“Are you ok? I never got a chance to really talk to you after we got you guys out of the mill. The police showed up and then after…
“Yeah, what was that all about? I mean the part where you and Kent were fighting AGAIN,” I said momentarily distracted. I was so happy to be sitting here alone with Jed, that I had forgotten that I was mad at him and Kent for fighting.
“We were trying to come to an understanding.”
“Well, did you?” I asked exasperated.
“For now,” he answered evasively.
“What was it about?”
“You heard him,” he said, trying to dodge the question.
He didn’t seem to want to talk about it. Well that was too bad. I still had things to say. I was looking forward to getting to know him better and how was I supposed to do that if he didn’t answer my questions. I took a risk and told him how I felt.
Jed grinned, “You sure are a nosy thing aren’t you?”
Indignant, I tried to snatch my hand out of his. He held on tighter. His grip was so much harder than mine that finally I just gave up.
“I never said, I didn’t like that about you,” he said laughing.
“You didn’t answer my questions either,” I shot back.
“True enough,” he said good-naturedly.
“Well.”
Sighing, he said reluctantly, “It was mostly about you and me, specifically about how I wasn’t good enough for you.”
“I am going to hurt Kent!” I said once again mortified. I thought we were past all this. He needs to stay out of my business.
“He loves you and is just worried about you.”
“I know,” I acknowledged, “So what happened?”
“He is ok with it now, provided I keep my hands to myself.”
Blushing, I said, “Is that everyone’s main goal in life? Don’t they have anything better to do than worry about what you are doing with your hands?”
“Apparently not,” Jed said amused at my reaction.
We sat there silently for a while, Jed turned on the radio and a song about teenage love was playing. The country music star singing had a beautiful voice, full of emotion. I felt the words deep in my soul. It felt as if the song was about us. I think Jed felt something also, because at a stop sign, he tugged on my arm and said gruffly. “Come sit over here next to me.”
Don’t tell me why, after years of making fun of a girl who rides in the middle seat, instead of in her own seat against the door, suddenly it sounded like a great idea.
Jed flipped up the console between us so that it was a solid bench across the front seat. Quickly undoing my seat belt, I scooted over to the middle seat and buckled back in. Jed let go of my hand and I felt his arm snake across my shoulders and wrap around me. Pulling me closer to him, I felt his warm breath on my head. “You scared me there for a minute back at the mill. When we pulled up and you weren’t there, I was afraid something bad had happened.”
“I just kept staring at the mill thinking of the possibility of Ollie lying in there, and I couldn’t resist going to check.”
“I see now why Kent says you always find trouble,” Jed said running his hand up and down my arm.
Distracted by the warmth from snuggling into Jed’s side, I couldn’t even muster up any indignation at that comment.
“That Martin guy sure seems liked trouble.”
Jed’s hand tightened on my arm. Abruptly he let go, “Sorry,” he said gently rubbing the spot he squeezed. “I need to talk to you about Martin.”
“What about?” I asked nervously.
“It seems that Martin is pretty mad at you.”
“Yeah, that was kind of creepy,” I admitted.
“You’re right, he’s a very creepy person. He is very dangerous. He also isn’t too happy with me right now.”
“Why is that?” I asked looking up at Jed. Even though it was pitch black outside, there was enough light shining from the dashboard, for me to see Jed clinch his jaw.
“The woman, or girl really, that Kent and I rescued, was meant for Martin as a gift from Tony.”
“A gift?” I exclaimed appalled. “That poor girl, I am so glad you saved her.”
“I am too honey, I am too.”
“So Martin is mad that you rescued her?”
“Yeah, there’s that, but he also perceives it as me taking something that was his. He has vowed to take something of mine in return. ”
“But she wasn’t his to begin with. Why get all upset about it?”
“He’s not what you would call stable. To Martin and most career criminals, things that seem insane to us, are perfectly logical to them. He feels like he was entitled to her. I took that from him.”
“So now what?”
“So now, I protect what is mine and the police are out looking for him.”
What could Martin possibly be after of Jed’s? Another girl? What if Jed had a girlfriend? From how he acted towards me, I thought that he was single. What if all this time, he has a girlfriend somewhere else? And here I am snuggled up against him. Appalled, I tried to move away.
“Where are you going, Nora?” Jed asked amused. Obviously, he could figure out what I was thinking.
“Nora? Come on now, is there something you would like to ask me?” he said chuckling.
Elbowing him in the ribs, I said, “Fine! Who is she? That is what Martin is after isn’t it? Your girl.”
“Who is who?” he said, clearly having a good time.
Argh. Pushing him away, I tried to get unbuckled to scoot over.
“Calm down. You think I have another girlfriend? It’s you. Nora, you’re the one he will be coming after. I’m not seeing anyone. I swear,” he said recapturing my hand.
Oh. Well. What do I say to that?
“Do you believe me?”
“Yes,” I said. I did believe him “Does Kent know about the threats?”
“Yeah, that’s something else we discussed. From now on, I’m going to stick to you like glue. If I can’t be there, then Kent will. I don’t want you going anywhere alone, not even to the grocery store.”
“If it means spending more time with you then that’s ok with me,” I said snuggled back into his side. “Where do you live anyway?”
I noticed that we had been driving for at least fifteen minutes since dropping Ollie off. It seemed kind of far to live to go to Pine Hill High School.
“We’re almost there,” Jed said. “In fact just around this curve the farm starts.”
“Farm? As in more than one horse?”
Jed chuckled, “We have twenty horses. Soon to be twenty-one, hopefully tonight.”
“Wow! I thought you said the farm started about here. Where is your driveway?”
“It’s just down the road,” Jed said distractedly, slowing down. A dark car was parked on the side of the road. It was almost completely hidden by the large pine trees that lined the road.
“Do you recognize that car?” I asked nervously. All this talk about Martin coming after me was making me jumpy.
“No,” Jed said, as he pulled the truck over to the side, behind the car. “You stay in the truck. I’m going to go check it out.”
Nervously, I glanced around as Jed walked up to the car. The road was empty with no other cars coming or going. Tall pines lined the side of the road giving off eerie shadows, as the wind blew them back and forth.
I couldn’t see anything or anyone, but then again, it was so dark I wouldn’t be able to see Jed if it weren’t for the headlights of the truck shining on him.
Writing down the license plate on a little flip-open notebook. Jed headed back to the truck.
“It’s empty,” he said, climbing back in and shutting the door. “Let’s get up to the barn, maybe Skip knows something about it.”
“This is sure in the middle of nowhere,” I commented.
Jed chuckled. “It just seems that way because it’s dark and you can’t see anything else.”
“How beautifu
l!” I exclaimed as we turned onto a large paved drive. An arched sign over the drive way said GREYSON FARM. On each side of the sign large antique lanterns hung, lighting it up. There were antique looking lampposts lining the driveway as far as I could see.
“It is pretty nice, isn’t it,” Jed said looking up at the sign through the windshield as we passed under it. “My grandfather had the lights put up a few years ago. When I was going through a rebellious stage at fourteen.”
“What did you do that made him put up lights?” I asked curious, that seemed like an odd thing to do because of a rebellious teen.
“I um…took my horse and decided I was leaving home. I headed out and went toward the state land. I rode around for hours, not really knowing where I was going or really even where I was. By the time it had gotten dark, I was hungry and had worked off enough steam to realize that I had a pretty good life here on the farm. So I decided to come home. It was a night similar to this, pitch black, I couldn’t see a thing; I hadn’t brought a flashlight with me, because I didn’t figure on being out past dark. I must have ridden around for hours looking for the farm. There were dozens of roads and drives that look just like ours did. My grandfather got worried about me. He knew I would be back, but would have trouble finding my way. So he lit some torches and put them by the road near the sign so that I would see them and head for home. After that day, he had the drive paved and put up the lanterns so that I could always find my way home.”
“You must have been a handful for your parents.”
“They died when I was young. My grandfather raised me, up until he died a few months ago.”
“Oh! I’m sorry. That had to be hard losing him too,” I said. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like losing my parents, and then my grandparents also.
“I still expect him to be at the barn, checking the horses some mornings,” Jed admitted.
I reached over and took Jed’s hand. He looked down and smiled at me.
When Jed pulled up next to a huge barn, I was shocked. It was all lit up with lights both on the inside and the outside. It looked like something out of a magazine. I hadn’t expected anything so lavish and beautiful.
“I hope I’m not too late,” Jed said getting out of the truck, “I don’t want to miss this.”
“Is it special for a reason?” I asked, climbing down and shutting the door.
“Not really, it is just the first birth without my grandfather. The first one that I am solely responsible for.”
“You? This is all yours now?” I asked in awe. For a kid in high school, he had a lot of responsibilities with a farm this huge. “How do you manage all this?”
“Skip and his wife Betty, who takes care of the house, have been with my grandfather as long as I can remember. They are a tremendous help around here.”
As we walked into the barn, we were greeted with whinnies from several horses, as they stuck their noses over the gates to see who had come to visit them. Jed called out soft greetings to them as he quickly walked toward a far stall. It was set apart from the others at the other end of the barn.
“Hey Skip. How is she doing?” he asked, as he quietly opened the stall door and slipped inside.
“Doing great, Jed,” Skip said clapping him on the shoulder. “It should be anytime now, she’s starting to push,” Turning to me, he greeted me saying, “Nora right? I see you’re still hanging out with this guy. He conned you into coming with you, did he?”
“Oh no. There was no conning involved. I’m excited to be here,” I replied sincerely, watching Jed approach the mare’s head and talk softly to her.
In less than an hour a beautiful black colt came sliding into the world. I have never seen a live birth before. I was in awe, speechless. It was such a wonderful experience. I got to see a whole other side to Jed. Gone was the tough dangerous image he projected and in place was a caring, gentle man who had never looked more endearing to me than at that moment, with the excitement and pride shining in his eyes.
I was in trouble. It was easier to keep the tough Jed at a distance, but this new Jed was drawing me closer to him with each look.
We watched the mother and foal get acquainted for a little while, and then Jed grabbed my hand and drew me down the stalls to the far end. “Come on, I want you to meet the proud Papa.”
As we got closer, a high-pitched whinny called out to us. Suddenly a huge black head stretched over the stall door looking for us. Spotting Jed, he jerked his head up and down and stomped his hoof.
“He doesn’t like you or anything does he?” I teased watching the big black stallion greet Jed. I stayed a few feet back. I can admit that he made me a little nervous. He obviously liked Jed, but he didn’t know me.
After greeting the stallion, Jed turned to me. “Come here. Just stick out your hand so he can smell it. He won’t bite.”
Slowly, I extended my hand to the big horse’s muzzle. I felt him blow hot air on it as I kept it still.
“This is my horse Saber, I have had him since he was a colt. Saber was the son of my grandfather’s stallion Blade,” Jed said taking my hand. “That new foal in there is his.”
“You must be so glad to have such a wonderful reminder of your grandfather and what you two enjoyed together.”
“I am, thank you for being here,” he said, pulling me to face him and wrapping me in his arms. He was just starting to lower his mouth to mine, when we heard the sound of Skip opening the mare’s stall door. Lifting his head ruefully, he looking in my eyes, and said,” Let’s go for a walk. Do you mind?”
“I would like that,” I said shyly, stepping out of his arms.
“I’m going to take Nora inside to meet Betty,” Jed called to Skip. “I’ll let her know that you’ll be a few more minutes.”
“Thanks, Jed,” Skip called back. “Save me a slice of that strawberry pie I saw sitting on the counter earlier.”
“Will do.”
We walked out of the barn and headed toward the house. It looked so warm and inviting with the lights of the wide wraparound porch glowing out brilliantly into the yard. A large porch swing hung on one end.
“Slow up a minute,” Jed said turning me toward a large crab apple tree that stood between the house and the barn. It was just out of reach of the porch glow.
“Why?” I asked warily.
Stopping a few feet from the tree, Jed said gruffly, “I’m going to kiss you now.”
“You are?” I said, taking a step back.
“That’s right,” Jed said taking a determined step towards me.
“I thought you just told Skip we were going in to meet Betty, and have a piece of her strawberry pie.” Great. I’m rambling. How pathetic. Taking another step backward, I felt my back hit the tree. Seeing I was trapped, Jed quickly closed the distance between us.
“There is no one here to interrupt us now,” he said, tilting my chin up and leaning down towards me.
“Wait!” I said throwing my hands up. They connected with his solid chest.
Lifting his head, he said teasingly, “What? Nervous?”
I was not nervous, I told myself stubbornly. Indignant, I lifted my hands off his chest. That was my first mistake. He took advantage of the moment. Closing my eyes, I sighed. Every other thought totally blew away in the breeze. I have never been kissed so expertly. Not that I have had a lot of previous experience to compare it against, but man, could he kiss.
Clinging to Jed, I ran my hands through his hair and down to his shoulders. As my hands found their way to his muscular biceps and hard chest, I could feel his pulse racing and his breathing getting faster.
Groaning, he slowed down and giving me one last gentle kiss, lifted his head to look me in the eye. “We need to stop,” he said breathing hard. Carefully he pushed me away and stepped back.
Still a little stunned and woozy, I stood there stupidly, my mouth hanging open and what I was sure was a dazed and confused expression on my face.
“I know honey, I know,” he said, t
aking a deep breath.
Gently taking my hand off his shoulder, he said, “Come on, let’s get up to the house before I do something stupid.”
Together, we slowly walked the rest of the way to the house, enjoying just being together. For me, I think, I fell a little bit in love with him at that moment. I know for him, I was just another girl. It was just another kiss. But for that one moment as we walked, arms around each other, the world felt totally right.
Setting his high-powered camera down, Martin Vecelli grinned to himself from his perch in a tall pine. It was his lucky day. Who knew that the little number from the mall who had gotten away, was apparently Greyson’s girl. His head still hurt from where she had hit him in the head at the mill. He was really going to enjoy teaching them both a lesson. He would just have to bide his time until he could get her alone. Climbing down from the tree, he headed back to where he had left his car, whistling as he went. Dialing his phone, he said, “I got it.”
Chapter 15
As I walked into the house and shut the door behind me, I looked up and dropped my purse, startled. My father was standing against the kitchen counter with his arms crossed against his chest as if waiting for me. Why did I feel guilty all of a sudden, like I was caught doing something wrong?
My dad cut right to the chase. “So he found you. What happened to his motorcycle?”
“Who found me? Jed?”
“Yes. Jed,” My dad said with disgust. “He came here looking for you and Kent this afternoon.”
“Oh. Well he found us.”
“You didn’t answer my question about his motorcycle. Why is he driving a truck now and what are you doing with him by yourself?”
“After Kent and Charlotte went to the movies, Jed took me back to his house to watch his horse have a brand new baby. Then he drove me home. It was so exciting Daddy,” I said. Clearly he was upset about something. If Kent was anything like him, then I knew where this was headed.
“You went to his house by yourself!” he roared. “Was anyone else there? You don’t even know this boy!”
Ok. That was enough. I was sick of every male in my life being overly protective of me. “Yes someone else was there! And yes, I do too know him! I like him,” I argued.
Undercover Justice Page 14