Because I'm Watching (41 page)

“I am.” She touched his cheek with her bandaged fingers. “How am I?”

“Early this morning, before he went off duty, Dr. Frownfelter examined you and said you're doing surprisingly well for someone who got into a knife fight and lost a lot of blood in the process. How do you feel?”

“Like someone stabbed me too many times. And once is too many.” She felt proud. She had made a joke.

Jacob didn't seem to think it was funny. He got a pucker between his brows and asked, “What do you need? What can I get you?”

His concern made her forget her thirst. “You. Just you.”

Cautiously he pressed his lips to hers. Not hard. It hurt a little. But enough to let her taste him and let him taste her. He seemed to need that. As did she. “I love you so much,” he said.

“I know you do. I love you, too.” This time she wasn't using the words to distract him or saying them because she might never see him again. She said those words from the fullness of her heart and the knowledge that they could now plan a future.

“You faced your monster.” He was proud of her, irate with himself for not being there for her, angry that that bitch had tried to kill Maddie, and proud all over again. His Maddie was a fighter, and never again would she fight alone. “You defeated your monster.”

She smiled, smug and pleased. “Yes. I did. She's dead, and I will never let another monster into my life.” Her eyes narrowed. “No one had better ever pick on our kids, or I will take them down.”

Their kids. Sure. Why not? They loved each other, and more important, they liked each other. They understood each other. They might not always agree—in fact, they would not—but when the world judged them unfairly, they would face that world together. “Children. I like children. But I won't live in sin. We have to be married.”

She waved an airy, white-bandaged hand. “That's easy enough.”

He laughed out loud, a comfortable laughter that lifted all his burdens. “You don't know my family. We're Greek Orthodox, we're close, there are a lot of us, my mother loves to plan get-togethers, she loves to cook. I'm the prodigal son returned from the brink of death and madness.”

Maddie looked troubled. “Are you trying to say we have to have a
wedding
?” She made it sound like torture.

He didn't so much laugh now. He chortled. “Such a wedding!”

Her eyes got big with horror, then timid with hope. “But I don't have any family and you said Andrew left me in debt. The bride's parents are supposed to pay.”

He brushed that away. “You're alone in the world, so of course my family will take you to their collective bosoms and treat you as their own. Which they would do whether or not you are marrying into the family, but marrying me makes you special. Did I mention I'm the only son? And the youngest child?”

She examined him out of the corners of her eyes. “Are you serious? Is that a big deal?”

“In a politically correct world—not at all. For my mother and older sisters—oh, yes. But don't worry. All you'll have to do is pick out the china pattern and show up in a white dress.” Actually Maddie was going to be up to her eyebrows in wedding decisions. But she was weak from loss of blood and he wanted her to marry him. So, being a sensible man, he lied. Or rather, prevaricated. Yes. That sounded so much better. He prevaricated.

“If I have to, but”—she put her bruised fingertips on his arm—“before the wedding, can we enjoy some occasional moments of sin?”

“Sure. We can do that.” He would have had a rough time resisting.

“That's very sweet of you.” Her lashes fluttered.

“Damn it, woman!” He put out his palm as if to hold her away. “Not now. Not here. Not until you're better.”

“Of course. You don't think I'd suggest anything as improper as a romp in the hospital bed?” Clearly she was making fun of him.

He broke a sweat anyway. “Tease.”

“Me? No, you're the one standing over me, all manly and handsome.”

She made him feel manly and handsome, and he wondered uncomfortably if that was why his father worshipped and indulged his mother. Perhaps Jacob suffered from the Denisov genetic defect of being happiest when pussy-whipped.

Maddie said, “With you distracting me, I forgot. My mouth is dry. Please may I have some water?”

He offered an ice chip.

She patted the mattress next to her hip.

He seated himself gingerly, trying not to jar the bed. Again he offered an ice chip.

She took it eagerly, and with an expression of ecstasy, let it melt in her mouth.

He reminded himself she was severely injured and the ecstasy involved frozen water. He offered another chip.

“How soon can I go home?” She took the chip and sucked on it.

Severely
injured. “Three to five days, barring complications.”

“Could be worse, I guess. I could have lost the fight.” He must have flinched, because she gently patted his chest. “It's okay. Everything came out perfectly. Remember what I said about being ruined?”

“I'll never forget it.”

“I'm not ruined anymore.”

He thought about it—about the trip, his conversation with Mr. Caron, his successful detective work. “You're right. And neither am I.”

*   *   *

An hour later, Maddie had been given water and food, insisted on having her hair brushed, had her bandages changed, cried about her brother, chatted animatedly about killing the monster, and passed out cold in the middle of having her face washed.

God, Jacob loved her so much.

When he was sure she was sleeping and would be for a while, he wandered out into the corridor. He stood in the bright glare of fluorescent hospital lights, pulled out his cell phone, and called his parents' house.

His mother answered.

He said, “Hi, Ma, it's—”

“Jacob,” she said, and burst into tears.

Oh, crap. His mother was crying.

His father was going to kill him.

 

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

When Kateri knocked on the door of Mrs. Golobovitch's apartment, she heard Lacey barking, an insistent demand that Mrs. Golobovitch open the door. Mrs. Golobovitch did so and Lacey danced around on two paws, expressing her pleasure so exuberantly that Kateri experienced an upswell of love. With the Madeline Hewitson case solved and the election behind her, she could spend time with her dog, she could somehow figure out her love life, and she could look for a job. After the past few days, that agenda seemed like a snap.

“Come on, sweetheart, let's go to work.” She opened the passenger door for Lacey.

The dog jumped in.

Kateri gave Mrs. Golobovitch a grateful wave, took a long time to thoroughly indulge her dog with petting while explaining the events that had kept her away overnight. “It's all good. This morning when I left Maddie's hospital room, I checked in with the nursing staff on Maddie's condition—satisfactory!”

Lacey gave an approving bark.

Kateri continued, “I told Jerry at the security desk to continue to keep the reporters at bay!”

Lacey got positively ecstatic about that.

“And I got into my patrol car and came to get you, the sweetest, smartest dog in the world!”

Lacey cuddled close, put her head on Kateri's lap, and closed her eyes with the pleasure of their reunion.

Kateri carefully drove to city hall and with Lacey at her side, walked into the patrol room. She lifted a weary hand at the guys and headed back for the coffee.
Coffee.
She really needed coffee.

When her officers began to clap, first one, then another, then the whole room, Kateri stopped, stood, and considered them. “What?”

They grinned and kept clapping.

Lacey barked and danced with delight.

Okay … what with yesterday's busy afternoon, Kateri hadn't had time to worry about the election results. But … “Are the ballots counted?” she asked.

The guys laughed. The applause got louder.

“I won?”

Nods all around.

“I
won
?” She put her hand on her chest, trying to still the sudden wild beat of her heart. “How…? How much…?”

The applause petered out.

Knowles was the first to quit clapping and rather sourly he said, “You didn't exactly sweep the county. You won by two votes.”

“Two votes?” She laughed out loud. “And one of them was mine.” She laughed again and groped for the coffeepot. “How did it even happen? We lost the Terrances yesterday. No word on them yet?”

“If you want to call it that,” Ernie Fitzwater said. “They stole their Dodge SRT Hellcat out of impound and got away clean.”

“I thought they stole a boat?”

“Multitalented,” Fitzwater said.

Kateri put her hands to her forehead. “We're doing great. We'll never catch up with those bastards. No leads?”

Heads shook.

“We've put out a bulletin to the State Patrol to be on the lookout, an alert to the citizens, and we're ready to take them out,” Fitzwater said.

Kateri struggled between concentrated horror at the Terrance situation and confusion, astonishment, and delight at the election results. “I figured losing them right out of jail cinched the results against me.”

“Voters didn't
see
you lose the prisoners,” Chippen said. “They saw you arrest a bunch of politicians and they loved it.”

“Didn't we all?” Kateri murmured. More loudly, she asked, “Where's Bergen?”

“Here.” He stepped out of his office. “You don't want that coffee. Moen made it. Come on, I'll treat you at the Oceanview Café.” He didn't look irked or angry … that was a good thing.

“You don't have to do that!” She shouldn't be grinning in his face like this, either, but she couldn't seem to stop.

“You don't have to come to my house for dinner to celebrate your victory, either, but Sandra will be insulted if you don't.” He offered his arm.

“I'd love to come.” She glanced at Lacey. “But—”

“Bring her along to the café. She's becoming the town mascot.”

Kateri placed her hand on Bergen's elbow, and with Lacey in tow, they went out the door.

The police officers clapped again, approving the détente, aware that having their sheriff and their deputy work together would make their jobs not only easier but also a lot more pleasant.

Outside, the morning was fresh and clear, the sun beamed on the park, and Kateri didn't know how to read the expression on Bergen's face.

He looked placid. Almost … pleased.

“Thank you for being so gracious,” she said.

“Since only one of us could have the job, it was inevitable
someone
would have to be.” He looked at her sideways. “I'm better at it than you are.”

She laughed. “True. But two votes.
Two votes.
That's nothing!”

“The election is a simple majority, so two votes are enough.”

A thought struck her. “You can challenge the election.”

“I'm not.”

“Why not? Two votes! You know a recount could change the results. Or a few late votes.”

With a fair amount of humor, he asked, “Are you trying to talk me into it?”

“No. I'm just … I thought everyone fought an election until the last dog was hung.” She glanced down. “Nothing personal, Lacey.”

Unconcerned, Lacey trotted beside her, sniffing the air.

In a tone of absolute practicality, Bergen said, “A challenge would waste taxpayer money. The recount would be contentious, and if it was close enough, you could challenge the challenge. That could go on forever. Besides, for an officer with no experience, you're a fine sheriff and you'll do a good job over the next four years.”

Kateri appreciated his confidence in her. “Then you'll run again?”

“No. Once was enough.” He pulled the door of the Oceanview Café open and held it for Kateri and Lacey.

Alarmed, Kateri asked, “You're not going to leave? You'll stay and work for the department?”

He smiled. “I would like that. We make a good team.”

“We do, don't we?” She walked in, Lacey on her heels, and once again was treated to a round of applause, a lot of smiles, and a scowl from Cordelia.

The noise was interrupting her work.

Kateri beamed. She never expected this: to win, to be lauded, to get approval. But she liked it. She felt at one with Virtue Falls. Of course, they were also applauding because they liked Bergen. But so did she.

Rainbow indicated the table against the wall.

Kateri pantomimed coffee.

Rainbow rolled her eyes; as if she had ever had a doubt.

Bergen held the chair for Kateri. She faced the diner and the door; here she could keep an eye on the comings and goings. Lacey took her place under the table, where she could watch the patrons with a keen eye.

A glance at the old-codger table showed Kateri one empty spot. “Mr. Caldwell is not here today.”

“Now,
he
took the loss badly.” Bergen seated himself at the end of the table, where he could keep an eye on the street outside.

Rainbow showed up with two coffee mugs and a pot of coffee. “Congratulations, Sheriff Kwinault! I never had a doubt.”

Kateri laughed. “You're the only one, then.”

As Rainbow poured the coffee, Kateri took a moment to appreciate today's outfit: white ruffled bloomers, a red-and-white-striped skirt, a blue cotton shirt with white stars, cowboy boots, and a fur collar. Rainbow had shaved the sides of her head, dyed the remaining hair a brilliant blue, and sprinkled it with glitter.

“The colors are in honor of … Election Day?” Kateri guessed.

“Right. And the fur is in honor of you and your Native American heritage.”

Kateri raised inquiring eyebrows.