His body tensed, muscles ready to react. “Suzanna, I want you to go home. Get a snack and start your homework,” he ordered.
“But, Daddy…”
“Don’t argue. Just do it. Everything’s going to be okay, but I need to help Kate right now, and I need to know you’re okay. Just do it, sweetheart. Nuke some macaroni if you’re that hungry. I’ll check in on you soon.”
Suzanna’s eyes, wide in her pale face, looked up at Kate. Her voice wavered. “You all right, Miss Kate? You’re not hurt or anything?”
She bent to reassure her. “No, baby, I’m all right. But your dad and I need to talk. Can you do as he says, go inside and lock the door? I promise I’ll explain everything later. Please?”
Suzanna nodded and, with a last glance at her father and Kate, picked up her backpack, unlocked her door, and slid inside, the deadbolt clicking behind her.
Kate stepped back, and Cash barged into the room, his nose in the air. “What the hell?”
Voice quivering, Kate replied, “Roses. White Roses. Hundreds of them. They were here when I got home. Clark. He’s been here.”
Cash reached out to her. “Fuck. Do me a favor. Walk to the balcony and peek outside. Don’t let anyone see you. Is anything out of place? A car you don’t recognize, a person partially concealed. Anything out of the ordinary.”
She quickly did as he asked. “I can’t see anything. No cars. No strangers. Do you think he’s out there?”
Cash nodded. “Yeah. I do. The sicko would want to gauge your reaction. I hate to say it, but I think we’re dealing with a man who’s not operating with all cylinders. He’s graduated from an ex who wants to get reacquainted to a stalker. This place smells like a mortuary. It’s time to call the cops.”
“Suzanna…”
“I’ll explain things as best I can while the police are on the way. Will you be all right if I go home for a few minutes? While it’s disconcerting, the flowers won’t hurt you, and if you lock the door…”
Sure, she was scared. Clark had messed with her life enough. No more. She was filing a complaint, breaking and entering, stalking, and any other charge she could think of, and then she’d take out a restraining order against him. This was just the first step.
Fifteen minutes later, the police knocked on her door. Two officers in blue presented badges and entered the apartment.
“Shit!” one of the cops expelled under his breath. “Ma’am, I’m Officer John Ragusa, and this is my partner Officer Murphy. You’ve had an intruder?”
“Yes. I came home from work and found…this.” Kate gestured around her living room, now violated by a man she no longer trusted.
“You have any idea who?” Murphy asked.
Kate nodded. “My ex-fiancé, Clark Burgess. He recently made contact after eighteen months apart and expressed a desire to get back together. I told him I’d moved on, and he should do the same. He didn’t take it very well.”
Officer Ragusa’s perusal focused on her chin. Her fingers automatically covered her sore face as she stared back at him. “Ma’am, this ex-fiance, did he put his hands on you? Hurt you in any way?”
“Ragusa? You gotta see this,” Murphy interrupted.
The officer joined his partner at the table where the largest arrangement sat. The back half was mutilated, stems jagged, petals crushed, with drops of red scattered over the mess. “This red stuff…smells like blood. Looks like blood. The other stuff? Anybody’s guess, but offhand, I’d guess this weapon’s been used before tonight. This entire thing—it feels like a message.”
“Yeah. ‘Don’t fuck with me,’ ” Murphy snorted to his partner.
“This guy means business,” Ragusa murmured almost under his breath. “Psycho. And we need to get the team over here for photos and fingerprints.”
Footsteps echoed in the hall. Cash. Both men straightened, alert, hands hovering above their weapons.
“That’s my next-door neighbor. He’s been waiting with me and only left to check on his daughter.”
The officers waited until Cash quietly let himself into the room and came to stand by Kate. His arm wrapped around her, and she glanced at his tense face
A brief silence stretched as the cops stared at Cash. “Sir, you are?”
Kate hurried to explain, wanting to spare Cash any embarrassment. “This is Cash Montgomery. He and his daughter, Suzanna, heard me crying as they come home tonight.”
“What went on earlier?” Ragusa asked.
“Clark came to my office. Said he wanted me back, wouldn’t take no for an answer. I asked him to leave, and he got belligerent. I left orders that he no longer be admitted beyond the lobby.”
“He threaten you?” Murphy asked.
“Not in so many words. It was weird. He acted as if we’d had an argument, not ended our relationship. I was uncomfortable, so I arranged to be escorted to my car. I didn’t notice anything on the drive home, but when I opened my door, I found all this… It creeped me out, and I called Cash.”
“My daughter and I live next door. Kate and I have been seeing each other. If Burgess had her under surveillance, the knowledge another man was interested might have triggered his approach.”
Ragusa nodded. “Got it. We’ll finish checking your place here and then file our report tonight. We’ve got forensics coming in to collect fingerprints and take the necessary photographs of what’s been done here…and to your face. I’d like you to come to the station tomorrow and make a statement.” He handed them both cards with names, badge numbers, and addresses. “See the officer at the front desk, and he’ll direct you from there. We might have more then.”
Murphy appeared concerned. “Be careful. I don’t have to tell you, something like this isn’t normal. Keep all your windows and doors locked. We’ll know more about Mr. Burgess once we investigate.”
Ragusa pointed his pen at Kate but addressed Cash. “He touched her, from what I can see. There’s some bruising coming out. I’d like a picture of that. That adds assault to the charges, and we’ll bring him in for questioning. Meanwhile, stay behind closed doors and don’t open for anyone. He calls, contacts you in any way at all, you call the number on the card. You going to be around for a while, sir?”
Cash nodded. “She can bunk at our place tonight.”
Kate frowned. “I can stay here—Clark won’t come back tonight. He’ll want me to worry, be afraid, enjoy the full effect of his handiwork.”
Cash shook his head.
“She can have my room tonight, I’ll take the couch.” He gave the officers his number and saw them to the door.
“Crime scene will want to do their thing—might take a few days. She yours?”
Cash glanced back at Kate. “Yeah. She’s mine.”
“Don’t let her touch anything. We get his prints, we can put him away for a little while. Breaking, entering. Get him out of her life for a while. Could be he’s just being a dick—scaring her. Or could be he means her harm. We’ll be doing some drive-bys, make sure everything looks okay. We get a fix on his car, see it in the area, we’ll bring him in.”
“You okay with all this, ma’am?” Ragusa pointedly stared at Cash’s eyes.
“Mr. Montgomery is perfectly capable of looking after me. I trust him.”
The officers both nodded.
“Thanks, guys.” Cash lifted his chin. Murphy stared at the two of them. “Montgomery? My brother served under a Cash Montgomery a few years back. Any chance you’re the same guy? Mike was his name, Mike Murphy.”
A tinge of red stained Cash’s cheeks. “Same one. How’s Mike these days?”
“Good. Real good, thanks to you. You saved his life. My name’s Kurt. Glad to have the chance to say thanks—for me and the family. Thank you, sir.” They shook.
Cash nodded and squeezed Kate’s shoulder, bringing her closer. “Just doing the job. Glad he’s okay. Kate’s ex—his name is Clark Burgess. They broke up a couple of years ago—or rather he left her a couple of years ago.” He glanced d
own at Kate with a grim scowl. “Don’t know what’s been going on with him, but he’s not taking no for an answer. Couple this,” he gestured around the room, “with an earlier confrontation, and we don’t know what to expect next. He’s off his rocker. I want her protected.”
Murphy and Ragusa each shook his hand. At the door, Murphy paused and grinned at Cash. “Saved his damn life, man. Never be enough payback for that. You need anything, anything at all, call me. Case number is on the back of the card, too. ’Night.” They shook again, then both officers nodded to Kate and left her and Cash alone.
“I can go to a hotel. I don’t want to put you out,” she suggested.
“Not a chance, lady. I want to make sure you and Suzanna are safe until we see what shakes out with Burgess. You can crash at our place, and we’ll take her to school in the morning, do the police station for your statement, and then I’ll drop you at your office.”
“I hate this. Clark was a very ordinary person when we were together. Extraordinary, in fact. He took care of me, was good to me. I know I wasn’t paying attention—I was consumed with my disease and treatment. In constant pain. But to have misjudged a man so completely? How could I have done that? What could have happened to have changed a person so drastically?”
“We may never know. But I’d say this behavior indicates a deeply disturbed personality. You loved him. Trusted him. You wouldn’t have been with him otherwise, but that’s no longer the case. He’s dangerous, and I suspect he won’t just give up and disappear. We’re going to be very careful from this point on.”
He folded her in his arms, and rocked her back and forth. Strong and comforting. Solid, as she rested her head on his chest. God, it would be so easy to love this man.
Love?
Warmth flooded her body.
Too soon.
But she’d slept with him—made love with him.
Love?
He lifted her chin with his knuckles and covered her mouth with his. The kiss was sweet, and she leaned into him, relishing his warmth and strength. For so long she’d been alone. The girls were great, helped a lot. But having a man like Cash cover her back? Nothing better. Or almost nothing.
Kate could feel the heat growing between them. The hardening of his body; the softening of hers. Cash broke the kiss first.
“Suzanna,” he murmured against her lips.
She cupped his cheek in the palm of her hand. “Let me pack a few things. Grab the steaks.”
“Forget the steaks. We’ll order pizza. Suzanna will love it.” He stepped back and let her go. “Remember not to touch anything. Those roses on the table have blood on them. Forensics will have to go through your apartment.”
“My God,” she uttered on a gasp.
“This is serious, Kate. Burgess means business. I don’t want to frighten you, but we have to be prepared—you could be in danger,” he warned.
“All the more reason for me to get as far away from you and Suzanna as I can.”
His face serious, hands planted firmly on each side of her head, he placed another kiss on her lips, this one not so sweet.
“You’re not going anywhere, and neither am I. It was a damned miracle I found you. I’m not letting you go. Don’t know where this is going, lady, but I’m in your life, and you’re in mine. Might as well get used to it.”
“You’re kind of bossy, know that?”
One side of his mouth twitched in a crooked grin. “So I’ve been told. But my other attributes make up for it.”
“Such as?” she teased, her heart clanging like a bell.
He proceeded to show her.
Oh, yeah. This kiss was long, deep, and wet. And hot. Really, really hot. Licking, sucking, tongue-down-the-throat hot. Before he stopped, Cash had her panting, clinging to his shoulders. Lost in time and wishing it would go on forever. His other attributes more than made up for it.
“Wow,” she breathed, when he finally let her go.
“Yeah…wow,” he breathed right back against her cherry red mouth.
Again the word echoed in her mind.
Love.
Chapter Fourteen
His arms still firmly around her, Cash ushered Kate next door, his head cocked as if listening for unusual sounds, muscles tense and at the ready. He opened the door and practically shoved her inside.
“Excuse me. I’d like to freshen up.”
“I’ll show you the bathroom,” Suzanna offered. When she came back, she asked her father, “Is everything okay?”
Cash pulled his worried daughter into his lap. “It will be, munchkin. We just have to be careful for a while, and take care of Kate.”
“I’m not a baby, Daddy. And I saw all those flowers in her apartment. Something bad happened, and you need to tell me about it. I can take it. Maybe I can help.”
Kate caught the last part of their conversation as she came in from the powder room. She sat down beside them on the couch and took Suzanna’s hand in hers.
Taking a deep breath, she looked directly into Suzanna’s eyes. “A few years ago, I was in a relationship with a man I thought I loved, and I thought he loved me. But as it turned out, he didn’t. At the time, I was sick, Suzanna…I had breast cancer.”
Suzanna’s eyes widened. “My mom had breast cancer.”
Kate glanced at Cash as his big hand stroked the arm of his little girl. “I know. I’m sorry, sweetheart.” She waited while Suzanna processed her words. “This man promised to be with me, but he couldn’t handle it, and he left.”
“You mean he left you when you needed him most?” she asked, perceptive, indignant. “He hurt you.”
“That’s right. I got over him and the hurt, and survived. I haven’t seen him in years, not until recently.” Kate could feel Cash’s attention on her, feel his gaze, as much as he could give, on her face. “He saw me when your dad and I had lunch one day. Today, he came to my office and told me he wanted me to come back to him.”
Suzanna squeezed her hand, and sat up in her dad’s lap. “But you don’t want to. You like my dad now, and this man is doing mean things to try and make you break up with us. You were wrong about him, Kate. This man isn’t your friend at all—he isn’t a good man at all. He’s trying to scare you, and he’s trying to scare my dad and me.” A determined expression eclipsed her face and her delicate little shoulder braced. “But we don’t scare. My dad will make him stop. He’ll keep us both safe.”
Cash’s arms tightened around his girl. “Right, munchkin. I won’t let anything hurt you or Kate—ever.”
She rested against him, totally confident in his love and protection. The most beautiful sight in the world. The love between father and daughter touched Kate way down deep and clutched at her heart. The urge to protect them, shield them from the ugliness of her past mistakes, stiffened her spine. Somehow she had to convince Clark to stop this madness. It wasn’t only her life being affected by his actions but the lives of two people who had come to mean quite a lot to her.
Now that the police were involved, she had no choice but to wait on the system to do its job. Meanwhile, if confronted with Clark, she’d try to reason with him. He claimed to care for her—though she doubted he knew the meaning of the word “love”—and if that were true, he’d see the error of his ways and go away. At least, she hoped he would.
It was Suzanna who brought her attention back to the subject at hand. “You’re not a very good actress, Kate. You know there’s nothing you can do to change his mind, don’t you? So don’t try.”
“What?” Cash barked.
“Dad, she’s going to talk to him. You’ve got to convince her not to see him.”
Cash went postal as he swiveled his head to find Kate staring at her tightly gripped fingers. “He’s dangerous. Let the police handle him. I mean it, Kate. If he manages to squirm through their network, I’ll handle him. I don’t want you near him again. Especially not alone.”
“But you’re operating with one hand tied behind your back,” she argued. �
��If I talk to him, maybe I can make him understand things have changed.”
Cash reared back. “What you mean is you can’t trust a blind man to do the job. That’s what you think?”
“No, that’s not what I think at all,” Kate began, horrified he’d taken offense. She stood, her five-six facing his six-two as he set Suzanna aside and stood also. “There’s no one I trust more than you. But if I can convince Clark to back off…”
He ran his hands up her arms to cup her shoulders. “No way. In the first place, I can see more than you obviously think I can. Everything except fine details. So don’t worry about the blind man not being able to defend himself or his family. Secondly, Burgess can’t be trusted. You’re going to do exactly what the police told you to do—call them if you see him or he manages somehow to get to you. Got it?” His hold softened. “Got it?” he asked again.
“Words, Kate. Speak your actions. You’re going to be sensible, right? Stay away from that fuc…Burgess.”
Again, she nodded. He bent his head, eyebrows raised. “Kate? Your word, if you please.”
She surrendered. “All right. If it makes you and Suzanna feel better. But that goes for you, too. We agree to let the cops handle it, both of us. I didn’t mean to question your ability. It’s just…this is my problem—I feel bad about dragging you and Suzanna into it.”
Suzanna chimed in. “We love you, Kate. Your problems are ours.”
She swiveled her gaze from the daughter to the man in front of her. Cash stared intently into her face. The “L” word. Pretty heavy sentiment. He didn’t appear disturbed hearing it escape his daughter’s mouth.
“I love you, too, sweet girl,” she said.
“Can we order the pizza? I’m starved.” Leave it to a kid to lighten the mood.
Kate laughed and hugged Suzanna. “Extra cheese?”
The little girl nodded and grinned. “With a big, thick crust.”
****
Clark Burgess skulked behind a large oak tree across the parking lot from Kate’s condo. He’d watched the police arrive and leave. Guess she didn’t appreciate his grand gesture. Now she’d probably gotten him in trouble with the cops.
A Little Night Music Page 14