Mint Juleps and Justice (25 page)

They needed Goto off the porch. He had to keep from moving in too close too quickly.

Mike had edged his way quietly around the back side of the small house. The boards that once barricaded the back door had been pulled from the house. Goto must have been hiding out here planning this for a while. Mike stayed close to the building to avoid casting a shadow. He moved silently across the overgrown roadbed that circled this house, his home, at one time. His heart was heavy. Breathing and keeping focus was difficult with the past invading his thoughts.

Mike stooped near the edge of the porch. He could see Brooke sniffing back tears. All he needed to do was get Goto in position to the left of the house or surprise and disarm him before then.

Von was holding his own in the role reversal. Goto seemed none the wiser.

Mike’s anger grew as Goto ran the butt of that rifle along her body. Brooke’s body looked limp and shaky even from this distance.

“Calm down, Goto.”

“Calm. Hell.” The crazy man’s laughter filled the dank air. “Things are just getting good.”

The rope around Brooke’s ankles tightened as Goto tugged on it and dragged her to the doorway. He positioned her in the middle of the threshold.

“Get down here, you shallow bastard,” yelled Von, still pretending to be Mike.

Goto popped a fresh clip in the gun. His breathing was loud and heavy. He stood stone still, then made three quick leaps from the porch down the stairs, eyes focused on his prey.

Von matched Goto step for step, trying to maneuver him away from the house like they’d planned. Mike lunged from his position next to the porch and grabbed Goto’s ankle, pulling him off-balance. Mike then jumped to his feet, dragged Goto by the sides of his shirt, and tossed him into a heap.

Goto went down quick and hard, his breath jarring out of him and the gun unloading nearly every bit of ammunition in a sweeping arc across the entire area.

It was just enough commotion for the rest of the team to move into position. Dark uniformed officers moved in from every direction of the house and surrounding area.

Mike and Goto tussled and then there were further gunshots and neither man moved.

“No!” Brooke screamed.

Lights bounced off the house in red, white, and blues like a dizzying Fourth of July display. The first voice Brooke recognized was Sheriff Calvin’s.

Blaring sirens were as disorienting as the blinking lights. People scurried around her. Police radio chatter filled the air with so much noise that it created a sensory overload.

“Mike? No!” Brooke broke down into a heap. Gulping for air, and praying.

Rick placed his arm on hers. “Do you know where you are?”

She shook her head.

“The house where Jackie and Mike lived,” Rick said. “Stay calm. The medics are here to check you out.”

“But Mike. We have to help Mike.”

Rick grabbed both of her hands. “Calm down. He’s okay.”

“Don’t leave me,” Brooke cried out, but Rick had already run out toward a team of people. “I need Mike. He can’t
be…”

Medics swarmed in and around Brooke. An oxygen mask was placed over her face and they checked her vitals. Her heart rate was frantic as she sobbed in relief over being released and the horror of seeing men die right in front of her. She sobbed, shaking her head and crying, “No…no…no…” between ragged breaths.

A hand caught hers from the left side. When she turned, her eyes went wide as they connected with Mike’s. “Mike?”

“I’m right here, Brooke.”

She shook her head and tried to pull the pieces together. “Mike? I thought…I thought…I saw you die.”

“Brooke, no. I’m okay. I promise you. I’m so sorry for all of this. I never wanted to put you in harm’s way.”

“You’re alive. You’re not…” She sobbed, reaching for him.

He held her in his arms. “I thought I was going to lose you.”

“Oh, my god. I thought I lost everything.”

“I’m right here.”

The medics stepped in, informing Mike that they were going to get the stretcher to take Brooke to the hospital to get checked out, and they would bring back the kit to take care of his shoulder, which was bleeding heavily.

Mike nodded.

“I don’t want to go to the hospital, Mike. Just take me home. I just want to be near you.

“I love you.” He rocked her in his arms, tears in his own eyes. “I love you, Brooke.”

They both jerked their heads to attention at the sound of someone yelling, coming toward them, “Hey…hey…Brooke? Mike?” It was Jenny and Rick.

Rick stooped in front of them and held them both. “I can’t believe this.”

Jenny reached for Brooke’s chin. “Your face looks like it’s burned.”

Brooke nodded. “I think it’s a reaction to whatever he drugged me with. He put something over my face. All I remember is sitting on the porch swing at the farm house, then
bam
, the next thing I knew I was on this porch with one pounding headache. I’m a little dizzy and my head is killing me, but I think I’m in one piece.”

Jenny clung to Rick. “He took you in Rick’s truck. Oh, Brooke. We were all so worried.”

Sheriff Calvin walked over to them. “You don’t have to worry about him getting out this time.”

“I didn’t think I had to worry last time.” Rick shook his head in disgust and spat on the ground.

Sheriff Calvin repositioned his hat. “He’s dead.”

“Dead?” Mike questioned, then looked to Rick and Von.

Sheriff Calvin filled them in on the details he had so far. “We’re still pulling the evidence, but it appears it was his own bullet that did it. You should see the walls inside. He painted detailed murals on the walls of his plans. Sick.”

Jenny’s eyes went wide. “Like the murals painted in my studio.”

Rick pulled her close. “Don’t even say it. I can’t believe he was this close to our lives and we didn’t know it.”

She shivered in the warm night. “Me either. Brooke, I’m sorry I let him in to our lives. I was so worried about making deals that I didn’t even consider he could be bad news. If I hadn’t…”

Mike shook his head. “Jenny, there’s no way you could know. We didn’t even know. It’s over. That’s all that matters.”

Rick walked forward and peered into the house. “Sick bastard.”

Mike refused to go inside and look. He needed space from all of it. That guy had eaten up his life for more years than he was worth. He wouldn’t give him another second.

Rick walked back over and wrapped Jenny into his arms. “We’ll paint over those murals in the locker rooms tomorrow. Don’t even think about it.”

Sheriff Calvin walked up. “My guys will help with that painting. I think I can speak for everyone that the sooner we wipe away any memory of this—the better.”

“Thanks, man.” Rick sucked in a breath then asked, “Any idea where my truck is?”

“It’s in the tree line just up the road. One of my guys just called it in,” said Sheriff Calvin.

After a quick debrief of each of them with the Sheriff, Rick stood and slapped the dirt off his jeans. “Can we catch a ride with you, Sheriff? I think these two need to be alone.”

Mike held Brooke. “Are you sure you won’t let the hospital check you out?”

“I’m okay. Just take me home.”

“I’ll take you home with me then. I’m not ready to let you out of my sight. Is that okay with you?”

“More than anything.”

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

M
ike tooted the horn and exchanged a wave with Sheriff Calvin and Rick, who were standing by the car talking.

Brooke slumped back against the seat. “What a day.”

“What a month. I’m just thankful you’re here with me now,” he said, resting his hand on her leg.

“Me too.”

A couple miles down Route 58 and a left turn, then Mike was driving down a heavily treed asphalt driveway.

“Where are we?” she asked.

“Almost home.”

She smiled. That sounded nice.

As the truck approached the lighted area around the house, Brooke had to blink twice to believe her eyes. It was like she was living her fantasy. This was the log cabin of her dreams. The same style, the same colors, the same lights. She shook her head, hoping like hell she wasn’t dead or dreaming all of this. “A log cabin? Is this where you live?”

“You don’t like it?”

Brooke was so shocked she could barely pull the thought together. “No. That’s not it at all. Did Jenny tell you about my fantasy?”

“No.” He slowed to a stop. “But I hope like heck I’m part of it.”

Brooke eyed him cautiously. “So, do you live here or not?”

“I don’t live here yet, but I don’t think you need to be climbing the stairs to my apartment and I don’t want anyone interrupting us. We had the power turned on so the guys could finish the kitchen installation. The last thing on the list. I haven’t finished moving everything in, but it’ll do for tonight. Besides, Hunter is here and I need to check on him. I asked Jenny to stop by and take care of Stitches for you.”

“Thank you, Mike.”

“Come on, let’s get inside. I’ll start a fire.” Mike headed up the stairs ahead of her and opened the door.

“It’s not cold out,” she said.

“I know. We’ll crank up the air-conditioning if we have to.”

Brooke walked in, nearly fainting from the déjà vu, but in a good way this time. She could have told him how it was decorated. In fact, she kind of wish she had, because there was no way he’d believe her if she told him now. It was spot-on with her fantasy.

Mike disappeared down the hall. When he came back in the room, he pointed her in that direction. “I have a hot bath running for you, and left something out for you to put on.”

“Thanks.” She knew the way, she thought to herself. She had made this walk a hundred times in her dreams. Sure enough, as she followed the light down the hall, there was the claw-foot tub filling with water. She took the quickest bath of her life. She couldn’t even relax and enjoy it. She was too excited to get back in Mike’s arms. She needed to be in his arms. She climbed out of the tub and dried off, then she slipped into one of Mike’s shirts that he’d left out for her, rolling the sleeves a couple turns until her hands peeked through the cuffs. The men’s socks were big, but warm and soft on her feet. She turned this way and that in the mirror. She looked far from sexy, but she didn’t even care at this point.

Mike’s hair was still wet from his shower. He looked up from the snap and crackle of the hot blaze of the fire he had just built. The fire sent a warm gold glow around the room. His gaze met hers.

She shook a hand through the damp waves of her hair. “This was not exactly the look I planned to make you fall in love with me someday.”

“You have never looked more beautiful to me.” He motioned her to come to him. She padded softly across the floor to where he was on one bended knee in front of the fire. He took her hands in his, and from the kneeling position in front of her asked, “Brooke, will you be my bride?”

“I will. Forever. It’s what I want more than anything,” she said.

He smiled, and grabbed her hands, holding them in his.

She loved the way the lines formed around his eyes when he smiled.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in. Kissing her. They were lost in the emotion of the day and the possibilities of their future together.

“Do you love me as much as I love you?” she asked.

“Even more.” He stood and extended a hand to her. “Come with me?”

“Anywhere.”

He led her to his bedroom. The strong colors and manliness of the room suited him. She could feel him in the space. He laid her back on the big bed, unbuttoning his own shirt from her tiny frame, letting the soft fabric fall to the sides. He let a hand fall to her foot, squeezing the arch in his palm. “Sexy socks.”

“Warm,” she said.

“I don’t think you’re going to need them.”

“Me either.”

He rolled the sock off her foot and let his hand under the arch of her foot bend her knee toward her chest. He kissed the inside of her knee softly.

“That tickles.”

“That wasn’t what I was going for.” His hand caressed her leg. His eyes closed, as he enjoyed the journey and the softness of her skin. He reached forward and rubbed the outline of her bottom lip with his thumb. He let his palm trace a path from her chin to her flat tummy and then pulled himself alongside of her.

“I love you,” she said in barely a whisper.

He let his mouth drop full on to hers and the hunger in the kiss matched the emotion of the day. He pressed his body full against her, leaving not a space between them.

She wrapped a leg around his body, needing to be closer to him.

He made a trail of soft kisses down her smooth skin.

She closed her eyes and gave in to him.

“I don’t want to ever let go,” she whispered.

“Don’t.” He hugged her close. “You’re my angel.”

She kissed him. “I’ll always be yours.”

They lay still, breathing in the silence and each other.

She nearly stopped breathing. There on his right shoulder, just like in her dream, was the tattoo. She hadn’t noticed it before. The blues, the yellows all the same as in that dream. She could make it out now though, it was of the log cabin. She lifted up on an elbow and blinked, to be sure she wasn’t imagining it.

“Are you staring at me?”

“When did you get that tattoo?”

“Oh, that? I’ve had it for years. It’s partly why I wanted this house,” he said. “Only tattoo I ever got. I was young.”

“I love it.”

He lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered. “I love you.” He climbed from the bed.

She watched as he padded toward the door. Her fantasy was coming true before her eyes, nearly every small detail.

She flopped back into the pillows. “I’m the luckiest girl in the world.”

Mike must have heard her, because he leaned back into the doorway. “Not as lucky as me.”

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

M
ike leaned across his desk, reviewing notes from a case. Now that he’d moved into the house and was only using the space as an office, it was nice to just leave the door propped open during the day.

A tick-click-clicking sound came from down the hall. He got ready to get up and see where the noise was coming from when Stitches pranced through the doorway.

“What are you doing here?” He didn’t hear or see Brooke behind her. “Where’s your mama?”

Hunter came bounding out from where he’d been sleeping in his kennel.

The two dogs danced in the middle of the office for a moment, then Stitches went to Mike, and tapped him on his leg to get her head patted like she always did. When he reached down to pet her, he noticed a small blue envelope with his name on it hanging on a ribbon around her neck.

“What did you bring me, girl?” He tugged on one end of the bow, and lifted the dog into his lap. She rewarded him with two soft kisses on his cheek, and Hunter pawed for attention. “Thanks for the sweet kisses. Let’s read this together. What do you say?” Mike opened the envelope and read the short note aloud to the dogs.

Brooke’s script was like her, soft and feminine. “Happy one-month anniversary. All my love, B.”

Movement from the hall caught his attention.

Brooke stood in the doorway. “One month since I came to my senses. Happy anniversary.”

Stitches jumped from Mike’s lap at the sound of Brooke’s voice, and Hunter just ran in circles around them all.

Mike gave Hunter a command to settle down, then he turned back to Brooke. “Please tell me you’re not one of those people who celebrates every little thing by the month, week, and moment? I have to tell you, I struggle with just keeping one birthday straight.”

“No-oo. I’m not. Well, not usually anyway. I just love you so much that I couldn’t help myself. Things have been so good. Thanks for being in my life.”

He pulled her onto his lap and the chair spun to the left. “I love you too.” He nodded toward the desk. “Pull open that drawer.”

She tugged on the center drawer, revealing neat piles of business cards and rows of pencils.

“Not that one. The one on the left.”

She pulled it open. Right on top was a deep-blue velvet box. “For me?”

“Yep.”

“I love presents.”

“I love giving them to you.”

“So you did remember the one-month anniversary?”

“No. This is just an ‘I love you’ gift.”

As she pulled the box out, she noticed another deep-blue box behind it. “Two?”

“The other one is an EBS.”

“Is that fancy PI code talk?”

“EBS. Emergency backup spare,” he explained.

“I still don’t know what that means.”

“You will. Open the small one first.”

The blue box snapped open with a pop. A row of diamonds on an eternity band with a horseshoe of square-cut rubies glistened. “It’s beautiful.” She slipped it onto her right ring finger. “What does this mean?”

“Do you like it?”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love it.”

“Will you marry me, Brooke Justice?”

“An engagement ring?”

“If you say yes, it is.”

“I thought I said yes a month ago. I love you, Mike.” She kissed him. “And I love the ring. Of course, I’ll marry you.”

“And now the ring makes it official. Let’s set a date.”

“Great.”

“So what is the EBS for?”

“Well, I wasn’t sure if you would think it was bad luck to have a nontraditional engagement ring, so I wanted something lucky on hand just to seal the deal.” He grabbed the long box and snapped it open in front of her.

A charm bracelet. The bracelet itself appeared to be vintage, but the shiny charms weren’t. Hanging from the chain was a clover charm, a lucky horseshoe, a ladybug, a cardinal, a rainbow, a shooting star, the number fifteen, and a high-heeled shoe.

Tears tickled her lashes and nose. Her heart felt like it was about to burst. She couldn’t even touch it. “I love it,” she mouthed, but the emotion didn’t let the words come out; instead tears streamed down her cheeks.

She picked up the bracelet and let it fall across her hand, admiring each charm. Then she looked puzzled. “A shoe?”

“The shoe rescue was a defining moment for us, so I figured it was good luck.”

“So it was, and pretty damn romantic too.”

“I wanted you to know that I will make sure every day of your life is luckier than the last. I love you, Brooke, every day, always and in all ways.”

Choking the words through the emotion she stammered, “This—is—so much more than I ever dreamed. You’re the luckiest thing in my life.”