Page 9 of Heart in Waiting
CHAPTER FOUR
If Dane had to choosebetween roasting over a spit in hell, being prepared as a meal for a pack of hellhounds, or having dinner at Rachel Jackson’s house—he’d willing bind himself to the pyre and prepare to die a gruesome death. That’s how much he hated the Jackson family matriarch. He’d been to dinner less than a handful of times, and the woman always made him feel inferior in every possible way. Saying she was judgmental didn’t do her justice. She didn’t hold her opinions to herself, and everyone around her were potential targets. Her children were her favorite to nail to the wall or hang upside down from the ceiling—the better to smash a bat into their piñata hides... Then their proverbial insides spilled out into a mess of emotional chaos.
There hadn’t been a dinner he’d attended where someone didn’t leave either in tears or a rage. That was how they dealt with their mother, and often times it involved both. On more than one occasion, he’d been grateful he had it better than them. He may not have had a stellar father figure, but his mother had always been wonderful. Now he had to willingly enter the lion’s den and hope Mrs. Jackson didn’t chew them all up and spit them out to be stomped into oblivion.
“The things I do for my friends...” He muttered under his breath, and he walked to the front porch. He really hoped Carter had already made it. He didn’t want to deal with Mrs. Jackson without some support system in place. He’d always come with Carter when they dined, or rather his partner had forced him to attend. He was a convenient excuse for Carter to dine and dash without his mother sinking her claws firmly into his hide.
“Dane, I didn’t know you would be here.”
He spun around and met Claire’s gaze. Dane had always liked her. She’d never said a cruel word and had done her best to make him feel welcome whenever they crossed paths—even when she’d dated his evil half brother. Something was wrong with the world when that rotten bastard had the privilege of dating both Reese and Claire. “Carter thought it was a good idea that I attend. So we can plan how to find Satan’s minion and return him to a cold cell.”
She nodded. “Yeah... Reese is going to need someone to look out for her. She’s stubborn and will think she’s safe.” He’d gladly volunteer to be the one to protect her.
There was no telling what Nolan would or wouldn’t do. He was as predictable as a roulette table. He’d gone after Claire the first time, but he might not again. She hadn’t been an easy target. Now, she had a fiancé and a pack of friends that kept track of her. Reese, on the other hand... She’d become a hermit and barely left her house outside of work. She was either at the hospital or brooding in the confines of her home. He didn’t want to think about Reese, but who was he kidding. She had never been far from his mind since high school. He’d do everything in his power to keep her safe, even if it meant she fell in love with someone else and never looked at him again.
“Where’s Matt?”
“He’ll be here in a few minutes. Something came up with a case, and he had to meet Olivia.” Claire glanced around nervously. “It about killed him to let me drive here on my own.”
Dane swore under his breath. “You should have called Carter or me. It isn’t safe for you to be alone.”
“I’m fine.” Claire rolled her eyes. “I’m not an idiot. Matt walked me to my car and I drove straight here. I was safe the entire time.”
Dane wished he could believe that. A lot could have happened to her on the way over. She might have thought she was safe, but Nolan could strike at any time. What if he had decided to drive a car into hers? It wouldn’t be the first time that tactic had been used. That was how Jessica Sousa and Lana Brady were run off the road several months ago. Anything was possible when a person dipped into the crazy bucket, and there had been plenty of insanity slipping into the population of late.
“Claire.” He sighed. “Please don’t do that again. Use the buddy system and always go somewhere with someone else. It’ll make it a lot harder for someone—namely Nolan—to get to you. We don’t want a repeat of what happened the last time.”
She nodded. “I know, and I do understand...”
“Good. You’re safe, and that’s all the matters right now. We’ll discuss strategies once everyone is here. I suppose that means we should go inside.” He glanced at the front door and tried to hold in his horror. “Or we can wait until someone else arrives.”
Claire laughed, and her smile lit up her face. “Believe it or not I understand that expression of terror. My mother is special, and not in a good way.”
“That’s one way of putting it.” He shuddered. “I don’t envy you having to grow up with that woman. She’s hard to stomach on a good day, let alone one that we have all dreaded for a very long time. I didn’t think we would have to deal with the possibility of Nolan returning for at least a good twenty years.”
“You and me both.” Claire frowned. “Testifying in court was hard, but I did it. The alternative wasn’t acceptable. I couldn’t live knowing he might escape justice and possibly hurt another person. Now he’s on the loose and it might happen anyway. How could they be so careless? Do you have any more information on what happened?”
He wished he had. After he left the hospital, he’d stopped at the station to see if there were any updates. Nothing had been reported, and the dickwads that had allowed him to escape weren’t exactly a fount of information either. They were all too busy covering their own asses to care about the fact they’d let a serial killer loose on the world.
Either he or Carter might have to drive to the prison and question the correctional officers for answers. The one driving the bus was in the hospital fighting a coma, but another guard was treated and released. One of them might be able to shed some light on the situation, but they wouldn’t know for certain until they met with them. Sometimes information became clearer when looked at later. He hoped this was one of those situations. The calm after the storm, so to speak...
Footsteps pounding on the sidewalk reverberated around them. They both turned as Matt ran up to them. Olivia followed after them. Her stilettos clicked hard against the cement as she walked. She was doing a fine job of keeping up with Matt in her killer heels, but she still trailed behind a few steps. Dane was amazed at her skills. Matt reached Claire and pulled her into a bear hug. “Thank God you’re all right. I worried the entire time and could barely concentrate on the hearing.”
“I’m fine,” she repeated what she’d said to Dane not more than a few moments ago. “I’m safe and sound. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Dane was jealous of their relationship, and not for the first time, he wished he could have something as profound. Maybe one day he’d be lucky enough to find a woman to love him as much as he loved her in return. He’d hoped at one point that would be Reese, and he’d be lying if he still didn’t, but he had to let go of that fantasy at some point. She hadn’t given him any indication she was interested in him in a romantic way. Not to mention, she’d gone so far as to date Nolan of all people—that should have killed his interest a long time ago. Olivia stopped next to him and stared at the blatantly-in-love couple. “Don’t they make you gag at times? I’m surrounded by all this mushy crap on a regular basis.”
Dane laughed. “They’re not so bad.”
She glared at him. “You’re saying that because you don’t deal with it every day. Try working in our office for a few days, and then tell me it doesn’t make you want to throw up in the nearest trash can.”
“I have to agree with Olivia,” Reese said.
Dane had been so distracted that he hadn’t noticed her and Carter join them. He would make a terrible bodyguard if he kept that up. He wanted to be one of the people helping to keep Reese safe, and he was failing at his job. He glanced up at Carter and nodded.
“Why are we all standing out here acting as targets for would-be killers?” Carter asked. “I expected everyone would already be inside.”
“And act as targets for your mother’s sharp tongue?” Dane lifted a brow. “It’s safer outside.”
