Cast the Cards (5 page)

“How
long are you here for?”  he asked, eager to change the subject when pain
appeared in the depths of her eyes.

“Just
through the weekend. I had a half day today. I’ll drive back Sunday to be at
work Monday.”

“You
staying at your parents’ place?”

“Yeah,
it would crush them if I didn’t. Speaking of my parents, I should probably head
home soon.” A quick look at the bucket told him they’d worked their way through
the half dozen. Any more alcohol and driving might get iffy.

“Why
don’t you stop by the station tomorrow and take a look at some files? Everyone
knows you. It wouldn’t be strange if you stopped in to chat and look over some
unsolved cases. I know it’s not much but it beats sitting around waiting for
Clark to pop back in.”

“Agreed,
sounds like a plan. Any particular time?”

“I’m
open. Let’s exchange numbers.”

He
pulled out his smart phone and she followed suit. They exchanged phone numbers
and he settled the tab. Out in the parking lot they paused by their cars. The
soft scent of honeysuckle teased his nose. He wanted to move closer and inhale
deep.  Silence stretched between them, and he found himself at a loss.  This
was the first time they’d had a civil conversation since everything happened. It
felt good. Not quite the same as before but nice nonetheless.

“You
seem to like bluntness, so I’m going to come right out and ask. When this is
over are you driving back off into the sunset and forgetting about me again?”

She
winced. “I deserved that. No, I want to work our way back to where we once were
if you’re game.”

“I
am.”  He drank in her beauty. It was like an episode of The Twilight zone. 
Perhaps this was how it had been for Clark. The boy had been in love with her
since the twelfth grade.
 

“Good,
I’m looking forward to it.”  An almost shy smile graced her lips. He couldn’t
help the answering smile that formed.
 Look at us making nice.

 “I
am too, Vannah.”  He’d had plenty of friends over the years, male and female,
but none had come close to Clark or Vannah.

Pausing
with her hand on the door, she glanced over her shoulder at him. “This really
happened right? We saw Clark today?”

“Unless
we’ve both flown off the deep end at the same time, yeah, I think we did.” He
nodded. As the heat of the moment faded and the day came to a close, doubt
crept in.

“I
don’t know that I believe in ghosts Carey.”

“Worst-case
scenario. We look into the case and come up with Zilch, right?”

“Right.”
She nodded.

“I’ll
see you tomorrow then.”

He
watched her until she was buckled up and drove off. You could never be too
careful and to say he had an overprotective streak a mile long when it came to
her would be a gross understatement. When he turned and got into his black
sedan, he flinched. Clark sat in the passenger seat. His expression was stoic
and his eyes stormy.
It’s
definitely real, Vannah.

“You
like her, don’t you?” Clark asked. His lips were flattened into a straight
line, and his nostrils flared. 

“It’s
Vannah. Of course I like her.”

“Yes,
but its different now. I saw how you looked at her. There was nothing brotherly
about it.” Clark jerked his head in the direction Vannah had gone. The
possessiveness made Carey want to take a step back. His mannerisms screamed,
‘back off’.

Carey
cleared his throat. “Clark she’s gorgeous, and I’m not blind. So, yeah, I
looked.”

“Don’t
do that,” he snapped.

“Do
what?” Carey shook his head, lost.

“Lie
to me.”

“Clark,
I don’t even know
who
she is right now. We’re two people trying to keep our
heads above water.”

“It’s
okay, Carey. If she was going to be with anyone, I’d want it to be you.” His
hollow tone didn’t sit right.

“You’re
jumping the gun there—”

“No,
I don’t think I am. The air between the two of you practically sizzled.”

“With
anger.” 
Most of the woman’s responses were hot and cold, tinged with anger
or colored by pain.

“Hmmm.”
The doubtful expression on Clark’s face earned an eye roll.

Carey
turned on the ignition and digested what his brother said. “Please don’t try to
play ghost matchmaker.”

Clark
burst into laughter. “Oh I’ve missed you something fierce.”

“Ditto,
little brother, ditto. Can you … talk about where you were?”

“No,
just that I was happy and taken care of.”

“That’s
good enough for me.”  There were a million questions he wanted to ask Clark but
right now his brain was shot. Too much had happened in such a short amount of
time. Right now his twin was back and really that was all that mattered, even
if they did have their work cut out for them.

Chapter
Three

She
stood at the kitchen counter mixing a blend of cream and sugar in her coffee.
Dressed in a pair of black sweatpants and a gray shirt from the academy, she
was struck silent by how good it felt to be home. Her job was so all-encompassing
that by the time she surfaced for air, long chunks of time had flown by. If her
best friend didn’t also work in the same office she’d be lonely indeed.

 “It’s
good to have you home, sweetheart.”  Her mother padded over in a pair of pink
slippers and a matching bathrobe.

“Morning,
Mama. It’s good to be home.” Savannah bent to hug her close, inhaled the scent
of soap and coconut hair product.  

“Could’ve
fooled me the way you stay away,” her mother grumbled as they pulled apart.

“You
know I just get caught up in my work.”

Her
mother pulled down a mug from the cabinet and began her own coffee routine.

“We
understand how important your work is to you, Savannah. We just worry. You need
more than cases in your life. They can’t take care of you when you’re sick,
keep you company, or warm your bed.”

“Mom!”
Her face burned.

“What?
I’m old, not dead. Besides, how do you think you got here?” She wiggled her
eyebrows.

“A
stork.”

Her
mother laughed. “I’m so glad you got my sense of humor.”

Savannah
leaned in. “Me too,” she whispered.

Footfalls
sounded on the stairs, and a few moments later her father entered the room. The
Ex-Navy man was tall and slender with silver hair cropped close to his head and
skin the color of warm syrup. Retired, he worked at the V.A. Hospital.

“There’s
my June bug.”

“Hi
Daddy.” She placed her mug on the counter and moved over to hug him.  He
surrounded her with his arms and rubbed her arm before he stepped back.

“Good
to have you home. How’s work?”

 “It’s
good, Dad.”

“Oh
Lord, I thought we agreed to put that talk on the back burner.” Her mother
placed her hands on her hips, and narrowed her eyes.

“What?
I was just asking her how things were going, Seleste.” His eyes sparkled with
mirth. Her mom had been at him for years about leaving his work at the door.
Now that the argument extended to Savannah he loved giving her a hard time.

“MMhmm.
Let me get my coffee before you two drive my blood pressure through the roof.”
Her mother turned and picked up the mug, taking a sip.

“Woman,
your blood pressure is fine. You do yoga every day and shovel that leafy green
stuff down both our throats like it’s going out of style.”

Their
playful banter made Savannah smile.  
I’ve missed this.

“Hmph.
What are your plans for today?” her mother asked.

“I’m
actually getting together with Carey Carr at the police station. He’s going to
show me around.”

The
atmosphere went from light to heavy.

“We
ran into each other yesterday, buried the hatchet so to speak, and caught up.
It bothered me the way I’d left things, so … we’re trying to move forward.” 
She kept her eyes glued to the light brown liquid in her cup, refusing to look
up as their gazes burned a hole in her.

“That’s
good, Savannah,” her mom whispered.

“Thanks,
I wanted you to hear it from me and not someone else. Good news travels fast in
this town.”  She rolled her eyes.

“I’m
proud of you. I know that wasn’t easy to do.” The compassion in her father’s
eyes humbled her.

“Thank
you, Daddy.”

“Why
don’t you two go sit at the table while I get breakfast started?”

“You
sure you don’t need any help?” Savannah asked.

“No,
I’ll be fine, and your father wants to talk shop, I’m sure.”

Savannah
smiled. “All right then, come on Daddy, let’s go get shop-talk out of system.”
They walked out of the cozy kitchen into the dining room and sank down on the
maple-colored chairs.

“So
tell me how you’re really doing.”  The ex J.A.G. member knew all too well how
much you brought the job home with you.

“I’m
good, really.”

He
stared into her eyes for few moments and nodded, pleased by whatever it was
he’d found. “Excellent, now feed me some harmless morsels.”

As
they talked she could almost allow herself to forget the danger that lurked
around the corner, making every second spent with her parents more precious.
She’d cheated death the first time. Chances were they’d go through elaborate
lengths to make sure she didn’t escape again. The normalcy was the quiet before
the storm she prayed she was strong enough to survive.

Dressed
in a pair of gray slacks and a light blue scoop-neck top, she sat outside of
the police station and texted Carey.
I’m out front.

Her
heart beat faster than normal, and her mouth went dry. Elephants stampeded
inside her tummy. She’d passed the point of butterflies the minute she stepped
foot outside the door on the way there.  She did her best to convince herself
it had nothing to do with Carey.
 I was never really good at lying to
myself.
 
If only the boys at work could see me now, losing my cool over
a man. A sexy man with a body made for sin, tattoos I want to trace with my
tongue, and a past that’s bonded us for life.  
She played things by the
book and made justice her reason for moving mountains to solve cases. It earned
her the moniker Sheriff West, which stuck. Lust had no place here.

Her
phone buzzed. She glanced down at the display screen.

I’m
coming out to get you.
Her pussy grew moist. Apparently
her body had other plans.

She
stepped out of the car, pocketed her phone, and mentally put on her armor.
Damn.
 Carey was a vision in black as he walked toward her. The shirt highlighted
his broad shoulders and the plain black pants featured the round, firm ass, her
hand itched to squeeze and fondle.  She drank in the sergeant chevrons and
badge. Seeing the reformed bad boy in a uniform took her breath away. Desire
simmered in her belly.

Ashamed,
she glanced down.
How can I be attracted to Carey
? 
It’s the ultimate
kick to the nuts to Clark’s memory.
Guilt weighed her like an anchor.

“Hey,
you made it.”  He smiled.

“You
doubted?”  

“A
little. I think a part of me was still waiting to wake up and find this was
some alcohol-induced dream, and no, I don’t get plastered often.”

“You
don’t have to explain, Carey. I know what yesterday was.”

“Yeah…
you ready to go in?”

She
adjusted the strap to her satchel. “Did you tell them I was coming?”

“Yeah,
I did. Once I mentioned your name nothing else I said afterward was heard.”

“That’ll
probably work to our advantage.”

“Yes
and no.”

“What
are you trying to say?”

“They’re
excited, Savannah. They want to talk to you, congratulate you on your success.
I told them not to crowd you too much, but you know Dale.”

She
closed her eyes. This was a long time coming. The prodigal daughter had
returned and for once she was interacting, not holed up in the house.  “I
expected as much.”

“Are
you going to play nice?” Carey’s concerned expression made her snort. His
haughty tone doused the flames of wanting.

“I’m
not a total asshole, Carey.”

“Hey,
I’m just looking out for my people. They don’t deserve any disrespect or
alienation.”

“I
know better than to piss in someone else’s pond.”

His
eyes lightened in the sun, turning to a brilliant blue that matched the sadness
she saw reflected in the oceanic pools. “This used to be your pond too.”