Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four

I half worried I'd killed Clive Maxwell, but after the EMTs showed up, they declared that he was merely unconscious from a nasty concussion. He'd roused by the time they hauled him off to the Henryetta Hospital, handcuffed to his gurney, and he was spitting mad.

Randy showed up soon after the EMTs, and Joe had him take my statement. I told him that I knew Clive had killed his daughter looking for the floppy disks that had been hidden inside the box. But I didn't tell him how I knew Clive's history, and from the look Joe gave me, I knew he'd be asking questions later.

Apparently, the sheriff's department had been suspicious of Clive's buddy Emmett regarding a string of robberies, and they knew where he lived. Joe sent deputies out to pick him up while I was still giving my interview. They had him in custody within twenty minutes.

After I finished giving my statement, Joe wanted me to go to the ER to get checked out, but I insisted I was fine.

I just wanted to go home.

Joe announced he was taking the rest of the day off to spend with his wife, and he drove me home in the Suburban, leaving his car parked on the square.

We were both quiet on the drive home. When we got in, I let Muffy out to pee and sat on the front steps to watch her.

Muffy looked confused that it was just the two of us. She spun around and ran to the Suburban, probably searching for Hope. "Sorry, Muff," I told her. "It's just you, me, and Joe until the kids come home. Like old times."

"Speaking of old times," Joe said, sitting on the step beside me. He wrapped an arm around my back, and I leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder.

"I didn't do anything to instigate that, Joe," I said defensively. "We were lookin' for the owner of the box. I told you I'd stop if it started to look dangerous, and I did. But Clive figured out we had the box and was determined to get it."

"For the floppy disks?" he asked.

"Yeah. Just like I told Randy."

He reached over and lifted my chin, staring into my eyes. "I'm sorry you feel like you have to explain yourself. I know you wouldn't unnecessarily put yourself or the kids in harm's way. I was out of line when I accused you of it a few days ago, and I'm really, really sorry."

"I know," I said, lifting a hand to his cheek. "And I'm sorry too."

"But if something like this happens in the future, we need to work out some kind of game plan so you're not keeping secrets that could help me with my investigations. We're on the same side here, right?"

"Next time?" I asked. "What makes you think there's gonna be a next time?" But then I remembered that Clive had figured out who I was. "We might have a problem, Joe."

"Whatever it is, we can work it out," he said, bending over to give me a soft kiss.

"It might be a big one," I said.

He sat back up and waited.

"Clive Maxwell figured out I'm the Lady in Black. Somehow, he knew Austin went to Lady for help."

He frowned. "It's not like it's a tightly held secret."

"True." Then I remembered something else. "Austin said something else when he came to me. He told me one of the guys shot Jeremiah, and the other said the big guy wouldn't be happy. I thought the big guy was Clive, but Clive was there when Jerimiah was shot."

Joe was quiet.

I pressed on. "Then I figured maybe Sloan was the big guy, but that doesn't feel right. Why would Sloan care about floppy disks from thirty years ago?"

"Good question," Joe said quietly.

"So if Sloan wasn't the big guy, who is?" I asked. I truly hoped it wasn't Dermot. He wasn't old enough to be around back then, but that didn't mean he hadn't heard about the disks or had some idea what was on them.

Joe pulled out his phone. "I don't know, but I plan on questioning Clive Maxwell and finding out." Then he put his phone back in his pocket. "But I'll question him later. It can keep. Right now, I'm right where I belong."

I snuggled into him, grateful to have him here, but somehow, I knew Clive wouldn't give him the answers we were looking for. Clive Maxwell was a stubborn jackass who would take the secret to his grave just to spite Joe and everyone else.

"Now that it's just you and me," he said, "tell me how you knew about Clive's history. It doesn't seem like something Clive would voluntarily spill."

"Dermot called me," I said. "Right as I got to the office. He told me he thought I was still in danger because he thought Clive killed Jeremiah looking for the box."

"Did Dermot know about the disks?" he asked, his voice tight.

"Yeah," I said looking up at him. "But not until he called me this morning and I told him I'd found them. Why?"

"Because the disks are missing."

"What? How? They were in my purse, and Clive was nowhere near it."

"I don't know, but there was a lot of commotion after the sheriff deputies and the Henryetta police showed up. If someone had a key to the back door, they could have come in and taken them."

My stomach dropped. "The back door was unlocked." I glanced up at him. "I got the deadbolt undone, but Clive reached me before I could get out."

"Giving Dermot or his men time to get the disks out of your purse while all the commotion was going on."

I started to contradict him, but he might have a point. Dermot was the only one who'd known where I'd hidden the disks.

"Dermot may not be the friend he used to be," Joe said softly. "So tread lightly."

Dermot had been there for me multiple times, and I hated that I had these doubts, but I wasn't stupid. Dermot was the head of the Fenton County crime world. I knew he got his hands messy. I just never asked how messy they got.

Muffy walked back over to us and climbed onto my lap. Joe and I sat there for several minutes in silence, and while I was grateful this was all over, part of me was worried it wasn't.

Would I spend the rest of my life feeling this way?

Joe and I made lunch, then decided to take advantage of our alone time. We went upstairs and spent some quality time in bed. Afterward, we took a shower. Joe pressed me against the shower wall and began to track kisses from my mouth and down my neck. It had been ages since we'd been able to take our time with each other.

"Oh my word!" I exclaimed.

He laughed, looking pleased with himself.

"Not that," I said quickly, then amended. "I mean, don't get me wrong. This is great , but I just realized I lost track of the time. We have to pick up the kids."

He continued kissing a trail down to my breasts. "Jed and Neely Kate are getting them."

"Oh!" Then I gasped as his tongue did things that made me tingle everywhere.

"You're surprised I arranged it?"

"That too."

He grinned up at me and continued pressing kisses along my abdomen and downward. "Do you know when they'll be home?" I asked, gasping again as he lifted my leg and placed my thigh on his shoulder.

"We have plenty of time for me to make you come again."

And then he proved we did.

Afterward, we got out, and he helped dry me off, his gaze darkening as it landed on my neck. I turned to face the partly steamed mirror. Bruises in the shape of fingers had begun to appear on my neck.

"I'll wear turtlenecks and scarves for the next few days," I said. "I doubt makeup will cover them up, and I don't want to scare the kids."

Frowning, he placed a soft kiss on my neck, then stood upright, placing his hands on my shoulders. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me."

"You were there in time to help get him off me," I teased, then turned serious. "You showed up right on time, Joe. Don't doubt yourself because I'm not."

He nodded but didn't look convinced.

"Do you know how Neely Kate's appointment went?" I asked, feeling guilty for not having thought of it sooner.

He made a face. "I forgot to ask." He lifted his hand to my cheek, delicately tracing under my cheekbone. "I was more concerned about you."

"I'm okay."

He looked dubious. "Are you sure? You were held at gunpoint, shot at, and nearly choked to death."

"Just a day in the life of the Lady in Black," I quipped before I could think better of it.

"That's what I'm afraid of," he said. "What about your visions of the woman being murdered? Have you had any more?"

"Actually, about that… I have something to tell you," I said softly. "I think I know who was murdered in the vision."

His eyes widened. "How? Did Clive tell you?"

"No. Aunt Bessie helped me figure it out." I paused. "You know how my grandmother had visions like me? Apparently, she had two visions when she wasn't with the person she had the vision of, which means it's possible for me to have visions if I'm not with the person. But there's a catch."

"And that is?" he prompted.

"When Grandma Gardner had the visions, they were of her sister. And both times, her sister was in danger."

Joe looked confused. "But that doesn't make sense. Violet is dead."

I bit my bottom lip, then said, "Aunt Bessie thinks I have a half-sister." I told him what she'd said about my father's fling and how the woman had threatened to put the baby up for adoption if he refused to pay her.

"And he didn't pay her?" Joe asked quietly.

"Aunt Bessie is sure that he didn't."

"So you have a half-sister somewhere?"

"Possibly in Texas."

We were quiet for several seconds before Joe asked, "Do you want to try to find her?"

"I'd like to, but I don't have any clue how to do it. All Aunt Bessie knows is the mother's first name—Stacy—no last, and that she sent the letter from Austin." I looked up at him. "I was thinking about doing one of the DNA kits to see if she's done one too."

He was quiet for a moment, a serious expression covering his face as he nodded. "Good place to start."

"But I can't help thinking about Hope. So maybe I shouldn't do it."

He turned to look me in the eye.

"If Hope does it someday…"

He drew in a deep breath, then released it. "No sense borrowing trouble. We'll have to tell her eventually. We don't want her to find out on her own."

"You're her father, Joe," I insisted.

A soft smile lifted his lips, but sadness filled his eyes. "In every possible way that matters, I am and always be, but not in the way she was conceived. I made my peace with that before she was born. Hope is my daughter, and the fact that she doesn't carry half my DNA will never change that."

Tears stung my eyes, and I nodded.

"Hey," he said gently as he cupped my cheek and gazed into my eyes. "I wouldn't change a thing. Otherwise, we wouldn't have her. And I can't imagine life without her. She's a gift, Rose. We're damned lucky."

I nodded. "Yeah."

"But we do need to talk a little about your past." He waited a beat. "The Lady in Black name has been bandied about in the criminal world for the past couple of weeks. And I'm not just talking about Clive Maxwell knowing your identity."

My blood ran cold. "What does that mean?"

"People have been talking about her."

I shook my head. "In reference to what? The past or something current?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe both. Has Dermot said anything?"

Frowning, I said, "No. He seemed just as surprised as me when the boy showed up asking for protection from me."

"Are you sure he's tellin' the truth?"

I frowned. "Why wouldn't he be?"

Joe gave me a grim smile. "Exactly. What would he have to hide?"

But I couldn't help thinking about the missing floppy disks, and my anxiety began to rise. "Dermot cares about my well-being, Joe. And about our kids."

"I know, Rose," he said, pulling me back down, so I sank into his body. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid."

But was he?

The doorbell rang multiple times, and seconds later, Hope shouted from downstairs, "Momma!"

"Mom!" Mikey called out, and my heart bubbled from the warmth of hearing him call me Mom.

"We're home!" Ashley shouted.

Joe grinned at me. "I guess the kids are back."

I smiled, worry still churning in my gut. "I guess they are. Now we can find out how Neely Kate's appointment went."

"Coming!" Joe hollered out the door.

We quickly thew on our clothes and headed downstairs. Neely Kate and Jed were in the kitchen with all the kids getting a snack.

"Momma!" Liam shouted from his high chair.

"Why didn't you pick us up?" Ashley asked. "And why is Dad home too?"

Joe reached over and squeezed my hand. I knew what he was feeling. I loved that they wanted to call us Mom and Dad, although no small amount of guilt went with it.

"There was another break-in at the office," I told her. "And I was there. So I had to give a statement, and Dad came home with me." I shot a glance at Joe. Calling him that with her and Mikey was going to take some getting used to.

"Are you okay?" Ashley asked in alarm.

I instinctively reached a hand for my turtleneck-covered neck. "I'm fine."

Ashley got up and gave me a hug, holding me tight. "I'm glad you're okay, Mom."

A lump filled my throat. "Me too, Ash." I had to be more careful in the future. Ashley couldn't afford to lose another parent.

She released me, then sat back down. Neely Kate hugged me next. "I'm so sorry I left you alone. I should have been there with you. I was the one who insisted we look for the owners."

"Stop!" I chastised, pulling back to look at her. "You were exactly where you needed to be, and how were we to know it would turn into something dangerous?"

Her brow rose as she propped a hand on her hip.

"Okay," I conceded. "A lot of things we touch turn dangerous, but this seemed innocent enough, and I don't regret any of it. Now tell me what the doctor said."

She gave Jed a tentative smile then turned back to me. "I'm definitely pregnant. He said I'm eleven weeks and five days. Which means this baby is one-third of the way cooked."

Neely Kate was only a few days away from her second trimester.

I cast a glance at Jed, who was watching the children and not his wife. He obviously wasn't happy, but why? Had the doctor confirmed this pregnancy was too dangerous?

I turned back to Neely Kate. "And everything looked okay?"

"As well as could be expected," Jed said, still watching the kids.

"Jed just worries too much," Neely Kate said in exasperation, waving her hand toward him. "Everything looks fine."

"For now," Jed finished.

I nodded and glanced at Joe, who looked just as worried as I felt. "I guess we'll take it one day at a time," I said, trying to sound reassuring.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I almost ignored it, but then I wondered if it was my aunt checking on me. Or maybe Maeve had heard the news about what happened in my office. I wanted to reassure them both. But when I pulled it out of my pocket, my heart fell to my feet.

Mason Deveraux's name appeared on my screen.

My ex-boyfriend was now working for the Arkansas attorney general, and even though we had eventually parted on okay terms, I hadn't talked to him in a little over two years. Seeing his name on my phone after recent events shook me to my core.

I started to tell Joe and the others that I was going to take this call and would be right back, but Joe was focused on Liam, who had splashed yogurt on the wall, and Jed and Neely Kate were off in their own world. So I slipped into the living room and out the front door, taking up my perch on the porch swing as I answered.

"Hey, Mason, long time no see," I said, then I hastily added, "or I guess talk."

"I know," he said, sounding apologetic. "I've debated all weekend whether to call you with this piece of information. It could be nothing, but it could also be more than nothing. It only seemed fair to warn you."

"Warn me about what?" I asked, trying to hide my concern.

He paused. "A private investigator from Lone County, Arkansas, called my office on Thursday, wanting to speak to me about what I know about James Malcolm."

"I know he's living there now," I said, trying not to make too big a deal of the fact that I knew his location. "Has he gotten into some kind of trouble?" Last I heard, he'd been keeping a low profile.

"The sheriff there claims he's walking the straight and narrow, but we both know that men like him don't stick to it for long."

My stomach started to churn. I hoped and prayed James was living a clean life. He'd been given a second chance when he was released from prison. I truly hoped he'd found peace and love, even if he didn't feel like he deserved either. But I knew that couldn't be the reason Mason had called. "I presume you're not just calling me to feed me some gossip?"

"No." He paused for several seconds. "The PI's name is Harper Adams. She used to be a detective with the Little Rock PD, but after she shot a teenager and was put on trial, she moved back to her hometown of Jackson Creek."

"That sounds vaguely familiar, but I've had my hands full the past year or so."

"I heard that Joe was elected sheriff," he said. "That must keep you busy since you have all the kids." He hastily added, "My mother loves you and your kids. She talks about them all the time."

"Oh."

"I'm not a stalker, I swear."

"I believe you."

"Good." He took a breath. "I wouldn't call just to tell you she asked about Malcolm. I've had the sheriff and the chief of Jackson Creek call me about Malcolm before, so that's not unusual. What was unusual about this request was that she also asked about you ."

My heart skipped a beat. "Me?"

"She's curious about your connection to Malcolm."

It took my brain a couple of seconds to process what he'd said. "What did you tell her?"

"I called her back on Friday to see what she was fishing for, but she never called back. Turns out her mother died as the result of a single car accident. She drove off a bridge last week, and they fished her car out of the river last Thursday. Her mother's death is presumed an accidental drowning, pending the official autopsy report."

"Oh my word!" I gasped. "You don't think James had something to do with it, do you? It doesn't sound like something he would do."

It wasn't his style. He was more direct.

Part of me hated that I knew enough about him to make that deduction, while the rest of me felt guilty for defending him. But I knew the man. He wouldn't kill someone that way. Especially an older woman. In his own way, he was a man of principles. Or least he used to be.

"I don't know," he said without any animosity, "but I do know her call was made before they found her mother's car. The sheriff said she was looking into the disappearance of a businessman from the area that occurred about five years ago. The man's body happened to be found last week too, although someone else made the claim of discovering it."

"Did James have anything to do with the man's disappearance five years ago?"

"I don't see how," Mason said. "But the timing seems odd. Rumor had it that J.R. Simmons had some dealings in the county around that time, but nothing the state could prove."

"Joe's dad." But also James's old boss.

I'd been working for James as the Lady in Black five years ago. Surely, I would have known if James had been involved with the man's murder. Then again, I'd been his employee at that point. Not his friend or his lover.

But I knew James well enough to know he wouldn't have killed him without what he saw as just cause. And if the businessman had been working for J.R. Simmons, there very well may have been. The man had been evil incarnate.

"Joe's dad," he repeated. "Like I said, Ms. Adams never called me back, but if I do talk to her, I want to reassure you that I won't give her any information about you other than you were part of sting to bring J.R. down. The rest is in the report."

"And what do the reports say?" Funny how I'd never considered that before.

"Nothing too deep. You're safe."

"So why do you think she's askin' about me?"

"I don't know, but that's the part that has me worried. How and why did she make the connection to you?"

I drew in a shaky breath and released it, trying to calm my nerves. "I hear there've been some recent rumblings about the Lady in Black in the criminal world in Fenton County," I said, trying to hold it together. "A boy came looking for Lady last week looking for protection."

"Protection from what?" Mason asked, his voice sounding strained.

"He'd witnessed a murder and was scared to go to the sheriff. But he's seventeen, so he was pretty young when was I active as her. It just seemed odd he'd seek me out. And he claimed his seventeen-year-old friend was the one who suggested it."

"You're right. It does seem odd."

"Is another criminal group trying to move into this county, Mason?"

"Seems like Joe would be in a better position to answer that question," he countered.

"He doesn't think there is one, but all these coincidences…"

"Have you worried," he finished.

"Yeah."

"I confess, they have me worried too."

"Surprisingly, that makes me feel better."

"Not so surprising," he said softly. "You never were one to let things happen to you. You liked to take charge of your destiny. If a storm's coming, you want to have time to prepare."

"Do you think a storm's brewin', Mason?"

"Not yet, but don't be surprised if you'll need to batten down the hatches sooner rather than later."

That was exactly what I was afraid of.