Always the One

by Tara Randel

  “We have your back,” he said, thinking she was going to argue with him, not express her feelings. She swallowed hard.

  “There’s nowhere I’d rather be, nothing more important than you, so get used to having me around.”

  She sent him a wobbly smile. How had she gotten so lucky to have him back in her life? She needed to stop questioning the reasons for his sudden appearance and simply rejoice in his presence.

  She held out her hand. His gaze never breaking from hers, he twined their fingers together. As much as she was worried, she knew she had a support system. She wasn’t as alone as she’d made herself believe.

  A few people came in through the sliding doors, bringing with them a cold breeze. Outside, the clouds had grown heavier, blocking the sun from fully shining. She inhaled the crisp air, a welcome contrast to the hospital smells.

  “I’m not sure how long they’ll keep her here,” Hannah said after they’d been sitting quietly for a long time.

  He tugged her closer and she snuggled into his side. “Like I said, not going anywhere.”

  She savored his arm around her, this calm in the storm, when a thought occurred to her. She leaned away to view his face. “What about your mother’s wedding?” she couldn’t help asking. Derrick couldn’t stay here indefinitely, could he?

  “We’ll play it by ear.”

  Her chest went tight. He wasn’t going to leave her.

  “How about we all make the trip?” he suggested. “The three of us, if your mother is up to it.”

  He wanted her to come to his family event. How odd to be asked after years of refusing to make any lasting relationships. Maybe that’s why the gesture touched her so deeply.

  Overcome by emotion, she twisted toward him to rest her forehead against his. She inhaled his tangy cologne. Felt his breath on her lips. She wanted to kiss him, to let the touch of his lips make her forget what was going on in this place, but she forced herself to relish only his very solid presence.

  A discreet cough sounded nearby. Startled by the sight of Jonathan, she pushed away from Derrick. Her fiancé—were they exes because she’d taken the ring off?—stuffed his hands in his coat pockets, clearly surprised to find her in another man’s arms. She leaped up. Derrick rose slowly beside her.

  “I’ve been trying to get ahold of you, Anna. When you didn’t answer, I became worried. I was finally able to contact Lynny. She told me your mother had been brought here.”

  “Yes. That cold I told you about? It turned to pneumonia.”

  “She’ll be okay?”

  “As long as nothing goes wrong, I believe so.”

  He shot a glance at Derrick, then back. The awkward tension between the three of them grew. Jonathan finally nodded at them both. “I should probably leave. Please give my regards to your mother.”

  “I will.” He turned to walk away. Hannah hurried after him. “Jonathan. Wait.”

  He stopped. Slowly faced her. “I see how it is, Anna.”

  She blinked away fresh tears. “I’m sorry.”

  He merely nodded again, his face emotionless, and walked away.

  She sensed Derrick come up behind her. She looked over her shoulder and when he moved closer, she reached out to him.

  “Talk about terrible timing,” she said.

  Derrick tugged her into his arms. “Sorry he had to see us like that.”

  “I suppose it was for the best.” But the guilt left a horrible taste in her mouth. She’d decided she was going to tell Jonathan that she couldn’t marry him. Return the ring, apologize and hope he wouldn’t be hurt. Now he had every reason to think the worst of her.

  Before Derrick could say anything, the older woman from behind the desk headed in their direction.

  “Your mother is being moved to room 330. Give the team about thirty minutes to get her settled.”

  Hannah thanked the woman. With time to kill, she and Derrick took their seats on the couch. “It’s going to be a long day.”

  “It’s a good thing I’m a patient man,” he said, sending her a gentle smile.

  She scooted closer, hooked her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder, still amazed that they were indeed in this together. Both she and her mother couldn’t ask for a better gift than to have Derrick in their lives.

  Everything would be fine now, she convinced herself. For her mother. Between her and Derrick. Despite their uncertain future, she refused to entertain any other possibility.

  * * *

  IT WAS LATE when Derrick returned to his hotel room. Carol and Lynny had gone home after Sophia was made comfortable in her room. Hannah refused to budge, so he hung out until Sophia insisted they both leave in order to get a good night’s sleep. After she drifted off, he’d persuaded Hannah to drive home and rest. He imagined it was going to be a long night for all of them, but she needed some downtime to recharge her batteries.

  Tossing his keys on the dresser, he pulled his phone from his jeans pocket. He hadn’t checked his phone for hours. Messages and multiple missed-call alerts dotted the screen. He tapped one, seeing that Dylan had been trying to reach him. He found his brother’s number and soon had him on the line.

  “Dude, I’ve been trying to reach you all day.”

  “Sorry.” He ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Hannah’s mother is in the hospital. Pneumonia. I’ve been with them.”

  “Sorry, man. Will she be okay?”

  “Looks like it.” He went to the tiny bathroom and filled a glass with water. “The medicine was already working when I left.”

  “How’s Hannah?”

  He mentally visualized her face, pale yet stunningly lovely, shoulders squared as a determined glint flashed in her eyes. She was exhausted, but would have stayed by her mother’s bedside all night if need be. “Coping. She actually let me fuss over her. Since I’ve been here she’s made sure to hammer home the fact that she can take care of every problem by herself. Truthfully, I think she was glad for the backup.”

  “And you?” Dylan asked.

  His chest pinched in the vicinity of his heart. He took a sip of water. “Thankful to be here for her.”

  “You always did like being in everyone’s business.”

  He dropped onto the bed. “I’m learning to let go.” He lay back and stared at the ceiling. “What’s so important?”

  “We got a lead on Hannah’s father.”

  Derrick shot up. “So soon?”

  “You were right—he went back to his real name.”

  Wow. He’d never expected the hunt to be this easy. “Has anyone made contact?”

  “No. Logan wanted instructions on how he should proceed.”

  Derrick rose and began to pace the length of the room. “Text me the info you have. There’s another issue developing and I think it’s time to bring the Bureau in.”

  “What kind of new development?”

  “Hannah met a guy the other night at a local art gallery. In light of the missing gems, she was unnerved by his attention on her and managed to snap his picture. I’m going to send it to my superior and have him check into this guy’s identity. If he has any connection to the gemstones, I want our bases covered. No point in giving away Mr. Rawlings’s location yet.”

  “Okay. Sending the info now. Let me know where we go from here.”

  “I will. Thanks, Dylan.”

  “Hey, what are brothers for?”

  “I always thought to mess with, but I appreciate all you’ve done.” He paused a moment. “Listen, if things don’t look up here, I might miss Mom’s wedding. You up to walking her down the aisle if I can’t make it?”

  Dylan let out a slow whistle. “You’re a brave man, risking her wrath.”

  “In this case she’d understand.”

  “Want me to give her a heads up?”

  “Better y
ou than me.”

  Dylan chuckled. “Keep me updated.”

  “Will do.”

  After signing off, Derrick debated contacting his superior, Ron Collins. Hannah had asked him not to get the government involved, but this case was getting messy and had too many moving parts for him not to gather reinforcements. He battled with his decision for a full twenty minutes before going with his gut.

  Ron wasn’t happy about the late night call, but once he heard the story, he told Derrick he’d do a search on the guy in the morning. Derrick hung up, not exactly relieved, but at least feeling like he was doing everything he could to keep Hannah safe. He took a long, hot shower and got ready for bed.

  He’d just turned on the television when his phone rang. He read the caller ID and grimaced. His mother. Didn’t take Dylan long to run with the news.

  “I have a bone to pick with you, young man.”

  “Threats? Nice way to start the conversation, Mom.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you’d found Hannah?”

  “I see Dylan filled you in.”

  “My goodness, Derrick, you must be over the moon.”

  “I’ll rest easier when Mrs. Rawlings gets a clean bill of health.”

  “Tell me everything.”

  For the next thirty minutes Derrick told his mother how he’d gotten a lead to Hannah. That it was rough going, but their relationship seemed to be headed in the right direction. If time, and Sophia’s health, were amenable, he hoped to bring Hannah to the wedding.

  “That’s quite a tale. Witness protection? Hiding out? It’s like a movie.”

  “It is. Will you be all right with me missing the wedding if Sophia isn’t better?”

  “There are still two weeks until the day, so hopefully Sophia’s health will be back on track. If she’s up to it, bring her along, as well.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” Grateful to know his mother was happy, healthy and in love, Derrick swallowed around the lump in his throat. “Have I told you lately that you’re the best?”

  “No. But I never mind hearing those words.”

  He chuckled. “It’s been a long day.”

  “It has. I’ll talk to you again soon.”

  “Count on it.”

  He hung up and tried to get into some cop show playing on the screen, but he kept losing focus. His mind was ten steps ahead. He kept wondering what his boss would find, how it would affect Hannah and her mother. He had yet to inform Hannah he’d gotten the Bureau involved, but he justified the solo step, especially with Hannah’s worry over her mother’s newest health crisis. He didn’t want to burden her with his decision.

  At least that’s what he told himself.

  With the green stone safely stowed away in his luggage, he pulled the red gemstone from his pocket, the constant reminder of what had been and what could be. Absently, he ran it between his fingers as he stared out of the window over a sleeping city. He hoped Hannah wouldn’t be upset with him. Hoped the new bond they’d forged was strong enough that she’d understand he wanted to protect her. Hoped his love for her was enough to weather another storm.

  But deep down he worried he’d made the same mistake with her again.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  MUCH TO HER CHAGRIN, Hannah slept until eight the following morning. She’d intended to rise early and be at the hospital first thing, but after a sleepless night her body took over and demanded the rest it craved. She rolled out of bed, fuzzy headed and achy, shaking off her funk in order to get moving.

  She headed to her mother’s room to pack her a bag. The doctor wasn’t sure how long her mother would be hospitalized, so Hannah wanted to bring her some comforts from home. Her worn robe. Slippers. Toothbrush.

  After making a pile on the bed, she rifled through the closet to find an overnight bag. Once located, Hannah tossed it on the bed, then opened the bag to place the items inside. As she did so, her hand brushed against something at the bottom. She felt around, then her fingers clutched a solid object. She pulled it out. A jewelers’ box, very much like the kind her father had stocked at their store before they fled Florida. Curious, she pried open the lid. Could it be a small token her father had saved before they left? Or a gift her mother had been hiding? Her mind whirled, then came to a walloping halt as she viewed two gemstones, one blue, the other topaz, nestled in the satin lining.

  The last of the missing stones.

  How on earth...? She stared at them, her mind blank. Then the questions bombarded her. Why did her mother have the gems? Did she know they were in the bag? She had to. But if so, why hadn’t she mentioned them, especially when the first two had shown up? Now, more than ever, she needed to get to the hospital.

  She closed the lid and finished packing, then she quickly showered and dressed in a cream-colored blouse, black pants and boots. Grabbing the bag and her purse, she took off to find out some answers.

  Soon, she hurried into her mother’s hospital room. Sophia was eating breakfast, a good sign that she was doing better. The oxygen mask had been replaced by a nasal cannula. Her skin tone had improved and her eyes were clear. She smiled as Hannah placed the bag on the nearby chair and rummaged inside.

  “You brought some things from home? Oh, Hannah, how sweet.”

  “It’s the least I could do.”

  “Did you get any sleep?”

  “A little.” Hannah stood and got right to the point, holding out the jewelers box. “I found this in the bag.”

  Her mother’s smile slipped. Hannah opened the box. The gems flashed under the fluorescent lighting. “Can you explain?”

  “Oh dear.”

  Hannah reined in her impatience. “That’s not an answer.”

  “Sit,” her mother commanded. Hannah moved the bag to the floor and scooted the chair closer to the bed. She handed the box to her mother, who gingerly took it and stared at the contents. An aide came into the room to take away the breakfast tray, giving her mother a moment to gather her thoughts. Her mom’s anguished expression meant this was going to be a hard truth for them to face.

  Her mother finally met her gaze. “I never meant for you to find the box.”

  “Then you shouldn’t have left it in the bag.”

  “I’ve moved it around to different hiding places ever since we left Florida.”

  “Why not tell me?”

  Sophia ran the tip of her finger over the stones. “Because I thought we might need them for leverage.” She looked up. “Your father was involved with some awful men.”

  “You knew?”

  Sophia shook her head. “Not until the extortion started. Your father had no idea what to do. He got in deeper and things escalated.”

  “You never told me.”

  “I didn’t want you to worry then, you were just a kid. Over time, you took on the role as protector. It was a way for you to cope and I didn’t want to take that from you.”

  Hannah frowned. “I still don’t understand.”

  Sophia set the box aside. “Before your father spoke to the authorities, he told me the man he worked with, the supposed jewelry supplier he testified against, had learned about these gems and wanted them. Jerome locked them in his office safe, but I knew the men wouldn’t let that stop them from getting what they wanted. I took them and hid them, just in case your father decided to hand the stones over. If he did, he would never be free from their demands and I didn’t want us to live that way. I believed the police and others would protect us.” A defensive look crossed her face. “I made sure Derrick’s father stepped in. I trusted him, so I convinced your father to confide in him.”

  Hannah’s mouth fell open. “I thought Derrick was the one who got his father involved.”

  “In a way. Mr. Matthews was already going to talk to your father, I reached out to him first. Together, we came up with a plan. Once I told your father, he was more
than happy for a way out. We just never realized what the cost would be.”

  “Hiding and then being separated.” Hannah thought about her mother’s story. Frowned. All these years she’d blamed Derrick for the Marshals showing up that night. “Dad didn’t know you had the gemstones?”

  “No one did. Like I said, I hid them before all the chaos started. The authorities thought they were in evidence, along with the other jewelry they confiscated before the trial. It wasn’t until they were doing an inventory in the case that it came to light they were missing. Thankfully, your father’s testimony was more than enough to put that horrible man behind bars. The gemstones weren’t necessary.” She shivered. “Besides, your father rightfully owned the gems. I just didn’t tell anyone I had them in my possession.”

  “And Dad never knew?”

  “No. I decided to take matters into my own hands, like he had done for years. I had to protect my family.”

  Hannah sat back, digesting this new information. Humiliation, followed by a bone-deep hurt, buffeted her. Her mother could have filled her in at any time, but chose not to. Even after Derrick had shown up and awakened painful memories.

  “It was time,” her mother was saying, firmly closing the lid of the jewelry box.

  At the determination in her mother’s eyes, Hannah pushed aside her pain and grew wary. “Mom, what did you do?”

  Her mother glanced at the door. “I looked out for you.”

  Hannah twisted around to find Derrick standing just inside the room, shock etched on his face. Her stomach flip-flopped at the sight of him. He looked handsome, dressed in a blue sweater, worn jeans and boots, his heavy jacket resting in the crook of his arm. His hair was mussed, from the wind perhaps, and his spicy scent drifted her way.

  He asked her mother, “You sent me the stone?”

  Hannah froze.

  “Guilty as charged,” Sophia answered.

  Derrick brushed past her to get to Sophia. “But why?”

  Sophia shook her head slowly. “I was dying. I needed to make sure Hannah would be safe.”

  Reeling from emotions that were racing from one extreme to the other, Hannah said, “But you didn’t die, Mom.”