Page 11 of Final Approach (Lake City Heroes #4)

SIX

While Nathan and Andrew debated their options as far as the investigation was concerned, Kristine tucked away her concerns about the suspension, walked into the break room of the detention center, and checked on Emily and Ethan via text.

Their responses were immediate. Emily was finishing up some last-minute packing, excited about her upcoming cruise, and Ethan was headed into an important meeting.

She told them both she loved them, then debated about texting her dad.

She decided against it. While he was being quiet, she wouldn’t rock the boat.

Her rumbling stomach signaled the blueberry bagel had long ago been digested and it was time to find something to eat. She walked over to the guys. “I need food.”

Andrew raised a brow. “Real food or cheesecake?”

“Cheesecake is real food, thank you very much.” She bit the inside of her lip, then frowned. “What are you going to do now that Marcus Brown is dead?”

“Take what he gave us and pray it’s enough. We still have Colleen Pearson’s testimony. We’re still digging through everything in Marcus Brown’s life and hoping something will turn up that will clue us in to who was behind all this.”

“But why open fire on his home?” Kristine asked. “That’s just weird.”

“Unless it was a warning.”

“A warning about what? He’s already told you everything.”

“Or so we thought. Now I wonder if it was a warning for him to stay quiet or his family would die.”

“Well,” she said, then sighed. “We might not ever find out.”

“We’ll find out.”

She raised a brow at the certainty in his tone. “All righty then.”

He chuckled, then shot her a grim smile.

“I just can’t see not finding the person—or people—responsible.

I’m meeting a contact tonight to discuss the Serpentine Network’s possible involvement—” His phone buzzed, and he glanced at the screen with a sigh.

“And on that note, cancel lunch for me. I have a family errand I need to run. Catch up with you later?”

“Of course. Everything okay with the family?”

“Headed to find out.” He left, and Nathan did the same with a small salute.

Kristine debated making a visit to the hospital. Technically, she wasn’t investigating, but what harm would it do to visit a woman who had to be drowning in grief?

She hurried to her car, swept through a drive-through, and ate the burger and fries before she turned into the hospital parking lot. She wanted cheesecake, but at least she wasn’t hungry anymore.

Five minutes later, she found Tabitha Brown sitting up in bed, sipping from a straw. Most of the remains of her lunch had been pushed to the side and she looked up at Kristine’s entrance. Recognition flared. “You were at my house.”

Kristine introduced herself. “How are you feeling?”

“Dumb. Thank you for getting me help. I didn’t realize...” She rubbed her eyes with both hands, then dropped them into her lap. “I just wanted to forget for a couple of hours. I made sure the children were taken care of and just...”

“Took too many pills.”

“Yes. Not to kill myself or anything, only to sleep. I just wanted my mind to shut off for a little while. Definitely not permanently.”

“Understandable.”

Tears flowed and she swiped at them with her napkin. “They told me Marcus is dead,” she whispered.

“Yes. I’m so very sorry.”

“I am too. He...” She shook her head. “We were both dumb.”

“No,” Kristine said, “not dumb. Never dumb. Not that it’s an excuse, but sometimes life can be overwhelming, and desperation can lead to bad decisions.”

“Yeah, but people don’t hijack planes because life is hard.” The bitterness echoed in the room, and she clamped her lips shut and closed her eyes for a moment.

When she opened them, Kristine motioned to the empty chair, wondering why there wasn’t a friend or relative in it. “Do you mind?”

“No. Of course not.” She eyed Kristine from under her lashes. “I’m really not a weak person.”

“I didn’t think you were. You’ve been hit with some massive things here. The hijacking, your husband’s death, this hospital stay...”

“Yeah, the list goes on, doesn’t it?” She shuddered, then pulled in a breath. I didn’t try to kill myself in spite of what it might look like. Life is hard right now, but it’s never been very easy. Not this hard, but never easy. I will push on and do what I have to do. For my kids.”

The words were soft. But firm. And Kristine believed them. “You and your kids will get through this.”

“Yes. We will. I’ll make sure of it.”

“May I ask you some questions about Marcus?” To satisfy her curiosity, not because she was officially investigating. But if she happened to learn something helpful...

Tears pooled once again and dripped down Tabitha’s cheeks.

“Marcus,” she whispered. “He called me last night. They let him. He was in the prison’s medical clinic and sounded terrible.

They were getting ready to transfer him to the hospital.

This hospital. I was afraid he’d die with my last words of anger in his mind, so I told him I forgave him, that if he’d fight to live, I’d help him fight everything else.

” She sniffed and used the sheet to wipe the moisture away, as the napkin was now shredded.

“I’m so glad those were your last words.” Kristine struggled to get the phrase out as past memories and angry shouts echoed through her mind. “I hate you! Why don ’t you just leave and don’t bother coming home because I’m never speaking to you again!”

“Kristine , you don’t mean that—”

“I mean it. Every word. I thought you would understand , that you would fight for me. Obviously I was wrong.”

“It was hard when all I wanted to do was yell at him,” Tabitha said, interrupting Kristine’s memories, “but it’s been him and me against the world for almost twenty years now.

We met in foster care, aged out together, and vowed we’d never be separated again until death.

” She choked on a sob, pressed her fingers to her lips, and swallowed hard.

The tears stopped as though someone flipped a switch.

“He told me not to cry over him, but I can’t seem to honor that. ”

“That’s a lot, Mrs. Brown. I’m so sorry.” That might explain the empty chair.

“It’s Tabitha.” She picked at the sheet, then used a corner to swipe her face again. She hesitated and shook her head. “I actually thought he was cheating on me.”

“Why?”

“Because he’d disappear all the time. Wasn’t where he said he’d be, didn’t answer the phone when I called.

I just ... couldn’t imagine it, but it was all just a one-eighty from his behavior.

It was so weird. I asked him if he was going to leave me and he broke down crying.

Said he’d never leave me if it was his choice.

Well, now I know he wasn’t cheating, he was going to the doctor’s and .

.. planning a hijacking.” More tears fell. “I feel so alone.”

“You’re not alone,” Kristine said. “I know it’s hard, but you’re not alone. You have all those people helping with your kids. People who would probably visit if you’d let them.”

“Maybe.” She sniffed and a shuddering sigh escaped her. “You know, that’s why we wanted so many kids. So none of them would ever have to feel alone. We taught them that you might fight and disagree, but family is always there for one another and always loves you.”

That just about broke her heart. She didn’t bother to tell Tabitha that she had two siblings and often felt more alone than she could possibly describe. That if it hadn’t been for her friend group, she’d be floundering. “I know I keep saying it, but I’m so sorry. I really am.”

“I can’t believe this is my reality,” she whispered. “I said I’d push on and do what I have to do, but honestly, I have no idea how we’ll survive without him.” She blew her nose and gasped. “What’s today?”

Kristine told her and the woman groaned. “They’re supposed to turn the power off today. I forgot to go by and make the payment. That’s just great.” She closed her eyes and sighed while a tear slid down her temple.

“We’ll figure it out and get the power turned back on so you don’t have to go home to a dark and cold house, but for now, what about the money he got from the man who hired him?”

“Well, I can’t keep it, can I? I mean, even if I could find it, I wouldn’t feel right taking it.”

“No, you won’t be able to keep it. And what do you mean, even if you could find it?”

“I don’t know where it is. He never told me.” She scrunched the sheet in her fist. “He hijacks a stinking plane for money and then doesn’t tell me where he hid it.” She scoffed—a hard sound that echoed in the room—then shook her head. “How dumb is that?”

“Would he have hidden it in the house?”

She frowned. “I can’t imagine where. You’ve seen the size of my home. And with six kids? There are no hiding places.”

But desperate people often came up with surprising solutions to problems.

“But maybe he did,” Tabitha said. “I mean, it’s not in our account.” She picked up her phone and waved it. “Trust me, I looked. But there’s no other place he would put it. Not at work for sure.”

“So, if it’s not in the bank and you don’t think he would leave it at his job site, then the house is really the only option, right?”

“Yes, I guess, but I don’t know where to even start looking.

” She sighed and raked a hand over her head.

“I don’t even care right now, to be honest. If I have to stay here—and I think I do because some psychiatrist came by to talk to me—I want my brush and my favorite pillow and the book on my nightstand. ”

“Would you like me to go get those things for you?”

The woman bit her lip and hesitated. “Are you sure you wouldn’t mind?”

“I don’t mind at all.” It wasn’t like she didn’t have time on her hands with the investigation into her role in the hijacking situation.