Rachel's Rebellion (Moss Bayou) (15 page)

It was a normal Wednesday evening, at least from the outside
looking in. She couldn’t feel normal. She couldn’t feel much of anything and it
was because of Gabriel. The last time she saw him, he was dragging Ty Devlin
out of the café. He’d sent a brief text on Tuesday morning telling her he
wouldn’t be able to see her. That text had placed her in the funk that was now
driving her between hurt, confusion, and yes, anger. Was he playing his role?
Was Deke with Cally Brown? She’d never experienced jealousy like she did when
she thought of Gabriel and the pretty red head. After such thoughts, she would
lapse into mental chastising as she tried to remind herself that Gabriel was a
cop. A cop working undercover. Then the self-pity arrived. Was Gabriel unable
to see her because he really didn’t want to see her? Were the feelings growing
between them one sided?

Luke was grumpy, to put it mildly. He and Brody were in deep
discussion about something. Luke’s tone, for Luke, was restrained but he
obviously was working hard to keep things calm. Rachel knew Luke Devlin well
enough to know what had him in his latest snit. Ty was missing. No one knew
where Ty was and everyone knew he’d been dragged away from Tellie’s on Monday
night by Deke and Wylie. Luke Devlin, in his usual way, saw that as a need to
find some ass to kick. Right now, Luke was itching for a fight. He wanted Deke
and Wylie front and center.

Glancing around her, she looked at Heather a moment. She
wasn’t in any better of a mood than Luke. Heather had confessed earlier that
Luke was angry with her because of the secrets she’d kept for Ty. When Heather
had told Luke that she stood by her promise to keep things private, it seemed
Luke got even more upset with her. Typical Luke Devlin. React first, think
about it later.

Tanner and Nik walked onto the porch and greeted everyone.
Tanner’s face was still filled with a gut-wrenching sadness that made her want
to cry all over again.

“Pull up a rocker,” Hope told Nik as Tanner went to join the
men near the grill. “I have to get back to the kitchen for a couple of things.”

Nik, looking anything but the usually spunky Nik, dropped
onto the rocker with a huff of breath.

“How’s Tanner?” Rachel asked.

“Not good.” Nik sighed. “He feels guilty. He feels like he
didn’t try to be a good brother. He’s guilty because he treated her – his words
– like a pesty pain in the ass.”

“Tanner loved Laurel,” Heather replied.

“I know that.” Nik shook her head. “You know that. Hell,
Laurel knew it. But right now, it’s all so raw. He’s not convinced of anything
other than he was horrible to his little sister.”

“It’s what brothers and sisters do,” Lily told her. “Jesse
and I get on each other’s nerves all the time. Remember how I forced him into
letting Paige stay with him?”

“I doubt Jesse is upset about that now.” Hope, returning from
the kitchen, peered down at Levi, still oblivious to the world around him.

“No,” Lily smiled. “I guess it’s safe to assume he’s no
longer upset with me about that.”

“Laurel kept things the way they were,” Hope added.

“Yes, she did,” Nik agreed. “It was Laurel who chose to live
a separate and secretive life. She never shared much with anyone.” She let out
a breath. “The only person before Ty that we knew she spent time with was
Bryden Wheeler. And that was brief.”

“Any word from Ty?” Hope looked at Heather.

“None,” she whispered.

“Luke still giving you a hard time about everything?” Hope
reached out to touch Heather’s arm.

“Yes. He keeps giving me the argument about relationships and
trust.”

“Heather, you helped a friend. You made a promise and stood
by it,” Nik told her. “Tell Luke to get a grip.”

A buzzer sounded from the kitchen and Hope rose from her
seat. “I agree Nik.”

As Hope walked off, Rachel watched Nik as she studied first
Heather, then Lily, and finally Nik’s eyes came to her own. She quickly blinked
and looked away. Nik saw too much. When Rachel dared to look back at Nik, she
found her focused once more on Lily.

“What’s up, Lily?” Nik continued to study Lily’s face.

“Me? What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about how strange you’ve been acting recently.”
Nik pointed a finger at Lily. “You’ve got something on your mind. Spill.”

Shamefully, Rachel breathed a sigh of relief. Nik wasn’t
interested in her at the moment. As she accepted her shame, she felt Lily’s
discomfort as she watched her squirm in her seat.

“Nothing, Nik. I have nothing to discuss.”

Nik looked at Lily a moment, then nodded. “Fine. You have
nothing to discuss. I’ll take that to mean you don’t want to discuss anything.
Yet.”

Rachel couldn’t just sit there, pretending any longer. “I
think I’m going to walk along the bayou.” Quickly, she left the porch and
walked down to the water’s edge.

The night sky was dark as stars twinkled around a bright,
almost white moon. Light reflected on the black water and lazily danced as the
soft breeze moved the water slowly. It had the makings for a perfect night.
Gabriel’s presence would make it perfect. But he wasn’t standing beside her,
holding her hand in his.

“Hi Sweetheart,” Phillip whispered as he fell into step
beside her. “I could see what you’re feeling all over your face. Figure I
should act like a good boyfriend and join you.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders
and pulled her close.

“Thanks.”

“He’ll call,” Phillip assured her. She nodded only because if
she did anything else she just might cry.

“I’m not dumb, Rachel. Deke, or whatever his name really is,
is more than he seems. I’d bet the same about his friend Wylie, too.”

She quickly looked away. Phillip was too close to the truth.
No matter how confused she felt at the moment, she would keep Gabriel’s secret.

“He will call as soon as he can, Rachel.”

“My brain tells me that.” Looking out over the bayou, she
worked up a small smile.

“But your heart is lonely, right?”

She nodded. “I don’t think I’m the only one in this place
right now.”

Phillip smiled. “Talking about someone in particular?’

“Something is happening with Lily.” She moved away from him
enough to hold his hand as they stood side by side. “Her and Wylie, I think.”

“Lily and Wylie?”

Loud voices sounded from the outdoor grilling area. Both she
and Phillip turned toward the ruckus. Luke was bellowing something followed by
his usual “what the fuck.” Heather was responding, although not as loud as
Luke. Rachel felt a bit of sadness for them. This whole mess was affecting the
relationship they were trying to establish.

“Doesn’t sound good,” Phillip whispered.

“Every bit of headway they make toward each other has some
huge brick wall in front of it.”

“It took them awhile to even admit they had feelings for each
other.”

She agreed with Phillip. Both Luke and Heather could be so
headstrong.

“Sorry, Heather. You should’ve told me.” Luke’s loud voice
traveled across the yard.

“I couldn’t.” Heather’s hands went to her hips. “It wasn’t my
decision, Luke Devlin.”

“You’re supposed to be with me, Heather.”

“I would know that how? Have you ever asked me? No. You just
assumed.” Rachel almost giggled when Heather’s finger poked into Luke’s broad
chest. “You should know what they say about the word assume.”

“I don’t see this ending well,” Phillip said.

“No. I don’t think it will,” she agreed sadly.

Watching Luke and Heather argue only aggravated the mood she
was in because of Gabriel. Was she getting a preview of her own future? Would
she and Gabriel deteriorate before they could begin? What future? Neither had ever
used words like future or relationship nor…love.

In the blink of an eye, Heather stormed into the house and
moments later a car’s engine could be heard. Brody’s calm voice could be heard
as he talked to Luke. Luke said something in response and followed Heather’s
route through the house. It wasn’t long before the roar of Luke’s truck
sounded, followed by tires squealing. Like Heather, Luke had left. Rachel hoped
they would find each other and patch things up.

Lily made her way down to where Rachel and Phillip stood.
“Not good.”

“That’s our take on things,” Phillip replied. “I’m going to
get another beer. Either of you want anything?”

“Nothing for me,” Lily answered.

Rachel shook her head and watched as Phillip headed toward
the men.

“I got a text,” Lily whispered.

“What?”

“From Wylie,” she continued the whisper.

“Text? I didn’t know you texted.”

Lily hesitated. “He was really great Sunday. He gave me his
number just in case.” She shrugged. “I simply returned the favor. It was the
polite thing to do.”

“Polite? That’s your story and you’re sticking to it, right?”

Rachel saw Lily’s expression change momentarily. “He was….
Sunday night…”

“Sunday night? Okay, Lily Rose Quinn. Start talking. You know
my secrets. Sharing yours would be the polite thing to do.”

Lily gave a quick chuckle. “Using my own words against me.”
Lily turned toward the house and then toward the grilling area. “Truth?”

“As much as you’re willing to give.”

“After you left the hotel Sunday evening…we checked into a
room.”

“What?”

“You spent the night with Wylie?”

“No.” Lily looked at her a moment. “I spent the night with
Wyatt.”

Rachel was stunned. If Lily knew his name was Wyatt…

“I can see the wheels spinning in your head.” Lily teased.
“Yes, I know his name is really Wyatt. I know they’re cops working undercover.”

“He blew his cover? Why? When?”

Lily smiled. “He was there for me. I was so upset about –
well, I was, shameful to say, mostly upset about that kiss at your place.”

“You slept with him?”

“Rachel, do you want to know what the text said or not?”

**********

The room smelled of sweat. The cheap motel room was small and
cramped with people. Richard Jenkins, the FBI Special Agent in charge and DEA
Agent Mike Furst jockeyed for position as they hovered around a small round
table. Seated at that table was Tyler Devlin. Eating pizza. Deke and Wylie had
managed to get Ty out of harm’s way Monday night. He’d been in hiding ever
since in a motel located off some forgotten state road. The out of the way
location was a necessity, but it made dividing up his time even trickier than
it already was. He hadn’t seen Rachel since that fleeting moment when he caught
her watching him as he roughed up Ty Devlin. He wanted to be with her. He
wanted her to know it was all an act. For Ty’s safety.

As Wednesday was ebbing away, Rachel stayed with him in his
heart until he could get back to her. He wanted to hold her and reassure her,
but that couldn’t happen tonight.

Monday night had taken a frantic bit of quick thinking and
hustling to get Ty out of sight and yet maintain Deke and Wylie’s positions
with Denny’s group. When they’d entered the café that night, Wyatt quickly gave
Ty a bit of a heads up before the floor show began. In the thirty seconds it
took for Wyatt to lean in and whisper into Ty’s ear, Deke and Wylie took over
and Ty went with the flow. He had allowed Deke and Wylie the opportunity to
look like a couple of thugs at his expense. To those in the café, Ty was in
deep shit. Russ Patterson had proven useful when he arrived by allowing them to
walk away with Ty. Instead of driving Ty to the old barn as was Mullet’s plan,
they disappeared into the night on the pretense of looking for Ty after they
explained to Denny he had escaped. Worked like a charm.

 Once the calls were made to Jenkins and Furst, the
location secured, and Tyler Devlin placed into protective custody, only then
did Gabe see the man come undone. The idea of protective custody did not allow
grieving boyfriends out and about for a funeral, should one occur while in
custody. That had been hard to take but he had accepted his fate. Gabe felt bad
for Ty. The man’s grief was obvious. When Ty told him Laurel Cross had been
pregnant with his child, Gabe felt even worse for the man. He couldn’t imagine
losing the woman he loved and a child all in one horrible moment. If Rachel
were carrying his baby he would… The woman he loved. The sentence danced around
his brain as her face toyed with his vision. Gabe blinked, did an inward
reality check, and focused on the now empty pizza box sitting on the round
table.

 “Thanks for the pizza,” Ty said as he wiped a paper
napkin across his mouth.

“Yeah. Sure.” Wyatt closed the empty box and leaned back in
the black vinyl chair he occupied.

Gabe thought someone else needed a little reality check. He
had been watching Wyatt for two days. Something was definitely not the same.
Wyatt said little and spent a lot of time looking at his phone.