Susan Mallery - Hot On Her Heels

“Barely. One of the social workers at the hospital went out of her way to help. She got the word out about the surgery and our bills. The town held a few fund-raisers. A bank set up an account where people could donate. For a while, no one was sure she would even survive the surgery. Once she was conscious, I figured out pretty fast that most of her had been lost.”

Talk about terrifying, she thought. All that responsibility, all at once. How had he done it?

“Did you have help?” she asked. “Other family?”

“No family. A few neighbors came in to do what they could. Jed had already thrown me out once. I wasn’t going back to him.”

“He wouldn’t have bothered,” she said, aching for the teenager forced to grow up too fast.

“We were lucky in some ways,” he said. “Her recovery was easy-she needed a little physical therapy, but nothing too intense. It was her brain that had been damaged. My first plan was to quit school and get a job. My school counselor talked me into staying in school. She pointed out I would make a lot more money in the long-term, if I went to college.”

How had he known how to survive? Just the basics, like buying groceries, paying bills, cooking? Not to mention caring for a suddenly mentally disabled parent.

“What about social services?” she asked. “They didn’t try to take you away from her?”

“No. I don’t think anyone was willing to report what had happened. They all felt bad. She got disability payments,” he continued. “That covered the bills, but not her care. She couldn’t stay by herself. I worked after school for a while, but that meant more time I needed to pay someone to be with her, so I got a night job as a janitor. I worked while she slept.”

She swore under her breath. “When did you sleep?”

“When I got older. I could only pay for someone to be around so many hours a day. We had great neighbors. They would look in on her. College was harder, because I was gone during the week. I could drive home on weekends to check on her and I did, but those years were tough.” He hesitated. “She went into a group home for a while. My last two years of college. She seemed to like it, so that was something.”

He didn’t sound convinced.

“Garth, you can’t blame yourself for that. You’d done more than most people. You took care of her when you were still supposed to be a kid. You were totally alone. You can’t beat yourself up for that.”

“I don’t. I blame Jed.”

“He deserves it.”

She’d known for a while why Garth wanted to destroy Jed, but listening to his story made the reasons more real and immediate. The money to save Kathy Duncan would have meant nothing to Jed. It was pocket change. He’d once cared about her enough to sleep with her and later set up a trust fund that should have taken care of her for the rest of her life. If tragedy hadn’t struck. Now all their lives were different, because of one thoughtless act.

“Where does Kathy live now?”

“Around the corner from the pet store. I bought her a little house with a garden. She has someone stay with her when she’s not at work. Her caretakers take shifts. They’ve been with her seven or eight years. It works.”

He’d solved the problems he could, she thought. The logistics. But there was nothing he could do to get his mom back. Not to the way she’d been.

They walked into the pet store. The teenager in front greeted them.

“We have new puppies,” she said with a grin. “Kathy’s taking care of them.”

Garth nodded.

Was it always like this? Did he have a coded conversation every time he came in, finding out from people how his mother was doing? What happened on a bad day?

They headed for the rear of the store. Kathy sat beside a large pen watching three black Lab puppies tumble and play. She looked up and beamed when she saw her company.

“Garth!” She scrambled to her feet, then took the latte he offered. “You came to see me.”

He kissed her cheek. “It’s Saturday.”

She nodded, her eyes wide and happy. “You always come on Saturday.” She turned to Dana. “You’re friends now. I knew you would be.”

Dana blinked and tried to smile.

Kathy was casually dressed in jeans and a bright pink polo shirt. A green smock with Titanville Pet Palace on the front covered her from shoulders to knees. She held her coffee in both hands, still smiling, as if her day couldn’t get better.

“The puppies are nice,” Garth said. “Have you found homes for them yet?”

“Two,” Kathy said. “They’ll be by later to pick them up.” She looked at Dana. “You’ll need a dog, but not for a while. You’re still not ready.”

Dana shifted in place. “I’m, um, not really a pet person.”

“You will be.”

There was a scary knowingness in Kathy’s happy expression, as if she could see dimensions the rest of the world didn’t even know existed. Determined not to be totally freaked out, Dana smiled back and shifted so Garth was between her and Kathy.

Kathy put her coffee on a shelf by the pen and took one of his hands in both of hers.

“You’re not so sad today.” She released him, then returned her attention to Dana. “I’ve known Garth a long time.”

“I know. He loves you very much.”

Kathy’s smile widened. “I’m lucky.”

“Yes, you are,” Garth said quietly, then kissed her cheek. “I’ll be by to see you later this week,” he promised.

“Okay.”

Kathy dropped down by the puppies and spoke softly to them. Dana studied her for a moment, wondering if they were forgotten now, until the next time she saw one of them. Did Kathy remember or dream or long for something different? Or was she happy in her own world?

Garth had gone out of his way to give her a good life, but what had he given himself? What were his dreams and longings when it came to Kathy? That she could be herself? The parent he’d lost so many years ago?

“God, I hate this,” he muttered as they left. He tossed away his half-finished coffee. “Seeing her like that.”

“I was just thinking you’ve made her a lovely life.”

“I have money to spend on her, so I’m one of the lucky ones. I know that. But this isn’t her. My mother was a vibrant, funny, smart woman who saw the ridiculousness in life. She loved to argue politics and read a book a day. She talked about wanting to travel. We were supposed to go to Europe for the summer when I graduated high school. Every week we put twenty dollars into a special savings account. By the time I graduated, it would have been enough.”

His pain was a living creature breathing down the back of her neck. She didn’t know what to say-how to help him feel better. Then she realized there would never be the right words. Telling him no one deserved this wouldn’t make a difference at all.

Not knowing what else she could offer, she reached for his hand and laced her fingers between his.

He looked at her, his dark eyes clouded with hurt and anger. “You don’t strike me as the hand-holding type.”

“I’m not. So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention this to anyone.”

“I won’t say a word.”

DANA GOT HOME A lot earlier than she’d planned. After visiting Kathy, Garth had announced he needed to go into the office. She suspected he mostly needed some time alone to bury himself in work so he could forget…at least for a little while. He’d promised to call her later so they could go to dinner, but she wasn’t holding her breath.

Her relationship with Garth was confusing at best and not easily defined. Distance between them wasn’t a bad idea.

Dana parked her rental in her space, then walked toward her apartment. She’d barely pushed the door open when every sense in her body went on alert. Without thinking, she shoved her hand into her purse and pulled out her handgun. The purse dropped to the floor and she kicked it out of the way. Then she stepped into the room.

Everything was exactly as she’d left it, with one very real exception. Jed Titan sat on her sofa, reading a magazine.

He glanced up at her, then showed her the front of the magazine. “Time,” he said. “Impressive. I’m glad you’re keeping up with current events.” He looked from her face to the gun in her hands. “Are you planning on shooting me?”

“That depends on why you’re here.”

JED TOSSED THE MAGAZINE onto the coffee table, then pointed to the club chair opposite. “I’m here to talk, Dana,” he told her. “Alone. But if it makes you feel like you’re in charge, you can continue to hold the gun.”

She walked to the chair and pulled it away from him, so she wouldn’t be in reach, then sat down. She kept the gun on her lap. “Thanks, but I don’t need your permission.”

“Still feisty, I see. Not a big surprise. People rarely change. I remember you when you were a little girl. Big eyes and ragged clothes. I never understood why you and Lexi became friends.”

Her clothes hadn’t been ragged, but she knew he was simply making a point.

She kept her breathing steady, her body relaxed. She wanted to be on alert, but not hyper-vigilant. No need to wear herself out. Jed could be planning a long conversation.

Even as she watched him, she was aware of her surroundings. While she suspected he was alone, as he’d claimed, she didn’t want to be caught unawares.

“There’s a lot you don’t understand,” she told him. “Like how to make a point. What was with the car chase? It was practically a cartoon. I would have expected better.”

“Don’t worry,” he said calmly. “You’ll get it.”

She gave him a faint smile. “Let me guess-you’re here to warn me about something. I’m to do exactly what you say or there will be dire consequences. If only there was some movie music to fill out the moment.”

“I’m here to tell you to back off or you’ll be sorry.”

Not a surprise, she thought. “And here I was hoping for more.”

“Look at you, Dana. Always the lost puppy, on the fringe of everything. Lexi was good to you, helping you fit in, making you feel like you belonged. Later Skye and Izzy joined her. But you’ll never be one of them. You know that, right? They’re sisters. You’re just someone they know.”

He was good, she thought, doing her best not to react. If he’d talked about her lack of money, she would have been able to laugh him off. But talking about belonging was much smarter.

“I’m a big girl now,” she said easily. “I can take care of myself.”

“Keep telling yourself that. Maybe it will be true. How’s Garth?”

She blinked. “I have no idea.”

“But you were with him earlier. I saw you in front of Kathy’s pet store. Holding hands.” He gave her a knowing smile. “So romantic. It’s really funny when you think about it. All your life you’ve been trying to be equal with my girls and now you’re dating my son. I should warn you, it didn’t work with them and it won’t work with him. You’ll never be a Titan, Dana. You’re not one of us. You know that. You try to pretend it doesn’t matter, but we both know differently. After all, your father hit you for a reason.”

It took every ounce of control she had, but she was determined not to react. At the same time she sat there, completely still, a voice screamed in her head. What the hell? Had everyone in town known she was being beaten on a regular basis and no one had thought to ask a couple of questions or turn in her old man? Had everyone looked the other way?

Stupid question and she already knew the answer.

“You’re trash, Dana,” Jed said, almost kindly. “In my day we would call someone like you poor white trash. My girls know that and so does Garth. I’m not saying he doesn’t enjoy fucking you. You’re athletic. I’m sure you can keep him happy in bed for a couple of months. But it’s not going to last. I’m saying that with a full heart.”

He actually put his hand on his chest as he spoke, as if to convince her of his sincerity.

“I’m beyond touched,” she said dryly. “And officially bored with this conversation. Was there anything else?” She glanced at her watch. “Because otherwise, I need to get going.”

Jed rose. She did, as well, keeping distance between them and a firm hold on her gun.

“You’ll back off,” he said flatly.

“Or I’ll find a horse’s head in my bed?”

“Nothing that abstract. I prefer to be more direct. If you don’t back off, all of you, I’ll start hurting the people you love most.”

Her mouth went dry. “You already tried that once.”

“Next time I won’t leave anything to chance. Next time the consequences will be a lot more serious. Lexi or Izzy or Skye might not get out alive.”

“YOU OKAY?” Garth asked.

Dana shook her head. She was sure she would never be okay again. “He was so cold,” she said, folding her arms over herself and doing her best not to shake. “So casual, the way he talked about hurting his own daughters. Who does that? He’s become a monster. When did that happen?”