Alice Carpenter

by McKay's Heroine (lit)

  Nikki’s head started to pound and her vision wasn’t quite clear. The sounds of shouts and feet on the pavement reached her as the police ran toward them. Willing to wait and have someone help her out of the wrecked car, she sat back in her seat and closed her eyes in relief. It was over.

  When she heard someone climb onto the hood of the wrecked Datsun she assumed it was the police. She gasped in shock and pain when a pair of hands closed roughly around her throat and started to squeeze. As she struggled for breath, she opened her eyes and gazed into the mad, soulless pit of the abductor’s eyes. In a flash she knew whom Davies reminded her of - her father.

  She made a fist of her right hand and slammed it as hard as she could into the man’s nose. She could feel the bone break and the blood run down onto her hand, but he only grunted in pain and tightened his hands even more.

  Sparks of light danced in the darkness her vision had become. The sparks had almost entirely disappeared into the blackness when she felt the hands jerked away from her neck. She gasped for breath and tried to convince herself that she wasn’t going to lose consciousness. After all she’d been through in her life, she was not going to faint now!

  Nikki opened her eyes, blinked to clear her vision, to see the man who attacked her surrounded by police officers who wrestled him to the ground while he screamed incoherently. She sighed in relief then tried to focus on the policeman who sat on the hood of the Datsun. He spoke to her, but the words that came from his mouth didn’t seem to make any sense.

  ". . . are you okay? Are you hurt? Miss, miss can you hear me? Are you all right?"

  She nodded once briefly and immediately wished she hadn’t as a sharp, hot pain shot from the top of her head right into the center of her brain.

  The stout, grizzled cop, saw her wince and wasn’t convinced. "Are you sure? Can you say somethin’? Do you need a doctor?"

  Nikki opened her mouth to reply and was surprised when no sound emerged. She swallowed painfully, licked her lips, and tried again. The voice didn’t sound like her own and it made her throat hurt even worse. "I don’t need a doctor. Is Briana okay?"

  The cop assessed her with a look and replied, "I’m Officer O’Malley. The little lass ran into the station house. She’s safe."

  O’Malley sat up straight and looked over the top of the ‘Cuda toward the station house. Captain Nathan Edwards escorted Jarrod McKay, with Briana in his arms, in their direction.

  He leaned back down to smile at Nikki. In a reassuring voice he said, "She’s fine. Her daddy was here raisin’ he--, er, I mean raisin’ Cain, and he’s comin’ this way with her right now." He paused to grin again. "Judgin’ by the grip she’s got on his neck, she’s just fine."

  "Do you want to try and get out now?" At Nikki’s nod he said, "Well, it’s gonna have to be through the passenger door, ‘cause this one ain’t gonna open without a crowbar, especially with this other car in the way."

  He straightened, slid off the Datsun and moved around the car so he missed Nikki’s look of surprise and dismay. She looked out her window at the crumpled driver’s door and fender and sighed. Her pride and joy, the 440 cubic inch engine, six-barrel carburetor, Moulin Rouge, 1971 ‘Cuda, the car she’d just gotten back from the body shop two and a half short weeks ago with the final restoration complete, was now in far worse shape than when it had gone into the body shop!

  She groaned in dismay at her selfish thought. A child’s welfare was much more important than a piece of metal. The important thing was that Briana was safe and back with her family. A car could be repaired or replaced.

  O’Malley’s kind, broad face popped into view through the passenger door and brought her back to the present. "Are you ready?" At Nikki’s nod, he extended his hand to help her climb over the center console and out the door. She took a deep breath and put her left hand on the top of the car to steady herself against the sudden onslaught of dizziness.

  She heard voices around her, Bri’s included, and strove to make them into coherent sentences.

  Briana’s high pitched voice pierced the fog in her brain. ". . . Nikki, Nikki, are you all right? Nikki, this is my daddy. Daddy, she calls me Bri, too. You were right, he was glad to see me and he’s not mad at me. Well, sort of, ‘cause I was supposed to clean my room instead of play outside." At that she smiled sweetly at her father. "Right, Daddy?"

  Nikki smiled at Briana’s words and looked toward her voice. Her eyes collided with a man’s chest. A very broad man’s chest covered in a striped, button-up shirt tucked into faded jeans. The sleeves were rolled up to just below his elbows, the top several buttons were undone and showed a triangle of tanned flesh with a few dark, scattered hairs.

  Startled, she raised her eyes. It wasn’t often that she had to look up at a man, or anyone else for that matter. Briana’s father towered over Nikki’s own six foot height. He hadn’t looked that huge on TV this morning!

  He also had the most fierce scowl she’d seen in years. His forehead was wrinkled and his mouth was set in a grim line. What a sourpuss! Poor kid! Give him a break, Nikki chastised herself. He’s been worried sick about his daughter. He’s probably a really good dad. Just because mine wasn’t, doesn’t mean that none exist.

  Nikki finally managed to blink back her surprise and made her lips curve in a small smile. She held out her right hand to shake hands with Briana’s father. "I’m Nicole Kincaid, but everyone calls me Nikki." She turned her attention back to Briana and asked, "How are you, sweetie? Are you okay?"

  Briana leaned closer into her father’s embrace and tightened her arms even more around his neck. "I’m fine."

  Jarrod shifted his daughter in his arms and took Nikki’s hand in his own much larger one. "I’m Jarrod McKay," rumbled his deep bass voice. "And I don’t know how I can ever repay you for bringing my daughter back safely. Thank you."

  Nikki flinched slightly as Jarrod’s hand squeezed too firmly on the knuckles bruised from Davies nose.

  Jarrod instantly released his firm grip and apologized. "I’m sorry, let me see your hand." He turned Nikki’s knuckles upwards and examined them closely. "It looks like you’re bleeding."

  Nikki glanced at her hand and felt a bit light-headed. She’d never been too fond of blood. It always made her a little queasy and brought back bad memories. "I don’t think so." She pulled her hand out of his light grip and flexed her fingers. "No, it isn’t mine."

  O’Malley chortled and said, "Yeah, you should’ve seen it. The jerk had his hands around her neck and she gave him a right cross that would make any father proud! I bet she broke his nose!"

  She looked up to see surprise flicker across Jarrod’s face so fast she wasn’t really sure that’s what she had seen.

  Embarrassed, Nikki tried to inject a little humor as she touched her tender neck. "It’s too hot for turtlenecks, too."

  Captain Edwards, Officer O’Malley, and Jarrod all looked at her blankly and then Jarrod grinned at the weak joke. "Maybe you could try a scarf. Those bruises look like they’ll be visible for quite a while."

  Astonished at the change a grin could make in his face, Nikki stared in disbelief. He had a wonderful smile. He had a rugged, if not strictly handsome face, but when he smiled it was incredible. His eyes, a deep chocolate brown like his daughter’s, lit up and the tension lines eased across his forehead and around his mouth.

  Nikki’s mouth went dry and she swallowed hard. This was ridiculous! She’d just been in a high speed chase, her car had been wrecked, and rough, coarse hands had wrapped around her throat in an attempt to choke the life right out of her. And all she could think of was Jarrod McKay’s smile. She must have hit her head harder than she thought! She put a shaky hand to the side of her head and winced at the goose egg that had already formed there.

  Captain Edwards spoke for the first time. "Miss Kincaid, why don’t we all go inside where we can be more comfortable. We’ll need to get a statement from you. I’m sure all of us would like to hear your story."

  Nikki grin
ned weakly. "Is that what you call a rhetorical question? Never mind, let’s go in. I could use something cold to drink and a place to sit down." She grimaced when she saw the dried blood on her hand and her disheveled appearance. "It looks like the first thing I need is a trip to the ladies room."

  They had all turned around to walk toward the station when a squeal of tires made Nikki flinch and everyone turn their heads. It was the local TV station’s camera crew. "I’m only surprised the vultures didn’t descend earlier," Nikki said with obvious distaste. "Wait a second, I need to grab my purse and my car keys ."

  O’Malley grinned, gave a mock salute and turned back to the car.

  "Oh, my briefcase and laptop computer are in the trunk. Could get those too please? I imagine my car will be impounded."

  "Certainly, miss," O’Malley replied and walked back to the car. Captain Edwards, Jarrod, Briana, and Nikki headed into the building. It was a good thing Nikki didn’t know what the next few hours would hold or she would have run for her life.

  Chapter 3

  As they walked into the police station, Captain Edwards motioned a policeman over to him. "Where is the man from the parking lot?"

  "He’s in one of the interrogation room. He’s going ballistic."

  "Did he say he wanted an attorney when he was Mirandized?" Edwards sighed when the policeman shook his head. "Better see about a court appointed attorney for him then." He stopped, turned back and added, "Keep the reporters in the lobby and don’t tell them anything but ‘no comment.’ Understood?" The officer nodded as Edwards, Nikki, Jarrod, and Briana walked down the hall.

  Nikki rubbed her forehead with her fingers as they walked into the captain’s office. She had a tremendous headache that was rapidly getting worse.

  Once inside, the captain motioned for Jarrod and Nikki to sit. Briana didn’t release the tight grip she had on her father’s neck. Jarrod’s face had started to turn an interesting shade of red from the tight hold. He didn’t seem to mind though, he just shifted her so she was cradled across his chest and sat down with her in his lap.

  Nikki stiffened as memories flooded back. There were only two occasions when her father had held her like that, both when she was younger than Briana. She firmly pushed the thoughts away. She hadn’t seen her father since her twelfth birthday. If she was extremely lucky, she’d never see him again. More like if he stays in jail and doesn’t find out my new name. Nikki sat down and sucked in sharply at the pain in her chest. She must have hit the steering wheel pretty hard to make it that sore.

  The sound of a throat cleared brought her abruptly out of her own thoughts. Jarrod, Briana, and the captain all looked at her expectantly.

  "I’m sorry, my thoughts were elsewhere." She pushed the hair away from her eyes and tried to keep her fingers away from the sore spot on her head.

  "The captain asked if you’d like something to drink," Jarrod replied, his face puzzled.

  "Anything that’s cold without caffeine. Caffeine always gives me the shakes and I’ve already got those." Nikki held up her shaky fingers and gave a small laugh. "What I could really use are some good drugs."

  The room was suddenly quiet. "Three extra-strength Tylenol would be wonderful. I don’t think two are going to cut it this time." She tried to clear up her unintended double meaning.

  The two men didn’t look quite convinced, Briana didn’t bother to look up from where she lay cuddled against her father’s chest. A knock at the open door disrupted the heavy stillness.

  Officer O’Malley stood in the doorway with Nikki’s purse draped over his shoulder and her briefcase and computer in one broad hand. "I put the keys in the purse. Here ya go, miss." He looked curiously around the room. "Did I interrupt something?"

  Nikki, grateful for the interruption when she had made a fool of herself, stood up and took her things from O’Malley. "No, you didn’t interrupt anything. Thank you for bringing in my things. I appreciate it." She smiled graciously at him and watched the stout man stand a bit taller.

  "No trouble ‘t all, miss." He beamed then turned toward the captain. "That man is in Interrogation Room Three. What now?"

  Edwards sighed and rubbed his bald head. "Is Kravitz still on duty?" When O’Malley nodded, Edwards continued, "Send him in to question him when his lawyer gets here then have Kravitz report back to me." O’Malley nodded and walked out, and closed the door behind him.

  Nikki set her things down on the chair she’d sat in and rummaged through her purse. She pulled out a hairbrush and an economy size bottle of extra strength Tylenol. She opened the bottle, shook out three caplets and swallowed them dry. After she snapped the lid back on, she put the bottle back in her purse, turned and walked toward the door. She looked over her shoulder at the captain. "Which way to the ladies room?"

  He pointed to the left. Her hips swayed gently as she walked out, her head held high.

  "An interesting woman," Edwards spoke softly, and rubbed his bald head as if he missed his hair.

  "Daddy, daddy, I gotta go potty. Right now," Briana said insistently as she finally lifted her head from Jarrod’s chest. "Daddy . . ."

  "All right, Bri, we’ll go right now." Jarrod stood, his precious daughter clasped firmly against his muscular chest. He strode out the door toward the bathroom. He’d better walk fast. Briana chanted "hurry, hurry" in his ear with each step.

  At the door marked ladies, Jarrod hunkered down to set Briana on her feet. "I’ll wait for you right here, Bri, you’ll be okay."

  Briana looked at her father as though he’d said something dumb. "Nikki’s in there. Of course I’ll be ‘kay." She started to push open the door and turned back to whisper, "She’s pretty. I like her a lot. She drives real fast, not slow like you."

  Jarrod smiled as she disappeared into the rest room. It gave him chills to think of someone who would take his child from him. The smile faded from his face as he recalled the sight of the bruise on Briana’s cheek. The memory made his hands clench in helpless rage. If he ever got his hands on that bastard . . .

  What would have happened to his little girl without Nikki’s intervention? The thought made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Briana had already told them that the man who had abducted her hadn’t harmed her in any way other than the bruise on her face and scaring her more than any child should ever be scared.

  Nikki. Now there was an intriguing woman. It’s just because she saved my daughter, he told himself firmly. I’m just grateful, that’s all.

  * * * * *

  Nikki leaned wearily against the door of the closed rest room. Alone at last. Her head pounded double time and her stomach churned queasily. Too much stress and no food. I’ll get something to eat after I get cleaned up. Maybe I can talk the captain into a fast food sandwich or a taco or something. I’d even settle for a candy bar and a mushy apple from the vending machine. Or maybe - a giggle that bordered on hysteria echoed through the small room - they’ll have a stale doughnut around somewhere!

  She walked slowly to the sink and looked at her mirrored reflection in horror. She looked like a harpy! Her face was dirty, her throat bruised. Her hair, so neat and tidy that morning, reminded her of Medusa’s snakes as it straggled out of the French braid. Her clothes were wrinkled and there were blood stains on her blouse and slacks where her knuckles had brushed against them.

  She moaned dismally and turned on the cold water. After she’d washed her hands three times to get rid of the blood, she started on her face. Luckily, she didn’t wear makeup so there weren’t any mascara streaks under her eyes. Just delicate purple shadows from stress and lack of sleep. Big improvement, she told her reflection sarcastically. At least mascara would wash away!

  She’d stayed up late last night to work on the proposal for Carl Jacobs. A phone call to explain the circumstances to Mr. Jacobs was definitely in order. Probably futile, but she had to make the effort. It had taken her two weeks to get the appointment and now she was shot down in flames.

  After years of work
she’d finally built up a healthy clientele. A few big accounts would give her job security and a sense of well-being. Techtronics would have been the first of the big accounts . . . if she’d been able to pull it off. No more money worries for her and Lainey.

  She had hoped that if she got enough business she could hire someone to help. Even if it was just part-time it would make her load a lot lighter. Maybe I could even take a vacation. She closed her eyes dreamily. How long since I’ve taken a vacation? It’s certainly past time.

  It would have been a challenge to find someone who was knowledgeable about computers in general, could program, and work well with their customers. She might have even had to move her slow-growing business out of her half of the duplex.

  There was a great demand for a business that could provide consultation on the purchase of computers, then set up and program the computers, train the employees, and be available to troubleshoot any problems that came up. She was on the tip of the iceberg.

  At least I was on the tip of the iceberg, she scrubbed angrily at a stubborn streak on one cheek. Now I’m back to the row boat to even get to the iceberg.

  Guiltily she paused and looked at herself in the mirror. How could she begrudge a little girl’s health and welfare above a business deal? She couldn’t. Not any more than she could think that her car was more important than Briana’s safety. The point was moot. If she had to decide what to do all over again, it would be the same decision. She turned off the water abruptly, grabbed some paper towels, and dried her face and hands with a small sigh.

  The sound of voices in the hall made her heart skip a beat. She put a hand over her heart to try and control the erratic thump, then turned toward the door.

  The door opened and Briana skipped around the corner. Nikki’s heart started to slow down to a normal rate. They exchanged hello’s, Nikki smiled at the little girl and started to undo her French braid. It was unfixable and made her headache worse.