Chapter 73

SEVENTY-THREE

The wrecker arrives and takes Jack's car away, but we're still waiting for the Lyft to come because Jack refused to ride with the wrecker. Ronnie's phone rings. It's Longbow, so she puts it on speaker so I can hear.

"Lucas found your mom. She's alive."

The words don't feel real. I can tell Ronnie feels the same way. She looks like she's in shock, and then the relief floods into her.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. Lucas has been shot."

"What? Where?"

"He got them all. They're all dead. Ain't that something?"

"Where is my mother?"

"Your mom's okay but she'll need medical treatment, there's an ambulance on the way."

"Text me the location. Thanks, Sheriff." She disconnects and a few seconds later her phone dings with the location.

"What's going on?" Jack asks, getting out of his car to find out what the commotion is about.

Ronnie says, "Mom is alive. According to Sheriff Longbow, Lucas was shot. The kidnappers are dead. Mom's getting an ambulance. And I've got the location."

"Where?" I ask.

She gives me directions.

"Dad can go with us. Hurry, Megan."

In the distance Semiahmoo Resort appears over fields of yellow flowers, and I bounce the SUV over an expanse of crushed shells to the building Ronnie pointed out when we first came to the resort. She told me it was an abandoned salmon packing plant. I start to slow and Ronnie says, "Go around to the back."

Behind the long wooden building I come to a concrete bunker, with rusted steel doors seeming to be jutting from the earth and standing open. The black SUV belonging to Sergeant Lucas sits near the bunker, and a disheveled-looking blonde woman, who can only be Victoria, is sitting in the back of an ambulance with her bare feet dangling over the side. One arm is bandaged and held tightly against her chest while the paramedic talks to her. Her eyes widen when she recognizes Ronnie.

"Ronnie!" Victoria cries out, and reaches out for her daughter.

Ronnie rushes to her. They embrace gingerly, then she steps back and examines her mom's wounds, the swollen eye, the bruises on her face and neck, the busted lip, and the bandaged nose.

"Mom, it's going to be okay. They'll take you to the hospital and everything will be…will be…" Her eyes go to her mom's bandaged wrist—the place where her left hand should be. She breaks down and sobs, and Victoria pulls Ronnie close with her good arm, cradling her daughter's head against her shoulder, in spite of the pain it causes her.

Standing a short distance away, I feel like my heart is going to explode and tears threaten my eyes, but it's all over and I don't want to make a scene. This is what a family is supposed to be. I can feel the love like it's a tangible thing and not just an emotion. I'm happy for Ronnie and at the same time a little jealous and angry with myself that I hadn't done more. Some great detective I am. If Lucas hadn't interceded, this scene would have been so much different. Victoria might be dead and Ronnie destroyed. I grit my teeth and feel a lump in my throat at the thought. I tell myself it's okay. Everything's okay. She's alive.

A paramedic goes to work motioning Ronnie back. Ronnie comes to me and wraps me in a tight hug, and I love it and hate it and want to cry but I won't.

"How are you holding up?" I want to ask, but I feel stupid. Of course she's in another world with her pain and her relief. I don't know what to say so I keep quiet.

Ronnie releases me so I can breathe and looks from me to her mom. "Thank you, Megan. She's going to be okay. I'll never forget what you've done. Ever. You're family now."

Now I do break down in tears, but I pry her loose and see Jack standing alone.

Ronnie wipes a tear from her eye and smiles. "Isn't it wonderful?"

It might be, but there's still a chasm that has taken a long time to be excavated between Jack and his wife and her brother. I don't envy the Herculean task it will take to fill that hole in. Been there, felt that with my own brother.

The paramedic is trying to steer Victoria back toward the ambulance but she says something to him and comes to us.

"Mom, you need to go to the hospital. I'll ride with you if you like."

"Not yet. I need a moment. This must be Megan."

Once again I'm tongue-tied. I merely nod, and she takes my hand with her good one.

"We need to meet properly. Thank God there will be time. Thank you for being with my baby."

I wonder what the hell is wrong with me. I'm not used to being overwhelmed and my therapist had told me this is how I cope with feelings.

"Give me a moment," Victoria says, and goes to Jack, who is still unsure what to do. Victoria steps close to Jack making him look into her eyes, and she surprises me by slapping his face. He looks completely shocked, and she slaps him again and then falls against him until he puts his arms around her. I can't watch any longer.

The paramedic comes over. "That's your mom, right?" Ronnie nods. "We really should get to the hospital. She possibly has some broken ribs and I suspect she's malnourished and dehydrated. I'll get fluids going but I'm worried about infection."

The coroner has arrived, and I see Sergeant Lucas is talking to him and a uniformed officer. A bandage is strapped around Lucas's waist. He looks my way and nods, then a crime scene tech in Tyvek coveralls and a hood speaks to Lucas and they go inside the bunker. I've never been shot but I can imagine what it feels like. I hope it hurt.

Victoria and Jack come to us. She says, "Sergeant Lucas saved my life. Your uncle was shot protecting me." Jack pulls her closer and plants a kiss on the side of her face.

"It's okay, Mom," Ronnie says. "We should get you to the hospital."

"I just want to go home." Her eyes widen. "Is Rebecca okay? Have you called her?"

Ronnie says, "I'll find out which hospital they're taking you to and I'll call her to meet us."

"But…"

"Don't argue with me, Mom."

Jack says, "She's right. Let's go. We can talk on the way if you like." Victoria looks back toward the bunker, and Jack has to turn her toward the ambulance.

Victoria's knees weaken and Jack holds her up. "Vinnie's dead, Jack."

"I'm so sorry, honey. I am truly sorry. He seemed like a good guy. It's my fault. This is all my fault. I won't blame you if you hate me. But please let me help you. Don't leave me. Please."

She just says, "Oh, Jack."

Maybe I do forgive him. Maybe he can't help seeing everything through "Jack" eyes. I hope this has opened them. I look on and think that it's too bad it takes something of this magnitude to wake people up to what's important and what's small beans.

Jack leads her to the ambulance and they get inside. The paramedic gets in and closes the door. The driver leaves; lights and siren.

Vinnie was a hero after all the lies. He was lying to protect his sister and he ended up dying for her. I hope Lucas wasn't the one that killed him.

As the ambulance pulls away, I step back to visually piece together what's happened but I can't help but hear what Victoria tells them of Vinnie's death. Vinnie was killed protecting her. I suspect Missy, Duke, and Thundercloud are inside. Dead like they deserve.

Ronnie got the hospital information and called Rebecca.

"She'll meet us at the hospital."

Lucas comes from the bunker with the coroner. A paramedic is trying to get him to let them change his bandage. He doesn't look any worse for the wear. I need to talk to him. I'm not ready to let this go.