Death of a Waterfall (The Hayden Falls Saga) (30 page)

"What exactly do you want from us?" Martin asked.

"I just want answers--concrete proof of who he is." After what he'd done to Teghan, he needed to know. He needed the peace of mind that would come with the truth, because if he'd violated his daughter like that and it turned out Donnie wasn't his son…it would be impossible to live with that knowledge. "And I want him gone."

"I told you before, we don't do murder."

"If I wanted the kid dead, I'd do it myself." Rob snorted.

"You realize if you'd have just told us the truth, we could've obtained a DNA sample and avoided a lot of headaches and unnecessary work." Martin folded his hands in his lap and smiled smugly.

Rob felt the color drain from his face. DNA. Of course. Why hadn't he thought of that sooner? Shit. He could've had the baby's DNA tested. Son of a bitch! He'd been so caught up in taking care of Teghan and keeping the truth hidden that he hadn't seen the obvious answer to his problem. He cleared his throat. "So let's do it. Get his DNA and have it tested."

"How, exactly, do you suggest we get this DNA?" Jim asked.

"Well." Martin stood and started to pace. "We have a couple of options. All we really need is a strand of hair, so my first thought is to get someone close to him to get it for us."

"No." Rob stood and went to the mini-fridge in the corner. He grabbed a bottle of water, opened it, and drank half of it in one gulp. A nice glass of bourbon would've been better. "The only people who are close to Donnie are my daughter and all of her friends. And none of them can know what I'm doing."

Martin blew out an exasperated breath. "Okay, then we'll have to plant someone in his life. Someone who can get close enough to get what we need."

Rob snapped his fingers and pointed at Martin. "That's a good idea. Whomever we plant can keep an eye on Donnie, report to me about what he's doing and whether he's still seeing my daughter." Rob was excited about the idea, about having round the clock eyes and ears on Donnie. The bastard wouldn't be able to make a move without Rob knowing it.

"Then let's discuss how we can go about doing this." Martin sat down again and looked around the table at his men. "Ideas?"

"The only problem with this plan is that none of our agents are going to pass as a college student," said the man to Martin's right.

"No, but I know someone who'll be willing to help us out," Martin said.

"Okay, so how long is all of this going to take?" Rob asked.

"It's going to take some time. If we're considering integrating a man into Donnie's life that deeply, then we have to make it appear natural and seamless. If he's as dangerous as you think he is, then we can't slip up," Martin said.

"Look at my goddamned face!" Rob shouted. "Of course he's dangerous." Christ, were the men in this room that oblivious? If Donnie could so easily beat Rob and not flinch, Rob shuddered to think what kind of danger his daughter might be in.

"Calm down." Jim slanted a look at Rob and gave him a warning nod.

Rob returned to the table and sat. He ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, so now what? I've managed to convince Teghan to move home for the summer, but there is still a little over a month left in the semester."

"The start of the next semester is a perfect opportunity. We can change the room assignments, put our guy with Donnie," said the man to Martin's right.

Jim and Martin nodded their agreement. Rob shook his head. "No, I don't want to wait that long. I want this over with."

"I understand that, Rob, but if you want this to happen so that no one knows what you're doing, then this is our only option." Martin's voice was full of aggravation.

Rob hated the idea of having to wait that long. He was on edge as it was, and he felt real shitty about how things were with Teghan at the moment. But Martin was right. Rob was out of options at the moment. At least Rob had convinced Teghan to move home for the summer. He could keep an eye on her and when she did return to school, Martin would have his man in place. "Fine," Rob said after a moment. Two hours passed as they discussed all the possible scenarios that might happen. When Rob left Jim's office, Rob felt more optimistic than he had since this nightmare had begun. Donnie would be handled. Teghan would be safe. And Rob's secrets were safe. He'd never have to tell Rachel or his kids what he'd done. He smiled. Robert Jacobs always came out on top.

Chapter Twenty-five

Teghan let out a frustrated scream. She took another wad of toilet paper and wiped herself once more to make sure she hadn't been mistaken. Nope. There it was plain as day. Teghan had her period. Despite what she'd said, a small part of her had secretly hoped she'd gotten pregnant again.
God, I'm so stupid.
She felt tears fill her eyes.
Fuck! I'm so sick and tired of crying all the time.
With a sigh, Teghan took care of her business and left the bathroom. She walked down the hallway toward her room.

She sighed and looked around. Teghan was officially moved back in at her parent's house. It didn't feel like home anymore though. Her bedroom held too many horrible memories. She didn't know how she was going to sleep in this room every night for the next three months. The hour it had taken her to unpack was hard enough. She blew out a breath and went downstairs. She needed some fresh air. What she really wanted to do was go hide behind her waterfall and forget the world existed. Teghan opened the sliding glass doors and stepped outside into the backyard. She cupped her hand over her mouth, her eyes widened, and her face became wet with tears. Teghan wiped her cheeks. As if killing her baby, her belief in him and Donnie, and her ability to trust wasn't enough, her rotten, bastard of a father was now killing her waterfall. She stood helplessly and watched as a construction crew tore it down. She stood perfectly still and watched the death of her waterfall. The one place she'd always run to when she was scared or sad or lonely. And now it was gone. Robert Jacobs had taken everything from her.

In that moment, something deep inside of her broke. Her tears and pain were replaced with a seething anger that threatened to burn her alive. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and marched into the house. "Rob!" she hollered, stomping toward his den. "Rob!" Teghan barged in and stood in the doorway. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

He raised a brow. "Excuse me?"

"You're tearing down my waterfall. Why?" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

"That waterfall was a childish indulgence, Teghan, and your actions recently have proven that you are anything but a child." He remained seated in his chair, puffing away at his cigar.

Nothing he said or did anymore should shock her, but it did. "That's bullshit."

"Watch your mouth, young lady."

"No, I will not." She dropped her hands to her sides, clenching them into fists, her fingernails digging into her palms. "Tearing down my waterfall has nothing to do with it being childish and everything to do with you and your sick need to control everything and everyone. At least be man enough to admit it." From across the room, Teghan could see the vein in Rob's neck tick. She smiled with satisfaction.

"I know you don't want to be here, Teghan," he said with a sad calmness, "but while you are under my roof, you will not speak to me like that. You will show me some respect."

His voice, despite being low, was firm and that tone would normally have her bowing to his wishes. But not today, not ever again. She laughed and shook her head. "You don't deserve my respect." Teghan turned and left, slamming the door behind her.

God that felt good. More accurately, it had felt good to feel something again, something other than the aching emptiness in the pit of her stomach. She left the house and got in her car to go meet Donnie. He'd called earlier to say he needed to see her, that he had something important to tell her. She was nervous about what it could be. Last time he'd said that shit had gotten out of control.

Now that the semester was over, Donnie would be going back to Pennsylvania for the summer. Teghan wasn't sure how she felt about that. Part of her thought it was a good idea. The farther away from her father Donnie was, the better she'd feel. Another part of her hated the idea that he had to leave. He'd been so supportive through everything and the thought of spending the summer without him was heartbreaking. Above all else, she just wanted to make sure that her father didn't hurt Donnie. She'd never be able to live with herself. That was the whole reason she agreed to move home this summer--to ensure that her father wouldn't do anything to Donnie.

Teghan pulled her car to a stop near the beach. She got out and looked around, Donnie wasn't there yet. Sighing, she sat on the hood of her car and nervously twisted her hands in her lap. "Hey," she said with a smile as he approached.

"Hey, babe," he said, kissing her cheek. "I got some good news." He sat beside her on the hood of her car.

She took a deep breath and faced him. "What?" It'd been a long time since she'd heard good news.

"Alex invited me to stay with him for the summer. I don't have to leave you."

That was good news. "Really?" she asked with genuine surprise. That meant she wouldn't have to be alone, because at the moment, she wasn't really on speaking terms with many of her friends, which was totally her fault. She'd pushed them all away because it was easier than explaining why she'd been acting so damn crazy lately.

"Yeah. It was Alex's idea. He said he was worried about how you've been acting, and that he thought having me around would help."

That sounded like Alex. She smiled. "And you're going to stay?"

"Well, I guess that's up to you. Do you want me to stay?"

She didn't really know what she wanted. She took his hands into hers. "I don't want you to leave, but I'm worried about my father, Donnie. I know he said he'd leave us alone and he has these past few months, but I don't trust him. It all seems too easy."

"I know and that's even more of a reason for me to stay. I hate that you're in that house with him, Teghan. I know why you are, and I love you for trying to protect me, but I'm not leaving you."

"I know. I don't want you to leave either, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if he did anything to hurt you." The two of them had been through so much, they'd fought so hard to be together and she didn't want it to end. Not here, not now, and certainly not like this. She loved Donnie and she really didn't want anything to happen to him. Or Rob--even though he would deserve whatever happened to him. But despite everything, she felt trapped. She could never leave Donnie because she was afraid of what her father would do to him. And if for some reason she did leave Donnie, she was terrified that he would blame Rob and try to hurt him again. The whole situation was a nightmare.

Donnie pulled her to him and kissed her on the lips. It was a sweet, gentle kiss that she wanted to enjoy it, but her mind was reeling. "Nothing is going to happen to me."

Teghan licked her lips. "What about your mom? Don't you want to see her?"

"Of course I do, but I can see her later, after I know that you are okay, that your father has given up on this vendetta he has against us."

She felt like crying. "I don't know if he'll ever give it up." Her emotions were all over the place. One minute she wanted to cling to him and never let him go, and the next she wanted him to leave Hayden Falls, to get as far away from here as possible so that she knew he'd be safe. She kissed him fully on the mouth as tears streaked her face. "I want you to go see your mom for a few weeks and then I want you to come back to me, okay? Promise me you'll come back. Maybe things with my father will cool down some."

Donnie rested his forehead on hers and closed his eyes momentarily. "I love you so much, Teghan. I'd do anything for you, but I'm not leaving."

"Thank you," she whispered, gripping his face and kissing him again. She wanted to be that unselfish person who would argue with him until she convinced him to go see his mom. But she wasn't that person. She was selfish and all she could think was how happy she was that he was staying, that she had him to lean on and turn to when she needed him. "I love you, too." Teghan hugged him tight, holding on to him for dear life because Donnie was all she had left and she never wanted to let him go.

Acknowledgements

To Christine Young, Arlo Young, and the entire staff of Rogue Phoenix Press: a huge thank you for taking a chance on a new author, and in the process helping me to realize my dreams.

To Rebecca K. Sterling for designing a gorgeous cover. It's better than I could've imagined.

Thank you to my husband for all of his patience and understanding during my late night writing binges.

Giovanni Valentino--you’re the best study buddy a girl could ask for. This one’s for you! Thank you for all your support and encouragement.

Emily Glossner Johnson, Michael Canavan, Joanne Moore, Pete Keith-Slack, and all the other super talented writers of the CNY Creative Writers Café, I wouldn’t be at this point in my writing career without each and every one of you.

To the CNY Romance Writers, thank you for the vast wealth of knowledge and support you’ve given me.

To Louise D. Gornall and the other fabulous beta readers who helped me fill in the holes. You have no idea how much you've all helped me. Thank you!