“I’m just a catalyst?” Rain lifted her eyebrow and tried to appear hurt. “What a lovely compliment.” She laughed as his expression registered his mistake. “I know what you meant, don’t worry.”
“God,” he said self-deprecatingly, shaking his head. “I really have a way with words. What I mean is Cara and I have been growing apart for a long time now. Being here with you has made me realize that she and I have no future. And that’s true whether you are interested in a relationship or not.”
“My track record’s not great. But I suppose if someone asks me out, I’ll consider it.” She stared at her bare feet, her red toenails bright against the coarse sand.
“I’m asking you out.”
She smiled wistfully. “You can’t ask me out. Not until you’re officially single, anyway.”
He raked his hand through his hair with exasperation. “When did you become so fixated on following the rules?”
She shrugged. “It’s supposed to be your job, but you seem to have dropped the ball. In all seriousness, I’m ashamed that we did what we did, but I won’t say that it wasn’t great.”
“Definitely great,” he agreed. “So great that I’m thinking of dragging you into those woods over there so I can have my way with you.”
A blush began to redden her cheeks, but she tried to continue the banter. “If I weren’t in such a hurry to get back home, I’d be all for that. You probably won’t find me half as exciting when we’re able to date legitimately.”
Jason stopped and turned her toward him, grabbing her other hand. “Rain, I’ve been waiting more than five years to be able to date you legitimately. Believe me, it will be exciting.” He tipped his head, gesturing toward the house. “We should head back. I know you want to get on the road. I would go with you in a heartbeat, but I know you want me to stay here.”
They began retracing their steps. “I do want you to stay here. A.J. needs you now. He’s been a good friend to you all these years, despite his own personal anguish. Just try to remember what his dad was like. He was one scary, domineering man. I’m sure A.J. has put himself through enough punishment without us adding to it.”
“I’ll try to be understanding. For you.”
Chapter 30
They found A.J. sitting on the front steps, a drink in his hand, his cell phone resting on his open planner. Allie was sitting beside him, and her bags were on the ground. Rain and Jason moved to stand across from them, and she noticed that Jason continued to keep her hand firmly in his.
“How did it go?” Jason demanded.
A.J.’s expression was dismal. “Not great. They’re sending a detective out to get a formal statement, but I spoke with him on the phone for quite a while. I don’t think he had a lot of other stuff going on at the moment. I told him that I knew that a missing person was in fact deceased, and that I found recent information indicating that her body was in Silver Lake. I’m not too sure how I’m going to explain getting that information, but I’ll come up with something.”
Rain nodded encouragingly. “Will they bring divers?”
A.J. sighed. “I honestly doubt it. For one thing, she’s a missing person, and I know that she is in fact dead, and I know how she died. That sort of ties things up. She wasn’t a murder victim and they won’t be looking for evidence in an ongoing case. No crime was committed.”
“I’d say a crime was committed,” Jason bit out. Rain squeezed his hand, trying to remind him of his promise.
“No, you’re right,” A.J. nodded. “What I meant was that she died an accidental death. There’s no murderer running around free due to the absence of a body. My father obviously committed some crimes.” He glanced down at the notes in his planner. “Failing to report a death, and improper disposal of a body. But now he’s dead, so there’s not much they can do with that. I guess they can charge me with failure to report a death.” He shrugged. “I deserve whatever punishment I get.”
“So they won’t look for her remains?” Rain’s voice was bordering on hysterical.
“Well, they said there probably wouldn’t be much left after five years in the water. Apparently bodies decompose four times faster in the water than if buried. And there are…fish in the lake.” He grimaced and looked down. “He said they might possibly find some large bones, but it’s unlikely.”
Hot tears stung Rain’s eyes. “No, that can’t be. Mrs. Pierce bought Brandy a plot next to hers. They have to be buried together.”
Allie rose wordlessly and stood on Rain’s other side, wrapping her arm around her shoulder in support.
A.J. stood up as well. “Rain, please don’t cry. If the police won’t send divers, I’ll hire some. I have the money. Hell, if I have to, I’ll rent scuba equipment and go down there myself. We’ll find something.”
Rain nodded and sniffled. “Thanks. It’s important to me.”
“It’s important to a lot of people,” A.J. agreed. “And it’s the least I can do for Brandy. I promise I’ll keep trying until we find something.”
“Okay. When the reporters hear about it, though, your family is going to get raked over the coals,” Rain said. A.J. shrugged and then looked at Jason pointedly.
Jason glared. “Don’t look at me. I’m not going to say a word about it to Cara. She and I only have one topic to discuss, and that’s the end of our relationship.”
A.J. gaped in surprise, and then his eyes fell to Jason’s hand, linked with Rain’s. Understanding slowly dawned across his features, replacing some of the anguish. He nodded and smiled half-heartedly. “Congratulations, you two.”
Rain blushed and mumbled, “Nothing’s official yet,” even as Allie simultaneously kissed her on her warm cheek and announced, “At least one happy thing has come out of all this.”
Allie picked up her bags and A.J. quickly took the heaviest one from her. “I have to get going now,” she said apologetically. She embraced Rain and then Jason, calling her goodbyes over her shoulder as A.J. followed her to her car. After A.J. had stowed her suitcases in the trunk, she pulled him into a lengthy hug. Climbing into the driver’s seat, she lifted her hand in a quick wave and then drove away without looking back.
“I hope she’ll be okay,” Rain fretted, and A.J. looked puzzled as he rejoined them. She realized he wasn’t privy to the whole Rick-and-Allie disaster. She quickly changed the subject. “When do you think you’ll know something?”
“No idea. The detective should be here within the hour if you want to listen while I make my statement.”
“I can’t,” Rain explained gently. “I have to get back home as soon as possible and tell Claudia that Brandy is dead. I can at least give her the comfort of knowing that Brandy died somewhat peacefully; that she wasn’t abducted or murdered or anything. And with Claudia so sick, I don’t want to take any chances with getting this news to her.”
A.J. nodded sadly. “I understand. Listen, Rain…I know it won’t make much of a difference, but will you please tell her how sorry I am? I mean, until I can do it personally. And tell her that I honestly didn’t know where Brandy was. And that…I really did love her, despite the fact that I failed her so miserably in the end.”
“You didn’t cause Brandy to overdose, A.J. We all knew she was on a dangerous path. Her mom’s not exactly innocent in all this either. We all could have done better. I don’t think she’ll be looking for someone to blame; I truly believe she will be happy to have closure.”
“Tell her I won’t stop trying to help her get that,” A.J. reiterated. “I guess I’m on my own here now.”
Rain tilted her head toward Jason. “Jason will stay, if you want. Right, Jay?” she asked, her eyes pleading.
“I’ll stay, at least while the police are here,” Jason confirmed. “You shouldn’t have to deal with that alone.”
“Thanks, Jay. It’s not necessary, though.” He turned and picked his things up off the step. “I’ll be inside.”
“I’ll be there in a minute,” Rain called. “I’ll clean up and put on some fresh coffee, maybe put some food out!”
She turned back to see Jason laughing affectionately at her.
“What?” She raised an eyebrow at him.
“Just…you. Everything you’ve been through in the last 24 hours, and you’re still concerned about making fresh coffee for A.J. and the detective.”
She frowned at him, feigning annoyance. “Are you making fun of me?”
“Never. I think it’s adorable. Do you want me to go pick up a deli platter for the occasion?”
“Maybe I do. We have to eat, you know. I haven’t seen you miss too many meals.” She folded her arms across her chest stubbornly.
He pulled her into a hug. “That’s because your cooking is so great. You’ve been taking such good care of us all. It’s one of the things I love about you.”
The “L” word made her heart contract with a strange combination of pain and pleasure. It wasn’t as though he’d said “I love you,” but his words both exhilarated and frightened her. Please let this work out, she prayed silently, as she gave up her attempt to appear slighted and wrapped her arms around his broad back. “Well, I’m betting the detective will appreciate some food. And A.J
. needs
to eat. I’ll just see if I can put something together really fast. And then I have to pack and get going.”
“One quick kiss first,” he suggested, moving his hands to the sides of her face and tilting her mouth up to his.
****
“This doesn’t feel right,” Jason insisted unhappily as they stood next to Rain’s car. “I should be going with you.”
“I really want you to stay with A.J., at least this first night. I’m worried that he might do something...self-destructive.” Rain’s forehead wrinkled with concern. “He needs to know that we’re not going to desert him. Remember how horribly depressed he became when she first disappeared?”
“I remember. And now that we know what actually happened, I can’t believe he was able to go on at all. I would think it would be hard to have any kind of normal life, carrying a horrible secret like that around.”
“He’s obviously been battling his inner demons with alcohol for quite some time. Maybe now he can heal. But I cannot take another tragedy, Jason. Please just stay and watch him tonight, and try to be as supportive as you can.”
“One night,” he agreed grudgingly. “I have some things I need to take care of at home as well.”
“Thank you.” She threw her arms around him and hugged him fiercely.
He held her tightly. “Now you owe me one,” he said suggestively.
“I’ll make it up to you, I promise,” she laughed. Butterflies tumbled around pleasantly in her stomach.
“I look forward to it. Maybe we could come back here, after everything has settled down. It’s only early August. We have the house a few more weeks.”
“I’d like that. One last reunion party before the summer ends.”
Jason smoothed her hair back and kissed the top of her head. “I sort of meant just the two of us.”
“Oh,” she replied self-consciously. The butterflies kicked up their activity a few notches.
“Are you not comfortable with that? Nothing has to happen, I promise. We could just spend time together, and maybe have a private memorial for Brandy.”
She pulled away slightly and looked up at him. “I’m just scared, that’s all. I think I’m in love with you.” She bit her lip, but it was too late. The words had escaped.
“You think? Because I’m certain I’m in love with you. I always have been.”
“I love you, too,” she said, joy surging through her veins. A relieved smile curved her lips in the moment before his mouth captured hers.
The emotion behind the kiss turned her knees to jelly, and she hung on to his muscular neck for support. He tightened his grip on her, one steady hand splayed against the small of her back as the fingers of his other hand slid into her hair.
The familiar warmth pooled in her belly, chasing the remaining butterflies away. She shivered when he moved his lips to her ear, nipping her earlobe before whispering, “Are you sure I can’t drag you back up to my bedroom?”
A police car pulled in the driveway, and Jason groaned as he released her reluctantly. He turned and motioned for the detective to park next to Rain’s SUV to avoid blocking her in.
Rain fought to catch her breath. “I had better get on the road,” she said softly.
Jason’s jaw tightened, but he nodded and opened the car door for her. “Is this all your stuff?” he asked as he put the suitcases in the back.
“Sadly, no. I’ve accumulated a lot of things here since June. I’ll have to come back. So…maybe you can join me then.”
“It’s a date. Hold on one second,” he said, slamming the heavy tailgate shut. He walked over and shook hands with the detective and motioned him to the door.
Jason returned and leaned into the car. “I guess I had better get in there too. Does Mrs. Pierce know you’re coming?”
“I have to stop and get gas in town. I get better reception there, so I’ll call her then.”
“Call me after you’ve seen her, okay? And please drive safely.” He wrapped his hand behind her head and pulled her in for a tender kiss.
****
The sun danced across the water as Jason rowed them along at a leisurely pace. Rain had been incredibly busy the two weeks she had been home, and she was thrilled to be back at the lake house. She’d had no idea she would miss this place so much; bittersweet pangs accompanied the realization that the end of her time at the lake was fast approaching. So much had happened here, both good and bad.
Mrs. Pierce had taken Rain’s news as stoically as possible, asking many questions as the tears ran silently down her sunken cheeks. She thanked Rain repeatedly, and when Rain inquired as to what else she could do, Claudia asked if she would consider helping her arrange a small funeral for Brandy.
The private divers that A.J. hired had been directed to the area in the lake where Jason had found Rain that stormy night. They discovered a grouping of anchors and chains first, tangled in thick debris at the bottom of the lake. Their continued search eventually turned up a skull and the remains of a leather boot. These two things were buried next to the plot that waited for Claudia Pierce.
The graveyard service had been private; Rain, Jason, A.J., and Allie and her husband had all been there. Mr. Pierce had flown in from California, and he stood behind his ex-wife’s wheelchair with his hand on her frail shoulder. Jason’s parents attended, as did Allie’s. Mrs. Winthrop had stopped speaking to A.J. when the story of the cover-up broke; she was furious that A.J.’s admission was causing her late husband to be vilified by the press.