Gideon (The Casella Cousins Book 5)

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Gideon (The Casella Cousins Book 5) Page 7

by Kathryn Shay


  “Shot blindly into a crowd of girls?” Jaspers asked, brows raised. “Do you have any idea what a nightmare we’d be facing now? Innocent bystanders could have been hit by stray bullets. Law suits would be filed by watchdogs. No, Buck, you shouldn’t have shot into the crowd.”

  Mayor Daniels sighed. “Let’s talk about what you’re going to do. First, you’re all going in for counseling before you can go out on a call. Jack Harrison, the fire department psychologist, is stepping in to do it.”

  “Counseling?” Buck’s tone was defiant. He looked like hell this morning with messy hair and a scruff on his jaw. “No way. Not for me.”

  “You know people are sidelined after they lose a comrade, Brolin.” This from Jaspers. “You’re no different.”

  Gideon said, “Shut up, Brolin. You got pain eating away at you and you’re acting out. And Harrison is a great guy.”

  Brolin stood and walked out the door.

  Radford’s eyes filled. “I need help dealing with this.”

  Gideon and Anabelle confirmed they did, too.

  Everything seemed bleak, but still Anabelle straightened her shoulders and spoke up. “I want to talk about increasing the number of cops on our task force.”

  Good for her, Gideon thought. He’d been afraid she’d never recover after how bad she was last night. He was glad she was getting back to her old self. They all had a lot to face in the coming days.

  * * *

  In her room upstairs, Carina sat on her canopied bed with a laptop in front of her. She’d frozen the screen, which showed a photo of two gang girls trying to kill each other.

  Her father went to that scene. Carina had been able to handle his doing this job until he started living here. Then she worried about him every time he went to work.

  Today, the kids at school told her somebody died in the call he went to last night. So, she’d gone to the nurse and Nana came and got her and the other kids. Oh, no, what would she, Cassie and Cory do if something happened to him? She should be nicer to him. She shouldn’t wall him out, like she did sometimes. Or upset him with Brandon. She should be a better person than she was. Pushing the laptop aside, she slid under the covers and pulled them over her head.

  * * *

  “Are you going to be all right?” Gideon asked Anabelle after the meeting broke up. They were still in the conference room but everybody else had left.

  “What? Am I going to lose my shit again?”

  “I lost mine, too, remember.”

  “I’ll be okay now.” She touched his arm. “Gid, I needed everything you did for me. It was exactly right. I can function today.” She took a bead on him. “Something else is wrong. I can tell.”

  “I have to go home. Apparently, Carina heard about TJ’s death and my mother had to go get her. She thought it best to bring Cory and Cassie home, too.”

  “Go. They need you.”

  He cupped her cheek first in a tender gesture that made her eyes well again. Then, she watched him leave. He’d been a lifeline, a comforter, and commiserated with her. She’d deal with how she felt about him later. Now, she had to re-group.

  Sitting in her office, she tried to order her thoughts on the task force. She was making lists on the computer when Radford poked his head in. “Can we talk a minute?”

  “Sure.”

  He entered and sat. “I don’t think I can do this anymore.”

  Keep calm. If your team falls apart, you can handle it. “Why, Andy? Is your family upset?”

  “Yeah. But not because of that.”

  “Why, then?”

  “Because we’re not making a difference. TJ—” He cut himself off and sucked in a breath.

  “I know you were close.”

  “She and Ellie volunteered at a shelter after our domestic violence call.”

  “I didn’t know.”

  “Anyway, what’s the point?”

  “Of being a cop?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You miss a hundred percent of the shots you don’t take. If none of us try to keep order in this town, there won’t be any.”

  He glanced away. “I keep seeing her lying on the ground, bleeding out.”

  “This is why we all need counseling. To get help coping with images like that. Promise me you won’t quit until we’ve gone through therapy. If you still want out afterward, I won’t object.”

  When Radford left, she was even more depressed. Man, what next?

  The answer to that walked in ten minutes later. Winnie Wyatt stood tall with her shoulders back and her brown eyes were determined. “Winnie?”

  “I told them I was your mother, and they showed me up to your floor. I’m sorry but I had to see for myself that you’re all right.”

  “Physically, yes.”

  “But not emotionally.” She nodded to Anabelle’s hands, linked in a death grip on the desk. “That tells me yes. Besides, there’s no way you could be fine after what happened.”

  Anabelle rose and closed the door, then they sat in the two chairs in front of her desk. “I’m devastated. The entire team is. I—I don’t know what to do now.”

  “Hmm. I’m surprised you’re working today.”

  “I’m not. We have some furlough. I don’t want to go home to an empty house.”

  “Then come to mine for the day.”

  “What? No, I don’t want to intrude. Joe and Ariel could stop in.”

  “I called him and asked him not to. Joe understood. He said to tell you he’s sorry for what you’re going through.”

  “He left me because of situations like this.”

  “That doesn’t mean he still doesn’t love you.” Winnie stood. “Now, grab whatever you need. You’re leaving with me.”

  * * *

  “Hello, I’m home.”

  “Back here, Gid.” Just the sound of his mother’s voice was comforting. He found her at the table with the kids, eating lunch. All three bolted up and took turns hugging him. “Thanks, guys. I needed that. But know that I’m safe.”

  “Did somebody really die, Daddy?” this from six-year-old Cassie.

  “Yes, sweetheart.”

  She peered up at him, her eyes full of innocence. “Are you going to die?”

  “No.”

  Carina’s face reddened. He knew she was thinking that he couldn’t promise that. But shit, Cassie was only six and he had to reassure her.

  “Sorry, Dad,” Cory said after he stepped back. “Grandma told us we could pray for your friend TJ. We all did together.”

  “Considering TJ’s in heaven,” he lied. “She’ll like hearing from you.”

  “Lunch?” his mother asked.

  “No, thanks I had a big breakfast. I’ll have coffee, but I’ll get it.”

  She stood anyway and put her arms around him. He held her tightly. Mama was used to her children being in danger and Seth’s stabbing last summer only proved to them all that no one is safe. But she needed comfort too.

  Carina moved her sandwich around the plate, but Cory and Cassie finished theirs. His mother suggested, “Want to come next door with me? Mike, Mattie and Pete are staying with us after school because Ali and Derek are in New York.”

  “Yeah!”

  “Can we go see Mellie again?” Cassie asked.

  “I think we can.”

  “Nana, I want to stay with Dad. Okay?”

  “Of course, baby.”

  After Mama got the kids out, Carina and Gideon sat alone at the table. This time she got coffee like an adult. “I know you’re worried about me, honey.”

  “How can I not be?”

  “Well, for one, the police chief ordered us all to go to counseling. I’ve decided you need to go, too. I’ve been thinking about that for a while now. I rarely ask you for anything, but I’d like you to do this willingly.”

  She sighed.

  “I don’t wanna go either, honey.”

  “Do you think it’ll help?”

  “I do. I—”

  From the front
of the house they heard, “Anybody home?”

  Carina’s eyes widened. “Is that…?” She threw back her chair and ran to the foyer.

  He followed her. In his living room stood his ex-wife, Lisa.

  Gideon felt like the universe had conspired against him.

  Chapter 7

  * * *

  Hidden Cove came to a standstill. The sun had peeked out making a procession possible in February, though the air was cold. Flags all over town stood at half-mast. Schools and businesses closed, and streets had been cordoned off for the macabre parade. Last night, the family had held a private celebration of TJ’s life at their church with their family and her team. Today, they asked for a simple procession, a simple ceremony, and a simple cemetery goodbye.

  That didn’t stop the many townspeople crowding the sidewalks on the main road. Police cruisers, draped in black bunting, led the way, and all officers wore a black patch over their badges. When they reached an intersection, they proceeded under the aerial ladders two fire trucks had crossed as a canopy to honor TJ.

  Her mother, father and two sisters chose to ride in a cruiser, which pulled the casket draped with the American flag. Anabelle, Gideon, Andy Radford and Buck Brolin stood alongside it. Behind them members of the HCPD and HCFD followed.

  The procession came to a halt in front of the hall where the ceremony would take place. It was big enough to hold the large number of participants.

  Today, an honor guard strode to the front, saluted the casket and then accompanied it, the family, the dignitaries and the task force, along with Jack Harrison. They went inside and down a green carpet. A white-draped canopy stood up front with rows of vanilla candles scenting the air.

  The guards took their places on either side of the casket while the members of the police and the fire departments filed in. That took a while. When they were seated, a chaplain gave a short invocation and special music was provided by the Hidden Cove Choir.

  Next, Mayor Vanessa Daniels took to the podium. Wearing a dark blue tailored suit with a crisp white blouse, she stared at the crowd, her face tight. “Welcome to the life celebration of Teresa Jane Masters. I didn’t know TJ, but I’ve come to understand that she was a beloved part of the police force. I was warmed by the stories circulating about her.” She said a few more things, then ended with, “I’ll let someone close to TJ come up and speak now. Sergeant Anabelle Sanders.”

  Struggling for control, Anabelle put her navy hat on the seat, then walked over to take the mayor’s place. Like others here, she wore the department’s formal uniform: white shirt and tie beneath a dark blue uniform with brass buttons down the front of the coat. Dry-mouthed, she faced the crowd. She cleared her throat. “Most of us knew TJ as a stalwart, fearless, cop. She willingly went into situations when others wouldn’t. Women like TJ don’t come along often. She took up the badge with fervor, and I for one wish we had fifty more TJs to work with.”

  Her voice became stronger as she spoke.

  “Though the family is devastated, they asked that this ceremony be upbeat in its remembrance of their daughter and sister. So here goes: TJ was a special individual outside of the department. She was a yogi and even got Andy Radford to go with her to some classes. She relished spy novels and football games which she often watched with Buck Brolin. She spent much of her free time with her family, always up for a trivia game or a tag football match in the yard. And she loved her dog, ironically called Kitty, which she found abandoned on the side of the road.” Anabelle swallowed hard at the image of Kitty waiting at the door for TJ to come home.

  “Service outside the department was her forté. She volunteered at a domestic violence shelter, at an animal rescue and kids loved her when she went for classroom police visits.

  “Personally,” Anabelle continued though her eyes filled and her throat clogged, “I appreciated her input on the task force, and mostly, her friendship. I’ll miss her dearly.

  “But TJ had a mischievous side, too, so I’m going to end with the pranks she played on our task force. Though we were newly formed, that didn’t stop her from lightening the atmosphere in the office. She hid Gideon Casella’s keys once because he was such a neat freak and had to have everything in its place. When he fumed at her, she got in his face, told him he’d have to loosen up or he’d live a short life.”

  Sitting up front, Gideon lowered his head and shook it.

  “As for Brolin, now he was easy to prank. TJ periodically left messages on his desk from women calling him at work—only she included fake ones, too. He couldn’t tell which were real. She never stopped doing this and he didn’t know when it would happen again.”

  When she glanced at Brolin, he stared at her, his jaw pulsing and his lips thinned.

  “As for me, she filled my desk with something different every week. Once it was makeup, in every drawer, since she knew I viewed that stuff as war paint. Once, after complaining I didn’t eat enough, she put candy in all the drawers every week for a month. I’m still finding Tootsie Roll lollypops or a Three Musketeers bar in there.

  “But her favorite target was Radford. She and Andy’s wife, Ellie, were allies and spent time together at his house. They’d often gang up on him. My favorite is the laundry story.”

  Chuckles from the group.

  “TJ was at their home one time when he came downstairs and asked Ellie where his clean uniform was. Ellie said she had no idea. Didn’t he wash them this week? ‘You know I don’t know how to do that,’ he said impatiently. TJ guffawed then, dragged him into the laundry room, and taught him how to use the washer and dryer. The best part was when Ellie produced clean clothes for work and said it was about time he learned to turn on a machine or two.”

  Anabelle stopped for a moment to gather her composure. Then she said, “Thank you all for listening to these hopefully fun facts about our beloved comrade.”

  On her way to her seat, she saw Radford had turned into Ellie’s shoulder and sobbed, audibly, as did other members of the participants. Anabelle felt a few droplets escape from her eyes, too.

  Chief Jaspers took her place. Stone-faced, he said, “We’ll close with the Final Radio Call.” A tradition in the police department to say goodbye to a fallen officer. Everyone stood.

  A crackling came over the speakers. A bit of static, then a beep. “Dispatch 123: attention all units. Teresa Jane Masters answered her final call on February 2nd. She will remain in our thoughts and prayers and be kept close to our hearts.”

  Her family rose and walked to the coffin. Touched it. Spoke. Cried. The exit procession came next. First the family headed down the aisle. Then the color guard, with the casket wheeled by Gideon, Buck, Andy and Anabelle, all white-gloved, covers on.

  The mournful sound of bagpipes filled the room with Amazing Grace as the police and fire departments followed them out.

  * * *

  When the group gathered in front of the building, the cold air was still mitigated by the sun and more than one cop turned their faces up, seeking its warmth. The trek to the cemetery was for family only, and since the casket would be stored in a mausoleum, there would be no internment until spring.

  Gideon was keeping an eagle eye on Anabelle when Jack Harrison came up to him. “How you doing, Gideon?”

  “I’m hanging in there. Partly because of you.”

  “I’m mingling in case any of the task force need me.”

  “Thanks.”

  Gideon watched Anabelle say goodbye to the family, then stopped to talk to Jaspers. Then Jack stopped her to chat. When the psychologist left, she walked over to him. “Hey.”

  “Hey,” he said grasping her arm. “You did great.”

  Radford and Brolin joined them for a bit, hugged Anabelle and praised her talk, then left to find family and friends. Gideon’s clan rushed over to him. Carina had insisted on attending. “Oh, Daddy.” She threw herself at him. “It was so sad. You must feel terrible.”

  “I do.” He barely got the words out.

 
Just as his daughter pulled away, someone strode up to Gideon and threw her arms around him, too. Her heavy perfume was cloying. “I feel so bad for you, hon.”

  Over her shoulder, he saw Anabelle’s eyes widen. He pushed Lisa away. She turned to Anabelle. “Hi, I’m Lisa Casella.”

  Oh, now she was a Casella.

  “Gideon’s wife.”

  “Ex-wife, Lisa.”

  She shrugged.

  Carina looked at her mother, confused and a bit disgusted.

  Carmella and Judd approached them. Offered their condolences. Then said, “Let’s go, Carina. Lisa.”

  Lisa stepped back. “I thought I might stay with Gid.”

  “No. I’m committed elsewhere.” To his daughter, he said, “I’ll call you honey.”

  When everyone left, Anabelle was deflated. She’d given all she had to the service.

  Again, Gideon grasped her arm. “I want to explain what happened here.”

  “No worries. You don’t owe me anything.”

  “Of course, I do.”

  She became aware of the sea of blue around them. “Not here. The office?”

  “We were told not to come back there. How about the pub over in Camden where we met Phillip?”

  “All right, see you there.”

  Gideon arrived first and scanned the restaurant. Since lunch was just starting, it was practically empty. And no Anabelle in sight. He blew out a heavy breath. Was she standing him up?

  “Gideon?”

  He turned to see she’d come in behind him. They got a table and ordered beer. She held up her glass. “To TJ.”

  He clinked his mug with hers.

  “About Lisa. She came back to town the day after TJ died.”

  “Why?”

  “Apparently she wants a reunion.”

  Every feature in her face tensed. “Did you know she was coming?”

  “Absolutely not. But,” he felt his face redden “she told me on the phone that she wanted to come back, wanted me back.”

  “When was that?”

  “A week ago.”

  She frowned. “A week ago?”

 

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