CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
The next morning during breakfast there was a tense stand-off over the coffee maker. Phoebe watched Ash stare at Jack, who was squinting at the oddly quiet Reggie. Not understanding the source of the tension, Phoebe sat quietly at the kitchen table, buttering her toast.
"We'll only be gone a couple hours," said Jack as she poured milk into her coffee. She quickly glanced at the wall clock. "Four at the most."
Ash's mouth was twisted in disapproval. He gripped a ceramic mug and was tapping the handle with his fingernail. For several seconds, the clicking noise was the only sound in the kitchen. Then he cleared his throat, dropped his mug onto the kitchen island, and rested his hands on the counter.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
Phoebe flinched. She could hear the impatience in his voice, and she realized that he was holding onto his temper. She hadn't had many opportunities to see him upset. He was usually in a playful mood, but this morning, she could see finely-etched lines around his mouth and the bleakness in his eyes.
Jack lifted her mug and sipped slowly at her coffee. She stared quietly at Ash, then turned impertinent eyes in Phoebe's direction. "And here I was thinking I was doing you and your wife a solid. I figure you two might enjoy having the house to yourselves."
Phoebe opened her mouth to object, but she closed it quickly when Ash shot her a dark look. Battling the urge to flee the room, she untwisted the lid to the strawberry preserves, then slathered a glob onto her toast. As the quiet standoff resumed, she brought the toast to her mouth and bit down into it. The crisp sound drew three pairs of eyes in her direction.
"I'm sorry," she said, dropping the toast onto her plate. When she caught Reggie's gaze, Phoebe shrugged in confusion.
Reggie lifted her brows. "It's all right, Ash. Me and Jack got some things to sort out, I reckon. We'll go to a movie, then grab some lunch. It'll be okay."
Ash tapped his fingers against the counter, then pushed to stand at his full height. "You sure?"
Reggie nodded. "Of course I am. This'll be good for us."
"I promise to bring her back in one piece, Major." Jack smiled when Ash winced at the use of his rank. Turning to the sink, she placed her now empty mug into the basin. "I swear to you, if I don't have her back in four hours, then you can call the police."
"Jack." Ash had spoken, but in a voice that didn't sound like him. He dropped his head, then he looked at Phoebe. She, in turn, smiled in reassurance and nodded.
That didn't seem to placate him. Instead he reached out and yanked open a kitchen drawer. He pulled a notepad and pen from its interior, then quickly scribbled something. He ripped the paper from the pad and handed it to Reggie.
Reggie's eyes widened as she scanned the page, then she choked back laughter. With a wink, she turned on her heel and walked to her bedroom.
"What was that all about?" asked Jack, staring at Ash.
He shrugged. "Nothing." He turned away from Jack as if dismissing her from his mind. He looked at Phoebe and quirked his brows. "What about you and me? Wanna stay home, or do you want to go out?"
Before Phoebe could answer, Reggie left her room. She stood in the kitchen doorway and motioned to Jack. "You ready to go, Jacinda?"
"I fucking hate that name," Jack said.
Reggie grinned and took her niece's hand. "I know." As she pulled Jack through the door, Reggie called out, "We'll be back in a few hours. Enjoy yourselves."
Phoebe held her breath until she heard the front door slam. Then she exhaled and looked at Ash. He finally filled his coffee mug, then sauntered over to the kitchen table and sat down across from her.
So many questions swirled in her mind that she struggled to identify which one she should ask first. She debated it silently as she watched Ash pluck her toast from her plate and take a large bite.
"So, what did you write on the paper?" asked Phoebe.
She was mesmerized as she watched the darkness fade from Ash. During his exchange with Jack, his shoulders had been rigid and his face had seemed as if carved from stone. Now he looked like the lighthearted man she'd grown to love.
Ash smiled crookedly, then brushed the crumbs from his hands. "I asked Reggie if she was being kidnapped. Wink if she was going willingly. Blink if she was being taken."
She gaped at him. "Taken?" Laughter rattled in the back of her throat. "Wait a second. You think your sister would kidnap your aunt? What would she do with her? Is there a black market for elderly curmudgeons?"
He cocked his head to the side. "You haven't seen what I've seen."
"And you've seen these black markets, have you?" Phoebe guffawed. "And did you enjoy yourself?"
Ash rubbed the flats of his hands against the table. "You're ruining my moment."
Phoebe struggled to control her laughter. "I'm sorry, Ash."
"You didn't even let me discuss the particular set of skills I've--"
She erupted into laughter and threw her napkin at him. He caught it, then flipped it right back at her.
When she corralled her humor, she folded her arms on the table and leaned forward. "So, what's the deal between Reggie and Jack? I get the history between you and your sister, but there seems to be something deeper between them."
His amber eyes darkened and for a moment Phoebe feared the darkness was returning. But he simply fell against the back of his chair and wiped his hand over his mouth. "You picked up on that?"
Phoebe nodded. "I guess I have my own particular set of skills."
Ash grinned and waved a finger between them. "How about you show me yours and I'll show you mine?"
"Ash," Phoebe said, forcing a warning tone into her voice. "What's the story?"
Ash exhaled. "Me and Frank are closer in age, with two years separating us. Jack is nine years younger than me." His mouth twisted in a grimace, then he combed his fingers through his thick dark hair. "I was serving in the military and Frank was away at college by the time Jack was in high school. Unfortunately, she didn't have either one of us looking out for her, and Reggie was getting a bit too old to keep up with a rebellious teen."
"I take it Jack started using drugs in high school?" Phoebe knew this story. It sounded very much like her mother's.
Ash nodded. "Back then, it was just pot. And to be honest, that didn't bother me so much. It was later, after high school, that she got into a pretty bad car accident. They gave her pain medication while she was recovering, and by the time all of her injuries were healed, she was completely addicted."
Phoebe was beginning to understand. "I guess when Jack's prescription ran out, she started to take Reggie's?"
"Bingo," said Ash. He took a couple of sips of his coffee. "So there's Reggie, needing her pain medication, and she was running through it too quickly. She realized that Jack was stealing from her, but Reggie didn't want to get her in trouble." He laughed. "You know cuz she ain't no snitch and all." The smile faded from his lips. "They kept on that way for a long while until Jack needed more. I guess Reggie tried to get her help, but Jack wanted none of it. Things just spiraled out of control until one day when Reggie tried to keep her pills away from Jack, and Jack"--he bit his lip, then shook his head--"didn't take that too kindly. She was in need of a fix, and Reggie wasn't filling it. So, she hit Reggie and Reggie fell."
Phoebe closed her eyes, trying to block out the image of a vulnerable Reggie trying to fight off her young niece. During her years as a caregiver, she'd heard stories of patients being exploited by the people charged with caring for them. Rage flowed through her as she thought about Reggie being used by someone she'd loved and cared for.
Ash tapped on the table as if trying to gain her attention. When she looked into his eyes, he smiled sadly. "I'd like to think that Jack wouldn't do such a thing again."
"We should call them back," said Phoebe.
Ash shook his head. "No. I think they're fine. Jack was a spoiled brat back then, and she's come a long way. I really don't think she'll put her hands on Reggie again, but I'm not so confident that she won't relapse."
"I'm so sorry."
Ash smiled. "Well, we've only got three hours left." He lowered his voice and waggled his brows. "There's something I want from you."
Phoebe felt anticipation blossom within her. "And what exactly do you want from me?"
"Cookies," he said, batting his long lashes, "I need your cookies."