Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Tanner jogged across the concrete toward his Jeep. It was after midnight now, and the parking lot was quiet. He could see the construction site looming beyond a wire fence, the large vehicles all dark and silent.
The place felt like a wasteland, despite the flowering bougainvillea bushes planted in rows across the parking lot in an attempt to soften the landscape.
He couldn’t wait to get Faith to the comfort and familiarity of his house.
He was exhausted after the day’s events.
Yet there’d been good things, too. He’d told Noah and Devon the truth, and that confession had been a relief.
Max would have to be next, and Tanner was nervous about that upcoming conversation with his boss.
But Max had spent years in Army Special Forces. He would understand.
Tanner just wished he’d made this leap earlier before things had gotten so bad. He shouldn’t have needed this terrible situation to force him to finally open up.
Despite everything, Faith hadn’t walked away from him yet. If anyone could stick by him through this, he believed it was her.
She’d stuck by Jon for a long time, too, but Tanner knew this relationship would be different. He couldn’t force himself to be well for her, but he could devote himself to the hard work necessary to heal.
And he’d make her feel loved, every single day.
In fact, he was going to tell her as soon as he went back inside the hospital. He felt the words bubbling up.
I love you.
He unlocked his Jeep and opened the driver’s side door, glancing around as he always did. Keeping an awareness of his surroundings.
Then he noticed the pickup idling over near the construction site.
It had a tarp over the bed. Just how Faith had described Jon’s truck.
Someone was sitting behind the wheel, and exhaust puffed from the tailpipe.
Tanner got into the Jeep and used his keys to unlock the glovebox. He’d stored his Glock inside, since the hospital didn’t allow weapons. He had a tactical knife here, too, but he left it in its place. Nor did he bother with his shoulder holster.
This was probably unnecessary. But he felt better with his side arm in his pocket.
He gently closed his driver’s side door, then crouched down to move closer to the idling truck.
The license plate was black on white, a star in the middle.
Texas.
It was Jon. The bastard was here, at Faith’s hospital.
What the hell did he want?
Tanner looked over at the hospital building, wondering if he should go back inside right now to check on Faith. But Jon was here in the truck, and Kozinski was right outside her door. Leon was an idiot, but he wasn’t so stupid that he’d let anyone into Faith’s room.
Tanner reared back into the shadows as the truck’s door opened.
A man got out. Stringy blond hair, unshaven face. His clothes were rumpled. He looked nothing like Kyle, whose image Tanner had seen on the security video from Faith’s house. This had to be Jon Townsend.
Jon started toward the hospital entrance.
Tanner wanted to grab hold of this man and demand answers. Because of Jon, Faith had been miserable for years. She’d almost died. Tanner felt that rage close to the surface, crying to get out. To take revenge on this man who’d nearly killed an innocent woman.
The woman Tanner loved.
But just like earlier, when Faith had been overdosing, his training was kicking in.
Tanner approached quietly until he was within arm’s reach. “Excuse me, are you Jon?” He spoke calmly, but with authority. He didn’t want Jon to immediately run.
The guy spun around, eyes wide. “Uh, sorry?”
“You’re Jon, right?”
He looked Tanner up and down, and that familiar wariness appeared in his eyes. The same thing Tanner had seen in countless others. The privilege of being someone his size.
“Yeah.” Jon’s voice had squeaked. “What do you want?”
“My name is Tanner. We need to talk.”
“About what?”
“Faith.” He took a step closer. He could smell the sweat oozing from Jon’s pores. The fear.
Jon’s gaze darted around, though he didn’t speak. Didn’t move.
“Do you know what happened to her this afternoon? How she almost died?” Tanner forced himself to keep his voice even, even though he wanted to scream and take Jon by the shoulders and shake him.
Something changed in Jon’s eyes. A spark of defiance. “You’re him, aren’t you? The guy Faith mentioned. You’re the one who’s fucking my wife.”
“She’s not your wife anymore.”
“Like hell she isn’t. Until I sign those divorce papers, she’s still Faith Townsend. That’s my name. Mine.”
Tanner shoved him up against a parked car with one hand. Don’t be stupid, his rational mind warned. Don’t do this. But he didn’t want to listen. “Do you have any idea what you did to your wife today? You almost killed her.”
“That wasn’t supposed to happen. If she’d just done what—”
Tanner pulled Jon forward, slamming him again into the side of the car. The guy’s whining and excuses made him sick.
He remembered how small and lifeless she’d been. Lying limp on the floor as her lungs stopped working, as her heart slowed.
Tanner pulled back his fist. “Give me one reason that I shouldn’t put you in the hospital right now. You’re the one who deserves to be there, not her.”
Jon flinched and closed his eyes, turning his head away from the coming blow. “You’re right. I know.”
Tanner’s arm trembled. His pulse throbbed in his throat.
Faith wouldn’t want him to be doing this.
If she were here right now, he knew exactly what she’d say.
She’d want him to show mercy. To choose to see the possibility of good in Jon, even if the guy didn’t deserve it.
Tanner dropped his fist. He let go of Jon’s shirt, stepping back. “What are you doing here? Why haven’t you left town? Whatever shit you were into, it’s over.”
“I know I’m pathetic. Okay? If I could go back, if I could change a thousand different things, I would.
But I can’t.” Jon slumped against the car.
“I never wanted to work with Kyle again in the first place, but this was my last hope. I have to disappear. But I couldn’t leave knowing she could still be in danger. ”
“So you’re here to warn her? Of what? Do you know something specific?”
“Just that Kyle will want blood.” Jon blinked back tears. “Please tell me you can protect her.”
“I have friends who are with her right now, watching out for her.”
He sighed. “That’s all I want now. For her to be safe. Tell her I’m leaving town. I swear, I’m not going to hurt her anymore.”
Tanner studied the man in front of him. He couldn’t tell if Jon really meant what he was saying. Maybe the guy believed it, even though he’d gone back on his word more times than anyone could count.
“I’ll pass it along. But she’s not yours anymore, Jon. If she ever was.”
“I did love her.” He lifted his bloodshot eyes. “You’ll take care of her, right? The way I never could.”
“I will.”
Nodding, Jon slunk back toward his truck.
Tanner’s anger had faded away. Maybe Jon had finally realized how much he’d lost. That wasn’t punishment enough in Tanner’s mind for what he’d done, but maybe it was the best any of them would get.
As for the police? He’d call them the minute Jon got in that truck to report the man’s location. They could deal with Townsend as they saw fit. But his primary duty wasn’t Jon—it was taking care of Faith. He had to get back to her.
Tanner headed toward the hospital. Faith was probably wondering what happened to him.
Behind him, a cell phone rang shrilly.
Jon said, “Kyle?”
Tanner stopped and glanced back.
“I’m…I’m in West Oaks. Yeah.” Jon had a look of utter shock on his face.
Tanner felt a change in the air. Jon’s sudden terror telegraphed across the concrete.
Tanner started walking back toward him.
“Don’t hurt her,” Jon choked out. “Kyle, hold on, wait—”
Tanner started running. He was about to yank the phone away when Jon’s arm dropped to his side, phone dangling from his fingers.
Tanner waited, holding his breath. But he already saw the truth in the other man’s eyes.
“Kyle’s got her,” Jon whispered. “He’s got Faith.”