Dark Water

by Talty, Jen

  Andy pointed frantically to something at the bottom, by her feet.

  Frank realized Andy needed air. He pulled out his mouthpiece and held it to Andy’s lips. Andy’s eyes bulged as he took those first few breaths. Frank had to get Lacy to the top—now.

  Andy held out a pocketknife then spit out the mouthpiece and reached for something near Lacy’s leg.

  Frank shined the light and saw the block and the rope. In barely a second, Andy had cut the rope in half. Frank tucked Lacy under his arm and raced to the surface. He could feel the panic bubble up to his throat. She couldn’t be dead. She hadn’t been under that long. It was going to be all right. It had to be all right.

  Frank’s face hit the cold air. “Reese, get her in the boat.” Frank checked to make sure Andy made it to the surface. “You okay, kid?”

  Andy nodded, but Frank could see the shock in his eyes. “Get in the boat. There are a couple of blankets up in the bow. Take one and get warm.” Frank heaved himself up on the boat. Andy, for the moment, was okay.

  “She’s got a pulse,” Reese said.

  Frank shoved him out of the way and began CPR. “Breathe, baby.” He continued to fill her lungs. As long as she had a pulse, she had a chance. “Come on, Lacy, breathe for me.”

  “Heart’s still pumping,” Reese said softly as he held her wrist.

  Frank tried to push every bad thought from his mind. He continued to take small breaths and blow them into her nice and easy. Her lungs were filled with water and she had to expel it. The longer she remained like this, the more Frank understood just how much she meant to him. When she came out of this, he’d do everything in his power to show her just how much he loved her.

  And Andy.

  A single cough, followed by a violent gasp escaped her lips.

  “That’s it, baby.” Frank turned her head to the side.

  She gagged, gasping for air as water poured from her mouth. Her fingers dug into Frank’s thigh as she continued to cough. Her breathing was erratic and it would remain so for a moment until all the lake water left her lungs.

  Frank pushed her hair from her face, and felt a rush of relief through his entire system. He drew in a long, slow breath. His heart still raced, but his Lacy was alive.

  And in his arms.

  “Rescue boat is on its way,” Reese said as he fell back, leaning against the side of the boat.

  “Andy?” Lacy tried to sit up, but cried out at the effort.

  “I think your ankle is broken,” Reese said. “I wouldn’t try and move if I were you.”

  “Where’s Andy? I want to see Andy,” she said with panic in her eyes.

  “I’m right here, Aunt Lacy.” Andy slowly made his way to her side.

  “Thank God,” she whispered.

  “Your ankle looks really bad. I think I’d do what Reese says.” Andy sat down next to Reese and took her hand. “I love you,” he whispered.

  “I love you right back.” She smiled and pulled Andy down into her arms. “Always and forever.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  LACY ADJUSTED HERSELF in the hospital bed. Her foot throbbed inside her new dark-blue cast. Why she had picked blue was beyond her. It actually reminded her of the lake at night, and frankly, she could do without ever going in the water at night again.

  “Want something to drink?” Andy asked.

  “That would be great, but I don’t have any change.”

  “Frank gave me a bunch of money. They’ve got vending machines with junk food, too.”

  She waved Andy to the side of the bed. He’d been quiet most of the night while cops asked them a ton of questions. Social services had shown up and interviewed him. Hell, even the judge presiding over their case had come and chatted with him. He’d been a trooper, but she worried about him. He was just a kid.

  A kid who had saved her life.

  He sat on the edge of the bed and fiddled with his pocketknife.

  She’d always hated that thing, but if he hadn’t had that stupid knife with him, and the brains to use it, they’d both be dead. Even if Frank had found them, it probably would have been too late.

  “You saved us,” she said taking his hand.

  He dropped his head and raised the knife. “Mom gave this to me for my birthday.”

  “I know,” she whispered.

  “I was so scared.” He lifted his gaze to hers. “If Frank hadn’t found us, I don’t know…”

  “Shh. You did the right thing, and Frank did find us.”

  “What’s going to happen to Dad when they find him?”

  “He’s in custody,” Frank’s voice echoed in her ears. “And you don’t ever have to worry about him again. He’ll be in jail for a very long time.” He leaned against the wall and folded his arms. He held a piece of paper in one hand.

  His looked tired. His face was drawn.

  “Could they let him out?” Andy questioned. His hand trembled in hers.

  “He can’t hurt you anymore, I promise,” Frank said. “The worst thing that could happen is we all have to testify.”

  “I can do that,” Andy said as he sat up taller.

  “That’s very brave,” Lacy said, feeling the tears well in her eyes. No child should ever have to go through what Andy had endured. What he still had to face. She just hoped she’d be the right guardian for him. She prayed the courts would give her full custody.

  “Brave is an understatement. If you hadn’t had the smarts to come up for air before going back down to help your aunt, we wouldn’t be here right now.” Frank approached the bed. “You’re a real hero.”

  Andy smiled for the first time since being kidnapped. “Really?”

  “Really.” Frank ruffled his hair. “My folks are in the hallway with Jake. Why don’t you get them to take you down to the cafeteria? I think they started serving breakfast.” Frank reached into his pocket. “And while you’re there, get me an egg and sausage sandwich and some coffee.” He handed some money to Andy before turning to Lacy. “What would you like?”

  She felt the first tear roll down her cheek. Her heart soared, then smacked into a brick wall. The things she’d said to Frank just hours ago were words he didn’t deserve. He might have lied, but now she understood why. Understood him and his own pain. “Same,” she said.

  “Then can we go home?” Andy questioned, glancing between the two of them. “Is home your place?”

  “That would be the plan,” Frank said.

  “Cool.” Andy smiled as he leapt from the bed. “Maybe I can sleep at Jake’s since you two haven’t had a honeymoon yet,” Andy said as if all was good in the world.

  Maybe it was.

  Even after Andy disappeared into the hallway, she continued to stare at the door. Gently, she rubbed the tears from her swollen cheek, but she couldn’t look at Frank. Not yet. She needed a moment to figure out what the hell to say to him.

  Loving a man shouldn’t be so hard.

  Or so easy.

  She felt the bed shift. Then she felt warm pressure on her thigh. She glanced down at his hand as he ran it up her leg to her hip. “How’s Patty?”

  “The surgery went fine and they expect a full recovery.”

  “I’m so sorry about what happened to her.”

  “It’s not your fault.”

  “She was shot because of what was in that box.” She wished she had gone through the box. Maybe if she had, none of this would have happened. “Did you find out what was in the box?”

  “Proof that he was stealing money from his own clients. Some forged paperwork regarding the business, but that’s all over now. Taylor can’t hurt anyone anymore.”

  “What about Paul? Becky?”

  “Paul’s in custody and we got him on all sorts of things.” Frank ran a hand over his head. “I feel bad for Becky. Chad, too. They both could end up spending some time in jail for obstruction of justice and some other minor things.”

  “I’m just glad no one else had to die.”

  “Me, too.” He
squeezed her hip. “I have something for you.”

  She swallowed. “What?”

  “Here.” He held out the paper in front of her. “This gives you permanent custody of Andy.”

  She took the paper in her trembling hand. “That’s it?” She blinked a few times, then looked toward Frank. “It’s over? I don’t have to do anything else?”

  “Nope.” He traced a path down the side of her face with his finger. “That must have hurt.”

  “It did.” She cupped her cheek. “I thought you were dead.”

  “Nope.”

  “Why didn’t they kill you? Kind of stupid on their part.”

  “Don’t think I want to question that one.” He brushed her hair back and then rested his hand on her neck. “I want you to come home with me.”

  “Do you? I mean, we don’t have to stay together now, do we?” But she wanted to. She just wanted to know he did, too.

  He shook his head. “I’m sorry I lied to you.”

  “No, you’re not.” She really didn’t want his apology for something he believed at the time would protect her. Help her keep Andy. When she allowed herself to think about the situation, Frank had done exactly what any good, decent, kind man would do.

  His eyes went wide. “Yes, I am.” He pulled his hand away. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

  “You didn’t hurt me; you’d do the same thing all over again and you know it.” She took his hand. “Because if you hadn’t, I would never have agreed to any of this…and I wouldn’t have fallen head over heels for you.”

  “Oh.”

  “Oh? That’s all you have to say?”

  “No.”

  She raised her hand to his unshaven face. “Then say it.”

  “I want to make a life with you. I want to stay married.”

  “That’s it?” Her stomach filled with butterflies. She wasn’t sure any man had ever told her he loved her. She wasn’t sure any man had ever truly loved her, but she was sure she loved him. She’d spend the rest of her life proving it to him.

  He chuckled. “You just want me to say it first.”

  “Something like that.”

  For a long moment, she stared into his soft blue eyes. Everything about him made her feel warm and safe. In an odd way, he’d always had that effect on her, even when he was just some guy who sat at her table at the restaurant. There was something safe about him. Something real.

  “Lacy Harmon,” he said with a boyish grin.

  “Hey, I never said anything about changing my name.” Nothing in her life had ever felt so right. So perfect.

  “You’re not?” His smile faded a bit.

  “Just keep going.” She didn’t care what her name was, just as long as she got to wake up in his arms every day. She gripped his bicep for support. Suddenly she felt as if she might float right off the bed.

  “I…I…” He shook his head. “This isn’t supposed to be this hard.”

  “Just say it, would you?”

  He let out a dry chuckle and took her hand. He fiddled with the rings on her hand. “I think you know how I feel.” He raised her hand and placed it gently against his chest. “You can feel it.”

  For a second she stopped breathing because she could feel it with every beat of his heart. “I want to hear it,” she whispered.

  He leaned a little closer. His lips only inches from hers, but his eyes gazing into the very depths of her. “I love you. Always and forever, I will love you.”

  An overwhelming sense of joy filled her. Tears welled in her eyes. Never in a million years did she think she could be this happy. “Always and forever, I will love you back,” she promised, then pressed her lips against his.

  He wrapped his arms around her and she held him tight. His kiss was soft and sweet. Tender. A promise of love and devotion. She broke off the kiss, tucked her face into his neck, and sobbed. She didn’t know where the tears had come from or why she felt the need to release them. She just knew she needed to let every emotion in her body out. A fresh start.

  For a long moment, he just held her, stroking her hair. “Hey, what’s this all about?” He kissed her temple. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

  “I know.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “I think it’s just been bottled up for so long.”

  “I’ll always be here for you. And Andy.” Frank cupped her face. “I do love you.”

  She smiled. “So you’ve said.”

  He glided his hand down her side, across her hip and thigh, and tapped at her cast. “So, is this going to prevent me from getting a belated wedding night?”

  She laughed. “I don’t need my foot to make love.”

  “That’s good to know.” He took her mouth in a sloppy passionate kiss.

  She held nothing back. No fighting this time. No pulling away. There was no reason. There was nothing standing in the way of her getting what she wanted. What she deserved.

  “Gross. They’re kissing again. Do they always kiss like that?” Jake’s voice echoed in the room, followed by a few faint chuckles.

  Lacy buried her face in Frank’s chest, her cheeks heated.

  “Like I said, I think I should stay at your house tonight,” Andy said.

  “Sounds like a good plan,” Frank’s mother responded.

  “Um, Frank, the nurse is here with a wheelchair. I think it’s time to take Lacy home,” his father added.

  “Has your entire family joined us?” she questioned, lifting her gaze over his shoulder.

  “Probably,” he whispered in her ear. “They have a tendency to show up at odd times, but you’ll get used to them.”

  “I already am,” she smiled at him. “Take me home.”

  More Books By Jen Talty

  "Talty knows how to twist romance and mystery to make an excellent read" Long and Short Reviews

  For the last nine years, Kaylee Mead has been running from her past. Now she's running for her life. Her only chance at survival is to return home and patch things up with her father. When she returns to her home in Thief Lake, Minnesota, she finds her father dead and herself becoming the cop's best suspect for his murder. Assistant Police Chief Blaine Walker has been trying to put his ex-wife out of his mind for years, but when he finds her hovered over her father's body, he knows that battle is lost. She becomes his only suspect in a case that doesn't make sense. He vows to find the answers and then hopefully rekindle the flame that has never quite died out in his heart.

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  NY State Trooper Series

  Ryan O'Conner has the world at her fingertips. She's strong, feisty and has everything she's ever wanted, except the right man. Jared Blake represents everything Ryan doesn't want. He's controlling, overbearing and now he's moving. Having had a crush on him for years, Ryan decides to seduce Jared. A goodbye thing. However, her plans change when someone starts stalking her. With her life on the line, she turns to Jared for protection and finds the not so perfect man is the perfect man for her.

  Restless and bored, NY State Trooper Jared Blake accepts a transfer from his position in Lake George, NY. Jared craves the rush of adrenaline and his current post is too tame. As soon as he moves, his career will take off, but his plans are put on hold when a friend is threatened by a stalker. Jared has exactly two weeks to find out who is behind these treats.

  And in two weeks, Jared will lose is heart forever...

  iBooks | Amazon | Nook | Kobo | Google

  Lacy DeGeorgio never imagined she'd have to be responsible for anyone but herself. She's strong, stubborn and fiercely independent. She needs no one. She's a woman determined to do things her way, on her own. But when a freak boating accident takes her sister Hannah's life, Lacy finds herself not only back in her hometown of Lake George, New York, but in a custody battle for her eleven-year-old nephew, Andy. Just when things couldn't get any worse, pesky State Trooper Frank Harmon starts showing up, tearing down all her defenses, making her want things she's never wanted before. She'll trust him with her nephew, but
can she trust him with her heart?

  New York State Trooper Frank Harmon is a man of honor and duty. He's always done things by the book, believing the law always works in favor of those who uphold it. Until the day he took a domestic disturbance call at the DeGeorgio trailer, and even though he knew something bad was about to happen, he had to walk away. Two days later, he pulled Hannah DeGeorgio's body from the icy cold waters of Lake George, changing his life forever. He sets out to make sure Hannah's killer is brought to justice and in the process makes a home for a family he thought he never wanted.

  iBooks | Amazon | Nook | Kobo | Google

  Book Three in the NY State Trooper Series

  After staring down the wrong end of a gun, not once, but twice, all Patty Harmon had wanted was to have a little fun. She’d spent most her life taking care of everyone else but herself. And while she had a plan for her life, she hadn’t yet started to live her life. So, when the aloof, distant, and emotionally unavailable New York State Trooper Reese McGinn takes an interest in her, she’s all in…for the moment. When the moment is over, they go their separate ways and Patty can get back to her life plan. But once again, that plan is interrupted when Patty finds herself pregnant. She’ll let Reese back in for the sake of the child, but can she keep Reese from stealing her heart?

  New York State Trooper Reese McGinn has been haunted by his late mothers confession and the secret she still took to her grave. For the last seven years, he’s done nothing but move from job to job and town to town, vowing to never put down roots. But when his summer fling with Patty Harmon ends with a child on the way, he decides that its time to forget the past. Only the past doesn’t want to forge him and a deadly secret rises from the grave, threatening to take away everything he thought he never wanted.

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