“Belle, listen to me,” he growled, “That’s not true. I knew you were innocent before I ever went out with you the first time. There was never a question of you being involved.”
Swallowing deeply, her eyes darted around, realizing they had an audience and she had just exposed her hellish background to Colt, Mitch, and Mr. Weldon. Not willing to see who else might have their eyes and ears on her, she turned and ran, pushing through the crowd near the front of the building just as rain began to splatter on the pavement.
“Belle!” Hunter shouted, taking a step toward her only to find his arms grabbed by Mitch and Colt.
“Stay cool,” Mitch warned. “You’ve got an audience and you’re not finished with your work here. You may have been working undercover for the State Police, but your supervisor will not be happy if you fuck up the case because of personal involvement.”
“Fuckin’ hell,” he cursed, shaking his arms loose from them as he watched Belle climb into her car and screech out of the parking lot.
“You’ll get your chance to make it right, man,” Mitch assured. “But first, you gotta finish the case.”
Looking down at his boots, with his hands on his hips, a yellow ribbon caught his eye. Bending, he scooped it up, fingering the soft satin. Stuffing it into his pocket, he stared longingly down the now empty street.
Hunter, sitting in Mitch’s office with two other State Police officers, Colt and two of his deputies, and Grant and Ginny, finished his report while discussing the case with the others.
“The Virginia State Police were working with the Maryland State Police for a couple of years on this case. We knew some of the lower members but did not have the whole picture until me and a couple of others went undercover at several facilities in the two-state area,” he said.
“We also knew it revolved around at least two drivers for Matrix, and we were able to identify Lionel fairly early as one of the deliverers. Careway was a lot harder to figure out, until they made me part of their chain. Even then, it was a complete stroke of dumb luck that I was able to spot Linda with Lionel. Since she’s the one who normally handles the drug deliveries, it was not unusual that she would be talking to him.”
“So, how’d you get her?” Colt asked.
“I was up on the fuckin’ roof, doing maintenance and spied them from above. I saw her get a packet from him and an hour later that same packet was in my locker.”
“Their whole scheme seems simplistic,” Mitch groused. “Matrix drivers make some duplicate deliveries to certain places who have someone who takes them. Those people then get them to the next one in the chain, who deliver them to low-level distributors like Dade.”
Nodding, he agreed. “Absolutely simple in execution as long as you have people you can trust.”
“How’d you get them to trust you?” Ginny asked.
“Met up with Lionel at the Pain Management Center. I needed them anyway, which made for a good cover, because it was legit. I got a name of a common acquaintance of his from the other undercover officer on the job. Made the connection with him and got him to think I needed pills and the center wouldn’t give them to me. He found I worked at Careway and I had an automatic in with him.”
“And Linda? A Registered Nurse?” Grant asked. “What the fuck was her deal?”
“Money. Pure, simple money was her motivation. Once she made a delivery the first time, she was in their hooks.”
Mitch added, “I’m glad to get them all shut down, but especially with Dade out of the Baytown area. Colt and I are going to work with the owner to get the rest of the park cleaned up.”
While the congratulations flowed, his mouth was fixed in a tight line, unable to get Belle’s face from his mind. Finally, the State Police officers left, as well as the deputies.
He assumed the others would leave, but found Colt, Mitch, Grant, and Ginny still seated at the table. Scrubbing his hand over his face, he said, “Please tell me this isn’t going to be discussing what I think you want to discuss.”
Before anyone had a chance to speak, Zac came bolting into the room, an open expression of incredulity on his face. “State Police? What the fuck, Hunter? State Police? Jesus, man, how the hell did that happen?”
Sucking in a heavy breath, he said, “Can we put off show and tell until after I talk to Belle?”
Zac lifted his eyebrow and said, “Sorry, Hunter. You may find that hard to do. I just got off the phone with Madelyn and the women are all over at Katelyn’s house, surrounding a very upset Belle. No way you’re gonna get near her now. And, depending on what all they talk about, you might not get around her for days.”
Leaning heavily in his seat, he said, “Shit...”
Colt stared hard at him and said, “Damn, you were good. I can usually spot undercover but had no idea you weren’t who you said you were.”
Mitch nodded his agreement.
Staring at the table, he decided to give them the abbreviated version, saving the full story for the one person who deserved it—Belle. “Most of what you know is true. Was a mechanic from a no-where town in Tennessee. Joined the Navy out of high school, doing maintenance on a ship. Got out after four years, tried going home but found that it was just as no-where as it always was. Moved to Norfolk. Figured I could get a job somewhere and it was my second home when in the Navy. Got a job as a maintenance worker for the State Police Headquarters in Richmond. After a year of watching them, a friend talked me into getting my associates degree. Did it and got into the police academy. After two more years, I started doing some undercover work…seemed my maintenance abilities made it easy for me to get into places without suspicion.”
He looked up at Zac, and continued, “You had been inviting me to come to live here. When we were trying to bust a prescription drug ring, it all came together. I moved to Baytown, got on with the nursing home, and my Navy injury allowed me to get in with the Pain Center to make contact with someone in Matrix.”
Throwing his hand out, he said, “That’s it. That’s my story in a nutshell.”
The entire gathering sat stunned into silence until Mitch finally asked, “What about Belle?”
“Jesus, man, this isn’t middle school—”
“Cut the shit, Hunter. We know you care for her, that’s not what this is about,” Grant butted in.
“Then what is it about?” he bit out, his frustration pouring off him.
“You know her, her insecurities, her past—” Grant continued.
“Maybe, just maybe, you feel guilty because way back in the day, you didn’t treat her as good as you should have,” he accused, shooting a glare at him. “I don’t care if you guys are her friends now, I’m not fuckin’ talkin’ about her behind her back.”
Ginny waded into the middle of the testosterone. “I wasn’t here back then, when you all were in high school.” Her words had the men’s eyes jump to her. “But, I got to know Belle when I came to town. She’s part of Jillian’s posse and they all took me in and made me welcome into their group. Sure, she’s shy, doesn’t give away a lot about herself but she’s intimated some about her upbringing. I think, for the most part, she’s a strong woman who has overcome a shitty childhood.”
Shrugging, she stared at him and added, “You had a job to do and you did it. Maybe you should have held off on the relationship until your cover was complete, but you didn’t. I think she’ll be able to deal once she comes to grips with the new turn of events.”
The men stayed quiet and he sighed heavily. “We clicked. I haven’t had a lot of close anythings in my life…she got close. We both did.”
Zac walked over and clapped his hand on his shoulder. “Can’t say the news about you working for the State Police didn’t shock the shit outta me. I know we lost touch when I was still in the Navy and you were back here, so when we finally got in touch last year, I just made the assumption that you were still working maintenance.”
“Never meant to lie to you—”
“Hey, no worries. You know I
don’t care if you’re a cop or in maintenance. I’m just glad you’re here.”
“Are you here?” Mitch asked, once more drawing everyone’s attention back to Hunter.
The silence was deafening.
“Oh, fuck, man…you’re leaving now that the case is over,” Grant moaned. “That’s what all the concern about Belle is. I thought it was a shock to her and she felt like she’d been lied to. But, now that the case is over, you’ll be leaving.”
He stared at the others in the room, the noose tightening around his neck. Swallowing hard, he said, “I’ll have to go back to Richmond to complete the rest of this investigation.”
“So, you are leaving her…” Zac said, plopping down in his chair again.
Standing, he pulled himself up to his impressive height. “I’m talking about this with her, and only her.”
As the others opened their mouths, Ginny jumped in. “He’s right. That’s where this conversation needs to be.”
With a curt nod, he walked out of the room, noticing Colt’s eyes staying on him longer than the others. Not giving that any thought, he headed to his vehicle, wondering how to convince Belle that his feelings about her were true when so much of what she thought about him was not.
22
“I feel foolish,” Belle said, her swollen eyes still puffy in spite of Jade’s cold compress. She had driven around after leaving Careway, not wanting to go home. Home would remind her of Hunter and that was the last thing she wanted in her face right now. Calling Jillian had instigated the immediate phone tree of friends so, now, she was ensconced in Katelyn’s house, surrounded by Tori, Jillian, Madelyn, and Jade. “I mean, there I was, going to talk to him about what I thought was an addiction and, instead, I found him making arrests! I should be glad, right? I mean, I’m glad that he isn’t into drugs! But the secrecy, the withholding…it feels like I don’t even know him.”
She turned her gaze to the others, observing their expressions of concern.
Jillian groused, “I know I’m married to a cop, but he’s never been undercover. I have no idea what that would be like…to not know…”
“I thought Lance was just an artist and when I found out he had been a cop, I was stunned,” Jade said. “But, then, we were still learning about each other.” Sighing, she added, “Sometimes I wish he were just an artist and not a cop…I would worry less.”
“Mitch had to be careful with me,” Tori said, drawing her attention to her. Leaning back against the sofa cushions, nursing Eddie, she said, “Remember? He was investigating a murder that took place at my house. He was involved with me and yet, for a little bit, I was under suspicion.”
She sighed heavily, nodding. “I forgot about that.”
“Oh, my goodness,” Madelyn rushed, her eyes wide as she stared at Tori. “I wasn’t here then. How on earth did you deal with it?”
Chuckling ruefully, Tori replied, “Not very well. I was upset and we had to back away from each other for a little bit until I was cleared.” Her eyes landed on her and she smiled softly. “Honey, what do you feel for Hunter?”
“I love him,” she confessed, swallowing back the tears. “I just feel so vulnerable. I told him everything about my childhood.” Pressing her lips together, she looked down at her clasped hands in her lap. “Things I’ve never told anyone. He knows exactly who I am, better than anyone, in fact. But what if he isn’t who he showed himself to be?”
The gathering sat quietly for a few minutes while she continued to grapple with the words in her heart.
“It was hard, growing up with a mother addicted to drugs and alcohol…doing whatever she needed to do to stay supplied. She hid nothing from me, so I saw it all…the drugs, her passed out drunk…the men. I hated it…sometimes, hated her. But, with my Grannie’s help, I knew Mom’s way was something I could avoid. It was hard in high school, when the boys looked at me like I put out when I didn’t. Girls looked down their noses at me because of the way I dressed. I just knew that I had to work hard to pull myself up out of the muck my mom raised me in.”
She glanced around, shocked to see tears in the eyes of each of her friends. Blowing out a breath, she continued, “You know I love each of you. From the first time I walked into your shop, Jillian, and you welcomed me, I felt friendship. Real friendship. And with each addition to our group here, I have still felt that love. I watched with utter happiness as you all found the man of your dreams and hoped that, one day, I might find mine too.”
Katelyn swiped a tear and shook her head. “I’m so sorry you had those experiences.”
Tori leaned over to pat her arm, jiggling Eddie slightly. “You’re the bravest person I know.”
Snorting, she said, “I don’t feel very brave. I just walked away from a man I love because he kept something from me and I feel betrayed. And now I’m questioning everything because of it.”
Jillian laid her hand on her arm, warm and comforting. “That makes sense, Belle. Hunter is a lying, conniving, untruthful—”
“No!” she said suddenly, sitting up straighter. Shaking her head, she looked Jillian in the eyes. “Hunter’s a good man who did what he needed to do to take down the ones involved. I mean, Linda? My head nurse was peddling drugs? What the hell?”
The others blinked at her cursing but could not hold back their grins as she vehemently defended Hunter. Jillian winked at Katelyn, watching as her words appeared to spark something in Belle.
Standing, Belle began to pace the room, stepping over their feet as she rambled. “Hunter has taken everything I’ve ever told him and made it better. You know what he said when I told him about my childhood? He said everything bad about it was someone else, it wasn’t me. That I was surrounded by darkness but I was always the light. And yeah, he didn’t tell me about his work, but he told me all about how he grew up. He shared his hurts, the things he wishes had been different. It wasn’t easy for him, but he did it. And the way he is with the kids? You should have seen how worried he was about Brittany when she showed up with bruises. He’s so protective, and loyal, and kind, and sweet—” She paused abruptly and sucked in a quick breath. “Oh, my God. I really am being foolish, not just feeling foolish. The reality is that he had a job to do and it was a necessary job. I’m being selfish sitting here feeling sorry for myself when I didn’t get the man of my dreams the way I would have liked. It has nothing to do with who he is and who we are together, and everything to do with the situation this puts us in.”
She looked at her friends, grinning widely back at her. Cocking her head to the side, she realized how much she had been defending Hunter. “I said some terrible things to him,” she confessed.
“Honey, with all that was happening this morning, I think it’s understandable,” Madelyn stated.
“This morning!” She stared down at Madelyn before allowing her eyes to drift over the others. “Poor Mr. Weldon...” Blinking, she gasped, “Oh, my God, Mr. Weldon! Here I’ve been feeling sorry for myself and he’s having to deal with the aftermath of this mess without his head nurse.”
Whirling around, she spied her purse on the floor, next to her shoes, and ran over. Slipping into her shoes, she said, “I’ve got to go. I need to get to Careway and see what needs to be done. There’re residents who’ll be confused. The aides need direction. The medications need to be looked at and possibly reordered.”
The women jumped up and surrounded her, their arms wound around each other. Katelyn said, “I feel like we didn’t do much for you—”
“Oh, no,” she gushed. “Just giving me a place to be myself…let me blow off some steam…that’s what I needed.”
“Honey, you just suffered through an emotional time,” Jade said, her green eyes piercing hers. “Are you sure you should go to work?”
Blowing out a breath, she said, “If there was anything my grandmother taught me, it’s that no matter how bad things are, some hard work will push it to the background. That’s what I need. Some hard work.”
With a final hug, sh
e hurried out the door and to her car.
“Belle!”
She turned, looking at the aide who was hurrying her way. “Yes?”
“I don’t know what to do,” Sarah said, her face as harried as Belle felt. “Mr. Rasky says he won’t talk to anyone but you. I tried to explain that things were a little topsy-turvy today and you were busy, but—”
“It’s okay,” she said, her smile covering up her fatigue. “I’ll talk to him.”
Hurrying down the hall, she was waylaid by Mr. Weldon, popping out of his office, his usual unflappable appearance now ruffled. “Oh, Belle. I need you for a moment.”
“Sir, I’ll be there just as soon as I speak to Mr. Rasky.” Turning into the resident’s room, she spied the older man sitting in his wheelchair by the window. “I understand you need me,” she said, walking over to him.
“Been a strange morning.”
“Yes, but we have everything under control,” she assured.
He lifted his eyes to her and cocked his head to the side. “Saw our maintenance man, Mr. Simmons, out there with the police.”
“Yes, it seems that he was—”
“Undercover.” He grinned and added, “I watch detective shows on TV. I know all about undercover cops.” His smile slowly faded as he said, “I liked him. Going to miss having him around here.”
“I’m sure Mr. Weldon will be hiring a replacement soon.”
Waiting for Sunrise: Baytown Boys Series Page 17
