by Kathryn Shay
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Cast of Characters
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Author’s Note
Don’t miss all of The Casella Cousins
RONAN Excerpt
About the Author
GIDEON
The Casella Cousins
Book 5
Kathryn Shay
Gideon
Copyright © 2020 by Kathryn Shay
All Rights Reserved
Published by Ocean View Books
Cover Design by Shelley Kay at Web Crafters
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Cast of Characters
* * *
Cast of Main Characters:
Gideon Casella—Police Detective, divorced, children Cory, Carina, Cassie
Anabelle Sanders—Police Sergeant, clashes with Gideon, becomes his boss
Gideon’s Immediate Family:
Alessia Casella Benatti—Gideon’s sister, married to Derek; sons: Petey, Matt and Mikey
Derek Davidson—FBI Special Agent, teaching young agents and recruits
Rafe Casella— Gideon’s oldest brother, wife Kate, son Tommy
Seth Casella— Gideon’s younger brother, Legal Aid Attorney
Julianne Ford—Anabelle’s friend, Seth’s wife
Carmella Casella—Gideon’s mother
Tomaso Casella— Gideon’s father
Judd Lewis—Carmella’s husband
Gideon’s Extended Family:
Hayley Casella—Gideon’s cousin, husband Paul, lawyers in new firm Covington, Casella Covitz
Bridget Sullivan—Gideon’s aunt
Albert Casella—Gideon’s deceased uncle
Finn Casella—Gideon’s cousin, owns a bookstore in New York City, engaged to Millie Morrison
Ronan Casella—Gideon’s oldest cousin abandoned the family 20 years ago; movie star Ronny Case
Task Force—Andy Radford, Buck Brolin, TJ Masters, along with Gideon and Anabelle
Other cops—Police Chief Mike Jaspers, Deputy Chief Jamie Landon
Other characters:
Captain Grady O’Connor—EMT in Hidden Cove Fire Department
Jack Harrison—Psychologist in Hidden Cove Fire Department, works with police in this book
Vanessa Daniels—Mayor of Hidden Cove
Grant Wilson—Head of FBI task force
Phillip Grayson—FBI agent under cover in Hidden Cove
Winnie Wyatt—Anabelle’s ex-mother in law
Lisa Lattimore—Gideon’s ex, children’s mother
Chapter 1
* * *
On the porch of a mammoth house, Sergeant Anabelle Sanders gave the nod to the Hidden Cove Fire Department.
“Everybody back.” Captain Nick Evans of the HCFD hefted the long black tube called a battering ram and thrust it into the lock of the front entrance. A huge bang rent the air. The wood splintered and the door crashed inward.
Three police officers rushed inside and two cops headed to the back with Evans.
The owner wielded a gun at them from three feet away. A big guy with plenty of muscle, his eyes were wild.
“Put the gun down, Mr. Littman,” Anabelle ordered calmly.
“No way. She’s a fuckin’ whore.”
“You’re surrounded by police and firefighters outside.” Anabelle didn’t call attention to T.J. Masters, who’d gone to stand in front of his wife, arms out, to protect her from more abuse.
In a sudden move, Littman kicked a magazine stand. It jettisoned up and over to them.
Buck Brolin tried to dodge it but the thing hit him square in the middle. He stumbled backward and went down.
Gideon Casella and Andy Radford appeared in the kitchen, and crept up behind Littman. Before the guy knew they were there, Casella raised the ram and hit him square on the back. As Littman dropped, his gun clattered onto the wood of the floor. Radford grabbed it. Casella knelt and yanked Littman’s arms behind his back. “Stay down, asshole.”
“All clear,” Anabelle said into her radio. “Send the uniforms in to get him out of here.”
A social worker and EMT entered the house before the other cops and hurried over to the victim. They helped Mrs. Littman out of the house. Anabelle caught a glimpse of a bruised and bloody face, one arm twisted unnaturally. She cried softly.
Behind them, officers strode in and over to Littman, who mumbled something incoherent. They got him up and carted him away.
Anabelle looked around. Not too shabby for the first call of the Major Incidents Task Force she now led.
When they got outside, the five members of the team crossed to their vehicles but stayed and watched a social worker lead Mrs. Littman to the EMT truck. The worker would accompany the victim, who needed medical attention beyond what the EMT were trained for.
Adrenalin kept her people from shivering in the frigid January air, still she said, “Good job, all. You worked together like a well-oiled machine.”
They mumbled their agreement, and added grumbles about abusers.
“We’ll go back to the precinct and debrief.” She scanned the four of them. “Casella, ride with me. You two go with TJ.”
They got in their respective cars and headed out.
Gideon stared out the windshield as they drove to the office. He’d been struggling to adjust to the task force, reconfigure his relationship with Anabelle, and train for the scope of crimes the task force covered.
“It went well,” Anabelle said after a too-long silence. “You used just the right amount of force on Littman.”
“Yeah. Nick Evans did great as the firefighter on call.”
“He’s a brave guy.”
Gideon didn’t say more.
Finally, she asked, “How’s your back?”
“Healed from rest and stretching. Only a twinge now and then.”
Another silence. Then, “You doing okay with all this, Gid?”
“You can call it what it is, Anabelle. You got the promotion, you’re my boss. I’d rather be leading this task force, but it is what it is.”
“Look, everybody knows you getting hurt in the car crash rescue took you out of the running.”
“Yeah. But I’m still not in charge.”
“Hell, Gideon. Why’d you want to be on the task force if you feel that way? You could have stayed in your old job.” Detectives in their precinct went on the other calls for crimes not assigned to Major Incidents.
“Because only a fool would pass on the elite Major Incidents Task Force.” He quoted the press’s description of them. “Would you have passed if I was in charge?”
“No.”
“I’m trying. I’ll keep trying. Eventually I’ll adjust to what happened.”
Like he did to his divorce and being a solo parent to his kids. In a surprise to everyone, Lisa, his ex, took a job in an Interior Design firm in France and signed temporary custody of the kids over to Gideon for two years. He also got his house back.
“I heard your ex left town for Europe.”
“Out of the blue. She never told me she might do th
at. The kids are upset—I don’t blame them—and we’re all trying to adjust to our new circumstances.”
“Abandonment is tough for kids. So, you have them full time?”
“I do. Which I’m grateful for.”
“Who’s watching them tonight?”
“For now, the whole family’s taking turns. Seth and Julianne are on the night shift. I’m gonna have to find something more permanent than that, though.”
“It must be a relief that you have so much help in the meantime.”
“Do you have an extended family, Anabelle?”
“I have three brothers, but they don’t live in Hidden Cove. A deadbeat dad, too, somewhere in the world. Actually, I’m closer to my ex’s family.”
“Interesting.”
They swerved into the police station just ahead of the others. They all exited cars, ending his talk with Anabelle.
Which was a blessing. He couldn’t get close to this woman and they both knew it.
* * *
“Let’s start with what we did right.” Anabelle stood before a screen in her big office and Radford sat at the desk behind a computer.
“You gonna write all this down again?” Brolin asked. He was big and burly, with a brush cut and big muscles and often challenged her.
“Of course.” She gave him a sugary smile. “Research shows if you see things on paper, or displayed on a screen they stick better.”
TJ Masters snorted. She was sturdy of build, her hair was cut short in a no-nonsense style, and her dark eyes were usually shrewd. She was a smart and easy-going detective. Anabelle asked for her because she was qualified and because she wanted another woman on the team. “That’s for you, Brolin. Mr. Forgetful.”
Brolin grumbled something to Radford, who didn’t react. As a seasoned cop, he didn’t participate in any trash talk.
Gideon said, “The field team did good. Kudos to Evans, LB Lincoln,” the firefighters/EMT, “and Lauren Trask,” the social worker.
As part of the reorganization of the official departments in Hidden Cove, a team of first responders would go to calls—the social worker, firefighters in the nearest station house, ambulances if needed. Mayor Daniels had designated domestic violence as a Major Incident.
“What about us? How’d we do?” Anabelle asked.
Radford spoke up. “Entry was well executed, both front and back. Casella had a deft hand with the ram. Masters did her part with the victim.”
“Everybody stayed calm.” Brolin could be a hot head so he would notice these things.
“Any constructive criticism?” When no one participated, Anabelle said, “You gotta admit to this. We won’t improve if you don’t.”
TJ volunteered. She wasn’t afraid to take blame, which helped the others do the same. “Did I cover the wife enough? I wasn’t sure exactly what to do. Learning what to do is different from being on the scene.”
Anabelle said honestly, “I think you did everything right with Mrs. Littman.”
Gideon turned to Brolin. “Buck, how come you got hit with the magazine rack?”
“I dunno. I saw him kick it. I was shocked at the trajectory. I guess my reaction time wasn’t up to par.”
“Or,” TJ added “you just didn’t have time to dodge it.”
“I agree with TJ. Some things are going to be out of our control.”
“Our arrival time?” Anabelle again. “I’d prefer that to be at least a minute shorter.”
“Then we gotta get out of here faster.” Radford frowned. “But it was our first time, so shit, everything isn’t going to go right.”
Nods all around.
“One last thing. Do you think our plan to have Radford and Casella come up behind the perpetrator was well executed? We decided it together.”
“That was risky,” Gideon put in. “I could have seriously hurt him.”
“So what? I think he deserved to get hurt.” Radford now. “Men who hit women are scum.”
“So are women who hit men,” Gideon added.
“Which hardly happens.” This from Brolin. “In the last ten years, there’s only been about five female abuse calls.”
TJ leaned forward on the table. “Five men who will report a woman hit him. Hurt him. You know that there’s a lot of unnamed male victims.”
“Let’s talk about that. How can we change those statistics?”
“The department could do a PR campaign making the issue known.” TJ scowled. “At one time, battered women were all forced into silence. Hotlines, shelters and campaigns brought that out into the open.”
After other suggestions, Anabelle said, “It’s late. I’ll have these things typed up and put in binders for future reference.”
Chairs scraped back and the group filed out. For some godforsaken reason, she wished Gideon would have stayed back. But her lack of caution at the wedding in November precluded that.
What in Heaven’s name had they been thinking to sleep together?
* * *
At nearly one a.m., Gideon crept into his house through the garage door and got a beer from the fridge. He’d bought the house twenty years ago, when he and Lisa got married, and they remodeled the place top to bottom with the help of his brothers and some of his buddies on the police force.
God, he and Lisa had been happy. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other, hence the early kids, and they’d even enjoyed the strains of a having a baby in the house.
When had things gone wrong?
He knew the answer. When he’d become a detective and had gotten entrenched in his job. While Lisa stayed home with the kids.
Was it worth it?
“Hey, you’re home.” Seth, wearing pajama bottoms, had come from the spare bedroom they’d added behind the family room.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You didn’t. Already Julianne’s getting up in the night to pee and she’s only five months along.”
“I remember those days. Everything’s good, right?”
“Couldn’t be better.” He got a beer, too, and sat at the table. “How’d the first night of your task force go?”
“We had a domestic violence call. Man, I hate those.”
“I see so much of it at Legal Aid.”
“Yeah, I’ve had my share, but it never gets easier.”
“You’re a pretty sensitive guy beneath that iron veneer.” He sipped his beer. “How was it working for Anabelle?”
Images flooded him.
Promise me we’ll get along no matter who’s in charge. I don’t want to fight with you. Not after this.
He’d lifted his head from where he was kissing her behind the knees. I promise. You too?
“Gid?”
“One day at a time with her. I gotta accept that she got the job.”
“Still, it must be hard.”
“Yeah, it’s hard. Things always have been with her.”
I’m so hard I think I’m going to bust.
Come inside me then.
“You seemed to get along at our wedding,” Seth commented.
“A truce, that we’re both trying to hold onto to.”
Just hold me, Gid. I want to be close to you a while longer.
He kissed the top of her head. I feel the same.
Seth interrupted his thoughts. “Is that all there is to your relationship?”
“Yeah. Why you asking?”
“I think you and Anabelle—”
“You know what, I don’t wanna talk about her. Now, you got a name for this kid?”
“Can’t pick names until Rafe decides.”
“Yours is a boy, his is a girl.”
“Doesn’t matter. Family dynamics, according to Mama.”
“Where did your kids’ names come from?”
“Lisa had been reading this cool futuristic series. Those were the names of the three kids who saved the world.”
A broad smile from Seth. “Just like you do.”
“All of us do, you, me, Rafe. One p
erson at a time.”
Seth stood. “Sweet dreams, bro.”
“You, too.”
But Gideon didn’t go to bed right away. He sat at his kitchen table and thought about the kids, his brothers, and again, memories of making love to Anabelle.
* * *
A loud buzzing woke her. She bolted up and took a few seconds to clear her head. Then, grabbing her phone, she said, “Anabelle Sanders.”
“Hello, dear. Did I wake you?” Her ex mother-in-law’s voice was soft and caring.
“Um, yeah.” She glanced at the clock. “But I need to get up anyway.”
“Well, then. Let me take you to lunch today.”
“I don’t have to be to work until three so that’d be great. Thanks for asking, Winnie.”
“Noon? At Deluca’s? The special today is the club sandwich you like so much.”
“Hmm. I’ll be there.”
She disconnected and lay back in bed, staring at the ceiling fan that circulated the heat from the fireplace. She loved her new apartment. She’d lived upstairs in a tiny space for years, and the same week as she got her promotion, this unit in her building in Hidden Cove became available. Not that this was big. But it had a separate bedroom, and a nice size kitchen/dining space that flowed into the living room. With a fireplace.
Let’s make love in front of the fireplace, she’d said to Gideon when he came to her room at the Pine Tree Inn.
“You’re on, babe.”
She forced her mind back to her apartment. The previous owner had paid for gleaming wood floors and she splurged for new furniture and some other amenities. Befitting a sergeant! The thought made her smile.
When her mind became filled with images of Gideon again, she said, “Arrgh,” whipped off the down duvet and climbed out of the bed. In the newly remodeled bathroom—by the landlord-she turned the faucet on and stepped in.
Hot water sluiced down on her, and she lost control again with thoughts of Gideon…
“Shower with me before you go,” he’d asked.
