Love Loyal and True

by Stacey Joy Netzel

  Why had she never told him?

  Because you were afraid he’d look at you exactly as he’s looking at you right now.

  The set of his jaw and betrayal in his eyes broke her heart. He hated her, and what he thought she’d done. She understood how he could think that, and yet anguish tore through her. “Loyal, please, if you would just listen to—”

  “I said shut up, Roxanna,” he snapped. “Don’t say another fucking word.”

  The cold, brutal words were like a slap in the face, stunning her into silence. Tears burned her eyes as the bald officer instructed the others to finish the search, then steered her through her shop and out through the front doors to a waiting squad car.

  The vehicle was half-way down the street before her brain shifted past the shock and fear of losing the man she loved to what the hell was going on. She hadn’t done anything wrong. She tried to ask the officer exactly what fraud he thought she’d committed, but he only offered his actual title of detective, and nothing more.

  Anxiety rose up, and she couldn’t get the chaos in her mind to settle down so she could think straight. When they pulled into the station, the detective parked, then escorted her up the front steps and into the building. Men and women in uniform and suits gave cursory glances during her march of shame through the main area of the police station. They were used to this.

  Civilians were easy to spot as they stared at her, their auras sparking with curiosity as they wondered what she’d done. She forced her chin up and stiffened her spine. She hadn’t done anything wrong.

  Except lie to Loyal.

  That took a little wind out of her indignant sails as Detective Kushner took her into a stark room with a table, three basic metal chairs, and a mirror on one wall. She’d watched enough TV to assume it was two-way, and there were likely people watching her on the other side. The detective instructed her to sit on the side with the single chair, then he removed one cuff, threaded it through a bar on the table, and reattached it to her wrist.

  She had a fleeting thought that he hadn’t said anything about her right to remain silent, but before she could ask, he left her in the room.

  Alone.

  Feeling like a criminal.

  The minutes ticked by one by one. First five, then fifteen, then half an hour, all as she vacillated between anger, confusion, and despair. At the hour mark, helpless tears welled up and it took everything she had not to let them fall. She reined in her emotions and sat with her spine ramrod straight while she waited.

  The room looked cold, felt cold, and yet they’d left her winter jacket on, so she was sweating. Probably more from fear of the unknown than being hot. Because she wasn’t hot.

  All it had taken was one glacial look from Loyal, and she’d been frozen from the inside out. He would never forgive her for this. He would hate her for life, and now she would not only lose him, but Asher and the rest of the family.

  Her family. She’d begun to consider all the Diamonds hers after years with Asher, and even more so as she and Loyal grew close—as she fell in love with him for real, not just because of some childhood vision.

  But should she really be surprised that he’d turn on her? If her own mother, father, and grandparents couldn’t love her, why would she think anyone else would?

  Another layer of ice encased her heart, and she was helpless to stop the hot tears that streaked down her cheeks.

  Chapter 28

  Loyal scrubbed his hands over his face, trying to make sense of everything as Mae, Honor, and Tessa talked over each other while discussing what they thought was going on and what they could do to help. Their voices kept derailing his thoughts, and finally he dropped his arms to his sides, fists clenched in frustration.

  “I swear to God, you all need to just shut up so I can figure this out,” he ground out.

  Silence fell as they turned wide eyes to him.

  “This isn’t right. Something isn’t adding up.”

  The moment the detective had taken Roxanna away in handcuffs, the moment he’d seen her being marched out of his life, Loyal knew she was innocent. He felt it deep in his soul that she was not the person the police thought she was. Shame mushroomed that he could’ve gone back to believing the worst about her even for a second.

  But he didn’t have time for that. His feelings didn’t matter right now. He had to figure out what the fuck was up so he could help Roxanna.

  “She didn’t do it.” Honor wore a ferocious frown as she glared at him as if daring him to argue.

  “I know.”

  “Yeah, you better know.” Her eyes widened for a brief moment, and she reached for her pocket. “I have to call Asher.”

  “Do that.” He turned to the blond construction worker standing beside her. “Mae, I need you to call the law offices of Striker and Stowe. Tell them Loyal Diamond needs someone to meet me down at the police station ASAP. Tessa, you need to stay here and take care of whatever needs to be done for the shop when the police are finished.”

  They were still in the back, and Loyal fought his impatience as he paced to the door. “Is it possible for me to look at something on the computer?” he asked.

  The officer seated in the desk chair shook his head. “Sorry man, it’s evidence.”

  “Can you at least look up a file for me?” He lifted his hands in supplication. “I won’t touch anything.”

  The officer looked askance at the blond woman who’d seemed so excited about finding the client list. The blond gave a slight shoulder shrug and nod, but she walked over to watch exactly what Loyal wanted the other officer bring up on the computer.

  He gave the sign-in information and navigated the guy into the accounting program.

  “What are we looking at?” the blond asked as she leaned closer to view the screen.

  “Bookings and corresponding payments for the first year Ms. Kent was in business here at Lift Your Spirit.”

  “There are no payments for more than half of them.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Then she took cash.”

  He shook his head. “Cash, check, or credit is clearly indicated. She has no reason to mark some and not others. She said she had the list to offer them comp readings. Why would she do that if she was one of the scammers?”

  The blond woman glanced at him, her gaze narrowed with speculation. “Why are you advocating for her. Weren’t you one of the original complainants from six years ago?”

  “Yes. But you guys have the wrong person. Roxanna wouldn’t scam people.”

  The moment the words were out of his mouth, something in his brain clicked. Dread washed over him with sickening clarity, and he had to consciously fight to keep his expression impassive.

  He summoned a polite smile and softened his tone as he indicated the screen. “Is it possible for me to get a printed copy of that? You’re going to have the computer, and now you have the sign-in information, so it’s not like I’m taking anything you won’t still have.”

  She hesitated, but then relented with another terse nod.

  Loyal grabbed the papers hot off the printer and met Honor in front of the reading room beads. “I’m going to the police station.”

  “I’m coming with you,” she said. “Asher’s going to meet us there.”

  “Gavin Stowe said he’s on the way, too,” Mae advised.

  “Thank you.” He thrust the printout in his hand at Tessa. “Look at these names. Do you recognize any of them?”

  Her gaze skimmed the top page. “This is from six years ago. I didn’t work here then.”

  “I just need to know if any of those people still come to Roxanna for readings?”

  She looked a little closer. “Yeah. There’s a handful of people here that are regulars.”

  “Mark them for me. Hurry. We need to get going.”

  Two minutes later, he and Honor were out the door. He drove his Land Rover while she perused the list.

  “What are you thinking?” she asked.

  He di
dn’t want to say it out loud, but there was no way to avoid it. “It’s her mother.”

  “What?”

  Honor’s confusion told him Roxanna probably didn’t talk about the woman to many people. He didn’t blame her. The bitch wasn’t worth a second of her daughter’s time or consideration.

  Only now, Roxanna was going to be forced to deal with her again, however indirectly. He hated what it might do to her.

  “Roxanna’s parents named her after her mother. They share the same exact name.”

  Honor’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

  “And she said they look very much alike. I would imagine the woman has used that to her advantage over the years. Plus, as her mother, she probably knows Rox’s social, and other information that would let her gain access to stuff she shouldn’t.”

  “Her own mom?” Incredulity dripped from the words.

  “The woman abandoned the family when she was nine, but showed back up in her life when she was in college. Rox had suppressed who she was for years, trying to make her family happy, but when she reconnected with her mother, the woman helped her to accept who she was and got her to start using her psychic abilities again.”

  “Ah—for the hotline,” Honor guessed.

  “Yeah, I think so.” Loyal made a left turn and the station was right ahead. “But she was just using her. She said her mom left town abruptly after clearing out her savings of over ten thousand dollars.”

  “Holy shit. What a bitch.”

  “Yeah. I think she’s the one who worked with Tanner. And I think all the free readings when Rox opened the shop was her way of trying to make up for what her mother did. I was going to call some of her clients from back then that still go to her now, and see what their stories are for the hotline, and now Roxanna.”

  “That could help. Not to mention, common sense says if she’d been the one running the hotline scam, the last thing she’d do is stay in town and open a shop under her own name.”

  “Exactly.”

  Loyal made the final turn into the station lot to park, and took the papers from Honor as they headed inside. At the door, he stepped aside for her and an older lady who’d walked up behind them to enter first.

  “Hey man, wait up.”

  Loyal turned and saw Asher jogging across the lot. Honor moved back outside meet his brother on the sidewalk, so he continued inside in time to hear the lady ahead of them ask the front desk officer for Detective Kushner.

  “He asked me to come down and identify the woman who stole from me.”

  Loyal’s pulse skipped before racing at warp-speed. That was too much of a coincidence.

  He moved closer as the officer requested her name, then instructed her to wait right there. Martha Rowen looked to be about in her mid-sixties, her clothes likely designer to go with her Coach handbag, her rich auburn hair stylish and obviously—though expertly—colored.

  Hearing Honor and Asher behind them, he discreetly motioned them to stay back. Asher frowned and took another step. Loyal gave a fierce head shake, then smiled with sympathy when the woman at the counter glanced his way.

  “Hi. Sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear. Hope you get your money back.”

  “It’s not the money.” She sniffed with disdain. “She preyed on my grief, promising me she’d be able to talk to my Jack one last time.”

  The séance woman.

  “I’m sorry,” he said again. “Was Jack your husband?”

  “My son. Not only did I not get to talk to him, but she charged me twice.”

  He shook his head. “That’s terrible. Why would she charge you twice?”

  “I sent her a check, but when she showed up at my house for the…ah, ceremony…” She paused, shooting him a quick glance as if afraid he’d judge. He offered an encouraging smile and she continued. “She said she didn’t receive the check and insisted I pay her cash right there before Jack’s spirit crossed over. Weeks later, she cashed the check she said had been lost. I had forgotten to cancel it.”

  “How much was it?”

  The woman looked away with a grimace. “Twelve hundred dollars.”

  Roxanna’s mysterious check. Had her mother instructed the woman to send it to the shop, or had it been a mix-up?

  Detective Kushner approached the counter, giving Loyal a hard look before turning to the lady. “Mrs. Rowen, thank you for coming in. If you will please come with me?”

  “I’d like to come with as well,” Loyal said.

  The bald detective gave him a stern look while holding open the half-door for the woman to pass through. “There’s no need.”

  “Please.” He lifted the papers. “I have information you’ll find enlightening, and after Mrs. Rowen says her piece, I think we can clear some things up.”

  He drew in a deep breath, then blew it out in a huff. “Fine. But you will keep your mouth shut until I say you can speak, understand? Do not interfere or you’ll be out so fast your head will spin.”

  Loyal nodded solemnly, before turning to his brother and Honor as he followed Mrs. Rowen. “Both of you fill Gavin in when he gets here, please.”

  “Will do,” Asher promised as Honor nodded.

  When they reached the room where Roxanna was being held, one look at her through the shaded glass and Loyal’s chest constricted in pain. Her loneliness was palpable. He wanted to rip the door off the hinges and pull her into his arms and tell her she’d never be alone again. Seeing the cuffs still on her slender wrists made his fists clench with anger.

  All of a sudden, she stiffened and swiveled her face toward the glass. Beside him, Mrs. Rowen sucked in a soft breath.

  “Is that her?” Detective Kushner asked.

  Loyal held his breath as he waited for her answer.

  Chapter 29

  Roxanna’s breath shallowed out when a prickle along the nape of her neck told her she was no longer alone. No one had entered the room, so she stiffened her spine and turned her head toward the mirror.

  A long minute later, the door opened and her heart lurched hard when she saw Loyal with Detective Kushner and an older lady.

  He’s here! her heart sang.

  But he wasn’t smiling. In fact, his eyes were dark and deadly serious, almost pitying, and she couldn’t get a read on what that meant. Gulping against a surge of anxiety, she did her best to keep breathing so she wouldn’t pass out while they filed into the room.

  “Ms. Kent,” Detective Kushner barked. “Do you know this woman?”

  She looked from him, to the well-dressed, auburn-haired woman, to Loyal. His “Don’t say another fucking word,” echoed in her head. Except when her eyes met his, he gave her a brief nod as if to say it was okay to answer.

  Looking back at the lady, she studied her features carefully, noting a sad tinge of grief clouding her aura. “I don’t recall ever meeting you. I’m sorry if we’ve met and I’ve forgotten.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry for, dear.” The lady turned back to the detective. “I told you it’s not her. They look alike, but the woman who performed my séance was much older.”

  The words sank in, and the resulting flash of heat left Roxanna sick to her stomach.

  Her mother. Oh my God, how had she not put it together before?

  Because I never expected to hear from Mom again.

  Well, wasn’t this just the shittiest way to reconnect? Loyal’s sympathetic expression told her he’d come to the same conclusion. Her heart warmed with a tiny spark of hope, but she squashed it down.

  “I don’t do séances,” she said quietly.

  “I told you,” Loyal said.

  “Zip it, or you’re out of here.” The detective shot him a glare, then turned back to Roxanna. “Did you cash her check for twelve-hundred dollars?”

  Another wave of nausea hit, and she felt herself blanch as her gaze bounced from Loyal to the woman. Shame bubbled up as she met her light blue eyes. All she could do was be honest. “What’s your name?”

  “Martha Rowen.”r />
  She nodded with recognition. Meeting the detective’s gaze, she said, “Yes, the check was deposited in my account. It shouldn’t have been, because I wasn’t sure what it was for when it arrived in the mail. I’d intended to follow up on it, but I was dealing with an apartment fire and it slipped through the cracks.” She met Mrs. Rowen’s gaze once more. “The money is set aside until I knew what it was for. I will return it to you, and I apologize you’ve had to deal with this.”

  The woman nodded, no malice in her eyes. “These things happen. I understand.”

  Detective Kushner gaped at her, then blew out a rough sigh. Loyal lifted the papers he’d been holding at his side, his eyebrows raised in question. Before the man could respond, an officer and a blond man in a sharp, navy blue suit and red tie filled the doorway.

  “Ms. Kent’s lawyer is here.”

  The guy in the suit shook hands with Loyal, and then said, “I’d like a moment alone with my client, please.”

  Mrs. Rowen turned to leave, but quickly spun back and leaned over the table to grasp Roxanna’s hand. “She’s your mother, isn’t she?” she asked softly. Sympathetically.

  The sting of tears was almost instantaneous. She nodded as she bit her bottom lip to stop it from quivering.

  “I’m so sorry, dear. I know I don’t know you, but I can’t believe you would deserve that.”

  A bright, glowing light suddenly appeared out of nowhere to surround the woman. Roxanna stiffened slightly, her hand instinctively grasping for Martha’s. She’d never seen anything like it before in her life.

  No one else gave any indication of seeing anything unusual, not even when a second light joined the first. The wedding ring on the woman’s left hand warmed against Roxanna’s skin. When Martha shifted to leave, Roxanna held firm to her hand. The older woman’s blue eyes narrowed in question.

  Achingly aware of the others in the room, she leaned forward to speak softly. “You’ve lost two people very close to you. Who else has passed besides your husband?”