Tax Assassin (26 page)

“
We’re here,” Seth touched
her back.

She sat up. Her eyes were red and swollen as
if she’d been crying. She didn’t speak, so he didn’t either. He
gave her a soft smile and drove into the garage. He held her hand
as they walked through the backyard and into the house. He sat on
the bed while she packed a small bag with her belongings. He held
her hand and walked her to the back door. They stood, unspeaking,
at the door for a long time. Finally, she smiled and kissed his
lips.

As if her kiss had unlocked his frozen
tongue, he said, “I love you.”

She closed her eyes as if he’d stabbed her.
Nodding, she took a breath and went to the garage.

“
What was that?” Maresol
asked from the doorway to the kitchen.

“
Ava’s leaving. For
good.”

Under Maresol’s worried eyes, he walked up
to his bedroom. He stripped off his clothing and took a shower.
Because he never slept much when he was working on a case, he
usually slept for at least a day when it was all over.

There was nothing he could do about Ava. The
only thing he could do now was sleep. Maybe when he woke, he would
figure out what to do next. But at this moment, he saw his entire
life grind to a complete halt.

He got into bed naked and fell into a deep
sleep.

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THIRTY-ONE

“
Papa.”

The sound broke into Seth’s deep sleep.

“
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa,” a
small child’s voice said.

The child squealed, and he felt the bed
move. He opened his eyes to see his granddaughter Rachel crawling
across the bed toward him.

“
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa,”
she said and laughed. She reached a sticky hand out to him. He
closed his eyes.

“
Papa?” Rachel’s voice
sounded confused and a little sad.

He opened his eyes.

“
Papa!” the child
laughed.

“
She’s been saying that for
days,” Sandy’s voice came from the end of the bed. He rolled over
to look at her. “We weren’t sure what she was saying. Aden thought
maybe she was calling him Papa.”

The thought of her husband and Rachel’s
father made Sandy smile.

“
She was very offended,
because he’s clearly Dada,” Sandy smiled. “Finally, the great
mystery has been solved.”

Seth laughed. He shifted so that his back
was against the head board. He situated the covers and pulled the
baby onto his lap. She sucked her thumb and cuddled next to
him.

“
She seems to know when
you’re hurting,” Sandy said.

“
Ava’s gone,” Seth
said.

Sandy sat on the bed next to him.

“
I’ve always thought the
whole thing was unlikely,” Seth said. “She’s got so much life in
front of her, and I . . .”

“
Feeling sorry for
yourself? That’s really not like you.”

“
Just stating the
facts.”

“
Ah, the facts,” Sandy
raised her eyebrows. “Delphie told me you would marry three
times.”

Seth groaned. Undeterred, Sandy continued
on.

“
One to take care of. I
assume that’s crazy Emily.”

Seth closed his eyes.

“
Two for fun. That’s got to
be Bonita.”

“
God, Delphie can drive me
absolutely crazy,” Seth said.

“
Don’t interrupt,” Sandy
mock scolded. “And the third time for love.”

“
What about Andy?” Seth
asked.

“
That’s what I asked,”
Sandy said. “What about my mother?”

“
And the great oracle
said?”

“
Some loves have no
beginning, no end, no formal ties, and no documents – only love,”
Sandy said, her eyebrows raised in a “How’s that for an answer”
look.

“
I should sleep,” Seth
said.

“
Well, you can’t sleep,”
Sandy smiled. “I was sent up here with strict orders to cut
your
shaggy
hair,
shave your
scraggly
face, and help you get ready.”

“
For what?”

“
Your wedding,” Sandy
said.

“
Ava’s gone.” Seth’s
irritated response made Sandy smile.

“
She left here early this
morning,” Sandy said. “She drove out I-70 and got on the 25. She
thought she’d go to see her Mom or head to Fort Collins to
reminisce about college days or whatever. She didn’t count on the
traffic.”

“
She works nights,” Seth
said. “I doubt she’s ever seen the traffic that time of
day.”

“
That’s what she said. It
took her an hour to get from your house to Eighty-Fourth,” Sandy
smiled. “She decided to wait out the traffic. So she went to the
breakfast place right there. Anyway, she was there about a half
hour when Dale showed up.”

“
Dale?” Seth
asked.

“
Shush,” Sandy said. “It’s
a good story. Let me finish.”

Seth nodded.

“
Dale sat down and ordered
breakfast,” Sandy said. “Ava said they didn’t talk during
breakfast. Not a word. When it was time to go, Dale said, ‘You
coming?’ and Ava came home.”

“
But she wanted to find
herself,” Seth said.

“
Sitting in the breakfast
place, she realized that you were right,” Sandy said. “She found
herself through loving you. By driving away from you and your life
together, she was driving away from herself, not closer to herself.
She thinks she was mostly scared and very tired. So she came
home.”

“
Papa,” Rachel put her hand
on his bare chest.

“
Rachel,” Seth kissed her
cheeks. The baby laughed and waved her arms around.

“
Delphie and Maresol were
here when she got home,” Sandy said. “I guess Maresol called
Delphie the moment Ava left, which is how Dale got to the breakfast
place. They told her not to wake you and to rest while they got
everything ready. I woke her up a couple of hours later and it’s
been . . . Well, you know how it is.”

“
A lot of work,” Seth
said.

“
A lot of work,” Sandy
smiled. “Anyway, you have about forty minutes to get dressed. Go
shower. I’ll cut your hair here and give you a shave. Maresol had
your tux ironed. It’s . . . uh . . . Watch
Rachel for a minute.”

Sandy trotted out of the room. She returned
with Seth’s tux. She hung the tux on the closet door and then left
for his shoes. Seth heard Maresol yell from downstairs.

“
What’s going on?” Seth
asked.

“
Lizzy and Maresol,” Sandy
said. “Oh the drama.”

Seth’s laugh made Sandy laugh.

“
Anything I should worry
about?” Seth asked.

“
If you’re not out there in
your tux in . . .” Sandy looked at her watch. “Thirty-seven
minutes, you have a lot to worry about. Go shower.”

“
What?” Seth
asked.

“
Your bride is waiting for
you,” Sandy said.

“
Ava?”

“
Yes, Ava,” Sandy said.
“Would you prefer it if Maresol came up here to explain it to
you?”

Grabbing the sheet and the baby, Seth jumped
out of bed. He gave Rachel to Sandy.

“
I have to see a man about
a horse,” Seth pointed to the bathroom.

“
Well, don’t be too long,”
Sandy said. “Or we’ll be made into horse tamales.”

Laughing, Seth closed the bathroom door.

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