Sudden Death

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Megan sat in the hospital room feeling like an old woman. Sore and so bruised she could hardly move, she was finally being released. Six days was five days too long to stay in a hospital.

The door opened and she thought it was Jack; instead, it was Hans.

She hadn’t seen him since her first night in the hospital. Jack told her he’d flown back to Quantico the next morning. She’d been pretty much out of it.

“Megan.”

“Hi.”

“I heard you’re being released.”

“Finally.” She tried smiling, but faltered. Hans wasn’t the same man she’d begun this investigation with.

“You’re looking better.”

“Better is kind of relative.” She’d lost too much weight, had had borderline hypothermia, and then a severe fever from infection. She didn’t feel like her old self, but she had turned the corner. She was going home. Jack was flying her back to Sacramento today. He hadn’t left her room except to check on Padre.

Hans sat next to her on the bed.

Several minutes passed before Hans said, “I owe you an apology.”

“You don’t. Hans, whatever it is … we’re friends, right?”

He took her hand. “Always.” He paused. “I used to be married.”

Megan was surprised. She certainly hadn’t known that, or even suspected it. “Why did you keep it a secret?”

Hans stared ahead at the white wall of her room. He didn’t answer her question directly, but said, “Her name was Miriam. She was eight months pregnant with our daughter when she was killed in a robbery.” His words were choked. On a sob he said, “Because I didn’t … I didn’t get her ice cream.”

Everything came clear. Hans’s reaction and preoccupation after learning about the pregnant Loretta Hoffman being gunned down. Seeing her body, remembering his wife.

Megan wrapped her arms around Hans. She murmured sounds, not words, in his ear, to soothe him, and her. She’d never known he’d suffered such a violent tragedy. But he still should have trusted her with the truth.

“You could have told me.”

“I should have told you. I was having a hard time and I didn’t realize it. I didn’t see it right away.”

“Why did you go to the morgue to see Loretta Hoffman? You didn’t need to do that.”

He took a deep breath and pulled away. His voice caught. “I had to. Miriam … she was alive for a few hours after the shooting. I told her the baby was okay. I named her Jennifer, just like Mimi wanted to. But the baby didn’t live, never even took a breath, and neither did Mimi. She died there, after telling me to take care of our baby girl. I couldn’t stay-I didn’t want to see her dead. I didn’t want her to be dead! We were only twenty-one. We had our whole lives ahead of us. After she died, I couldn’t look at her, I couldn’t say good-bye. Now … I wish I had. I wish I had seen her one last time.”

Megan took his hand. “Maybe she wouldn’t have wanted you to see her like that. Isn’t it better to remember her as she was when she was alive?”

“Maybe you’re right. But …” He kissed her hand, tears in his eyes. “I’m here for two days to work with Detective Holden to finish the reports.”

“You can call me. I want to help.”

“I probably will.”

Jack stood in the doorway. “You’re not supposed to go back to work for another week.”

“I won’t. Just a phone call or two.”

“I’ll be watching you, you know that.”

She smiled. “I know that.”

Hans shook Jack’s hand. “Jack, take care.”

“You too.”

Hans left and Jack sat down. He gently pulled Megan into his lap and kissed her. “How are you?”

“Ready to get out of here.”

He held her close to him. “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry I couldn’t stop her from hurting you.”

The pain in his voice made Megan’s heart twist. “It’s over. It’s been over.”

“Are you okay? Really?”

“I’m sore. I’m tired. I’m not going to forget, but I’m going to be okay. I have you.”

He rubbed her back and whispered in her ear, “I love you, Megan.”

She drew in her next breath sharply. She hadn’t expected that sort of confession from Jack. She knew he loved her through his actions, but hearing it meant the world to her.

His hands held her face. “I know what I want. I don’t play games. When you walked into my life nine days ago, I never wanted you to walk out. Now I’m not going to let you.”

“I-”

“You love me, too, Megan. Say it.”

She couldn’t help but smile and shake her head. “You’re sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

He kissed her lightly, then harder, then his hands were in her hair and her body was flat against his.

She broke the kiss only to say, “Yeah, I love you, Jack. I don’t know how it happened, but I love you.”

“Good. Then we’re getting married.”

“I-Jack. We don’t, I don’t, we should-”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you speechless.”

“Maybe we should get to know each other better.”

“Life’s too short. And I know what’s important.” He stared at her, held her chin in his palm. “Life is important. Family is important. You are important to me. You are my family. I know what’s in your heart, Megan. I know what’s in your soul. All the other stuff-whether you leave the cap off the toothpaste or gargle in the middle of the night or sing opera on the weekends-it doesn’t matter. What matters is who you are, and that I know. You’re mine, I’m yours, and nothing is going to change that.”

“I have a cat.”

“You think a furry feline is going to scare me off?” He kissed her. “Okay.” “Okay what?” “I’ll marry you.” He smiled, and her heart melted. “I didn’t ask.”

Three Weeks Later

Jack walked up the pathway that led to his parents’ house. For twenty years, he’d been estranged from his father because they would never agree on what happened in Panama. But after losing Scout and nearly losing Megan and Padre, he couldn’t leave his relationship with his father unresolved like this.

Megan took his hand and squeezed it. “This is the right thing. You won’t regret it.”

Jack wasn’t so sure. He didn’t know if his father would talk to him. Listen to him.

But he wanted Megan to be part of his family, and that meant his entire family. Somehow, with her by his side, in his life, he gained the courage to stand in front of his father and ask for forgiveness.

Not for his decisions, because Jack knew he’d done the right thing in Panama, even if his actions could have gotten him court-martialed.

But for not understanding his father’s role, his need to enforce the rules, and his fear for Jack’s life and career. Maybe if he hadn’t been a rash nineteen-year-old, they could have resolved this earlier. Or maybe if Pat Kincaid hadn’t been an overbearing colonel who couldn’t see that not all orders had merit, and some were flat-out immoral.

Rosa, his mother, opened the door. “Jack!” She hugged him tightly. She smelled of spice and tortillas and cookies.

She turned to his fiancee. “Megan, Megan! Welcome to our family. This is a beautiful weekend to get married.” She hugged her. Megan was a bit overwhelmed by the enthusiastic welcome, but she was smiling.

“Thank you for letting us use your home, Mrs. Kincaid.”

“Rosa! Or Mama. Or Mom. You can start with Rosa, I don’t mind.”

“Thank you, Rosa.”

“Come in, come in!”

“Is Dad here?” Jack asked.

Rosa said, “In his office. He’s waiting for you.”

Jack hesitated a fraction of a moment.

Megan kissed him. “And so am I. Go. Do it now, Jack. Tomorrow we start the rest of our life together.”

Maybe it was loving Megan, or simply understanding forgiveness and letting go of past regrets, or seeing his brother Dillon and Megan’s brother, Matt, put family first, even when they weren’t asked. But for the first time Jack thought he could have his whole family back. Including his father.

He caressed her face with the back of his hand, ran his thumb over her lips, then walked down the hall to make peace with his dad and to reclaim his family.