Untainted: (Crime Romance: The Photographer Trilogy #3) (11 page)

“You’re always so strong. It’s okay to be hurt, Kate. You went through hell.” He told her softly, kissing the tip of her nose.

“You know what hurts?” Her expression was serious. He raised his brows in response, waiting for her explanation.

“My heart. I don’t even feel the pain in my ribs or my head. Just right here.” She put her hand over her heart, a tear slipping onto her lower lashes.

“Kate,” His voice was sad.

“Can we change the subject for a minute? Something lighter?” She interrupted, shaking her head as if she was trying to shake the memories out of her mind.

“Alright, so what’s with the getup?” He nodded to her clothes which were covered in Metro Police Department logos, giving her a smile.

“Oh this? I call it ‘kidnapped-chic’.”

Derrick burst out laughing, then grimaced since it caused him pain.

“Detective McCraig gave me some clothes from the precinct to wear since mine were pretty messed up. So, I kind of look like a cop now.” She started laughing with him.

“Do you get to keep those? I can think of something we can do with them later.” He grinned mischievously at her.

“Yeah, right. Because clothes from Mike are a turn on.” She laughed, sarcastically.

“I like that guy. Where is he?” Derrick asked.

“Making sure Frank ends up in jail. Said he wasn’t going to leave Frank until he saw him securely behind bars.” Her entire body relaxed slightly at the thought.

“Good. I’m sorry, Kate.”

“For what?” Her expression was puzzled.

“Not being able to help. Leaving you and Annie with him. I should have made sure he was tied up or something.” He shook his head in regret.

“Derrick, stop. There was nothing that was going to stop him. You did save me, I never would have gotten untied without you.”

“You stopped him.” Derrick pointed out, pride beaming through his smile.

“The doctor tell you that?” She chuckled, blushing.

“Yeah, he said the police told him you were the one holding Frank at gunpoint when the cops showed up. Didn’t know I was marrying such a badass.” His hand reached up and gently caressed the side of her cheek.

“Where’s Annie? How’s her head after that knock she took?” Derrick asked after a moment, referring to when Annie was first hit inside the office of the stable before he had been stabbed.

All the air instantly collapsed out of Kate’s lungs and she stared at him in stunned silence. Realizing that no one had told him what happened, she found her voice had abandoned her.

She had been trying hard over the last few hours to keep any thoughts of losing Annie as far away as possible. As the hours had gone by and night quickly approached, she had found herself doing everything possible to not think about it.

Instead she had been waiting for Derrick to wake up and be okay. It was as if she could put all her energy into helping Derrick, then Annie wouldn’t really be gone.

It wouldn’t really be true.

“Kate? You’re scaring me,” he eyed her in concern, noting her pale and terrified expression.

“Sorry, uh, Annie, she-” Kate looked down at her hands fidgeting, trying to will the words to come out.

Tears brimmed her eyelids, threatening to spill over as the room hung in silence. Derrick put one hand on the side of her neck, pulling her close to him gently.

“She isn’t here, is she?” It was a question, but his tone wasn’t.

He could tell from her face that something wasn’t right. Kate just shook her head no in response, a quiet sob seeping out of her. Derrick pulled her tightly against him, grimacing at the pain but not caring.

“Oh, sweetheart, I’m so sorry.” He simply told her, stroking her hair as the tears she had been holding back fell onto his chest where her head was tightly pressed.

She climbed into the hospital bed next to him, curling up to his side with his arms wrapped around her. She stayed there all night, intermittently crying as he continued to comfort her between short bouts of sleep.

Nurses came and went, but no one said anything or tried to make them separate. There was a heavy smell of grief in the room recognized by all. 

~~~~~~

“Man, you would think that these beds would be more comfortable. How on earth do they expect people to get better sleeping on this brick?” Kate groaned as she stretched her legs over the edge of the hospital bed the next morning.

“I think it’s because they are only meant for one person to sleep in them.” Derrick chuckled, watching her raise an eyebrow at him.

“Are you complaining?” She teased.

“Never!” He spoke in dramatic mock sincerity.

“Good, you guys are up. About time, sleepyheads. It’s almost noon and we’ve got a lot to do.”

Kate turned her head to find the owner of the voice. Seeing the origin, her entire face burst into a wide smile and she jumped off the bed with a bounce.

“Liz!” Kate’s arms flew around the detective’s neck, almost knocking them both off balance.

“Whoa there, lady! Officer down here.” She teased, motioning to her arm wrapped in bandages and hanging in a sling.

“Crap, sorry, I seem to be doing that to everyone lately. Are you okay? I thought, I mean, it looked like-” Kate sputtered, unsure.

“Like I was dead?” Liz offered and Kate just nodded.

“Well, I certainly felt like it for a while, but it’s all good. Banged up my shoulder fighting with him and hitting the wall. I was wearing Kevlar though, so the bullet just hit my stomach on the side. Clear shot through and through.” Liz grinned, lifting the side of her shirt to show thick bandages plastered against her skin.

“You were shot?” Derrick balked from his bed.

Both women turned to look at him, a mixture of amusement and annoyance on both of their faces.

“You missed quite a bit yesterday, Derrick,” Liz shrugged one shoulder.

“Speaking of, have you-? Uh, Kate, did anyone tell him about, you know, your sister?” Liz nervously asked, hating to bring up the subject that her partner had informed her of last night.

She had been absolutely devastated to hear the news of Annie’s death, feeling as if it was her fault for not being able to maintain control of the situation. The guilt was heavy and she felt unworthy even looking at Kate, but was doing her best to push it out of her mind when possible.

“Yeah, I know.” Derrick spoke up so Kate wouldn’t have to answer the question, already hating to see the pained look crossing her face.

“Okay then. Well, Kate, McCraig and I need you to sign some paperwork about that, being her next of kin and all. I know it’s the worst time for it, but arrangements and decisions need to be made. Then there is also all the same that has to be decided for Lenny.” She informed Kate.

“Uncle Lenny.” Her voice sounded scratchy as she spoke his name, remembering the events of the previous morning.

“Hell, I’m so sorry, Kate. I can’t imagine how hard this must be.” She sympathized, squeezing her arm gently.

“Can I have ten more minutes alone? Before doing that stuff?” She requested and Liz nodded, leaving the room.

Kate crawled back in bed with Derrick instantly, breathing in the scent of his skin so close to her. He held her tightly, despite his physical discomfort.

“I can’t do it, Derrick.” She whispered.

“There isn’t a doubt in my mind that you can. You’re so strong, babe.”

“I’m not, I couldn’t save either of them. They both died because of me, Derrick. Annie died for me. She stepped in front of the bullet that was meant for me. She was the strong one.”

“And who taught her to be that way? Who raised her and loved her and made her the amazing woman that she was?” Derrick squeezed her tighter as he spoke.

Kate was quiet for a moment, closing her eyes and sighing.

“Can we pretend for a minute?” She whispered and he nodded in agreement, kissing her forehead softly to comfort her.

“She would have fallen madly in love with someone glamorous. Not just love, but like overwhelming, crazy, do-something-wild love. Annie had so much passion.” Kate started, a small smile appearing on her face.

“Probably a Kennedy. Or a famous rock star. Didn’t she date that actor for a while? From
That 70’s Show
?” Derrick added and Kate laughed.

“Yeah, that was not a great match. I think it would be a trust fund hipster, definitely a musician. Someone just as kind and sweet as she was. Someone who found passion in everything he did, who makes everyone around him smile like she did.”

“They would have had one kid, not more than that.” Derrick said.

“Definitely not more than that, they would want to travel too much to drag a bunch of kids with them.”

“Annie would take him on world tours, drink wine in every country at the fanciest places. Her kid would know more names of grapes then you or I ever would.”

“She did always know how to pick a great wine.” Kate agreed, smiling.

“But on the holidays, she and her famous Kennedy husband would come home. No traveling abroad. Holidays would be for you two sisters. Our kids would play with their cousin and the two of you would catch up, laughing for hours at jokes the rest of us don’t understand.” Derrick stroked her hair softly.

“Family is the most important. She always showed that.”

“She loved you, Kate.”

“I love her. The kind of love no Kennedy would get between.” Kate smiled.

“The kind of love not even death can get between.” He told her quietly as both of them felt tears approaching.

“Do you think she was scared?” She whispered to him.

“No, I think she made a choice, and that was one of the bravest choices anyone can make. She chose love and family, and there’s nothing scary about that.”

“I miss her, Derrick.”

“I miss her, too.”

There was nothing left to be said, tears were the only goodbyes to give.

CHAPTER TWELVE

“It’s unreal, isn’t it?” Kate looked up at Detective McCraig across the table from her as she flipped through documents and signed forms.

“What is?”

“That they are dead, and he is sitting in a jail cell getting three square meals a day.” Her expression was empty, maybe slightly haunted even.

“You can’t think of it like that, Kate. Think of it like now he has to suffer years and years as punishment for what he took from you. Lenny and Annie don’t, they are at peace.” He spoke with surprisingly gentle insight.

“Wow, I can’t think of a time I’ve ever heard that many words come out of his mouth. Let alone, so prophetic.” Liz grinned at them as she walked into the room and dropped a hand on his shoulder.

Kate giggled and Mike just rolled his eyes, but there was a slight blush on his cheeks that wasn’t lost on her. She could tell that there had been a change in him ever since he had seen Liz hurt in that stable. Kate couldn’t help but wonder if there was more going on between them than they let on.

“Jury selection is starting tomorrow morning, Kate. Just got the word and came straight in here to let you know. Mr. Bild is insisting on a speedy trial, and thanks to the law he is allowed it.” Liz sat down and leaned over the table as she spoke, resting her arm in a sling on the top.

“What does that mean?” She responded.

“It means that the trial itself will probably start a day or two after that at most. Prosecution will need you to testify, and defense will subpoena a testimony from you as well, I’m sure.” She explained to Kate.

“It sounds more daunting than it is. The district attorney will go through several practice runs with you and make sure that you are comfortable with everything beforehand.” Mike interjected as Kate nodded slowly, nervous about the prospect of being in the same room as Frank again.

“Kate, there is one thing that you should know beforehand,” Liz looked nervous for a moment, fiddling with a ring on her middle finger.

“Frank is facing five very serious charges: a kidnapping charge for kidnapping you, first-degree murder for your sister, first-degree murder for Lenny, attempted murder of a police officer, and attempted murder of Derrick.” She explained.

“Okay, but what about my rape and the other women? What about the women’s bodies in the stable?”

“The district attorney isn’t charging him with those right now.”

“Why not? It’s clear as day that it was him!” Kate’s voice raised.

“I know, Kate, but there is a lot of missing pieces in those cases. Easy loopholes and issues that if paired with these murder charges, could potentially get him acquitted from everything. We want to only charge him with the things we have the strongest amount of evidence for, to make sure he is put away for life.” She explained.

“So, he gets away with it. That’s what you are trying to tell me. Dozens of women will never get justice. I will never get justice.” Bitterness thickened her words. 

“I know it sounds like that, but it’s really the best course of action. If he is found guilty of these, then he can be tried again later for everything else.”

“Why would they even bother if he is found guilty and serving a life sentence, it would just be a waste of time to go through any more trials?” Kate scoffed.

“Getting justice for the innocent is never a waste of time, Kate.” McCraig spoke up and reached forward, patting her hand.

“This is so fucked up. I can’t even believe that this is my life right now.” Kate groaned as she leaned her head back and stared at the ceiling.

~~~~~~

“Are you going to finish moving your things here?” Derrick asked her as he lowered himself onto the couch of his apartment.

Technically, it was their apartment now as she had been in the process of moving in when she was kidnapped. He had just gotten home few hours ago from the hospital.

“There is no way in hell I’m going back to my apartment.” Kate shook her head emphatically and joined him, snuggling into the crook of his arm and draping her legs across his lap.

“Let me hire a moving company then. They can do it all for us.” He caressed her hair with his good hand, the other arm was still sore from the stabbing wound in his shoulder.