by Tracy Sharp
“Good.” I still wasn’t feeling relieved yet. I wouldn’t until I knew those women were out of that house.
“Are those women going to get into trouble?” I felt suddenly alarmed. I couldn’t believe this thought hadn’t occurred to me already.
His head was leaning back against the head rest. “It’s not our problem, Leah.”
I knew it wasn’t. I wasn’t responsible for making sure those women had a better life here than they had in their own country. Damn it, I didn’t want them being punished either. “Shit.”
Cal looked at me sideways. “Let it go.”
“Yeah, I know, I know.”
We sat in the car with the air conditioning blasting. It was one of those days where you froze with the air on high. If you turned it down, the humidity got to you in under a minute and you were forced to jack the air up again. For the moment, I reveled in the frigid air of the car. But my stomach was beginning to complain. The clock on the dash read six-fifteen in green digital numbers. It was dinner time and neither of us had eaten lunch.
“It might take the cops some time to get over here.” Cal pulled onto the road and drove away from the house.
He knew I’d sit there all night waiting if it were up to me. “Yeah. I’m hungry anyway.”
He nodded. “Me too. What do you feel like?”
I thought about it. “I don’t know. I’m too hungry.”
Cal chuckled at this. “I know a great, laid back place with really good barbeque. What do you say?”
The thought of barbequed steak made my mouth water. “Oh, yeah. That’ll work.”
We rode in silence, both drained from a day of sitting in the car and watching the comings and goings of the old Victorian. We were both so bothered by what we’d seen that we needed a break from thinking about it.
We pulled up to Eddie’s Roadhouse and had to drive around the parking lot a couple of times. Cal wanted to snag a parking spot that an elderly couple in a mini van were pulling out of. I was betting the van was equipped with a warning signal which beeped when the van got too close to an object while being backed out. There were a lot of drivers who weren’t half as old who could probably use a device like that.
We pulled into the spot after what seemed like an eternity of waiting for the elderly couple to right their mini-van and drive away. A refreshing breeze cooled us as we walked from the car to the restaurant. Although it had been breezy all day, we hadn’t benefited much from the pleasant weather change, being stuck in the car for so many hours. I was glad that I’d left the upstairs windows open for Buddy.
I wasn’t as nervous about leaving windows open in my house anymore with Buddy around. I didn’t think that anyone who started climbing through a window would come fully into my house once they saw Buddy standing there to greet them. He was good that way.
I glanced at my watch.
“In a hurry?” Cal asked as we slid into a booth.
“It’s past Buddy’s dinner time. He’s probably hungry.”
“Well, you’ve got a cat, don’t ya? That should tide him over until you get home.”
“Oh, you’re funny.”
A bouncy beauty with highlights and a perfect smile took our drink orders and I couldn’t help being amused as I observed Callahan’s eyes follow her rear-end away from the table.
He caught me watching him. “What?”
I just shook my head.
“I’m a guy, Leah. Guys look at girls.”
“Uh huh. Thanks for the news flash.”
“What’s the problem?”
“Women could rule the world if we wanted to. All it takes is a smile and a wiggle and you men go all ga-ga, start drooling and stammering and opening your wallets.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “They wouldn’t get very far. You need brains, not just a body, to rule the world.”
I scanned my menu. “Oh, I see. You don’t think that waitress knows exactly what she’s doing?”
“Huh?”
I put my menu down. “The perky bounce and flashy smile is a strategy. It’s how she’s going milk her tip from you. She probably cleans up in tips every day in this place. She’s no idiot.”
“Oh, she couldn’t possibly be smiling at me because she thinks I’m cute, huh?”
It was my turn to laugh out loud.
When the waitress, who had said her name was Kerry, came back to take our order, Callahan eyed her suspiciously.
When she left the table, I said, “You’re going to give her the creeps if you keep that up.” I shook my head. “Jesus.”
He threw his hands up. “I can’t win!”
“Bingo,” I replied.
I almost salivated when our steaks came. When I took a bite, I just about cried out with ecstasy.
“That good, huh?” Cal watched me, grinning.
“Is it that obvious?”
“Yeah. I don’t think I’ve ever put a look quite like that one on a woman’s face. And I’m good.”
“Oh you are, are you?”
He lifted his eyebrows. “You don’t think so? You looked pretty happy last night.”
“It’s been a while. And it wasn’t anything I couldn’t have done myself.”
“Oh. Want me to prove it?” He waggled his eyebrows at me.
“No thanks, I’ll take your word for it.” Yes I did want him to prove it. Very badly. I also wanted him to be quiet so that I could enjoy my steak in peace. I chewed slowly, savoring each bite as long as I could.
“So tell me about yourself.” His words were muffled with food.
I hate it when someone talks with their mouth full. It makes me homicidal. I wanted to jab my fork into his hand.
He chewed silently for a moment, regarding me with curiosity. “So was construction your career of choice, or did you just kind of fall into it?” He watched me while he chewed, waiting for my answer.
“I wanted to be a photo-journalist, actually. Even went to college for a year.”
When my father died he left Jesse and I the pub and his savings. When Jesse was busted, even though I worked two jobs while I went to school, the money got burned up pretty quickly. Good defense attorneys cost a lot, even when they can’t get the bad guy off.
Cal looked surprised. “No kidding. How’d you end up in construction then? Why aren’t you off stalking rock stars or in some foreign country chasing wild animals or something?”
“Because I didn’t finish college.” I stabbed the last bit of my steak and relished the smoky grill taste. Seems everything tastes better done on the barbeque.
“Why not?”
This was getting irritating. “Because of Jesse’s attorney’s fees, Okay?”
He looked a little wounded, but lifted his hands, both still gripping utensils, in surrender. “Okay. Sorry. Just making conversation.”
“I’ve told you enough about myself for now. Tell me about yourself for a change.”
He shrugged and went back to devouring his food. “Not much to tell, really.”
“Well, where did you grow up?”
“Downtown Albany. Not the greatest of neighborhoods, but it was okay. Blue collar. Working class. It was a real neighborhood back then. People knew each other. Trusted each other.” He was thoughtful as he finished his last bite of baked potato. “It’s different today.”
“Did you go to college?”
“Yeah, I went. Went to law school on a scholarship.”
I was shocked. He didn’t seem to be the “lawyer” type. “Wow. What happened? Were you disbarred?”
“Actually, no. I practiced for a few years as a defense attorney for the state. I was making a lot of money, but it wasn’t for me. I think being an auto recovery agent is safer than being a defense attorney.”
I stared at him for a moment. “People will surprise you.”
He nodded, pointing his fork at me. “You got that right.”
We skipped dessert and Callahan drove me home. We kept the windows rolled down during the ride, and I was so happy
for the fresh air that I felt like sticking my head out the window and letting the wind blow against my face like Buddy does. I didn’t need to give Callahan any more proof that I was off my nut.
I was also trying to distract myself from thinking about Callahan and myself the other night … in the car with the rain pattering against the windows … his mouth on my nipple.
When we pulled into my driveway Callahan touched my arm before I could leap out of the car. “You okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“You seem really tense.”
“It’s been a tense few days.” I made the mistake of turning and looking into those green eyes. I could get lost in those eyes. In fact, I was getting lost in those eyes right that very second.
Inviting him in for a minute couldn’t hurt. “Do you want to come in for a beer?”
“Sure. I could use a beer.”
We climbed out of the car and headed for the house. Suddenly I felt nervous. I was certain that if we went into my house together, we’d end up naked on the kitchen floor. I needed to slow things down between us sexually. Where he was concerned, I had very little self-control. I didn’t like that feeling.
We got to the patio and I gestured to the outdoor furniture; several chairs and a sofa that faced away from the street. They were metal but the plastic cushions were soft and comfortable. “Have a seat. It’s a nice day. We’ll sit outside.”
“Cool.” He wore a knowing grin and sat on the sofa.
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
I went in, got two bottles of beer, took a deep breath and went back out, handing him a bottle.
“Thanks.” He locked me in his calm, river-green gaze and I was helpless to do anything but stand there.
He patted the spot beside him. “Come on. I won’t bite.”
“Right.” I sat down next to him. My heart was thumping so hard I was afraid he’d see it through my top. I took a long swig of my beer and pretended to be interested in my yard.
Callahan set his bottle on the side table and sat back. I turned to look at him, my gaze moving over those strong legs, taut belly and broad chest. Before I even knew what I was doing, I was climbing on top of him, straddling him, and bringing my mouth down on his, the beer still in my hand.
He kissed me back, taking the beer from my hand and setting it down on the side table before I dropped it. His hands came around my waist and moved over my back, sending tiny shivers through me. I probed his mouth with my tongue, kissing him deeply, not able to get enough of his mouth. I breathed him into me, then realized that I had to put a little distance between us. Sex made things foggy. I needed to be sharp. We both did.
“Cal…” I began, gently pulling away.
“I know. It’s okay. I gotta get going anyway.” He brought his hand up and brushed a lock of hair away from my face, hooking it over my ear.
“Thanks.”
A wide grin spread over his face. “Anytime.”
I gave him a playful slap on his shoulder. “Not for the kiss, you jerk!”
He laughed out loud. “I know. Just had to be a smart ass.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then. Okay?” I climbed off him and pulled my cut-offs back on.
He stood up, yanking his jeans over his hips. He leaned down and planted a little kiss on my lips. “Tomorrow, sexy.”
I smiled as I watched him walk back to the car and drive away.
Chapter Thirteen
I felt a grin on my lips when I got back inside the house. I grinned as I fed Buddy and was still grinning when I took him for a walk. He walks remarkably well on a leash. Someone at some point had given him good training. I’d done a bit of research on hand and voice commands and Buddy knew them all. My guess is that someone had loved him long ago, but for some reason he’d lost his original home. Unfortunately, he’d ended up in at least one bad one, but probably several. Fortunately for both of us, that last bad home led him to me.
I’d already grown attached to Buddy. He was a very cool dog, demanding very little from me, but giving me so much in return. Having Buddy around made me a happier person. I love my cat, don’t get me wrong, but I’d bonded more intensely with Buddy. I guess it’s because we’d both been around the block a few times, and it was hard to get us down. We’re both made pretty tough.
The trees were swaying easily in the wind, and after having had to endure the wretched heat and humidity for so long, the breeze felt downright chilly. It was a welcome change. I wasn’t going to complain. My favorite season is autumn. I love sweater weather. The crisp fall air is refreshing to walk in and makes it easier to sleep. Autumn in the North East is a stunning sight. The leaves turn a brilliant orange, red and yellow and everything seems alive. I couldn’t wait for the leaves to start changing. It wouldn’t be long now.
When Buddy and I came back into the house, I could see the message light blinking on my answering machine. Hoping it was news about what the police found, I quickly pushed the play button. The voice on the message made me take a step back.
“Hello, Leah. Thanks for sending the cops down to check things out for me to make sure everything is safe and sound. They didn’t find anything wrong at my house on Jarrett Street, but it was awfully nice of them to come just the same.”
My jaw dropped open. They didn’t find anything? How could that be? Callahan and I had sat there for hours watching that house.
“Sweet of you to keep watch on the house like that for me, too. My neighbors mentioned that you spent a lot of time sitting in that car, keeping a lookout. That was really sweet, Leah. I’ll be sure to return the favor. Say, how is your brother Jesse doing? Really handy with computers, I hear. I understand he’s in the same prison as a lot of my friends. That’s really neat. I’ll have to tell them to introduce themselves to him. Wouldn’t want him to get lonely in there. Everyone can use a few special friends. Bye for now.”
My heart drummed against my ribcage as I grabbed my car keys and headed for the door. It was time to go see an old friend of mine.
I’d done my damnedest to stay away from any contacts from my old life, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
It was time to go talk to Jack.
* * *
“Whoa. Now there’s a blast from the past.”
I grinned down at Jack who had glanced up from the eight ball long enough to see who it was standing at the other end of the pool table watching him. He put the eight ball into the right corner pocket and straightened up, giving me a beaming smile. “To what do I owe the honor?”
I was glad to see Jack. He was a big, scary-looking guy. Broad shoulders, huge chest. He stood six-foot-six and his arms and legs were like tree trunks. He still wore his red hair in a ponytail even though that look had really gone out in the nineties. His green eyes flashed as he watched me for an answer.
“Jesse’s in trouble.”
“Yeah, I heard. Isn’t he in Upstate Federal?” He motioned to the bar and we both grabbed a stool.
I ordered vodka straight-up and he ordered the same.
“Yeah, he is. He’s in more trouble now because of me.” I told him about my career change which had put me into Woodard’s bad books. About all the pies Woodard had his fingers in. The drugs, pimping, smuggling. I didn’t tell him who Woodard was. I didn’t tell him that Woodard was Sebastian Blacklock, the fifteen year old who had tried to rape me several times in juvee. If it weren’t for Jack, I’d have been in real trouble. I held back on telling him. If I revealed who Woodard really was, there’d be no way Jack would stand back and let me deal with him. I’d drag yet another person I cared about into a mess I’d created. So I’d leave him out of it. I’d call on him if it turned really bad.
Still, his eyes darkened. A slime ball is still a slime ball, by any other name.
“He’s threatening to send some of his friends after Jesse in prison.”
“Scare tactics. Jesse’s in a federal prison. Any friends of this Woodard asshole would probably be in a sta
te prison. Or in maximum security.”
I thought about this, and fear turned into relief. “You’re right.” I nodded. “I should’ve thought of that.” It was as if my ability to reason logically had flown out the window when Jesse’s life had been threatened. That wasn’t good. I prided myself on my ability to stay calm under pressure.
He shrugged. “You panicked. Natural reaction.”
I sat back and exhaled a breath I hadn’t known I’d been holding. “Sorry.”
“Hey, nothing to be sorry about. It’s nice to see you. It’s been too long.”
I smiled. “It’s great to see you. You understand why I had to stay away.”
Jack nodded. “Sure. I know. It’s cool.”
“How’s life been treating you?”
“I’ve cut back a lot on my contact with the criminal element myself. Got myself my own business now.”
“Really? Finally got your own tattoo shop?”
“Better. Custom bike shop.”
“Motorcycles?”
“Yeah. Blue Lightning Bikes,” he said with a proud tilt of his chin and wide smile on his face.
I felt a grin creep across my own face. “You don’t say.”
* * *
Jack’s shop was in the nastier end of Troy. It was converted from a large old warehouse he’d snagged after it had been repossessed. He was comfortable in this area of town, having grown up in a foster home just a few blocks away from his shop. Once he’d reached sixteen years old he’d moved into his first apartment in a house just down the street.
I’d always known that Jack would do something cool with his life. He possessed a razor-sharp intelligence and could figure out how to do just about anything. This could’ve made him a pretty dangerous criminal, but Jack was a good guy at heart. He’d only dabbled in low end crime here and there for the thrill of it.
I’d met Jack in juvenile detention. We were both fourteen years old and in for stealing cars. We’d grown to be close friends during our time in juvee. We’d also met many like-minded teenagers at the detention center. By the time we were released, we’d all pooled our knowledge and talents and had come out much better criminals than we’d been when we’d gone in.