Marie, Laura - Victoria [Cop's Daughter 1] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) Read online

  “It’s getting closer to crunch time, Aunt Jane, and I have two separate articles in this month’s edition of Search and Seizure magazine, and I want to be finished ahead of time. I thought I was, then more ideas came to me and I had to write them down immediately. That’s why I was a little late.”

  “Well, family is most important, dear. Everyone else got here on time, and we all have busy lives.”

  Victoria clenched her teeth but maintained a civil expression.

  She never claimed her life was busier or more important than anyone else’s—the nerve.

  “Jane, she’s here, isn’t she? So, cool it. She even made a cake. Let’s just settle down and enjoy the parade.” Sherry took Victoria’s arm and led her to the front yard to sit on some lawn chairs and watch the parade.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Aunt Jane check out the cake. Victoria knew she was seeing if it was store-bought or homemade. Thank God she got up at five thirty that morning to bake it, or she would have been forced to hit the bakery down the road and pray Aunt Jane didn’t personally inspect the Tupperware.

  * * * *

  “So you’re working on another big article?” Sherry, her mom, asked.

  Victoria nodded her head as they watched the kids playing on the lawn.

  “You look a bit tired. Are you overdoing it, Victoria?”

  Victoria tilted her head at her mom in a come on kind of fashion that her father had always pulled.

  Sherry chuckled then hugged Victoria.

  “I just worry about you, Tory. Be careful, okay?”

  Victoria swallowed hard. There was no way that her mother had an inkling what she was really up to. Victoria smiled. “I’m always careful, Mom.”

  Victoria felt the guilty feeling inside. She couldn’t fall under the pressure of feeling guilty for withholding information from her own mother. There was an ultimate agenda here. Victoria had promised to find her father’s killer no matter what it took.

  “So what’s this big story about, or can’t you tell your own mother?” Sherry asked and Victoria looked away from her mom and toward the bystanders nearby.

  “There’s not much to tell, really. You know how I am. I keep every detail and aspect of my stories to myself until release time. I guess it’s just the creative writer in me. I don’t like to share until edits are complete and the article officially confirmed.”

  Victoria glanced at her mother hoping she saw an expression that said she was buying this excuse. Instead she met eyes that revealed sadness. Today was difficult emotionally for the family, but especially for her mother. This was the first traditional parade of many that Danny Mardullo would not be participating in.

  Victoria took her mother’s hand into her own and squeezed. A silent understanding went on between them.

  Aunt Jane called Sherry over to her, so Sherry kissed Victoria on the cheek and walked away.

  * * * *

  The family gathered around, talking and having a good time as they waited for the parade to reach Main Street. Family and friends told jokes and updated one another on their lives’ events. Plans were already being made for the Fourth of July and other Sunday gatherings. Being a creative writer, she looked at the scenes around her a bit differently than most. She picked up on facial expressions, emotions in the eyes and the sights, smells, and sounds around her. The rumbling of drums in the distance combined with the sounds of diesel engines from the fire trucks and the smell of food cooking all stimulated her senses and creative mind. She recalled her youth and her love of writing back then. After a town event like this one or a family gathering, Victoria would head back home to her room and write down just about everything about the events. She always had a desire to hold on to the moment. She wanted those fun times imprinted in her memory, but she knew with each day that passed the memories would fade. Her only way to keep the events alive and fresh was to write about them. She had taught herself that the more descriptively she wrote the better a picture people could create in their minds. She had found her knack. Writing was her show of expression and a way to share insight into worlds, events, and circumstances that others hadn’t the opportunity to be part of.

  Her attention was drawn to the top of the upper part of the street. The first marchers appeared. The local politicians led the way. Victoria laughed as a few onlookers actually booed the town political leaders.

  “He is so good looking, my heart is beating really fast right now.” Victoria’s cousin Sally gave her a light tap with her elbow.

  “You think so?” Victoria pretended to act as if she had never seen the handsome politician before.

  Her cousin Sally appeared to have followed her line of sight.

  “Not Bret Collins. I meant Roy Sanders,” Sally exclaimed and the heat hit Victoria’s cheeks.

  She cleared her throat when Sally laughed, but kept her gaze glued to Roy Sanders.

  Victoria’s attention remained on the other politician.

  Bret Collins, a very handsome man who was involved in various types of businesses, slowly made his way down the side street.

  She heard around town his businesses ranged from restaurants to small sidewalk shops, gas stations, and Laundromats. A true entrepreneur and also one of the most sought-after bachelors in the county.

  Bret Collins sat on the town board and had his sights on the position of town supervisor. He made that perfectly clear to everyone.

  Through the grapevine, she had heard his own family would benefit if he got the position because each of his brothers owned local businesses, as well. He was connected to Delaney Construction, which began to monopolize most of the larger construction projects in the county.

  “Have you ever met him?” Sally asked.

  “Yes. I met him once before at a crowded event.”

  “And he didn’t try to pick you up?” Sally asked sounding both sarcastic and disappointed.

  Victoria laughed. “He had swarms of people around him. No thanks.”

  Victoria met Bret for the first time last week at a fundraiser for a local child in the area who was diagnosed with leukemia. Hundreds of supporters showed up, and Victoria’s editor, John, from the magazine, knew Bret very well and had introduced them.

  “He’s a very sexy man, Tory, but I wouldn’t have the guts to even talk to him.” Sally watched him slowly pass by the front yard.

  “Why is that? He’s just a man,” Victoria stated.

  “Not just a man. A god!”

  Victoria laughed, then Sally grabbed her arm to gain Victoria’s full attention.

  “Maybe just a man to you, Tory, but I have heard some pretty intense things about him. He’s way too hot to handle, and you’re…”

  Victoria squinted at her younger cousin. “I’m what?”

  Sally eyed Victoria from head to toe.

  “You’re a goody-goody.”

  Victoria didn’t know if she should feel proud or embarrassed by the way her cousin described her.

  “I don’t know why we’re talking about this. He’s not my type at all.” Victoria swallowed hard.

  Sally smiled. “Good, because an older man like that would only hurt you, never mind corrupt you.”

  “Umm…the last time I checked, I was three years older than you.”

  Sally smiled.

  “You may be three years older than me, cuz, but definitely not as experienced.” Sally eyed Victoria up and down again before placing her hands confidently on her hips and walking away.

  Victoria never knew her cousin Sally was so…assertive.

  Victoria looked back in the direction Bret was in just as he drove by in a classic red Mustang, waving at the crowd and glancing at Victoria. He had a good twelve years on her, and she knew her family pretty much disliked his political ideas, but there was something about him that interested her. Maybe it was the rumors about how wealthy he was and all the women whose hearts he broke. She really wasn’t sure, but if they crossed each other’s paths again, she would definitely learn mo
re about him.

  Then everyone’s attention was drawn toward the shiny, red fire trucks all decked out in their parade best. The trucks slowly drove past tossing lollipops at the children watching.

  A moment later, bunches of lollipops landed on, by, and around Victoria. Glancing up toward the trucks, she immediately identified the culprits, then waved and smiled.

  She could see her other cousin Tom, along with his good friends he’d grown up with. Victoria smiled when she saw her uncle Patrick and cousin Connor marching alongside the other officers in the parade.

  Victoria sighed. She thought about her father and the past years watching the parade. It was…different without him.

  Every year, her father and brother Peter would march side by side with huge smiles on their faces. Her father would wave to his wife, Sherry, and to Victoria, as well.

  “Kyle Mathews, don’t you dare put the cotton candy in your sister’s hair!” Sally grabbed their cousin by the arm and walked him toward his parents.

  Victoria laughed at the sight. The family continued to grow.

  With thoughts of children, marriage, and family came the rush of loss and worry.

  Victoria thought about her brother James. She missed him terribly and prayed he was safe.

  Early last night, there had been some breaking news on television about an explosion at one of the military bases.

  She remained glued to the television until confirmed reports came in there were no casualties.

  James, a lieutenant in the army, was stationed in Fallujah and he was due back home in six months if all went well. They had just received a letter from him three days ago. He sounded energized and motivated to be there and get his job done. James had been able to come home for his father’s funeral on a three-day pass, which was wonderful for the whole family.

  He, being the oldest child, had difficulty leaving his family, feeling he was responsible to support them.

  “Hey, Mardullo, interview any bad guys lately?” her cousin Drake asked.

  Victoria smiled. She knew her cousin had been referring to the interview she had recently done with an inmate. He was somehow connected to multiple murders but was behind bars for a different crime.

  Her interrogation skills and investigative techniques got the guy to confess to other unsolved murders.

  “You liked that, huh? It went pretty well. But I wish I had more time, so that I could have really given it to him.”

  “Weren’t you nervous, sitting in that room alone with a man capable of such violence?”

  “I focused on the objective. I had a job to do and I did it.”

  “Well, it was great.”

  “Thank you.”

  Drake smiled, then heard someone call his name. He made his way over to Peter.

  She grinned at her brother. He returned the smile, and they both looked toward Aunt Jane.

  It amazed her how close she was to her brothers and mom. They appeared to practically read her mind.

  The death of her father was always on her mind, especially now, being surrounded by family and knowing that his presence was missed.

  Victoria recalled the way the family pulled together. She especially recalled the three of them, Peter, James, and she, as they sat on the back porch swing together the night of their dad’s funeral. Their mom lay asleep in her room, physically and emotionally exhausted. The doctor had to prescribe her something to help her sleep. Their poor mom was trying so hard to be there for everyone else. Meanwhile, it was her husband, her life mate, that had been killed.

  Her brothers and she, however, held one another, Victoria in the middle. They planned a strategic way of handling things—who would take care of the finances, the bills, Mom, and the house, the list went on. James would try to do his part but from a distance. He had his military career, his obligation to the country, and to make his personal effort to ensure that there would never be another September 11.

  They would all pull together. It was the family way. They always worked together, one unit, one team, and were never left to feel all alone. She laughed when she thought about it. Her father would give them plenty of warning if a meeting were to occur. He’d say, “Mardullo family meeting, seven tonight, back porch.” The three of them would laugh if the meeting was for something good, but they would cringe if it were for something bad.

  Like the time James and Peter had a fight with some other guys and the police were called. No one pressed any charges or anything. The other guys started it, but Dad swore he and Mom were not raising hoodlums or troublemakers. Victoria was in just as much trouble because she tried to use her cover-up makeup to hide her brothers’ bruised cheeks. Those were the days. Happy times, funny memories, a family bond so strong, they all thought nothing could penetrate it or destroy it.

  Now here she was, knowing she should at least confide in her brother about her plans and her progress into her father’s murder, but she knew what the end result would be. You shouldn’t get involved. You’re not a detective, a trained professional. Leave it to the police.

  She just couldn’t do it. Victoria was a professional, good at her particular job writing major articles for the magazine, interviewing homicide detectives, police officers, prosecuting and defense attorneys. She was damn good at it. She’d use whatever skills, connections, and everything else she had. There wasn’t anyone who could stop her.

  Victoria looked toward her brother Peter, determined to keep her cool, remain silent, but confide in him when the time was right. Avoiding his glances and her own guilty feelings, she knew remaining silent about the investigation was her best option.

  Since Dad died, all the males in the family were overprotective. Knowing she showed no fear, no weakness despite the multiple losses in her life, she wasn’t certain her brothers and mom were fooled. Their bond was too strong, and in the next few weeks that bond would be somewhat tested. The moment the family found out she had accessed her father’s case file, all hell would break loose, starting with Peter and Uncle Pat.

  For too long, she leaned on them, allowed them to have an invisible control because of that protectiveness. Lately, she felt the need to let go of the binds that held her back, kept her undercover and confined. One of those binds was accepting that Steven, her one and only lover, didn’t truly love her and he wasn’t coming back.

  Taking a deep breath, feeling the stabbing pain to her heart from only thinking his name, she would force herself to move on.

  Looking around the party, hoping no one had noticed her moment of weakness, she spotted Peter. Their gazes locked, his eyebrows creased as he lipped the words “Are you okay?”

  Smiling, she lipped a “Fine,” as he continued his conversation with one of his friends. Her brother was a handsome man with a great personality. Their dad’s death had affected him as well. They had all changed.

  Peter was tall and handsome, with light brown hair and brown eyes, just like their father. He had received more of the Italian genes in the family than the Irish. James looked more Irish than Italian with his reddish-brown hair, green eyes, and trim build. Victoria was a combination of both Italian and Irish.

  Dad’s side had more Italian and Mom’s side had a lot more Irish blood. That was obvious by the looks of Uncle Patrick, who could have stepped right off the boat directly from Ireland. Looking at Uncle Patrick, she imagined him speaking in his Irish brogue later on while he drank some beers and talked about the old days with friends.

  Taking in the sounds and sights around her, she locked gazes with Peter, who was standing by the old maple tree. He had been watching the parade with Uncle Jack, Aunt Sarah, and Aunt Jane.

  He headed toward her.

  She cringed just thinking he may be able to read her mind after all. If that were the case, then she was surely busted.

  Peter, a SWAT team training officer for the local police department, had obviously decided not to march this year. Victoria was certain he just couldn’t handle the emotions or the memories yet.

&
nbsp; * * * *

  “Hey, Tory. You okay?” Peter gave her a kiss on her cheek.

  Smiling, she glanced up into his eyes. She could sense his uneasiness.

  “Couldn’t miss it, you know, the Malley family tradition and all.”

  “Yeah, family tradition.” Peter glanced back toward the road.

  Victoria couldn’t help but become teary eyed herself as the familiar sound of the local police department bagpipe band led the way for the officers marching. It was a familiar sound and sight that she always associated with seeing her father as he marched along the parade route. The pipes not only had a distinct sound, but also stirred an emotion inside her along with every chord and every song. She always loved the feeling it caused deep in her belly and her heart. It made her foot tap and her hips sway to each bang on the large drum along with its rhythm.

  It was more than her Irish heritage or growing up in a family of law enforcement officers, firefighters, and soldiers. The instruments held everything together, whether in celebration like today, or in great sorrow and loss as they had a year ago.

  Victoria’s heart ached.

  Her mother, seeming to sense her daughter’s sorrow, appeared behind her, and embraced Victoria’s shoulders. “I miss him, too, baby. I’m sure he’s watching us right now and has that huge smile on his face.”

  “I’m sure he is, too, Mom.”

  Victoria swallowed hard, submerging the tears and emotion, the scars still raw and deep. She wondered if she would ever recover. Would there eventually be a normalcy to their lives again? Glancing at her mom and her discomfort to appear happy and at ease, never mind functional, Victoria would continue to focus on her mom’s loss more than her own. Right now, Sherry needed Victoria’s strength.

  They continued to watch the parade, waving at people they knew, and inviting them to join the rest of the family for the big celebration.

  * * * *

  An hour later, the party got crowded. Men in various uniforms gathered in Uncle Patrick’s front- and backyard, drinking beers, sipping soda, and talking shop. The Malley family had relatives all over the county, and it was an ongoing joke that they seemed to be related to everyone.