by Jen Talty
9
Frank settled himself into one of the Adirondack chairs on his front porch and tried like hell to ignore the call of the lake. Maybe later. Maybe tonight would be the night he went back in. Maybe.
The night air was crisp, but not cold. A nice breeze rustled the trees in the yard. He could hear the water gently roll against the shore like fingers on a piano, smooth and perfect. When his father had retired and moved back, it really felt like coming home. Frank never wanted to leave Lake George again. There was a sense of calmness that he found by the water.
That was before Hannah died.
Shaking the dreaded thoughts from his mind, he wondered if he should find a bigger apartment. Or maybe a small house in the next year. But he liked being near the lake. Maybe his Uncle Rizzo would consider switching since all his kids were gone. That’s what his family did. They moved around in one tiny little area as each person’s needs changed. Hell, there was even some land left to build on. The Harmons stuck together, even when continents apart. He was going to have to email his brothers. As close as they were, they were not going to understand him getting married. They barely understood his decision not to join some form of the military.
He’d thought about what his life was going to be like having a wife and a kid to deal with. Not his kid, but a kid. Kids in general could complicate any relationship, even one built on love and trust. Add having his family being so close and their relationship would be even harder. Frank took in a slow, shallow breath. He was hell bent on making his marriage work. He didn’t like failure. They could grow to love each other. Hell, he liked looking at her. Liked making love to her. There wasn’t much he didn’t like about her, except the situation she was in.
And that he was lying to her.
But he planned to fix that.
Too bad he couldn’t fix up his proposal. Nothing about this night was going like he’d planned. He should have insisted Lacy go to dinner with him, although he figured Reese would have tracked him down at some point.
“I can’t believe you actually did it.” Reese stood on the front porch, back to the water, leaning a hip against the railing and looking out at the non-existent traffic on the private drive.
“Wasn’t my most shining moment, but she said yes.”
“You’re going to get pulled completely from this investigation.”
Losing his place in the investigation was the only thing that bothered him about this situation, but the benefits of being her husband outweighed the risks of having someone else run the case. Someone like Reese. “I suppose.”
“Anything I can say to talk you out of this?”
“Don’t waste your breath.” Frank wondered if Patty was doing the same thing with Lacy, trying to talk her out of it. Patty knew too much, and Frank worried she might be able to convince Lacy that marrying him would be a mistake. That it wouldn’t help her get and keep Andy, which was why they were doing it in the first place.
“Why are you here?” he snapped at Reese.
“I tracked down the rental agent who rented the car involved in the accident with Taylor’s truck. She says the woman who rented the car had light brown hair. I asked her if she’d come to the station and look through some photos.”
“And you’re going to tell me she picked out Lacy.” Frank cursed under his breath. This couldn’t be happening. Family services would remove Andy. Taylor’s attorney would certainly try to push up the custody hearing and Lacy would be fucked.
“She couldn’t be sure.”
“What do you mean?” This was good news, sort of.
“The woman who rented the car wore dark sunglasses, a large hat, and lots of make-up. The rental agent could only say it could have been her. ‘Most likely Lacy,’ I think were her exact words.”
“Did you lead her to Lacy?” Frank knew how to work the system. Cops bent the rules all the time, without completely breaking them. Give the people the books and other pictures, let them sort through them and then ask, anyone even looks like the person you remember, just to give us a point of reference. If you have a particular person in mind, you try to push for a clearer description, one that fits your suspect. It’s a dangerous game, but one that sometimes needs to be played in order to get the bad guy.
Especially if you know the bad guy.
Or in this case, who the bad guy wasn’t.
“That’s what worries me.” Reese turned. “I didn’t have to. It was like she knew what I was doing, making me go there.” He ran a hand across his jaw. “It was like she wanted me to lead her to Lacy.”
“That’s not good.” Frank was beginning to get paranoid. Taylor wasn’t your run-of-the-mill, stupid man. Hell, so far, he’d gotten away with murder. The question became what was really at stake. What was Taylor’s motivation to gain custody of Andy?
Some of the possibilities were too horrifying to consider.
“I’ve got more.”
“Great.” Frank uttered a few curses under his breath. The conversation he’d had with Andy kept swirling around in his mind. Andy knew something about his father, but was too scared to say anything. That thought terrified Frank. He couldn’t help but wonder if Andy carried the key as to what happened to his own mother. “I’m listening.”
“Chad’s story doesn’t fit.”
“How so?”
“Some inconsistencies. He’s fidgety and running scared, but the doctors said that’s normal considering he almost died. One doctor explained that it might be hard for him to really recall what happened because it wasn’t imprinted in his long-term memory yet.”
“So, what you’re saying is that an expert said Chad’s memory can’t be trusted?”
“Basically, and since he’s been all over the place with his story, we can’t take it seriously, other than the evidence, which still leads us back to Lacy through her dead sister. The rental agency gave us a copy of Hannah’s driver’s license, so whoever rented the car has the license.”
Frank leaned back into the chair and looked to the stars. Not that they had any answers, but somehow staring off into the dotted sky helped him put the pieces of the puzzle together, kind of like connecting the dots, but in this case, it was stars. “Something stinks.”
“You can say that again. Sorry I doubted you…her,” Reese said sincerely.
“You still doubt my decision to marry her.”
“I won’t waste my breath.”
Frank turned his gaze to his long-time friend. “So, you’ll be the best man?”
Without blinking an eye, Reese said, “I’ve got your back.”
That was a ‘yes’ in Reese’s world. “Good to know.”
Minutes passed, neither man said a word. Nothing left to say. The investigation would go forward. Reese would investigate every possible angle. Frank was satisfied that didn’t include nailing his future wife, although he knew Reese well enough to know he’d go by the book and get his man. He’d do whatever was necessary to solve the crime and bring the bad guy to justice, even if that meant questioning Lacy. But Frank felt comfortable that Reese would treat the situation cautiously. And with discretion.
Which brought Frank’s thoughts to his cousin.
Now that business was over, it was time to switch gears. “What’s up with you and Patty?”
“Nothing,” Reese said a little too quickly.
“You took her out.”
“And?”
“She’s my cousin; she’s looking for her someone special, and I don’t want to see her get hurt.”
“I took her out on a date. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Going to happen again?” Frank pushed. Patty might say she wanted to let her hair down and do something wild. Maybe she did, but could she live with the consequences of doing so with Reese?
Reese shrugged. “She’s a nice girl, but I’m technically on the clock, so it’s not going to happen tonight.”
“I’ll take you down if you lead her on.”
“She knows the score.”
“Does she?” Frank questioned.
“If I didn’t make it clear, I’m sure you did.”
“That really doesn’t make me feel any better.”
“That’s the best I can do.” Reese was a stand-up guy. Honest. Honorable. And that was the problem. Reese was the type of man women flocked to and fell in love with, but he didn’t love back. Or at least he didn’t give back. As soon as a woman started to get ideas, Reese ran for the hills, and fast. “I should go.”
“Keep me posted.”
A few boats hummed by as Reese made his way down the steps toward his patrol car. “You can feed me what Brad tells you,” Reese said.
“I will.”
After opening the car door, Reese glanced over his shoulder. “Jared isn’t going to like you marrying her like this.”
“Jared doesn’t dictate my personal life.”
Reese shook his head. “This isn’t personal, and you know it.”
Frank didn’t see the point in arguing. Reese would think what he wanted and probably wasn’t that far off the mark anyway. It wasn’t a real marriage. It was a front. One that was going to have to last a very long time. “Don’t get a ticket.”
“You’re a funny guy.” Reese slammed his door shut and pulled out of the driveway.
Frank focused his eyes on the taillights until they disappeared into the night. He checked his watch. Almost seven-thirty. Not enough time to get a decent dinner anywhere. Resting his head against the back of the chair, he lifted his feet and plopped them down on the small table and waited. He’d learned long ago never to interrupt Patty with a friend unless it was completely necessary.
He also got the impression that Lacy kept herself hidden away from the world. He could understand that. As a kid, he didn’t allow too many people to get close to him, other than family. They were always moving, never staying at one base for very long. And even if they did, the other families around them constantly moved, too. It was the nature of the military. Probably one of the reasons Frank didn’t want to be a military man. The idea of staying in one place for years and years was more than slightly appealing.
He wondered if Lacy felt the same way. The reality that he didn’t know her very well started to sink in. Then again, she didn’t know him. His secrets would probably destroy what little faith and trust she had in him.
Well, there was nothing he could do about it now. What was done was done, and it was his job to keep her and Andy safe. It was his job to make sure a killer was brought to justice. He flipped open his phone and punched in Brad’s number.
It only rang once. “Nothing to report,” Brad said.
“Just tell me what you see.”
“Don’t really see anything. He’s in the house, so is the social worker and all seems normal. Quiet.”
“Not sure that’s a good thing. Call if anything changes?”
“Planning on it.”
Frank clicked his phone closed. Nothing he could do at this point. That didn’t sit too well with his stomach. The last time he’d just let things play out, someone died.
He had to do something.
But what?
Lacy stared into the mug of hot tea Patty had put in front of her. Talk about uncomfortable silence. Patty just moved about the small studio apartment and gave Lacy the occasional sideways glance. So much for thinking Patty liked her. “How long have you lived here?” she asked, unable to take the quiet anymore.
“Just the last year. My dad kind of flipped when my mom just up and left him.”
“That sucks.”
“Yeah, I suppose it does.” Patty tucked her hair behind her ears and then sat down at the table. “But they didn’t marry for love.”
Well, there you have it. “I don’t know what you want me to say.” Lacy took a small sip of the orange tea and glanced around. There was a couch on the right wall next to the closet that had the kitchen in it. Behind the couch was a nice piece of art. It wasn’t of anything in particular, kind of fancy, and the colors on the throw pillows matched almost perfectly. There was a trundle bed on the left wall, but because it had the same color scheme as the couch, it didn’t jump out at you as a bed. This place felt like home.
Frank’s place felt like an apartment, but it had a lot of potential. Where did that thought come from? Well, she knew. She’d gotten caught up in the moment of Frank’s proposal. She had to give the man credit for trying to make the most of a weird situation. But it still wasn’t necessary.
“Frank’s a good man,” Patty said. Her tone wasn’t snide, but Lacy still took it as a very territorial remark.
“Yes, he is.” That was the truth. No point in denying the man had some good qualities.
“When I first met you the other night, I really liked you.”
“And now you don’t.” This wasn’t anything new to Lacy. She’d never been good at making friends with women, much less keeping them. “I understand.”
Patty shook her head. “No, you don’t. I still like you; I just don’t agree with what you guys are doing. Think about your nephew.”
“I am.” Lacy swallowed her anger. If there was one thing that could set her off, it was questioning her love and devotion to Andy. “You don’t know the whole story.”
“I know more than most. And I lived it.”
“Excuse me?”
“My parents didn’t love each other. They married only because my mom was pregnant with me. It was a living hell for years, except now my dad thinks he loves her.”
“Maybe he does,” Lacy heard herself say. Well hell, that was stupid. She knew nothing of this family. “Sorry.”
Patty shrugged. “I think he’s lonely and got used to the way things had been, but that is beside the point. I want you to know I love my cousin and I’ll do anything for him. I will even stand up and pretend I think this marriage is the best thing since sliced bread, but I want you to know how I really feel.”
“That’s fair enough.” Lacy leaned back in her chair and studied Patty. She didn’t seem like a hard woman. She looked soft and warm, like the kind of person who loved deeply, but there was an edge to her and Lacy respected that. “I’m not going to change my mind about marrying Frank. There is a lot at stake here, and I won’t let Andy’s father gain custody. Frank can help me with that.”
“I’m not judging. Really, I’m not.” Patty reached out and rested her hand on Lacy’s. “I just wanted to make sure I got to speak my piece, that’s all.”
“I suppose I can’t fault you for that.” Lacy didn’t really feel any better about the situation, but at least there was one person she could talk to about what was really happening. One other person who knew the truth, besides Frank.
“Good, now when do you two plan on tying the knot?”
“We hadn’t gotten that far yet.” And the thought terrified her. It meant sharing a bed with a man she wanted in the worst way, but would be stupid to have. “I’m sure Frank has a plan.”
“It’s probably going to have to be soon considering Taylor plans on using what he saw to screw you.”
“Does Frank tell you everything?” It bothered her that Frank would tell Patty about getting busted, and that Taylor planned on using her sexual exploits to ruin her chances of getting full custody.
“I pushed him, and don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”
Trust wasn’t an easy thing for Lacy, especially with women, but for some reason she trusted Patty. “I appreciate that.”
“Come on.” Patty abruptly rose and yanked Lacy by the arm. “They’ve had enough shop talk.”
Lacy was slightly amused by the playful glimmer in Patty’s eyes. “Reese is hot,” she said. Hell, she might not like the evil cop who thought badly of her, but he was cute.
“I suppose,” Patty said with a smile. “He’s got this idea that he’s not relationship material.”
“And we’ve had this conversation with him?” Lacy questioned standing by the front door feeling so much better about Patty. Seemed
they were similar in the sense they could set aside differences and still be civil. Maybe even friends.
“Kind of. And it was really weird. I didn’t even start it.” Patty twisted the door handle. “Shit, he’s leaving.”
Lacy glanced over Patty’s shoulder and saw the cop car turn out of the driveway. “Well, that sucks.”
“Probably for the best. He’s on duty anyway.” Patty stepped aside in the hallway. “Go spend some time with your fiancé.”
“Why don’t you hang out with us?”
Patty laughed. “Nah. Have a nice evening. I’ve got some stuff to do anyway.”
Lacy paused looking out the window and seeing Frank sprawled out in a chair on the front porch. He looked comfortable and relaxed which made her damn uncomfortable. “You sure?”
“Go. You’re going to have to get to know him anyway.”
“That’s what scares me. At first glance, he seems so simple. An easy read. But then the longer I know him, the more complex he becomes.” Lacy felt Patty step behind her. She turned, and Patty embraced her.
“He’s not so complex, really. He’s just a man who has taken on an awful lot. A good man.” Patty then disappeared into her apartment.
Lacy just stood in the doorway and stared at Frank, who looked deep in thought. He rested his head against the back of the chair, eyes closed, legs crossed, and arms folded. No time like the present. She pushed open the outer door.
“Hey,” he said, startling her.
“Hey yourself.” She leaned against the doorjamb and tried to ignore the sensual heat he ignited just being near. “Everything okay?”
“For now,” he said turning his head. “Let me worry about the cop stuff.”
She couldn’t do anything but worry. The cops screwed up once before, and now her sister was dead. Why would this be any different? Okay, so Frank wasn’t a bad guy. He was kind, considerate, and decent. Maybe even honest. She was starting to trust him and his stupid plan. “I’ll try.”
“Good.” Slowly, he rose, inching his way toward her.
Her pulse picked up speed and she felt her body flush with heat as he approached and took her into his arms. She stared into his intense gaze and tried not to melt into his strong frame. “We don’t have to pretend like this when we’re alone.”
