Framing the Marshal, page 16
“In that case—” Eliana stood “—I’d like to use the restroom before we go.”
“You’ve got a few minutes,” Riker replied.
Grady chuckled. “You’re not leaving until your mother has given you enough food to feed a small army.”
“I heard that,” Lorena called.
The light banter endeared the Kastells even more to Eliana and she hurried to the bathroom, struggling to catch a calming breath. The few seconds to clean up and splash water on her face helped her to fully awaken, but her reflection in the mirror testified to hours of missed sleep. There wasn’t time to remove the exhausted evidence from her face and she returned to the living room.
Riker peered out the side of the curtains as Lorena emerged from the kitchen. She crossed the room and handed Riker a large, insulated bag. “It’s not much, but it’ll keep you from going hungry on the way.”
“Thanks, Mom.” He kissed her cheek.
Ammo sidled up beside them, tail wagging.
“Don’t worry, I’d never forget to include treats for my favorite granddog,” Lorena said. “There’s something in there for him too.”
Ammo gave a soft woof of appreciation, eliciting a chuckle from the group.
“I guess his hearing isn’t as bad as the vet said.” Grady winked.
Riker petted the dog. “I think he has more selective hearing these days.”
“I’ll carry the food,” Eliana offered, taking the bag from him.
Lights beamed from outside.
“Beckham is here.” Riker opened the front door, hoisting the duffel on to his shoulder and taking Eliana’s bag. “I’ll make another trip to get the rest.”
Grady walked to the kitchen and returned carrying two travel mugs, one printed with Best Mom, the other with Greatest Dad. “You’ll need the caffeine.”
Stunned by the thoughtfulness the Kastells offered, Eliana reached to take the mugs, but Grady shook his head. “I’ll carry them out for you.”
“Thank you.” She collected her laptop bag and trailed behind Ammo and the men.
Lorena gently touched Eliana’s arm, stopping her. “Forgive me for overstepping, but I need to say this.”
Eliana nodded, dreading the next words. Would Lorena berate her for Eliana’s unprofessionalism after catching them last night on the back patio? Maybe Lorena assumed they’d kissed? Truthfully, Eliana wished they had, but that would only complicate matters, and their lives were a tangled web of complex issues already.
“Riker can be difficult and crabby,” she said. “But there’s so much more under the grumpy exterior. He’s a good man and he loves the Lord. I suppose every mother says that about her child.”
“I understand,” Eliana said even though she didn’t.
Lorena pulled her into a hug. “God’s got this.”
Touched by the kindness, Eliana searched her brain for the right words to speak. Instead, she relaxed in the unfamiliar motherly embrace. Being held made her want to reveal her own wounds, needing that maternal comfort. Something Eliana had never known after her mother passed away and she’d longed for every single day since. Lorena didn’t release her hold for several seconds, as though she understood the unspoken need.
The front door opened, and Riker entered, a look of curiosity in his furrowed brow.
Lorena stepped back, wiping the moisture from her cheeks. “I warned you, we’re huggers.”
“It’s nice.” Eliana forced a smile, absorbing the acceptance. These people had welcomed her into their home without judgment or question. Had Riker told them they’d dated briefly in high school? What would they think of her if they discovered the truth about her upbringing and life? She blinked back tears. “Thank you for the kind hospitality. I truly enjoyed the visit.”
Lorena smiled. “Anytime. We loved meeting you and look forward to seeing you again.”
If PHACE became the catalyst for Riker’s prison sentence, they’d rescind their offer. Once more Eliana prayed for the truth to come out, exonerating Riker from charges. “I’d like that.”
“Ready?” Riker lifted the last of the bags and Lorena rushed to shut off the lights.
“Yes.” Eliana followed him outside and down the steps.
Lorena locked the front door and then hurried to join Grady, standing beside the SUV with Beckham, their voices low and serious. Riker’s pickup engine rumbled and Ammo hung his head out the back window, tongue lolling. Beckham took the Kastells’ bags from Riker. “I was just telling your father how sorry I am to do this to them.”
“No, we understand,” Grady replied.
Lorena touched Riker’s cheek. “We’ll see you soon.”
“I’ll be the one to bring you home when this mess is over,” he promised.
“We love you beyond words.” His mom and dad embraced Riker and prayed over him.
Not a single recollection surfaced for Eliana of her father treating Hunter or her that way. Had her mother lived, she probably would’ve. The bitterness that accompanied so many of Eliana’s painful memories lingered.
“I love you both.” The pain in Riker’s voice tore at Eliana’s heart.
He trailed his parents to Beckham’s SUV and helped them inside. Eliana took the opportunity to load herself into the pickup, stroking Ammo’s head before settling into her seat.
As though the world had shifted dramatically, Eliana resolved to do whatever it took to help Riker. She’d lay down her own dreams. She refused to be the reason he went to prison. How could she possibly live with herself if that happened? He had a family; wonderful parents who loved him. Unlike Eliana. She had no one. Even solving Hunter’s case would do nothing to bring back her brother. And though she longed to ensure his killer was held accountable, Riker needed her. And the truth was, she needed him too.
Beckham was already driving away by the time Riker slid behind the wheel.
“Will you be told where they are?” Eliana asked.
Riker worked his jaw and shifted into Drive. “No. It’s safer if I’m not aware of their location.” After several beats, he admitted, “I hate this.”
“I know.” She lifted a hand to offer a supportive touch, but his off-putting glance had her withdrawing.
The pain that flickered in his blue irises nearly undid her but something else lingered there. Did he blame her for this most recent development? Eliana averted her eyes, shifting her hands into her lap. And why shouldn’t he? Wasn’t she the one who’d pushed him to come here? Wasn’t she responsible for endangering his parents?
“Riker, I’m sorry.” When he didn’t immediately respond, she bit her lip and prepared for a lashing. “I don’t blame you for being mad at me.”
“It crossed my mind, but the truth is none of this is your fault,” Riker said. “The Nites are merciless. The killer placed the news article picture in Moneyman’s jacket to remind me that my parents were a target too.”
“A veiled threat we didn’t pick up initially?” Eliana asked.
“I considered the possibility but hoped otherwise.” Riker sighed, working his hands over the steering wheel. “That was idiotic on my part.”
“It’s been a long time since I had anyone else to think about, but I do remember what it’s like to want to protect the ones you love.” She considered the numerous times Riker had risked his life for her. “You deserve the truth.” Picking at her nail polish, she worked up the courage to speak. “I told you my brother died.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.” Riker’s tone held compassion in the familiar condolence she’d heard over the years.
“I didn’t tell you how. He was shot and killed. At the time, technology was insufficient for finding his killer. His case remains unsolved.”
“That’s terrible.”
Eliana stared at the yellow lines on the highway. “Losing Hunter made me reprioritize my life. I had to find a way to honor him. The good part that came from it all was developing PHACE.”
“What happened to your father?”
Eliana sighed, not wanting to share the bitter details, but she’d come this far and there was no turning back. “He took off. Never said goodbye or anything. One day I got home after work and all his things were gone. I learned of his death a year later.”
This time, Riker reached out, placing a hand over hers. The powerful moment grounded her, providing stability for her emotions that threatened to go haywire. “You’ve been on your own ever since?”
Unable to speak, she nodded.
“Eliana, I had no idea.”
She forced away the tears welling in her eyes before responding. “My past is humiliating.”
“Why? None of that was your fault.”
“Because right, wrong or indifferent, everyone judges to some degree.”
Riker withdrew his hand, gripping the wheel again. “I’m guilty of that. After years of law enforcement, I’ve seen too much of humanity’s ugliness. But now, I find myself reconsidering how judgmental I was toward criminals. I never granted anyone else the benefit of the doubt, or mercy in my thoughts. And here I am hoping the authorities will somehow see me differently.”
“We’re both getting a lesson in judgment.”
“Definitely.”
Reminded of her goals, Eliana made her final plea and admission. “If I do nothing else with my life, I want to help solve Hunter’s murder.”
Riker flicked a glance her way. “How?”
“I’d like to run the evidence through PHACE. Except I need your team’s endorsement to prove to Denver PD that the system is legitimate.” She held her breath. Would he explode at the request? Assume she’d used him?
“I think that’s a noble goal.”
She blinked several times, uncertain she’d heard him correctly. “There’s more.”
“Okay.”
“I’m committed to helping you. As much as I want Hunter’s case solved, you must be exonerated.”
His forced laugh spoke volumes about his mindset. “I haven’t been charged. Yet.”
“We’ll solve your case before they get a chance to do that.” Eliana twisted in her seat and blurted the rest. “Whatever it takes, I will help you find the truth.” And whatever that truth revealed, she’d find a way to keep him from going to jail. “Even if it costs me everything.”
* * *
“No.” Riker stared into the windshield, debating if he’d misunderstood Eliana. Was she saying she’d sacrifice her career, her life, for him?
“No what?”
“I won’t contribute to you losing one more thing. I understand your desire to solve Hunter’s case. If you’ll let me, I’d like to help.”
“After we finish yours,” she stated.
“Or before,” Riker contended. “I mean it. I’m in.”
She shifted, blinking fast, as if she was overcome, then said, “Okay. You have no idea how much I appreciate this, Riker.”
He glanced into the rearview. Ammo had curled up in his favorite place on the seat next to the door. “He’s out for the count.”
“I’m ready to join him.”
He’d find a way to handle all of it and get his parents home safely. The need to be honest with Eliana wore on his defenses. She’d revealed her heart, and his mom’s voice poked at his conscience. “I have a confession of my own.”
That got her attention. “You do?”
Contemplating how much he wanted to share, he concluded it was only fair to tell her the truth, as she’d been with him. “I haven’t treated you fairly.”
“I wouldn’t say that. Exactly.” Her lips curved upward mischievously.
“When you contacted me out of the blue, I wasn’t happy.”
“I gathered that.”
“I figured my team would refuse to beta test PHACE.”
“Ah.” She pressed a finger against her temple. “So that’s why you had me contact Beckham directly.”
He winced. “Yeah.”
“Because you were angry that we moved without me telling you goodbye or getting in touch afterward?”
Riker groaned. “Since you’ve shared the background, I feel really dumb admitting that.”
“No. I get it.” Eliana shrugged. “I wish I’d handled things differently too.”
“There’s more.” Riker sucked in a breath. “I was hurt when you left, but we were just kids in high school and, looking back, I admit it was a summer romance. When you called me about PHACE, I was annoyed because you hadn’t bothered to contact me any time before then. I felt used.” Eliana started to speak and he said, “Wait. Let me finish, please.”
She nodded.
“I understand why you did what you did. And I’m grateful you thought of me, especially with all you have riding on it. But your return triggered emotions I didn’t expect.”
“Now I’m intrigued.”
“I’ve never had a serious relationship. I dated some, but nothing long term.” Because no one compared to you. Riker inhaled, averting his eyes, afraid he’d spill his feelings if he saw any hope in her eyes. Keep to safer topics. “Instead, I focused on football. You noticed I didn’t want to talk about my athletic achievements when my mom brought them up?”
“Yeah, but I figured you were humble or tired.” She snickered.
“Both,” he chuckled. “If it were up to me, those would’ve been packed away a long time ago,” Riker said. “I had big dreams of going pro, but that didn’t happen.”
“I’m listening.”
“I ate, drank and breathed football all through high school, and it got me scholarships into college. I wasn’t into partying or chasing girls. I had to maintain my grades, and between classes and practice, I had little time to do much of anything else.” Riker hesitated to remember the incident that tore down his dreams. “The big game where several football talent scouts attended, I broke my leg in three places and got a serious concussion. The injury took me out for the rest of the season and the doctor warned I could permanently damage my brain if I kept playing.”
“Did your parents make you quit?”
“No. They’re not like that.” He sighed. “They talked with me extensively about the pros and cons, and ultimately agreed it was my life and I had to make up my own mind.”
“They stood beside you and I’m guessing they would have regardless,” Eliana said.
“Probably. My dreams were crushed, and I didn’t know what to do. I’d toyed with going into law enforcement but hadn’t really committed to it. I felt like everything I had worked for was stolen from me.”
“That’s awful.” Eliana tucked her foot under her thigh. “You turned a disappointment into a wonderful career, though.”
“Yeah, and now I might have those dreams destroyed again. I’m tired of having the rug ripped out from under me after I’ve worked hard to achieve something.” The confession released some of the tension in his shoulders.
“It’s hard not to put our worth into our careers.” Eliana glanced down.
Like a two-by-four upside his head, Riker realized he’d done the same thing. Lord, forgive me. “If my mom was here, she’d say our worth comes from God alone.” He gave Eliana a sideways grin.
“Ouch. She’s right. I guess I put too much of my value into what happened with PHACE.” She paused. “I’ve always believed that getting closure for Hunter would bring me peace. But what if it doesn’t?”
“Ah, now here, my mom would add ‘peace comes from trusting God regardless of circumstances,’” Riker replied softly.
“She’s wise.”
His heart warmed at Eliana’s words. “Funny how those little phrases come back to my memory so fast.” Changing topics, he said, “PHACE is revolutionary and could be a huge help to our team and other law enforcement agencies. I’ll talk with Beckham about the endorsement.”
“Thank you, Riker.” She gently touched his forearm.
Combined with the way Eliana spoke his name and her gentle touch, Riker’s mouth went desert dry.
“We’ve got no lack of things to work on. First, I want to figure out the coding that’s causing the false results in your case.”
“Right,” he finally croaked. “Unless Todd Billings is my twin brother, and he really is determined to kill me or have me killed.”
“Well, that is a huge factor,” she admitted, tongue in cheek.
He might run out of time to help Eliana if Todd got his way. “Could you dial Beckham’s number for me and put it on speaker?”
“Sure.” She straightened in her seat, then reached for his phone and made the call.
“Riker, is everything okay?” Beckham asked after the first ring.
“Yes. So far, it’s quiet. You’re on speakerphone since we’re driving,” Riker said.
“Good. Just secured your parents too.” Beckham sighed. “I’m truly sorry it’s come to this.”
“We’ll win this, boss.” Riker stared at the dividing highway lines, then said, “I have a couple of big asks.”
“Go ahead.”
“Would you contact Denver PD on Hunter Daines’s homicide cold case?” Riker asked. “We’re hoping they’ll provide a DNA sample from the evidence so Eliana can run it in PHACE.”
Eliana jerked to look at him, her mouth set in an O.
“Daines. Related to you, Eliana?” Beckham inquired.
“Yes,” she squeaked, then explained, “Hunter is my brother. He was shot and killed ten years ago.”
“Absolutely. I’ll make some calls.”
“Thanks.” Riker exhaled and said, “Also, do you have any contacts in the judicial system who might unseal my adoption records? The normal process takes too long. We need to know if Todd Billings is my twin.”
“Your folks weren’t able to provide any information?”
“Nothing that would explain the twin situation.”
“I’ll get on it,” Beckham replied, enthusiasm in his tone. “Skyler and Tiandra will meet you at the cabin by noon.”
