She Can Run (38 page)
It was completely dark before the police chief finished taking their statements and rose to leave. “I have to sort out the mess with Will Martin. The FBI thinks Jeff planted the evidence in Will’s trunk. Oh, and Baker was killed with Ace. The Feds are looking for a connection between him and Jeff.”
“Well, that’s strange, but it’s a relief.” Jack stood and shook the cop’s hand. “Thanks for the help, Mike.”
“Same here.” Mike turned and slapped him on the shoulder. “You gonna give Henry back to the force now that he’s given away his secret?” The cop nodded toward the dog, who Beth swore turned and stared right back at him.
“No way.” Jack laughed. “He’s part of the family. And he only works for Beth.”
Jack was following Mike out of the room when the doorbell rang.
A few seconds later, Beth was startled as James rushed into the room just ahead of Jack. His Paul Newman–blue eyes locked on her as a huge breath rushed audibly from his lungs. Without a word he strode toward her. Henry stood, positioning his body between Beth and the approaching stranger.
“It’s OK, Henry.”
The dog settled back down but kept one eye on James as he sat on the couch next to her. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her for a few seconds. Releasing her, he straightened. His eyes were moist. “You’re a mess.”
“You said it.” Beth laughed. A tear rolled down her cheek, and she wiped it away. “I missed you. What are you doing here?”
“Would you believe it’s a coincidence?”
“No.” Beth held up a hand. “Don’t say it. You can’t explain.” She touched the red lump on his temple beneath his white buzz-cut. “What happened to you?”
James shrugged. “Getting clumsy in my old age.”
“Not you.” Beth shook her head. James moved like a cat.
“I have something for you.” He shifted and reached into his pocket, drawing out her lost pendant, the medal of St. Florian, patron saint of firemen, that Brian had always worn. For years it had been her talisman.
Beth closed her hand around the disc, but she didn’t put it around her neck. “I think I’m ready to give this to Ben.”
Mrs. Harris came in with the cordless phone, her hand firmly over the receiver. “You have a call. Dr. Miller. Do you want me to tell her you’ll call her tomorrow?”
Beth’s stomach lurched. Whatever news the doctor had for her had to be important if she was calling this late. Across the room, Jack’s mouth tightened as he glanced at his watch. “No. I’ll take it.” She moved to push herself up, but James put a hand on her shoulder. “You stay put. We’ll give you some privacy.”
The room emptied in seconds and Beth put the receiver to her ear. “Hello. This is Beth.”
“Beth, your tests result came back in today.” The doctor paused. “Everything’s OK, but you’re pregnant.”
Shock numbed everything, including her brain and vocal cords for a second. “Has to be a mistake.”
“We can do a follow-up, but all the blood work is consistent. Are you unhappy about this?” The doctor’s voice was soft.
“No. Just surprised.” Shocked, stunned, freaking blown away. “I was told that wasn’t possible.”
“Guess they were wrong. Wouldn’t be the first time.” The doctor laughed. “Congratulations. Let me know if you need a referral for an obstetrician.”
Beth hung up the phone, wondering how the hell she was going to break
that
news to Jack.
Jack led Beth’s uncle into the study and poured them each a scotch. He kept his own to a single shot. “You OK?” He nodded toward the egg on James’s temple.
“I’m just fine.” James accepted the glass and wandered around the room, checking out the pictures on the walls. “O’Malley really got around.”
“That he did.”
“How’d he die?”
“Had a massive heart attack a couple of days before Beth got here. It was quick.”
The older man nodded. “Not a bad way to go.”
Jack supposed that when he was that age, he might have the same attitude.
James stopped in the corner where Uncle Danny had hung his Vietnam photos. He peered closely at the shot with the edgy group of men gathered round the helicopter. Raising a finger to the glass, he pointed at one of the figures. “I remember when he took that shot. We were waiting for the all-clear.”
Jack rummaged in the desk for his uncle’s black-handled magnifying glass. He moved to James’s side and examined the image. The man leaning on the side of the chopper was a young James.
“A couple of days before that,” James tapped the photo, “my men and I rescued your uncle and his unit from a POW camp. Afterward your uncle gave me his name and address stateside and said if I ever needed anything I could call him. I’d only seen him once or twice since he retired, and not at all in the past thirty years, which is why I sent Beth here. I knew no one would connect O’Malley and me. Hell, I didn’t even know if he’d remember me. He did.” James held his drink up. “To Danny.” He downed the shot in one swallow.
Jack raised his glass to follow suit.
“Jack, can I talk to you for a minute?” Beth stood at the open door. Her face was tight.
Jack set his untouched drink on the desk, rushed to her side, and took her arm. “Sit down.”
“I’m OK, Jack.” She protested but sank into the chair anyway. Blowing out a hard breath, she looked up at him, uncertainty in her eyes. “I’m just going to say it. I’m pregnant.”
Holy shit.
Jack felt his jaw drop. His brain went blank, but just for a few seconds. He dropped to his good knee and took both her hands in his. “Now will you marry me?”
Beth stared. “I thought you might be upset.”
“Why the hell would you think that?”
“Because I told you—I thought—”
“OK, I admit, it’s kind of a surprise, but the good kind.” Jack gripped her hands tighter and planted a gentle kiss next to her bruised mouth. “Well, shit. A baby.”
He glanced over his shoulder at the old man leaning against the desk, grinning. “You’ll stay, right? Someone has to give the bride away.” In fact, seeing James had made Beth so happy, Jack would think of a reason to keep him around permanently.
He turned back to Beth.
The smile slid from her face. “If only Stafford Baker would leave us alone.”
Across the room, James cleared his throat. “You don’t have to worry about Baker anymore.”
Beth’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“You have a good lawyer?” James asked. At Beth’s nod, he leveled a serious gaze at them both. “Well, I have a present for him. A little video the Bakers definitely won’t want made public. Stafford Baker won’t be bothering you anymore.”
Beth’s eyes lit up with understanding.
Jack swallowed a laugh. The old guy was staying.
Beth leaned forward and kissed him. “It’s over then.” Jack kissed her back. “No. It’s only the beginning.”
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
More than ten years ago, Melinda Leigh abandoned her career in banking and never looked back. Since then, she has won numerous writing awards for her paranormal romance and romantic-suspense fiction. When she isn’t writing, Melinda is an avid martial artist: she holds a second-degree black belt in Kenpo karate, studies Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and teaches women’s self-defense. She lives in a delightfully messy house with her husband, two teenagers, a couple of dogs, and one neurotic cat. For more information about Melinda and her books, please visit
www.melindaleighauthor.com
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