Be With Me(39)

“Your father heard about the explosion on the police scanner, and we rushed right over. Are you hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital?” Peter Fal on walked up behind his wife and stared at Regina. “Regina,” he said gruffly. “Are you okay?” Option one. Definitely option one. Obviously she had died, and this was some sort of purgatory she was assigned to where her mother and father played the role of parents who gave a damn.

“I’m fine,” she said.

“You stay with Regina,” Peter said to Lydia. “I’m going to find out what the hel is going on here.

Someone’s trying to kil my daughter, and I want to know why.”

Regina gaped at his retreating back. Then she found herself yanked against her mother once more when Lydia enfolded her in another hug. She glanced up at Hutch in astonished horror.

He looked as confused as she did and lifted his shoulders in a shrug.

For a moment, Regina al owed herself the luxury of indulging in a mother’s hug. She couldn’t remember the last time her mom had hugged her, said she loved her or acted maternal in any shape or fashion.

It felt . . . good.

“You should come stay with me and your father, Regina. You can hardly stay here now,” Lydia said as she pulled away again.

“Uhm, thanks, Mom, but I’l be staying with Hutch for the short term.” She glanced up at Hutch as she spoke.

Lydia’s brow creased in confusion. “But he doesn’t live here.” She glanced apologetical y over at Hutch.

“I know you’ve been a good friend to Regina, but surely she should stay in her own community where she can be close to family?”

“I have a house here, Mrs. Fal on,” Hutch said evenly.

“Oh, wel al right then, I suppose.” She focused her gaze back at Regina. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather stay with us where you could be in your old room?”

An uncomfortable prickle started at Regina’s neck and worked its way over her cheeks. Her mother would succumb to hysteria, and her father would blow a gasket if they knew she was staying with al three men. Even as the thought crossed her mind, she drew her shoulders up in irritation.

It didn’t matter a whole hel of a lot what they thought. They’d never been invested in what she did, her choices, her life. And she damn sure wasn’t going to start pu**yfooting around them now.

She reached for Hutch’s hand and laced her fingers through his, wanting, needing his steady strength.

“No thank you, Mom. I’l be staying temporarily with Hutch, Cam and Sawyer until I can figure out alternate arrangements.”

Lydia’s eyes widened, and then her lips thinned with disapproval. Peter Fal on’s voice could be heard as it raised above al the other noise.

“How can you possibly draw the conclusion that someone is using my daughter to punish me for some imagined infraction?”

The chief put a placating hand on her father’s arm, and Regina couldn’t hear his response.

Lydia frowned. “What is he talking about, Regina?”

“There is a possibility that the person targeting me is doing so because of Dad,” she responded quietly.

“Oh, but that’s nonsense. Why would anyone do such a thing?”

“Because he’s a politician,” Regina said patiently.

“And besides, we don’t have actual proof of that yet.

It’s merely an angle the department is looking at.”

“Why, it could be anyone. Maybe someone you’ve arrested in the past or someone you gave a ticket to.

It seems a stretch to assume it would have anything to do with your father.”

No one could fault her mother for being behind her husband, that was for sure. But it would make sense to most normal people that a mother would be equal y behind her daughter. Regina frowned unhappily. This was turning into one suckass day.

“It’s an angle, Mom,” she repeated. “The police have to consider al possibilities.”

“Regina, can I speak to you for a moment?” Jeremy asked as he pushed in beside Lydia. He glanced at Lydia and Hutch. “Privately?” he added.

Regina frowned and let go of Hutch’s hand.

“Excuse me for a moment,” she said as she left Hutch’s side.

She fol owed Jeremy a few feet away. “What’s up?”

“I just got a cal from Dispatch. Birdie’s house was broken into.”

Chapter 15

Regina grabbed Jeremy’s arm. “What?”

“I’m heading over there now. I thought you’d want to go if you felt up to it.”

She nodded. “Of course.” She turned to look at Hutch, who was staring intently at her and Jeremy.

She glanced back at Jeremy. “Where is Birdie now?”

“Brett was making a pass by her house like the chief asked us to do, and he noticed that her door was open, but her car was gone. When he went in to investigate, he discovered that her house had been vandalized. He cal ed it in then intercepted Birdie, who drove up a few minutes later, and took her back to the station. She’s waiting there.” Regina took in a steadying breath and tried to sort her scrambled brain. “Okay, I’m going with you. I’l need to tel Hutch so he can go to the police station to be with Birdie. She’s probably upset.”

“Make it quick. I’l wait in the car.” Jeremy turned and strode toward his police cruiser. Regina hurried back over to where Hutch stood, a frown on his face.