Dangerous Curves (24 page)

D
rake drove home
, trying to remember what he'd missed the most. The feel of Cassie laying beside him in bed, the smell of her papaya scented shampoo, or the sight of her with her glasses low on her nose as she sat at her laptop typing out her next book. He'd never take another moment for granted. The worse was over and he could breathe again. He hadn't gotten rid of his cigarettes yet, but he would. He hadn't smoked them, but knew the temptation would come.

He pulled to the side when he heard the sound of an ambulance in the distance; he saw it speed past.

He'd take them all away for a holiday. Marcus had started speaking and seemed as if he wouldn't stop. Telling them every aspect of his day.

He pulled down his street, the flashing lights piercing through the hazy pink of the setting sun. He stopped when he realized the ambulance was at his house. In his driveway.

He parked and jumped out of the car.

“Sir, please step back,” the officer said.

“This is my house.”

He saw Ericka and Julie with one of the police officers. When Ericka saw him, she broke free and ran to him. Drake lifted her up and looked at the officer who'd let him pass.

“What happened?”

“There was an incident.”

“Where's my wife?”

He saw two EMTs carrying a woman on a stretcher, a knife protruding from her stomach. He rushed forward and saw Ruth.

“I'll be okay, darling,” she said.

“What?” He recoiled at her touch.

He looked up and saw Cassie getting her hand bandaged.

“What happened?”

“She just came at me. I fought her and she …she fell on the knife. She kept saying she had to defend her home.”

He'd nearly lost her a second time. “Where's Marcus?”

“Thank goodness he's safe. I let Jackie take him shopping with her. She said she was going to go shopping with Dominique to get Kevin a special gift.”

“I'll call her to tell her to keep him longer,” he said, but when he dialed, to his surprise his call immediately went to voice mail.

“
T
hanks for this
,” Jackie said to Dominique as the two women and Marcus walked to Dominique's car in the mall parking lot. “I'm giving my brother and sister-in-law a break. Standing in line for a photo with Santa Claus takes a lot of work.”

“I was surprised you invited me,” Dominique said.

“I didn't, he did. He's funny that way. I told him he could come and he said could Ms. Dominique come too.”

“A charmer in the making.”

They packed into the car then Dominique saw Chester Lawson, the man who'd stolen her promotion. She turned her face, hoping he wouldn't see her. But he did and called out her name. She put her key in the ignition and waved. Chester came over to the car, forcing her to lower the driver side window.

He leaned against it and smiled. “A fun day to go holiday shopping.”

“Yes.”

“Glad to hear your mother is doing better.”

“Thanks.”

“Shame she can't identify who attacked her.”

“Hmm.”

“We're all wondering when you'll be back.”

“I'm not coming back.”

“Shame, things aren't the same without you. I'm sure you'll change your mind.”

“Well, don't let me keep you.”

He stood.

She turned and saw Marcus' eyes wide. “What's wrong, honey?”

“That's the man who hurt Mommy.”

Before she could respond, Chester jumped into the back seat. “It's such a shame kids have such big mouths.” He flashed the gun concealed under his coat. “Drive.”

“Calm down. I know—”

“You don't know anything. You don't know who really runs your family's business. You don't know what Berton really wanted. You don't know anything. You don't know that Kevin stole the woman I love.”

“I don't think—”

Chester stamped his foot. “He did! They want me to forget what I saw, but I didn't. I saw them together. She was showing him something on her phone and they were close. Then they were laughing. Laughing at me. I knew she was seeing someone else. She was using me and I wasn't going to be used.”

He tapped his forehead with the butt of the gun. “I just wanted to talk to her. She wouldn't answer my calls, my texts, tried to shut me out. I wasn't going to be shut out that day. When I saw him get in the car with her… I knew I had to make her see me. I had to let her know she couldn't treat me that way. I wasn't going to let them get away with humiliating me. I had to get her to talk to me. I had to force their car off the road. And when I got up close to the car I just shot at the car to scare her.”

Chester took a deep breath. “But he tricked me. When I wasn't looking he'd gotten into a car with another woman. He pulled the old bait and switch, making me hurt the wrong woman. Giving my woman a chance to disappear just like her father did.”

“Her father?”

“Avery.”

“You were dating Avery's daughter?”

“It was her idea for me to get a job at Cartwright. But I soon discovered that the rivalry was just a sham. They were thick as thieves making dirty money with the underground custom cars. I threatened to blow a hole in his operation if Cartwright didn't help me find out where she was. He knows how valuable I am.”

“You're lucky he didn't kill you.”

“Your father doesn't like bodies. That's his weakness and I used it. I wanted to know where Kevin was hiding my woman. We tried using a professional who'd left a bugged earring in his place after a party, but that didn't work. That's when he thought of using you. I was impressed. You were the closest to get Jackson to open up. But the bastard conveniently forgot everything after the accident. I guess he got the last laugh again, huh?”

Dominique searched her mind remembering the day she'd lost the promotion. She'd misinterpreted Chester's expression. He hadn't been uncomfortable by the tension in the room, he'd been in pain even weeks after the accident.

“That's enough talking.” He pointed the gun at Jackie. “Now drive.”

Dominique pretended to reach for the ignition then pressed the button for her seat and sent it flying back, knocking the gun from his hand. Jackie grabbed the gun before he got his bearings and pointed it at him. “No, you haven't finished talking,” Dominique said. “The police will want to hear more.”

“
M
y father is involved
with smuggling?” Dominique asked as she and Kevin sat in Clay and Jackie's living room.

“No, his boss,” Clay said. “Margot Bobkins.”

“What?” Dominique thought of the overlooked nondescript older woman who'd worked for Cartwright Cars for years.

“Yes, we saw her as she sped past us,” Kevin said. “Your father confirmed it.”

“She's been a known underground powerhouse for more than thirty years” Clay said. “She helped set your father and Avery up with the smuggling trade and promised that one of them would take over one day. Chester and Berton didn't make your father nervous, she did. Three things went wrong for him. First, Chester. His obsessive love really set things into motion. You were supposed to get the promotion, but your father had hoped by giving him a higher position he'd be satisfied. He wasn't.”

“While waiting for the car I had ordered, I vaguely remember talking to a woman that day,” Kevin said.

Jackie shook her head in pity. “When it comes to women, you just can't resist, can you?”

Kevin shrugged unapologetically. “She looked unhappy and I wanted to make her smile. I saw Avery's picture on her phone. My memory was wrong when I thought I'd seen him in person. Anyway, we chatted and I made her laugh, then left.”

“But how did Cassie get shot?” Clay asked.

“Chester did that,” Dominique said. “He shot through the back of the car to scare her. Then when he saw she wasn't Avery's daughter, he realized his mistake and gave Marcus the warning.”

Clay looked at Kevin. “But why did
he
make them nervous?”

“They thought Avery's daughter had told him something about their other business. She disappeared after the meeting and they wanted to know where she was. It soon became clear that Kevin didn't know anything. When her father disappeared and then showed up in Mexico with her, they had their answer.”

“And Margot was getting greedy,” Kevin said. “Your father didn't mind using the second business to transfer drugs, but human smuggling was something else. He was getting in too deep and somehow your mother knew it. She was going to tell you about it.”

“Margot stopped her?” Dominique guessed.

“Yes. They're looking for her now.”

“You said there were three things. What were the other two?”

Clay grinned. “You and Kevin.”

Dominique held her head. “I don't know if I can take any more surprises.”

“Well, here's just one more surprise,” Jackie said.

Dominique lifted her head weary. “What?”

“Cassie's invited you both over for a Henson dinner.”

K
evin wasn't nervous
, but she was. She was still trying to come to terms with all the changes in her life. Her father was singing like a canary. He'd received full immunity and asked to be put into Witness Protection given the scope of the enterprise. Her mother filed for an expedited divorce and planned to move with her sister to California. Now Dominique would finally meet Cassie.

What would it be like to meet her? How would Kevin feel? How would he behave? What about the others? Dominique quickly got her answer when Drake opened the door and welcomed them inside a home expertly decorated for the holidays. He took her coat. “Sorry for this.”

“For what?” she said.

He bent her backwards and kissed her fully on the mouth. “For that,” he said, lifting her back up. He sent Kevin a significant look. “Even?”

Before Kevin could reply or Dominique could recover, Cassie rushed forward and gave him a hug. “So glad you both could make it.” She hugged Dominique too. “Come in. Can I get you something to drink?”

Soon Dominique was wrapped in the aromatic scent of jerk chicken and red beans and rice. She saw Kevin charm Cassie, Adriana and Jackie, getting a kiss on the cheek from each. Dominique could see why Cassie was so beloved and why Kevin had fallen for her. Lena had been right. If Cassie hadn't been so clueless, you could hate her. But she was oblivious to her effect on others. She didn't see how much she shone, and that was part of her charm.

At the table the Hensons good-naturedly teased each other, filling the house with laughter to heal the pain of the past year.

“I knew there was something wrong with that woman,” Eric said, bringing up the subject of Ruth. “I wish I'd done something more.”

“We all do,” Adriana said. “Don't blame yourself.”

“She's disturbed,” Jackie said. “At least she's being evaluated.”

Cassie set her fork down. “She seemed so sweet. She wasn't like that before.”

“Perhaps if you hadn't had the accident, she'd be okay. She really thought she could take your place.”

“I actually saw her in a dress exactly like yours,” Kevin said.

Clay shook his head. “Poor cow.”

Cassie playfully hit him. “Don't say things like that.”

His brows shot up. “Should I call her a daft bugger instead?”

Drake sighed. “To think I left her alone with our children.”

“At least she didn't harm them,” Eric said.

“Did she try to slip into bed with you?” Kevin asked.

Drake sent him a look. “Of course she didn't,” he said in a low voice.

Kevin shrugged. “You never know.”

Jackie clasped her hands together before Drake could respond. “Thank goodness she's gone.”

“And we're all here together again,” Adriana said.

“Yes, it was a long time coming.”

Cassie looked around the table. “You know I love you all very much.”

“What's with the mushy talk?” Eric said. “Are you trying to embarrass our guests?”

“I'm including them too.”

Kevin grinned. “Don't worry, Cassie, I know how much you love me.” He winked at her. “And you know I love you too.”

“Does Dominique know how much?” Drake said.

Silence fell like a lead balloon.

Dominique was the first one to speak. “Yes and it's okay. I know I'm not—”

“Ignore him,” Jackie said. “My brother has the manners of a thug.”

“That's actually how they met,” Adriana added. She sent Drake a hard look. “Cassie had to teach him some manners.”

Eric adjusted his glasses. “Too bad you quit smoking,” he said with a grin. “Bet you could use one right now.”

Drake took a sip of juice, realizing his blunder. He'd been so focused on getting at Kevin, he'd neglected Dominique's feelings. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way.”

“Yes, you did,” Kevin said.

“Let it go,” Clay warned.

“Why? Since my feelings are an open secret let's talk about it.”

Dominique pushed her chair back. “Perhaps I should go.”

“No!” the women said in unison.

Cassie looked at Drake and Kevin. “What is wrong with you two?”

“There's nothing wrong with them,” Dominique said with a sad smile. “They're just both in love with you.”

Cassie blinked. “What?”

Dominique stood. “Now I really think I should go.”

Kevin stood also, taking her hand. “You're not going anywhere.”

“Please don't shame me in front of them,” she whispered, her eyes pleading.

Kevin held onto her hand and glared at Drake. “You're wrong, Dominique. There's only one man who loves Cassie like that.” He turned to her and his voice and gaze softened. “The other man loves you. That man won't pretend he didn't love somebody else, but you helped him forget her. Now his heart is absolutely and completely yours.”

Dominique smiled, her heart healing from a lifetime of pain. She leaned forward and whispered, “I'd kiss you, but everyone's watching.”

Kevin turned to the table. “Everyone, close your eyes.”

Dominique laughed and soon he kissed her laughter away.