Linda blew out a frustrated breath. “Oh, that weak piece of shit. He just couldn’t keep his damn mouth shut.”
“Ms. Gregory, what can you tell me about Charles’s plan for Vanessa?”
Linda narrowed her eyes and tilted her head with a questioning look. “Don’t you get it? It wasn’t Charles’s plan. It was his father’s. He wanted Charles married to her so he could get control of that property. Charles didn’t want anything to do with her. He didn’t want to have sex with her much less have a child. I made sure he got what he wanted.”
“He, being Charles or Mr. Harper?”
“Charles. Mr. Harper can go to hell. It’s all his fault we weren’t together all these years.”
“But you’ve been together, just not married.”
“Exactly. I was supposed to be Mrs. Charles Harper, not her. I wanted to be married by now and have a baby. He’s kept me from that. She’s kept me from that. I just wanted her out of the picture.”
“Did Charles know you slipped poison into the creamer?”
“No, I told him it was an appetite suppressant, which it was.”
“Why an appetite suppressant?”
“We discussed ways for her not to get pregnant when his father made him have sex with her. Even though he wore a condom most of the time, there were times when he didn’t. As long as she didn’t have enough body fat to get pregnant, we didn’t have to worry about it. We hoped that she’d get too weak and fall. That was the only way his father was going to get the property. Charles’s plan was to divorce her once his father died, but that old coot is too mean to die.”
Even though inside Nathan wasn’t sure if he was going to be sick or just excited, but his cool demeanor showed through when he stood and said, “Linda Gregory, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you…” He pulled Linda’s chair back and helped her up while he put handcuffs on her.
“What are you doing? She didn’t die. What are you arresting me for?”
“For the conspiracy to commit the murder of Vanessa Calhoun Harper.”
When Nathan led Linda out of the room for booking, Sam opened the door for Charles, and they came face to face.
Linda pulled on Nathan’s hold of her arm. “Charles, I love you.”
Charles looked at Linda with sadness in his eyes. “I’m sorry I listened to my father.”
They were taken in opposite directions.
36
With the new warrants served on Charles, and Linda being arrested, Vanessa hadn’t seen Nathan in over a week. The saying ‘you don’t know what you have until it’s gone’ held true for her. She missed him and didn’t know how much she’d grown to love him until he wasn’t with her. They had spoken several times and even had video chats, but it wasn’t the same.
I miss him so much. She pulled her phone out and typed ‘oral sex’ into the search bar. He always researched everything, so she thought she’d follow his lead. The first article that came up was “Ten Best Oral Sex Tips To Blow His Mind.” Damn, I don’t have any lollipops in the house. She walked into the kitchen and found a banana. She peeled it and licked it like an ice cream cone then changed to flicking her tongue over just the tip. Deep throat? What? I hope he likes this because I don’t think I can do that. She slowly pushed it into her mouth and sucked. Her eyes rolled into her head as she imagined Nathan’s reaction. She was swirling her tongue around the banana when her burner phone rang.
She took a deep breath. “Hello, handsome.”
“Hey, beautiful. What’s got you in a good mood?”
“Just thinking about you and wanted you to know.”
“I’m glad. I miss you too. I don’t know when I can get back there. Are you and Max all right?”
“Yes. A neighbor gave me a ride to the store. I can’t wait until I can get a car and drive myself.”
“I can’t wait either. You deserve that. Have you been studying?”
“Yes, I’m ready to take the test.”
“Are you going to take it there or here?”
“I guess that depends on when I’m going back.”
“When do you want to come back?”
Vanessa chewed her thumbnail. “When my divorce is final.”
“Ness, he said he wouldn’t contest the divorce, and he’s not getting out of jail.”
“I know, but I want that clean slate we talked about when I come back. I don’t want to sneak and hide like he and Linda had to do.”
A sad chuckle left Nathan. “Baby, I don’t think they were sneaking and hiding, but you want your fairytale.”
“Yes.”
“Well, I need to tell you that the prosecutor wants to meet with you soon in his office.”
“Why?”
“You’re going to have to be his key witness, Ness. And I’m afraid your past is going to come out. The whole thing from the time you were sixteen. He’s got to paint the picture, but in doing that he’s going to ask why you didn’t divorce Charles before now.”
“Nathan, that’s going to make me sound weak and stupid.”
“No, baby. You were put in a position that would be difficult for anyone to get out of. Your father tied you to a family financially as well as emotionally by telling you they were going to look out for you so you wouldn’t be alone when he was gone. Ness, that would be hard for anyone to walk away from in that circumstance, especially when your father gave you away at eighteen. It was a fucked-up situation, but one you’re overcoming at twenty-five. You’re strong now, and you aren’t alone anymore.”
Tears stung her eyes. “Do I have to testify? Can’t I just give him a statement?”
“It’ll be better with the jury if you testify.”
“Okay. When do I have to do this?”
“I don’t know. Just be prepared for his phone call.”
“When do I get to see you?”
“I don’t know, Ness. I haven’t had a day off since I left you ten days ago. I’m going to try to get there soon.”
“I just miss you is all.”
“I miss you too. I’ll call when I can, but you call me if you need anything, okay beautiful?”
“Okay.”
“I love you.”
“Me too.”
Nathan chuckled. “I can’t wait to get more than that.”
“I know. Talk to you soon.”
She knew what Nathan wanted to hear, and she also knew what she wanted. How could she give them both what they needed? She had nine days to plan what she wanted to do.
She picked up her regular phone and flipped through the contacts where she had added Cat’s name and number the last time she saw her. With each number she dialed, her excitement grew.
“Hey, Vanessa.”
“Hey, Cat. What are you doing?”
“Since tomorrow is my last day at the bank, I’m cleaning out my old files to transfer to the woman taking my place. What are you up to?”
“I want to plan a party in Riverton Crossing, but I’m going to need some help.”
“Oh, that sounds like fun.”
“I need a place to have it, and I want it to be a surprise for Nathan.”
“For Nathan, huh?”
“Yes, will you help me?”
“I think Riverton Ranch would be the best place.”
“I don’t know, Cat. I know how Thomas feels about Linda, but what about Kayla? Especially after last week.”
“They aren’t close, but Evan let her know that Linda is crazier than we thought and that you were the victim. Vanessa, you have nothing to worry about here.”
“Would you ask them if it’s all right to have it there?”
“I’m on it. What about food?”
“What do y’all normally do?”
Cat laughed. “Grill steaks and the fixings.”
“I don’t want to put anyone out.”
“Let me make a few calls. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Thanks.”
Vanessa di
sconnected the call and went in search of a calendar. She knew Nathan’s schedule but wasn’t sure if it would change since he’d worked so many days straight. She counted the days to see when the second part of her surprise could work. What about his family? He never talks about his family. One last phone call to see if this could possibly work. Vanessa looked up the number.
“Charleston County Magistrate’s Office.”
“Yes, ma’am. Is Judge Saunders in?”
“Yes, may I tell him who’s calling?”
“Vanessa Har—I mean, Calhoun.”
“One moment, please.”
“Ms. Calhoun, I heard you’ve been back in town. I’m sorry for the circumstances that have you here. Are you doing okay?”
“Good afternoon, Judge. I’m much better now, thank you.”
“What can I do for you today?”
“Well, Judge, I was hoping you’d be available to perform a wedding ceremony two weeks from Saturday.”
“A wedding?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Who’s?”
“Mine.”
“Your divorce isn’t final yet, is it?”
“Next week, your honor.”
“Don’t you think it’s a little rushed? I mean, are you sure?”
“Judge Saunders, you’ve known my family for as long as I can remember. My father forced me into a loveless marriage, but even through all of that, I found a wonderful man that loves me. For once in my life, I’m doing what I want to do. So, are you available?”
“Vanessa, I didn’t know what your father had done until after the fact, and I served as a witness to the documents. I’m sorry. If you’ve found happiness after all of that, then I’ll make time. When and where?”
“Here. I want a small ceremony on the beach at the house at sunset.”
“I’ll be there. Don’t forget you’ll need to get a license beforehand.”
“Thank you,” she said before disconnecting the call.
She wasn’t sure if Nathan would be able to talk, so she sent him a quick text:
You’ve never told me about your family. Are they still in California?
Her phone rang almost immediately.
“Nathan, I didn’t expect you to call.”
“Beautiful, that text came out of the blue. What brought it about?”
“Too much time on my hands? I was just thinking that I know nothing about them.”
A heavy sigh came through the phone. “Ness, can we talk about this when I see you?”
“Sure.” Trying to take the worry out of his voice, she playfully said, “Just making sure you aren’t married to someone in another part of the country.”
“No, baby. You’re the only one that’s made me want to take that step.”
She giggled. “Good to know.”
“Gotta get back to making sure I have all of my facts straight for the prosecutor. Sorry, beautiful. I want to see you so badly.”
“Focus on getting your stuff done. I’ll be waiting for you.”
“I don’t deserve you. Love you.”
She closed her eyes as her whole body tensed. She wanted to tell him so badly. “Me too,” she whispered.
37
I haven’t seen her in over two weeks. At this rate, it’ll be three. I miss her so fucking much.
Nathan’s temper was short, and his patience was shorter. Everyone in the department was giving him a wide berth. He was walking toward his office when Evan called him.
“Nathan!”
He stopped short of passing the door and stuck his head into Evan’s office. “Yeah?”
“Come in and have a seat.” Evan stretched his hand toward the empty chairs in front of his desk.”
“Ev—”
“I’m not asking.” Evan leveled him with a stare that didn’t leave room for negotiation.
Nathan’s fists clenched as he tilted his head left then right, popping the kinks out of his neck. “What?”
“Nathan, I know you don’t want there to be any wiggle room for these two to get out of these charges, but dammit, you need a day off. Get out of here. How long has it been since you’ve seen Vanessa?”
“Fifteen damn days.”
Evan leaned into his arms on the desk. “Listen to me, half of the officers are afraid to look at you, the office staff is scared to ask you any questions, and you’re biting everyone’s head off. You’ve got to do something before you hurt somebody. When was the last time you went to the gym? Want to go during lunch? You can work out some aggression on a punching bag because you-have-got-to-calm-down.”
“What the hell? I haven’t said anything to anyone.”
“No, you’ve just growled at them.”
“Evan, I don’t want them to walk on a fucking technicality.”
“I know. Believe me, I don’t either. When it gets out what these two have been doing, the whole damn town is going to want their heads.”
Nathan nodded.
“Go for a run or hit the bag, but take a damn break now.”
Nathan rose from the chair and swore he heard Evan mumble something about not making it until Saturday. Nathan turned back toward Evan. “Did you say something?”
“No, just go do what I said.”
Nathan walked into his office and called Vanessa.
“Hey, handsome.”
“God, I miss you.”
“Are you okay?”
“Apparently not. Evan just ordered me to go to the gym. He said I’m scaring people.”
“Are you?”
“Probably. I want to see you, but it looks like it’s going to be next week.”
“That’s not good.”
“When are you coming to talk to the prosecutor?”
“Monday. Will you be able to come get me?”
“Yeah, I’m off. Will you stay the night here? We’ll do what we always do for sleeping purposes.”
“Um, sure. That’ll work.”
“Ness, are you okay? You sound funny.”
She cleared her throat. “Yes, Nathan, I’m good.”
“Well, I better go work off some aggression before Evan comes in here. I love you, beautiful. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Me too.”
Nathan took his gym bag from behind his office door and started for his patrol vehicle. Why did she sound nervous? Am I scaring her again? Shit!
38
Saturday morning had finally arrived. Vanessa had packed Max’s stuff, a bag for a few days, and most importantly the envelope that arrived in the mail yesterday. Nervous energy flowed through her, and she thought she was going to bounce off the walls. She was seeing Nathan, surprising him. She was ready to give him everything he wanted—herself, a commitment, forever. She hoped he hadn’t changed his mind because she had everything set up for a celebration at the beach in two weeks. Her burner phone rang, and she knew she was going to have to lie to him. With her heart racing, she answered the phone.
“Hey, handsome.”
A sad chuckle came through the phone. “Hey, beautiful. Please don’t hate me.”
“What? Why would I hate you?”
“I can’t come down until Monday. I want to see you so damn bad.”
Even though a wide smile was stretched across her face, she schooled her voice as best as she could. “It’s okay. What you’re doing is important. We’ll see each other soon and the time apart will make the reunion that much more special.”
“Thank you for understanding. What are you doing?”
There was a knock on the door. She answered it with a finger over her lips. “I’m getting ready to walk out the door.”
“Is Max with you?”
“Yes, you know I don’t go out without him.”
“Okay, I’ll let you go. Enjoy your walk, baby.”
“I will. Hang in there, it’ll be over soon.”
“Thanks. I love you.”
She took a deep breath. “Me too.” She disconnected the phone and hugged Cat. “He’s killin
g me! I’m having a hard time keeping this secret. He’s sad because he doesn’t think he’ll see me until Monday. This weekend is going to be awesome if he’ll take some time off work.”
“With you in town, he’ll take time off. He just wants them to pay for what they did to you. Even though he hasn’t been with you, you are the only reason he’s pushing himself like this. Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
They pulled into the driveway of the Riverton Ranch with bags of party favors. Vanessa’s leg bounced as she chewed on the pad of her thumb.
“Will you stop?”
“Cat, what if they hate me?”
“Kayla and Ginger aren’t like that. Kayla actually feels guilty for what Linda has done, and Ginger, well you need to understand something. Even though she is madly in love with Evan, she’s a tad bit protective of Nathan as he is of her. They’re like brother and sister so she may grill you a little. She doesn’t really mean anything by it, but pregnancy hormones have made her slightly more assertive. Evan keeps her reeled in, but until he gets here, just know it’s coming from a place of concern for Nathan, okay?”
“Oh, God. This is a bad idea. I should have just had him come to the beach, but he said he was busy.”
“It’s not a bad idea. Sam, Thomas and I have seen you together, Evan a little, but no one else. They’re protective of their friend, but he’s a big boy and can take care of himself.” Cat turned the car off and placed her hand on Vanessa’s. “Please know that this is what you want because he’s all in. He’s kinda flipped his shit over you, so I beg you, know this is what you want.”
“Cat, I’ve never felt this way before, he gives me a confidence I’ve never experienced. I want this with him and only him. I don’t think I could want this with anyone else—ever.”
Cat nodded. “That’s all I needed to hear. I’ve got your back, just be honest with Kayla and especially Ginger, and you’ll be just fine.”
As they approached the back door with their hands full, Kayla opened the door with her baby bump just beginning to show. Vanessa’s eyes widened and prepared for an inquisition to begin. Evan had promised to have Nathan there by seven. She had four hours to win these women over, decorate for Nathan, and calm her nerves.
Unbridled Passion: A Riverton Crossing Novel Page 18
