Fifth Regret (Heaven Sent Book 5) Page 4

  Don’t you want to see where he goes from here?

  “Yes, but I’ve driven by both sides of the alley. He might suspect I’m following him.”

  What do you think he was saying to the woman?

  “I don’t know, but he must have wanted to keep their conversation private since he met her behind the building.”

  You know what you could do since you’re here?

  “I could talk to her and find out how she knows Deon. But if I do, she could let him know someone was asking about him. She could give him my description.”

  Then come up with a good story. Say you drove by and noticed she was alone with a police officer. Act like you were concerned. You heard enough about dirty cops and you didn’t want her to get taken advantage of.

  “For being a voice in my head for Emily, we sure think alike.”

  We worked well together. A shame you blew everything and walked out on me.

  Andrew grabbed his keys and headed into the store. He didn’t have time to dwell in his sorrow. He had a task to do and he had to find a way to complete it.

  He stepped into the building and a flood of cold air greeted him. The low climate appeased his skin. Two cashiers worked near the front, scanning food items for customers. Four other checkout stands were empty. Rows of food stood at a distance behind the six lanes. Andrew passed empty carts on his left as he proceeded to the back of the store. There had to be another exit, even if it was only for employees or for emergencies.

  Reaching the end of the aisle, he turned. A small meat counter displayed cuts of beef. Normally they would’ve tempted Andrew, but since he lacked any appetite, the red meat didn’t appeal to him.

  Near the dairy section he found a small hallway with a door at the end. He paused. A sign above said emergency exit. Andrew noticed a small piece of wood on the floor keeping the door open by an inch or so.

  Scratching his cheek, he ambled near the hall. The hair on his face made his fingers itch. He’d forgotten he hadn’t shaved. A task for another day.

  He ran his hands over his locks, hoping none were sticking too far out of place. Since he had short hair, he hadn’t comb it much lately. Grooming took a low priority on his list of things to do, but he had brushed his teeth before he left the hotel.

  A squeal sounded from the hall. Andrew stepped closer to the cheese in the refrigerated area. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the woman with the blue dress walk by. He followed her.

  “Excuse me, miss,” he said and then scanned the area for customers. None were in sight.

  The woman with light-brown curly hair stopped at the beginning of an aisle. She looked young, early to mid-twenties if Andrew guessed right. “Can I help you?” she had a Cajun accent.

  Andrew slid his hands into the pockets of his shorts as he stopped near her. “I don’t mean to pry, but I drove by a few minutes ago and couldn’t help noticing you were alone with a cop in an alley.”

  She narrowed her gaze at him. “So. What about it?” Her cigarette perfume lingered.

  “Well, I’ve heard a lot about police around here and it looked a bit suspicious. I don’t want to assume anything, but a young woman like you should be more careful.”

  She shifted her gaze to the left and then right. An old woman pushed her cart three rows away. No one else was near.

  The tension in her face disappeared. “Are you an investigator?” she asked in a hushed voice.

  Her response hadn’t been what he’d expected. He couldn’t claim to be an investigator in case she asked for identification. But he could pretend to be someone else. “Not exactly. I’m a reporter from Chicago.” He used his home city in case she recognized his mid-west accent. “I’m researching about bad cops and Louisiana seems to have plenty. I was sent to find out more information.”

  “I can’t say anything.” She turned and he stepped around to stop her.

  “How about off the record? No names. Just tell me what you know.”

  She gave him a once over. Her lips took a slight curve. “I don’t want any trouble.”

  He suspected she had information to share, but something made her hesitant to do so. “I promise, I won’t mention names. I can even change locations. All I’m asking for is information on the cop you were with. Has he done anything illegal? Anything unethical?”

  She crossed her arms. “He pulled me over a month ago. I was on my way home and had my baby in the back seat. He’d said I ran a red light. I thought he was full of shit and argued. Then he ran my license and told me I had an outstanding ticket. He said he could arrest me and turn my kid over to protective services unless I wanted to do something for him.” Her gaze darted to Andrew’s left, then to his right.

  “What did he ask you to do?” he asked, curiosity growing.

  She looked at his chest. “He said if I gave him a blowjob, he’d let me go.”

  “Did you?” Andrew had to ask to confirm what he believed.

  She gave a small nod. “After I did it, he gave me the report and had said he wasn’t turning me in.”

  Andrew took a deep breath. The demon had forced the poor lady into a sexual act. Yeah, he was a dirty cop.

  “That’s not all. He found out where I worked and now he comes here every so often, wanting me to meet him to blow him again. He threatens to turn me in if I don’t give him what he wants. I have a kid to take care of. I can’t go to jail.”

  “I won’t say anything. I promise.”

  “I know about another person he threatened too. A coworker of mine said one of her friends got pulled over by him in Lake Charles and he told her if she didn’t have sex with him, he’d put her in jail for drug possession. She had sex with him, but she knew a lawyer friend and took Deon to court. I think she said this happened four or five years ago. Deon got suspended for a day or something like that, then they put him back on the streets. Nothing more was done.”

  “And you’re sure it was the same cop?”

  She nodded. “Same one. He has a tattoo on his inner thigh. Can’t miss it.”

  Andrew resisted the temptation to ask what type of tat Deon had. Out of curiosity, he wanted to know, but the details about it held no value.

  “Would you happen to know this lady’s name, the one who took him to court?” he asked.

  “No, but you could ask Sheila. She comes in around five tonight.” She withdrew her cell from the pocket on her apron. “Crap, I need to get back to work.”

  “I appreciate the information.”

  “Are you going to publish anything here locally?”

  “That’s up to my editor. I hope to get the word out about these dirty cops so people are more aware.”

  She slid her phone back into her pocket. “Will you be staying in town long?”

  Andrew sensed she might try to flirt with him. Since he wasn’t in any mood for such advances, he stepped back from her. “Just a few more days. I’m traveling through the state. Thank you again for the information.”

  Before she could say anything more, he walked away from her.

  He likes to threaten women for sexual favors. You need to research his name in Lake Charles. Look for the courthouse online. The records should still be available.

  “I plan on it,” he mumbled to himself. Filled with curiosity and determination, Andrew strode from the store. “I have a feeling he’s propositioned many more women.”

  And he’s been doing this for years. Find out when he became a cop and where he passed the exam. They all have to take one after they go through training to become a police officer. His records may not be in Lafayette, but they should be within the state.

  Emily wasn’t physically around to help him, but thinking like her worked well. And since he’d watched and listened to her enough, he held confidence he could do his own research. There was no better time than the present to learn how dirty and evil Deon was.

  Chapter Six

  “What happened to your maroon car?” Emily asked as she followed Matt to the passenger sid
e of his black late-model Nissan sedan. In her good hand, she held the envelope containing her new credentials for Penny Reed and the medicine the doctor had left for her.

  “I gave it to your husband.” He opened the door for her.

  Emily stood frozen. The mention of Andrew as her husband spawned a wave of grief in her heart. While pursuing the third demon in Missouri who was a mother and a nurse, they’d played the role of a married couple. He’d even bought her a ring from a pawn shop. The marriage had been fake, but she’d enjoyed portraying Andrew’s wife. And without any doubt, he loved acting as her husband. Her wedding bands had been taken from her in Mexico. The last time she saw Andrew, he still had his ring on his finger. She wondered if he’d given it up yet.

  Damn the man for making her feel so glum. For another matter, now she knew how he managed to get away.

  “We weren’t really married,” she said.

  “I know, but you should’ve been. You both love each other and acted as if you were married.”

  “I guess he didn’t love me enough to stay,” she said before she lowered into the seat.

  Matt shut the door and then stepped around to the driver’s side. Emily didn’t bother putting on the seatbelt since she would have to twist to pull it across her. After he settled behind the wheel, he backed the car out of the parking spot.

  “I’m sure you’re angry with him, but keep in mind he loves you. It wasn’t easy for him to leave,” Matt said.

  “Did you talk to him? What did he say?” She realized his words were intended to ease her frustration and calm her. Instead, they fueled her desire to find Andrew.

  Matt held his response until he’d steered onto the main road. “He said he had to go because he didn’t want you to end up dead. He thinks you would endanger yourself to help him or someone else. He wants you to live a normal life and be happy.”

  A chuckle slipped from her. “That’s funny because I was happy. As for normal, the word can mean different things. For me, I was living a normal life.”

  Ire outweighed her sorrow. What was it with men and their desire to control women? If Andrew would’ve talked to her more, she could’ve convinced him how overjoyed she was to be with him and she’d never been happier in her life.

  “I tried to tell him he should stay and talk to you. He seemed certain you wouldn’t change even if he gave you another chance,” Matt said.

  “And that’s one of the reasons why I’m so mad. It’s like he lost faith in me because I broke my promise. We had a long conversation about this on the boat ride from Mexico and I thought I made it clear I wouldn’t take risks on my own that would endanger my life. Apparently he fooled me into thinking he believed me.”

  Although she could be strong willed at times, she knew her limits. The torture she’d endured in Mexico had been enough for her.

  “He was shook up after he saw you in the hotel,” Matt said, glimpsing at her.

  She drew her brows together. “What do you mean?” From what she remembered, Andrew had never seen her. She’d been in the bathroom and had begged him to leave when the doctor had arrived.

  Matt scrubbed his hand over his mouth. It seemed as if he had something to say, but maybe he didn’t know the right way to convey it.

  “Tell me, Matt. Please.”

  Sighing, he returned his hand to the steering wheel. “Troy took him into the room while Bill was working on you.”

  “Bill? The doctor?”

  “Yes, he’d given you a sedative. While you were out, Troy made Andrew go in to look at you. I could hear Troy saying something to Andrew, but Bill had come out to me. I don’t know what was said between Troy and Andrew. All I can tell you is Andrew came out of the room looking grief stricken and heart broken. He was convinced at that point he had to go.”

  Emily swallowed hard. If he’d seen her back before the stitches, then he’d seen her injuries at the worst possible time. Now it made sense why he would’ve changed his mind and had decided to leave. But it didn’t negate the fact he’d given up on her. He could’ve given her a chance to prove herself. How dare he decide how she should live her life.

  And as for Troy, he shouldn’t have taken Andrew to see her when he knew she wanted Andrew to stay away. Troy had banked Andrew would get upset and had used Andrew’s emotions to encourage him to leave. Troy had found the best way to persuade Andrew to walk away.

  Gritting her teeth, she shook her head in frustration. She loved Troy like a brother, but he’d gone too far with Andrew. She hated to say goodbye to Troy, but now she realized she was better off without him.

  She turned to face the window at her side. “I didn’t want Andrew to see me like that. I knew it would upset him. But he still could’ve talked to me. He could’ve let me prove I was going change.”

  They reached a red light and Matt stopped the car. “Because he loves you, he thought he was making the right decision to keep you safe.”

  “I wish people would stop making choices for me. This is my life and I’m going to make mistakes, but I learn from them. And believe me when I say I’ve learned plenty. But I also met an incredible man and fell in love with him. I don’t want to lose what we had.”

  The signal changed and Matt accelerated. “You’re a fighter. I noticed the first day we met. I also saw how much you two cared about each other. True love is a rarity these days.”

  Even rarer when the person is supposed to be dead. If heaven hadn’t sent him back, she wouldn’t have met him.

  “I have to find him, Matt. I was happy with him, the happiest in my life. And I am going to change because I don’t want to throw away what we have together. I don’t want to miss what little time he has left here. So if you know anything about where he went, please tell me.”

  Matt pursed his lips together while he stared ahead, driving. His silence annoyed her.

  “Did you see his arm? Did it have a name and address?” she asked when he didn’t respond.

  “I saw it,” he said in a low voice.

  “And?” Her heart thumped faster.

  He steered the car toward a parking garage. Pausing at the gate, he took a ticket from the box near his window. “If I tell you, what do you plan to do?”

  After the bar lifted, he drove forward.

  “I plan to find him and help him. He can’t go after these demons alone. I mean, he can, but it will take him longer to find a way to destroy them. And he could risk exposing himself. I don’t want to see that happen. He needs help more than he realizes. We work well together as a team.”

  “So you’re not going to beat his ass for leaving you?”

  “I’m mad, but I would hurt him … much.”

  He grinned as he rounded a corner. “At least you’re honest.” He came to a stop behind her silver Jeep and then shifted the gear.

  “If you saw the name and address on his arm, please tell me. You know he will need help. I’m sure he told you about the other demons and the issues we had. So please, let me help him. I don’t want to see him fail.”

  “Do you still love him?”

  “Of course I do.” The words flowed off her tongue.

  “What would you do without him?”

  She took in a deep breath. “I would live a very unhappy life without him. He showed me love I didn’t think was possible. He gave me hope and purpose to my life. Without him…” She shook her head. “I am nothing. I will never be able to love another man. I know this sounds crazy, but I think we were meant to be together. My heart belongs to him.”

  He sighed heavily. “I know he has to be miserable. I saw how much he loves you. His intentions were pure, so give him some credit. But you’re right. He needs help. And he should’ve given you another chance. If you promise me not to endanger yourself and not break any of his bones, I’ll tell you where he went.”

  Excitement began to rise within her and added beats to her heart. “I promise on both parts.”

  He flipped up the top of the seat divider. From the pocket within, he
withdrew a phone and her car keys. He handed them both to her. “This is his phone. He gave it to me so you wouldn’t be able to contact him. Call me when you find him. And if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.”

  She took both items from him.

  “The name on his arm was Deon Franklin. I didn’t see the exact address, but he’s in Lafayette, Louisiana,” he said.

  Her heart swelled with joy while a chill coursed through her. She could find him. She would find him. They would be together again.

  “Thank you, Matt. I’d hug you if I didn’t have stitches in my back.”

  “There’s one more thing.” He pointed to the glove box. “Open it up. There’s an envelope with an address and key inside. I put all your belongings with Andrew’s in a storage facility in Borrego Springs.”

  She opened the small compartment and found the envelope. “Thank you again.”

  “He’s a unique man. And you’re equally special. You two belong together.”

  Her eyes began to fill with tears. She needed to go before she started to cry. “Thank you for everything.”

  She slid the small envelope into the larger one with her new identification and pills, and then she reached for the handle on the door.

  He put his hand on her shoulder, pausing her. “Please don’t put your life in danger. It’s not worth it. There will always be risks involved in what you do, but together you can find a way to work through them so they don’t cause either of you great harm. Take this advice from an experience soldier.”

  “Trust me, I’m going to do that.”

  When he moved his hand away, she pushed open the door. Her back stung as she exited his vehicle, but her excitement outweighed the slight discomfort. She had a name and location. Once she got her money and belongings, she could search for Andrew. She couldn’t wait to prove how much she loved him and just how big of a mistake he’d made by leaving her.

  Chapter Seven

  Andrew stared at the screen of the laptop as he sat at the table in his dimly lit hotel room. The number of cases listed with Deon’s name on the Lake Charles civil court website astounded him. All but one had been dismissed, but the fact so many complaints had been filed took him by surprise. With his pen and scratch pad nearby, he jotted down the first name from the list. The three names already on his notepad had come from complaints filed in Baton Rouge.