Justifiable Risk

by V. K. Powell

  “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we go turn in that rental car of yours? There’s no sense wasting money when we have a vehicle sitting in the garage gathering dust.”

  “I don’t know, Bessie.”

  “It’s my old Honda, nothing special, no sentimental value, so if you run it in a ditch, I’ll collect the insurance money. Come on.”

  “Okay, if you insist. I could put the money to better use.” Bessie’s smile encouraged and warmed her as it had from the day they met. If nothing else came of this trip, she and Bessie had become friends and would remain so long after she returned to her life.

  She wasn’t sure she could say the same for her and Greer. Was Greer capable of moving on after losing Clare? Sometimes a loss that deep never healed. And if Greer was ready to try again, could she? Would she be able to have a fully committed relationship, given her career and lifestyle? In some ways they already seemed more than friends, but could their closeness survive separation? She considered all these questions but found no answers as they pulled up to the rental-car office.

  After they returned the rental, Bessie insisted that Eva drive while she regaled her with tales about some of New Hope’s more infamous residents. Eva navigated the pickup along the back roads toward home, trying not to wreck it as she laughed at Bessie’s stories. She took her time, enjoying the scenery and Bessie’s company.

  Though it was barely twilight when they turned off the main street from town onto the side road, the tall trees along the roadway made it seem later and much darker. As Eva maneuvered the turn, headlights from behind lit the interior of the truck. “Back off, buddy,” she muttered. “Don’t you hate tailgaters? That’s how I met Greer, you know. I was—”

  Eva wasn’t able to finish her statement. The vehicle behind them rear-ended the truck and it lurched forward, swerving toward the ditch. “Jesus.”

  “What the hell?” Bessie said, looking around for the culprit.

  Eva’s pulse pounded in her ears as she fought to right the truck’s direction. It crossed to the other side of the road, and she brought it back under control. Her hands slipped on the steering wheel. “Bessie, see if you can get a look at the driver or the vehicle.” Eva doubted she’d have much success with the combination of bright headlights, dust, and blacked-out windows. “I’ll try to lose him.”

  “I feel like I’m back in a war zone. Who the hell does crap like this?” Bessie grumbled.

  Eva sped up and their tail kept pace. Bessie hung on to the seat back and tried to get a look at the driver. All Eva had been able to make out was that the vehicle was a black or dark blue jacked-up truck with a push bar on the front. It had no identifying marks or tags on the bumper. She could only hope Bessie would notice something more significant.

  Eva pumped the accelerator again, but their pursuer got closer. Eva looked at Bessie and shook her head. Her heart pounded and she was almost hyperventilating. “Tighten your seat belt. I’m sorry. I can’t lose him.” A second jolt from behind sent the truck fishtailing. Eva jerked the wheel to correct, overcompensated, and the truck careened off the road.

  The out-of-control activity around Eva suddenly slowed. The suspect vehicle veered around them, made a U-turn, and headed back toward town. Their truck slid closer to the ditch and a large oak tree. Eva wasn’t prepared for the violent jostling when the seat belt in Bessie’s old truck gave way. She pitched sideways against the door, across the seat into Bessie, and back into the steering column. Her head hit something solid, and before everything went black, she thought about Greer and wished she’d been more open about her feelings.

  Chapter Sixteen

  As Greer made one final pass through the warehouse district on her way back to the station, her cell phone rang. “Ellis.”

  “Greer?” JJ’s tone told her immediately that something was wrong. “Where are you?”

  “On my way back to the station to get my bike and head to the house. What is it?”

  “Come to the hospital. Bessie and Eva had an accident on the way home. An ambulance brought them here. It isn’t serious.”

  She didn’t hear the last part. Her pulse raced as visions of another injured loved one flashed through her mind. She executed a U-turn in the middle of downtown and floored the gas pedal. “Tell me!” The words were barely audible as she clenched her teeth to remain controlled.

  “It’s not serious,” JJ repeated.

  The air rushed from Greer’s lungs and she gasped for breath. God, no, not again. JJ’s reassurances still didn’t register. Bessie was her only family. She couldn’t lose her. And Eva—she wasn’t sure about her feelings for Eva, only that she wanted a chance to find out. “Are they—?”

  “Don’t panic, partner. When EMS arrived, they seemed shaken but okay. It’s a precaution. We haven’t been able to talk with them yet.”

  Her anxiety eased only a little. She wouldn’t be satisfied until she saw for herself. “Are you sure? You aren’t keeping anything from me, are you?”

  “That’s all I know. I’ll see you at the ER entrance.”

  “Make sure patrol doesn’t miss anything…in case it wasn’t an accident.”

  “I’m already on it.”

  Greer slammed her cell phone shut as the car skidded to a stop at the hospital. Several patrol officers near the entrance surrounded JJ. When she approached, she heard him say, “Scour that area with a fine-tooth comb if you have to. And report to me, only me.” JJ broke away from the group and guided her into the ER. “They’re in here.” He pointed to the small private exam room. “I’ll wait for you.”

  She paused at the door and took a deep breath. Whatever awaited her on the other side, she had to be calm and supportive. This wasn’t about her or her past. She needed to take care of the people close to her in the present. She stuffed her emotions down and opened the door.

  Eva and Bessie lay on gurneys side by side with nurses administering to them both. They were chatting and laughing as if nothing had happened. Bessie’s lower lip was cut and swollen, and her right eye was developing quite a shiner. The left side of Eva’s forehead sported a goose egg that had already begun to bruise. She showed no other physical signs of injury.

  “Have you two been playing bumper cars or what?” Greer tried to deflect some of her anger at seeing her aunt and Eva even slightly hurt.

  “Hi, honey. We’re fine. Aren’t we?” Eva nodded in response. Bessie’s concern was obvious. She understood the anguish Greer was experiencing and tried to reassure her. “You should’ve seen this girl handle my old truck. I thought I was on a racetrack. But we’re okay.”

  “Yes,” Eva added, “just a few bumps and bruises. No permanent damage, but it’s good to see you.” She extended her hand to Greer.

  It had been a long time since a woman offered her hand in such a simple and unassuming manner. The look in Eva’s eyes said she was volunteering more than a gesture of reassurance. At this moment she held the key to Greer’s peace of mind, and one touch—confirmation of her body heat, the cadence of her heartbeat—would make everything right again. But if Greer allowed her feelings to surface now, she’d be useless professionally.

  Greer stepped between the two beds, took Bessie’s and Eva’s hand in hers, and kissed each lightly. “I’m so glad neither of you was badly hurt. I’m not sure what I would’ve done.” The thought was too horrifying to verbalize. “Has the doctor checked you already?”

  “Yes, honey. Being head of nursing has its advantages. They put us on the fast track and we’re being cleared to leave as we speak.” Bessie eyed her suspiciously. “Go ahead and ask. The cop in you is about to bust out at the seams.”

  She overruled her emotions and switched into work mode. As much as she didn’t want to ask the question, she had to know. With everything that had happened lately, anything was possible. “Was this an accident?”

  Eva and Bessie exchanged a look before Eva answered. “It definitely was not an accident. He intentionally rammed us twice. The vehicle was a truc
k, jacked up all around, dark, with tinted windows. I couldn’t see the driver at all.”

  Greer forced the fear that rose in her into a more productive direction. Someone was definitely after Eva and they’d involved Bessie in the attempt. Fear gave way to anger as she made mental notes of Eva’s details, then turned to Bessie. “Anything to add?”

  “A humongous push bar on the front of the truck and a couple of horizontal dents across it. I’d recognize the pattern if I saw it again. But like Eva said, nothing on the driver. Honey, we may never know who it was.”

  “Oh, I’ll know, one way or the other. Good work, both of you. Chances are the truck was stolen. We’ll probably find it abandoned somewhere.” Who dared to attack the people she cared about again? She hadn’t been able to save Clare, but she would not fail this time.

  Eva’s grip on Greer’s hand tightened. “This is all connected to Paul’s case.”

  She could see the worry that suddenly clouded Eva’s deep brown eyes. “Yes—and this is the second time somebody has gone after you. I intend to see that it’s the last. I’ll brief JJ while we wait for your discharge. Neither of you move until I come back. Are we clear?” They nodded.

  True to his word, JJ was waiting outside the door. “Did you get anything?”

  She filled him in on the sketchy details, though they probably wouldn’t help much. “Eva is the link to this whole thing—Paul’s death, Tom and the sergeant’s shooting. She’s the only consistent element.”

  “I’m afraid you’re right. What can I do?”

  “Stay on the patrol guys about the hit-and-run and help me find Baron Wallace. I’ve put the word out on the street but come up empty so far.”

  “Will do. I’ll call you later.” He paused and Greer could tell he wanted to say more but wasn’t sure how.

  “What is it, JJ?”

  “I was wondering. Do you think we need to put a guard on Eva twenty-four seven? If all this is connected to Wallace, these drug guys mean business.”

  JJ was right, but so far the cowards had come after Eva one at a time from the shadows. If they continued that mode of attack, she was in a better position to stop them than a cop who wasn’t familiar with Eva or the situation. But she didn’t want to jeopardize Eva’s safety for the sake of her own ego. “It couldn’t hurt. Have the county boys swing by the house a couple of times a night, if they have time. Otherwise, Bessie, the dogs, and I’ve probably got it covered. They won’t be able to sneak up on us with that pack of yappers we’ve got.”

  When JJ left, Greer took a seat in the waiting area outside the exam room. She needed a few minutes to gather her thoughts. This suspect had made the fatal error of involving people she cared about in his crimes. The outrage that rose in her again filled her with heat. Cops weren’t supposed to investigate incidents involving friends or relatives because their objectivity went out the window. But more than most, cops understood the need to protect and avenge loved ones. They would back her all the way.

  She thought about Eva and the recent shift in their relationship. What began as a contentious professional situation had become more. Though they’d known each other only a short time, they were connected. Greer had learned that time didn’t necessarily diminish or intensify affairs of the heart.

  Against the odds, Greer cared for Eva, and the thought unleashed conflicting emotions. She’d risked her career and several friendships to side with Eva against the department—but it was the right thing to do and it was her professional obligation. The rule-bound part of her wanted to dismiss these feelings as simple lust and return to life as before. She shouldn’t encourage or engage in her physical attraction to this woman who was part of an ongoing investigation. Eva shouldn’t be living in her home. Greer shouldn’t have kissed her, no matter how strong the desire.

  However, feelings this powerful didn’t come along every day. Since Clare’s death, Greer had been totally devastated, denied and absolutely refused to acknowledge Clare’s absence, angrily stayed drunk all weekend and had the occasional sexual tryst, languished in deep bouts of depression, and finally, reluctantly accepted Clare’s death. But it had taken that recovery time and more for her to feel this strongly attracted to another woman. To dismiss their connection out of hand was like laughing at fate. She didn’t want to go through the rest of her life alone. Clare wouldn’t have wanted that for her. But could she let go of the past with Clare for a future with Eva?

  The panic she’d experienced when she thought Eva was injured at the warehouse and again tonight flashed through her mind. This wasn’t merely a brief affair. If she didn’t get the chance to explore what they had, she’d regret it. She wasn’t sure how such a profound change had occurred, but it was a gift she didn’t intend to take lightly.

  Being with Eva reminded Greer what she’d been missing, and she wanted it back. She wanted to live again, not merely survive. Bessie’s affection, her fulfilling work, and her loyal friends and colleagues made her life full. But she longed to plunge headlong into the fire of love again. Was it even possible? She had to know.

  *

  Eva settled into one of Bessie’s cushy lounge chairs and sipped wine to settle her nerves. The disinfectant hospital smell still burned her nostrils and made her second near-death experience too real. She inhaled the wine’s flowery bouquet and waited patiently as Greer questioned Bessie again about the accident. It would be her turn soon enough, and she refused to reveal the depth of her fear. Greer didn’t need to hear how terrified she’d been or that she thought of her just before she blacked out. That had surprised Eva as much as the attempt on her life. That the two had occurred simultaneously concerned her. How could she separate them and figure out what she was actually feeling?

  She hadn’t thought about her job or the great satisfaction or acclaim it had brought her through the years. Or about her travels around the world and the amazing things she’d seen. Her colorful past full of women from many cultural and ethnic backgrounds didn’t even appear. Surprisingly, she hadn’t even thought about her family. She remembered Greer.

  Maybe she’d flashed to Greer before the crash because Greer was in law enforcement and made her feel safe. Perhaps she regretted using Greer initially and wanted to apologize before her imminent death. But she’d wished that she’d been more open about her feelings. No matter how she tried to justify or explain it, she cared for Greer Ellis.

  In that split second before unconsciousness, she’d wanted to share her feelings with Greer, though she wasn’t sure why. Doing so couldn’t change their interaction so far and wasn’t likely to impact their separate lives in the future. They were worlds apart, independent women in accomplished careers, experienced in and injured by love. Nothing she could say would alter that. Strange how the mind functioned when death loomed.

  If she hadn’t come to New Hope, she wouldn’t have found Greer. But now that she had, she wasn’t prepared to walk away and pretend she felt nothing. Her life of casual liaisons in exotic locales hadn’t stirred the exhilaration that Greer did. Those experiences had fulfilled her in some aspects, but not like her contact with Greer. She would always remember their interactions—both the good and the bad. Was she prepared to give that up?

  When her domestic genes kicked in, Eva usually left town. It would be easy to secure another assignment and make some hasty departure excuses. But this wasn’t a typical situation. She couldn’t leave until they’d cleared Paul’s name. And even if she could, she’d be deciding to continue living as she had been—alone and anchorless—just the way she’d sworn she wouldn’t live. The thought of leaving Greer hurt more than the fear of Greer eventually rejecting her. Maybe it was possible to have the life she wanted. And when she and Bessie were run off the road, maybe her subconscious was telling her the time had come to decide what she wanted and to talk with Greer about her feelings. That would be a first for her, and the idea frightened her as much as being the target of a killer.

  “Eva, did you hear me?” Greer asked.


  “Sorry, I was daydreaming.” More like a sappy romantic interlude.

  “I asked if anything else surfaced about the truck or driver who ran you off the road.”

  “I’m afraid not. I wish I could be more helpful.”

  Greer started to say something else but her cell phone rang. “Greer Ellis.” She listened for a few seconds and answered. “Yes, Mr. Williamson, I’ll be happy to meet you at your convenience. Name the time and place.” More silence. “That’s perfect. See you then.”

  When she hung up, Bessie said, “Don’t tell me you have to go back out tonight.”

  “No way am I leaving the two you of you alone after what happened. I can talk to this guy tomorrow.”

  Bessie waved her off as if to say she could handle any problems. “I dare the bastards to trespass on my property. I’ll handle them myself and call for cleanup when I’m done.”

  “I know, Bessie, but I’m not taking any chances.” She looked at Eva. “Will you try to be the voice of reason here?”

  “I’m with you on this one, Detective. The more protection we have right now, the better.” Eva wanted to be brave and fierce like Bessie. But tonight she needed to be with Greer, to feel comfortable in the confidence and security that seemed to surround her. She wanted Greer to hold her through the night. And as she and Greer climbed the stairs to the second floor, a sense of peace came over her.

  *

  Greer rested fitfully as she kept watch over Eva. The room that once served as her safe haven now seemed like a staging area for the next assault. Every outside noise or creak of the house ramped up her adrenaline and kept her hypervigilant. Each time one of the dogs growled, she conducted another safety sweep through the house. Her mind whirred as she tried to assemble recent events into a recognizable pattern. The only comfort she allowed herself was listening to Eva’s steady breathing until the black night turned gray.