Love to Believe: Fireflies ~ Book 2 (33 page)

“Earl needs to take her statement. Give us a few minutes to do that, and then she’s free to go,” Sean said, and left them. He rapped on Earl’s office door and poked his head in. Earl stood with his cell phone held out a few inches from his ear. A female voice shouted through the line. Sean winced, and mouthed, “Nancy?” to which Earl nodded, covered up the phone with his hand, and said in a stage whisper, “I’ll be down to interview her in a minute. Gotta finish getting my ass chewed out first.”

Sean nodded and left him to it. He let himself into the interview room and stopped short at the doorway. The sight of Rebecca receiving comfort in Nate’s arms slammed into him like a battering ram. Rebecca’s head rested on Nate’s shoulder as Nate stroked his hand over her unruly curls.

“Excuse me,” Sean said, pushing the words past the painful constriction in his throat. “The sheriff needs to take a statement, Rebecca, and then you can go. I’ll...um...” He cleared his throat. “I’ll wait out here.”

He stepped back into the hall and closed the door, biting back his misery. A few minutes later, the sheriff appeared, and this time Sean knocked before entering.

Twenty minutes later the interview ended. He excused himself and left the room with Earl. “Good luck with Nancy,” Sean said when Earl detoured into his office.

“Gonna need more than luck. DA Marsh is on her way over to talk about this mess, and I still have to go to the hospital and talk to Brewster, then notify the Standards and Training Council. They’ll do a separate investigation. Don’t worry, Counselor. Artie Brewster will lose his certs and power to arrest and will face criminal charges if I’m reading the DA right. As well he should, given what I saw on that video.” Earl heaved a mighty sigh and ran his hand over his face. “What a goddamned nightmare. Please reiterate my apologies to Ms. Walker, Sean. I’m sick to death this happened on my watch.”

“Not your fault, Earl. You know about it now, and you’ll handle it.”

The sheriff managed a crooked smile. “You’re okay for a lawyer.”

“High praise,” Sean said and returned the smile. “Before you go home, stop somewhere for chocolates, flowers, and/or jewelry. Mrs. M assures me that’s an acceptable apology strategy when a man screws up.”

Earl chuckled and scratched his head. “Well, now, I suppose Myra would know. See you round the block, Sean.”

“Night, Earl,” Sean said and continued his walk to the lobby.

“There she is!” Big Will’s voice bellowed and Rebecca, coming down the hall with Nate, moved into her father’s embrace. “Good job, little britches. You kicked some serious ass, girl.” Big Will smashed Rebecca against his chest in an exuberant hug. “You really
can
take care of yourself.”

“Been telling you, Daddy,” she said, her voice muffled against his shirt.

“My shift is over,” Nate said the moment Big Will released Rebecca from his bear hug. He spared Sean a quick glance before he said to Rebecca, “I’ll drive you home.”

“My car--”

“Impounded,” Nate said. “You won’t be able to get it until tomorrow, anyway.” He took his keys from his pocket. “C’mon, let’s get you home. You’ve had a rough day.”

Rebecca’s shoulders drooped, but the corners of her lips curved up in a rueful smile. “You have no idea. Cal, Dad, thanks for coming. Sean, thank you for being here.”

“Of course.” He stepped back, and because he itched to touch her, pocketed his hands before he did something stupid. He wanted her in his arms, to stroke her hair, to kiss her face, to tell her he was proud she protected herself,
thrilled
that she called for help when she needed it--she had such a problem doing that, asking for help--relieved that events played out as they had and she’d face no legal charges. He noted fatigue in the purple circles beneath her mossy eyes and the paleness of her skin, white and stretched taut with the stress of events. He wanted to bring her home and massage the tension from her shoulders, ply her with hot tea or wine or whatever the hell she wanted that would ease the strain from her tired muscles and eradicate the haunted look from her eyes. He wanted--

Well. What he wanted didn’t matter. She was with Nate now, and better off for it.

“Cal, Will, good to see you. Nate.” Resigned, he shook the other man’s hand. “Looks like she’s all yours.”

Rebecca’s head swiveled and her eyes, surprised and vulnerable, met Sean’s for an instant before she looked away. He would have given a king’s ransom to read her mind at that moment.

“I’ll take good care of her,” Nate said.

“I think I’ve proven I can take care of myself.” Rebecca made eye contact with all the men in her circle, the vulnerability replaced by a raised chin and stubborn determination.

“It doesn’t hurt to be spoiled now and then.” Nate nudged her with his shoulder and smiled down at her. “How about we order something from Caravicci’s and have them deliver? You’ve got to be starving.”

“Actually, I am.” She laid her hand against her abdomen and a funny look crossed her face. Her eyes darted to Sean before she looked away. “A salad and calzone is what I was after before Artie messed things up, and it still sounds good.”

“Then a salad and calzone is what you’ll get.” Nate slid his arm around her shoulders. “C’mon, beautiful, let’s go.”

The glass doors swung open ahead of a woman wielding a briefcase and a black leather tote. She started to go around their group until her eyes, blue and laser sharp, lit on Sean, and her lips curved in a feline smile.

“Hello, Sean.” Her gaze slid to Rebecca. “Ms. Walker, I presume?” At Rebecca’s nod she said, “I’m District Attorney Cassidy Marsh.” She set her briefcase down and held out her manicured hand. “Nice to meet you, and sorry for your troubles with the deputy. You have my word that he’ll be dealt with to the full extent of the law.”

“Thank you,” Rebecca said.

“My client is just leaving, Cass. We can make an appointment for later in the week if you want an interview,” Sean said.

“I’m not sure that will be necessary. I understand Earl took a statement, and given the video evidence, I think I have everything I need for now.” She nodded at Rebecca. “Enjoy your evening Ms. Walker.” She turned to Sean. “What about you? Free for dinner?”

“That depends. You’re not going to drag me to that scary diner on North Gap Road again are you?”

Cassidy laughed, the throaty sound at odds with her professional appearance. “How about Chez Eloise instead? My treat. I owe you for that stock tip you gave me on the winery start up.”

“I’ll head that way now, grab us a table.”

“Good. I’ll meet you there as soon as I’m done with Earl.”

Sean watched Cassidy stride down the hall, her heels and slim pencil skirt accentuating the shapeliness of her calves.

“Pretty lady.” Big Will grinned at Sean. “Looks like you’ve got a date.”

“You ready to go?” Nate said to Rebecca.

“More than,” she said with a weary nod.

“Good night, little mite,” Big Will said, still grinning ear to ear.

“See you around, old hound.” Rebecca rose to her toes to kiss her father’s cheek.

Sean watched Rebecca leave with Nate and told himself she was in good hands.

***

Rebecca collected her car first thing in the morning, swung by the pharmacy for her prescriptions, downed the anti-nausea meds, and went straight to the Lump & Grind where she ordered a large coffee, two of Greta’s mammoth cinnamon buns--one for now, one for later, because the possibility still existed that she might puke the first one up in half an hour--and four sides of bacon because, well, she didn’t know why, just that she thought she might curl up and die if she didn’t eat bacon. It had to be the Little Booger, messing up her good dietary sense. Anyway, bacon might be loaded with fat, but it was pork-powered protein, right? Didn’t that make it good for you?

She munched the bacon on the drive to the office and settled at her desk with the coffee and cinnamon bun, powered up her laptop, and watched the video of her run-in with Artie Brewster. It had garnered more than 80,000 hits overnight and the number continued to climb. Though the grainy video made identification difficult, news like this in a small town like Bright Hills traveled like wildfire. She’d been forced to shut her phone off to avoid friends and neighbors who wanted details, and although Trey and Howard blabbing their own version of the
Beauty and the Beast
tale all over town annoyed her, she admitted that she owed them big time and they were due a special thank you.

Lunch or dinner out, maybe to Bubba-Jo’s. Or maybe they’d rather have pizza and beer at Caravicci’s. She’d even spring for Chez Eloise. It would be expensive, but they’d earned it.

Chez Eloise, where she and Sean lit the fuse, and where Sean had a date last night with the attractive District Attorney who wore her fitted Ann Taylor suit to full advantage, showing off her spectacular legs and slender build. Rebecca wondered exactly what dinner entailed, or more to the point, after dinner.

She forced her thoughts back to Howard and Trey, rubbed her flat tummy and sighed. Any old restaurant would do, as long as they served bacon.

The door opened and Big Will lumbered in. “Morning, little britches.” He paused beside her chair to kiss the top of her head. “I saw you got your car back.”

“Yep. Easy peasy. Sheriff Brannigan smoothed the way.”

“Huh,” he grunted. “I bet he did. Uh, listen.” He moved to one of the chairs facing her desk, dropped into it and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I had a long talk with Cal last night, and I’ve been doing some thinking. I know you’ve got yourself set to leave here, and I know why. I guess I don’t blame you, what with me being so unhappy about your involvement in the business.” Rebecca opened her mouth to speak and he silenced her with a look. “Hear me out.” He drew a deep breath and expelled it in a puff, stood, and paced in front of her desk while he considered his words.

“The construction business is a man’s world. I’m not saying women don’t belong. I’m just saying that it’s mostly men involved in it, that’s all. You have to understand. It isn’t that I don’t think you’re capable. Hell, girl, I think you can do anything in the world you set your mind to. So it isn’t that. It’s that I worry about how you’ll be treated. I don’t want to be the one putting you in situations where you might be hurt or mistreated.

“That said, you sure proved yourself yesterday with that bastard who...uh...got up in your business. You kicked his sorry ass, but good.” He flashed a proud smile that crinkled his eyes. “You can handle yourself in a situation like that. I know that now. So if you want to stay on and visit the construction sites now and then, why, you go ahead. I’d be okay with that.” He rubbed his hands together and broadened his smile. “Sound good?”

Rebecca sighed. He still didn’t get it. She rubbed her forehead and resisted the urge to bang it on the top of the desk.

“Dad, I appreciate what you’re trying to say, and I appreciate your understanding that I can handle myself if someone gets physical. But you’re missing the larger picture.”

“I am not. I just said--”

“Did you know that I have my general contractor’s license, Dad?” She assumed by his blank stare that he did not. “Well, I do. Me. All by myself, not as an extension of Walker & Son. You taught me well, you and Grandpa Boone and Cal. You’ve had me running around construction sites since I was ten, and because of you, I love watching a building go up, love driving past something I’ve had a hand in building and knowing the work is quality, that it will stand the test of time. I’m not a man, but I still love it, and more to the point, I’m capable of doing the work. All the work. On top of that, I’m a CPA, so I know how to keep the books and I understand the financial part of the business better than most.”

Big Will’s frown eased and his countenance brightened. “Of
course
you can keep the books! And you’re good at it! That’s why I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay and keep running the office.”

“I can do more, Dad. I’ve been doing more.” Had the man been living under a rock? “You said you talked to Cal. Have you talked to anyone else? Howard or Miguel, one of the other foremen? Any of the guys?

“Well, sure, but--”

“And what did they tell you?”

“Well,” he spread his hands in supplication, “you can’t expect them to be completely aboveboard with a question like that. You’ve been acting as their boss for damn near a year now. You’re my daughter. They aren’t going to say anything negative to me about my little girl.”

Rebecca surrendered to her frustration and dropped her forehead to the desk. She tapped it three times before looking back at her father. No matter what she said, what she did, or how well she did it, he’d never understand. She bit back frustrated tears and straightened up. No point in blubbering. “I’m leaving Walker & Son, Dad. End of this month. Go through the résumés and find someone.”

“Don’t you go getting that tone with me, little britches.”

“I love you, Daddy, but I have work to do and so do you. Résumés. End of the month.”

Big Will’s brows drew downward and his jaw dropped in preparation for speech, but the opening of the door spared Rebecca from what she expected to be a verbal lambasting for her disrespectful tone. Howard came into the office with Miguel, Trey, and several other men trailing behind him, a contingent of serious faces, faded T-shirts, and steel-toed boots.

Rebecca’s heart plummeted. They were supposed to be in Gainesville this morning breaking ground on a new building. That they weren’t could only mean trouble.

“Good,” Howard said when the door closed behind them. “You’re both here.”

“What’s the problem, Howard?” Big Will turned his scowling face from Rebecca to his longtime foreman. “Trouble in Gainesville?”

“Trouble all over the damned place, if you want the truth.” Howard grabbed the bill on his Walker & Son cap and adjusted it over his eyes. “We got problems with inspections, problems with equipment, problems with workers, problems with every damned thing.”

Miguel slid his ever-present toothpick from between his lips, said, “The new operations guy, Mitch, is an asshole,” and stuck the toothpick back in his mouth.