Love Today (63 page)

The actual awards ceremony was over. We were now headed for an after party that was being hosted by
Jared’s record label, and after making it through another horde of reporters outside of the building, it was nice to see faces that I knew
inside
.

Maggie had been with us earlier at the Staple
s
Center, where Jared and his band received three different Grammy awards and performed the final act of the show. It was an incredible experience, but I was absolutely wiped out. So was Maggie, which is why we’d taken her to the L.A. home first where my parents were staying for the night—just so I could tote my rotund belly around town to support my hubby. 

“I owe you several days on a private island,” Jared said to me as he kissed my temple. We’d sat down on a comfortable couch and he ordered
us
water. It felt so good to be off my feet.

“Several weeks,” I corrected him.

He gave me a crooked smile. “Anything you want.” After making brief conversation with a few people nearby he turned his attention back to me. “How are you feeling, though?”

“I’m fine,” I shrugged honestly. “These shoes are probably the most comfortable heels that
can be found, but my feet are tired. Other than that, we’re doing well.”

He smiled and placed his hand on my stomach. “Ah, someone is awake and
kickin
’ to party.”

“Yes,” I lightly laughed. “He’s definitely developed your schedule.”

“Hey little man, take it easy on
your
mom. She’s hanging in there for me.”

I looked at h
im and smiled. Taking his hand I
said, “I am so proud of you, Jared. I’m not even talking about your career. You know how proud I am of that. But you are the best husband and father in the world. I couldn’t ask for a better man.”

“Don’t make me cry,
Taryn
. Not here.” He looked around the room, pretending to feel uncomfortable. I only laughed because he was definitely his own man and never cared what other people thought of him. “You’re the best,” he smiled, kissing my lips. “This
has
definitely
been
the
right note to leave on
.”

I studied him for a few seconds, recognizing the contentment on his face. Jared had decided to take a couple of years off, and even though I’d discouraged it at first—I didn’t want it to be a mistake—I knew his mind was set. He wanted to be with his family, to spend quality time with Maggie and the new baby. He would still write and compose for a new album, possibly do some minor appearances now and then
on his own or with the band
, but Breaking Point was due for
, well,
a break.

We’d barely been at the party for thirty minutes when Jared decided he was done for the night. Some more photos of him with his band ensued as we made our exit, and when we were alone in the limo again, I actually fell asleep snuggled up next to him. I was definitely ready for my own hiatus from the music scene.

I think it was barely seven o’clock when Maggie came bounding into our bedroom the next morning.
I was nearly dead to the world but at least Jared was somewhat coherent to talk to her and answer questions. What was weird was looking up to see both of my parents standing in the doorway
,
as well.

I didn’t really have a chance to question why they were creepily hovering outside our bedroom because it was obvious that something was up. My mom
asked
Maggie to put on some cartoons, and when she left, I sat up when my dad said, “It’s over,
Taryn
. Rachel’s case is closed.”

My mouth hung open, totally surprised. I was ready for him to say that Nathan Oliver had been found guilty, or that he confessed, or that he was now serving a life sentence. What I did hear was, “Kevin Harris has been charged with
second degree murder
.”

Again I only gaped at him, and it was Jared that replied, “Kevin?”

My dad nodded. “We found out yesterday but didn’t want to bother the two of you
on your big day
. But yes, the short version is that Kevin was embezzling money from the company and cheating clients. Rachel found out about it and was investigating him on her own. To have proof, I guess. He found out about it, tried talking her out of turning him in—he was going to pay her to keep quiet—but she refused.”

I raised my eyebrows. “So he killed her?” Moisture pricked my eyes, and it could have been because of the early morning, but my parents became a blurry mess in front of me.

“Actually he told her he came up with a plan to return all the money without anyone knowing if she would help him out. He asked her to meet with him that night and they ended up at the marina because a client had a
yacht
there. He, uh, killed her there. He couldn’t leave her body so he carried her outside just as a crew was showing up for a fishing excursion.”

“And he just
left
her on the ground in the parking lot,” I whispered. I swallowed hard.
My heart was pounding. It had been over a year and we finally had answers, and even though possible scenarios had been thought over dozens of times, it felt surreal to finally know the truth.
“So how do you know all this? He confessed?”

My dad sighed. “Not at first.” He glanced at Jared and added, “Apparently your dad hired someone to go through the company books so everything was in order for the sale of his half of the business. That’s when some of the numbers didn’t add up, an
d while investigating it even further
, they came across a few suspicious things about Kevin
.”

“And I bet his wife and brother-in-law were in it neck deep
,
as well,” Jared offered.

“Yep. So when the murder investigation got a little too close to home, I guess the game plan changed. Anyways, the proof finally came together when Sam started investigating that particular angle, and the police got Nathan Oliver to squeal first, and then Jacqueline Harris, and then Kevin broke down and confessed
to everything.”

I couldn’t respond because I didn’t know what to say. My sister was murdered because of greedy, selfish people? Granted she rolled in bad choices as well, and her involvement with all of these men was bad luck to begin with, but it was sad that such a smart and beautiful woman had wasted her talents. At least there was the fact that she wanted
Kevin to come clean about his dishonesty
, but there were many shades of gray when it came to Rachel. I loved her, but now it was time to move on.

“So who was it that called me?” I asked. “Was it Jacqueline?”

“Yes,” my dad nodded.

I had suspected as much, but if she had known what was going on, she should have done more to help. It made me angry.

“And she was the woman that Maggie saw in the parking lot,” my mom added. “Jacqueline
had already
begged Rachel to give Kevin
a chance to make things right. Then s
he laid a guilt trip on Rachel about ruining their family, and apparently it was enough to get Rachel to bend a little.
She agreed to meet wi
th Kevin a couple of days later—the night she died.
”

“So did they intend to kill her? You said second degree. Does that mean it was an accident?”

He slightly shrugged his shoulders. “He took a deal. But he claims that he didn’t mean to
kill her. They were intimate that night
, he tried to convince her of his plan to make things right with the company, and for some reason she disagreed with him. They were fighting, he panicked because she wouldn’t stay quiet so…”

“He choked her to death,” I finished, the words tasting bitter and unwelcome.

My parents didn’t say anything at first. Jared put his arm around me and my mom and dad excused themselves. “We’ll answer more questions when you’re ready,” my dad added.

I nodded and let them leave. With a deep exhale I said, “Well. Financial scandal leads to murder. I’m guessing your dad is not taking this too well.”

Jared nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah, I’m sure he’s not. He and Kevin built that company from the ground up.
He was having a diffic
ult time walking away from it. B
ut this…
”

“You should probably go call him.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m going to go take a bath and think things through. Come join me when you’re done.”

He agreed and found his cell phone. I heard him sullenly greet his father as I stepped into the bathroom.

Chapter Fifty

“So have you been doing some writing during your paternity leave?”

Jared chuckled at
Gavin’s
question
,
but he leaned forward on the couch
to answer the journalist.
“I’m always writing.”

“And how is time off going for you?”

“To be honest? It’s better than I ever expected.”

“Do you miss the music scene?”

“No, I’m still a part of the music scene—just not the touring aspect of it.
That will come
soon enough, but for now, I’m really content with my wife and kids.”

“How’s the new one treating you?”

Jared smiled. “Like the world revolves around him.”

Gavin
laughed. “
And it probably does.”

“Yes,” Jared nodded. “Pretty much. He’s amazing though. It’s been fun. Sometimes I have no idea what I’m doing, but thankfully my wife does.”

That got another laugh. “
Dane
is six months old now?”

“Yeah, almost. He’ll be six months next week.”

“So what’s the rest of the band up to? Have you guys been keeping in touch or is everyone pretty busy with their own stuff going on.”

“We’re all busy, definitely. But I see them regularly. They’ve come up here a few times to see the family and to play around in the recording studio with me. We put
Dane
on vocals sometimes.”

“He’s ready, huh?”

“Definitely has the lungs for it.”

Speaking of squawking babies, I faintly heard him waking up in the nursery. I’d been watching Jared’s interview from the next room, but I switched on the video screen of the baby monitor as I walked down the hall. I smiled at the little butt sticking up in the air. The kid liked tucking his knees under him when he slept.

Dane
was ready to wake up though, and he pushed himself upward to look around.

“Hello
,
my handsome boy,” I cooed to him. He was happy to see me, so I cuddled him for a minute before I changed his diaper. I knew Jared was almost done with the interview
,
so
Dane
and I sat in the recliner playing with toys until he joined us
twenty minutes later
.

“What are you doing awake?” Jared exclaimed happily, putting a huge grin on his son’s face when he saw him. “What is this? Mom has you in a Forty-
Niners
outfit?”

His feigned disgust made me snort. “Take it up with my dad.” I stood from the chair and handed the baby over. Jared made funny sounds against him and it made me smile. I think the only thing better than seeing Jared Miller performing his music onstage…was watching him with his kids.

“
When’s Maggie coming home?
”
he asked.

I glanced at the clock. “The movie should just be getting over, so probably within the next half hour. My mom is bringing Chinese food home.”

“Oh, how we love Grandma,” he told
Dane
. He wrapped his arm around me and led me to the door. “I have a surprise for you.”

“You do, huh?”

We were walking down the hall casually but I could tell Jared was trying not to smile. “Yep,” he replied. “It’s super cool.”

“Well I’m sure it is,” I laughed. But then a thought hit me, one that had to do with a certain four-legged animal that Jared and Maggie had been discussing the week before. “It better not be a
hamster
,” I groaned.

For some reason that was amusing to him. When he was done laughing he
replied
, “It didn’t even occur
to me that you’d think that
.”

“Well you and Maggie tend to
discuss that one
without me
, but I do know about it
.”

“That’s just because she
knows you’re afraid of
rodents
.”

“I am not. Hamsters just…
stink
.”