Music City (30 page)

Was being in public with her too much of a distraction for a person not accustomed to it? She remembered that he was uncomfortable and annoyed with adoring fans coming to their table to have her autograph something. Hanging out with the rich and famous was not for everyone, and let's face it, she was rich and she was famous. Her life was anything but private.

Actually, she
was surprised that the press had not been aware of her presence in the public restaurant, having dinner with a man. Had anyone called the press, they’d have been all over the story like a wet shirt. As it was, many of the fans had taken her picture with their cell phones. Some of them asked Alex to be in the picture as well, but he had declined.

Who knows, those pictures could be all over the internet by now, and probably some
were taken at enough of a distance to include Alex. A candid picture of someone as famous as Shelly was often lucrative if put into the hands of the tabloid gang. The Tennessean and the entertainment tabloid had no coverage of the event. Alex would certainly not be happy to find his picture in a nationally distributed tabloid next week. Shelly hoped they’d been lucky this time. celebrities have to go to great lengths to keep out of the public eye. Alex had shown his naivety about such things, by simply reserving a table for two at a well-known restaurant.

***

After dinner that evening, the family gathered in the den for an update on Derek and Alex’s search for biological siblings. Alex talked briefly about Seth Taylor being in jail. And yes, he had also found Harry. Both boys, men in their mid-thirties now, had police records for petty stuff, such as breaking and entering, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, possession of stolen property, that sort of thing. Both seemed to be unemployed and heading nowhere fast. Seth was currently charged with burglary.

Better news was that one of the girls
was located. Mandy, now a teacher known as Elizabeth, was found. Kate’s whereabouts were known, but no contact yet made. The girls were preschoolers the last time Dorothy had seen them, the day the authorities took the last of Maye’s children into protective custody; little barefoot girls with uncombed hair. Crying little things, not understanding who these strangers were, and that they were going to better, safer places.

Dot wondered, what would it be like to have a real sister, or maybe even two? If she met them, would they be anything like her? She realized that they had both been raised in families from a higher class than she had ever known, until she found herself taken in by Shelly. Would they accept her, or think of her as a country bumpkin of no great value? Maybe, yes, probably, they had other ‘sisters’ they preferred and would not be willing to be bothered with a big sister they didn’t even remember.

Shelly was certainly beyond any of her wildest dreams of what family was supposed to be like. Could it be possible that one, or maybe even two more sisters would be just as wonderful and accepting?

Maybe... maybe she should have left well enough alone. Maybe this whole ‘find our family’ investigation Shelly was funding was not worth the risk to her already bruised heart.

***

“The job doesn’t start for a couple of months Alex, but this isn’t a position we’re gonna fill from the streets. I hate to press you on it, but I really need to know if you’d be interested. There have been a few changes since you were with us last; we’ll need to get you up to speed on some of the new protocols. Bottom line, old friend, is that I need an answer. You’ve got a decision to make.” Ross Skinner was being as laid-back as he could under the circumstances, but he also knew that if he was going to get Alex back in the bureau, he had to act soon.

January was only about six weeks away. What he didn’t tell Alex was that there were some in the bureau who felt psych evaluations were in order, considering the way Alex had left the bureau.

“I’ve thought it over and I’m ready to come back Ross. It’ll take me a little time to tie up loose ends with Derek, but I can get started on the preliminary things right away. What do I need to do first?” Alex asked.

Ross grinned and replied, without missing a beat. “Well, believe it or not, you need to submit a resume. As soon as I have that in my hand, I’ll get the recruitment process started in human resources and we’ll slide it through. You realize that ‘officially’, you’ll be one of several applicants. You’ll compete with all the other candidates and be evaluated just like all the others, but the end result will be just what we discussed.”

“You don’t think there will be any issues with my full reinstatement?” Alex asked.

“Nothing I’ve heard about,” Skinner lied. “But we didn’t have this conversation, you understand.”

“Of course, it’s just between you and me, Ross.” Alex said. “I’m looking forward to this, you know. Two years ago, I’d never have predicted it, but now it feels very right.”

“Have you talked to your partner about it?” Skinner asked.

“Not yet. And it’s not a conversation I’m looking forward to.”

As Alex hung up the phone, all he could think about was how he was going to break the news to his friend and business partner, Derek.

Alex arrived at the office in mid-afternoon. He walked through the door to find Derek and Tracy laughing at some joke one of them had told. He never really shared the camara
derie the two of them had. It wasn’t that he felt like he was left out, he just didn’t really mesh with either of them as well as they did each other. 

He still considered Derek his closest friend, and Tracy a very good friend, but the dynamics of each relationship was very different.
His personality and lifestyle just didn’t mesh with their sense of humor or lifestyle. Maybe this is as good a time as any.

“Hey, Alex.
How was your trip?” Derek asked.

“Could you guys come back into my office for a bit? I need to talk to both of you.”

Alex told both of them about his drive through Ohio and his visit with his old friends, Rob and Carol Becker. Then he told them about seeing Ross Skinner. Alex was never given to telling long stories. He usually was very concise in what he had to say, and to the point, so this was unusual for him. Finally, he told them how Skinner had mentioned the job opening in Cleveland.

Derek felt an invisible fist punch through his chest, and felt a knot grow in the pit of his stomach. He knew where this conversation was leading, but he allowed Alex to tell it in his own time and in his own way. Tracy was oblivious until Alex finally said, “I’ve decided to take the job in Cleveland. It starts at the first of the year.”

“But, but, who’s going—” Tracy tried to speak, when Derek interrupted and said, “Congratulations, Alex. I know you’ll be great for this position. Is there anything we can do here to help?”

“
No, not that I know of, I’ll have to make a couple of trips to Washington D.C. I’m sure and I’ll have to take a few days here and there to get paperwork going, but other than that, I’ll be able to help you guys out with the transition. You’re probably going to want to look for another detective.

“I think we’ll be alright on that end. But we’re
definitely going to need another secretary.” Derek laughed.

Tracy was dumbfounded. As close as he was to Derek, he had always respected the older detective and felt he’d learned most of what he knew about detective work from Alex.

Tracy extended his hand toward Alex and offered his congratulations. Alex grabbed Tracy in a bear hug and said, “Don’t worry, kid, you’ll do just fine.” To Tracy, it felt as though he’d been reading his mind.

Shelly had mixed feelings about Alex leaving Nashville. While she didn’t think that he would ever be completely out of her life, she was disappointed that he wasn’t going to be such an integral part after January. Alex was the first man she had any romantic interest in, at all, since Trent. While she knew that she would never love anyone as she did Trent, she had enjoyed Alex’s company very much. She wished she could have talked him into letting her go with him to meet with Kate Taylor, but he wouldn’t be swayed, so she sat in the hotel alone, waiting for him to return.

Alex pulled in front of the home of Kate Taylor-McKay. It was a modest looking home, a small white ranch with green shutters. A fall wreath hung on the front door, and boxwood lined the walkway and the front of the home. A large maple tree filled the right side of the front yard. Alex noticed a tire swing hanging from it. He stepped on to the small porch and rang the doorbell; Kate appeared a few moments later.

After Alex explained what he was doing, and why he was there, Kate seemed to be taking it all in. Finally, after sitting silently for a few minutes, she asked, “What if I don’t want to meet my biological siblings?”

Alex was taken aback, “Is there some reason why?” he asked.

Kate nodded, “My parents didn’t have much,” Kate swept her arm around the room, “as you can see, I don’t have much either.” With a sad smile, she continued, “but I knew they loved me and my kids know I love them. When you have that, you don’t need much else.”

Kate walked to the couch beside of Alex and sat down. “My parents took me in, they didn’t have to, but they did. They had next to nothing, but were willing to share what they did have with me.”

She continued, “If I were to go to my mother and tell her my biological family found me, and I want them to become a part of my life now, it would break her heart and I won’t do that to my mom.”

Alex started to speak, but she stopped him, “I realize that the other children had no more say than I did in how we were raised, or that we were given away, but I also know that the moment we were taken from our home, all of our lives changed forever, and we can’t go back. I don’t even want to. I like my life and I don’t need to connect with people who might share the same DNA, to make my life better.”

Alex understood, he just hoped he could make the others understand as well. “I’ll leave you my card. I’ll be moving at the first of the year to Ohio, but my cell number will be the same. If you ever change your mind, or you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call me, please.”

When Alex arrived back at the hotel, he knocked on the door to Shelly’s room. Shelly was relaxing on the large bed that filled the tastefully furnished room, watching an old movie on the plasma television that hung on the wall. She jumped up when she heard him, eager to hear about the meeting with Kate. “Well, how’d it go? When can I go meet her?” she asked with a bright smile.

Alex shook his head, “I’m sorry, Shelly. She said that she didn’t want to meet anyone.”

Shelly was surprised, “Doesn’t want to meet me? I don’t understand.”

Alex shrugged, “She likes her life the way it is. I think she feels like adding this drama to her life would change it, and I suppose, it would.”

“Drama?” Shelly admonished. “How can you say that, Alex?”

Alex laughed, “It is what it is, Shelly, and let’s face it, it’s drama.”

“Don’t laugh at me, Alex. This is important to me.” Shelly said indignantly.

“Shelly, it’s over. Let it go. You’ve got Dorothy and you’ve got Lori. Not everyone falls under your magic spell.” Alex barked back a little louder than he had intended to.

“Spell? A magic spell? I don’t know what you’re talking about, Alex, and I don’t think I like your tone.” Shelly took a step toward him, “Are you talking about Kate, or are you talking about yourself?”

Alex took a step toward Shelly, started to speak and then stopped. Instead, he grabbed her in his arms, and a little more forcefully than he would have liked, he kissed her with all of the pent-up emotions he was dealing with the last several months.

His hands tangled in her long dark curly hair and pulled her closer, flush to his side. When he released her, Shelly stared up at him, reeling from the kiss. Her mouth opened and closed in shock and bewilderment, but before she could say a word, he lowered his head again, this kiss deeper and more passionate than the last.

Alex knew he shouldn’t be doing this, he had decided that he was leaving, that he couldn’t handle the package deal, but... he also couldn’t seem to stop.

***

The flight back to Nashville felt long and uncomfortable. They were both sitting in taut silence. Shelly had a lot to think about, disappointment that Kate had not wanted to meet her... and then whatever had happened with Alex.

There was no future for them, she knew that. Alex also knew it. Mile after mile slipped by as Shelly examined her feelings. She concluded that making the trip to Bristol
was a mistake. All of it. She should have allowed Alex to interview Kate, then made the trip if it was warranted.

Instead, in her haste to spend time with Alex, she had insisted on coming with him. Disappointment at Kate’s refusal to welcome her with open arms had made her more emotionally vulnerable. True, she had enjoyed kissing him immensely, but that didn’t make it right.

She hadn’t realized how starved she was for romance until that first kiss and then it was beyond her control. Now, looking back on it in the cold reality of daylight, everything looked different. Impulsive relationships were not Shelly’s style. She’d seen enough of them from afar to know that when the cart comes before the horse, things almost never work right. She certainly didn’t need a romance turned sour to mess up her life and her family.