Chapter 33
The news of Norman Cross’s death swept the nation and was the talk of the cable news channels especially given the added twist of a sordid cover-up.
Reporters invaded the town to broadcast live in front of the Cross mansion and the House of Horrors.
Despite a flurry of interview requests Sergio kept Crystal and Shane locked up in the town jail after a judge denied bail, and they were not allowed to speak to reporters. A decision echoed by their defense attorney, who preferred powdering himself with makeup and speaking for them on camera since he was a rabid attention hog.
Poor Aaron’s vet practice was besieged by the press when word got out he had been dating the cold-as-ice femme fatale Crystal Collier. He was rumored to have been close to shutting his business down and fleeing town until all the hoopla died down, but Aaron was a professional, and there were way too many sick animals that needed to be nursed back to health. So he just kept his head down, focused on his job, and ignored the gaggle of reporters camped outside his office who shouted questions about Crystal every night when he walked to his car after his last appointment.
And then there was Danny.
He had spent the last two days in bed recovering at the Bar Harbor Hospital.
The bullet had just grazed his arm and his minor flesh wound was patched up pretty quickly, but Danny being Danny, he relished all the attention and drama of his injury so he chose to stay hospitalized at the doctor’s invitation, just to be sure he was fully recovered, even though Danny, his doctor, and the entire hospital staff knew there wasn’t a single reason he shouldn’t be discharged.
Hayley stopped by the hospital for a quick visit before work, and when she walked into Danny’s room, she found him sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed in a plaid shirt over a white T-shirt, blue jeans, and L.L. Bean work boots, his arm in a cloth sling.
He perked up at the sight of Hayley in the doorway.
“Hi, babe.”
“So they’re finally kicking you out?”
“Are you kidding? The nurses love me. They’re devastated I’m leaving. They’ve been fawning all over me. Tilly told me the staff got together in the cafeteria and talked about upping my blood pressure numbers just so the doctor would keep me around a little while longer.”
“You always were the life of the party, Danny.”
“They gave me a little going-away shindig this morning. One of the nurses baked a cake. It was very sweet. The gesture. Not the cake. The cake was dry and chalky and I had to spit it out in the sink.”
Hayley chuckled.
“I’m just waiting for them to bring my discharge papers and a wheelchair so they can escort me out. I think they’re having an argument at the nurses’ station as to who is going to do the honors.”
“You need a ride somewhere?”
“No, I’m good. I already have a designated driver. It’s nice of you to stop by, Hayley.”
“Danny . . .”
“I know what you’re going to say. When I saved your life down in that basement, that was the moment when you realized how much you love me and that those feelings for me are never going away, so maybe it’s time we tried again. You’re here to tell me I should move back in with you and the kids so we can be a real family again. And that I shouldn’t answer now, but I should think about it, and when I’m ready, I should let you know what I want to do even though we both know I’m going to come back to you because we are meant to be together. Am I right?”
“Not even close.”
“I figured it was worth a shot. I knew you probably wouldn’t go for it. I took a bullet for you. If that didn’t work, what else can I do?”
“You were very brave and gallant down in that basement, jumping in front of me to protect me like that.”
“I love you, babe. That’s never going to change.”
“So what are you going to do now?”
“I have an option or two.”
From inside the bathroom, they heard a toilet flush.
Hayley raised an eyebrow at Danny, who smiled sheepishly.
The sink ran water for a few seconds and then the door opened and Becky sashayed out, wiping her hands on her tight white blouse. “They’re out of paper towels.”
“Becky?” Hayley said, surprised.
Becky looked Hayley up and down and with a pout said, “Oh, it’s you. What do you want?”
“I just came to check on Danny. Like strictly platonic friends do. Please don’t read anything into it,” Hayley said, desperate to avoid another confrontation.
“Well, that’s awfully darn nice of you, Hayley. But don’t you worry. My Danny is in good hands. Once I get him back to Des Moines I’m going to spoil him rotten and take care of him and make sure he doesn’t have a care in the world.”
Danny sat up, rubbing his stiff neck, moaning a bit for effect. “You’re too good for me, sweet pea.”
“I know. You’re lucky to have me. And don’t you ever forget it again,” Becky cooed, bending over and kissing him lightly on the cheek.
“Well, I’m happy to see you two back together,” Hayley said.
“Liar,” Becky shot back.
“Now, Becky . . .” Danny warned.
Becky threw her hands up in the air. “It’s all good. I know you’re not a threat to me anymore, Hayley. My Danny has made up his mind as to who the best woman is for him. Isn’t that right, Danny?”
“Absolutely. One hundred percent,” Danny agreed before winking at Hayley when Becky’s back was turned to him.
“You know, I had a lot of time to think while I was behind bars and I realized that I still love Danny. It’s like a virus that just won’t go away,” Becky said, impressed with her deep thoughts.
A virus probably wasn’t the best analogy she could have come up with, but Hayley wasn’t going to quibble, especially since Becky was finally taking Danny off her hands.
“I suppose my passion got the best of me. It was wrong of me to try to run your car off the road. My bad,” Becky said as if attempted murder were the equivalent of an offhanded insulting remark. “But everything worked out in the end.”
“Well, the kids are going to miss having you around, Danny,” Hayley said.
“I’ll be back,” Danny assured her.
“Next month is my court date,” Becky said nonchalantly as if she were only facing a small traffic infraction.
There was the strong possibility Becky would be spending the next six months to two years in the state of Maine.
Serving time.