Life's Twists and Turns

"Oh, my God!" she said quietly.

Several minutes later that officer came into the room and said, "You're a very lucky woman, Ms. Adkins. Had you not been speeding, there's a good chance you might not be alive."

"What?" Finlay said now shaking with fear again.

"I'm not sure how to tell you this so I'm just going to say it," he told her as he sat down across the table from her.

For the next several minutes, the officer explained that the older man who'd tried to run her off the road had been hired to kill her. By her husband.

In shock, Finlay could barely understand what she was being told.

"He's agreed to wear a wire in exchange for a lesser sentence. We need to get a confession from your husband before we arrest him. Without it, all we'd have is the word of a convicted felon and your husband could get off."

The officer explained someone would create an accident scene using Photoshop and a car that looked like hers. This man, William Inslee, would take the photos to her husband as proof he'd done the job. The police would be listening to the conversation and once he admitted hiring the man, they'd arrest him and charge him with attempted murder.

"Ma'am? Do you understand?" the officer asked. "I know this is a lot to take in, but we have to act now. Too long a delay will cause your husband to sense something's wrong."

"What...what do I need to do?" Finlay asked finally able to talk.

"Nothing. Just wait here. Can I get you anything?" he asked.

"No. No, thank you," she said still nearly in shock.

****

"Inslee? This wire and your ability to get a confession is the difference between dying in prison and getting out in 15 years. Here's your phone with the accident photos. Any questions," the detective asked after briefing him.

"Nope," he said tersely understanding the deal.

"Good. Then give Adkins a call and tell him you're ready to meet."

Levi experienced a rush the likes of which he'd never had before when Inslee said, "It's done. Meet me there in twenty minutes."

"June? I need to run out for a a while. Can you handle things?"

"Oh, I think I can get by for a few minutes, Mr. Adkins," she said sweetly.

"Keep an eye on Fiona here for me, would you?" he said winking at his lover.

"That is so mean, Mr. Adkins!" Fiona said as though nothing was going on between them.

Levi was whistling as he got in his dealer vehicle and headed to the agreed-upon meeting place—an abandoned warehouse on the edge of town.

The old truck was there when he pulled in. Levi looked around for any sign of other people before heading in. He'd stopped and withdrawn $2,000 from the bank. Along with the $500 cash he still had, he could pay this prick off and be done with him then play the grieving widower for a reasonable amount of time before marrying Fiona.

"Is it really done?" Levi asked quietly.

"It's done. Your wife is dead," Inslee said handing Levi the phone open to the photos.

"Jesus!" he said as he looked at the mangled, smoldering wreck at the bottom of the cliff. "Was it quick?"

"Oh, yeah. Two seconds tops. I just pushed her across the lane until the guardrail gave. I circled back, took two quick pics, and got the hell out. Nothing could have survived that."

"Here's the rest of the money," Levi said handing over the cash without an envelope.

Inslee took it, looked at it, then asked, "I don't really give a shit, but what kind of guy pays another man to kill his wife? I only got a short glimpse of her, but she was a looker. She cheatin' on you or something?"

"Finlay? Cheating on me? Hell, no! She'd never cheat. No, let's just say I found two reasons to want my wife out of the picture."

"Two?" Inslee said pretending not to be very interested as he pocketed the money.

"Uh-huh. Two very big reasons that cost me as much as having her killed cost me. But, my God, was it worth it!" Levi said as he smiled thinking about Fiona's enormous new boobs.

"I hope it was worth it," Inslee said knowing what was about to happen now that Adkins had admitted he'd hired Inslee to kill Finlay.

"Oh, it was worth every penny to have her out of the way. Now, I've got a new wife, my kids, and a million dollars. So, yeah, it was more than worth it."

"Enjoy it while you can," Inslee said before the sound of cars pulling into the parking lot and doors slamming filled the empty building.

"What the fuck?" Levi said as Inslee put his hands up.

"Police! Get on the ground. NOW! DO IT NOW!"

"You're not gonna do well in prison, pretty boy," Inslee said with a smirk as he lay face down and put his hands behind his back.

Being a small town, there was nowhere else to go but the small jail where Finlay was still waiting. The officer who'd briefed her told her they had her husband in custody and that he'd confessed to having hired someone to have her killed.

"Do you want to see him?" he asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Finlay said now angrier than she'd been afraid.

Levi was standing there in handcuffs waiting to be booked when she walked right up to him and said, "Why? What did I ever do to you to deserve this?"

Levi didn't speak so Finlay got in his face and screamed, "Answer me! You owe me that much! All I ever did was try and please you. I gave up everything for you and...and you try and have me killed? You'd take our children's mother away from them? For what, Levi? For what?"

"You bore me," he said flatly without looking at her.

Enraged, Finlay slapped him across the face as hard as she could leaving a red mark.

"And you disgust me," she said now shaking with rage.

"Let's go, Adkins," another officer said who was ready to take his photograph and fingerprints.

"Can you drive yourself home?" the officer who'd briefed her asked.

"Yes. I think so," she said trying to calm herself knowing it would take time.

She looked at him then said, "Do you know why he did this? He wouldn't tell me anything."

"I believe your answer is working in the service department at the dealership, ma'am," he told her.

"Fiona?" she asked as she put two and two together. She'd only seen the attractive young woman once and never thought anything about it. Sure, she was um...stacked...but Finlay just didn't think about such things and had assumed she was very competent at her job.

"I'm sorry," he told her. "This kind of thing happens every day. It just doesn't happen here."

Finlay had seen enough crime shows to know that husbands—and wives—often hired someone to kill their spouse. The motive was usually either money or another man or woman. Sometimes it was anger or revenge.

In this case, her husband would have another woman, a million dollars, and her kids. As the realization hit her, she began to cry and shake.

"I'm gonna drive you home, Mrs. Adkins," the police officer told her. "I'll have another officer drive your vehicle, if that's okay."

When they arrived at her house, the officer went inside first who found Wade changing a diaper.

"You must be the nanny Mrs. Adkins mentioned," he said when Wade turned around.

"What's going on? Where's Finlay? Is she okay?" he asked panic-stricken.

"There's a female officer bringing her in. She's very upset. I can't discuss with it you, but I'm sure she'll tell you. For now, all I can say is this house is part of an investigation, and I'm going to have to ask you and the kids to leave. I understand you live next door so I'll be happy to help you," the police officer said.

Finlay saw them leaving her house and ran to Wade and threw her arms around him and began sobbing.

"Hey. It's okay! I'm here for you. Everything's gonna be okay," he told her having no idea what was going on.

He finally got her and the kids inside, then had to deal with his mother who was also now visibly upset.

The officer tried explaining they would be back with a search warrant to check the house for evidence, but Finlay didn't hear a word. She just clung to Wade and held on tight as she cried and sobbed, unable to speak. He did however, take Wade's mother aside and explain what had happened. Devastated, she managed to hold up and offer to take the children for as long as necessary.

Finlay thanked her but refused the offer—for now, at least.

Wade set Finlay down on the couch but she wouldn't let go. The boys, who'd been standing around wanting to know what was going on saw their mother crying and ran to her.

"Mommy! What's the matter? Why are you crying?" Kenny asked on the verge of crying, too.

Finlay let go of Wade and pulled her boys onto her lap and hugged them so hard Gabriel complained.

"Sorry, honey! Mommy just loves you both so much!"

It took her another half hour or so to be able to talk and when she could, Finlay said, "I need to go wash my face and then I'll explain everything. Can you get the boys something to eat please?"

Wade was able to go back for baby food, formula, and a change of clothes for everyone so he was able to make the boys grilled cheese sandwiches and get a bottle ready for Riley as Finlay washed up and used the bathroom.

Once everyone was fed, she asked the boys to sit down then tried to explain without making their father out to be the monster he was.

"So Daddy isn't coming home? Ever?" Kenny asked, his eyes welling up with tears.

Finlay didn't answer, she just hugged her son. Gabriel was too young to really understand, but he cried too, when he saw his older brother do so.

After a good, long hug, Wade's mother asked the boys follow her and she took them to one of the bedroom to play.

Wade sat down beside Finlay, put an arm around her very gently then asked, "Are you okay?"

"Physically? Yes. Mentally? Emotionally? No," she told him. "I...I still can't believe my own husband tried to have me killed. And...and he came so close to having it done. Just two more seconds on that curve and..."

She began to cry again, and Wade put his other arm around her and held her.

"I'm here, Finlay. I'm right here. And I'll be here as long as you need. I promise."

****

Wade was there for her—every day. The police came that afternoon and went through the entire house taking the computer and anything else they thought might be evidence.

Finlay leaned on him the first two weeks as Wade did pretty much everything for her and the children while still caring for his mom who was finally feeling well enough to help out, as well.

For those first two weeks, any feelings or tension between them was buried by an avalanche of events and other emotions. The police were at the house several more times with the only good news being Finlay receiving the $2,500 her husband had given Inslee after the 'hit' once the serial numbers had been recorded and photographs taken to enter into evidence. That would last a month if she was careful. Beyond that, she needed income and that required a job.

There were also meetings with an attorney to begin divorce proceedings and to advise her with regard to the case and what she could expect. She would be called to testify, but it was almost certain Levi would be going to prison with or without her testimony.

Wade was not only there for her, he was a godsend doing pretty much everything for Finlay as she fought to make sense of her new reality. Even with him she felt afraid. Without him, she'd have been alone and afraid and scared to death.

After those first two weeks, her world stopped spinning so wildly, and Finlay was able to start looking for work while, without saying anything to her, Wade did the same thing. As an RN he could find work almost anywhere in any town or city across the state, and he had three offers within a week.

He didn't accept any of them until he talked with Finlay late one evening after the kids were all in bed asleep. She had no idea what he was doing or thinking and when he explained it to her, she was overwhelmed with emotion yet again.

"I couldn't ask you to do that, Wade. This isn't even your problem," she told him when finished talking.

"It is...if...if I'm in love with you," he told her as she sat next to him, unable to not tell her what he'd felt for so long even one more day.

"Wade. What...what did you just say?" she asked, her eyes opened slightly wider, not in disbelief but it an imploring way.

"I've wanted to tell you for the longest time, but you're a married woman, and I'd never, ever do anything to upset any marriage. But yours...yours in over now, and I can't not tell you, Finlay. Maybe you still see me like your husband did. Some...kid...who used to stop by..."

"Wade?" she said cutting him off. "Stop talking, okay?"

"Sorry. I know how ridiculous it sounds after saying it out loud, but I...I had to say it."

"You're still talking," she said as she put her hand on his cheek. "If you don't stop talking you won't be able to kiss me."

Wade had been looking between his legs waiting for the other shoe to drop after losing his courage once he'd let the proverbial cat out of the bag.

"Are you serious?" he asked hoping he'd heard correctly.

"Are you?" she asked back with a bit of a first smile since her short-lived day off.

"I am. I do love you, Finlay. I think I always have," he admitted as he looked over at her again.

"Then I'm serious, too, Wade," she told him.

As their eyes met she said, "I don't know about...love...but I have to admit I was having...feelings for you since you came back home. And that time you almost kissed me? I...I wanted you to so bad I..."

Wade leaned over and kissed her as she spoke. Finlay not only stopped talking, she scooted closer and kissed him back. A brief first kiss turned into a long, passionate one that lasted for several seconds.

"So...what now?" Finlay asked as the kiss ended.

"I don't want to say anything too, I don't know, melodramatic, to drive you away, but..."

"After what I just went through, I don't think you could say anything that would scare me, Wade," she told him as they stared into each other's eyes.

"As I said, I have a part-time job lined up because I knew you had, too. I can arrange it so I could be with the kids while you're at work, and then you can watch them while I'm at work."

"But why, Wade? Why would you do that when you want to be a nurse and work full-time? You could meet some beautiful girl your age and start a family and be happy," she told him in an almost-pleading tone.

"You didn't hear anything I said, did you?" he said as gently as he could.

He put his hand on her pretty face and said, "I've had attractive, younger girlfriends, and that was fine when I thought there was no chance to be with the only woman I've ever loved, but now..."

"Wade, you don't have to say that or do any of this," she said still pleading with him.

"No. No, I don't," he agreed. "But because it's what I feel and what I want, I am saying it, Finlay. I love you, and I love your children. I don't want anyone else. Now, if you don't want me then that's a different story, but I do want you. More than anything else in the world...I want you."

"I...I'm a middle-aged woman with three children, Wade. Please think about that. As much as I love them, there have been many times where I often felt tied down, and I'm their mother. You can't give up your life for...that. For...for me," she said pleading even more.

"Finlay? If you don't have feelings for me, please tell me, and I promise I'll go away. I'll go back to being a neighbor who fixes stuff that breaks. I'll even watch your kids if you want to go on...on a date with another man. But please tell me right now if that's how you feel, because I am so in love with you it hurts," he told her.

The sincerity in his words was so strong Finlay not only heard them she felt them.

"Wade, I haven't had time to think since...you know. My mind has been a constant jumble of thoughts and feelings. I can't honestly tell you right this moment that I love you, but I do know I can't stand the thought of my life without you in it. And I also know I am very attracted to you. And no, I most definitely do not see you as that...kid...I used to watch."

She looked at him imploringly then asked, "Is...is that enough? For now, at least?"

"Yes. Yes, it is," he told her. "But when you can think clearly, please tell me, okay? One way or the other, please tell me."

"I will. I promise I will," she said, her eyes filling with tears.

She blinked several times then told him, "No one has ever been as kind or as good to me as you. No one. Ever. And...and I'm so grateful for that."

"How could I not be those things to you when I feel the way I do about you?" he said trying to smile and mask the hurt he was feeling. He knew she hadn't rejected him. She'd just been honest. And yet not hearing the words he'd hoped to hear was even more difficult to deal with than he'd imagined.

She reached for his hand and held it as she spoke, her eyes locked with his.

"I know this will sound contradictory, but I was wondering...I was hoping maybe you might like to, you know, stay here tonight. With me."

"There is nothing I want more than that," he said.

"Then you'll stay..."

"With one exception," Wade said interrupting her.

"What exception?" she asked quietly.

"For you to love me first," he told her, saying the hardest thing he'd ever said before.

She sat there and just looked at him for the longest time before answering.

"Believe or not, that was by far the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me," Finlay told him.

"You have no idea how badly I want to be with you," Wade told her. "Every part of my being is screaming to say 'yes', but if I slept with you, and you later told me you don't feel the same way about me, I don't think I could stand it."

"How can you be so mature and so...wonderful...at your age?" she asked very sweetly and almost rhetorically.

"Right now I don't feel very mature, and I definitely don't feel wonderful," he confessed.

Finlay finally looked away then told him, "I...I haven't made love in many, many months, Wade. And my body is screaming for me to beg you to stay. But my mind, and my heart, are so touched by your tenderness and your concern that I know I can't."

She looked back up at him then said, "And it's that kind of concern for me that assures me you do feel that way about me and...and makes me feel like I may just feel the same way, too."

"If I stay even one minute longer, I won't be able to leave," he told her. "For now, all I'm asking for is a chance to show you how I feel and time for you to feel the same way for me."

"You've already shown that to me many times over, Wade. I...I just wasn't in any position to let it sink in. But now it's all so clear as I look back. So yes, please just let me have some time, okay? Because I do have feelings for you—very strong feelings. I'm just not sure that's love. I'm sorry, but that's the God's honest truth," she told her, her eyes filled with pain.

"All I can ask for is the truth. I've waited so long to be able to share my feelings with you, and I can wait as long as it takes for you to figure out what it is you're feeling for me."

"When I do, you'll be the first to know. I promise," she told him sweetly.

"That's fair enough," he said as he stood up.

As they got to the front door, Finlay said, "Could you please kiss me again?"

"I suppose being here at the door is as safe a place as it gets. You just have to promise not to ask me stay again."

"Then perhaps you should go," she said as she held his hand to her breasts. It wasn't sexual, it was just...tender. "Because if you do kiss me, I know I won't let you leave."

Wade leaned down and kissed her on the cheek then said, "We're going to have a lot going on from here on out with work, juggling our schedules, the trial, the kids."

"One last time, that's not your fight, Wade. You don't have to do all this," she said perhaps hoping if she pushed hard enough, he might go away. She didn't actually want that, but were he to stay and were she to fall in love with him...would he leave her or hurt her the way her husband had? In her heart she knew he wouldn't, but she was still unable to sort everything out or to trust anyone—even Wade Brown—that much.