Shore to Please

by Annette Mardis

  “Just set those in the sink and I’ll put them in the dishwasher later,” Tara instructed, coming up behind him.

  Flipper did as she asked, then turned and pulled her against him.

  “I’m going to head back to the hotel.” If she was disappointed at how the night was ending, she didn’t show it. “What time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow?” he added.

  “Around ten? We can stop by the sub shop and the grocery, head to the park, and then maybe do the swan boats before we eat.”

  “Okay. I’ll bring some donuts and bagels to tide us over until lunch.”

  He gave her a quick kiss and they walked to her front door arm in arm.

  “I had a wonderful time today, Flipper. Thank you for everything.”

  “You’re welcome. I had fun, too, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow. Good-night and sleep tight.”

  He drew her into another embrace and the kiss lasted longer this time. He had a difficult time letting her go but knew it was the right thing to do. For now.

  *

  Sated and sleepy from lunch and an hour of exploring the lake in a pedal-powered boat shaped like a swan, Tara and Flipper were stretched out on a blanket beneath the spreading limbs of a massive live oak tree. He enfolded her delicate hand in his large callused one, and she sighed. Tara closed her eyes and cleared her mind, content to be in this place with this man. She’d resolved to live in the moment, and so far today she’d been able to keep her promise to herself. As she drifted off, she caught the sound of twigs snapping and soft footfalls in the grass. Then she heard a dog’s low growl.

  Her eyes snapped open and, suppressing a gasp of alarm, she tightened her hold on Flipper’s hand. He cracked his eye open and came fully alert when she spoke in a calm voice that belied her nervousness.

  “What are you doing here, Chase?”

  He glanced down at the large, furry mongrel at his side as it bared its teeth.

  “Just out walking the pooch. Better than screwing it, I guess.” He laughed at his own joke. “Imagine running into you here.” Chase nodded toward Flipper, who now sat on the blanket watching the intruder’s every move. “You’re obviously through with that pansy ass dickhead who cheated on you. Any idea where he disappeared to?”

  “No,” Tara replied. “I haven’t seen him since he cleared his belongings out of our condo.”

  Even if she did know where Steven was, she’d never share that information with Chase. But she wasn’t about to tell him that, not when she recognized the restrained fury in his expression. Flipper must’ve noticed it, too, because he gained his feet and assumed a protective stance in front of her.

  Tara turned her attention back to Chase. “Any word from Jane?”

  “The bitch went into hiding about the same time your old boyfriend did. I’d like to say good riddance to both of them, but we’ve got unfinished business.”

  Tara wanted to ask if the police had questioned him yet but feared she might set him off. He dismissed her to give Flipper a narrow-eyed glare.

  “You look familiar. Have we met?”

  “Nope,” Flipper replied.

  “I know I’ve seen you somewhere.” Chase snapped his fingers as recognition dawned in his eyes. “You work for that aquarium down in Gulf Shore. I’ve seen your pictures on the Web site. You’re one of the dolphin trainers, aren’t you?”

  Tara hopped up to stand beside Flipper, but he eased her behind him again.

  “Yeah, you are,” Chase insisted. “You’ve got a funny name, too. Finn? Fister? Something like that. Tara, why in holy hell are you getting cozy with this guy?”

  “None of your business.”

  “I wonder what your minions would say if they saw you right now.”

  As red seeped into her vision, she snapped, “And I wonder what the police would say about the fact that two people who’ve wronged you have disappeared.”

  “I’ve got news for you, the cops already talked to me about that. So your insinuation that I’m a suspect is just a stupid bluff. You’d best watch your mouth if you don’t want to find yourself in more trouble than you can get out of. Don’t forget, I know where you live, lady.”

  Flipper took two steps forward, his fists balled, but stopped when the dog lunged. Chase yanked the animal back and scolded it. “Blitz, sit!” Evidently it knew not to challenge its master because the canine complied on the spot.

  “You’d better not be threatening her,” Flipper warned.

  “Think you can do something to stop me?”

  “Stop hiding behind your dog and face me like a man and we’ll see.”

  Chase’s face turned scarlet and his eyes bulged. Tara thought he might be having a stroke. She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and held it up so both men could see it.

  “Enough is enough. Flipper, while I appreciate your willingness to defend me and have no doubt you’d emerge the victor in a fair fight, I don’t trust this man not to use dirty tactics or even pull a weapon. Chase, I’m a split second away from calling 911 if you don’t take that ill-mannered beast of yours and leave us to enjoy the rest of our day.”

  He barked out a nasty laugh. “Still a ball buster, aren’t you? Don’t you ever tire of leading dudes around by their dicks?”

  Flipper puffed out a breath like a bull ready to charge, and Tara wrapped her arm around his and held on. She dug in her heels when he stepped forward.

  “Don’t,” she pleaded. “He’s not worth it.”

  Chase snorted. “Look who’s talking. Wait until I tell your SWADS pals how you’ve betrayed them with this pussy-whipped wimp. Your group will fall apart faster than cheap crap made in China.”

  “Why would they believe anything you say?”

  “Maybe they won’t, but I bet they’ll believe this.” He pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of Tara and Flipper. “Thanks for the idea. This will look great on your Facebook page.” Chase let out another humorless chuckle. “You and your boyfriend have a great day.”

  With that, he ordered his dog to heel and sauntered off.

  As soon as Chase moved far enough away, Flipper turned on Tara.

  “Why’d you emasculate me like that? You should’ve let me beat the living shit out of that asshole.”

  “Oh for…this isn’t about your ego. It’s about a small-minded, angry man who seems bent on disrupting as many lives as possible just to make himself feel better. I’m not saying Steven is a prize or that I condone what he and Jane did. But if what just happened is an indication of Chase’s true nature—and I have no reason to doubt it is—then it’s no wonder his wife sought comfort in another man’s arms. He’s certifiable.”

  “Which is precisely why you should’ve let me put the fear of God in him. Now I have to worry about him coming after you.”

  “I’m not afraid of him.”

  Flipper vibrated with barely suppressed fury. “You should be! Damn it, Tara, I can’t protect you after I go home to Gulf Shore. As if I didn’t already have enough on my mind with some psycho sending anonymous letters threatening to mutilate me and my coworkers, now I have to worry about Mr. Anger Mismanagement taking out his frustrations on you.”

  “Mutilate you? Good God, Flipper, what did those letters say?”

  “It doesn’t matter. The point is, you’re a woman living alone, and you just put yourself at risk.”

  “But—”

  “And don’t say you can take care of yourself because you took a self-defense class. You might not get a chance to use what you learned if he ambushes you or breaks into your condo while you’re sleeping.”

  Tara’s stomach lurched as Flipper’s words sank in. Not only had she exposed herself to possible danger, she’d dragged him into it, too. Then another thought hit her. Suppose Flipper’s bosses see the photograph Chase took? My reputation isn’t the only one on the line here. Her head spun thinking of the possible consequences as a dull pain started to throb behind her eyes. She’d never forgive herself if Flipper lost his job b
ecause of her recklessness. How ironic, given that SWADS’ goal was to render dolphin and whale trainers obsolete.

  She sank back onto the blanket, put her head in her hands, and closed her eyes to stem the tears that pooled there. Flipper sat next to her and rubbed her back.

  “It’ll be all right,” he soothed. “We’ll figure out a way to keep you safe.”

  Tara lifted her head and gave him a stricken look. “That’s the least of my concerns. How will I keep this from coming back to bite you? I’m so sorry. I’ve really made a mess of things.”

  * * * *

  They packed up the remnants of their picnic and headed to Flipper’s car. A somber mood prevailed as he drove back to her condo. Tara’s head really hammered now, and she hoped the two ibuprofen she’d downed before they left the park would kick in soon. As she replayed the exchange with Chase over and over in her mind, she latched on to what he’d said about the police interviewing him. She pulled out her phone and called Jo Tompkins for an update.

  “I’m glad you called because I planned to get in touch with you today,” the detective responded. “My contact at the Orlando PD filled me in yesterday on what he’s found out so far. Let me pull up my notes.” Tara heard a tapping of keys, and then Jo began to read.

  “Detective Fishburn obtained information from a neighbor, Arthur Sampson, about an altercation at the Childers home involving the two residents there and a third person matching Steven Christianson’s description. Asked why he didn’t report it, Mr. Sampson advised he has had run-ins with Mr. Childers in the past and is afraid of him. Mr. Childers regularly allows his dog to defecate in Mr. Sampson’s yard and then fails to clean it up. When Mr. Sampson finally confronted Mr. Childers about that, he ‘threatened to shove my nuts up into my throat and burn down my house,’ according to Mr. Sampson.

  “He further advised that Mr. Childers has made similar statements to other neighbors who objected to loud music or other disturbances coming from the home. Because the neighbors are in fear for their lives, Mr. Sampson states, they’ve refrained from getting involved, even on several occasions when they heard arguing and screaming and were concerned for Jane Childers’ safety.”

  “So essentially, Chase has been terrorizing the neighborhood and nobody will stand up to him,” Tara summarized. “Isn’t there anything the police can charge him with?”

  “They haven’t been able to make a case so far. When Charley—Detective Fishburn—pressed for details on the fracas that may have involved Steven, Sampson panicked and backtracked from his statements. No other neighbors would admit to hearing or seeing anything that night. Without a reliable witness and lacking documentation of any injuries to Steven and Jane, the police can’t arrest Mr. Childers on assault charges.”

  Tara took a moment to wonder why the police always referred to the bad guys so respectfully. “That scumbag” would be the way she’d describe them.

  “By the way, Mr. Childers claims he worked until midnight that night and didn’t leave the hotel at any point during his shift,” Jo continued. “His time card confirms that, although I think it’s very likely, based on what Steven told you, that Mr. Childers headed home early without punching out and then returned to the hotel later to establish his alibi. Other employees on duty that night either corroborated his story or claimed they were in other parts of the hotel and can’t say one way or another whether he was there the entire time. Charley Fishburn thinks they’re lying because they’re afraid of retribution or they’re covering for Mr. Childers for whatever reason.”

  “Did this detective question Chase about Steven and Jane’s disappearances?” Tara asked.

  “Yes. He denies having any knowledge of their whereabouts and claims he hasn’t seen or heard from his wife since he ‘asked’ her to move out.”

  “Chase accosted me today at a city park, and I’m afraid I’ve further muddied the waters.”

  She filled Jo in on what happened and then waited for the expected tongue-lashing. But the detective instead warned Tara to be careful and promised to report Chase’s “I know where you live” comment to Orlando police.

  “By the way, I called Steven’s cell phone soon after he contacted you and nobody answered,” Jo noted. “We tracked the phone via GPS to a location outside Atlanta, but the police up there were slow to respond, and he’d checked out of the motel by the time they got there. We haven’t gotten any further information from the phone. It probably was a burner, and I’ll bet he ditched it and bought another one after he talked to you.”

  “Which means we probably won’t find Steven until he wants to be found.”

  “That’s very likely. Listen, Tara, maybe you need to get out of Orlando for a little while, too, until things cool down. You can do your graphic design work from anywhere, right?”

  “Yes, but I can’t really afford to go elsewhere right now. I’m barely able to afford the mortgage payments on the condo. It wasn’t so bad when Steven was paying half, but I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to continue living there by myself.”

  “Is there anyone you can ask for help?”

  “Not really. I’ve been looking around for a less-expensive place. But as much of a burden as my current mortgage is, it’s also expensive to move. So I’m not sure yet what I’m going to do.”

  “All right, well, I hope you can work it out. In the meantime, watch your back and let me know if anyone connected to this case contacts you again.”

  “I will. Thanks for your time, detective.”

  Flipper had pulled his car into a parking space outside Tara’s condo, and now he sat staring at her, a stern expression on his face.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you’re having money troubles?”

  “It’s not your concern.”

  “It’s not my concern? Damn it, I care about you. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

  “I know that, Flipper, and I didn’t mean to sound harsh. But I don’t expect you to bail me out of the mess I’m in. I made a poor choice when I agreed to buy the condo with Steven, and it’s up to me to remedy the situation.”

  “Would it be so awful to lean on someone every now and then?”

  “I don’t even know what this is between us or where it’s going. After the breakup I just went through, I’m not eager to let another man hold sway over my finances, not to mention my emotions. You can understand that, can’t you?”

  “Yes. That doesn’t make it any easier to sit back and watch you struggle.”

  She leaned forward and kissed him. “I know you mean well, but I have to figure this out on my own. Besides, I have a more immediate problem, as do you.”

  “And that is?”

  “What happens if Chase makes good on his threat and posts that picture of us online?”

  “There’s only one way to find out.” Flipper pulled out his phone and accessed Facebook. He checked a couple of pages and turned the screen so Tara could see for herself.

  “Nothing here.”

  “Yet,” she added.

  Chapter 14

  Great. Just great. I am so screwed, Flipper thought as he snuggled with Tara on her microfiber couch.

  Kenshin was going to crap enough gold bars to fill Fort Knox when he saw that photo. And it most definitely was a matter of when, not if, that happened. The only question was how severe the repercussions would be.

  “I guess we’ll sit here and wait for the feces to be flung at the fan,” he told Tara.

  She cringed every time he said a curse word, so he’d gotten quite creative with his language lately. “Son of a bitch” became “spawn of a spiteful woman.” And while he might not give a rat’s ass, he did care less than a rodent’s rear end. Tara rolled her eyes at some of his sanitized expressions, but he usually coaxed at least a smile from her.

  He clinked his wine glass against hers and plucked an appetizer off the coffee table.

  “Hey, I know. You can tell your followers in SWADS that you’r
e getting chummy with me in the hope I’ll spill inside information about our dolphins and maybe even the pilot whales,” he suggested. “They’ll probably love the idea you’re using me to further your mission, blah, blah, blah.”

  She scrunched up her nose. “That would be rather underhanded of me, don’t you think?”

  “Not if it preserves your standing in your organization.”

  “I don’t mean telling them that lie, which is bad enough. Am I so lacking in integrity that I’d stoop to espionage to achieve my aims? Is that why you think I’m spending time with you?”

  “What? No. Hell, no.” He grasped her hand, his eyes radiating his fierce desire to make her understand he was only trying to help her save face. “I admit I didn’t trust you at first, but I do now that I’ve gotten to know you. I just don’t want everything you’ve worked for to disappear because of me.”

  Tara’s expression softened, and she leaned in to kiss him.

  “You’ve just echoed my own fear about the consequences to your career.”

  She pressed her lips to his again, and this time he didn’t let her pull back when the kiss ended. He wanted her with a passion he’d never felt before and couldn’t begin to understand. They were so obviously wrong for each other, and yet holding her close felt like the most natural thing in the world. At that moment, he didn’t care what anyone else thought about their odd pairing. Tara’s opinion was the only one that mattered.

  He heard her quick inhale of breath just before he crushed his mouth to hers again, and the little moan she released only fueled his need for her. As his tongue slid seductively over hers, he eased her back onto the couch until she was lying beneath him, her head cradled in his arm. He murmured her name as his other hand began a slow exploration of her body. She shuddered when he teased her breasts, and then she threw back her head to give him easier access to her neck. He buried his face there and inhaled her scent—floral perfume and faint traces of sweat.

  His hand glided beneath her shirt and back up to cover one of her bra cups. He fondled her nipple through the soft cotton, and she groaned when he gave it a gentle tug. He played with the sensitive bud for a bit before treating the other one to the same rapt attention.