Epilogue
Paco Cruz heard about Anton Baba’s arrest as he was getting a haircut down in the barrio and his heart nearly stopped.
He will blame me. He will think I set him up.
The longer he thought about it, the more panicked he became. His brother, Jesus, had been trying to get him to go to Denver for months now. The marijuana business was legal there, and if Paco knew anything, he knew about weed. By the time the barber was through with his cut, he’d made up his mind. He was sick of cleaning other people’s toilets and emptying their trash. Who would have ever guessed something he’d been put in jail for was now a legal business?
He paid for his haircut and headed out the door. It was time to get away from this place and all the people in it. Nothing good had ever come to him here and he needed to get lost. Maybe he would start his life over. It was never too late until you took your last breath.
* * *
Anton Baba woke up handcuffed to a hospital bed, one guard inside his room and one standing outside the door. Neither one would talk to him. He asked to contact his lawyer. Two Feds named Gleason and Powers came instead, officially arrested him for the murder of Dale Stewart, the attempted murder of Starla Davis and Quinn O’Meara, and a litany of other infractions he knew they could prove.
“Do you understand the charges as we have read them?” Gleason asked.
“Yes. I want my lawyer.”
“I’ll bet you do,” Gleason said and then turned to the guard in the room. “He is allowed to make one call. Then I want the phone taken out of this room.”
“Yes, sir,” the guard said.
“But what if he needs to call me back?” Anton said.
“You better say all you need to say the first time, because technically, you’re already in jail,” Gleason said.
Anton’s gut turned. Everything he’d ever feared was coming true. He’d like to blame Star or Quinn or even some snitch, but he was honest enough to know he had started all of this himself. He just hadn’t expected anyone to fight back.
* * *
Three days later Quinn woke up alone in the bed, then rolled over to find Nick sitting in a chair on the other side of the room watching her sleep. He was not only already dressed, but he’d also showered and shaved.
“What’s happening? Are we supposed to be somewhere? Did I make us late?” she asked as she threw back the covers and started to get out of bed.
“Everything is fine,” Nick said. “I just like watching you sleep.”
She made a face at him.
“That’s a little creepy. Was my mouth open?”
“Yes, and you were drooling,” he said.
“You lie,” she said calmly, then laughed and threw a pillow at him.
Nick got up and walked over to the bed to sit beside her.
“I need to tell you something,” he said.
She got a knot in her stomach. The first thing that went through her head was I knew this was too good to be true.
He took her hand, then lifted it to his lips and kissed it.
“This better not be my walking papers,” she said.
“On the contrary. It’s an invitation.”
“Oh, well, then,” she said. “Where am I going?”
“To spend the rest of your life with me,” he said and slipped a ring onto the third finger of her left hand.
Quinn stared blankly at the ring and then at Nick.
“You just proposed to me, didn’t you?”
He nodded.
“Then I say yes,” she said and began to cry.
Nick put his arms around her and held her close.
“You’re supposed to be happy,” he said.
“I am happy. But I’m also a girl. I have imagined this moment for as long as I can remember and never knew it would be this perfect.”
“This seals the deal,” he said and leaned in for a kiss.
“You’ve chosen poorly,” she said primly.
He grinned.
“How’s that possible?”
“I have no dowry. No money. No work skills. At the same time, I do not have a police record, so there’s that.”
Nick laughed out loud.
“You are so full of shit. Dowry? Police records? Why do I think you are messing with me? What are you up to?”
She grinned.
“I’m just playing fair. No secrets between us.”
“Ha, then that’s what’s wrong. This isn’t a game, and I’m not playing.”
She crawled into his lap and put her arms around his neck.
“You pass,” she said.
“Pass what?”
“The confirmation I needed to know that you are indeed in love with me, and are marrying me for my fine body, good teeth and my skills in bed.”
Nick rolled with her in his arms until she was lying beneath him, grinning.
“Crazy redhead,” he whispered. “I do so love you—and for much more than your teeth.”
“Pretty dark-eyed man, I do so love you, too. The ring is stunning. I am so blessed. Thank you for having me.”
“Oh, it’s going to be my pleasure, for sure,” he said. “Do you want to get dressed, and we’ll go out for breakfast and talk about planning a wedding?”
“No. I want to get undressed, no talking, and make mad crazy love to you.”
Nick smiled.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Your wish is my command.”
Nashville—one week later.
It was midafternoon, and the sky was turning darker by the minute. Star had Sammy in her arms and was just waiting for her dad to say the word that they were going to the storm cellar when the home phone rang.
Connie jumped up from her chair and ran to answer, leaving John watching the weather report and the clouds.
“Hello?” she said.
“Hi, Mom, it’s me, Justin.”
“Hello, son. You caught us at a bad time. We’re on the verge of going to the storm cellar.”
“Oh, wow...tornado warning?”
“Yes, in the area.”
“Then I’ll keep this short and sweet. Tell sis that there’s not going to be a trial. She won’t have to come back here and testify. Baba’s lawyer has done a deal with the Feds. I don’t know what all he gave up to them, but the bottom line is he’s in for life. No possibility of parole.”
“Oh, thank goodness!” Connie said. “That’s wonderful news. I’ll tell her.”
“Be careful in that storm,” Justin said.
“We will. Love to all.”
“Thanks,” Justin said, and then he was gone.
Connie came running back into the room smiling.
“Starla, that was Justin. There won’t be a trial, and Baba is already in prison. He made a deal with the Feds, but he’ll never get out. He’s in for life with no possibility of parole.”
Starla looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms and started crying.
“I can’t believe it’s finally over,” she whispered, holding Sammy close.
“I’m so glad for you,” Connie said.
John suddenly yelled out from the other room.
“Danger over. Storm weakened before it got here. All we’ll get is some much-needed rain.”
Connie looked at her daughter and smiled.
“See, it is a sign, honey. Your life is calming. The danger to you and Sammy is over, just like this storm.”
“Then I’m going to put him back to bed,” Star whispered, and tiptoed out of the room and down the hall to his bedroom.
She elbowed the door inward and carried Sammy to his crib and laid him down, then pulled his blanket up and over his shoulders.
She stayed for a moment, watching to make sure he stayed asleep, and grinned when he popped his thumb in his mouth and started sucking.
She thought about all she’d gone through to keep him in her life—and how close she’d come to losing him.
Thank you, God.
Then she turned and walked out of the room.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from by Sharon Sala.