Chapter 20 #2
Plan set, I make my way to Fussy Flowers and buy one of the ready-made bouquets—a fragrant one made of blue carnations and delphiniums. I chuckle to myself as I get back into the car. The florist and I are on first-name terms, and I’ve bought so many blue flowers at this point I know all the names.
As I get closer to the cemetery, my thoughts shift to my own dad’s grave.
I’d like to get there soon, with Jess of course.
Maybe next month, once Jess is fully recovered, we can take a trip to Rochester like we’ve been talking about.
I can introduce her to the magic that’s the garbage plate, which, aside from my mom, is the thing I miss most about living there.
I make the right turn into the cemetery with a smile on my face, which I know isn’t the typical expression for this place, but I can’t help it. Everything that involves Jess makes me happy .
About a hundred yards in, I spot Jess’s car and park behind it. She’s already out, and I can see small footprints cutting into the thin layer of snow. Once I shut off the car and get out, it’s easy to spot Jess’s path into the cemetery, headed north towards the back of it.
In the distance, Jess’s blue coat is a bright speck of color amid an expanse of white and spots of dull gray.
But surprisingly, she’s not alone. Another person is standing beside her, and from the looks of it, another woman around Jess’s height.
Obviously, I can’t recognize who it is, not from this distance, but the fact that it’s a woman makes me feel better.
If it was a man… I’m not sure I would be as calm.
It’s not that I’m jealous. Far from it. But the idea of Jess alone in a graveyard with an unidentified man? The memories of her abduction are far too fresh for that.
Most likely, it’s just another person visiting a grave. Someone Jess knows who came over to say hi. Maybe they even knew Jess’s mom and decided to pay their own respects.
Everything is fine , I remind myself. Remember what the counselor said during our first appointment the other day. That it’s natural to feel some paranoia in the beginning. But don’t feed into it. Accept the feelings and move on.
Yes. Everything’s fine.
With one eye still on Jess, I lean back into the car to grab the flowers. Just as my hand is wrapping around the crinkly paper, the woman she’s talking to starts gesturing.
Not in a consoling way, or even something that could be construed as normal conversation. But angry. Violent.
Then the woman takes a few steps forward while Jess scuttles back .
Inner alarm bells start clanging.
Everything isn’t fine.
My first thought is that it’s another one of those bitchy women who has it out for Jess. One who has no sense of manners. One who doesn’t care that Jess was clearly having a private moment.
Regardless of the why, I won’t let it continue. Not anymore.
Gritting my teeth, I drop the flowers back on the seat and slam the door shut.
Rage flares hot.
Then, as I start jogging towards Jess, the woman shoves her.
Hard enough to knock her to the ground.
The rage explodes, white hot and searing.
As I start running towards them, the woman leaps on Jess, arms swinging.
Rage turns to fear.
What is she doing?
Before my eyes, I watch in horror as the woman grabs Jess’s throat.
Jess is struggling to get up, but she’s at a disadvantage. She’s on the ground, pinned down, obviously taken by surprise. She wasn’t thinking she’d need to defend herself.
Heart racing, I run faster. But I’m still too far away. There must be a good three hundred yards between us. Enough for this woman to do real damage.
Could she choke Jess out before I get there?
Fuck!
Why did I leave Jess alone? Why didn’t I learn my fucking lesson ?
Through the whooshing of my frantic breaths I hear unintelligible shouting.
My lungs burn as the cold air rushes in and out of them.
Like I’m trapped in a horror movie, I watch Jess struggle against the woman holding her down. But she can’t seem to free herself.
Can this really be happening?
Jess attacked in broad daylight? Right in the cemetery?
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice another car parked in an adjacent path; an old sedan that looks like it’s seen better days. The woman—no, the criminal’s car, no doubt. But did she happen on Jess by accident? Or did she follow her here?
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
The word repeats with each footstep.
I’m closing in fast, but is it fast enough?
I have a flicker of a thought for my Glock, but it’s still at home. I didn’t bring it like I usually would, thinking it felt wrong to bring a gun to visit Jess’s mom.
Now I’m cursing myself. Blaming myself.
I swore I’d protect Jess and I failed.
A hundred yards out, the words become more recognizable. The woman screams, “You took everything away from me!”
What?
“First you took Liam,” she shouts, “but that wasn’t enough! You took Kane! Eliza was my friend and you got her killed! You even fucked with my job! You have to pay!”
My legs are on fire as I push them faster than I ever have before.
In my head, one word repeats .
Hurry. Hurry. Hurry.
Then.
Everything shifts.
Jess draws up her legs and kicks the woman off her.
As she falls back, Jess springs up and punches her square in the face.
The woman howls, clapping her hands to her nose.
The alert on my phone shrills, signaling Jess’s call for help.
But I’m nearly there.
Jess grabs her purse off the ground and pulls something out of it. Then extends her arm towards the woman, and a moment later, another howl erupts.
Pepper spray.
The pepper spray I insisted she carry everywhere, just in case.
“You bitch!” screeches the woman. “You ruined everything!”
As I close the last bit of distance between us, I shout, “Don’t move! You’re under arrest!”
Jess spins towards me, relief all over her face. “Kane!”
“Jess!”
Though I’m desperate to pull her into my arms, I need to make sure this woman—who is she?—is restrained first. So I veer towards the now-whimpering woman and yank out the zip ties I always keep on me, a valuable lesson my mentor taught me when I first started.
As I drop to the ground, I get my first look at the woman’s face. Shock ripples through me. “Daria?”
The dispatcher I’ve worked with for years?
“Kane,” she whines, “it’s all her fault. She attacked?— ”
“Shut up.” My voice is hard. Cold. Dangerous. “I saw everything. You attacked Jess. And you’re under arrest.”
As I turn her over and zip tie her wrists together, I glance over my shoulder and say to Jess, “Call 911. Tell them you were just assaulted. And that I’m here.”
Jess gives me a shaky nod. “Okay.” While I read Daria her rights, I hear Jess telling the dispatcher what happened. She ends the call quickly and says, “They’re on the way.”
Now that Daria’s restrained, I stand back up and pull Jess into my arms. She shudders against me, and my heart breaks to see her so frightened again. And?—
Fuck. She must be hurt.
Reluctantly releasing her, I hold on to her shoulders as I inspect her neck and face. As soon as I see the red marks in the shape of fingers ringing her neck, I nearly shatter my molars to keep from shouting out my rage. Working to control my tone, I ask, “Sweetheart. Are you hurt anywhere else?”
“No. I’m—” She stops. Scowls. “No. I’m not fine.”
“Fuck. Where else?—”
“Not hurt,” she corrects. “I’m pissed. No. Not pissed. I’m furious.” Then she steps away from me and walks over to Daria, who’s now looking tearful and cowed as she sits in the snow.
“How dare you?” Jess snaps. “I’m visiting my mom’s grave .”
Daria glares at Jess. “You ruined everything .”
“No.” Jess hardens her voice. Her shoulders set. Fire burns in her eyes. “I did not . I didn’t take Liam from you. He died because he drove drunk. And Kane wasn’t yours to take. ”
In the distance, sirens rise and fall.
“And,” Jess continues, “I didn’t kill Eliza. I’m sorry she’s dead, because I’d never wish what happened to her on any person. But it’s not my fault.”
I move next to Jess and put my arm around her.
“And,” I interject, “it’s not Jess’s fault you got reprimanded at work.
That was your fault for not doing your job.
Take some damn responsibility for your own actions.
” Narrowing my gaze, I add, “And you attacked Jess. You committed assault. In front of a police officer. So you’ll have plenty of time to think about your actions while you’re in prison. ”
Daria stares at me for a second before bursting into tears. “No. No. I can’t.”
“Then you shouldn’t have attacked me,” Jess replies. She takes a breath before continuing, “I spent way too long letting myself get pushed around by people like you. People who are unhappy with their lives so they blame everyone but themselves.”
Squealing tires announce the arrival of two police cars.
They come to a screeching stop near mine and four officers pile out.
As they run towards us, Jess leans towards Daria and says in a softer, almost conciliatory tone, “I’m sorry you lost Eliza.
And I’m sorry Liam died. I know how hard it is to lose people you care about. But. It. Was. Not. My. Fault.”
Pride swells in my chest; so intense it’s hard to breathe past it. “Jess.”
She looks at me, no trace of tears on her face. Her chin lifts. “I’m done taking the blame. It’s over. For good.”
Mike Troy comes jogging over, followed closely by his partner, Vince. Right behind them are Noah and Kyle. Mike glances at me, then Jess. “You okay?” he asks her. A beat later, his expression clouds as he looks at her neck. “Ambulance is coming,” he adds. “They’ll check you out.”
“I’m okay,” she tells him.
And now that Mike and the others are taking over, I pull Jess into my arms again. “Shit, baby,” I murmur into her hair. “I was so scared.”
She tips her head back to meet my gaze. “What are you doing here? I just hit the necklace.”
“I was coming to meet you. To meet your mom.” And a great way to do it, letting her daughter get attacked. “I’m so sorry, Jess. I should have?—”
“It’s not your fault. Who could have ever thought…” Jess glances at Daria again, then turns back to me. “You got here in time. Just like you always do.”
“Not this time. You saved yourself, sweetheart.” My gaze jumps to the gravestone etched with the words Monica Day - Best Mother in the World - Always Missed and Never Forgotten. “And I know your mom is so proud of you. Just like I am.”
For the first time since I arrived, tears shine in her eyes. But with them comes a wobbly smile. “Yeah. I did, didn’t I?”
Oh.
I never knew my heart could feel like this.
“Yeah, baby. You did.”