Heart in Waiting Page 4

  “Go do you work,” Carter said. “I’ll be here to take you home when you’re ready.”

  “I can’t ask you to stay that long...” She really hated that he felt the need to hang around and protect her. She wished he’d leave too and let her work without worrying about him.

  “You didn’t,” he replied gruffly. “It’s my job, and you’re my sister. Don’t argue with me.”

  “Fine,” she reluctantly agreed. Then spun on her heels to leave him to do whatever it was he had planned while she finished rounds. It would prove to be a long day, and an even longer night when it was all said and done. She didn’t have the strength or energy to argue with him. There were more important things she would save it for... Like perhaps taking a second look at Dane. She may have judged him too harshly in regards to Halie... He wasn’t the boogie man in her imagination, and she should try trusting someone, so why not him?

  CHAPTER FOUR

  If Dane had to choose between roasting over a spit in hell, being prepared as a meal for a pack of hellhounds, or having dinner at Rachel Jackson’s house—he’d willing bind himself to the pyre and prepare to die a gruesome death. That’s how much he hated the Jackson family matriarch. He’d been to dinner less than a handful of times, and the woman always made him feel inferior in every possible way. Saying she was judgmental didn’t do her justice. She didn’t hold her opinions to herself, and everyone around her were potential targets. Her children were her favorite to nail to the wall or hang upside down from the ceiling—the better to smash a bat into their piñata hides... Then their proverbial insides spilled out into a mess of emotional chaos.

  There hadn’t been a dinner he’d attended where someone didn’t leave either in tears or a rage. That was how they dealt with their mother, and often times it involved both. On more than one occasion, he’d been grateful he had it better than them. He may not have had a stellar father figure, but his mother had always been wonderful. Now he had to willingly enter the lion’s den and hope Mrs. Jackson didn’t chew them all up and spit them out to be stomped into oblivion.

  “The things I do for my friends...” He muttered under his breath, and he walked to the front porch. He really hoped Carter had already made it. He didn’t want to deal with Mrs. Jackson without some support system in place. He’d always come with Carter when they dined, or rather his partner had forced him to attend. He was a convenient excuse for Carter to dine and dash without his mother sinking her claws firmly into his hide.

  “Dane, I didn’t know you would be here.”

  He spun around and met Claire’s gaze. Dane had always liked her. She’d never said a cruel word and had done her best to make him feel welcome whenever they crossed paths—even when she’d dated his evil half brother. Something was wrong with the world when that rotten bastard had the privilege of dating both Reese and Claire. “Carter thought it was a good idea that I attend. So we can plan how to find Satan’s minion and return him to a cold cell.”

  She nodded. “Yeah... Reese is going to need someone to look out for her. She’s stubborn and will think she’s safe.” He’d gladly volunteer to be the one to protect her.

  There was no telling what Nolan would or wouldn’t do. He was as predictable as a roulette table. He’d gone after Claire the first time, but he might not again. She hadn’t been an easy target. Now, she had a fiancé and a pack of friends that kept track of her. Reese, on the other hand... She’d become a hermit and barely left her house outside of work. She was either at the hospital or brooding in the confines of her home. He didn’t want to think about Reese, but who was he kidding. She had never been far from his mind since high school. He’d do everything in his power to keep her safe, even if it meant she fell in love with someone else and never looked at him again.

  “Where’s Matt?”

  “He’ll be here in a few minutes. Something came up with a case, and he had to meet Olivia.” Claire glanced around nervously. “It about killed him to let me drive here on my own.”

  Dane swore under his breath. “You should have called Carter or me. It isn’t safe for you to be alone.”

  “I’m fine.” Claire rolled her eyes. “I’m not an idiot. Matt walked me to my car and I drove straight here. I was safe the entire time.”

  Dane wished he could believe that. A lot could have happened to her on the way over. She might have thought she was safe, but Nolan could strike at any time. What if he had decided to drive a car into hers? It wouldn’t be the first time that tactic had been used. That was how Jessica Sousa and Lana Brady were run off the road several months ago. Anything was possible when a person dipped into the crazy bucket, and there had been plenty of insanity slipping into the population of late.

  “Claire.” He sighed. “Please don’t do that again. Use the buddy system and always go somewhere with someone else. It’ll make it a lot harder for someone—namely Nolan—to get to you. We don’t want a repeat of what happened the last time.”

  She nodded. “I know, and I do understand...”

  “Good. You’re safe, and that’s all the matters right now. We’ll discuss strategies once everyone is here. I suppose that means we should go inside.” He glanced at the front door and tried to hold in his horror. “Or we can wait until someone else arrives.”

  Claire laughed, and her smile lit up her face. “Believe it or not I understand that expression of terror. My mother is special, and not in a good way.”

  “That’s one way of putting it.” He shuddered. “I don’t envy you having to grow up with that woman. She’s hard to stomach on a good day, let alone one that we have all dreaded for a very long time. I didn’t think we would have to deal with the possibility of Nolan returning for at least a good twenty years.”

  “You and me both.” Claire frowned. “Testifying in court was hard, but I did it. The alternative wasn’t acceptable. I couldn’t live knowing he might escape justice and possibly hurt another person. Now he’s on the loose and it might happen anyway. How could they be so careless? Do you have any more information on what happened?”

  He wished he had. After he left the hospital, he’d stopped at the station to see if there were any updates. Nothing had been reported, and the dickwads that had allowed him to escape weren’t exactly a fount of information either. They were all too busy covering their own asses to care about the fact they’d let a serial killer loose on the world.

  Either he or Carter might have to drive to the prison and question the correctional officers for answers. The one driving the bus was in the hospital fighting a coma, but another guard was treated and released. One of them might be able to shed some light on the situation, but they wouldn’t know for certain until they met with them. Sometimes information became clearer when looked at later. He hoped this was one of those situations. The calm after the storm, so to speak...

  Footsteps pounding on the sidewalk reverberated around them. They both turned as Matt ran up to them. Olivia followed after them. Her stilettos clicked hard against the cement as she walked. She was doing a fine job of keeping up with Matt in her killer heels, but she still trailed behind a few steps. Dane was amazed at her skills. Matt reached Claire and pulled her into a bear hug. “Thank God you’re all right. I worried the entire time and could barely concentrate on the hearing.”

  “I’m fine,” she repeated what she’d said to Dane not more than a few moments ago. “I’m safe and sound. There’s nothing to worry about.”

  Dane was jealous of their relationship, and not for the first time, he wished he could have something as profound. Maybe one day he’d be lucky enough to find a woman to love him as much as he loved her in return. He’d hoped at one point that would be Reese, and he’d be lying if he still didn’t, but he had to let go of that fantasy at some point. She hadn’t given him any indication she was interested in him in a romantic way. Not to mention, she’d gone so far as to date Nolan of all people—that should have killed his interest a long time ago. Olivia stopped next to him and stared at the bla
tantly-in-love couple. “Don’t they make you gag at times? I’m surrounded by all this mushy crap on a regular basis.”

  Dane laughed. “They’re not so bad.”

  She glared at him. “You’re saying that because you don’t deal with it every day. Try working in our office for a few days, and then tell me it doesn’t make you want to throw up in the nearest trash can.”

  “I have to agree with Olivia,” Reese said.

  Dane had been so distracted that he hadn’t noticed her and Carter join them. He would make a terrible bodyguard if he kept that up. He wanted to be one of the people helping to keep Reese safe, and he was failing at his job. He glanced up at Carter and nodded.

  “Why are we all standing out here acting as targets for would-be killers?” Carter asked. “I expected everyone would already be inside.”

  “And act as targets for your mother’s sharp tongue?” Dane lifted a brow. “It’s safer outside.”

  “God, I hate to admit it, but on that score you’re entirely correct,” Carter grumbled. “I detest family dinners.”

  Olivia crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her high heel impatiently. “Are we going inside?”

  “Why are you even here?” Carter glared at her. “I didn’t realize we invited you.”

  “The question is why wouldn’t you want me here? I make everything better.” She winked. “Admit it, detective, you are happy to see me.”

  Carter looked heavenward and whispered something Dane couldn’t quite make out. Maybe he was praying for patience, or he could be wishing Olivia to perdition. At this point, he wasn’t sure he cared. Carter had made a solid point earlier and standing outside of the house wasn’t the safest course of action. It was time to head inside and deal with Mrs. Jackson as much as they all hated it. “Why don’t we go see if dinner is ready.” Dane motioned toward the house. “We might as well start planning how we’re keeping Reese and Claire safe, and we’re not going to do that out here.”

  They all grumbled but headed toward the front door. Carter reached it first and pushed it open. Had she not paid attention at all to their warning? Or did someone forget to mention to her that a sociopath had escaped police custody and might kill her? She had always been a huge supporter of Nolan’s. Maybe she didn’t believe he’d ever hurt her.

  Mrs. Jackson wasn’t waiting there ready to pounce on them all. Dane wasn’t sure if he should be glad or worried about that fact. “Wonder where Mother is...” Reese pushed past Dane and Carter to move into the front room. “Mom,” she yelled.

  Mrs. Jackson gracefully descended the stairs and held her head high as she addressed them all. “It’s about time you all arrived. Why are you late?”

  “Mother.” Carter pinched the bridge of his nose. “Dinner is at six. It’s half-past five.”

  “Precisely,” she replied. “You’re late. Cocktails are an hour before.”

  Dane held back the urge to laugh. Mostly because Carter would gladly pull his gun out and shoot him if he did. His partner had very little patience for his mother, and it had already been depleted with one brief sentence. “We apologize for our tardiness.” He nodded at Mrs. Jackson. “Is there anything we can do to help you with dinner?”

  “Are you offering to serve?” She lifted a brow. “You are low class, so that makes sense, but no. It’s handled. Just sit at the table and keep your thoughts to yourself. I don’t want them to leak out and give my girls ideas. It’s bad enough they both dated from the same gene pool, I don’t need them sliding into even lower standards.”

  What would she say if she remembered that he came from that same undesirable gene pool she referred to? Dane refused to let the old bat rattle him. Claire, on the other hand, had no such reservations. “Get over yourself, Mother. Dane is a wonderful man and shouldn’t be judged by you or anyone else because of the circumstances of his birth—something he had no control of.” She wagged her finger. “Besides, you’re the one who pushed both of us at that awful man. You were fooled by his charm. Makes me glad I stopped listening to you a long time ago and followed my heart.”

  “Hmmph.” Mrs. Jackson glared at her. “You were always too outspoken.”

  “I do try.” Claire grinned. “By the way, Matt and I are engaged. Don’t worry. I don’t expect you to congratulate us.”

  Through the whole exchange, everyone remained quiet, especially Reese. It was almost as if she was trying to avoid her mother’s attention. When he had the chance, Dane intended to ask her about it. She had never seemed like the type to cower in a corner, but she was a shadow of her former self. He hated seeing her so defeated. The real question was who drove her to this state: Nolan, her mother, or both?

  “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to finish dinner. Be at the table by six sharp.” With those words Mrs. Jackson, disappeared. It was going to be one hell of an evening...

  Carter turned to everyone and said, “I need a drink, and you will too if we’re going to make it through the meal. Follow me and I’ll offer you salvation.”

  Dane wasn’t a fool and was fast on his heels. They would probably need more than one drink to survive Mrs. Jackson’s barbed tongue. Everyone else had the same idea, and Carter was pouring scotch into several goblets and handing them out like party favors. No one turned them down either...

  CARTER HATED COMING home. He loved his mother almost as much as he hated her, but he skated that fine line with her more often than he’d ever liked. She was a cruel woman, especially with her children. That was where the hate derived from. What kind of mother treated her children with such derogatory indifference? There had been no warm and fuzzy moments in his childhood, and as an adult, they only darkened at every encounter. He stared into the empty glass in his hand and wished he could refill it. Alcohol dulled the impact of her presence. Unfortunately, he couldn’t drink as much as he’d like either. With Nolan on the loose, he had to keep a straight head.

  Everyone had followed close behind him when he’d gone in search of a drink. Now, they all relaxed in the den, waiting for dinner. He wasn’t particularly hungry, but he’d eat anyway. Not because his mother bade it, but because he’d have to eat to keep up his energy. Weakness would only slow him down, and he refused to allow anything to prevent him from finding Nolan. The psychotic bastard had hurt Claire and several other women. He could hurt Reese too. Both his sisters had been involved with the same serial killer. If Nolan managed to get his hands on either one of them again... Carter would not allow that to happen. He would find him first.

  “What do you have rattling in that head of yours?” Dane replied as he joined him on the other side of the room. He had been staring out the window, keeping to himself. Carter wasn’t sure why he’d decided to leave his post and walk to his side or what had him in his introspective mood. Dane had been broodier than usual since Nolan’s escape. Carter had his reasons for being upset at that outcome and Dane had his. They both hated Nolan for the awful things he’d done over the years. Carter couldn’t help wondering if Dane was reliving the nightmares of his childhood trauma at the hands of his brother. “I can almost see the wheels turning.”

  “It’s nothing,” Carter replied evenly. “Just want this dinner over with.”

  Dane folded his arms over his chest and leaned on the wall. He surveyed the room in the same manner Carter had earlier. They had been partners for several years and had become accustomed to each other’s habits. Dane was a couple years younger than him, and they hadn’t gone to school together. Before they’d been assigned as partners, Carter hadn’t known much about him. It had taken a while for them to become acquainted enough to share some of their personal lives with each other. Carter had unloaded his grief about his mother, and Dane had done the same in return about his father and half brother. Carter hated Nolan for what he’d done to his sisters—Dane had a lot more reasons to loathe the sociopathic bastard. No matter how Carter looked at the situation, it was all kinds of messed up.

  “This dinner,” Dane began. “I underst
and it’s a necessary evil, but your mother isn’t going to make it easy.”

  “She never does,” Carter confirmed. “But she is my mother, and she should be aware of the situation. I can’t take the chance he’ll leave her alone. It’s unlikely he’ll seek her out...” He shook his head. “Honestly, I have no idea what he might do. He’s a wildcard.”

  Nolan was waiting for something. Carter didn’t believe for one moment he’d left the area. He didn’t have the means to do it. All of his assets had been seized to pay off the civil suits against him. The families of the women he’d killed had sued for damages. It had seemed kind of petty at the time, but he was thankful for it now. Nolan was dead broke, and that left him dangerous in a different way. He had nothing to lose.

  “He’s always been that way,” Dane said quietly. He hadn’t moved since leaning against the wall. He watched steadily as if he expected Nolan to jump out at them at any moment. “My big brother has been rotten since the day he was born. No one else seemed to notice.”

  “Makes you wonder about people’s observation skills.” Carter’s lips tilted upward into a small smile. “You don’t always notice what’s right in front of your face. Sometimes it’s just admitting it is too much to bear, other times you’re willfully blind because you want to believe the best in people. I suspect that is the case with Nolan. Those around him didn’t see past his veneer to the evil within. You got to see the other side of him because he showed it to you.”

  “How insightful of you to notice,” Dane said sardonically. “Been thinking about this a while, have you?”

  “Nothing else,” he admitted. “Ever since he attacked Claire... I’d met him several times. When he dated her, and then again when he dated Reese. I didn’t like him, and not because he wasn’t good enough for either one of them—that part is a given. It’s more that he seemed too perfect and always said the right things. Add in the fact my mother adored him, and it was enough to make my skin crawl.” He sighed heavily. “None of that screamed serial killer though. All I could do with that information was pray my sisters saw through his fake charm and cut him from their lives.”