Page 44 of Missing Marcus

Knight approached the line and waited his turn. When he stepped forward to the counter, he smiled at the clerk.

“I’m checking to see if a prescription for my wife, Gabrielle Hutchins, got called in,” he informed the pharmacist.

“Let me check for you.” The woman went behind the counter and returned. “I’m afraid I don’t have anything ready for her.”

“Thank you. I’ll return later.” He turned and left the store. He backed out of the stall and turned onto the street when Saint called again.

“Let’s lose him here. He’s only now backing up, evade him in the traffic. We’ll follow him and see where he returns.”

“I’ll see you later.” Knight changed lanes, made a quick turn, and went in the opposite direction from where he pulled out. It would take him a bit longer to return to Serenity, but he didn’t want to chance being followed.

Turning on the radio to fill the void of silence in the truck, his thoughts turned to Gabrielle. If she felt nothing for him, why did she have him on her screensaver and a photo of the two of them on her desk? The gap between them grew wider by his screw-ups, and he felt like a snowball running down a steep hill. The more he gained momentum, the greater hurt he caused.

Rubbing the scruff along his jaw, he desperately sought answers on how to stop the situation he made. His hand reached for the bag and he pulled out the ultrasound photo. They always discussed having kids, and he smiled as his thumb caressed the grainy image. He tapped on the steering wheel anxiously. Knight turned out to be a shitty teammate and husband. Would he strike out by becoming a crappy father, too?

25

Patch handed Gabby a cup of chamomile tea before sitting in the recliner beside her.

“I’m happy with your BP. I texted Kassie the numbers. Did you know I used to stay here? The view from the deck brings peace to the most troubled souls.”

“Do I appear troubled?” she asked as she watched him remove the cuff and slide it into his bag.

Patch nodded toward the door. “Seems you and the asshole have some unfinished business.”

“Not really. He decided for us. I didn’t know he moved here, too. Why do you call him an asshole?”

Patch grunted. “It takes one to know one, I guess. For a man insisting on getting a divorce, he broke record speeds searching for you. Maybe he’s a man who regrets his decisions.”

“I doubt it. Once Marcus makes up his mind, he stays committed. It doesn’t matter. Things progressed to a point of no return. He’s helping because of the baby.”

The corpsman shook his head. “Again, it takes one to know one. We can be a stubborn sort. Hell, Claire practically took a club to my head before I got my shit straight. I nearly lost her.”

“You did?”

“Yep. Sometimes, a man consumed by war never leaves the battle, even when he returns home. Did Knight discuss his missions with you?”

She shook her head. “He spun up for the last year nearly nonstop. When he returned home, he seemed so far away. Our wedding anniversary came and went. He didn’t even acknowledge it. He deployed the morning of my birthday without wishing me a happy one. When I learned he returned earlier than expected on his big day, I made all his favorites, went to the Italian bakery and bought pignoli cookies for him. He doesn’t like cake. Instead of returning home, he spent the evening at the bar. Whenever I tried to talk to him about anything, he picked a fight. I guess I stopped asking.”

“Hey. Don’t be hard on yourself. Living with an asshole ain’t easy. You and Claire should compare notes. She still busts my balls when I need it. Don’t tell her I said that. I’ll never hear the end of it.”

Gabby giggled. “Have you always lived here? The people seem genuinely nice.”

“No.” Patch chuckled. “I’ve lived here a little over six months. If you want to visit, you only have to search for the house coated in pink stomach medicine.”

“You live in a pink house?” She laughed out loud at the thought of the huge man walking into his home.

“Claire purchased it around the time I showed up. We discussed changing the color, but some of the residents of Serenity protested the idea, saying it’s one of the town’s historic homes. No one seems to knowwho painted it the atrocious color and a bunch of Karens presented us with a petition to keep it as is.”

“Can they do that?” she asked.

“I don’t know. It seems far more of an embarrassment than history. What do I know,” he muttered.

The doorbell rang and he went to answer it. Bryanna stepped into the room with a basket looped around her arm.

“Saint mentioned he and Marcus planned to go to Seattle. I baked some mini apple pies and wanted to see if you felt up to some company.”

“Uh, I’m afraid I’m here to guard Gabrielle. It’s under my scope of commitment to the team that I must eat one of those to ensure they aren’t tainted in any way.” He arched his eyebrow, hopefully, making the women laugh.

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