by Lisa Harris
“I just never … I never thought anything would happen. It still seems so surreal.” Helen wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. “Frank and I weren’t able to have children, and while I wouldn’t wish these circumstances on anyone, we’re happy to follow Erika’s wishes.”
One of the sheriff’s deputies stepped into the cabin. “Excuse me, but if you’re ready to go, the sheriff asked me to take you back to his office where there’s a helicopter on its way. He says our people can finish wrapping things up so you can get back to Nashville.”
Nikki felt the need to stay, but exhaustion had already begun to settle in as the rush of adrenaline wore off. Her body ached, her head hurt, and she needed a good night’s sleep—
“Don’t even think about arguing with him,” Jack said as he turned to the Popes to say goodbye.
“I wasn’t planning on it,” she said.
He caught her gaze and nodded. “Right.”
Nikki stepped into the sheriff’s department at half past one.
“Helo should be ready for takeoff in about ten minutes,” the sheriff said, stepping out from behind his desk. “It’s been a tough night, though from what I hear, the two of you have had an even rougher couple of days.”
“We have, but tonight you lost one of your own,” Nikki said, taking the Styrofoam cup of coffee one of the deputies handed her. “We’re sorry about Deputy Banks. If there had been anything we could have done to stop what happened—”
“I know you would have. He was a good deputy. He’d been married less than six months. It’s something you don’t expect out here, and to be honest, we’re all still in shock. As soon as I get the two of you on that bird, I’m going to have to drive out to his house and tell his wife what happened, though I’m still not sure how I’m going to do that.”
“It’s never easy,” Jack said.
“I can tell you what will be easy,” the sheriff said, hooking his thumbs through his belt loops. “Making sure that sniper Russell sent pays for what he did.”
“Where is he?” Jack asked.
“In my interrogation room for now, but the FBI’s already called dibs on him, so I’m waiting for them to show up.”
“Speaking of the FBI, what about Agent Brinkley?” Nikki asked. “We hated leaving him but didn’t have a choice.”
“He was a bit grumpy when we found him, but an ambulance took him to our local hospital, where they’re patching him up. He’ll be fine.”
“You’re going to want to see this, boss.” A second uniformed deputy walked up to the sheriff’s desk carrying a piece of paper in a clear evidence bag.
“Just got this sent over from the morgue. They found it in Russell’s pants pocket. It’s some kind of letter they thought you should see.”
Sheriff Adamson nodded at Jack. “Why don’t you let our friends from Nashville here see if it’s something worth keeping.”
Jack took the paper and studied it.
“What is it?” Nikki said, moving next to him.
“What’s the one thing the FBI’s missing in this case?” Jack said.
“I don’t know … Concrete evidence against Petran?”
“Exactly. Take a look.”
She set down her coffee, held up the paper, and started reading through the handwritten note. “Wait a minute … You’ve got to be kidding me. It looks like a full confession signed by Russell. Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know, but the FBI is going to have a field day with this.”
“That’s an understatement.” She flipped the paper over to where Brian Russell had signed it. “There are names, account numbers, and access codes, and they’re all pointing to Petran.”
“So if all this checks out,” Jack said, “Russell found a way to help take Petran down. But why would he write this?”
Nikki tapped her finger against the letter. Only one answer stood out in her mind. “I don’t think he ever planned to go to prison. I think in his mind his only option was leaving the country with Lily. He had no intention of being taken alive.”
She picked up her coffee again and took a sip. Their role in the investigation might be over, but she still had a lot of questions. If she couldn’t talk to Russell, she wanted to talk to the hit man Jack had managed to take down.
“You know we need to stay and wrap this up. There are still answers I want to find out, not to mention making sure everything is settled with Lily—”
Jack shook his head. “Forget it.”
“Jack …”
He stepped in front of her, his fatigue mirroring her own. “When’s the last time you slept? When’s the last time either of us ate, for that matter?”
Nikki shook her head, knowing it was impossible to argue with his logic. “I have no idea.”
“I know this case hit home for you in more ways than one, but our job here is over. Lily’s safe and you—both of us—need to go home.”
“Which is why we’ve got strict orders from your boss to get you back to Nashville,” the sheriff said. “And he told me not to take no for an answer. We’ll send you everything we come up with.”
“Chopper’s just arrived, boss,” the deputy said, setting down his phone. “That should put the two of you back in Nashville in just under an hour.”
29
4:30 p.m.
Nikki’s condo
Nikki stared at the coffeepot in her condo, willing it to hurry up. But instead, it just continued dripping in slow motion. She finally pulled out the pot and shoved her mug beneath the sluggish drip, hoping to speed up the process of getting the coffee from the filter and into her system.
Stifling a yawn, she glanced at the time on the microwave. The helicopter had dropped them off around three this morning. She’d been asleep by four. Which meant she’d just slept for over twelve hours. And if she were honest with herself, she could probably sleep for another twelve.
She watched the mug fill, then quickly swapped it out for the carafe again as soon as it reached the top. She took a sip, not caring what it tasted like. All she needed was something strong enough to jump-start her system.
Jade rubbed against her leg, begging for some attention.
“Poor girl,” Nikki said, reaching down and scratching her behind the ears. “You probably thought I’d completely forgotten about you.”
Jade started purring as Nikki took another sip of her coffee. If only everything could be made better with tuna-flavored kibble and a scratch behind the ears. Instead, in real life the bad guy sometimes won, and things didn’t always end the way she hoped.
Her phone beeped on the island behind her as a new message came in. She turned around to check it. There were four text messages.
Mom
Nikki, thanks for the update. I know you’re exhausted, so I’m hoping you’re getting some needed sleep. Call us when you’re awake and if you’re up to it, we’ll plan on dinner at the restaurant tonight.
Tyler
Hey Nikki. I’m so glad you’re done with the case. I know it’s been a tough one for you. Let me know when you feel like some company. I miss you. we have so much to catch up on.
Agent Brinkley—FBI
Nikki this is agent brinkley. Just wanted you to know that you hit the jackpot. We might have to miss watching Russell rot in jail, but we’ve got enough to take Petran and his entire organization down.
Jamie
Nikki, Mom told me about the case you’ve been working on. Sounds like you’ve had a rough couple days. with all that’s been going on, I’m sure you forgot we were supposed to have lunch today. In case you do happen to remember, don’t worry about it. Seriously. because I’m hoping you’re spending the day sleeping. we’ll catch up soon, though, okay? Little Sarah misses you.
Nikki smiled at the last message. Her brother Matt and his wife Jamie’s little girl, Sarah, had been their miracle baby. They’d struggled for years before Jamie finally got pregnant, then ended up naming their daughter after their missing sister.
&nbs
p; Was infertility the same struggle she was about to face?
She glanced at the trash can where she’d crumpled up the doctor’s appointment reminder. She was used to dealing with cases and solving other people’s problems. But this was entirely new territory. She stared at her phone, wondering what she should do. At some point, she was going to have to respond to all of the messages, but she wasn’t ready to deal with work yet. She’d see her mother soon. And as for Tyler …
She missed him to the point of that achy physical feeling of being far away from someone you loved. Which was why she hated the fact that he was here in Nashville, and after three months of being apart, they’d barely had time to reconnect.
But there was someone she needed to call first before she saw Tyler. She punched in Jamie’s number.
“Jamie? Hey … it’s Nikki,” she said once her sister-in-law answered.
“Please don’t tell me you’re already up. You should still be asleep, and I’m sure I’ve only heard a fraction of what’s been going on over the past couple days from your mom. We’ve all been worried.”
“I just got up, actually. And I am so sorry about lunch. You were right. I completely forgot.”
“I meant it when I said forget it. Seriously. I was just concerned about how you’re doing and wanted you to know I was thinking about you. So how are you?”
“I’m …” Nikki hesitated. To say she was fine would be a lie. The last couple of days had shaken her up and left her feeling drained both physically and mentally. “You’re right. It’s been really tough, but it’s over, and for the moment, that’s all that really matters.”
“Well, good, because if you ask me, being on that plane that crashed would have been enough to knock my nerves senseless.”
“That already seems like forever ago.” She could hear Sarah cooing in the background and smiled. “Listen … I was wondering if you’d mind if I came by for a few minutes.”
“Are you sure you’re up to it?”
“Yeah. I-I need to ask your advice about something.”
Twenty minutes later Jamie was pulling her into a big hug. “I have been so worried about you.”
“I’m okay. Really.” Nikki took a step back and smiled. “What’s that incredible smell?”
“Pumpkin scones. Staying home with Sarah has been wonderful, but I’ve turned into a bit of a Pinterest addict with all of their DIY projects.” Jamie waved Nikki into the kitchen. “Matt’s going to stay with Sarah tonight while I go to my book club. Sometimes I feel a bit lost not teaching, so I’m making a bunch of desserts and giving them away. It keeps me busy and not going stir crazy being at home so much and hopefully makes a few people happy in the process.”
Jamie slid a scone onto a small plate and handed it to Nikki.
“What do you think?” she asked. “I added a spiced pumpkin glaze.”
Nikki took a bite, realizing she’d slept through both breakfast and lunch. Her mouth watered. “Wow … ,” she said, taking another bite. “These are incredible.”
“After you called, I put on some coffee. Do you want some?”
“I don’t think I can get enough caffeine at this point,” Nikki said, sliding a second scone onto her plate. “You don’t mind, do you?”
Jamie laughed. “Of course not. Go on and sit down in the living room and I’ll bring your coffee. Sarah will be excited to see you.”
“She’s so beautiful,” Nikki said to Jamie as she set her plate on the coffee table, then picked up Sarah from her bouncy chair. Her niece nestled her face against Nikki’s neck, then pulled back and grabbed a strand of Nikki’s hair. Nikki felt the familiar stir that both excited and terrified her as Sarah squealed. “I can’t believe she’s almost five months old.”
She sat down with Sarah on the indigo-colored couch, breathing in the smell of baby powder and shampoo. She’d always wanted kids. It was why she’d chosen to be a teacher. Joining the police force had simply given her a different way to stand up for them.
“I can’t either.” Jamie plopped down across from Nikki on a matching cushioned armchair. “She’s outgrowing all her clothes, which is no wonder, because she’s eating all the time. I just want her to slow down so I don’t miss anything.”
Nikki tugged on the bottom of Sarah’s pink onesie. “Before you know it, she’ll be graduating from high school—”
“Stop. Don’t even go there.”
Nikki laughed. “I’m sorry. Enjoy every moment with her. I know you do.”
Sarah lay on her back on Nikki’s lap and looked up at her with big brown eyes while her legs kicked in the air. Nikki’s heart melted. What if she couldn’t have children? Not that she wouldn’t consider Liam as her own son if she and Tyler married, and adoption was always an option. Still, there was something about carrying the child of someone you loved. She’d always known that her career would have to be figured into the mix, but motherhood had always been a given in the back of her mind.
“I’ve watched the news on and off the past couple days with all the coverage of the plane crash,” Jamie said, breaking through Nikki’s turbulent thoughts. “I can’t imagine how terrifying that had to have been. And then this missing persons case you were working on. I saw a short segment about it on the news that said Brian Russell was dead, but they didn’t really give any details.”
“You know who he was?” Nikki asked, trying not to seem distracted.
“Some wealthy playboy-slash-philanthropist from Texas.”
“He’s dead and so is the mother of their little girl.” Nikki smiled. “The most adorable four-year-old. Her name is Lily.”
“That’s so sad.”
“I know. There’s a couple she’s with right now who’s like family. I’m hoping things will work out for her to stay with them. When cases go bad like this one … sometimes it’s just hard to accept. She’ll never know her mother.”
“Like Liam?”
“Yeah.” Sarah started squirming and Nikki slid her back into her bouncy chair, where she immediately grabbed for a missed Cheerio. “Maybe that’s part of the reason this case hit so close to home.”
“Sounds very personal,” Jamie said, handing Sarah another handful of Cheerios. “But despite the tragedy that has happened, that doesn’t mean Lily won’t grow up to be a well-adjusted teacher, or scientist, or president of the United States, or whatever she wants to be.”
Nikki reached for her plate of scones and took another bite. “I know.”
Jamie was right. Nikki had seen God bring beauty out of tragedy over and over. And while it didn’t erase the pain of the trial, God continued to redeem what was broken. Because as her mom had always told her, God was far more interested in shaping her character than fixing all her problems.
“Something tells me you didn’t come over here to discuss your case,” Jamie said, taking a sip of her coffee. “Is everything else okay?”
Nikki took another bite of her scone and searched for how to begin. “It’s Tyler.”
“Have you seen him since he’s been back?”
Nikki glanced down at Sarah, who’d fallen asleep next to her pile of Cheerios. She looked content. Happy. Perfect.
“He was at the airport waiting for me when the plane crashed,” Nikki said.
“I can’t even imagine what he went through. At least I didn’t see the footage of the crash until after I knew you were okay, but to have been there when it happened …” Jamie paused. “Is everything okay between the two of you? You don’t exactly look excited. I mean, there’s always been that blush on your cheek when you talk about him, but now …”
“Everything’s fine right now. I’m happy he’s back. Anxious and expectant about the future. Maybe a bit terrified of what happens next. You know how this whole thing between Tyler and me has been so … unexpected. I want this to work, Jamie. More than I’ve ever wanted anything to work.”
“So what’s the problem? Because trust me, everything you’re feeling is normal. The excitement, the nerves, the
elation, and sometimes plain terror. All normal.”
Nikki laughed. “I’m not sure if that relieves me or makes me even more nervous.”
“My advice is to simply enjoy exploring this road together. There’s something wonderful about a relationship when everything is new and exciting. You can’t stop thinking about him when you’re apart and your heart flutters when he enters the room. And besides that, what could be better than falling for your best friend?”
“There is something else. The main reason I wanted to talk with you.” Nikki set down her plate of scones. “I haven’t told anyone this yet, but long story short, I got some test results back the other day after experiencing a string of weird symptoms. It was something I tried to ignore for a long time, because I never had time to go see my doctor. And I guess I just didn’t think it mattered, but now I’m afraid everything might have changed.”
“What do you mean?” Jamie asked.
“They think I might have ovarian failure, which basically means they’re shutting down, and I probably won’t be able to have children.”
“Oh Nikki … I’m so sorry.”
“It’s ironic in a way,” she rushed on, not wanting a huge show of sympathy. “I mean, I’ve always worried about how I’d juggle motherhood and my job. I think part of me had given up on finding the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Until everything changed between Tyler and me.”
She drew in a deep breath, knowing Jamie wouldn’t hit her with a bunch of cliché answers.
“You struggled with infertility,” she continued, glancing at Sarah. “I know it had to have affected your relationship with Matt, and I just … I’m scared of what this is going to mean for Tyler and me.”
“Have you told Tyler?”
“No.”
“You need to. Tell him the truth about how you feel. And let him tell you how he feels.”
“But I’m scared, Jamie.” She hugged one of the throw pillows against her chest and let out a humorless chuckle. “I never thought I would be in a place where I cared for someone as deeply as I care for Tyler. And that something like this would absolutely terrify me.”
