Falling to Pieces

by Swank, Denise Grover

  I picked up the stack, a cold sweat beading on the back of my neck. He had papers that suggested Violet’s husband Mike had bribed county officials to support his construction company. Next he had photos of Violet sneaking out of a hotel with the new mayor of Henryetta. I studied the photos, wondering how he’d gotten those staged. If they were Photoshopped, whoever had done it did a damn good job. But the last sent ice through my veins. I held a bank account statement in Rose’s name with a wire transfer into an account with Daniel Crocker’s name. Fifty thousand dollars dated a week before her mother’s murder.

  I looked up at him, trying to contain my fear. “This will never hold up. You and I both know that.”

  “Are you willing to bet her life on it? From what I hear, she doesn’t have that great of reputation in that town. I suspect they’ll believe this hook, line, and sinker. They had no qualms believing she killed her mother during their initial investigation.”

  My hand shook, giving away my fear. “Not Mason. He’ll never buy it.”

  “Mason Deveraux?” My father laughed. “I put him in that hell hole, and I can pull him out of it. And all behind the scenes, so that he never even knows. The DA and that Judge McClary will do what I want.”

  I shoved the papers onto his desk. “Don’t take Mason Deveraux for a fool. He’ll never stand back and let you do this.”

  “No one lets me do anything, least of all a lowly assistant DA who has a job because I deemed fit to make sure he had one. Don’t delude yourself into thinking you can stop me, Joe. Are you really willing to risk it?”

  I gripped the edge of the chair, my knuckles turning white. “What the hell do you want? That I run in this asinine race?” I swallowed, trying to settle my frayed nerves. “Fine. I’ll run, but I’m still marrying Rose.”

  His lips pursed with a scowl. “Not acceptable.”

  “The only way I do this is with her. I know you find this impossible to believe, but I actually love her. Genuine love, not the political for-show marriage you and Mom put on.”

  “Joseph,” Mom gasped.

  “Genuine love?” Dad shouted. “What the hell does love have to do with anything? You marry for money and power. Hell, even that Fenton County tart has figured that one out.” He took a breath to settle down. “I’ve tolerated your rebellion for years thinking, ‘let the boy get it out of his system before he runs for office.’ We couldn’t have you creating a scandal once your political career began, so we gave you a free rein. Overachiever that you are, you’ve done your level best to sow as many wild oats as there are fields to plant ’em in. You, me, and God only know the messes you’ve created that I’ve cleaned up over the years. But I did it, literally banking on the payoff at the end.” He pointed his finger at me, the veins on his temple throbbing. “You owe me, Joe. I’ve been cleaning up your shit for years, and now it’s time to pony up, boy. And I swear to God and all that is holy, if you don’t, I will bury that girl.”

  I stood, my stomach rolling, and I took in several deep breaths as fear flooded every cell of my body. I wanted to protest that she was innocent, and that she’d never done anything to him, but when had that ever stopped him before? J.R. Simmons was ruthless.

  My mother watched me, a war of emotion battling on her face.

  I swallowed a cry of anguish. What the hell had I expected? He was right. I’d created more scandals than a person had a right to. I might have sailed out of every single one unscathed, yet with every transgression, I was one foot deeper in my father’s pit. I’d dug the very hole I was trapped in.

  I walked over to my father’s minibar and poured a glass of whiskey, taking a gulp.

  “J.R.,” Mom said softly. “I’m telling you, he’ll never win against Delany.”

  “What the Sam Hill are you talking about, Betsy?” My father bellowed.

  “You’re not giving the family angle enough credit. Not in this district. Not where sponsoring your local Little League team can increase your business fivefold.”

  I took another swig, letting the liquid warm its way down my throat.

  “And what the hell do you want to do about that?” he asked.

  My mother hesitated. “Let him make his engagement public.”

  I swung around to face her.

  My father’s stunned face gaped at both of us. “To that….that…”

  I slammed the glass down on the table. “Her name is Rose,” I forced out through gritted teeth. I took a step toward him. “And she is good and decent and a better person than you could ever hope to be.”

  He shook his head with a sneer. “That may be true, but we all know what they say about nice guys finishing last and the same applies to her.” He rested his forearms on his desk and leaned forward. “She may be good and decent, but you need cunning and resourceful. You need Hilary.”

  I shook my head, barely containing my horror. I’d always known this day of reckoning was coming, but I’d never had anything worth standing up for against him. Not before Rose. But then again, that was exactly why he chose now to spring this on me. When I had too much to lose to say no. “I will never marry Hilary.” My voice shook with emotion.

  “J.R.,” my mother pleaded. “Listen to me. You can use that Fenton County girl to your advantage. She’s lower class like half the population of the county he’ll represent. Delany’s going to use his humble roots against our money as well as play the family angle.” She scooted forward in her seat, resting her hand on the desk. “Let Joe try a test engagement with her. He can use her small business as an example to support your small business program. He can trot her out on the campaign trail with him, and she can swap coon recipes with people like her.” Her eyes burned bright. “We can use this, J.R.”

  My father’s eyes narrowed on me. “Did you put her up to this?”

  My mouth dropped. “You’re asking me this after she did everything in her power to embarrass Rose at dinner?”

  Mom’s face hardened. “If I had used everything in my power, that girl would have crawled out of here on her hands and knees. Don’t take my suggestion as a confirmation nor acceptance of this girl as a suitable wife for you. But if life hands you lemons, you squeeze the hell out of them to get what you want. Why should this be any different?” Her gaze turned to Dad. “In this case, she might help Joe garner more votes. The lower socioeconomic-class voters will feel an affinity with her, much more so than Frank Delany’s wife. And we both know that the spouse—or in this case, potential spouse—is just as important as the candidate.”

  My father paused as he considered her words. “You might be right.”

  My pulse pounded in my head.

  Encouraged, Mom continued. “She will need to be schooled. We’ll teach her proper manners and improve her look without making her too made-up.”

  I glared. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with how she looks!”

  She rolled her eyes. “Stop thinking with the appendage in your pants for once in your life, Joseph. We’re giving you want you want, even if on a trial basis, so show a little appreciation. We’ll see how she does and how the voters react. But I’m warning you, if she doesn’t help your campaign, she’s history.”

  I took several shallow breaths.

  “She’ll have to stop associating with half that town though. Most are derelicts and imbeciles. She’s hired the town drug addict, for heaven sakes. She’ll need to fire him at once, lest she tarnish what little she has left of her reputation.” A tiny smile curled up her lips. “That will be a condition of acceptance for us. If she can’t follow this rule, then she is done before she even starts.”

  Conditions. Of course. When had I ever been given any gift from my parents that didn’t come with conditions.

  “She can continue to work at her nursery, but on a more limited basis. She’ll be expected to campaign with you at least half the time.”

  “Anything else?” I asked in a sarcastic tone.

  “She will be expected to meet our standards of behavior and dress.
If she does not comply, she will be removed.”

  “Be removed? You make her sound like a vase of dying flowers.”

  Her brow lifted with a sardonic stare. “An appropriate analogy if I ever heard one.”

  “You expect me to discard the woman I love if she doesn’t live up to your political expectations?”

  Her eyes turned cold. “Yes.”

  “If she doesn’t work out, keep her as mistress,” Dad volunteered.

  “A mistress? I would never belittle her by keeping her as a mistress.” I spat in disgust. “She deserves a hell of a lot more than that.”

  “Then you better hope she works out.”

  “Am I done?” I asked sarcastically.

  Dad snorted. “You are far from done. You’ve only just begun.”

  Mom waved her hand dismissively. “Go. I know you want to go to her tonight and you need to get this ironed out before we make your official announcement tomorrow.”

  My father pushed his chair back. “But I expect you back by eleven tomorrow morning. And tell your girlfriend that she is indefinitely on call until this campaign is in the bag.”

  Chapter Four

  The closer I got to Henryetta, the more nervous I became. What I had originally seen as a victory I quickly realized was a thorn-covered crown. There was no way Rose would agree to any of it.

  I was going to lose her anyway.

  I stuffed down my fear. I would tell her the truth and let her decide. I couldn’t make her agree to anything, but I knew she loved me and would do anything for me. Even in my desperation, I knew it wasn’t fair to ask, but I’d finally found the one person I couldn’t live without. I wasn’t ready to give her up without trying.

  When I pulled onto Rose’s street, the police car in front of her house sent a new fear coursing through my blood. I parked in front of Mildred’s house and ran across the street as Ernie walked out Rose’s front door.

  “Where is she?” I choked out.

  He shot me a surprised look. “The hospital.”

  I stopped in my tracks, panic flooding my head. “What happened?”

  “She was kidnapped. She’d called 9-1-1 but by the time we arrived here, she was already gone. The assistant DA called and told us she was at Reverend Pruitt’s house.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “I didn’t see her, but she didn’t go in an ambulance so that has to be a good sign. Deveraux took her.”

  Mason. My anger simmered. What the hell was he up to? But I knew. It didn’t take a genius to figure it out.

  “What about her dog?”

  “That little thing that looks like an overgrown rat? It was shut up in the bathroom, barking loud enough to wake the neighbors.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. I loved that dog as much as Rose did. “Thanks. Make sure she’s okay, and I’ll be back later.”

  I got in my car and made a quick call to Detective Taylor who filled me in on the basic facts during my short drive to the hospital. Jonah Pruitt’s secretary was actually his mother and had confessed to murdering the elderly women. She’d also kidnapped Rose with the intention of killing her. But Mason had figured out where Rose was and had reached her in time.

  How in the hell did Rose get mixed up in that?

  But that was Rose. She’d been in more scrapes in the four months since I met her than any other person I knew. How in the world could I make her part of my campaign? Especially with her visions?

  Fear washed through me making me numb. I was going to lose her.

  Anger quickly swooped in to replace my fear. Anger at Rose for putting herself in danger. Anger at Mason for being there for her when I couldn’t. Anger at my parents for their ultimatums and expectations. But most of all, anger at myself. I had no one to blame for the position I was in but me. If I hadn’t lived the life I had, my parents wouldn’t have leverage to hold over my head.

  My anger raged to a boiling point by the time I got to the hospital. When I approached the emergency room desk, I snarled, “Rose Gardner. Where is she?”

  The receptionist looked up startled. “I’m sorry. We can’t share that information.”

  I pulled out my wallet and flashed my state police badge. “Happy? Now where the hell is she?”

  Flustered, she stood. “She’s in the back.” She opened the locked door and stood to the side as I barged through.

  “Where is she?”

  “Exam room four.” Her voice shook. “But she might still be in X-ray.”

  I stormed down the hall, stopping outside room four when I heard voices.

  “Everything go okay?” Mason’s voice was clear as an aide opened the door, giving me an odd look as he left the room.

  “It was fine.” Rose answered, sounding tired. “They said they’d tell me the results soon.”

  Mason was still with her. But why wouldn’t he be? When we’d worked together in July to get her out of lockup, it had been obvious that he had an interest in her that wasn’t platonic. Amazingly enough, after I’d asked him to stay away from her, he’d complied until Rose put two-and-two together. And after she knew about our arrangement, he probably figured all bets were off. But now that I’d gotten the deputy sheriff position, I’d be the one with her. I’d be the one she could rely on.

  Only I wouldn’t be. I’d be running for the state senate and Fenton County was outside the district I was running in.

  My anger resurfaced.

  I had my hand on the wooden door, ready to barge in when I heard Rose say, “Mason, you don’t have to stay with me. Go home and go to bed.”

  “Someone has to make sure you get home okay,” Mason’s voice was warm and reassuring.

  And that was the icing on the cake. The last reminder that he’d be the one to watch out for her when I was gone. I shoved the door open. I might lose her, but I hadn’t lost her yet. “Yeah, that someone is me.”

  Rose looked up startled, while Mason turned a cold stare on me. I could handle Mason Deveraux. He was nothing compared to my father.

  But when I got a good look at Rose’s face, I stopped in my tracks. She was bruised and dried blood covered the side of her face, neck, and chest, and the slip she was wearing. I forced myself to take a breath. “What happened?”

  She offered me a tight smile. “Oh, you know. The usual. Kidnapping, attempted murder.”

  She could have been killed and I should have been with her but instead, I was listening to my parents and their damn expectations. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Really. Just bruised and banged up.”

  This was never going to work. Finding her like this was proof enough. All it would take would be one incident like this to cause a scandal and my parents would toss her out onto the street, probably making sure to ruin her before she even landed just to ensure she’d never be back. Grief and panic bolstered my anger. “How did this happen. Again? Why can’t you leave these things alone?”

  Rose looked shell-shocked, making me feel like an even bigger ass.

  Mason stood, turning at a defensive angle. “I don’t like how you’re talking to her.”

  Mason Deveraux was protecting Rose from me? It was all I could do not to beat the shit out of him. “What are you still doing here? When did it become the job of the prosecuting attorney to hold a vigil with a victim?”

  “Joe,” Rose said, her voice tight.

  She was almost killed tonight and she was trying to downplay it. And Mason Deveraux was standing there encouraging her. “She doesn’t think about the consequences of what she’s doing, and you damn well know I’m right.”

  Mason tensed, moving closer to her. “Are you suggesting that she brings this on herself?”

  He was still trying to protect her. From me. I forced myself to calm down. “I’m saying she’s going to get herself killed if she doesn’t stop and think about her own safety.”

  Mason took several breaths and looked like he was about to punch me. “Perhaps if you were actually here to witness what goes on in her
life, you’d see that she did nothing to bring any of this upon herself.”

  He wasn’t saying anything I didn’t already know, but it still didn’t set well. Especially when Mason was the one who had replaced me. “You’ve made damn sure you’re close at hand, haven’t you, Deveraux?”

  Mason’s eyes narrowed, his own rage riding close to the surface. He moved next the bed. “I’m not doing this to Rose tonight. She’s been through too much trauma.” He kissed Rose’s forehead, and it was all I could do to not tear him away from her and toss him out the door. “You know how to find me if you need me.”

  “Thanks, Mason.” She smiled at him with gratitude.

  Of course she looked at him with gratitude. From what Taylor told me, Deveraux had literally saved her life. What was going to happen to her when I wasn’t with her? When I had to walk away from her. Because I knew that was the decision I ultimately had to face, even if I wasn’t ready to do it yet. The fact remained that if Mason hadn’t saved her, I wouldn’t be standing here needing to make that decision. I’d be going to her funeral.

  I turned away, unable to face the love of my life and the man who would almost certainly replace me. “Thank you.” It was all I could do to keep from breaking down. I cleared the lump from my throat. “Thank you for saving her.”

  Mason moved to the doorway and stopped in the threshold. “I’ll always be there for Rose when she needs me.”

  His words only drove the knife deeper.

  When he left, I sat next to her, wondering how physically hurt she really was. I couldn’t imagine losing her, yet I couldn’t find a way to avert this disaster. I picked up her hand, the ring on her finger filling me with sadness. “You’re still wearing my ring.”

  “Yeah.”

  I blinked to keep from crying. “What happened tonight?” She didn’t answer me and I stroked the back of her hand. “Detective Taylor said Jonah’s mother kidnapped you and threatened to kill you.”

  She shifted, uncomfortable talking about it. “That sounds about right.”