by Alison Stone
A pained expression darkened his eyes. “I’m sorry this is such a mess.” He bowed his head briefly before meeting her gaze. “I should have protected your sister the night she got hurt…” He let the words trail off. “But we have someone on Billy Farr 24-7. We’ll get him. I promise.”
“But what about Billy approaching Ava at the festival?” Danielle rubbed her forearms, trying to quell the tremble rioting through her.
“Ava was with Debbie and her daughter. Billy didn’t show up until he found you. My officer confirmed that. He was under constant surveillance.” The look in Patrick’s eyes seemed to plead with her to trust him.
“I have to tell you something else. Something I promised Jenny I would keep in confidence.”
“What?” Patrick’s brows drew together.
Danielle let out a sigh. “Henry was Jenny’s supplier. She promised me he only did it for her, because she was desperate. But now I’m not so sure.”
Patrick plowed a hand through his hair. “I’ll talk to him.”
She placed a hand on his forearm. “Can you do it without it looking like I betrayed Jenny’s confidence. Our relationship is strained as it is. If he’s just some mixed-up kid like her, I don’t…” she closed her eyes and tipped her head back, “…I don’t know what to do.”
“Trust me. I’ll handle it.”
“Thank you.” Danielle’s eyes drifted over to Gram’s house, dark except for the light glowing from the front window. A chill raced down her spine. “I don’t feel safe here.”
Patrick ran a finger down her cheek. His tender touch melted her resolve. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Danielle worked her lower lip. “I’m going to convince Gram to visit her sister in Buffalo for a little while.” She pressed her lips together and shook her head. “I don’t want her in the house…in case. But I don’t think I’ll be able to convince Jenny to leave.”
Patrick nodded almost imperceptibly.
Her eyes locked with Patrick’s. Deep inside something shifted. Could she actually trust a man? Trust this man? She nodded, as if answering her own unasked question. What choice did she have?
“You’re welcome to stay here. We have an extra room,” Patrick said.
Danielle tipped her head and studied the wreath of fall foliage adorning the door. When she’d first moved to town, she’d envied the warm Leave It to Beaver family living next door. She used to lie in bed at night and wonder what it would be like to have a mother and father and a normal house. Back then, she would have given anything to be part of the Kingsley home. But she wasn’t a little girl anymore.
“Thank you, but I’ll be fine. I’ll set the alarm.”
“Good. And I’m right next door.” Patrick reached out and stroked her cheek with his thumb.
Her eyes drifted closed at the intoxicating gesture. She sensed, rather than saw, Patrick moving closer to her. She felt his lips brush her temple before he abruptly pulled back. “Maybe when this is all over…”
Danielle blinked a few times, relishing his gentle touch more than she should have. She took a small step backward. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she tried to keep her lower lip from trembling. “Let’s not kid ourselves.” She spun around to face the darkened yard, away from Patrick’s hurt look. “When this is all over, we’re both going back to our own lives.”
A disturbing thought slowly seeped into her brain. An awareness. Suddenly she was convinced Patrick wasn’t the only one watching her.
The Protector cruised by the Carson house with his vehicle’s lights off. He was surprised to see the light on in the front room, the shades drawn. His fingers itched. Something told him this problem wasn’t going away.
Jenny was home now but didn’t seem to be talking. How long would that last? If that meddling sister kept hammering away at her, she might get some ideas. She might think it was okay to stand on her own two feet. To destroy everything important to him.
He doubted her amnesia act. But how long could fear buy him silence? He couldn’t take that chance.
He scrubbed a hand across his face. The minute he’d met the waif, he’d had her pegged. She acted all sweet and innocent, but he knew she was trouble. A shadow crossed behind the blind. He stepped on the gas, easing past the house. He imagined her turning the deadbolt, putting on the chain. Security for the naïve. He ran a hand across the smooth steering wheel.
His gut told him his time was running out. He had unfinished business.
Chapter Fourteen
Danielle slid her cell phone across the yellow legal pad. Bowing her head, she threaded her fingers through her hair and massaged the back of her head. Great way to start the day. She let out a long breath, knowing she should be relieved her boss had approved another week’s personal leave, but she wasn’t. Her most important files had already been handed over to coworkers. She’d have to work ten times as hard to make up for the lost time and to prove herself again. The only bright spot was the bank had set a firm date later in the month to review Tina’s foreclosure file.
“What’s eating you?”
Danielle’s head snapped up. Jenny stood in the doorway dressed in gray sweatpants and an oversized Mayport State University sweatshirt.
Job woes momentarily forgotten, Danielle jumped to her feet, the chair scraping across the linoleum. “Here, have a seat.” All the bandages had been removed from Jenny’s face, but it was still marred by discoloration. Jenny’s hands trembled.
Jenny shrugged her sister off. “You’ve been treating me like a china doll since I got home from the hospital. I’m fine.” She pulled open the refrigerator door, stared at its contents for a moment, then slammed it shut, rattling the glass jars. “What’s keeping you here?” Jenny pivoted slowly and leaned back on the door for support. “I’m home. I can take care of Gram.” She was clearly irritated. “You’re free to go.” She rolled her eyes. “You can’t babysit me forever.”
Danielle tipped her head from side to side, trying to work out the kinks in her neck. She decided to ignore her sister’s comments and she sat back down. Something else about her sister was weighing on her mind. “You got a message on your phone last night.”
“My phone?” The color drained from Jenny’s already pale face. “The police gave you my phone?”
“Yesterday.” Danielle angled her head to study her little sister. “You don’t remember leaving it at home before you went out the night of your accident?”
Jenny cocked an eyebrow and shook her head. Playing with the ends of the drawstring on her sweatshirt, she finally said, “Aren’t you going to give me the phone?
“I don’t have it. I gave it to Patrick.”
Jenny narrowed her gaze. “Are you going to tell me what the text said?”
“B needed you to make a delivery.” Danielle crossed her arms and rested them on the table.
Jenny collapsed into the chair. She tipped her head back and briefly closed her eyes. “This is a nightmare.”
Danielle slid her hand across the table, her fingers brushing the back of Jenny’s hand. “Please tell me what you’re caught up in.”
A hurt look descended into her little sister’s eyes. The same look she used to get when their mother announced they were moving, yet again. “I made one mistake. I took some pills Henry gave me. I am not, nor was I ever a dealer. I have no idea what that message was all about.”
Relief washed over Danielle. She couldn’t exactly explain why, but she believed her sister on her word alone. The open, honest look on Jenny’s face said it all. Patting her hand, she said, “I believe you and I’m sorry you got caught up in this. I will do whatever I can to help you.”
A small smile played at the corners of Jenny’s mouth. Tears gathered in her eyes. “Thank you. But it’s time for you to go back to Atlanta. If you lose your job—” she laughed, “—I’ve got enough guilt already.”
Danielle squeezed her hand. “Please don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”
A soft shuffling ca
me from the stairs. Gram appeared at the archway in her Sunday best. “Get ready for church. Patrick is going to pick us up in thirty minutes.”
Danielle opened her mouth to protest when Gram put her hand up. “I won’t take no for an answer. We have much to be thankful for.”
Patrick’s rich baritone voice drifted over to Danielle as she sat two seats away in the small congregation. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed these church hymns. How they filled her heart. When she glanced across to Patrick—over Ava’s head—he stared straight ahead, but a wry smile graced his lips. Had he heard her humming along?
When the song finished, he leaned over. “Are you enjoying the service?” he asked in a soft whisper.
She tipped her head, unwilling to answer while in the house of God. But she did feel a certain peace, something she hadn’t felt in a long time. When she allowed herself to scan the congregation, she noticed a few of the women openly staring at her with interest. Smiling to herself, she knew she and Patrick, with a beaming Ava between them, looked like the happy family. If only they knew.
From where she sat, Danielle noticed Chief Parker and Jimmy. The chief had his uniform on and Jimmy had on a shirt and tie, something few young adults did in church anymore. “There’s Jimmy,” Danielle whispered in her sister’s ear.
Jenny didn’t bother looking around, but her knuckles grew white as she gripped the bench in front of her. “Are you okay?”
Jenny nodded, but didn’t lift her eyes. Danielle glanced over to where Jimmy stood and found him staring at her. A chill raced down her spine.
When the church service was over, they all filed out. As they milled around the lobby, chatting with other members of the congregation, Danielle feigned interest in a wall of brochures while standing within earshot of Jimmy and Jenny.
“Come on, babe,” Jimmy said in a soft tone. “I miss you.”
Jenny dragged a shaky hand through her hair. “I need some time to figure things out.”
Yes! Danielle did a subtle fist pump before turning away to hide the smile on her face.
“It’s not because…” Jimmy’s voice trailed off, making it impossible for Danielle to hear him.
“Everything’s fine. Just give me some time,” Jenny said to her boyfriend.
“Find anything interesting?” Patrick walked up, a huge smile on his handsome face.
“I’m starving. Can we grab some donuts on the way home?”
He chuckled. “Let’s round up the troops.”
Just then, Chief Parker made his way over to them. “I have some news, Patrick.”
“I’ll wait by the door,” Danielle said, sensing the two police officers needed to talk in private.
He shook his head. “This will interest you. We arrested Billy last night. He had a sizeable amount of drugs in his trunk.” Chief Parker’s steady gaze landed squarely on Danielle. “I think you and your sister can sleep better tonight.”
“You cold?” Patrick asked after noticing Danielle pull her fleece coat closed. He draped his arm over the back of the park bench, inches from Danielle’s shoulder. They’d driven to the lake after taking everyone home from church. With Billy’s surprise arrest, the crisis in Mayport seemed to be winding down. Danielle would be going home soon, and he didn’t want their relationship to end. Not like it had last time.
“A little.” Shrugging, she leaned into him. He tucked a strand of her shiny auburn hair behind her ear. It seemed like the most natural thing to do.
He gestured toward the dock with his chin. “Hey, I have the keys to the police boat. Want to take it out?”
Danielle gave him a sideways look. “I’m not exactly dressed for an outing on the lake.” She smiled. “Who knew your boating skills would become a professional asset.”
“Go figure. I love boating. Just wish the season were longer.”
“True.” She stared over the water, seemingly distracted.
“Is the law firm putting pressure on you to return?” Patrick asked.
Danielle drew in a deep breath, her warm body leaning against his. He wondered if this is all they’d ever have. A few stolen kisses. A cozy moment on a park bench. He wanted more.
She cleared her throat. “The work at the firm is only part of the reason. I’ve also been doing some work on the side.” She glanced up at him, the sun reflecting in her brilliant blue eyes. “I’m helping a mother and her son who are at risk of losing their house. The law firm doesn’t know about it.”
Looking away, she continued, “I have to help Tina. I know the pain of not having a home.” A tear escaped and ran down her cheek. He reached out and wiped it away. She tipped her head toward his hand. “You should see her little boy. He has these big brown eyes.” She shook her head. “I can’t let them down.”
Patrick squeezed her hand. “You’re doing a good thing.”
Danielle gave her head a quick shake. “I read about her plight in the newspaper and felt compelled to help.”
“Have you ever thought of working with families in Mayport?” Patrick moved his thumb back and forth across the back of her hand. “Atlanta doesn’t have the lock on families facing foreclosure.”
Swiping the back of her hand across her wet cheek, she shifted away to more fully face him. He immediately missed the warmth of her body. “Unfortunately, helping Tina comes from the heart. The clients from the law firm pay the bills.” Her pink lips curved into a sad smile. “It’s a nice dream though.”
“It doesn’t have to be a dream. If you moved back to Mayport, it would give us a chance to get to know each other again.” Patrick angled his head to look into her eyes. He had a tough time reading what was going on in there.
Danielle waved her hand and briefly closed her eyes. “I like you, Patrick. I really do. But you have a daughter and I’m not mother material. I proved that at the fall festival.”
His heart squeezed at the pain evident on her face. “I’ve always been protective of Ava. She’s my only daughter. Being in law enforcement makes me more aware of all the creeps out there.” He shook his head. “You didn’t know.”
“I should have known not to let her go off with her friends.” She let out a nervous laugh. “It’s all a dream. Working with the clients I want to work with.” She lowered her gaze. “Getting to know you again.” She shrugged. “I’ve worked too hard to get where I am.” She paused. “I’m not willing to give up the security.”
“Money isn’t the only means of security,” Patrick said, already seeing her slip away.
“Easy for you to say. You’ve always had money. A home…”
Patrick reached out and grabbed her hands in his. “Don’t run away. Stay—”
Danielle’s cell phone rang, cutting him off midsentence. Patrick leaned back, disappointed. He didn’t want to compete with a cell phone. What he had to say was too important. She lifted an eyebrow as if to apologize. She plucked the cell phone from her purse and glanced down at the display. Splotches of red fired in her cheeks.
“Hello.” Her voice sounded shaky. After a pause, she added, “I don’t know. No, I’m with Officer Kingsley.” She jumped to her feet and gestured to Patrick. “We’ll check it out now.”
Danielle snapped the phone shut, her eyes wide with alarm. “Something triggered the alarm at home. Gram’s visiting with a friend. Jenny’s alone and she’s not answering the alarm company’s call.”
Patrick called into the station as they raced to the house. As he pulled up the rutted driveway, nothing seemed out of place. He jammed the gearshift into park and turned to Danielle, who was sitting ramrod straight in the passenger seat. “Stay here while I check it out.”
Patrick found the side door ajar. The muffled sounds of the strident alarm horn blared through the walls. Long gone were the days when people mounted outside horns annoying the neighbors with false alarms. Instead, they were mounted in basements, their ear-piercing noise a treat for burglars and homeowners who unwittingly tripped the device. With his hand hovering over his gun, he p
ushed the door open. He stepped into the kitchen where he was met with an apologetic Henry.
“I tried every number combination possible, but I can’t shut the dumb thing up.”
“Where’s Jenny?” Patrick asked.
“Locked in the upstairs bathroom. She won’t come out.” Henry dragged a hand through his mussed hair. “I’m really sorry.”
Danielle poked her head inside the door. When she saw it was Henry, she stepped in and planted her fists on her hips. “What are you doing here?”
He jabbed his thumb toward his toolbox. “I have the part I need to finish the work on the upstairs bathroom.”
“I don’t want you here when I’m not here.” Danielle’s harsh words competed with the deafening sound of the alarm.
Henry tipped his head and lifted a brow. “Think you can take care of that before I go deaf?”
Danielle narrowed her gaze at Henry. “Turn around.” When he did, she punched in the code, and the kitchen fell quiet. She spun around. “Where’s Jenny?”
“She won’t come out of the bathroom. I think the alarm freaked her out.”
“You stay here.” Danielle gave Henry a pointed stare.
Patrick picked up the rusted, red toolbox, was surprised by its weight and handed it to Henry. “You’ll have to finish the job another day. But make sure you clear it first, okay?”
Henry nodded. Worry seemed to widen his eyes. “I’m not going to lose my job over this, am I? I really need the money for school.”
“Just let it blow over. Go on now.” Patrick tipped his head toward the door. Henry started to walk out and Patrick called him back. “Is there anything else you’d like to tell me?”
Henry shook his head. “No, sir.”
“I’ve heard some disturbing information about you.” Henry’s eyes flared wide. “I’ll be looking into it.” Patrick pointed at Henry’s chest. “Word to the wise, keep your nose clean.”
“Yes, sir, but I had nothing to do with Jenny’s accident.”
Patrick’s intuition perked up and his eyes narrowed. “Never said you did. But know this, we’re watching you.”