"Please David, tell me you didn't."
"I didn't want to, Tea. I mean it. He was with it enough after the drugs took effect that I didn't have to totally drag him to his car. Then I drove him by your house and..."
"You drove him into the river?” Her words ripped through her like broken glass and he simply nodded.
"It wasn't easy. Luckily he was out by then. Took all my strength to put him in the driver's seat and push it into the river."
"But someone saw him alone. They tipped off the cops."
David looked at her with insane pride in his eyes.
"Anonymous tipper, right? Come on, Tea. That was me. I couldn't risk an investigation into a missing person. I needed him to be found. So you see now why I need that flash drive?"
He touched her cheek again and she jerked away as much as she could.
Suddenly calmly talking him into letting her go — connecting to him like a person — seemed impossible. She was so angry and confused and alone. Who knew how long she'd been out. No one was coming to get her and the man that ruined her life was touching her. It was all too much.
"I trusted you, David. I let you around my son. I treated you like family.”
How could I have been so wrong about everything?
"I know. And I do love you. You know, I probably saved you. They weren't going to just let Jack get away with exposing them. You wouldn't have been safe."
He touched her face again and she wanted to scream with fury.
"Now you're going to try and make this about me. Are you insane? You hurt me and tied me up. You killed my husband!"
"I don't want to hurt you again. But I will if I have to. If I can't get away I have nothing left. Nothing but you.”
Her heart started pounding when she noticed the glint of black metal on the dining room table — a gun. David picked it up awkwardly and pointed it in her direction. "I hate this thing, but I guess it's good I brought it."
"Is that what you hit me with?” He nodded and the world turned to a tiny pinprick where only fear lived. "Are you going to ki-ill me? Like you did Jack.”
"Not if you get me the flash drive and come with me."
"Give me my phone, maybe I can ask someone,” she proposed desperately.
"Oh no, I can't do that, but you've given me an idea. Maybe it's not with you because someone else has it. I was going to search that asshole Griffen's hotel room next, but if he likes you as much as I think he does, I may be able to save myself the trip.”
David's wild eyes suddenly looked full of a disturbing glee as he grabbed her phone off the dining room table.
Griffen felt his phone vibrate. He looked at it quickly in case it was any word from Jenna or the cops.
He was shocked to see Althea's name pop up in the text message: Please come to my house so we can talk.
It was likely David had her phone and was setting him up. Didn't matter, he needed to get in there. At least now he didn't have to worry about making it a surprise. He felt his back to make sure his gun was secure in the waistband of his jeans, under his jacket, and headed to her front door.
Griffen walked into the house, hands up and the sight that greeted him made his stomach drop. Althea was tied to a chair with dried blood caked down the back of her neck. Though her lovely eyes were hazy and unfocused, they were marked with sheer terror.
"Oh good. There you are,” David declared, still managing to sound haughty, despite the fact he was clearly hanging by a thread. "I'm looking for a flash drive and I'm hoping you have it.” David's shaking hand was pointing a small revolver at Althea. He looked jittery, desperate, and capable of anything.
Althea looked in Griffen's eyes and imperceptibly shook her head and looked at the door.
Aw, hell no. No way was he leaving her here. His incessant digging got her into this mess and he needed to get her out. Even if he died doing it.
"I do, but not on me. If you let Althea go, I'll get it to you."
"No, that won't work. First, I don't believe you. Second, I'm not going to let her go. She and my freedom are all I have. So you need to give me a better offer. To start with, I need you to drop that gun you're hiding."
"Gun?"
"Don't play stupid. I know all about you asshole," he answered, his voice shaky as his hand waved the gun away from Althea toward Griffen.
"Do you think I'd just let you spend time with my Tea here — at night — without reading up on you. You fancy yourself some kind of cowboy. We both know you wouldn't come here unarmed. Now drop it.”
"No problem, man. I just want to be reasonable. The flash drive doesn't mean anything to me. I just want Althea,” Griffen said calmly, grateful for the press of his backup knife that was secured to his ankle. Now, if he could just get to it. He dropped the gun on the floor and watched as David picked it up clumsily and tossed it on the dining room table.
"Good, now get over into that chair.” Griffen sat down and saw David pulling out more rope. Dammit, if he let himself get tied up, he wouldn't be able to help Althea, but he had faith in David's inexperience in real hard criminal activity.
David leaned over him and said, "So you're going to get your contact to leave the flash drive for us. Only after I have it in my hands will I decide what to do with you two."
Griffen sat down slowly. "Sure man, doesn't mean anything to me. I couldn't read half the shit on it anyway."
As he pulled back Griffen's left hand to secure it to the chair, one hand still pointing the gun at Althea, Griffen heard the blessed sounds of sirens in the distance. David was looking toward the window when Griffen snatched his knife from his ankle with his right hand.
"What the fuck? You called the police? Stupid. Very stupid. You know I won't let her go."
David lifted the gun pointing it at Althea. His eyes were red and full of tears. "I don't know what to do Tea. I guess it's over, but I won't go without you. I waited so long for you, don't worry. I'll be close behind you."
Those insane words filled Griffen with powerful fear as he leapt as far as he could with one hand tied up, knocking David over and forcing the gun away from Althea.
He was fortunately much stronger than David, throwing him down on the ground and slamming the knife as hard as he could toward his body. He was relieved to hear David scream, but then he heard a loud blast as the sirens grew louder.
It felt like someone had taken a red hot baseball bat to his shoulder, leading to exploding fire throughout his chest. He fought to keep awake but the pain was too much.
As Griffen's eyes slowly closed, he heard a door slam open and the distant shouts of the approaching police.
As the murky darkness descended further, Griffen heard the dull roar of nearing footsteps, shouts, shuffling, and then the sweet sound of Althea's voice in his ear and the scent of cherries surrounding him.
He tried to hold on to the glorious sensations but the warmth and blackness finally took over.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
"I always knew David was a creeper, I just knew it,” Aubrey said, letting a drop of melted ice trickle down Althea's neck until she squealed in her seat in the hospital waiting room. "Oops, sorry, Tea."
"Can you focus on my head wound Florence Nightingale and not David? I would really rather never think of him again.” Althea squirmed from the next cold drop of water. "I don't even know why you made that damn ice pack, Aubrey. They said you could just monitor me."
"I want to help,” Aubrey muttered. As if on cue, Althea yelped when another icy drop traveled into the back of her shirt. Aubrey cringed, "Sorry."
"It's okay. I think it's helping," Althea lied. She luckily hadn't needed to be admitted. The amount of Vicodin David put in her coffee was only enough to make her loopy quickly, not hurt her, so it wore off on its own.
Unfortunately, it hadn't kept her from comprehending the sight of Griffen unconscious and covered in blood. She'd watched as the paramedics tended to Griffen — wouldn't look
away from him for a moment, even while they tried to gauge how messed up she was.
She'd still been so groggy and could barely focus, but the sight of David laying there bleeding but still alive and Griffen unconscious next to him had been almost more than she could bear. David had taken so much from her and had threatened to take even more.
Carol and Jenna had done a great job hurrying the EMTs, cops, and fire department to her house. Her heart hurt just thinking of what would've happened if they hadn't come. She was just grateful that Johnny hadn’t been home. She'd had to talk to two police officers about the events, and knew that had to be just the beginning of what would be an intensive investigation into David's crimes, including what she now knew to be his murder of Jack.
Talking to the police had tormented her with the usual panic at remembering the awful night she lost Jack, but she made it through by knowing — finally — that she hadn't caused his death.
That didn't ease the frantic worry she felt at the thought of almost losing Griffen, though.
Aubrey adjusted the ice pack again, causing Althea to wince. Her head wound was more worrisome than the drugs, but she hadn't needed stitches and they said she could go home under the supervision of Jenna. All that was well and good, but Griffen had to be rushed off to surgery as soon as the ambulance got him to the hospital. There was no way Althea was leaving, which meant she had a little entourage hovering over her in the waiting room.
Johnny's head was on her lap as he slept. While Jenna and Carol worked to get help to Althea's house Aubrey had pulled Johnny out of school and rushed to their side to help in any way she could — which unfortunately involved a dripping ice bath down Althea's back.
"I can't believe Griffen rescued you. That was pretty awesome. Even you have to admit it, Brey," Jenna stated.
"Not bad. If he pulls through I'll be really nice to him.” Aubrey paled when a half-squawk, half-sob escaped Althea's throat. "Oh my God, Tea, I'm such an asshole. I was just kidding, of course he'll be okay. Jenna said he would be and she knows. Christ. Oh shit, Jenna, say something. Fix it, please!"
Jenna sighed, "Take a break from talking, Brey, that's a good start. And chill out while you're at it. Jeez. You're the most insensitive person in the world sometimes.” Jenna put an arm over Althea's shoulder and soothingly said, "Griffen will be fine. Gunshot wounds to the shoulder are tricky, but it was at a good spot and went pretty cleanly through. I know the surgeon taking the lead and he's great."
"I wish it were you doing it. You're the best."
"Oh, no way. Doctors should never operate on family or friends, or the men their best friends are crazy about. I will help him recover, though, I promise. For now, just don't listen to Brey's lame attempts at humor. I'll beat her up if you like?"
Althea chuckled. "Maybe. Let me think about it. I'm just on edge is all. Seeing him laying there in all that blood, knowing my last words to him were so angry...”
Those words were still caught in her throat, when she heard, "Mrs. Tate?"
"Huh?" Althea grunted.
"She's right here," Jenna said with her comfortable air of authority that Althea called her "doctor" voice.
"Go with it," she whispered in response to Althea's confused look. "It's the only way I could get you in there so soon after his surgery."
"That's me," she whispered on a swallowed breath. "Can you just give me one second?” The nurse nodded sympathetically.
Althea reached over and hugged Johnny closely until he woke up.
"Hi Mommy. Is Uncle Gwiff awake yet?"
"No baby, I need to go see him and wait until he wakes up.” A tear welled in her eye until it threatened to break free. She breathed deeply. "I love you Johnny. Please stay here with Aunt Brey and Aunt Jenna while I visit with Uncle Griffen, okay?"
"Sure. I love you too, Mommy. Please tell Uncle Gwiff I hope he gets better soon and I'm glad he's your boyfwiend."
"What? Huh? How did you know?"
"Duh, Mom," he said sleepily. "I'm five. I'm not stupid.” With that, he hugged her, then grabbed Jenna's hand and climbed into her lap.
The nurse waited for Althea and said, "Your husband's right this way."
That word jarred her almost as much as the gunshot had but she steeled herself to act normally.
The nurse opened the door and quietly said, "The doctor will be around later, but I can tell you he did well in surgery and came out of the anesthesia fine. He woke up in the recovery room, but it's common to keep resting now that he's been moved to his room. Just be patient, okay," she said with a soft smile.
Althea nodded unconsciously and looked over at Griffen lying in the hospital bed asleep. He was so beautiful and peaceful lying there, but all she wanted was to see a smirk on his face while he made some cocky comment to her. She brushed her hand across his wavy hair, trying to ignore the machines and wires all around him and the smell of antiseptic burning her nostrils.
Despite the nurse's kind words, she couldn't tamp down the stifling fear that came with almost losing him, too.
Death is permanent. It is not a fight you can make up over or a mistake you can apologize for. It's the end. And she'd almost faced that end all over again.
Maybe she would never know for sure what Jack would've wanted for her, but she really believed he wouldn't want her to be isolated forever and he would've wanted Griffen to be happy, too. Griffen coming into her life had been a gift, but she'd denied and pushed back against it for so long. Now, she simply wanted to hold onto him and never let go.
As she sat by his bed, she clutched his hand and leaned toward him, "Griffen, please wake up. Don't leave me, too. Please.”
She jumped when someone opened the door and whispered, "Hi.”
Althea turned to see Carol standing in the door, not missing that she'd glanced down to where she and Griffen's hands were joined. Althea's heart sped up a bit, but she swallowed and looked straight at Carol, resisting the urge to pull her hand away.
"Hi Carol. What are you doing here?" Althea winced at the harshness of the words, but she couldn't keep letting life — and this woman — steamroll her.
"I'm so sorry to disturb you. Jenna helped me get back here. I don't know if she pulled strings or has just been growing Griffen's family tree by the minute. Val wants to see him too, of course, but she was nice enough to let me come in first — because I need to talk to you.”
"Okay."
She sat in a small chair against the wall and stared at Althea and Griffen for a moment.
"So, you and Griffen?"
"Yeah. We need to talk when he wakes up, but...I hope so."
Carol nodded. "I'm sorry Althea."
"For what?"
"For letting you be trapped in grief with me. For not doing anything to help either of us move on. I...I don't think I ever accepted that Jack was gone. I know that's part of what I was supposed to do, but if I did that, I knew it would really be over. He'd really be..." she gulped. "You know."
"You lost your son."
"Yeah, but I held you back in misery with me. I lost Jack's dad. Then Jack. I just needed something to stay the same. You and Johnny were a part of that, of my own way of not letting Jack go or be forgotten. I didn't even stop to think about how that would affect you."
"I didn't exactly fight you Carol. I wanted to turn back time, too."
"True, but I think I gave you another excuse not to move on, and for that I really am regretful. If I could keep treating you as Jack's wife the world would never change. I guess I thought through you and Johnny, I could keep Jack alive."
"I wanted that, too.” Althea swallowed and looked down at Griffen's still hand in hers.
Carol stood and crossed to Althea, putting her hand on her shoulder.
"It's one thing to want something you can't have. It's another to let that want control you until it is all you know. Life is short. If anything, losing Jack and his father should've taught me that. Don't forget how prec
ious our days and our ability to love are. When I heard what happened to you... What David did...it hit me how wrong I had been. I can't believe I told you I blamed you for Jack's death. It wasn't true and it was so wrong to say it. I almost lost you, too, because of my own blindness. I know it's time for me to think about some changes.”
Carol stared down at Griffen, brushing his hair off his forehead. She turned to look deeply into Althea's eyes and went on. "Griffen's a good man, Althea. He was always like a son to me. He had a rough start to life. I'm not sure I'm totally comfortable with you two together yet, but you deserve to be happy. Both of you do. And I can step back while you figure things out.” With that, Carol kissed Griffen's cheek and then stood and hugged Althea who held her with a fierceness she couldn't believe her exhausted body could muster.
"Carol?” Althea said before she walked out the door.
"Yes?"
"Tha-ank you.” They both heard the break in Althea's voice but Carol simply nodded, one tear glistening on her cheek.
"You're welcome sweetheart.”
She left and Althea simply stared at the door for several minutes before looking back and resting her head on the bed beside Griffen, letting each of his gentle breaths bring her much needed comfort.
Griffen fought the cobwebs in his brain and swallowed through a mouth so dry it felt like he'd been chewing on cotton for an hour. He wanted to fall back into the fluffy cocoon of sleep but the soft scent of cherries and jasmine started to wash across him and he fought his eyes open. He was greeted by a mass of honey hair spread across his chest, a few strands of which were tickling his nose.
"Hi gorgeous," he choked out softly.
Althea jerked awake and smiled down at him and his whole body somehow tensed and relaxed at the same time.
"Hi stud," she whispered and then started sobbing.
Three Rivers (A Gateway to Love Novel) Page 28
