by Laura Marie
“You’re going to be just fine, Jules. I just wish I had been there for you when you really needed me…Instead you had to lean on her.”
Julianna shook her head side to side. “Don’t,” she whispered.
Not wanting to talk about what happened, not wanting to feel the shame, she turned away.
She couldn’t bear to think about Kate, neither her betrayal nor the painful fact that Kate was sleeping with Lawrence. The pain was too much to handle, and she had been a total fool. She shouldn’t have trusted Kate, but she needed someone to talk to about the baby. Never once did Julianna think that Kate would tell Lawrence. Then again, she hadn’t a clue that Lawrence wasn’t being faithful. It was just another example of her bad judgment of character.
Catherine squeezed her hand then wiped the tears from her eyes as she sniffled. It was obvious to Julianna that Catherine felt guilty.
“My cousin Carla purchased the PO Box, so it will be safe to write me there. She’ll send your letters in a separate envelope to me. He’ll never find out where you’ve gone.”
Taking an uneasy breath filled with fear, Julianna couldn’t help the nervous twinge in her belly. Catherine didn’t even have to say Lawrence’s name. Just referring to the monster as “him” was enough. The bastard should be happy she was gone, but that wasn’t Lawrence’s style. Control, manipulation, corruption, bribes…His world of living above the law, she hoped, was slowly coming to a screeching halt. She despised him, prayed that he would be charged with her attempted murder as well as the murder of their unborn child. Julianna rubbed her hand against her belly and the scar that would eternally remind her of her fiancé’s betrayal.
Glancing up, she locked gazes with Catherine and unsuccessfully patted at the hem of her skirt from the waist down in an attempt to hide her actions. Every time she thought about her baby and becoming a mother, she touched her belly.
“You’re only six weeks along. It could have been worse,” the doctors told her.
There was a life inside of her, anyone with a half a brain, a concept of such a miracle, wouldn’t be so insensitive and ignorant to make such a remark.
“Are you okay?” Catherine’s voice brought her back to the present.
“I’ve got the address in my book. Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”
The sound of an approaching car caught their attention. Julianna was on edge, thinking at any moment Lawrence would find her and demand her return. “My cousin said he can follow you all the way to the thruway.”
They both watched as Jeremy, a State Trooper, pulled the unmarked police car alongside the curb.
He got out of the car, using the main doorframe for assistance to maneuver his six-feet-five-inch body from the vehicle before immediately placing his hat onto his head.
Talk about intimidation. Julianna was certain people cringed the second they were pulled over for speeding by Jeremy. He was as large as a tower, lean and muscular, but as gentle as a teddy bear.
“You picked a good day for traveling,” he stated, tipping his hat towards Julianna and his cousin as he approached them.
“Thanks for coming, Jeremy,” Catherine said as she gave her cousin a hug hello. Jeremy then took Julianna’s hand into his own.
“You ready, Jules?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be. Thanks for doing this.” Julianna couldn’t help but nibble on her bottom lip.
“No problem, I wanted to do this, remember?”
She smiled, knowing it was all Jeremy’s idea to follow her as she left town. He was concerned for her well-being, and he didn’t trust Lawrence one bit. Not after everything that happened. It was only a matter of time and eventually someone would outsmart Lawrence.
Jeremy pulled her into an embrace.
He was a nice guy, had always felt protectiveness for her, but she was too involved in pleasing Lawrence to notice Jeremy. She was a fool to think that Lawrence truly loved her, wanted to marry her and start a family. That was all Julianna’s idea of the perfect life.
Jeremy held her close, and the tears filled her eyes again. She would miss him, too.
Releasing her, he pulled away slowly then placed his hand gently under her chin. He smiled.
“I wish you all the best, Jules. Don’t forget to write, and be sure to only use the PO Box address.”
“We went over everything. I won’t mail any letters or packages from Claire County, I promise.”
“Any trouble of any kind and you just call me at the barracks. I’ve got some friends with family down South with the State Police and the Sheriff’s Department, never mind a few Texas Rangers. You have my cell number and home number. Don’t hesitate, I mean it, Jules, any sign or feeling of trouble, you better call.”
“I promise,” Julianna smiled at Jeremy and his obvious concern. Jeremy and Catherine had been good friends for the past few years. But Kate was Julianna’s roommate through college, and they even shared an apartment together. Again, Julianna made the wrong choice, misread the signs, and opened up her heart to the wrong people.
Perhaps it was her lack of good judgment and being an only child, raised in Texas on a small horse-training ranch until her parents died. She had conditioned herself to handle things on her own, and in her haste to feel loved and appreciated, she let the walls down to the wrong people. Never again would she make that mistake. .
Julianna gave Catherine one final hug before getting into her car. She had a long trip to Texas ahead of her and a lot of thinking to do.
* * * *
“I don’t understand that man, I truly do not.” Sarah Clark was exasperated as she walked with her best friend past the Sheriff’s Department. Her brown floral skirt danced in the fall wind as she and Beverly lingered near the Sheriff’s Department entrance.
“I think he knows that he can get any woman he wants,” Beverly replied smugly as she pushed her fingers through her golden locks and fluffed them.
“He is so amazing, and the hottest man I’ve ever laid eyes on. He had to have loved my apple pie, so I don’t know why he hasn’t told me yet,” Sarah confidently replied.
“Your pie was probably the fifth one he received today. I’m telling you that Sheriff Johnny Black is a real man. He’s rugged, he’s been in the war, and he’s not interested in any Southern belle.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Oh, Sarah, get off it with the shy, innocent, goody-girl persona you’re always trying to shove down men’s throats. I know you, you’ve been around, and the way to the sheriff’s heart is showing him how experienced you really are.”
Beverly placed her hands under the breast line of her shirt then lifted and shook her chest. Sarah laughed at the sight. The red blouse Beverly wore was two sizes too tight and her maneuvering was a wasted effort.
“Beverly, I am not so experienced, and if you recall, I did try that avenue with Johnny.” Sarah shyly shrugged her shoulders to her ears.
Beverly laughed, placing her hands on her hips while speaking with an attitude.
“Then you’re plumb shit outta luck. Why don’t you just stick to Matt or Ryan? Them boys are obsessed with you. I swear I think that Ryan is building that house of his and planning on asking for your hand in marriage.”
“Ohhh! Ya think?” Sarah asked, feeling her cheeks blush.
“I wouldn’t be surprised, and to tell you the truth, I think landing the sheriff is a lost cause. A man like that is intimidating, controlling, and stubborn as any mule around, so just cut your losses and start baking them pies for Ryan.”
The front door to the sheriff’s station opened just as Sarah was about to reply to Beverly.
“Ladies!” Sheriff Black appeared, tipping his Stetson towards Beverly and Sarah.
Both women stared up at the town hunk.
“Why, good morning, Sheriff Black.” Beverly smiled wide, practically shoving her chest in the sheriff’s face while she spoke in a rich Southern drawl.
Sarah gave her friend a dirty look before moving in
front of her.
The sheriff was expressionless, as if neither of them interested him. He was just being courteous, and the revelation hit Sarah hard.
“Good morning, Bev, Sarah.”
He didn’t smile or even grin. Instead he walked by them, ending the conversation, heading toward his patrol car.
They watched in awe. The massive hunk of a man was mouthwatering.
“You see what I mean?” Beverly crossed her arms in front of her chest, but her eyes remained on the sheriff’s backside.
Sarah gave Beverly a punch in the arm.
“Good mawnin’, Sheriff Black…” Sarah mimicked Beverly’s words, including the Southern drawl. “What the hell did you all think you was doing? Getting all bashful and sexy while staring into the sheriff’s eyes.”
“I did no such thing!” Beverly replied angrily as the argument continued.
* * * *
Sheriff Black released an annoyed sigh as he observed through the windshield of the patrol car. As he took in the sight of the two young females, he couldn’t help but feel he was somehow responsible for their current arguing. He should have peeked out the office window before leaving. He would have stayed hidden until the two women left the front of the department. It was as if they were staking out the joint, waiting like some hungry felines preparing to pounce on unsuspecting prey. Well, he wasn’t falling for that crap. Johnny was tired of being respectful and polite. Didn’t they get the hint that he wasn’t interested? Plus today, his mood was sour. Lack of sleep does that to a man.
He slowly placed the car in reverse and eased out of the parking space.
At least neither of them was delivering any more pies. He was sick of the pies, the offers of supper, and the secretive teasing by the rest of the men in the department. None of them had the nerve to make remarks to his face, but he knew they were talking.
He didn’t ask for this kind of attention, but apparently marrying the sheriff was still a big deal. Now if only he could get the old ladies in town to stop trying to marry him off. Why couldn’t they just leave him well alone?
The cracking of the dispatch radio echoed through the interior.
“Sheriff Black, I have your Pa on the phone,” Shelly Ann, from dispatch, stated.
“Connect him through, Shelly.”
Johnny knew why his dad was calling, and he was sure this wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation.
“Yeah, Pa, what’s going on?”
“What’s going on? Why I oughta…Hot damn, son, what the hell happened last night at the party?”
“I left early, what happened?”
“Don’t give me that ‘I left early’ nonsense. You know what I mean? How could you leave that pretty little thang all alone? Ya all know she wound up leaving with Carl Morter? Her daddy done call this house five minutes ago asking if I knew where she was.”
Johnny laughed.
“It ain’t funny! I had her all set up for ya, done told her daddy that ya be driving her home last night, but no…you couldn’t follow the plan.”
Johnny shook his head and sighed. “That was your plan, Pa, not mine. I told ya just leave me be and stop tryin’ to play matchmaker.”
“You ain’t getting any younger, ya know.”
“Thanks for reminding me, Pa. By the way…I could have told ya she was interested in Carl. Them two were playing tongue wrestling when I left the parking lot.”
“Johnny Black!”
Johnny laughed just remembering the sight. The chuckle eased the tension for a second.
“That’s what you get, old man, for messing around in my business. Now, I gotta get going. I’ll see ya all tonight for supper.”
“Get any more pies today?”
“No, thank God.”
“Don’t say that, son. I especially liked Sarah’s apple pies. Now I don’t know why you ain’t interested in her. She is mighty pretty, great figure, and comes from a nice family.”
“You know that place Ryan is building?”
“Yeah.”
“Well he’s building it for her. He’s planning on asking for her hand at the winter carnival.”
“Hot damn! Lucky man.”
“Gotta go, Pa.”
Johnny leaned back in the car. Why couldn’t his father just let him be? And didn’t his noncommittal hellos tell people he wasn’t interested? He basically came straight out and said “not interested,” and very few people got the message. He was feared, he was intimidating, and most of all, he liked keeping to himself. He did his job protecting and keeping the peace as the sheriff of Claire County, and his personal life was off-limits.
Aggravated, he headed out of the parking lot to do his rounds.
* * * *
New York City
“He broke into the apartment, Jeremy!”
“Calm down, Catherine. There is nothing I or anyone else can do about it right now.”
“Why the hell not? Is this bastard going to continue to get away with every illegal activity he engages in? I’ve had it with Lawrence and his ability to evade punishment.”
“Catherine, please calm down. Don’t you think the detectives and myself are doing everything we can to catch him? The DA is trying to build a case that can stand up in court.”
“What if he finds out where Jules went? How are you, the DA, and the other detectives going to protect her?”
They were both silent for a moment. Catherine felt nauseous just thinking the worst.
“He’ll kill her, Jeremy. He won’t think twice about it.”
“Jules knows what to do. She knows to call me right away and to go to the local authorities immediately if she becomes suspicious. We’ll check on her from time to time on a non-traceable line.”
“What if—”
“No what if…We have to build a case against Lawrence. One that will make him pay for the crimes he committed against Jules and one that will put him away for life.”
Catherine released a sigh. She had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. Annoyed and full of concern, she felt the tears as they escaped her eyes.
“Why is it that the victims are always the ones who continue to suffer? Why did she have to move away, hide, and escape? This bastard should be hung!” By the last statement, Catherine was sobbing, holding the phone tightly against her ear.
“Catherine, please don’t cry. Listen, I know this is hard, but you need to be strong for Jules. The detectives, the DA are all working hard. Please, please trust me.”
Catherine was silent as she wiped the tears and took several uneasy breaths. Her cousin wouldn’t lie to her. He would come straight out and tell her whether the police had a chance at convicting Lawrence of all the charges. He cared about Jules as well. Sometimes she wondered if he cared more than he let on.
“Okay, Jeremy. I’m sorry I lost it there a minute. She’s my best friend and if I had only…”
“Don’t go there, cuz. There’s no need to go there. I have to get going. Will you be okay?”
“I’ll be fine. I’ll talk to you soon.”
When Jeremy hung up the phone, Catherine felt somewhat better having her cousin to talk to. Being that he was a trooper also involved in the investigation, she was sort of kept in the loop. But fifteen minutes later when that small comfort disintegrated, she was left with fear for her best friend’s life. Lawrence wanted Julianna. He desired the control, the power he possessed over Jules, and would stop at nothing to get that power and control back. Once he discovered she was missing, no longer in the state of New York, he would be on the hunt. There was no telling how extreme his reaction would be. The police had to work quickly. They needed to.
* * * *
Halfway into her trip, Julianna thought about the letters from Aunt Ellie and Uncle Roy. Those letters had gotten Julianna through some of the toughest of times. They were her last connection to any family.
The closer Julianna traveled towards home, the more she thought about the past. She recalled when her mom d
ied in a car accident when Julianna was fifteen years old and then the fact that Julianna’s dad married another woman six months after Mom died.
Times were tough, and Julianna had to be tougher. The circumstances that made her want to leave home led her to meeting Lawrence.
By the time she was sixteen, she experienced the life lessons of death, alcoholism, poverty, and premature responsibility. Her dad turned to the bottle to cope with losing his wife, losing his job, and marrying a money-hungry, self-centered witch like Shelby. All while Julianna worked afternoons at the grocery store and nights at the bar.
She recalled passing the money along to her near-comatose father as she received each paycheck. It wasn’t until he was close to death that Julianna realized he was handing the money right over to Shelby.
Damn that woman. Julianna would never forget Shelby or forgive her. When Dad was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, it was fifteen-year-old Julianna who took care of him. All the while, glamour girl Shelby robbed them of Dad’s bank account and robbed Julianna of her hard-earned money.
“Sorry, child, but I never wanted kids. I’m out of here.”
“But, Shelby…what about the money Dad left me? What about the house, the mortgage, the farm?”
“Your dad was broke. There ain’t nothing left.”
Julianna would never forget that day, that moment. Shelby took all the money, and Dad never got around to writing a will.
There she was…three weeks away from her sixteenth birthday with a mortgage to pay, a funeral to plan, and a future filled with debt and heartache.
Sighing, she rolled down the widow to get a bit of fresh air and to eliminate the possibility that the tears would fall from her eyes.
Somehow she survived it all, just as she survived her relationship with Lawrence.
As soon as she got her heart and mind in a positive state, she was going to do some of the things Lawrence had forbidden her to do. A few nights ago, she had attended a Broadway show, knowing that it was the last time she would be in New York. This time she allowed her emotions to show, and it felt great.