She must have cried the entire two days since he’d helped her out of the truck. What was it with these hormones anyway? She didn’t think she had more tears in her, but her eyes fooled her again. She gave his hand another squeeze. “I can’t imagine my life without you. The whole thing feels like a bad dream.” She scanned the room. All Mark’s things she hadn’t liked as a decorator, now she wouldn’t change for anything. They made the room a home.
“I still can’t believe it was Beth.”
“I can’t believe you hit her with a pipe.” He laughed. “All that batting practice must have done some good, eh?”
“It’s funny, I know. I did it without thinking.” She replayed a picture of Beth pointing the gun at her. “Why didn’t her gun work?”
“Apparently the gun her boyfriend gave her wasn’t loaded. Nobody knows why. He says it was because she was unstable, and he didn’t want her to kill anyone else. He says she killed Cindy, and Beth says he killed her. They’re all turning on each other now.”
Copying his position, she leaned her head back against the couch. “No wonder she stuck her healthy, vibrant aunt into a nursing home. She didn’t want her close enough to tell anyone about the money. What will happen to her now?”
“Janice? I don’t know, but I think she’ll want out of the home. She didn’t belong there.” He brought their clasped hands up and kissed the back of hers then lowered them to his lap.
“How did she take everything?”
“You know, she was pretty upset but not as surprised as I would have expected. I wonder if she knew there was something wrong with Beth while she was raising her.”
Robin stared at the screen in front of her, the images passing before her eyes but not contacting her brain. “You know, I feel sorry for her. I believe Beth really did love her. What will she do now?”
“Sunny View is keeping her until she finishes physical therapy. Then she can do whatever she wants. I think she has enough original money—money unconnected to the drugs—that she can live comfortably. Not extravagantly like Beth was, but if she’s careful, she’ll be OK.” He shifted his weight but didn’t let go of Robin’s hand.
“With everything going on, I haven’t had a chance to ask. Do you remember any of what happened the day you got shot?”
“Yeah, I remember it all now. I was starting to recall bits and pieces of being in the warehouse and seeing briefcases on the table, and eventually it would have all come back. Beth couldn’t take that chance, so she tried to have me killed. That jogged my memory, seeing the guy with the gun. Carlo was the one who shot me. Then things kept coming back to me until I remembered calling the chief and getting Beth.”
“What happened before that, and why didn’t you tell Peter or me?”
“I didn’t mean to leave you guys out. Cindy called my cell phone as I was leaving the house. I was going in early to do some paperwork before the meeting, and I wanted to talk to the chief. Cindy sounded frantic and said she had followed them all night and they were in a warehouse. She figured out what they were doing and called me in a panic. She begged me to come alone. I knew I couldn’t, but I wasn’t sure who to trust. Peter, of course, but he wasn’t on duty at that hour.”
Mark let go of her hand to fold his arm around her. “I didn’t believe it at first,” he said. “We’ve had so many false alarms. But I didn’t want to call it in, for fear of alerting the mole if it was real, and of bringing out the whole crew for nothing if it wasn’t. Anyway, I called the chief’s direct line. Instead, Beth answered and promised to get him right away and to get a hold of anyone he wanted to send without using dispatch. How ridiculous. If I’d called it in to dispatch, she wouldn’t have found out about it in time to stop it. Instead, she alerted Carlo, and he was expecting me. Then she showed up looking for Cindy. She found and killed her.” He lowered his head. “It’s my fault Cindy’s dead. If I had followed procedure, she’d be alive.”
“That’s not true, and you know it. You had no idea who the leak was. If you followed procedure, Cindy would still be dead because she was in way over her head. What was she doing following them? Did she tell you how she knew who to follow?”
“No. I’m not positive, but I think Dominic told her. Then she started following Carlo. Oh, by the way, Tony identified the man who tried to shoot me in the hospital as the same man he saw Carlo pay. That ties Carlo in pretty securely. When he heard that, he started telling us Beth killed Cindy. I think he’s trying everything he knows to get a lesser sentence. Neither he nor Beth are talking about their suppliers though. They must have them scared.”
He relaxed his hold, keeping his arm draped over her shoulder, and rested his head back against the couch. “It won’t matter. While you and Tony were in the warehouse, Dominic sang his guts out. He was so afraid Carlo would kill his sons, he didn’t care what he was confessing to. As long as someone stopped Carlo, he didn’t care.”
“What about Maria and Jimmy? Are they being charged?”
“Maria will be, yes. She agreed to the operation in the beginning and went along with it the whole time. I think Jimmy will get some leniency. The DA is open to a lesser sentence for him since he risked his life to save you and his brother.” His fingers caressed her arm. “I, for one, am very grateful to him.”
“And Rossetti’s? What will happen to the restaurant?”
“The IRS are sniffing around, so it’ll probably be confiscated. I can’t imagine Dominic reporting his drug money on his taxes." He turned his head to gaze at Robin, and his eyes were sad. “The whole family is cooperating, so we’re going pretty far up the chain. It’s nice to know something good came of this. Cindy would be happy if she knew.”
“She does know, Mark. She’s looking down now happy you finished what she began.”
“She must’ve been pretty good when she followed them, because I don’t think they knew she was there before I told Beth.”
“Stop beating yourself up. You had no time to think, and you put your life at risk to save her. It isn’t your fault you lived and she died.” As she said it, she realized she’d found the source of Mark’s guilt. He was supposed to protect Cindy, yet she’d died and he didn’t. He’d eventually work his way through it but would always feel he failed.
She snuggled close. “So, what are we naming our child? Mark if it’s a boy, I think. I love the name Mark.”
He pulled her tighter. “You know, I think I’d like to name him Tony, if you don’t mind, and Cindy if it’s a girl.”
Robin didn’t even have to think about it. She smiled. “I think that’s a great idea. Tony or Cindy it is.”
Thank you…
for purchasing this Harbourlight title. For other inspirational stories, please visit our on-line bookstore at www.pelicanbookgroup.com.
For questions or more information, contact us at [email protected].
Harbourlight Books
The Beacon in Christian Fiction™
an imprint of Pelican Book Group
www.pelicanbookgroup.com
Connect with Us
www.facebook.com/Pelicanbookgroup
www.twitter.com/pelicanbookgrp
To receive news and specials, subscribe to our bulletin
http://pelink.us/bulletin_
May God’s glory shine through
this inspirational work of fiction.
AMDG
You Can Help!
At Pelican Book Group it is our mission to entertain readers with fiction that uplifts the Gospel. It is our privilege to spend time with you awhile as you read our stories.
We believe you can help us to bring Christ into the lives of people across the globe. And you don’t have to open your wallet or even leave your house!
Here are 3 simple things you can do to help us bring illuminating fiction™ to people everywhere.
1) If you enjoyed this book, write a positive review. Post it at online retailers and websites where readers gather. And share your review with us at reviews@p
elicanbookgroup.com (this does give us permission to reprint your review in whole or in part.)
2) If you enjoyed this book, recommend it to a friend in person, at a book club or on social media.
3) If you have suggestions on how we can improve or expand our selection, let us know. We value your opinion. Use the contact form on our web site or e-mail us at [email protected]
God Can Help!
Are you in need? The Almighty can do great things for you. Holy is His Name! He has mercy in every generation. He can lift up the lowly and accomplish all things. Reach out today.
Do not fear: I am with you; do not be anxious: I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
~Isaiah 41:10 (NAB)
We pray daily, and we especially pray for everyone connected to Pelican Book Group—that includes you! If you have a specific need, we welcome the opportunity to pray for you. Share your needs or praise reports at http://pelink.us/pray4us
Free Book Offer
We’re looking for booklovers like you to partner with us! Join our team of influencers today and receive at least one free eBook per month. Maybe more!
For more information
Visit http://pelicanbookgroup.com/booklovers
High Deceit Page 21
