The Heart You Need

by Diane R. Jewkes

  “Whoa, slow down.” Kara set down her cup. “You’re leaving the rest of us in your dust.”

  “While I wouldn’t have said it quite so rustically,” Alec smiled, “I must agree with Kara.”

  Linnie looked up and smiled, marveling at her luck. “I can’t thank all of you enough.” Tears threatened as she looked around. “I have felt so alone since Tommy was murdered. Countless times, I wondered if I should just stop investigating; stop wondering who was behind this. But maybe now—just maybe I’ll be able to find the truth.”

  “You won’t be alone anymore.” Alec’s voice was low, but the steel beneath his words sent a shiver down Linnie’s spine. Looking into his eyes, she knew he was talking about more than the investigation. That pull she’d felt since they had first met had only grown stronger. She knew this man would go through heaven and hell to help and protect her. And despite her protestations to Pru, she did want that. She wanted to have strong arms and a strong heart sharing her life, and she knew this was the man she wanted, the man she needed. She could see his eyes darkening and his jaw rhythmically clenching. Nervously, she licked her lips and rubbed her hands on her skirt; the velvet tickled her palms and sent chills through her body. He leaned in toward her, and her mind began to race. Desire fired her blood.

  The clatter of a teacup startled her, and she realized what had almost happened again. Flames raced up her cheeks. How could she have forgotten there were other people in the room! She wanted to crawl into the couch and disappear. How could she look Kara and Hawke in the eyes again? Then she heard it. A quiet chuckle. She realized it was Alec. She stared at him as the chuckle grew. She wanted to hit him.

  “Wait, lass,” he said, clearing his throat. “I’m not laughing at you—not at all.” He put his hands up and continued, “I was enjoying knowing Hawke and Kara now know how I felt when I found them in the hotel room before they were married.” Linnie blinked rapidly, trying to understand what was going on. Shifting on the couch, she looked at the other couple. Kara’s face was almost as red as hers felt, and Hawke was giving Alec a hard stare. Another story she wanted to hear.

  “I hardly think this is the time or place to bring that up.” Hawke drew himself up and shrugged. Linnie couldn’t shake his resemblance to his namesake fluffing and settling its feathers. She felt a giggle bubble up.

  She looked back at Alec and saw the subtle wink. He had done that on purpose just to make her feel less self-conscious. If she weren’t already so mortified about her wanton reactions to this man, she would have kissed him. An awkward quiet descended on the room.

  • • •

  Seeing the relief on her face was everything to Alec at that moment. His desire to pull Linnie into his arms and show her how she affected him was overwhelming. When she leaned toward him, it was all he could do to stop himself, Kara and Hawke be damned! But he knew if he didn’t diffuse the situation, he would have to find some way to hide the erection that was straining against his slacks. So he deflected. Watching Linnie’s reporter’s curiosity kick in and her discomfort subside gave him a chance to work on his own composure. Still, all he wanted to do was get her alone to learn and love every inch of her.

  He watched as she laughed at Hawke’s discomfort, and then Kara reached down and grabbed her husband’s glass of whiskey and took a big gulp. “Well that’s a story for another day.” She wheezed as the whiskey burned down her throat. “I don’t know why you men like that stuff! Vile!” Kara wrinkled her nose.

  “It’s getting late.” Linnie looked at him and then stood. “I need to get home so I’m up early to catch Scotty at the office.” She took Kara’s hand. “I can’t begin to thank you enough for helping me, but if there is even a hint of trouble, I don’t want any of you involved.” Alec knew that last was meant for him. A warning he had no intention of heeding. Kara stood and gave Linnie a hug and started walking with her to the door.

  “I will escort you home,” he said, getting her coat from the rack before she could object. He was not going to take no for an answer. They needed some time to talk—alone. He was surprised when she nodded quietly, not putting up a fight.

  Reaching the lobby, he called one of the concierges to get them a private carriage. He wanted no interruptions. After helping Linnie into the cab, he stood on the driver’s step. “Here is the address; take the longest route possible to get there.” He pressed several dollars into the man’s hand. A smile and a nod from the driver assured him of the time he needed.

  Pulling out of the Grand Court, the carriage turned on Market at a leisurely pace. Linnie was looking out the window, her brow wrinkled with thought. The lights on the cab illuminated her face. Alec watched, admiring the strength of her jaw and the graceful curve of her neck. He imagined kissing his way down to the lovely juncture of her neck and shoulder, knowing how soft and warm her skin would be. He wanted to take her right there on the coach seat. The pictures in his mind had him hard and straining again.

  “We need to talk.” His voice sounded hoarse in his ears. She looked at him, her head tilted slightly to the side. Clearing his throat, he continued, “I want you.” Her brows shot up. “And I believe you are attracted to me as well.” He watched her cheeks turn a delightful shade of pink, further confirming his statement.

  “I thought you well-bred noble types were all about subtlety.” Linnie smiled.

  He moved across the carriage and sat next to her. He reached up and cupped her face in his hands. “I never was a fan of subtlety or the games men and women play.” He leaned in and captured her mouth with his. Linnie slipped her hands inside his coat, pulling him closer.

  • • •

  Deepening the kiss, their tongues tangled as their breath became one. Linnie moaned as desire, something she thought long dead, flared to life. The heat of his lips and hands burned through her like a forest ablaze. She moved closer, wanting to feel that heat all over. Her breasts tingled, and flames burned at her core. It had been so long since she had felt a man touch her—and she wanted more. His hand slid down her cheek to her shoulder, then covered her breast. She arched into his palm, wishing her clothes could magically disappear. His lips trailed across her jaw as he nibbled his way down her neck. Her mind swirled, and her body burned.

  “You’re killing me, lass,” Alec groaned against her neck. “I want to be tangled in your hair, naked in my bed.” She moaned against his mouth, wanting the same, while her hands rubbed up and down his back.

  She didn’t know how much further they would have gone if a sudden jolt of the carriage hadn’t bounced them apart. Realization dawned on her as she looked around the small space. How desperate she must appear. Noting the lust and reason warring in Alex’s eyes, she hastily pulled her coat around her. “I believe we were going to talk.” Her voice sounded husky and sultry to her ears. She put a hand out toward him, not knowing if she wanted to keep him at a distance or just touch him. “That was a mistake. We should not have done that.”

  “No, Adeline,” he replied, his voice soft and smoky. “We needed to do that. We’ve been dancing around each other for too long. As I said, I want you, and now I know you want me as well.” His smile was slow and seductive as he leaned closer. “We just need to decide when and where we will continue this ‘discussion.’ I won’t be dissuaded or interrupted.” He reached a hand up and slid a finger softly down her cheek. “Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you don’t want me, and I’ll stop this carriage and send you home. That doesn’t mean I won’t help you with Vonn. It means we will deal with each other on a professional level. I won’t touch you, kiss you, hold you; is that what you want?” He sat back, giving her space and time to answer the question.

  His voice caressed her soul, deep and smooth as the sea on a calm day. Her heart ached at the thought of being with him but unable to touch him. She wasn’t surprised at his actions. She knew he was an honorable man and that even though he could feel her attraction to him, he would in no way force or coerce an answer. His consideration and respec
t for her made her heart swell. This was a man to love. This was a man to trust. She reached over and cupped his cheek with her hand as she leaned in. “That is definitely not what I want.” She whispered against his lips. “However …” She drew back, smiling at his still-puckered lips and eyes wide with surprise. “This is not the time.” The coach lurched again on the rough streets. “Or the place.”

  Alec laughed, acknowledging he’d been soundly routed. “Ah, lass,” his eyes were hot, “I can’t wait to make slow, passionate love to you.”

  Kara thought she would melt right there. Taking a deep shaky breath, she promised herself when the time came, she would let him.

  “All right. Let’s talk.”

  They went over their plans for the next day and scheduled a time when they would meet up with Kara and Hawke to go over their findings.

  As the carriage pulled up to her house, Alec drew her into his arms and kissed her deeply, leaving her breathless. “We will finish this,” he promised as he left her at her door.

  Opening the door and watching him as the carriage pulled away, she thought, Yes, we will.

  Chapter 14

  Linnie arrived at the Call offices early in hopes of catching Scotty before he left to work his beat. He had been reporting the police and coroner’s office news for as long as she could remember. She’d emulated his concise, informative reporting style when she first started, and asked him to mentor her. She was surprised when he agreed. Even though she wasn’t allowed to report the “hard” news, he taught her all he knew about following the lead and the art of investigative journalism.

  Coming around the corner to his desk, she smiled at the white head bent over his pad of notes. A pencil held in a hand wrinkled from time and stories written flew across the paper. Knocking on the wooden wall divider, she stepped in. “Good morning, Scotty. Do you have a minute?”

  “Good morning, Linnie.” He turned and smiled up at her, his thick glasses making his eyes appear enormous. He had black half sleeves over his arms to protect his shirt from pencil lead and ink. “What can I do for my favorite lady reporter this fine day?” She couldn’t help smiling back. The grin under his white handlebar mustache and full beard was so broad and welcoming, he reminded her of Santa Claus. As friendly as he was, she knew he was a fearsome reporter. He would follow a story through thick and thin until he knew he had all the facts. “I’m sure you don’t need my advice about the society ladies’ current fashion obsessions.” He laughed as he waved her over to a chair in front of his desk.

  After setting the pile of newspapers and notes on the ground, she sat down. “No … no, I think I have the fashion beat covered.” She laughed. “What I need help with is some information from your area of expertise.” Her smile faded as she continued, “Remember when you did the story on the coroner’s office and how they had to send out work to other companies?” His eyebrows lowered as he nodded. “Would you still have the names of those companies and possibly a list from the coroner’s office of which cases were sent where?”

  She watched as understanding dawned in his eyes. “You want to know if your cousin’s autopsy and lab work was done by someone other than the coroner, don’t you?” As the reporter on the scene, he’d been there through the trauma of Tommy’s murder and reported the lack of investigation by the police. He’d seen her torn apart getting no answers. “Why are you still looking into this? I know Weathersby wouldn’t give you permission to handle this kind of story, and certainly not one involving a family member.”

  “I know I can trust you, Scotty.” She pulled the little box from her purse and handed it to him.

  Angry red suffused his cheeks as he saw the contents of the box. “Do you have any idea who sent this to you? Have you contacted the police? When and where did you receive it? Was there anything else with it?” His questions were rapid-fire, and Linnie waited until he paused.

  “I think I know who is behind his death, but I’d rather not say—to protect myself and you. I haven’t contacted the police, because I don’t think they can be trusted, and …” She pressed her lips together before continuing. “I’m not going to say any more. You need to have faith that I won’t stir up any hornets nest, but I do need to know if you can help me with the coroner’s work.”

  “My better judgment is telling me to say no,” he looked at her, sadness and understanding shining in his eyes from beneath bushy brows, “but I know you’re determined enough to try and find the information on your own, and probably not just stirring the hornets nest, but knocking it down and stomping all over it.” He stood and walked to a filing cabinet with drawers stuffed to the point they wouldn’t close and more files piled on top. Linnie knew, despite the chaotic appearance, Scotty knew exactly where his notes for each story were. She watched as he struggled to open one of the drawers and then walked his fingers through the files, pulling a thick folder of notes out. “Give me moment, and I should have the name for you,” he said, sitting heavily in his chair, placing the file on his desk.

  She sat quietly as he rifled through the stacks. Every so often she’d hear a hum or a grunt of recognition as he reviewed his notes. He pulled a piece of paper out and pushed the file to the side. She watched his fingers drumming on the desk as he reviewed the notes. “Yep.” He tapped the page and looked up at her. “This is the one. A lot of the coroner’s work during the time of your cousin’s death was sent here—a lab at the Lane Hospital. Dr. Edson Barkan did the work. He seemed an open enough fellow; by the book and eager to answer questions.” He looked up at her. “I don’t think he would have falsified the reports.” He grabbed a piece of scratch paper and jotted down the name and address and handed it to her. “Be careful.”

  Clutching the paper to her chest, Linnie smiled. “Thank you, Scotty. I promise I won’t stir up trouble. I’m just trying to understand what happened.” She swept out of the room, eager to meet with doctor and hopefully find some answers.

  “MISS ELLSWORTH!” She was almost to her desk when the roar from her editor stopped her in her tracks. Turning warily, she saw Mr. Weathersby stomping toward her, a cigar clenched in his teeth; smoke trailing behind him, like a locomotive charging down the tracks. She waited, trying for a neutral expression. She didn’t want him to see she was in a hurry. “Miss Ellsworth.” He pulled the cigar from his mouth and jabbed the air with it. “Last I checked, you were employed by this paper to report the news. Is that not correct?”

  “Yes, sir,” she replied calmly. “Is there a problem?”

  “Is there a problem? IS THERE A PROBLEM?” His face turned a shade she’d never quite seen before. A little like a ripe plum, she thought. “You were supposed to be at the mayor’s reception to report on the new baths he is planning out by the Cliff House! You wanted to report on more than just society stories, so I let you have this lead. I received a call from the mayor’s secretary asking why you weren’t there. I couldn’t answer.” He glared at her. “And do you know why I couldn’t reply?”

  Her mind was racing. She had completely forgotten that the reception was this morning. She’d been so focused on talking to Scotty.

  “I couldn’t reply, because I thought you were there!” She could see the other reporters scurrying back to their desks or toward the stairs, anywhere but close to her and their boss. “Do you mind telling me what in tarnation was so important that you missed a major event? Have you changed your mind about the type of reporter you want to be? Shall I assume you want to continue reporting on ladies’ fashions and the latest in tea party conversation?” As he glowered at her, chewing on the end of his cigar, she scrambled mentally to come up with an answer that would get her out of trouble. Unfortunately, one wasn’t forthcoming.

  “Mr. Weathersby, I have no excuse,” she said contritely. “I completely forgot. Yes, more than anything I want to report the real news. I will personally call the mayor’s office to apologize and ask if I can set up an interview with a photo session. I know Mayor Sutro loves to have his picture in the pap
er, and I will promise a prominent placement of the story so it gets noticed by even more readers.”

  He chewed his cigar like a dog worrying a bone as he thought about her offer. The tobacco roll danced side to side. “Do it,” he said, “and make sure you get it done before lunch. I want you to assure him it will make the next edition.” He gave her a hard stare, turned, and headed back for his office.

  Shoulders curled, head down, she went back to her desk. Pulling out her notebook, she looked up the phone number for the mayor’s office and headed to the receptionist’s desk to place the call. After profuse apologies and promises to feature the story, Linnie was granted an interview. Determined to focus on her job, at least for now, she picked up her camera equipment and notebook and left.

  Chapter 15

  Tugging her short bolero jacket and brushing at invisible lint, Linnie entered the outer room of the mayor’s office. The sounds of hammers and workers echoed throughout the marble halls. The City Hall had been under construction for twenty-three years. It was a grandiose building with a large central dome and a tall tower with a second dome. When it was complete, it would be the largest city government building in the country, attesting to the size and wealth of California. Taking a breath, she opened the door. The reception room was simply yet tastefully decorated. She approached the desk that sat just to the side of two massive carved doors leading into the mayor’s office.