by Anna Paige
Ali blew out a frustrated breath and pulled away from her mother's hand. "Mother, this is Clay McGavran. Clay, this is my mother, Eileen Shepard."
Eileen scowled but offered a manicured hand in my direction, looking less than impressed. "Ah, yes, I remember. The construction worker." She sniffed rudely. "Ali has mentioned you in passing, I believe."
I shook her hand quickly and made a point of wiping my hand on my pants when I answered. "Yes, I believe I was there when she told you about me." I quirked a suggestive brow just to piss her off. "Sorry if my hands are rough. It's the price you pay when wielding a BFH all day."
I could see Ali smirking out of the corner of my eye when Eileen took the bait. "And what exactly is a BFH?" She asked coolly.
I cocked my head to the side, hoping to look confused. "I thought you would have been able to glean that from what Ali told you. A BFH is a big hammer. I'll let you figure out where the 'f' factors in while I go make arrangements for our stay at my grandmother's. If you need help figuring it out, ask your daughter. She knows all about it." I leaned down to kiss Ali briefly, and she nipped my lip playfully, thoroughly entertained by my interactions with her mother. I nodded to Eileen on the way out and told her, "Thanks for the offer to take Ali in, but I think she'll be better cared for by us strangers."
GRAN AND VANESSA were still lingering at the hospital, waiting to find out when Ali would be discharged. I tracked them down to the cafeteria and got myself a cup of coffee before joining them at their table. Vanessa seemed to be faring better this morning, so Gran must have taken my threats seriously.
They inquired about Ali's condition, and I told them what I had in mind, leaving out the part about Keith and the possibility that the fire was intentional. No need to worry them unnecessarily. When I suggested that we stay at Gran's for a few days, the two women eagerly agreed and started planning everything from the dinner menu to what clothes Ali would want to bring, volunteering to pack our things for us so that we could leave immediately. It was nice watching the two of them chat animatedly about all the things we could do while visiting and joke about how Daniel, who was with his father for the weekend, was going to fawn all over Ali when he returned.
Seeing them back on solid ground made me happy.
I gave them the entry code for the cabin, telling them to go get some rest and hash out the details over dinner. There was no way Ali was leaving the hospital at least for one more day so I didn't see the need for everyone to cram themselves into that tiny waiting room another night. I hugged them both and set off to look for Jeffrey, hoping he was more receptive of my plans than his ex-wife had been.
It made no sense to me that the two of them had once been married. They say opposites attract but damn...
On my way up to Ali's room, I ran into Lauren. She had gone back home to work on getting Teach out of town for a few days, and I assumed by her reappearance that she had been successful. She smiled tentatively as she joined me in front of the bank of elevators, and I returned the gesture. It was unsettling to be in this position, to look at her as a possible ally. I couldn't be sure of her intentions, but I could find nothing in her admission that would benefit her in the long run. She had a lot to lose by talking to us. Did she do it just to keep from being implicated in the fire? I had no way of knowing for sure, so I wasn't ready to trust her yet. I'd never be foolish enough to tell her so, though.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Words to live by.
The doors opened and the accompanying ding startled Lauren, who jumped slightly before stepping ahead of me into the elevator car. She turned and waited for me to select Ali's floor before speaking. "I guess I could just tell you what's going on instead of bothering Ali again." She cleared her throat softly, looking nervous.
I stepped back a bit, realizing that the close quarters might make my size and deep voice intimidating. "Whatever you feel comfortable with, though I'm sure Ali will want to see you. She's just as concerned about your uncle as you, so it's not a bother to have you stop by, I assure you."
She nodded lightly and gave a half smile. "While we have a moment alone, I'd like to apologize for the way I've treated you these last few months. Starting with the first time I saw you at the diner. I can't blame any of that on Keith. That was me being a bitch, plain and simple, and I'm sorry. You took great care not to be hurtful when you refused my advances, and I should have appreciated your tact instead of acting like a bitch."
This was one of those conversations that got guys in fucking trouble. I, in no way, wanted to encourage her to think that I was interested in her. A lot of women made statements like that just to flesh out a compliment and, despite my dislike for her, I felt somehow obligated to tell her she wasn't a bitch. Of course, it's even more complicated when I know damn well that's exactly what she'd acted like.
Fuck. Me.
I should have taken the damn stairs.
I decided to go with the less-is-more approach. "Apology accepted." I nearly sighed in relief when she nodded and thanked me, not saying anything more.
We exited the elevator, and I sent her on ahead while I went to talk to Ali's dad. I found him in the waiting room, smiling down at his phone as he typed out a text. I stood silently watching until he hit send and looked up, his expression a mixture of guilt and embarrassment. "How long you been standing there?"
I ignored his question and started telling him about my plans to take Ali away for a few days. He was no fool and immediately asked if there was something going on that he needed to know about. I shook my head and answered as honestly as I could without heaping more worry on the man. "Nothing concrete but I'm not willing to put Ali at risk while I wait for answers." I held his eye and made it clear from my expression that I wasn't going to elaborate further.
He looked ready to argue but seemed to think better of it, saying only, "If I can't trust the guy who carried my daughter out of a burning building to keep her safe, who can I trust?" He stood and shook my hand, reaching across to slap my good shoulder. "You do what you have to do, but I expect to be kept apprised of the situation. Remember what I said about fighting dirty?"
I smiled and nodded. "Yes, sir."
By that evening, most everyone had said their goodbyes and went their respective ways. Only Gran and Vanessa remained, and I had to practically chase them back to the cabin after their early evening visit. Their visit included bringing a large batch of homemade soup for Ali intended to soothe her raw throat. Gran said hospital food was designed to make a person sicker, their way of assuring repeat business according to her theory. She and Vanessa fussed over her like two mother hens, and it warmed my heart to see her glow under their attention.
Strangers, my ass.
Those two had done more to make her feel loved in the span of that one visit than her own mother had in a lifetime. She was family whether she realized it or not. And she would continue to be, whether Eileen liked it or not.
Once we were finally alone and all the noise of the day faded, I carefully crawled into the narrow bed, lying on my undamaged shoulder and mindful of her injuries. I should have stayed in the reclining chair the nurses had brought in, but I needed to be near her. I needed us in the same bed even if the only thing keeping me from falling out on my ass was the cold metal rail pressed against my back.
Maybe if I could feel her next to me, the nightmares would stop.
I held myself up on my elbow, head resting against my palm as I watched her dozing; her labored breathing was a constant reminder of how close I'd been to losing her. I shifted myself as close as possible, wanting to reach her exposed arm with the fingers protruding from my sling. It wasn't the most comfortable position in the world, but I was willing to suffer for the connection.
I kept my touch light and slow, my eyes never leaving her face as I grazed her forearm with my fingertips. After a while she shivered, and gooseflesh spread across her skin. I fumbled with the thin blanket until I managed to cover her up then stretched out be
side her and drifted off to the sound of her breathing and the faint smell of smoke in her hair.
THE DOCTORS RELEASED her the next morning, cautioning her that she needed to limit physical exertion for a while since she could be prone to loss of breath while her body healed. That statement had been followed by a pointed look in my direction and a lot of blushing on Ali's part.
We would both have to stop by the police department to make statements before we left for Gran's, but I knew Ali would want to go back to the cabin first to clean up and pack. She'd politely refused Gran and Vanessa when they offered to pack for her though I knew the offer had been appreciated.
I went to pull the truck around while Ali groused at the nurse who was insisting that she be escorted out in a wheelchair, causing her stubborn streak to flare. She would have to get used to needing help, at least for a little while. I was hoping that a few standoffs with Gran would resign her to it and save me a lot of arguments over the next few weeks. We both needed to recover, and we were going to do it together.
I had to bite back a laugh when I drove up to the front doors and saw her sitting in a wheelchair with a sour expression, rolling her eyes at the nurse who stood beside her holding a crutch. Damn, this was going to be fun.
I helped her up into the cab and thanked the nurse before climbing back behind the wheel. "You ready to go, Miss Walker?"
She nodded, breathing heavily as she rolled down the window for fresh air. The breeze blew her hair in all directions, and she looked like it was the best feeling in the world. Pushing the strands from her face, she turned and smiled at the array of flower assortments and gifts in the back seat, presents from our families and her friends at the diner. There was enough to fill the floorboard and the entire seat. "It looks like the get well gifts multiplied since last night." She beamed, looking touched by the display.
"That's because they stopped me on the way out to give me the ones that they hadn't had a chance to bring up to you yet. More flowers and cards and stuffed animals, though I forget where they all came from."
She reached back and plucked an item from the pile, smiling. "I haven't had a teddy bear since I was a little girl." She read the tag and hugged it to her chest. "From my dad."
I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped me as I thought of him trying to sound like a hard-ass one minute, and picking out stuffed animals the next. I liked him already.
When I turned to tell Ali about his lecture, the look on her face gave me pause. She was staring down at the bear with an odd expression. Something crossed her features, a flicker of something I couldn't quite name which in turn morphed into her being suddenly excited. "Are there still wildlife cameras around the property?"
I frowned, not getting the connection at first. When I realized why she was asking, my whole body came alive with a shot of adrenaline. "Shit! Why didn't I think of that?" I changed course and stepped on the accelerator, the truck's diesel engine roaring beneath the hood as we shot forward, the force making me wince as my left shoulder protested. Funny how a random object can make you think of something so important.
Ali rubbed a hand over my bicep, not able to hold my hand since I was using it to drive. "You were a bit distracted. What with pulling me from a burning building, your injury, dealing with our family and friends... Plus, it's not like anyone else remembered the cameras. We've all been busy processing everything. Hell, it’s been quite a while since I even checked them. The only reason it occurred to me was because of the teddy bear."
I definitely owed Jeffrey a beer when this was all over. No telling when or even if we would have thought of the cameras without his help.
"There are three cameras that might have gotten useful shots around the perimeter of the house. They're set up to start motion detection an hour before dusk, to avoid all the activity during the day." I glanced around the truck, sighing when I spotted my laptop, which was being used to weigh down the strings on Ali's balloons. I could check the memory cards on the spot, and if the pictures showed that bastard starting the fire, he'd better fucking pray the cops found him first.
IT ONLY TOOK A few minutes to pull all the memory cards from the cameras, though it would have gone faster if I'd had the use of both hands. I hurried back to the truck where Ali sat anxiously waiting. I climbed into the cab and saw that she had already started up the laptop and was patiently holding out her hand for one of the cards.
Rather than try to take over, I handed her one and waited for her to insert it into the slot. After all she'd been through she deserved to be the one to see the images first.
The computer whirred to life, and a few seconds later a window popped up on the screen. From my angle, I wasn't able to make anything out, so I watched Ali's face instead, looking for any signs of recognition. She scrolled for a minute, brow furrowed in concentration before blowing out a sigh and asking for the next card. I handed it over and watched as she scrolled through another stream of pictures, not finding anything.
One card left.
I handed her the final memory card and tossed the others into the console while she waited for the pictures to load. Once again, she scrolled, and I kept my focus on her face. Just when I assumed this was another dead end, her eyes widened. Not in that slight way one does when they receive confirmation of something not altogether unexpected. No, not like that. This was a look of astonishment beyond anything I had ever seen. Incredulity was soon followed by confusion and fear.
"What? Ali, what the hell is it? Is it Keith?" My pulse was roaring in my ears, and the truck seemed suddenly claustrophobic as I watched her head turn toward me, her hand flying to her mouth.
There was something in her eyes right then that was dangerously close to pity, and my own fear was amplified by the thought. She didn't answer, just stared at me with unfathomable sadness as she turned the screen to face me. It was as if everything moved in slow motion, the breath in my chest feeling thick as molasses as I tried to expel it from my body. Inch by inch the computer turned, the glare of the late morning sun momentarily blinding me. I blinked the dark spots from my vision and rubbed my burning eyes, not entirely sure I wanted to reopen them.
When I did, I searched out Ali's face, needing one last moment before whatever was on that screen changed everything. She blinked back devastated tears as she held my gaze and whispered, "We'll get through it, I promise. I love you, Clay." Twin tears rolled down her cheeks. I followed their path with my eyes as they fell one by one onto her chest. The soft pink fabric of her tee shirt darkened as the salty tears soaked in and I kept my gaze moving, down, down, until the image on the screen was all I could see.
Oh, God, no.
No, no, no, no, no...
I closed my eyes to block out the pain and rage that tore through me like a wildfire, burning me alive from the inside out. When I reopened them, hoping against hope that I'd seen it wrong, the picture was unchanged.
Unmoved, unrelenting, undeniable.
Unforgivable.
I PARKED IN THE driveway at the cabin a while later, hurrying around to help Ali out. It frustrated me that I couldn't simply carry her into the house, but I'd been warned about my shoulder and the risk of it popping out of place again if I tried to overuse it. Anxious as I was to get her inside, I had to allow her to do this in her own time.
Slowing down to focus on her was the best thing I could do, for her and for me.
She wouldn't be running any marathons in her condition, but she made impressive work of that flight of stairs. Only a few minutes from start to finish, though she was definitely winded by the time she reached the second floor landing. I waited for her to clear the doorway and entered behind her, wondering where our visitors were lingering. I didn't have to wonder long.
Gran's voice rang out gleefully, followed a moment later by Vanessa's. They hugged and babied and fussed over Ali for a few minutes while I ran back to the truck for her purse, knowing she needed her medication. I reentered the living room to the sight of Gran propping Ali's boot
ed foot on a pillow. I pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and brought over her pills, thanking Gran for her help and eyeing Ali carefully. "Here, slugger. Take these and I'll see if Gran here will help you get cleaned up while Vanessa and I unload the truck. That sound okay?"
Before Ali could respond, Gran was scurrying off to the master suite to start the shower muttering, "I'll find her some comfy pajamas, too, just give me a minute."
I sat on the coffee table beside Ali's foot and held her eye, saying nothing, aware that we weren't alone and hoping that she would know what I was asking without needing it vocalized. She glanced around, spying Vanessa in the kitchen, her back to us. She watched me intently and gave a slow nod, indicating her cooperation.
I stood and kissed her head, the smell of smoke that still lingered in her dark locks causing a tightening in my chest. Dropping my mouth to her ear, I whispered, "You're it for me, Ali. I love you."
When I lifted my head, Vanessa had walked back over and handed Ali a glass of ice to go with her water, a motherly smile on her face. It was sheer force of will that kept my voice even as I asked my aunt, "You ready to step outside? I've been anxious to talk to you."
I FOLLOWED VANESSA out to the driveway, eyes boring into the back of her head as she yammered on about inconsequential bullshit. When she reached the truck I asked her to start with the front passenger seat and waited for her to open the door, my arm protesting as my hands fisted involuntarily.
The door swung open, and Vanessa stepped in, the sound of her sharp gasp filling the air a moment later, indicating she'd seen the computer screen. My jaw clenched as I waited to see if she would have the guts to turn back and face me. I'd left the laptop on the seat, the picture from the game cam still open and zoomed in to show the detailed image of my aunt running away from the house just minutes before the flames started.
I could almost smell the damn fear wafting off of her. She didn't step back from the truck, choosing to remain obscured from sight by the door as she quietly said, "Clay, honey, I can explain. If you'll let me, I promise I can explain what happened."
