Cheryl Tardif - Submerged

Marcus sat up. “What? Where did you hear that?”

Leo erupted into laughter. “Oh man. Word got out in the hospital and went everywhere. I heard Carol’s making you a cape.”

“Shit.”

“Hey, don’t sweat it. You did good, Marcus. Real good. I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks.”

“Now, what do you want me to do about Arizona?”

“I’ll pick her up before we leave for Rebecca’s. And Leo? I’ve really appreciated you looking after Arizona for me.”

“No problem. Except you’re gonna have to talk my wife out of getting a dog now. That’s all on you, buddy.”

Marcus laughed. “I’ll do my best, but I know that once someone looks into Arizona’s big brown eyes, she’s got them hooked.”

“I’m not getting a dog.”

“Okay, Leo. You keep saying that. Bye.” Click.

On the long drive to Edmonton, Marcus mulled over the attempt on Rebecca’s life and every possible scenario.

He kept hearing John Zur’s voice in his head. “ She’s into you.”

Could he be right?

When Carter Billingsley walked into her hospital room, Rebecca gave him a smile. “You didn’t have to drive all the way here to see me.”

“Yes, I did. It’s the least I could do. You know your father and I go way back.” Carter leaned down and kissed her forehead. “You’re like a daughter to me.”

“So the kids can call you Grandpa then?”

His frowned. “Let’s stick with Uncle Carter, shall we?”

“I’m glad to see you,” she said with a sigh. “It’s been a rough few days.”

He dragged the chair closer. “I hear it’s going to be rougher.”

She squeezed back tears and nodded, not trusting her voice.

“Rebecca, I want you to know that the extra bills have been paid for from your grandfather’s money. Yours too.” He held up a hand to silence her. “I know he specified it was to be spent solely on the children, but you and I both know he’d do this for you. He’d want you to have the best care and not have to worry about paying bills later.”

A tear escaped and she wiped it away. “Thank you.”

“Is there anything I can do for you or the children?”

“Get Wesley out of my life. I know he’ll be in theirs, but I want this divorce finalized. The sooner, the better.”

Carter’s mouth thinned. “I can certainly help with that. I have the divorce papers here with me. All I need is Wesley’s signature. Where can I find him?”

“I’m not sure.”

Carter inhaled deeply. “Do the police believe he had anything to do with this?”

“They’re checking him out, but I’m sure that Wesley did not try to kill me and the kids.”

“Did he ever tell you he called me to ask about the terms of your inheritance?”

She shook her head.

“He wanted to know if he could borrow from it and pay it back later.”

“But you advised him that he couldn’t.”

“Yes. And he wasn’t too happy about it, Rebecca. He called me a few choice names. You too, if I remember correctly.”

“Did the police talk to you?”

“Not yet. That’s the other reason I’m here. I had a call from a Detective Zur. He wants to see your file, go over the inheritance. Do I have your permission to show him?”

“You give him anything he needs, Carter. I want this nightmare over. And that won’t happen unless we get to the truth.”

He leaned over and patted her shoulder. “If there’s anything else you need, ask.”

“I need my life back. With my children. I need to feel safe again. I need them to find the bastard that did this.”

In the doorway, Carter said, “I hope they do. You deserve some happiness in your life.”

“Thank you, Carter. You’re the best.”

“Remember that when you get my bill,” he said with a laugh.

She listened to his footsteps move down the hall.

Then she picked up the phone and called Kelly’s cell phone. She quickly filled her in on the plan to have Marcus stay with her for a few days. Kelly wasn’t at all thrilled with the idea.

“What do you mean you’re letting a stranger stay with you?” Kelly demanded. “I said I’d do it.”

“I need you to keep the kids safe.”

“But you need to be safe too.”

“I will be. Marcus won’t let anything happen to me.”

“Are you sure that’s wise, Rebecca? I mean, you don’t really know this Marcus guy. And to have him sleeping in your house… ugh… I’m not so sure about this, Sis. I think it’d be better if I stayed with you.”

“No. This is what I want. No offense, Kelly, but it’s not like you could do much if someone broke in during the middle of the night.”

“Gee, you make me sound so helpless.”

“Sorry. But the truth is, I wouldn’t feel safe with you in my house. I’d worry about you getting hurt. This guy has his sights on me, and I need to know that the rest of my family is safe.”

“Okay, okay. As long as you’re sure about this 911 dude.”

“Never been more sure about anyone in my life.”

“You’ve gotta admit, Rebecca, it’s kind of weird how he abandoned his job and came to your rescue.”

“He didn’t abandon it. He felt he had to do the right thing. And it was right for him to try to find us. Now quit your griping. You should be happy Marcus came to our rescue. We wouldn’t be having this conversation otherwise.”

There was a long silence on the other end.

“I’m not being ungrateful,” Kelly said finally. “I’m very happy he found you and the kids. But I am worried about you. And this guy. He’s a…” Kelly’s voice trailed off.

“What? Rebecca prodded. “Spit it out.”

“You said he was an addict.”

“ Recovering addict.”

“Same thing. You sure he’s not going to steal your medication, or money or jewelry?”

Rebecca released a pent-up breath. “I know you’re worried for me, Sis, but trust me. I’m a good judge of character.”

Kelly let out a huff. “Uh… and what about Wesley?”

“Okay, you got me there. Not a good choice. But really, don’t worry about Marcus Taylor. He’s one of the good guys. And there aren’t many out there. I trust him. He won’t steal from me. Besides, the only drugs I have at home are kids’ aspirin and Buckley’s cough syrup. I can tell you that Marcus isn’t that desperate.”

“Fine,” Kelly said. “I’m already on my way. I’ll be there in about three hours.”

“I love you, Sis.”

“Me too.”

Rebecca hung up and thought about Marcus. He’d had a string of bad luck, especially with his wife’s and son’s deaths. On top of these, he was battling a drug addiction, and was suspended from a job he enjoyed. He liked helping people. She could tell. Yet, he was modest, never looking for the limelight, never seeking recognition.

Even when he’d told her about the old lady with the cat, she could tell he genuinely cared about people. Unlike Wesley, who cared about one solitary person—himself.

Two very different men. One terrified her. The other made her feel… alive.

Kelly had been after her for weeks to start dating. Rebecca had argued with her that she couldn’t date until she was legally divorced. She wouldn’t betray her vows—even if Wesley had. In truth, the thought of dating terrified Rebecca. How does one go about meeting decent men at her age? Internet dating? Too many nutcases out there. Dating services? And what if she met no one other than jerks who thought two kids were excess baggage?

No, she’d much rather let fate intervene. She’d meet someone when the time was right. And that’s what she’d always promised Kelly.