Page 32 of Final Approach (Lake City Heroes #4)

SEVENTEEN

Kristine could tell he didn’t want to talk about it.

At least that’s what he was apparently telling himself.

But he’d opened up the topic, so there was something inside him that wanted to spill whatever it was he’d kept such a tight lid on.

He’d told her the first part and mentioned something about an innocent man dying on his watch but hadn’t offered the details.

She wanted the details if it wouldn’t traumatize him to tell her.

And from his reaction to her asking, it very well might just do that.

The drive to the hospital would be about twenty minutes. She’d let him make the call as to whether or not he’d—

“Okay, fine,” he said, tapping the wheel.

“I started, might as well finish it. Hank and I were undercover, as I said before. I had made friends with the leader’s son and asked him to meet privately.

I had video evidence of him torturing a rival gang member and was going to try and turn him against his father for less prison time.

I knew the two didn’t get along very well and thought he might be willing to save his own hide by giving me his father. ”

“And?”

“Someone followed him. Neither of us realized it until too late and he shouted, ‘Traitor,’ shot Showbiz’s son in the head, and disappeared.

I couldn’t take a chance on going back under at that point.

My cover was busted. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Hank said the guy filled Showbiz in and told him I was the one who shot his son.

” He scowled. “I didn’t, but I feel like I got him killed anyway. ”

“You didn’t know he was going to be followed.”

“I should have expected it. Showbiz has a lot of the members followed, but I’d never known him to have his son followed.

” His eyes clouded, then he shook his head.

“Anyway, about a month after that, Hank slipped us info about a deal going down at one of the empty buildings in the warehouse district. It was so cliché, it wasn’t even funny.

I’m a firm believer that every empty warehouse should be searched at least once a week because nothing good ever happens in such a place.

Really, it was just bad. But there were guns and drugs that we could take off the street, so we set it all up.

” He drove, his eyes on the road. She kept hers bouncing between the mirror and his face.

“Set up the sting?”

“Right. Hank was determined this was going to bring out the top man because it was such a big cash deal. The warehouse was for sale. Big sign, everyone knew it. What we didn’t know was that someone was coming to see it that night.

We didn’t find that out until later. So, when the sting went down, the Realtor and his client got swept up in the mess. ”

“Oh my. Bet that wasn’t good.”

“To say the least. In our defense the Realtor had a jacket on that looked so much like the ones the Serpentines used that if you weren’t looking close, you’d never realize it was a different one.

Anyway, by the time everything was sorted, the Realtor and his client were in separate holding cells.

The client was loud and combative, yelling that we didn’t understand, that he was going to sue the department, but you know how it is.

Everyone protests their innocence. Everyone is going to sue.

It’s just par for the course. The Realtor was quiet and reserved.

Now, I realize he was scared—terrified, really. He was in with a gang member—”

“What?”

“I know. I know. And there are no excuses, but nevertheless, it was crazy that night. Everything that could go wrong did. By the time the sting was over, the holding cells were packed. We were out of room and had to group them together. Members of the same gang went together. Others were kept separate. And we thought the Realtor was a member of the same gang as the guy in the cell, so putting them together shouldn’t have been a problem. ”

“Only it was.”

“Yep. It wasn’t too long afterward that I could tell something was off.

The Realtor started saying the same thing as his client, and there was no way they could overhear each other.

It dawned on me that they might not be blowing smoke.

That there could have been a real screwup.

I was going to let him out and talk to him.

And then ... for some reason we still don’t know, this gang member attacked the innocent Realtor.

I was twenty feet away and ran for the cell to get in there, but I—” He shuddered and focused on driving for a moment while Kristine waited, dreading what he was going to say next.

Which was nothing until he pulled into the police parking spot at the hospital.

She looked at him. “You weren’t in time.”

“No. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway. I didn’t have a key.

I was yelling for one of the local officers to get it open, but he just wasn’t fast enough.

No one could get a clear shot the way he was situated and with the other prisoners in there blocking a shot .

.. and the truth is, even if I did have a key, it wouldn’t have been fast enough.

I know that now, but it still...” His hands clenched around the wheel, then released.

“The gang member snapped the Realtor’s neck like it was a toothpick. ”

Nausea swirled for a moment and she swallowed hard. “I’m so sorry.”

“The family filed a civil suit, but we were cleared of any wrongdoing, as were the others involved and...”

“And?”

“And I don’t talk about it. Ever. To anyone.”

She wanted to ask, why her? Why now? Instead she bit her lip, then leaned over the console to wrap him in an awkward hug.

He shifted and returned it, burying his face in the side of her neck for a long moment.

After a few seconds, he pulled back slightly and looked into her eyes.

Silent. Staring. She refused to break contact and let him look, wondering what he was hoping to find.

Finally, he cupped her cheek and she caught her breath, thinking he was going to kiss her.

Instead he touched her lips with his thumb and shook his head. “Not here.”

She blinked. “What?”

“The first time I kiss you is not going to be in the front of a Bucar.”

“The first time you—” She chuckled. Then laughed. He wanted to kiss her. And planned to do so more than once.

He frowned. “What’s so funny?”

“You.” Her laughter faded. “But not funny in a mean or weird way. I like it.”

“Good. Because I do want to kiss you. It’s just that Cole told me something a while back that stuck with me. He said he waited for the perfect moment to kiss Kenzie, and I thought that was somehow ... right.”

She smiled. “Kenzie told me that too. She said it made it super special.” She touched his cheek and decided, since she was being honest, she’d just lay it all out there.

“Kissing means something to me, Andrew. I haven’t had a lot of relationships in my life.

I think that’s why Jesslyn and I are so close.

She hasn’t either.” She shrugged. “I’ve dated a few people, even thought I might marry one of them before he decided he wanted the benefits of marriage without the ceremony—and he didn’t want me to have anything to do with my dad.

Who, in his defense, was being incredibly obnoxious and controlling.

But, still, it hurt. And scared me off getting close to someone. But you’re different.”

“How so?”

She shook her head. “I honestly don’t know if I can explain it.

I think it’s mostly because I admire you.

Have a lot of respect for you. It attracts me to you.

” Not to mention his rugged good looks and killer smile, but she wasn’t about to say that.

At least not yet. Maybe later. After their first kiss.

She sucked in a breath and sat back. “You’re dangerous for me. I don’t want to get hurt again.”

“I don’t know anyone who does.” He paused. “And since you’re being so open and vulnerable, I’ll say that I feel the same way. I have baggage that I’m not sure is fair to inflict on someone else.”

She shot him a small smile. “Who doesn’t?” She looked away, wondering if she should say more.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing. You need to go. Nathan’s waiting on you.”

“He can wait a few more minutes. Tell me.”

“Matt broke up with me because ... well, for a lot of reasons, I suppose, but you want to know what the biggie was?”

“Because he’s an idiot?”

She snickered, then sobered. “No. Well, yes, there’s that, but no. And it wasn’t solely because I refused to sleep with him before we were married either, although I do think it played a role in everything. It really was because of my dad.”

“I know you’ve mentioned he’s a bit of a helicopter parent, but is there more?”

“Yeah. A lot more, and Matt couldn’t deal with my dad’s constant showing up, calling, and texting. And I honestly didn’t blame him.”

“I haven’t really noticed that.”

“I haven’t let you.” She paused and frowned. “And it does seem like it’s been a lot less since Emily’s accident. He’s distracted right now, but once she’s back on her feet and living her life again, I feel sure his annoying behavior will start up again.”

“Have you talked to him about this?”

“Yes. Bluntly. He listens, apologizes, and then all is well for a while. Then he reverts back to his old behaviors. I try to understand. He’s lonely. Still talks about missing my mom.” She gave a light shrug. “I wish he’d start dating, but he says no way, that my mother was the only one for him.”

“Your dad wouldn’t scare me away.”

“Hmm. Well, I’m not sure we need to find that out.” She pushed the car door open and stepped out. “Go see what you can find at Leary’s house. We’ll talk later.”

“Kristine...” He sighed. “Yeah. Okay.”

She made her way into the hospital, watching Andrew’s reflection in the window. He waited until she was safely inside before he pulled away.