by Jill S. Behe
Her nose wrinkled, imagining the action, but still wouldn’t look at him.
“He was in a foul mood—with acid bubbling in his gullet—when I got there, so I took him to lunch. Thought if he had food in his belly, the acid wouldn’t keep eating at his stomach lining. When we got back, I gave him the list. Then I said how I wanted to bring you in with me to explain more, and he…made me angry.” It was probably better if she wasn’t mad at the chief of police, too. He raked a hand through his hair. “If I hadn’t pushed him to listen, or to eat….If I’d just gone home instead of talking to him, I wouldn’t feel—”
“Feel what?” Damn. That had done it. The temper cooled. Now she turned. “What’s wrong, Decker? Why did his comment bother you so much?”
“Other than he should know me better than that?” He shook his head. “I don’t know. He was pissed, which you predicted, that I hadn’t kept him in the loop. Said he’d only brought me in on the case figuring I’d ‘come clean.’ Come Clean! Like I was a damn suspect.”
“What are you afraid of?”
He sat on the sofa, head leaned back, palms over his eyes. “I’m terrified Carin is mixed up in this. I won’t let my brain fathom it, not on any level. And if she’s not involved, what if the killer has her? She hasn’t returned my phone calls. She always calls back. Always.”
Teal knelt in front of him, hands on his knees. “You need to go see Levi. If you don’t clear up this breach, the killer is going to win. I’m not saying you have to apologize, but you two need to talk about this. You’re friends. About as close to brothers as I’ve ever seen without actually being blood related. If you want me there, I will be, but this is between you two. Your history together is too long and complicated to let this become a major thing.”
“Sorry, I’m going to change the subject, sort of.” He sat up and caught her hands. “The other thing that terrifies me is your routine of going to the nursery alone. How many other people are around when you get there?”
“The nursery? What does that have—?”
“Please, Teal.”
“Okay. Well, Marian is always on the register, and sometimes her husband Zack is in the back, but there’s usually no one in the warehouse when I go in.”
“Holy flytraps, Spiderman. A warehouse? Where is this place?”
Hesitant, not sure what had him so upset, Teal explained, “There’s a big greenhouse behind the flower shop. It’s huge, like a warehouse, only for plants. Nothing’s happened there. I get the flowers I want and go back to the shop. Marian rings everything up, and I take the receipt back to Mrs. Chapel, the library director.”
Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn. He took a breath, fear had his heart stuttering. But he needed to show her a calm face, even when that was the last thing he was feeling. “A favor? Please?”
“Another one? Decker, what’s wrong? Why—?”
“May I go with you next time?”
“Oh, well. Of course.” Head tilted. “You can be my slave and carry all the flowers.”
“I can do that.” He gave her hands a squeeze. “Teal, do you understand why this is such a big concern for me?”
“I guess that means you cogitated on it.”
“I haven’t had time. But from what you just told me, I don’t think I have to anymore. You really don’t know why, do you?”
“No. Not really. It’s something I do, like part of my job. I don’t think about it.”
He tugged. “Come up here, please.”
She sat beside him.
“There is a killer out there who, we are both aware, has you in his sights. You tell me you routinely go alone to an isolated warehouse to get flowers for the library. How fast do you think Marian or Zack could react if you were in the middle, or all the way in the back of that warehouse, and screamed?”
Her whole body went cold. “Oh my god, Decker! I never— It never entered my mind that I’d be followed.”
“What if you weren’t followed? What if the killer knows when you’ll be there, has systematically been studying your routines, and goes in early to wait for you? Are there any security cameras? Even if the place doesn’t open until 9, could someone pick the lock and waltz in to wait?”
She blinked, blindsided. Couldn’t quite catch her breath. A hand went to her belly. “Oh god. I’m going to be sick.”
He grabbed both hands, and squeezed. “No, you’re not. You are going to be more aware now. Just like that day at the market when the car came out of nowhere. You have to be on alert, aware of your surroundings. Aware of who is around you.”
Icy fingers circled his biceps. Her voice a whisper. “Decker, please stop scaring me.”
He leaned his forehead on hers. “Sweetheart, I want you to be safe. If you don’t know what the danger is, you won’t be. Now you do. And, I’ll make sure, if at all possible, I’m with you as much as I can be. Now, I’ll ask the question again. Do you understand why this is a concern for me?”
“Yes, crap, I do now.”
“When is your next trip to the nursery?”
“Thursday. I’m usually there right when they open.”
“I’ll pick you up. Okay?”
“Yes, please.”
“Are you still pissed at me?”
“I was never— Just…irked.”
“Still?”
“Not so much.”
“Good.”
“Not so much.”
“What?”
“Now I’m scared to death.”
“That’s what I’m here for.”
Mouth pinched, she punched his arm. “That’s not very reassuring. You’re the one who scared the bejesus out of me.”
“Sorry. But, I am going to keep you safe.”
“Don’t make promises like that.”
“It’s true.”
“You aren’t bulletproof.” She grabbed his face. “I want you just as safe. If you get hurt, or worse, trying to keep me safe, I’m going to be very very pissed. At you.”
He grinned. “Thanks.”
Her eyes rolled. “Such a macho idiot.”
Bella barked.
“See, she agrees.”
Decker eyed at his blonde pet. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
She barked twice, then woofed.
He frowned.
“So when are you going to talk to Levi?”
“Does a phone call count?”
She nodded. “But—”
“I know, but I need to talk to him face-to-face.”
“You do. This case is driving you both crazy. If you can patch things up quickly, it will smooth the road, so to speak.”
“You’re right. Want me to follow you back to town?”
She leaned away. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“Never.”
She waited.
“Would you like to start going through Liz’s things with me?”
“Start?”
“I was cleaning out her spare closet when you…startled me.”
“I startled you? Good Lord, Decker. You nearly stopped my heart. For about three seconds, I think it did. I’ve never had anyone pull a gun on me before. It’s very disconcerting. It freezes the brain, momentarily. Well, it did mine–along with the skipped heartbeats.”
“I said I was sorry.”
“Sorry?”
He cleared his throat. “But we don’t have to go through all of her stuff today. And to be honest, I don’t have any empty boxes.”
Obviously, when he was skirting an issue, the man had a one-track mind.
Teal scrunched her nose and blew out a breath. “I guess that’s the best apology I can expect.”
He frowned. “What else can I say? I will make it up to you. I promise.”
“You’d better. So, okay. Let’s go take a look and see what’s what. We can get boxes at one of the department stores in town.”
“Good idea.” He got to his feet, pulling her with him. “Seriously Teal, how traumatized are you?”
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“Truth be told? When that gun was pointed at me, I was stunned. And for about, well, several seconds at least, I was pretty shaky. And then mad as hell. But not afraid, not really. I never had any expectation of being shot. I don’t think I’m traumatized, and right at this moment, I’m not mad, either.”
“I can’t apologize enough.”
Shaking her head, she ran her hands up and down his arms. “You have good reflexes, and superb control.”
He took her hand, leading her to the steps. “Thank you for that, but it doesn’t make me feel any better.”
Bella woofed from the front door.
Decker turned, reaching for his gun with one hand, and pushing Teal behind him with the other. “What is it, girl?”
Bella faced the door, tail wagging.
Decker relaxed and re-holstered, staring out the window. “I know that car. Looks like we’re going to have a face-to-face sooner rather than later.” He opened the door.
Levi stood, hat in hand, on the other side. His face said I-really-really-really-don’t-want-to-be-here-right-now.
Chapter 29
Decker nodded a greeting. “Levi.”
“Decker.” The cop twirled his hat. “May I come in? I have some things I need to say. Then you can boot me out, if you want.”
“Come ahead. I was going to stop by to see you a little later.”
Levi looked at Teal halfway up the stairs, half a smirk appearing. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Decker squinted. “Are you trying to piss me off again?”
The lawman ran a hand through his hair. “No, just—”
Rolling her eyes, Teal descended quickly and moved between them, and closed the door. Curling a hand around their upper arms, she led them further into the house. “Why don’t you two go into the living room? I’ll make coffee.”
The men looked at each other, shrugged and…swaggered into the other room.
Shaking her head, Teal headed for the kitchen. She could hear their voices as she leaned against the counter and bowed her head, silently praying they weren’t both as bullheaded as she feared.
Levi sat in the over-stuffed chair next to the couch. “I’m sorry I took out my bad mood on you.”
Decker took a seat on sofa. “I’m sorry I walked out.”
Clearing his throat, Levi admitted, “You had cause.”
“I did, yes. But, if I’d been up front about all this sooner, we wouldn’t be where we are right now.”
Levi shook his head. “I was taking out my pain and…my frustration, on you. Tried to find something to be mad at you about, and found it. That wasn’t right.” He cleared his throat, again. “Deck, we’ve been friends a long time. Please tell me I didn’t damage that beyond repair.”
Decker chuckled. “You always did exaggerate the molehill, LT. It would take a Herculean effort on your part to damage what we have.”
Teal, standing in the doorway with a loaded tray, realized her fears were unfounded. Seemed just the opposite was true.
“Geez, you two sound like a pair of drama queens. You’re men. Grown men. Or you’re supposed to be.” She set the tray, with enough force to have the cups rattling, on the coffee table. “You were in the Marines together, for pity’s sake. Men of valor? Huh. Quit with the petty hurt feelings already, put on your big boy pants, and get on with it.”
Levi looked at Decker, and grinned. “Bossy bitch, ain’t she?”
Decker grinned back. “Mighty pretty about it, too.”
Teal breathed out a sigh—mentally. She’d been worried about them both, would be for a while yet, but now, apparently, they were back on good terms.
Handing a hot mug of coffee to Levi, Teal’s curiosity won. “Why does he call you LT? Were you a lieutenant in the Marines?”
“I knew that was going to come up, sooner or later.”
Decker snorted, and shook his head. “It’s his name.”
Levi glared at his friend. “Neither of us was an officer.”
“Then—?” She glanced at Decker. “His last name starts with a K not a T.”
“Yeah, but his middle name does.”
Considering, she glanced at one man, then back at the other. “And you’re not—either of you—going to tell me what it stands for. Are you?”
“Not in this lifetime.” Levi’s voice was tight, and he continued his narrow-eyed stare.
“Because?”
In unison. “Blood oath.”
She grimaced. “Blood? I’ve heard of the spit-in-the-hand oath. Is blood more important?”
Levi’s stare intensified. “Yeah. It means I can kill him if he ever tells.”
“What?”
“Part of the Boys Rules of Best Friendship.” Decker shrugged, rubbing the white ridge on his palm. “Still have the scar.”
“How old were you?”
“Six.”
“Six? Good grief.”
“It all started the first day of first grade.”
Levi sighed. “Hell. The whole year was hell from that day on.”
She switched her focus. “It’s that bad?”
Decker laughed. “Not to his parents. But to a six year old kid, whose name’s being called out, in roll call by his teacher, for the whole class to hear?” He guffawed. “Oh yeah. Poor kid looked like he’d been in the sun too long.”
Teal’s jaw dropped at Decker’s apparent callousness towards his friend. “Decker, that’s cruel. Do you find yours an embarrassment? Parents put a lot of thought into what they want to name their children.”
Eyebrows rose. “As yours did?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Most normal parents.”
“Most.”
Teal crossed her arms. “You’re not ever going to tell me, are you?”
“Mine? Probably, eventually. But his?” He shook his head. “Nope. As we mentioned….Blood oath. I haven’t broken my part of the bargain, to date. In a way, it forged our friendship. That, and him saving my life the next winter. Well, that wasn’t the only time, but it was the first.”
Levi nodded, remembering. “Yeah, we were about inseparable after that.”
It appeared her initial assumption that Decker was uncaring of his friend’s feelings was unfounded. A point in his favor.
She waited, but neither man elaborated. Still, she’d gleaned the hint of some other background information she’d have to ferret out of her man. But not today.
Huh. Her man. Had a nice ring to it.
“This blood oath? You said you have a scar? From what?”
“How do you usually get blood?”
Eyes wide. “You stabbed each other?”
“Where did you grow up?” Decker set his cup on the coffee table. “Oh, sorry, I forgot you didn’t have siblings.”
“No, I didn’t have siblings, but I had best friends in school. We never…mutilated ourselves for a promise.”
Levi chuckled. “Definite difference in girl oaths and boy oaths.”
She frowned. “Apparently.”
“We needed something stronger than a pinkie-swear.”
Mouth scrunched, eyes slitted—but twinkling with humor. “Careful there, Mr. Brogan. That ice you’re skating on is very thin. Pinkie-swears are serious business.”
“Ah. My apologies. But, it’s true. The scar on my hand? From my pocket knife. Mom always thought I fell and cut it on a rock.”
“Oh dear lord.” Teal rolled her eyes. “Sounds more like morons, to me.”
“Hey.” Grinning. “I got to stay home from school because I couldn’t use my hand for a week until the stitches came out. And, I pulled them out myself.”
“Ooh. Macho even at that young age.”
Levi cleared his throat. “Mine wasn’t as deep, and because—” His fingers made quote signs, “I cut it on a rusty nail.’ Mom dragged me to the doctor’s office for a Tetanus shot. Not as cool as getting stitches, but she made sure I was very aware that I could have gotten lockjaw, and then where would I be? And, did I realize it could have k
illed me?” He laughed. “Mom was pretty dramatic, sometimes.”
“I don’t blame her. Geez.” Teal was trying to contain her mirth. And losing. “See what happens when you lie? Your poor mothers.”
“Yeah, they put up with a lot from us.”
“You two were twins in another life, I swear.”
Levi and Decker looked at each other and laughed.
“Hey now, LT, there’s an idea we never thought of before.”
“Good deal. She could be right, too.”
Teal shook her head, but was smiling. “All right. That’s enough. Let’s get this train headed in the right direction.”
It was time to disturb the sleeping hornets.
“You’re both holding a good hand of cards, but this is the moment to lay them all out on the table. ALL of them. Then I’ll add a few of my own.” She took a seat next to Decker. “The coffee is probably cold by now, but please help yourself. If you need refills, the pot’s in the kitchen.”
Decker reached for the little pitcher of cream, added a dollop to his cups. “I’ll start the…confessions.”
“No.” Levi stirred two teaspoons of sugar in his, and a generous amount of cream. “I should go first.”
“No.” Teal snuggled a little closer to Decker on the sofa. “I think I should.”
“Okay, Teal.” Levi took a quick sip. “Mmm. Good coffee, but not as hot as I usually drink it. So, talk.”
Another eye roll. “Thanks. Decker knows most of this. I have an extra ability, a talent that tends to freak people out most of the time. I can sense when something is going to happen, or know certain details of an event that already took place—good or bad. I inherited mine from my mom, and she from hers. Since my mom died within a day or two of my birth, Gran taught me how to use what I have. And laid it on pretty thick that I was only to use it for good, and not for personal gain.
“For the most part, especially since Gran died, I’ve preferred not to use it at all. But then I met Decker, and it’s been manifesting itself whether I want it to or not.
“This ability can be an asset, but it’s also unreliable. At least, my version has been, so far. And that could be because I haven’t maintained it.”
“What do you mean by maintained?”