Eleven #3
“C’mon, it makes sense. Almost all the crimes in Eena, besides those pertaining to you and Mr. Duchesne’s son Griffin, are matters that just need a third party to intervene and arbitrate. It’s always been complaints about trees and fences and stolen bicycles here.”
“Well, the town is not very big.”
“True.”
I cleared my throat. “My phone is dead, so if you’d let me use yours, I can call my office and we can find out exactly who Ward Firmin is and where?—”
“No need,” Sampson assured me. “Ward Firmin is a former officer under Wilson.”
“Technically, aren’t all Wilson’s officers considered former at this point?”
“True,” Sampson granted, “but Firmin was fired a while back, and Benning was then hired to replace him.”
“Why?”
“For a number of reasons, the worst being accepting bribes. Chief Higheagle forced Wilson to fire him, but clearly, he remained working for him under the table. I can only surmise that he was prowling around your property on Wilson’s order.”
“For what purpose?”
“I have no idea, because it’s not as though there’s going to be a court case for Griffin to testify at.
Wilson was removed, he lost his pension, and his family moved out of town.
After all was said and done, what he did to Griffin was a small part of the bigger picture of corruption within his office, but it did put a spotlight on Wilson.
He was taking bribes for everything from zoning permits to liquor licenses and keeping, and selling, all the illegal drugs that came up the highway from Seattle. ”
“I see. And what about Firmin?”
“I will make sure I’m there when he wakes up, with our county prosecutor, to ask him all manner of questions about what he was doing on the Duchesne property.”
“Good,” I said, relieved. It felt like I could finally breathe. It was nice to be able to count on other people. That was not always the case when on a job.
“Did you discharge your weapon?”
“I don’t even have it on me.”
“ No gun ?” he asked like I was nuts, and the raised brows made me groan. “That was gutsy. Do you normally hurl the switchblade at people? Did you used to be in the circus?”
“You’re hysterical,” I said snidely.
He laughed softly. “Jesus, Nash, outside in socks without a gun? Your ancestors must be working overtime keeping an eye on you.”
I shrugged. “I suspect so.”
“We should get you home,” he said with a yawn. “I doubt we’ll have any answers tonight.”
“May I borrow your phone? Mine is a paperweight now.”
“Yeah, here you go,” he said, passing me a phone with a serious waterproof, shockproof case. I needed to look into something similar. “Let me give you some privacy.”
Once he got up and went to talk to his techs, I called Luke.
“Hello. Who is?—”
“It’s me,” I told him. “I’m fine, just wet.”
Nothing on the other end.
“Luke? Honey?”
Not a sound, and then suddenly a cry and a whimper together.
“Listen, I’m all right. You need to?—”
“Nash? Is that you, dear?”
It was Viola. “Yeah. What happened? Is he?—”
“Darling, he can’t speak at the moment,” she soothed me. “I suspect he’s a bit overwrought, and he’s having some trouble breathing.”
“I’m so sorry he’s?—”
“Absolutely not. You went after whoever was out on the deck, and we’re all a bit on edge, that’s all. But I had him lean over, and he’s doing better now.”
Good to have your mom there in a weird situation. She was steady, and he needed that.
“Everything is fine here, don’t you worry.”
“Okay. I’ll be home shortly.”
“You ran out of here with no shoes and a sweater and jeans. You must be freezing.”
“I am.”
“Well, we’ll have a warm shower and some hot soup waiting for you.”
“Thank you. I’ll talk to you soon,” I said, and hung up. I called Shaw next.
“Who is this?” He asked tersely.
“It’s me,” I snapped at him.
“It’s Saturday,” he announced, like I didn’t know that. “And why aren’t you using your phone to—shit. What happened?”
“I need a new phone here tomorrow. Mine is officially dead.”
“Why?” He sounded annoyed, so I answered him with the same level of irritation.
“I chased a guy, and it died in the ensuing altercation.”
“Fuck you, Nash! Why didn’t you start with that?”
“Because you were being a dick.”
“For the love of—are you hurt?”
“I’m banged up a little, but nothing is broken and I’m not bleeding profusely. There are a few cuts and scrapes is all.”
“Shit. Who showed up?”
“No one remotely interesting. Just a guy who used to work for the former chief of police.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Listen, I need a phone. Can you get me one, please?”
“Yeah, I’ll have it there in the morning,” he grumbled.
“Why’re you mad? I’m the one who got hurt.”
“I know. You always get hurt.”
“The fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“I want you to know that you’re a great fixer, Nash, but you have my permission to be a regular man too.”
“Are you awake? Were you sleeping?”
“No, I wasn’t sleeping! All I’m trying to convey is that you deserve to be happy, and maybe that means you should be done working for Torus. You can stop. You’re allowed. Even though you’ve been here the longest, you can leave. I want you to know that.”
“Why on earth would I ever need permission from you for anything?”
“I think you need someone to say it to you. Benji thinks so too.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t I?”
“I’ll talk to you later.”
“Wait,” he said, and then didn’t say a word.
“I’m hanging up now. I will expect my phone in the?—”
“Don’t assume you don’t get to be happy. If the man and the kids love you…take a leap of faith.”
The hell was he talking about? “Where are you getting this?”
“That back and forth, the whole I don’t want to hurt them but then staying anyway… What am I, stupid? I can see what’s going on clear as day.”
“You’re not even here.”
“But I know you, and I know how you get, thinking you’re not the best thing.”
“Goodbye,” I said and hung up.
Of course he called me right back.
“No,” I growled at him.
“It’s time to jump, already.”
“It’s complicated.”
“I suspect because you’re making it that way.”
“He’s straight, Shaw.”
“Great. Doesn’t mean that for that one-in-a-million person he can’t decide to make allowances for his heart.”
I was quiet a moment. “When did you become such a romantic?”
“When I fell in love with the guy I married. When do you think?”
I groaned.
“You’re sure you and the family are safe?”
“Yeah. Nothing to do with Caitlyn. This is all new with the chief of police.”
“Okay, good.”
“Good?”
“You know what I mean. Don’t be a dick.”
He then casually mentioned that Sienna hadn’t stopped talking about my apartment in Oak Park since she was there with Rais.
“Make sure she doesn’t start moving her crap in,” I ordered him.
“I’ll do my best, but we’ve all coveted your place at one time or another.”
That was true. “All right, I’ll talk to?—”
“You’re sure you’re good?”
“This worrying is new.”
“I’m the one here now. Apparently, the concern comes with being in charge.”
“You’re not alone, Shaw. You’re never alone.”
“Yeah, I—” He cleared his throat. “Tell me who this guy is that you chased from the house. I wanna look into him.”
“Ward Firmin.”
“Spell the last name.”
Once I did, he said okay and then hung up. I then thanked Sampson for the use of his cell, and asked if he would please drive me home because I was starting to turn into a popsicle, heater or no heater.
“I’ll take you right now. Your family must be freaking out.”
I was trying to focus on that, was going to correct him that they weren’t my family, but found I didn’t have the inclination or the heart.
I wanted them to be mine, all of them, and that was the truth.
At the moment, though, with my adrenaline gone, feeling every one of my fifty-two years and every old injury, it was possibly not the best time to have any kind of serious conversation with Luke Duchesne.
When Sampson dropped me off, he offered me an umbrella, but I gestured at myself, and he chuckled and told me to get the hell out of his car. He was a nice man, and I liked him.
Once I scaled the steps to the front door, I saw that Tatum was sitting in the window nook, waiting for me.
When I waved, she disappeared, and I put my hands on my hips and leaned back, stretching my muscles.
I really was too old to be scaling fences, running through foliage and mud, and dodging cars, all under a steady downpour of icy rain.
It was supposed to be thirty-four degrees later this evening. It felt like it now.
The front door flew open, and Luke was there with towels, putting one over my head and another around my shoulders, and then grabbing me so very tight. He was trembling.
“Go inside,” I directed him. “It’s cold out here.”
“Nash,” he barely got out, and when I leaned back to look at him, his eyes were red slits and his jaw was clenched. Only then did I realize he’d been terrified for me.
“I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
He nodded as I bent and peeled off my socks, left both on the porch, and walked into the house in my bare wet feet.
“Are you okay?” Tatum asked, her voice small, sniffling, as Luke closed the door behind us.
“I’m fine, love.”
“No, you’re not,” she whimpered. “You have scrapes and bruises.”
“But I’m fine, I promise.”
I made sure the front door was locked, deadbolt included, then turned to all the faces suddenly crowded into my space. The kids were all staring at me expectantly, his parents as well, and Luke had his hand on my bicep, holding tight.
“Let me begin by saying we’re not in any danger, and I’ll tell you all everything that happened after I take a very hot shower.”
“I will have your soup ready for you when you come out,” Viola assured me.
“Thank you,” I said, smiling at her before facing Luke. “I will give you a million dollars if you go up to the attic and get me some clean clothes.”
“We both know you don’t have a million dollars,” he whispered. “But I will take care of you anyway.”
I put my hand on his cheek. “You’re the best.”