Reaching Rachel (25 page)

The place hadn’t changed much. The white stucco building looked dingy and in need of a coat of paint. Police cars lined the front, and swaying palm trees showed you that you were definitely in Florida.

Stepping from the car, he stretched his legs after the long drive. The whole way, he couldn’t stop thinking about all of the things Rachel had been through. Why was it that these sleaze ball men were able to get to her?
If you wouldn’t have left her, it would’ve never happened
, he thought. It was true. That night, had he been sitting next to her, she would’ve never been drugged, manipulated, and blackmailed. And had he never done that, they would’ve never broken up and she would’ve never been hurt by that criminal Mark. It was all his fault. Right now was one way he was going to make it up to her. Even if she didn’t see it that way right now. Everything was for her.

Dialing her number, it barely rang before she answered. “Devin.” When she said his name, every single time, a grin the size of Texas wanted to break out on his face. After not hearing it for so long, he swore he would never take advantage of that simple thing again. “Where are you?”

“I’m outside the precinct.”

Rachel whimpered, and his stomach constricted. He hated to hear her upset. “Please don’t do anything stupid,” she whispered. “I can’t take losing you again.”

“You aren’t losing me, I promise. I talked to Ben, Ellis, and Andrew on the way here. I’m cool, Rachel. I’m going to confront him, let him know that I know what he did. I’m going to find out if there is any truth at all to what happened that night, and if there’s any kind of recording. After that, I’m coming home to you, baby. This is one thing I can control that’s happened to us, Rach. I know you can’t understand it, but I feel like everything that has happened to us has been my fault, and I need to make it right.”

“Nothing is your fault,” she answered, her voice small.

“I’ll call you in a little while,” Devin answered back, not addressing her comment. “I love you, Rach.”

“I love you, too.” Devin slid the phone into his back pocket and made his way for the doors. He wondered how many of the guys he still knew here.

Right before he got to the door, it swung open and one of his old buddies, Brian, stepped out. Seeing him, he stopped in his tracks and lifted his shades.

“Well, well, well. Look at what the cat dragged in! Devin Putnam! How ya been, man?” Brian shook his hand, then hugged him briefly, clapping his back.

“I’ve been great. What’s new with you? How’s Samantha?”

“She’s pregnant with our second child. I have a daughter who’s three, and this is a son. So, what are you doing here? Moving back?”

“Nah, I’m living on the West Coast. I work with SWAT now. I’m actually looking for Zack Miller. Is he at work today?”

“I think he’s out on patrol now, but you can check with Millie at the front desk and she’ll let you know. What in the world do you want with that prick, anyway?” Apparently he hadn’t made many friends since he’d been gone, either.

“Have something to discuss with ‘the prick’. Thanks, Brian, it was great to see you. Good luck with the family.” He stepped inside the cool building, then headed for the front desk. Millie had worked there for so long, he had no idea how old she even was. She kept all of the men in line, and kept them fed, too.

“Well look at who we have here! If it isn’t the Prodigal son come home! Devin Putnam, you are a sight for sore eyes for damn sure. Come on over here and give me a hug. It’s the only thrill this old woman gets anymore.”

Devin chuckled as he hugged her. “Good to see you, Millie. How have you been? How’s Harold?”

“Harold’s as ornery as a cat getting a bath, my dear, but that’s nothing new. I’m still here keeping these guys in line. What about you? Where’s that beautiful girl of yours? How many kids you have? What are you doing back here?”

He laughed at the peppering of questions. Everyone here had known Rachel. “Well, Millie, that’s a long story, but after a long time away from each other, we have reconnected and I hope to never be without her again. No children, yet.” His stomach squeezed at that. He could’ve had a child. A beautiful little red haired boy or girl that was part him and part Rachel. But thanks to Zack Miller, he would never know him or her.

Seeing the change in his face, Millie’s face changed. “What’s wrong, Devin?”

“I need to find Zack Miller.”

Looking at him intently for a moment, she then went to the computer and typed a few commands. “He’s patrolling over at 55
th
Street and Florida Avenue. A lot of drug activity happening in that area lately.”

“Thank you, Millie. Please tell Harold that I said hi.” Devin turned to head for the door.

“Whatever it is, be careful,” Millie called out. “You know Zack Miller doesn’t have many friends around here, but you do. I’d hate to see something happen to you. Think it through.”

Funny, she sounded just like Rachel. He nodded curtly, then went as quickly as he could to the intersection where Zack Miller was going to see a face he hadn’t seen in a long, long time.

Driving up to the road where the patrol car was sitting to the side, Devin drove past, then pulled off to the side. Zack was sitting in his car, surveying the area no doubt. It wasn’t a great area, and he was surprised that Zack was alone. It was better for him, anyway.

Zack must’ve seen him approaching because as he stepped closer, the door swung open and he stepped out. He was a nice looking guy, tall and in shape with brown hair. He was sure he attracted the ladies often … until he opened his mouth. The guy was the biggest braggart he’d ever known.

“What the hell are
you
doing here,” Zack shouted over the noise of the traffic. Devin said nothing, just kept walking closer to him. Zack kept his hand on his gun, and it almost made Devin laugh. He wouldn’t need the damn gun. Not for what he wanted to do.

Walking around to the front of the car, Devin stood as close to Zack as he could manage without punching his lights out. He still hadn’t said a word, and it was making Zack angry.

“What do you want, Putnam. I’m sure you didn’t hunt me down here just for shits and giggles.” He crossed his arms in front of his chest, narrowing his eyes at Devin.

“I’m here to set some things straight,” Devin finally said, crossing his own arms in front of him, mostly to keep him from laying him out on the ground. “I’m sure if you think hard in that pea brain of yours, you could probably figure out why. I guess you thought you were going to get away with it, huh? It’s been five years since you decided that ruining my life was your number one goal. You never could handle being in competition with me. But, your beef with
me
isn’t why I’m here. It’s what you did to Rachel that brings me here today.”

Zack’s eyes registered shock at his words, but he said nothing.

“Yes, Rachel. The woman that I loved. The woman that you
drugged
, then
violated
. You are the worst kind of pig out there. You should be locked up for what you did that night. Is
that
how you get your kicks, by drugging women, then taking advantage of the while they’re asleep? You know what they call that?
Rape, you asshole
. And then? As if that wasn’t bad enough? You threaten her with a
video
that you took of her, and on top of it all, tell her that if she doesn’t break up with me, you will frame
me
for rape? Why in the world was I such a threat to you that you felt it necessary to do all of that? What did you want, power? I had no power over you. We were equals. Cops. Are you going to fucking answer me, or stand there like a pansy?”

“I didn’t rape that bitch,” he growled. “Or sleep with her either. I just told her that we did, and since she didn’t remember, I let her think that it was true.”

Devin clenched his fists, fighting the urge to knock him out. At least he had just lied to her, not actually forced himself on her. “So, why was she naked then? And why were you naked?”

Zack whistled through his teeth. “Boy, she
did
tell you all of it. It took her long enough.”

“Because of you, you cowardly asshole. You got your kicks out of scaring a 21 year old girl into breaking up with me over something that wasn’t even true. Now answer me. Why were her clothes off?”

“I took them off,” Zack said smugly. “It’s been a long time, but I still can’t forget that body. Hot damn. I’ve thought about what it would be like if she came to me willingly …”

Devin didn’t let him finish the sentence because he grabbed him and shoved him against the car, his face inches from his. “Don’t. Say. Another. Word. About. Her.” Zack was lean and strong, but Devin was stronger. Zack couldn’t even move.

“She was pregnant with my baby, you idiotic prick,” Devin seethed, spitting the words out from between his teeth like bullets. “Whatever shit you gave her, plus the trauma of what you put her through made her lose my baby.
Our baby
. Are you proud of yourself? What a
man
you are, Zack Miller. You can’t get women to come to you willingly, so you take what is someone else’s, then threaten her. Why? Please explain it to me.”

“It was the best way to fuck with you. You were so whipped over that girl. I just flat out didn’t like you. And since you left here, you’ve been in Miami and now you’re over on the West Coast, huh? SWAT team? Wow, you’ve made it now, big shot. And it was too bad, what happened to Rachel, that freak holding her hostage and practically killing her. She just can’t catch a break.”

Devin pulled his fist back and punched him square in the nose before he could even register what he was doing. He had been keeping up on them? What the hell was this guy’s problem? Blood spurted from his nose immediately, but all that did was fuel Devin’s need to beat him into oblivion. For Rachel. For them. For the baby he would never get to know. He wasn’t thinking about the repercussions or what could happen. He was acting on pure adrenaline.

Zack fought back, landing a punch to the side of Devin’s face, but he barely felt it. Devin struck again, sending him flying back again with a hit straight to the face. Zack fell backwards, against his squad car. Devin continued, pummeling him long after he knew he should stop. Zack stopped trying to fight back, instead trying to block his body from the furious jabs Devin was inflicting on him.

The sound of a siren approaching was the only thing that stopped Devin from continuing his assault on the jerk. Great. Someone must’ve called the cops.

As Devin stepped back, flexing his sore hand, Zack slumped to the ground, conscious but only barely. For a moment, Devin was sorry for what he did. Until he remembered what he had done to them, what he continued to do.

The cruiser pulled up, and Devin hoped that it was someone that he knew, otherwise this could turn out badly for him. He realized that he had just beaten up a cop that was on duty. Yes, he was law enforcement, too, but he wasn’t sure that was going to save him at the moment. He wanted to smack himself for his stupidity. Rachel had been right. What started out to just be ‘setting him straight’ ended up in him losing his shit.

“Put your hands where I can see them!” Devin heard from behind him. He sighed and turned slowly to face them, lifting his hands. Of course, he didn’t recognize him. “Miller, you okay?”

Devin looked back at Zack, willing him to stand up and not play the fool like he knew he would. He stayed slumped against the car. Of course.

The officer approached him, his partner walking slowly behind him, both of their guns drawn. Devin closed his eyes, wondering what in the hell he was going to do now. This was exactly what Rachel had been afraid would happen. He was screwed.

Wrenching his hands behind him, they clipped the handcuffs on him, reading him his Miranda rights while walking him to the car and placing him in the backseat. He rested his head against the metal grate in front of him, wishing he was still at home with Rachel, her warm skin against his.

“Any word from him?” Kayley asked, wiping Cierra’s face. The friends had decided they needed to get out of the house and get some lunch to try to pass the time.

Rachel checked her phone for what must’ve been the millionth time since he left that morning. Still nothing. She had tried to call him many times over the last two hours, but his phone was off. “No. I’m so worried. What if he did something stupid?”

“Auntie Rachel? Why are you so worried?” Alexis asked, her little face wrinkled in concern.

Rachel smiled at Kayley’s adorable girl. If she and Devin’s baby had lived, he or she would be close to Lexi’s age. Realizing that made it hard for her to breathe for a moment. “I’m just trying to get a hold of my friend, and he’s not answering. I just hope he’s okay.”

Alexis chewed her chicken nuggets, thinking about what she said. “Well, does he have a mom? If I was lost, I’d have someone call my mom. Or my Dad. He’d never let me be lost. I’m his princess.”

Kayley and Rachel laughed, effectively lightning the mood. “That’s a good idea, Lex. If he doesn’t call me soon, I’ll see if his mom or dad knows where he is.”