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“What do you mean?”
“You may not believe this, but I think Chief was brought here for a reason. I believe that God never wastes a hurt, and you and I both know that the odds of a therapy dog winding up with the man who needed him most are pretty great.”
“Maybe that’s true. Chief did help me, I admit.”
“I’d still like to know what happened.”
“I don’t like to talk about it,” Jack said. “I don’t know what Kim told you, but whatever it was she was out of line.”
“She wouldn’t say much, but she did say you need closure. You and Robert were partners, and now he’s dead. I know enough to realize something terrible happened back in Virginia. Can you tell me?”
She wanted to help him, but she couldn’t do it if he wouldn’t tell her what he’d been dealing with. Chief had instinctively known that Jack needed help—and now it was up to her to do what she could.
Jack stood up and walked away from her embrace.
“You might as well know. I didn’t mean for things to get this far between us, Maggie. You deserve so much better than me.”
No, he wouldn’t get away with that. She knew what she wanted, and despite the fact that she hadn’t thought she’d love again, it didn’t make sense to fight it any more. Her instincts about him had been right. Jack was a good man, and Chief knew that. She did too, and, she was willing to bet now, so did Lexi.
“Why don’t you let me decide what I deserve? You’ve done so much for me and Lexi, and I want to do something for you. Please let me.”
He shook his head, pacing the floor in front of her.
“If there was something you could do, I’d let you. Even your God can’t help me now. It’s my fault that Robert is dead. I mightas well have held the gun in my own hands. He’s dead because of me, and my failure.”
“I don’t believe that. Kimberly doesn’t strike me as someone who would forgive the man who killed her husband.”
“It’s more complicated than that,” Jack protested.
“He would have done anything for me, but when push came to shove, I couldn’t do the same for him.”
Chapter 13
The look in Maggie’s eyes pried the words out of him. Now or never. He might as well tell her so she could run the other way. No use in prolonging the inevitable. He didn’t want or need this right now, but despite that, the memories came flooding back.
“Robert and I were transporting a prisoner to Georgia’s top security prison. Luther should have had the death penalty, but he had a good lawyer. Wound up with a life sentence.”
“What did he do?” Maggie asked.
“He had a federal judge killed.”
Maggie’s face paled, and no wonder. This wasn’t exactly casual conversation, and precisely why he didn’t talk about his work.
“Are you sure you want to hear this?”
“I do.”
He wasn’t sure he wanted to tell it, but she pulled at something deep inside. “We weren’t taking any chances. Luther was in shackles. It was a regular transport to the airport. We should have been home in time for the Celtics game that night.”
“But that didn’t happen.”
“No. I heard the first pop to my left, and then Robert lost control of the van. It plowed into a fire hydrant. The shots kept coming, and we couldn’t just sit there and wait to die. Robert requested backup, but we had to get out of the van. No time to discuss options. We had to seek cover. I followed the shots to a one story building while Robert sought cover behind the van with Luther. Eventually, I found the shooter on the rooftop. Alone with a sniper rifle.”
“Oh no, Jack.”
“The worst thing about it? He was just a kid. Luther’s kid, turns out. Stupid teenager thought he’d make his father proud and stage a prison break.”
Maggie didn’t say a word but simply placed her hand over his wildly beating heart.
