Promise Renewed (24 page)

With his hands cuffed behind his back, he would be no help to her.

“Stop sniveling,” Melanie sniped. You had to know this would happen some day.”

“So did you,” Darin growled back.

She shut up.

It was past midnight before Gina and Darin could be quietly escorted out of the police station and driven home. Gina was let out at her apartment.

Darin walked her to the door.

“I’m glad that’s over,” she told him. “I’m worn out from pretending to be Meg Farley.”

“I know what you mean. Dutch Farley is gone and I’m glad.”

She turned to him. “I thought I really was going to faint when I saw Melanie. Were you as surprised as I was?”

“Probably more so. She’s been a good cop.”

“Why would she do such a thing?”

“Money. Power.”

“But she has a rich boyfriend. She didn’t need to fall in with a drug cartel.”

“We’ll find out more when she’s questioned.”

“I’m sorry about all the rest,” she said as she reached her door.

“What do you mean?”

“Hunter. That he had to die for...because of those people. And...just...everything.”

She was exhausted. It showed in the shaky way she walked, the tired look in her eyes. He fought the urge to pull her close and tell her how wonderful she was.

With a cop watching, all he could do was shake her hand. “See you in the chief’s office tomorrow.”

“I need to talk to you, Darin. It’s important I have to tell you some things you aren’t aware of.”

“Tomorrow.”

She looked relieved. No, more like resigned. “My feet are killing me. I think I’m going to burn these damned boots.”

He chuckled. “Tomorrow.”

He walked back to the cop’s car and was dropped off at his house not too long afterwards.

Home didn’t feel like home.

Gina wasn’t there.

Chapter Twenty

Her mind foggy with sleep, Gina woke slowly. She was in the spare room at Maddy’s, not the luxurious suite at the Indigo. And Darin wasn’t with her.

A hollow place opened in her heart. Darin, through patience and understanding, had made her begin to see how wonderful a relationship could be. Maybe sex wasn’t something to fear or dread, but an act to look forward to as long as it was with the right person. Plus, kissing him made her feel things she had only read about. Only it was just part of his job. She was part of the job.

That wasn’t true. Darin wasn’t that kind of man.

Deep down, she trusted him. If she were honest, she’d trusted him from the first moment they met.

They had shared something traumatic, but beautiful. She’d never forget it. Never forget how much she loved him.

After hours of being apart she looked forward to seeing and talking to him again. There was a lot she needed to clear up.

Going to the bathroom she took a quick shower. But Darin’s face lingered in her head. He was so handsome, he took her breath away. The way his eyes lit up when he looked at her made her smile even now. Plus, he was a good man. Steady. Honest. A family man.

Desire punched at her, leaving her weak. What would it be like to have sex with a man she loved? Would she cringe? Or welcome him with open arms? Maybe all the fear she’d had for years was gone now. It had to be. Otherwise she couldn’t have a relationship with any man, much less the one she wanted.

Heaven help her, she was in love with a man who would possibly walk out of her life today. Tears sprang to her eyes.

Dressing quickly in jeans and a T-shirt, she wondered if she would be able to do her job feeling the way she did. Except her job was over. The too-brief time she’d spent as Darin’s wife was over. After making her report this morning to the Chief of Police and to IA she would be free to go back to Dallas.

The thought chilled her.

She didn’t want to leave Darin. And she didn’t want to leave Maddy. Now that she’d finally realized she could respond to the man she loved without falling apart she wanted more. Intellectually, she’d been aware for years that she should be over her trauma. Emotionally, she’d proven she wasn’t.

She wanted a life with the man she loved. Darin was that man. Would he come to love her for real if she stayed?

When Gina walked out of the bathroom, Maddy was sitting on the bed.

“I didn’t know you were back until I heard the shower. Why didn’t you wake me?”

They gave each other a hug. “I was too tired to do anything but crash.” Gina smiled.

Maddy tilted her head. “You look different.”

Gina put on the new Nikes. She could have sworn her feet sighed in relief when she didn’t put on those six-inch heeled boots. “I feel different.”

“What happened?”

Gina sat beside her sister and took her hand. “The sting was a success. The bad guys are in jail. Have you seen Hank since I’ve been gone?”

“Once,” Maddy said. “Why?”

“Did he kiss you again?”

Maddy had a dreamy look on her face when she answered. “He did.”

“How did it feel?”

“Why all the questions?”

“Don’t scowl at me, Maddy. It’s important.”

The scowl went deeper. “Is something wrong with Hank?”

“Not at all. It’s the two of us who have a problem. Darin helped me with mine, and I think Hank can help you with yours.” Her heart ached for the man who meant so much to her.

“Oh, my gosh! Did you make love?”

“No, but I wanted to. We wanted to. Because of the dangerous job we were on, we couldn’t. Besides, we’re partners. It wouldn’t be right.”

“Something happened. I can tell by the look on your face.”

“It did.” How could she explain the strong awareness, the almost frantic need to be close to Darin? Could she make her little sister understand what a wonderful thing this was? How she hoped and prayed they could take the next step?

“Are you going to tell me?”

“I told him about us.”

Maddy gasped, put a hand to her mouth. “You didn’t!”

“I did. You know what? It felt good. He was gentle and understanding. Best of all, when he kissed me I wanted more.”

“Did you scream when he touched you like you did when that creep in college groped you?”

Gina gave her sister an overview of what had happened, how she felt, how Darin listened, and how he helped her. “If you care for Hank and he cares for you, you have to tell him what happened when we were kids.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“Neither did I, but it was easier than I thought.” Because she loved him? Or because of the kind of person he was? Gina didn’t know. Right now it didn’t matter. The ice was broken. She wanted more. “Once you do, Hank will either help you like Darin did for me, or not. Of course, telling him hinges on how much you care about him and if the feelings are mutual.”

Maddy nodded. “I think they are. I know I really care for him.”

“Then tell him and see what happens.” Gina looked at her watch and gathered her things, including the jewelry she’d worn as Meg Farley. “I’m late. Darin and I have a meeting this morning with the chief.”

“I take it the job turned out the way you wanted it to.”

“It did. I don’t like to see a mole embedded in any police force. But when one is exposed there’s a feeling of accomplishment. Plus, two big drug dealers are off the streets.”

Maddy hugged Gina. “You do good work. I just wish that work was here.”

“About that. Do you think there’s an apartment available in your complex? I’m thinking of moving back.”

Maddy jumped up and did the happy dance. “This is the best news I’ve heard since we went our separate ways. When? Will you work with HPD?”

Gina didn’t know. “One thing at a time. We’ll talk about it later and don’t forget, talk to Hank.”

She rushed to her car, anxious to see Darin again. Not so anxious to tell him she’d lied to him from day one. And not at all anxious to tell him goodbye.

****

They met in the hall going to the chief’s office.

Darin’s heart kicked up about ten notches when he saw her. Gina looked wonderful. He couldn’t keep the grin off his face if he tried. It grew wider when he saw the Nikes. “Hi,” he said.

“Hi, yourself.”

“Are you okay?”

“I will be when this is behind me.”

“Behind us,” he corrected.

“Right.”

When they walked into the chief’s office, FBI Agent Peavy was there. He looked more than pleased.

Gina dumped her jewelry, including the brooch, on the desk next to the Rolex, the rings Darin had worn, and a large stack of bills.

Chief Hamilton picked up the brooch. “Lots of pictures?”

“Yep.”

Pictures? So that was why she’d worn the brooch every day. No doubt on the Chief’s orders. But why didn’t she tell him? Darin wondered.

“Have a seat,” Chief Hamilton said. “How about a cup of coffee?”

Without waiting for an answer he poured two mugs from the carafe on his desk and handed it to them. “Not exactly champagne, but you two did an exemplary job. Putting both Chavizi and Ramiro behind bars at the same time was beyond our expectations. Congratulations.” He raised his cup.

“Thanks,” Darin said, taking a sip before putting his mug back on the desk. “I take it you cloned Chavizi’s phone. Did you have any trouble?”

Peavy chuckled. “Had one of our guys tail him to his favorite restaurant. Once Chavizi was seated, our guy got the table next to him. He managed to make the clone without raising an eyebrow of suspicion.”

“Good.”

Chief Hamilton handed him a gun. “We found your Glock when we searched the warehouse. Sorry about what you went through.”

Darin took the gun, put it in his pocket until he could pick up his holster from his desk. It felt good. “Did you sweat the guys you picked up last night? Have they given up the shooter?”

Peavy grinned. “Took less than thirty minutes. We put three of them in different rooms. We told each one he’d been fingered for the kill. Every one of them gave up the same person.”

“Who?” Darin asked, his throat suddenly dry. This was the biggest reason for the sting. To find Hunter’s killer. Now that he was about to find out, heat flushed though his body. He started to sweat.

Taking out a handkerchief he wiped his face. Waiting for an answer, he looked at the chief.

“I’m sorry, Darin. It was Melanie.” The chief shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it himself. “They gave her up.” Seeing the look on Darin’s face, he continued, “Trust me, she’ll pay.”

“Melanie shot Hunter?” Darin couldn’t wrap his mind around it. How could she? She’d worked with the group for a year, pretended to be their friend. Yet she’d pulled the trigger as if her co-worker were a criminal, then walked into the squad room the next day as if nothing had happened. Walked into his hospital room and expressed remorse over a killing she was responsible for. What kind of person did that?

He was going to be sick. He excused himself and nearly ran to the restroom.

Wiping his face with a damp towel a few minutes later he still felt sick. Such cruelty combined with the nonchalance Melanie was capable of was beyond his understanding. He wanted to strangle her.

He went back to the chief’s office and sank into a chair. “Sorry.”

“Hunter recognized her, Darin. That’s why she shot him.”

“She fooled all of us,” he managed through his pain.

“I’ll say,” the chief added. “We interrogated Captain Wells first thing this morning. I thought he was going to have a heart attack when we showed him the evidence against Melanie Harris.”

“Is he guilty of providing information to Chavizi? Or not?”

“Both I guess. What Harris didn’t find out as a member of the squad, she found out from Wells. Pillow talk. She told Chavizi every move the narcotic squad made. She had Chavizi’s men follow you after Hunter was shot. Did you catch that? Needless to say, Captain Wells resigned.”

Before he could be fired
. “I thought I was being followed a couple of times. At the time, I didn’t know if it was someone from the drug deal or someone from HPD. That’s why I never mentioned it.”

“Sorry you had to go through this, Callahan,” the chief said. “You didn’t deserve it.”

Darin shrugged. “It’s over now.” It
was
over, but he didn’t think he’d ever be able to forget what happened to Hunter or forget who killed him. “Was Melanie sleeping with Chavizi? She had a boyfriend, for God’s sakes. And she was sleeping with the captain. She couldn’t be that—”

“Not with Chavizi. When we questioned him, he bristled, told us he was a married man with a family. That wasn’t her intention anyway, she just wanted the money. That was about all he told us. His lawyer wouldn’t let him say more.”

“What about the boyfriend? I thought he was the one keeping Melanie in style.”

“She claims he was a cheapskate. That she had to make it on her own.”

“Jeez!” What else would they find out about the traitor who had been a trusted team member?

The chief shrugged. “Guess he was a good cover. As long as they were together, no one would question her extravagance. It doesn’t matter. We had a perfect ending.” Chief Hamilton turned to Gina. “I’ll put in a good word to your superiors in Dallas. They told me they were sending their best IA agent. They were right.”

“IA?” Darin turned to her. Did he hear right? Gina was IA? “You didn’t come here to work as another detective, but to investigate?” He stood and looked down at the woman he’d grown to love. The one who made his heart sing. “Who exactly were you investigating?”

“Sit down, Callahan,” Chief Hamilton said. “She was sent here to investigate you
and
the squad. Your captain made a complaint, stating it was a little too convenient you were there the night Hunter got hit. We had to follow through with an investigation. It’s protocol.”

“You were investigating
me
?” His lip curled in contempt. But his eyes never left Gina’s. “I take it you knew everything about all of us before you ever walked in the door.”

“She’s good. Of course she checked everyone out.”

Darin turned to the chief. “You went along with it? You suspected me of killing my friend and partner?”

“No. I knew you were innocent. That’s why I welcomed an investigation and why I okayed a sting. One that contributed to more arrests than we ever dreamed. Added to that we confiscated a truckload of drugs
and
Hunter’s killer. This is the biggest bust of your career, Callahan.”