TRUE HERO: A Romantic Suspense Novel (True Hearts Series Book 1)

by Susan Owensby

  Slowing myself more for a few blocks, I finally slowed to a walk and grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket. I dialed Shane at home. I got his voicemail and that set my temper off. Fuck Shane, answer the damn phone. I dialed him again. Answering the second call, I started rambling in great detail about what just happened without so much as a greeting to my brother.

  “Jonah, its barely six-thirty in the morning. What the hell are you doing by her place anyway?” Shane replied with a yawn.

  I filled him in about the situation at the diner and the tires. That got his attention.

  “Ok man, but don’t blow this out of proportion. Did you see the person in the vehicle? Get a license plate number? Did he get out of the vehicle at all?” Shane shot out quickly.

  Answering no on all counts. I said, “Come on Shane, this can’t be a coincidence! First the grocery store, then last night with the tires and now a van sitting outside her house. There is fucking no way it is! What have you found out about Ally? Anything that can help us?”

  “Jonah, look, I dug as much as I dared yesterday and so did Brent. Something is way off here and I don’t have a good feeling about it at all. But you can’t guarantee this van is related to the other events at this point. That part of town has a bunch of families with teenagers in them. It could very well have been some dumb kid. Don’t go chasing ghosts that aren’t there at this point. Let’s concentrate on what we do know to be fact and go from there. Got it?” Shane finished in a calming voice to me.

  “Alright Shane, I am headed back to the house and will be in by eight,” I said.

  “Oh Jonah?” Shane left an open-ended question at me.

  “What?”

  “Quit stalking her until we know if she needs it or not. You really need to chill out before you smother her and end up pushing her away. Ok? Now get your ass moving SEAL!” Then Shane hung up on me. Just like that.

  Chapter Ten

  Ally

  What the hell was that? Waking up to a sound that I didn’t recognize, I jumped out of bed and ran to the cupboard above the fridge. Way in the back inside a locked case, I kept my grandma’s Glock she named Bessie. My grandmother had taught me to shoot when I was in my early teens and we went to the gun range every week. Grams felt it was important for a single woman to know how to handle a gun so she could protect herself. When the gun was loaded, I headed towards the back of the house where I had heard the sound.

  Oh, my god! Someone was trying to get in the back door! I took another step into the laundry room. Owwww, damn it! I hopped on one foot, clutching my other, now wounded foot. I forgot that I left the stepstool out and kicked it by accident with my foot. As it hit the washing machine with a loud bang, I flipped on the light in the room. With the element of surprise gone, I could hear the would-be intruder screeching and howling as if World War III had begun. A damn cat? Seriously?

  It was just after dawn and getting lighter outside. I ran to the living room skirting Mr. Back Breaker and flipped on the light. The gun trembled in my right hand as I tentatively pulled back the curtain to peek out the window. I could just barely make out a man getting quickly into the van on the passenger side while the man on the driver’s side just sat there, gunning the damn engine and staring at me peeking through the window. I hurriedly flipped the light off and went to the other window to see if I could get the license plate. Just as I read it off, the driver peeled out. I sank against the wall and slid until I sat on the floor. Thank you, God.

  Carefully putting the safety back on, I gently set the gun just under the folded-out bed and grabbed the notebook by the lamp, writing the number down. Great Ally you got the number but what good does it do you? It’s not like you’re going to call the cops. As I waited for my heart to stop pounding, I got up, unloaded Bessie and stashed it back in its secure location.

  I tiptoed to Sam’s room and leaned against the door, listening. Nothing. Relief washed over me as I went to the bathroom to splash water on my face. I should have called my contact last night, damn it. Going to the kitchen, I made Sam’s lunch and contemplated on what my next step would be while my life’s blood brewed. Maybe I should talk to Jonah and tell him everything. It would feel so good just to let it all out and give some of this burden to someone that wouldn’t mind helping to carry it. Could I trust him? There was something about him that the very essence of my soul called to. One word came to me in an instant. Mine. I wanted Jonah to be mine.

  That realization startled me so much that I didn’t hear Sam shuffle into the kitchen to tell me he was hungrier than Grandpa Frank was at dinner last night. Shaking myself out of my musings, I grabbed his bowl, spoon and cereal while he grabbed the milk.

  “Good morning, buddy. Did you sleep well?” I asked as I poured his milk and cereal.

  “I slept good, Mom. I dreamed that guy Jon was our hero, too. It has to be him I know it.” He declared to me with such certainty then dug into his cereal with the gusto of a starving piglet at feeding time. Shocked I just stood there.

  “Sam, his name is Jonah and we all dream. That doesn’t mean they are true. I am going to go lay out your clothes and get dressed. I will be right back.” I ruffled his messy bedhead as I walked out of the kitchen.

  After I had gotten Sam securely on the bus, I had time to go home and think things through. Tidying up the kitchen and prepping for dinner tonight, I realized this would be the first weekend I had off in forever. Short day today and two full days off. It would be heaven. My gut had been so twisted up these last few days and this was just what I needed. Time off. Fun. Freedom from the confines of my worries for just a bit. I decided to put everything bad that had happened, in the farthest reaches of my mind until I had concrete proof that we were really in trouble. Both Sam and I loved it here and wanted to stay. Now I had to put some faith in myself and a few friends praying this wasn’t another mistake I was making. It was the right decision, at least for now.

  Suddenly remembering my upcoming date with Jonah, butterflies took flight in my stomach. Putting a hand there and rubbing gently, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Then I whispered, Are you really the one Jonah? I finished up the dinner prep and put it all in the fridge for later. Grabbing my keys from the hook by the fridge, I headed over to Frannie’s house to see if she would be able to watch Sam Saturday evening. I knew she wasn’t scheduled to work, since we both work at Dine With Us and she only worked part-time. But hey, maybe she had a date of her own. I laughed out loud as I locked the door securely and thought of Frank as I walked over to Frannie’s.

  Knocking on Frannie’s door, I took stock of how beautiful her spring tulips were. Tulips in bloom signaled spring was here. It was a brisk morning and I had chosen to wear my heavier jacket to ward off the chill. The air was filled with the delicious aroma of something baking and my mouth began to water. The spicy, sweet scent of cinnamon assailed my nostrils. My stomach growled at the thought of something sweet.

  Just as I was about to pray that her amazing monkey bread was the source of the smell, the door swung open and there she was, my Frannie. She opened the screen door and waved me in as she hurried back to the kitchen. I followed closely behind and arrived just in time to see her pour the homemade vanilla glaze slowly all over the monkey bread. Amen! The answer to whatever ailed you sat right there in a Bundt pan. A little piece of heaven here on earth. Frannie, her baking, her smile and her aura were so much like my grams that my eyes glistened just being near her.

  This beautiful person brought me comfort, kindness and pure love while expecting nothing in return. Sam and I loved her to the moon and back. She was part of our home, our family and as I thought back about my urge to panic and run, I knew we couldn’t leave her. She and Frank put us back together piece by piece over the last three years. The last missing piece? Well, maybe, just maybe, that would be Jonah. Time would tell.

  “Good morning to you, Ally dear. How are you today? Sit, sit dear and I will get you a cup of coffee and a big slice of monkey bread,” she to
ld me as I removed my coat to hang it on the back of my chair.

  “Thank you, Frannie. This is just what I needed today. You know I adore your baking,” I said as I sat down. “So, Frannie my love, Sam told me he saw you kissing Frank last night,” I stated in an even tone, but emphasized the word kissing.

  Frannie spun around quickly. Her face was beet red and her mouth hung open so wide she could catch flies. I started laughing so hard and got up to embrace the woman I had come to love so much.

  “Frannie, I think it is wonderful. Amazing to be honest. I knew from the beginning that you and Frank were just right for each other. Stop looking so shocked, young lady. Yes, I knew you each were smitten with the other since the day you started working there. I just don’t understand what took you so long,” I said giggling.

  Frannie looked at me, straightened her spine. “Yes, he kissed me, Ms. Nosey Pants, but on the cheek, which is right and proper,” she told me all in one breath and then added, “and I sure as hell hope it’s on the lips next time.”

  I just stood there and stared.

  “Close your mouth, dear. I am a red-blooded woman you know.” I gave her my version of a bear hug, then proceeded to jump up and down, dancing around her kitchen. Grabbing her hands, I made her dance with me. After a few minutes of carefree silliness, we sat down to drink our coffee, and eat our monkey bread.

  “Frannie, I need a favor. Would you be able to watch Sam this Saturday evening for a few hours?” I asked almost shyly.

  “Well of course dear, I love my Sammy and he is always welcome here any time. You don’t even need to ask me. But you do need to tell me where you are going and better yet with whom will you be going.” A knowing smile covered her face.

  My cheeks flushed at her question. I was nervous to answer her, but I didn’t really know why. The anticipation of finally admitting it out loud, maybe?

  “Jonah Bradford asked me on a date Frannie. I am scared, nervous, and excited all at the same damn time,” I said all in one flourish.

  The people over in the next county probably heard Frannie laughing and then running around the house screaming, “I won! I won! I won! I flipping won! Woooohoooooooooo!” Then she broke into song, an old one, “Celebration, come one! Come on and celebrate with me!”

  I was utterly floored. What. The. Hell was wrong with her?

  She grabbed my hand and said to me, “It’s your turn to dance and sing with me now, my love.”

  Grabbing me she turned on her old compact disc player and searched for a disc she wanted as I stood there dumb founded. Moments after popping the disc in, music flowed from the speakers. I giggled when I heard the lyrics, the song Celebration. Frannie started singing and dancing again. After a few minutes her enthusiasm was contagious and I joined her.

  Why were we dancing? Hell, if I knew, but I was just going with it and enjoying myself. Music was a part of my soul and there was no turning down Earth, Wind and Fire. For about ten minutes that was what we did, danced until we were both breathless and sweaty.

  Frannie turned the music off and we both stumbled back to the table, plopping down in the chairs. We sat there like a couple of teenagers giggling while we ate.

  “Frannie, I love your music choices, but why in the world were you running around screaming ‘I won! I won!’ like a lunatic?” I asked as I stuffed my last bit of cinnamon goodness in my mouth.

  She just beamed at me and said, “I won the town bet, my lovely girl. I won.”

  “So, the bet was real? Like for real, real? Oh, my god Frannie, that is so embarrassing,” I mumbled as I hung my head.

  She reached over and with a tender touch, lifted my chin gently and said, “Oh my darling, this is wonderful. Not for me, but for you and Jonah. It’s about damn time you stopped hiding from him and he found enough balls to finally ask you out!”

  I couldn’t help myself anymore, I let out a big belly laugh at her statement and jumped up to hug her again.

  “Thank you, Frannie. Thank you for being in my life. I love you.” As I hugged her, I breathed in her essence and sent a silent thank you to Grams for putting Frannie in our path. I knew she was responsible, I just knew it.

  After leaving Frannie’s, I rushed to get ready for my half shift at work and then forgot I didn’t have a car to get there. Literally smacking myself on the forehead, I pondered who I could call for a lift. Well, Frank was already at the diner and Frannie left to do errands. Bella! I called her, but got the voicemail. Shit, it looked like I would be walking. Son of a bitch. I was so freaking blonde sometimes. Oh well, I needed the exercise. But damn the diner was a good six miles away. Grabbing my purse, cell phone and keys, I locked up tight and headed out on foot to work, knowing I would never make it in time.

  Chapter Eleven

  Jonah

  By the time, I got to work Shane was elbow-deep in a meeting with a new client discussing employee security clearance. Most companies these days vetted prospective employees to the fullest extent legally. That was where we came in. At Bradford Securities, it was one of our specialties. We had numerous employees, including Shane and myself with top level government security clearances. We could delve deeper than the average employer any day. Because this was the part of the business my brother and I built, we took a lot of pride in our work. I had no doubt that Shane would get the new client to sign on the dotted line. Heading to my office to catch up on some work, I checked in to see if my IT guys had any luck finding more on Ally than I had. Somehow, I doubted it.

  It was early afternoon when Shane came in to brag about signing our newest client. “I am on a roll, big brother! That is two new clients in two months now. I think I deserve a bonus. A beautiful one that is blonde, blue eyed and stacked. Boom baby! What are you up to this weekend, Jonah?” Shane inquired and I knew he was really fishing to know about my plans regarding Ally.

  “Well, tomorrow we will both be at the signups, idiot. But, then I have a date later with the most beautiful brunette in town.” I threw at Shane to make him jealous.

  “No fucking way! She said yes? To you? After all this time? Fuck man, I lost. Shit, I lost fifty freaking dollars on that stupid bet,” Shane said to me with obvious disappointment.

  “Fuck that damn bet, you asshole! You bet against me didn’t you, bubby?” I spit out with pure sarcasm knowing he hated his childhood nickname. I just sat there and smiled like that cat that ate the canary. “You should never bet against me when it’s about something or in this case, someone, I want more than the air that I breathe.”

  “Have you or Brent been able to dig up anything at all on Ally? Our guys are at a dead-end without pushing too far. I held them back so we didn’t set off any alarms anywhere,” I told Shane.

  “I warned you about that Jonah. Be very careful or you could wake up one day and Ally and Sam will just be gone, as if they were figments of your deranged imagination. Neither Brent nor I have come up with a damn thing. Yet. I still have some feelers out but it could take a while to hear back from them. They are deep undercover and can only relay information back occasionally. So, keep with your plan to get her to trust you. Right now, it’s the best bet. I also think you should talk to Frank. He is retired Army and a Ranger at that. Don’t count him out because of his age. That man is still a badass at sixty. He could very well help us keep an eye on them. From what I have seen he would take it personally if you didn’t clue him in,” Shane finished telling me as my cell phone rang.

  I looked down to see who it was. I didn’t recognize the number and decided to hit end, sending it to voicemail. Setting down the phone on my inherited desk that was once Dad’s, I thought over what Shane had said. He was right. He had an excellent record of investigation and his instincts were on point as usual.

  “Ok, you and Brent keep digging. I will talk with Frank and see if he knows anything, not that I think he would tell me, but I need to start somewhere,” I said feeling as if we were on the same page.

  Right then my phone rang again and it was t
he same number. Aggravated that it was likely a telemarketing call, I answered like an angry grizzly bear woken from hibernation early, “Hello?”

  “Hello, Jonah?” a female voice spoke panicked in my ear.

  “Who is this?”

  “Bella.”

  “Bella who?”

  “I work at the diner with Ally.”

  “Oh, ok. What can I do for you Bella?” I calmed down and listened politely. Sitting up straight in my chair, all of a sudden sent Shane into detective mode and had him leaning closer so he could hear her too.

  “When was the last time she called you Bella?” I looked down at my watch while Shane did the same thing.

  “She called me like fifteen times, Jonah. And now when I call her back, it just goes to voicemail. I am so worried, I called the diner, but they said she never showed up for work. She is never late for work, like ever,” Bella told me in a scared voice.

  “I understand, Bella. But could you please tell me what time was the last message Ally left you?” I asked again trying to hold my temper.

  “That was about, hmmm, almost an hour and a half ago. She never made it to work which only takes her a few minutes. I’m so worried Jonah. I called Frannie too, but she doesn’t have her cell phone turned on. Only a house phone and she didn’t answer either. It’s her day off so, she is most likely out shopping. What should I do?” the girl actually whined at me for Christ’s sake.

  Gritting my teeth, it dawned me what the problem was.

  “Did anyone bother to offer her a ride to work considering her tires were slashed last night and she had no transportation for today?” I ground out the question.