Bones Of Contention: The McKinnon Legends - The American Men Book 3

by James, Ranay

  “Probably being more careful would have helped, but I still feel it necessary to guard your back anyway. Independence can be a double-edged sword.”

  “You’re right,” she hated to admit it.

  What had she been thinking to go to that building alone tonight? She never did anything like that under normal circumstances. She usually called Charlie or one of his officers to meet her, escort her through the building, and back to her car.

  “Do I dare ask what you were thinking to go alone through a totally vacant building, at night, in the dark, and in high heels that are designed for activity that has nothing to do with walking much less running?”

  “I wasn’t thinking,” she admitted, softening to him, "but you knew that, didn't you?"

  “I could not let you go without back up. It is just not in me,” Josh felt the need to explain.

  “So, you followed me.” In some ways it was gratifying. However, her sense of intrusion almost overrode any feelings of flattery. She was strong-willed and she had her father’s blood to thank for that.

  “I am not going to say I’m sorry for it, Doc, not considering how this evening might have ended.”

  She paused, looking at him standing there on her front porch. He was like some knight in shining armor hell-bent on saving the day. She had seen his kind in years past in a bygone era when chivalry was actually a practiced art form, in a time when men were men and women were objects to be revered and pined for from afar.

  “You win. You are right and I was wrong.”

  “It is not about winning or losing, Jamie. Trust me. I wish I was the one who was wrong here and you had not endured tonight.” He felt her vulnerability and strength. She was an amazing woman. “Let me stay,” he had to ask one more time.

  “No, Josh. Really, I’m fine. I just need to get some rest. Thank you, again for the help.”

  “Jamie?” He could not make himself leave.

  “Good night, Josh.”

  She smiled softly, gently closing the door.

  He heard the dead bolt lock and watched the shade drop over the window just before the porch light went out.

  He knocked softly leaning his forearm against the jam.

  “Jamie?” He waited as she turned off the living room light. “I hate to leave you alone like this. I care about your safety. I care about you.”

  She heard him through the Frank Lloyd Wright lead glass door of her bungalow style home as she sat completely in the dark in the single chair she owned. She had sold all her furniture to some college kids when she moved out of the small one bedroom apartment after buying her house. She was buying pieces she loved as she came across them. So far this chair was all she had besides the small dining room set and her bedroom suite.

  “Come on, Doc. Open up,” he tried once more.

  She went back to the door, her hand on the knob.

  “Good night, Sheriff,” Jamie said softly while leaning her forehead on the glass. She knew if she opened that door she would probably ask him to stay. It was a feminine luxury she could not afford to give into. It would place his life in danger.

  He stood there a few moments longer, then finally gave up. “Now, you win. I’ll call you in the morning.”

  She heard his booted foot fall as he left her porch. Then she heard the truck start up and watched as his headlights illuminated the living room showing through the sheer curtains as he backed out of the driveway.

  Once he pulled away, the house seemed very empty in spite of the fact her little dog was nestled in her lap.

  Chapter 12

  Making the block and parking in front, Josh settled in for a long night. He made some calls figuring he needed to cover some bases. The last thing he needed was for Jamie’s neighbor, Mr. Owens, to call the city police. He didn't put it past the old geezer even if he did know he was a cop.

  First, he called Lilly He let her know he was not coming home until sometime in the morning. He did not want her or his daughter Jesse to worry. He called his deputies to let them know to call him if they had an emergency.

  They felt sure they could handle anything short of another dead body. He also asked if one of them could come get Saber even though he would probably like the company. It was not often he was apart from his canine friend, and he hated stakeouts alone. However, he decided it was better for the dog to guard Jesse and Lilly. He could take care of Jamie. He called the city police and identified himself letting them know he was on night watch at the doctor’s house. He told them to feel free to cruise by and check him out. He would be happy to provide identification. Last, he called the pizza delivery and settled in for a long, cold night.

  It was half past four in the morning according to her bedside clock, and she had not slept a wink. She wished now she had taken the sleeping pill Josh had suggested. Every time she closed her eyes she could see her attacker’s face and feel his hands on her body. It made her want to scream in frustration at the helplessness she still felt in spite of the fact she was safely behind locked doors.

  Tossing back the covers and slipping on her robe and slippers, she went into the kitchen. Making hot water for tea, she waited for the kettle to heat wondering why she still felt so unsettled. Sitting at the small dinette table thinking about Josh, she was still at odds with herself and the feeling that he had followed her. Yet, she could understand his position given the fact she was almost raped, at the very least.

  There was no way the two boys were even remotely related to Debbie’s murder, but someone out there was responsible. She recognized it. Nevertheless, she did not wish to acknowledge it. If she did acknowledge the fact a killer was still out there, it gave him power over her life. That was terrorism at its grass roots. Her life and freedom was something she did not wish to relinquish, not to an unknown face for an unknown amount of time.

  Maybe she had been pushing Josh’s buttons. Maybe, she did act irresponsibly out of some misguided notion to punish the messenger. Josh was delivering bad news she really did not want to hear. Yet, tonight brought it all home. She was not safe in her own little sheltered world of academia. She needed to pull her head out of the clouds and wake up and smell the coffee. She was vulnerable.

  “Face it, Jamie,” she said to herself sipping the blend of chamomile and herbs her mother had sworn by as the cure for all ills. Jamie figured she had finally found the one thing Mamma’s tea could not fix.

  “You could become just as much a victim as any one of those sets of bones waiting for your inspection,” she acknowledged taking another sip.

  She needed a gun, and she needed to be able to defend herself. Her dog was no protection unless he could lick the intruder to death. He was three pounds of puny bark and absolutely no bite.

  Unlocking the front door and walking across the yard, she sidestepped the puddle of water left from the latest bout of snow. It was cold, but at least it was above freezing. Looking at the early morning sky, she could see it was going to be a beautiful day without a cloud in sight.

  Josh saw her coming with the thermos and unlocked the door for her to climb into his chilly lair.

  Leaning over, he opened the door watching warily and wondering what he owed this early morning visit as she climbed into the passenger seat.

  She handed him the lap throw.

  Staring straight forward, she sat there for a moment collecting her feelings. Wondering what this was about, he could see she was jumble of thoughts. Not daring to break the silence, he prepared himself for the ignition of her anger, fully expecting her to argue his presence on her street.

  Argue all she wanted he thought, he was going nowhere. Somewhere between ten o'clock that night and four o'clock this morning, he had come to the realization that not only was he going nowhere, he was going to win her over to his way of thinking. He would be there with her blessings, one way or the other.

  She knew he was here. Mr. Owens had called her, voicing his disapproval before she went to bed. After she got off the phone with her neighbor, she lo
oked out the window just in time to see the pizza delivery boy and then the city patrol arrive. By all accounts he had the blessing of the city authorities, and she was just too tired to argue. Besides, knowing he was here made her feel better. If he was going to follow her around then he should not have to freeze while doing it.

  “I made coffee for you even if you are stalking me again.” She handed him the thermos and reaching into the pocket of her robe brought out packets of sweetener and creamer.

  Josh smiled, hoped the coffee was a peace offering, and let the last comment about his stalking her roll right off. He had lots of hours to think about her and had several hours past come to the conclusion he wanted to get to know the Doc better on a personal level.

  “Thanks,” he appreciated the drink. It was below thirty-five degrees, not freezing, but close enough, and he only turned on the heater when he absolutely needed it. He inhaled the hearty aroma after opening the lid. “Um, smells good.”

  Finally, Jamie turned her body sideways in the seat to look at him, watching as he poured the coffee into the thermos lid. The steam fogged up the driver’s side window emphasizing the drop in temperatures through the night. For the first time, she felt guilty in not allowing him to come in last night. He had to be miserable, all because of me, she realized.

  “I need to ask a favor,” she said, finally getting to the crux of this early morning visit.

  “I am at your service,” he said gallantly before taking a sip of the warm brew.

  “I would ask someone else, but you are the only person I know capable.”

  I would believe that, he conceded in his mind, not daring to voice such a conclusion out loud. There was no need to antagonize her while she was bearing a white flag of truce.

  “Will you teach me how to defend myself?” she asked. There, she thought, it is out in the open. She wondered if he would be so quick to offer now that he knew her desires.

  She was surprised at how quickly he answered her.

  “In a heartbeat. I can show you some basic maneuvers to help you get out of the kind of jam you found yourself in last night. We can start first thing in the morning if you feel up to it.”

  Her request pleased him. It let him know she was not going to let this experience, regardless of how hair-raising, cower her into hiding.

  “Will you help me buy a gun, too?”

  Somehow this request did not surprise him, and he had already come to the same conclusion hours ago.

  “Save your money. I’ll give you one of mine, but I’ll only do this if you are more than simply proficient in handling it. I will require you take the Concealed Carry Class. If you are the least bit hesitant or uncomfortable, the firearm can become more of a liability than an asset.”

  “I have plenty of motivation, Josh. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

  He studied her face in the shadows of the early morning darkness.

  “All right. However, this knowledge and skill will have a price, Doc.”

  She had not given price consideration. “Guess I should have asked first. What’s your going rate for lessons?” She had very little extra cash having expended most of her savings on the down payment and closing costs for her house. The rest she was planning on using for improvements and unexpected maintenance. She could ask her mother she supposed. For her mother it would be no hardship, she just hated to do that wishing to make her own way through life.

  Josh was not going to charge her money. He was not that cold to take advantage monetarily of her in her time of crisis. His payment, he informed her in no uncertain terms, was for her to freely allow him to provide around-the-clock protection on his terms, and whenever possible that protection would be him. He kept that last thought to himself.

  “And exactly how am I supposed to explain away your presence?” Jamie thought about her classes at the university, her meetings for the cultural committee, and the volunteer hours she spent at the retirement village. Let’s not mention Mr. Owens, she thought.

  “Jamie, I have a job taking care of the people of Martin County. As much as I might desire to personally devote my every waking moment to your safety, it cannot happen. I can’t take that much time off to look out for you myself. I will hire you an elite team of body guards,” he could not help himself, “unless, of course, you just have to have me personally,” he teased giving her a smile which absolutely curled her toes. It completely transformed him. The shadows played across his face making him look dark and dangerous as a sensation shot through her quickening her heart rate. She felt her body tighten in places long forgotten. Somehow, she knew he sensed this change in her body, totally unaware it was the small gasp that gave her away.

  “You wish, Lawman,” she shot back listening to his soft laughter.

  “So, we have a deal?” he said once again serious.

  “Deal, except no one comes in my house. I don’t want your goons eating all my vanilla wafers. So if they have to hang around, then they can do it outside. Oh, and one more thing.”

  “And that would be?” Josh asked on the verge of arguing. He had said on his terms and now she was dictating how he was going to protect her. It was unacceptable, but he was not going to push her at this point.

  “I reserve the right to call it off if I see it is disrupting my classes by distracting my students.” Jamie was thinking about her female students’ reactions to Josh’s presence. In all honesty, she was wondering about how distracting he would be to her own train of thought.

  It was fair, Josh agreed, thinking she was relatively safe inside her classroom. The guard could wait outside the lecture hall thus eliminating the argument of disruption.

  Making sure all the ground rules were solid, he asked if there were any other stipulations she wanted to levy.

  “I do volunteer work at the retirement home. Your guy will not have a gun around them.”

  That he would never agree to no matter how vehemently she argued. In the end they compromised. The guard could wear a gun if it were discreetly concealed.

  They shook on it.

  She reached for the door handle and stopped short of opening the door.

  “Come inside where it is warm, Josh. You can grab a blanket and sleep on the floor in the guest room.”

  It was tempting. He was cold. Nevertheless, it was almost daybreak. Thanking her for the offer, he opted to continue his vigil outside not wishing to trash her reputation. He was somewhat old fashioned himself.

  Mr. Owens was keeping close tabs.

  Who knew who else was watching him watch her?

  Chapter 13

  Robert, always good to his word, sent his best man for the job, and that best man just happened to be a woman.

  Barbara Bride, of McKinnon-Bride Personal Security, arrived shortly after seven that morning, giving Josh the opportunity to go home after a long night of vigil. He promised he would be back as soon as he could kiss his kid, feed his livestock, and get a few hours of sleep.

  Watching Josh walk away now in the light of day, Jamie wondered about her decision to have him train her. Maybe it was not the right decision after all. He had a full time job as sheriff of Martin County and lived over an hour away. She should have considered the inconvenience the drive would create for him on a personal level.

  He has a daughter at home, she reminded herself.

  Jesse needed her father home when he was not working, yet Jamie was pulling him away. Was she being selfish? She would let him get some rest and then let him reconsider if he chose.

  Pulling away from the curb, Josh made the call to the dojo arranging private floor time. He was going to need it if he was going to start her lessons. There was plenty of room in his studio at the ranch to do what he needed to do with her. However, neutral ground sounded much more logical where the lovely Dr. Gillman was concerned. At least for the first few lessons they would meet on neutral real estate.

  He also was going to pay a visit to Trey Jackson. If the guy was serious about dating her, then Trey needed to
know she had a security team. The translation: Any subsequent dates would be a table for three.

  Josh was feeling just a little possessive, chalking it up to the lack of sleep. He knew better than to forbid Jamie from seeing Trey or anyone else for that matter. Nonetheless, she had signed a contract. Twenty-four hour security coverage was his price and he damn well was going to collect.

  He smiled to himself.

  Once she realized he was holding her to the letter of the agreement, he knew she was going to go ballistic. She may be several generations removed from her Celtic roots; all the same, she still had a hot temper and a fairly short fuse. His mind wandered into less safe waters wondering if she would be as passionate in bed as she was in the other aspects of her life. His bet was yes. She would be intense and totally giving once a man managed to get past her defenses.

  She was cautious and rightfully so. Women should never be totally trusting. That was a lesson he had taught Jesse hoping it would keep her safe from predatory men. He could not blame Jamie for throwing up barriers.

  He also wondered if she would throw herself into her training as passionately as she threw herself into her work. Later, he would see.

  He would cut her no slack in regard to her training. She needed to understand self-defense was serious business, and if she were not totally committed, he was not going to waste his time or her energy. Also, if Jamie were not serious, she would never understand his intensity in the instruction.

  His family motto had always been to train right, train fully, or die. For hundreds of years McKinnon lives had depended on taking their chosen weapon and mastering it to the fullest. There had been as many women as men through the years who had used that weapon to guard the backs of their family.

  His weapon of choice was his hands, feet, and mind. Mixed martial arts was not a discipline for the faint of heart or the soft of body. Full body contact was often times painful. He hoped Jamie would train without holding back because in real life any hesitation could get her killed. There was no way to train her and not be in very close contact. He sincerely hoped she had given that aspect of the training thought. He sure gave it pause. Even dead on his feet it was a pleasant prospect. Only time would tell if she might feel the same.