When Darkness Falls (18 page)

A cruel smile spread over Sam’s face. “You’re a fast learner.”

Garrett balled his fist. “No, absolutely not! Hank will never go for it! He’s gotten his life cleaned up and gone all churchy on me. Now, he’s an upstanding business owner. He’ll never go for it!”

“Well, you’ll just have to convince him. Hank has always looked after you. I’m sure he’ll step up to the plate when he realizes what’s at stake.”

Despite the fear, anger took hold. “Oh yeah, and exactly what is at stake here?” A burning hatred pulsed through his veins as he locked eyes with Sam.

“Do you really want me to say it out loud?” He let out a long sigh. “If you value your life, then you’ll convince Hank to do the job.”

Garrett just sat there, mulling through the options. “How much time do I have?” he finally said.

“A couple of weeks … give or take. The plans are being put into motion. This is a time sensitive thing.”

“Where’s the job?”

Sam shook his head. “That’s all you get for now. Get Hank on board, and then we’ll talk.”

“What if I can’t convince him?”

Sam’s eyes cut into his. “Then I won’t be able to stop what comes next. And I can assure you that what happened to Danny boy is child’s play compared to what we’ll do to you. This is your last chance! Don’t screw it up!”

C
hloe and Hank
were in the hospital room with Glory. Chloe was sitting off to the side, and Hank had scooted a chair next to the bed and was holding Glory’s hand.

“I told you, Hank, it’s nothing to be alarmed about. It was just a mini-stroke.” Glory shook her head in exasperation. “You always get so bent out of shape at the smallest little thing. I told the nurses not to call you, but they insisted.” She shook her head. “I tell you, I feel perfectly fine.”

“A mini-stroke is not a small thing,” he countered. “Did you not hear what the doctor said? It’s a warning sign that you might have another stroke within 48 hours. Dr. Mills said you have as much as a 5% chance of having another stroke.”

She pursed her lips. “Dr. Mills is a nice man, but he doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about.”

Chloe chuckled and then clamped her lips shut when she saw the look of exasperation on Hank’s face. Glory laughed. “See, even Chloe knows I’m right. Doctors practice medicine. They
practice
it, Hank, it’s not an exact science. No one can predict how the body will react. And if what Dr. Mills says is true, then I have a 95% chance of not having another stroke. The odds are in my favor. That’s a good thing. We should be celebrating right now.”

Hank let go of Glory’s hand. Then he blew out a breath and rubbed his neck. Chloe was coming to learn that he often rubbed his neck when he was frustrated. When he looked to her for help, she stood and went to his side.

“Glory, Hank is right. You need to take better care of yourself.”

She looked disappointed. “Not you too.”

“You need to stay on your low-salt diet,” Hank said, “no cheating. Dr. Mills thinks it’s the high blood pressure that triggered it.”

“I’m an old woman with very few pleasures in life. If I want to eat salted popcorn while I watch my shows, then I will and neither you nor the doctor is going to stop me!” She thrust out her chin and peered at him over the rim of her glasses.

Hank scowled. “Well, you’re certainly as cantankerous as ever. I guess that speaks for something.”

Glory chuckled and reached for Hank’s hand. “I’m going to be okay. And I won’t overload on the popcorn.” Her eyes went soft. “Okay?”

“Okay,” he relented.

It was a tender thing to watch the two of them bantering back and forth. This was the side of Hank that Chloe loved. It had felt so right to be with him, but how could she reconcile this wonderful guy with the criminal that was being questioned by the detective?

Glory gave him a motherly smile. “You always think you have to take care of everyone, but you need to start taking better care of yourself.” She gave Chloe a meaningful look. “I’m glad you finally have a good woman by your side. It makes all the difference in the world. You two can take care of each other.”

Chloe’s eyes shot open wide as her face fell. She looked at Hank with a panicked expression. Hank’s eyes seemed to be asking for a commitment that she couldn’t make—not with his past looming over them. He could read the hesitation on her face. His shoulders slumped as he looked away.

Glory frowned. “Things were going so well between the two of you. What happened?”

Hank forced a smile. “Nothing, Glory. Don’t read too much into things.”

“Don’t play games with me, Hank Singleton. I may be old, but I’m not stupid! I know you as well as I know myself, and Chloe’s thoughts show on her face.”

Heat pummeled over Chloe as she rocked back.

“That’s a good thing,” Glory assured her. “I mean that as a high compliment. It’s refreshing to see someone who’s open and honest.” She eyed Hank. “Now, what’s going on?”

“There’s been another theft, and Detective Flores came to the office to question me. Chloe heard it, and I told her about my past.”

“You told me portions of your past,” Chloe cut in. “But I haven’t heard the full story.”

“Yeah, that’s what I meant. I’ll tell you everything, I promise.”

The door opened, and a doctor entered the room. He looked at Hank. “Can I have a word with you? I want to go over the particulars of Mrs. Douglas’s diet, so that we can be sure that she follows it to the letter.”

“Of course.” Hank stood, and he and the doctor left.

“They treat me like a child,” Glory muttered. She motioned to the chair where Hank had been sitting. Chloe sat down. Glory looked her in the eye, and Chloe had the impression that she was somehow seeing into her soul. “Hank has made his share of mistakes, but he’s a good man.”

Tears pooled in Chloe’s eyes, and she began blinking rapidly in an attempt to hold them back. “I don’t know what to think,” she admitted. “But what I do know is that I can’t go through another heartbreak like I did with Dan. And I can’t allow myself to fall in love with someone who isn’t what he appears to be.” Her mouth formed a hard line as she waited for Glory’s rebuttal.

Glory gave her an affectionate smile. “You know that Hank’s a good man. You’ve felt that. Listen to your heart.”

She shook her head, doubts coming faster than she could field them. “I don’t know … maybe I got so caught up in the confidence of your words that I made myself believe that Hank was the one. Or maybe I wanted so desperately to rid myself of Dan that I latched onto Hank.”

A funny look came over Glory’s face. “You speak of Dan as though he’s still alive. He’s already out of your life … and has been for some time.”

“Oh, I mean Dan’s memory,” she inserted quickly. “That’s what I was saying.”

“You know, Chloe, you’re a strong girl with a mind of your own. I did very little to convince you that Hank was the one—only to suggest that the two of you should go on a date.”

She thought back. Was that really the case? Everything had changed that day at Glory’s house, and she assumed it was because of the things Glory said. Was there more to it?

Glory caught her hand, and she was surprised by the strength of it. “I’ve prayed for a long time that someone good would come into Hank’s life, and when we met, I knew that person was you. Don’t throw happiness away because of a silly misunderstanding.”

“I hardly think a criminal record is a silly misunderstanding,” she retorted.

Glory pursed her lips together and remained silent for a moment, and then a peculiar light came into her eyes. “Have you prayed about it? Because if you will, I know you’ll get the same answer.”

Irritation clouded Chloe. What was it with all of these people and their talk of prayer?

“Do you believe in prayer?” Glory prompted, her sharp eyes roving over Chloe—keen on discerning the slightest nuances in her body language.

She briefly considered telling Glory a fib to smooth things over but figured Glory would be able to see right through her, so she spoke the truth as delicately as she could. “I used to believe in prayer.”

“And now?”

“Now, after losing Dan and dealing with his betrayal, I’m not so sure.” She could tell from Glory’s downcast expression that it was not what she’d expected to hear.

Glory gave her a kind smile. “Don’t lose hope. Prayer is real, and I can assure you that no matter how alone you feel, the Lord is mindful of you. He knows your heart and your struggles, and He cares.”

The words took her completely off guard, burning into her heart before she could shut them out. She looked at Glory’s lined face and how her eyes were filled with the wisdom of a lifetime of meaningful experiences. And there was more—when she was around Glory, she felt like she radiated light and goodness. For a split second, she felt envious of Glory’s certainty about God. It reminded her of how Darbie and her own mom felt. She wished that she could feel the same way. A calm feeling flowed over her. It was as warm as the gentle rays of the sun on a summer’s day, and for a moment, she felt a whisper of peace. Peace that somehow … someway everything would work out.

Glory put a hand over hers and smiled. “You’re going to be all right. I know it.” The words of encouragement meant more than Chloe could express as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She nodded.

They sat in silence for a few moments until Glory tilted her head like she’d just thought of something.

“What?”

“Has Hank told you how he got arrested?”

“No, we didn’t get that far.”

She patted Chloe’s hand. “Ask him.”

All of the problems came rushing back as Chloe clenched her jaw. The frustration that covered her felt all too familiar. Her shoulders were so tense they were starting to ache. “What difference does it make how Hank was arrested? He was a jewel thief! I know you love him like a son, but even you have to admit, that’s no small thing!” More tears rolled down her cheeks. Before Glory could answer, Chloe continued. “I’m sorry. Don’t mind me. I’m a mess right now.”

“No need to apologize. Tears are a good cleaner for the soul.” A wise smile spread over Glory’s lips as she gave Chloe a penetrating look. “Just ask him.”

T
he intoxicating aroma
of spaghetti sauce bubbling on the stovetop caused Chloe’s stomach to rumble. After they left the hospital, Hank insisted on taking her to his condo so that he could make dinner. She’d almost declined his offer because she was weary to the bone and emotionally spent, but she couldn’t deny the fact that despite everything, she still had feelings for him. And they needed to talk. More than anything, she needed to hear him out—give him a chance to explain his past.

She was sitting on a bar stool chair next to the island in the kitchen, and Hank was by the stove, working away. She’d asked if he needed any help, but the only thing he allowed her to do was to chop vegetables for the salad. “I’ve got this,” he said with his trademark crooked smile. He’d changed into a short-sleeve, charcoal gray t-shirt and jeans when they got back to his apartment, and she couldn’t help but notice how his bicep muscles moved underneath the shirt as he reached for the stockpot to drain the spaghetti. He really did have an incredible physique, and as much as she hated to admit it, was devastatingly handsome—a pretty boy that was rough around the edges. He felt her scrutiny and gave her a questioning look that caused heat to rise up her neck. For some reason, all she could think about was how it had felt so right when they kissed in the canyon.

“What are you thinking?” There was a hint of amusement in his eyes that made her suspect he could somehow read her mind.

She had to think up a response.
Fast!
Of course, she went back to the old stand-by—design. “Your place really is fantastic, although I wouldn’t have expected any less, considering you have access to every product imaginable.” Her gaze took in the straight-line cabinets accented with trendy, sleek hardware and the understated subway tile backsplash that seemed to be an extension of the cabinets. The white, gleaming quartz on the counters added the crowning touch.

“Yeah, one of the perks of owning a design center, I suppose.”

A smile tugged at her lips. “I suppose.” The distance between them seemed to shrink as her heart began to pound. Before she could stop herself, a genuine smile spread across her lips, and she felt a connection with him that was deeper than anything she could’ve expressed. He put down the wooden spoon he was holding and might’ve gone to her side had she not caught herself. What was she doing? She was alone in a condo with a convicted felon! Openly flirting with him! She needed a reality check! She got up from the chair and walked over to the window and looked out at the magnificent view.

The condo was located at City Creek Landing, which was in the heart of downtown Salt Lake. City Creek was a posh shopping center that was located next to Temple Square. The Assembly Hall with its fanciful spirals that reminded her of icicles took center stage with a corner of the Temple showing on the side. Lights from the city twinkled in the distance.

Her pulse bumped up a notch when Hank stepped up behind her and began rubbing her arms. Before she could move away, he began lightly planting kisses down her neck. Her breath caught as tiny pulses circled down her spine. How could it feel so right to be in his arms when it was so wrong? Her intense attraction to this man was getting way out of control. She had to distance herself from him so that she could think clearly. She closed her eyes and allowed herself one moment of pleasure before turning to face him. When she looked up at him, the depth of urgency in his eyes took her by surprise. “Chloe, you know how I feel about you,” he murmured. He began caressing her jaw with the tip of his finger.

“Hank, this is not a good idea,” was all she had time to say before his lips came down on hers, gentle at first and then harder. A feeling akin to electricity raced through her veins, and she went a little dizzy in the wake of it. The feel of his lips, moving against hers, was all-consuming as he leaned in closer to deepen the kiss, arching her back in the process. All reason flew out the window as she slid her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with an urgency of her own.

It wasn’t until he pulled away that she realized what she’d done. “I shouldn’t be here.” She began walking away, but he caught her arm and turned her around to face him.

“This is right,” he said, his eyes cutting into hers, willing her to give in. “And you know it. I can tell from the expression on your face.” A hint of teasing came into his eyes. “Glory’s right, you are very expressive.”

Her mouth dropped. “Really?”

He looked into her eyes. “Really,” he uttered, his breath going warm against her face. His eyes were a smoldering blue, and his defiant chin might’ve been carved from stone. There was such certainty in his words that she almost did give in, but thankfully, reason took control. “I don’t even know who you are.”

“You will. You’ll know everything. I promise,” he said smoothly. “You’re hungry, and the food’s getting cold. Let’s sit down and eat, and then I’ll tell you everything you need to know.” He flashed a lopsided smile. “I promise.”

Her resolve was giving way, and she could tell from the confidence in his demeanor that he knew it. She cut her eyes at him. “Do you always get your way, Hank Singleton?”

He chuckled as his eyes roved over her in a leisurely way that got her pulse to jumping again. “I suppose that remains to be seen.”

She could tell from the look in his eyes that he was aware of the control he had over her. And while that was irritating, she was hungry, and the food smelled amazing. “All right,” she heard herself say. Was there any use in putting up a fight? She was coming to learn that as charming as she thought Garrett to be, he was nothing compared to Hank. How could she have ever thought him to be a stuffed shirt? He was more exciting and alive than anyone she’d ever been around, including Dan. Heaven help her, she was falling for him! And there didn’t seem to be anything she could do to stop it! She could only hope that his explanation about his past would be reasonable enough to help her come to terms with the whole thing.

A
little while later
, they were sitting on the sofa, side by side, staring at the flickering fire in the fireplace. Dinner was excellent, and Hank had deliberately kept the conversation centered on light topics. She found herself laughing at his jokes and enjoying his company. A mellow haze had settled over Chloe, and it was nice just to be able to sit and relax for a few moments. Hank was holding her hand, his fingers linked protectively through hers. He seemed to be patiently waiting for her to begin the conversation. She almost hated to break the spell by talking, but it had to be done. She took a deep breath and turned to him. “Okay, I’m ready to talk.”

He nodded. “What do you want to know?” His jaw went tense, and she could tell he was bracing himself for the questions.

“Glory said that I should ask you why you were arrested.”

He looked startled, and the air seemed to chill as he withdrew his hand from hers. He rubbed his neck and swore. “Seriously? When did she tell you to ask me that?”

The fury simmering in his eyes caused all of her previous fears to return with a vengeance. “In the hospital.” She gave him a hard look. “You told me that you would answer any question—holding nothing back. And you act like a moron when I ask you the first thing.” She rubbed a hand across her forehead. “You know what, this is a mistake.” She moved to stand, but he caught her arm.

“Chloe, wait.” She could tell that he was fighting some inner battle. “I’m not upset with you for asking the question, I’m frustrated with Glory for prompting you to. That’s all.”

She arched an eyebrow. “It’s obviously a touchy subject.”

“Yeah.” He paused. “The first thing you have to understand is that Glory never had any children of her own, and Garrett and I have become like her family.”

“Yes, I know that.”

“Glory can only see the good in me. She tries to make me out to be more than I am.”

She let out a dry chuckle. “Well, that’s obvious.”

He looked surprised, but the comment seemed to help take the edge off.

She put a hand on his arm. “Tell me what happened.”

He nodded. “I told you how I became a jewel thief.”

“Yes, to help pay your mother’s medical bills.”

“It sounds so altruistic, but the truth is—” his eyes met hers, and she winced at the pain she saw in them “—the truth is that once I started down that path it was very seductive. The thrill of it gets in your blood. You keep telling yourself that you’ll stop after the next big score, but it’s like a highly addictive drug.” He swallowed hard. “What I’m trying to say is that I started to enjoy being
The Ghost
. I was good at it. The money I got from the jewels didn’t matter to me nearly as much as the adventure of the chase. The satisfaction that I got from knowing I could get into places few others could.”

A sense of horror was starting to overtake her. Was he saying what she thought he was? She forced the words from her throat. “Are you trying to tell me that you’re still a thief?”

He gave her an incredulous look. “No. I told you! I’m clean! I’m only trying to make you understand that I’m not the saint that Glory makes me out to be.”

She rolled her eyes. “I get that! Geez! Would you just tell me how you were arrested?”

“It was the biggest job I’d ever done. In the past, I’d relegated my theft to private residences, but I decided to try my hand at robbing a jewelry store.”

“Really? That sounds risky.”

“Yeah, it was. Very risky. But, I was cocky …” he shook his head “ … and naive. I had this friend—a fence that I relied on for tips about possible jobs. This fence was a jeweler who ran a reputable business. Occasionally, when he got low on cash, he would do a few under-the-table transactions. Anyway, he and I were pretty tight. This fence had a nephew named Guy who’d gotten himself into a tight spot when his girlfriend became pregnant. Guy was desperate for money. He was also a computer whiz. This job required me to hack into the main frame of the system to access the code to the door where the safe was located. The first phase of the job went off as planned. I cracked the safe in record time, and we thought we were home free. Guy inadvertently triggered a silent alarm when he logged out of the main frame. We were exiting the building and would’ve had time to leave before the police arrived, but there was an off-duty cop who heard the call on his radio and was in the area. I was already in the get-a-way car and thought Guy was right behind me.” Even though he was looking at her, Chloe could tell he was in another place and time. “The off-duty cop ordered Guy to freeze, but he kept going. He was shot in the chest. I jumped out of the car and went back to help him.” His voice caught. “But there was nothing I could do. He died in my arms.” His eyes grew misty, and he swallowed to choke back the emotion.

Silence settled between them as Chloe processed the information. “So, you could’ve gotten away, but you went back to help.” That was obviously the part that Glory wanted her to know.

“I should’ve never let Guy go on that job with me. He wasn’t ready. I knew it, but I let my friendship with the fence cloud my judgment. Guy was only twenty-two years old.” Regret simmered in his eyes. “It was my fault. I still see his face sometimes when I close my eyes.”

She wished there was something she could say to ease his pain, but there was nothing. “I’m sorry,” she finally said, reaching for his hand.

“I got sentenced to two years in prison. I served eight months and was released on good behavior. I’m now on probation.”

She let that sink in. The thoughts of dating a felon still gave her the willies, and a part of her wondered how she would get past that. “What made you decide to go clean?”

“As trite as it may sound, I found religion in prison. They had these missionaries that would come in and teach the inmates. My cellmate was meeting regularly with them and attending church meetings. He convinced me to come along. I was at such a low point in my life that I knew I had to do something. The guilt over Guy’s death was eating me alive.” He looked at her. “I’ll never forget the peace that came over me when I offered my first heartfelt prayer.”

The gravity of his words sank in, causing tears to glisten in her eyes.

“Chloe, I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but I changed. I realized that it is possible to carve out a new life—a life that doesn’t involve crime.”

She thought of something else. “But how did you do it? Did you hide some of the jewels away, so that you could use them to start your business?”

He chuckled dryly, a look of reproof in his eyes. “I wouldn’t exactly be a changed man if I were using the spoils from the thefts, now would I?”

“Well, how did you do it?”

“I didn’t. It was Glory. I surrendered all of my assets—everything I had acquired—before I went to prison. When I was released, I didn’t have a penny to my name.” He gave her a rueful smile. “I can’t begin to tell you how difficult it was to try and get a normal job with a criminal record. As always, Glory saved the day. It was her idea to start Marsh Interiors. Marcia is Glory’s middle name, so we named it
Marsh Interiors
in honor of her. Glory used every penny of her husband’s retirement and even got a loan to cover the rest. I owe her everything.” His voice broke. “I know she won’t live forever, but I just can’t bear the thought of not having her here.”

A tear rolled down Chloe’s cheek. Hank used his thumb to tenderly wipe it away. “She’s a strong woman.
A steel magnolia
, as my mother would say.”

“Most definitely. Like this other southern belle that I know.”

The compliment caused a feeling of warmth to shoot over her. Then she thought of something else. “The girl you mentioned …” she searched her memory “… V. Tell me about her.”

She hated the caution that crept into Hank’s eyes. “What do you want to know?”

“You said that she left when you needed her the most. Did she leave you while you were in prison?”

“Yes.”

She waited for him to expound, but he didn’t. She tried to figure out the best way to phrase her next question but ended up blurting it out after all. “Do you still have feelings for her?” She watched for his reaction.