Witness Protection

by Morgan, Paris

  The woman in front of me was entering information on a tablet.

  “Sir, did you see anything that could tell us who he is?”

  “Um, there was a letter on the seat addressed to Bubba Boxe on it.” I made up a name so they wouldn’t look too closely for Mike’s real name. “Is he going to be, okay?”

  “He’s alive and you did a great job bringing him into us. All we can do is hope for the best.”

  The woman began to walk away, but I placed a hand on her arm to stop her.

  “Can I leave my cell phone number in case he wakes up or needs to know where his vehicle is?” I gave the digits for a pre-paid cell that couldn’t be traced back to me.

  It wasn’t until I was halfway back to Roseville that I realized I’d used Karen Boxe’s last name.

  Maybe no one would make the connection because if they arrested him, Mike was going to come after me as soon as he was able.

  Considering the mess that Mike had left behind, I was going to have to be out of town so that it wouldn’t be suspicious that I hadn’t helped out during the crisis.

  He wasn’t giving much of a choice when it came to being a cop or helping someone accused of attempted murder. He was lucky that we went back as far as we did because I was going to have to concentrate on my duties for a while to keep from throwing suspicion on him.

  Chapter 14

  Allie

  Morning rolled around earlier than I’d wanted, but I had gotten a good night’s sleep.

  Justin was snoring next to me, and I didn’t want to wake him, so I snuck out of bed.

  He’d offered clean clothes and a shower. Combined with a pain pill for my aches, I’d been asleep before my head hit the pillow.

  I turned on the news to the local channel hoping they’d have an update on the attack.

  “A local robbery attempt went wrong Friday night at a local bar. An officer was hurt in trying to keep the attacker from carrying out his plan.”

  “The officer and intended victim are both doing well. The suspect remains at large while police continue to search for him. If you or anyone you know has information that will lead to his arrest, please call our hotline.”

  They weren’t telling the public that one of their own was behind the assault. It would cause a panic creating more chaos.

  My stomach rumbled and I decided to take Justin up on his hospitality to rummage through his cabinets for something to eat.

  Cereal with marshmallows called out to me and I poured a bowl. Cartoons were the only thing on this early in the morning, so I sat down to eat breakfast while going back in time as a cat tried to catch a mouse.

  I must have dozed off because when I opened my eyes Justin was leaning in the doorway just looking at me.

  It wasn’t something I was used to seeing in a man’s eyes. Not exactly lust, but more of a caring gaze. Instead of being uncomfortable, it made me feel cared for.

  This feeling of safety might only be because I’d had extra adrenaline coursing through my body, but if this was what it was like to have someone care for you, then I was all for it.

  Love, at first sight, wasn’t something I’d ever believed was possible. If he was as amazing as he appeared to be then it was worth sticking around to find out the truth.

  A slow grin spread across his face, and I blushed in response.

  Yep, he was giving me all the feels.

  Breaking the moment, I scrambled to stand up and take my dishes to the sink.

  “Do you have anything I could wear to your parents' house? Even if we washed my clothes from Friday night, I’m not sure my bar clothes are exactly what I want to meet your mother in.”

  “There’s got to be a pair of pants in the closet that I can’t fit into anymore and I have tons of t-shirts. Just help yourself.”

  His closet held more clothes than I’d ever owned. I looked through the choices and finally decided on a plain shirt that didn’t scream I’d gotten it from him.

  The pants were a little more problematic, but there was a pair that wouldn’t fall as I walked. I only had to roll up the bottoms a bit to fix the height difference.

  Thankfully, I’d washed out my bra the night before so that was covered. Taking him at his word, I opened one of the drawers hoping to find a pair of boxers that would work as panties.

  His drawers were neatly organized to my surprise. I pulled out a pair with a superhero logo on the front that would work.

  It was weird to be going through his things when I didn’t even know the basics about his life.

  When was his birthday? Did he like carrots? Did he watch reality tv?

  Okay, that was random, but it was all still a little strange for me.

  Completely out of my element, I just hoped that his family were as accepting of strangers as he’d been.

  Awestruck was the only word that could describe the feeling as we pulled into the driveway of his family home.

  A huge two-story white antebellum house with a wrap-around porch stood out against the fields. It reminded me of the southern plantation homes in the movies.

  I wasn’t sure that I was fancy enough to be invited to a home of this type. I glanced down at the jeans and t-shirt I was wearing.

  “I’m so underdressed for meeting your family.”

  He must have sensed my nervousness because he walked around and slid his hand into mine.

  “You’ll be fine. Mom and Dad are still at church. I’ll check on the food and then show you around, so you won’t feel so out of place.”

  A pack of dogs raced toward us. I jumped moving closer to Justin.

  “Um, dogs scare me,” I confessed.

  “Hey there guys. Stay down.” He ordered and they mostly listened but didn’t move back.

  “If you hold out your hand, they’ll sniff it to get used to your scent. Next time, they’ll remember who you are and will be less likely to bark once they know it’s you. After a couple of visits, they’ll learn to leave you alone.”

  I stiffened and he moved his hand until his arm was around my waist.

  “I’ve got you. It’s okay. Breathe.”

  Doing as he said, I realized that the dogs had almost forgotten about us and were running away to check pee on the truck’s tires.

  He kept his arm where it was until we reached the porch.

  When it was gone, I noticed that it hadn’t been as bad as I’d feared. The dogs and his nearness were both much easier to handle than I had imagined.

  A green door on the back of the house opened up into a huge kitchen with vaulted ceilings. Expecting something cold and sophisticated, I found the cozy, homey atmosphere welcoming.

  This was the heart of the home. His mother must be an incredibly special woman to leave behind enough of her presence that guests felt comfortable even when she wasn’t there.

  While it was obvious, they weren’t hurting for money, they didn’t appear to flaunt their wealth.

  The kitchen had been remodeled and updated with all of the modern appliances and accessories, yet it still had that historic feeling as if the ghosts of the past were watching over us.

  He opened the oven and a savory aroma wafted out.

  “Now, I see where you get your cooking talent from.” I licked my lips in anticipation.

  “Makes you hungry again, huh?” He laughed placing the rolls in a lower over and turning the upper one to warm so the meat didn’t dry out.

  The drool running down my face might have been a clue.

  “Haven’t had much in the way of homecooked meals, have you? Where have you been hiding all these years? A microwave convent?” He teased, “Are you even allowed to eat food cooked in the over?”

  “Where on earth do you come up with these things?” I rolled my eyes at him, “A microwave convent? Really?”

  “I was raised in several foster homes growing up. The dinners we had were barely edible, but it was what we had, and it was food. We didn’t know any better.” I tried to shrug it off by taking his hand and pulling
him out of the kitchen.

  “Weren’t you going to show me what else was in this house?”

  He threw the hot pads on the counter and began the tour.

  A business office was located next to the kitchen. Further down the hall, a room had been outfitted to be a library/media room. DVDs and books filled the wall-to-wall shelves. A projector screen was attached to the ceiling and chairs circled the room ready for movie night.

  The basement was furnished, and the voices of hundreds of horror movies spoke in my head.

  “Are you hiding any bodies down here?” I was joking, but if he’d brought me down here to kill me, no one would have heard my screams.

  Surprised that I wasn’t really concerned with the idea, I threaded my arm through his.

  “Lead on, but you’ll need to protect me in case one of the bodies has turned into a zombie.”

  “Nope, no bodies buried down here that I’m aware of anyway.” He patted my hand and pulled me a little closer as we moved through the large rooms.

  “We didn’t have basements like this where I’m from in the north. They’re all dark, damp, and with lots of laundry and spiders.” I shivered.

  “Dad knew you were coming so he moved all the evidence last night because everyone wants a tour of our basement.” He winked at me as he opened a door to reveal a large, carpeted room that had been converted into a game room.

  A hall led to a few spare rooms and a bathroom. There was a small kitchenette which made this ideal for an adult child to stay here forever.

  The dogs started barking and I was amazed that they could be heard down here.

  “Um, I think someone’s here.” I glanced nervously at the stairs all of my tension returning at the thought of it being his parents.

  “Whoa, what’s wrong?” He pulled me toward him.

  “It’s just… well, what if they don’t like me? I mean, you’ve only known me for a few days. That is if sleeping is even counted as knowing someone and I look like this.” I gestured to my outfit because I was really self-conscious.

  “Seriously, don’t worry. They’ll love you.” He squeezed my hand, “I’m wearing a version of the same thing. You’re just much cuter in it.”

  Turning a bright shade of pink, I followed him as he tugged on my hand leading me up the stairs to meet the parents.

  The kitchen door opened as we arrived at the top of the stairs.

  “Hello? Justin, honey. We’re home.” A petite woman with short brown hair called, looking lovely in her Sunday suit with matching hat.

  “Yes, Mom.” He answered giving her a hug before turning to introduce me to her.

  “Mom, this is Allie Foster. Allie this is my mother, Georgia Greenley.”

  “Hello, Mrs. Greenley.” I held out my hand but was taken by surprise when she reached over and pulled me into a hug.

  “Don’t you dare call me Mrs. Greenley. I’m GG to friends and family.”

  The porch door opened again, and a tall, handsome slightly older version of Justin walked through the door.

  “This is James, my husband of forty years.” She kept an arm around me as she made the introductions. “James, honey, this is Justin’s friend, Allie.”

  GG was so warm and friendly, I forgot to be scared of her and started to relax.

  Justin walked over and gave his dad a hug similar to the one he’d given his mother.

  Standing next to each other, they made quite the picture of handsome distinguished men. The only differences were a touch of gray in James’ hair and a few wrinkles along his laugh lines.

  Justin was a little leaner, and a more toned version of his father.

  Mmmmm, his dad is still good-looking. If Justin ages, as well as his father, has, I could see myself growing old with him.

  Whoa, girl. Don’t get too caught up in the fantasy.

  Unaware of Allie’s thoughts, GG continued talking.

  “Justin, why don’t you and Allie go set the table while I get out of these church clothes and into something a little more comfortable before everyone else arrives.”

  “Sure, Mom. The roast is done, and I turned it down. The rolls should be about ready to be taken out.” He shifted his weight as if he was a bit nervous, “Um, I sort of invited a few more people to join us than you were expecting.”

  He hurried to explain, “They’re friends of Allies and needed to get away from some family stuff for the day. It should only be three more than you were expecting.”

  “Honey, you know that’s not a problem. I always cook enough to feed an army. Just put out enough plates for eight, and if it’s too many, then we’ll clear them off when we’re finished with dinner.” She waved off his concern as if it really wasn’t that big of a deal.

  We’d barely finished setting the table when the dogs started barking again, signaling the arrival of Megan and Sally.

  I let out a relieved sigh that they were here. It wasn’t normal for me to be so worried about others. Then again, I’d never had anyone that I genuinely cared about before. It was a nice feeling.

  Meeting them outside, I was almost knocked over when Sally threw herself into my arms.

  “I was sooo worried about you. Then Mom told you were hanging out with a hot guy.” She quirked an eyebrow and looked up at Justin, “I guess he’s kind of cute.”

  She pulled away from me and moved to stand in front of him.

  “Dude, do you hit women?” Serious, she stood there waiting for an answer.

  He got down on one knee, so he was on the same level she was.

  “Sally, I would never hit or hurt anyone unless it was to protect someone I loved. I’ll try to take good care of Allie if you keep taking care of your mom. Does that sound like a fair deal?” He held out a hand for her to shake.

  My heart simply melted as I realized that he understood so much more than the average man did.

  “Well, taking care of my mom is hard work since daddy hurt her. I guess I can let you take over with Allie, but I’m warning you, mister, you’d better not hurt her.” Sally shook a finger in his face before sealing the deal with a handshake.

  Megan was looking better as she joined us. A few days’ worth of rest had put some natural color in her cheeks.

  “Hi, Megan. I’m Justin. I hope I’ve passed inspection.”

  She held back a giggle as Justin kissed the back of her hand.

  “Such a gentleman.” She gave me a knowing look. “I’m with Sally though, if you’re protecting our Allie, then you’re okay in my book.”

  Karen came forward, but instead of introducing herself, she was swept into a bear hug by Justin.

  “Hey, how has it been going?” She returned the hug.

  My confused expression must have mirrored Megan’s.

  “Karen and my brother, Luke used to date back in high school.” Justin grinned, “I guess you’re the bodyguard for these lovely ladies?”

  “You guessed correctly.” Karen spotted GG through the screen door. “Hi, Mrs. G. Hope you don’t mind a few extra guests for lunch?”

  Karen must have been here a lot during high school because she took the hug GG offered as expected upon arrival at their lovely home.

  GG must have heard some of what Sally had said to Justin because she opened the door a little wider for us to enter.

  “Well, I cooked enough to feed an army, Karen. You don’t have to worry about that big appetite of yours not having enough food. There’s plenty to go around.” GG winked and gave Megan a gentle hug as she passed through the door.

  “Welcome, Megan and Sally.” She bent down to Sally’s level.

  “Sally, do you like macaroni and cheese?” GG knew the way to a child’s heart and all my apprehensions disappeared completely.

  “Yes, ma’am, I do,” Sally nodded with enthusiasm.

  “Then you can help me carry it to the table from the kitchen, okay?” GG didn’t wait for an answer but headed for the counter where most of the food was in serving bowls.

  Chapter 15


  Allie

  This was such a surreal feeling for me. Something almost like happiness was present in the air as everyone gathered around a large table that must have held many family gatherings.

  I shouldn’t have been startled when Megan’s lawyer, Mark walked in and placed a kiss on GG’s cheek before taking a seat at the table.

  “Sorry, I’m late, Aunt GG. I had to run by the station after church and it took a little longer than I thought it would.” He’d taken the empty seat next to Megan as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

  “No worries, dear. We were just about to ask the blessing.” She looked toward James sitting at the head of the table as she held out her hands to those on either side of her.

  Holding hands for the blessing was a bit strange and I was so focused on Mark and Justin that I forgot to listen until the words Amen, brought me back to the present.

  “Now, let’s eat before it gets cold.” James’ voice boomed through the room.

  “Mark is our nephew. He joins us for most Sunday lunches. His mother died when he was young, and he’s lived with us for most of his life.” GG announced in answer to our unasked question.

  “Any type of business that you want to discuss, can wait until after dinner when we don’t have little ears in the room to overhear whatever is going on with all of you.” She focused her motherly gaze on Mark but used her fork to point at each of the adults.

  “Yes, ma’am.” We all chorused like guilty little children.

  The rest of the meal was spent hearing about life on the ranch and Sally’s version of the week’s events.

  Everyone was still sitting around the table an hour later stuffed to the brim and not wanting the meal to end.

  “Can we help you do the dishes?” I wanted to be able to say that I’d contributed to this wonderful meal instead of being a burden to our hosts.

  “Um, I think if everyone will grab something and bring it to the kitchen, we can have it all cleaned up very quickly.” GG stacked the empty plates together as she spoke.

  “It was a wonderful meal.” Megan smiled and held up her now healed arm. “I can help as well, even if it’s only the salt and pepper shakers.”