She leaned back in her chair. "I can see the headlines now Local Cop Harasses Heroine." She looked straight into the captain’s eyes and smiled wickedly. "What’s it going to be?"
Jarrod raised his eyebrows in surprise at her smile. He’d seen sharks look less vicious when they were going after a plump seal. Man, am I glad she doesn’t look at me like that!
"Well, that’s blunt and to the point." Edwards leaned his elbows on the desk and laid his hands flat on the desktop. "Grover was warned about his behavior, and other matters, more times than I’d like to think about. He’s also been suspended more than once. If the department will back me, I want him gone. He gives cops a bad name and I, for one, am tired of the problems he creates."
Nikki nodded in agreement. "In that case, I’ll hold off." She held up her hand as the captain opened his mouth to speak again. "But, if he isn’t ousted, my lawyer will bring charges against him. Fair enough?"
The captain thought for a moment and then nodded his head slowly. "Sounds reasonable to me."
"There is one other thing . . ." The captain stiffened at her words. "I still plan on that phone call to my lawyer. He’s going to have everything on record . . . just in case. Oh, and in case you’re interested, I have a photographic memory. That and the video tape should prove that Grover denied me my civil rights."
Eyebrows lifted, he gave a low whistle. "He picked the wrong person to mess with this time. You play hard ball." He stood then offered his hand over the desktop.
Nikki smiled and shook his hand firmly. "Now can I please have something to eat? I was too nervous to eat breakfast and I missed lunch."
"There’s a little place around the corner that serves great Mexican food. Sound okay?"
Nikki’s stomach growled with approval. She turned pink as everyone laughed. "Order me anything. I’m going to take a trip to the ladies room."
"Fine, why don’t you do that and I’ll order something to be delivered." Nikki nodded in agreement as he continued, "Come back here when you’re done. You can use this phone. I’ll see if your statement’s typed up and ready for you to sign. I imagine you’ve had about as much red tape as you can handle in one day."
"You got that right," Nikki said fervently. She smiled at the captain and the McKays then left the room.
Edwards grinned sardonically at Jarrod. "Aren’t you glad she’s on our side?" Jarrod grinned in return as the captain picked up the phone to call for takeout.
Chapter 5
Refreshed, though still famished, Nikki returned to the captain’s office to find it empty. She felt unreasonably disappointed to find Briana and Jarrod gone. She shrugged her shoulders and picked up the phone.
Ships that pass in the night, she pondered moodily. She shook her head at the corny thought. I must have hit my head harder than I thought. Then dialed Lainey’s phone number.
". . . of course I’m fine. I’ve told you for the last five minutes that I’m just fine."
She sighed and pushed the button to activate the speaker phone and hung up the receiver. She rested her aching head in her hands. Another dose of Tylenol might help her head.
"Lainey . . ."
". . . worried sick! You should see the garbage they’ve got on the news!"
"Lainey . . ."
"I wish you could have called sooner . . ."
"Lainey!" she practically shouted into the phone.
Silence, then "Yes, dear?" in a subdued feminine voice.
"I told you before that I called as soon as I could. Some jerk of a cop decided to interrogate me instead of taking my statement."
"You didn’t lose your temper, did you, dear?"
"Of course I lost my temper. Two hours with that man and a saint would lose their temper."
"Oh, dear."
"Yeah, oh, dear," she said wryly. Nikki glanced up and saw Jarrod in the doorway. He had three sodas in his hands and looked as if he didn’t know whether to go or stay.
She motioned him into the room with one hand. "Listen, Lainey, I gotta go. I still have to call Saul about the car. And Mr. Jacobs. I have to try and explain the situation to him."
"Oh no!" Lainey almost wailed. "You wanted that contract so badly and you stayed up almost all night to work on it."
"Yeah, you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men. I don’t know when I’ll be home, so don’t worry, okay? Tell the reporters ‘no comment’ and kick them off the property." She watched Jarrod walk into the room, the denim of his jeans moving with the flex of his thigh muscles, and swallowed hard.
"You bet your boots I will! Those scavengers, those . . . twerps!"
She grinned at Lainey’s description and glanced up to see an odd expression on Jarrod’s face. "I’ve got to go now. I’ll tell you the whole story when I get home."
"Okay, dear, take care."
"It’s a little late for that, but I’ll try. ‘Bye Lainey."
"Good-bye, dearie. See you soon."
Nikki smiled, hit the disconnect button and leaned back in the captain’s comfortable chair.
"Come on, don’t just stand there." Nikki motioned to the chair that still sat in front of the captain’s desk.
As Jarrod set the cans on the desk, Nikki looked behind him. "Where’s Bri?"
Jarrod grimaced. "She decided she wanted her fingerprints taken and a mug shot. The Captain’s very good-natured." He fingered the tab on the top of the soda can and eyed her intently.
Nikki reached across the desk, grabbed a soda can and sat back in the chair. She popped open the soda, found her bottle of Tylenol in her purse, and swallowed three more tablets.
She glanced at Jarrod who still stood, his thumb fiddled absently with the can tab. She sighed in exasperation and motioned toward the chairs again. "Would you please sit down. You make me uncomfortable."
After Jarrod sat down, she continued, "What is it you wanted to ask?"
Jarrod looked startled. "I guess I was being pretty obvious, wasn’t I?" Nikki nodded and hid a small smile. "Well." He cleared his throat uncertainly. "Well, I just wondered, um, where you were going this morning.
"I mean you mentioned an appointment and too nervous to eat breakfast. I overheard you and Lainey about not enough sleep, a plan, and the best laid plans, et cetera. If it’s none of my business and you don’t want to answer . . ."
Nikki sat there, just looked at him.
"I mean, it’s just that I feel bad that you missed your appointment and everything . . ." He trailed off again, his cheekbones started to redden, for all the world like an awkward schoolboy.
Nicole looked at him in surprise. She would have thought Jarrod was always articulate and together and yet . . . For want of a better word, he was dithering. She would have bet that this was a man who was rarely uncertain about anything.
Jarrod seemed to be uncomfortable with Nikki’s silence and the way she stared at him. "Look, I didn’t mean to offend you or interfere in your business or anything . . ." He trailed off as Nikki held up a hand for silence.
"I’m not offended. Surprised would be a better word." At Jarrod’s raised eyebrows, she continued, "It certainly wasn’t any secret where I was headed this morning. I had a meeting with Carl Jacobs at Techtronics. We were going to discuss a possible business contract."
Jarrod cleared his throat again. "Uh, would you mind if I asked what kind of a contract?"
Nikki gazed steadily at him. "Do you mind if I asked why you want to know?"
"Well." Jarrod ran his hand along his jaw several times. "Part of it’s curiosity. Part is, I hope that maybe I could help."
"Help? How?" Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"I thought that if I couldn’t help you talk Carl into another appointment, maybe I could round up a few new contacts for you."
"Why?"
"Why?" At Nikki’s nod he sighed and continued, "I thought it would be obvious. You saved my daughter’s life. You missed your appointment because of that and I’d like to make sure you don’t wind up in
the hole, so to speak."
"Well." Nikki lowered her head thoughtfully. "I guess I could go ahead and tell you." She thought briefly about making up a wild story, but decided against it. Her head hurt too much, and he’d probably yell, which would make it hurt more.
"I’m a computer consultant," she said. "I go in to a company, large or small, that wants to buy or update a computer system. I compare prices and products, make recommendations based on their needs, and then purchase whatever they decide on. When the components come in, I set them up, fix any glitches, and train the staff on how to use them.
"Part of the agreement is that I come back to troubleshoot any problems they may have for a specified length of time, usually six months to a year. Anything after that time period is an additional contract or fee." She took a sip from her soda can.
"I also write or modify programs for specific needs that a ready-to-run program doesn’t handle. As a sideline, usually for friends, I do brochures, advertising layout, et cetera. Does that answer your question?"
"I’m impressed." He continued quickly, probably at the disbelief she could tell covered her face, "No, really, that’s great. I’ve thought about having some kind of a network for my office instead of disks passed around. And misplaced."
Nikki’s eyes narrowed dangerously. "I don’t want any favors and you don’t have to ‘repay’ me for the help with your daughter."
Jarrod held up his hands in self-defense. "I’m not doing this as a favor and there’s no way I could ever repay you for what you did. If I thought you were the sort of person who wanted to be ‘repaid,’ I’d offer you a flat sum as a reward and be done with it."
He looked straight at her and held her eyes with his. "My office manager has bugged me for the last year to update the computer system in our office. I wouldn’t insult you with ‘busy work.’ Like I said before, I don’t want you to be in debt or lose a contract because you were a good Samaritan." He continued to hold her gaze with his own.
Nikki was the first to avert her eyes. "I apologize. I don’t want something I haven’t earned. I don’t want to owe someone else for my success. I’ll either make it or break it on my own."
"Sounds good to me." Jarrod slapped his hands on his denim-covered thighs and moved his chair around the desk nearer her own.
"Now, why don’t you call Mr. Jacobs and if he isn’t cooperative, I’ll say a few words on your behalf." He paused, and searched her eyes. She felt that somehow he knew she usually hid her emotions from most people. That there would be very few people with whom she would let down her guard even a little.
She lowered her gaze, before he could decipher the emotions that flickered there, and heaved a sigh. "Okay, let’s get it over with." She picked up the receiver, dialed the number from memory, and put the phone on speaker mode.
The phone rang twice before a man with a pleasant voice answered the phone. "Good afternoon, Techtronics, can I help you?"
"Yes, I’d like to speak to Mr. Carl Jacobs please."
"Can I tell him who’s calling?"
"Nicole Kincaid."
"Hold one moment please." Elevator-type music issued from the tinny speaker for almost three full minutes before the phone was picked up. Nikki had to consciously not fidget at the delay.
"Ms. Kincaid?"
"Mr. Jacobs, I wanted to apologize for missing our appointment this morning."
"Oh, so you were aware that it’s more than four hours after our set appointment time. How nice to be able to not need work and therefore not show up. A phone call to let me know you wouldn’t be able to make it would have been appreciated." Jacobs’ voice was flat and expressionless.
"And now, I suppose, you’d like to set up a time that’s more convenient? How about sometime in the year 2005? Would that give you enough time to arrange your schedule?"
Nikki’s temper, already on short rein, threatened to break loose again at Jacobs’ sarcasm. Her eyes narrowed, her cheeks grew warm, and her hands were clenched tightly in her lap.
"Mr. Jacobs," she began in an even tone that was very hard to maintain.
"I don’t think there’s anything more to be said, Ms. Kincaid. I’m a busy man and I’ve wasted enough time today." On you were the unspoken words that completed the sentence.
"Mr. Jacobs," Jarrod’s firm voice broke in.
"Yes, who is this?"
"My name is Jarrod McKay. I own McKay Construction." He moved the speaker closer to his side of the desk.
"Yes, Mr. McKay, what can I do for you?" To Nikki’s fury, Jacobs voice had grown respectful. He must know who Jarrod was.
"Have you paid attention to the news today?"
"Why yes, I have. Why do you ask?"
"Did you happen to notice that my daughter, Briana, was abducted this morning?"
A sharp inhalation carried over the speaker. Jarrod smiled grimly in satisfaction and continued, "A woman saw my daughter with the abductor and risked her life to take her away from him. Her car was damaged and she was physically injured in the wreck and subsequent altercation. My daughter escaped with one bruise . . . which was obtained before the woman rescued her."
"I’m very happy for you. What a brave woman! Most people wouldn’t have gotten involved at all or just called the police."
Jarrod grinned, leaned back in his chair, and steepled his fingers. "That’s right, Mr. Jacobs, it was a very courageous thing for her to do." Jarrod turned and looked across the desk at Nikki. "And I will forever be in her debt. Which brings me to the point of this story . . ."
A slight pause and then Jacobs asked warily, "Which is?"
Jarrod’s grin widened and he paused to give his next words extra emphasis. "Nicole Kincaid was that woman, Mr. Jacobs." Another gasp and a stunned silence followed this announcement.
"That’s why she missed your appointment this morning. She couldn’t call earlier because she was being interrogated by an overzealous police officer. She has yet to eat lunch, see a doctor, or make phone calls in regards to the repair of her car. She was also too modest to tell you what happened, which is why I intervened. Now, don’t you have something to say, Mr. Jacobs?"
Jacobs started to talk so fast that it was hard to make out all the words. "I’m so sorry, Ms. Kincaid, Nicole, may I call you Nicole? I had no idea! What an incredibly unselfish thing to do. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for the things I said!
"All I can say is that I’m a punctual man and I tend to get upset, maybe even overreact, when someone misses an appointment. Please, let me reschedule another appointment for you. At your convenience of course. Tomorrow? Next week? Morning? Afternoon? What would fit into your schedule?"
Nicole smiled, but only with her lips. "Well," she drawled slowly. "Let me check my schedule."
She reached over to a stack of papers on the captain’s desk and rustled them loudly. "Hmm. No, that won’t work. Let’s see." She rustled the papers some more. "I don’t have too many openings before 2005. Oh wait, I could squeeze you in the day after tomorrow if I rearrange a few things. Is eleven all right with you?"
"Friday at eleven would be fine. Again, I apologize for my display of temper. My wife claims it’s my rising sign, but I don’t believe in that astrology stuff. I hope we can both leave this incident behind us and have a successful work relationship. I’ve heard a lot of good things about your company and I look forward to seeing your proposal."
A little warmth entered Nikki’s voice that almost melted the ice it had contained. "That would be fine, Mr. Jacobs. May I call you Carl? I look forward to the meeting. I’m sure we’ll be able to work together."
"Great, great, I’ll see you then," Carl said heartily. "I hope your, um, injuries, are not severe. Good-bye."
"Good-bye, Carl." Nicole disconnected the call with a sharp stab of her finger. "What a pompous son of a . . . Hi, Bri, how’d the fingerprints and mug shots go?" Nikki was grateful that she’d seen Bri and was able to switch the subject before she finished the curse.
"It was great, see
." Briana waved her picture and print sheet in the general direction of her father and Nikki. "We brought your food too." She pointed at Edwards. "Cap’n Eddie’s got it."
"Cap’n Eddie" waved the takeout bag with a flourish. "Here we go. An enchilada, a burrito, and a taco. There’s some chips and salsa in the bag too. Enjoy."
He handed over the bag and caught Nikki’s eye. "I’d like to have your permission for Jarrod to view the video of your, um, statement."
Nicole took the bag and looked at the captain thoughtfully. She opened the bag and took out a chip. "Why?"
"I’m sure he’d like to hear your version of what happened this morning, and I would bet that you’d rather not tell that story again today. Do I have your permission?"
Nikki nodded. "Yeah, go ahead." She eyed the chip carefully. "Why do you ask? I’m sure you don’t actually need my permission." She popped the chip into her mouth and chewed quickly. She’d never appreciated how good a chip could taste!
"It’s the courteous thing to do. If you had a major objection, I would certainly take it into account."
"Fine. Whatever. Captain? A couple more things. When can I leave? When can I have my car removed? When can I sign my statement? And thanks for the food. Umm, ambrosia." She licked the salt off her lips from the previous chip, popped another into her mouth, then sighed in satisfaction.
Jarrod and Nathan exchanged smiles. "Well, let’s see: you’re welcome for the food, your statement should be ready for signature before you’re through with lunch, you can leave once you’ve signed it, and you can have someone pick up your car on Friday."
Nikki grinned, rummaged in her capacious purse, and dug out a business card. "Saul Fisher will pick it up on Friday, here’s his card. I’ll call him after I eat this wonderful food."
Jarrod turned to Bri. "Will you keep Nikki company while she eats? I need to go talk to the captain for a few minutes."
"Sure, Daddy, I’ll make sure she eats everything." Briana chirped happily. She pulled the chair her father sat in even closer to Nikki’s. She climbed up on the chair, opened a soda, and started to swing her legs vigorously. "‘Bye, Daddy."
"Nikki? Is that all right with you?" Nikki nodded in response to Jarrod’s question. "Well, I guess that settles it," Jarrod continued. "I’ll try to be back by the time you’re finished here."
Alice Carpenter Page 4