Long Ride (Riding with Honor) (10 page)

The following morning she was awakened with a kiss on the lips.  Opening her eyes she noticed he was up and dressed already…
for work.  Now that the threat to her safety was over it only made sense for him to go back to his regular routine.  He set a cup of coffee on the nightstand near the bed within her reach. 

“I need to go into the shop today.  I’ll take the bike so you can have my car for the day
but I need a favor in exchange,” he said.

“Sure
,” she said, sitting up against the headboard.

“I want you to run to the carpet store at the edge of town and pick out some carpet you think will look nice for the girls.  Something neutral that will match anything and that can be installed in the whole house except for the bathroom and kitchen
,” he said.

“I have already called them with the measurements they need
. I just need you to pick something you think would look nice.”

“Okay
,” she replied.

“I also want you to try to walk for an hour today.  I wish I could go with you but if I leave the guys without supervision for too long, it’s usually not pleasant.  Lilly even called and offered to set up a workspace for you in her office
,” he laughed.

“I can manage that too
,” she smiled as he handed her the coffee mug before leaning forward to kiss her forehead.

“I’ll see you tonight then
,” he said and then stood and made his way to the door.

After she sat and drank the cup of coffee he had provided, she showered
, got dressed and went to the kitchen.  Making herself some toast and refilling her coffee, she then sat at the table with the envelope on Chuck. 

“When the department comes up off of the information on Mr. Reynolds, I advise you to pay special attention to his medical records.”
 

What would she find in the file that would be helpful in locating any of his living relatives?  A part of her dreaded digging into the young man’s
history.  Even though it was her job to delve into his past, he had become a friend over the past few months and she did not want to see him hurt.

Taking out a pen and a paper
, she opened the folder to find a certified copy of his birth certificate.  The birth mother was in fact listed as Amber Reynolds.  The father was listed as unknown.  Though it was a dead end, it was one she expected.  Having prepared herself not to discount any detail she read the certificate in its entirety.

Setting the birth certificate aside she found a copy of his shot records and again read the entire list of
vaccinations, including the dates for each, until she saw it.  A few moments passed while her brain tried to understand what it was she was seeing.  His first set of shots was given when he was 2 months old but the date shown was in November.  If his birthday was in November then he
couldn’t
have been 2 months old.

Laying the shot record aside, she went back to the birth certificate and looked at the date which showed September rather than November as the
month of birth.  The birth certificate and shot record matched but the knowledge of when his birthday was didn’t. 

Resisting the urge to call him and verify when his birthday was
, she laid both things aside.  A typed report followed the birth certificate with his social security card paper-clipped to the front. 

Reading through the report it indicated he was given over to the department in March
of the year following his birth by a man who said he was not the baby’s father.  The man had provided a copy of the death certificate for Amber Reynolds along with the child’s birth certificate and shot record.  The man indicated that the mother had been seeing another man prior to meeting him. 

The document went on to say that the baby was average length and weight and appeared to be in good health.  Adoption proceedings could not be started until an exhaustive search was made for any biological living relatives. 

The brief report created more questions than answers, beginning with the man who turned Chuck into the department. 
Was he the same man Dickie had beaten up?

Looking at the notes on her pad of paper
, she began doing the math.  If Chuck had been born at the end of September rather than in November, then Amber would have conceived around Christmas of the previous year. 

Dickie said he had spent the holidays with Amber.  Unless Amber had been sleeping with both Dickie and the other man during that timeframe, it was possible that Dickie was Chuck’s father!

Though her heart was sick at the thought of what that would do to his relationship with Chuck, her mind couldn’t seem to keep from thinking of the similarities between the two of them that were now so apparent. 

They were both big men, with broad shoulders and were similar in size and body shape.  Though Chuck had blonde hair rather than dark hair like Dickie, he had blue eyes…
almost the exact same color as Dickie’s. 

Chuck had never said anything to her about his feelings regarding his biological parents other than to say if they hadn’t wanted him back then
… then he didn’t want them now. 

In this case, one biological parent was dead and that she could provide proof of.  What she could not prove without a doubt was who his other biological parent was.

As much as she wanted to share this information with Dickie, she wanted to be sure before opening up both him and Chuck to heartache over that which couldn’t be changed. 

She could get Chuck to submit blood work by telling him that she may have located his father and that she wanted DNA verification before indicating who the man was.  What she couldn’t do was get Dickie to submit for DNA testing without him knowing why. 

Then there was the thought that if she was able to get the DNA test done, what would happen if the test came back showing Dickie wasn’t his father.  It would effectively put her back to square one with attempting to find Chuck’s biological father. 

She couldn’t help but wonder
that if the woman had cheated on Dickie with another man, wasn’t it also possible that she cheated on the other man as well?  It wasn’t like she could ask the woman who had fathered her son.  She was dead.

After finding an online DNA testing facility she called and was directed to a nearby clinic that could collect the DNA samples and submit it to the
center for testing.  Picking up her cell phone she called Chuck.

“I want you to go to the clinic near the hospital and have a DNA sample collected.  I will then have the clinic send the collection to another facility for testing
,” she said when he picked up.

“So you found them
, huh?” he asked.

“Not yet
.  I just wanted to get the ball rolling for when I do find them.  So when you have some time, go ahead and go down there.  I will have my office request the results be faxed to me, so make sure you sign off on all the documents they provide to you at the clinic,” she said.

“You’re the boss
,” he replied.  “I’ll try and leave out of here early enough to get over there before they close.”

After hanging up with Chuck she called her office and had one of the paralegals draft a document requesting the results be faxed to her.  Then she had
that document faxed to the clinic so that Chuck could sign it when he went in for testing. 

Looking at the clock she realized that she needed to get to the carpet store and
after finding Dickie’s keys she headed out.  She knew she was avoiding having to tell Dickie her suspicions but her heart wondered if he would be more devastated if Chuck were his son or if he wasn’t. 

His strong sense of responsibility would leave him hurt that he hadn’t been able to provide Chuck with a better childhood.  If Chuck wasn’t his son would she have
raised his hopes up for nothing?  This case was different than most of her cases since she genuinely cared about the results because she cared about both individuals involved.

As she pulled into the parking lot of the carpet store and got out of the car, she felt the sensation that she had felt so many times over the past couple of weeks…
like she was being watched.
  She shook the feeling away.  Roger was in custody now… and in New York… she was once again safe.

She spent the better part of an hour looking at the different styles and colors of carpet
.  After finally selecting some carpeting that best matched Dickie’s request, she decided she would head back to his house and get in her hour walk before he got home.  Upon exiting the carpet store she noticed that both front tires on Dickie’s car were flat. 
Shit!
  Had she ran over something?

Pulling out her cell phone she called him
. “I need your help,” she said when he answered. “I must have ran over something in the parking lot of the carpet store… both of the front tires are flat and there is only one spare.”

“I’m on my way
, Speed Racer,” he replied with a smile in his voice.

She waited inside the store until Dickie pulled up outside in the tow truck.  God help her but she couldn’t
stop watching him as he got out of the truck and went over to inspect the car.  He moved like a lion, graceful but with purpose and like he could pounce at any moment. 

Shaking away her thoughts she
went outside.  She would have his undivided attention for a few minutes while he changed the tires.  Now was as good a time as any to talk to him about Chuck.

Standing beneath the awning that stretched the length of the building
, she watched as he got out a jack and a lug wrench and headed over to the car. 

“Sorry about this…
I don’t know what happened.  I don’t remember hitting anything or driving over anything unsafe,” she said guiltily.

“Don’t lie to me
, woman, you’ve been out burning rubber, haven’t ya?” he said with one of his devilish grins.

“Yes… drag racing is just one of my many talents
,” she replied sarcastically.

“I will give you that… you are one
talented
woman… at many things,” he said with a smile and a wink. 

With that he went back to the truck
, pulled out a couple of tires and then rolled them over to lean them against the car.

“I
, uh… I looked over some of the information I received on Chuck,” she said.

“Anything good?” h
e asked as he pulled a couple of weighted wedges out of the truck and put them under the back tires.

“Edna said that Chuck’s
birthday is at the end of November, is that correct?” she asked.

“Yea,
why?” he asked as he knelt down and slid the jack under the car.

“They sent a certified copy of his birth certificate and according to that he was born September 28
th
, not November 28
th
,” she said softly.

She knew the minute his mind followed down the same path hers had when she’d first seen the date on the birth certificate.  His body stiffened and all movement stopped. 

She wasn’t good at being supportive or helping someone deal with their emotions.  She was no Dana by any means, but she knew he needed support.  Walking over to where he was crouched down next to the flat tire, she placed her hand on his shoulder.

“The mother listed on the birth certificate was in fact Amber Reynolds but no father was listed.  The report they sent along with the certificate indicated that he was dropped off by a man who said he was not Chuck’s father.  The man provided a birth certificate and shot records for him and a death certificate for Amber Reynolds
,” she explained.

“Did you tell Chuck yet?” h
e asked, pumping the jack a couple of times.

“No you are the first
one I’ve said anything to.  I did request that he go to the clinic over by the hospital so that they can collect a DNA sample from him for testing purposes but he has no idea I have any information,” she said quietly.

After several moments of silence he finished loosening the lug nuts on
one of the tires and pumped the car up so that he could take off the flat.  He set it aside with deliberate movements.

“I suppose
I need to go get tested then?” he finally asked as he fitted the replacement tire on and tightened the lug nuts as best he could

“Yea… he is supposed to go today and be tested.  If you go tomorrow you would ensure that he doesn’t run into you.  I’d like to know for certain before saying anything to Chuck since he
is
technically
my client,” she said.

“How long wil
l it take to get the results?” he asked after releasing the jack.  Then he finished tightening the lug nuts all the way.

“A couple of weeks at most… they will fax the results to my office rather than sending them to Chuck.  I told Chuck to sign all the paperwork they gave him.  One of the documents states the results should go to me rather than him.  It’s probably one of the most unethical things I’ve
ever
done but I don’t want him hurt… or you for that matter,” she said.

After
inspecting the air pressure in the replacement tire and checking it over carefully he took the flat tire he removed and threw it in the back of the truck.  Then grabbing the jack he moved it to the other side of the car to change the other flat tire.

“You’ll let me know first?” h
e asked loosening the lug nuts of the tire and then pumping the jack a couple of times.

“Yes… I will let you know first
,” she replied.

His entire demeanor had changed.  He no longer looked like the carefree, humorous, and
mischievous man who had captivated her heart in such a short time.  His body was tense and moved as though it were on autopilot while his mind appeared to be a million miles away. 

Unsure what to say
, she stood and watched him finish changing the other tire.  When he was finished he threw the second flat in the truck bed and then collecting the jack and lug wrench he looked at her.

“I need to get back
to the shop.  I’ll see you later,” he said.  Then he headed to the truck throwing the parts in the bed, climbing in and taking off.

Becca
stood in place stunned by his behavior.  Brian had always been dramatic with
anything
he felt… especially anger.  Dickie appeared to be controlling his emotions to the point of keeping them locked tightly inside away from everyone including himself…
and her.

She drove back to his house attempting to pay closer attention to her driving to avoid a repeat of earlier but found it difficult to focus.  Her mind was filled with heavy thoughts and her heart hurt for both Dickie and Chuck.  This was the part of her job she hated the most… having to tell her clients things they didn’t want to hear.

After unloading her briefcase and purse, she changed into shorts and a tank top and left out for her hour long walk hoping to clear her mind of all the heavy thoughts.  A small part of her appreciated that Dickie hadn’t let his emotions cause him to blow up and create a scene. 

However, the vast difference in his reaction to how Brian would have
behaved was equally unsettling.  Would holding it in only cause him to be even more out of control later on when it finally did come out?

As much as she worried for Dickie, she also worried for Chuck.  The young man had been through so much in his life already.  His relationship with Dickie was one built on friendship, respect and trust.  Chuck
appeared to nearly idolize Dickie, with good reason. 

Would finding out Dickie was his father skew his opinion of him?  Would he be angry at Dickie as he tended to be when the subject of his biological parents came up?  Would he understand that Dickie hadn’t known, or would he be angry that Dickie never followed up about his mother?

She headed back to the house and as she stepped inside the house phone rang and without thinking she answered.

“Oh Becca
!  Just who I wanted to talk to,” Dana laughed. “Melody has a follow up appointment with the pediatrician on the day we are supposed to get together, so I was wondering if you’d be interested in getting together tomorrow instead?”

Meeting with Dana and Tommy was the last item she needed to handle in person, everything else could be accomplished easily enough from the comfort of her office…
in New York
.  She was merely delaying the inevitable by coming up with new reasons she should remain here in Florida…
with Dickie
. 

She was in love with him and apparently had been for a little while. 
All those months spent denying she felt anything at all for him was unavoidable now. 

Staying any longer was just an attempt to bathe in
the feelings he invoked in her and that wasn’t responsible or prudent.  She had a company to run and a whole other life hundreds of miles away.

She wasn’t sure when it had occurred exactly but at some point the man had wormed his way into her heart as well as her body.  Seeing him emotionally torn invoked feelings she was unfamiliar with
instead of the usual fear. 

If only there was some way to fix this for him…to bring him comfort.  He didn’t seem to want that though and she was only kidding herself that there would ever be anything long term between them.

“Sure, that would be fine. I can come out after Tommy gets home from the shop, just let me know when and I’ll head that way,” she replied.

“I heard they caught the man who’s been stalking you…?” Dana asked.

“Yes, thankfully,” she replied.

“I’m glad to hear it but we will miss you when you go back to New York
, so make sure you keep in touch and visit when you’re down this way,” Dana said.

“Oh
, I will, don’t worry,” she replied.

“When
do you
leave for New York?” Dana asked. 

Never
?

“In a few days…
before the weekend anyways to give myself time to get adjusted before I have to be back in the office or court,” she replied.

“We’ll all have to get together again before you leave
,” Dana said.

After hanging up with Dana she sat on the couch.  As much as she didn’t look forward to going back to New York, back to the loneliness, back to the tiring days and endless nights, it was time to go. 

She hated that she had to leave with this gulf between her and Dickie but she wasn’t cut out to help him in the way that he needed.  She understood the law, not emotions… at least none other than anger and fear.

Dickie couldn’t help but stare at Chuck for a few minutes as his brain tried to process the possibility that the young man could very well be the son he never knew existed. 

He definitely favored Amber but his eyes… looking in Chuck’s eyes was like looking at Dickie’s younger brother. 
Was it possible?
  How had he not noticed the similarities between them a long time ago?

“You ok
, man?” Chuck asked, with a curious look.

“Yea, sorry… lost in thought
,” he said. 

“Women will do that to you… sometimes I’ll stand in the middle of the room like an idiot, just thinking about Meredith
,” Chuck grinned.

That he understood
.  He couldn’t seem to get Becca out of his mind.  The more time he spent with her the more time he
wanted
to spend with her.  He should have said something more to her when he left the carpet store. 

Somehow it just didn’t seem right to burden her with his dark thoughts when she was trying to wrap up the last of her work so she could go back to New York.

Though they hadn’t made any commitments to each other or promises, his heart felt like it might possibly break in half at the idea of her leaving. 

If he’d thought himself in love with her after the first time seeing her, living with her had been like a dream he’d never dared to have.  He loved her and when she left him to go back to New York he would be as devastated as he had been seeing Amber in the arms of another man.  That was his problem though, not Becca’s.

He’d told her that he loved her and she’d said she loved him too… but how did they move forward… step off the end of the pier?  Her life was in New York City busting people’s balls in court, not living in a tiny little southern town. 

He was as far from a city boy as she was from being the small town girl next door.  She was out of his league.

He worked late to try and make up some of the time he’d missed being stuck at home for Becca.  When he finally did make it home he was surprised to find her bags packed and sitting by the front door. 
Was she that eager to leave him? 

He realized his life was probably not nearly as exciting as her life back in New York, but he had hoped she would drag it out and maybe even stay through the weekend.  It looked like things were ending a little faster than he would have liked.

“I have a meeting tomorrow afternoon and then I will be heading back tomorrow evening… my flight leaves at seven,” she said from the doorway to the living room. “Something has come up at the office so I won’t be able to stay until the weekend after all.”

“I’ll be home by five tomorrow
, so I can run you to the airport if you’d like,” he heard himself say.

He should be begging her not to go but now that she was no longer in danger what did they have?  The fact that she had been in danger and he was charged with keeping her safe was quite possibly what caused her to let down her guard long enough for him to get a glimpse of the warm glow she bottled up inside. 

He might love her and she seemed to care about him as well, but now that the danger had been eliminated, it was time to face the reality of their lives.  They were from different states, different backgrounds, and different social and economic stations.  He was blue-collar while she was white-collar. 
That
was reality.