Christmas was only a week away. There was still time to wash the stench of this case off his soul and give his Little Miss the merriest Christmas ever.
EPILOGUE
Tennyson
Christmas morning…
It was the best Christmas morning ever. Ten and Ronan had woken up before Everly, giving them time for a cup of coffee and some last-minute adjustments to the presents before their daughter woke up. They’d been sitting in the hallway outside her bedroom, waiting for her to stir.
“Dada!” Everly shouted, bouncing out of her toddler bed and running to the door. She shrieked when she saw Ten and Ronan sitting on the floor. “’Anta?” Everly asked, her eyes glowing with happiness.
“Santa left you something special, but before we can go see what it is, we need to see what present you left for us in that diaper.” Ronan’s grin turned to a grimace.
Everly frowned. “Tinky.”
Tennyson already knew. He’d smelled her from the moment Everly had run into the hall. After a quick change, she was ready to go. Ronan was waiting at the bottom of the stairs filming them. Everly stopped when she was low enough on the stairs to see the Christmas tree. “Wow!” she whispered, sounding just like Ronan. “Beep! Beep!” Everly broke free from Ten and ran down the last few stairs. The first thing she ran to was the electric car. “Me?”
“It’s all yours, princess.” Ronan’s eyes had gone glossy. He pointed his phone at Everly as she climbed behind the wheel and made car sounds.
Ten grabbed Ronan’s hand and pulled him over to the sofa. He knew Everly would be occupied with the kiddie Cadillac SUV long enough for them to have a bit of a chat. “Have you made up your mind about working for Cisco?” It had been on the tip of his tongue to ask for the last week, but Ten had been too afraid of the answer, so he’d stayed quiet.
“I’ve thought long and hard, Ten. I’m a cop at heart, but my heart isn’t in it anymore. I thought Jude, Kevin, and I would read the Skye Washington case file and solve it within a day or two. I would have said no if I had any idea the investigation would lead to two murders and two other people getting shot.” Ronan wore a sincere look on his face.
Thankfully both Lisa McRoy and Kyle Danner had survived their wounds. Kyle had been released from the hospital yesterday, just in time for Christmas. No criminal charges were going to be filed against him for pulling a gun at the gala. Lisa, on the other hand, was arrested in her hospital bed and had been a guest of the Essex County Jail since the day after the shooting. She was denied bail.
Skye Washington had visited Tennyson the day after Lisa’s confession and subsequent arrest. She’d confirmed everything Lisa said about that last night. Before vanishing for the last time, Skye had a message of love and gratitude to pass along to her family.
“I’m glad to hear you say that about not being a cop anymore. Having to explain to the Washingtons what happened to Skye and why broke my heart.” Out of all the cold cases Ten had investigated with Ronan over the years, this one had taken the most out of him.
“But…” Ronan began.
“I knew there was going to be a but in there somewhere.” Ten steeled his nerves for whatever Ronan was about to say.
“But I’ve been giving Kevin’s idea a lot of thought. I think Kevin, Jude, and I would work well together.” Ronan’s tone was cautious, as if he didn’t want to risk Ten being upset.
Ten had a feeling Ronan would go this way. “Just simple things like cheating wives and stuff like that, right? No guns, knives, lead pipes, or Chinese throwing stars.”
“No to all of those things,” Ronan agreed easily.
“I can live with that.” Ten pressed a kiss against Ronan’s lips. This was finally the big moment he’d been planning for. Ten got up from his place on the couch and walked to the Christmas tree. There was an envelope with Ronan’s name on it that he’d stuck in the back last night. “Merry Christmas, Ronan.” Ten handed him the envelope. “I’m hoping this will be the one thing you say yes to.”
“Ohhhh!” Everly looked up from her new car with a shocked look on her face. “Dada!” She ran to Ronan, climbing onto his lap.
“I think Everly has an idea of what’s in this envelope. Don’t you, sugar plum?” Ronan pressed a kiss to the top of her head. With steady hands, Ronan opened the envelope and pulled out what looked like a photo. It was a black and white image with a perfectly round blob in the center. Beneath the image was written, “Will you be my Daddy?” Ronan gasped. “Ten, what is this?”
“Bru-her!” Everly giggled.
Ronan stared down at his daughter before looking up at Tennyson. “Ten?” Ronan’s eyes were as big as dinner plates.
“I thought now was the time to try for another baby.” Butterflies weren’t just fluttering in his stomach, they were dancing. “This is one of my embryos. Emilyn is ready to go whenever we are.”
“Bru-her!” Everly insisted.
Tennyson laughed. He knew exactly what Everly was trying to say. He’d had a little bird named Bertha give him a hint about the future.
“Do you know what Everly is trying to say?” Ronan still looked gobsmacked.
Ten swiped at a tear. “She’s trying to tell you that this baby is going to be her brother.”
“Bru-her!” Everly cheered. “Peas, Dada?”
“She’s not going to be so excited about a little brother when he gets here.” Ronan shook his head.
“I think she’ll figure it out. What do you say? Will you be my baby daddy again?” Ten’s eyes were filled with unshed tears.
“Yes!” Ronan pressed a kiss to Ten’s lips. “I can’t believe it. I was going to ask you the same thing this morning. There’s a present under the tree with your name on it asking a similar question.”
Tears trickled down Ten’s face. He’d loved every moment of being Everly’s father. He was over the moon at the idea of having a new little bundle of joy in their lives.
“’Anta?” Everly asked, clearly over the idea of becoming a big sister.
“Yes! Time for presents!” Ronan brought Everly over to the tree and handed her a brightly wrapped package with her name on it.
Tennyson grabbed his phone to film Everly as she opened an Elsa doll. With his heart lighter than it had been in some time, he got off the sofa to join his growing family beside the Christmas tree.
THE END
DID YOU ENJOY MEETING JUDE BYRNE? CHECK OUT BOOK ONE OF HIS SERIES CALLED GHOST OF HIMSELF!
When a reclusive psychic shows up looking for Jude Byrne in his adopted hometown of Salem, Massachusetts, the private investigator’s walls go up instantly. Psychic or not, this mysterious man knows secrets about Jude’s past that are better left buried in the New Mexico desert. Stranger still is the personality change that comes over the flirty P.I. after he meets the newcomer.
Psychic Copeland Forbes is a man on the edge. The once popular and well-respected medium has lived in seclusion since an attack by a former student has shaken his confidence in his abilities. Sickened by an ailment no doctor can diagnose, he travels from his home in Louisiana to seek out the one man he believes he can help him, if the rumors are true.