All This Time

by Marie Wathen

  “Thank you sir, but I think Sergeant Daniels is the one who deserves the ‘At-a-boys’ more than me,” He shoots me a puzzled look. “He is an amazing officer and the best damn sergeant I’ve ever worked under and he would fit in well with your department,” I suggest flashing my dazzling smile, and he nods knowingly.

  “It must be divine providence working through us. Just offered RD a sergeant’s position on my staff before you walked over, but the state has been after him too. We’ll see what the boy decides.” He winks before walking away. I want to smile, but I can’t even fake one.

  Fuck you destiny!

  Making my way over to Russ and Captain Reebals, who is in full blown pissed off mode yelling at Blues, I stare at the man who stole my heart standing only a few feet away from me. His face is stone, completely void of emotion.

  “Decks backed out on our deal,” I tell them my eyes never leaving Blues, “Because of him.”

  “We have a signed statement from Mr. Kennedy. It will hold up in court,” Captain Reebals growls.

  I watch as several local news reporters’ rush toward the front of the ER yelling for Chief Summers and a faint flicker of relief moves through my soul, soft and almost unnoticed like the flapping of a butterfly’s wings. Turning my attention back to the men I smile.

  “Great. Then arrest that piece of shit,” I demand and Captain Reebals smiles happily before calling over one of his uniformed officers. My eyes lock with Blues’ again and in this moment I feel like justice might prevail.

  Pulling me a few feet away Russ says, “I’ll agree with you that he’s a piece of shit, Sam, but he helped save me too.” I shake my head not wanting to hear this bullshit. He places a strong hand on top of my shoulder and narrows his eyes on me, “It was my fault.” A mixture of pain and guilt floods his heavy eyes.

  “What?”

  “I came in through the front of the hospital on my way to the emergency room. Kris was walking down the back hallway toward me. Mad stormed into the ER with a knife saying that he needed drugs. He grabbed up the first kid he could reach and carried her passed the front desk. Kris turned around and saw him. She screamed for him to let the kid go and that she would help him. Without thinking, I roared, pulled my gun and rushed toward them. He tossed the little girl and grabbed Kris around the waist.” Russ’ eyes darken and my body begins to tremble. His stiff arm sags slightly, but he continues. “He dragged her backwards into that room and I followed. Some other patients had already run to hide in there.” He stops and I pull out from under his hold.

  “Go on,” I encourage needing to hear the whole story, but I see the pain taking over in his features.

  “He said he would kill her,” Russ lowers his voice and his eyes avert to the ground while he shoves his hands into his front pockets. “He demanded that I give him my gun and take her place. I did without hesitation, but…” He swallows hard then falls backward, his ass bumping into the back of a patrol car parked beside us. “When he asked her where the key to the medicine cabinet was she told him she didn’t have it. He went demonic and thrust the knife into her stomach.” He winces and looks at me. “I fought him, but he pointed the gun at her face and told me to get on my knees. And I did. He hit me with the butt of the gun causing me to black out.” Grabbing Russ, I wrap my arms around him and hold him close while he cries for the loss of his sister.

  “No!” Shaking my head, I whisper, “I’m sorry, Russ, but you’re wrong. There’s only one person to blame for fuckers like Mad Hatter.” Stepping away from him, I turn to rest my ass against the patrol car too and my attention automatically drifts back to Blues before I add, “A drug lord.”

  The Captain is still speaking to him, but Blues’ eyes are taking in the scene between me and Russ. Briefly my eyes flick over to his brother. Tac glares at me, but I don’t really understand his look. He knows what his brother is too. Surely he isn’t pissed off at me for doing my job. The uniform holding up handcuffs orders Blues to turn around. My gut churns with disappointment from the events that led us to this moment. Even with the heavy-heartedness weighing me down a small bit of pride creeps in knowing that it’s all finally over. Still watching me hard, Blues complies with the arresting officer and I avert my eyes looking down at the ground. Whatever he’s thinking I’m sure loving me is the furthest thing from his mind. Just the way it should be. That thought gives me the resolve to let him go and leave Canton behind.

  “I have to go, Russ,” I whisper smoothing a single tear off my cheek.

  “Angel?” Blues calls a couple of feet away from me now, being escorted by the officer directly toward the marked unit that I’m leaning against.

  Swallowing hard, my eyes lift slowly as he stops in front of me and I stare into deep sapphire eyes. One corner of his mouth tips up as he shrugs, apologetically and I nod once. I need you Blues, my heart still cries for him. Sighing loudly, his body tilts, the way he does just before kissing me. Clearly it’s not intentionally. It’s almost instinctively, and understandably so. Mine begs, no, it demands that I follow suit, but I can’t. Just like Angel and Blues, Sam and Ethan are not meant to be.

  Seeing that I don’t respond physically he straightens his back and states flatly, “Detective, this is not how this end.” My eyebrows pinch in hard and a shiver runs through me from his threat.

  Through gritted teeth, I hiss, “Goodbye Mr. Sloane.” Turning around fast, I force my body toward my car, leaving behind my forbidden love.

  Chapter Seventy-One

  September

  I’ve been back in Willow for seven months now and it’s been the hardest seven months of my life. Kris’ funeral was held three days after she was murdered on Valentine’s Day, and I decided against going. Saying goodbye to Kris once was difficult enough. Looking into the face of her parents, her brother and the man she was supposed to marry would be too much. When I spoke with Russ and explained my feelings he said he understood. That day, I did however do one last thing for my best friend. My attorney deposited the money into her account, covering the debt she was working so hard for. I only wish I would have done it sooner.

  Decks was moved into protective custody the night he signed the paperwork. Luckily Blues’ coercion tactics didn’t void our agreement. His confession alone got Nelson Kennedy fifty years in a maximum security facility. Decks is securely tucked away into a new life under the witness protection program. Apparently because of his misbehaving and attitude about uprooting his life without me the government decided assigning a federal agent to watch over him was the best idea. I just hope it’s not a female agent. And bless her heart if it is.

  Lourdes is serving a life sentence for premeditated attempted murder on an officer off the law. That totally fucking satisfies me. Luckily her babies’ daddy is a good man, well, he is not in the drug world so he’s a bazillion times better than her or the rest of her family.

  Granddad’s chuckle breaks me out of my thoughts. “Hey Sugar dumpling.” He walks through the doorway joining me and Gran in the kitchen. “You staying for lunch?” I stay for lunch every day, breakfast and dinner too. I love my precious grandparents, but all of this hovering and watching me is getting boring.

  I smile sweetly. “No sir, I found a place of my own and I have movers coming over for my things this morning.” Living in my own place without traces of Kris around isn’t going to be easy. I still miss her every day, but this is what she asked of me. I’m living Kris. Well, sort of.

  “Well good for you. I guess your dad finally relented on holding your trust then?” With a grimace on his face, he plucks a bottle of soda from inside the fridge and sits next to Gran at the island. I shrug. “I never understood his stubbornness with it.”

  “Me neither,” I mumble my lie and Gran’s eyebrows narrow in on me suspiciously. I feel the inexpugnable conversation looming. “So you’ll come to my place for dinner this weekend, yeah?” I ask with my huge grin flashing, hoping that she will stop looking at me like that.

  “Well, the boys
come home from their European vacation today so you’ll need to make it a feast for five,” Granddad smirks knowingly before taking a long drink from his beverage. “Still trying to fix those two, huh?”

  “What are you talking about?” I smile innocently.

  “I’m talking about suggesting and paying for them to backpack across the continent. You’re a clever girl. Marcus loved the idea and I hope it works, but something tells me that Morgan will be a little tougher to convince on reconciliation.”

  “Oooh, I’m glad you brought them up,” Gran says smiling from ear to ear and clapping her hands. Whew! Crisis averted. “I’m planning a welcome home party for them.” Both Granddad and I roll our eyes at her because she throws a party for any and all occasions. Lucky for us, she leaps from her barstool and misses our playfulness. “Since they will both be moving back permanently at the end of next spring, or at least Marcus will, I want it to be huge. I know it will be at the castle, but perhaps we can make it even more outrageous with a super formal theme…” She continues rambling on and I catch a strange look in Granddad’s eyes. Gran blusters around and eventually walks out of the kitchen while still chatting away.

  “You talk to Russ lately?” he asks watching me intently.

  Shaking my head, I reply, “No.” It hurts too much. I think about Kris and get all broken up when I hear his voice, and also because…

  “He called me again and told me that he has been trying to get in touch with you for weeks now.” His eyes continue to penetrate through me so I shift around in my seat and reach across for a green apple sitting in a bowl on the counter. Shit, not this again!

  “Granddad...” I warn biting the fruit while looking out the back window seeing the wave’s crash onto the beach.

  “It’s about the case, Sam.” No, the hell it isn’t!

  Scoffing inwardly, I narrow my eyes on him. “I really don’t want to discuss it again. He confided in you about what happened and that’s fine, but I’ve told both of you that Ethan Sloane didn’t mean anything to me. Please, just let it go.” Blues is one of the reasons I don’t have Kris in my life anymore.

  “Sammy,” his tone grows harsher. “Stop being a royal stubborn ass and pick up that phone!” I sigh and nod, but little does Granddad know, I won’t be making that phone call. Ever! After receiving the reply from an important email that I sent yesterday, I vow to not break this pledge. Glancing down at my cell, I reread the message again.

  Investigator Walker,

  Thank you for agreeing to join our small DTF unit. Your contact on the island will be Kole De Luca. He will be in communication with you immediately to provide all the information available. Your commander will be arriving soon as well.

  Welcome to the team!

  Max

  Finally, retribution time has arrived for all the hell that the fucking X’kapz, Dr. A., and Mad Hatter rained down on my world. Thank you, Max!

  ***

  Two days later…

  Ring, ring, ring… Ring, ring, ring…

  Glancing at the blocked number, I huff, but answer the damn thing after sixteen missed or rather dismissed calls.

  “Hello?” I practically growl.

  “Samantha Walker?” A hyper voice belonging to a young guy who sounds like he is bouncing asks.

  “Yeah?” I say with a sarcastic tone. I mean damn he called my number so he knows it’s me, right?

  “Oh, great,” he laughs and then his voice lowers threateningly. “I need you to meet me at the gym downtown in fifteen minutes and come alone.”

  “Wait,” I snap barely catching him before hanging up on the call. “Why in the hell would I do that and who the fuck are you?”

  “Sorry,” his voice is unyielding, “For your new assignment and I’m Kole De Luca.”

  Oh, yeah.

  Begrudgingly after remembering that I was supposed to expect his call, I roll out of the bed and make quick work in the bathroom before driving down to Kole’s gym. Walking in I speak briefly with the desk clerk who points me in the direction of Kole’s office. Waiting patiently I watch a large muscle-head guy flirting with a cute and very young brunette stuffing boxing equipment into a large duffel bag. He smiles at her, they fist pound and then she walks away, leaving him behind to drool after her. He whips around and begins fast-walking this way. Another smile flashes on his face when he spots me. He comes into the office and plops down in the chair behind the desk.

  “Sam?”

  “Kole?” I laugh.

  “The one and only,” he winks while stretching out his arms for me to take a good look at him and I shake my head. Good grief another flirt.

  “So, you’re my contact for this new assignment?” He leaps out of his chair, rushing over to shut the door before taking his seat again.

  “Sorry,” he says. “Yes. So we each have several roles that we’ll be juggling. I understand you are good with computers.” I nod. “Cool, okay so you’ll be our techie and you will provide surveillance on our main objective. But that duty will only be until the newbie joins us.”

  “Newbie,” I ask wondering how many people are on this small team before remembering Max’s email mentioning a team leader, “Oh, the commander. Yeah, I forgot he’s coming too.”

  “No,” Shaking his head, he stammers, “Well, yes the commander, Rhys Bentley is coming, but that’s not who I meant. Our last member won’t join us until next spring. I believe you already know him.”

  Arching an eyebrow up, I wait for him to explain, but he’s glancing down at his cell phone now distracted and misses my frustration. “Are you going to explain?” He glances back up at me with red cheeks from whatever he is looking at and I chuckle.

  “Damn women,” he growls slamming the phone down on the desk. “Sorry, Sam, uh…our other member is your brother, Marcus.”

  Stunned, I narrow my eyes on him and ask, “What are you talking about?”

  He laughs. “Dang, maybe you two should talk more.” Oh, we’ll talk plenty now. He intentionally kept this shit from me, and I’m sure he thinks he did it to protect me. Ugh! “He joined up, we recruited him and he will be going to the academy. After that he’s all ours,” He shrugs and smiles wide, “So you’ll need to get his cover set up soon. No one can know his connection with us.” He leans forward with a serious look in his eyes. “It’s a matter of life and death.”

  “Understood, but you’ll need to clue me in on what the hell we’re doing here, Kole. Max didn’t fill me in on anything. He said that was your job.”

  “Max?” he asks his eyebrows pinching in tightly. “Who’s Max?”

  “The guy who recruited me,” I say flatly. This guy’s ADD is weirding me out.

  “Uh, I don’t know anyone named Max.” He shrugs and continues on like it doesn’t matter, “So we’re monitoring Julia Madison Maxwell. Here’s her dossier.” He tosses me a couple of file folders. “She is a contact on this island for Dr. A.” I nod intrigued already. “Her stepdaughter will be our second objective. All of her information is in the folder underneath.” He glances out the window behind me. “That was her I was speaking with when you arrived.” I twist my head around finding no one standing there. “Breesan Maxwell,” he adds with a small smile pulling at his lips. Hmm, interesting. Maybe Kole has a bit of a crush on the young girl. I continue listening to him go on about the covert government head quarters expectations of our unit and after several hours of planning and organizing, we decide that until our lead investigator, Commander Rhys Bentley, arrives with more details regarding our task we will continue to meet here and brainstorm.

  Finally, I’ve got a job! I’ve been going berserk. After being out of the Atlanta DTF for so long it actually feels kind of good to be getting back to work. These past months haven’t been easy. At least now I will have something to focus all of my time on. The slow life, with your average daily fluff and filler, all while feeling numb, isn’t my thing.

  Chapter Seventy-Two

  Arriving back at my condo, I notice M
arcus’ Jeep and a black motorcycle parked in my driveway. It looks like Morgan’s Ducati, but something about it reminds me of my little black beauty that I abandoned back in Georgia. Finding them here together after everything that they’ve been through, fighting over some dumb broad they’ve both been screwing, I try to remember if I purchased Ibuprofen when I was on the pharmacy isle earlier. I grab my sack of groceries out of the trunk of my car and while clutching my house keys I walk up the steps. I turn the doorknob and find that it’s already unlocked. Marcus knows where I hide my spare key so it’s expected.

  “Hello?” I call softly as I push the door closed with my heel. It’s late so they may be asleep already.

  “Sam?” Marcus yells back, “In the kitchen.” Good, we’ve got shit to talk about!

  After dropping my keys and purse on the table beside the door I walk down the short hallway leading to the back en route toward my brother’s voice. He sounds like he’s speaking to someone so I must be right, Morgan is here too. After a quick inspection on my way through my condo, I notice that everything is still in one piece. That’s surprising.

  “Hey idiots!” I announce entering the small space and my eyes move from Marcus’ face in search of Morgan’s, but I don’t find him. Instead I find dark blue eyes narrowed in on me with a light curl upward on a pair of dark red lips that I am all too familiar with. “What the fuck?” I growl dropping my bags onto the table beside the doorway.

  “Hey sis,” Marcus chuckles, “I understand you know this guy?” I bob my head languidly like one of those little freaky bobble-head dolls with my eyes still transfixed on the man across the room, leaning casually with his backside against my sink. “Old boyfriend, huh?” I cut my eyes at Marcus and he stifles his laughter immediately.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask trying to control my temper seeing him in my house. The memory of Kris’ face, moments before she died, flashes in my mind. He’s to blame.