Only Her (A K2 Team Novel) (21 page)

Cody stared at Wizard’s text, afraid to believe she’d finally been found. It probably wasn’t her, so he wouldn’t get his hopes up. He answered, thanking Wizard for not giving up, grabbed his keys, and left to see his head doc.

As he pulled out of the driveway, he eyed Riley’s house. His chest hurt at the thought of never walking across the street again. But he’d caused an innocent girl to be tortured, had seen with his own eyes what had been done to her, and he didn’t think he could ever be at peace with that. He wouldn’t wish himself on his worst enemy, so he wasn’t about to drag Riley down with him. She was too special to wallow in his mud hole.

When he arrived, Tom was out front, waiting for him. Cody felt bad about bringing him out on a Sunday afternoon, but the man had said to call any time of the day or night.

“Coffee? Water? Soda?” Tom asked as they walked down the hall.

“I’m good, thanks.” A lie. He was far from good.

“You remembered something?”

Yes, and I wish to God I hadn’t.
Cody wandered around the office, stopping to study two framed pictures that looked like a child had drawn them hanging side by side. Only a black crayon had been used in the one on the left, and best he could tell, Cody saw a kid with his mouth wide open, as if screaming. The top of his head was blown off, and black gooey stuff was oozing out. It was a raw cry for help, and too close for comfort to how he felt. He tore his gaze away to look at the one on the right.

With that one, he guessed the artist was a few years older as the picture was more refined. It was also a happy scene. A boy played with a small dog in the front yard of a pretty house surrounded by colorful flowers.

Tom came to stand next to him. “The same boy drew both of those, two years apart.”

“Obviously, he wasn’t well when he drew the first one. What was wrong with him?”

“He caused the deaths of his parents and baby sister.”

“Jesus.” Cody shifted his gaze to Tom. “And he’s better now?” He had to be, or he wouldn’t have been able to draw the happy picture.

“Yes. It wasn’t intentional. It was his bedtime, but he wanted to finish a drawing he’d started, a birthday present for his mother. He snuck a candle and some matches into his room. Long story short, he fell asleep, and he must have knocked the candle over. The carpet caught on fire, and he was afraid he was going to get in trouble, so he hid in his closet. He was burned pretty badly, but he was the only survivor. He was five years old.”

Cody tried to think of something to say, but he had no words. Finally, a question occurred to him. “I thought there was patient confidentiality or whatever. It’s okay for you to tell me about him?”

“He gave me permission when he asked me to hang his pictures in my office. He said, and I’ll quote him exactly, ‘Nobody is as bad as me, and if I can get better so can they.’ I think he has a strong message to share. He said I could show people his pictures and that if I thought it would help, I could tell his story. His aunt and uncle are raising him, and they love him like one of their own. His latest thing is visiting hospitals and taking sick kids crayons and coloring books.”

Tom moved to the chair in front of his desk. “Come sit. Let’s talk.”

“How do you stand being around people like me and that boy every day? Isn’t it depressing?” Cody sat in the second chair.

“Sometimes. But the reward is getting a picture filled with puppies and flowers. Makes it all worthwhile.” Tom stuck out his right leg, rotating his prosthetic foot. “Damn phantom itches. Even after all this time, I still get them. Talk to me, Cody.”

He took a deep breath, and then told Tom his nightmare.

“And you blame yourself?” Tom said when Cody finished.

“Of course I blame myself. Wouldn’t you?”

“Absolutely.”

That wasn’t what Cody expected to hear. “I thought you’d try to convince me I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Only you can do that. All I can do is help you talk through it and give you some tools to cope until you decide to forgive yourself. One thing you’re going to have to accept is that you can’t change the past. At some point, you’re going to have to let it go because if you don’t, you’ll never be happy. Is that what you want? I ask because there are people who like being miserable. Are you one of those?”

“I want to be happy,” Cody whispered.

“Good, that makes my job a lot easier. I’m assuming you won’t be willing to take any meds to help control your depression?”

“No meds.”

“Thought so, but if you ever reach a point where you think about taking your life, you call me. Day or night. If it comes to that, I’ll insist on medication.”

“No, I’m past that.” And he was.

“The first thing I’m going to do is teach you some breathing exercises that will help relax you if you start feeling stressed or anxious. We’re also going to talk your nightmare into the ground. Doing that will desensitize the event itself. That’s called exposure therapy. It’s possible now that you’ve remembered the event, the nightmare won’t return.”

“That would be my greatest wish.”

“Ready to start?”

Cody nodded. “I’ve never been more ready.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

R
iley sucked in a breath when the engine of Charlie’s red stunt plane cut off after a straight-up climb, and then turned as if in slow motion from nose up to nose down before spiraling straight for the ground. “Wow!”

“It’s called a hammerhead stall,” Ryan said.

She glanced at him to see if the stunt scared him as much as her. His eyes were glued to the plane. There was no way she could stand watching someone she loved risk their life like that.

“Start the engine, Charlie,” he said, when it seemed like there was no way she could pull up in time.

As if on cue, the engine sputtered to life, and the plane crossed in front of the grandstand so low that Riley thought Charlie was going to land, but no, off she went up again. “She’s amazing.”

Ryan grinned. “She so is.”

The man was besotted with Charlie. That was obvious by the pride she saw in his eyes as he watched his girlfriend defy death. “Do you ever fly with her?”

He laughed. “Oh, yeah. She leaves my stomach behind every time. Wanna go up sometime?”

Riley snorted. “Not ever.”

“Hannah wouldn’t, but Sugar sure as hell would,” Sugar said.

Jamie made a growling sound. “Hannah nor Sugar are setting foot in that plane.”

“Who’s Hannah?” Was there another couple she hadn’t met?

Sugar waved a dismissive hand. “Long story. I’ll tell you sometime.”

Well, that cleared things up. Riley shrugged and turned her attention back to Charlie and her plane, as she raced past them upside down. When Cody had backed out, she hadn’t wanted to come. She was glad now that she had as she really liked his friends.

For the afternoon, she was able to forget about stalkers and Pelli and a man who couldn’t conquer his demons. She was even laughing, surrounded by men who were hot and scary at the same time. The women were funny and really nice, and she hoped she could stay friends with them even if she wasn’t with Cody. The only ones missing besides Cody were Logan and Dani. Their little boy had woken up with a cold, so they’d stayed home.

Riley couldn’t help envying the couples surrounding her. Ryan, with that light in his eyes as he watched Charlie wow the crowd, Jamie fussing over his pregnant wife, and Jake whispering naughty things in Maria’s ear, if Maria’s giggle and blush were any indication.

Over the loudspeakers, the air show commentator announced the finale, which was a precision parachute team, and Riley was as impressed with them as she had been with the stunt planes. As they were leaving, Ryan asked what she thought.

“It was awesome. I’d love to come to one again.”

Ryan glanced at the planes coming in for a landing. “Great. I’ll let you know the next time Charlie has one. I’m going to go meet up with her now, so I’ll catch you later.”

“Want to get some dinner?” Maria asked.

“I’m going home, taking off my shoes, and putting my feet up while my husband makes me a big fat cheeseburger,” Sugar said. She laughed, patting her stomach. “It’s what baby wants.”

Jamie snorted. “This morning, baby wanted peanut butter pancakes with banana slices and whipped cream, and a slab of bacon.”

Sugar grinned. “I love being pregnant. I can blame everything on baby.”

She and Jamie headed off to their car, their arms wrapped around each other, and Riley walked toward the parking lot with Jake and Maria.

“You coming to eat with us?” Maria asked.

“I’ll pass, but thanks for the invite.” While she’d been with the group, she hadn’t felt like a fifth wheel, but now she did. And what if they started asking questions about Cody? She wouldn’t feel comfortable discussing him with his friends.

“Oh, come on. We’ll go someplace quick and casual.”

Riley’s phone buzzed with a sound she’d never heard before. Puzzled, she fished it out of her purse, frowning at the screen as she read the text message from her new alarm company.

“What the . . . My house is on fire?”

“What?” Jake grabbed her phone, his eyes darting over the screen. “Let’s go.”

He started running, and Maria grabbed Riley’s hand as the two of them chased after him. They piled into his car, and he tossed Maria his phone. “See if you can get ahold of Cody and your brother.”

“My cats,” Riley whispered as Jake used the grass shoulder to pass cars leaving the airport, ignoring the blaring horns. She estimated they were at least an hour from her house, and she choked down a sob at what she feared she would find when she got home. One hope that she held on to was the small sign at her front door for this very reason, stating that there were three cats inside. She knew that firemen paid attention to those notices.

“Cody’s not answering, so I left a message,” Maria said, peering around her headrest at Riley. “Logan’s on his way to your house. You have cats, right?”

“There are two in the house. If they’re scared, they hide under my bed in the front bedroom.” She listened as Maria passed the information on.

If Cody was still with his doctor, he probably had his phone turned off. God, she wished he were home. Even if things were over for them, he would do everything in his power to save Arthur and Merlin. There was someone, though, she could call for help. She found Mike’s number in her contact list and called him.

“My house is on fire,” she said as soon as he answered.

“I know. Recognized the address as yours when it came over the radio. I’m here now.”

“There’re two cats inside. Have they found them?” Riley squeezed her eyes shut, afraid of the answer.

“No. They saw the posted notice, and they’re inside looking for them.”

“There are only two cats, not three, and tell them to look under my bed.”

“Will do.”

“I should be there in about . . .”

“Thirty minutes,” Jake said. “Tell him I’m going way over the speed limit and to call the cops off me.” He spouted off a license plate number. “In fact, if there’s a cop near the I-10 eastbound lane from Alabama into Florida, an escort wouldn’t hurt.”

Riley passed the information on to Mike, along with a description of Jake’s Jeep.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you,” she said. “If they find my cats, will you call me back so I can breathe again.”

“Promise. Gotta go.” He hung up.

Riley stared at her phone as panic swelled like a giant tidal wave, threatening to drag her under. Why did he have to go right then? What was happening?

Please, God, I beg you. Let them find Arthur and Merlin.

Cody turned his phone back on as soon as he walked outside. The session had been grueling, and he felt as if he’d been flayed alive. Tom hadn’t lied. They’d rehashed Cody’s nightmare until he could speak about it without thinking he was going to come out of his skin. The process had left him raw, yet in a strange way, cleansed.
Desensitized
. They’d done that all right. Now that he’d had a breakthrough, Tom wanted to see him again tomorrow afternoon.

He hit the remote to unlock his truck, and as he climbed in, his phone beeped, telling him he had a message. The hell? Riley’s house was on fire? Was she back from the air show? He had to get to her. With a heart that felt like it might explode, he raced out of the parking lot, tires squealing.

Smoke was visible as soon as he turned onto their street, but a cop, who had his patrol car parked across the road, blocking traffic, stopped him. Instead of arguing that he should be let through, Cody pulled over, parking on the shoulder of the road. He got out, and ignoring the order to stop, ran past the officer. No one was going to stop him from getting to her.

Coming to a halt in her yard, he stared in horror as part of the roof collapsed just as two firemen ran out, each with one of Riley’s cats draped lifelessly over his arm. Jesus, this was going to kill her. She loved those cats. He scanned the yard, looking for her. When he saw Mike Kilpatrick, Cody ran over to him, yanking on the cop’s arm. “Where is she?”

“She should be here any minute. Highway Patrol’s escorting her and her friends.”

At that news, he inhaled air back into his lungs. She was safe. The firemen carrying her cats were kneeling under the tree in her front yard, and Cody headed toward them. Before he reached them, a Highway Patrol car came around the corner, his siren piercing the air. Close behind was Jake’s Jeep, and Cody changed direction.

The back door flew open, and Riley tumbled out. “Oh God, Cody.” She ran straight into his arms.

“Darlin’, I’m so sorry.” He pulled her tight against him.
This is where she belongs, Dog. You get that, right?

She burst into tears. “They didn’t . . . they didn’t find my c-cats?”

“I meant about your house.” The cats hadn’t appeared to be alive, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell her.

“My cats are safe?”

She peered up at him with such hope in her eyes, and he held onto her when she tried to pull away. “I don’t know. They found them, but . . . but, I just don’t know.”

“Where are they?” Her eyes frantically scanned around them, pausing on the two firemen kneeling under the tree. When Cody tried to block her view, she jerked away from him. “Dammit, I’m a vet. Let me go do my job.”

She was right. If anyone could save her cats, she could. He followed her, stopping next to her when she knelt. “I’m their owner and a veterinarian,” she said to the fireman.

Cody was awed at how she’d put aside her grief to become what was needed, a doctor to her animals. Oxygen masks covered the cats’ faces, and she placed her middle and index fingers on the inside of Arthur’s leg.

“Why there?” one of the firemen asked. “I’m Dave, by the way, and this is Brent.”

“I’m Riley. Wish we were meeting under better circumstances. To answer your question, the best place to check a cat’s pulse rate is on the femoral artery, located right here inside the thigh, near the groin.” She closed her eyes for some seconds before saying, “Thank God. He’s got a pulse. Keep the oxygen on him.”

Cody was pretty sure he was the only one who noticed the tremor in her voice.

She moved her fingers to Merlin. “His pulse isn’t as strong, but it’s there. I need to get them to my clinic,” she said, looking up at Cody.

He could take her in his truck, but he wanted to stick around and find out what had happened here, because vacant houses didn’t just burn themselves down. But he wasn’t about to let her take off on her own. He glanced around to see who was here that he trusted could keep her safe.

“Be right back.” The ones he wanted were standing next to Kincaid. “Jake, Maria, can you take Riley and her cats to her clinic? I’d do it, but I want to stay and get some answers. Tell her I’ll come get her later. Don’t let her out of your sight.”

“You got it,” Jake said.

“Thanks, man. You’ll stay with them until I get there?”

Jake nodded. “Count on it.”

A fireman came around from the back of the house, carrying two gas cans. Cody fisted his hands. “Arson. When we find whoever’s doing this, might be a good idea to keep me away from them.”

“Duly noted,” Kincaid said. “Not that I blame you. Let’s go talk to the fire chief.”

Cody sat on his couch in his living room, as Riley stood at the window, staring at what used to be her house. She had been quiet ever since he picked her up at the clinic and brought her home. He wanted to hold her, somehow give her comfort, but when he’d tried, she had pushed him away. Not that he blamed her, considering he’d done the same to her that very morning when he had shut her out. The way her shoulders were slumped in defeat made him feel helpless.