How tragedy always would follow.
Derek couldn’t shake the foreboding that settled over him. Without Holly and her cheerful voice bouncing around him, Derek felt the loss keenly. He could live with the temporary custody arrangement because he could look forward to the next time he could be with his daughter.
But what if there wasn’t a next
time?
What if Marlene’s threat became reality?
He shivered and forced his attention back to his father’s interview, trying without success not to internalize the older man’s words.
As he listened to Hank, his gaze was drawn over and over to Gabrielle. His beautiful Gabrielle, perched on a bar stool in her emerald sundress that offset her hair, watching the crew work. He couldn’t let himself think about his feelings or anything else about her, for fear his father’s prophetic words would kick in at any time.
Kayla wrapped up Hank’s interview and Hank headed outside, preening and proud of himself and his time in front of the camera.
“Derek, do you have a minute?”
Derek turned to see Richard Stern. “Hey, Richard.” Derek shook the other man’s hand. “What’s up?”
“I think I have the information we’ve been waiting for,” he said quietly.
“Hello, boys.” Gabrielle joined them. “Why are your two heads together?” she asked, clearly not intending to be left out.
“Richard was just saying he had information for us.”
Richard leaned in closer. “The photograph of Sharon was stolen from the Evidence Room at the police precinct. The guy who works the day shift has skeletons in his closet, which left him vulnerable to blackmail. But he wasn’t stupid. He refused to deal with a middleman. He wanted to know who he was stealing for.”
Derek had no doubt what was coming next. “Mary Perkins?”
Richard nodded.
“Why in the world would she have told him? She could have just used whatever leverage she had against the cop to make him cooperate,” Derek said. “It doesn’t make sense that she’d leave herself open and vulnerable after years of being so careful.”
“Richard is the first viable candidate running against her in years. She got scared,” Gabrielle mused.
“And scared people get sloppy,” Richard confirmed. “According to my source who spoke directly with the cop in question, she wanted that photograph desperately.”
“Enough to show up herself to get the information?” Derek asked.
“Apparently, she was beyond reason,” Richard said. “She wanted insurance and that photograph was it.”
Gabrielle let out a low whistle. “Wow. What do you plan to do with the information?” she asked Richard.
Suddenly, people came screaming toward the front of the bar.
“Fire!” someone yelled, barreling past them and rushing out the front door.
Chaos ensued.
Derek thought only to grab Gabrielle’s hand as he jerked his head toward the back of the restaurant and saw flames licking around the curtains and traveling toward them.
“Oh, my God!” Gabrielle screamed.
“Let’s go,” Derek said.
“Follow me.” Richard headed out first.
Derek pulled Gabrielle, and along with the rest of the crowd, they bolted outside. The Wave had been more crowded than Derek had realized and someone pushed between him and Gabrielle, breaking their hands apart. He turned to call her, but the people behind him shoved him forward in their rush to escape.