Chapter 40
Chapter Forty
“You love Ruby and Haley. They deserve that after the shit Mickey did to them.”
“Is that what this is about?” Chase asked. “Mickey Waverley?”
Haley let out a wail. Tag shushed her, bouncing her on his knee. She pushed at his hands. “Of course it is. But it’s not what you think. None of it happened the way you think.”
“No!” Haley’s little arms reached for Chase. “My Mama!”
She wanted Ruby. She thought he could bring her to her mom.
Chase couldn’t take it.
“Please put Haley down,” he begged. “Let her come to me. She’s scared.”
“I can’t do that. I need to know you’ll listen and give me a chance. That you won’t try to do something foolish.”
“I’ll listen. But only if you put her down.”
“Then we’re at a stalemate, aren’t we?”
Chase thought fast. “What about a compromise? Put Haley in her high chair. Then she’s not with either one of us.”
Tag screwed up his lips. “All right. I can agree to that. Back up a few feet. Keep your hands where I can see them.”
Chase held his arms out, backing up.
Tag stood. He took several lumbering steps, then set Haley in her high chair, seeming to struggle with the buckle. She whined. “No. My Mama!”
Tag didn’t move well because of his injuries. If Chase could just get close enough. If Haley wasn’t near…
“There’s a box of cookies on the counter,” Chase said.
Tag looked at the kitchen. Then back at Chase. “Don’t do anything foolish,” he said again.
Tag limped to the counter. Got the cookies. Chase calculated the distance between himself and the other man. It was too far. Tag was too close to Haley, too close to the knives and heavy objects in the kitchen.
Tag lowered himself into the chair beside Haley and scattered a handful of cookies on her tray.
She glanced back at Chase, who nodded. “It’s okay,” he said. “You can have a cookie.”
She picked one up and nibbled the edge of it.
For a moment, neither man said anything.
Chase walked forward in slow motion, hands still out. Returning to his prior position. Tag didn’t protest. He just watched like he was studying Chase. Making strategies of his own.
“Why did you leave Ruby’s front door open?” Chase asked.
“I figured she’d be upset no matter what about me being here. I wanted to give her some warning. I don’t mean Ruby or Haley any harm.”
Chase couldn’t tell if the guy meant it. If Tag was delusional or completely rational. And that confusion was unnerving. It made Chase anxious. He hated not knowing what was really going on.
“Why didn’t you expect me to show up?”
“I thought you didn’t live here,” Tag said. “I didn’t see any of your things in Ruby’s bedroom.”
“You went through her bedroom?”
“Just to check my surroundings. I’m a cautious man. Didn’t want you running for a gun you had hidden somewhere. If there is one, I didn’t see it. Which suggests it would be hard to reach, anyway.”
There wasn’t a hidden gun, as much as Chase would’ve wished one into existence.
“I moved out. Temporarily.”
“But you love Ruby. Did she ask for the separation?”
“I’m not discussing my marriage with you.”
Tag shrugged. “Didn’t mean offense. I’ve got nothing against you. And certainly nothing against Ruby. It’s too bad she got wrapped up in this. But I need information, and I felt I had no other options. Kind of like the way you lied when you came to my gym.”
“I lied. I didn’t invade your home or threaten your wife’s child.”
“Which you have every right to be upset about. You have a sense of justice. I might not be a cop, but I’m the same. After you took down Conrad Decker, I almost sent you a thank-you card. You and I have a lot in common. We care about people. When someone violates that trust, we want answers. Right?”
“Can you get to the point?” Chase struggled to keep from raising his voice. Haley picked up another cookie.
“My point is, I know you want to protect Ruby. I’m giving you the opportunity to do exactly that.”
“I thought you wanted information.”
“I do. But this is part of it. Where is she right now? Ruby?”
“I don’t see how that matters.”
“Is Ruby with Nora? Is that where she is?”
Chase opened his mouth, but he paused. “How did you know that?”
“Because I figured after what happened with Peele today, she’d run. But she can’t go to anyone on the circuit or anyone at Bailor Fitness. So, where else would she go but to Ruby?”
“Why wouldn’t Nora go to you?”
“Because I know what she did.”
“Did she kill Peele?
“This is important, Chase. Is Ruby with her?”
“Yes,” he bit out. “Ruby went to talk to her. Nora said she needed help.”
“Then I got here at exactly the right time. Because Nora isn’t who Ruby thinks she is.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Nora’s a liar. She’s betrayed Ruby before. She’s betrayed me. And given the chance, she wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.”