Imperfect Justice (23 page)

“No, you’re a good person who has allowed a few people in town to make you think that everyone feels the same way they do.” Jared pointed to the diners in the restaurant. “Do you think these people care what you or Rayne do? I mean…honestly? They’re busy worrying about their own lives. They don’t have time to worry about yours. Sure, they might like to hear some juicy gossip about how I knocked you up but that’s only to take their mind off their problems.”

His vernacular lightened the mood which she was sure he intended. “Knocked me up? I’m not sure I like the sound of that.”

“I liked it when we did it.”

Misty shook her head and elbowed Jared. He was trying to make her forget what had happened and she had to admit she wasn’t feeling as badly as she had ten minutes ago. He had unquestionably stood up for her and for that she was grateful. Having him – and Rayne – here did make it somewhat easier.

But that didn’t mean she wanted a repeat performance. She’d just as soon never see Mrs. Pettit and her friend ever again.

“Not in front of everybody.”

Her friend laughed and took a generous bite of her pizza. “The way you two look at each other there was no doubt you both enjoyed it.” Rayne pushed the pizza closer to Jared. “You might as well join us for lunch. We’ll never eat all of this.”

Jared helped himself; his appetite she’d learned was always hearty. “Don’t mind if I do. It’s been a busy morning.”

“You always have a busy morning. You haven’t had a full day off in awhile.” Misty placed her napkin beside her plate. She’d lost her appetite. “I need to get going. I have a doctor’s appointment in half an hour.”

Jared grinned. “I know. They called the house to confirm and the call was routed to my phone. That’s why I’m here. I’m going with you.”

“You don’t have to,” Misty replied automatically, too used to doing everything on her own. “I’ll be fine.”

“I’m sure you will but I’m still going. I have questions for the doctor,” Jared replied confidently. “Are you asking me not to go?”

“Of course not. I just didn’t think you’d want to go to a doctor’s office with a bunch of pregnant women.”

“I’m sure they’ll be partners there. I’m a part of this, Misty. Don’t shut me out.”

Rayne was watching the back and forth with great interest. Misty needed to end this conversation immediately. “Then we should get going. The receptionist said I would have new patient paperwork to fill out when I got there.” She pulled her wallet from her purse but Jared’s hand stayed her movements.

“I’ve got this.”

Rayne smiled and lifted her glass of iced tea. “Thank you, Jared. You’re such a gentleman. A real keeper.”

Misty didn’t miss the meaningful look from her friend. After Jared’s display of chivalry today, Rayne was never going to shut up about marrying him. She was firmly in the pro-Jared camp, obviously dazzled by his looks and charm.

Jared paid the bill and took Misty’s arm as they exited the restaurant. She was determined not to let what had happened dampen her excitement about seeing the doctor for the first time. No matter what, she had her baby.

Dr. Farber was a smiling middle-aged woman with kind brown eyes. Her nurse had taken Misty’s blood pressure, weighed her, and then finally had her pee in a cup. Misty had kept Jared up by her head during the doctor’s exam but the entire time he’d peppered the poor woman with questions. She must have been used to it though because she never lost patience, even when Misty was ready to slap her hand over his mouth.

“Now we’re all done with that part of the visit. Would you like to see your baby?” the doctor asked with a knowing smile.

Who was going to say no?

“Very much.” Misty nodded her head along with Jared. The doctor wheeled a large machine over next to the examination table and began typing on the keyboard.

“Let’s take a look at your baby.”

The doctor inserted the wand inside of Misty and while at first it was uncomfortable she quickly forgot all about it as she stared at the screen. There was a small light pulsing and Misty couldn’t seem to tear her eyes from it.

“That’s your baby’s heartbeat.” The doctor pointed to the light. “Nice and strong. He or she is still pretty small but everything looks as it’s supposed to.”

Her heart in her throat and practically shaking with excitement, Misty turned to Jared but his expression stopped her. He too was staring at the screen but his expression had gone white as if in shock and his hand was now pressed to her abdomen.

“Jared?” she prompted. “Are you okay?”

His hand slid from her belly and his fingers entwined tightly with her own. “It’s just so…real.”

Dr. Farber beamed at the two of them. “For a woman who is experiencing morning sickness and fatigue, the baby is real almost from the first minute. But for men, it often doesn’t become real until now when you can actually see him or her. So yes, Sheriff, your baby is real. Real and healthy. In about seven months you’ll be parents. Congratulations. Now I’ll leave you to dress. We’ll see you in four weeks, Misty.”

The doctor handed Misty the pictures and then bustled out of the door. Misty started to lever up but Jared leaned forward and laid his head on her stomach, a sheen to his beautiful blue eyes.

“Thank you, Misty. Thank you for telling me and thank you for not leaving Fielding.”

She ran her fingers through his silky dark hair in awe that this strong man was as affected as she was by a blurry black and white picture. Did all parents feel this joyous at the first glimpses of their child? Did they feel scared and overwhelmed but so happy that it didn’t matter?

And did the mothers feel this incredibly close to the father of their baby? Misty cupped Jared’s jaw gently, his whiskers scraping her palm despite the fact that he’d shaved that morning.

“I’m glad I stayed too. This is something too good not to share.” Her throat felt tight and it was hard to speak. Overflowing with emotions she couldn’t name or control, tears rolled down her face.

“Hey, easy there, honey.” Jared brushed her wet cheeks. “This is a happy day.”

She pushed at his shoulder, but he’d pulled her into his arms despite the fact that she was naked from the waist down and covered with a paper sheet. “I am happy. I’ve never been this happy. That’s why I’m crying.”

Jared looked at her like she’d lost her mind and maybe she had. The pregnancy hormones were working overtime. She wanted to kiss him and tell him how much he meant to her.

Was that love?

Extricating herself from his arms, she quickly pulled on her panties and jeans before stepping into her boots. She needed to pull herself together and fast. Being this emotional made her too vulnerable.

Dabbing at her eyes with a tissue, she took a deep breath and smiled. “All ready to go. No more tears.”

“Honey, you can cry on my shoulder anytime.”

He meant it but she didn’t want to take him up on it. Grabbing her purse and the pictures, she shrugged into her coat.

“We should show these to your father.”

Jared grinned and nodded. “That’s a great idea. I’ll give the house a call. Ty will want to see them too.”

He looked every inch the proud papa as they marched out of the doctor’s office and into the cold. Jared Monroe was going to be a terrific father.

She could say with honesty – at least at this very moment – she was glad she’d stayed in Fielding. She wouldn’t have missed this with him today for anything in the world.

She’d remember it and hold it in her heart forever.

Chapter Eighteen

“Y
ou had to let him go, boss,” Deputy Knox said to Jared. He was back at the station house after Misty’s doctor’s appointment and the day had rapidly gone to hell.

“How can this be?” Jared asked, holding up the email he’d printed out and had been carrying around for the last thirty minutes. “Is he some kind of Houdini?”

Jared had received word that Dale Hicks had indeed been in the county lock up near Cheyenne serving time on unpaid tickets. Although Boyd’s time of death couldn’t be pinpointed exactly, it was highly unlikely Dale was anywhere in the vicinity to commit the murder. So Jared had reluctantly let the man go with a warning not to leave the area.

“That man is no Houdini,” Knox declared as they watched Dale climbed into a red hatchback with his girlfriend at the wheel. “But he’s not as stupid as he looks. He’s got street smarts and that will take you pretty far in the criminal world.”

“Can it help you commit a murder when you’re out of state?” Jared asked wryly.

“No, but it’s not like he doesn’t know other criminals. People who might do the job for him while he was so conveniently in Wyoming.”

“I thought about that too but we’ve got no evidence in that direction.”

“What about Lindsey Jackson or her husband?” Knox asked, sifting through the file. “Where do they come in? Are they just victims of Hicks? And there’s Bonnie too.”

“All smokers with motive, although Bonnie says she doesn’t have one, but knowing Boyd Hicks like I do I find that hard to believe.” Jared shook his head. “We’ve got nothing on any of them. Now all our hopes are on the DNA from the cigarette and the tire tracks. And I’ve been thinking about the truck. Maybe someone saw the truck up there that day. It’s a popular hiking spot.”

“Not as much this time of year.” Knox grimaced. “But we could run something in the paper asking if anyone saw a truck up there around that time. It’s worth a shot. We don’t have much else to go on.”

“Let’s do that. It’s back to basics. Who would want Boyd Hicks dead? Absolutely everyone and anyone that might have a motive. Has that file from the state pen shown up yet?”

“Not yet. The wheels of bureaucracy move slow.”

“And in the meantime our killer could be getting away right now. Or even planning another murder. Jesus, I can’t fucking stand red tape.” Jared grabbed a pen and made some notes. “Let’s start leaning on our snitches a little bit. See if they know of anything that Boyd had going on since he got out. The smallest thing could be the lead we need. I’ll call Terri at the newspaper.”

Knox pointed to the clock on the wall. “Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere? Something about dinner with the family and showing off your baby pictures.”

“Aww hell, if I’m late Dad will never let me hear the end of it.”

Gerald Monroe liked his home run with military precision.

“Then go. I’ll call the newspaper and we can get a start on this stuff first thing in the morning.” Knox was already picking up the telephone.

“Then you go home too,” Jared ordered. “I mean it.”

“I won’t argue.” Knox grinned and winked. “I’ve got a date tonight.”

Knox was a charming, good looking guy and very well liked by the female population of Fielding and several of the nearby towns. He wasn’t a playboy per se but he had a small devoted following of ladies that made sure he wasn’t alone unless he wanted to be.

“I won’t even bother to say have fun because I know you will,” Jared smirked. “I’ll just say thank you and see you tomorrow.”

A new day to start working the Hicks case. All over again. But this time he’d get it right.

Misty rinsed and stacked the dinner dishes in the sink of the family house. Gerald had protested and said the housekeeper could do them in the morning. Misty couldn’t stand the idea of dishes sitting out on the table all night. After some spirited discussion they’d had found a compromise. Misty wouldn’t wash them but she would clear the table and get the dishes ready for the housekeeper.

The photos from the ultrasound earlier in the day had been a huge hit at dinner. Ty and Gerald had been suitably impressed with the tiny peanut-shaped object in the picture. Becky had skipped dinner which Misty shouldn’t have been happy about but she had to admit she was. It certainly made for a more peaceful dining experience.

Ty also had good news. Royce would be coming home next week. Jared had even talked to his older brother a few days ago and he seemed like a new man. It wouldn’t be easy but hopefully Royce could stay sober and clean when he got out of the clinic.

She dried her hands on a dishtowel and placed the last of the leftovers into the refrigerator. Crossing from the kitchen into the living room, the men were nowhere in sight. Standing still for a moment, she heard voices coming from the back porch. Gerald had said something about smoking a cigar. Wrinkling her nose at the thought of the smell, she’d hoped Jared wouldn’t join him.