He went on. Joey was the nonviolent computer geek who'd cyber-stalked them. That was how the sons found out about the unit and hoped to catch them discovering Brinkman's stash. The break-in at Taryn's house had been all Ronnie. He'd done some time for previous burglaries and thought he could get into her house, search for the missing cash, and get out without detection.
“You should get those stairs fixed,” he complained.
Taryn scowled. He looked away.
“Was it Joey who lured us here?” Rick asked. He wanted everything recorded.
“Nope. I did that, too. Joey knows more than me about computers, but I can send a message.” He coughed and a little drool slipped out of the corner of his smug mouth. “You fell for it easy.”
“I wouldn't get too cocky,” Taryn said. “You're the one hogtied and headed for prison.”
The smugness vanished. Footsteps coming down the stairs brought all eyes around. A tall guy with dark curly hair, wearing a t-shirt that declared “Cyber this, A-hole” and checked pajama pants, appeared on the landing, and stumbled to a stop. Wide-eyed, he took in the scene and pulled off a pair of oversize earphones. Ear-splitting music pounded from the headset.
“Mom?” He seemed genuinely surprised by the presence of Taryn and Rick, and by his brother lying facedown on the couch. “What's up?”
Honey gave him a thirty-second explanation.
“Hell.” He dropped into the chair. “I should have known that âhotsmmrnites' chick would find us eventually. She's sick.”
Rick turned to Taryn. “Summer,” she mouthed. He nodded.
“Hey, I lured them hereâ” Ronnie protested. He wasn't about to let anyone snag his so-called glory.
“Shut up!” the other four said in unison. He grumbled but zipped it. His mother patted his head.
Rick told Joey his rights and Joey confirmed what Ronnie had confessed to, and his own small part in some of the situations. Whether he downplayed his role or not remained in question, and Rick wasn't completely satisfied with his answers. The three of them were hiding something.
One thing a cop or agent or PI learns is that if you keep your mouth mostly shut during an interrogation, it makes suspects nervous and they start to ramble. Rick stared at Joey, while the guy fidgeted in the chair.
Joey finally peered at his mom. She played with a cuticle. “Did you tell them everything?”
“Shut up, Joey,” Ronnie said. In his position, the threat carried no weight.
Honey gave a tiny head shake.
Yes. Rick pounced. “You're already in trouble for the shooting and the stalking, Joey. You might as well come clean before I bring the DEA down on your ass.” That this wasn't a DEA case, unless they were cooking meth in their basement, but it didn't matter. Feds of any department scared people.
Joey scratched his ear.
“It's okay, sweetheart. I guess this can't get any worse,” Honey said and stood. Her tanned shoulders drooped. “Follow me.”
Leaving Ronnie on the couch, and motioning Joey to follow his mother lest the two brothers decide to make a run for it, Rick and Taryn followed mother and son up the narrow stairs to the second floor.
Rick had his hand on his Glock when they turned left and headed for a room at the end of the stark white hallway. He kept an eye out for anyone else in the house and saw no one.
Taryn watched their backs.
Honey stopped at the closed door, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open. “This is what you're looking for.”
Inside, seated on the bed with a chain around his ankle, was a man with graying hair and matching beard shadow, wearing a pair of men's dark blue shorts and a gray t-shirt. He was reading an issue of
People
magazine and sipping something from a cup. Brutus lay curled up beside him. The guy either hadn't heard the commotion downstairs or didn't care. He casually lowered the magazine.
It was a face Rick knew well.
Stunned, it was Taryn who spoke first. “Teddy Brinkman?”
The man smiled. “The one and only.”
Chapter 28
B
rinkman let his eyes roam over Taryn and Rick. With years in the game, he read them quickly. They weren't there to read the gas meter. “I guess you caught me,” he said matter-of-factly, as if he were welcoming them to a party instead of his arrest. “I see you've met my beloved wife, Honey.”
He said beloved like belove-
ed
and stared at her with a dimwitted grin. The man had it bad for this wife. But was it an act? Did he know what real love was? “We celebrate our second month anniversary next week.”
Honey sighed and stepped closer to the bed. “See what I'm dealing with,” she said. Joey leaned back against the wall and scowled at the prisoner.
Taryn held Rick back when he closed a fist and stepped forward. “You son of a bitch. You scammed my mother.”
Honey froze.
The con man went from smiling to puzzled by his comment. He pushed up on the bed and stared. “Which wife was she?”
“Joyce Silva.”
“Oh, yes. Dear Joyce. She was a sweet little gal.”
“I should kill you,” Rick growled.
Brinkman flinched and pulled a pillow to his chest, as if that would keep him safe from an outraged son.
The threat itself worried Taryn more than she worried for Brinkman's safety. She turned so she and Rick were chest to chest. Taking his face in her hands, she got his attention and said quietly, “Killing him won't help find your mother's money or Jane's painting.”
“But I'll be happy.”
“In prison? For real this time.” Her eyes begged him to get control of himself. “If you can't do this for yourself, think of your mom, your niece.” She wanted to add herself to the list. After their breakup and the subsequent tension that followed, she didn't know if that would help or make things worse. He was still frustrated and she was emotionally wrecked. Tim had unwittingly erected a wall between them.
A moment passed. He pulled himself together and unclenched his fists. She squeezed his arm. “You're doing the right thing.”
His expression showed a contrary opinion. Still, he dragged his attention away from the con man and focused on Honey. They still had a lot to sort out.
“You do realize that kidnapping is a serious charge,” Rick said to Honey and Joey. “I believe Brinkman makes three kidnappings, between the three of you.”
“Technically, he hasn't been kidnapped,” Joey said. “After a couple of days of torture and threats failed to get him to tell us where he'd hidden the money, Mom just wanted to be rid of him. We've tried to dump him off four times near the Ohio border, but he always finds his way back here. And he picks the locks in the middle of the night to get back in.”
“It's true,” Honey said. “It's like those people who lose their dog in Idaho and somehow it returns home to Maine months later. We've been trying to get rid of him for weeks.”
“Ronnie offered to shoot him. Mom said no,” Joey added.
“You know I love you, lamb chop, and that will never change,” Brinkman said. He rattled his chain and went back to smiling. “I'll be forever chained to you by the bonds of love.”
“That doesn't explain him being locked up.”
“He brought the leg shackle and chain with him the last time he returned,” Honey said. “Every time Joey goes after him with the blow torch to free him, he locks himself in the bathroom and cries.”
“You can't cut the bonds of true love,” Teddy said and began humming the Elvis song “Love Me Tender.”
“Please take him,” Honey begged.
“Shut the hell up or I will kill you,” Rick commanded. The humming stopped. “Why didn't you call the police and have him arrested? He's wanted in several states.”
Honey stuck the tip of a pink polished fingernail between her teeth. “I didn't want the cops snooping around. Ronnie is on probation, and may be operating a chop shop out of my garage.”
The scream of sirens sounded from outside. “You might want to call a lawyer,” Rick said and excused himself to collect the police. With him gone, the tension left the room and Taryn relaxed a bit.
“How did you ever fall for that guy?” Taryn asked. From what she could see, there was nothing special about Teddy.
“Great sex,” Honey replied. Jane had said the same thing.
“Gross,” said Joey.
Staring over at Teddy, Honey shrugged. “The man knows how to play women. I thought he was my second true love. He thought I was a mark. By the time I realized his con, he had taken twelve grand from my account. He went missing for two days before showing back up and declaring his undying love.”
“Yet he kept the money,” Taryn said.
One carefully plucked brow went up. “Yep. I guess karma bit me in the ass with this guy. I used to rip other people off.” She glanced at Joey. “I've changed my ways. Sadly, Ronnie is my bad apple from that tainted tree.”
“Karma also bit Teddy in the ass,” Taryn said. “He's finally fallen in love with a woman who doesn't want him.”
Honey smiled. “Twelve grand is a lot to lose to learn a lesson about online dating. I think I'll swear off men and get a lot of cats.”
Taryn tried to picture Honey buried in felines. The image didn't fit. She was too . . . over the top for hiding in her house and cleaning up hairballs all day.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Your ex, Carl, wants you back.” Taryn threw that out before the vow to become a crazy cat lady was set in stone. A promise was a promise.
“Excellent.” Honey shook her head. “My one true love dies in an accident, leaving me with two adult kids who refuse to move out and a new husband and ex-husband who I can't get rid of. I think I'll join a convent instead of cats.”
Chuckling, Taryn figured Honey would quickly snap back and be off to her next romantic adventure before the ink dried on her annulment from Brinkman. She looked like a woman who wouldn't let a couple of bad marriages turn her from the male species altogether, despite what she said.
While Rick led the police around the house, Taryn updated Summer with a phone call; Summer found the entire episode both terrifying and amusing.
“This whole time Brinkman was a hostage?” Summer said. “I can't believe this. I thought he'd fled Michigan in search of his next con.”
“Truthfully, I wondered if we'd ever find him,” Taryn agreed. “Now the wives will get justice, and hopefully some of their money back.”
“Don't hold your breath.”
“What can I say,” Taryn said. “I'm an eternal optimist.”
“Right.” Summer's laughter sounded as she ended the call.
* * *
A light drizzle fell and thunder sounded in the distance as the police hauled off the entire Comstock/Evans clan, the dog, and Brinkman, determined to work out the confusion of who'd committed what felony and charge those who needed charging. Before the last police car pulled away, a young cop rushed over to the sergeant taking Taryn and Rick's statements.
“Sarge, I found something!” His round face was flushed and giddy. “You have to see this!” He hurried off.
Curious, they followed. In the side yard, where the driveway curved around the house to a garage in back, was a pair of all but invisible shoe-covered feet sticking out of the weedy edge of the wooded copse. The body was nearly unseen in the overgrowth.
“I tripped over him,” the officer said.
They all closed around. A large figure lay sprawled out on his back with a shivering dog curled up on his massive chest. Taryn recognized that dog and body.
“Oh, no.” Her stomach clenched. “Is he dead?”
“You know him?” the sergeant asked.
“He's with us.” Rick stepped in the weeds and leaned to press a couple of fingers to Alvin's neck. “He's alive.”
Thank goodness. Their relationship may have started out badly all those years ago, but Taryn was kind of attached to the big guy now, sort of like gum stuck on a shoe.
Rick patted Alvin on both cheeks until his eyes fluttered open. The dog growled half-heartedly at Rick.
“Alvin, what happened?” Taryn leaned over and examined him. There were no bullet wounds on his front side. That was a good sign.
The bodyguard shook his head and rubbed an eye. “I followed you here. I thought you'd need protection. Someone tased me.” He pushed to his elbows and Sweet'ums jumped off. Rick helped him up with some effort. The giant wall of man and hair was intimidating as he unfolded to full height. The two officers stepped back and palmed their guns. “I heard a crackle and it was lights out.”
He rubbed his bearded face, caught sight of the police, and his eyes went wide and panicked. “Gotta go!” He spun and bolted off into the trees, Sweet'ums yipping at his feet.
Like that wasn't suspicious.
“Who was that guy?” Sergeant Smith said, his eyes narrowing at the sight of Alvin fleeing through the underbrush like a giant boar fleeing from hunters.
“Never seen him before,” Taryn said.
“I thought you said you knew them?” the sergeant pressed. He crossed his arms and waited. She smiled sheepishly.
“Did I say that?” Taryn looked at Rick and shrugged.
“I don't recall,” Rick answered.
“Hmmm.” Sergeant Smith scowled and walked away.
When everyone was cleared out but for a couple of officers left behind to guard the house and garage for the crime techs, Taryn and Rick climbed into the Olds. She pulled in a deep breath and leaned back against the headrest.
“We got him. We got Brinkman.” She smiled. “The sweetheart con man is finally going to prison.”
“All thanks to you and Summer.”
She rolled her head to look at him. He was mussed from the fight with Ronnie and had a scratch under one eye, yet both only added to his handsomeness. Her heart melted. She wanted to make everything better, only wasn't sure how, or if, she should.
“And you. It was a collective effort.”
Not wanting the happy moment to get awkward, she started the car and pulled out. There were a lot of things to say, but now was all about the successful conclusion of the case, not about her and Rick. Besides, he was heading home to his life in California, a life without her. A clean break might be best.
Too bad her heart didn't agree.
When they returned to her house, Alvin was already there, seated on her still crooked porch swing with Sweet'ums and a woman Taryn didn't know. The woman had on a navy suit with her brown hair twisted up high on the back of her head. The dog lay sprawled on his back on her lap and she rubbed his belly.
“I think Sweet'ums is smiling,” Taryn said as they left the car. The dog lifted his head.
“How can you tell?” Rick said. “He always looks to me like his face was hit by a bus.”
Taryn choked back laughter. “Stop it!” she scolded under her breath. “They'll hear you.”
“And you think, what, that the mutt will feel bad that I called him ugly? It wouldn't be the first time he's heard that.”
She met his eyes. “You know that deep, deep, deep down you like him. You'll be sad to see him go.” Not waiting for a response, she hurried off.
“This is Karen, Sweet'ums's mom,” Alvin said as they walked up. Karen stood, scooping the dog into her arms.
“Thank you so much for retrieving my baby for me,” the pretty brunette said. “I missed him so much.” The rest of the next few minutes were spent in a happy-unhappy blur. Karen promised they could visit the dog anytime and they all said good-bye to the mutt with hugs and slobbery kisses. Even Rick rubbed Sweet'ums's bald head with some affection, then headed inside the house.
“I'm open for babysitting anytime,” Taryn said with tears as she handed Sweet'ums back over. “He's a good dog.”
Karen hugged her. “I'll take you up on that.”
Dog and owner left. Alvin and Taryn waved them off, as Rick returned with his duffel, wearing a clean t-shirt. He was so serious that she ached with misery.
Alvin excused himself and went inside.
“You're leaving?” Taryn asked and leaned back against a porch pole. Her heart twisted and her eyes misted. She silently begged him to say no, wanted it, but couldn't bring herself to ask him to stay.
“I think it's for the best,” Rick said with conviction. “You need to decide what you want. If it's me, I'll be back. You know how to find me. If not, it's been great knowing you, Taryn Hall.”
With rough fingertips, he touched her face. She leaned against his hand. “One thing you should know before I leave is that I've fallen hard for you and that isn't going to change even with thousands of miles between us.” He leaned to kiss the side of her head. “See ya.”
With that, he walked away.
A sob caught in her throat as she watched him collect his helmet, start up the bike, and drive out of her life.