal bleeding and he’s terribly dehydrated. So thank you, Diesel Kennedy.’
He took her hand and kissed it. ‘Love you.’
She smiled. ‘Love you, too.’
‘I think I’m going to let Scarlett and Marcus pack up my computers.’ He lifted a brow. ‘Can I stay with you for a while until I’m all healed up?’
She blinked. ‘You had to ask? Silly man. Of course you can. Besides, you have to read Joshua’s bedtime stories. He likes how you do the voices.’
Marcus got behind the wheel. ‘Scar’s going to get a ride back with one of the uniforms. She told me to find you somewhere that you can rest.’
Diesel closed his eyes. ‘Then let’s get the boys and go home.’
Epilogue
Cincinnati, Ohio
Saturday, 12 October, 2.30 P.M.
Hands closed over Dani’s shoulders, giving her a tiny shake. ‘Go outside,’ Deacon said. ‘Everything is perfect. Go enjoy your party.’
Dani dried her hands on a towel, then turned and pressed a kiss to her brother’s cheek. ‘I’m going to. Just had to get the cake ready.’
‘It’s perfect,’ Deacon said again, and it was. Decorated with Hawkeye and Storm action figures plus cartoon images of the dogs that were their namesakes, it was big enough to feed thirty people – or ten people and two teenagers. And in bold letters in the middle of the cake were the words HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR FAMILY.
Deacon picked up the cake platter. ‘Hold the door open. I’ll carry it outside.’
Dani did, and took a deep breath of crisp fall air. It had been hot in the kitchen, as she’d had the oven going since the night before. But it was worth it. So worth it.
The weather had cooperated, giving them a beautiful day for their celebration. Most of their guests wore jeans and heavy sweaters, but a few still wore the suits and dresses they’d worn to court, she and Deacon among them.
It had been an easy adoption, all things considered. Joshua and Michael had no living relatives, so there’d been no need to terminate parental rights.
Freeing the boys of their unstable mother and abusive stepfather was probably the only really good thing Cade Kaiser had done. Dani had found herself ethically torn on the other murders. Except for Wesley Masterson, Charlie Akers, George Garrett, and the innocent kid who’d bought Kaiser diapers and antibiotic cream, his victims had been the scum of the earth and deserved to die. But it was difficult to condone Kaiser’s vigilantism. Yes, Diesel was also a vigilante, but he didn’t kill anyone. He saved women and children all over the city from abusers. But Kaiser had enjoyed torturing his victims – and he’d tried to kill Michael, several times. That fact alone erased any other good he might have claimed credit for.
But they never had to worry about Cade Kaiser again. The man had held on for another day in ICU, but had died alone and in pain. Not enough pain, Dani thought, but brushed the anger aside. She wasn’t sorry that she’d stabbed him. She had only to look at her two sons to know she’d done the right thing.
Michael and Joshua were happy kids. Happy, healthy kids who knew that they were loved. That was the most important thing.
She found Joshua easily. He was introducing Storm – who was already gigantic – to Scarlett’s daughter, now a month old. Scarlett and Marcus had named her Michelle, after Marcus and Stone’s younger brother, Mikhail, who’d been killed five years before.
Jeremy and Keith were the proudest grandparents Dani had ever seen – although they’d made it clear to Joshua and Michael that little Michelle was their third grandchild. Michael and Joshua were the first two, because Diesel was their adopted son.
Michael had grinned for days. So had Diesel. And if Dani hadn’t already loved the two men who’d taken them all under their collective fatherly wing, she certainly would now.
‘Dani?’ Deacon said in her good ear. ‘Stop grinning like a lunatic and tell me where to put this cake. I’m not getting any younger, y’know.’
Laughing, Dani pointed to the space she’d cleared at the end of the long table filled with food. ‘There. Thanks, Deacon.’
‘You’re welcome.’ He gave her a little nudge with his foot. ‘Go. Mingle.’
She did as he suggested, chatting with the guests, making sure all the pregnant women had what they needed. Scarlett’s announcement had triggered a rash of baby-making, with Faith and Meredith due within weeks of each other. Delores wasn’t far behind.
Apparently Stone had healed very quickly, but just muttered something like ‘I’m rubber and you’re glue’ when Diesel had teased him about it, because they truly were ten years old. And because Diesel had healed quickly too.
Thank God for that, Dani thought with an inner smirk. There would be no babies for them, but that didn’t stop them from ‘perfecting the technique’, as Diesel termed it.
Thankfully, Andrew McNab had also recovered, and he and Evelyn had become cozy during his convalescence. They stood together now off to the side of the yard, Evelyn’s baby on Andrew’s hip. Dani thought she’d seen a ring on Evelyn’s finger earlier, but hadn’t had time to ask for details. She would before the afternoon was over.
Her own ring had already been oohed and aahed over. Diesel had proposed two months after he’d been shot, the night before he’d gone in for surgery to remove the bullet poised next to his heart. Which had, of course, been successful, just as Jeremy had been telling him for years.
They’d be married on Christmas Eve, with Scarlett’s uncle Trace conducting the ceremony. The invitations had gone out, both of them stunned at how many people they knew. Life was very good.
Neighbors milled around, smiling and chatting. It had been a little dicey directly after Kaiser had blown up the neighborhood, and Dani and Diesel had campaigned hard to regain the favor of their neighbors, working with the insurance company to fix the damage. But all it had really taken was one look at Joshua’s winsome smile, and the neighbors had been putty in their hands.
‘Mama.’ Joshua tugged on her jacket. ‘When can we eat the cake?’
She smiled down at him. ‘Good question. Let’s go find your dad and brother so we can cut it all together.’ Joshua had slid into calling them Mama and Dad pretty quickly. It had taken Michael longer, and he still called them Dani and Coach more often than not, but that was okay. If he never called them Mom and Dad, he still knew they loved him.
She held out her hand for Joshua and he
took it, chattering about how much the new baby liked Storm. The overgrown puppy was exactly what the little boy had needed, giving him a sense of permanence and safety. Storm never left his side, just like Hawkeye never strayed from Michael’s.
She saw Hawkeye before she found Diesel and Michael, the dog’s wagging tail visible beyond the far corner of the house. Diesel and Michael stood shoulder to shoulder, each holding one edge of a large piece of paper. Greg stood next to Michael, signing animatedly. The older man on Diesel’s left had been a surprise arrival – his old teacher, Walt Dyson, who’d been delighted to see Diesel so happy. Marcus completed the group. He was pointing to the paper with one hand and up at the house with the other.
‘Um, guys?’ Dani said. ‘What’s going on?’
Diesel and Michael both spun, each trying to hide the paper behind their backs, then laughing when they both dropped it. ‘We wanted to show Father Dyson,’ Michael signed, beaming. ‘It’s a surprise. For you.’
She narrowed her eyes in mock suspicion. ‘What kind of surprise?’
‘You’ll like it,’ Joshua said with a giggle.
‘You knew too?’ She smiled at him. His giggles were bright spots in every day. ‘Am I the only one who isn’t in on it?’
Diesel picked up the paper and held it for her to see. ‘Take a look.’
‘It’s a blueprint,’ she said cautiously, stepping closer to study it. ‘For what?’
Diesel nervously rubbed one hand over his bald-again head. He did indeed have a gorgeous head of hair, but he’d shaved it after a few months, saying it was ‘too much damn trouble’. Either way, he was the sexiest man she’d ever seen, especially in the suit he was wearing, which fit him perfectly. He’d tugged the tie loose, revealing a glimpse of the ink she loved so much.
‘For the house,’ he said, then met her eyes. ‘We’re filled up now, and I know you’ve had to turn away two deaf foster kids who needed you.’
It was true, and it had broken her heart, but Michael and Joshua were her sons now. They came first. She and Diesel were trying to figure out how to fit a small bedroom into the available space in the basement, but there wasn’t enough room.