WindSwept Narrows: #3 Emily Temple

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “Huh…guess I have to work on that,” he said with a wink, pulling the light sheet over them, her head down and eyes closing.

  Chapter Twelve

  Mid-August sunlight began peeping into the apartment at the same time Jack had slipped from the bed, pulling the quilt from the bottom and over Emily. He found his running shorts, shirt and shoes before heading to the bathroom to dress, coming out to see Emily leaning up on one elbow.

  “It’s Saturday,” she said quietly, blinking and taking in the gray tee shirt and black shorts.

  “Off for a run,” he said, kissing her and lifting an elastic band with his key that he slid onto his wrist.

  “If I’m not here, I’ll be next door,” she said before sinking down in the center of the bed, sighing and closing her eyes. “Crazy guy…I’m involved with a crazy person…” She mumbled.

  Jack was still chuckling as he left the apartment, inhaling a long deep breath and realizing he’d never felt better.

  Emily sighed and pulled herself upright a few minutes later, hands rubbing over her face. She found her clothes, dressed and found the plastic sheets, carefully removing the bandage and trying not to look as she put the plastic covering over the tiny black stitches. She finished her shower and stood in her bedroom. She had a bed, a dresser and a nightstand with a clock. There were about a dozen hangers in her closet…it was vastly different than Jack’s apartment. But it fit her, she told herself, easily pulling things out of drawers to wear.

  She had her hair pulled into a high, long ponytail and was staring at the jewelry on the top of the dresser when she heard the key turn in the lock. Emily looked up and smiled to see the familiar flower shirt, shorts and sneakers. Only he was frowning.

  “Who are you and what did you do with my girl?” Jack asked suspiciously, his gaze sweeping from the comfortable sandals, over the blue jean shorts and soft pink tank top. Emily winked at him.

  “I knew the shoes would be a perfect disguise,” she told him with a chuckle.

  “Brought you something,” Jack held up the zip bag with supplies.

  “Oh…crap…” Emily pulled the tank top carefully from her jeans and perched on the edge of the bed, lifting the top. “I forgot all about it…”

  “I talked to Ian,” Jack gently worked to peel the plastic sheet from her skin. “Apply ointment…a light cover of gauze…stitches out on Monday.”

  “Can you take them out?” Emily kept her eyes up, she didn’t want to see it again.

  Jack met her gaze and nodded. “I have the right tool for it….if you’re sure…”

  “I am…”

  He gathered up the supplies, tossing the plastic sheet and stopping at the bureau. “Emily…about this jewelry…”

  She moved to the front of the bureau, waiting for him to continue.

  “Did you have a case for it?”

  She reached into a lower drawer and brought out a twelve inch long, three inch deep brown case, handing it to him. “Why?”

  “I think it should be in the safe in my shop.”

  “It’s just jewelry, Jack,” Emily shrugged, selecting a pair of simple pink stud earrings and slipping them on.

  “Why is it out here? And not in this?”

  “Oh, I was checking to see if there was anything there we could use with any of the costumes…” She made a face. “But it’s too…too excessive. Too…ostentatious…” she picked up the single diamond ring. “I mean look at this thing. It feels like something you’d wear just to say…look at this huge engagement ring! Which makes me think it probably belongs to someone other than me…”

  “Emily…we’ll get back to the ring in a minute,” Jack opened the velvet case and pulled a small magnifying glass from his shirt pocket, slipping it on and looking at the pieces carefully. “This is not costume jewelry, Emily…” He looked up to find her just watching him. “Alright…let’s try this…what pieces do you like? For you?”

  He watched as she selected a couple tennis bracelets, the earring studs and a nice chain. He began putting the rest of the items into the case.

  “Do you know what some of this is?” Jack asked cautiously.

  “I’m guessing it’s like the car, Jack…presents,” Emily shrugged. “It’s just too…high end party stuff…I like this silver chain but it needs something dangling from it…”

  “Like?” He lifted the chain, studying it beneath the glass. “It’s not silver, Emily.”

  “White gold?” She watched him shake his head.

  “Platinum,” he said quietly, looking over the collection. “I see a pink theme going…” He lifted one of the bracelets, and then the other. The eye glass fell into his palm and was dropped into his pocket. “When you aren’t wearing these, Emily, they should be locked up somewhere,” he sighed at the blank look he received. “This stuff is like the car, Emily. Some people in your previous life shopped some high end stuff…these are pink diamonds and sapphires…rare and expensive.”

  “Okay…” She scooped the things she wanted with her into the top drawer and closed the drawer. “You can lock up that stuff…or even sell it…I don’t like it.”

  “We might end up at a high dollar party someday…black tux kind of thing…you’ll need some bling,” Jack teased, putting the various necklaces and other pieces into the case.

  “Pffft…I got a guy with a jewelry store…I can borrow all the bling I need,” she said with a dismissing wave of her hand.

  “Emily…in the interest of full disclosure…this is way above the level we sell downstairs.” Jack watched her lean in, eyes wide as their noses touched.

  “Jack…I don’t care. It’s just stuff…you told me you deliberately chucked the stuff for what you have now. How is this jewelry thing any different? I like these because of the colors,” she shrugged. “I don’t care what it costs. So…I’m hungry…are you feeding me this morning?”

  Jack sighed. Closing the case. “After we lock this stuff in the safe and I get you another case for the things you’re keeping up here.”

  “So what are we shopping for?” Emily stepped from the SUV and looked around the large white canopies. “I want apples…and cucumbers…” she lifted the cloth bags she had brought with them.

  Sun shined down upon the large market place, her hand digging into her pocket each time she made a purchase and added it to their bag. Emily pulled a chair next to one of the outdoor tables and sat back, listening to a local group of musicians play tunes. Jack stood in line for some stuffed cabbage rolls for him and a brat for her. She had to smile when he carried the food to the table, pulling two bottles of water from his large pockets.

  “That smells good,” Emily commented, taking a big bite out of the brat covered in sauerkraut. She looked dubiously at the forkful he offered her.

  “It’s not spicy, very flavorful and easy to make,” Jack assured her, watching her sample the meat and rice mixture and nod. “Another something to add to our recipe search.”

  “You’re really okay with this cooking thing,” Emily asked after a quiet few minutes.

  “I’m really okay with the cooking thing,” Jack replied, taking a long drink of water. “Let’s try this…why do you think I wouldn’t or shouldn’t be okay with it? You clean up, I cook…it’s a good deal.”

  “I…I don’t know…I guess because it’s not the way society views our roles,” she admitted carefully, finishing her brat and collecting their plates, depositing them in the right recycling containers. Sitting back down and taking her water between both hands.

  “I think a big mistake any couple can make is to allow society to dictate what’s best for them” Jack answered easily, honestly. A gleam grew in his eyes and he leaned over the table. “What if society said you can only make love once a night?”

  “We’ve already broken the rule,” she answered with a matching grin.

  “Then we might as well be rebels,” he stood up and held out his palm. “Let’s go home and cook.”

  Jack took a different roa
d back, driving along the coast road and down into Saltwater State park. Emily dug out a crisp apple and jumped eagerly from the SUV, taking his palm and leading him to walk along the concrete path that bordered the ocean. They found a quiet spot at the end of the path, sinking to the grass and relaxing beneath the afternoon sun.

  Emily had finished cleaning up after their dinner, the leftovers going into the fridge. She wandered into the shop, making certain all was locked down and tidy before going into her apartment and tossing her clothes into the dryer. She looked at the small velvet case Jack had given her, the bracelets and earrings dropped inside before she set the case into the top drawer.

  She sat on her patio, staring into the setting sun and seeing only the brilliant light. Like the car, the words came back to her. Someone had given her expensive jewelry. If she followed the logic and what clues she had been given by the woman at the restaurant, the jewelry was a gift. Probably from various people. And the engagement ring…a very large square cut diamond…was that from the man in her nightmares?

  Jack read through the old news stories, looked at the photos of an Emily few would recognize if they saw her in the shop below. It wasn’t a stranger that would recognize her. He realized it was quiet and went into the kitchen. All things were clean and put up but Emily was missing. He wandered through the large apartment, heading for the front door next. He’d kept the key and let himself into her apartment, his vision immediately falling on the woman on the patio.

  He felt a sense of trepidation for the first time since meeting Emily. Did she want to be alone? And he somehow missed the signals?

  “Jack?” Emily stood up, stretching carefully high above her. She turned to see him moving forward, an odd look on his face. “Something wrong? I was waiting for my clothes to dry…you were deep in your work, so I didn’t want to bother you,” her hands lifted to take his.

  “If you ever feel like a bother, kick me,” Jack told her honestly. “Are we taking some clean clothes to the other apartment?”

  “Well…I’m not really crazy about running back and forth with my nethers hanging out,” she said with a chuckle, slipping past him and going to the bedroom.

  “I’ve become very fond of your nethers,” Jack told her with a wink, sinking to relax on the bed while she brought clothes to be folded. “I don’t know about this couple stuff…do I ask you to move in with me or would it be easier to just move you?”

  “Dictator,” she murmured but was grinning.

  “It’s not like there’s a whole lot to move, Emily,” Jack climbed to his feet, watching while she filled a large backpack with clothing.

  “Too bad they’re connected by the kitchens…it would be grand to just take that out and make it one large unit,” she said, shrugging and making sure she had things she needed inside and out of the bathroom.

  “No place for a garden or chickens,” he teased, taking the pack and slinging it on his shoulder. She carried a smaller bag with toiletries inside, gathering her purse and leading the way from the apartment.

  “Well…you don’t snore…this early more run thing…” She shuddered, listening to his laughter. “I have my computer…so I can always play my game while you work…or get something to sew while we watch movies. I do like watching movies with you…but we need popcorn,” she chattered as they walked, hand in hand to the other side of the large building.

  “Hmm…the compromises of being a couple,” Jack remarked, pulling his key out and opening the door. “Tomorrow we can get you a key made for here. I think we’re good together…and I already moved a few things around for your clothes.” He ducked fast when she swung at him, dropping her clothing on the floor and dipping beneath her arm, he grabbed her around the waist and fell to the surface of the bed with her wrapped close.

  “Jack Garrett! That is the most…you are…aarruuughhh!” Emily decided to throw her energy into her kiss, framing his face tightly and ravaging his mouth, his laughter vanishing and turning into a rough, hungry groan.

  Emily lay sprawled on the large bed, savoring the aftermath of their lovemaking a while later.

  “You do realize that with that type of reaction, being a dictator will come even more naturally to me,” Jack teased, turning the lamp on beside the bed. “We have to take the bandage off tonight, Emily…”

  “I probably should be concerned that the dictator in you arouses me,” Emily tossed back cheekily, sighing and rolling to her side. “I don’t want to look. It…there really are a lot of stitches…I saw it this morning…”

  “Yeah…a lot…” Jack removed the tape and gauze.

  “I think…I was afraid to look…” Emily lay on her stomach, staring out into the fading daylight. “I thought…if I can laugh about it…it’ll be okay…but it was so frightening, Jack,” she whispered, brushing the hot tears from her nose.

  “I know, honey…” He moved into the bed, turned the light out and urged her back into his arms. “I wish I could take that away for you,” his palm stroked gently over her head.

  “Somehow it doesn’t seem so bad when we’re together,” Emily confessed, pulling the light blanket up and closing her eyes. “Good night, Jack.”

  “Good night…”

  Several hours later what sounded like an explosion echoed through from one apartment to the other. Jack was up and out of the bed, pulling his pants on and reaching into the night stand.

  Emily heard the sound of the gun and saw him moving toward the door. She sat up in the middle of the bed, peering into the darkness.

  “What was that? It sounded like it came from my apartment!” She froze when Jack looked back over his shoulder.

  “Do not leave that bed, Emily,” he ordered in a voice that would brook no disobedience. “And that is not up for discussion. Call up 911 and let them know we have a home invasion,” he went out the front door as Emily made the call.

  Then there was silence. She was almost bouncing, barely containing the urge to run to the front door and out to her side of the building. She had slipped one of Jack’s tee shirts on, pacing the floor until she heard the door open and close. She was out of the bedroom and launching herself into his arms.

  “Oh, god! I was so worried! What happened?” She let him ease her back, her words out as fast as she was breathing.

  “Someone kicked in your door…” Jack quickly emptied the gun and slid it into its case in the drawer. His palm up and rubbing his neck. How much to say…

  “My…after me?” She whispered.

  “That’s a safe guess, Emily….whoever it was used a baseball bat and started to beat your bed…then I got there and I think they’d realized the bed was empty and they went over the balcony. I’m sure the police will get prints,” Jack shook his head, turning to see the stunned expression on her face. “It certainly clinches the idea of you moving in here with me.”

  A little yelp left her lips when the knock came at the front door.

  “It’s the police, Mr. Garrett,” Came the voice through the door.

  Emily followed a few paces behind, arms crossed over her chest and eyes wide, watching them talk.

  “We’ve taken photos and the…the weapon,” the officer said carefully. “I’ve pulled the door closed, looks like you’ll need a little work done.”

  “Thank you. I’ll get it taken care of in the morning,” Jack answered blandly, his head shaking. “You think it was the same guy?”

  “Probably…he’s got a long sheet of violent attacks. Well…good night…ma’am,” he nodded to Emily and left.

  Emily wandered into the bedroom, opened the drawer where Jack had pulled the gun from and stared. Long hair hung free, her head tipped slightly. She opened the case and lifted out the gun, going through a series of motions with the magazine and safety and staring at her hand.

  Emily?” Jack had watched her, both eyebrows arched. Her movements were every bit as precise and skilled as his own. He watched as she lowered it to the side, put the safety on and removed the magazine, the gun easi
ly slid back into its case.

  “I’ve handled a gun before,” she said in disbelief, her breathing coming too quickly.

  “I noticed,” he answered softly, his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look up at him. “Stop…close your mouth…slow your breathing…” he breathed a sigh of relief when she followed his orders. “Let’s get some chocolate milk…” with his arm around her shoulders, he guided her through the semi darkened apartment, urging her to sit while he went into the kitchen.

  “I can’t…think of a scenario where I would know how to use a gun, Jack,” Emily finally said when her brain returned.

  “I can come up with a few, Emily…a police officer…military training…” He dropped one of the sleeping tablets into his palm, crushing it between two spoons before stirring it into the thick chocolate he set in the microwave. “It’s attaching those professions with you that isn’t meshing.”

  “Oh…I have a better one…I know how to use a bow,” she said simply. “I can see me on a field with targets…and I’m good…” she let her head fall to the back of the sofa, her knees drawn up and curled beneath her.

  He stopped the microwave. He didn’t want it too hot, he wanted her to drain it quickly. He carried the cup to her, sinking at her side.

  “That one I can see in a school you might have attended. Lots of private schools have archery, Emily. Drink the milk…” Jack watched as she absently did as he said, her mind busy churning things over. Too busy to notice anything off, she drained the cup and handed it back to him. “It’s nice to know you’re experienced with a gun. I was a little worried that you might not like it…”

  “Humans…guns…bats…if we’re bent on destruction, we find a way,” she said wearily. “I accept you, Jack, so I accept your choices,” she moved to the side, wrapping her arms around his waist.