Chapter 26

26

A subtle awareness settled into Jenna's consciousness—a light squeeze on her hand, a warm blanket over her torso, a constant pounding against her temple. Bits and pieces of memories floated into her mind.

Father Bowman.

The communion.

Stella.

She woke on a gasp. Her eyes opening, and her body jerking into an upright position. The pain in her head intensified. An IV was inserted in a vein on top of her hand, connecting her to fluids that chilled her body.

"You're okay. Everything's fine. Just relax." Calvin's smooth voice washed over her like a healing balm.

Noisy machines monitored her vitals. The fluorescent lights buzzed in the quiet room and bounced off the white tile floor. The scent of disinfectant mixed with the subtle smell of infection a hospital was never able to mask. A curtain pulled around her bed shielded her from the rest of the room.

"Is Bowman in jail? He drugged me. He killed Stella." The sob caught in her throat burst free, and she covered her mouth with her trembling hand.

Calvin stood from the bedside chair and cupped her cheek with his palm. "Cruz arrested Bowman. You're safe."

She squeezed her eyes closed, trying to bring forth everything that had transpired in the church. "I hate that I can't remember it all. I went to the church, and he asked me to take communion. But the wine…he drugged the wine." She lifted her eyelids and stared at Calvin, searching his face for the details of what had happened.

Calvin's eyes hardened. "I know. He used Rohypnol. Police found his supplies in his office, as well as in his house."

"They already searched his house? How long have I been in the hospital?" She looked for the wall clock but didn't have the energy to turn toward the ticking behind her.

"A few hours. They gave you oxygen and activated charcoal in the ambulance. You have stitches on your neck from where the knife pricked your skin." He flicked his gaze to the monitor on her other side. "Your vitals have been stable. But they admitted you for observation. Just one night."

"Where's Oliver?" She cringed. Staying in the hospital didn't sit well with her, but she didn't have much of a choice.

"Mrs. Collins has him. He's having the time of his life."

She managed a small smile, forever grateful for her found family from Safe Haven Women's Shelter. "As long as I'm out first thing in the morning."

Calvin pushed her long bangs from her face. "You need rest."

"Stella's funeral is tomorrow. I need to be there."

He linked his hand with hers and squeezed. "We'll be there. We'll all say goodbye to Stella together."

She swallowed past the lump in her throat. Stella had caused him so many problems. She didn't expect him to go to her funeral. "You don't need to go."

Calvin lifted their joined hands and brushed his lips against her knuckles. "My place is beside you and Oliver. No matter how tough."

She sucked in a sharp breath. "Do you really mean that?"

Calvin swooped down and pressed his lips to hers. "Always."

Love filled her heart, fixing all the broken pieces. She circled her arms around his neck, bringing him closer. Now that she had him back in her life, she'd never let him go.

Calvin kept his focus straight ahead, trying his hardest not to remember every detail from the day before. The hauntingly beautiful organ played the final tune of Stella's funeral service. Fragrant flower arrangements took over the steps, the intoxicating smell almost suffocating. A large, framed picture of Stella stood beside the closed casket at the front of the church. The venue might have been changed last-minute, but the sanctuary was eerily similar to the one where he'd almost lost Jenna.

Emotions warred inside him. He pushed away the anger and focused on the love. Love for Jenna and Oliver—for his family. Oliver sat on Jenna's lap, his eyes wide and uncomprehending as the service went on.

Tears fell from Jenna's eyes. Stella's killer might have been brought to justice, but it wouldn't bring her back. Jenna would always grieve and question the murder of her sister.

Calvin's job was to learn how to navigate those feelings and help her through them.

The song ended.

The rustle of clothes and shuffling of feet sounded behind him. He stood, swung Oliver into his arms, and watched Jenna walk up to the casket. She laid a hand on top of the shiny wood and whispered words for only Stella. One last secret between sisters who'd loved each other so damn much.

Oliver rested his cheek on his shoulder "Love, Mama. Love, Cal."

The words—along with the newly minted nickname Oliver had given him—squeezed his heart so tight it almost stole his breath. He ran his palm over the little boy's head. "I love you too, buddy."

Jenna came up beside him, circling her arms around them both. She locked eyes with Calvin. "I think it's time to go."

He nodded, needing the cool fresh air to fan the turmoil in the pit of his stomach. He turned and walked with Oliver down the long aisle, nodding and greeting mourners as they pushed out the doors and onto the concrete steps at the front of the building.

Mrs. Collins emerged from the double doors with a handkerchief pressed against her nose. She wrapped Jenna in a hug then turned to him with open arms. "Come here, little man. I need some good cuddles."

Calvin handed over Oliver, who snuggled close with the older woman.

"Calvin. Jenna." Cruz stood at the base of the stairs with his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

Jenna linked her fingers with Calvin and led him down the stairs.

"I'm sorry to bother you now, but I thought you'd want to hear what we found out about Bowman," Cruz said.

"Absolutely." Calvin squeezed Jenna's hand, giving her as much reassurance as he could. Even though Bowman was behind bars, questions regarding Stella's death remained.

"We uncovered some disturbing things at Bowman's residence. A room dedicated to information he gathered about you, Dr. Simon. Pictures of you coming and leaving work, data on a lot of your friends and family. He filled notebooks with everything he could learn about you. It appears he discovered Stella's connection to you and used her to get more inside knowledge. He's documented all his feelings, even stating how finding out you had adopted Stella's son was his tipping point. He didn't think you should have a child when he was never given that opportunity with his wife. The wife he believes you killed."

Calvin wrapped his free arm around Jenna's shoulders. "Was he paying Stella for information?"

"No. Bowman lured her with the promise of love. Told her that he'd leave the priesthood to be with her, and that he wanted to take care of her and Oliver. He gave her money, yes, but never as an outright bribe."

Jenna leaned against Calvin as if unable to support the weight of this new information. "He pitted my sister against me."

"Then why kill her?" Calvin asked, still trying to put all the pieces together.

Cruz clenched his jaw. "Stella found the room. Found all the data Bowman had collected on you. We think she found this information and confronted him after you two had fought."

"He killed her so she couldn't tell anyone what she saw." Jenna's voice dipped low, as if the words were painful to speak. "She would have told me—told someone what she found. Stella might have been angry with me, but she still loved me. I know she did. She wouldn't have let Bowman get away with stalking me. Of planning all of this behind her back. Especially if she put it together that he'd used her."

Calvin pressed his lips to her temple, wishing he could do something to take away her pain. "Stella loved you. She wanted to stop a bad man from doing bad things. You are not to blame. For any of this."

Hurried footsteps came down the stairs behind him, and Calvin glanced over his shoulder. Oliver bounded toward him then threw himself in his arms. He lifted him up and held him tight, inhaling the scent of his shampoo. "Thank you for your time, Cruz. I'd like to call you tomorrow to get more details. If that's okay with you?"

"That'd be fine. Talk soon. Sorry again for your loss." Cruz stepped into the swarm of people exiting the church.

Jenna glanced up at him with her lips pressed into a thin line, but she couldn't hide the joy that laid under the sadness in her puffy eyes. "Ready to go home?"

Hesitation slowed his response. They hadn't talked about what would happen now. The question had sat on the tip of his tongue for days, but fear held him back. He couldn't wait any longer. "Where is home, Jenna?"

She offered him a watery smile. "Anywhere that I'm with you."

He widened his eyes, his heart seizing. "Are you sure that's what you want?"

She nodded. "I want you and Oliver in that big farmhouse. We've already wasted so much time. I want our family together."

Oliver shifted in his arms and rested his chubby hands on Calvin's cheeks. "Cal. Home."

Happiness burst bright in his soul. He hated the circumstances that had led Oliver and Jenna into his life, but now that he had them, he'd give them the whole damn world.

With Oliver in one arm, he pulled Jenna into his embrace.

Jenna tilted up her chin, tears shimmering in her eyes. "I love you, Calvin."

Calvin rested his forehead on hers. "I love you, too."

"Love," Oliver said, smacking a kiss on Calvin's cheek.

He squeezed them tight. He had everything he ever wanted—a family of his own.