A Long Way from Home (The Caldwells of Rebel Creek Book 1)

by Morris, T M

  “Who?”

  “My Aunt Carmella and Uncle Thad listened in from your office. Uncle Thad came in as you were leaving. He and Carmella were in your office listening through the open door. I am surprised Carmella didn’t come in and scratch the man’s eyes out.” He chuckled at the thought.

  “What am I supposed to do?”

  “There are a couple of things you can do. First, you can fix us some coffee. And then you can leave the rest to me.”

  “I thought you said there was something I could do.” She fumed as she walked into the kitchen. “I mean, there has to be something I can do. After all Jordan has targeted you because of me.”

  Devon was right behind her. When he spoke she could feel his breath in her hair, “I told you not to worry. I will take care of everything—including you.”

  “I don’t need to be taken care of, Devon. I’m fine on my own.” She was adamant. His words made Lucy’s heart melt and make her wary all at the same time. She handed him his cup of coffee, black, as usual. She then moved across the room to put some space between them. She picked up the florist box, lifted the lid and carried it into the kitchen.

  “It seems to me you needed me to take care of you earlier today. Your face was whiter than white when Lancaster showed up at the office today. Darlin’, whether you think you need taking care of or not is irrelevant to me. I am going to take care of you. You have my word on it Luce.” Devon said his irritation with her bravado evident.

  “I swear Devon!” Lucy ranted, “I don’t need rescuing. I am not some damsel in distress, you know.” She banged the lid down on the counter and stormed into the living room. "We are not living in the thirteenth or fourteenth century, and I don't need your protection."

  Devon was right behind her. He took her by the shoulders and spun her around to face him. “Lucy, you are driving me crazy. Don’t you understand? Jordan Lancaster is a dangerous man. You have to know it for a fact. He tried to rape you, remember? Let’s face it. He’s after you and now he is after me too, because I wouldn’t believe his lies and I have aligned myself with you, sweetheart. I have already defended your reputation a couple of times because our clients have heard rumors—no doubt started by Lancaster. He is out to either destroy you or run you out of Middle Tennessee, either one would make him happy.”

  Lucy shook her head in defiance. “No.” She lifted her chin and stood straighter. “He may make things difficult for me but he can neither destroy me nor drive me away. I am not going anywhere.”

  Devon stood silent for a moment still holding her by the shoulders. His fingers began massaging away the tension they found deep in her muscles. He growled. “I don’t know whether to admire your confidence or be overwhelmed by your ignorance. Jordan is dangerous and capable of anything.”

  “What would he profit by harming me or running you out of business?” She asked trying to escape his grasp.

  He tightened his hold on her, almost tight enough to bruise her. Frustration dripped from his words as he forced them through his clenched teeth. “He wants the satisfaction of hurting you and he doesn’t care what he has to do to get it. He wants revenge, Miss Denial.”

  The weight of that fact finally crashed down on Lucy. Jordan Lancaster wanted nothing more than to destroy her and anyone who would stand in his way to get to her. Dread and stinking fear sank into the pit of her stomach causing the coffee sitting there to make her queasy. “I believe you. Now let go of me. I need something to settle my stomach. How about you? Would you like some more coffee or something else?” she sounded defeated.

  Devon stroked her hair. “I’m sorry Lucy. I promise I will do everything I can do to protect you. So, right now, I need to leave. I need to talk with my dad and get some advice on what we need to do to keep everything we do legal and above board. I will also ask him about suing the jerk for defamation.”

  “If you think it’s necessary.” She still sounded so deflated. Devon hugged her tight enough to suffocate her then with reluctance pushed her away from him.

  “If it gets him to stop, why not sue?” Devon said as he moved toward the door.

  Lucy followed him. She hugged herself and she shivered. “All right, then. The restraining order hasn’t helped, maybe a lawsuit will. Be careful, okay?”

  “I’ll be fine. Lock up after I leave. Since tomorrow is Friday, why don’t you take the day off and have a three-day weekend? You need some rest.”

  “Thanks, Devon, but I will be at work in the morning. I do better when I’m busy.” Lucy smiled, trying to appear stronger than she felt.

  Devon shrugged his broad muscular shoulders and grinned, “So you are more rattled by this threat from Jordan than you’ve let me believe? Huh?”

  “Maybe,” she offered him another weak smile.

  “Goodnight, darlin’. Remember, lock up behind me and enjoy your flowers.”

  “Goodnight. I will.” She answered without a drop of emotion tinting her response.

  “Lock up.” Devon repeated as he opened the door and left with a smile.

  Turning the deadbolt feeling chilled Lucy wondered why she seemed to always feel cold after Devon left the room. She turned out the light in the living room and walked into the kitchen to clean up. Lucy picked up Devon’s cup and found herself running her finger around the rim of the cup where Devon’s lips had been. She wondered if his kiss would have had a hint of coffee flavor.

  What was she doing? She gave herself a mental shake and hurried to wash his cup and placed it in the dish drainer. Then she rinsed her own cup and poured another cup of hot brew, doctoring it with a liberal dose of cream and sugar.

  She pulled her juice pitcher out of the cabinet and filled it with water. She lifted the tissue paper cover to find again thirteen roses, twelve red and one white. She placed them in her makeshift vase. Still, no card was enclosed. Somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered who could be sending her boxes of roses. Whoever it was, it was costing them a fortune. She switched off the kitchen light and went upstairs. A book was waiting for her there on the bedside table. Lucy planned on reading herself to sleep. She didn’t want to think any more on the day’s events.

  Chapter Five

  It was not, however, to be a night of restful sleep. Less than ten minutes after Lucy turned out the light and snuggled under the covers to go to sleep she heard the shattering of glass.

  Crash. Crash. Crash. The fourth crash was right beside her bed as a baseball-sized rock landed on the floor beside her bed. Lucy yelped and jumped out of her bed opposite the broken window and stared out the unbroken glass of the other window to see if she could see anyone. She grabbed the phone and called the police emergency 911 number.

  “Hello? Someone just threw rocks through all of my front windows. No. I didn’t see who it was. No. I don’t have any idea who it could have been throwing—hold on.” Lucy stood for a moment listening. “Oh, hurry and please send someone. I think someone is in my house. Yes, I will stay on the line. “I’m going into the bathroom,” she whispered into the mouthpiece, “and I’m locking the door.”

  “You’ve locked the door?”

  “Yes. I’m locked in the bathroom now.”

  “Lucy?”

  Lucy again whispered into the phone, “Someone’s calling my name. No! I haven’t answered. No. I won’t.”

  “Lucy?”

  “They are getting closer. Tell the police to hurry.” Even though she was whispering her voice held extreme earnest.

  The emergency dispatch operator said, “Officers are on their way. Keep calm and quiet.”

  “Lucy?” The voice called a third time.

  “The voice is getting farther away now.” Lucy whispered. “Yes, I will stay right here until the police arrive.”

  Lucy began to breathe again. She had not realized she had been holding her breath. She almost choked, however, when someone tried to turn the locked bathroom doorknob. “Lucy? Are you in there?”

  Lucy didn’t answer. She sat on the floor by the
tub clutching the phone. Her eyes were glued to the door. The voice sounded as if she should know to whom it belonged. It was familiar but not. It wasn’t Jordan but it niggled at the back of her memory. This was someone she should know.

  “Lucy come on out. I want to make sure you're okay. Someone has broken out all your windows.” The unseen stranger said through the door. Why couldn't she put a face and name with the voice?

  In the distance Lucy could hear sirens. The emergency dispatcher spoke into her ear. “Stay right where you are hon’. Whatever you do, do not open the door for him. If you can hear me, press a number.”

  Lucy pressed a number.

  “Okay, honey.” The dispatcher’s comforting voice on the other end of the phone continued, “You should hear the sirens by now. Do you? Press a number.”

  Lucy again pressed a number.

  By this time the unseen stranger had heard the sirens as well. He cursed as he shook the doorknob one last time. Lucy could hear him bounding down the stairs. It was apparent he was leaving before the police could catch him.

  “He’s gone.” Lucy spoke into the mouthpiece with relief. “I think he heard the sirens too.”

  “All the same honey, you stay right where you are until an officer identifies himself. The intruder could have doubled back to attack you. He may be trying to trick you into coming out of your hiding place.”

  “Don’t worry, I am not going anywhere.” Lucy breathed. Her heart lurched. She was frightened all over again at the possibility that the man could still be somewhere in her house. The sirens grew louder and stopped in front of her modest home. She could see the blue lights flashing through the small bathroom window. “The police are here.” Lucy told the dispatcher.

  “Okay,” the dispatcher continued, “When the officer knocks on the door ask him to identify himself and then you tell me his name. I will then verify if he is one of the officers responding to your call. Okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “Ma’am?” A voice called through the door followed a knock on the bathroom door a moment later.

  “Who is it?” Lucy asked her voice quaking.

  “I'm Officer Nolan Bradford.” The patient voice answered.

  “He says he is Officer Nolan Bradford.” Lucy repeated to the dispatcher.

  “Okay, darlin’.” The emergency dispatcher replied, “You can open the door. I’m going to hang up as soon as you let me talk with him. It's just to make sure he is who he says he is, okay?”

  “Okay.” Lucy said. She set the phone down on the counter. She grabbed her terry cloth bathrobe from the hook and wrapped it tight around her before opening the door with extreme caution. She kept her foot against the door to prevent whoever was on the other side of the door from slamming it open.

  Lucy looked straight into the chest of Officer Nolan Bradford. She looked up. The young officer smiled down at her from his lofty height. He must have stood at least six feet ten inches or more. He asked, “Are you all right?”

  Her smile was faint. She thrust the handset toward him as she said, “The dispatcher wants to talk to you.”

  He took the telephone from her trembling hand. While he spoke Lucy went over to her bed, pulled a pair of fuzzy blue bunny house slippers from under the dust ruffle and put them on her numb feet. Every part of her body was numb. She was slipping into a mild state of shock as the adrenaline coursing through her body began to wane.

  Having finished with the dispatcher Officer Bradford said, “If you are able, could you help me fill out the report? It would help a great deal.” He coaxed Lucy out of her bedroom and down the stairs.

  While descending the stairs she told the officer she didn’t know if she would be of much help because she had not seen a single thing. “You see,” she continued, “I was already in bed. I had been reading and had just turned out the light. I have had the most exhausting week and I was planning on getting some rest.”

  “About what time did you hear the glass breaking?” The young man asked without looking up from the clipboard on which he was scribbling. Lucy, noting he was a southpaw, surmised he could not be more than twenty-two or twenty-three.

  “It was about eight-thirty.” She answered. “I had turned out the bedside lamp and looked at my alarm clock to make sure it was set to go off in the morning. Then crash.”

  “Did they all get broken simultaneously?”

  “No. It was one right after the other like...” she clapped her hands to demonstrate the rhythm of the windows breaking, “Like that.”

  “Okay. So there was a slight pause before the last one broke?”

  “Yes. My bedroom window was broken last.”

  “And then what happened?” He asked as he continued to write on the report form without looking up.

  “I jumped out of bed and ran to the other window to see if I could see anything. I couldn’t. Then I grabbed the phone and called 911.

  “While I was talking to the dispatcher I heard some noises. I told the dispatcher I thought someone was in the house. I then locked myself in the bathroom until you came.”

  “Did the suspect come upstairs?”

  “Yes. He even rattled the bathroom doorknob. He—he knew my name. His voice was familiar, but not familiar enough to identify. I couldn’t tell you who it was. I don’t remember who the voice belongs to. It’s strange. It's like not being able to identify a familiar scent from childhood.”

  “That’s all right, at least for now, anyway. I’ll have someone here to dust for fingerprints. It seems someone is trying to frighten you or could even be stalking you. I suppose it’s too early to tell. But you will have to be careful. Do you know anyone who can help you with your windows?” Officer Bradford asked.

  “I guess I could call my boss.” Lucy mused. Why was there no one else she could think of to call? It was not as if she was new to the area and didn’t know anyone besides the people at work.

  “Go on and call him before it gets too late. I’ll stay with you until the dusting for fingerprints is done and your boss arrives, okay?”

  “Fine. Can I make you some coffee?” she smiled.

  “I would very much appreciate it. Night shifts are hard sometimes.” Nolan blushed clear to the top of his head. Lucy could see it through his thin blonde hair.

  “I can imagine.” Lucy nodded. “I will call my boss while I make the coffee.” Lucy went into the kitchen and began to set up the coffeepot as she dialed Devon’s cell phone number.

  “This is Devon James. Can I help you?” Devon answered.

  “Yes, Devon you can. This is Lucy.” She answered him over her racing heart. Did she have to react this way each time she heard his voice? Was it ever going to stop?

  “Luce? Why aren’t you sleeping?” He asked.

  “Well,” she drawled, “It is a tad-bit difficult to sleep when windows are breaking all around you.” Lucy tried to keep her voice light even though she was shaking like gelatin in an earthquake.

  “You aren’t kidding are you?” Devon’s voice held a note of alarm.

  “No.”

  “Have you called the police?”

  “Yes, there is an officer here now.”

  “I’ll be there as fast as I can. I just left my dad’s house. I suppose I’ll need to pick up some plywood on the way, huh?”

  “It would be great if you would. Whoever it was broke out four window panes, three in the living room and one in my bedroom.” She said as she switched on the coffee maker.

  “Dear God! Are you sure you’re okay? You weren’t cut by the glass were you?” He sounded shaken.

  “No I wasn’t.” Lucy breathed a deep sigh as she tried to sound calm. "Oh, and I don't have any tools or nails or anything else of the sort."

  “Fine. I’ll be there as quick as I can—within the hour.” Devon said then added, “Be careful, sweetheart.”

  “You too.” Lucy croaked. Her heart was in her throat. He called her sweetheart. He didn’t mean it the way it had sounded. But the warmth and tende
rness his voice held made her giddy. She hugged the phone to her chest. She shook her head to clear it. Get a grip Lucy! You are reading far too much into a few simple words. It’s not like he meant anything by calling you sweetheart. Besides, he is your boss.

  Lucy shook her head to clear the fog from her brain and hung up the phone. She poured two mugs of steaming hot coffee. Then she leaned through the kitchen doorway into the living room and asked, “How do you take your coffee, Officer Bradford?”

  “Black is fine ma’am.” The young officer smiled showing his braces.

  Lucy noted their presence and asked, “Are you old enough to drink coffee? More to the point—are you old enough to be a policeman?”

  The tall officer blushed crimson. “Yes ma’am. I am twenty-two. I went to college for two years then to the police academy. Now I am on the force and I’m finishing up my college courses on the side. I am majoring in criminal justice.”

  “I was just wondering. You look so young. It will be to your advantage when you are older.” Lucy smiled up at him as she handed him his coffee.

  “Yes ma’am. Thank you.” His blush grew even deeper.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

  “You didn’t, ma’am.” He said choking. Then he added, “Maybe you would like to get dressed.”

  Lucy looked down to survey her terry cloth robe and blue fuzzy slippers. It was her turn to blush. “Yes, I had better get dressed.”

  Lucy turned and raced up the stairs as she heard him say, “Yes ma’am, but don’t touch the bathroom door, okay?”

  “I won’t.” She called down over her shoulder. When Lucy reached the top of the stairs she added, “Don’t you think you could turn off those blue lights now?”

  “I’m headed out to do just that, ma’am. I’ll be right back.” Officer Bradford said as he opened the front door.

  Lucy went into her bedroom and locked the door behind her. She shucked her robe and house shoes within seconds. It took her a little longer to dress again in her old gray sweat pants and oversized T-shirt. She decided to put her house shoes back on as an afterthought when she saw the glass on the bedroom floor. . No point in cutting your feet all to bits because of a lunatic rock thrower.