Protecting Her Heart

by Chance Carter

  “How do you know he knows it’s Ryan?”

  “Because he mentioned him? Like he described him and he was really angry, and yeah that was this morning and, so, the rumor spread in town that they’re basically holding you hostage up there.”

  “What?!” How in God’s name did they make the leap from romance to abduction?

  “Yeah, I think Timothy believes the only way you’d choose another man over him is if you were like abducted or forced to or something.”

  “What an asshole,” I said, “but it’s okay, rumors are just rumors. Ryan can handle himself.”

  “I’m not done,” she said. “Uh, so, yeah. Everyone caught wind of the fact that you’re up there and all the anger about the base and the Navy just moving in and basically taking over the town –”

  “Taking over the town? That’s a crock!”

  “Yeah, you and I know that, but the rest of the peeps in Meek Springs don’t care. They want the Navy gone and they’re using this as an excuse. They’ve staged a protest today in the center of town, on Main Street.”

  “In one day? They managed to organize it in one day?’

  Paula sighed, and her breath rushed in my ear. “Yeah, well, it’s not like it takes much here. It spread and people came out of their homes and stores, and now it’s happening. I can hear them from here, listen.”

  I concentrated on the phone and blocked my other ear. Distant shouts echoed down the line, followed by the sound of the town alarm. “Oh God.”

  “They’re ringing the alarm to get everyone to go back inside now, since the weather’s coming in,” she said. “I had to call before the signal drops. I’m so sorry, girl, I feel like this is all my fault.”

  “No. It’s not. Okay, maybe you could’ve omitted a few facts, but it’s not your fault that Timothy is a giant, walking dildo.”

  “True.”

  I massaged my temples. “Ryan’s gone in to town today to get some stuff for me. I can’t believe this is happening.”

  “Okay, well no one’s done anything violent, so I’m sure everything’s fine.”

  Thunder rolled and lightning cracked again. The heavens opened above the base, and rain pelted down, drowning out our conversation for a second.

  “- go.”

  “What?” I yelled. “It’s just started here.”

  “I said, I have to go. I’ve got to check everything’s locked up before it starts. Stay safe.”

  “You too,” I replied, then hung up.

  God, what a mess. If only I’d convinced him to take me along, I might’ve been able to fetch what I needed myself and he’d be safe. Ugh, and then I’d have been with Whitmore in Meek Springs.

  I swiveled in my chair, and the lights flickered overhead. Soldiers ran for the safety of the base on the macadam outside the window. Light faded fast, it’d be pitch black soon. Another flash of lighting and then another.

  Each one elicited a small yelp from me. I couldn’t help it. I loved storms, but this one had me jumpy. I couldn’t flush the worry from my system – Ryan was out there, and Timothy was after him in some way.

  He’d probably never have the guts to confront him face-to-face, but there were others in Meek Springs who had more balls, so to speak. I clenched my fist around the cell and stared at the screen.

  The light flickered again, and I preemptively flinched for a lighting strike that didn’t come.

  My phone buzzed in my hand – I couldn’t hear the ringtone over the rain – and I gasped at Ryan’s name flashing on the screen. I answered. “Ryan? Are you okay?”

  “- couldn’t call earlier. Bad signal.”

  “Yeah, I know. The storm.”

  “ – hear me?”

  “Yeah! I can hear you,” I yelled. Not that it would help. “Can you hear me?”

  “Damn complications.”

  “What?”

  “- make sure you’re safe.”

  “I’m fine. When are you coming back?” I asked, and chewed the inside of my cheek. I’d never worried about someone like this before. It devoured me, this fear for his safety.

  “- assholes.”

  “What?”

  “ – gone crazy. Everything’s crazy. Just stay safe.”

  “Ryan, are you okay?” Paranoia kicked in. Who was crazy? Had the townsfolk gone crazy? I didn’t underestimate the power of people in groups, particularly closed-minded ones. “Are you okay?” I yelled, again.

  “ – no, Jack. Got to –”

  The phone went dead and I dropped it from my ear. My insides iced over. I didn’t like this one damn bit. I’d been worried before but this feeling was something else. He was in danger somehow. It had to be true.

  My gut told me so. I lurched out of my seat and tucked my cell – now without any bars at all – into the pocket of my puffy coat. I rushed for the exit, and the lights cut out.

  I stopped dead, my hand on the doorknob, heart pounding in my ears.

  A beat passed and then the lights flickered back on – the generators kicked in. Thank God. I opened my office door and scooted out into the hall, then rushed for the officer’s mess. Hopefully, someone would be in there having dinner.

  I entered and spotted Officer Jameson at one of the tables, a spoonful of stew halfway to her mouth. She spotted me and blinked. “Everything okay?”

  “No, not really,” I said.

  “You afraid of storms?” She put down her spoon and smiled at me, that easy smile that had drawn me to her in the first place.

  I couldn’t return it, now. “No,” I said. “No, it’s not that. It’s – listen, Ryan, I mean Lieutenant Commander Baker and Petty Officer Whitmore went into Meek Springs and I just received a call from a friend who lives in town.”

  “Something happened?” She sat straight and squared her shoulders.

  “I’m not sure. Apparently, there have been protests in Meek Springs today. Protests against the Navy base. I’m worried that something could happen to them down there. And with the storm, it’s just…” I trailed off. Dangerous. It was dangerous.

  “Miss Scott, I’m sure they’ll be fine. They’re used to difficult situations,” Jameson said. “They’ll be back once the storm has passed.”

  “I got a call from Ryan, see?” I shuffled forward and took my cell out again, showed her the received call. “He sounded angry on the phone. He mentioned crazy people and Jack. I don’t know what’s going on.”

  Officer Jameson studied me, up and down, head to toe, then sighed. “I understand why you’re concerned, Miss Scott.”

  “Chanel.”

  “I understand why you’re concerned, Chanel. I do. But there’s nothing we can do right now. The storm’s probably closed the road already. It’s not safe. You’ll just have to trust that the men can look after themselves.”

  I couldn’t accept that. “I’ll take a car down. Give me the keys to one of the trucks. They’re heavy duty, right? They can withstand weather like this.”

  “But you can’t drive in it,” she said. “I can’t allow you to go and I certainly don’t have the authorization to permit you to use an official Navy vehicle.”

  “But –”

  “Chanel, sit down, have some dinner, and relax.”

  “You take me then. You can drive the truck and –”

  “No,” Jameson said. “I won’t endanger lives on a fool’s errand. The Lieutenant Commander survived Afghanistan and active combat. Not to mention SEALs training. He’ll be fine. And Whitmore, eh, who cares about him anyway, right?”

  That brought a smile to my lips. Slowly, the racing pulse settled, my breathing slowed.

  “Seriously, take a seat, relax, have something to eat. All’s well that ends well.” Jameson gestured to the bowls and the pot of steaming stew at the other end of the room.

  My stomach grumbled in spite of the shitty situation. She was right. There wasn’t a damn thing I could do, even if Ryan was in trouble. All I could do was wait and find a way to pass the time.

  “Okay,
” I said. “Okay, I guess you’re right.” I walked to the front to collect the food, my mind still turning over what Ryan had said. Was he in danger? Was he okay?

  I had to trust that Jameson was right. She probably knew him better than I did anyway.

  If she said he was okay, he had to be. Right?

  Chapter 18

  Ryan

  "How many blizzards can one town have in a month?" I mused, and shifted the beer on the coaster in front of me. I'd changed into civilian clothes at the motel because if I had to spend time apart from Chanel, I needed a strong drink.

  That was how bad my obsession with her had become. Was it obsession or addiction? I couldn't tell the damn difference. I didn't want to use the 'word.' The one that started with an 'l' and ended with an 'e.' If I did, it would be an admission that might break everything I promised myself I'd stand for after Iraq.

  Jack sat down across from me and gathered his coat. "Cold as a witch's tit in here, man. What a fucked up town," he said.

  "It's not all bad."

  "Right, because you're enjoying the stares from the townsfolk," Jack said, and nodded to the group of men and women at the bar.

  They'd come to hunker down for the storm and brought their suspicions with them. Where they'd bordered on rude in my encounters with them before, now they were downright unfriendly.

  They glared at us, even in our plain clothes, and muttered behind glass rims and bottles. An uneasy hum that drifted just below the rock music pumping from the single speaker in the corner.

  "Let's finish our drinks and get back to the motel," I said. "It's better if we don't cause trouble here." Things had gone really well at the base over the past few days. I didn't need the extra pressure that a negative interaction with the folks of Meek Springs would bring.

  "Hey, isn't that - I'm sure I recognize that kid from somewhere," Whitmore said, and gestured with his beer bottle.

  I followed his line of sight and settled on the blonde kid who'd harassed Chanel in the truck the other day.

  What did she call him? "Timothy," I said. "How do you know him?"

  "Oh, uh, he was at the bar the night we were here. Paula mentioned he was into Chanel," he said. "She said that he'd do anything to have her."

  I sniffed and glugged back my beer. That was all the more reason to get out of here. The last thing I wanted was that ass deciding he'd try to take me on out of some misplaced sense of valor or competition.

  "Finish up, Whitmore. Let's get some sleep," I said, and slurped back my beer. One and done, more than enough. I'd go upstairs and fantasize about Chanel for a while.

  Shit, when had I become this person? I'd always employed a sense of military precision when it came to emotional thoughts. I'd weeded them out - they didn't serve a purpose. Now, I could barely keep myself from picturing her face for longer than five minutes.

  "Right," Jack said, and eyed the blond kid. "I just started on this sucker, though." He clicked the beer bottle.

  "Fine," I said, "I'm going to bathroom. By the time I come out, you'd better have chugged it down."

  "Gotcha."

  I scooted out of the booth and headed for the men's room, past the watching eyes of the men at the bar. Timothy narrowed his set at me, but I ignored him and the rest of them. I clunked into the bathroom and the door swung shut behind me, cutting off the obnoxious rendition of 'I Love Rock n' Roll' by Britney Spears.

  I stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom and studied myself by the harsh light overhead. Stubble on my chin, though I'd shaved yesterday morning. Dark circles under my eyes. I looked old. Too old to be with a woman Chanel's age. Too old to give her the satisfaction and security she needed in life.

  Too old to protect her the way I should've protected my men.

  I bent over the sink, turned on the faucet and splashed water on my face. I didn't actually need the bathroom, just a break from Whitmore and his idiocy. If he hadn't been the only volunteer to fetch supplies, I might've told him not to come into Meek Springs.

  He was a hurricane of trouble, swirling up shit in his path and splattering it all over the lives of those around him. As teens, I'd dragged him out of fights more than once.

  I dried my hands and left the bathroom behind, making my way to our booth. I stopped halfway there.

  Jack was gone. The men at the bar sniffed and grumbled, but didn't give me any insight.

  He probably went back to the motel without me, the asshole. At least, I wouldn't have to endure his chatter on the walk there.

  I exited the bar, and gathered my coat against the icy wind. Rain poured from the heavens and I hightailed it in the direction of the motel.

  A dull thump and a scream stalled me in my tracks.

  "What the fuck?"

  "Please." That in a choked squeal. "Stop."

  The sound came from just around the corner. I quickened my pace, squinting through the torrent, cold trickling down my spine - nothing to do with the rain, but a sense of foreboding.

  I jogged around the corner and halted, brain working to make sense of the image in front of me.

  Man on the floor. Blonde hair stained pink with blood. Hands up to shield his face. Jack stood over him, fist raised. He raised his gaze and skewered me with it. "I did it for you Lieutenant Commander," he said, then turned and ran.

  "What?" The fuck.

  I sprinted to the guy's side and lowered myself beside him. He let out a groan, one eye puffy and shut, the other searching nothingness. "Who's there?"

  "It's okay, son. You're safe now." Timothy. It was Timothy. "Don't move." I would fucking kill Jack for this. He'd compromised everything. He lost control. But why?

  Now, wasn't the time for questions. I put my arm under Timothy's head and shifted him against my chest.

  "Get your hands off him!" A voice roared from the mouth of the alley.

  A group of men stood in the mouth of the alley, soaking wet. They clenched their fists, flexed their muscles.

  "Put him down!"

  "Relax," I said, "I'm here to help."

  "Help? You did this to him. You're a monster," the man, their leader apparent, said. "You and all your unnatural folk up at that base. Get away."

  “No,” I replied. “I didn’t hurt him. Someone needs to call an ambulance, now.” But there wasn’t a hospital here, and the next ambulance would take ages to get here. I studied Timothy’s broken face, his swollen eyelids. God, it looked as if his jaw was broken. Bruising, blood, and Whitmore had done this. He’d done it all.

  One of the men stepped forward, a protester judging by the sign still slung around his neck. Our Town is Not For Rent. “You let him go or –”

  “Or what? You’ll attack me?”

  The men muttered and shifted their feet. They were brave when they were out, marching in numbers, when the rain wasn’t pouring down the backs of their necks, and they didn’t have to see the face of one of the soldiers they hated so much. But now? They were afraid. Especially of what they thought I’d done to Timothy.

  “Listen, the longer we spend here the worse it gets for him. I don’t care if one of you wants to come with me, but we’ve got to get him to a hospital now, and the ambulance isn’t going to get here in time,” I said.

  The men exchanged glances this time. A young guy with short cropped hair and a wickedly sharp nose stepped forward. “I’ll come with you.”

  “Jerry, are you sure?” The guy with the sign asked.

  “It’s fine. I’ll be fine.”

  I was up, Timothy limp in my arms, and walking before he’d finished the sentence. “This way,” I said, and rounded the corner. We reached the truck still parked outside the motel in the pouring rain. “Open the back door for me.”

  Jerry did as he was told, then helped me feed Timothy onto the back seat. Jerry followed him in and sat down beside the injured kid’s feet.

  I shut the door, then jogged around to the driver’s side of the vehicle. The men had come out of the alley to watch proceedings. They mut
tered, perhaps they had second thoughts. Or maybe, they realized that a man who’d beat another senseless would have split knuckles or wounds to show for the fight.

  I got in and started the engine. “Direct me to the hospital,” I said.

  “Out of town. It’s in Cregton, half an hour that way,” he replied, and pointed straight ahead.

  I’d have to make that half hour much shorter. Timothy groaned in the back seat. “Try to keep him as still as possible,” I said. We shouldn’t have moved him the first time, but there wasn’t hope if we didn’t try.

  I sped out of town, the rain pelting the windshield, and the buildings of Meek Springs a blur around us. “How’s he doing?” I called, over the torrential downpour. I squinted at the road, switching to high beams.

  “He’s breathing real slow,” Jerry replied. “Real slow. Did you do this to him?”

  “No.”

  “Then who did this? Who did this to him?” Jerry’s voice trembled – Timothy must be his friend. Then again, everyone in the small town was friends.

  I gritted my teeth – I didn’t want to think about who’d done it, though I knew exactly who. “I don’t know,” I lied. “I just found him like that.”

  “You just happened to find him like this,” Jerry said. “You just happened to –”

  “Now’s not the time, kid,” I grunted.

  We raced on through the night toward the hospital, and my insides burned at the thought of what’d happened, at the trouble Whitmore had caused. Why? Why had he attacked the kid? He’d had nothing against him, no reason to fight.

  Timothy had cast a few looks our way, but nothing to justify a beating even if we hadn’t been military men.

  “I did it for you Lieutenant Commander.” The words echoed through my brain, taunting me with confusion and anger. For me? Why would he – unless this was about Chanel, somehow.

  Unless Jack had thought beating Timothy was what I wanted because he’d hit on Chanel. No, surely he couldn’t be that much of a jackass.

  “There,” Jerry yelled, and tapped my left shoulder. “Turn here.”

  I took the road onto the freeway and kicked it into high gear. The military vehicle slid on the wet road, and Jerry let out a tiny yelp.