Lottery (44 page)

It had taken months before Ling received Caleb’s death certificate. Usually it took seven years for someone to be declared legally dead if a body wasn’t found, but the men from the Coast Guard who’d rescued Ling had offered evidence that there was no way Caleb O’Toole could have survived the hurricane, especially since he’d shot himself.

It had been difficult to try and explain to Ahna that her daddy was never coming home, but that he’d always be watching over her. The two-year-old had started to act out with tantrums, and Ling knew it was because Caleb was gone. She’d give anything to take away her daughter’s pain, but all she could do was try and comfort her.

Ling would never tell Ahna or Sammy about what had really happened. She would tell them the good memories, and remind her children how much their father had loved them.

“Ready?” Ling asked Mei, who stood at the front door holding Sammy in her arms, and holding Ahna’s hand with the other.

“Ready.” Mei smiled.

“I’ll meet you at the car.” Ling watched her mother walk down the sidewalk, and then take a look back at the carriage house.

The house had sold and the new owners would be moving in next week. Ling, Mei, and the kids were moving into the apartment Ling and Jenee had found in Chinatown.

Ling strolled to the wall of cathedral windows. Gazing out over the bay and the lush greenery, she noticed the tulips her mother had planted were just starting to come up. Ling thought about the first day Caleb had brought her to this house, how he’d picked her up and carried her over the threshold—the trip to China when they’d found Ahna—the day Sammy was born.

She walked to the stairway and stopped. Putting her hand over the banister, she stared up to the second floor. There was no reason to revisit the memories of the night Caleb held her and Jenee at gunpoint, and then had taken Ling hostage. It was time to move on.

Detective Alvaraz had mentioned that she’d done an investigation on the murders that Caleb might have been involved with, but found no evidence to substantiate the claim. The detective had told Ling that she’d thought the murders might have had to do with the lottery ticket, but when she’d checked the video at the market where the winning ticket had been sold Caleb had been the one who’d purchased it.

After Ling closed the front door, she stepped out on the porch and glanced at the carriage house. She thought about her
father. He’d loved the camera that Caleb had given him for his birthday. Sam had had a good life, in spite of the fact he’d been taken too early. He was a proud man who’d built a business and had supported his family without help from anyone. After seeing his face when she was drowning, Ling knew he was still watching over her.

She walked down the steps to the sidewalk. “Mommy.” she heard. She looked toward the car and saw Ahna waving. Ling waved back.

Caleb had given her two of the most precious gifts she would ever have—Ahna and Sammy. If only because of them, Ling would be forever grateful to him. The police had told her that the amount of money taken out of Caleb’s account would probably never be found. What he’d left behind, however, would be enough to support them and allow Ling to continue the adoption agency.

“Everyone all buckled in?” Ling asked Mei when she slid into the driver’s seat.

Mei nodded and smiled.

Mei and Jenee had been Ling’s cornerstones when Ling had gone through the dark times. Ling would always love the Caleb she’d fallen in love with, but the many nights she dreamt about what had happened on the boat would always haunt her.

Ling turned around and looked at Ahna’s sweet face. “Ready to go to our new home?”

aleb leaned back in the lounge chair, feeling the warm sun on his face, chest, and legs. Mexico was everything he’d dreamed it would be and more. The women were sultry and, once they saw his yacht, they were all over him. The weather was glorious, and the company interesting. He had all the sex, money, and control he’d ever wanted.

It had been a little over three years since he’d taken Ling at gunpoint to the boat. Three long years, and still, he continued to grieve her. She’d betrayed him. Weber had finally knocked some sense into him.

“Hey, Jack.” Caleb opened his eyes when he heard someone calling him. “Catch a beer later?”

“Your ship or mine?” Caleb flashed a smile at the man on the boat next to his.

The man shrugged his shoulders. “Doesn’t matter to me.”

“Why don’t we start on my boat with a few drinks and then go down to Ace’s Oasis for clams later?”

“Sounds good.” The handsome man in his thirties held up his hand as a wave, and stepped off his ship.

Caleb pushed the Ray-Ban sunglasses back up on his nose, and watched the guy walk down the dock. God, he hated
trust-funders. They were all alike; pretty boys with pretty parents who owned pretty homes and fancy yachts. Boring. But like Weber, most of them knew a lot of rich people. Why the hell shouldn’t Caleb have a little fun? After all, he deserved it.

The night Ling jumped off the yacht, Caleb had watched the Coast Guard’s boat disappear and, a couple of hours later, the storm had calmed. When he spotted another yacht not far away, he’d cut the fleshy part of his leg, letting his blood pool on the deck. After he tossed the knife overboard, he shot off the gun and placed it near the blood. When he saw the yacht heading his way, he’d put on a life jacket and jumped overboard.

The Coast Guard would tell Ling that, given the hurricane, finding Caleb’s body would be impossible.

He’d introduced himself as Jack Weber to the couple who’d brought him onboard, telling them that his yacht had been damaged, and that it was only a matter of time before it would capsize.

After they docked in LA, Caleb had thanked the couple for saving his life. He’d also told them he’d stay in touch. He knew, however, he never would.

Before he’d officially taken over Jack Weber’s name, he’d had a fake ID and passport made with Weber’s name on it and Caleb’s picture. There were plenty of cons who could make an ID look legit and didn’t give a shit if it was illegal as long as they got paid. Hell, he didn’t need a social security card. He would never have to work again. He’d transferred enough money into the offshore account that would sustain his lifestyle for his lifetime and beyond.

Caleb stood, stretched, and looked around at the endless sky and ocean. Puerto Valero was home for now. No one asked questions in Mexico. All everyone at the marina wanted to do was party, which was what Caleb did best.

Strolling to the stairs, he walked down into the stateroom. He poured two fingers of scotch into a glass. The boat was similar to the one he’d owned in San Francisco, so there was plenty of room for Caleb and an occasional one-night stand.

He picked up the glass, walked into the bedroom, switched on the light and went into the bathroom. After he set the glass on the counter, he took off his glasses, and leaned into the mirror. Ling would be surprised at how he looked; the hair sun-bleached, the bulging muscles, and the six-pack he had from working out every day in the gym. Life was good.

Turning to the side, he admired the two small tattoos on his right shoulder. Two tiny hearts—one with the letter “A” inside of it, and another with the letter “S.”

God, Ahna and Sammy were what? He looked up. Five and three now?

“She took them from you,” Weber said.

“Hey, buddy.” Caleb smiled, seeing Weber’s reflection behind him in the mirror. “I rarely hear from you anymore.”

“That’s because we’re grown so close.”

Caleb turned around, facing him. “True. Like you told me, we’ve always been one and the same.”

Weber cocked his head to the side. “And you didn’t believe me.”

Caleb opened the shower door, reached in, and turned on the spigot.

“So … you’re thinking about going back?” Weber asked.

“To San Francisco?” Caleb pulled his swimsuit down and stepped inside the shower. “That’s always been the plan.”

“Good,” Weber said.

“I’m not finished with Ling Jameson O’Toole.” Caleb picked up the soap, and rubbed it between his hands, watching it lather. “Far from finished.”

huge thank you to Katie French; author of
The Breeders’
series, who has given considerable time and incredible talent to every book I have written.

My sincere gratitude goes to
Lottery’
s beta readers Lisa Hawkins and Renee Acard for being the fresh pairs of eyes and beta readers for
Lottery
before it was published.

The encouragement from the Hush “street” team is what keeps me writing. You are all the “wind beneath my wings.” Thank you Deb Fountaine, Rhoni Jacobs, Denice Gienapp, Joni Collins, Susan Dudley, Maureen Flaherty, Jenee Rager,author Jerilyn DuFresne, Madalena Perez Long, Peg Lewis, and Georgette Lopez.

To my sons, Andy, Anthony, and Adam Damrow; thank you for putting up, and supporting a mom, whose dream was to become an author.