The Son He Never Knew

“As I told you last night, it was an accident. Dalton came to pick up Danny three hours late, he’d been drinking, and when I refused to let him take Danny, he grabbed my arm and I yanked it away. I guess he lost his balance but I’m not sure. It’s all a blur.”

Lie number three. She remembered every last detail, sickening sights and sounds included. She recalled Dalton’s insistence they get back together, her refusal, his threats to take her son away from her permanently if she didn’t do his bidding. His accusations. And then…

Feeling the need to escape, Jess downed the rest of her coffee and stood. “I’m going to get dressed now, unless you want to go first.”

He leaned back in the chair and made a sweeping gesture toward the hall. “You go ahead.”

“Okay. And after I’ve finished making my statement, I need to get my car and a few things from the house.”

“I’ll have to escort you until Buck clears the place as a possible crime scene.”

Great. Nothing like being considered a hardened criminal. But then she had been guilty of more than her fair share of crimes, the first entailed marrying the wrong man. The second—not leaving him years ago. “Fine, but I want to find a place to rent today if at all possible. If I do, I’ll need more than a duffle bag and one change of clothes.”

“You’re welcome to stay here as long as you like,” he said without much conviction. “Once Dalton verifies your account of the events, you’ll be free to move back into your house.”

“It’s not my house,” she answered with more force than necessary. “Dalton made all the decisions when we had it built so I never considered it mine. During the divorce, he agreed to sell it and split the proceeds but unfortunately, people around here can’t afford it. And Dalton’s too damn stubborn to just buy out my half so he can move back in.”

“He still wants to control you,” Chase said, his tone etched with anger.

“You’re right, but I refuse to let him control me anymore.” Easier said than done. Even lying in a hospital bed, he was still controlling her life. If heaven forbid he died, that control still wouldn’t end. “Do you happen to know of any place I can rent? Since we’re on the holiday break, I’d have time to get settled before school resumes after the first of the year.”

He released a cynical laugh. “Most of the rentals around here are owned by your father-in-law.”

Jess hadn’t stopped to consider that. “Surely there’s some property available somewhere that Edwin doesn’t have his hands on.”

Chase kicked back in his chair and stretched his arms above his head. “I’ll ask around. In the meantime, you can stay here.”

She didn’t see that as a viable option, especially after his obvious discomfort last night. “Thanks for the offer, but I can always go to the motel if I have to.”

Chase shrugged. “Suit yourself, but you’re pride isn’t going to benefit you or your son. Forcing him to live in a rat-hole motel won’t help matters.”

As usual, he was right, but that didn’t make living in his house more appealing. “I’ll just wait and see what happens today.”

She had one more question to ask him, one she’d been purposely avoiding to this point. “Have you heard anything on Dalton’s condition?”

“I called Rachel a little while ago. He’s still in ICU but he’s stable.”

Jess experienced some measure of relief that she wouldn’t be facing a murder charge—yet. “Then, he’s going to be okay?”

“Looks like it. He’s also awake.”

Her relief dissolved into dread. “Did he say anything about last night?”

“He said he doesn’t remember what happened. But that could only be temporary. They won’t know for a few days.”

“I’m glad his condition has improved,” she added without a shred of sincerity.

Chase studied her as if he could see right through her deception. “I guess it probably is a good thing. Unless it’s going to cause more problems for you in the long run.”

Somehow Chase knew she was withholding information, but he could never know what really happened last night. No one would know if she could help it. Jess could only hope that Dalton’s memory loss was permanent, saving both her and her son. If not, she’d deal with the fallout later. Right now she had to move on to the matter at hand.

“I’m going to check on Danny and then dress.” As she started toward the bedroom, Chase called her name. She faced him and attempted a smile that fell short. “Yes?”

His gaze didn’t waver from hers. “When you give your statement, don’t forget all the misery Dalton’s caused you and Danny. Consider what’s best for you and not what’s right.”

Comprehension dawned slowly before Jess realized Chase had been telling her to cover her tracks. To do what she had to do to skirt any legal issues. Basically, to lie.

Without offering a response, Jess left the kitchen to seek out her child. She discovered the guestroom door partially ajar and pushed it open to find Danny seated on the edge of the bed, tying his sneakers. He glanced up at her with that same vacant look in his eyes, sending a pang of regret coursing through her soul.

She took a seat beside him, draped her arm around his thin shoulders and locked into his gaze. “Danny, when we get to the station, Sheriff Reed’s going to ask you some questions.”

A flicker of fear called out from his brown eyes, yet he didn’t respond, leading Jess to continue. “It was an accident. That’s all you have to say. Or you don’t have to say anything at all. In fact, it might be better if you didn’t say anything.”

When fear turned into confusion in Danny’s expression, Jess felt as if she was falling into a black hole of deceit and dragging her son down with her. Still, she saw no way around asking him to lie, if only by omission.

She tipped her head against his and whispered, “I promise you I’m going to take care of this. Nothing bad’s going to happen if you’ll trust me, sweetie.”

He looked as if he didn’t quite believe her, but he did nod his head in acknowledgment.

Jess kissed his forehead and came to her feet. “Try not to worry, Danny. It will all be over soon.”

If only she sincerely believed that. If only she could convince her child of that when she wasn’t convinced herself.

For the time being, Jess decided to follow Chase’s advice and only disclose what she needed to get by, skirting the truth and in turn, shattering everything she’d been taught during her childhood. Everything she’d taught her only child about honesty.

Even if she continued her cover-up, she ran the risk that eventually her secrets would be revealed. Two very important secrets. The first she’d kept for over ten years, the second less than twenty-four-hours. Both were closely intertwined. That ten-year-old secret could drive an irreparable wedge between her and Chase as well as complicate her current problems.

But the second could cost her everything…including her son.

CHAPTER THREE

“YOU LOOK LIKE HELL, Deputy Reed.”

Chase leaned over the counter and sent Sue Ellen Parker—the sixty-something Crowley County dispatcher—his best grin. “You look mighty pretty today.”

A serious blush spread across the woman’s plump cheeks. “I thought you outgrew that silver-tongued devil tactic years ago. Just goes to show, once a bad boy, always a bad boy. And I’m thinkin’ your bad boy ways may be the cause of your fatigue.”

He wouldn’t argue that point. Having Jess in his bed had prevented him from getting much rest. Sometime during the night, she’d curled up against him and it had taken all his strength not to take up where they’d left off all those years ago. Repeating past mistakes never turned out well. And if he knew what was good for him, he’d scour the county and find her a place to live before he screwed up again.

He couldn’t think of a better resource for rental property than Sue Ellen, who knew everything about everyone, just like the town gossip, Pearl Allworth. But one huge difference set the two women apart—Sue was discrete while Pearl shot rumors around town like a human AK-47.

Chase sent a glance toward the small conference room across the hall where Buck was probably bullying Jess, hoping she might break. Danny was sitting in the corridor, his legs in constant motion. He felt sorry for the kid on many levels, the first being born to a bastard like Dalton Wainwright. Now to be dragged into a mess that could land his mother in jail, that sure as hell wasn’t fair. But then life wasn’t always fair. He’d learned that through experience.

Chase walked around the counter and took a seat next to the dispatcher, determined to do what he could to help Jess and her boy. Keeping his back to Danny, he asked Sue, “Do you know anyone who has a house for rent besides Wainwright?”

She took a pen from behind her ear and tapped it on the desk. “Is the remodeling going down the toilet?”

He lowered his voice and said, “It’s not for me. It’s for Jess and Danny.”