Saving a Legend: A Kavanagh Legends Novel (25 page)

She didn’t say anything, only shook her head. Tears streaked down her cheeks.

“Did you know what this was?” he asked her again.

She shook her head no, eyes on the ground.

Sighing with frustration, he shoved the joint in his pocket for safekeeping until he could talk to Nora. He knew Shea was easily lured, and it wouldn’t have taken much for the other girl to convince her to participate.

He also knew that they’d need to have a very serious conversation about this, but Fiona would have to be there and emotions needed to calm down first. Especially his. “Let’s go home. Fiona and I will talk to you about this later, okay?”

Shea nodded and wiped at her face. He gave her a moment to compose herself, handing over her backpack when she was done. He knelt down and gave her a hug, despite her reluctance. She froze in his arms for a moment before relaxing and gingerly hugging him back. Yelling at her had been risky, Fiona had warned him about that not long after they first met. Shea struggled with criticism like that, because she tended to close off and retreat back into her shell.

He sighed as they pulled apart, but looked her seriously in the eye. “I’m sorry I yelled, Shea. It’s just that this is very serious stuff here, and you can’t do things like this. It’s not good for you, do you understand?”

Shea nodded that she understood, but she still looked confused. He knew once they got home he’d need to seek advice from his mom about how to best explain drugs to a child, particularly a child with Shea’s limitations. Exhaling loudly, he stood up again and took her hand; then they walked out together to find Fiona and Nora.

They exited the back door, and while Shea continued walking toward Fiona, Kieran came to a dead stop.
Shit!

Nora, his mother, and Fiona were still standing right where he’d left them, but they had been joined by the short, balding man he knew as Officer Kirk Huppert. They glanced over at him, and their expressions were something he would never forget. Nora looked uncomfortable, a hand on Fiona’s arm like she was trying to calm her. His mother looked embarrassed—no surprise there, as he’d always been the embarrassment of the family. Officer Huppert looked annoyed, his face bunching up more and more by the moment.

But Fiona…that’s who he was really staring at.

Fiona looked shocked, her eyes wide and her mouth open. Her hands were on her chest, overlapping her heart like she was trying to stop it from jumping right out of her chest.

“Kavanagh. There you are.” Officer Huppert approached him quickly.

Kieran couldn’t move. His feet planted into the ground were as imprisoning as any cell he’d ever been in. Fiona pushed Shea toward Dee and Nora, then followed him over. Every step she took toward him was unbearable, watching her face rotate from confused to angry to devastated.

“Fiona, maybe wait here,” Dee called after her, looking as nervous as he felt. Fiona didn’t listen, just kept heading straight for him, pure agony in her eyes.

He’d done that to her. He was the one causing her pain right now because he’d kept a part of his past hidden. All his reasons for waiting fizzled, and he’d have done anything to take the hurt from her eyes.

“Officer, what are you doing here?” Kieran asked, trying to force the words out as the man stopped before him.

“I came here to do an occupational check, make sure you were doing the community service and all that. I just spoke to your boss, though, and she says you’ve been doing excellent work,” Huppert said, his arms over his chest, looking angrier than his words implied.

“That’s why you’re here?” Fiona looked between the men. “Community service?”

“Ma’am, please. May I have a moment with my parolee?” The officer turned to Fiona and motioned for her to step back before turning to Kieran. Kieran shuddered at the term, hating that it was true, that that was all he was. “What I am not happy about, Kavanagh, is that you’ve been keeping your background a secret here.”

“I’ve never lied about it.” Kieran looked down, rubbing his hand across the back of his neck as he felt the shame creeping across his skin.

“I’m sure you haven’t, but apparently your girlfriend doesn’t know you’ve done time. Are you being up front with everyone, including the kids here? The point of you being here is not just as a tutor, or referee. Legally, I can’t require you to tell anyone, but I placed you here for a reason. You could do really well and make a difference.” Huppert motioned around the courtyard, which was mostly empty at this point. “These kids can learn from your mistakes. How are they supposed to do that if they don’t know you’ve made any?”

“I get it, Officer.” Kieran nodded, still refusing to look over at Fiona, who had only taken a step or two back and was still staring at the two of them. Her hands were on her hips and she looked furious now, at least from what he could tell out of the corner of his eye. “I’m sorry. I’ll work on being more transparent.”

Not that he had much of a choice now. Several kids could see this whole interaction, and the cat was certainly out of the bag with Fiona. He ground his teeth together, clenching his jaw, as he tried to stay calm. He wasn’t angry at his parole officer so much as he was furious with himself. He’d known he couldn’t keep this quiet forever, but he’d been so afraid to say anything.

Now it was all coming out in the worst possible way.

“What is that smell?” Officer Huppert’s eyes narrowed as his nose turned up slightly, and he took a closer step toward Kieran.

Kieran’s blood ran cold. He said nothing.

“Kavanagh, I asked you, what is that smell? Because it smells to me a lot like pot.” Huppert motioned for him to put his hands out. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

“It’s not what—” Kieran started, but then stopped, unsure of what to say. After all, there
was
a half-smoked joint in his pocket.

“Empty your pockets now,” the officer said sternly, his hand out waiting. “Turn them inside out.”

Slowly, Kieran reached into his pockets, grabbed the lining, and pulled them straight out. He didn’t look down even though he knew the joint had landed on the concrete below. Instead, he stared straight ahead at his mother, who was clutching Shea against her so she couldn’t watch what was happening. Nora’s eyes traveled to the ground with everyone else’s, and it was like the entire world accused him of guilt at the same time.

“This yours?” Officer Huppert asked, standing back up with the joint laying flat in his palm.

Kieran closed his eyes, inwardly groaning. Opening them again, he saw Shea still in his mother’s arms, struggling to be let go so she could figure out what was happening. Nora was looking at him with wide eyes, a flicker of recognition on her face as she glanced toward the building, then back at him. He knew what she was thinking. Cassandra had said she’d gotten it from Nora’s desk. But Shea had been smoking it.

He knew his being caught with it, whether it was his or not, was an automatic ticket back to prison. He could try to explain how it had happened, but it wouldn’t change that it was in his pocket. It was already too late, and no one else needed to be punished for it. He wouldn’t lie, but he also couldn’t tell the truth.

So he said nothing.

Officer Huppert glared at him, his jaw clenched. “You hear me, Kavanagh?”

More silence.

“I don’t have time for this game. Turn around, hands on your head.” Officer Huppert pulled a plastic evidence bag out of his pocket and slipped the joint in, putting it in his pocket. Pulling handcuffs off his belt, he grabbed Kieran’s wrists and twisted them behind his back, locking them together with the metal bracelets.

“I really didn’t think I’d have any problems with you, Kavanagh. You seemed like you had a good head on your shoulders, so I went lenient on you. I’m supposed to do these checks biweekly, but you’ve been on my roster almost a month now. I got a few main things I draw the line on, and you knew drugs was one of them. And drugs around kids? I’ve got no choice.” Officer Huppert seemed both angry and sad to be arresting him. “You’re going back, Kavanagh.”

Kieran didn’t say anything, biting the inside of his cheek as he realized he’d be missing the gala tomorrow. He’d be missing the night he planned with Fiona, ironically the time he’d planned to tell her about everything she’d just found out. Groaning internally, he nodded as his parole officer grabbed his cuffs and walked him around the building.

He briefly looked up to see his mother. The look on her face shattered him; he knew he was disappointing her yet again. He couldn’t even look at Fiona, terrified of what he’d see. The truth was he probably deserved this—karma for holding back the truth from the woman he loved.

Loved?
He was surprised the word so easily flowed through him again. He pushed it away, refusing to let himself feel that. To feel anything for a relationship that had once meant so much to him, to his future, but was now doomed.

Officer Huppert pushed him into the backseat of his car. Kieran stared forward at the bars separating them, a sight he was going to have to get used to seeing again.

Chapter 18

“You knew?” Fiona whirled on Dee and Nora, who were both trying to avoid her gaze. “Everyone knew, and no one told me.”

The pieces started falling together quickly, and suddenly she was surprised that she hadn’t figured it out already.

“I swear I thought you knew, Fiona. I mean, I haven’t spent that much time around the two of you together, and Kieran never hid his past around here.” Nora put her hands up, looking conflicted. “I just assumed you knew.”

“I don’t understand. How could any of this even be happening? Kieran is so…he’s so perfect. I can’t even picture him behind bars, let alone committing a crime. He’s the kindest, sweetest person I know. He’s the last person I’d expect to be a criminal!”

“Kieran isn’t a criminal.” Dee dropped her chin to her chest, looking as miserable as Fiona felt as she talked about her son. “He’s just had a little trouble in his past.”

Shame crept over Fiona’s cheeks. “I’m sorry, Dee. I didn’t mean to call him that. I simply can’t get my mind around what just happened.”

Dee sighed and then squeezed her shoulder gently. “I know, honey. He should have told you. I really wish he had, we all did. This was a terrible way for you to find out, I get it. Although, I honestly had no idea he was still playing around with substances.”

“Um, I don’t really get a druggy vibe from him.” Nora chewed on the edge of her fingernail. “I’m sure it was a misunderstanding.”

“I hope so.” Fiona pushed tears off her cheeks with her palm. “Damn it, I don’t even know what to think or feel right now.”

Nora nodded. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. I’m gonna go check on the kids. I’ll, uh, see you guys tomorrow for the gala.”

“The gala!” Fiona moaned, remembering the beautiful dress she’d been so excited to show Kieran.

Dee waved off Nora, who was more than eager to leave the women alone. Fiona clutched Shea’s hand and walked back around the building toward the car, with Dee beside them. “Listen,” Dee said, “it’s too late to worry about anything tonight. He’s going to be processed, so there’s nothing we’ll be able to do until morning. Let’s just get Shea home, get everyone fed, and tackle this tomorrow.”

“You’re right.” Fiona sighed, knowing that what Dee said made sense. As they neared the car, Fiona’s heart broke for the older woman. “I’m so sorry this is happening, Dee.”

“It’s okay, honey. We’ll figure this out.” Dee’s voice caught slightly, and Fiona couldn’t miss the quick swipe as she tried to wipe away the evidence of any tears.

Fiona didn’t know what to say to make Dee feel better, mainly because she didn’t know how to make herself feel better about this situation, either. Shea climbed into the car and Fiona followed her, letting Dee get in the driver’s seat.

Ten minutes later, they were pulling up in front of the Kavanagh house. Seamus was standing on the front stoop, seeming to be waiting for them.

“Hi, girls, dinner’s on the table.” He nodded to Fiona as she and Shea climbed out of the car. She just nodded back as he walked right past her to the driver’s side of the car and opened the door for Dee. They huddled together, arms wrapped around each other as they murmured between themselves. Their voices sounded both rushed and pained, and Fiona almost forgot how much she was hurting, too. Instead, she was feeling their pain, and it was unbearable.

Giving them privacy, she rushed Shea into the house. As always, the Kavanaghs had prepared everything for dinner just the way Shea liked it, and Fiona helped her through her meal. Fiona couldn’t stomach any food herself, instead hovering over Shea the entire time she ate.

“All right, time to get ready for bed,” Fiona instructed two hours later, after Shea finished the last of her assignments for school. Shea nodded, climbing the stairs in front of her. They went into Shea’s bedroom, where Fiona opened the dresser and pulled out a pair of pajamas.

“Is Kieran going to read me a story tonight?” Shea asked quietly, climbing into bed but not directly looking at her. Her large earmuffs were wrapped around her neck instead of her head, and she had her e-reader tucked under her arm.

“Not tonight, baby girl.” Fiona sat on the edge of the bed and brushed a few pieces of hair out of Shea’s eyes.

Shea was silent for a moment. “Is he in trouble?”

Fiona swallowed hard, trying not to reveal too much. “He is, but it’s going to be okay.”

“It’s my fault,” Shea said with a sniff, curling deeper into the covers.

Fiona’s brows shot up in surprise. “Of course it’s not, Shea. This has nothing to do with you. Kieran did something he wasn’t supposed to, and he’s, um, in time-out for it.”

Shea’s face scrunched in confusion. “He’s in time-out?”

Fiona nodded. “Um, yeah, kind of. Like an adult time-out.”

“Oh.” Shea pulled the blankets tighter around her and frowned.

Fiona pulled the comforter up to Shea’s chin, then unhooked the earmuffs from her neck and placed them on the nightstand. “Let’s just get some sleep, okay? It’s been a really long day.”

Shea closed her eyes, letting out a long yawn. “Good night, Fi.”