Part 29 (1/2)
Chaos erupted above her. Gunfire, screams, the water churning wildly. Her head just broke the surface when a white blur flashed before her eyes, followed by a splash, as gunfire continued. Kaitlyn! She gulped for air and dived after her. The water wasn't terribly deep here, six or seven feet at most. Her eyes stung when she tried to open them, but she saw a blob of white and grabbed for it, then headed upward.
She surfaced to cheers. Paavo was on the ladder, reaching out for her. She tried to swim toward him, but it was hard holding a baby. She lunged forward and missed his hand. As she and the baby started to sink again, someone grabbed her arm. Coughing and blinking, she saw it was Sal, in the water with her. Paavo held Sal's arm and Sal held hers. Together, they hauled her and the baby to the ladder.
Paavo handed Kaitlyn up to her mother, then helped Angie and Sal onto the dock.
The area was chaotic as black-clad SWAT team members, medics, and uniformed police swarmed everywhere. Rebecca Mayfield was securing the scene and directing the arrests.
As Hannah hovered, a medic examined the crying baby. He a.s.sured Hannah it was an automatic response, not a learned one, to shut your mouth and try not to breathe when underwater. The baby was underneath just a few seconds, even though it seemed like an eternity, before Angie got her back to air.
Paavo took Angie in his arms and she saw he was nearly as wet as she was. ”Are you all right?” he asked.
”I'm fine.” She was s.h.i.+vering and he held her closer as he called for a blanket. ”What happened?”
”Randle's dead. As soon as Sal saw Randle's gun turn toward you, he jumped as well. She fired wildly and tossed the baby in fury. It was over quickly.”
”Thank G.o.d!” She looked around. ”Where is my father?”
”A medic is checking his heart and blood pressure to make sure he's all right. He had quite a scare.”
Suddenly Hannah grabbed Angie. ”Thank you so much!” Hannah cried, hugging her tight, even as she continued to hold her baby. Stan came by as well and fretted over everything.
Gail placed a blanket around Angie's shoulders, then turned to Paavo. ”I guess we have some business.”
”Do we?” he asked. ”My jurisdiction ends three miles out. We'll have to talk about our business in a day or two, but didn't you say you were taking the boat somewhere?”
She stared as his unexpected words slowly made sense. ”I...yes!” She smiled, tears in her eyes. ”Yes, I did.” She hugged him and Angie. ”Have a wonderful life, you two. And a wonderful engagement party! There's a shower on the boat, and a clothes dryer. Feel free to use them.”
She ran to Hannah and the baby.
”The party.” Paavo turned to Angie, still holding her. ”I'm so sorry.”
”No, it's not your fault. Anyway, it isn't over yet.”
”Your dress, your hair...this isn't the way you wanted to appear,” he said.
”It doesn't matter.” Her eyes saddened. ”Paavo, I'm sorry I interfered. I could have ruined everything. It's just that I was so worried about you.”
”You tried to help me, as I would you. Never apologize for that, Angie.”
As they kissed, Sal strolled over to them, also wrapped in a heavy wool blanket. ”So, this is how my future son-in-law earns his pay. I can't say it's so boring after all. Or so easy. Are you okay, Angelina?”
It was his turn to hold his daughter as she made sure his health was fine.
”I'll go phone your mother,” Sal said. ”I know she's worried.” Then he beamed. ”When everyone hears the reason we're late, how we stopped a kidnapping and caught some baby smugglers, Dio! but it's going to make for one h.e.l.l of a party.”
He left, strutting like a peac.o.c.k.
”Do you want to go home and change?” Paavo asked Angie.
”And miss another minute of my party? Not on your life. I'd go in this blanket first. We can clean up a bit on the boat, at least. I only hope the soap on board is strong enough to get rid of the fishy odor of my hair. I can't stand the way it smells!”
Paavo smiled as he took her in his arms. ”You smell beautiful!” His kiss showed her how completely beautiful he thought she was in every way.
Chapter 32.
Stan found Hannah sitting on the wooden bench on the wharf, the place he'd first seen her staring out at the bay. Only now, instead of being alone, she held her baby.
”How are you doing?” he asked, joining her.
She turned to him, her face calm and peaceful. ”Gail has gone to pack. Paavo's letting her go. Don't tell anyone!”
”Never,” he said. ”But I'm more concerned about you.”
She waited a long moment before she spoke. ”It's hard being back here. So much has changed. Tyler and Sh.e.l.ly Farms dead. Eugene Leer and Michael Zeno arrested. Poor Michael! He thought he loved me, but he never knew the real me. He was kind to me, though, and I'm sorry for him.”
”I'm sorry it had to be like this,” Stan said.
”Me, too. But they were doing wrong-and they knew it.” She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. ”You're the only truly good man I know, Stanfield Bonnette.”
”Hannah-” The timbre of his voice must have caught her attention because she turned to him, her face serious, as he drew in his breath to try to go on without pa.s.sing out in a dead faint. Earlier that day, he hadn't been able to find the words. Now-maybe after facing guns and death-he could say them. ”It's time for you to move on as well.”
Her mouth opened with surprise, then she shut it, and withdrew her hand from his. ”It is?”
He nodded. ”You're one of the nicest people I've ever met, Hannah, and you're beautiful and kind. But you've been hiding away, and trying to live through people you think you're in love with. You love the idea of love, but you don't love me, Hannah.”
She c.o.c.ked her head. ”I don't?”
”I'm no hero, for one thing,” he said ruefully, then amended. ”Not much of one, at least.”
She smiled at him. ”You'll always be to me, Stan.” Her gaze turned to the fis.h.i.+ng boat. ”Gail's leaving as soon as possible. The boat's all set up for a baby. She told me I was welcome to join her.... I don't know where she's going, though. She probably doesn't, either. But it'd be someplace new.” She glanced up at him. ”An adventure. I've never had an adventure.”
He stared at her, his gypsy girl, then nodded. ”It's a great plan. A great start.”
He wrapped his arms around her and Kaitlyn, holding them close. Then he kissed Kaitlyn on the forehead, stood, and stepped back. He tried to smile as he spoke, but he couldn't. ”Good-bye, Hannah. Take good care of my girl, there. When you get settled someplace, I'll send you all her stuff.”
”Thank you, Stan,” she whispered. ”Thank you for everything.”
Out on Jefferson Street, he turned away from Fisherman's Wharf and headed toward the Maritime Museum. His heart was heavy as he walked beside the beach at Aquatic Park. He slid his hands into his pockets and faced the water, and as he watched the tide ebb and flow against the sh.o.r.e, little by little he stood straighter, and soon it felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders.