by Morris, T M
“I don’t recall ever being late, no.” Lucy ran her hands through her hair and then rubbed her temples. Her head was throbbing.
“Well, honey, there has to be a reason, stress maybe.” Carmella patted her on the shoulder trying to give her a little comfort. “I will get you something for your headache. I’ll be right back, sweetie.”
Lucy released a deep sigh. Why did she lie to Carmella? She knew she was pregnant. She had known since Thanksgiving morning. Only five days had past? Tired of thinking, she set herself to the task of cleaning up. She had to make some progress before Devon returned from the management office. She didn’t want him to know this series of break-ins was wearing on her very last nerve.
By the time Carmella returned with some pain relievers and water, Lucy had managed to return most of the books to the bookshelf. Carmella was firm, “Now take it easy sweetie, and give them some time to work. Sit down. I will keep working.”
“Carmella, I don’t need to rest. Besides, I’ll go crazy if I have to sit any longer.” she protested.
Carmella was firm. “I’ll hear nothing of it. If you feel you must do something, start on the files.”
“I’m sorry if I offended you.” Lucy began to tear up. “I didn’t mean to.”
Carmella raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Sweetie, I’m not offended. I’m concerned. Look at you. You are crying at the drop of every hat. You need to rest. You are at your wits end.”
“I hate feeling like a complete basket case. I’m scared, Carmella. I am almost certain these break-ins are my fault. Devon has been struck twice in one weekend. The same weekend he took me into his home to protect me from whoever broke into my condo and stole my underwear. They took my underwear. What kind of sick-o takes your underwear? I’m the one who brought this catastrophe down on Devon's head. Look at his office. It was damaged the worst. They even shredded his pictures. It would have been better for him if we’d never met." Lucy finished with a quaking sob.
“Oh, cow patties!” Carmella exclaimed. “Lucy, honey, it’s no more your fault than it is mine or Devon’s. What I want to know is why Jack’s office is pristine. I’m going to give him a piece of my mind when he gets back from Chattanooga. He better hope he had nothing to do with all this destruction.”
Devon leaned against the doorframe. “Beware of Aunt Carmella when she has her feathers ruffled.” He smirked.
“You are very fortunate, young man. I could be just as angry with you.” Carmella fumed, “I have told you what you need to do about this whole situation, but have you listened—no. And now we are cleaning up a very big mess.”
Devon’s face grew cloudy and his brows knit together. He answered his aunt in the curtest tone Lucy had ever heard him use. “Aunt Carmella, I’m sure you know I am working on the situation. If it hadn’t been for all these break-ins, I would’ve already completed that particular project. I’ll let you know when I have. Until then, let’s not discuss it again. All right?”
Lucy was shocked. “How dare you!” she fumed, “How dare you talk to your aunt like that. Shame on you, Devon. Apologize to her right now.”
Devon turned his wrath on Lucy. “Don’t even think for a moment I am going to allow you to talk to me like that, Lucy. You are my employee—or so you keep reminding me—remember? Don’t be rude to your boss, it could get you fired.”
She groaned as she attempted to push past him, “Oh get off it Devon. Everyone is stressed. All the same, it doesn’t give you or anyone else an excuse to be rude. Apologize to your aunt.”
He grabbed her by the wrist. She defiantly met his angry blue gaze daring him to say anything, anything at all. She was ready to give him the verbal thrashing of his life. Instead he threw her hand away from him as if it were hot enough to burn.
Carmella’s sigh was audible, “Lucy don’t worry about Devon. I’m sure he will get his own comeuppance.”
Lucy looked bewildered. She then gathered her wits and returned to her desk as she groused, “I don’t know why I’m leaving—this is my office.”
Without a word Devon turned on his heel and left. Carmella chuckled, “I wonder if he’s going to Carthage now. He sure is funny sometimes.”
Lucy was confused. “You call the way he is behaving funny?”
Carmella nodded. “Yes I do. Funny as in odd, not as a humorous funny.”
Lucy agreed. “He is odd, but aren’t we all?”
Carmella picked some more papers up from the floor. “I suppose we are.” The conversation wandered into other areas less sensitive as the two women continued to reorganize Lucy’s office. They didn’t stop working until they decided it was a good time to break for a late lunch.
Devon returned as they finished eating. He muttered a few expletives as he picked up the first few shreds of his family photos. “Why would someone tear up my pictures?”
Carmella said, “I don’t know, sweetie. Do you think Jonathan would have copies of them?”
“He should.” Devon muttered. “I guess I will have to ask him when I tell him about this break-in.”
“I imagine Jonathan should be getting quite upset with the police by now—especially if they don’t believe there’s a connection.” Lucy muttered.
“Any fool can see they are connected." Jonathan growled stepping over some papers into the room.
“Dad.” Devon straightened. “I was going to call you as soon as we got this mess cleaned up.”
“Well I’m here, and I see. Was your office and the front glass all that was demolished?”
“No, it wasn’t John. Why don’t I show you the remaining mess we haven’t righted?” Carmella said taking Jonathan by the arm and dragging him out of Devon’s office.
Lucy stood in the corner by the window dazed. She didn’t know what to do anymore. A sense of devastation had made permanent home in the pit of her stomach, settling in right next to the nausea.
Devon stood and brushed his hands off on the seat of his pants. Lucy stared past him not seeing anything. Devon asked, “Lucy, are you all right?”
She didn’t answer.
He moved to stand right in front of her. He took her hands in his; they were as cold as ice. Again he asked, “Lucy? Are you all right?’
She looked into his eyes. As more tears began to stream down her tear chapped face she blubbered, “I’m so sorry they tore up your pictures. I know how awful it can be to lose the pictures, the memories.”
He enveloped her quaking body in his strong arms. “Aw, honey. It’s okay. I’m sure Dad has copies or has them on a disk. You are over wrought. The past five days have been too much for you. Sit down and I will get you some tea.” He led her over to his huge leather desk chair sporting several gashes and pushed her into it. “I guess we’ll have to get all this stuff reupholstered. I’ll be right back.”
She was nodding off when Devon returned with a cup of tea for her. Devon would have let her sleep but the hammering out in the hall startled her back to complete wakefulness. “What on earth is that racket?” She asked.
“I’m thinking it’s the building maintenance crew putting up plywood to cover the huge gaps in our walls.” He handed her the mug he was carrying.
“Oh. Thank you.” She accepted the tea and took a sip. She struggled not to choke. Not only was it herbal, the tea was more sugar than tea. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to set him off on another trivial tirade. She was too tired, too emotionally drained. “I am tired. Devon, I apologize. I am not a blubbering cry baby. I am made of stronger stuff than you’ve had an opportunity to see. This whole situation is pissing me off and wearing me out at the same time.”
Devon, who had gone back to picking up the shredded photos and broken picture frames looked up from the wastepaper can. For a moment he said nothing. He mumbled, “Under the circumstances, darlin’, none of us are behaving normally.”
She finished her herbal tea flavored syrup as fast as she could manage for courage. She broached the subject of housing. “You know, Devon, I’ve been thinking. Ma
ybe I should move into a hotel for a while. At least they will leave you alone—who ever ‘they’ may be.”
He threw a broken frame into the trash with more force than necessary. “You will do no such thing. I’m not even going to consider you going to stay with my dad or my aunt Carmella now. You’re going to stay with me. I can’t protect you if you aren’t with me. I can’t afford to lose you. I don’t want to discuss it anymore.”
“Here we go again.” She muttered to herself.
“Yes. Here we go again.” He returned. “We wouldn’t have to have the same arguments over and over again, Luce, if you would just quit being so stubborn.”
“I’m the one who is being stubborn?” She was incredulous, her voice rose as she continued. “I’m not the one refusing to entertain the possibility we might have other options.”
“Honey, we don’t have any options as long as there’s a lunatic out there on the loose with some kind of penchant for harassing us—I mean you.” He growled, “Until we can convince the police these break-ins are related we may never be free of him.”
“Do you think the police will see it our way?” She asked picking up a couple of books and returning them to the credenza.
“I intend to speak with Jernigan as soon as I talk with Dad and finish with this mess.”
“He did seem to treat us like we weren’t just another case number to him. He seemed to care.” She observed as she continued to pick up the heavy engineering reference volumes Devon kept in his office.
Devon turned his attention to the numerous papers littering the floor, “I think you’re right. Damn! I had at least four—maybe five—accounts on my desk. It is going to take a miracle to get this straightened out.”
“You did have everything labeled, didn’t you?" Lucy asked as she also began to pick up papers and stack them on the desk.
“Most of them were labeled, but not all.” Devon admitted.
“We will get through this.” She tried to comfort him. "Whoever is out to get us hasn't done more than inconvenience us and—”
“Son? I'm sorry to interrupt you, Lucy. Are you ready to talk, Devon? If you’re not, I’ll have to call you later this evening.” Jonathan glanced at his watch from the doorway. “I have a meeting to get to in forty five minutes.”
“Now is fine, Dad.” He answered, then turning his attention to her, “Can you start sorting these accounts? We’ll be in Jack’s office.”
“Sure.” She was disinclined to be left alone. She could admit to herself she felt better when Devon was in the same room. She hated having to separate—even if it was just down the hall. A thought struck her; I’m getting too dependent on him.
Lucy was still working on the files in Devon’s office when he came to lean against the doorframe. For a few moments he watched her. His stomach clenched with longing. She was so beautiful. She looked up and smiled. “I didn’t realize I had company. How long have you been standing there?”
Before he could answer Carmella walked into Devon’s office and announced, “Lucy, dear, this letter came for you in the afternoon post.” She was holding it by the corner, between her fingernail and thumbnail.
Lucy looked at Devon. Her eyes grew wide with apprehension. The letter was in a large manila envelope similar to the one she received at her condo the night before Thanksgiving. Tentatively she took the envelope from Carmella’s fingertips.
“Well?” Devon asked. Lucy sat for what seemed like hours staring at the front of the still unopened envelope. “Aren’t you going to open it?”
“If the truth be told, I don’t want to.” She sighed. It took her a bit of time to muster her resolve. She ripped open the flap and pulled out the single sheet of paper. The cut and pasted message read:
YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE.
GO BACK HOME BEFORE YOUR
FRIEND GETS HURT.
YOU BELONG TO ME.
“Oh dear.” Carmella breathed from behind Lucy’s shoulder. Devon took the paper by the corner with a tissue in his hand and slipped it back into the envelope.
“I guess I had better move back into my condo then, huh?” She muttered feeling defeated and oppressed.
“Oh dear. That’s not a good idea at all.” Carmella declared.
Devon placed the envelope into an interdepartmental correspondence container before he spoke, “It’s out of the question. You’re not going anywhere.”
“But Devon, now you are in danger as well because I’m a guest in your house.” Lucy reasoned as she began to pace around the room.
Devon smirked but grew serious as he said, “This ‘friend’ can take care of himself. I said it’s out of the question Luce. End of discussion.”
“But...” She tried to argue.
“I don’t want to hear another word about it, sweetheart. I’m going to give Officer Jernigan a call so he can come and get this. What I don’t understand is why in this day and age someone would bother to cut and paste.” He turned toward the door as he continued, “After I talk to him, we should consider going home. It’s late.”
“It is.” Carmella agreed. “I am supposed to meet Thad at the Manor House for dinner tonight. So, Devon, if it’s all right with you, I’ll leave now.”
“Tell Uncle Thad hello for us. We will see you tomorrow.” He nodded to her.
“Goodnight Carmella.” Lucy sighed.
“Goodnight sweetie.” Carmella said as she gave her the hug she desperately needed. “It will all work out, hon.”
After Carmella left, Devon turned his attention to Lucy. “Are you about finished? We don’t have to finish all this sorting today, you know. We have tomorrow. Then the temporary will be in to help Carmella and we can get back to the work that pays the bills around here. We can't afford to lose any business. Let me call Jernigan.”
She watched him while he was on the phone. He was a very attractive man. She wondered if their child would look like him or would it favor her. Maybe it should look like Devon; after all she thought he was the more attractive of the two of them. She pushed such thoughts aside when he hung up the telephone. “Are you sure I have to go with you on Wednesday to Columbia?” She asked. “It seems such a waste of my time. I mean, there are at least three Phase One’s I need to finish before the end of next week.”
His face told her his answer. He growled in frustration. “Lucy, we have been over this far too many times to count. Until I—we are satisfied that your life is no longer in danger, you and I will be glued to each other’s side.”
“Until one of us goes crazy and kills the other?” She sneered. She stood up behind his desk and began to pace around the room as she rubbed the tight neck muscles at the base of her head.
“I am not going to argue with you, Luce.” Devon’s voice held a warning. “We are going to do this my way—you will be safe with me.”
“Safe from everyone but you.” she muttered.
“Just what do you mean?” He exploded.
“I don’t know. Let’s go, okay? We are both exhausted to the point of collapse. Let’s just go home before I do fall out.” Lucy groaned her exasperation evident.
“Did you say home?” He asked.
“Yes. Why?” She was suspicious of the light shining in his eyes.
“No reason—I just wanted to be sure I heard you right. Let’s drop this off at the police station for Officer Jernigan. Then, my dear, we will go home.”
Lucy was confused by the swift turnabout in Devon’s demeanor. He had been short tempered all day. Any time he was spoken to, he would snap at the person who had made the mistake of talking to him. Now here he was guiding her by the elbow to the elevator as happy as the only mouse in a cheese factory. Was it something she said?
Chapter Eighteen
“Lucy, come on. We need to leave now or we will get caught in traffic again.” Devon grated from the other side of the bathroom door. He banged on it for emphasis.
“I’ll be ready in a minute. Why don’t you load all of your stuff into the truc
k?” Lucy called back, trying her best to sound as normal as she could from her side of the door.
“Hurry up.” He barked. She could hear his footsteps on the hardwood growing fainter as he headed down the hall and out the front door.
Inside the bathroom Lucy sat on the floor before the toilet. Please dear God, keep me from throwing up. Please. If He had heard her prayer, He had ignored it. She lost her morning cup of coffee. She rinsed her mouth and brushed her teeth for the second time in twenty minutes. After rechecking her reflection to ascertain any damage she left the confines of the bathroom. Thankfully, Devon was still outside. She didn’t want him to know she wasn’t as well as she claimed.
“There you are. I was about ready to come in and drag you out of the bathroom. Don’t dawdle sweetheart, get in.” Devon said as he pushed her along by the elbow toward the truck then practically threw her into the cab when he helped her step up into it.
“Hey! You don’t have to be so rough.” Lucy complained as she settled into the seat.
“Sorry, but you know I hate traffic.” Devon sighed. He gave her an odd assessing look before he slammed her door and jogged around the front of the truck.
“Do we have to leave this early though?” She asked as he climbed in behind the wheel and started the engine.
“We need to be in Columbia by eight. It’s at least an hour and a half from here to the site and we need to allow for traffic."
“But it’s six.” Lucy whined.
Devon shrugged his broad shoulders as he marveled, “Be honest. You couldn’t be a morning person if you tried could you?”
“Ugh!” She groaned. “The sun hasn’t even bothered to get up yet.”
Devon laughed. She had to smile. His laugh did funny things along her nerve endings. As he patted her hand resting on the seat between them he said, “At least you still have your sense of humor.”
“At this time of day you’re lucky I have a sense of humor at all.”
They drove down the interstate in comfortable silence for the better part of the journey until Devon patted her knee and asked, “Are you still awake over there, honey, or did you fall asleep on me again?”