he said, his voice cracking. “You saved us all.”
But Jack hadn’t, because Josh Deiner’s body was still on the dock, Levi and Gerard on their knees next to him as if in prayer.
* * *
THE MEDIA CALLED IT the Midwinter Miracle, going for alliteration over accuracy. And for a few days, it was big news. Anderson Cooper, among others, came to town and interviewed the three boys—Sam Miller, Garrett Baines and Nick Bankowski, who were tremulous and fine, save for a broken nose on Nick. Their parents wept and called Jack a hero, an angel, the hand of God. A former navy SEAL was interviewed and attested that it was a “helluva rescue.”
As police spokesperson, Levi gave a statement, as well, and when Anderson asked if Jack was indeed his brother-in-law, Levi said, yes, he was. When asked to characterize Jack, Levi said, “He’s a good guy.” That was it, and Jack was grateful.
He himself was asked for interviews by fifty-seven media outlets. He didn’t give any.
That night in the E.R., Jack’s father hugged him for a long, long time. Pops’s voice broke as he told Jack how proud he was. His sisters fussed over him and his niece wept, and his nephew got teary-eyed, as well. Mrs. Johnson made him his favorite dinners every night for the next week, as did his grandmother, not to be outdone. So there was a lot of food. Jack tried to eat it.
Josh Deiner was unavailable for comment, since he was in a coma. There was brain damage. He was on a ventilator.
At night, when Jack couldn’t sleep, it was Josh Deiner’s still, limp body he saw, lying on the wooden dock, ice forming on his eyelids since there was no heartbeat to keep him warm. The face of Josh’s girlfriend as she sobbed on Anderson Cooper’s shoulder. And the words Josh’s mother had spat at him in the E.R. ran through his brain, over and over and over.
You left him for last. The one who needed you the most, and you left him for last.
EMMALINE SAT IN front of the computer with Carol Robinson, who tapped the screen. “That one’s cute. He has beautiful eyes.”
It was true. “Yeah, but look. Aggravated assault.”
“That rules him out?”
“It does, Carol.”
“You’re so fussy. All right, who’s next?”
They both flinched at the next photo—no teeth.
“This is so much fun,” Carol said. “So much more interesting than real estate. Oh, that one’s a hottie.”
Emmaline clicked for more information. “Currently in federal prison. Damn! All the good-looking ones are behind bars.”
“What are you doing?” Levi asked. Both women glanced at him, then looked back at the screen.
“We’re looking for a man for Em to take to the wedding,” Carol said.
“Did you input that report like I asked you to?”
“Not yet,” Carol said blithely. “And don’t give me that look, Levi. I changed your diapers.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“But I could have. I’m old enough to be your mother.”
“Grandmother, even.”
“How dare you!”
Levi gave them a tolerant look. “Em? Is Manningsport so free of crime that you have time for this?”
“It’s after five, and yes,” Emmaline pointed out. “This hellish wedding is in eight days, and I still don’t—”
“Feel free to keep your personal life private, Em,” he said. “Like I do.”
“Yeah, right. You call Faith twenty times a day—”
“I call Faith three or four times a day, as she’s my wife and expecting a baby and it’s the middle of winter and I want to make sure she—”
“This one! This one,” Carol exclaimed. “If you don’t go out with him, I will.”
Em looked. Yep, the guy was gorgeous, all black hair and green eyes opened a trifle too wide.
“He looks a little psychotic,” Em said.
“Yeah, well, who looks good in a mug shot?” Carol asked. “Don’t be so picky. Even Robert Downey Jr. didn’t look so hot, and please. That man could be eating a can of cat food and I’d still want to sleep with him.”
“Inappropriate talk for the workplace, Carol,” Levi said. “Besides, Officer Neal, I thought my brother-in-law was going with you.”
“Who? Jack? No.”
“Faith said she was asking.”
“Why?” Emmaline yelped. “How did she even know?”
Levi gave her a martyred look. “It was announced at O’Rourke’s the other night. And it’s all you talk about.”
“No, it’s not!”
“Sure it is. Also, I may have mentioned it in the hope that you’d get your mind back on work.”
“Oh, please. Who went on seven calls yesterday, huh? It wasn’t Everett, let me tell you, Chief.” Levi raised an eyebrow and waited. “Besides,” she added, “I don’t want to go with Jack.”
“Why not?” Carol asked. “I’d go with Jack. Jack’s adorable. Those eyes!”
“Thanks, Carol,” came a new voice, and, shit, it was Jack himself. “Hey, Em.”
“Hi,” she grumbled.
Sure, he spoke to her. Of course he did. He was nice. They played hockey together (along with ten or twelve other people). When he came into the station, which he did every once in a while to talk to Levi, he always said hello (and goodbye). If she saw him at O’Rourke’s he’d say hello (and goodbye).
And, of course, the day of the Midwinter Miracle, he’d asked if Josh was dead.
But now, as her potential date, it was different.
Jack folded his arms and looked down at her. “Faith said you were looking for a date for a wedding.”
“Yep.”
“Don’t just sit there like a lump,” Carol hissed. “Smile at him. Who else are you going to take? A convict?”
“You didn’t have a problem with that ten seconds ago.”
“Smile!”
Emmaline tried to obey. Carol
