by Jaycee Clark
Her head shook. “I don’t know.”
At least she hadn’t said no. He still had time to work on her.
“I’ll persuade you,” he promised.
Her grin warmed him. “You can try.”
“I plan on doing more than try, Jessie girl.”
Chapter 24
The phone ringing at eight in the morning jarred Jesslyn and momentarily quieted the boisterous group at the dining table. Aiden patted her shoulder as he passed to get to the phone in the kitchen.
“I think it’s a good idea, Mom,” Gavin said and forked another mouthful of Southwest scrambled eggs.
A discussion was going around about plans for this afternoon. Kaitlyn wanted to go shopping. Gavin and Jock were going with all the ladies.
Jesslyn didn’t really want to go, but Aiden needed to go to the hotel with Quinlan and Brayden. The grand gala opening for the hotel was tomorrow night.
While they talked, Jesslyn looked at the man sitting at the counter. He was about five-ten, brown hair, gray eyes, and strong, don’t-screw-with-me features. Her bodyguard. John. No last name, just John. John wore jeans, a pullover stretched tight across all those well-honed muscles, and a shoulder holster, with the attached gun. The personified guard dog. She’d use him as a model for some mean-assed hero in one of her books.
Jesslyn still didn’t know what the hell she was supposed to do with him, he’d only been here for fifteen minutes and she didn’t know what to think. Was she supposed to talk to him?
“Great, then it’s settled.” Kaitlyn turned to Jesslyn. “Is there a place in town where we can get some games to play tonight?”
“Games?” Jesslyn asked.
“Yeah,” Gavin volunteered. “Games, interactive board games.”
This was a foreign concept to her, but whatever. If she had learned anything in the last week, it was that the Kinncaids were a close-knit family who liked to do things together when they could.
Board games. Lord help her.
Jesslyn nodded. “Yeah, there’s the bookstore and a toy shop. Both have games I think. Though what kind, I have no idea.”
Quinlan pushed his chair back, wiped his mouth. “I’m sorry, Mother, I’ll try to be back tonight for dinner, but there is the hotel . . .”
Kaitlyn merely shook her head at him as he leaned down and kissed her cheek before heading out.
“I swear that boy will never learn to relax,” Brayden muttered.
“Jessie,” Aiden called, leaning around the doorway, “phone.”
Jesslyn walked to Aiden and grabbed the phone.
“Who is it?” she asked him as he walked back into the dining room without answering her.
“Hello?” she asked, still looking after Aiden, who settled in a chair.
“Jesslyn, this is Chief Garrison. I’m calling to let you know there’s been an arrest this morning. Or rather earlier this morning.”
The air caught in her lungs, held and then expelled on a smile.
“Really? Who? Can I ask that?” her words fell over each other.
Garrison laughed on the other end. “Yeah, and it’s Kirk.”
“Kirk? But how? Why?” Jesslyn was confused. “I thought he was out of town.”
“Without going into detail, suffice it to say, his alibis didn’t hold up.”
Jesslyn tensed again. “Kirk.”
“I can’t go into anymore. I just wanted to let you know.” He muffled the phone and Jesslyn heard him faintly speaking, but couldn’t make out the words. She leaned against the door frame and grinned at Aiden, who was looking over his shoulder at her.
Garrison’s voice said into her ear, “Jesslyn, I’m sorry, we’re busy here. If you remember anything else, or think of something, call me. I’ve got to let you go.”
This was too much. “Umm. Yeah. Okay. Thank you, Garrison. Does this mean it’s over?”
There was a short silence. “Well on the way. Just hang in there.”
“Thanks again.” Jesslyn heard the click on the other end. Apparently the man wasn’t big on good-byes. She looked at the phone, hit the OFF button, and stood for a moment, trying to take in the fact that the killer was with the police.
Jesslyn frowned, trying to picture Kirk as the one who attacked her, who killed the other women. It actually wasn’t very hard. Maybe the women represented Maddy to him, or something. Maybe. And then again, maybe not. Why did this seem too simple? Too easy?
Jesslyn sat the phone back in its rechargeable cradle and walked back to the family. Aiden grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. A scan around the table showed her Quinlan wasn’t the only departure. Christian and Tori were gone.
“The girls went to get ready to go into town,” he told her. Jesslyn stood between his knees, her hands clasped in his.
Gavin spoke up, “Are you ladies ready? We need to find some fun games. Something we men can conquer.” Black eyebrows wiggled above cobalt as a wicked grin crooked his mouth. “Something manly.”
“If that were the case, we’d simply save our time and money. Especially where you’re concerned, Gavin.” She tapped her fingers against Aiden’s palms.
“What did Garrison want?” Aiden interrupted.
Jesslyn looked back down into his eyes. She should be happy, shouldn’t she? Then why wasn’t she doing a jig, or at least feeling relieved? “He wanted me to know an arrest had been made.”
Aiden tugged on her hands until she obliged him and sat on his leg, her toes on the floor between them.
“It was Kirk.”
Aiden swore.
“Then it’s over?” Kaitlyn asked.
Jesslyn shrugged and nodded. “Yeah, I guess so. Seems to be.”
Aiden watched her for a minute, his eyes narrowed. “Then why are you still so tense?”
Would she ever hide anything from this man? “I don’t know.”
“It’s probably just the excitement of it all, the stress from your memory problems, and everything else. I’m sure it’ll all hit you sooner or later,” Jock pronounced. He dwarfed the juice glass in his hand as he swallowed the orange liquid, then set the empty glass aside. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Missy.”
She smiled at the older man. “Thank you, Jock, I’m sure you’re right. This’ll take a bit to get used to.” Jesslyn nibbled on her bottom lip. “I just wish I could remember.”
Aiden’s hand rubbed her back. “You will.” His sigh brushed against the side of her face. “I, for one, am damn relieved.” His eyes looked anything but. A protective fire of retribution flamed in the blue depths.
“You look it, too.”
He merely quirked a brow at her.
Brayden shook his head. “That’s Aiden. He’ll drive Quin and me crazy all afternoon.” Leveling a look at her, he said, “Make sure you have a phone with you. Aiden gave you a new one, right?”
Jesslyn rolled her eyes. They were all acting like protective brothers or something. Then again, what the hell did she know of protective brothers? She and Jackson communicated, but they could never be what one could even loosely term as close. “Yes, Brayden, Aiden gave me a new phone. And a guard. My heart just flutters at his romantic gifts.”
Out of the corner of her eye she saw John Nolastname grin.
Brayden nodded. “Good, now make sure it’s on. Are you ready to go shopping? Mom’s got the day all planned. She’ll probably run you ragged since you haven’t been out much in the last week.” Silence settled around the table as everyone looked at her.
She tried for flippant, no use in announcing she was a terrified coward. “Yeah, like Aiden would have let me take two steps out the door before he and his army descended.”
“True.” Aiden pulled her to him, kissed her on the temple. “Very, very true. In fact, I’m not ready to let you out of my sight yet. So, go do whatever it is that you and Mom need to do to get ready to go. Then you and Dad and Gavin and everyone else can go have fun while I go slave at the grindstone.”
She knew the only reaso
n he was still letting her go was because everyone else was going, or more to the point, John. Not that Gavin couldn’t handle something, or probably Jock either, who was big. No one would mess with them. But it took one look at John and people probably moved. Be interesting to see if that happened today in town. The man looked like little kids would have nightmares about him. At one time, it would have riled her, the bodyguard, but damn it all, the fear was still there, and her relief at his presence couldn’t be ignored. What happened to her?
Where was the kick-ass woman of a few weeks ago? Jesslyn laid her head on Aiden’s shoulder. She was still there. Though she couldn’t remember what happened at the lake, she knew if it weren’t for her determination, she wouldn’t be here, sitting on Aiden’s lap.
Maybe the kick-ass woman found her a kick-ass guy. The thought made her almost giggle.
“What has you smiling?” Aiden asked her, pulling his head around to look at her.
“Nothing.” Jesslyn kissed his cheek, hopped off his lap and looked at Kaitlyn. “It’ll take me about ten minutes, you?”
Kaitlyn’s dimple peeked out. “About the same.”
• • •
Jesslyn, Kaitlyn, and Christian walked down the sidewalk. They’d bought clothes, knickknacks, and games.
Jesslyn could already feel a tension headache building. Even though Garrison had called her with his news, she still felt vulnerable. She hoped the others didn’t notice her nervousness.
“Thank God for tourists,” Gavin muttered as he steered her around a group of people.
“True,” she answered, glancing to see John stood just behind her, Tori skipped beside him. So much for giving kids nightmares.
“Oh, look!” Tori said. “There’s a bookstore. Can we go in it?”
Everyone agreed.
“I want some coffee,” Gavin said.
“As long as we stop and sit at a table to drink it.” Jock herded Kaitlyn and Christian along with him.
The coffee shop. Jesslyn sighed and steeled herself. Tammy wouldn’t be there, but she had to go in sooner or later.
Her head hurt bad enough, nausea rolled in her stomach. She rubbed her forehead. She just needed to get out more. Perhaps Jock was right and she just needed some time. That long Scottish vacation didn’t sound so undoable at present. Jesslyn sighed and glanced at her watch. It wasn’t noon yet, but she was ready to go home. Flowers grew out of little pots and barrels along the storefronts.
“Your friend that came by the hospital, he and his wife own the coffee shop, do they not?” Kaitlyn asked, pulling Jesslyn’s attention back.
Jesslyn almost nodded before her headache spiked again. “Yes. David and Sally Hewett. Though I’m not that close with them, but yes, I do consider them my friends, sort of. Why?” They had reached the bookshop set back off the street in a renovated cottage.
“Oh, no reason. Just trying to remember everyone and where they go.” Kaitlyn’s shoulders shrugged. “You know, Jock dear, why don’t we get a table at the coffee shop and Gavin and John can take the girls to the bookstore.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” he agreed. “Then we can grab some lunch and get back to the house.”
Jesslyn started to refuse. She wasn’t hungry, but she’d tell them that later. She didn’t want to go to the bookstore, she didn’t want to eat, and she damn sure didn’t want to go into the coffee shop. Fear crept up her spine.
This was stupid! Not to mention, she’d only make the situation worse if she gave in to her anxiety. It had taken every ounce of her will to convince herself and then Aiden that she was fine and could go to town. Now, here she was wanting to beg Gavin, or John, or someone to take her home.
Forcing a smile, she nodded. “That sounds good to me.”
“What do you like?” Kaitlyn asked.
“Just tell . . .” Jesslyn stopped. Tammy. Just tell Tammy. She sighed and rubbed her forehead again. “A double Americano. I’d like a double Americano over ice.”
Kaitlyn gave her a look, but Jock was holding the door open to the coffeehouse.
Tori and Christian had already gone into the bookstore.
“You okay?” Gavin asked her.
“Fine,” she turned and pushed the door open.
“You’re such a people person,” he said.
“Yeah, I’m told that all the time.”
“Are y’all all like that from Texas? Borderline rude?” he asked.
Jesslyn grinned. “I’ve told you. It’s y’all. Run it all together like it’s spelled Y-A-W-L. No pause. You pause, you sound like a Yankee.”
Gavin chuckled.
“You know, I think you say things just so I’ll talk and you can make fun of my accent.” The man gave her hell about it.
“You’ve found me out.”
Jesslyn walked away from him to browse the nonfiction section of the store. John stood next to the door, his hands held loosely in front of him, his jacket covering the gun, his dark shades firmly in place. Everyone in the store stared at him.
Five minutes later, she walked out, leaving Christian and Gavin telling Tori which books were the best. The woman behind the counter knew her and was just full of questions and comments on being the victim of a madman. The gossipy woman usually humored Jesslyn, not today. With each inquiry and remark, Jesslyn’s nerves had grown from tensed to taut. Finally, she’d mumbled something about an appointment and had simply left, not even bothering to tell Ms. Gibsy bye. The fresh air soothed some, but not enough.
“All right, then?” John asked, his British accent evident.
She nodded and hurried next door and walked into the familiar dimly lit room. The chattering sounds of people talking cluttered the air, the chink of spoons on saucers or against the sides of pottery mugs, the hum and gurgle of the espresso maker, all these were a balm to Jesslyn’s frazzled mood. Almost. It was the same, yet different. A familiar face was no longer behind the counter.
Something prickled along the back of her neck. She scanned the coffee shop, turned and scanned back along the street. Nothing seemed out of place, no one seemed strange. Everything was simply as it should be. Jesslyn rubbed the back of her neck, shook off the niggling warnings and doubt and scanned the crowd again.
“Don’t do that again.”
She jumped and whirled.
Gavin stood glaring at her.
“Don’t sneak up on me like that!” she hissed.
He shook his head and grabbed her elbow, trying to lead her over to the table Jock occupied. Jesslyn jerked her arm back and said, “Gavin, go sit down. I need a minute. That’s all.”
His glare didn’t lessen, but he complied. God, these Kinncaids were from another time altogether, weren’t they? They gave protectiveness a whole new meaning.
“You’re a bit tense, why?” John asked.
She shrugged. “Something’s just not right. I know they arrested Kirk, but . . .”
He tilted his head and pulled his shades off. Dark gray eyes the color of slate regarded her. “I always follow my instincts.” Those eyes scanned the crowd. “Stay close to me.”
She frowned and turned, walking over to the Kinncaids. She could feel John directly behind her. Kaitlyn sat at the end of the bar next to Mr. Reeves, talking to him and David. David Hewett was tall and lanky. He had always reminded Jesslyn of a scarecrow. He didn’t have natural grace like Aiden, or an authoritative attitude like Tim. David was simply David. He was usually quiet spoken and friendly. She vaguely remembered talking to him in the hospital, but it was all such a blur. They hadn’t really talked in about three weeks. Since Maddy died.
“There’s the woman herself,” David smiled as she walked up to the group.
“Hi, David. How are you?” Jesslyn leaned over and gave old Reeves a hug.
“Fine and you?” David asked.
“Miss Jessie, you are looking lovely today,” Hap Reeves told her.
“Why thank you, Mr. Reeves.” The elder’s comment made her smile. Lovely wasn’t how she’d
describe her jeans and T-shirt, but his remark made her happy all the same. “Have you met Kaitlyn Kinncaid?” she asked him.
“Oh yes. I met your man’s mama at the hospital, Miss Jessie. Nice family.” He picked up his smoldering cigarette. The white stick, clasped between his fingers, wiggled as he pointed to Kaitlyn.
“Thank you, Mr. Reeves,” Kaitlyn told him.
David set an order of drinks on the counter. Jesslyn’s medium Americano was piled high enough with chocolate-drizzled whipped cream that David set the lid on the counter by the cup.
Kaitlyn passed out the drinks to Jock and Gavin. As she followed her son to the table, she stopped and said, “You’re going to be wired all day.”
Jesslyn raised her brows. “That’s the point.” She picked up the cup and gingerly licked around the edge of it, catching the extra white topping.
David leaned onto the bar. His black eyes questioning. “How are you doing, Jess? You remember anything about what happened up at the lake? I must say it is a relief to have that man off the streets. You did know Kirk Robertson was arrested, didn’t you?”
The lightened mood was swiftly ripped away. Not that it ever really existed. Jesslyn inwardly sighed and stepped back. “Just bits and pieces. I talked to Chief Garrison and some people from CBI yesterday. I may have to talk to them again.”
“Well, you just take it easy, Miss Jessie,” Reeves warned her. “You’ll remember what happened up there at the lake, don’t you worry.”
Jesslyn nodded, and wished more than ever she had begged off after all and was sitting at home. Hell, she’d even go sit quietly in a corner of Aiden’s office if she could get out of here.
“Place just isn’t the same without Tammy,” Reeves muttered, taking a drag from his cigarette.
She sat her coffee on the counter before she dropped it. The thought of drinking it no longer appealed to her.
David looked at her apologetically.
Through the window, Jesslyn saw Tim across the street. Without a word to either man at the counter or to the Kinncaids at the table, she dashed out the door and hollered for Tim. He spun around, saw her and she hurried across the street as a dark sedan stopped for her. Yet even as she crossed towards him, her skin tingled along her neck as though unseen eyes stalked her. Jesslyn looked around as she reached Tim’s side.