Cash
C ash sat silently in Jackson’s police SUV and watched Jasmine’s grave as if expecting her ghost to pop up from the ground and laugh at him. He knew that he carried a lot of guilt for what happened to Jasmine, but he thought that he was putting those dark days behind him. He hoped like hell his hunch was right and that he’d be able to keep his promise to Callan and Mercy and bring their daughter back. He couldn’t imagine the alternative of going back to them empty-handed.
“We’ll find her . We put out an Amber Alert and Lisa won’t get far with Katie,” Jackson offered. He knew that his friend was trying to help but he physically ached from the pain of losing his daughter. It was a feeling that he had never experienced before, and he hoped to God he’d never have to again. Once they got Katie back, he’d never let her or Mercy out of his sight.
The thought of Lisa holding a gun at Mercy nearly gutted him. He was so thankful that the bullet only grazed Mercy’s thigh, otherwise, he and Jackson might be having a very different conversation.
“Thanks, man but I won’t feel better about any of this until I hand Katie back to her mama.” Jack nodded and they sat in silence waiting and praying for Lisa to show her face. Jackson seemed fixated on a pregnant woman who was weaving her way through the headstones, crying. He pulled out his cell phone and checked the picture that the hospital had given him of Lisa’s work ID. He nudged ’s arm to show him that the pregnant woman and Lisa looked an awful lot alike.
“I’m calling it in,” Jack said, pulling his radio from his shoulder holster. undid his seatbelt and went to open the door, Jackson’s big arm slamming against his chest effectively stopping him.
“You stay the fuck in the car, . She is armed and considered dangerous. I’m betting that she is wearing one of those baby carriers with Katie under her coat and isn’t pregnant. The last thing that we want is a shootout with Lisa wearing your daughter as a human shield.” froze at the thought of Katie being caught in the crossfire. He knew that Jackson was right but every fiber of him wanted to go to Lisa and take his daughter back. He needed to remember that Lisa blamed him for Jasmine’s death and had been harboring hateful feelings for him all these years. Seeing him there might spook her and that was the last thing he wanted.
“Fine, but don’t let her leave here with Katie, man. That would kill Mercy.” helplessly watched as Jackson left the SUV and slid behind the building they were parked next to. Hopefully, he’d be able to take Lisa by surprise and keep Katie safe. held his breath as he watched Jackson creep up behind Lisa. She was standing over Jasmine’s grave and from the look on her face, she was crying. Jackson used her grief as a distraction to take Lisa by surprise. She didn’t seem to know that she was even being watched, she was so overcome with sadness. almost felt bad for the woman. He watched as she slowly raised her hands into the air, at Jackson’s command, allowing her coat to gape open to reveal his daughter in a baby sling that was wrapped around Lisa’s body. He gasped in surprise as two plain-closed detectives ran past Jack’s vehicle and helped secure the baby from Lisa. She was crying and pleading with them to give the baby back to her and couldn’t stay in Jack’s SUV any longer. He got out of the car and could tell as soon as Lisa recognized him. Her eyes flared with anger, and she started cursing and saying hateful things to him, even calling him a murderer.
Jack handcuffed her and led her past , “Not one word, ,” Jackson barked, shoving Lisa into the back of one of the waiting police cruisers. Everything happened so quickly that almost couldn’t believe it was over. One of the officers handed him Katie and he wrapped her in his arms, grateful that the whole awful ordeal was behind them.
Jackson barked some orders to the officer about taking Lisa in and booking her and he talked to an FBI agent who showed up moments later at the scene. They insisted that let an EMS take a look at Katie and he reluctantly handed her over, standing watch like a century never letting his daughter out of his sight.
“The ambulance is going to want to take her back to the hospital. We don’t have a car seat for her and it’s the safest way to get her back to Mercy. I’m assuming you’ll want to ride with them?” nodded. He was never one to be afraid to show his emotions but right now, he had so many of them roiling through his body that he wasn’t sure how he felt about anything.
“I’m afraid to call Callan and Mercy to tell them that she’s safe. It all seemed too easy, is it over?” Jack barked out his laugh and clapped ’s shoulder.
“It was easy because I did all of the work, man, but yeah, it’s over. Sometimes we get lucky and today was one of those days. Just thank your lucky stars and call your girl and Callan.” Jackson was about to walk back to his car, but couldn’t leave things the way they were. He knew what he needed to do but he worried that Jack wouldn’t allow it.
“I need to talk to Lisa,” almost whispered. He worried that Jackson didn’t hear him, but Jack’s frustrated growl told him otherwise.
“Man, you can’t just leave well enough alone? She’s not going to tell you anything that you don’t already know. She’s not going to forgive you, .” He saw the pity in Jackson’s eyes as he waited out.
He felt torn knowing Jackson was right, but he needed to set things straight with Jasmin’s sister. He needed to tell her that he was sorry for everything that happened. It was as much for him as it would be for Lisa, he needed closure.
shook his head, “I need to do this man. Please just give me five minutes with her.” Jackson sighed, resting his hands on his hips.
“Fine, but that’s all you get, .” Jackson led him over to the squad car that Lisa sat in and opened the back door allowing to climb in.
“Five minutes, ,” Jackson reminded.
“What the fuck are you doing? I don’t want him here with me. He’s a monster. You killed my sister,” Jack slammed the door to the car and was alone with Lisa’s foul accusations and hatefulness. He let her have her say, knowing that she wasted a good three minutes of his time. When she finally seemed to get it all out of her system, saw his opening.
“I’m so sorry about your sister, Lisa. I didn’t know that Jasmine had a sister.” looked out the window to where Jackson was peering at him. “If I had known that she had any family left, I would have made sure that you were taken care of.”
Lisa made an incredulous sound, telling that she wasn’t buying his story. He knew that he couldn’t make her believe him, but he needed to tell her everything.
“Your sister was a wonderful person, Lisa. I just wasn’t in love with her. My best friend, Slade, was and he never forgave me for walking away from Jasmine and not seeing the signs that she was hurting. Looking back now, I can see her little cries for help, but I didn’t recognize them at the time.”
“You killed her. She loved you and you just let her die,” Lisa spat, her anger was like a mask that she wore firmly in place. knew that he wasn’t going to get her to remove it, but he hoped in time she’d remember his words and someday forgive him for the part that he played in her sister’s death.
“I get that you feel that way, Lisa. I’m sorry that I can’t convince you otherwise, but I didn’t kill her. She took her own life. What I failed to do was to help her and that is something I will always regret.” nodded at Jack to let him out of the car.
“She was all I had left. After our parents died we took care of each other. Well, that was until she hooked up with you and your friend. I told her that what she was doing was wrong. It went against everything that we were taught but she didn’t care. Jasmine said she was in love with you and that you both promised to take care of her. She seemed so happy, but I knew that it was just a fantasy. I walked away from Jasmin and told her that I didn’t want to have anything to do with her until she came to her senses and dumped you both. That was the last time that we spoke. You took my sister from me and no amount of time will ever help me find a way to forgive you.” stood from the back seat and looked back one last time only to see just as much hatefulness in her as he had when he got into the car. Jackson was right, Lisa would never forgive him. The only way forward with Mercy and Callan was to find a way to forgive himself.
“You don’t deserve that baby or Mercy. You’ll ruin both of their lives too, ,” Lisa shouted. He spun around to face her ducking his head back into the car.
“See Lisa, you only got that half right. I don’t deserve them, but I love them both and I will spend every damn day of my life making sure that they both have everything that they desire. I think that your sister would have wanted me to find happiness and I think that she would want the same for you.”
stepped out of the way so that Jackson could shut the door to the car. He made his way over to the ambulance that was waiting to take him and Katie back to Mercy and Callan. He couldn’t wait to hold his family in his arms and tell them just how much he loved and needed them. knew that they could manage just about any obstacle that life would throw their way as long as they did it together.