Meg's Moment (40 page)

Her face was pure confusion and disbelief. “What?” she said in barely more than a whisper.

Stacy continued, “Meg, he told Tiffany that he had a life insurance policy worth a half a million on you. He said you both took them out years ago.” Megan nodded. They had done that about five years ago. It seemed like the responsible thing to do. Hell it had been her idea. She reached for Jack’s hand and interlaced their fingers. He kissed her temple and brushed a stray hair behind her ear.

“So they plan to kill me, pay the Madrino’s and then run off together for a happy ever after?”

“Almost,” Mickey said taking over for Stacy who was crying all over Ali’s fuzzy, purple sweater. Megan thought it was a really cute sweater. When her ex-husband was done making attempts on her life, she’d be sure to compliment Ali on it. “Actually Ted had given the whole thing a little more thought. He was gonna have Billy bump you off for the insurance money. You got that right.” He held up his index finger and smiled. “But he didn’t plan on paying the Madrino’s. This is the genius of it. He knows they’ve threatened you and knowing you, he figured you would have reported it.”

“Which we did. We wanted to leave a paper trail,” Jack said catching on to Ted’s intentions. He was really going to have to kill Ted he decided.

“Exactly,” Mickey said, “And since the cops know it, once you were dead he was going to pin it on the Madrino brothers…”

“And play the grieving widower until the check came in,” Jack finished for him.

“Right again,” Mickey said.

“And to make sure that things went as planned, Tiffany was supposed to call the Madrino’s and schedule a meeting to settle Ted’s debt at the same time you were wacked so that they wouldn’t have an alibi.” Stacy said. “She’d swear she was with Ted at the office where he was doing a shoot in front of an entire JV football team as witnesses.”

“Pretty tidy,” Mickey commented.

“Not tidy enough,” Jack said.

“Wait a minute, this is absurd,” Megan said. “Ted wouldn’t kill me.” She took in the faces of everyone in the room. “Would he?”

“He’s hit rock bottom, Meg,” Ali said. “People do desperate things when they think they’ve run out of options.”

Megan felt the warm tears trickle down her cheeks. “But he’s not a murderer.”

Josie snorted. “You didn’t know he was a drunk, a drug dealer
,
or a cheater either.”

She had a point.

Jack wiped away her tears with the side of his hand and his eyes grew intimately soft and protective. “We won’t take any chances honey. Let’s get you packed and out of here.”

Megan ignored him. Another thought had crossed her mind. “How come he didn’t recognize you? He’s known you since like kindergarten. He would have seen you at the bar.”

Stacy shrugged. “He was pretty drunk and I was um wearing a disguise.”

Josie’s brown eyes glittered. “Well my, my, Little Miss Goody Two Shoes out getting some strange?”

Stacy burned her with an outraged glare. “No! I just don’t want Scott knowing I was at the bar.”

“Why not?” Mickey asked. “You’re over twenty one, it’s not a crime.”

“Because, uh…well it’s not important right now.”

Megan’s suspicions were confirmed. “The hell it isn’t. How often do you go to the bar? And why do you feel the need to hide it?” Stacy leaned back into Ali and began sobbing loudly.

Jack’s voice was understanding and calm, “Because she’s an alcoholic.” Stacy nodded without removing her head from Ali’s chest. “And she’s ashamed of herself and worried about what everyone will think about her. She wears the disguise, not only to hide her addiction from everyone else, but also to hide from herself and whatever she’s running from.”

Megan’s heart ached for her friend. She had no idea what to say so she settled for, “
It’s
okay, Stace. We’ll get you help and we’ll support you all the way. Right guys?” Everyone nodded, their expressions sincere.

Megan’s safety was Jack’s first priority. “But first we need to get you out of here,” he told Megan.

She shook her head and stared at him with stubborn blue eyes. “No, I can’t leave right now. I can’t leave Spot and I have to finish my column and my mom…”

Jack was the one shaking his head now. “Sweetheart, Spot can go with us, and you can write your column there too. And call your mom.”

“I’ll talk to Mrs. J,” Josie said. “I’ll let her know what’s going on so you won’t have to listen to her lecture.” Oh boy.

“And Granny can stay with me till things settle down,” Mickey said
,
then smiled thoughtfully
.
“You know, I really like having her around. She’s teaching me how to have
cybersex
with her online friends.”

Megan fried him with a stern glare. “Don’t encourage her, Mickey.” Mickey laughed and Jack proceeded to argue with Megan about going home with him while Mickey enlightened Josie on the basics of internet sex and Ali soothed Stacy and offered support with battling her addiction. Megan was pacing in front of the window facing off with Jack and everyone was still bickering ten minutes later when the window
—
that had just been replaced Monday
—
suddenly shattered and a flaming bottle with a rag stuffed in it came smashing through
,
landing on the floor about a foot from the coffee table. A second later the bottle exploded with a deafening boom. For a brief second everyone froze except Jack
,
who had thrown Megan to the ground then grabbed the couch cushions to try to stomp out the fire that was now spreading from the carpet to the recliner. Mickey quickly joined Jack in an effort to help stop the fire.

Josie was screaming, Stacy was calling 911, Megan was bleeding on the floor
,
and Ali had run to the kitchen.

A moment later Ali returned with the fire extinguisher Megan kept under the kitchen sink and put out the flames drenching Jack and Mickey in the white, foamy solution. Jack immediately rushed to Megan and began frantically assessing her injuries, from flying glass and being thrown to the floor. She had blood coming from her head, her face
,
and her arms and legs. After being assured that help was on the way he carefully scooped her up and carried her into the kitchen where he sat her on the counter and ran some warm water.

Damn it, there was so much blood he couldn’t see where she was cut or how deep or anything. It was just everywhere. He tried a few deep, calming breaths but the panic wouldn’t subside. She wasn’t fatally injured, he knew that, she was talking and responding to his words and touch. He felt her hands running across his skin and realized she was checking him for injuries. His heart hit the floor.

“I’m fine
,
baby, hold still. I need to get this piece of glass out,” he told her while he carefully removed a shard of glass that was embedded in her right shoulder.

With his rage barely contained, his emotions overflowing
,
and shaky hands he removed seven shards of glass from Megan’s arms and legs while Ali and Stacy used the first aid supplies from Jack’s truck to tentatively dress the wounds. Mickey was dealing with Josie who had also taken some glass to various parts of her body while she cried frantically on the phone with Dr. Ross who was already in his car and on the way.

Other than quiet soothing words to Megan and a brief check to make sure everyone was alright Jack was deathly quiet, with thoughts of killing Ted with his bare hands dancing in his head. Once most of the blood had been cleaned up and he was sure Megan was going to be okay he fought to relax his muscles and calm down. He lost the battle as the smell of blood, salty tears
,
and fear of losing the woman he loved crept upon him and by the time the first sounds of sirens were ringing in his ears he was crying and shaking with anger and rage.

Four uniforms came barreling through the door along with two firemen, Dr. Ross, old lady Everett and Megan’s father.

Megan’s father rushed to his daughter giving her a quick once over and with tears brimming his weathered eyes, hugged her gently so he wouldn’t hurt her.

“Are you okay?” he asked her
,
and when she nodded he said, his voice booming
,
“What the hell happened?” Jack told him the short version and then his boom went to a roar when he said, “I’ll kill the son of a bitch!”

“You’ll have to stand in line,” Jack told him “Because if I find him first he’s a dead man.” Megan seemed in a daze
,
probably from the shock but everything seemed to hit home when she looked into her father’s eyes filled with tears. She began crying again and tightened her grip on her father with one hand and Jack with the other. After a moment she noticed someone was missing.

“Where’s Mom?”

“She took Granny to tour a new old folk’s home. They weren’t there when Ms. Everett called and I didn’t take the time to call them. Hell
,
I didn’t even take time to put on shoes.”

Megan glanced at her father’s chubby bare feet and smiled. Cupping both her dad’s cheek and Jack’s she said, “My heroes
.
”
T
hen in a shaky voice she added, “I love you.”

Jack was thankful for the lump that had risen in his throat because if it hadn’t he would have told her he loved her too and he wasn’t sure she her words had been aimed at them both. But he did love her and as soon as things settled down he planned to tell her and show her in every way imaginable. But first things first and top of the list was getting her medical attention, getting her safe
,
and keeping her safe. In his house, in his bed
,
and in his heart was his preferable way to achieve that. “Will you stay with her?” he asked her dad and when he nodded, Jack kissed her cheek and said, “I’m going to talk to these guys
,
honey. I’ll be right back.”

Jon relieved Mickey and took Josie in his arms as the firemen got out their equipment and began administering first aid, while the police began asking questions and scribbling in their notebooks.

Jack and Stacy relayed everything to the police starting with the incidents that had previously been reported, the scene in the bar
,
and ending with the firebomb through the window a few minutes ago. They finished their statements and while Stacy called her husband, Jack went to find Megan. He found her sitting on the counter with Dr. Ross examining the back of her head. She was fit to be tied and angry as hell
,
poking a finger in some poor EMT’s face and yelling at him while her father yelled at her. Jack smiled. She was the perfect mix of sugar and spice. Sweet and sass. Heaven and hell. His bent angel.

“You are going to the hospital,” her father shouted. “The guy says you need stitches.”

“For the last time, I-AM-FINE!” she shouted back. Then to the EMT; “Find Jack! He’s hurt too. He was bleeding and there was glass every…” Jack walked toward her and her father gave a sigh of relief.

“Here, you handle her,”
h
e told Jack. Shaking his head he said, “She always has been a stubborn little shit. Gets it from her grandmother.”

“I’m right here, Meg, and I’m fine. I think most of the blood on me is from you.”

Jack met Dr. Ross’s gaze, “How bad is it?”

“Bad enough to be properly cleaned and stitched up. It’s deep. She needs to go.”

Jack kissed Megan softly. His forehead against hers he said, “You’ve got to go to the hospital honey.” And after minimal protest she agreed to go. “And then you’re moving in with me.” She rubbed noses with Jack and brushed her lips against his.

“You gonna nurse me back to health?” she whispered. “Kiss all my boo-boos?”

“With pleasure, baby
,
” Jack replied
,
and her father decided that if Jack could make his daughter glow with happiness like that he wouldn’t beat him to death for sleeping with her. He still wouldn’t like it, but he wouldn’t kill him over it.

Jon had returned to Josie where he was professionally kissing every injury she had while Mickey and Ali were taking their turns being bandaged. Stacy was sitting with Megan’s dad who was rubbing her back and trying to comfort her.

It had been a long day.

“Oh
,
Dear God,” Mrs. Johnson screamed
,
announcing her presence as she and Granny crammed into the already crowded room. “What in God’s name has happened?” Megan looked around the small kitchen and laughed. It looked like a make shift emergency room with the walking wounded scattered about. Granny was checking out the men in uniforms butts while her mother was in hysterics
;
crucifix in one hand and performing the cross with the other. “There’s blood everywhere and…” she glanced at her husband with a perplexed look. “Where on earth are your shoes?”
T
hen her gaze fell on Jack who had his lips nuzzled in Megan’s throat. “And why are you kissing my daughter? And why is she covered with blood?”
T
hen on to Jon and Josie, “Oh dear, God, one of your boobs is swollen.” And those were her last words before she fainted.