Aftershock (26 page)

She focused on Garrett, feeling self-conscious. The troops knew
about their sexual affair. They seemed amused by her request.

Ignoring them, she put her arms around Garrett. “I love you,”
she said, for his ears only. Tears rushed to her eyes, and she forced herself to
let go. He stared at her for several seconds, his throat working with emotion.
Then the soldiers stepped forward to end the tender moment by urging him into
the back of the truck.

Penny gave Owen a hug and a kiss on the cheek before they left.
Her manner was friendly, rather than passionate, but Mayor Sandoval’s lips
pursed with displeasure. He probably didn’t want his daughter falling for
another bad boy.

They stood at the side on the road while the truck carrying
Owen and Garrett pulled away.

Lauren turned to Penny. “Are you going home?”

“Yes,” she said, glancing at her father. “Cruz, too.”

She smiled at the news. This was what Penny wanted. “Good
luck,” she said, hugging mother and baby tight.

“Thank you for helping Penny,” Mayor Sandoval said, shaking her
hand. “I’m so glad someone was there in her time of need.”

Lauren didn’t have the heart to tell him that Owen had
delivered the baby, not her.

“We’ll keep in touch,” he promised. “You’re a hero, Ms.
Boyer.”

No, she thought. Garrett and Owen were the heroes. But they
were headed back to prison, their good deeds unrecognized.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

30 Days Later

L
AUREN
SMOOTHED
THE
FRONT
of her uniform before taking
her place on the stage.

It was a beautiful, balmy afternoon in Grape Day Park. The
smell of freshly cut grass, sun-warmed sidewalk and honeysuckle blossoms filled
the air. A mild May breeze ruffled through her hair.

Being outdoors felt like a gift to her, every single day. She
couldn’t imagine taking her freedom for granted again.

She sat down with a group of men and women at the center of the
stage. There were National Guard soldiers, police officers, firefighters,
emergency-services personnel. All were being honored for their bravery during
the disaster. Although Lauren didn’t feel as though she’d done anything
noteworthy, refusing to accept the award was out of the question.

Joe’s wife and child were in the audience.

Don was also in attendance, his wheelchair situated next to
Cadence and her parents. Even Sam Rutherford had shown up.

And, of course, Penny was there with Cruz.

Lauren knew she was being recognized because of Jorge
Sandoval’s political influence. As it turned out, Sam also had connections. He’d
won a slew of medals and awards for rock climbing, and had accrued a small
fortune in sports-related business ventures.

She hadn’t heard from Garrett.

It felt incredibly ironic—a travesty of justice—that she was
sitting here on the stage instead of him. He’d risked his life to save the
others in the cavern, over and over again. He deserved praise and thanks. So did
Owen.

She stared into the audience while the emcee introduced the
event. Penny was wearing a daffodil-yellow dress that set off her honeyed skin
tone. She looked lush and gorgeous, her smile blindingly bright. Lauren felt a
twinge of pity for Jorge. Men would never leave her alone. They probably tripped
all over themselves for a chance to speak to her.

Little Cruz was in her lap, looking twice as big as the last
time she’d seen him.

Cadence sat beside Penny, her hair in braids. Her parents
appeared relaxed and happy. Don gave Lauren a thumbs-up sign. His right leg had
been amputated at the upper thigh. One day he might be able to use crutches, or
a prosthetic limb.

Her eyes moved toward the back row, where Sam was sitting. He
was almost unrecognizable in a fitted gray suit, his face clean-shaven. The last
time she’d seen him, he’d been scruffy and skeletal.

She searched for the most important person in the audience:
Trina, Joe’s wife. She was sitting with her mother in the front section. Baby
Wendy squirmed to break free. She had on a cotton-candy-pink dress and shiny
white shoes.

Joe had missed her first steps.

The first part of the ceremony was a tribute to the service
members who had died in the earthquake. Dozens of police officers and
firefighters had lost their lives. Several kind words were spoken about Joe.

Lauren took a deep breath, blinking the tears from her eyes.
Although she tried to focus on the ceremony, her mind kept going back to
Garrett. He’d made good on his promise to not communicate with her. The only
letter she’d sent had been returned, unopened.

Over the past month, she’d been seeing a therapist on a weekly
basis. The entrapment had sparked a major transition in her life. Although she
loved being a paramedic, she was ready for the next step. She’d given her notice
at work.

Caring for Sam and Don, and watching them improve, had been
rewarding for her. In the field of emergency medicine, she wasn’t able to follow
up with her patients. A certain amount of emotional detachment was required.
After her father’s death, that had suited her fine. Now she needed something
different.

Falling in love with Garrett had changed her outlook. She was
open to new experiences, eager for fresh challenges.

She wanted to live to the fullest. One of them had to.

When Lauren’s name was called, she rose to accept her plaque.
Posing beside the mayor, she smiled for the camera. After all the awards had
been passed out, the crowd gave the group a standing ovation.

Then it was over.

She rose from her seat at the first chance, uncomfortable with
the attention. Mayor Sandoval had invited her to a special dinner to show his
appreciation. Although she’d accepted, she sought out Trina’s company as soon as
she exited the stage.

They’d spoken on several occasions since the tragedy, but they
hadn’t seen each other in person.

Trina was standing near the front row, trying to hold her
daughter still. Baby Wendy looked determined to practice walking. The pink bow
in her dark curls jiggled as she kicked her chubby arms and legs.

“Look at this,” Lauren said, handing Wendy her award
plaque.

The baby accepted the shiny object, instantly distracted.

Trina smiled and sat down with her daughter again. She looked
pretty, but frazzled, as if she hadn’t been sleeping well.

“How are you?” Lauren asked.

“I’m hanging in there,” Trina said.

They watched the baby play in silence. She dropped the plaque
and it rolled off her lap. Lauren caught it and gave it right back to her.

“Ba,” Wendy said, chewing on the edge.

“Oh no,” Trina said.

“It’s okay,” Lauren assured her. “She’s talking now?”

“Yes.”

“What was her first word?”

“Dada.”

Lauren’s throat tightened with sadness.

“She says it all the time. In the grocery store, she points out
strangers and says dada. It would be embarrassing, if it wasn’t so...”

Tragic.

“I’m sorry,” Lauren said.

Trina nodded, putting on a brave smile. Her eyes glittered with
tears.

Lauren stayed for a few more minutes, enchanted by Wendy.
“She’s adorable.”

“I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

The baby got bored with the plaque quickly. Lauren took it back
and said goodbye, promising to keep in touch.

She joined Mayor Sandoval’s group, accepting hugs from Penny,
and Cadence, and Cadence’s mother. The men restrained themselves to handshakes.
After Lauren met Don’s wife, she leaned down to kiss his cheek.

“How’s my favorite patient?”

“Not bad,” he said. “But none of my new nurses are as pretty as
you.”

She swatted his shoulder and turned her attention to Cruz.
“He’s gotten so big,” she exclaimed.

Penny showed off his cute sailor outfit, flashing a wide smile.
She looked happy, and Mayor Sandoval seemed genuinely proud of his grandson. If
the news of his daughter’s secret pregnancy had created a scandal, Lauren wasn’t
aware of it. As far as she knew, Penny’s family was standing by her.

“Is Sam joining us?” she asked, noting his absence.

“I don’t know,” Jorge said. “I invited him, but he didn’t
respond.”

She spotted him in the dappled shade beneath a grape tree, his
hands in his pockets. “I’ll just say hello before we leave.”

Jorge nodded. “By all means.”

Sam watched her with a guarded expression as she approached. He
looked like a stranger. A handsome one, but not friendly. Not open.

His dark eyes skimmed down her body. It was a brief, detached
perusal. This was the way married or taken men studied women they found
attractive. They might notice, but they didn’t leer.

“You’ve gained weight,” she said, giving him a similar visual
exam. It was part professional interest, part female curiosity. He was still too
lean, but he appeared to have built back a bit of muscle. She wondered if he’d
been rock climbing.

“I’m not coming to the dinner.”

“Okay,” she said, shrugging. “How are you?”

“How are
you?
”

Flustered, she furrowed a hand through her hair. “Not that
great, actually. I mean, I’m glad to be alive, and it’s a beautiful day. It
seems wrong to complain while so many others are in mourning, but I feel
so...empty.”

His mouth twisted in silent acknowledgment.

“Has your memory returned?”

“No,” he said.

“What have the doctors told you?”

“They don’t agree on anything. The psychiatrist thinks I have
guilt issues. I feel responsible for Melissa’s death, so I blocked it out.”

“Were you with her...at the time?”

“Apparently. I’ve asked her parents what happened, but they
won’t tell me. I’m supposed to remember stuff on my own.”

Lauren didn’t know what to say. “I’m sorry.”

“The worst part is that I have to be reminded that she’s dead.
Every morning is the same. I wake up, looking for her.”

“You can’t make new memories?”

“Not about her.”

“Oh, Sam,” she said, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder.

He flinched at her touch.

She removed her hand, unsure if the gesture was welcome. “I—I
hope things get better. I can’t imagine what you’re going through, but I know
what it’s like to be separated from the person you love.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

She moistened her lips. “While we were trapped, I got close to
Garrett...one of the convicts.”

Sam stared at her in surprise.

“He saved my life. He saved us all. If anyone deserves a hero
plaque, it’s him.”

“When is he getting out?”

“Five years.”

He didn’t say anything critical, but she got the impression
that he’d move the ends of the earth to have his girlfriend back in five years.
“My apologies,” he said finally. “You must think I’m an ungrateful ass.”

“Why would I think that?”

“Because you kept me alive, and I’m not very appreciative of
your efforts.”

“I just wish I could help.”

Sam glanced across the lawn at Jorge Sandoval, deliberating
something. “I changed my mind.”

“About what?”

“Going to dinner.” He offered her his arm. “Shall we?”

* * *

T
HEY
SAID
THE
FIRST
month was the hardest.

During that transition period in prison, inmates still had a
foothold in the outside world. They remembered what it was like to be free.
Their family ties were still strong. Their women hadn’t moved on yet.

Garrett had just finished his sixtieth month, and damned if it
didn’t feel like the first. Worse, because he was older and wiser now. He
couldn’t stop thinking about Lauren. He ached for the life he was missing.

She’d sent him a letter. He’d carried it around with him for a
week. He’d smelled it, thinking he could detect the scent of her hair. He’d
stared at it and slept with it and practically made love to it.

In the end, he’d left it unread.

He was already obsessed with her. Encouraging her would only
make him feel worse. The time would pass slower. He’d hate himself more.

A reporter had contacted him with an offer to tell his side of
the story. He hadn’t responded to her, either. He was lucky no new charges had
been brought up. The last thing he needed was twenty extra years on his
sentence. Garrett didn’t know if Jeb and Mickey’s deaths were still being
investigated. No one had updated him.

Inside, the earthquake had only caused a minor disturbance.
Santee Lakes was on the outskirts of San Diego, miles from the epicenter. His
fellow inmates knew that the prisoner transport vehicle had been busted up in
the freeway collapse, but they weren’t aware of the killings. Jeb and Mickey
were assumed to have expired with the other quake victims. Garrett wasn’t going
to tell anyone different.

That evening, a guard showed up outside his cell before
lights-out. “Let’s go,” he said. “You have a visitor.”

Garrett was handcuffed and led to a private room. He knew the
visitor wasn’t Lauren, or anyone else he wanted to spend time with. Friends and
family members had to submit requests to see inmates on specific days. The
warden didn’t arrange for prisoners to have personal meetings with anyone,
anytime.

He hoped it wasn’t a public defender.

When Garrett walked through the door, he saw Owen sitting at a
table, across from two men in suits. The guard removed Garrett’s handcuffs. He
took a seat next to Owen, recognizing the first man as Penny’s father.

The second was... “Sam?”

“Sam Rutherford,” he said, shaking Garrett’s hand. “Sorry, I
was kind of out of it when we first met.”

Garrett couldn’t help but smile. “Your climbing equipment saved
our lives.”

“I heard it was mostly you who did that.”

He glanced at Owen, shrugging.

“And Mr. Jackson, of course. That’s an interesting tattoo.”

Owen didn’t make any excuses for it. Since they’d returned,
he’d fallen back in with his old crowd. Garrett wasn’t on his cellblock, and
they rarely crossed paths. If Owen needed help, Garrett would step up.
Otherwise, he kept his distance. He didn’t want to associate with the Aryan
Brotherhood. It was a dangerous organization with a criminal arm that extended
well past the prison walls.

Mayor Sandoval passed a sheet of paper across the table to
Owen.

“What’s this?”

“A token of my appreciation. My daughter has spoken highly of
you, and I’m grateful for everything you’ve done. I admit that I’m not well
versed in the intricacies of correctional facilities, but my impression is that
Santee Lakes is a harsh environment.”

“Sorry it doesn’t meet your approval.”

Sandoval smiled. “I found an opening for you at a small
facility in Northern California. They offer college courses, work
programs...tattoo removal.”

He straightened in his chair. “What do I have to do?”

“Just sign this agreement and I’ll make sure the transfer order
goes through.”

Owen accepted a pen, skimming the form. “What am I agreeing
to?”

“Confidentiality. I don’t want Penny’s hardships discussed in
the media.”

“Anything else?”

“It says that you won’t try to contact her.”