Things Lost In The Fire (49 page)

“But it was justified. You had every right to shoot him,” Sadie argued.

“Did I?” Valerie mused, avoiding her daughter’s eyes. She stared down at their joined hands instead, pressing her lips together in a sad smile. “I suppose a jury may have found me innocent, but the truth was I didn’t even give Lee a chance to back away from you. A chance to stop. I just shot him. And from the confused terror I saw in his eyes the moment I pulled the trigger, I know he would have if I’d given him the chance. But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. He was hurting my baby and all I could think about was destroying him for it.”

Sadie’s mind reeled from this new information. She stood up, unable to sit any longer. As she began to pace, she twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. “I saw the police reports. They tested for gunshot residue and found nothing on you.”

“Tommy bribed the officer who swabbed my hands. He happened to be a big fan of Albatross, so he agreed to swab someone downstairs, label it as mine, and then dispose of the real test.”

Sadie stopped pacing, eyebrows raised. “That was all it took?”

Valerie shrugged. “Sometimes it pays to be a celebrity, darling.”

“What about the new lead the police had? What was that about?”

“Tommy had a guilty conscience,” Valerie replied, her voice taking on a bitter tone. “With you coming back to town, he knew the entire mess we’d buried would be dug up again. I didn’t help when I exposed you, of course, but he went behind my back to the police and told them the truth. I met with Mr. Odell and we worked something out with the DA. A fine for obstruction of justice or some such thing, and no charges filed for the shooting. Anyway, the case is about to be closed and I’m sure it’ll only be a matter of time before the word gets out on what we did. Max tried to get a court order to seal the records, but the judge refused.”

“I can’t believe this.” Sadie sat back down, stunned. “So all this time it was you. Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“I didn’t want to burden you with the lie. It was a bad enough one for Tommy and I to share, much less you. You were just a baby.”

“I was fifteen,” Sadie corrected, looking at her mother. “I deserved to know.”

“What you deserved was a better life, which you got the minute you left me.” Valerie’s eyes misted, her lips curving. “I didn’t realize that until last night when I found out you’d been hurt again. This world of mine isn’t good for you. It never has been.”

Anger bloomed within Sadie. “You don’t think I’m strong enough to handle being famous?”

“I don’t think you’re foolish enough to want it when you’ve seen what it does to people, what it did to me and your father. What it’s done to you already.”

Sadie’s temper deflated, her heart aching. “We can fix it. I want to stay and record music with you. I want to be a part of your life.”

“You do?” Valerie brightened, a pleased look crossing her face. “Well, if that’s the case then maybe we should practice.”

Sadie nodded, emotion tightening her throat. “I would love to.”

W
HAT DO you mean she’s gone?” Brody asked, concern tightening his face.

Tess crossed her arms. “Her car’s not out front. She must have taken off.”

Tommy, Isaac, and Ben came inside from the patio, hearing Tess’s words.

“Maybe she just ran to the store for something,” Tommy suggested hopefully.

Isaac nodded, pulling out his cell phone. “I’ll call her.”

“Tried that,” Tess told him with a sigh. “Her phone’s turned off.”

Brody cursed under his breath, wondering what the hell Sadie was thinking. Sure, Drew was at the hospital in police custody, but the press would be lurking around the area, hungry for a glimpse of her. She could get bombarded by paparazzi in the street.

Ben cleared his throat, earning the attention of the others. “She’s probably at Val’s.”

“You’re right. I don’t know where else she’d go,” Brody agreed, running a hand over the back of his neck. “I’ll go check on her, make sure she’s okay.”

“I’ll join you,” Ben said, already heading for the front door.

Brody’s eyebrows rose. “You sure that’s a good idea?”

Ben gave a curt nod, then stepped outside.

Brody shot a curious look at the others before following him. Ben climbed into his rental SUV, prompting Brody to hop into the passenger seat. He buckled in, eyeing Ben warily. “Just so you know, if you and Valerie go to blows I’m stealing your car and taking Sadie with me.”

Ben chuckled as he started the car and retreated down the driveway. “What makes you think I’d leave you the keys?”

Brody popped open the glove box and pulled out the spare key enclosed with the rental agreements, holding it up with a grin. “Got that covered.”

A wry smile softened Ben’s face. “Val and I will be behave. If we don’t, there’s a paparazzi in the room who might catch it all on tape and make fools out of us.”

Brody grinned. “The tabloids would pay big bucks for that.”

“I’m sure they would,” Ben agreed. His humor faded as he glanced at Brody. “What are your intentions for my daughter?”

Brody snorted. “We’ve reached that point, huh? The part where you start acting like the concerned dad and I’m the asshole asking for your daughter’s hand?”

“No matter what kind of relationship we have, she’s still my daughter,” Ben argued. “And you’re still a shamed journalist-turned-paparazzi that for some reason has it in his head that he’s worthy of her.”

“I never said I was worthy.” Brody stared out the passenger window, feeling irritated. “She knows the truth about what I am and so far she’s been cool with it. I think you should worry about winning her trust back yourself before you start judging me.”

Ben let out a quiet sigh as he turned onto Valerie’s street. “Maybe you’re right.”

They drove up her driveway and hit the buzzer. After Brody spoke briefly with Carla, the gate opened and they were welcomed inside. Ben pulled in behind Sadie’s car and shut off the engine.

Brody turned to him with a tight smile. “We’re on the same team, Ben. We all want her to be happy. Keep that in mind, okay?”

Ben gave a quick nod, saying nothing as he exited the car. Brody followed him up the path to the front door.

When Carla answered, her lips parted in surprise. She stared at Ben, looking unsure of what to do.

“Mr. McRae, sir. We weren’t expecting you,” she stumbled, a hint of defensive anger in her voice.

Ben bowed his head in a sign of humility. “We’re looking for Sadie.”

“She’s with her mother.” Carla’s eyes shifted to Brody, watching him thoughtfully. “Come inside.”

She brought them through the parlor toward the music room, where they could hear the sound of the piano and light, beautiful voices singing. They came to a stop just outside the door, pausing to take a look inside.

Brody grinned at the sight of Sadie seated beside her mother at the polished grand piano. Valerie’s hands were busy working over the keys, creating the tune of one of Albatross’s most famous love songs. Sadie’s face was lit with a brilliant smile as she sang, and Brody felt the pull of her beauty tug on his heart. She was magnificent, and the woman beside her was still every bit the goddess she’d always been.

He chanced a look at Ben, curious to see what he thought of his daughter and ex-wife singing together. He’d expected irritation, maybe jealousy. Instead he saw surprised wonder that softened the serious lines of his face and brightened the blue-green of his eyes. He looked like a man who’d just stumbled upon a pile of glittering gold in the middle of the desert, sticking unexpectedly out of the sand.

Sadie spotted them first. She flushed with embarrassment and placed her hand upon her mother’s, urging her to stop playing. Valerie looked to her in confusion, before also shifting her gaze to the door.

Ben and Valerie met eyes for a long, quiet moment. Brody could feel the tension and electricity humming off Ben and hoped the man kept to his word about behaving.

Brody caught Sadie’s gaze and shrugged. When she still didn’t move, he decided to take the first step.

He patted Ben on the back and slipped on a cheerful grin. “So this is where you ran off to.”

Sadie stood up from the piano bench, her hands bundled together in front of her. “Sorry, I should have told you.”

Ben stepped forward, approaching the piano with a strained expression. His eyes went from Valerie to Sadie, then back to Valerie. He nodded and shoved his hands into his pockets, then glanced around the room. “Place looks a lot different since the last time I was here.”

Valerie bristled, her eyes not leaving Ben. “Better, you mean.”

He shrugged. “It suits you, Val.”

She tilted her chin up, her lips curving. “Yes, it does.”

Sadie stared back and forth between the two of them, a riot of nerves. She was shocked they hadn’t started fighting yet, but knew better than to assume they could be civil for long.

It had been over a decade since she’d seen the two of them in the same room together. The feeling was surreal; they had always been two separate parts of one whole that couldn’t exist in reality. Yet here they were, face to face. Her parents, the people who made her, brought together now because of her.

“Um, anyway, I was just going to hang out here for a bit longer then head home. You guys don’t have to stay if you don’t want to,” Sadie stammered, running a hand through her hair and wishing she knew better how to handle the situation. She looked to Brody pleadingly, but before he could intervene, Ben spoke.

“I’m in no hurry.” He walked to Sadie and placed a hand on her shoulder, his eyes warm. His other hand fell to Valerie’s, like it had always belonged there. Sadie marveled at the rush of pleasure she got from seeing it.

She looked at him and smiled. “Would you like to hear us play some more?”

He nodded, still keeping his hand on her shoulder as she sat back down on the bench. She shot her mother an excited grin, and Valerie beamed with pleasure. She tilted her head back to look at her ex-husband, one eyebrow raised.

“What song should we play, darling?”

A smile bloomed over Ben’s face. “How about the first song we ever wrote together.”

Valerie nodded. “Excellent choice.”

She started to play, her fingers sliding expertly over the keys. Sadie’s heart filled, tears welling in her eyes. When they began to sing together for the first time in over fifteen years, her eyes went to Brody and she mouthed ‘thank you.’ It was the greatest gift she could have ever received.

He grinned, pleased to see her get her wish after all this time. God knew she deserved it. It had him thinking of his own family and the patching up he still had to do. Realizing it was better late than never, he ducked out of the room and called his brother.

“Hey. I want you and Dad to meet me at that Irish pub on Sunset for lunch today.”

“
Sure, what for?
” Chase asked.

“It’s time we had that beer.”

“I REALLY am losing my touch,” Brody lamented, shaking his head. He shot Sadie an amused look. “I never would have guessed Valerie had it in her to go all mama bear and shoot someone. Much less partner up with Tommy for one of the greatest cover-ups in L.A. history.”

Sadie laughed, curling her legs beneath her on his sofa. Until the police were finished gathering evidence from her father’s house, she was staying at his place. “Well, from the sound of it the press hasn’t gotten a hold of the information yet. You could break the story, maybe get your reputation back.”