The Straight Crimes (36 page)

Nik was horrified. “Look what I’ve done!”

Harper pulled him away from her. “Are you all right?”

“We’ve gotta get help or she’ll bleed to death. Go get the police.” Nik pointed back to the house.

“I’m not leavin’ you here with her.”

Traci started coughing up blood, swaying back and forth on the sand.

Life began draining from her body. As she lay in the frozen wetness, all she could focus on was the murmur of Harper’s voice, speaking to Nik. The weight of each word reminded Traci of her contemptuous agenda. That’s when she decided she needed to finish what she started, before it was too late.

Although her vision was blurred, Traci squinted into the falling snow and made out Harper’s silhouette. She was within close range.

While Nik had his back turned, Traci awkwardly propped herself to her side, rustling for her gun until it was back in hand.

“You’re comin’ with me,” Harper insisted.

“What if she tries to leave?” Nik asked.

“She ain’t goin’ anywhere. Besides, I don’t wanna leave you here in case she does somethin’ else.” Harper took a few steps ahead of Nik and motioned for him to follow. “C’mon!”

Nik reluctantly began following Harper. “We’ve gotta hurry.” Before taking another step, he decided to look over his shoulder one last time at Traci, just in case...

Nik’s mouth dropped, seeing Traci partially propped up and pointing her weapon.

Realizing Traci’s intentions, Nik raced in front of Harper. “Babe, get down!” he shouted.

Traci's trembling hand squeezed the handle. With her last ounce of strength, she lined up her shot and fired.

The deafening boom barely made a sound through the whistling storm. In those brief seconds, time seemed to move at a glacial pace.

Just before Traci pulled the trigger, Nik fearlessly lunged in front of Harper and pushed her down to safety. His tall body shielded her from the steel bullet that tore directly through his chest and knocked him backwards into a snow bank.

Traci’s blank stare exemplified her shock at the misfire. It was all she had left, wasted on the wrong person. She had expelled the last of her energy and powerlessly collapsed.

Nik looked up into the dark sky, watching the snowflakes fall towards his body. All he could hear were the violent waves and his heartbeat slowly fading.

"Nik!" Harper screamed in horror, hurrying to his side. The second she saw blood draining from his chest, she started bawling.

He looked at her in shock, blinking his eyes and trying to focus on the breathtaking image of her beautiful face.

“Oh my God—Nik, can you hear me?”

Barely able to speak, he muttered, "You’re…okay.”

“That bitch shot you! You're bleedin’ everywhere!” Harper couldn’t think. She was in an intense state of shock. Unsure what else to do, she quickly pressed her hands against his chest and applied pressure to the bullet hole. “You need help. I’ve gotta get Detective Harris.”

Nik grumbled and fought for his words.

That’s when the reality of what had really happened set in. He was not the intended target of Traci’s bullet—Harper was.

Nik mumbled, “She…she didn’t get…you.”

“You saved my life. Traci was tryin’ to kill me, but you saved me.”

Nik forced a smirk through the pain. “I guess I…ruined her plans.”

Harper pressed her hand against his cheek. The devastation overwhelmed her. “This shouldn’t be you. It should be me. Why’d you do this?”

“I promised,” he stuttered. “I’d never…let you down…again.” He swallowed hard and groaned.

Harper was speechless, too moved and wracked with guilt over his unselfish act. It was the most important thing anyone had ever done—and it infuriated her.

Despite the storm, she pulled the jacket from her body and wrapped it around Nik's chest.

“Put…it…back on,” he argued.

"No, you need it."

"You’ll…freeze…out…here.”

“Don’t argue with me,” she said. “I’m gonna take care of you.”

Nik’s head slowly rolled to the side and he closed his eyes.

"No, don't do that. Stay with me, babe. C’mon, Nik, I need to go get help, but I ain’t leavin’ ‘less I know you’re gonna fight.”

Despite her efforts, Nik wouldn’t respond.

“Open ‘em up, Nik, c’mon, please.” She brushed the tears from her eyes. “Damn it, open your eyes!”

He didn’t move.

Harper bawled helplessly as she rattled his face. “C’mon, open, open! Look at me,” she begged. “I need you.”

Nik’s eyelids gradually shuttered.

“You almost got it. That’s it, keep tryin’.”

He opened them again. "I’m…trying, but,” he struggled. “I don’t think...I’ll…make it.”

"No. You don’t know that. You’re wrong. This ain’t where it ends, Nik. C’mon, you’ve gotta fight.”

“I can’t…babe”

“You ain’t dyin’, Nik, so please stop talkin’ like you are.”

Harper heard the cry of an ambulance growing closer. As she squinted into the darkness, she saw the flashing lights pull into Traci's driveway.

An incredulous look of hope fell over her face. "Do you hear that, Nik? It's gonna be okay.” Harper pushed her hair back and fought through her tears. “I’m gonna go tell them where you are so we can save you. Just don’t let go. Do you hear me?”

"No…stay.” Nik latched onto Harper’s arm and struggled to form his thoughts. “They won’t…make it…in time.”

"I told you knock that off.” Tears washed down her cold face.

"Please, Harper, I don't…wanna…die alone."

"Don’t,” she pleaded.

Nik's eyes began to close.

"No!” she screamed. “I need you, Nik. You promised you’d never leave me. Damn it, you promised and I’m holdin’ you to that.”

Nik swallowed hard, fighting to open his eyes again. Everything began to fade as he focused on Harper’s sadness. He squeezed her hand twice and then slowly released his grip. Then he whispered, “You…made me…brave…enough…to know that…I can face anything…”

“Nik, don’t do this—”

“That’s…the greatest…” he coughed, “greatest thing…anyone’s ever…done…for me.”

“It ain’t over, Nik. I need you. Please,” she sobbed. “I love you.”

“Those…are…my favorite…words. I…love you, Harper…”

Everything grew quiet in the stillness of that brief instance.

Nik shut his gentle eyes, and his face grew expressionless.

“No!” Harper placed her hands on his broad shoulders. She covered his pale lips with hers, desperately fighting to breathe life into his body.

Harper pounded her fists against his chest to resuscitate him. Despite her fervent effort, he was unresponsive.

“Don’t leave me…” Her distraught body went limp, collapsing and uncontrollably crying and screaming onto his chest. “I can’t lose you! You’re all I have left in this shitty world! Please, stay with me!” Harper propped Nik’s head onto her lap and held him close to keep him warm. Growing hysterical, she looked towards Traci’s mansion and shouted at the top of her lungs, “Help! Please, for the love of God, someone, help us!”

It took almost twenty minutes for Detective Harris and her backup to reach the heart wrenching scene.

Paramedics rushed to both Traci and Nik.

Tonya placed her arms around Harper. She tried moving her so they could place Nik on the stretcher, but she wouldn’t budge.

Harper was totally inconsolable.

No matter who tried restraining her, Harper wouldn’t leave his side. In her mind, it wasn’t over.

It took two men to pry her off. She screamed and cried for Nik, reaching out as they lifted him into the back of the ambulance.

Tonya took Harper maternally into her arms and held her with all her strength. Then she wrapped her jacket around Harper’s trembling body while running her hands through her damp hair.

Staring at the devastation and bloodshed, the detective knew she failed. It was the worst feeling in the world.

Harper couldn’t bear watching them drive away. Instead, she buried her face into Tonya’s comforting shoulder, screaming and crying at the top of her lungs. It was all so senseless.

She had spent her life pining for comfort and stability, but mostly love. Those were all the things she’d found in Nik. Harper couldn’t comprehend that in a single instance, in one violent act of haste, she lost her true love.

Harper could not face the truth…she couldn’t accept that Nik was dead.

THIRTY-ONE

F
or Harper, the silence was maddening. Each tick of the clock was an agonizing reminder of her desolation. It was as if time was weightless, empty in its unbound injustice since Nik died.

She was reclusive in the days following the murder. Reality was far too grim for Harper to face anyone. With the curtains drawn in Nik’s bedroom, minutes spun into hours, hours into days. The nights were long, and her pillowcase remained soaked in tears. The hollows of her stomach ached, and her broken heart was shattered into thousands of irreparable pieces.

The vast emptiness burned so deeply within her soul that the hurt wouldn’t subside.

As painstaking as the time following Nik’s death was, Harper hadn’t fully grasped the magnitude of her sorrow until the afternoon of his funeral.

All the details of the horrific events, leading to the fateful night of his murder, had been splashed over the front page of the Silver Shores Chronicle. By the time of the visitation, everyone in town knew the startling truth about Traci Galva and Gage Black’s gruesome acts. More importantly, they were made privy to the personal hell that Harper and Nik had endured.

One by one, the darkly clothed residents crowded the church for Nik’s visitation. Each grieving citizen stood shoulder to shoulder to pay their deepest respects. The outpour of emotion was overwhelming and unexpected.

Throughout the visitation, Harper tried keeping to herself, but no one would allow it. One by one, she received hugs, condolences, and acceptance. Their kindness provided brief solace.

Never had Harper imagined such a response from people she thought would never support them. It genuinely touched her. How terribly she had misjudged them.

Still—even surrounded by a room full of people, she had never felt more alone.

Harper sought refuge in an empty corner, mindlessly staring into the bright sun as it burned through the stained glass windows. She ran her shaking hand over the thumb ring she gave to Nik on his birthday, remembering how happy it’d made him.

The unbearable pain would not subside, so she nervously bit her nails to keep from breaking down. Somehow she was able to drown out the apologies and kind words, hearing only the unsteady beat of her broken heart.

“How are you holding up, kiddo?” a familiar voice asked.

Harper lifted her sad face and saw Tonya, standing with the support of crutches tucked under her defined arms. It was the first time she’d ever seen the detective out of uniform. She wore a black knee-length dress that exposed her legs, one wrapped with a full cast.

“Detective Harris,” Harper whispered. She leapt from her seat and carefully hugged her. Thinking about everything the brave woman had done for them instantly prompted tears.

“Oh Harper,” she patted her back. “I’m so sorry.”

It was comforting to be near someone that understood her sorrow, someone to provide the reprieve she needed. “I’m real glad you came.”

“I needed to. I’ve never felt this affected by someone I’ve worked with, but Nik was such an incredible young man. I owe it to him to be here.”

“I know he would’ve appreciated it.”

Tonya forced a smile. “To be entirely honest, there’s another reason I came. I feel guilty.” She pulled away and stared directly at Harper. “All of this is my fault.”

“No it ain’t,” Harper said.

“If I would have caught Traci and Gage, Nik would still be alive. If I would’ve just been faster, I could’ve saved him.”

“Not only did you stop Gage, you killed him. He won’t be able to hurt anyone ever again. You put your life on the line for us. I don’t even know how to begin thankin’ you for that.” Harper cleared her throat. “If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine. This all started ‘cause I let Traci into my life. If I hadn’t, Aunt Faye, Mama, Pops, Brielle, Kendall, and Nik would all still be here.”

“You can’t blame yourself—”

“Even that night, Traci wanted to kill me until Nik…” Harper held her breath, replaying that dreadful moment so miserably seared into her memory. “For whatever reason, he took that bullet and saved my life. I just can’t forgive myself for this. I should’ve died, not Nik.”

“Don’t say that. I know he loved you deeply. He wanted you to live, Harper. Nik was an incredibly brave man who knew exactly what he was doing, and you need to remember that. As for Traci, she was a mastermind manipulator, a psychopath. She would’ve killed anyone that stood in the way of getting what she wanted. The most important thing is that Traci and Gage are dead—and won’t be able to cause any more pain.”

It was something she’d thought about incessantly. However, rather than death,  Harper wanted them to feel the devastation that had become her existence, to know what it was like to lose everyone that mattered and face a life of solitude. In her eyes, death was hardly vindication for their heinous actions.

“In spite of everything, you’re looking better.” Tonya rubbed her back. “I know Traci had roughed you up pretty bad.”

“I see you were banged up, too. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m getting by. This isn’t the first time I’ve taken a hit. It sort of comes with the territory.”

“But Gage shot you. Your leg is in a cast. It’s all my fault—”

“No,” she shushed her. “Like I said, this is not my first hit. I’ll be all right.”

Harper sighed. “And Officer Brown, how’s he doin’?”

“Leland’s gonna be just fine. He’s still recovering. They’re guessing he’ll be released from the hospital in the next couple of weeks.”

“I’m so thankful he’s alive…that both of you are.”

Tonya nodded. “Leland asked me to send his condolences.”

“Please thank him for me.” Harper swallowed hard. “There ain’t a lot I can do at this point, but I hope y’all know how much I appreciate everything you’ve done. I’ll never forget it.” Harper pulled Tonya into her trembling embrace. “Thanks for carin’ so much. I don’t have a lot of people I can rely on anymore, but it makes me feel better knowin’ that you’re around and that you saved me.”

It wasn’t the reaction she was expecting, considering her personal guilt for failing to prevent Nik’s death. However, for Harper’s gratitude, Tonya was eternally thankful. It brought her some peace.

The normally stoic detective wiped her damp eyes and cleared her throat. “Take care of yourself, kiddo. If you need anything at all, let me know. You’ve got my number. Just remember, Leland and I will always have your back. You’ll never be alone.”

Harper bit her lip. “I appreciate that.”

Tonya patted Harper’s cheek and hobbled away on her crutches.

At that same moment, Daisy Holloway brushed past Tonya and approached Harper.

Out of everyone, Daisy was the last person Harper expected to see, considering the unwarranted malice she harbored.

“Hey, Harper.”

“Daisy, I can’t believe you’re here.”

“I wasn’t sure if my coming would upset you or not, but I wanted to pay my respects. I’m sorry about Nik. I read about what happened to you guys. He was very honorable.”

“Thank you. I didn’t get a chance to tell you sooner, but I’m sorry about Brielle. I know how much your aunt meant to you.”

Daisy looked around and pulled her cardigan over her shoulders. “Thanks. While we’re exchanging apologies, I owe you another one.”

“For what?”

She nervously played with the ends of her dark hair. “I don’t know how to say this, so I’m just gonna throw it out there. I was so mean to you and Nik.” Realizing she’d misspoken, she released a guilty breath. “Okay, I was a total bitch. I said a lot of hurtful things about you guys being together that I shouldn’t have said.”

“Yeah, you did,” Harper agreed.

“I’m truly sorry for the way I acted. From the moment you moved here, I was rude. When I saw you with Nik, my behavior was unforgivable. Deep down, I could tell you two made each other happy. To be honest, part of me was jealous. I’ve always felt alone.”

Harper turned her head in confusion. “But you’ve got all kinds of friends. Nik was all I had besides Mama and Auntie.”

“I didn’t realize until recently that I’ve been using the word
 
‘friend’ 
too loosely. After Aunt Brie was killed, nobody was there to console me, not even Mal. It made me open my eyes and realize how lonely I’ve been. No one’s ever really loved me, not like the way Nik loved you. You were lucky.”

“But you made us feel like we should be ashamed for feelin’ that way—that we were freaks just ‘cause we were straight.”

“All I can say is that I was wrong. I’m truly sorry for all the pain I caused.”

Harper released a ragged breath. “I’m sure Nik would’ve liked to hear that.”

“I just wish I would’ve done it while he was still alive.”

“Me too.”

“You know, Harper, people could learn a lot from the two of you, about bravery, about compassion, about tolerance…about love. I know I did. I’m just sorry for being too late.”

“Too late?”

“To realize how horrible I was to you both.”

“There’s no such thing as too late.”

Daisy frowned empathetically. “Unfortunately, I think we both know better than anyone else what a lie that is.”

She solemnly nodded.

Before turning away, Daisy put her arms around Harper and gave her a long embrace, solidifying her sincerity and her remorse.

Just as the last of the guests cleared the church, Harper folded her arms over her black, satin dress and wandered to the photo collages that Jett assembled. However, she hadn’t prepared herself to see the collection. Looking at the life in Nik’s striking face, throughout the snapshots, was like taking a dagger to the heart.

Of all the pictures, Harper lingered on one of Nik with both his father and dad. The three men were on their boat with arms locked around each other.

Nik had shown it to her once before, mentioning it was one of his favorites. It flooded her mind with all the moments and conversations they’d shared. Being inundated with those memories only magnified her sadness.

Just as she began turning away, a familiar picture stood out. Suddenly, her wide eyes gleamed under the light. She put her hand to her chest and leaned in closer to get a better look.

A smile crept across her face as she delicately ran her fingertips across its glossy finish. It was the photograph she and Nik took in front of the Ferris wheel on their first date. It was the 
only
 picture they’d ever taken together.

Tiny tears trickled down her cheek as she cherished its significance. Overcome with emotion, Harper struggled to catch her breath. It was an incredible surprise.

“Funny thing—I came across that one while I was looking through Nik’s things,” Jett said, standing behind Harper. “Look at my boy’s face. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him so happy. Honestly, that was probably the happiest he ever was.”

“You think so?”

“Definitely, I can tell.” Jett carefully pulled the picture from the memory board and held it out.

“I miss his smile.” Harper leaned in close to get a better look.

“You know, there’s something I’ve been meaning to say…you were right.”

“About what?” she asked.

“What you said that night in the kitchen, about how crappy I was to Nikolas and Patrick. You told me one day he’d be gone and I’d have nothing left, except my guilt. Your words have haunted me ever since, but not nearly as much until he died.” Jett pulled an ivory handkerchief from the pocket of his blazer and wiped his eyes. “Everything you said was true. I never had the chance to tell him that I really loved him or that I was a dumb ole’ fool for the way I acted. And now I’ll never get the chance. My boy’s gone.”

“When I said all those things, I had no idea something like this would ever happen. You can’t feel sorry for all that now ‘cause it ain’t gonna change any of it. You’ve just gotta remember him for who he was and be grateful that he touched your life. I know I am.”

“You brought life back into his eyes. It may have only been for a short time, but you did that much. That’s something I could never have done.” Jett looked down at the photograph and handed it to Harper. “Here, this belongs to you.”

“I can have it?”

“Of course you can. It’s yours. Nikolas would want you to keep it.”

Harper held it over her heart and closed her eyes. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

“I think I do.”

“Thank you.” Harper buckled into Jett’s embrace. For once, she was at a total loss of words. All she could do was weep.

He put his hand on the back of her head and held her with candor, knowing she was the only connection he had left to Nik.

“There’s something else I want you to have,” he said.

“What’s that?”

Jett pointed to the shiny urn. “I want my son to rest in peace. That’s why I’m giving Nik to you…to find his final resting place.”