RESCUED

by Lyz Kelley

  “I guess I should go see what she wants.” Karly took a step toward the employee entrance. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

  She walked through the kennel area and followed the nasally voice into the back washroom.

  “Mother? What are you doing here?” And, what are you doing dressed in jeans?

  “I came to help, hun. You need volunteers. I’m volunteering.” She tried to look casual, but it didn’t work.

  Karly studied the woman as her eyes flicked here, there, and everywhere to avoid meeting her direct scrutiny. With minimum makeup, a T-shirt, and a pair of worn jeans, her mother looked fresh, not made up. Not her usual plastic. Over the years, she’d come to understand her mother. What wound her up. What made her tick. What could crush her to pieces. The resentful anger she’d held on to for the past week began to slip.

  “That’s kind of you,” Karly finally managed.

  Her mother cupped Karly’s face and gently rubbed a thumb under each eye. “You don’t look as tired today. That’s good. That’s very good.” She slid a box across the counter. “I made up flyers to advertise your business, and I talked to my women’s bridge club. Several of them are going on vacation soon, and need someone to watch their animals. A lady over in the cat room said they need people to socialize the animals.” Her mother’s face puckered. “I think that means just petting the things, right? I can pet animals. I can do that. And…”

  “Mother?” Karly said, gently pulling her mother into her arms. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

  Her mother’s shoulders began to shake. “I just wanted a better life for you. I love you. I want you to know that before it’s too late. I want you to be happy. I’m proud of what you’re doing here. Honest, I am.”

  “Mom?”

  “From now on, I’m going to stop trying to change things. I’m going to be more supportive. Will you ever forgive me?”

  The tremors going through her mother released a load of unbearable sadness. Karly tightened her arms around her mom’s shoulders, and she held on until the resentment and bitter anger faded.

  “You don’t need to ask for my forgiveness,” she whispered past the lump in her throat, while her mother stiffened. She leaned back to look into her mother’s eyes. “I love you, Mom.” Her mother seemed to have shrunk overnight.

  “Oh, honey. You make this momma proud, but I made my mascara run. I had better check it before someone sees me.”

  Her mother took two steps and turned back. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. There was only one-ply bathroom tissue in your restroom. I replaced it with a better brand.”

  Her mom’s steps picked up the pace as Karly shook her head.

  “Well, that didn’t go too badly,” Mara said from the doorway, her mouth dancing with humor.

  “No…no, it didn’t. For the first time in my life, my mother told me she was proud of me. That’s something.”

  “Yes. That’s something. I’m going to go check on her, make sure she doesn’t drop a cat when she gets fur on her shirt.”

  “Good idea.”

  Karly let the moment sink in. The chatter of people. The yip of happy dogs. The smell of lavender and vanilla.

  Maybe, if she could learn to forgive her mother...maybe, just maybe, she could learn to forgive herself.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Three days later, Thad walked into More Than Meatballs with mixed emotions. He’d scarcely seen Karly since getting out of the hospital. At the community celebration, in line at the coffee shop, but that was about it.

  The pleasantries exchange felt more like a wasp sting. The initial pain was bad enough, but now the poison was spreading, the pain growing more intense.

  Joe had invited everyone to a commemoration for Sam Gaccione at the family’s restaurant. He could tell Joe missed his brother. Poster boards were set up with Sam’s image, and there was a shadow box with his brother’s shield and other memorabilia. The former sheriff would have been proud of the work Joe did to find his killer.

  Thad expected several of the townsfolk and people from the joint task force to show, but hadn't expected the place to be so full.

  He hoped to see Karly. She hadn’t returned his phone calls, and she’d been a little distant and played busy when he stopped by the shelter. He’d give her space, but not enough to allow the love to wither and turn to dust.

  Thad spotted Chase and raised his hand in greeting, then he winced in pain.

  “From the look on your face, you must be off your pain meds.”

  Yep. #DrugFree.

  Chase’s knowing smile made Thad snort a laugh, but he regretted it a second later when his ribs protested. “I don’t want to get addicted to prescriptions.”

  Chase pulled a beer from the nearest bucket of ice. “I don’t blame you. If you're not taking anything for the pain, a beer won’t kill you.”

  Thad accepted the symbol of friendship. “So what's up with the feds?”

  “My guess is Joe’s ma wants to thank everyone who was involved.” Chase turned toward the rather round older woman standing in the corner in a pristine white apron, looking more like a traffic cop directing servers than a business owner. “If I were a betting man, I'd say she also wants more answers.”

  “You mean as to why arrests weren’t made sooner?”

  “Something like that. My respect for Joe climbed a few pegs in the past couple of days. If I'm reading the signals correctly, he knew about the undercover operation, and had to bide his time to flush out the players.”

  Chase paused, the beer bottle halfway to his lips. “It would suck not knowing who to trust.”

  There was that trust thing again. Karly didn’t fully trust him. Didn’t anybody trust anybody in this town? “I wonder if everyone involved has been arrested.”

  “I sure hope so, for this town’s sake. Dale said they arrested the guy who’s been blackmailing Gwen. I guess someone figured out he was transporting drugs and women to Chicago.”

  “Karly mentioned a Gwen. She’s the general’s girlfriend, right?”

  “Right. I keep forgetting everyone in this town hasn’t always been here since the prehistoric age. Gwen owns the thrift store over on Main. Several months ago, her ex-fiancé showed up and tried to blackmail her for half of her trust fund. Guess when Gwen wouldn’t turn the money over, the jerk entered into the transport business.” Chase took a sip of his beer. “This town is going to need a lot of healing.”

  “Healing? Who’s hurt now?” Ashley asked, sliding an arm around her husband.

  Chase tucked his wife under his arm and gave her a kiss on the forehead. A tendril of jealousy wrapped tight around Thad’s heart.

  Chase tucked Ashley in closer. “This town, I suppose. It's got to be a shock, having most of Elkridge's council, elected officials, and several deputies arrested. How’s Caitlyn’s diaper rash?”

  “I just called Dad. He already put her down for the night.” Ashley touched Thad’s arm. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine, but this corruption mess will take years to unravel. Those narcissists sure hurt a lot of people, Karly being one of them.” Thad looked away so his friends wouldn’t witness his struggle with wanting to exact revenge. “Speaking of Karly, have you seen her?” He held back his hope with a firm hand.

  Nobody knew she’d refused his proposal, and he’d like to keep it that way. Maybe she’d change her mind.

  “I think she's in the kitchen with Mara.” Ashley pointed to the stainless steel swinging door.

  Chase gave him a friendly smack on the arm. “What are you waiting for? Go find your woman.”

  Thad winced, making Chase pause and start to apologize.

  “Just kidding.” Thad winked before taking off for the kitchen.

  My woman. If only Karly really were his. He wished Chase had hit him harder. He didn’t mind that kind of pain. Physical wounds kept his mind occupied. The mental anguish of not being able to connect with Karly messed with his head. The need to see her, to make sure she was okay, dr
ove him toward the back of the restaurant.

  He pushed open the kitchen door to scan the efficiently run kitchen. The line chefs worked their stations while wait staff restocked the salad line. In the rear of the kitchen, Mara and Karly were huddled in the hall, out of the path of scurrying bodies.

  Studying the way Karly positioned herself facing away from everyone, drawing her arms inward, keeping her voice soft and her head down, he guessed she wanted to be invisible. The same crushing feeling he had in the months after the IED exploded. Those on the ground assured him nothing could have been done, but he still should have found the bomb before it killed his best buddies. Parents, siblings, and friends lost someone they cared about, and wanted someone, anyone to blame.

  The muscles in his neck ached just thinking about the visions Karly must be re-creating in her head.

  He weaved around a couple of staff members, making his way to the back toward the exit.

  “Hey, Mara. Karly. I just got here. Have you eaten yet?”

  The way Karly's skin turned a perfect shade of ogre green, he supposed she wasn't the least bit hungry.

  “The food smells delicious, but I think I'll pass.” Karly made a weak attempt at a smile.

  Mara’s hand landed on Karly's forearm. “You need to eat something. You wouldn't allow me to order us lunch today, either. When’s the last time you ate?”

  She seemed to scan the bulletin board behind Mara’s shoulder, studying the schedules and menus and pictures of kids. “I’m fine. I wish everyone would stop worrying about me.”

  “We’ll stop worrying when you're eating and sleeping.” Mara moved in closer. “I can tell you're exhausted.”

  Thad put his arm around Mara’s shoulders. “Tell you what. I’ll make sure Karly gets a salad or something. How’s that sound?”

  Mara straightened her walking stick. “That sounds great. The only problem is, I know you’re just trying to get rid of me.” Mara patted Thad’s arm. “See if you can talk some sense into her. I haven't been successful so far.”

  “I’ll come with you.” The desperate tone added to Karly’s statement didn’t sit quite right and made Thad burn. Why couldn’t she get that he wasn’t someone she needed to avoid?

  “I’m good.” Mara waved her off. “Besides, I believe you and Thad have some things to talk about.”

  Thad caught the odd expression on Mara’s face. What’s that all about?

  Mara’s stick tap-tap-tapped across the kitchen tile until she found her way out the door. Thad took a step closer to Karly, but she held out a hand that was still a bit shaky.

  “If you’re about to ask how I am, please don't. I might brain the next person who asks me that question with a frying pan.”

  “Would it help if I told you I can empathize? Crowded rooms, people looking at me, giving advice. There's nothing you can do to stop it. Trust me, I've tried.”

  “Do the nightmares ever go away?”

  “Not really.”

  “Oh, great.” Karly almost strangled her words. “Maybe sleep is overrated anyway.”

  That’s my Karly. There’s my stubborn girl.

  Pride quickly deflated into self-pity. She wasn’t his. She didn’t want to be his.

  Joe popped his head around the corner. “Hey, you two. I’m about to make an announcement. Grab some beer, food, dessert, or whatever you want, and join us in the back room.” He disappeared without waiting for a response.

  Karly eyed the emergency exit.

  Thad leaned closer to her ear. “I wouldn't try it.” He pointed at the blinking light. “The doors are armed.”

  “I shouldn't have come tonight. I just thought…”

  “The only people in that room are people who care about you. There’s no need to worry. Let's go in together.” He nudged her shoulder and took a step toward the door. “I'll stand behind you if it will make you feel safer.”

  “Who will stand behind you?” A little spark of humor flickered before vanishing.

  The smell of her cherry vanilla lip gloss made him want to kiss her until the spark came back. “We’d better go before Joe sends Mara back in here to get us.”

  “We’d better.”

  He followed her through the kitchen door and into the back room. Her steps faltered, but she managed to keep going.

  “Ah, good. We’re all here.” Joe addressed the crowd while Agent Bantner took up a position behind the sheriff. “Thank you for coming tonight.” His tone was precise, measured. “As many of you know,” he continued, his voice getting a bit louder, “my brother Sam was murdered on the logging road just outside of town a few days before Valentine’s. It will be two years in February. A few town residents wanted us to believe it was an accident—a poacher. However, evidence proved otherwise.

  “Some of you may wonder why my brother's killer wasn't brought to justice before now. You have the right to ask. If Sam was standing here today, he would have agreed that waiting, watching, and patience was the prudent path to take. Because of your patience, eighty-seven arrests have been made across the country. The DEA has seized $50 million in heroin, and well over a thousand women and children, victims of sex trafficking, have been recovered.” Joe coughed to clear his throat. “Agencies across the country are seizing the bank accounts and assets of those involved.”

  Wow. The beer’s barley gurgled in Thad’s stomach. Joe said the trouble was big. Anger darkened every face in the room.

  “Yes, but if Karly hadn’t been taken, you wouldn’t have made your arrests,” Mamma Gaccione accused in her normal hand-flying Italian way. “Agent Bantner, you put our lives in danger.”

  Way to go, Mrs. G.

  Bantner, wearing blue slacks and a powder blue shirt, stepped forward. “From an outside perspective, it may seem that way. However, there were agents monitoring the situation around the clock. If at any time we felt your safety was in jeopardy, we would have acted accordingly.”

  “That’s a bunch of bull hooey,” Joe’s dad tossed back.

  “Dad, Mom, if it weren’t for the FBI, DEA, and joint task force,” Joe said, “we most likely would never have figured out who killed Sam. The agencies were not required to inform us, nor were they required to put me in a position where I could ensure this town’s safety.”

  “Phft.” Joe’s mom threw up her hand. “If it weren't for Thad and Rivers, those crooks would've gotten away. We protect our own. We always have.”

  “Which leads me to my next point, Ma.” Joe leaned an elbow on top of his holster.

  There’s more? Thad’s shoulders knotted and bunched.

  “In a few days, the special task force agents will be gone. We will still be here. There are still schools to run, traffic tickets to process, and a new city council that needs to be formed. Stella King has stepped up to fill in until a new mayor and board members can be elected. I will do my best to see to the safety of the residents, but we can’t do this alone.”

  “What do you recommend?” Harold, the general store owner, asked.

  “This town is full of former military,” Thad spoke up. “Maybe we need to form a watch.”

  “That’s exactly what I was thinking. We’re in this together,” Joe confirmed. “We each need to play our part. When someone steps up for one of the vacant positions, vote—either for or against, it doesn’t matter—just vote. Until the elections, pitch in where you can.”

  Never pass a fault echoed through Thad’s thoughts.

  “What do we say to those reporters?” Jack Burke asked.

  “Invite them into your pub, Jack. Let them get a real feel for what this town has to offer. We’ve been given a black eye, but it won’t be that way for long. Most people have short memories. Besides, we have bigger things to worry about.”

  Mara, Joe’s wife, stiffened. “Like what?”

  “Like planning the Christmas Bazaar. Elkridge holds one every year, and this year will be no different.”

  “I’ll plan a dog wash or something else to help bring the communit
y together,” Karly offered. “Maybe, Mara and I can get Jenna, and Gwen to help.”

  Ashley lifted the beer in her hand. “Here’s to looking forward.” Chase wrapped his arm around his wife.

  Karly unfolded her arms. Her body shifted and eased as those in the room with glasses or bottles raised them in a toast.

  “Okay, that’s enough chatter.” Joe lifted his beer bottle a bit higher. “Please enjoy my ma’s cooking, and the company of our neighbors and friends.”

  One pair of hands clapped together, then another, then another, until everyone joined in.

  Thad leaned in and whispered into Karly’s ear, “Rivers Black is here. I’d like to talk to him. Will you be okay?”

  She turned. “You’re going to get hit over the head with a skillet. I asked you not to baby me. Go. Go talk to Rivers. We can talk later.”

  Thad accepted the verbal slap. He understood how she felt, but her sharpness still stung. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

  He passed several tables full of people, grabbed an extra beer from the ice bucket, and made his way to a secluded corner of the room. He took a short sip of his own beer and extended his offering to Rivers.

  “Don’t drink.” Rivers waved off the glass bottle hovering at chest level. Thad left the extra beverage on the table.

  “I tried getting ahold of you, but no one knows your number,” Thad said.

  “Don’t have a phone.”

  “No alcohol or phone.” Typical. “Tell me something.” Thad dropped his voice to almost a whisper. “You fired your gun. I heard it go off. I shot Sanchez in the leg, and wounded the two other guys. The good doctor finished Macedo off. What were you shooting at? I have to think you’re not so bad a shot that you missed whatever you were aiming at.”

  Rivers’ eyes didn’t blink. His chiseled face didn’t move except his mouth. His mouth stretched and elongated. Holy cow. Was that a smile?

  “I aimed for the doors.”

  “I’m getting shot at, and you're aiming at door handles.”

  “Not the handles. The locks.”

  The silence stretched. Thad could stand there all night and not get an answer unless he asked the right question. “Okay. I’ll bite. Why the doors?”