by Lisa Ladew
Edge of the Heat 4
Edge of the Heat, Volume 4
Lisa Ladew
Published by Lisa Ladew, 2014.
Edge of the Heat 4
By Lisa Ladew
All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons or organizations, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Copyright © 2014 Lisa Ladew
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
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About the Author
Dedication/Acknowledgements
Also By Lisa Ladew
Chapter 1
“Vivian, so good to see you again,” Doctor Grace Holbort said, her slate gray eyes crinkling with her smile, and her bobbed, white hair swaying as she leaned forward to grasp Vivian’s hand.
Vivian shook Dr. Holbort’s hand, smiling. She liked Dr. Holbort, and was very glad to have been under her care for the last year. If things went well today though, she wouldn’t have to come back to this office for another year. And if things went really well she would have an amazing gift for Hawk on their wedding night.
“Your fiancé isn’t with you today?”
“No, I didn’t tell Hawk I was coming. I wanted it to be a surprise.”
Dr. Holbort raised an eyebrow. “Really, well let’s get you some good news then. Could you hop up here on the table please?”
Vivian climbed on the table and lay down, shivering in her skimpy hospital gown.
Dr. Holbort began her exam by feeling her abdomen. “Sorry you are cold. This will be quick.”
Vivian nodded as Dr. Holbort’s soft hands chilled her more.
“So when are you getting married?”
Her chill forgotten, Vivian’s face flooded with a smile. “Tomorrow. Tonight is our rehearsal dinner, and tomorrow at 4 p.m. is the ceremony.
“Wonderful! How exciting! Will it be a big ceremony?” Dr Holbort’s hands expertly traced the now familiar pattern of Vivian’s entire stomach, gently probing each organ.
“Yes, very big. My sister and I have 374 people on the guest list.”
“Oh my! That is a huge wedding, where will you put them all?”
“It’s been a challenge setting it all up, but we managed it. The ceremony is outside, we have 360 degree seating, and we will have big screen coverage so the people in the back can see and hear, and then the reception is at the Eller’s Mansion. They have a reception area big enough for all of us.
“Amazing. You can sit up now.”
Vivian sat up and pulled the gown around her.
“Why don’t I step out while you get dressed? Give me 10 minutes to go over the results of your other tests, and then I’ll be back to discuss them with you.”
“Thank you Doctor.”
Vivian waited for the door to snick shut, then put her blouse and jeans back on. A small niggle of fear chewed at the back of her mind. What if the tumor is back?
She shook her head. Don’t be silly, she chided herself. Of course it’s not back. She’d been tumor free for over 6 months now, eating zero sugar, doing her self-checks, and taking wonderful care of herself. Besides, the odds were on her side. The tiny, local chemotherapy implant she’d had implanted in the tumor and then removed after 2 months had caused hardly any side effects, nicely shrinking the tumor in record time. She was healthier than she’d been 5 years ago. This kind of tumor only recurred in some small percentage of people. And she was in love. Things were good.
She finished dressing and sat down to wait for the doctor, breathing deeply.
A knock at the door announced Dr. Holbort’s re-entrance.
“I have good news.”
Vivian smiled. Of course she did.
“Your abdomen is soft and supple and there is no occurrence of the tumor. I think you are done with it for good.”
Vivian strained forward, wanting to ask the most important question of all. “Am I cleared to have a baby?”
Dr Holbort smiled broadly. “Yes, absolutely. Your treatment was so specific that your eggs should not have been damaged by it, but if any were, they are all out of your body by now anyway. I see no reason for it not to be safe for you to get pregnant immediately.”
Vivian hugged herself. A baby. A little fat bundle of 10 teeny toes and ten nibbly fingers. She couldn’t wait to be a mother. She couldn’t wait for all of it. The pregnancy, the cravings, the impossibly big belly, the labor, the delivery, the nursing, the sleepless nights, the new depths of worry - all of it!
“Dr. Holbort, that’s the best news I’ve heard all day. Thank you so much for everything.”
“Of course my dear. Congratulations on your wedding, and you come back to see me in a year, OK?”
Chapter 2
“Are you ready for tomorrow?” Vivian asked Emma breathlessly, watching her sister closely. It had been almost one year since her psycho ex-husband, Norman had tried to take Emma’s life a second time, but then inexplicably saved her when the car they were in careened off the bridge and sank in chilly Westwood Harbor Bay. Emma had been different, changed, for a long time after that second attempt. She seemed to have lost some of her light, some of her joy. Every day, Vivian watched for it to come back, prayed for it to come back. But so far, the only thing that seemed to completely light her up like she used to be was the wedding planning and preparations.
They were sitting at the sweethearts table in the large reception hall in the Eller’s mansion, waiting for all the rehearsal dinner guests to arrive. So far, they were the only ones there.
“Yeah, I’m ready,” Emma smiled faintly and pushed her strawberry-blond hair out of her face. “I can’t believe the day is finally here.”
Emma smiled again, wider and more relaxed this time and gave her sister a hug. “How about you? Are you nervous?”
“Nervous? Yeah, I am. I’m going to be married! And to the most amazing man I’ve ever met.” Vivian sighed, and looked around, hoping Hawk would walk through the doors right then so she could put her arms around his muscular body and inhale his scent. To her, he always smelled like spice and soap. Just the thought of him made her heart beat a little faster still.
For a split second she thought about telling her twin sister about her little secret, but then Emma asked her another question.
“What?”
“Do you have to pick up your parents?” Emma asked again.
“Oh. No. They are staying at the Ritz which is only a block away. They are going to walk over.”
“Ok. Emma looked at her phone. “People should start showing up any second. Have you heard from the guys?”
“Yeah, they’re on time. They’ll be here soon.”
Vivian opened her mouth to ask Emma how she was feeling these days, and if she’d been going to see Dr. Anderson, but closed it again. She’d ask after the wedding and after the honeymoon. She didn’t want to ruin the happy occasion with her worrying. She just wanted to see her sister back to her old self again.
The double doors at the far end of the large room opened and Hawk came through first, followed by Craig.
Vivian let out a little squeal, and ran across the room to throw herself in Hawk’s arms, even while she was laughing at herself for acting like a 14 year old.
Hawk caught her and lowered his face to hers, kissing her warmly on the mouth. He let his lips trace across her jawline and spoke into her ear, low and husky, with a timbre that vibrated through her body in a delicious way. “Hi gorgeous,
I missed you.”
“Hi yourself, I missed you too. Come on.” She pulled Hawk back to the main table, to show him where they’d be sitting, but glanced over her shoulder at Emma and Craig.
Craig was holding Emma in a long embrace, and rocking her a little bit. Emma’s face was buried in his shoulder, almost like she was crying. Vivian’s alarms went off. She decided to corner Craig later and see what was up.
After the men were set up at the table, Vivian gave them instructions on what would happen tonight at the rehearsal dinner, and the next night at the reception. Just as she had finished explaining where everyone would sit and in what order the speeches would be given, the door opened again.
“Mom! Dad!” Vivian yelled, and ran around the table to hug them. Hawk followed, looking rather shy and awkward in his suit.
“Mr Dashell.” Hawk held out his hand to shake and Vivian’s dad pulled him into a bear hug instead.
Vivian watched them with a smile on her face. She knew both her parents loved Hawk and she knew that Hawk felt incredibly anxious that they didn’t, but no matter what she said he still hadn’t warmed up to them. Maybe the wedding would get them talking more.
Emma and Craig came around the table for hugs and kisses too and then Vivian sat her parents at the table closest to them. Craig’s parents and Hawk’s parents would also be sitting at this table. Vivian thought about how many speeches were going to be given and hoped everyone took her time limits seriously. She didn’t want there to still be speeches being given at midnight.
Vivian’s dad, Clint, pulled Emma to the side, and whispered something into her ear. Vivian stepped close, wanting to hear what was going on.
“Emma dear, I know this is late notice, but I just wanted to make sure you have someone to walk you down the aisle,” he said. “Because if you didn’t, I would be honored to do so.”
Emma smiled at him, the first tear of the night slipping down her cheek. “Thank you Clint, thank you so much, but Grandma Maisie is going to walk me down the aisle.”
Clint nodded. “That’s good. That’s wonderful. Mary Beth and I just want you to know that, you being Vivian’s sister and all, well, we’d like to think of you as our daughter if that’s OK with you. We wish and wish that we had known about you when you were born. We’d have adopted you in a second.” He stopped and nodded. “But we can’t change the past,” he added with an air of resignation, his white eyebrows knotting together.
Emma nodded, the tears flowing freely now. “Thank you Clint. Thank you … Dad?”
“Yes dear, you call me dad. I would love that.” He patted her hand and pulled her towards his wife, Mary Beth.
Vivian stood there watching them, and wiped away her own tears. She hadn’t known her dad was going to offer that, and it made her heart feel about to burst. Having her adoptive parents accept her birth family with such open arms delighted her. Life handed her new pleasures every day. Her hand crept to her belly. Thinking of new pleasures and joys made her feel a desperate longing for her first child. She savored it for a moment, then let it go, knowing it would come when the time was right.
More people started to filter in and Vivian and Emma went into hostess mode, seating everyone, and handing out kisses and thank-you-for-comings like candy. The waiters showed up and began to bring bread and drinks for everyone. Vivian’s mother was in charge of them and handled them perfectly, like they were her own personal team.
When everyone had arrived and was seated except for Jerry, Vivian sat back down next to Emma and asked her where Jerry was.
“Oh, he’s at physical therapy till 7. He’s been spending as much time as possible there lately,” Emma said.
“Really? That’s great. How is his limp?”
“It’s better. Not even noticeable sometimes.” Something clouded Emma’s eyes and Vivian saw it immediately, feeling a pang of heartache for her sister. Did Emma really still feel responsible for Jerry being shot by Norman and then almost losing his lower leg when Norman reversed his horrible car and tried to pin Jerry between it and the ambulance? Vivian chewed on her lower lip, knowing Emma did. She wished there was something she could do to roll this boulder of pain off her sister’s heart.
Emma’s face brightened. “I think he likes his physical therapist though.”
Vivian laughed. “Is she pretty? Because if she is, of course he does.”
“It’s not that,” Emma lowered her voice and leaned in. “I think he really likes her. Like I’ve never seen him like anyone. He asked her out 6 months ago and she said no because of their professional relationship. But today is his last day of physical therapy and he says he’s been trying to convince her to be his date to the wedding all week.”
“Really? But the wedding is tomorrow. What if she won’t go?”
“He says he will come stag then. He says there’s no one else he wants to go with anyway.”
Vivian’s mouth dropped open. Jerry without 6 or 7 women lined up begging to be his date? “He must be in love,” she told her sister, half-joking.
“I know,” Emma said. “I couldn’t believe it either. I hope she comes. I really want to meet this woman who can intrigue Jerry for so long.”
Four waiters pushed in huge, silver trays full of steaming plates of delicious-smelling food and started to distribute them.
Emma sat back, eying them, and raised her voice to a normal level. “You know Viv, the only down-side of us having a double wedding is we won’t ever get to be each other’s bridesmaids.”
Vivian looked sad for a moment. “Yes, that’s true isn’t it.”
Craig broke in. “Yeah, Hawk and I always thought we’d be best men for each other too.” He laughed and shrugged it off in typical Craig style but Vivian looked stricken.
She took Hawk’s hand in her own. “Oh sweetheart, I’m so sorry. I never thought of that.”
Hawk laughed a little, sweetly, and covered Vivian’s hand with his other hand, pulling her close and kissing her neck again. “Don’t even worry about it. It’s not that big of a deal. He may not be my best man but I’ll share an anniversary with him for life. That’s plenty special.”
Vivian smiled, relieved. Hawk always knew how to make her feel better.
Dinner was set before them, and it smelled like heaven. Vivian dug in right away, but tried to listen to the conversation Emma and Craig were having to her left.
“So you are still working on the Oberlin case?” Emma said. “He’s been dead for a year.”
Vivian saw Emma’s mouth turn up slightly when she said Oberlin, like she had bitten into something nasty.
Yeah sis, I still feel like that when I think of that monster being our father too, she thought.
Emma glanced at her and smiled.
“I know,” Craig said. “I can’t believe how much evidence there is to wade through. And some of it is indicating that he wasn’t acting alone.”
“So what, he had accomplices?”
“Yes, accomplices, or a boss.”
“You’re kidding. He was a U.S. Senator trying to become president. Who else would be in charge of him in a gun scandal? The current president?” Emma practically whispered.
Craig cocked an eyebrow with a mischievous smile and Emma covered her mouth as it dropped open in an O of surprise. “Oh no!”
Craig laughed and took her hand. “No, I’m just kidding. Not the current president. Maybe another senator. We’re still looking into it because the guns are still moving even though Oberlin is dead and gone. Someone has to still be buying them.”
Emma shook her head, more worry on her face. Again, Vivian shared her feelings. Would this mess never end? When Craig and Hawk had been investigating Oberlin, people they loved had died and Hawk had almost been the victim of a frame-up job that would have cost him his job for sure and possibly put him in jail. Plus Emma and Craig had been held hostage by him for a short time and who knows what would have happened if Craig hadn’t been able to text Hawk to come get them out of there.
Vivian remembered something Grandma Maisie had said. Grandma Maisie had a son who was a police officer in neighboring Santa Mar Rey and had been for 18 years now. She said you couldn’t let the worry for the man steal the joy of the day. You had to trust in his abilities and skills and that he wouldn’t leave this earth before his scheduled time, no matter what. And once it was his scheduled time, no amount of worrying and praying would change anything. Vivian let the sentiment wash over her and did her best to let go of the worry. Hawk and Craig were smart and competent and they could handle anything that came their way.
She looked out over the crowd attending their rehearsal dinner. Soon, the practice speeches would start. Once dinner was over, it would be a whirlwind of activity until tomorrow night when she was secured in her honeymoon suite with her new husband. Vivian reached out and found Hawk’s hand on the table next to her and squeezed it. He smiled at her and squeezed back, still eating heartily. God she loved him. A sense of appreciation and gratitude for the gift she had been given washed over her so strongly, it stole her breath for moment. How was it that she deserved all of this? Tears of pure joy formed in the corners of her eyes.
She wiped her tears with her napkin, then noticed movement to her right. Craig was getting up. Heading to the bathroom? She watched him enter the corridor to the bathroom and then kissed Hawk on the cheek and whispered bathroom in his ear, then hurried after Craig.
When he came out of the men’s room she was waiting for him.
“Hey Viv.”
“Hey Craig, I just wanted to ask you a quick question about Emma.”
“Shoot.”
“How is she? Emotions-wise? I ask because she still seems sad to me sometimes.”
“Sad? Nah, she’s fine.”
Vivian watched Craig closely. “You don’t think she still feels guilty at all for what happened to Jerry?”
“No. She knows it wasn’t her fault. Don’t worry so much Viv. Emma’s a rock. She’s good.”
Vivian shook her head. “You’re too optimistic Craig. You think everything’s fine all the time, even when it’s not. And you think everyone’s happy, just because you are.”
