Starks' Reality (25 page)

“I should have explained it all to you a long time ago. By the time your mother left, everything had turned sour. She loved me, I know sh
e did, but she couldn’t take anymore. I begged her to leave you with me. I think she knew how much I needed you. It broke her heart to say goodbye to you. I’ve never seen anything so sad in my life.”

He took a slow breath and blew it out.

“Heather, your mother died when you were fourteen.”

She
straightened. “What? She died? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Coop shook his head. “I couldn’t. I tried, but I just couldn’t. When you were about eight, you used to pretend your mother was a princess living in Spain, and
you said someday you’d find her and live in her castle. Do you remember that?”

“
I was a child. Why didn’t you tell me she was dead?” How could he have kept the truth from her—let her continue to think her mother might return someday?

“She died
alone, Heather. She OD’d in an alley in Los Angeles with two dollars in her pocket. I hadn’t heard from her in five years. I don’t think she ever got over the heartbreak. God, I wish I could do something to make it right.” He pursed his lips together as tears rolled down his cheeks.

His pain burned in her chest, and she suddenly understood. He’d wanted her to have one parent to hold up as a role model, even if t
hat parent was fictitious.

Heather leaned over and carefully put her arms around her father’s shoulders. He hugged her as they both cried.

After a few minutes, the tears slowed. She rested her head on his shoulder and he rubbed her back.

“You can always talk to me,” she said.

He nodded. “You, too.”

“I know.” She closed her eyes, thanking her lucky stars for
having her father returned to her.

S
he had Jake Starks to thank for the miracle, no matter what else happened.

~~**~~**~~

Jake stood in the hall, leaning on the wall with his eyes closed.

“Sir? Are you okay?”

He looked down at the nurse and nodded. “Yeah. I was just taking a breather.”

“Do you need help getting back to your room?”

“No. But can you tell me which room Red Daily’s in?”

“Let me check.” The young woman hurried down to the nurses’ station, consulted a list
. She returned and pointed. “He’s in the next wing, room two-fifteen.”

“Thanks.”

Jake traversed the hall slowly. He was still getting his sea legs back after two days in bed. At least he didn’t feel like he was about to pass out anymore when he sat up, but he still felt as weak as a day-old pup.

It hurt to be in the same room with Heather.
It was best for both of them that he’d pushed her away, but it still hurt. The woman had his heart. No matter what happened, she always would, even if she didn’t know it.

He smiled as he pictured her beautiful body bathed in moonlight. At least he had a lifetime of fantasies. There would never be another woman like her.

If he couldn’t have Heather, it wouldn’t be so tough to be alone.

Sighing at the dismal realization, Jake looked up at the number on the door. Two-fifteen. He knocked.

“Yeah,” a weak voice answered.

He leaned through the doorway,
and then walked in. Red lay in bed with tubes running in all directions, straining to see who had entered.

“Chief,” he said, dropping his head back to the pillow.

Jake walked to the side of the bed. “You look like hell.”

Red smiled. “I know.”

“They tell me you’re going to live.”

“Looks that way.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“How’s Cooper?”

“He’s in better shape than you are.”

Red nodded. Then he frowned. “Look, Chief, I’ll sign a statement or whatever you want. I’m really sorry as hell about this.”

Jake studied the man. “How did you get involved?”

“
Boudreaux set it up with Radisson, then brought me in. I knew it was wrong, but he made it sound like we’d just look the other way now and then, and no one would get hurt. Nothing else would change. I’d still be a patrolman and do my job. I don’t know, I trusted Buddy. I went along with it.”

Yeah, it was easy to trust people you shouldn’t. Jake
tried not to picture Serena and Tucker together.

“What about Kenny? Is he in on this?”

“Naw, Buddy didn’t believe Kenny would keep quiet. The boy’s as straight as an arrow.”

“Why did
Radisson shoot you?”

“I tried to arrest him when I found out he had Coop. He said he’d turn me in, and that he’d say I was involved in Tran’s murder, but I figured it didn’t matter anymore. I just couldn’t go along with people dying. I didn’t know he had a gun in his pocket, the sneaky little prick.”

Jake perched on the edge of the bed. “Tell me, honestly, why did you get into law enforcement?”

The man looked Jake in the eye. “You’ll laugh,” he said.

“Try me.”

Red looked away. “I wanted to help people. I wanted to be the one they called when some kid’s bike was stolen, or when the store was robbed. I wanted to be the one that made people feel safe
. It sounds kind of stupid now.”

If Jake ha
d heard any other answer, he would have started the paperwork to have the man thrown in jail. “You’ll have to testify against Radisson and his girlfriend, and anyone else involved in this. But as far as I’m concerned, you gained that knowledge while working undercover for the Port Boyer police department.”

Red’s eyes widened. “You’d put your ass on the line for me?”

“Only because I expect you to do the same. Good backup is hard to find.”

“Yes, sir.”

Jake gently patted the man’s shoulder as he rose. “For now, I expect you to work on getting well.”

“Will do.”

The door creaked open and Helen leaned in. “Red? Chief?”

“Come on in, Helen,” Jake said.

The woman crossed the room holding a vase of pink carnations. “I figured this room would need cheering up.”

Red
smiled at her as she placed the vase on the bedside stand.

“Who’s minding the shop?”
Jake asked.

Helen dropped into a chair. “Mr. Kenny Bigshot, that’s who. You ought to see him, sitting behind your desk, bossing me around. You’d think someone died and made him king.”

Jake chuckled. “You tell him he better enjoy it while it lasts.”

“Tell him yourself,” Helen said. “If he
orders
me to fix him coffee one more time, all three of you are going to have bullet holes.”

Jake looked down at Red. “I’ll be back to check on you.
”

Red nodded. “Thanks, Chief.”

He felt better as he left the room. He had a good officer in the making in Red, in spite of his background. Or, maybe because of it.

Now it was time to go home. He’d had enough of the hospital.

In his own room, Jake pulled his clothes out of the closet and tossed them onto the bed. He shed the gown quickly, and got his pants on fairly easily. Putting on the shirt proved more difficult with his shoulder so stiff.

He almost had his bandaged arm in the sleeve when the door to his room opened.

“They didn’t tell me you were being released,” Sheriff Evans said.

“The hospital doesn’t know it yet.”

The sheriff nodded as he stepped forward and helped Jake into his shirt.

“Thanks.”

Evans sighed. “Starks, I’m really sorry about Sagin. I didn’t know he was involved with all this.”

“The man’s good,” Jake said. “I had no idea, either.”

“He’s going away for a long time.” Evans smiled sardonically. “As you know, cops don’t tend to do well in prison.”

“No, but I have a feeling Sagin will manage.”

“You’re probably right. And he’ll be serving time with the Johnson brothers. They admitted to planting the tainted oysters when I was questioning them about Tran’s murder. You’ve never seen two men point fingers at each other so fast.”

Jake nodded. “Good.”

Evans looked down, and then back up. “I have to say, I misjudged you. I apologize for that.”

“Considering
the circumstances, I can’t blame you.”

The sheriff
extended his hand and Jake shook it.

“Glad to have you onboard,” Evans said. “Let me know if I can do anything for you.”

“You think you can get me a ride back to Port Boyer?”

“
I’ll make the arrangements.” Evans hurried from the room.

Maybe they
would
have coffee together some day.

Before the door had completely closed, it opened again and a nurse walked in.

“What are you doing?” she asked. “Dr. Grainger hasn’t released you.”

“I’m releasing myself. Police business.”

“Look, Mr. Starks, you can’t just walk out of here like this.”

He
glanced down at his clothes. “You’re right. Will you help me with my buttons?”

She
shot him a scolding frown as she buttoned his shirt. “Just give me a few minutes to get you signed out, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

As soon as she’d left, Jake slipped on his boots and wrapped his weapons in his tattered jacket. Then he started down the hall.

“Chief Starks,” one of the younger nurses said, starting toward him, “you can’t leave yet.”

“Sorry, but my ride’s waiting. You know where I live.”

“But—”

He leaned into the side exit door with his good shoulder and walked gingerly down the outside stairs.

Without a cloud in the sky, the air felt like summer. Jake squinted against bright sunlight,
noting the sun’s location directly above him. No wonder hunger gnawed at his stomach; it must be close to lunchtime.

Leaning back on the building, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth
. His ride might be awhile yet. Evans only had a five-minute head start.

The
sound of a familiar engine urged his eyes open, and he found his Trans Am waiting at the curb, as shiny as the day he’d bought it.

Jake tucked the bundle under his left arm and opened the passenger’s door.

Heather sat behind the wheel, waiting.

“What are you doing in my car?” he asked.

“Do you want a ride, or not?”

Jake placed his jacket in the back seat and climbed in, glancing around at the spotless interior. “Wasn’t the car muddy?”

“Evans had it cleaned yesterday.”

Jake
looked over at her. “Where’s your car?”

“At home. I got a ride in with a friend this morning.”

She shifted to first and eased away from the curb. “Put on your seatbelt,” she said.

CHAPTER
19

H
eather stepped on the gas and the car responded instantly. She shifted then took a deep breath to relax as the highway miles flew by.

Jake sat quietly beside her, staring out the window. He looked several times better than he had when they’d wheeled him into the emergency room.

She thought back to the crazy night at the marina. As soon as she’d felt safe enough to sit up, she’d driven the boat into the launch at top speed and jumped out when it skidded to a stop on the ramp. Tucker had arrived at the same time, guessing where to find them after he’d searched Port Boyer without success. She’d yelled words she couldn’t remember, trying to make him understand as she stumbled through the parking lot. Tucker had leaned out the driver’s window and shouted questions, but she couldn’t wait any longer. She’d turned and run toward the boathouse as fast as she could. Jake’s heavy vest had slowed her down; she’d ripped it off and let it drop.

The sight of Jake and Coop running out, covered with blood, had nearly stopped her heart. Then, seeing Jake point his gun at Tucker had driven it into her throat.

Coop had regained consciousness in the emergency room. He’d looked bad, but his worst injuries were cracked ribs.

Jake, however, had lost a lot of blood by the time he got to the hospital. Heather remembered the sheer terror she
’d felt when she saw Jake pass on the gurney and was sure he would die. She’d collapsed into a chair and sat there shaking for three hours while the doctors worked on his shoulder.

Now he sat beside her, frowning at nothing, his color nearly normal.

“Dog misses you,” she said.

He nodded.

Trying to ignore the apprehension, she continued. “I found a contractor to rebuild the house.”

“
I didn’t think it was insured.”

“Neither did I, but Coop had paid the insurance without me knowing it.”

“That’s good.”

The silence would have been too intense to handle if not for road noises.

“Heather,” he said, his voice soft.

She glanced over, and found him still looking out.

“I’m glad Coop’s going to be all right.”

“Me, too,” she said. “I can’t begin to thank you for what you did.”

He frowned at her and looked away again. “I was doing my job.”

After a few mute moments, he spoke again.
“What I said the other night, I…was upset about something that had nothing to do with you. I’m…I shouldn’t have said it.”

Heather smiled to herself. “I know.”

When she turned off the highway and headed north, Jake looked at her, his eyes narrowed. “Where are we going?”

“To Tucker’s.”

“I don’t want to—”

“It doesn’t matter what you want. I’m driving.”

“Dammit, Heather—”

“You may
as well give up. I don’t think you’re in any condition to wrestle the steering wheel away from me.”

He sat silently for the rest of the trip around the bay.

Heather parked the car at the bottom of the steps and got out. Jake got out, too, but leaned against the car, frowning at the house.

She walked past him. “You’ll look foolish standing around out here.”

She hoped she hadn’t made a huge mistake. It wasn’t really any of her business, but she couldn’t let things stay the way they were between Jake and his former partner. Tucker had probably been Jake’s only real friend for years. She was fairly sure Jake needed that friendship.

Tucker sat in the middle of the living room, his hands clasped together in front of him
, his eyes wide with anxiety.

“Is he coming in?”

She shrugged and took the seat beside him. “I don’t know.”

Tucker dropped his head and closed his eyes. He looked up at the sound of slow footsteps on the stairs.

Heather squeezed his arm. Then she rose and walked quickly to the back porch. She closed the door behind her, leaned on the rail, and watched a small sailboat take advantage of the sunshine and Gulf breeze.

Hopefully
Jake wouldn’t be too stubborn when it really mattered.

~~**~~**~~

Jake’s heart raced as he walked through the doorway. Tucker waited in the middle of the room, watching him expectantly. Jake adjusted the sling that held his arm.

“You look a hell of a lot better today than you did the other night,” Tucker said.

Jake nodded as he recalled the van screeching to a halt in front of him. “Thanks for the cover.”

The man grinned and raised one eyebrow. “Better your ass
out there than mine. I’m just glad I found you when I did.”

Jake took a deep breath and blew it out.

Tucker turned his chair toward the sofa. “Look, Ace, you’re making me nervous.”

A
nger pulsed through his chest at the memory of their last conversation. “Good.”

Tucker shook his head. “You know as well as I do that it was another lifetim
e. If I could take it back...well, I probably wouldn’t.”

Jake curled his right hand into a fist. “You bastard.”

“What are you going to do, hit me?”

“
I might.”

Tucker
turned and disappeared into the kitchen.

Heather
stood on the back porch with her back to him, and the wind lifted the loose ends of her blond hair into a reckless halo. Her braid swung hypnotically side to side.

Jake
walked to the sofa and sat on the edge, seeing no way around this. He couldn’t maintain the kind of anger he felt. He had to release it somehow, and he wasn’t going to belt Tucker, no matter how much he wanted to.

If he considered the whole thing reasonably, he could hardly hold infidelity against Serena. It wasn’t as though he’d
been the most faithful husband.

Still,
his partner had betrayed him.

“Son of a bitch,” he whispered. It really had been a lifetime ago.

Tucker returned, handed him an open cola, and popped the top on his own can. He drank a sip, and then held the can in both hands as he studied Jake.

“You know,”
he said, “I was in love with Serena. There were times when I hated you for the way you treated her.” He huffed. “And there were times when I was glad you were too drunk to notice details. I know you would have killed me back then if you’d caught me.”

Jake used the cold drink to wash the bile back down to his stomach.

“After a while,” Tucker continued, “guilt set in, and I wanted to tell you, to wipe the slate clean.”

“Were you seeing her after she left?”

Tucker shook his head. “No. We called it off long before Karen was born.” He took another slow sip, and then sighed. “The night I was shot, I had planned to take you out to the park, relieve you of your weapons, and tell you everything. I knew you’d beat the crap out of me, but I figured it would be worth it.”

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me after the shooting?”

“I couldn’t. You remember that day I came over to your apartment and you were about to blow your head off? I’d planned to tell you then. But I realized that the only way I could make you keep your promise to stay alive was to use the guilt you felt.”

Jake’s
anger left him as if swirling down a drain. “Why the hell did you tell me now?”

“It’s time. Neither one of us needs your guilt anymore.” Tucker sighed deeply. “What would you have done if I’d told you that day in your apartment?”

“I would probably have shot you, and then myself.” Jake shook his head at the thought.

“Now, wouldn’t that have been a waste?”

It amazed him the way Tucker’s grin made it impossible to stay angry, even under the circumstances.

“Yeah, it would have been.”

Tucker leaned forward and slapped Jake’s good shoulder. The vibration shot through to the bad one, and Jake winced.

“Sorry,” Tucker said. He cocked his head to one side. “You love me again?”

“Don’t push it.”

“All rig
ht. But I have a favor to ask. I need a best man.”

Jake straightened. “What?”

“Lydia and I are getting married, and I need a best man. I only know one person who fits that description.”

“I’ll be damned,” Jake said.

“Probably, but at least you’ll have company. So, will you do it?”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

“Good.” Tucker glanced toward the glass door, then moved closer to the sofa. “You know, that woman out there loves you. We sat together in the waiting room while they were stitching you up. She was a hell of a lot more worried about you than I was.” He grinned. “Of course, I know you’re too mean to die.”

“
It’s none of your business.”

Tucker laughed. “I have to tell you, you look pretty funny like this.”

“Like what?”

“Scared.”

“I’m not—”

“
Yeah, right. You forget who you’re talking to?”

Jake
clenched his jaw.

“Listen, Ace, you’re an idiot if you don’t go out there and talk to her. She’s a special person, you know? Be honest with her. We’ve had too many lies around here.” Tucker lowered his voice. “Besides, if it comes to blows, I’m fairly sure you can take her.”

Jake leaned back. “Kiss my ass.”

“In your dreams.”

The two stared at each other. Unfortunately, Tucker was right. He needed to talk to Heather, and he needed to be honest.

Jake rose and walked to the glass door. He took a deep breath before he slid it open and closed it behind him.

A warm wind blew up from the Gulf, and a pair of gulls laughed as they flew past the porch. Heather straightened and turned to face him, then leaned back against the railing.

Jake
sat in a chair and studied his drink. “Heather.” He suddenly realized he had no idea where to start.

“Yes?”

He glanced up and found her watching him, her expression calm and peaceful, her golden eyes soft.

He looked down again. “I’m not an eas
y person to live with. Sometimes my temper gets the best of me.”

She didn’t respond.

He couldn’t do it this way. Placing the can on the table, he rose, walked to the railing, and leaned on his right elbow. Heather turned and leaned beside him. He loved the way it felt to be near her. God, he’d missed that.

This was his chance to sink or swim. And the only way he’d ever deserve her was to risk total honesty, something he’d never done before.

“You asked me one time why I’m here.”

She nodded.

“I was called to a domestic dispute a while back. The husband was drunk. He thought his wife was cheating on him. He’d given her a black eye, but he was apologizing by the time I got there. The wife wanted to press charges, but I talked her into giving him another chance. The guy had two little girls, like I did...once. I guess I identified with him in a way.

“
Three days later, he murdered his daughters and shot himself. I was the first one on the scene. It blew my mind. I mean, I’d seen a lot worse, but I’d never felt so damned responsible. I dream about those little girls.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” she said.

He continued. “I decided to quit the force. No more life and death decisions. I only took this job because I didn’t think I’d have any real police work to do, and I could spend a little time with Tucker—ease my conscience.” He sighed. “But the first time you and I talked on the beach, I realized I couldn’t just stop being a cop.”

Talking to Heather lifted a weight from his shoulders. Tucker was right about her being special.

Maybe she was his soul mate. He’d never believed in such a thing before. Suddenly, he couldn’t imagine life without her.

“I love you, Heather.”

When she didn’t respond, he looked and found her staring at him, her eyes wide.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

He nodded. “More sure than I’ve ever been of anything.” Then he pulled her to him.

Heather locked her arms around
his waist and pressed her face to his chest. He held her as tightly as he could with one arm. She trembled against him.

“I love you, too,” she whispered.

Jake released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding and kissed the top of her head.

“I plan to finish school,” she said.

He nodded. “I’ll be here. And I’ll drive up to Austin on my days off. You can sneak me into your dorm.”

She laughed. “
I have an apartment.”

“Then, you can sneak me into your apartment.”

When she leaned back, he kissed her lips.

Heather reached up, took his face in her hands, and kissed him back
. When she drew his tongue into her luscious mouth, he was immediately hard.