Fatal Flaw (13 page)

Jeannie sat with Will in his car outside Michael’s townhouse in Washington’s Foggy Bottom neighborhood.

“What’re you going to do?” Will asked.

“I honestly don’t know.”

“There has to be a reason why Deputy Chief Holland didn’t fully investigate the brother.”

“And we can’t exactly ask him.”

“Right,” Will said.

Jeannie’s mind had been racing since they left the home of Tyler Fitzgerald’s parents. After walking the parents step-by-step through the day their son was abducted, it had become obvious to both detectives that their son Cameron might’ve had something to do with his brother’s disappearance. But for some reason, Skip Holland had never dug into the brother who entered the army shortly after Tyler was kidnapped.

Cameron had had a contentious four-year tenure in the military, culminating in a dishonorable discharge. He’d been in and out of trouble ever since, all of it misdemeanor level, but he’d been escalating.

“What’ll you tell Sam?”

“I honestly don’t know.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t say anything until we know what’s going to happen with her father.”

“Good point.”

Jeannie turned in her seat so she could better see her partner. “I just can’t imagine what he was thinking. It was such an obvious lead. How could he not follow up?”

“We need to talk to the other brother, Caleb. He was with Tyler and Cameron at the school that night.”

“Did you read the statement he gave Skip?” Jeannie asked.

“Yeah and it left me with more questions than answers. What about a partner? Who was Skip working with?”

“The department was going through a major budget crunch, and they were seriously strapped. Most of the detectives were working alone during that period.”

“What about the medical examiner who worked the case?”

“Tracking him down is on my to-do list for tomorrow.”

“You know who might have some insight into Skip’s thinking…”

Jeannie shuddered at the thought of it. “The chief.”

“Yep.”

“Let’s keep that as an avenue of last resort.”

“Agreed. What about Sam?”

“I’ll tell her we’re working the case and don’t have anything yet. Let’s keep all of this between us until we know more.”

“You’re the boss, Detective.”

That drew a small smile from Jeannie.

“Feel good to be back in the game?”

“It’s good to feel useful again.”

“I’m awfully glad to have you back.” His smile was full of shyness. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” Her cell phone rang and Jeannie took the call from Michael. “Hey, I’m outside with Will.”

“Okay. I was just checking on you.”

“I’ll be in soon.” She ended the call and turned to Will. “See you in the morning?”

“Yes, you will.”

Jeannie got out of the car and waved to him as he drove off. The instant she realized she was alone on the same street where she’d been abducted her heart began to race. She wondered if the day would come when she could walk down a city street without worrying about who might be lurking behind her waiting to harm her.

By the time she took the eight steps to Michael’s front door, she was convinced her heart might actually burst through her chest. Her hands were shaking so hard that getting the key in the door was an exercise in futility.

Michael opened the door and ushered her inside. “Are you okay?”

“I am now,” she said, immediately comforted by his large, imposing presence. No one would get to her while he was around. That much she was sure of.

“Why are you trembling and sweaty?”

“Am I?”

“Jeannie, what’s going on?”

“Just a little panic attack on the street.”

He frowned. “I thought you said Will was with you?”

“He was. Happened after he left. I found myself alone on the street, just for a second, but that’s all it took.”

“Goddamn it. I should’ve gone right to the door to meet you, but I finished unloading the dishwasher.”

“It’s not your fault, and I’m going to have to be out there eventually. I may as well get used to it.”

“I hate the idea of anything scaring you so badly that you tremble.”

Jeannie stepped into his outstretched arms and let him surround her with his unconditional love. He kept one arm around her and used his free hand to set the alarm. The beep, beep, beep of the alarm engaging took care of the last of her anxiety.

For the first time since the attack, she was able to remember the way he’d made her feel from the very beginning. As he held her she experienced a reawakening of sorts, as her body reacted to him in the old familiar way.

“Michael?”

“Hmm?”

“Will you kiss me? Really kiss me, the way you used to. Before.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to scare you.”

“You won’t.” Jeannie reached for him and brought his head down to meet her halfway. Their lips met and held for a long, breathless moment before he tipped his head to delve deeper. Jeannie let go of all the worries and fears and gave herself over to the desire.
This
was what she’d needed.
He
was what she’d needed. She held on tight to him, letting him take the lead as his tongue tangled with hers, and gave as much as she was getting.

By the time he finally broke the kiss, she was light-headed and the tingling sensation traveling through her body reminded her of better days.

“God, Jeannie,” he whispered, leaning his forehead against hers. “I’ve missed you. I’ve missed
us.
”

“I have, too.” She took his hands and held on tight. “I’m sorry about what happened last night. You have to be getting so frustrated.”

He straightened to his full height. “Come with me, will you?”

“Where are you taking me?”

His playful smile was infectious as he walked backward, leading her into the kitchen where the table was set for an intimate dinner for two. When her mouth watered, she released his hands so she could examine the stove and peek in the oven. “Did you make all this?” she asked, stunned by the effort he’d put into the meal.

“I can’t take credit. As you’re painfully aware, I’m a terrible cook, so I ordered the meal and somehow I’ve managed to keep it warm without screwing it up.”

She laughed and followed his directions to be seated at the table.

He poured them both a glass of wine and sat next to her. “To you,” he said, raising his glass to her. “The bravest, strongest, gutsiest gal I’ve ever known.”

His words went straight to her heart. “I haven’t felt so gutsy lately.”

“We’ve had a tough go of it for a while now, but I want you to know there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than with you.” He placed a jeweler’s box on the table.

Jeannie sucked in a sharp deep breath and stared at the distinctive blue box as if it were a grenade about to detonate.

“Now before you say anything hear me out. Okay?” When she didn’t reply, he said, “Jeannie?”

“Yes, yes,” she said, never taking her eyes off the box. “Okay.”

“I bought this two weeks before.”

That finally drew her attention off the box and back to him.

“I was going to ask you that weekend. I had it all planned.”

She’d suspected as much, but hearing of yet another thing her attacker had taken from her had Jeannie fighting off a wave of fury. She wouldn’t give him this moment, too, so she refocused her attention on Michael.

“I’m not going to ask you now.”

An odd sense of letdown overtook her. “Oh. Okay.”

“You’re hearing me out, remember?”

Returning his smile, she nodded.

“I’m not going to ask you now, but I’m not going anywhere. No matter how long it takes, no matter how many bumps we hit along the way, I’m here, and I’m staying.”

Jeannie bit her lip, hoping to hold back the tears that filled her eyes.

“Unless, of course, you’re sick of me, and this is the worst possible thing I could be telling you.”

Laughing, she reached for him and held on tight.

He tugged her closer, and she ended up on his lap.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“I know what you were thinking after last night. ‘How long will it be before he’s had enough?’ Am I right?”

“Maybe.”

“Now you have one less thing to worry about. I love you. I’ll always love you, and nothing could ever change that.”

“That’s good to know.”

“This is the part where the girl would usually say ‘I love you too, and when I’m ready I’ll want that ring and everything that goes with it.’”

“Hmm,” she said, playing with him a little, “could I maybe see the ring so I know what I’m agreeing to?”

With a playful scowl, he flipped open the box to reveal a breathtaking cushion-cut diamond in a platinum setting.

“Oh,” she said, at a loss for words.

“Do you like it? Your mom helped me pick it out.”

“She never said a word!”

“I swore her to secrecy.” He kissed Jeannie’s cheek and then her lips. “You didn’t answer the question.”

Jeannie was too busy staring at the
gorgeous
ring to remember what he’d asked.

“Do you
like
it?”

“I
love
it. It’s spectacular.”

“And it’s all yours whenever you’re ready. No rush, no pressure, no stress.”

“Am I allowed to try it on?”

“Not until you’re ready to leave it on.”

“Oh, that’s mean!”

He shrugged. “That’s my final offer.”

“You drive a hard bargain.”

He kissed her again, closed the ring box and put it back in his pocket. “How about some dinner?”

Lindsey finished up the autopsy on Crystal Trainer, concluding that she’d died of a single blow to the head, delivered most likely by a hammer or a similar flat-faced object. The senseless waste she encountered in her line of work often saddened her. Here was a young mother with everything to live for, and her life had been snatched away in the flash of an instant. No defensive wounds, no skin under her nails, nothing to indicate Crystal had any inkling that her life was about to come to a quick and dramatic end.

After she cleaned up and returned the body to the morgue, she alerted the funeral home the family had chosen, typed up her report and sent it off to Sam and Freddie.

As she left work, she was oddly out of sorts, sad over the death of the young mother and thinking, nonstop, about Terry and what he’d told her.

Her better judgment told her to run as far and as fast as she could, but there was this other voice nagging at her, wondering if this might be “it,” if he might be the elusive “one.”

“Ugh,” she said out loud as she unlocked her silver sports car and slid into the leather bucket seat. “So stupid. I’m an educated, professional woman sitting in the dark talking to myself about a guy. I suppose I could be more ridiculous but I’m not entirely sure how. Well, you could
not
call him. That would be kind of ridiculous. He’s a nice guy. He told you the truth about what he’s dealing with and didn’t wait for you to find out from someone else. That ought to count for something, right?”

If she were being truthful, she’d admit to being lonely and ready for a meaningful relationship. The last one ended disastrously five years earlier, and she’d stayed away from anything that smacked of commitment ever since. How had five years managed to go by without her really noticing? She’d been busy—working, building her career and reputation, nurturing friendships and spending more time with her family. So those years hadn’t been a total waste. Figures the first guy to turn her head in half a decade was right out of rehab and putting his life back together. Was he even allowed to get serious with someone so soon? Didn’t they have rules about that?

“I should just drive home and not get involved. He’s not even supposed to be dating.” She was familiar enough with rehab to know that much. So why then was she still sitting here, cell phone in hand, wanting so badly to call him?

“You’re probably going to regret this,” she said with a sigh as she found his number in her list of contacts and pressed Send. Her heart beat a weird staccato as she waited for him to answer.

“Hi there,” he said.

Lindsey couldn’t think of a thing to say.

“Lindsey?”

“Yes, it’s me,” she said. “How are you?”

“I’m good.” He sounded amused. “You?”

“Um, fine. Tired. You know, long day at work.” She cringed. Really? Was that the best she could do?

“I’m burning the midnight oil myself. The senator came back from his honeymoon with new rules about the campaign, so I’ve been rearranging his schedule all day.”

“What kind of rules?” she asked, grateful for the chance to talk about anything other than what the heck was going on between them.

“He’s willing to give the campaign two nights during the week and one weekend day—that’s all.”

“So he can spend more time with Sam.”

“Right.”

“It’s refreshing to hear of a guy who has his priorities straight,” she said, then winced when she realized how that might sound to him.

“I agree.”

“You do?”

“Why do you find that so hard to believe?” he asked, laughing. “He’s happily married and wants to spend as much time as he can with his new wife. I get it.”

“I’m happy for them.” Sam had been through the ringer with her ex-husband and deserved every ounce of happiness she could find with her handsome senator.

“I am, too, although I have to admit I wasn’t her biggest fan at first. She’s grown on me since she accused me of killing my brother.”

Lindsey chuckled at the ridiculousness of his statement.

“I’m glad you called,” he said. “I wondered if you would.”

“I needed some time. I hope you understand.”

“Of course I do.”

“My, um, my father was an alcoholic. It was, you know, a difficult situation.”

“I can imagine, and I understand that it’s probably too much of a gamble for you to get involved with someone who’s fighting the same battle.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Oh. Well, I just assumed…”

“He never fought the battle. He never even tried. At least you’re making an effort. That counts for something.”