PROTECTING
AMELIA
By Harriet Haynes
Copyright © 2019 by Harriet Haynes. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without express written permission of the author.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
THANK YOU FOR READING!
ONE
The sweet fragrance of fresh flowers surrounded Amelia as she pulled open the van door. "You've got to be kidding," she snapped as the water from one of the flower buckets sloshed over the side and onto her denim jeans. Wiping herself down with the cloth from her back pocket. Amelia chuckled to herself as she saw the dark denim patch revealed an incriminating stain at her crotch.
At 6 am, there are only a few early risers pottering around the usually busy London street. So, there were very few witnesses to her relief. The benefit of living above where you work, she would be able change once she got inside.
With a smaller rose bucket in her arms, Amelia smiled at her neighbor whom she could see peeking out from the apartment above their book shop. She could feel Ludlow's sour expression, but she was determined not to let their disputes ruin her good mood.
Taking her keys from her dungarees pocket, Amelia released the padlocks and slid up the shutter on the flower shop. The loud rattle guaranteed to disturb her disgruntled neighbor’s, but what was she supposed to do. The shop had only had its reopening and business is booming. Most of the roses she'd picked up this morning were already pre-ordered for a wedding tomorrow. Plus, with Valentine’s day coming up, Amelia was determined to display the best of her stock to the morning commuters. While she pulled the buckets to the front of the shop under the yellow awning, the sun was starting to split through the grey clouds.
Once the roses were out, she loaded the remaining buckets back into the van and drove around the corner to the delivery bay. Placing her key in the lock, she waited for the hum of the alarm, but there was nothing. Maybe I forgot to set it when I left this morning? Amelia shrugged in dismay as the shutter rose and everything seemed in its right place. The workshop table piled high with baskets prepared for the wedding and the usual mess Gwen made when she was arranging for big events. She pushed the thought aside and went back to unloading the rest of her purchases.
Goosebumps rose up on her arms as the chill of the shop surprised her. “Thermostat must be gone again," Amelia cursed herself for not ordering a new one so close to Valentine’s day. They couldn't afford any disasters. Switching on the fuse box, the thermostat started up again, and she took out her phone, reminding herself to order a new one.
Amelia turned on the lights and put radio on low not wanting to disturb next door. Ludlow's newest threat was noise pollution. Every week a new threat. At Christmas with a queue out the door, Ludlow accused them of disturbing flow to his shop and wanted to be compensated for damages. There was only so much she could take. However, he was their neighbor. There was nothing she could do. She pitied him because their business was suffering. Amelia had once thought about helping them generate new business, but their bookstore remained pretentious and uninviting. First editions made excellent additions to the shelves of the rich but not very attractive to the day to day customer. However, the harder Ludlow made her life, the less she wanted to offer her services.
"Amelia! You here?"
I'm here," she called from the office, glancing up from the account book. Amelia saw Gwen's curvy frame appear in the doorway. Her blonde hair tied up high on her head while Amelia preferred to work with her red hair free. "The roses out front look incredible, but the 14th is still a week away, is it worth the investment?”
Amelia wrapped her arm around her friend, "We will have fresh batches for delivery; these are just to entice those who stop by."
"This is why I leave the business to you," Gwen winked taking a bunch of daisies into the back room. In her fifties, Gwen had put her faith in a twenty-three-year-old to revive her dying floristry shop. "Are you sure about the buckets out front? Ludlow is looking for any excuse.”
"Let me worry about Ludlow! You make sure we are ready for tomorrow," Amelia said, pushing Gwen gently towards her work desk.
"Once they are under our awning it's our property,” Amelia said, clenching her fist under the table. Amelia worked in the shop since her parents died at sixteen and seeing it fail wasn't an option. Night course after night course, she learnt how to rebuild the business.
An argument about flower buckets wasn't and isn't worthy of her attention.
The day went steadily by and Amelia was sure that they would be able to go one day without their neighbor's interference. Letting out a sigh of relief, she pushed the arguments from her mind and went outside to top up the water in the buckets.
"Excuse me?" The voice startled her, and Amelia ended up on her backside. Adjusting herself, she placed the watering can on the ground and starred up expecting a customer. Instead, Amelia came face to face with a navy uniform and the glint of a silver badge. Ludlow's smirk filled her mind, "just when I thought I was in the clear," she said to herself, placing her hands in her pockets.
"Come again?" The officer frowned, and she shook her head, surprised at his young face. His defined jaw and straight nose while dark eyes fixed on her. "Nothing, how can I be of assistance?"
"We've had a complaint," he said, and she rolled her eyes to heaven.
"Of course, I'll move the buckets." He seemed taken aback by her knowledge of the complaint.
"It was next door, right?" She asked, and he cleared his throat.
"I'm not at liberty to say," he stands taller, and she can see the strain of his shirt against his broad shoulders. What is wrong with me? She scolded herself as Amelia noticed she was studying him like a piece of meat.
"Short version," Amelia picked up her watering can and gestured from him to follow her. "Our shop was closing, and they were looking to buy it out to expand. I convinced the owner to try one last push, and they lost out. Now they like to send the police to our front door because it looks bad and detracts from our sales."
The officer was about to open his mouth, but she continued. "I understand you are doing your job, but this isn't worthy of your time, and you aren't the first officer to stop by."
The customers coming and going in the shop take an interest in his presence and it looks terrible having police around, so Amelia grabbed a bunch of sunflowers from the desk and led him back outside.
"I'll move the buckets over; sorry for wasting your time."
There is something in the way he looks at me that makes me unsteady. Like he is looking through me.
"I wouldn't call it a waste of time." He says, and Amelia bit her lip not sure how to respond.
"I just need a few more details." Amelia waited for his questions watching as his eyes skated down her body.
"How long have you worked here?" He asks, and Amelia noticed his partner in the car. "A long time, it's home."
"You live here?" He looks above the shop, and Amelia nodded in reply, her hands within her pockets.
"There is an apartment upstairs, makes life easier." Why am I answering his questions? This has nothing to do with the complaint.
"I think your partner is looking for you," she told him as his partner got out of the car, watching them.
"If that's all, I should get back to work," Amelia said, moving away from the curb
, but he mimicked her step. "Enjoy the rest of your day."
"Have a nice day… Sir." Amelia noticed his expression flicker as she addressed him formally. Why did I call him Sir? He was practically my age. Embarrassed by the blush rising to her cheeks, she slid over the buckets hoping he would be gone when she turned around but there he was.
"Miss? Your name?" He asked, and Amelia hesitated. "For my report."
"Amelia Campbell."
"Yours?"
He frowns, taking a step closer and Amelia could see the freshly polished black of his boots. There was neatness to him that told her he hadn't been in the service long.
"In case they complain again? I want to know whom to call."
"Asher, we need to get back," his partner answers for him and Asher offers his hand to Amelia. Not wanting to appear rude, she took the officer's hand surprised by the sensation in her belly as his hand engulfed hers. Amelia returned his firm grasp, a smirk on his lips as he dropped her hand.
"Nice to meet you, Amelia," Asher said climbing into the squad car.
"Guys like him shouldn't be allowed in a uniform for all our sakes." Amelia looked to see Gwen fanning herself in the doorway.
"That guy was making eyes at you," Gwen continued, and Amelia watched the car go down the street. "He was just doing his job," she replied, moving the buckets back to their previous position.
"Fuck it, it's within our land," Amelia smiled mischievously.
Gwen pursed her lips, her hands on her ample hips. "I'd worry less about those buckets and more on that fine piece of uniform."
"Next time, I'll get his number for you," Amelia passed by her and Gwen followed her into the small kitchen. "I think it’s another number he wants."
"Don't you have flowers to arrange?" Amelia said changing the subject as the kettle boiled and Gwen left her in peace.
TWO
There is a hard rapping at the door, and Amelia pulled herself from the bed, putting on her shorts to make myself decent. "Who the hell is knocking?" Amelia asked herself, walking down the back stairs to the front of the shop on her tiptoes. Stepping on a thorn wasn't a pleasant experience.
The knocking continued as she removed the two locks and grabbed the key from the hook. "Can I help you?" Amelia said through tired eyes, opening the side door seeing Asher. "What are you doing here?"
"There has been a noise complaint."
"Are you serious? I was sleeping," Amelia argues the cold air freezing her lightly clothed body. "Alone?" His jaw clenched, and Amelia glared at him.
"Yes, alone. If that's all? I want to go back to bed now,” Amelia started to close the door. "Have a nice night, Amelia."
"I will have a word with the complainant," he said, looking next door, and I wasn't in the mood for confrontation.
“Don’t worry about it; it will only add fuel to the fire."
"A false report is serious," Asher’s expression darkened, and I knew this wasn't going to end well.
"Sorry for the disruption," he says when there is a clatter upstairs followed by a series of crashes.
"Minks," I mutter, and Asher suddenly brushes past me, and I can see his partner isn't with him.
"You can't just barge in!" Amelia argues as he looked up the stairs that lead to her apartment.
"Loud noise, probable cause," Asher says his lips pressed in a thin line. "It was probably my cat, she breaks things," Amelia said calling out for Minks but the tabby didn't appear.
"Are you alone in the apartment?"
"Yes, I was sleeping," Amelia repeated, but there was another crash, like a window smashing.
"Stay here," he ordered, taking the stairs drawing his weapon. Minks could have knocked something over, but it wouldn't have made such a smash.
Amelia looked around the dark corridor and didn't want to be left alone in case someone had broken in while she slept. Her mind drifting to the unarmed alarm this morning. Maybe she had forgotten to set it again. She followed quietly behind him, the creaking staircase alerting him to her presence.
"I told you to stay put," Asher barked quietly. "I'm not waiting alone, and I won't let you shoot my cat," he clears upstairs until they reach her bedroom and Amelia was taken aback by the smashed window, glass littering the floor as Minks huddled in a ball on her bed.
Asher holstered his weapon and Amelia spotted the rock on the ground. "Has anyone broken in before?"
"No but I guess who did this," Amelia said, moving closer to the window, while Asher inspected the window and the street below.
"They're gone. However, I need to report this in case it happens again." Amelia reached out to the rock sitting on the floor in the glass.
"Don't touch anything," he ordered. “There could be prints on the stone."
Trying to get a closer look at the damage Amelia felt a sharp pain as the glass from the window cut into her skin.
"Shit," she exclaimed as Asher called out on the radio. She sat down on the bed, clutching her bleeding foot.
"If you had stayed out..." He rolled his eyes, and Amelia stuck her tongue out at him.
"Your bedside manner sucks," Amelia seethed as the radio replied on his shoulder. Someone else would be here in a few minutes, and then Amelia could get back to sleep. With the client’s wedding tomorrow, she needed as much sleep as she could get.
"First aid kit," Asher asked kneeling in front of her, and as his face was level with hers, she forgot her words.
"I can do it, you should wait for your partner," Amelia told him, but he just looked around the small room to the ensuite.
"It's just a scratch," Amelia called out as he switched on the bathroom light and she could hear him rustling around.
"Make yourself at home.”
Amelia couldn't believe he was rooting through her stuff. Who did he think he was. Asher returned with her box of medicines and placed them on the bed beside her.
"Hands," Asher said, looking at her foot, but she remained still holding her foot.
"Are you serious?"
"I need to see if you need medical assistance," his voice devoid of any emotion as she removed her hands and Amelia saw the shard of glass in her foot, and she covered her eyes.
"Oh, god, get it out!" Amelia exclaimed feeling dizzy. Asher removed her hands from her eyes, and she focused her gaze on him.
"Don't faint," his expression softer ass he took a tweezer from the box and slowly removed the glass. Holding Amelia's ankle still, she clenched her teeth as her foot started to throb, and he applied a gauze to her sole.
"Keep pressure," Asher took her hand, comforted by the strength of his hand over hers she tried to control her breathing. "Not a fan of blood?"
Amelia shook her head, and he took away the bandage and looked at the cut, "you won't need stitches, but walking is going to be a little uncomfortable."
Amelia looked at his hand on her ankle, the smell of his aftershave filling her senses.
"Just a scratch," she said mostly to herself while he wrapped a small bandage around her foot. Asher smiled, reassuring her, and he helped her sit back on the bed with her foot elevated. She was about the thank him when a voice over the radio filled the room, and he moved towards the bedroom to reply.
"Be right back,” his professional demeanor returning, and she covered her body with a blanket.
"Keep that elevated," Asher said pausing in the doorway before going to let his partner in.
Amelia glanced at the alarm clock beside her bed, and it was already 3 am. She had to be up in three hours. Should I tell Gwen about this? Why would Ludlow go so far? I know he wanted the shop but this? Questions raced through her mind as she sank deeper into her pillows. Taking some painkillers from her bedside table, Amelia tried to stop the aching in her foot. She hated blood and more so how weak she became at a mere drop.
"Miss Campbell?” Amelia opened her eyes to see Asher's partner standing over her. "We won't be long," he said as she watched Asher pick up the rock with gloved hands and an evidence bag.
"We received a noise complaint earlier this evening, and that's when Officer James arrived?" He asked notepad in hand, and Amelia pulled herself up. "Yes, I was sleeping when he arrived, and I was explaining there was no noise, then the rock came through the window."
"And have you noticed anyone lingering around the shop recently? Anyone who might want to harm you?"
"No, nothing. Since we relaunched, our neighbors haven't been too happy. They wanted to expand, and the deal fell through, so I think they lost some money." Asher's partner glanced at him, and I wonder what he’s thinking.
"Have you had any altercations in the past?"
"No everything was fine until Gwen decided not to sell," Amelia explained, and he continued to take notes,
"Gwen?"
Protecting Amelia- Alpha Officer Page 1