“So did my father’s. But he died of a heart attack. He was perfectly healthy up until then. I’m willing to take the risk.” Madison looked at him, big eyes staring into his. “I always have been. The job…was never what it was about.”
“We are going to talk. Later. For now…case. We finish this, and then…you and I…we’re going to talk.”
“Yes, we are. You aren’t getting away from me ever again.”
Then Crispin was taking Frankie and Ember to find the rest of the kids. Someone had mentioned a pool party in Houghton Barratt’s ridiculously overdone waterpark—indoors, of course—and Frankie was excited.
She had to stop to tell Madison all about her new ‘wim-woot’—she had a definite speech impediment, that kid—on her way out. They all knew now that Cousin Quade Wonkus and his friend Dylan and Frankie’s cousin Cara had boughted her the ‘wim-woot’ in Wyoming when she went there on bay-cation and ‘wimmed’ in the hotel pool.
That kid was beautiful and amazing and kids like her were why Dom did this damned job in the first place.
Everyone was leaving it unsaid that Heather would berestingonce they were finished here. The woman was practically keeling over now. The only thing that seemed to be holding her up was Mac Barratt on her left.
That guy…still acted like he was in charge. He’d probably always get on Dom’s nerves. No denying that. But…what kind of man actually thought he was in charge ofHeatherand got away with it?
“Now, I think…you all want to know what I know,” Heather said, looking at Dom and Gunnar. She still avoided looking at Daniel. He didn’t know if those two would ever be easy with each other. Dom didn’t know if she knew where that man had been staying for the past two weeks. He did not want to be around for the explosions when she finally found out. “Isn’t that what this place is all about? Finding out what I am hiding.”
“I personally don’t give a damn what you are hiding,” Mac said, bluntly. “I am sure you are hiding many things. It’s rather intriguing when I think about it. We just wanted you somewhere safe for the time-being. You know…for your own good, and everything.”
He looked at the rest of the crowd. “I almost had to bring out the duct tape to get her here. Just couldn’t find the sparkly glittery kind she prefers.”
“Asshole.”
“I am the love of your life. Everyone thinks it’ll be explosive when we finally get together. They can’t wait to watch. And Powell is in charge of the betting pool, I believe.”
The two word command she gave him was iconic Heather. Mac just smirked at her in return. “I’m looking forward to it, my love. I’ve heard we’ll make beautiful children together. I am looking forward to it.”
Well, the man apparently had balls of steel as well as a stupid streak. No denying that.
“Just tell us what we need to know,” Daniel said. “So I can take a damned nap. I’m exhausted.”
“Running from your beautiful demons will do that to you,” Murdoch said. “I told you…”
“Shove it.”
Dom looked at Heather, then the rest of the crowd. “Dan is right. Heather needs to rest. Let’s just do this and move on.”
“Acardi, I really do think you are my favorite boy in Major Crimes. At least you are honest and very, very pretty. An honest boy cop—so hard to find these days. I…appreciated the cheeseburger and fries, by the way. Earned my loyalty for life with that one.”
Dom just smirked at her. He’d spoken with her twin. Joy hadlethim send over an order from Mamaw’s the night before. It was supposed to be their little secret. “Hell, Heather. I think you’d earned it.”
84
Daniel was trying notto watch her. He hadn’t seen Heather since that night. She looked rough. No denying that. But there was still that strange sense of dignity about her that had always set him on edge. Since the moment they’d met. Now she was just sort of holding herself there, almost wilting, with his closest friend on earth sitting next to her. Hovering over her. As if Mac had the right. “What did you find, Heather?”
“Getting right to it, McKellen?”
She said things to deliberately get beneath his skin at times. He had figured that out. Now, he thought he knew why. He scared her. He was still reconciling himself to that. That was the last thing he had ever wanted to do. “I am seriously exhausted—and I think you probably have me beat.”
“You are right about that. You doing…better?”
“I’m in one piece, at least. A little more battered than I was a month ago.”
“Me, too.” Heather pulled in a deep breath, as Hope wrapped her hand around her older sister’s. “Nine years ago. Nick, Curtis, Miguel, and I worked for a unit called Advanced Response &Tactical Services, based out of Austin. ARTS was a bitdifferentthan your normal unit. There were eight of us.”
Daniel’s attention narrowed. He had heard rumors of that unit before. ARTS was supposed to have been fictional. Only a select handful had even the rank within the TSP to know if it existed. Daniel hadn’t been one of them. “ARTS.”
“Special task force put in place by thepreviousgovernor,” Miguel said. He was hovering near Hope’s end of the couch now. “Deane…cut funding about six years ago. We’ve never fully understoodwhy.ARTS was highly effective at getting in and getting out. It is one reason why I went into Rapid Response.”
