But emotionally? Leon had done a great deal of things in his time. Before he had become just a mere security guard, he had spent many years in the service of his country. The things he had ordered…Mitch was number one under his command. It was only following orders. It was only doing what they were both told. But the blood…and worse…on his hands.
The sounds of the door opening caused Leon to halt his inner musings. His training kicked in. Especially when he saw the man standing there. He cursed that the man had gotten the drop on him. Leon cursed that he was in the hospital because of the man with the badge. Again, it took all of his training not to react to the fact the man coming to question him was the man who had shot him.
Frank Mathews stood at the end of the bed as the male nurse took Leon’s vitals. When he attempted to gage his opponent, he couldn’t gather a reading on him. Even Leon’s heartrate remained steady. It was something Frank had never come across before. Whether it was a suspect or a witness, merely being in the same room with him normally had their heartrate skyrocketing.
The clearing of a throat caused everyone to look at the entrance of the hospital room. The woman was tall and broad-shouldered. Her red hair was wavy. She appeared to be a warrior from the time of the Crusades or similar. Frank knew exactly who she was. She had been the one to inform Tabby of the unknown whereabouts of Emily’s plane. She was the one he knew he had to fear, at least from a law enforcement prospective.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I need to speak to Emily for a moment. Don’t start questioning Mr. Barkley without me.” When her dark eyes held Frank’s, she could see it. Max knew from the look he was giving her that he hated her. That he was also afraid of her. It was good to fear her. While she might not have the power of say the President of the United States had, she still had more power than he could ever hope to gain.
Max waited for Emily to join her. They didn’t go far. Just enough so that Frank wouldn’t be able to hear them. “I need you and Tabby to do something for me.” Was it her tone of voice or the way Max would barely make eye contact with her? Emily couldn’t quite place why she already had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. “It won’t be easy. But I’ve spoken, briefly, to Sam and she agrees. So does Sierra.”
With the mention of Sierra’s name, Emily didn’t like what might be suggested. In fact, she wrapped her arms around herself. She wished it was Tabby’s arms that were wrapped around her. It was the only comfort and safety she could ever be granted. That wasn’t exactly true as she would also want Nicky with her. “I have a feeling this is going to take several long talks with both Nicky and Tabby before we are through.”
The look upon Max’s face was priceless. It caused Emily to burst into laughter. “I want to speak with Leon before whatever it is you want to happen, happens.” Max knew from the tone of voice and the look in Emily’s eyes that it was nonnegotiable. The Assistant Director of the FBI merely nodded, as if she had been defeated.
The two slowly made their way into Leon’s hospital room. Frank was standing at the window, staring out into the bright, early morning light. The nurse was just finishing with his patient. He handed him the cup of ice chips. “Go easy on these. But if you do run out, just use the call button.” The tall, sandy blond turned to Max. “And try to keep Mr. Barkley’s stress levels down as much as possible.”
Emily and Max parted to allow the nurse to take his leave. Emily was amused. There were several times she had done and said similar in her days as a nurse. It was amazing the power she’d had back then. And yet, at times, it was all too much for her. It continued to be too much for her. Moments like with her mother and now with Leon only continued to confirm her resolve to become a therapist.
“All right. I want to make some things clear before you start your questioning.” Max made her way over to where Leon was looking comfortable, especially considering everything that was going on around him. “No one in this room is a suspect.” It was an odd statement. And the way her gaze would not leave Frank’s, the detective wondered if she knew or only suspected. “This is only questioning a witness. With permission, Emily can stay. It’s up to you, Mr. Barkley.”
“I haven’t seen my friend in several days. I’d like to talk to her.” Leon’s smile was genuine. It warmed Emily’s heart. It was part of the reason she had so easily trusted him. It was why she had allowed him to give her a ride. “But that can wait until after I tell you what happened.” His gaze reluctantly left Emily’s. So much to tell and yet so much to keep just below the surface.
The story he wove was one that might come from an author’s imagination. Leon was no stranger to weaving a tale. It was part of being a leader and executing orders. One had to sometimes improvise when things didn’t go according to plan. One definitely had to when the safety of the men under you was placed in jeopardy. It was like now. He knew Emily’s life, and those connected with her, was in some form of danger.
The only time Leon mentioned Emily was at the thought she might be at the fair. Looking back, he should have waited at the bed and breakfast. It was where he was staying. He hadn’t told Melissa of the connection. He hadn’t wanted any special treatment. It was a mugging gone bad. There were two of them. It was the one from behind who had shot him, therefore he hadn’t seen his face. The other was wearing so much makeup, it was as if he was a performer in one of the shows.
Max instantly liked the older gentleman. She hadn’t been able to discover much in the short time she’d been in Middletown once again. Partly it was because of his service record. Anyone who was that decorated would have their service record buried. Since retiring, he had remained in California. Close to Emily’s family and yet distant from them at the exact same time.
As good as Leon was, Frank was that horrible. It was clear he was surprised by the tale. The fact it wasn’t the truth was beside the point. It was the fact Frank knew Leon had seen him. Why was he holding back? What were Max, Leon and Emily up to? The detective decided to follow his training. “We’ll have your statement typed up. We can wait for you to sign it until you are feeling better. You just concentrate on returning your health. Have a good day, Mr. Barkley.” As he made his way to a great escape, Frank paused. “Ladies.” With a salute, he was out the door.
Max waited a moment before pulling out a device. She held her finger to her lips as she began scanning the room. After ten minutes, she came to stand by the bed. “That was some tale you just made up.” Leon maintained her gaze. “I have a feeling it was the man who just left who shot you. Now, tell me why you are here and who you are really protecting.”
Leon sighed heavily. He could lie. It was something he was good at. It was something he was trained for. Doing whatever it took to survive. He’d just proven it with the tale he’d just weaved. But things had become serious. If it was just him to worry about, he could continue playing the role of anonymous benefactor who quickly became friends with his charge. Even with his other children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the picture, they weren’t in immediate danger like Emily was.
“Emily, I need you to sit down.” Max eyed the man in the hospital bed. Most would be exhausted after the surgery and all he had been through. It took a moment for Emily to comply. She was nervous about what exactly her friend had to say. “I’m more familiar with you and your family then I let on.” It took Max restraining Emily from bolting from the room.
“I know family isn’t something you care to discuss. But I have to tell you the reason I was in town.” Leon managed to sit up a little higher, with the aid of the adjustable bed. “I knew your mother a long, long time ago.” Leon took a deep breath. “I’m more than some stranger. I was your uncle’s commander. And I just happened into a bar about thirty years ago. A bar your mother was in.”
Azure eyes blinked several times. That was the reason Emily felt such a connection. The man lying in the hospital bed was her…Leon Barkley was her father. Leon was her and Rick’s biological father. And that was why he was there. B
ut what did Mitch know about this? Did he know the connection? Or was it just one old war buddy helping out another?
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Emily was glad of the peace and quiet. She knew after tonight, everything would change. It wasn’t only because she knew who her blood father was. It was because of what she was to undertake. Not wanting to think about that, she dialed her uncle’s number once again. And once again it went directly to voicemail.
Before making her way to the bed and breakfast, Emily had tracked down her brother. She had told him of their lineage. Rick seemed so blasé about it. Emily wondered if it was everything happening at once or if it was his way of dealing with things in general. Whatever the reason behind it, eventually they would have to have a talk about everything. And they would have to spend time with their father.
It was an odd sensation. Emily picked up the thin, flat rock. Her aim was true as she watched it skip half a dozen times along the water. The oddity was how easily she seemed to accept the fact the man she had been told was her father wasn’t and had passed on and accepting a stranger as a friend and then her birth father.
Was it because of all Emily had been through? Was it watching Sam and Abby overcome one obstacle after another? Was she in denial? It was a possibility. While everyone dealt with things in different ways, denial was one of the strongest defense mechanism. It was why relationships that should have ended long ago managed to hold on. It was how people could defend lies told to them. Denying there was a problem to begin with.
Emily wasn’t like that, normally. She’d always been someone to confront things in her life head-on. That wasn’t true as she hadn’t exactly handled things with Tabby head-on. That could be considered different as matters of the heart were never the same as everyday life. Even so, how she had handled things with her soulmate would forever haunt her.
“Care to talk?” Emily turned to see a familiar figure. How was it Melissa seemed to be everywhere at once. She was at the courthouse giving them the support they needed. Before that, she had been there when both she and Tabby had needed someone. She was a true matriarch. “Or is this something you should be discussing with your family?”
It wasn’t a derogatory remark. Emily knew the matriarch considered her family. It was her way of suggesting that Emily wasn’t in the right place at the right time. Deep down, she had known this. But for a moment in time, she needed some space. Yet she should be making the most of the time she had with Tabby and Nicky.
Before once again there being this distance between them. It wouldn’t be the entire United States, but it would still be a great distance. It would be a distance of the heart. “I promise I will spend some time with them. I just needed to clear my head. To try and process everything. It isn’t every day that you discover who your birth father is.”
“That’s true.” Melissa was now standing next to Emily. The therapist continued to gather rocks and skip them across the large lake. “I know how Sam found out her parentage was anything but pleasant. And I know that caution is necessary with the lives we lead, but please don’t shut the door on Leon. I only interacted with him a little. But I think he’s an honest man.”
Emily snorted as she threw the last of her rocks. “Honest?” The last one failed to skip, even though it was perfect in size, shape and weight for skipping. It sank to the bottom of the lake as if it had added weight to make it submerge so quickly. “He lied to me. Not just when he helped me in California, but since the day I was born.”
“And do you think your mother would allow him to be honest with you? What about your step-father? Would the kind of money and influence you grew up with not be able to buy his silence?” Melissa thought about her words. “Or maybe he was doing the honorable thing. Your mother was married at the time. Perhaps he hadn’t known. And so when he discovered the truth, he wanted to respect what he thought your mother and step-father had. But you know what you need to do?”
Azure eyes closed. Did Emily know what she needed to do? If she were honest with herself, yes. She needed to have that sit down with Tabby and Nicky. Not just about the upcoming plans, but to explain everything that had been happening as of late. She also needed to speak more in depth with Rick. She wished she could track down Mitch for a conversation. But she also needed to give Leon a chance to explain his version of things. Not just go by her mother’s brief statements.
“I do know.” Emily smiled sadly. She pulled Melissa into a hug. “I wish my mother had been even half the woman you are.” When the matriarch would protest, Emily hastily continued. “I know where I came from. I know I’m an amazing person in spite of who raised me. But I wonder what kind of person I would have been if I had someone like you in my life. So accepting and supportive. And giving little nudges when someone needs it the most. I love you, Mom.”
“Enough of the sentimentality. You have some conversations that are long overdue.” Emily winked at the matriarch before slowly making her way to the bed and breakfast. She earned a swat to the behind as she passed Melissa. Before she had taken a dozen steps, she heard the whispered sentiment. “I love you too, daughter of mine.”
The words caused Emily to swallow. Already on the verge of tears, the unconditional love shown by Melissa nearly pushed her over the edge. For now, she pushed it aside. For now, she needed to have two conversations. One with her soulmate and son. The other with her father. The thought of Leon as her father was…unreal.
It wasn’t long before she found Tabby and Nicky. Both were in the kitchen having strawberry milks. Emily preferred chocolate when she indulged. Today, she needed the caffeine. She smiled at both her loved ones before making her way to the coffee maker. It was something Melissa always had, a pot of coffee.
It didn’t take Emily long to settle in next to Nicky. Tabby was on the other side of their son. The therapist took a deep breath. “There’s a lot going on, Nicky. I want you to ask any questions you may have, after we’ve attempted to explain things.” The young boy, now all of eight years old, couldn’t look his mother in the eyes. “I mean it. I’m tired of secrets. I’m tired of reacting and not speaking to one another from the heart.”
Nicky took his glass. He blew bubbles in the strawberry milk. It was a way to avoid speaking. While Emily was once again treating him as the adult he always wanted, he was finding more and more that being an adult was overrated. It was difficult. And he knew one day he would play adult but have fun doing it. “Thank you, Mom. Right now, I just don’t know what to ask or say.”
“That’s ok then. But just ask when you do.” Emily sat back. She took a sip of her coffee. It was heavenly. The only better coffee was at the diner, but she wouldn’t dare tell Melissa that. “I know you know Helen was back in town. I know you know she left. But do you know that she passed away?” Murder. It was difficult enough to process for an adult. How was Nicky to handle it?
“I heard that nice lady speaking about it. I knew she was gone.” Once again Nicky began blowing bubbles in his milk. Tabby reached out and took the glass and set it back on the table. The young boy sighed heavily. “I knew you and Momma were in trouble because of her. But I didn’t know exactly why. Do…Do they think you are the one that hurt her?”
“Yes. They think both your momma and I had something to do with it. Or at least some people do.” Emily was at a loss. How was she supposed to explain the potential of being setup? Even after all they had been through, how does one go about explaining when one doesn’t know themselves? “There are bad people out there. Like the ones who attempted to hurt your friends. They might be trying to hurt us.”
Nicky sighed as he began playing with the table cloth. It was in pristine condition. How Melissa always managed to keep everything so neat and in place with the entire Walker clan, her guests and everyone else running around was beyond Emily. “Adam tried to tell me it was something like that. I guess if anyone knows, besides you adults, it would be him.”
“Adam and Conrad have both been through quite a bit.�
�� Emily stilled Nicky’s restless hands. “Why don’t we go for a walk? We can burn off some of the excess energy we all have. And we can keep talking about things. Things none of us are going to like.” Tabby glanced at her soulmate. Words were exchanged without having to say a word.
The trio stood, taking care of their dirty dishes before making their way out the back door. The bed and breakfast was one of the few houses on the dirt road. There were hunting shacks in the fields and woods that surrounded the lone building. While it was so far out of the city, people flocked to it. Emily knew it was because of Melissa. She was the most amazing woman she had ever met.
As they continued along, Tabby took her hand. It was an easy gesture now. It was something both had taken for granted. It was something that Emily hoped wouldn’t stop once her soulmate and son discovered what it was Max had planned for them. She would have to tell them. She would have to explain what exactly was going to happen. It was something she should have discussed first, but at the same time everyone involved wanted this over with, Emily most of all.
“There’s more to it.” Emily felt the squeeze of her hand. She wasn’t upset she was the one doing all the talking. She knew Tabby had attempted to talk to Nicky on several occasions. The young man wouldn’t listen to her. Not with as upset as he’d been with the entire situation. How would both handle what was to come? “Your mom and I are technically in trouble with the law. But there are good people like Rachael who are fighting for us. And there is Max.”
Tabby came to a sudden halt. This was it. This was what Emily had been keeping from her. There was more. It had something to do with her friend from California. The man who had been shot. But that was a conversation for another time. What had Max, the Assistant Director of the FBI, wanted with Emily? What would she want with their family?
Distance of the Heart Page 25
