Betrayal of Trust (10 page)

A
t ten o’clock the next morning, Keri and Justin joined Matthew in Raven’s office to examine the computerized footage they’d taken the day before. Raven sat at her desk and used the mouse to pull the image in closer and adjust the size for a better view.

She turned to Keri and Justin, who stood behind her staring over her shoulder at the computer screen. “Look familiar?” she asked.

Justin frowned and shook his head. “He may have come in for meals, but I’d know him if he ever stayed in the shelter overnight.” He turned to Keri. “Do you remember that guy from the meal lines?”

Peering closer, Keri scrunched her brow. “I don’t think so. But I’ll keep an eye out from now on.”

“I appreciate it.” Matthew’s disappointment was more than evident. Raven’s heart went out to him.

Expelling a breath, Raven sat back in the chair. She lifted her arms behind her head and laced her fingers. “There’s got to be a better way to find this jerk than dumb luck.”

Matt raked his fingers through his hair. “I got in
touch with his parole officer before I came over here. But she couldn’t help me. Ray missed his first check-in. Probably because he knew he couldn’t pass a drug test. So there’s a warrant out for his arrest as it is.”

“Well, so much for that.” Raven unlaced her fingers and reached for Matthew’s hand. “Don’t worry,” she said. “We’ll figure out who’s behind all this. If not Ray, then whoever is responsible.”

Matt squeezed her hand and gave her a tender smile. “I just hope we can find him soon enough to avoid another incident.” He released her and reached toward Justin. “It was nice to meet you. I appreciate your coming down here.”

Justin accepted the proffered hand with a nod. “Our pleasure. I just wish we could be more help. The best I can do is offer our prayers.”

“That’s all anyone can do for now. And I gladly accept as much of that kind of help as I can get.”

Uncomfortable, Raven averted her gaze to the floor. Just when she thought Justin might make them hold hands and say a prayer in the middle of her office, someone knocked on her door. She breathed a sigh of relief. “Come in!”

Shane Crowley, an adorable college intern with quick dimples and curly black hair, peeked in. “Sorry to interrupt.”

“You’re fine. What’s up?”

“There’s a guy out here insisting he needs to see you.”

“What does he want?” She thought back over her reports during the past month. Anything controversial that might get her into trouble? Nope. Not unless one considered the exposé she’d done on the tanning-salon-owning pervert who’d installed cameras in each room.
But she doubted seriously he had the guts to confront anyone face-to-face.

Shane grinned. “Says he’s your brother.”

Keri laughed. “A brother, eh? That’s a new way to meet you.”

“This guy sort of looks like you, Raven.”

Raven felt the blood drain from her face. Sonny.

“Oh, this I have to see.” Keri strode toward the door.

“Wait, Kere. Let Shane deal with him.” She glanced at the intern. “Tell him I can’t talk now, but if he will come back later I’d be happy to sit down and find out what this is all about.”

“You’ll
what?
” Keri stared at her, bewilderment popping from every freckle. “Raven, you can’t sit down and talk to a nut job who claims to be your
brother.
”

“I agree.” Matthew stepped forward. “I’ll go talk to him.”

“No! I think I can handle this,” she said, eyeing first one then the other. “I know you only mean well, but I’ve had a lot of practice in dealing with fans and admirers.”

Keri scowled. “Fine, have it your way. We have to go pick up the boys from swimming lessons.”

“All right. I’ll call you later if I hear anything about Anaya’s family.”

Giving her a tight squeeze, Keri whispered against her ear. “Matthew loves you still. I can tell.”

Warmth crept to Raven’s cheeks. “We’ll see,” she whispered back.

Justin wrapped her in a bear hug, his scratchy chin tickling her cheek.

“Thanks again for coming down, Justin.”

“No problem. Let me know if I can do anything else.”

They left and Raven turned expectantly to Matt, stub
bornness plain in every line on his face. He plunked down in the nearest chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

Panic rose in Raven. Sonny was waiting. Her brother. Her secret.

“Matthew,” she said slowly. “As much as I’d love to sit and talk, I’m afraid duty calls.” Forcing a bright smile, she willed him to take a clue and leave.

He shook his head and set his jaw. “I’m not leaving until I know who this so-called
brother
is.”

She rolled her eyes. “Why? You jealous?”

He narrowed his gaze and pushed to his feet, purpose written in each stride as he closed the distance between them. Slipping his arms around her waist, he pulled her to him in one quick movement.

Raven’s heart nearly burst from her chest as his head moved closer. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her face.

“Not jealous, Raven. Just not willing to take a chance on you being harmed by someone who might not have your best interests at heart.”

“H-he won’t…” Her gaze lowered to his mouth. He smiled and she looked up.

“I’m going to make sure he doesn’t. If I have to hold you close to me for the rest of my life, I will.”

“That sounds an awful lot like a proposal,” she whispered.

“It wasn’t,” he whispered back.

Heat seared her cheeks. She averted her gaze.

He dipped his head lower. “I proposed once. I never changed my mind. The ball is in your court. When you’re ready to take the ring back, it’s still yours.”

His mouth closed over hers before she could process his declaration. For Raven, this wonderful kiss felt just like Christmas, landing her first job and the first morn
ing of vacation all rolled into one. She sighed against his lips as he pulled away. “Matthew…”

“Shh, I’m not asking for you to pick up where we left off before your mother died. Just letting you know that my feelings are still the same. When and if you’re ever ready to love me again, I’ll be here.”

Her heart shouted to her,
Admit it. Let go and let him love you!

Before she could decide whether to accept the challenge or quiet her emotions, Matt stepped back. “Don’t walk out to your car alone when you leave. Promise me.”

She nodded. “I promise.”

“Okay then, I’ll leave you to your work. Jamie has soccer practice in an hour and I need to be there.”

He dipped his head and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “I’ll call you later.”

As soon as the door closed behind him, she sank into the nearest chair and buried her face in her hands.

Matthew glanced in the rearview mirror and frowned. The same blue car that had been following them since he and Jamie had pulled out of the ballpark had just reappeared through a zigzag of traffic. His heart sent up a flare to heaven.
Lord, show me where the danger is coming from. I can’t protect my family if Ray keeps eluding me.

“What’s wrong, Dad?”

He glanced at his daughter. The worry clouding her eyes slashed at him. He hadn’t meant to be so transparent that his daughter would worry.

“Nothing’s wrong, honey.”

Her face, smudged with sweat and dirt, scrunched with a dubious frown. “I can tell when you’re lying to me. You keep looking in the mirror and breathing heavy.”

He whipped the car out of the lane of traffic and hit the off ramp at sixty miles per hour. The blue car stayed on the freeway. Swallowing hard, Matthew returned his focus to driving.

“Okay, I mean it, Dad. What’s going on? I don’t recognize this street. We’re not even going the right way.”

Matt surveyed the street he’d pulled onto. She was right. He didn’t recognize anything either. But the golden arches, standing majestically a few yards on the right, were the universal landmark. “Hey, I thought you might be hungry after all that running you did.”

“Really? Can I have chicken nuggets?”

“You sure can.”

“And a shake?”

“Yep.”

“So nothing’s wrong?”

“Everything is just fine.” For now anyway.

“Okay, that’s great, Ken. Thanks.”

The cameraman puffed on a cigarette and nodded. “I’ll wrap up here and meet you back at the station to start editing this for six o’clock.”

Raven stood outside the courthouse where the serial bank robber had just been arraigned. Her afternoon had been filled with dreams of the kiss she’d shared with Matthew—until two hours ago, when she’d gotten word about the arraignment. Then rational thought fled and she’d moved on instinct. She’d dashed out to wrap up her story, calling Ken on the way. Now she felt a little lost. There would be no more robberies—at least with this guy’s MO—which was a good thing, but it left her at loose ends. Barring an unexpected jailbreak, this guy wasn’t news anymore until a jury of his peers found him guilty. She needed to come up with another running story.

Her thoughts turned back to Matt as she walked through the dim parking garage toward her SUV. A creepy shudder crept up her spine. Too late, she remembered that she’d promised not to walk to her car alone. She squared her shoulders and tried to squash the feeling that someone was watching her. The price of an overactive imagination.

The smell of smoke lingered in the air accompanied by heavy footsteps. She frowned. Ken?

She stopped and turned, expecting to find her cameraman behind her. Instead, a cop walked past her. That explained the footsteps, but not the cigarette smoke.

She pressed the auto unlock on her keychain and moments later left the suffocating garage. The light of day had never looked so good.

An hour after she arrived back at the station, her phone rang.

“Why’d you blow me off this morning?” A heavy, slurred voice spoke into her ear. “They treated me like I was some kind of stalker.”

“I’m so sorry you felt that way, Sonny.” Raven was a little tired of the way her so-called brother vented on her every time something didn’t go according to his plan. “I was busy and I haven’t had a chance to tell anyone about you.”

“No one knows I’m alive?”

“I haven’t felt comfortable sharing my news about you just yet.” She smiled. “We haven’t even met face-to-face. You know?”

“Well, whose fault is that?”

“Mine, I guess.”

Her simple statement seemed to defuse him. “Sonny, how come our dad never calls me? Have you told him about me?”

“I want to meet you first so I can surprise him when you’re ready to meet him.”

“That’s very sweet of you.”

“He’s been through enough. I just don’t want him disappointed.”

“What do you mean? What’s he been through? Is he okay?”

“Oh, he’s okay now. But my mother left us when I was about six years old.” The steel in his tone brought a frown to Raven’s brow. “It was hard on Dad.”

“I can imagine. My mother died when I was in college.”

“A dead mom isn’t the same thing as being abandoned. My mother’s actions were her choice.”

“Of course. I’m sorry, Sonny. That must have been really hard on you and…your dad.”

“Hey,
our
dad, sis.” His tone lightened as quickly as it had darkened.

Sheesh,
talk about bipolar.

“So, when do you want to meet? How about if I take you out tonight?”

“Dinner sounds great. I have to get this story on the six o’clock news, then I’m free for the rest of the night. Where shall we meet?”

“Do you like Italian?”

“Love it.”

“There’s a great little Italian joint just around the corner from your station.”

“Mama Rosa’s?”

“That’s it.”

“Okay, let’s meet say…six-thirtyish?”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too,” Raven replied with warmth. She hung up the phone with a sense of purpose. Tonight was the night she’d finally meet her only brother.

Matthew hung up the phone and sat back in his chair. It wasn’t like Raven not to answer her phone. He’d tried her work line, her home line and her cell and got voice mail on all three.

His heart lodged in his throat. What if he’d scared her off earlier with his big declaration? But she hadn’t seemed scared. She’d actually seemed as moved as he had.

Still, he’d sensed she wasn’t quite ready to give up the possibility of getting a story out of him. A heavy sigh escaped him. He couldn’t do it. Jamie had to be protected. Could he keep his child safe and have Raven in his life too? That was the question, wasn’t it?

R
aven knew as soon as she spotted Sonny that he was her brother. His dark eyes and dark hair mirrored her own in an eerie sort of familial resemblance that she’d sort of hoped for, but hadn’t really expected. He smiled and stood as she approached the table.

“Hi,” she said breathlessly. “I’m not late, am I?”

He glanced at his watch and shook his head. “Right on time. Six-thirtyish, right?”

“Right.”

An awkward silence fell. Neither offered to sit. Raven wasn’t sure whether to hold out her hand, or move in for a quick, sisterly hug.

Sonny appeared to be having the same dilemma. He gave her a sheepish grin and bent, pressing a kiss on her cheek. Perfect.

“Shall we sit?” he asked.

Raven slid into the booth. She slipped her purse off her shoulder and settled it on the seat next to her. The waitress appeared asking for her drink order. “Diet cola,” she said.

Sonny scowled. “That stuff’s rat poison.”

“I’ll take my chances. Can’t eat Italian without a diet soda.”

He shrugged. “Have it your way.”

Clasping her fingers in front of her, she shook her head. “I can’t believe the resemblance between us. Can you?”

“Uncanny.” He rimmed his water glass with his index finger. “We could be fraternal twins. But of course, I’ve seen you on TV so I already knew how much we look alike.”

“So, tell me about yourself, Sonny. What do you do for a living?”

He stirred his straw around the ice water and met her gaze with a shrug. “This and that.”

Oh, brother. That meant he was going to stick her with the check.

He laughed. “Don’t worry. I have steady income. Actually, I have my Masters in Economics and I teach a couple of night classes at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. But only the Ph.D.s make enough to live on. So I also do some physical training at Fitness World.”

“I see. I could use some physical training. What’s your fee?” She grinned.

“Ah, well, that’s where being a family member works to your advantage. I’d do it for free.”

“So, are you married, Sonny?”

He shook his head. “No.”

The one-word answer would have been enough to dissuade most people, but not a sister who made her living being nosy. “How come? You seem like an okay guy, and obviously you have good genes. Why hasn’t some woman snagged you yet?”

“Because I haven’t ever allowed myself to be snagged. Marriage is a slow form of emotional death as
far as I’m concerned. My parents were proof of that. How about you? Why haven’t you tied the knot yet?”

“I was engaged once.”

“What happened?”

“Let’s just say, my own disillusionment with life began about that time.”

“You want to elaborate?”

“Not really. Suffice it to say that I decided to put my energy into building a successful career rather than giving my happiness over to a man.”

The waitress appeared to take their orders, effectively cutting off Sonny’s reply for a couple of minutes. When she left, he gave Raven a scrutinizing look. “Well, it seems you and I have more in common than merely sharing our biological father. We both have a jaded view of relationships.”

“Seems so.”

He chuckled. “Maybe we can find a therapist who gives family discounts.”

Raven couldn’t help but laugh with him. “Good idea.”

“Do you want to see a picture of Dad?” Sonny’s sudden question took her off guard and she fought to swallow down the sip of her soda without spewing it all over the table.

She swiped at her mouth with a napkin and nodded. “I’d love it.” Through all of her searching, she’d never been able to locate a photo.

He pulled his wallet from the inside pocket of his tan sports coat.

Raven took the photograph with a mix of fascination and angst. She should have recognized the man staring back at her. The dark eyes, dark hair. The exotic cheekbones and full lips that had always distinguished Raven from the rest of her family. But this man was a stranger
to her. Her mind conjured the familiar image of dear Mac. Daddy. The gruff cop with the gentleness of heart to cry during Hallmark commercials and Christmas programs.

“What was he like as a father?” she asked, without taking her eyes off the photo. “When you were growing up, I mean.”

Sonny released a sigh that told her more than his words could have. “He wasn’t the baseball playing, camping kind of dad. But I knew he loved me. He always told me it was just the two of us against the world. I guess that was his way of making me feel special.”

“That was nice.” Just the two of them. The words scraped Raven’s heart raw.

A dubious grin quirked one side of his mouth. “Well, it was nice as long as he was between women. But Dad wasn’t the kind of guy to stay celibate for long. And he couldn’t just date. He was addicted to relationships.”

“He never remarried?”

“No. He came close a couple of times, but it never seemed to work out.”

“That’s too bad. It would have been nice for you to have had a mother.”

“I have a mother,” he shot back. His tone once again too hard, the way she’d noted a couple of times before.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you stayed in contact with her.”

He scowled. “I didn’t. I’m sorry. I guess I do need therapy.” He gave a self-deprecating smile. “A little boy abandoned by his mother and the forty-one-year-old man is still paying for it emotionally.”

Instinctively, Raven reached across the table and covered his hand with hers. He snatched his back as though he’d been pricked.

Heat flamed her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to
cross any boundaries.” But sheesh, he’d kissed her on the cheek. What was a little hand-on-hand comfort between long-lost siblings?

“No boundaries crossed.” He covered his hand where hers had been. “I’m just not accustomed to being touched. It startled me.”

Note to self, don’t touch new brother.

“Anyway,” Sonny said, nodding toward the photo Raven still held. “Feel free to keep that. I have another one.”

“Thanks.”

The waitress brought their meal. Raven breathed a sigh of relief and launched into small talk between bites.

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Black.”

Okay, that suits him.

“Where’d you go to high school?”

“Right here in Kansas City.”

“What do you like to do on a cold, rainy night?”

“Read.”

Now, there’s common ground.

“Who is your favorite author?”

“Stephen King.”

Hmm. Maybe not.

When they stood to leave, Sonny insisted on paying the bill. Raven was pleased to note he left a generous tip. They walked out of the restaurant together.

“So, Sonny,” Raven said when they reached her SUV. “Now that you’ve met me, when do you think I can meet your dad?”

“Let me see what I can do to set that up. I’ll call you, okay?”

“Sure. It’s nice that you want to surprise him. I just hope he wants to meet me.”

“Don’t worry about that. He will.”

She glanced in the rearview mirror as she drove away. He stood watching her for as long as she was able to make out his form in the dark parking lot.

A sudden shiver crawled up her spine. She had the sense that she was treading into territory rife with complications she probably wasn’t ready to deal with.

Guilt plagued her at the thought of how Mac might feel if he knew she had a desire to meet her biological father. Especially since he had no idea that she’d found her original birth certificate.

Watching traffic closely, she felt around on the seat for her cell phone. She speed-dialed Mac. He answered in three rings.

“Hey Dad, how’s it going?”

“What’s wrong, honey? You sound upset.”

How could he tell in only five words?

“Hey, can’t a girl call her dad without something being wrong?”

“You never call on workdays.” His matter-of-fact answer sent a wave of guilt over her. “How about not pretending with your old dad, and let me help?”

Tears sprang to her eyes.

“It’s nothing, really. I just wanted to say hi.”

“Is it about work? I saw the report you did at your sister’s mission. If that doesn’t get you the anchor job, those ninnies don’t know real talent when they see it. I’m a little tired of watching that Kellie girl murdering the prompter. Did you hear her say the head of the school board ‘re-singed’ instead of resigned? She’s not quite the sharpest knife in the drawer is she?”

“Dad!” Laughter bubbled to her lips, and contentment lifted the gray from her mind at his loyalty. “Seriously, they haven’t made a decision that I know of.
Kellie is doing much of the anchoring since Bruce’s heart attack, but they’ve made it clear she’s only pinch-hitting for now. So I guess we’ll see.”

“You’ll get it. They’d be crazy not to give it to you.”

“Thanks, Mac.”

“So, let’s talk about you coming home for the fall barbecue, right?”

A sudden longing washed over Raven. The picnic was two and a half full months away. That seemed too long.

“Actually, Dad, I thought I might come up for the Fourth of July. Do you have plans? I know it’s only a week away, so if that’s too short notice, I understand.”

“Well, to tell you the truth, honey, Keri and Justin invited us—Ruthie and me—for the Fourth. So we’ll be in Kansas City.”

“Oh, I see.” Rejection stung Raven. How could Keri plan a celebration and not invite Raven to join them? “That’s great. Maybe you could stop by.”

“Or you could join us. That brother-in-law of yours has gone and rounded up fifty barbecue grills and volunteers willing to barbecue. He’s gotten permission from the store owners all around the mission to line up the grills on the sidewalk. They’re going to be feeding the homeless hamburgers and hotdogs and chicken. They can’t do fireworks in the city, but I’d wager those people haven’t had a good barbecue in some time, if ever.”

“That’s great.” Ambitious, perhaps.

“Ruthie is going to make her famous baked beans and coleslaw.”

Guaranteed to give them all heartburn, no doubt, she thought uncharitably. But sheesh, how come Ruth got to be invited to this family thing and not Raven?

“You should come. Your sister could probably use the help.”

Her sister could just lump it. How could she invite Dad for a holiday and completely leave her out? Once again she felt like a fifth wheel.

“I’ll see what I can do, Dad. I’d better go. I’m about to get on the expressway. I’ll need to pay attention to traffic.”

“Okay, honey. I’ll see you one way or another next weekend. If you don’t show up at the mission, we’ll drop by before we head home. Maybe we can have dinner.”

“Sure.”

Raven fought back tears and anger, disappointment and loneliness, as she entered the fray of cars weaving in and out of lanes of traffic.

Maybe Sonny was going to be the only real family she had after all.

Matthew sat across the desk from Stuart McBride at Healy and McBride’s law offices.

“Do you honestly think you can go back to practicing law in this city, Matt?”

“Why not?”

“Why not indeed.” Stuart chuckled. “What about our clients who disagree with your policies? You haven’t made a secret of your stance on many controversial issues.”

“Then I’d be great to represent those clients who do agree with me. Right?”

“Tell you what,” Stuart said, leaning back in his brown leather chair. “How about giving me a few days to think about it and discuss it with my partners? Then I’ll give you a call.”

Disappointment clawed at Matthew’s heart. Stuart didn’t look very encouraging.

Matthew clenched his jaw as he walked toward the elevator. Wasn’t there anything left for him? His law ed
ucation. His political ambitions. There was nothing left. How did a thirty-seven-year-old man start all over?

He maneuvered in and out of traffic, instinct driving the car as much as Matthew. All he’d ever wanted to do was make a difference in his corner of the world.

What happened to a man once his dreams were crushed? When everything he’d ever thought he was meant to be suddenly seemed impossible?

Somehow, thirty minutes later, he found himself in Pastor Jim Hickman’s office voicing the same questions.

The pastor steepled his fingers on his sleek mahogany desk. “So what you’re saying is that suddenly your purpose in life has switched gears?”

Matthew nodded. “I always knew I’d follow in my father’s footsteps and enter the political arena. There wasn’t any question. As a kid, I was groomed that way, but I made the choice consciously as an adult. My parents’ dreams became my own. I honestly believed God had directed me toward politics.”

“And do you think God changed his mind?”

Matthew stared at the pastor, trying to wrap his mind around the question.

“Matt, the path before us isn’t always without struggle. What if you’d run for senate and lost? Would you have tried again?”

“Of course.”

“Then perhaps you need to look at this as a setback designed to strengthen you for the next phase of the battle.” He slid his black, leather-bound Bible across the desk until it sat on the desk in front of him. He flipped through the pages. “David had God’s promise that he’d be king from the time he was only a boy. But it didn’t happen immediately, did it?”

“I guess not.”

“After Samuel anointed David, David went right back to the fields to tend his sheep until the appointed time.

“His purpose was to be king. But his situation in life dictated that he tend sheep.

“Even when he finally made it to the palace, it was only to play his harp for the reigning king.

“David must have been excited to get that invitation, thinking, this is it. I’m going to play for the king and he’ll make me his heir.

“Instead, Saul eventually hated him and David had to run for his life.”

Matthew’s heart began to lift with hope as Pastor Jim put the story into perspective for him and paralleled it to his own life.

The preacher rested his clasped hands on the white pages in front of him. “Sometimes God reveals what He’s eventually planned for us to be, but we have to walk out the steps to get there. For David it was walking out the steps to the palace. He had to decide whether or not to believe the word that God had given him through Samuel even when it seemed as though he would never be king. If you truly believe that God has designed for you to be an elected official, then you can’t let a little thing like being forced to pull out of your first primary discourage you.”