The Winter of Regrets (25 page)

Whiskey wisely said nothing.

J
ersey woke Joy up, shaking her. “Blondie, Moon Glow is home! Get up and look! He’s right in his pasture.”

Faster than lightning, Joy jumped up and looked out the window. There was her Moon, safe and sound.

“Damn that Elena! She must have hidden him from me. You can keep on taking the money to her because I’m not talking to her.” Joy got back into the bed with a huff, but she was smiling despite herself.

Jersey sighed. “You two better get things fixed between you. Christmas is coming. You gonna let shit be like this over the holiday?”

She hesitated with her answer. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I don’t know what to say to Elena and I miss Rhiannon.”

“Telling her you’re sorry would be a start,” he suggested. “Oh, and that you’ll mind your own business from now on. That’s another idea.”

“Let’s not ruin the day, Jerz. I still think Thrash and Elena should be together.”

Jersey shook his head, still watching the horse through the window. “Joy, Thrash is hooked up with a chick named Penny. He seems to be fine with her. Let it go,” Jersey advised. “Please.”

That was news to her. Joy considered it, wondering if maybe it was time to make up with Elena. She missed her friend so much.

I
t was finally mid-December and it had snowed, a rare thing for the amount that was on the ground at the shore area. Bound for Hell MC was donating toys to the fire department in Ocean View for needy families. Veiko didn’t want to ask Kima to plan anything big because things were still touchy with Jo. Although Nailz said Jo seemed to be better, V didn’t want her hurt again. Kima still wasn’t talking to her mother, although her father and brother came over often to see them.

Veiko and Kima were fast asleep when the phone rang. V grabbed it and grumbled, “What?” into the receiver.

“Who the fuck dumped turkeys all over my house, Veiko?” cried Nailz over the phone. “I’ve got turkeys every-fucking-where! And my ol’ lady is outside feeding them bread! Tell Kima this shit isn’t funny.”

Veiko sat up. “Turkeys? What the fuck are you talking about, Nailz?”

“There’s some in your yard, too! Those motherfuckers are even on my truck! And the cars! Get your ass outta bed and look.” He slammed down the phone.

Veiko poked Kima. “Babe, did you have somebody drop turkeys off at Nailz?”

Kima opened her eyes and looked at him quizzically. “No, of course not. I don’t like turkeys. Who called here this early?”

Veiko was up and peering out of the bedroom window. “Holy shit! Kima, there are turkeys all over Nailz porch! Get up. Jo is out there trying to feed them. Oh shit, Nailz has the shotgun.” 

A loud boom filled the air as Kima looked out the window to see turkeys scattering everywhere. Kima opened the window and they heard Jo yelling at Nailz to leave her turkeys alone. Both looked at each other and laughed. Jo was screeching that if Kima could have peacocks, she would damn well have turkeys.

Nailz was over within the hour to ask if he could borrow fencing, since Jo wanted her turkeys in a coop. He didn’t look very happy and swore he’d kill the fuckers that dumped turkeys on him. He had prospects fixing up the old coop behind his house, and they were going to try to catch as many turkeys as they could to keep Jo happy.

“She says they’re her pets now. We can’t even eat any of them. Veiko, your sister is no help either. She thinks they’re
cute
. Fucking gobbling motherfuckers. Ugly as hell, too. Shit all over my truck. Jo’s car. The porch. Jo is out of her mind if she thinks we’re keeping all of them!”

V took him to the shed to get whatever fence they had and found him rolls of coop wire. “Nailz, Jo seems happy. Let her keep the damn things. Look, she has them taking bread out of her hand.” V chuckled.

“Not funny,” Nailz barked. “How come your peacocks don’t shit everywhere?” He watched the peacocks that strolled the yard, screeching when the turkeys got near them.

“The dogs, Pee and Wee, keep those bastards under control. I kinda like them now. Kima or Tears feeds them. As long as they don’t damage my truck or come too close to me, I don’t care about them.”

E
lena and Kima were in the kitchen baking Christmas cookies when there was a loud rapping on the door. Amy, who was in the living room with the babies, ran into the kitchen.

“State police are at the door,” she said, looking at Kima and Elena with fear. “I didn’t know if I should answer it.”

Kima was amazingly calm. “Amy, my parents’ number is tacked up by the phone. Please call them and ask my dad to come right over. Tell my mother to find him if he isn’t there.”

Elena sat down on the couch and everything looked perfectly normal: just two mothers baking cookies together with their babies napping.

Kima opened the door and smiled at the officer standing there. “May I help you?” She sounded as if the police coming to the door was normal. Her voice was steady with just a bit of curiosity to it.

The officer looked her up and down, then tried to peer into the house, but Kima blocked his view.

“Are you Kima Regan Finn?” he asked sternly.

“Yes, I am. Again, may I help you?” Kima remained calm.

“Mrs. Finn, I am Officer Collins of the state police, may I come in?” Another officer stood next to him. “This is Officer Patterson and we need to ask you some questions concerning the disappearance of Sean Brennan, also known as Rabid. It would be easier to ask the questions inside, Mrs. Finn.” Both of the men had grave expressions on their faces.

Kima opened the door and let them come inside. The timer in the kitchen was going off and the smell of cookies filled the air. Amy rushed to get them out of the oven.

K
atri saw the cops go into Kima’s house and ran to Jo. “Oh my God! The cops just went into V’s house! I hope nothing happened to either of my brothers.”

Jo walked to the window and looked out at the state police car, her stomach turning sour. This was bad, very bad. She had a gut feeling they were there for Kima, and she’d be damned if they took her sister. “Call my mother and tell her to get my dad over here. Katri, make sure you tell her to call Richie. Don’t forget that. I’m going over there.”

Katri looked at her, dumbfounded. “Jo, don’t go over there. You’re not going to talk to the cops, are you?”

Jo had her coat on. “Of course I am. Make the calls. Stay inside with the babies, no matter what. I mean it, Katri.”

K
ima sat on the couch and explained again that the last time she’d seen Rabid was with Elena at the lodge. The cops had spoken to Elena, too. Each of them had told the exact same story. Rabid had left when Kima had broken up with him. Hunter was the last person to have seen him.

Both of the officers were young and they felt the two women were withholding information from them. They decided it would be best to bring them into the barracks and let a superior officer question them. They allowed Amy to stay with the babies. As they escorted the women to the back of their car, a pregnant woman began to curse at them. Kima and Elena looked at each other in shock, watching as Jo approached the police car. She was trying to move as fast as her big belly would let her and she caught the two policeman off-guard. One of the officers practically pushed them into the back seat.

Elena watched and groaned. “I hope Jo isn’t going to fuck this up.”

Kima hoped the same, but a tiny smile appeared on her face. “Listen to her. She’s buying us time for my dad or brother to get here. Look, she is leaning on the hood of the cop car. Do you hear what Jo’s saying?”

Both of them watched as Jo planted her body on the car.

“That is my sister and you can’t take her,” she said with an indignant huff. “Do you know who our first cousin is? Until Sargent Richard Regan comes here—I think he’s a lieutenant now—I’m not moving. You do know him?” Jo sounded just like Jean Regan in one of her moods.

Both officers looked at each other. They had their Lieutenant’s first cousin in their car? Richard Regan didn’t like either of them much and had just gotten back from vacation. If he knew they had grabbed his cousin without giving him fair warning, their asses were going to get chewed out.

Officer Patterson approached Elena and Kima who were sitting in the back of his car. Leaning into the car, he spoke to Kima, “We had no idea our Lieutenant was related to you, but we still have to bring you both in. Can you ask your sister to move?”

Kima frowned. “I don’t talk to her. She’s crazy. Good luck trying to get her to move. You touch her and she’ll sue your asses. Why don’t you get Ritchie here? Maybe he can talk her into getting off of the car? She likes him.”

Jo had somehow planted her ass smack down on the hood and neither of the officers wanted to put their hands on the screaming pregnant woman.

“You are not touching me and you can’t take my sister anywhere!” she was crying out, putting on her best performance. “I know the law. My brother-in-law is a lawyer and you have no warrants! Get away from me! You touch me and I’ll scream louder,” she went on, shaking her finger at the officers as she yelled.

They huddled together trying to decide what to do just as John Regan appeared. Right behind him came their Lieutenant, who got out of his car looking like he was ready to knock their heads together. 

“Richie, I’m going to see if Kima is all right. Jo, quiet down, everything is fine.” John gave her a wink as he made his way to Kima and Elena. “You two okay? If it comes down to going into the barracks, don’t say a word until a lawyer comes. I think Richie will handle this. Sit tight and let me get Jo inside.”

“We’re fine, daddy,” Kima assured him. “I don’t know why they think we know anything about Rabid disappearing.”

He gave her a nod, then stopped to speak to Jo who still refused to get off the cop car. Giving up, he walked up to Ritchie and the two officers.

“Uncle John, my officers had no idea Kima is my cousin. There is a missing person’s report issued on a Sean Brennan, who also goes by the name of Rabid. His mother believes Kima knows where he is. This guy is a real scumbag and he could be anywhere. Since they both told the same story, I see no need for them to be questioned any further. My apologies.”

Richie walked over to the cop car and extended his hand to Jo. “Get down off the car, cousin Jo. You need to get inside.”

He carefully helped her down and kissed her cheek. She beamed up at him before walking to her house. Finally, someone acknowledged that she was part of the family; it was the one thing she had been longing to hear.

He opened the door to let Kima and Elena out. Both of the women climbed out gratefully. Elena moved toward John to give Kima a moment with her cousin.

Richie looked at Kima and asked her bluntly, “Do you have any idea where Rabid is Kima? Would your husband know?”

With complete honesty, Kima replied, “Hunter was the last person I know that saw Rabid.”

“My officers won’t be bothering you again. Try and stay out of trouble, Kima. I’m sorry you got hassled.” He kissed her cheek and Kima walked into her house followed by Elena.

Both looked at each other, then collapsed on the couch.

Soon after, John knocked on the door. Amy went to answer it. He came inside looking older than he had in a long time.

“Kima, I need a drink,” he said, looking indignant. “I was glad your cousin was behind me, because I felt like punching those two pigs! They had the nerve to ask me if I knew Rabid.”

Elena heard a car pull up and opened the door for Whiskey. As soon as he got inside, Whiskey wrapped his arms around Elena and nodded to John. Kima got up and grabbed two glasses and a bottle of JD. She smiled at Whiskey, who gave her a wink. He let go of Elena to hug Kima. As he held her, he remembered something Elena had recently said to him. He whispered into her ear, “Never have any remorse and no regrets.”

She whispered back, “Thank you,” and moved away, hearing another car pull up. She looked outside to find her mother’s car pulling up on her lawn. She jumped out of the car. Her mother had no coat on and she was running to the door. Jean opened the door and headed straight for Kima, wrapping her arms around her and holding her tightly. Kima stood still, not sure what to do. Her mother pulled her into Josie’s bedroom where Amy had laid her down for a nap.

“Kima. I called Richie as soon as I got the call. Are you okay?” Her mother ran her hands up and down Kima’s arms. “My poor baby. If they touched you, we’ll sue. Please Kima, answer me.”

“I’m fine,” she said. “Thank you for calling Richie so fast. I guess Jo told you to call?”

“Her girl did. Katri and I made the calls and rushed right over.”

“Thank you.” Kima couldn’t bring herself to smile.

“Kima, I’m sorry, I know I’ve been fussing over Jo, but—”

Kima shushed her at once. “Jo needs it. I’m fine and it’s all over with.”

Josie began to cry, so Jean walked over to the crib and picked her up. “I’ve neglected you too, beautiful, but that won’t be happening anymore. Just you wait and see what your grandma has bought you for Christmas!” Jean’s kisses rained down on Josie’s little cheeks as she smoothed her blonde curls over her head. “Kima, this child takes after you and me. I don’t see a bit of Veiko in her. Or your father. You always looked more like my side of the family.”

John had come to the doorway. Kima looked up at her father and rolled her eyes. Watching her mother with her daughter should have made her happy, but it didn’t.

She walked out of the room and went into the bathroom. Locking the door, she sat on the edge of the tub. She was angry. Rabid still haunted her and she knew it was never going to stop. She was angry her mother only came because Jo had called her. She didn’t want to be nice to either of them. She and Elena had their plan, and Jo could have fucked it up.

There was a knock on the door and she heard V call her name. She got up and ran the water before opening the door and letting him in. “Veiko, please tell my parents to go home,” she murmured tiredly. “I don’t want to talk to my mother. I want Elena.”

“You could make things better with your mom now,” he said, annoyed at her stubbornness. “What’s wrong with you? Stop being so bitchy.” Veiko had no idea why Kima wouldn’t grab this chance to make things up with her mother.

“V, I don’t need to make things better. I told you I was done and I meant it.” Kima knew he was going to get pissed off and didn’t care. “You never let me talk about what happened to me. You said it was over, and it isn’t. That bastard is going to haunt me for the rest of my life.”