Doug knew he had one chance to get Chester on tape. He wasn’t sure how involved Chester was in Earl’s death, but Doug knew he wasn’t completely innocent. Everything that Turchetta and Beckett had uncovered showed Candi as a slick con artist and as evil as they come. As stupid as she appeared, she was smart enough not to leave a trail to herself. The only thing they had on either of them was those fucking text messages. Fucking around on your husband makes you a bitch, but I want proof you’re a murderer.
“Vehicle approaching from the east,” Doug heard in his earpiece.
“Roger that,” Doug replied.
Beckett was standing about two feet away from Doug. They had clear instructions that all parties were to attend this meeting unarmed. However, they weren’t meeting with people who respected rules, or life. He was glad Beckett had brought in the Turchettas. If shit started to go down, not only did they need it on audio and video, they also needed protection.
A black limo approached, dark tinted windows making it impossible to see how many people were inside. He hoped the others had a better view once the door opened. Doug hated having Beckett here. They were sitting ducks. If these guys came out armed and shooting, they’d need to rely on the sharpshooters in the distance. Hope they’re as good as you say, Beckett. My gut is telling me we’re going to need them.
The first out of the limo was a guy about six foot six. He was dressed in black head to toe, and Doug knew the guy was packing under his leather jacket. A second, third, and then a fourth also exited. These guys were here for one reason: to intimidate the fuck out of Doug. What they didn’t realize was Doug and Beckett had been up against worse odds. Play your game, Chester. I guarantee you’ll come out a loser.
As the men approached, one asked, “You armed?”
Doug shook his head, but he knew they were about to be frisked. Instead, Doug slipped off his coat and tossed it on the ground away from him. He lifted the bottom of his T-shirt, and spun around to show nothing hidden in the waist of his jeans. The guy walked over and patted Doug’s pockets. The irony. These guys are armed to the hilt yet checked that he and Beckett were clean. Bastards.
He went to Beckett, who followed Doug’s lead. Once the guy confirmed they were clean, he nodded toward the limo. All four men stood like a wall between Doug and the limo. He shot Beckett a look with the slightest curl of his lips. Beckett nodded. These bastards were street thugs, not military trained, and they had no idea what they were up against. Who they were up against. Doug liked to see the eyes of his opponent, but their dark sunglasses made that impossible. He was trained well, and knew how to read body language. Hopefully, more than they can hide.
Finally, the driver of the limo stepped out, walked to the back, and opened the door. There was no mistaking Chester from this distance. The guy was about Earl’s age and seemed in pretty good shape. He walked past his thugs and stood right in front of Doug.
“So, you’re Atwood.” Chester looked him over from head to toe. “Not what I expected.”
Doug wasn’t sure what the hell that meant. Was it because Earl, like Chester, only wore fine custom-made suits? It was possible. Looking at Doug, there was absolutely no resemblance at all. If it weren’t for DNA, I’d have questioned my paternity too.
“Let’s cut the small talk,” Doug said firmly. “You know why I’m here.”
Chester nodded. “I do. And you know what I want.”
“I do.”
“Good.” Chester reached into his coat pocket and pulled out papers and a pen. He snapped his fingers, and one of his thugs came forward. Chester gave the guy the paperwork to hand over to Doug. When the guy tried to give it to him, Doug ignored the guy and addressed Chester again.
“This is not on your terms, Chester. This is on mine.”
Chester glared at him. “You don’t know who you’re dealing with, do you, young man?”
Doug shook his head. “Don’t care.”
“You will. I don’t like to waste my time. And you have tried my patience.”
Doug never took his eyes off Chester. He knew Beckett and the Turchettas would be watching the others. This was his showdown. He was about to push Chester hard, which would make him run or attack. Hope it’s the latter as I want an excuse to put a permanent end to the fucking mess. I refuse to look over my shoulder for the rest of my life. It ends today.
“Then tell me about Candi.”
Chester stepped forward and said, “You really don’t get how this goes, do you? I ask questions, and you answer.”
Doug laughed. “Ask, but I don’t think you’re going to like the answers.”
Chester reached back into his coat, pulled out a gun, and pressed it directly against Doug’s forehead. “Maybe this will help you understand who’s in charge here.”
Doug didn’t blink. “You better make it count, Chester, because you only get one shot.”
Chester cocked the gun while glaring at Doug. “You think I won’t?”
In one quick movement, Doug’s arm came up around Chester’s, bent the arm upward, and snagged the gun from him. Before Chester or the others could move, Doug had the gun pointed at Chester’s head.
“What were you saying?” Doug asked sarcastically.
Although Chester was trying to cover his amusement, Doug could see it in his eyes, and it only pissed him off even more.
“What is it you want, Atwood?” Chester asked; his voice didn’t even tremble.
“Simple. I want you to stay the fuck away from me and anyone in my life. Got it?”
“And if I refuse?” Chester asked, smirking.
You won’t be smiling for long. “Then it ends here and now.”
“You’d shoot me in cold blood?” Chester asked with a grin on his face. When Doug didn’t answer, Chester continued, “I didn’t think so. See the difference between us, Atwood, is you’re bound by honor, and I’m not. All I need to do is make one call, and that sweet young lady you picked up in West Virginia will see the same fate your father did.”
Doug’s jaw twitched with anger. He wanted to pull the trigger so fucking badly. That bastard just threatened to kill Rose. That man was more fucking evil than he’d expected. Even with a gun to his head, he didn’t break. Doug knew right then that Chester was not walking out of there. He was either going to prison or to his grave. Those were Chester’s only choices.
“You’re not dealing with my father. Money and power mean nothing to me. You’ve found the one thing that does.”
“Then sign the papers, and this will all go away.”
Doug lowered the gun, so it wasn’t in Chester’s face, but still trained on him. He shook his head and said, “I’m not signing anything, and you’re not going anywhere.”
Chester raised his right hand, which must’ve been a signal to his men as they all reached in their coats and pulled out their weapons. What was only four, quickly became six, as two more leaped from the limo.
Things were moving quickly. Doug grabbed Chester by the back of his suit coat and threw his ass to the ground as he shot the thug who’d frisked him earlier. Then shot the second. At the same time, he saw Beckett tuck and roll to avoid getting shot before pulling his Glock out of his boot, and sending off a round, taking down the third thug. Turchetta’s sharpshooters also hit their targets taking out the other three.
The guy in the limo pulled a weapon too, and Beckett got off a clear shot through the windshield. That left only one, Chester. Doug walked over and said, “Like I said, you leave the people I love the fuck alone. Got it?”
Doug kicked Chester’s leg when he didn’t respond. Shit, maybe one of Turchetta’s guys hit the asshole by mistake. There was a code about shooting an unarmed man.
“Fuck.” Doug bent down so he could check Chester’s pulse. As he rolled him over, Doug saw the gun in his hand and reacted as he’d been trained. Defend. Chester got one off before Doug did. In only a matter of seconds, Chester’s men, and the evil bastard himself, were lying on the ground dead.
Beckett came rushing over to Doug. “Fuck, man. You’re bleeding.”
Doug felt the pain in his left shoulder. The warmth from the blood running down his chest and back said it went clean through.
“I’m okay. Clean through. Check the others.”
Beckett did and returned. “All clear. I can’t believe Chester was not only willing to kill for that property in South America, but he died trying to get it. Looks like you got yourself one fucking valuable piece of property.”
“I wonder what Chester would’ve thought if he knew I transferred ownership to Trent.”
Beckett shot him a look. “You’re serious.”
“I told you, I didn’t want anything to do with it.”
“Why didn’t you just tell Chester? He was only here to muscle you for the property.”
It hadn’t been an easy decision. Doug knew the threat would’ve been lifted from Rose and himself. Yet it would’ve been transferred to Trent and his family. He needed to go with his gut, and he decided for both he and Rose what was best. “This had to end now.” For everyone’s sake.
“Just like old times. You’re still one crazy son of a bitch. Wouldn’t want to fight beside anyone else. Now we better get you to the hospital.”
“I know which one I want to go to.” Marpe-Agape. Cause there is a nurse who has just what I need to feel better right now.
Just then Beckett’s phone rang. “Speak, KJ,” Beckett barked.
If KJ was calling that meant one thing: trouble. She was one of the only people who knew what was going down today. Don’t tell me that bastard hurt Rose.
Beckett didn’t have it on speaker, so Doug had no idea what was going on. He could tell it was huge by Beckett’s face. “Roger that.” He hung up the phone and said, “We’ve got to move boots.”
Doug’s heart was pounding in his chest. He’d just had a gun pointed at his head and it never skipped a beat. Now thinking something happened to Rose, it felt like it was about to rip out of his chest. “What the fuck happened, Beckett?”
“I’m about to become a father.”
Doug was torn between giving Beckett a hug of congratulations and knocking his ass to the ground. “Let’s get this bird in the air.”
Doug was in constant contact with Turchetta the entire flight. This was going to be a high-profile investigation, but thankfully the incident was filmed. The police and FBI weren’t pleased that they left without sitting down to provide a full report. It was going to happen, but it’d need to wait forty-eight hours. Doug needed to see Rose. Even when Beckett tried to get him to go to a local hospital to have his gunshot wound dressed, he declined. Beckett understands, “Fuck, no.”
He no longer had to worry about Albert Chester. In Chester’s case, he was so despicably dark, understandably paranoid, he trusted no one. No second-in-command. What Doug knew was, with people like this, sadly, you cut one down and another takes their place.
The Turchetta’s would be on retainer, monitoring things for a while. Don’t worry, Candi, I haven’t forgotten about you. You can run and pretend you’re innocent, but we’ll find what we’re looking for, and trust me, you’ll regret the day you ever married into my family. I don’t break my promises, and I promise you’ll pay for your part. I don’t care if it takes me twenty years. He would uphold his one promise to his father.
Beckett wasn’t the only one in a rush to get back to Marpe-Agape. Doug and Beckett had a lot of official business to attend to on the trip back, but the flight seemed to take forever. It’d been more than a week since Doug had seen or spoken to Rose. He knew if he’d contacted her before meeting with Chester, he would’ve had to hold back what he needed to say to her. It wasn’t something he wanted to discuss on the phone and definitely not in a text message. All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and never let her go. Only a day before, he’d been willing to never see her again if she would be safe. Thank God that wasn’t the case. He’d found the woman he knew he’d spend the rest of his life with.
A chill ran through him. Just a few hours earlier he’d had a gun pressed against his forehead. No matter how cool he’d played it then, all he could think of was Rose and that he’d never have the chance to say those three words he’d never said to a woman before. I love you.
Dr. Fung, I need you. “Just a little bit more, Danielle. You’re almost there.” Rose watched the monitor and saw another contraction coming.
“Where is Dr. Fung? This baby is coming,” Danielle said between contractions.
Rose was timing them, and they’d gone from ten minutes apart to two. Her labor was progressing a lot faster than any of them expected. This was Danielle’s first child. They usually took longer than this. Nothing is ever normal in the Davis family. Why should I have thought this would go any differently?
“He’ll be here, Danielle. You just keep concentrating on your breathing. Just like we practiced. Ready. Hee hee hoo. Hee hee hoo.”
Danielle did the Lamaze breathing just as Rose directed. The monitor showed the contraction was a large and long one. This baby’s coming. Rose had assisted in a few deliveries but never handled one on her own. With both Dr. Fung and KJ called away on an emergency, it was up to Rose.
Rose checked Danielle’s progression again. She was fully dilated, and Rose knew it was time for her to push. Just a few more minutes, Danielle. Dr. Fung is on his way. Hold on just a bit more.
“Beckett. Where are you?” Danielle cried out.
Rose’s heart broke. How could she answer her sister-in-law? She knew Danielle needed her husband with her. Rose wasn’t sure how often they’d spoken since Beckett and Doug had left a week ago. I know my brother. He wouldn’t have cut off communication from his precious wife. He’s not geared that way. How I wish Doug felt that for me.
She couldn’t compare the two. Danielle was having a baby. She needed Beckett here. All the hoping in the world wasn’t going to make them magically appear. “He’d be here if he could. You just concentrate on the baby you’re about to bring into this world.”
Danielle nodded. “He’s coming. I know he is. He’ll be here. Beckett promised me,” she said as the contraction ended. She sounded as though she was stating a fact.
She didn’t have the heart to tell her the baby was going to be here any minute. They were going to be lucky if Dr. Fung made it in time, never mind Beckett. No matter where Beckett is, babies come when they come; there’s no stopping now.
Rose heard the door open behind her and sighed with relief. She would’ve delivered it on her own if needed, but having Dr. Fung here was much better. She was shocked when she turned and saw Beckett instead.
How? Danielle was right. Beckett made it. Rose wanted to run up to him, ask about Doug, but there wasn’t time. A baby was coming, and she needed to focus. Danielle was counting on her. My new niece or nephew is too.
Beckett rushed to Danielle’s side, took her hand in his, and placed a kiss on her forehead. Then he turned to Rose and asked, “Where’s Fung?”
“Called away with another patient,” Rose answered.
He shot her a look and asked, “Just you here?”
“We can do this,” Rose replied.
Beckett arched a brow and left the room. When he re-entered she wanted to cry. Her heart was beating so quickly. “What are you doing here?”
“I heard you could use some help,” Doug responded as he grabbed a blue medical gown, suited up, washed his hands, and gloved up. As he was getting prepared he asked, “How far apart are her contractions?”
“One minute was the last one. But they have increased rapidly in the last few minutes.”
“BP? Temp?”
“Both normal.” Rose was puzzled by his questions. Although the word happy didn’t even come close to describe how she felt seeing him, she also couldn’t afford the distraction. The baby was about to make its debut. Without taking her eyes off Danielle’s monitors, she asked, “Doug, why are you here?”
Doug walked over to Danielle and softly said, “I’ve delivered about a dozen or so babies in my time. Beckett thought I might as well be here to bring in my godchild.” Danielle smiled right before another strong contraction hit. “Beckett, get over here.”
Doug instructed Beckett on how to hold Danielle to help her, as it was time to push. Rose didn’t need instructions. She knew her role but was amazed that Doug, even in this situation, was in total control. Nothing fazes him. God, that man is amazing.
One quick look at Beckett and she noticed he was the total opposite. She’d never seen her brother like this. As Danielle was breathing through her contraction, it looked like Beckett was holding his breath and about to pass out. “Beckett.” He looked at her. “Breathe! She’s doing fine,” Rose ordered.
He nodded, and she went to stand by Doug, who now was in position to assist with the delivery. From then on, it was all business. Doug gave instructions, and they all followed. Within a few minutes, the room was filled with the most welcome sound. Cries from a sweet baby girl.
She looked at Danielle holding her little girl. Looking at Beckett, her eyes became blurry as his eyes filled with tears when he touched his new daughter for the first time. Rose had been concerned about being there, doing that, especially for family. But tears of pure joy filled her eyes. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss this.
As they stood, Dr. Fung and KJ entered. “Well, looks like I’m a bit late.” He checked Danielle and the baby, turned to Rose, and said, “Good job.”
Rose reached out and took Doug’s hand in hers saying, “Thank you, but Doug deserves the thanks. He delivered the baby.”
Dr. Fung walked over and gave Doug a friendly slap on the back of his left shoulder. Rose felt Doug’s hand clench in hers as he winced. The doctor didn’t miss it either.
“He’s lost a lot of blood, Doc, so if you’re still on the clock, I think Doug could use you now,” Beckett said. “We’ve stopped the bleeding and cleaned it as best we could, but there’s a bullet wound that needs attention.” A bullet wound? Doug?
Rose’s legs felt weak, and her hand trembled as she reached to touch him. Doug stopped her. How didn’t I notice before? They must have changed shirts because there wasn’t any visible blood, but looking at him now she could tell he was favoring his left arm.
“It’s okay,” Doug said to her softly. Nothing felt okay. Not as long as he was hurting in any way.
KJ came over to Doug and said, “Let’s get you into the next room so Dr. Fung can take a look.”
Doug let go of her hand, but Rose didn’t want to let go. She wanted to take care of him. He bent and placed a gentle kiss on her lips and said, “You stay here and take care of our godchild.”
“I want to—”
“Rose, we’ll be right next door. Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of him,” Dr. Fung said.
Doug nodded to her, and as they left the delivery room, Rose was unable to move. She knew they were right. As a nurse, you shouldn’t be in the room with family members as your emotions can interfere with the treatment. Logic didn’t make her feel any better.
She felt an arm around her shoulder and looked up. Beckett. “He doesn’t want you to see him injured. Let the doc do his thing, and then you can see him. Being a stubborn jackass comes with the territory.”
Beckett was trying to make light of the subject, but Rose didn’t want to hear it. Until she was able to hold Doug in her arms and tell him how much she loved him, she felt like her world was on hold. He’s here and safe, and right now, that’s all that matters.