In the Shadow of the Shield (Secret Lives Series Book 2) (12 page)

“Not all reputations are based in fact. People say Jason is an end-of-the-world-obsessed freak, but that doesn’t make it true, now does it?”

“Harsh, Di.”

She sighed. “I know. I’m just already so conflicted about everything. You know I loved Donnie, every second of every day, but I sort of like the way Carter makes me feel. Okay, I like it a lot. It’s like I have woken up from some deep sleep. If he is such a bad guy, why didn’t you say anything the other night when I told you all about him? Y’all gushed about how hot he is, but no one said anything about his habits.”

“I didn’t know. Jason just mentioned it last night. I guess Carter put himself out of service for a half an hour or so, and one of the guys saw his cruiser parked at your house.”

“He stopped in to see if I was better from the car accident. Remember how I almost died earlier this week?”

“You’ve gotten a little dramatic in your old age, haven’t you?”

“They are making tuna cans out of what’s left of my car as we speak, and you think I am dramatic. Geez, I thought you were my friend.”

Cyndi exhaled deeply. “I am your friend, Di. And, as your friend, I can’t stand to watch your heart break again.”

“I’d say you’re putting the cart before the horse, Cyn. There is nothing going on between us at the moment. Carter is a nice guy, who liked and respected Donnie.”

“I’m sorry, Diana. I didn’t mean to upset you. I just thought you would want to know what the guys are saying.”

“I appreciate you having my best interests at heart, but I am fine. Really, I am.” What she really wanted to do was tell Cyndi why she and Carter were spending time together, but she didn’t want word to get around that Carter suspected one of his police brothers of being dirty.

“Okay. If you say so, then I will believe you. I don’t suppose you feel like having lunch together today?”

“Not today. I’ve got plans—with Jackson.” She hated lying, but it seemed the right thing to do, given the conversation they had just had.

“Jackson? Right.” Cyndi
so
didn’t believe her. “Well, if you need anything, you know where to find me.”

“I know, Cyndi. Thank you. You’re a good friend.”

“Take care of yourself, Di.”

Cyndi disconnected the call, and Diana dropped her phone back into her pocket. It was already twelve thirty, and there had been no word from Carter.

“Stop sitting around and waiting for him to call. Go do something.” Something that would help them figure out what had really happened to Donnie. She grabbed her jacket and her car keys, and headed out the door.

Twenty minutes later, she sat in Donnie’s old, beat-up car that he used to take undercover, and looked at the abandoned, boarded up house where her husband had made his last call as a Virginia Beach police officer. When she had gone there with Carter, she hadn’t had the time to really look at the place, to absorb the enormity of what had happened to her husband within those very walls. She pictured him, all business with his gun drawn and his game face on, running into that house to rescue the young and the weak, without any consideration for his own personal safety. That was how Donnie was. He believed his calling was to be the voice for those who had none, and if he thought someone was in trouble, he wouldn’t think twice about doing what needed to be done. She always knew that would be his downfall, and she had been right.

Now she sat in front of the place where it had all come to a head, and she had no idea what she was doing there. Aside from the boarded up windows and the ‘
No Trespassing’
signs, the house looked like a nice place for a family to live—the kind of place she and Donnie might have raised their family in. She caught sight of Lookie Louie strolling down the sidewalk, chewing on a long piece of hay grass and whistling. At least he was doing his job and hanging around. He must want that pizza pretty bad.

Pulling away from the curb, she headed back home. Carter’s truck was parked out front by the curb when she got there.

“Hey, I tried to call, and when you didn’t answer I got worried, so I drove over.” He greeted her as she climbed out of the old car. “Where’d you get this heap?”

“Donnie kept it in the garage. Used it for undercover drug stings.”

“Nice.” Carter nodded approval as he circled the vehicle. “I need to get me something like this when I make detective.”

“Do you want to be a detective?” She rubbed her hands against the chilly air and started up the walk toward the house.

“I’ve always loved patrol, but lately I have gotten a real nose for investigation. Thinking of putting in a promotion request.”

She put the key in the lock and opened the door. “Well, if things go well, talk to me. I have an old junker I’d be willing to sell cheap.”

They entered the house, and Diana immediately locked the door and set the alarm. She pulled her phone from her pocket and glanced at the screen. “Oops, missed call from Carter Ryan. Sorry ‘bout that.” She hung up her jacket and headed to the kitchen for her usual in-from-the-cold cup of tea. “I’m having tea, do you want some?”

He grinned. “As long as you’re the one making it, I will drink tea all day long.”

She swatted at him. “You’re so corny.”

“I know. I had a good night’s sleep.”

“I’m glad one of us did.” She set the tea pot on the stove to heat, pulled out two cups, and dropped a tea bag in each one before sitting on a stool next to Carter. He reached up and touched her cheek with his palm.

“You didn’t sleep well last night?”

She shook her head. “Too many nightmares. Happens every so often since Donnie’s been gone.”

“I’m sorry. If I weren’t working last night, I would have stayed on the sofa if you wanted me to.”

If—no, when—you stay over, Carter Ryan, you will not be sleeping on the sofa!

She remembered Cyndi’s call earlier in the day. “That reminds me—have you been talking about me or us at work?”

“I don’t talk to anyone about my personal life. Why?”

“I heard that the guys are having a field day discussing how much time we spend together.”

“The guys talk about everything, even things they know nothing about. Who told you this?”

“A friend called this morning to give me a heads up. She said someone saw your police car in my driveway last night.” The tea kettle whistled, so she got up and poured the water.

“Yeah. I know. I told him to let it lie. I am sorry you had to get that call if it upset you, but I am not embarrassed for people to know I like spending time with you.”

She couldn’t help but smile at that. “I’m not either. I know you wanted to keep our little nosing around a secret for now.”

“Maybe the best way to keep it secret is to let them assume something else. In fact, let’s make them wonder. How about dinner and a movie tonight?”

“Like a date?”

“Yes, like a date.” She liked the way his cheeks turned pink when he was embarrassed. It made him look a little vulnerable, but in a good way. The kind of way that gave her hope for a future. She was about to say yes when she remembered the day. She worked on Saturday nights.

“I would absolutely love to, Carter, but I can’t tonight.”

Disappointment replaced the hope in his eyes. “Okay.”

She hated to do it, but if there was any hope for them to explore whatever was going on between them, Carter needed to know the truth now about her Saturday nights. She couldn’t keep that secret again.

“I can’t because I have to work tonight.”

He looked confused. “I didn’t realize you had a job.”

“I have had it for many years. I only work on Saturday nights.”

“Well, can you call out just this once? I really wanted to take you out, and I don’t have another day off until next week. I’m covering a shift tomorrow.”

“I can’t exactly call out.”

“Why not? Everyone does it.”

This was dragging out way too long. She needed to say what needed saying and face the consequences. “Carter, I can’t call out because I don’t actually go in to work. I work from home as a 900 operator.”

Chapter Eleven

“
Phone sex
? You’ve got to be kidding me!” Carter jumped up off the stool and started pacing the kitchen. “There’s no way. I can’t believe for a second that Massey was okay with his perfect wife getting horny men off on the telephone!”

“Actually, he didn’t know.” This was going about as well as she had expected.

“He didn’t know?”

She shook her head. “Not until the end, anyway. He walked in on me finishing up my shift the night he di—his last night alive.”

“How long, Diana? How long have you been a sex worker?”

“Oh, come on, Carter. I would hardly call me a sex worker. It’s not like I’m a prostitute.”

“Let’s see—people pay you for sex. Sounds like a prostitute to me.” The pink in his cheeks, which had been sweet a moment earlier, had morphed into an angry red. “You were married to a cop! How did you live with yourself?”

“Whoa! Hold on there, buddy. I don’t do anything illegal, and I am not doing anything wrong. I simply make a bunch of money for telling guys what they want to hear. No different from regular life, except these guys appreciate it enough that they are willing to pay me to hear it.”

She was starting to get angry at Carter’s judgment of her, but she took a deep breath, reminding herself that he had a little baggage on the topic.

Carter caught sight of the burn phone he had left behind the night before and snatched it up. “You know what? This was a mistake. I can’t play this game of yours. If I find anything out about Donnie, I’ll let you know; otherwise, I’m out of here. Have a nice life Diana.”

She didn’t follow him as he stomped his way to the door. When he set the alarm off, she punched in the code on the kitchen keypad as he slammed the door shut behind him.

“Well, that didn’t go so great.”

“Hey, Mom, you home?” Jackson called. “Why was Mr. Cop Man—I mean, Officer Ryan—so pissed?”

“In here, Jackson,” she called from the kitchen.

“Hi, Mom.” He kissed her on the cheek and headed to the refrigerator. “What happened with what’s his name?”

“Oh, nothing. He just didn’t like something I had to say. He’ll get over it.”
Maybe
.

“Well, I hope it doesn’t take him long. He seems like a nice guy.”

“Aren’t you singing a different tune today?”

“I know. I’m sorry about the other day. I had a little time to think, and I was wrong. Everyone deserves to be happy, even you.” He grinned and ducked as she swatted him with the dish towel.

“Someone had a good night.”

“I did. I met someone at the game last night.”

“Did she talk some sense into you? I like her already.”

“
Mom
!”

“I’m glad you had a good night, honey. Any plans for today?”

“I might have a date tonight with the girl I met.”

“That’s wonderful. Does this date have a name?”

“Amanda. She’s smart and funny.”

“And cute? I’m sure she’s cute.”

“I’m not discussing girls with you, Mom.” Jackson started stacking cold cuts on bread. “I’m hungry.”

“This is news to me?”

“Ha ha.” He picked up a sandwich in one hand and started eating it while constructing a second one with his free hand.

“I’m going to go upstairs and take a quick nap. I didn’t sleep too well last night. Let me know when you are leaving if I am not up yet, okay?”

“Sure thing, Mom.”

“I love you, son.”

“Love you too.”

***

Four hours later, Diana woke up from her “quick” nap. In the kitchen, she found a note from Jackson.

Dear Mom,

I tried to wake you, but you must have been delirious with sleep since you called me Carter. I will be home by two. Have a good night.

Jackson

Oh, crap. She called Jackson
Carter
. She didn’t remember dreaming, but she was so tired, who knew?

It was after six. She had nearly three hours to fill before work, so she fixed a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich and retired to the living room to watch television for a while.

Her office phone rang promptly at nine.

“Misty Dawn. What’s your pleasure, baby?”

“Misty Dawn? Is it really you?”

“Leo?”

“It
is
you! Where you been, Misty Dawn?”

“Aww…Leo, I missed you too.” Funny, she really did. “How did you find out I was back?”

“An ad on the website. All I had to do was call in and see if it was really you, and not some imposter.”

She laughed. “No imposter here, Leo. You up for the usual?”

“Nah. I discovered I like those pictures online a whole lot. I was just checking to see if it is really you.”

“So, I’ve been replaced by the World Wide Web, huh?”

“I thought I was on my own, Misty. You know there was no one but you since my wife passed on.”

Poor Leo still thought they had a relationship. She considered telling him the truth, but decided against it. The man was lonely, something she really understood. What would it hurt for him to believe he and Misty Dawn had been in a relationship? Not a single thing.

“I know, Leo. I’ve missed you, but you sound happy. Take good care of yourself, okay?”

“Sure thing Misty Dawn. And I’m sorry about whatever happened to make you stay away for so long.”

“What makes you think something happened?”

“You never would have left without telling me unless something bad had happened.”

Truer words had never been spoken. Leo was a wise man.

“I’m sorry, and yes, something terrible did happen. But I am feeling much better about it now.”

“Well, I’m gonna sign off here in a minute, Misty Dawn, but I might check in on you from time to time, if you’re okay with that.”

“I’m definitely okay with it. Thank you, Leo.”

“Goodbye, Misty Dawn.”

“Goodbye, Leo.”

After Leo hung up, she sat and stared at the phone in her hand. Saying goodbye to him was a bit like saying goodbye to that part of her life. A new beginning. If only Carter hadn’t run out on her like that, maybe he could have been part of the next chapter of her life.

The rest of her shift was uneventful, and at five minutes to one she was about to sign off, when the phone rang again. She had nothing to do the rest of the night, so she grabbed the receiver.

“Helllooo…this is Misty Dawn speaking. What’s your pleasure, sugar?”

“Stop poking around. You aren’t going to find anything.” The voice was barely a whisper, but the threat came through loud and clear.

“Why, sugar, I have no idea what you’re talkin’ about,” she replied in her Misty Dawn southern drawl.

“Oh, but you do. You think your husband’s death was more than an accident. Let it drop.
Now.
”

“Who is this?” she demanded, dropping character completely.

“A concerned citizen. Let’s just say I don’t want to see you or your boy get hurt. He looks an awful lot like his daddy.”

“You leave him alone! He has nothing to do with any of this!”

“Sure he does. His momma’s a snoop. She stops sticking her nose in where it don’t belong, and little boy Massey won’t ever even know I exist.”

Her blood was pounding in her ears so loudly she almost couldn’t hear the caller. She wanted to hang up the phone, but she wanted to keep him talking too. All of the calls to the line were recorded as a safety precaution. The more he said, the more that got recorded.

“Tell me what you want to leave him alone.”

“It’s simple. Massey’s death was an accident. Leave it at that, and there won’t be any more accidents. You’re stubborn. I thought the car wreck would be enough, but no.”

“You tried to kill me!”

“Not me, babe.”

“Then who?”

“Just wise up and stay out of it.” The line went dead.

She immediately dialed her boss, and he picked up on the first ring. “Rick, it’s Misty.”

“Hey, girly, what’s happenin’?”

“Can you check my last call and give me the number?”

“Now, you know I can’t do that. Privacy and all that jazz.”

“Rick, it wasn’t work related. Someone called and threatened me and my son. I need to tell the police.”

“If you call the cops and they ask for it, I will give them the recording of the call, but I can’t give it to you, babe. You know that.”

“Damn it, Rick!”

“Look, I can tell you one thing.”

“What?”

“The number was blocked. It’s not showing any information.”

She groaned. Of course it was blocked. Whoever contacted her was smart—smart enough to cover his tracks. “Okay, thanks, Rick. Hold on to that recording please. I’m definitely going to call the cops on this.”

“You got it, Misty Dawn. Sorry I couldn’t help more.”

“‘Bye, Rick.” She hung up the phone and dug her cell phone out of her pants pocket. She wasn’t exactly going to call the cops, like she said. It could very well be the cops who called her. There was only one person she could trust. Carter had been pretty pissed when he left though. Hopefully he would still read a message from her.

Diana: I just got a call on my work line. They threatened Jackson.

She set the phone down on her desk and waited. Ten minutes later, a message came in.

Carter: On my way over.
Don’t shoot me when I knock.

Was he joking? Maybe he was over being mad? Hopefully. They definitely had some things to discuss at a later date, but at least he was willing to put things aside when she needed him. She got up and left the office to wait in the living room. For safety’s sake, she grabbed the gun out of the jar on her way by, and sat with it in her lap while she waited for Carter.

Twenty minutes later, there was a knock on the front door. She tiptoed to the door, gun in hand. “Carter?”

“Yes. Let me in, it’s really cold out here.”

He didn’t sound angry anymore, but he didn’t exactly sound all warm and fuzzy either. Diana disconnected the alarm and pulled the door open with her free hand.

“I told you not to shoot me,” Carter said as he stepped inside. She secured the door and reset the alarm.

“It’s not you I intended to shoot.” She led the way into the living room and sat back down in the corner of the sofa, where she had been waiting for him. Carter took his jacket off and slung it over the back of an easy chair. Donnie’s favorite place to watch a game was in that chair. Carter perched on the armrest. Diana wished he would sit by her instead, but kept those thoughts to herself.

“So? Tell me what happened.” Direct and to the point. Icy cold. She didn’t care for the cop side of Carter Ryan so much.

“It was the end of my shift. I was about to sign off for the night, when the phone rang. I answered it. Some guy was whispering on the other end that I needed to stop snooping around, or it would be bad for Jackson.”

“What did you say?”

“I asked who it was. He refused to answer—just told me again to back off and that I’d be better off accepting Donnie’s death as an accident.”

“Well, that sure reinforces what we already suspected—it was
not
an accident.”

“The call was blocked, so we can’t get the name or number, but Rick has a recording if you want it. He wouldn’t give it to me because of privacy laws and stuff.”

“Hmpf! He thinks privacy laws apply to porn phone lines?
Please
. If you’re gonna talk the talk, then you better be able to walk the walk.”

“I think you have that backwards.”

“I don’t.” His hard expression and arms folded across his chest told her not to press the issue.

“Why are you so angry?”

“Who says I’m angry?”

“Look at you.” She motioned at him with her arms. “Hiding your emotions is not a talent of yours.”

“I’m not hiding anything. I’m an open freakin’ book.”

“Seriously? You went stomping out of here earlier today, over something that really has absolutely nothing to do with you, and then you come running over here with a huge chip on your shoulder. I don’t get it.”

“You’re the one who called me.”

“I can see that was a mistake. I thought you would want to know about the call. Maybe I should have just dialed 9-1-1. Get a cop over here that gives a damn.”