Page 37 of Risk Assessment
“I know where you’re going with this. To be honest, there’re days when I long for a bit of quiet, but when Sheryl takes thebrood over to her mom’s, I miss ’em like crazy. I’m so used to all the noise and commotion I’d be lost without it now.”
Dylan grinned. “You’re a good man, Rick. That’s for damn sure.”
Rick smiled, but then his expression went serious. “So are you.”
Dylan immediately went still. He started to deny it, but Rick cut him off.
“You are. You made the right decision. That kid is alive because of you. Speaking as a cop and as a father, if that had been my kid in there, I would have wanted you to do exactly what you did.”
The pain and sadness rose from Dylan’s chest to choke him. “I…don’t know.”
“I do.” Rick nodded. “The boy got hurt, but he would have been dead if you weren’t there. I just wanted you to know that.” Rick took a sip of his beer.
“Thank you. I… It means a lot.”
Rick clapped him on the back and then picked up his beer. “I’ll catch you later.” He turned and strolled back toward Sheryl who was lounging by the pool.
Dylan’s chest was tight. He looked over at Raleigh. She was taking a sip of her iced tea and laughing at something with Josh.
Somehow, the sight of her helped lift the weight that was crushing him. Rick thinking he’d done the right thing was a huge deal. Maybe he and Matt were right, and Dylan was punishing himself for nothing. Not nothing. He could still see the pain in the boy’s eyes. It was not nothing. Not by a long shot.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“What? Now?” Raleigh said into the phone. She glanced at Josh. “Okay, yes. I’ll be there as quick as I can, Phil. Stall them until I get there. Tell them the light just isn’t quite right or better yet, ask them if they want to check their hair and make-up one more time.” Raleigh clicked off the phone. “Sorry Josh, I’ve got to go. Lydia crisis.”
She stood up and waved at Dylan and then scooped everything up and threw it in her bag.
“I understand completely Ral, I’ll catch you later.” Josh got up and wound his way around the chairs as he left the pool area.
“What’s up? Is everything okay?” Dylan asked as he approached.
“A Lydia crisis. She wants to get some extra shots with her friends and she nailed Phil. He can’t escape.” Raleigh pulled on her coverup, grabbed her bag, and hustled out of the pool area. “I need to help him. The area where she wants the pictures taken is not ideal and she won’t listen to Phil.”
“So, where are we going?”
“Back to the cabin so I can change. If I show up like this, Lydia will fire me on the spot. She’s already had a meltdown withDonna today.” Raleigh practically ran down the path and two minutes later they were at the cabin.
“You need to let me check it first before you go barreling in there.” Dylan unlocked the door.
“We don’t have time for that.” Raleigh practically flew down the hallway to the master bedroom and stopped abruptly at the door. Dylan came up behind her. “What is it?”
“Uh, nothing. I just…” what? Need to grow up. Her job was on the line and she still had problems entering the room. Stupid. “Nothing. I’m good. I need to get changed.”
Dylan wrapped an arm around her for a quick hug from behind and then moved her out of the way. “I’ll give it a check and then you can do what you need to do.”
She bit her lip and nodded. The check took all of thirty seconds and then Dylan gave her shoulder a squeeze on the way out the door. She stood there for another few seconds, her heart pounding in her chest. This was silly. The room was empty.Move!
And just like that she did. She pulled off the cover up and her bikini and then donned her underwear. Selecting a pale blue-grey cotton patterned skirt and white tank top she’d packed for today, she dressed in record time.
Hurrying into the bathroom she freshened her make-up. She’d pulled her hair up in a messy bun this morning. It would have to do. There was no time to fix it now. She added silver earrings and a pair of white sandals and then grabbed her messenger bag and headed out of the room.
“We have to go…” Dylan was already waiting for her by the door. He looked good in his dress shorts and collared shirt that was a blue perfectly matched to his eyes.Focus. Now wasn’t the time to be thinking of Dylan.
“Let’s do it,” he said and grinned.
Raleigh opened the door and flew down the path. Dylan cursed as he had to stop and lock the door, but he was beside her seconds later. Within two minutes they emerged from a path to see Lydia in all her glory before them. She and her cronies stood next to a white gazebo that had pink and yellow flowers surrounding it. There were several large bushes that had deeper pink blooms and these were filled with butterflies.
Lydia had on a light pink silk dress and a charming straw hat with pink flowers along the brim. Her friends had on coordinating outfits in purple and light blue. They too had on matching hats. Donna was off to the left standing next to the bushes. Donna’s eyes were surrounded by dark circles and her forehead was so creased it looked like she was ninety. Her yellow dress was wrinkled. Was that dirt on her knees?
