The Bounty Hunters: The Marino Bros.: Box Set (20 page)

Ronnie hugged her friend good bye, tipped her generously even when Margaret tried to protest. She was ready to face her mom. Nikko could wait. Let him stew awhile, she mused. But he’d face his comeuppance soon. The prick. He’d realize the ice princess could burn too.

*     *     *

Ronnie pulled into
her driveway. Jay was home; she braced herself and took several calming breaths before she got out of the car. Seeing her fall apart was the last thing her mom needed.

Turning the handle, she slowly pushed open the door. Her mom and Jay were in the kitchen putting away the dishes they apparently just washed. Jay was laughing about something. She found that odd. Just three hours ago, the bear of a man had been crying like a tortured animal. Her mom, still looked frail, but she was smiling from ear to ear. Ronnie cleared her throat to announce her arrival, and they both turned to her.

Lou’s eyes widened at her daughter. Her hair! It looked magnificent. The steaks were gone; the blonde shimmered like the palest of gold, and was tipped with red, and orange. “Wow! I didn’t know you were getting your hair done. It looks great. I love it.”

“Thanks,” Ronnie returned the smile. “I just felt like I needed to do something different, and then when the trial comes up, I can always just get the tips trimmed.”

“Good idea,” her mom nodded. “Although I really like the tips. My baby girl is on fire.” Lou laughed and Jay added his own laughter after delivering a wolfish whistle.

Their good humor was beginning to really confuse Ronnie. So, she set her shopping bags down by the door, and approached them. But, she would let her mom take the lead, tell her in her own time. Her mind was trying to sort out this change in mood. Probably, putting on a happy face for her daughter. But she wanted the truth, all of it. Good and bad. She needed to know what they were dealing with so she could help her mom.

“Yeah, I like it too,” she added. “Nikko wasn’t in, so I got my hair done. Visited with Margaret.”

“Oh, that’s nice. I like her. She does good work. Really different, but stunning. I should go see her.”

“You can’t,” Jay burst out. “I heard the chemicals . . .”

Lou silenced him with a look.

Ronnie needed to know what was going on. “Why can’t she?” she asked. She hoped it would encourage the two to reveal their secret.

Lou and Jay exchanged a look. Then a small smile. He patted and rubbed her back affectionately, and nodded.

Lou looked to Ronnie. “Sit down, baby. We’ve got some news.”

“Yes, um . . . you mentioned some good news and bad news in your text,” Ronnie prompted when her mom stalled. Jay and Louisa exchanged another secretive look.

Ronnie looked at them both curiously, and went into the kitchen and sat at the counter. “So, what’s up?” She waited.

Lou looked to Jay one more time. “You tell her, Jay,” she encouraged. Ronnie was so confused. The two were now grinning like the cat that caught the canary.

“You sure?” he asked. “You want me to tell her?”

“Yes, tell her.” Lou laughed as he turned to face Ronnie.

Ronnie looked to him expectantly.

“Well,” he started. “Your mom . . .”

“And you,” Lou added when he stopped.

He gave her the biggest smile.

“Your mom and I,” he emphasized, “well, we are going to have a baby.”

A baby!!!
Ronnie practically fell out of her chair. Her head snapped back and forth several times. Her eyes grew round.
Four months?
Her mother had said four months. She had assumed that it meant four months to live, but now it dawned on her. Her mother had meant she was four months pregnant.

“A . . . a . . . baby?” she croaked.

“Yep, I know. I was as shocked as you,” Jay stated, seeing the worry on her face. “But, are you okay with this?”

She saw the worry there.
For her?
“Uh, yeah!” Relief swept through her. “A brother or sister. Holy hell! I’m more than okay with that. Holy hell!” She got off her seat and rushed around the counter pulling her mom into her arms, the mother she thought she might lose.

Her mom was mumbling something. She made herself focus on what she was saying. “Yeah, I’m already four months along. I have suspected it for a while, I took a test, and the doctor confirmed it today. But, I had no idea I was that far along.”

“Oh my God!” Ronnie shrieked pulling her mom back and looking at her. “You’re not even showing.”

“I carried well with you too. I will be showing soon enough. My fifth month with you I gained like two pounds a week.” She patted her belly which was only slightly rounded.

“Oh my God!” she repeated. “This is fantastic. This is great news. It’s perfect and I couldn’t be happier for you both,” she cried into her mom’s shoulder both relief and joy flooding her. She pulled back and gazed into her mom’s eyes seeing the happiness there. Jay had lost his first child so tragically, and now he and her mom would have a child together. Her mom was thirty-eight, Jay thirty-two. They were still young and they deserved this.

“We are happy, too,” Lou announced. The trio untangled themselves from each other. “That’s why I have been so sick. But, I don’t want you to worry about this. I’ll love you always. No baby replaces my love for you.”

“M-o-m,” Ronnie shook her head. “That thought never crossed my mind.”

She wasn’t twelve. She was thrilled, this family needed good news right now more than anything. Her day had been so dark, and now this. She guessed it was true, every cloud did have its silver lining. But then another thought struck her. What was the bad news her mother alluded to? She didn’t want to voice that concern just yet. She didn’t want to ruin this moment. She wanted to embrace it and hang onto it for just a little bit. It was their time. But, the worry was there. The bad news must be from her lawyer then. She shook her head to clear her thoughts when her mom started to speak again.

“I know. The timing isn’t great. We hadn’t planned it. But, now that this baby is on the way, we have a lot to do. We just don’t want you to think,” she cleared her throat before she continued, “the baby will get in the way of us supporting you in this situation.” When Ronnie was about to interrupt, Lou raised her voice and added, “Don’t worry about this, you hear me. Focus on your case. Understand. I’ll take good care of myself, too.”

“I’ll make sure of that,” Jay added.

“Will do,” she saluted the duo. She had thought she was walking into yet another nightmare. It was about time this family had some good news. “I’ll focus on my case, but,” she stressed, “I want to help with the baby stuff.”

“We will have the baby in our room for the first few months, darling. By then, hopefully, you’ll be cleared and then we’ll worry about everything else. Jay is planning on adding a room onto the house,” she beamed up at her very handy husband.

“Well, I can help with that,” Ronnie nodded. “I’m pretty handy with a hammer, too.”

They all laughed.

“It’s about time we had some great news.” Ronnie voiced her earlier thoughts. “Wait until you tell Ana and Monica. Monica is having twins, Jessica is three. You’ll all be raising your babies together.”

“Um,” Jay interrupted. Lou looked at him, and her smile lessened.

“What?” Ronnie asked.

Lou looked to her. “We did get a bit of bad news today.” And there it was. Gone in a moment. Ronnie waited, nodded at her mom for her to go ahead. “Mr. Stimson called.”

“Okay,” she encouraged her mom to go on.

“The tapes.”

Oh god, they didn’t show what they’d all hoped.

“Yeah, um, they show him walking away quickly, but he ducked into a rest room. So Mr. Stimson doesn’t think they will help much. It just looks like he had to go to the bathroom. And, Mr. Stimson had someone go by to interview Gary in Maine. Get a feel for him, his character. Seems he has disappeared. Your graduation was supposed to be Wednesday. They are hoping he will show up for that. Mr. Stimson hired someone to be there and keep a look out for him. Hopefully, he will show. Even the police in Bangor have been called out to find him and talk to him. But, Mr. Stimson says his apartment has been cleaned out, his parents say they haven’t seen him. That he went away with some friends for a few days.”

“So they say,” Ronnie interjected. The powerful Campbell’s would surely not let the police question their son. They were super protective of their over indulged only son. The heir to the Campbell Timber Empire.

“Well, don’t get too discouraged. Mr. Stimson said he would call back tomorrow and give us an update. Maybe they will track him down before the graduation,” Lou added.

“Yeah maybe. And as for the graduation, that is a big if too,” she mumbled under her breath.

If Ronnie didn’t know him better, she felt in her heart he would hide out until her trial was over. Then another thought began to take hold. If he was hiding out, she did know a few places he would most likely go. What if she could get to him first? She knew all his hiding places. Yes, she most certainly did.

“Mr. Stimson and the police are looking for him, Ronnie. He’ll show up,” Jay added confidently when Ronnie had become quiet and contemplative.

And if he didn’t. She could rot in jail for up to twenty years. There was no way in hell that was going to happen!
Another plan was starting to form. But, she needed to act fast. She also wanted to deal with Nikko. There was no way in hell he was getting away with using her too.

*     *     *

Ronnie was ready
by ten. She was just waiting for her mom and Jay to go to bed. They watched a movie together, and it was nearly over. She had gotten up to go to “the bathroom,” and returned ten minutes later, and no one had been the wiser. In her room, which was right near the bathroom, she packed her bag, a backpack with what she needed. A couple of comfortable outfits, a jacket for when she got where she was going. Her money, wallet, some toiletries, and supplies, and her mother’s ID, and credit card. She needed the ID, didn’t plan on using the credit card. It was just back up. Getting out of the house would be the easy part. The rest, well, it would be tough, but manageable.

As the movie ran its course, she mentally composed the note she would leave her mom. Keep it simple, but reassure her. This was something she needed to do.

When the credits rolled, Jay got up pulling his wife to her feet as if she were already nine months along. It made Ronnie feel good knowing he would be here to keep an eye on her. She knew her mom would worry, of course, but she would be fine. She would be careful. This baby meant the world to them.

She was glad they were going to bed earlier than usual.

Before her mom left, Ronnie got up as well, and reached for her. Hugging her, she whispered, “Mom. I love you. I am so happy for you. Happy for you both. Everything is going to work out.”

“Thank-you sweetie.” Her mom returned the hug. Lou heard a note in her daughter’s voice that made her worry temporarily. “Honey, for you too.” She pulled back to look in her daughter’s eyes. “We will get you through this. I don’t have any doubts.”

Ronnie squared her shoulders. She still had doubts, but she was now ready to do something about it.

They said their final goodnights, and as soon as Jay and Lou’s bedroom door was closed, she went into action. In her room, she sat down on the foot of her bed to write Lou a note.

Mom,

Please don’t worry. Sorry I had to do it this way. I think I know where Gary might be. I’m going after him. Take care of yourself and that sweet baby brother or sister of mine. I love you. If all works out as I have planned, I’ll clear my name within the week. Please, don’t tell anyone right away. I need a head start. Just a little one. Okay.

Love you,

Veronica

She folded the single sheet of paper in half, drew a heart on the outside, tented it, and placed it on the center of the beautiful quilt her mom had purchased for her.

Part one of her plan was done, and now it was time to start the second part of her plan. She hoped it would go off without a hitch.

She took her phone and texted Nikko.

Ronnie:
Mom just went to bed. She’s feeling better. Can you come get me? I can spend the night.