Loving the Texas Lawman_A Texas Lawman Romantic Suspense

by Mary Connealy

  “It’s not a gift you have to receive. It’s freely offered whether you want it or not.”

  “Well, I’ve got something to offer you.” Watson dropped his hand and produced a 9 mm Glock. Ben had his gun in his hand before Watson’s cleared the island.

  Ben leveled his gun, hating what he had to do. His finger tightened on the trigger.

  A dull thud drew Ben’s attention away from Watson’s rising weapon.

  Watson’s eyes crossed. His mouth sagged open and the gun fell below the countertop just before Watson sank out of sight.

  Trudy stood behind him holding a decorative stone. Trudy’s eyes followed Watson’s fall. She bent over, pulled the gun away from him, and laid it on the countertop as if she were touching a rattlesnake.

  Ben picked up Watson’s gun and flicked on the safety. He tucked his own weapon into the small of his back and came around the island to stand beside Trudy.

  Trudy gave Ben the most relaxed smile he’d ever seen on her face. She bent over her tormentor’s still form and said, “I forgive you, too, Ralph.”

  23

  Eleanor stood in the doorway to Trudy’s kitchen, wringing her hands. Trudy thought she was a vision in a bright blue sweat suit and sponge curlers. “Are they going to lock him up this time?”

  “I want my lawyer,” Watson snarled as he fought against the cuffs. “I know my rights.” He sat on the hall floor, hands secured behind his back. He’d regained consciousness before the ambulance arrived and along with a lawyer he was fighting the medical examination.

  Trudy had untied Eleanor and they’d gotten back downstairs, dressed now, about the time the first patrol car showed up. A crime scene unit was hard on their heels. Since they had Trudy and Ben as witnesses, and Watson cuffed and waiting, there wasn’t much to investigate. They now waited for the lawyer that Watson demanded non-stop at the top of his lungs.

  Trudy gave Watson a nervous glance. “Of course, they’re going to lock him up. We caught him red-handed. Didn’t we, Ben?

  Ben had finished briefing the CS Unit, which then busied itself spreading fingerprint dust all over the house.

  Eleanor crossed her arms and scowled. “We have to vacate by tomorrow. I’ve got to clean this mess up.”

  Trudy glanced at the wall clock. “You mean by today.”

  Ben grunted. “No way he walks. We already had a warrant out for him, which he’s been hiding from, which makes him a flight risk. He violated the restraining order; and B&E is a felony. And as a convicted felon, he’s not allowed to own a gun, another felony. He threatened you with it, and worst of all…”

  Ben grinned at Trudy until she wanted to smack him. Or maybe hug the daylights out of him. She hadn’t found out yet how he’d managed to show up in the nick of time.

  “Worst of all what? What can be worse than threatening to kill me?” Trudy’s eyes widened, “Well, except for succeeding, of course.”

  “He tried to kill me, a police officer. No way he gets bail.”

  Trudy frowned. “Why is it worse to shoot at you than me?”

  “I’ve never understood that myself.” Ben shrugged. “But it is.”

  Eleanor cleared her throat. “It is worse. As an officer of the law, Ben stands for justice, for order, for security.”

  “Don’t forget truth and the American way,” Ben interjected.

  “I want my lawyer,” Watson shouted as he struggled against the cuffs, as if he thought his civil rights could break tempered steel.

  “When an officer of the law is attacked, the perp isn’t just committing a crime; he’s attacking the defenders of the law.” Eleanor quit wringing her hands enough to sound indignant. “If criminals do that with impunity, we’d have anarchy. And that’s why it’s considered a more serious crime.”

  Ben rolled his eyes. “I just think it makes other cops mad. I’ll bet, right now, every college professor who’s heard about this is mad on Tru’s behalf. But professors don’t work a night shift, so not that many have heard about it. Plus, they don’t have cool radios to spread the word. And, since professors don’t carry guns on their hips, you don’t notice it so much when they’re upset.”

  “You’re violating my rights. I just wanted to talk to her.” Watson twisted his body and lunged at Trudy.

  A uniformed officer caught Watson by the shoulder before he even made it to his knees and pushed him down. “Let’s load him in the cruiser, Detective Garrison. He’s a pest.”

  “Leave him there for now.” Ben nodded at the floor. “I’d like to see his lawyer myself.”

  Ben turned to Trudy. “You seem different, like you’re not so furious at Watson anymore.”

  Trudy nodded. “The weight is gone. I’m not sure why.”

  “Even the anger at Liz? Or do you want to find her and whack her over the head with a rock, too?”

  “I think I’m over Liz.”

  “The money’s not going to matter anyway.”

  “You’re right. I think I can finish my book now. The advance plus selling everything I can, will clear all my debts, including the IRS, and allow me to rent an apartment.”

  “That’s great, but that’s not why your money problems are solved.” Ben looked like he wanted to hum.

  The night had been good. Watson couldn’t lawyer his way out of this, and Trudy’s writer’s block was over. “Why do you think they’re solved?”

  “Because you’re going to sue Watson for every penny he’s worth.”

  “I’ll kill you before you get a dime of my money.” Watson roared and sprang at Trudy again.

  The uniformed officer grabbed his shoulder. “Keep it up, buddy. You’re resisting arrest and making terroristic threats.”

  “Could you send him to Guantanamo Bay with the other terrorists?” Eleanor scowled at Watson. “I hear it’s really hot down there.”

  “Do you think I should sue him?” Trudy tried to keep the gleam of greed out of her eyes. It suited her to get a little revenge. She didn’t want his disgusting money earned with those nasty books, but giving a woman all his money would punish Watson as much as a life sentence.

  “I think you and his wife and anybody else who can think of an excuse should sue him.” Ben’s brows arched and he grinned. “I might get in line myself. He pointed a gun at me. I might be traumatized. I might not be able to work.”

  “Cool it, Garrison.” Scott came in. “You’re sounding more like a wimp every day.”

  Trudy smiled. Her counseling must be working if Ben sounded like a wimp.

  “Why are you so cheerful?” Ben asked Trudy. “I mean, I know it felt good to paste this nutcase…”

  Watson crouched on the hallway tile, growling and glaring.

  “What happened to the anger and guilt over not forgiving or loving him? I’d think whacking him would have made that worse.”

  “You’d think.” Trudy shrugged. “I realized something, when I knew I had to stop him from hurting you.”

  “What?” Ben smiled at her. “How much you like me.”

  “No.”

  Ben’s smile faded.

  “I do like you. That’s just not what I realized.”

  Ben continued to watch her.

  “The thing is, there are different ways to love somebody. I can turn the other cheek all day long, but if Ralph isn’t going to stop hurting me, then I have to take steps to ensure my own safety. Once he’s confined, he can get all the counseling his fortune…”

  “What’s left of it after you and his wife are done with him,” Ben reminded her.

  “He scared the living daylights out of me, too.” Eleanor smiled like Ebenezer Scrooge before the ghost of Christmas future.

  Ben grinned at her. “Good girl.”

  Trudy needed to say this, in front of both of them. “God used force, through me, to get Ralph’s attention and put him in a place where he has no choice to but seek help.”

  Still grinning, Ben looked at Watson. “You’ll have plenty of time to seek help, buddy. I count four
felonies here tonight.”

  “Six,” Scott said. “With the three strikes rule, Watson isn’t stalking anybody for the rest of his life. Well,” Scott winked at Ben. “Not anybody without a rap sheet. I guess he could stalk other convicts.”

  Scott looked down at the growling, struggling Watson. “Be careful stalking the lifers, though. They hate that.”

  A uniform walked inside. “He’s got two more weapons in the car and one of them has been linked to some street crime. I suppose he might’ve knocked over a couple of convenience stores but more likely he gained possession of it through illegal means, plus he’s a felon, so if he’s been consorting with other felons to gain illegal access to the weapons…”

  “That’s eight.” Ben gave the enthusiastic kid a thumbs-up. “He’s so completely nailed.”

  “And this is Texas. So, he’ll spend his life in prison,” Eleanor said, eyes bright.

  The nicest feeling swept through Trudy: sleepiness. “He can get all the intensive personal counseling he wants. Me bashing him with that rock made that possible.”

  “I think I see another book in this approach, Tru-Blu. Tru Interventions: Rock.”

  Trudy laughed at Ben. “I’m outlining it in my head even as we speak.”

  “Maybe we oughta find Liz. Knocking a little sense into her would do you a world of good.”

  Trudy tilted her head as she considered it. “Maybe we should.”

  “You’ve created a monster, Ben,” Eleanor scolded.

  “How did you come to be in my house tonight anyway?” Trudy asked.

  Ben opened his mouth.

  “We need a statement.” Scott slapped Ben on the arm. “Quit flirting and get to work.” Scott grabbed Watson by the shirt front and hauled him to his feet. “We’ve got work to do at the stationhouse.”

  “I’m not leaving without my lawyer.” Watson scowled as Scott lugged him toward the door.

  Ben turned to Eleanor. “Would you excuse us, Eleanor? Tru and I need to talk.”

  “I’ll start cleaning up this mess.” Eleanor marched away, muttering about what a mess dusting for fingerprints made.

  Ben rested his hand on Trudy’s arm and gestured her toward the living room.

  “You were going to tell me how you came to be in my house.” Trudy looked around the perfectly proportioned room. It had been fun living in such a beautiful house. She sat on a folding chair.

  “No, I wasn’t.”

  “You weren’t?” Exhaustion hit Trudy hard, as if seeing Watson arrested had relaxed her enough to sleep.

  “No, I was going to ask you how we could end all our official relationships.”

  Trudy jerked fully awake. “You want to end our relationship?” She heard the dismay in her voice and tried to recover some poise. “I mean, not that we have a relationship.”

  Ben smiled a sad smile. “Tru, darlin’, we’ve got so many relationships, I have to take off my shoes to count them all.”

  Trudy smiled.

  “We’re teacher and student.”

  “You’re getting a really good grade, Ben. I’ve been meaning to tell you, your term paper…”

  “Later, Dr. Jennings.” Ben sat in a chair next to her. “We’re police and crime victim.”

  “That one’s about over.” Trudy held herself upright as the weight of her fear eased a little more. “Thank heavens.”

  Ben nodded and scooted his chair next to her. “We’re doctor and patient.”

  Trudy tilted her head a little. “Technically, I don’t think we ever managed that. You never paid me.”

  “And I was never that patient.”

  Trudy turned to him, smiling. “You were a great patient. You’ve made changes that have improved your life. You were easy to help because your problems weren’t rooted in pathology.”

  “Rooted in pathology?”

  “That means you weren’t enough of a flake to be a real test.”

  Ben shrugged. “Sorry.”

  “You never had the dysfunctional proclivities inherent in the truly…”

  Ben put his hand over her mouth. “Please, not at this hour of the night.”

  Trudy nodded behind Ben’s gentle hand.

  He stopped touching her, and she missed it.

  “So, I’d say that almost every possible relationship we have makes it illegal for me to ask you this next question.”

  Illegal? She wished he’d put his hand back.

  She leaned close. “I promise not to call a cop.”

  Silence stretched between them.

  He grinned at her.

  “What’s the question?” She waited.

  He kissed her.

  When she could talk again, she said, “That wasn’t a question.”

  “Oh, yes, it was.”

  Trudy narrowed her eyes at the impossible man. “Then here’s the answer.” She kissed him back.

  He smiled. “Just the answer I was hoping for.” He leaned toward her.

  “Do we need a chaperone in here?” Eleanor wielded a bucket and rag.

  Ben stood. “I think maybe we do.” He held out his hand and tugged Trudy to her feet. “I need to go. It’ll take all night to book Watson, so get some sleep, Tru-Blu.”

  He almost got away before she asked, “But what were you doing in my house?”

  Ben left without answering.

  Eleanor and Trudy exchanged a glance.

  “Any chance you can get some rest now?” Eleanor looked doubtfully at the smeared-up mess the crime scene techs had left behind.

  “I might.” Trudy looked up the long staircase. This was the last time she’d sleep here—or lay awake here, as the case may be. “I’m going to try. I’ve got class in the morning.”

  “And I’ll start cleaning.”

  “You should get some sleep, too, Eleanor.”

  Eleanor patted Trudy’s arm. “I’m good. One long night won’t hurt me. The new owners are supposed to arrive at ten in the morning. Then I’m done with this place. You’ll get up and go to work. I’ll go home and sleep all day.”

  “I should stay and help, but I’m out on my feet.” She reached for the banister and noticed her hand trembling. “I think I’m crashing from adrenaline overload.”

  Eleanor wrapped a stout arm around Trudy’s waist and helped her up the stairs. As sweet Eleanor tucked her into bed, Trudy was aware, in the way only an insomniac can be, of the fuzziness in her brain that signaled impending sleep. She said a prayer as her mind shut down.

  Her last thought was, “What was Ben doing in my house?”

  24

  “So, what were you doing at my house last night?”

  Ben rested a wrist on the steering wheel, pleased that it hadn’t occurred to her to call a cab to get to work. He remembered how long and hard she’d objected to riding with him at first. He wasn’t about to remind her she was safe. He liked carpooling with Tru-Blue Jennings.

  He glanced at her classy outfit. Designer stuff—he remembered it from Thanksgiving. Gray slacks and a white blouse with a black, gray and white plaid blazer. Her hair was tidy in its usual clip at the base of her neck. She had tiny gold balls in her ears and a single gold chain around her neck. Nothing fancy, just perfect.

  Or maybe the outfit just went out of its way to look perfect and expensive because it was lucky enough to get to hang around Tru.

  Since he didn’t want to answer her question, he announced, “I got word this morning that I’m being promoted to Detective First Grade.”

  Tru turned around, her face radiant in a big smile. “I saw you on the news this morning, standing next to the mayor when he announced it. That’s a two grade jump, isn’t it?”

  “Yep.” He wheeled his truck onto the interstate. He knew the way to the university like the back of his hand. “They said I was long overdue, said it like, Shazaam, how’d we overlook you for so long. I’m getting a commendation, too. Not specifically for this case but for my overall record.”

  “Wow.” Tru reached over and pat
ted his arm. “You really benefited from my counseling, then. It really helped you.”

  He controlled his squinting eyes, or at least he didn’t turn them on her. “I’d like to think arresting Watson had something to do with it. It’s a high profile bust. Stalking is always a tough case to make, and I did it.”

  Tru shrugged. “It helped that he managed to override my security system, break into my house, attack us both with a handgun—oh and tying Eleanor up, that counts as what? Taking a hostage? Assault? Kidnapping?”

  Waving a hand, Ben said, “Probably all of that.”

  “After that, it wasn’t such a tough case to make.”

  Ben wanted to remind her he’d saved her life. Sure, she saved him back, but his original rescue seemed to have gotten lost in the shuffle somehow—the shuffle in Tru’s head, at any rate.

  At least they’d noticed down at the precinct. Ben decided it was beneath him to beg for compliments, especially since he’d just gotten a sweet raise.

  “The mayor talked about how there’s no such thing as ‘rich man’s justice’ in good old Long Pine,” Tru added. “He sounded pretty proud of himself when he said money wouldn’t buy Watson out of trouble.”

  “As if his money didn’t do exactly that when we first brought him in months ago.”

  “It had to look good for him politically to announce your promotion right there on the morning news.”

  It pinched a little that she’d given herself the credit for his promotion and now she was throwing more credit toward the mayor’s political calculations. But he was in a chipper mood so he didn’t pursue it.

  “I liked the part where he insinuated O.J. Simpson would’ve been convicted in this town.”

  “Tough talk.” Tru snickered. “And of course, Watson attacking in my neighborhood didn’t hurt. It was like a slug fest between two financial forces of nature. Cullen Heights—that’s me with my lake house—versus the Bourne neighborhood where Watson lives. If this had happened in the gang infested area on the south side of town, no one would have turned a hair.”

  Ben looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. “We’ve done some good work reining in the gangs.”

  Tru patted him again.

  She wasn’t paying the right kind of adoring attention to him this morning. Ben thought of pulling over and giving her a good morning kiss. That would get her attention. “You know we didn’t really settle anything last night.”