Rekindled

by Talty, Jen

  “Them or you?” Blaine didn’t smile, just glared into Linda’s eyes, reading the fear behind them.

  “Please, Blaine,” Kaylee protested, gripping his thigh harder.

  “Are you asking me to leave the church?” Blaine asked, not wavering.

  “I think it would be for the best if you and Kaylee left, but I’m not asking you to.”

  “Why?” Blaine asked, knowing damn well why.

  “I don’t want to say this in front of your mother.” Linda gave Shima a slight smile and almost looked like she gave a shit.

  “Don’t hold back on my account.” Shima smiled. “Say your piece.”

  “Well, frankly, the community is concerned with her status as a murder suspect.” Linda closed her eyes and held up her hand. “I know we are all innocent until proven guilty, and ultimately, it is God we must stand before, but someone found out about her dealings with the mob and the attacks on her life. They are just a little nervous for their own safety.”

  “Shouldn’t feel nervous. I’m here. Chief Whitcomb and two State Troopers are right outside.”

  “All because of her?” Linda asked with wide eyes.

  “Actually, it’s because of you, your husband, and possibly your daughter, but we can get into that after church, unless you’d like to come to the station now?” Blaine flashed his smile. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his mother’s disapproving look. He shifted closer to Kaylee. His mother’s pinching fingers were too close for comfort. Besides, he liked making Linda squirm, and imagined the look if he tongued Kaylee right there in church. He almost laughed out loud.

  Linda pursed her lips and leaned in a little closer. “You should know that the Mayor won’t approve of the Assistant Chief of Police shacking up with a good-for-nothing gangster.”

  His turn to pinch his mother, who was about to let her claws come out, and in church. “I imagine this congregation wouldn’t want a preacher who possibly murdered his best friend because he’d slept with his best friend’s wife and quite possibly could be Kaylee’s father.” Blaine leaned closer. “Now, either you take your place in the front pew and let your husband give these people what they came for and I’ll escort you to the police station in private. Or maybe I’ll do it right now in front of the entire freaking town.”

  “Have it your way, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Then she turned her attention toward Kaylee. “Ask God to forgive you.”

  “The only thing I need to ask God for is the strength to sit through one of your husband’s hypocritical sermons,” Kaylee spat. Blaine pulled her close when Reverend Hicks stepped into the church. Linda walked away, smiling and waving to the congregation. Blaine knew he was out of line and should’ve just moved to the back of the church, but hell and fire, he wanted to make her sweat.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “We know you were in his house just hours before he died. We have the video to prove it.” Blaine shoved his hand through his hair. They’d been badgering Reverend and Mrs. Hicks for over an hour and hadn’t gotten anywhere.

  “When I left, Rutherford was alive. How many times do I have to tell you that,” Linda said, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I only wanted to frighten him.”

  Now we’re getting somewhere. Blaine scooted his chair back in front of his desk. “Why?”

  “Because he was about to ruin everything.” Linda swiped at her eyes. “I only waved his gun under his nose. When I realized the bastard didn’t give a damn about my daughter and went to toss it to the table, the stupid thing went off.”

  “What happened next?” Blaine asked, cocking his head to one side.

  “He told me he was going to spill the beans.”

  “What beans?” Blaine asked.

  “I don’t know because he kicked me out before we had a chance to finish the conversation.” She glared at Blaine.

  “Did you leave right then?”

  “I didn’t have much choice; the man literally shoved me out the door. Besides, some guy was in a car in the driveway waiting to see him.”

  “Wait, who?” Blaine blinked.

  “I don’t know. I don’t care. Rutherford was planning on telling Rachael and my husband the truth. I had to find away to stop him.”

  “So you went back inside and pushed him down the stairs?”

  “No, I left.” She looked at him like he had two heads. “I told him I was going to the press with the story about him and my daughter and how he practically raped her when she was barely of age.”

  “What?”

  “Fine, so their relationship was mutual, but I had some pictures of them when she was barely eighteen and I wanted to ruin him first.”

  “Okay, back up. What does he have on you?”

  Linda took a deep breath and let it out with a whoosh. “Jack isn’t Rachael’s father.”

  Blaine stared at Linda. “Come again?”

  “You heard me.” Linda had turned the tears off.

  “Who is?”

  Linda laughed. “Hadley Danks.”

  “Whoa,” Blaine rolled his chair back, clasping his hands behind his head. “Does Hadley know this?”

  “He asked me once, but I lied to him. Rachael’s always been stubborn, and she was almost three weeks late. However, according to my wedding night, she was right on time.” Linda actually smiled. “Hadley bought it hook, line and sinker.”

  “Let me get this straight.” Blaine shuffled some papers across his desk and then scribbled a few thoughts down. “You had an affair with Hadley before you married Jack, and Jack had an affair with Roberta. Is Jack Kaylee’s father?”

  “That’s the million dollar question, but the answer is most likely a big fat no.”

  “Why?”

  “I had hoped to have more children, but never conceived again. I had some tests done, but it wasn’t me with the problem.” She lifted a brow. “Jack’s sterile.”

  “Does he know this?” Blaine tried to keep the shock from his eyes. How did life in a small town turn into a daytime talk show?

  “Nope.”

  Blaine blinked. “Didn’t he have to go to the doctor? Isn’t it documented?”

  “I lied to him then, because I worked in the doctor’s office part-time. I destroyed the evidence. He thinks I had an infection, and we were just grateful to have Rachael.”

  “Does he think he’s Kaylee’s father?”

  “I’m not sure. I told him if he ever brought it up after we’d married, I would divorce him. That wouldn’t look too good, so we never talked about it.”

  “You still haven’t answered my original question.” Blaine hit the intercom button. “Stacey, get someone who can sketch a profile for me.”

  “Got it, boss,” Stacy said over the loud speaker.

  “Is Hadley Danks Kaylee’s father?” Blaine asked.

  “I really don’t know, and honestly, I don’t give a shit. Can I go?”

  “Nope. I need you to tell me about the guy sitting in Rutherford’s driveway. Unless you want to confess to killing him and save me some time.”

  “I didn’t kill him,” she said behind a clenched jaw. “Can we just get on with this?”

  “Wait here.” Blaine rose and stepped out into the hallway, where Dave was waiting, and by the looks of the scuffmarks on the floor, not too patiently.

  “Get anywhere with her?”

  “Oh, yeah. We need to get DNA samples from Hadley, Kaylee and Rachael. Then we need to see if Kaylee recognizes the man who Linda saw waiting for Rutherford when she left the house.”

  “She didn’t kill him?”

  “Nope, but I think she saw who did.”

  Kaylee paced outside Blaine’s office. Everything was happening too fast and she didn’t understand most of it. Dave and Blaine were in Blaine’s office with Mrs. Hicks, some State detectives and some artist guy.

  Kaylee slumped down in the chair in the hallway feeling defeated. Tomorrow she’d be heading back to Chicago. She felt good about testifying against Nino, and e
ven spoke with the FBI Agent this morning after church. He promised they’d make sure she was safe and no charges would be filed against her. He all but promised that Nino would never be able to hurt her again.

  They couldn’t promise how long it would take or if it would ever end. Blaine wouldn’t wait for her long, if at all. It was too much to ask even if she saw love and compassion in his eyes. He deserved a woman who could love him now and didn’t come with baggage.

  She padded down the hallway to the window. The sun was warm and the snow had started to melt. Small patches of green grass were trying to make themselves seen in a sea of brown from the dead of winter. Closure. If nothing else, she’d get closure on this part of her life. She’d get to sprinkle her father’s ashes over the lake, with Blaine at her side. She might even ask Toby and Emma to join them. She felt like she was at home with them.

  Then she and Blaine could go visit their son, together. Grieve for him together, like they should have done years ago.

  The house. What would she do with the house? She loved that house, in spite of some bad childhood memories, and wanted to make it a bed and breakfast. She wondered if Blaine would even consider living there until she could return.

  No. That would be too much to ask. What if it was years before she made it back?

  “What are you deep in thought over?” Blaine’s sexy drawl sounded behind her.

  She jumped, dropping her purse. “Damn you, again.”

  He bent over, picked it up, and handed it to her. “Everyone is willing to take the DNA tests, and I’m sure I can pull a few strings to put a rush on it.” He stood next to her gazing out the window.

  “Nino sent someone to kill my father, didn’t he?”

  “Sit down.” Blaine motioned toward the chair.

  “I think I’d rather stand.” The grave look on his face sent her stomach on a roll. He looked like he’d just lost his best friend or something. There were new lines across his beautiful face that had formed in the last few hours.

  “Mrs. Hicks has been very diligent regarding making this sketch.”

  “You expect me to recognize him?”

  “I’m hoping.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “Are you ready?”

  She nodded and followed him into his office.

  Linda glanced her way and then let her gaze fall to her lap. “I hope this helps,” she said softly.

  The man holding the sketchpad flipped it over and Kaylee gasped. “Oh… my… God.” She leaned back against Blaine’s firm frame. “That’s the guy.”

  “What guy?” Dave asked.

  She closed her eyes, letting out a long breath. “The man who stabbed me,” she said before opening her eyes again. “He goes by the name of Hecter Marange. I’ve never actually seen him with Nino, but I’ve heard Nino talks to him.”

  “He’s in custody,” one of the State Troopers said. “The FBI picked him up last night on three counts of murder. I guess we can add one more.”

  “I need to sit down.” Kaylee gripped Blaine’s arm.

  Linda gave up her seat and then followed the State Troopers out into the hallway.

  Kaylee heard muffled voices, but she couldn’t focus on the words. Her father was dead because of her. “Is this over?” she asked once the office had been cleared.

  “Pretty much.” Blaine knelt beside her. “I have some things I have to do. Will you be okay here for a few minutes?”

  She nodded, unable to form words or feel anything but numbness. She dropped her head into her hands and cried. So many mistakes. Too many lies. Her father had died because of those lies. “I’ll make sure they pay, Daddy,” she whispered.

  “How are you doing?” Hadley asked as he walked into the office with two cups of coffee. “Blaine thought you might want this.” He handed her a cup.

  The black liquid mirrored her feelings, dark and dismal. “Thank you.” She blew into the mug. “Blaine told me you’d give a DNA sample.”

  She heard him take a deep breath and let it out in a huff. “I’ll be honest. I’m scared.”

  She turned to look at him. True admiration filtered from his pale blue eyes. He looked like the kind of man that even if he’d never found his one true love, he loved many people, on many levels. “You’re not a bad guy, Hadley.”

  “Maybe not, but look what I’ve created by my selfishness.” He took a seat across from Blaine’s desk.

  Kaylee sipped her coffee, glancing at Hadley. “It wasn’t your selfishness, but other people’s cruelty.”

  “I’m not so sure about that.” He ran his long fingers across his chin. “Looking back, I should’ve seen it all.”

  Long moments of silence followed as the minutes ticked by. She stared out at the parking lot, watching people come and go, when Rachael strolled by the window.

  “Rachael’s here,” Kaylee mumbled.

  Hadley sat up straighter and they both eyed the door as if it had all the answers.

  Rachael glanced between Kaylee and Hadley then looked down at the floor. “Please don’t hate me,” Rachael whispered.

  “Hate you for what? Sleeping with my father?” Kaylee looked at Rachael, who was dressed in a pair of designer slacks and a warm sweater and had perfect hair to complement the clothing. The woman looked like she belonged in Stepford, except for one thing— she had real emotions behind her eyes.

  “Your fath…Rutherford and I had a relationship. At first I wanted to use him, to get back at everyone. Ya know, shock value, but over the years I fell in love with him.”

  “I’m surprised.” Kaylee swallowed.

  “He loved me, too, but he wouldn’t marry me. He made that perfectly clear. Said he’d never marry again, and I wanted that more than anything.” Rachael sat down next to Kaylee. “I never meant to hurt you.”

  “You haven’t hurt me,” Kaylee took her hand.

  “Yes, I did. I hurt both of you.” She glanced toward Hadley. “I knew my father couldn’t have kids.”

  “How?” Kaylee glared her.

  “When Deslin died, my mother thought for sure everything was going to come out. She got drunk one night and rambled about this and that. I didn’t understand most of it, but she made it very clear that my father wasn’t my father.”

  “You knew we could be sisters?” Kaylee’s voice rose up.

  Rachael nodded.

  “Why didn’t you say anything?” Hadley had moved to Blaine’s desk and leaned against it. Tears welling in his pale blue eyes.

  “Wasn’t sure you’d want me as a daughter, and frankly, I didn’t want to deal with it. The rumors, the gossip. What it would do to my family. I saw what Kaylee’s mother’s disease did to hers. Everything got so screwed up.”

  “You spoke to Daddy the night he died. It looked like you’d argued. Why?” Kaylee asked.

  “He confided in me that you were coming home and he was going to tell you what he’d found out.”

  “That bastard,” Hadley cursed, “he knew and said nothing?”

  “He wanted to talk with me and Kaylee first, then you.”

  Hadley shook his head. “Then destroy your parents.”

  Rachael wiped the tears falling down her checks. “He loved Roberta, really he did. He blamed my father for keeping her sick all those years.”

  “Your father says she got him drunk and seduced him, tempted him like the devil,” Blaine said, leaning against the doorjamb. “I’m sorry, Rachael, but your father has some real issues.”

  “Don’t be sorry. I’ve made my share of mistakes in all of this. I hope some day we can all move past this and be friends.”

  “After we get the DNA samples, Rachael and Hadley, you’re free to leave, but don’t go too far, in case I need to talk to you some more.”

  “I’m always here for you.” Rachael rose, bending to give Kaylee a kiss on the temple. “Day or night.”

  “Ditto.” Kaylee smiled when Rachael’s eyes twinkled like when they were kids. “More than friends.”

  “Soul sisters,” Ra
chael whispered and turned toward Hadley. “As for you, don’t expect me to call you ‘Daddy,’ but I’d like to have dinner with you sometime.”

  “I’d like that.” Hadley sniffled. “How about we start with a cup of coffee?”

  “No time like the present.”

  Kaylee listened to their footsteps fade in the distance, and then rolled her neck at the tender touch of Blaine’s fingers.

  “Toby will take you home. I’ve got some loose ends to tie up.”

  “Okay.” She sighed. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. I’ll see you tonight.”

  She closed her eyes and waited until she knew he was gone before letting herself take a breath. One more night. She’d cherish it for the rest of her life.

  Blaine drove up Route Eight heading down the lake toward the Mead Mansion on the hill. So much had happened and in just a few short days. He felt like he could sleep for a week, but that would have to wait, although he would enjoy his last night with Kaylee.

  Loving Kaylee had always been easy for him. Keeping her was a whole other story, and he was about to say good-bye. At least this time he’d have the chance.

  Toby’s old jeep was in the driveway. Blaine parked, thankful that for the last few hours Kaylee had Toby and Emma to lean on.

  The back door opened and Kaylee stepped out onto the porch. She held one of the posts and leaned her face against the wood. Her mouth formed a slight smile as he took a few small steps toward her.

  Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail at the nap of her neck. She wore a pair of faded jeans that hugged her body and one of his old shirts. She couldn’t look more beautiful if she were decked out to the nines.

  When he stood at the bottom of the steps, he could smell her strawberry shampoo and her vanilla lotion. Those two smells were intoxicating. He climbed the stairs and pulled her into his arms. “Hi, baby,” he whispered in her ear.

  She raised her shoulder, batting his lips from her ear. “What’s going to happen to Linda?”