To Honor

by Laura Scott

  Giving the fire a wide berth, he made his way through the back doorway, noticing there was a large rolling cart filled with canned goods parked in front of another door.

  Eyes watering, he coughed as he leaned into the cart in an attempt to push it out of the way.

  It didn’t move.

  What in the world? He could barely see but used his hands to feel around down by the wheels. When he realized there was a brake lever engaged, he released it and the one on the other side so he could push the cart away from the door.

  “Carla?” He opened the door to what proved to be a tiny office area.

  “Jesse?”

  He’d never been so happy to hear his name. In the dim light, he could see her coming toward him. He reached out, snagged her arm, and pulled her close. “Yes, I’m here. Come on, let’s get out of here.”

  She nodded, leaning against him. Her body convulsed with one racking cough after the next from the smoke surrounding them.

  “This way,” he said through the fabric of his shirt, steering her away from the source of the fire.

  Several men wearing firefighting gear rushed toward them. “Is anyone else here?”

  “No.” Carla coughed again, then added, “Just me. I’m the one who called it in.”

  Jesse hadn’t realized she’d been the one to call for assistance. The firefighters ushered them outside. Carla didn’t seem to notice the shattered glass or pay attention to the destruction of her store. Whatever the fire hadn’t damaged would be lost to water from the attempt to douse the flames.

  The firemen took them out to the center of the parking lot, far away from the store, and made them sit down.

  “Oxygen for both of you.” The firefighter gave him a plastic face mask.

  “Carla first,” he croaked.

  “She already has one.” The firefighter’s tone held a note of annoyance. “The ambulance should be here soon. You’ll both need to be evaluated for smoke inhalation.”

  “Jesse? How did you know I was in trouble?” Carla asked, her voice hoarse and muffled from the oxygen mask.

  “I didn’t.” But he quickly looked around for the sheriff’s deputy. “I was coming to see you, Carla, when I noticed someone coming out of the store.”

  Her eyes widened, and she grasped his arm. “Dean Thomas?”

  “No, actually it was my partner, Brian Malone.” A fact he still hadn’t quite come to grips with. “I’m sure he was the one who did this. He was wearing a dark sweatshirt with the hood pulled up over his head.”

  “That doesn’t make sense. I don’t understand.”

  Jesse didn’t much understand it either, but now that Carla was safe, he felt as if he needed to focus on finding Brian. To hold his old friend and college roommate responsible for what he’d done.

  Carla could have died. And for what? Just because Jesse wanted to move to McNally Bay? It didn’t make sense. It wasn’t as if the two of them were in the same city very often.

  Garth Lewis rushed over, his gaze full of concern. “Carla, Jesse, I’m so glad you’re both all right.”

  Carla wasn’t even close to being all right judging by the sound of her cough. Where was the stupid ambulance? He grasped the deputy’s arm. “Garth, listen. I witnessed Brian Malone, my business partner, coming out of the grocery store. I believe he set the fire. In fact, I’m starting to think he’s been behind all of these attacks against me. Only this last time, he decided to go after the woman I love instead of directly coming at me.”

  “Okay, I’ll send out a BOLO.” Garth didn’t try to second guess him. “Give me a description.”

  “Here’s a picture.” He used his phone to provide Garth Brian’s likeness. Then Jesse filled him in, feeling a bit helpless because Brian didn’t have much in the way of distinguishing marks or tattoos. In fact, it was no wonder Jesse hadn’t noticed him before now, the guy had average features that would always blend into the crowd.

  Thinking back, he was certain that Brian had been the one to smack him from the motorcycle. McNally Bay wasn’t that far from Chicago. Brian had likely made the trip there and back in a day.

  Wait a minute. He abruptly straightened. Who said Brian was in Chicago at all? The calls between them had been through their respective cell phones.

  Was it possible Brian was staying in a hotel close by and had been from the very beginning? Coming in and out of McNally Bay at will? Had Brian even gone as far as infecting their own computer software system?

  Why?

  Garth was speaking into the radio on his collar, giving the name and description of the suspect related to the Templeton Grocery Store fire.

  “Check the hotels in the area,” he told Garth when he finished. “I think Brian has been here in or just outside of McNally Bay the entire time. He must be the one who threw the brick at my car, and all the rest.”

  “Will do.” Garth glanced once more at Carla. She was coughing less now, but Jesse was still concerned about the potential damage to her lungs. “Carla, do you want me to call your mom? She might hear about the fire.”

  “Oh, yes, please let her know I’m okay. In fact, there’s no need to tell her I was inside the store. Just let her know I’m with Jesse and I’m fine.”

  Garth hesitated, then nodded. He walked back toward his squad and slid in behind the wheel. Seconds later, he was out of the parking lot, leaving nothing but dust in his wake.

  Jesse wished he could go with him, but he refused to leave Carla.

  If he hadn’t decided to go meet her . . . He shuddered, unable to imagine what might have happened. Oh sure, the firemen had responded quickly, but without the broken glass, Jesse didn’t think they would have known anyone was inside. And if they did know, they may have taken too long to find her, especially as she was locked in the back office.

  Anger simmered at what Brian had done. Risking Carla’s life for no good reason.

  The ambulance pulled up, and two EMTs climbed out. Jesse insisted on Carla being treated first.

  “I’m fine,” she insisted. “My coughing is already better, see?”

  The fact that her words were followed by another series of coughs did not help her case. Yet Jesse had a feeling she’d refuse to go to the hospital.

  “I’m not leaving.” Carla coughed again. “Bronson Methodist is too far away. My daughter needs me. Can’t I just follow up in the clinic?”

  Jesse opened his mouth to argue but caught sight of Irene Templeton and Cassie hurrying toward them.

  “Carla! Are you all right?” Her mother appeared shaken at seeing Carla with an oxygen mask.

  “I’m fine. You shouldn’t have come.” Carla’s gaze went to Cassie.

  The little girl flung herself into Carla’s arms. “I’m sorry, Mom. I love you.”

  “I know, sweetie. I love you, too.”

  “What happened?” Irene demanded.

  “It’s my fault.” Jesse removed the oxygen mask and rose to his feet. “Apparently, my business partner decided to target me and the people I care about. I saw him leaving the store, and I’m certain he started the fire.”

  “Jesse saved me, Mom,” Carla spoke up. “He came right into the fire to save me.”

  For a long moment Irene stared incredulously, then surprised him by throwing her arms around him in a warm embrace.

  “Thank you,” she whispered against his chest. “Thank you for saving my daughter.”

  He awkwardly patted her back. “There’s no need to thank me, Mrs. Templeton. I love Carla. I’d do anything for her. And for Cassie.”

  “You do?” Cassie asked.

  Carla gaped at him from behind her oxygen mask. “You do?”

  “Yeah, I do.” He met Carla’s gaze head-on, ignoring the others for a moment. “It’s the main reason I’m moving to McNally Bay. I love you. And if it’s too soon for you, that’s fine. I’ll wait until you’re ready.”

  Carla didn’t have a response to that, and he ignored the pang around his heart that she hadn’t said she was
ready to love him right now.

  “Well, I’m happy to hear that.” Irene let him go, subtly wiping her eyes.

  “You’re going to live here, forever?” Cassie asked.

  “That’s right.” He reluctantly tore his gaze from Carla to meet his daughter’s. “But I don’t want you to think that means you can be mean to your mother the way you were earlier today. From now on, I’m on your mother’s side. What she says, goes, so don’t even bother to try to get around us like that again.”

  “I won’t.” Cassie threw herself into his arms. “I’m glad you’re staying, Dad.”

  He bent down to kiss the top of Cassie’s head. “Me, too.”

  Carla didn’t say anything, and he couldn’t tell if the brightness in her eyes were tears of joy or a side effect of being in a smoky room.

  This hadn’t gone as planned, but he couldn’t deny that having Irene hug and thank him was a win.

  Now, all he needed to do was find a way to convince Carla to open her heart to him.

  The most difficult task of all.

  Carla couldn’t believe Jesse had proclaimed his love for her and that her mother had hugged him.

  What was going on? Did the two of them have smoke-fried brain cells?

  She wanted to believe that Jesse meant what he said, but she thought for sure that he’d spoken in the heat of the moment. Being stuck in her office with a fire raging on the other side of the door had been frightening.

  And trusting Jesse meant what he’d said, that he’d truly stick around for the long haul, was equally terrifying.

  She refused to go to the hospital, although agreed to keep using the oxygen as the firefighters put out the blaze. Her store was in shambles. Of course, they had insurance, but being out of business in the middle of summer would be a terrible blow financially.

  She told herself not to think about it.

  “Mrs. Templeton, why don’t you take Cassie back home?” Jesse suggested. “It’s late, and there’s nothing more to do here. As soon as Carla feels up to it, I’ll bring her home.”

  “Okay.” Irene gave Carla a hug, then stepped back so Cassie could do the same.

  Shortly after they left, a brown squad pulled up. Garth slid out from behind the wheel with a satisfied smile on his face. He jerked a thumb toward the vehicle. “Got your guy here, Jesse. You want to verify he’s the one you saw?”

  “Absolutely.” Jesse approached the car and peered inside. “Yeah, that’s Brian Malone. He’s the one I saw running from the grocery store with the hood of his sweatshirt up over his head.”

  Carla’s curiosity got the better of her. She took the oxygen mask off and joined Jesse. The guy in the back seat wore a sullen expression on his face and couldn’t meet Jesse’s eyes.

  “Why, Brian? All this just because I planned to move to McNally Bay?”

  Brian didn’t answer.

  “We’ve got him cold, Jesse. His clothes reek like turpentine, and I found the motorcycle he rented to get around town. With your testimony, he’ll do time for arson and attempted murder.”

  Jesse curled his fingers into fists. Carla put a warning hand on his arm. “Don’t, Jesse. He’s not worth it.”

  “Why?” he asked again as if desperate to understand.

  “I wanted you out working, not staying here for an entire week. I thought damaging your car would send you straight back to Chicago, but instead you decided to play house with the girl you knocked up years ago.” Brian scowled and shrugged. “Don’t you understand? We don’t make money unless you’re working.”

  “Me? What about you?”

  Brian shook his head, then turned away. “I can’t do the job like you,” he finally admitted. “I tried and failed.”

  Carla suddenly understood. Their partnership wasn’t really a partnership at all. Brian had been living off Jesse’s skill all this time. “You leech,” she said with disdain. “What did you do while Jesse was working hours and hours? Golf? Party? What?”

  Brian shrugged. “I pretended to have jobs so he wouldn’t figure out that I wasn’t doing anything other than maintaining our finances.”

  Jesse appeared stunned speechless at the news. After a long moment, he spoke. “You infected our computer software, didn’t you?”

  Brian tipped his chin to his chest, which was answer enough.

  Garth stepped closer. “That’s enough. Jesse, you’ll be able to bring a fraud case against him if you’d like, but for now, I’m taking him in for these recent crimes.”

  “Go ahead.” Jesse took a step back. “I’m done talking to him.”

  Garth slid in behind the wheel and drove off, taking Brian Malone to the Clark County jail.

  “I can’t believe it,” Jesse murmured. “My friend, my partner did this. Just to hide the fact that he was incompetent and living off me.”

  “Oh, Jesse.” She put her arm around his waist and gave him a quick hug. “I’m sorry that it turned out this way. I was sure that Dean Thomas was the one behind this. I even saw him earlier today.”

  Jesse drew her close, and she realized that both of their clothing still reeked of smoke. “I hate knowing that you were put in danger because of me.”

  “I’m fine, and so are you.” Her heart ached for the sense of betrayal he must be feeling. “We’ll get through this, Jesse, together.”

  “Together,” he repeated. He tugged her closer so that she was fully in his arms. “I need you, Carla. More than you can possibly know. Being here with you like this makes me feel like I’ve come home. Not because of McNally Bay, but because of you. And Cassie. But mostly, you.”

  “Oh, Jesse. I need you, too.” And suddenly she realized how much she loved him. Had never really stopped loving him. And it seemed cruel not to tell him. “And I love you.”

  He froze, his muscles going tense. “What did you say?”

  “I love you.” She pulled out of his embrace enough to look him in the eye, the swirling red and white lights from the fire trucks illuminating his wary features. “If you want to know the truth, I’ve always loved you. I tried dating over the years, but each time was a colossal failure.”

  “I don’t want to rush you,” he protested, but she shushed him.

  “Just listen, okay? No man ever measured up to you, Jesse. Your family seemed so wonderful compared to mine. Mostly because me and my dad, well, we didn’t have a close relationship.”

  “I remember you saying that nine years ago,” he admitted.

  “Yes, and the night I told him I was pregnant,” she paused, coughed, then pushed on, “he slapped me across the face and told me the father had better not be one of those no-good McNallys. Less than five minutes later, he clutched his chest and went down like a rock.”

  “Oh, Carla.” Jesse pulled her close. “That must have been terrible.”

  “I couldn’t save him,” she admitted. “Telling him I was pregnant caused him to suffer a deadly heart attack. The guilt over what we had done was overwhelming. I knew then that he died being angry and disgusted with me, worse than usual. And there was nothing I could do to change it. For years I wanted my dad’s attention. For him to care about me. To be proud of me. But instead, I pretty much killed him.”

  For a long moment, Jesse simply held her. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “So sorry that you had to go through that alone.”

  She shrugged. “Looking back, I don’t think it was all my fault, but it sure felt that way at the time. For years I told myself Cassie was better off without you. Without a father. But deep down, I knew that wasn’t true. When you returned to McNally Bay, my heart filled with hope and dread. Hope because you looked better than ever, and dread because I thought for sure you’d leave me again. I guess that’s why I was so determined not to risk my heart by giving you a second chance.”

  “Carla.” His voice was low and husky. He bent and kissed her long and hard. “I’m sorry I hurt you back then, but please know that I love you very much.”

  “I know, and I love you, too.” She
hesitated, then added, “And I love the way you’re already forging a great relationship with Cassie. Very different than the one I had with my father. I want her to know what it’s like to have a father who loves and cares about her. Who supports her even when things go wrong.”

  “Carla, you’re so wonderful, so special. I’m so honored you’re willing to give us a chance.”

  “I’m not special.”

  “That’s your father talking, not me. You are very special.” He kissed her again, and she clung to him, never wanting to let go.

  Carla knew her heart belonged to Jesse McNally, now and forever. The grocery store was a mess, and his software company was, too.

  Yet none of that mattered as long as they had each other.

  Epilogue

  Three weeks later . . .

  It took Jesse longer than he’d anticipated to go through all the business financial statements, proving that Brian had been living off the money Jesse alone had earned. Brian had lied about how much they were being paid by each client and spent the difference on himself, putting the money under names of fake clients. Jesse couldn’t believe there was almost fifty thousand in Brian’s personal account, all money Jesse had earned, but as much as it galled him, he decided to let it go. No doubt a bulk of the cash would end up going to his former partner’s criminal defense lawyer.

  Jesse dissolved Software Solutions, Inc. and created a new company named Software Rescue, LLC. Jesse figured he could run the company out of his home, a new and different house he’d found located on the opposite side of town from the McNallys’ B&B. He’d continued searching for a place after the Kaplans made it clear they weren’t going to sell. Besides, he’d wanted something bigger and closer to the lake.

  Obviously, he was more high maintenance than he’d thought.

  After reviewing the finances, he knew he could cut his travel in half, providing more support to Carla and Cassie since Brian wouldn’t be living off him any longer.

  It was hard to accept that his old friendship was gone. Or, really, had never been. When he thought back to the five years he’d worked nonstop for the company, only to be taken advantage of, he saw red. But it the attack on Carla was so much worse than what Brian had done to him personally.