Midnight Shadows (9 page)

“No one steady, but she’s been on a few double dates.” Knowing her son well, she added, “Your dad has interrogated both boys already so there’s no need to come down here for the same thing.”

The hard lump in his stomach eased. Of course his dad would take care of that. A former US Marine, Barry Mackenzie could be as intimidating as The Hulk. Only his family and close friends knew he was a gentle teddy bear inside.

“Good to know, but if it looks like she’s getting serious with someone, let me know.”

“I will, but she’s got a good sensible head on her shoulders.”

Ian couldn’t argue with that. His sister was smart as a whip. “True but there are a lot of assholes out there disguised as decent people.”

“Language, Ian.”

Ian winced. “Sorry, Mom.”

“She’ll be careful. We’ll make sure of it.”

That was good enough for him. The Mackenzies took care of each other. Always had. No matter what background or experiences each of them had endured, when he and his brothers and sisters had been adopted, they’d become family. The Mackenzies were enormous not only in numbers but love and loyalty.

They went on to talk about other things for a few minutes before ending the call with his promise to come for a visit soon, along with the assurance that he would ask Sabrina to accompany him. Not that he believed she would accept the invitation.

Ian looked out the window of his backyard, thought about and rejected the idea of mowing the grass before he headed to Midnight for the weekend.

Was he an idiot for holding out hope that Sabrina would change her mind? He knew she'd been hurt by the asshole she'd been engaged to, but dammit, he wasn't the same kind of guy that idiot had been.
 

Tyler Finley.
Sabrina had met the man during spring break while she was still in college. She and Finley had become engaged, but a couple of weeks before they were to tie the knot, the guy had been killed in a car crash. That had been painful enough for Sabrina but when Finley’s wife and child showed up to claim the body, it had almost destroyed her. That was when she had learned it had all been a scam. Bilk Sabrina of out her inheritance, leave and go back to his real family.
 

Finley’s widow had actually tried to blackmail Sabrina to keep it a secret. Of course the woman hadn't received a cent. Sabrina hadn’t cared about her reputation. What had infuriated her was being taken for a ride.

When Sabrina had told Ian about Finley, he had known immediately why, not that she’d tried to soften the truth. She had wanted him to understand that she would never be interested in a permanent relationship.
 

Ian understood her reasoning but still felt there was more to the story than just a creep of a fiancé. Her traumatic childhood—losing her parents in the way she had, had shaped her into a wary, vulnerable person. He wanted to heal all of her hurts, the ones he knew about and the ones he had yet to uncover. Unfortunately he was beginning to believe she was never going to allow that to happen.
 

His gaze shifted back to the charts on the wall. He had dug as deep as he could. Now it was time to bring in someone else to help fill in the blanks. Someone with firsthand knowledge.
 

Knowing Sabrina Wilde, she wasn’t going to like it one damn bit.

Chapter Seven

Midnight

Sabrina pulled the piping hot skillet of cornbread from the oven, flipped it onto a plate, and set it aside to cool. She was running ahead of schedule. The gumbo was simmering, creating a heavenly fragrance, and the cheese grits and shrimp was done and in the warming oven, waiting to be devoured. Three pies and two cakes were sitting prettily on the kitchen table just asking to be sliced.
 

Aunt Gibby was watching over the baby while Savannah took a nap. Zach had gone to take care of some things at the police station and Quinn and Sammie had gone to do some work on Quinn’s new office. All was quiet in the Wilde house, but that wouldn’t last.

Her stomach grumbled, a reminder that breakfast had been hours ago. Even though she’d taste-tested everything, she needed something a little more substantial if she was going to get any work done before company started calling. She had uncovered a new thread last night that she wanted to follow up on.

She took a couple of slices of bread and slathered it with peanut butter. Grabbing a banana from the fruit bowl, she sliced it, and placed it on top of the peanut butter. She was just about to take her first bite when she heard the shouts.

“I got a right to see her!”

What the hell? Sabrina ran to the window and peered out. Spotting the ancient truck, one she recognized immediately, she grabbed her gun from her purse she’d left hanging on a kitchen chair and took off. In seconds, she was on the front porch and pointing her weapon at the red-faced furious looking man standing on the steps.
 

“Get off our property,” Sabrina snarled.

“You get that gun out of my face, missy. I gotta right to see that baby.”

Savannah stood at the edge of the porch, blocking Ralph Henson’s entry, her rage filled eyes making it clear that the old geezer would have to come through her first.
 

Sabrina stood beside her sister. “Take one step closer, Henson, and I’ll straighten that part in your scraggly hair.”

Without taking her eyes off the man in front of them, Savannah said, “Thank you, Bri. I just came down for a little fresh air and this idiot shows up.”

“No problem, Savvy. Why don’t you go call Zach while Henson and I have a few words.”

“Okay, but if you have to shoot him, hit him in a non-vital area. Zach would be disappointed that he didn’t get to do that himself.” She threw Henson a glare over her shoulder as she walked away.
 

Her hand steady as a rock, Sabrina gave him some advice. “I suggest you get out of here before Zach shows up. Trespassing on private property is a crime.”

“There’s no court in this land that’d keep me from seeing my own—”

“Don’t you say it,” Sabrina warned. “Don’t you dare say it. Get out of here before I show you how good I am with this gun.”

The sound of a vehicle coming toward the house caught Sabrina’s ear. Holding her gun steady on the arrogant asshole that was Ralph Henson, she caught sight of Ian’s steel gray Wrangler. Reinforcements.

Ian jumped out of his Jeep and headed toward the front porch, his weapon already in his hand. The sight of Sabrina holding her gun on a man was a surprise, but Ian trusted her enough to know that whatever the reason, it was a good one.
 

“Might want to leave now,” Sabrina said. “Ian’s an even better shot than I am.”

“Why thank you, darling.” Ian directed a dark look at the older man standing so defiantly before them. He was a stranger to Ian, but that didn’t matter. Anyone who threatened Sabrina or any of the Wildes was his enemy, too. “I suggest you take the lady’s advice and leave.”

“Dammit, I got rights, too.”

“Rights? Why you lowlife, sleazy, scum sucking—”

A siren blared, cutting into Sabrina’s litany of insults. Zach’s police car zoomed down the drive and skidded to a stop. The police chief jumped out and sprinted to the porch. “What the hell are you doing here, Henson?”

“I’ve come to see my granddaughter.”

“She’s not your granddaughter, old man. Now, you’ve got five seconds to get the hell off my property or I’ll be hauling your ass to jail.”

“A man’s got a right to see his kin.”

The stone expression on Zach’s face should have deterred the most persistent of men. “You have no claim on my daughter.”

Showing that Henson wasn’t the smartest of men, he stood his ground and growled, “She’s mine, too.”
 

Zach took a long stride and stood toe to toe with Henson. His voice was low and lethal, leaving no doubt of his intent. “Get the hell out of here before you’re carried away in a body bag.”

“Zach…don’t,” Savannah said.

Zach’s eyes remained on Henson. “Go back in the house, Savannah. I’ll be in as soon as this asshole is gone.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Zach Tanner,” Savannah said. “We agreed to face every adversity together. Remember?”

Tearing his gaze away from the old man, Zach shared a look with his wife that said more than words ever could—love, anger, pain, sorrow, and acceptance. He then turned back to Henson and spoke softly again, “Leave. Now.”

Apparently the man saw something in the police chief’s expression that told him this was his last chance before things got ugly. His thin lips twisted bitterly, he backed away with a curt nod. “Fine. But don’t think this is over.”

No one spoke as Henson strode swiftly to his truck and then peeled out of the drive like a teenager.

Ian kept his eyes on the truck until it disappeared from sight. When he turned, Zach was holding Savannah in his arms. Hearing the whispers of apology and declarations of love, Ian looked at Sabrina, jerked his head toward the front door. “Come on. Let’s give them some privacy.”

“But I—” Sabrina released a harsh breath. Ian was right. This wasn’t the time for her to go after Henson or reassure her sister. This was between Savvy and Zach. But she looked forward to having a one on one conversation with Henson in the not too distant future.

In the kitchen, she dumped her now stale sandwich in the garbage disposal and said, “How about some shrimp and grits?”

“Only if you’ll eat with me.”

Since her stomach was now tied in knots, swallowing anything was probably not a good idea. However, knowing Ian would hound her about not eating, she pulled two bowls from the cabinet, giving him three times more than her own small serving.

Thankfully he didn’t remark on her less than generous portion. They sat across the kitchen table from each other. Ian took a large bite and shook his head. “You know you could open a restaurant, serve only this and make a million.”

She took a tiny bite to see how it went down. Pleased that it was easier than she’d expected, she took another. Ian was right. It was delicious.

“Couldn’t do that. It’s Faye’s recipe. That would be stealing.”

“Ha. You only say that because you’re afraid of her.”

She couldn’t deny that. If there was anyone in this world who intimidated her, it was Faye Grissom. Tough looking as any drill sergeant and about as humorless as a funeral director. There were dozens of rumors and speculative stories about Faye and no one but Faye knew if they were true or not. No one had the courage to ask her.

“So what’s Henson’s deal?” Ian asked.

Sabrina grimaced. There went her appetite. “You could probably piece together most of it. It’s not something Zach or Savvy like to talk about.”

“I’d say that’s understandable. Henson is Zach’s biological father?”

“Yeah. And that’s about it. Zach didn’t know for years and considering what happened, would love to never have known the truth.”

“What happened?”

As succinctly as possible, Sabrina described the horrific night that Zach had learned the truth of his parentage and the ten years of heartbreak both he and Savvy had endured.

“Hell, I’m surprised your brother-in-law let him leave without the slightest bruise.”

“Zach’s the police chief. He can’t take the law into his own hands.”

“You don’t agree with his decision?”

Hiding her opinions from Ian had never worked. The man could read her like a book. “We both know that sometimes it’s not that simple.”

“I’d say that should be Zach and Savannah’s choice. Not yours.”

She stood and carried their bowls to the sink to rinse them. Responding would only get them involved in an argument. And she didn’t plan on breaking the law. No law against telling a man some home truths. It was past time for Henson to hear them.

She turned back to him, eager to move on to happier subjects. “Ready to see the baby?”

“You bet. Then I need to talk with you about a case.”

Always eager to discuss an investigation, Sabrina held out her hand. “Let’s go meet the newest Wilde heartbreaker and then I’m all yours.”

A fleeting sadness whispered across Ian’s face. “If only that were true.”
 

With a head full of downy white hair, a tiny bow for a mouth, and pink, chubby cheeks, Camille Sage Tanner was the poster child for perfection. A heartbreaker for sure.

Having a family that numbered the size of a small town, Ian had seen plenty of newborns and had to admit this one was about the prettiest. The fact that he could already see Sabrina’s features made her all the more beautiful.

Holding the soft, tiny infant in his arms, Ian glanced up at the beaming parents. “She’s perfect, Savannah. Congratulations to you both.”

“Thank you, Ian,” Savannah said. “We’re blessed.”

Though he was sure the scene earlier had upset her, Ian was glad to see the happiness and contentment on both Savannah’s and Zach’s faces. Henson hadn’t taken away their joy.

“She looks just like you and your sisters when you were babies, Savannah Rose.”