Darby's Decision, page 2
“I would never hurt you, Darby. And I don’t blame you for what happened.”
Darby let out a harsh laugh. “Yeah, right. How many years of jail time did you do because of me? Three?”
Four, with two years’ probation, but who was counting? “I mean it.” He leaned forward, trying to get her to understand. “I don’t blame you for ratting me out. It’s each man or woman for themselves at a time like that. Besides, who do you think rolled on Reyes?”
She looked away. “I did. Although all I really knew was his name and that he pretty much made the drug deals that you carried out on his behalf.”
“Yeah, well after they arrested me, I blabbed about everything. I gave them details about Reyes and each of the drug dealers working for him, and lots of other information you couldn’t possibly know, Darby. And it worked, Reyes was busted right after me. In fact, I’m not sure how he managed to get out of the joint with a sentence of only five and a half years, unless he turned around and made the same deal.”
Her gray eyes widened, and her voice dropped to a whisper. “You think Reyes turned on someone higher up in the organization?”
“Yeah, I do. But being forced to do that probably only made Reyes even more angry. The entire network had to have fallen to pieces by the series of arrests.” Something he didn’t feel the least bit sorry about. He hadn’t gotten addicted to the stuff the way Darby had, but he’d stayed sober since being set free. And he had no intention of being involved in anything criminal ever again. “I firmly believe Reyes will come after me. In fact, I think he was responsible for my car being run off the road this past weekend.” He’d suspected it wasn’t an accident, but after watching Darby crash into a tree, he knew for sure it wasn’t.
A flash of concern darkened her gaze. “You weren’t hurt?”
“I’m fine.” He waved a hand. “But if Reyes is responsible for the cable malfunction, he’s definitely upped his game. The car collision wasn’t nearly as serious as what you just experienced. I’m worried he’ll keep on trying until he’s succeeded in hurting us, or worse.”
Darby abruptly jumped up from her seat. “I have to go.”
“Wait, shouldn’t we . . .” but he was talking to the air as Darby had already bolted from the coffee shop, the door slamming shut with a loud bang behind her.
Chapter Two
Leo, Leo, Leo.
Darby repeated her son’s name in her mind as she sprinted to her car, an old Honda Accord with well over a hundred thousand miles on it. If Gage was right about Tyrone coming after them, she needed to protect her son.
Their son.
No, she shook her head as she drove to the side-by-side townhouse. Gage might look more muscular and handsome than he had before, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t planning to go back to his old ways. Even if he intended to go straight, she wasn’t about to confuse her son by introducing a father who may either leave the area or end up back in jail.
She could only control her own actions. Her own vow to maintain sobriety. She didn’t have enough time or energy to waste on Gage.
Pulling into the driveway of their side of the building, Darby jumped out and ran up to the door. It was locked, so she used her key to gain access.
“Edith? Leo?” Her voice bounced off the walls. It took her a minute to realize they weren’t home and belatedly remembered Edith’s plan to take Leo to the park.
What if they were followed there by Reyes or his men? She spun around and ran back out to her car. The park wasn’t far, Edith preferred to walk with Leo, but Darby wasn’t about to waste another second.
She desperately needed to know that Edith and Leo were both safe.
The park was full of people enjoying the sunny June day. The parking lot was packed, but she eventually found a spot. Realizing it would be impossible to find Edith and Leo amidst the crowds, she called Edith’s cell phone.
“Hi, Darby, are you on break already?” Edith asked.
The sound of Edith’s sweet voice provided the sense of calm she desperately needed. “Not exactly, I’m at the park. Where are you and Leo?”
“Leo is playing on the swing. But I don’t understand, why aren’t you at work?” A hint of worry crept into Edith’s voice. Darby knew she was likely imagining the worst. That Darby may have succumbed to temptation, falling back into the dark abyss of drug addiction.
Sweeping her gaze over the park, she spotted the swing set and noted Leo was being pushed on one of the swings by Edith. “I see you. I’ll explain soon.” Without saying anything more, Darby disconnected and jogged over to the swings. Just seeing Leo giggling as he was pushed higher and higher made her smile in relief.
They were fine.
“Mommy!” Leo jumped off the swing and rushed over to hug her. She swept the boy into her arms, inhaling the scent of grass and baby shampoo and closing her eyes in gratitude that he was okay.
“Hey, kiddo.” She had to blink wetness from her eyes. “Looks like you were having fun.”
“I love swinging.” As quickly as he’d hugged her, he broke away from their embrace to return to his swing. Edith obliged by pushing him again.
“Goodness, Darby, what on earth happened to you?”
Edith’s exclamation confused her for a moment before she remembered her scratched and bleeding arms and legs. “Oh, yeah.” She stared down at herself for a moment, wishing she’d taken a shower first before charging over. But paralyzing fear had overwhelmed all logical thought. “Uh, there was an accident, so I was sent home for the day.”
“What kind of accident?” Edith’s warm brown eyes widened with horror. “Not on the zip line?”
“Yes, but look, I’m fine. Just a few scrapes and bruises.” Darby didn’t go into detail about how the fire department had rescued her. No point in worrying Edith any more than she was already. Only now that she was at the park, Darby wasn’t sure how to proceed. “Edith, have you noticed anything unusual? A stranger hanging around? Anything out of the ordinary?”
“No, why?” Edith’s gaze sharpened. “Are you worried about Leo’s father?”
That Edith had gone there surprised her. Darby hadn’t given the woman many details about Gage, other than to say he was in jail. To be honest, Darby hadn’t wanted to admit that she was the one who’d betrayed him, resulting in his arrest.
Interesting that Gage hadn’t blamed her for ratting him out but had in fact turned around to give evidence against Tyrone Reyes. She wasn’t sure what to make of that, but she reminded herself it didn’t matter. Gage had come to warn her, which was nice. But she had no intention of getting personally involved with him.
Frankly, she’d never imagined she’d see him again.
“Not really.” Darby sighed, realizing she hadn’t thought this through. How much about all of this should she share? Leo’s safety was a top priority, Edith’s too. But that would mean explaining about the cable being tampered with and the details about why Reyes might be seeking revenge.
“Darby, what’s wrong?” Edith’s tone was full of concern. “You look upset.”
“I, uh, the accident may have rattled me more than I realized.” She hated to cut Leo’s time in the park short, but discussing the danger in the midst of a crowd wasn’t optimal. Darby glanced around but didn’t see anyone lurking nearby. “How long do you and Leo usually hang out?”
“We usually head back for lunch.” Edith eyed her thoughtfully. “What is it you’re not telling me?”
A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She never could put anything past Edith. She was sharp and knew Darby better than she knew herself. “I’ll explain when we get home.”
“Okay.” To her credit, Edith didn’t push for more.
Darby took over pushing her son on the swing, enjoying the sound of his laughter. When Leo was tired of that, he ran over to the slide. Watching him play made her thoughts return to Gage.
He shouldn’t have looked so good. She was only eighteen when they’d gotten together. Despite the drug dealing and her own addiction, they’d had some good times together. Which probably sounded strange to people who hadn’t lived as they had.
Darby’s previous boyfriend, Aaron, had turned abusive. She’d taken off with him after a fight with Hailey. A stupid move that Darby had later regretted. But then she’d met Gage, who was also part of the drug community. He’d always been sweet and nice, despite his determination to make money selling drugs. They’d both suffered abuse growing up, something that had drawn them together. Probably not in a healthy way.
Gage was her past, something she’d locked away in her quest to move forward in providing Leo the love and stability he deserved. Having Gage show up out of the blue had seriously knocked her off balance. He was a threat to her newfound equilibrium.
After an hour of playing, Leo complained of being hungry. Since she had her car, along with Leo’s car seat, she drove them back to the townhouse.
“I planned to make grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch, unless you’d like something different?” Edith asked. “I have a roast in the Crock-Pot for dinner.”
Edith’s mother was born in Germany, immigrating here when she was young. Edith loved using her mother’s recipes, which tended to be heavy on the meat and potatoes. For years, Darby hadn’t known where her next meal was coming from, so she ate whatever Edith prepared without complaint.
“Sounds perfect to me.” She was already planning to set up a movie for Leo when lunch was finished so she could speak privately to Edith about the threat of danger.
Maybe even convince Edith to take Leo away for a few days. The thought of not seeing her son every day, tucking him into bed every night, made her heart ache, but she’d do whatever was necessary to keep him safe.
She pulled into the driveway. As she was unbuckling Leo from his car seat—he was small for his age, so he hadn’t graduated yet to the booster seat—she heard her name.
“Hi, Darby.”
She startled so badly she almost dropped her son. Turning, she glared at Gage. What on earth was he doing here? Had he followed her? Was he stalking her? Could the whole story about Tyrone Reyes be a big fat lie?
“How did you find me?” Her harsh tone garnered an alarming look from Edith.
Gage held up a hand. “I just want to talk. You didn’t give me my full thirty minutes.” His green eyes landed on Leo.
“Leo, go inside with your oma, okay?” She practically thrust the child at Edith. “I’ll be in soon.”
Edith eyed Gage curiously as she took Leo’s hand. Her son must have been hungry because he didn’t ask about Gage.
“Yours?” Gage asked.
She did not want to have this conversation. “Edith’s grandson.” Yeah, it was a bit of a lie, but a necessary one until she knew she could trust this man who kept showing up wherever she was. First her place of work, now her home. “And you didn’t answer my question, how did you find me?”
“I learned your address from that kid you work with,” he admitted. “But I only came because of the danger Reyes presents to us.”
“Sure.” She snorted and glared at him as she pulled out her phone. “I’m this close to calling the police. Stalking is a crime, and I don’t appreciate you popping up without warning.”
“It’s not like I have your phone number,” Gage countered. “I can’t stop you from calling the police, Darby. But I promise I’m not here to hurt you.” He hesitated, then added, “Or your son.”
She sucked in a harsh breath, wondering how he’d guessed. Leo did have her same blond hair, and they shared the same nose, but his eyes were green.
The same shade as Gage’s.
“Are you married now?” Gage asked.
She frowned, then understood he’d assumed she was still with Leo’s father. For a moment she wavered, feeling guilty for keeping her son’s parentage a secret. “No. I’ve never been married. You?”
“No one is interested in marrying a former convict,” Gage said dryly. “Look, Darby, I really think we need to work together on this.”
“Work together on what?” She wasn’t following his train of thought. “There’s nothing for us to do, Gage. Other than to notify the police.”
“We should do that,” he agreed. “But if Reyes is trying to hurt us, we need to stick together. Maybe catch him or his associate in the act. It’s always better to go on offense than to sit around and wait for the next strike.”
Darby didn’t want to admit she hadn’t thought that far ahead. First, she needed to get Edith and Leo out of town for a while. Then she could think about the rest.
Joining forces with Gabe had never crossed her mind.
But there was something to be said for going on offense. “I’ll think about it.”
A flash of disappointment crossed his features, and she couldn’t help wondering if he’d expected her to invite him in. Yeah, so not happening. “Okay, could I get your phone number? That way I can call you rather than showing up without warning.”
It was a reasonable request. She held up her phone. “Give me your number.”
He recited the information, and she added him to her contact list. Then she called him so he could get her number.
“Thanks.” He hesitated, then added, “I’m staying in a motel in town, just two miles from the adventure park. If you have time later, I’d like to meet for dinner, say around six o’clock? We can create a game plan then.”
Dinner? It sounded suspiciously like a date. Something she hadn’t had in the six years she’d been sober. Not because she hadn’t been asked out, but simply because she wasn’t interested. Especially since most men wanted to meet after work for a drink, something she wasn’t going to do.
“Please?” Gage pressed.
“Okay, dinner at six. Maybe at the Red Mill?” She named the family-style restaurant she’d taken Leo to on occasion. Her experience only extended to kid-friendly restaurants, so if Gage was expecting something more, he’d be sorely disappointed.
“That would be great. Thanks, Darby.” Gage gave her a nod and walked away. She noticed he got behind the wheel of a battered white pickup truck parked down the road.
A truck she hadn’t noticed. Which didn’t say much for her keen observation skills.
She watched for a moment as he drove off, wondering if meeting him for dinner was a mistake she’d come to regret.
In more ways than one.
Learning Darby had a son surprised him. The kid was cute, no question about it, and he’d instantly seen Darby’s features on the boy’s face. Which made him wonder about the boy’s father.
Considering he hadn’t seen Darby in six years, it made sense she’d gotten involved with another man. And even though she claimed she wasn’t married, he figured the guy must be making child support payments.
He told himself Darby’s love life was none of his business. Just because he still found her incredibly attractive, more so than when she’d been addicted to painkillers, didn’t mean she felt the same way.
In fact, he was getting the sense she didn’t like him at all. The revelation shouldn’t have hurt, but it did. And really, he couldn’t blame her. He likely represented a time in her life she’d sooner forget.
Gage drove back to his low-budget motel, keeping a wary eye on the vehicles behind him. He hadn’t been prepared for the rear-end collision that had sent him spinning out of control outside of Knoxville. The only good news around the event was that his truck hadn’t sustained much damage, other than a crushed rear bumper, and no one else had been hurt either. He’d known God was watching over him as he’d managed to stay on the road.
The black SUV that had hit him had taken off, and while the police arrived to investigate, no one had gotten the license plate number.
There was no sign of a black SUV following him now. Still, he couldn’t ignore the possibility that Reyes or his associates were out there, watching him.
At least he knew now why Darby had bolted from the coffee shop. She must have worried that her son was in danger. Knowing she had a young boy complicated things. As if they weren’t complicated enough already.
After taking a detoured path to his motel, he pulled into the lot and parked several doors away from his own room. He swept a gaze over the parking lot, but he didn’t see anything suspicious. Being a reformed criminal had honed his observation skills. Back then, he’d always been on the lookout for a cop, but now he searched for a sign of Reyes or one of his men.
Thankfully, everything looked fine. Using the key, he unlocked his door. The scent of mold and mildew hit hard when he went inside, but he forced himself to ignore it. The place was cheap, which was all that mattered.
After being released from jail, he’d been blessed to land a job with a construction company. His boss had granted him only one week off and fully expected Gage to report back to work by next Monday. Gage didn’t want to lose his position, the hard physical labor beneath the hot Tennessee sun had been a lifeline over the past forty-eight months after spending four years in a jail cell.
Ironic that Darby had also found a job working outside. He’d been impressed when he’d heard her giving the group of attendees a safety lecture. Thinking again of her near-death experience on the zip line made him frown.
The police would surely investigate. And if they deemed the zip line cable had been tampered with, they’d take his and Darby’s concerns around Tyrone Reyes more seriously.
At least, they should. Unfortunately, Gage had found that his criminal record worked against him at times like this. The cop who’d responded to the scene of the rear-end collision had not seemed inclined to believe the crash had been done on purpose. His being on probation, set to end in the next three months, probably hadn’t helped.
He hoped and prayed they’d believe Darby. Although she had a conviction for drugs on her record too.
Sitting around and doing nothing wasn’t his style, so Gage decided to head out to grab something to eat. He also wanted to find the restaurant Darby mentioned. His construction company was located on the other side of Knoxville, and that’s where he’d spent most of his time since being released. His parole didn’t require him to stay in a certain neighborhood as long as he didn’t miss any of his now monthly check-ins.
