Chapter 40
Forty
M argot’s heart pounded in her chest as Ford slowed, coming up behind the two boats. Max had already radioed them that Berry was in custody, but she wouldn’t relax until she had her baby in her arms.
Sam tossed several bumpers over the side of the charter boat as Ford came up alongside. Brooke threw him a rope, and they lashed the vessels together.
Once they were secure, Margot scrambled onto the bench seat on the deck and climbed over the side onto the other boat. Her feet hit the deck, then she was up the ladder and into the pilothouse.
“Emily!”
“Mommy!”
Em leaned out of Tad’s arms toward her. She took the girl and clutched her tight.
“Oh!” She buried her face in Em’s silky hair, breathing in her scent. “I’m so glad you’re safe.”
“I’m sorry, Mommy. I forgots about the bad man. I just wanted to surfs.” The little girl’s eyes watered.
“I know, honey. It’s all right. You’re safe. But no more running off, okay?” She squeezed her tight before pulling back.
Expression solemn, Emily nodded.
“She’s one-hundred-percent fine.” Max stepped over, running a hand down Emily’s hair. “She even helped save herself.”
“I bited the bad man.”
“She did,” Max affirmed. “On the ear.”
Margot’s heart flip-flopped again at the thought of her daughter putting herself in danger. She wasn’t really surprised, though. The child was a complete daredevil.
“Emmy!”
Margot looked up to see Lily waving from Ford’s boat.
“Come on. Let’s get on Ford’s boat. Your sister missed you too.”
“I’ll help you down,” Tad said. He paused and glanced at Max. “If you don’t mind?”
“Not at all.” He gave Em a quick kiss on the top of her head, then looked at Margot. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”
She nodded, glancing past him at a bloodied and tied up Berry, anger surging for what he’d done. Only the fact that the twins could see her kept her from walking over and delivering a swift kick to his face.
But it was over, and he wouldn’t see the light of day for a long, long time. Exactly what he deserved. Yelling at or hurting him wouldn’t change anything. So, she spun around and headed down the ladder.
Sam and Dean helped her and Tad over the railings onto Ford’s boat. She took Emily inside the cabin and set her on the couch. Annabeth brought Lily, and the girls gave each other a quick hug.
“I missed you, Emmy. You done a bad thing. Mommy cried.”
Emily’s lower lip wobbled. She looked at Margot. “I’s sorry, Mommy.”
Margot leaned in and kissed the girl’s forehead. “It’s over now.” They’d talk about consequences later. Once they’d all calmed down more. Most likely, that would be no surfing or bodyboarding for a period of time.
As she straightened, she caught a glimpse of Tad standing to the side. Blood coating his somber face, he watched them.
“You two stay here for a minute, all right? I need to help your—to help Tad get cleaned up.” He had a nasty gash on his temple that was oozing blood.
Emily nodded, then turned, glancing out the window. “Ohhh, it’s the bad man.” She nudged her sister and pointed. Lily scrambled up to her knees, and they both perched on the seat to stare through the window at the hive of activity going on outside. Margot could see Dean climbing aboard the other boat, a large first-aid kit in his hands.
“I better go help him.” Annabeth backed toward the door.
Margot nodded. “Thank you for staying with Lily.”
“Anytime.” With a smile and a quick wave, she left.
She was glad Annabeth was the one tending to Berry’s bloody face. If it had been her, she might have done her best to make it worse, Hippocratic Oath be damned.
“I’ll be right back, girls.”
“Okay, Mommy,” Lily said, her eyes on the sky.
Above, Ezra circled in the chopper. Margot doubted he’d stay long. There wasn’t much he could do from the air now.
Crossing the small cabin, she dug into the cabinet in the galley where she knew Ford kept emergency supplies. Finding the bag, she turned to Tad. “Come over here and let me look at your head.”
“It’s fine. Nothing a few butterfly strips won’t fix.”
“Humor me.” She pointed at the small banquette built into the wall. “Sit.”
He huffed, but did as she asked.
Margot set the bag on the table and unzipped it. The contents crinkled and knocked together with a dull clack. Cellophane rustled as she found a syringe of sterile saline. Popping it out of its wrapper, she picked up a gauze packet and ripped it open, then dampened it with the saline.
“Tilt your head.” She brushed his hair back, then wiped at his face with the wet gauze. “How did this happen?”
“He hit me with the gun. Luckily, it was just a glancing blow.” His jaw worked. “It was enough, though. He took Em from me.”
“Don’t blame yourself for that. Especially since you kept her safe. Marshal Phillips told me what Marchand overheard. How you tried to get her back to me. And we wouldn’t have known he’d taken you onto a boat if you hadn’t kept the line open. That was brilliant.” She tossed the bloody gauze onto the table and picked up another square, wetting it.
“Still. She wouldn’t even have been in danger if I hadn’t brought it to her.” He grimaced, but not from her ministrations. “This is why I left. To keep all of you safe.”
That old anger she thought she’d long buried over him leaving reared its head. She swiped at his wound a little harder than she should have, and he hissed.
“Sorry,” she muttered. Swallowing down all the pain and fury from back then, she looked at him through her lashes. “I wish you’d come to me. Before you sold your soul to Owens.”
“So do I. But I… I couldn’t. I was so ashamed of what I’d already done. I didn’t want to see you look at me with disappointment in your eyes. I knew then that you and the girls deserved better than me. Someone more like Max.”
Margot sucked in a breath. “What we deserved was to not be lied to.” She stopped and turned his head so she could look him in the eye. “I thought you were dead.”
He dropped his gaze.
She barreled ahead. “Instead, you went into hiding and other people died.”
He stiffened, pulling his face from her grip. “I regret that.”
“I’m sure you do.” She reached into the first-aid kit again and found the butterfly strips. “Especially since I’m sure the FBI will prove you had something to do with Dale Conroy’s death.”
Tad stayed silent, only confirming her suspicions. Margot’s gut churned. She hadn’t wanted to believe he was capable of murder, but it seemed like she’d been wrong.
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” he said, his voice soft. “What happened with Conroy… it was an accident. He got greedy. We argued.” His jaw worked. “That was that.”
She held up a hand. “Don’t say anymore. I don’t want to be obligated to testify against you.”
He fell silent. Margot found an antibiotic ointment packet and squeezed some onto the cut, then tore open the butterfly strips and applied them to the wound. Once that was done, she put a square of gauze over the top and taped it in place.
Stepping back, she gathered her trash. “There you go.”
“Thanks.” He stood up, fingering the edge of the bandage.
“You’re welcome.” She turned, heading for the trash can.
“Margot.”
She paused, glancing back.
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. For everything. Then, and now. I know it doesn’t change anything. I just—” He stopped, his face scrunching with a frown.
“I know, Tad.” Some of her anger faded, replaced by a bone-deep sorrow. She didn’t regret where life had taken her; she loved Max and wanted to be with him. But she mourned for what she’d had, and she mourned for what the man she’d once loved had lost.
Retracing her steps, she laid a hand on his forearm. “Why don’t you spend a little time with the kids before Marchand takes you into custody? I still think it’s best they don’t know who you really are right now. But one day, we can fix that. When they’re old enough to comprehend all that’s happened.”
He glanced at the twins, whose gazes were still transfixed on the world outside, then nodded. “Will you write to me? Keep me updated on how they’re doing? And send me pictures? Maybe let me wish them happy birthday and Merry Christmas?” He held up a hand. “As a friend.”
A soft smile flitted over her face. “I think that would be fine. I’m sure Emily will want to know how her rescuer is doing.”
Tad turned to look at Em, a genuine smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. “She’s something else. They both are.” He sobered slightly. “You’ve done such a great job with them.”
“I had help. Annabeth was a godsend. And then all of Dean’s friends. Life is not what I ever imagined it would be, but I’m happy. And so are they.” She tipped her head toward Em and Lily.
He covered her hand. “I’m glad.” Looking down, he lightly ran his thumb over her knuckles. “Again, I’m sorry for all I’ve done and the way I left. This time, I’ll say goodbye before I go.”
She smiled. “At least this time, we’ll know it’s just goodbye for now.”
His mouth tipped up. “Yeah. And that’s much better than I ever thought I’d get.”