Divorced, Desperate and Daring

by Christie Craig

  Reaching for a kolache, he took a bite. The sausage and cheese woke up his taste buds.

  All of a sudden, the silence became noticeable. Or what really became noticeable was that Taco wasn’t standing beside him drooling.

  “Taco?” he called out.

  No sound came back. Not his paws clicking against the wood floor. Not a bark or a whimper.

  He moved into the living room.

  “Sheri?” he called.

  When she didn’t answer right away, his chest gripped.

  He ran down the hall and into the bedroom. She wasn’t there.

  “Sheri?” he called again. He shot into the hall bathroom. Empty.

  Heart banging against his ribs, he grabbed his phone.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Danny hadn’t decided if he should call 911 or Chase when he heard his front door open. His gaze shot up. Sheri came in with Taco on a leash. The dog rushed over and sniffed around him.

  “Hey,” she said.

  His expression still must have been scary because she stopped. “What’s wrong?”

  “You were gone.” He noted the drool that started dangling from Taco’s mouth.

  “Taco started whining at the door. I took him out. Just to the corner.” She looked at the bar. “I left a note.”

  He glanced over to the bar, and sure as hell it was there.

  Running a hand through his hair, he walked over to her. “Sorry, I didn’t see it.” He pulled her against him and buried his face in her hair. He breathed in her scent and pushed the panic from his gut.

  “You okay?” she asked. “Your heart’s pounding. I can almost hear it.”

  “Yeah, I . . .” He started to tell her about seeing someone who looked like Mark but decided it was silly. “Since I took him out, I didn’t think you’d have to do it again.” He kissed her. “I brought breakfast.”

  “Good.” She smiled again, but he saw a shadow of something in her eyes. A concern. A worry. Something that didn’t necessarily have to do with someone trying to hurt her. And he hoped like hell she couldn’t see the same in his.

  • • •

  After sharing breakfast and several sweet kisses, Sheri watched Danny leave. Was she being silly, imagining things? This morning, right before he’d left to walk Taco, she’d seen something in his eyes. Fear? Panic? Something that told her that her being here was hard for him. But exactly what was hard? Just the normal morning-after nerves? The fact that she’d stayed the whole night? That he couldn’t leave because she was temporarily staying at his place?

  All this would have been less complicated if she didn’t have to stay here. Beginning a relationship was hard. Sometimes it was the space between you and someone that helped you decide exactly how you felt. But it was impossible to get that space while living under the same roof.

  Should she suggest she go look for a hotel? Would he think that meant she didn’t want to be with him? That wasn’t it at all. Last night had been . . . amazing. So amazing it made her paranoid. That feeling, the connection, the sense that she and Danny had something extra special was still here. As strong as it had been six months ago. Or stronger.

  And yet deep down, her gut told her that was what was scaring him.

  She didn’t blame him. It kind of scared her, too.

  A lot of things scared her right now. Bombs being one of them.

  After drinking her coffee and checking her emails, she grabbed her laptop and threw herself headfirst into writing the press releases she should have done last week.

  Danny said he would have an hour for lunch and would bring her something to eat. She wanted to be finished with her work and be showered by the time he got back. This afternoon, she could make her weekly client calls and map out the following week’s schedule. And probably start scheduling Chloe’s book signing for her upcoming tween book, the eighth one in her series, which was scheduled to release in three months.

  At ten, she’d completed the most important press releases and started on the one for the shelter, hoping to play on people’s Thanksgiving spirit to encourage them to adopt a pet. Nothing said love like having a furry friend.

  Sheri gave Taco another rub across his belly with her toes. Her constant companion always stayed close, practically underfoot, while she worked . . . waiting for a little TLC.

  Sheri’s phone rang. She grabbed it and smiled when she saw Danny’s number.

  “Hello,” she said.

  “It’s only been two hours, and I’m having withdrawal,” he said, his tone so deep and husky she could almost feel it.

  “So maybe you and Tiger do share something in common,” she teased.

  He laughed, and she realized how much she loved that sound.

  “I’m telling you, it’s the cookie’s fault,” he said playfully.

  She leaned back in the chair. “I miss you, too.”

  “What do you want for lunch?” he asked.

  “It’s only ten.” She looked at his clock to confirm.

  “If I keep feeling like this, I’m going to have to take an early lunch.”

  “Feeling like what?” she asked with a touch of humor.

  “I keep having flashbacks to last night,” he said in low voice.

  She bit back her chuckle. “You’re bad.”

  “And here I thought you enjoyed yourself.”

  She laughed and then remembered exactly what he was working on.

  “Have you heard anything yet on Mark’s lie-detector test?”

  “He’s supposed to take it at ten thirty,” he said. “This afternoon James Perkins is coming in to redo the sketch. That might help.”

  “James Perkins? Is that the guy who told you someone wanted to kill . . . me?” She supposed trying to convince herself it hadn’t been her was no longer possible.

  “Yeah. And Chase and Turner are out talking to Kevin and his ex-fiancée now. We’re going to get to the bottom of it.”

  “I hope so.”

  “You getting any work done?” he asked.

  “Yeah, I actually am.”

  “Good. Oh, has Chloe called you?”

  Sheri hadn’t realized until this morning that she’d missed a call from Chloe last night. “No. Is something wrong? I tried to call her earlier, and she didn’t answer.”

  “I don’t think so. They got in about an hour ago. I just hung up from talking with Cary.”

  “They’re back already? Is her grandmother doing that well?”

  “Cary said you’d never know she had a heart attack. And Chloe’s mom got in yesterday. Cary suggested we all go out to eat tonight.”

  “That would be nice,” she said, only slightly worried what Chloe was going to think when she learned that she and Danny had . . . mended the fence. Then again, Sheri recalled Chloe saying she was having second thoughts about Danny.

  Sheri had just hung up when the doorbell rang. Taco nearly turned over her chair in his haste to get to the door.

  • • •

  Danny pulled out the Brian McCune file to finish up some paperwork when Turner walked in.

  “Hey.”

  Danny pushed the file to the side. “You get anything?” Although the sergeant had allowed him to go last night, Danny hadn’t been permitted to do any of the follow-up interviews. It was the rule, he knew. He sometimes hated rules.

  “Not really. Caroline Williams offered to come down to take a lie-detector test. I told her I’d call her with a time, but I just don’t think she’s got anything to do with this. Patrick Owens was MIA. But supposedly Chase talked to his wife, and he said he’d come in tomorrow.”

  “Wife?” Danny asked.

  “Yeah,” Turner answered and made a face. “Sheri didn’t know that, did she?”

  “No.” That wasn’t going to go over well.

  “Kevin Vey was interesting. Not that I like him for this. He agreed to take a test as well.” Turner chuckled. “As long as he doesn’t have to deal with a Detective Danny Henderson. He basically accused you of steali
ng Sheri from him.”

  “Please. He broke off their engagement almost a year ago.” But no doubt this was why the boss wanted him off the case.

  “Yeah, that’s what Cary said.”

  “Is Cary here?” Danny asked.

  “No. He called me. He and Chloe went by to see Ramon. I think they’re letting him out of the hospital today.”

  “Yeah, I stopped by on my way to work this morning.”

  Turner dropped down in a chair across from Danny’s desk. “So . . . is what Cary told me true?”

  Danny emotionally flinched. “I don’t have a friggin’ clue what he told you.” A lie. He actually had a good guess, hence the emotional flinching.

  “You and Sheri . . . Things working out? You gonna retire from the No Ball and Chain Gang?”

  Danny hadn’t told Cary anything, but when he asked Danny how they got along, Danny had offered a quick “Fine.”

  Danny hadn’t answered Cary’s next question, “How fine?” Cary pretty much figured it out. Or at least it appeared that way when he’d offered a “Congratulations” and “Don’t screw it up this time.”

  The don’t-screw-it-up remark had pretty much put the fear of God into Danny. It had been a long time since he’d been in a real relationship. Did he remember how to do it?

  “Is she really staying at your place?” Turner asked.

  Danny frowned. “Don’t you think you guys are jumping the gun?”

  “It’s not about what we think. What do you think?” Turner eased in.

  “I think both of you need to mind your own friggin’ business.”

  Turner, still smiling, leaned in. “Sorry, buddy, but that’s bullshit. After the crap you gave Cary and me for falling in love. You’re not gonna get off the hook that easy.”

  “Hey,” Chase Kelly appeared at the door. “Bad news. Good news. Mark Taylor just showed up. With his lawyer. He’s having second thoughts about taking a lie-detector test. Maybe we were wrong. He might be our man after all.”

  “Damn,” Danny said. “What’s the good news?”

  “The FBI got called away. They won’t be here for this interrogation. They may be gone for good, too. The thing about the bomb being familiar didn’t hold up.”

  Danny didn’t really give a rat’s ass about the FBI. But then he remembered something. “Do you know what type of car Taylor drives?”

  “Yeah,” Chase said. “A silver . . . smaller model. A Honda, I think.”

  “Shit,” Danny said.

  “What?” Chase and Turner asked at the same time.

  Danny picked up the phone to call Sheri back. “He was at my apartment this morning.”

  “You sure? How would he know where you live?”

  “I don’t have a fucking clue! I wasn’t sure it was him at the time. But it was a silver Honda.” Danny dialed Sheri’s number. What the hell had Taylor been doing there this morning?

  It rang once. Twice. His heart started to race when he realized what this might mean.

  “Hello,” she finally answered.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah . . . Chloe showed up, and we’re walking Taco down the street to Starbucks.”

  “Good.”

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, picking up on his panic.

  “I think Mark Taylor was at my apartment this morning.”

  “At your apartment?” she asked.

  “Yeah. But he’s here at the station now.” Danny looked at Chase and Turner.

  “You think he planted a . . .”

  He’d already considered that but . . . “I don’t think so, but my apartments have security cameras, so I’m going to check,” Danny said. “Don’t go back into the apartment until I’m there. I’m on my way. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

  “What’s wrong?” Cary asked, frowning and appearing at Danny’s office door.

  Danny hung up. He gave Cary the short version.

  Terror filled Cary’s expression, and he didn’t waste any time. “I’ll see you there.” He pulled out his phone, and Danny knew it was to call Chloe.

  Danny looked at Chase. “Should I call—?”

  “We can’t call anyone until we know for sure it was him.”

  Danny was afraid that was what Chase would say. He knew he was right, too. But if there was a bomb and . . .

  “I’m coming with you,” Turner said.

  Danny looked at Chase. “You keep that asshole here until I get back with the film!” He started out and then turned around. “Find out his license number, and text it to me. Meanwhile, ask the bastard about his whereabouts today. Let’s catch him in a lie and then we’ll have a reason to really come down on him.”

  Then Danny called his apartment manager’s office and told them to start pulling the video.

  • • •

  Two hours later, Danny was back at the precinct, watching Chase Kelly usher Mark Taylor and his lawyer into the interview room through a two-way mirror. The tape proved it had been Taylor who Danny had seen. But he hadn’t even stopped his car, and earlier tapes didn’t show him there.

  Which meant he hadn’t planted a bomb. But it sure as hell made him their main suspect now.

  Cary had taken Sheri, Chloe and Taco back to his place before Danny had even gotten to see them. Now Cary and Turner stood beside Danny, watching Chase Kelly do what he did best. Get people to talk. The man had a real knack for it.

  “Why is this taking so long?” Mark Taylor’s lawyer asked.

  “If your client would’ve taken a lie-detector test as he said he would, this all could have been over by now,” Chase said. Then he focused on the file he held in his hands. “According to my notes, you told me you didn’t go anywhere this morning except to see your lawyer. Is that correct?”

  “Yeah,” Mark asked, but Danny saw the lie register in his eyes.

  “You have a thing for Sheri Thompson, don’t you?” Chase asked, his tone direct.

  “She was my girlfriend, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “And when she broke up with you, you were devastated.”

  “I wouldn’t say that.”

  Chase moved closer, each step slow and intentional, meant to intimidate. “You know what I think? I think you’re obsessed with her. You’d rather see her dead than be with another man.”

  “Wait a minute,” the lawyer said. “Where is this line of questioning coming from? Why . . .”

  “I’m not obsessed with her,” Mark blurted out. “And the only reason I went to her place was because she invited me. How many times do I have to say it? I did not send her a bomb!”

  “You didn’t call her almost every day for a month and beg her to come back to you? You didn’t just show up at her apartment?” Chase asked, obviously reading Danny’s notes on the man.

  “I didn’t send her a fucking bomb!”

  “Okay we’re out of here,” the lawyer said.

  “Not so fast,” Chase said. “You haven’t been following her recently?”

  “No,” Mark said and again seemed to twitch. Danny noted he hadn’t done that when talking about the bomb.

  Chase leaned two hands on the table and stared at Mark across from him. “Okay, so could you explain why we have a video of you pulling into Danny Henderson’s apartment complex this morning?”

  Mark’s face went pale. “I . . .”

  “Don’t answer,” his lawyer said.

  Their perp looked at his lawyer. “No, I think they need to know this.” He focused back on Chase. “It’s true. I went to his apartment complex, thinking I’d see her car there. I was pissed that she set me up with the FBI. But I’m telling you, I didn’t send her a bomb!”

  “How do you know where he lives?” Chase put the question out there.

  “I’m advising you to just shut up,” the lawyer said.

  “No, they think I’m a damn bomb-maker, and I’m not!” Mark snapped at his lawyer and then looked back at Chase. “When I was dating Sheri, I got my hands on her phone.
She had numerous texts from this guy. In one of them, he gave her his address and asked her to come see him if she didn’t want him coming to her house.”

  “That’s true.” Danny frowned at Cary.

  Mark continued. “She mentioned he was cop. And after I met that jerk at her place, I . . . I figured it was him. I thought I’d find her car there. But it wasn’t. All I did was drive through the parking lot.”

  That was true, too, Danny thought. But damn it to hell and back, he wanted this guy to be guilty.

  “What kind of person snoops in a girlfriend’s phone?” Chase asked. “Wait, maybe it’s one who’s obsessed?”

  Mark Taylor’s lawyer sat there shaking his head, furious that his client was spilling his guts.

  “Fine. I snooped, and I shouldn’t have. Maybe I get carried away with women I really like. And yes, I might have confronted her if her car had been there, but I wouldn’t have killed her.”

  Cary looked at Danny. “What do you think?”

  “I think he’s an ass,” Danny seethed. “But I’m not sure he’s our bomb-maker.”

  “Then prove what you just said,” Chase insisted. “Take the lie-detector test.”

  Chapter Twenty-three

  “You’re holding back,” Chloe said and handed Sheri a glass of iced tea.

  After checking to see if Danny had texted her, Sheri looked up at her best friend. “No, I told you. I’m giving him a second chance. And the sex was . . . great. What else is there to say? I’m not giving you blow-by-blow details,” Sheri said. Her friend would probably share them with her husband.

  “I don’t want blow-by-blow. It’s just . . . I can see you’re worried. I know because whenever you worry, you bite on your lip.”

  “Well, duh, someone is trying to kill me.” Sheri checked the time. It was almost five, and Danny was supposed to text her when Mark had finished the lie-detector test. Then Cary and Chloe and she and Danny were supposed to go out to eat.