All In: Betting on a Full House (Gambling With Love) (21 page)

Tyler

Once we got to the courthouse the prosecutor and Jess decided it'd be better if I wasn't in the room during her interview. I knew Jess didn't want me to know the horrible things her father had done, but I felt like I needed to know…so that I'd never do anything that would hurt her or remind her of him. I started reading a copy of the victim statement she'd written out. It began with the Christmas her dad got a camera and told her he wanted to take her picture. I couldn't make it any further.

An hour later they came out of the conference room.

"I want to avoid dragging Jonathan into the charges. He's in high school and … I don't want him to have to deal with the kids at school knowing about it," Jess told Katie Albright, one of the sex offender prosecutors.

"Of course, and we have enough with your testimony to get an arrest warrant and search warrant to see if he still has any of the pictures. It may take about a week to get all the paperwork signed off on by a judge and then we’ll get a team together to go in and arrest him. We'll let you know when it's done and what we find."

"Okay, thanks," Jess told her.

"Baby, can you remember any of the computers or cameras he used?" I asked when they were finished.

"I don't know the computer brand, he wouldn't let me near it, but the only camera he ever used was a Fuji. He kept it in the top of his closet if that helps."

"I'll let the officers know," I told her.

"Evans, you're staying out of this, right?" Katie asked.

"I was going to go with the team but just observe."

"Don't. We can't have him alleging you planted evidence or anything else to jeopardize this investigation."

"You're right. I'll stay out," I agreed. I didn't want to do anything that would let the bastard off on a technicality.

...

The next week was Thanksgiving, which helped keep our minds off of Jess's dad. Especially since we finally told our family and friends we were having girls, wrapping two pink onesies in a box that my mom opened after dinner. To say she was ecstatic would be an understatement.

The Monday morning after the holiday break I got the call.

"Sarge?" I answered as I rode around on patrol.

"Evans, we've got him. He just went into custody, and he still had what we are pretty sure is a hell of a collection," Sergeant Allen told me.                       

"I'm on my way," I replied, turning my cruiser around to head back to the station.

I went inside and headed straight for the evidence computer lab.

"So what all did you get?" I asked Allen and our forensic man Rogers when I walked in and pulled up a rolling chair.                                                                                           

"A Fuji camera, a Dell desktop computer, a laptop, about five flash drives, and a stack of CDs. We're going to start with the flash drives."

"Alright. Let's get on with it."

"Evans …" Allen started, going to try and talk me out of it again.

"I'm staying."

"Okay," he said in an exasperated sigh.  "Here's the first one."

Rogers plugged a flash drive into the computer and opened up the list of files that’d been saved on it.   

"There's at least two hundred pictures on this one," Rogers said.    

I couldn't tell what they were from the tiny thumbnails, but when he clicked on the first one and opened it … I threw up my lunch in the trash can beside the desk.

"Close it!" I yelled as soon as I was able to speak around the retching. 

"Evans, this is why it’s not a good idea for you to be in here," Allen grumbled.

"I'm not going to let you look at pictures of my wife like
that
… being …"

"This is our job. To look at the evidence, summarize it and give it to the prosecutor to lock the bastard away. You know that we won't tell anyone the details, and they won't come out unless we have to go to trial."

That son of a bitch didn't deserve to live after what he did to her. I jumped up from my rolling chair and headed for the door.

"Evans, no," Allen said, grabbing my arm to jerk me to a halt. "You can't look at him, much less touch him. It'll give his defense attorney all he needs to get him out, and that's not what your wife needs. So for her sake, stay the fuck away from him and this investigation. Let us do our jobs to send him away for as long as possible."

"How could he … she was just a little girl. For six fucking years he did this shit to her," I said rubbing my hands over my face, trying to scrub the image I'd just seen away. It wasn't working.

"I can't imagine how horrible it was for her, but it's over, and now we're going to make damn sure he gets what he deserves. But this investigation has to be done the right way, following the law to the letter, and not making a single fucking mistake," Allen urged. “Every one of us shares your pain. Every. Single. One. There is nothing lower than a child molester, and we will see this done right.

"You're right. I know. It's just …
Fuck
!" God, closing my eyes I could still clearly see a smaller and even more innocent looking Jess asleep while some dirty old man put his hands on her body.

"We get it. You love her, and you can't stand to see someone hurt her," Rogers offered.

"Yeah," I said on an exhale, my stomach still churning.  

"Now, we've got a lot of work to do, so take the rest of the day off. Hug your wife and tell her he's locked away, and will be for a long damn time. His case may very well get picked up by the federal prosecutor, and under their statutes he'll die in prison before he gets to the end of his sentence."

I nodded then did what Allen said, knowing he was right. It was unlikely that the bastard would ever see daylight again. 

Jess

The weeks leading up to Christmas passed in a blur. Tyler was on the night shift for a while, so we didn't get to spend much time together. Work was busy for me too, with thefts and embezzlement cases on the rise before the holiday season. At least we'd all get to spend the week of Christmas together.

Tyler, Jon and I loaded up the SUV with presents and headed to the coast. Carol and Rob had invited us, along with Caleb, his dad, and Lauren to stay at their beach house through New Year’s.

Jon and I had only been to the beach once about a year ago when we could finally afford a short trip. Lauren had never seen the Atlantic Ocean, so she was really excited. Because of Caleb’s work schedule they'd decided to come down the day after Christmas. I was glad to get to spend the holidays with my best friend and our big new family.

"This is it," Tyler said when we pulled into the driveway. The house on stilts was huge, dark blue and two-stories with white trim, even bigger than their house in the mountains. The name of the house was posted beside the door, "
Jewel by the Sea
."

"Wow, this is beautiful," I told him. It was oceanfront, and I bet the rooms had incredible views and acoustics of the waves rolling in.

We grabbed some of our things from the trunk and made our way up the steps to the first floor entrance. Tyler walked right on in without knocking.

"Mom? Dad?" he called out to them. "They must be upstairs. I'll go find them and let them know we're here."

The house smelled nice and warm, like coffee, cinnamon and vanilla. Happy, cheerful Christmas music played from the stereo speakers. The living room was huge with vaulted ceilings and tall windows lining the wall that faced the ocean. The gas fireplace was all lit up with stockings hanging over it, and a tall, beautifully decorated Christmas tree sat off to the side of it. Presents were stacked up under it, wrapped perfectly.

The whole place was like something out of a holiday movie or a Christmas card. Jon and I had never had anything close to this sort of perfect scene growing up. Since we'd moved out on our own we'd never done more than put up a small fake tree in our apartment and exchange a few presents.      

I set the bag of gifts I was carrying underneath the tree to take my coat off and look around. The fire warmed me, and when I turned toward it I finally noticed the names on the red and green matching stockings. The first one was Dad, then Mom, followed by Ty, Jess, Jon and two blank ones hung on the end, waiting for the names of our two little girls. I blinked furiously to hold the tears at bay, but the pregnancy hormones and sweet gesture were just too much to overcome.

"Oh, sis. Did you turn on the faucets again?" Jonathan joked from beside me.

I didn't miss his quick swipe under his own eye, but I pretended like I hadn't noticed. Instead I just gave him a hug. I still couldn't believe how big he'd gotten. It seemed like he was getting taller every day. Tall like our dad. At least we both resembled our mom rather than that evil man. I'd hate to have to see him in the mirror, or when I looked at Jon.

"Is it weird that Carol and Rob treat us better than our own parents ever did, and they just met us a few weeks ago?" he asked quietly.

I shook my head against his chest. "I think that’s what parents are supposed to be like, instantly and unconditionally loving us. We just never knew it before now."

"Make yourselves at home, and I'll be right back after I get the rest of our things in," Tyler said, when he returned and headed back out the door to the SUV.

"Merry Christmas, sweeties!" Tyler's mom said when she came down the stairs. Jon pulled away from me and turned his back to us to wipe his face.

"Merry Christmas, Carol," I told her with a smile, and then her arms were around me before she hugged my brother.

"Hey guys, how was the drive down?" Rob asked.

"It was good, not much traffic at all. Your house is amazing," I told them, then headed out onto the deck overlooking the ocean.

The calming waves, combined with the salty air was an instant stress reliever, at least for me. Not so much for our girls. I'd been feeling the fluttering of their movement for a few weeks, and it seemed like at the moment they were both practicing to become Chinese acrobats.

"Merry Christmas," Tyler said from behind me when he joined me on the deck and wrapped his hands around my waist.

"Merry Christmas. Thanks for this," I told him, meaning for everything.

"Oh my God!" he suddenly exclaimed then moved around to stand in front of me.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked.

"I just felt one of the babies," he said in awe. "Right here. Is that where they're moving?" he placed his hand on the lower left side of my growing bump.

"Yes! They're going wild in there. Here, try feeling right here," I told him, and moved his other hand over my protruding belly button.

"I can feel it, like a soft poke," he said with a smile. "Mom, Dad, Jon! You guys won't believe it. I just felt our girls!"

Two and a half months later

Jess

"Hey, Jonathan. How was school?" I asked when he walked through the front door Friday afternoon.

"Same old, same old," he said, tossing his backpack down on the couch and heading for the kitchen. "Whatcha cooking?"

"Homemade pizza. I've been craving black olives, like I could eat the whole freaking can. The girls have strange tastes lately."

"I love homemade pizza," he said with a smile, before stealing a few pepperonis that I had to replace.

"Any plans this weekend?" I asked him.

"I've got a date," he said, and I saw him blush before he turned away.

"A date? My little brother is growing up! Who is she?" I asked. This was the first time I'd ever heard him talk about a girl. "This is so exciting!”

"She got into the early college next year too. Her name's Abigail, and we're going to see a movie."

"Oh wow, that’s great-" I started saying as the front door flew open. Tyler was home early tonight, which was very unusual.

My heart stopped when I looked up and realized it wasn't Tyler that’d just burst through the door. It was our father.

No, no, I must be hallucinating, because that was impossible. He was still in jail awaiting trial. When the man of my nightmares didn't disappear, and was close enough that I could see his sneering expression, I was certain I wasn’t imagining him.    

"Wh-what are you doing here?" I forced myself to ask, as I inched backwards toward my cell phone laying on the kitchen counter.

"You mean how did I get the fuck out of jail? My attorney got my bond reduced this morning and your mom posted my bail this morning. Then I waited patiently at the high school to follow my son's bus home," he said as he walked toward me, cracking his knuckles. "This is what you get for leaving your door unlocked. The world sure as hell isn't safe anymore. And now neither are you."

Oh God. He was angry. Really angry. He'd been locked up in a crowded, shitty jail for almost four months because of me, and Jonathan and I had naively thought we were safe from him.

I glanced over at Jon and he had his phone in his hand and had already dialed someone. I prayed it was 9-1-1 or Tyler. He was a smart kid, so I'm sure it was one of those two.

With his advancing steps I was cornered in the kitchen with nowhere to go unless he moved. He wasn't going to move.

Even though I hadn't laid eyes on him in five years he still looked the same. Tall with salt and pepper hair, dark soulless eyes, shaggy beard, and red flushed face from drinking. I could even smell the alcohol on him from a few feet away.           

"You're going to pay for this, you fucking whore. And how stupid are you to get knocked up?" he asked, looking at my large pregnant belly in disgust.

"I-I'm married."

"Yeah, the cop. I saw the news. Everyone saw you for the whore you are, suckering him into marrying you."

"Tyler loves me."

"What a lie. He’s going to end up miserable, if he sticks around that long. Having kids he never wanted. I know all about that."

He was moving closer and I didn't know how much longer he'd only be talking.

"You little bitch. Do you have any idea what I've been through sitting in a jail cell, day after day?" he asked. I laughed before I could stop myself.

"I hope you've been through hell," I replied honestly and his palm slapped across my face so hard I stumbled against the kitchen counter.  

"Don't touch her!" Jonathan said moving in behind him.          

"Or what? What are you going to do, you little faggot?" he asked and I watched the color drain from Jonathan's face.

"Don't listen to him Jon-" A harder slap across my face, and this time I tasted blood.

"I'm going to do you a favor, one I should have done to your mother when she was pregnant with both of you. I bet you'll even thank me," he said. Grabbing my arms he held me against the counter as his knee came up hard into my side.

"Please don't," I begged, trying to fight back and escape his grip. I never would’ve pleaded with him for my sake, but I couldn't let him hurt our girls.

His harsh, calloused hand moved up and grabbed me around my throat, cutting off my oxygen before throwing me to the floor. I curled up in a ball when his foot shot out and nailed me in the arm where it protectively covered the side of my stomach.

"Stop it!" I heard Jonathan yell. Then I heard a
whomp
which sounded like a punch landing.

I pushed my upper body up with some difficulty and saw our dad standing over Jonathan where he laid on the floor. He kicked him several times before he bent down to hit him with alternating fists, over and over again. 

"Stop! You're pissed at me. He didn't turn you in,
I did
! I told them everything, you sick fuck!" That got his attention like I'd hoped, and he left Jonathan lying still in a heap on the floor.

Crying out when he grabbed my hair was the last thing I remembered. 

…

Tyler

Fuck, fuck,
fuck
!  I'd called into dispatch on my car radio and was waiting for a response while I freaked the hell out. I no longer heard Jess or Jonathan's voices on the other end of the phone line. All I heard was that bastard yelling and cursing.

"What's your ten-twenty?" the dispatch operator finally asked. I had to clear my throat to ease up the tightening I felt growing with each second. 

"Fourteen-eleven West Market Street, Apartment 2C. Code three to available units. We need two eleven-forty-ones for a fifteen year old white male, and a … twenty-one year old ... preg-pregnant white female. Injuries unknown but both believed to be a code ten. The suspect is one Mike Dodson, a sex offender, violating a no contact order." I pushed the building panic aside to call for back-up and ambulances.

I had my lights and sirens on as I sped through traffic, but no matter how fast I went I knew I couldn't get there soon enough. What if I'm too late?
Oh God
.

"Unit ten-ten we have the first EMS with an ETA of two minutes, the second four. Officers are in route with ETA of four to five."

Fuck! Two minutes might be too late for one or both of them. I didn't know if he had any weapons, but knew as big and angry he was, he could do plenty of damage without.

I finally pulled into the complex and was out and running toward the steps with my gun out before the car stopped moving. And there he was. The motherfucker was coming down the steps covered in blood. I lunged at him, catching him off-guard and knocking him backwards. I pummeled his face until he didn’t fight back anymore.

Pulling out my handcuffs, I locked one on his wrist and the other to the banister so I could get up the steps.

The apartment door was shut but unlocked as I barged through it. I quickly swallowed the bile that threatened to choke me at the sight. I was torn, but I had to go to her first.

I sank down to my knees beside her, afraid to touch her … anywhere, and do more damage. She was curled up on her side, with her arms around her stomach like she was trying to protect the babies. I reached for her pulse with a shaking hand, afraid of what I might not find.

There was blood seeping out from her hair, nose and mouth, and she was so … still. But thank God she had a pulse. Faint, but it was definitely there. The first EMS team came rushing in through the open door.        

"Here!" I called to them, and my voice didn’t sound like my own.

"Let us get to her," the man said and I backed away until I was kneeling beside where Jonathan laid in the living room floor.

His eyelids fluttered like he was starting to come to. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not because of the pain he was probably in.

"Jonathan? Can you hear me?" I asked. Again, I was afraid even the softest touch would hurt him. It was clear he was in pain based on his grimace.

"Is she okay? I'm sorry … door unlocked. Tried to … stop him."

A sob escaped when I tried to speak and I had to try again. "I know you did. Where … where's it hurt the worst? Another ambulance is on the way."

I looked back over and they were loading Jess up on the gurney to take her out.

"Side. Breathing," he groaned. I looked over him and didn't know where to start. He was … a bloody, swollen mess.

"Just hold on buddy, they'll get you to the hospital in no time, okay?"

The second EMS team came in and I moved out of their way so they could get to him. "Jonathan, I'm going to ride with Jess, but I'll see you at the hospital okay?"

"Okay. Go," he said.

I ran out the door and down the steps, forgetting the son of a bitch was still cuffed there until I saw him again. The responding officers were finally pulling up. I called out to them his name, and to take him in and not let him go before a magistrate until they heard from me. Then I was in the back of the ambulance an instant before they closed the door and sped away.

"How is she?" I asked the man sitting with her in the back.

"Going to need a CT scan and ultrasound to know for sure. She's stable. Based on the head wound, a concussion is likely what's left her unconscious."

I grabbed her hand and looked her over, my heart breaking more with every bump and bruise and drop of blood. Then I saw the profuse bleeding coming from her lower body.

"She's bleeding. Are they okay? Is she … losing them?" I asked around the knot in my throat.

"Them? It's twins?"

"Yes. Is she losing them?" I placed my hand gently over her belly to feel the babies’ movement, praying they were going to be alright too.

"I'm sorry. I don’t know. They'll have to examine her and monitor them at the hospital. How far along?"

"Thirty, no thirty-one weeks."

"That's good. After twenty-four weeks there's a seventy-five percent survival rate with early delivery, and that percentage increases each week thereafter."

"They might have to be delivered?"

"I don't know. I'm just telling you they've got a good chance if it comes to that."

I pulled out my phone with a shaking hand and called Caleb.

"Hey Ty, what's up?"

"I need you and Lauren to get in the car and come to the hospital right now."

"Oh shit! Is it the babies already?"

I broke down as the reality of what was happening caught up to me. "It's all of them. My entire fucking family."

"What do you mean? What happened?"

"I'm with Jess and I need someone to be there with Jonathan."

"Tyler, what's going on? Were they in a wreck?"

"No. That son of a bitch got out. He found them and … it's bad Caleb."

"Oh God. We're on the way."

"I'm his legal guardian now, so find me or call me if they need me to give them any authorizations. I'll look for him once I know more about what's going on with Jess."

"I bet she's a mess worried about the babies and Jonathan."

"She's … she's unconscious, and there are so many injuries we won't even know what the worst is or how the babies are until they do some tests."

"Oh fuck. I'm sorry Tyler. We're on our way."

"Thanks...and will you call my parents?"

"Of course. I've got all their numbers. I'll let Lauren drive and I'll call them. Take care, Ty."

We'd made it to the ER and the EMS technicians rushed Jess in and straight to the OR.

I grabbed one of the nurses that was running around.

"What's going? Why is she going into surgery?"

"Are you her husband?"

"Yes, goddamn it! What the hell is going on?"

"I’m sorry Officer, but this is standard for blunt abdominal trauma during pregnancy. We may have to deliver to save her, and I'm sorry, but if it's too late for her, we'll deliver the babies and try to save them."

"W-what do you mean? She might not make it? Why wouldn't she?"

"Sir, we can't know that yet. If you'll head to the waiting room a nurse or doctor will call you as soon as they learn more, or if any decisions need to be made."

"Decisions?"

"I'm sorry but I have to go, and you're not allowed in there," then she was gone and I was standing in the hall still in shock.

I needed to find Jonathan, but I didn't want to leave Jess in case they called with updates or needed … decisions. Someone came and took me down to the surgical waiting room. I sat there in a daze until I saw Lauren and Caleb, then I was out of my seat.

"Where's Jonathan? How is he?" I asked.

"He’s got a broken rib. They took him in to surgery to fix his ruptured lung and check to make sure there aren't any other internal injuries. They didn't need your permission since it had to be done. How's Jess and the babies?" Caleb asked.