Chapter Twenty-Seven
Twenty-Seven
Mendocino, California
“Ronan,” Elle shouted, “are you all right?” She ran her hands over his chest, making sure he wasn’t bleeding. She was crying, great gulping sobs. “Oh my God. Ronan, he shot you.”
“Kevlar,” Ronan said. “I’ll be sore but I’m fine.” He unzipped his coat and pulled up his sweatshirt to show her the bullet lodged in the vest. “Totally fine.”
She fell into his arms and, ignoring the pain, he put his arms around her, rocking her where they stood. She’d been so calm and brave while facing Ashton on the bluff, but everyone had their breaking point.
Seeing him shot was apparently hers.
It shouldn’t have pleased him, but he had to admit that it did. He lifted his head to where Gary was holstering his gun.
Gary had fired the final shot.
“Thank you.”
Gary squeezed his shoulder. “Anytime. Well, no. Not anytime. I don’t want to do this again.
You two go back to Ronan’s. We’ll have to give statements.
I’ll tell whoever takes over where you are.
I’m going to see to Eunice.” He thumbed over his shoulder.
“Backup got here in the middle of all that, but no one wanted to shoot one of you by mistake.”
There would be an internal investigation, as they’d both fired their weapons, but it appeared that a number of their colleagues had seen most of what happened.
Ronan would be fine and so would Gary.
“Let me talk to Eunice first,” Elle said, and Ronan let her go, but grabbed her hand.
“I’ll go with you. Let me…” He lifted their joined hands. “I need to touch you.”
She squeezed his hand hard. “Same.”
Gary had Eunice on her feet and was taking the cuffs off as they approached. Eunice threw her arms around Elle.
“You did it. It’s over.”
Elle hugged her back one-armed, not letting go of Ronan’s hand. “I’m so sorry he hurt you.”
“Just some bruises. I’ll be fine in a day or two.” Eunice stepped back and studied Elle’s face. “You aren’t feeling guilty about this. Tell me you’re not.”
Elle looked to the cliff where Ashton had gone over. “No, but I don’t feel blameless, either.”
“Blame your dead husband,” Ronan said, wincing. The adrenaline was already starting to ebb and his ribs hurt.
“Exactly.” Eunice hugged Elle again and the two women cried against each other’s shoulders.
But Elle never let go of his hand.
Finally Eunice released her. “Can I come with you? I’m wet and cold. I could use some hot tea.”
“Let’s go.” Elle put her free arm around Eunice’s shoulders and, still holding Ronan’s hand, they walked back to his house.
Alexis was standing in front of Ronan’s house, wringing her hands. She ran to them and had Elle wrapped in a hug before any of them could say anything.
“I should have been there. I should have helped.”
“You did exactly right,” Elle said soothingly. “I’m fine. We’re all fine.”
“He’s dead?”
“He’s dead,” Ronan confirmed. “There was no way he could have survived that fall.” It was seventy feet down to the beach and rocks below. “The deputies will arrange a recovery team. For now, they have eyes on the body.”
They were quiet as they entered Ronan’s house, Puff greeting them sedately. The dog could read the room.
“The puppy.” Elle looked at Alexis. “Where’s the puppy?”
“I put him in the bathroom next door. I didn’t want him to get away if I had to run and help you. I should have helped you.”
“You should have done exactly what you did,” Ronan told her. “Have a seat at the table. I’ll make some tea, but first I’ll get Eunice some dry clothes. Come with me, Eunice. Penny’s stuff should fit you.”
He waited until he and Eunice were in Penny’s room and he’d put a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt in her hands. “How did he get you, Eunice?”
“Grabbed me as I was leaving the pharmacy. Only time I didn’t have anyone with me. I got a text from my neighbor saying my dog was loose. It wasn’t a number in my contacts, but the text said he’d gotten a new phone, so I rushed out to my car and he got me.”
“He texted me, too. Made me think he’d abducted Penny and killed her friends. When you’re done changing, we can call your neighbor and make sure it wasn’t him who texted you, but I’m betting it was Ashton. He must have gotten your cell number somehow.”
“I gave it to Elle.”
“Before Monday?”
She nodded. “What happened on Monday?”
“We found listening devices planted in her jacket. He’d been listening to her for two years.”
Eunice shuddered. “He wasn’t sane, Ronan.”
“I know. Take your time changing. I’ll have your tea ready. If you bring me your wet clothes, I’ll throw them in the washing machine.”
He left Eunice to change and went to his bedroom to take off his sweatshirt and the vest.
Yikes. A bruise was already forming and it covered half of his chest. Gingerly he touched his ribs. Probably not broken.
He changed into another sweatshirt and returned to the kitchen, where Elle was filling his electric kettle. She gave him a self-deprecating look.
“Sorry. I’m taking over your kitchen. I need to be busy. My hands are still shaking.”
“Mine too.” He waited until she’d put the kettle on, then gathered her in his arms, kissing her long and hard, then longer and softer as her lips took the edge off his rattled nerves. “You scared ten years off my life.”
“Twenty of mine,” Alexis added wryly. “If I have gray hairs, Elle, you’re responsible for coloring them for me.”
Elle chuckled. “Absolutely fair.” She squeezed him around the middle, but so gently it didn’t hurt too much. “Sit down, Ronan. I’m going to get you an ice pack for your chest. You’re going to bruise.”
“Already am.” He complied, taking a chair across from Alexis.
“Penny’s okay, I take it?” Alexis asked, absently petting Puff.
Ronan didn’t have the heart to tell her that her chic black slacks would soon be snow white with dog hair. “She’s fine. It was a trick.”
“Call her, Ronan,” Elle said. “She’s probably losing her mind.”
“Right.” Ronan couldn’t believe he’d forgotten to do that. He dialed Penny’s sat phone and she picked up immediately.
“Dad?”
“Yes, honey. I’m fine, Elle’s fine, Alexis is fine, even Eunice and Gary are fine.”
“Eunice?”
“Long story. I’ll tell you when you get home. Tell Gil not to speed. It’s all over.”
A moment of silence. “Ashton Dempsey?”
“Dead.”
“Good,” Penny said fiercely. “Now Elle won’t have to worry about him escaping or getting a sympathetic jury. I’m glad he’s dead.”
God, he loved this girl. “Exactly.” His front door opened and Gary called his name. “I need to go, Pen. It’s time to give our statements.”
“Okay. I’ll be home as soon as I can. Love you, Dad.”
“Love you, too.” He ended the call and saw six pairs of heart-eyes, as Penny called them. Alexis, Elle, Eunice, Gary, and two of the detectives from the sheriff’s department were smiling at him. “What? She’s my daughter. I love her.”
Elle patted his hand as she put a cold pack on the table in front of him. “Of course you do. Eunice, have a seat. I’ve got your tea.”
Alexis leaned over to whisper in his ear. “Ellie looks good in your space, Ronan.”
His cheeks heated, but he couldn’t wipe the smile from his face. “I know.” He put the ice against his chest and didn’t even mind the sting.
He surrendered his service weapon to the two deputies when one of them held out an evidence bag. Gary’s holster was empty, so he must have already done so. Their guns would be returned once the internal investigation was completed.
Elle took the chair next to him and leaned into his side, her hand coming to rest on his thigh. He covered her hand with his, still needing to touch her.
Still needing to remind himself that she was alive. That they both were alive.
“We’ll keep this short, Ronan,” one of the detectives began. “We saw most of what happened, so we just need you to fill in what we missed. We’ll be out of your hair soon.”
Good. Because this case was now closed and Ronan wanted to take up where he and Elle had left off that morning. Yes, his chest was bruised from Ashton’s bullet, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him.
He had a woman to woo.
Mendocino, California
Thursday, February 5, 12:30 a.m.
“So it’s done?” Sara asked as soon as she answered Elle’s phone call.
“It’s done,” Elle confirmed, settling into the corner of Ronan’s sofa. She’d texted Sara before calling, to find out if she was awake and to make sure she wouldn’t be waking the baby.
She’d already called her parents, waking them up, but they’d been grateful to know she was safe.
She gave Sara the rundown on the events of the evening and then sighed. “I’m ready for a boring life now, not gonna lie.”
“That guy was a fucking psycho,” Sara said fiercely. “I’m glad he’s dead.”
“That’s been the consensus. Sorry that I’m calling so late. We’ve spent the last two hours giving statements to the sheriff’s department. Ronan is just now showing them out.”
“That seems like a long time for a statement.”
“Ronan’s boss came over from Ukiah to participate in the debrief.”
Elle hadn’t known why until Howard had walked in Ronan’s front door, taken a look at them all, then sagged in relief.
Seemed like Howard had needed reassurance, too.
Elle was okay with that, but she was ready to be alone with Ronan. It had been a very long day.
Alexis was asleep next door in the rental, as was Penny. Penny had rushed through the front door, hugging her father so hard that Ronan had grimaced in pain, but he’d hugged her back just as hard.
Once she was certain that her father was truly okay, Penny had packed an overnight bag. She had an early day tomorrow and needed to sleep. The house had been too noisy with the detectives still taking statements, so she’d taken Elle’s bed next door.
Elle thought Penny wanted to give her and Ronan some time alone as well. She was such a thoughtful young woman. Elle liked her.
Eunice had also gone home later, Gary driving her. Howard was heading back to Ukiah and Ronan had taken Puff out for a short walk.
It was finally quiet.
“I’m glad it’s over,” Sara said.
“Me too. You don’t even know. Oh, the cops found my stolen laptop.”
“Really? How?”