Targeted by BillieK26

When John arrived at Jones’ house, he wasn’t sure what to expect. What he didn’t expect was to find Jones in the house with the front door unlocked. He unholstered his weapon before he and Brewer went in guns raised.

"Mr. Jones, it’s the police. We need to ask you some questions."

"Don’t come in officer."

"Mr. Jones, we’re going to have to come in. There are some questions about Alexander King’s death and the attempt on Ms. Williamson," John said with his back to the wall from around the corner from where he thought Ray, Sr. was.

"I knew you’d come back. You found Ray didn’t you."

"He went to Ms. Williamson’s to kill her."

"Did he?" Ray, Sr. asked with what sounded like excitement in his voice. John took a deep breath before answering because he could feel rage filling him at this man who wanted Evangeline dead. He remembered his run in with Hayes and knew if this man in his desire to hurt Evangeline had succeeded; John would have killed him with his bare hands, no questions asked.

"No, he didn’t, but he did tell me how you went on and on about Ms. Williamson being responsible for Melissa’s killer going free and how she needed to die. Did you kill Alexander King?"

John heard Ray, Sr. sigh before answering, "Yes, I did. I had to. He was trying to blackmail me. I had to kill him and Ray, Jr. was so easy to get to. He just wanted to please me, no matter what."

"Ray, Jr. appears to be a great kid. You could have focused on what you had instead of what you lost. That’s a lesson I just learned."

"Ray, Jr. was a mistake. Melissa was everything to me after her mother left me and I couldn’t protect her. I had to do something."

"Why go after Evangeline?" John found a small mirror sitting on a side table in the foyer and tilted it so he could see Ray Sr. in an armchair in the middle of the living room. Ray Sr. held a gun in his hand lying in his lap. His eyes looked to be glazed over and he appeared nervous from the tapping of his foot on the floor.

"She was so beautiful, everything my daughter was before she died. Melissa wanted to be a lawyer, too. I hated Ms. Williamson for getting her boyfriend off. He killed her long before I did."

"What?" John wasn’t sure what Ray, Sr. was talking about, but it sounded like he just confessed to killing his daughter. As John watched him in the mirror, tears began to run down his cheeks.

"That boyfriend of hers talked her out of everything that was good for her. She came home that night and we argued. She made me so mad that I hurt her. I didn’t want to kill her, but she wouldn’t listen to me. I had to and it was all her boyfriend’s fault."

Ray, Sr. was insane.

"Mr. Jones we need to take you down to the station. We are coming into the room and I need you to have your hands raised."

"I have a gun, Lieutenant."

"I need you to put it on the floor and stand up with your hands raised."

"I’m so tired," Ray said. John saw him raise the gun to his head and gestured for Brewer to circle around and come in behind Ray. "I just want it to all be over."

"Mr. Jones, let’s just go down to the station. We can talk there," John said coming around the corner looking at Ray.

"Lieutenant, I don’t want to talk anymore," Ray said, just as Brewer knocked the gun from his hand.

John walked further into the room.

"Thanks, Brewer," John said to the officer. "Mr. Jones, you’re under arrest for the murder of Melissa Jones and Alexander King."

John read Ray his rights and watched as Brewer handcuffed him. This was definitely not how John expected the evening to play out, but at least now the case was over. Evangeline was safe from this latest threat. After Jones was processed, John could go home and enjoy just being with Evangeline without a cloud of danger hanging over them.

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Evangeline was in the kitchen making dinner.

"Stokes, are you hungry?"

"I could eat."

"Good, I’m making enough for you and Ray to have dinner with me and John." Evangeline wasn’t totally sure John would appreciate the invitation, but she gave it anyway.

"Thanks, Ms. Williamson, but do you think that’s a good idea," Stokes asked from the open doorway.

"Of course, you’ve got to eat and he has to know he’s not alone," Evangeline replied watching Stokes shrug and go back into the living room where he was playing a card game with Ray.

Evangeline had been even more determined to help Ray, Jr. after sitting in the questioning with him. She shouldn’t represent him, but she couldn’t let the boy go back to jail. He’d had a hard time and she wanted to make it better for him. From what he’d told Bo, his father was a monster. Evangeline could only imagine what John was getting out of him.

Evangeline had called Nora and they’d discussed not pressing any charges against the boy. He’d been in possession of a weapon, but he hadn’t used it and he’d given it to the police without any real resistance. Nora agreed with Evangeline that charges didn’t need to be brought against the boy. What he needed was some support.

As Evangeline was putting pasta in water, she heard Stokes say, "Lieutenant McBain, how’d it go?"

"Well, we picked up Mr. Jones and he’s at the station right now."

"Is my dad okay?" asked Ray, Jr.

"Yes, physically he’s fine. You should be able to see him later. Where’s Evangeline?"

"In the kitchen," she answered.

Moments later, John moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his nose into her hair. She smiled at the gesture and leaned back into him. When she finished putting the pasta into water, she turned in his arms.

"What are you doing?" John asked.

"Making dinner."

"Don’t get attached to the boy, Evangeline."

"It’s too late for that. I already am. I just want to help him."

"What if you can’t?"

"At least I’ll know that I tried."

"You drive me crazy, do you know that?" he asked with a smirk. He pressed his forehead to hers and smiled against her lips.

"Yeah, but you love me anyway. You told me so," she said smiling up into his blue eyes, finally seeing the love for her in them. She pressed her lips to his for a moment, before pushing him away and turning him toward the door. "Now, go out there and play with the boys."

"Go play with the boys?" John asked with one eyebrow raised.

"Yep," she replied with a playful grin. Evangeline giggled at the face John made and turned back to the stove. She wanted him to be a role model for Ray, but she wanted it to be his idea. If he spent some time with Ray, maybe, just maybe he’d see what she saw – a boy with plenty of potential if only someone would cultivate it.

---------------

Dinner was as upbeat as possible considering the day they’d all had. Stokes stayed and talked about his family. Evangeline liked learning about the men who worked along side John to keep the residents of Llanview safe.

There were a couple of hairy moments during dinner when John told them what happened when Ray, Sr. was picked up. Evangeline was worried about Ray, Jr., but he was fine. He told her he finally understood why his father could never show him any love – Ray Sr. was sick. Evangeline thought it actually gave him some comfort.

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Later that night, when Evangeline and John were curled up in bed, he turned to her and tilted her face up to his.

"You think you’re so smart," he said.

"What are you talking about?"

"I’m talking about you trying to get me to warm up to Ray; that whole play with the boys thing."

"Oh, that. Did it work?"

"Yeah, it did. I see that he’s a sweet kid, just had a really hard time. Maybe I can take him under my wing or something, be his mentor. We’ll see."

Evangeline smiled and rose to press a kiss to John’s lips.

"I love you," she said.

"I know. I love you, too."

Evangeline rested her head on John’s chest and thought about what a wonderful man he was. He was more than she could have imagined. John was a lot like her father, but not. He didn’t talk much, but when he did you knew he meant it. Evangeline was happy with her life – John was back where he belonged and they were safe. Life just couldn’t get much better than that.