by Carmen Cook
“Me?” Nicholas Sinclair asked, incredulously. “What are you doing here? You were supposed to be at the house with your family,” he said, shooting a glare around the table, “not leaving us hanging while you throw your family over for your friends. I thought you were more loyal than that.”
Gavin surged to his feet, ready to defend her, but Regan held up her hand, pleased when he stopped. Taking a deep breath, she faced her father. “My loyalty is not the one you should be questioning,” she told him, struggling to keep her temper in check. “I was at the house this morning. I saw the ambush you’d set up so I decided to leave and spend the day by myself.”
Nicholas snorted and waved to the gathering. “Don’t play me for a fool, Regan. Your mother is disappointed and your sisters feel like you’ve abandoned them again. I thought this would be an opportunity for you to repair your relationships with them, but your selfish need to be coddled has devastated them all over again.”
“I’m not the disappointment,” she said between clenched teeth. Someone placed a comforting hand on her back, but she couldn’t stop herself from taking a step forward to confront her father. “You are. The fact that you won’t accept me, accept any of us for who we are, that you manipulate us emotionally and insist on dictating how our lives should be lived. No, Dad, I’m not the disappointment here.” Regan let out a breath and locked her knees together. She couldn’t spend too much time thinking about what was happening or she was going to wind up in a puddle on the floor.
Unable to hold his gaze any longer, she turned and looked over the gathering. Her friends. People who dropped everything and came to her when she needed them. They were her real family.
She sank into her seat and brought her glass to her lips, refusing to back down from the line she’d just drawn. The tension filled the room as her father continued to stand there for several more heartbeats. Regan waited, wondering what he could possibly say next, but he turned on his heel and left before saying anything more.
Regan’s shoulders sagged in relief. Erin’s grandfather refilled her wine glass. “Don’t worry about it, honey.”
Smiling her thanks, she lifted the glass. “Worry about what?”
“For standing up for yourself. For letting them know you will be making your own decisions. For being happy. Take your pick.”
“That boy has had a stick stuck up his ass for as long as he’s been alive,” Bethany’s mother, a retired teacher, snorted. “It’s amazing he ever learned to walk.”
A startled laugh erupted from Regan’s mouth. With wide eyes and a hand over it, she looked around and saw everyone staring at the woman with various degrees of shock and amusement. Gavin dropped a quick kiss on her head and took his own seat next to her, giving her shoulder a squeeze.
Andy, Connor and Bethany’s son, dropped his fork with a clatter, making everyone jump and shattering the tension even more. This was how Thanksgiving was supposed to be. Full of laughter and love, support and friendships, not recrimination and guilt.
Opening her mouth to thank everyone again, Regan was interrupted by a loud boom cracking the silence, followed by shattering glass.
Chapter Twenty
“Is everyone okay?” Gavin lifted himself from Regan where he’d thrown himself, covering her when he heard the gunshot. Looking around, he saw everyone peeking up over the table.
“Stay down,” Connor ordered as he ran out the door. Gavin sprinted into action, followed by Mitchell and Logan racing to follow Connor, only to come to a stop in the front yard.
Regan’s family was there, standing in the yard, shouting at Todd, who stood a distance away next to her parents’ car. Chloe’s Olds was pulled up onto the curb.
Lying on the grass, between the cars and the front door, was Chloe. He’d never seen her so…motionless.
“Fuck,” Mitchell ground out, racing toward them. Logan made his way to Todd and Nicholas, Regan’s father.
Gavin processed what he imagined happened as he skidded to a stop and dropped to the ground next to Chloe. She and Becca probably tried to stop their parents from forcing the confrontation here at Regan’s. But who had the gun?
He sighed with relief when it was clear she was breathing. Her face was pale, but she was breathing. “She’s okay,” he told Mitch, taking a quick inventory. She’d been shot in the shoulder. He couldn’t tell the extent of the damage with her coat on, but blood was soaking the material and into the ground. “Hey, cutie. If you wanted pie, you should have just come in. There’s plenty for everyone.”
“Ha,” she breathed. “Funny.”
“Just trying to break the tension.” He could hear Connor calling for an ambulance while Mitch and Logan fanned out to find the shooter. Joyce was crying and Becca had her hands full trying to soothe her, pulling her away so Gavin could check Chloe out. Their dad was shouting, getting in the face of Regan’s ex-husband, who looked as pale as Chloe did. “So, what’s up with the jackass?” Gavin asked, trying to keep Chloe engaged.
Chloe gasped as he applied pressure to her shoulder to slow the bleeding. “I know it hurts, honey. It’s okay. Help is on the way. Did you see who shot you?”
Gritting her teeth, Chloe nodded. “It was Jason.”
Suddenly another pair of hands were moving his away to expose the wound. “You’re okay,” Regan told her sister, “I’ve got you.”
Gavin sat back on his heels, trying to absorb what Chloe had just told him. Why would Jason shoot Chloe? There was no reason for Jason to take a shot at anyone. He watched Regan work efficiently, the open first-aid kit next to her but not much use for a gunshot wound. “What can I do?” he asked her, itching to hunt Jason down but needing to make sure Regan was safe first. “There’s an ambulance on the way.”
“I’ve got this,” she told him. “You go, do what you need to do.”
Gavin stood, looking around. His gaze landed on Todd again. “Aren’t you a doctor?”
Todd’s eyes were glued to Regan and Chloe, his face white. If his hands weren’t shoved so deep into his pockets Gavin was sure he’d be wringing his hands. The guy looked like he was ready to pass out at any second.
“Hey,” Gavin repeated, louder. They already had one person down, they didn’t need to deal with this pansy if he fainted. “You okay? Were you hit too?”
Todd shook his head.
“So, you’re a doctor, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you just standing there?”
He could hear the man gulp as he looked back to where Regan was working to control Chloe’s bleeding. Even their mom had calmed down and was sitting at Chloe’s feet, holding them in her lap and listening to Regan give soft instructions about lifting her legs and keeping Chloe warm.
Todd shook his head again. “Regan seems to have things under control.”
The rage Gavin had been holding back threatened to explode. “Are you fucking kidding me? What kind of man are you?”
“I’m a dermatologist, okay? I haven’t dealt with anything like this since my residency.” Todd’s face had gone red. Gavin shook his head in disgust and squatted next to Regan, noticing that even her father was listening to her instructions and reassurances. The soft gray of her sweater was destroyed by her sister’s blood, her hair and face streaked with blood and muck, but she was in control. Her calm confidence radiated around her.
He reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. “The ambulance should be here soon. What do you need?”
Not looking away from her sister, Regan rattled off some instructions. Standing, he pointed at Todd. “You, with me.” Without waiting he turned and headed into the house.
“What’s happening?” Gwen and Bethany were standing just inside the door, anxiously peering outside, Erin behind them with her grandfather’s arm around her.
“Chloe was shot. We need some pots of hot water, blankets, and clean cloths. Regan said they were in the linen closet.”
Jumping into action, Bethany, Gwen and Erin all sprint
ed to various parts of the house to get the items needed. “Is it safe for them to be out there?” Gavin’s mom asked, laying a hand on his arm as he walked into the kitchen.
“Yeah. Chloe saw who shot her, so they’re safe where they are.”
“Who was it?” she asked, filling pots with water and setting them on every burner.
“Jason.”
His mom’s hand flew to her throat in her shock. “Are you sure?”
His dad, Howard, moved into the room just in time to hear Anita’s question. “Could he be behind the break-ins? And the attack on Regan and Chloe at the tavern?”
Gavin sighed and shoved his hand into his hair. “Maybe? Hell, I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense. Why would he do any of this?”
Everyone bustled back into the room, their arms loaded with blankets and towels. Gavin held the door open so they could take the items to Regan, who was still kneeling in the snow with her sister. Moving to follow them, he paused and shot a look at his dad. “This is Todd,” he indicated with a jerk of his chin.
His dad nodded and moved to stand next to Todd. Knowing the guy wasn’t going to pass out—most likely—and get hurt or cause any more chaos, Gavin left his dad in charge of everyone in the house and made his way outside with Andy who was helping carry more towels just as Mitchell came jogging back into the yard.
“I didn’t find anything. Whoever did this drove off.”
Gavin let out a breath, dragging his hand down his face. “Chloe saw who shot her.”
“Who?”
“Jason.” Gavin watched a thundercloud gather in his friend’s eyes as his jaw tightened. Unsure what exactly was between Mitch and Chloe, Gavin grew concerned. “Hey. Are you with me? I can’t have you going rogue right now.”
A pulse was throbbing in Mitchell’s forehead, but he nodded. “I’m assuming you have a plan. Because if you don’t, I do.”
“And what would that be?”
“I’m going to kill the fucker,” Mitch growled.
“Let’s call that Plan B,” Gavin told him. “First we need to find him. But no killing him.”
Mitch let out another growl and Gavin gave his shoulder a warning squeeze. “We’re not killing him, not unless we have to.” When he didn’t get a reply, Gavin squeezed harder.
“I hear you,” Mitch growled, shrugging him off as he stalked back to where Chloe lay a few feet away. “Where the fuck is that ambulance?”
Gavin blew out a breath just as the ambulance arrived. On its heels were Connor and Logan. They needed to get Chloe to the hospital and figure this shit out.
“Uncle Gavin?” Andy stood behind him, his face ashen as he stubbed the toe of his sneaker into the ground.
“Everything’s going to be okay, buddy,” Gavin assured him. He’d forgotten that Andy was even standing there. He needed to get everyone to safety and then figure this out.
The boy stepped forward. “Uncle Gavin, you need to listen to me.” The urgency in his voice had Gavin jerking to a halt. “I think I know what’s happening. I’m pretty sure I know where Jason would go.”
“I hate hospitals.” Gwen began to pace around the small waiting room they’d taken over. Chloe was in surgery and other than a minor disruption when the reporter who had been dogging Erin’s rehearsals came in and was ushered out, things were quiet. Erin and her grandfather left, taking Logan with them, concerned that the reporter would be back.
Mitch was stewing in the corner, but at least he wasn’t running off to challenge Jason by himself. Gavin had enough to worry about without adding him to the list.
Gavin had Andy tell Connor his suspicions about Jason’s whereabouts. As he heard the story again, his rage grew. Somewhere along the way, Jason had become a drug dealer.
Andy didn’t know the details, but he knew Deanna’s son, Julian, had approached him, saying that Jason could hook them up with a new, synthetic drug for cheap. There was someone else involved too, but Andy didn’t know who the man Jason referred to as “the boss” was.
Connor was coordinating the investigation. Gavin itched to get out there and find the asshole himself, but he wasn’t about to leave Regan and her family sitting here. He needed to be here, just in case.
Regan was seated near her parents but had distanced herself from them, her arm wrapped around Becca, assuring her everything would be fine. Every now and then she’d look up and meet his eyes, smiling at him. He wasn’t sure if she was trying to reassure him or just checking to make sure he was still there. Either way, that small moment renewed him, settled him in a way nothing else could.
“It shouldn’t be too much longer,” Todd said from the corner, shifting uncomfortably when all eyes swung his way.
Gavin wanted to rip into him, but a glance at Regan kept him from speaking. She had a look on her face he didn’t recognize, something he could only describe as disgust. “What are you doing here, Todd?” she asked, her voice mild.
“I told you.” Todd shot her father a look, but the man only shook his head. “I wanted to talk to you. You weren’t answering my calls.”
“Because I don’t want to talk to you.” She said it slowly, without any type of heat, just a fact that had Connor snickering and Gavin hiding his smile.
A new type of silence fell over the group as Todd continued to stand there, shifting his weight and looking nervous.
Gwen was right. Todd was his competition, but it was clear he wasn’t the man Regan wanted. How he’d ever been, Gavin had no idea.
He didn’t need to tell anyone, let alone Regan, what a useless douche this guy was. She looked around the room and let out a sigh. “Fine. I’ll talk to you, but then you have to leave. For good this time.”
She stood, but made a show of leaning over to Gavin and brushing her lips against his. Uncaring about their audience he threaded his fingers into her hair and deepened the kiss, taking time to nip her lower lip until she relaxed against him. Regan let out a little sigh when he finally released her mouth. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“I haven’t done anything,” he whispered back, taking a small amount of juvenile pleasure in the fact that Todd was having to wait for her.
“You came when I needed you today. And you’re here now. It’s more than anyone has ever done for me.”
He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “I’ll always be there for you, Regan. No matter what.”
She rose up on her tiptoes and placed her lips against his again. A simple caress he felt jolt through him. “I know.”
“Don’t go far,” he said, unable to stop himself from saying it. He’d chew his tongue off rather than admit he was jealous of the fancy doctor, but it didn’t mean he wanted her wandering around with the guy. Particularly not when they hadn’t found Jason yet.
Regan offered him a small smile. “I won’t,” she assured him. “We’ll go to the ER waiting room, right downstairs. I want to be here when Chloe comes out of surgery.”
Gavin watched them walk out of the room and sank back into the uncomfortable chair, his mind churning. Before he could draw a breath, Connor dragged another chair up to the corner, motioning Mitchell over to join them. “Have you heard anything new?”
“No,” Connor responded. “They’ve searched his house but he’s not there. But get this, Dickey was. He took off when he realized it was the cops.”
Gavin blinked. “What was he doing there? Did he break in?”
“Unknown,” Connor said. “He was arrested once they caught him but he was high and put up a good fight. He’s now got a couple broken ribs at least. They’re downstairs, so I’m going to go question him, but wanted you to know before I took off. I’ll let you know what I find out.”
Minutes ticked by and Gavin dropped his head in his hands, thinking back through everything. Jason had to be involved in the break-ins, but no matter how much Jason hated him, there was no reason Gavin could come up with for him to shoot anyone, let alone the break-ins. He was missing something.
Mit
ch tossed a light punch to Gavin’s shoulder, drawing him out of his thoughts. The doctor had arrived, talking to Regan’s parents and Becca, who was supporting her mother in an odd switch of roles. Their sagging knees and relieved smiles said enough. Gavin stood and followed the doctor from the room.
Regan and Todd had been gone for too long. She’d want to know that her sister was out of surgery.
He’d just pressed the elevator button to head down when his phone chimed. There was an itching at the back of his neck he couldn’t explain and he gripped the back of it as he pulled his phone from his pocket. The words on the screen had his blood freezing.
I have her. Come to the guard shack. Bring the bag.
Gavin looked at the phone, trying to comprehend what he was reading. Giving up on the elevator he spotted the door for the stairs back toward the waiting room and headed that way. He skidded to a stop just as Mitchell stepped out.
“What happened?” Mitch demanded, searching Gavin’s face.
Gavin wasn’t able to form the words, simply held out his phone for the other man to see. “Fuck.”
“Yeah.” Gavin’s heart was racing. What bag? What the hell was Jason talking about?
“Hey.” Suddenly, Mitch was in his face, shaking him. “You’re not going to be any good to her if you can’t get your shit together.”
“Yeah,” he repeated, giving his head a shake. He needed to focus. He needed to find Regan. Shoving Mitchell out of the way he hit the stairs, only vaguely aware that Mitch was behind him.
They hit the bottom of the stairs that dumped them into the ER waiting room. Connor looked up from his conversation with the security guard and immediately headed their way. “He’s got Regan,” Gavin bit out, hating the delay but knowing he couldn’t go charging in on his own. “I got a text that says he has her at the guard shack.”
“I know,” Connor said, gesturing behind him to Todd, who was sitting in a wheelchair with blood running down his face. “One of the nurses found him in the parking lot and brought him in just a few minutes ago.
