Part 17 (1/2)
”Remember that note that he left you?” Jakob said. ”The one we found in the old shack on the island?”
”The one that said, 'Your life may be saved in death'?”
”Yes.” He nodded. ”That one. He was telling you that he was saving your life by having faked your father's death. He's the one who convinced Larry he'd had the body cremated. He took care of everything.”
”I had no idea.”
”None of us did.”
”That makes me feel ever sadder,” I said. ”It seems so unfair.”
”He was crazy, Bianca.” Jakob squeezed my hands. ”There was nothing you could have done to help. He was crazy.”
”So what's going to happen to Larry and Rosie?”
”I think they'll both go to jail for a long time,” Jakob said, and smiled.
”Are you sure? Is there any proof?”
”Loads.” He grinned. ”Penny kept all of the paperwork that Larry told her to shred. And she recorded all of his cell phone calls.”
”What?”
”Crazy, right?” He shook his head in amazement. ”Here we were thinking she was doing anything she could to protect her husband, but she was trying to set him up. It had been her plan from the day Oliver died that she was going to make Larry pay for his role in influencing Jeremiah. Turns out Oliver was convinced that Jeremiah loved him as well and that the reason why Jeremiah never left David's mom was because of Larry.”
”Do you believe that?” I asked softly, wondering how someone in love could listen to someone over their heart.
”No.” He shook his head. ”My dad didn't love him. My dad didn't love anyone but himself and the power he had over everyone.”
”That's sad, but do you really think that?”
”It is sad and I don't just think that, I know.” He sighed, and he clasped my hands tightly.
”How do you know?” I asked softly, my heart slowing as I stared at the adoration in his eyes.
”I know because there is nothing in heaven or h.e.l.l that could stop me from loving and being with you. I'd move mountains, swim in oceans, jump in volcanoes, walk across hot coals, swing from trees in the Amazon to be with you. There is nothing and no one that could stop me. I'd visit the depths of the earth and sing to every angel of the sky to help find you if you ever got lost.”
”You're just saying that,” I said breathlessly.
”I would never just say that.”
”I love you, Jakob.”
”I love you too,” he said, and leaned over and gave me a quick kiss. ”And Penny loved her brother like nothing on earth. She plotted and planned for years, just waiting for the opportunity to take Larry down.”
”I still can't believe it,” I said, my mind blown. How I'd been fooled by her during that first meeting. I smiled to myself as a thought hit me. I wondered what Larry was thinking. He'd been totally bamboozled.
”I know.” He laughed. ”Turns out Penny knew exactly what she was talking about when she said people were listening that day you went to her house.” He grinned. ”She just forgot to tell you that it was her.”
”Wow. And she's willing to come back from France and testify?”
”She's already back.” He nodded. ”Blake e-mailed her right before the ball. That's why he was late. They were e-mailing back and forth.”
”I had no idea. I was wondering what he wasn't telling us, and now I guess I know why. He couldn't exactly tell us Steve was highly dangerous in front of Steve.”
”Exactly.” Jakob nodded. ”But everything's okay now. We're going to be okay. We have the answers we needed. We can move on with our lives. Or at least try to.” His hand moved to my a.s.s, and I s.h.i.+fted.
”Jakob.” I giggled. ”Stop it.”
”Stop what?” He licked his lips and then licked mine.
”I'm not making love to you in your hospital bed.”
”Why not?” He grinned. ”Just think how hot it would be.”
”I'm not doing it.” I shook my head. ”No way, Jose. What if your st.i.tches opened?”
”What if I told you it would make me feel better?”
”I'd say, oh well.” I leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.
”Meanie.” He made a face and then his eyes lit up. ”There's something else I need to tell you.”
I groaned as I looked at him. ”I'm not sure how much more I can handle right now.”
”The nurse came in when you were sleeping.”
”Okay, and . . . ?”
”She asked me if you'd told me.”
”Told you what?”
”About the baby.” His eyes were alive with glee, and my heart stopped beating.
”What?”
”She asked if you'd told me about the baby. We're pregnant, Bianca.” He brought my hands to his lips and kissed them hard. ”We're having a baby.”
”No way!” I shook my head in shock. ”Are you sure?”
”As sure as I am that we're getting married just as soon as we make it out of the hospital.”
”Oh, Jakob, I don't even know what to say.”