A Dozen Deadly Roses (29 page)
Jade started toward the find, but the Las Vegas sergeant stepped in her way.
“You can’t go through that stuff. We’re conducting the kidnapping and shooting investigation. All that stuff is evidence. I’ll get our detectives over here to see what we’ve got.”
Jade raked her hand through her hair. “My son could be in the hands of killers, and you want me to stand around waiting for your detectives to get here? Dream on!”
“Lady, you go near that body or those papers and I’ll arrest you for interfering with a crime scene.”
Another sergeant had arrived and was directing officers to set up crime scene tape and look for additional evidence.
Mac stepped between the first sergeant and Jade. “There’s no need to arrest anyone. We’re all police officers. We’ll be careful not to disturb the crime scene. We want what’s best for the child. What if it was your boy who was missing? Wouldn’t you do anything to find him?”
The sergeant, considering Mac’s words, stood still and blinked a few times. He moved ever so slightly. “Okay, but be careful.”
Within seconds, Jade, Mac
and
the sergeant were sorting through the slips of paper while the rescue personnel packed their equipment.
“Most of them are ticket receipts from slot machines,” the sergeant said. “I’ve got a receipt from a fast-food restaurant out on Boulder Highway. Looks like just one burger combo. No kid’s meal.”
Jade grabbed the largest paper in the pile. Excitement filled her veins as she realized she was looking at a receipt from the Tangiers Hotel.
“It’s an agreement for childcare in the Tangiers Little Tyke Tiger Camp,” she yelled waving the paper in the air. “It’s time-stamped right after Donnie was taken.”
Mac jumped up and then pulled Jade to her feet. “Let’s go,” he shouted.
Jade and Mac rode in the back seat of the sergeant’s cruiser, lights and siren blaring as they wove through grid-locked Las Vegas Boulevard.
Mac held Jade’s hand. “Look at me,” he said.
She didn’t respond.
“Jade, please look at me.” He picked up her other hand and held them both in his. She turned her face to his. He looked her straight in the eye.
“Earlier tonight I over-reacted. You took me by surprise telling me I was Donnie’s father. I found myself sitting in a bar staring at a bottle of whiskey. I’d used my drinking to numb me against the pain of losing my wife, Susan, and my daughter, Ashley. My family was everything to me. Then it struck me. I have a family. A little boy so precious and good, any man would be proud to be his daddy.” Mac, brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it.
“Jade, you were right to keep me out of Donnie’s life. Back then I was a drunk; certainly not fit to be a father. But, you’ve been a wonderful mother, a mother who did what she had to do to protect her son. I can’t imagine my life without you being a part of it, Jade. I love you. I love Donnie. I wasn’t there for Susan and Ashley when they needed me. I wasn’t there for you when Donnie was born, but I’m here for you now, forever and always.”
Jade threw her arms around him and kissed his neck, but then drew back. “Thank you, Mac, but I’m sorry; I can’t think of anything but finding Donnie. I can’t stand it. What if Donnie isn’t at the Tangiers?”
Mac nodded in understanding of her feelings. “Think about it. Where else would he be? I’m sure this idiot was working alone, or why not have his cohorts watch Donnie? Why would he risk putting Donnie in a public place?
And
he needed a place to keep Donnie where no one would get suspicious. Don’t worry; our son will be safe. I can’t wait to tell him I’m his daddy.”
Concern clouded Jade’s face. “I don’t think we should tell him tonight. He’ll be confused enough.”
“I didn’t mean now. How about after we tie the knot?”
“Let’s find Donnie first, and then we can talk about it.”
“I’m determined to make an honest woman of you, Jade Donovan.”
Jade gave Mac’s hand a squeeze as they pulled to the valet parking area of the Tangiers Hotel.
Before the cruiser came to a complete stop, Jade and Mac were out the door.
“Where’s the Little Tyke Tiger Camp?” Mac shouted to the valet parking attendant.
The man gave quick directions, and Mac and Jade ran through the crowded lobby trailed by the LVPD sergeant. After running up several floors of escalators, they finally saw the neon jungle sign advertising the hotel’s childcare service.
When Jade and Mac got to the entrance, the employee in charge refused to let them in to find Donnie. The nervous worker called her manager. The sergeant produced the childcare agreement receipt, handed it to the manager, and they hurried inside.
“Donnie’s been a very good boy,” the caregiver said. “I kind of sensed something wasn’t right. He’s the only kid I know to come in here wearing a tux, and he didn’t ask once about the man who claimed to be his father and left him here.”
“Where is Donnie now?” Jade asked.
“He’s lying down in the ‘rest tent.’”
Jade and Mac approached the big canvas structure, which was supported by smooth wooden poles. As she pushed aside the flap used as a door, her breath caught at the sight of her little boy, asleep on a cot. There were four other children on makeshift beds of their own.
Jade went to Donnie and knelt. “Hey firefighter, Mommy’s ready to go back to our hotel. How about you?”
The little boy’s eyes fluttered open and he focused first on Jade, and then on Mac. His pudgy arms reached out to her. “Mama! That man said he’d come back and take me to you, but he never did.”
Jade pulled Donnie into her arms while tears fell freely down her face. “Oh, Donnie, Mommy was so scared.”
“Mama, you don’t need to be scared. Mr. Stryker is here. He can take care of us.”
Jade stood up bringing Donnie with her. “Yes, he can,” she said smiling into his gaze.
Mac pulled them both into his strong arms. “Count on it.”
# # #
The next evening, back at Mac’s condo, Mac, Jade and Donnie sat around the kitchen table eating green salad and pizza. Cupcakes baked in the oven, filling the condo with the aroma of chocolate. Donnie recited his Las Vegas adventures, recounting the roller coaster ride he took with Mac as his favorite. Surprisingly, Donnie’s memories of time spent with the stalker were vague and seemingly of no consequence to him, which was a huge relief to Jade.
“Mama, are we ever gonna go back to our ‘partment?”
Recalling the devastating destruction done to her home by her crazed pursuer, Jade shook her head. “No, Donnie. We’ll be finding a new place to live.”
“Why can’t we live here with Mr. Stryker?”
Jade started to open her mouth to answer, when Mac spoke up. “Yeah, why can’t you live here with me?” The pitch in his voice mimicked the wheedling tone of Donnie’s.
Jade looked over Donnie’s head to Mac. “You’re not helping,” she said with a smile.
“No, I mean it Jade. Why can’t you and Donnie live here?”
“For starters, it’s against department policy. Second, I can’t share my bed with Donnie forever. Third, people will assume there’s hanky-panky going on.”
“Whoa,” Mac said, holding up his hands. “I wasn’t talking about just ‘living’ here.”
Jade’s heart felt like it skipped a beat.
“Mama, what’s hanky-panky? Is it a dance like the hokey-pokey?”
Jarred from her thoughts, Donnie’s question caused Jade to start laughing. Mac apparently found the double entendre equally amusing as he gazed at her while chuckling at his son’s innocent remark.
“Donnie,” Mac said, “depending on whose doing the dancing, the hokey-pokey and hanky-panky can be almost identical. It just depends on what ‘hoke’ is being poked.”
“Mac! Don’t tell him things like that,” Jade said, trying to sound outraged, but instead, giggling while she talked.
“Well then, how about I tell him about the big surprise I’ve been putting off?” Mac’s face tensed with eager yearning.
Jade noted Donnie’s gaze going back and forth between the two adults, trying to figure out what was going on. She nodded her head in approval that Mac should proceed.
Mac rose and indicated they should follow him into the den. “Let’s sit on the couch; Donnie you go in the middle.” Once they were all situated, Mac reached out and took one of Donnie’s hands in his. Then he extended his other hand across Donnie’s lap and took one of Jade’s hands as well. She felt woozy worrying what her son would say in learning that Mac was his father.
“Donnie, the time I’ve spent with you and your mother has been some of the best and most exciting days of my life. In fact, so much so, that I can’t imagine my life without either of you.” Mac looked at Jade and smiled, then returned his gaze to his son. “You’re a big enough boy that you’re old enough to know the truth.”
Jade took a deep breath, knowing what was coming.
“The truth is, Donnie, I love you very much. I love your mother too. In fact, I love you both with all of my heart. I’d like us to be a family, that’s why…” Mac paused and then slid off the couch to get on his knees in front of both Jade and Donnie. “That’s why I want to ask your permission for your mommy to marry me.”
Jade heard the startled intake of her breath. That wasn’t what she’d expected Mac to say.
Donnie nodded his head so hard, Jade worried he’d hurt himself. “Mama, tell him yes! Mr. Stryker could be my daddy!”
Jade looked into Mac’s face seeing raw hope in his eyes. Then she gazed at her son, and saw the same exact expression.
“Jade,” Mac said softly, “please say you’ll be my wife and allow me to be Donnie’s father.”
Jade cleared her throat, effectively swallowing the lump that had formed there. “Donnie, it seems to me you’ll be calling Mr. Stryker ‘daddy’ from now on.”
“Yipee! Yipee!” Donnie yelled, jumping from the couch and dancing wildly across the room. “I’m gonna go get my music player and we can all do the hokey-pokey!”
Jade slid off the sofa onto the floor and took Mac’s face in her hands. “Mac, I love you so much. But, you know, we still haven’t told Donnie you’re his father.”
Mac pulled her close and kissed her, then pulled away looking deep into her eyes. “He seems pretty happy right now. There’s plenty of time to tell the boy where his chromosomes came from.” Then Mac playfully pulled her into a reclining position on the floor and straddled her. “I’m thinking after Donnie goes to bed, we’ll be doin’ the hokey-pokey - hanky-panky style.”
Six months later…
Towering pines shaded the tropical rock garden at the Police Academy. A hill of rocks, ferns, waterfalls and ponds made a dramatic backdrop for the arched wooden trellis adorned with tulle and every color rose imaginable.
About twenty people sat in folding chairs facing the decorated canopy, fanning themselves in the fading July sunset.
Captain Kincaid came up to Jade and shook her hand. “I’ve got good news,” he said smiling. “The internal investigation is closed and the Chief of Police has cleared you and Mac of any misconduct whatsoever.”
A look of astonishment filled Jade’s face. “How could he possibly do that?”
The captain beamed with pride. “I pointed out to the Chief you really weren’t violating Department policy by seeing Mac in your off hours. The two of you share a son; it’s only natural you’d interact off-duty.”
A soothing melody from a harp began. “I think that’s your cue,” the captain said with a wink as he began to saunter away.
“Captain, wait!” Jade hurried to her boss. “I’ve never told a soul about what I saw in San Francisco,” she whispered, “and you have my word I never will.”
“Thank you, Jade. Now go get married – and that’s an order.”
“Yes, sir!”
Donnie and Mac, in matching tuxedos, marched to the altar where a minister stood patiently.
The music changed to the bridal march and Jade, her arm linked in her father’s, moved in beat with the music down the white runner.
Mac leaned down and whispered in Donnie’s ear. “Have you ever seen anyone so beautiful before?”
“Yes, Daddy,” Donnie said proudly, “my Mama always looks that way when she’s with you.”
Jade moved smoothly down the aisle, her simple, strapless, satin gown accentuating her multi-colored bouquet of a dozen perfect roses.
# # #
A little about Kathy Bennett:
I worked for the Los Angeles Police Department for over twenty-nine years. My career with the LAPD began as a civilian employee, but in 1990, I became a sworn police officer.
Most of my career was spent working patrol in a black and white police car. Prior to retirement, I was assigned as a Senior Lead Officer, with approximately five square miles in the San Fernando Valley my responsibility regarding crime and quality of life issues.
I also served as a Firearms Instructor at the LAPD Police Academy, a crime analyst in the ‘War Room’, a Field Training Officer, and worked undercover in various assignments. In 1997, I was honored to be named Officer of the Year.
I’m married to a Los Angeles Police Officer, and we have one daughter and one granddaughter along with an assortment of dogs and cats. I’m currently revising my next book and hope to have it available soon. I love to chat with readers, so connect with me online at:
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KathyBennett
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