by Linda Mooney
Standing, he surveyed the resulting damage. It was obvious from the few walls that remained standing that both blasts had a discernable radius of equal distance from the center, meaning the force was only restricted by the floor, and the explosive went directly upward and outward. There was no point in trying to find anything at ground zero. However, something might have survived further away.
Pulling off a glove, Lorne spread his fingers and held out his hand, palm down. He began to systematically sweep the area in front of him, slowly moving about the room in a grid pattern, fine-tuning his sixth sense. But as time dragged on, the hope of finding some small shred of evidence diminished.
I’m getting nothing, he admitted to his brother.
Tough break, bro, Luke replied. It would have been nice to have something concrete in Brenda’s defense.
Now what?
Now we break Brenda out of jail.
Lorne paused, startled. We’re what?
Actually, I’ve just made arrangements to pay her bail.
They actually booked her?
Yeah, and get this. She called Dobbling Enterprises for legal representation, and she was turned down cold. They said it would be a conflict of interest to represent both her and the company, since Dobbling just filed charges against her.
Are you shitting me? Lorne asked incredulously. On what grounds? Sabotage?
Luke’s mental sigh was all the answer he needed.
Okay. So the Palmers paid her bail. Does Lorne need to go get her and bring her home?
Actually, I have a better idea, Luke suggested. We all agree that Brenda is being set up for this, right?
Right.
And whoever is behind this is going to be watching to make sure she takes the fall. Which means she’s going to need our protection until we can find out the truth behind this whole mess. But since we can’t reveal our superpowered personas, here’s what I suggest.
Go ahead, bro. I’m listening, Lorne solemnly said.
All right. Here’s what you need to do.
Chapter 20
Beach House
Brenda sat on the narrow bed, her head resting against the dirty green wall. She was at the very bottom rung of her emotional ladder, and hanging on by sheer strength of will alone.
Her company refused her legal representation, which she had every right to have, being an employee of Dobbling Enterprises. Yet, she could understand why they had suddenly turned their backs on her. To them she was the person responsible for the explosions at the factory. To them, she was on someone else’s payroll and out to sabotage Dobbling’s efforts.
The huge question was, who was really responsible for this mess? Who was the conductor orchestrating this rather elaborate symphony of events?
More importantly, why had she been tapped to be the scapegoat? What had she done to piss off someone so badly that they had to target her?
She’d tried to figure out who might be at the helm, but no one’s name rose to the top. Her rise in the ranks had been swift and somewhat miraculous. There had been no time to create many enemies, if any.
Someone swore. She heard someone vomiting on the floor. Further down in the large holding cell, a few drunk men were waiting for their twenty-four hours to be up, or for someone to come get them. Because she was the only female, she had been placed in a small cell for her protection.
Brenda wiped her eyes with the cuff of her sweater. What would happen to her now? She had no idea how the justice system worked, and she hadn’t had the chance to call anyone yet. The officer who had brought her here told her that the city would provide her with a defense attorney, but that was all.
Inside her soul the flame of righteous indignation burned hot and bright. Whoever was doing this to her was in the wrong. It didn’t take two cents’ worth of common sense to realize that someone didn’t want her to ever get out of jail. And why not? Because she would be able to discover who the real culprit was?
I’m no detective. I don’t know the first thing about tracking someone down. How could I be dangerous?
The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. And the more confused she became, the lower her spirits sunk.
A loud scraping sound at the end of the hallway signaled someone was entering the cell block area. Brenda closed her eyes, believing the police were hauling in another vagrant or drunk. She didn’t expect the footsteps to stop in front of her cell. The keys in the lock made her turn in surprise to see a different officer opening the door.
“Miss McKay, your bail’s been posted. Let’s go.”
Her jaw dropped. “Who?”
Rather than answer her, the officer gestured for her to leave. She quickly got up and followed him into another area of the police station where another police officer handed over a brown envelope containing her purse, and made her sign an affidavit saying none of her personal possessions were missing. Numbly, Brenda signed the paper without checking. When she was finished there, a female officer escorted her down another hallway and through another door that opened up into the general waiting area.
She was stunned to see Luke Palmer waiting for her near the glass front doors. “Luke? You’re the person who posted my bail? Where’s Lorne?”
“He’s at work. I called him to let him know what was happening. Come on.” He opened the door for her to exit first. “We’ll talk all about it in the car while I take you home.”
She went ahead of him, stepping out into the cool night air. The stars overhead were obliterated by the building’s lights, but the moon was still visible. A half-moon.
“How did you know I was here?”
He gave her a teasing smile. “Gee, you couldn’t figure that out on your own?”
Of course she could, now that she thought about it. She was a hometown girl, and that meant many of the people employed at the police station already knew her and her family. That probably explained why she hadn’t yet been given the chance to make her one phone call.
“Luke, I’m going to repay you for every bit you had to shell out. I promise. I don’t care how much it cost.” She glanced over at him striding beside her as they aimed for the visitors’ parking lot. “How much did it cost?”
“Lucky for you, just a few hundred thousand.” He grinned at her shocked expression. “Hey, Dobbling wanted the bail rescinded, but when the judge refused, their lawyer tried to make it at least a cool million. Like I said, you’re lucky you’re a hometown girl. Judge Nichols can be just as pigheaded as those corporate suits.”
Brenda felt a smile come over her face. “Gee. Nichols is still on the bench? I remember when Deanna Nichols and I had a falling out in junior high over Larry Evers. Of course, she and Larry ended up getting married right out of high school. I wonder how they’re doing today?”
“They’re divorced. Deanna still lives here in town with their son. She works over at the Family Dollar Discount. Larry moved to some place in Texas where he’s an oilfield worker.” Luke grinned. “I think you came out ahead on that deal.”
“Maybe so. Too bad I can’t say the same thing about this deal,” she remarked.
They had almost reached the sedan when Luke stopped, grabbing Brenda around the waist as if to protect her. Looking at him, she saw his gaze aimed upward. Following it, she caught sight of the figure in black slowly descending to land in front of them.
“I’m not here to hurt her,” The Defender announced. “I’m here to help.” He held out a hand toward Luke. “I’m called The Defender.”
“Luke Palmer,” Luke answered, and the two men shook. “What do you mean, you’re here to help?”
Rather than answer the man directly, The Defender turned to her.
“Miss McKay, I have every reason to believe you are being set up to take the full blame for the destruction of the Dobbling Chemicals factory.”
“I wish you’d call me Brenda. And I’ve pretty much come to the same conclusion.”
“My brothers and I are certain Brenda’s innocent
of all charges,” Luke added.
The Defender nodded. “That’s why I’m here. I’d gotten word that you’d posted her bail. And if I’m aware of it, those who are trying to pin this on her are also aware of it.”
“So you think she’s in danger?” Luke asked.
“I think that as long as she had remained in jail, she would have been safe, but your actions have negated that. With her free, these people will think she’s going to do everything she can to find out who the real culprit is—”
“You can bet I will!” Brenda interjected heatedly
“And they’re going to try and stop her,” The Defender added in a voice that suggested a sinister conclusion might be at hand.
“What do you think we should do?” Luke said.
“I think it would be in your best interest if I put her in a safe house where I can keep watch over her until I know who is behind all this.”
The Defender looked at her with an intense stare. Brenda could feel a sexual tingle start to go through her, but it was tempered by the seriousness of her situation.
“I think the safe house is an excellent idea,” Luke said. “But I don’t like having Brenda where my brothers and I can’t communicate with her. We’re practically family, and Brenda’s father just died, so we’re all she has left.” He looked at her for approval, when a smile came over him. “Wait! I have an idea!”
Releasing her waist, he dug into his jeans pocket and pulled out his set of keys. He quickly removed one key from the ring and handed it over to The Defender.
“We have a small beach house on Longone Point. It’s pretty much isolated, and it sits out in the open, which means you can see anyone coming from miles away. There’s no land line to it, so you don’t have to worry about anyone tracing a call.”
He produced his cell phone from his shirt pocket and gave it to her. “This is my personal cell. Only myself, Lorne, and Lee have the number. Call us if you need us, okay?”
“Okay.” She took the phone, noticing how warm it felt in her cold hands.
“This place sounds like an excellent idea,” The Defender said. “How do we get there?”
“I normally go up and take 17 over to MaGrath Road, right before you get to Ocean City. That’ll take you to Seaside. From Seaside, there’s a turn right past Morgan’s Bait Shop. It’s a sandy dirt road that’ll meander for about seven miles before you see the cottage.”
The Defender nodded. “I should be able to find it without any difficulty.”
Luke sighed. “The only problem is, we haven’t been there in a couple of years. There’s no provisions.”
“I can deal with that later. Right now my main concern is for Miss McK— Brenda’s safety. Thanks for your help.”
“No. Thank you, Defender,” Luke replied, and the two men shook hands again.
He turned to her and wrapped his hands around hers still clutching the phone.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this plan?” he asked her softly. “You have no qualms about having this man take care of you? Because if you do—”
“Luke.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a grateful kiss on the cheek. “Yes, I trust him. I’ll be fine. I can’t thank you enough for everything you’re doing. I wish there was a way I could help.”
“Hey.”
Although lighting was poor, she would swear he was blushing.
“You keep safe. That’ll be our payment. And keep thinking over things that have happened in the past, even the smallest, insignificant details. Let us know if anything strikes you odd. Anything, you understand? In the meantime, I’m going to call in some favors and see if I can’t find out something that might give us some answers.”
“Are you ready? We need to get away from this place as soon as possible,” The Defender asked, interrupting.
Nodding, Brenda gave Luke another peck on the cheek before turning back to the man in black. She gasped as she was quickly swept up into the man’s arms. A split second later, they were above the trees and heading toward the stars.
Chapter 21
Decision
The Defender kept her gathered close to his chest as they flew through the dark skies. Still, at this height, the night air was brutally cold. It penetrated her clothing, all the way to the bone, and she couldn’t stop shivering. The Defender held her tighter, lowering his face so she could hear him.
“Want me to fly more slowly so the wind’s not as fierce?”
“N-no.” She shook her head, unable to speak clearly because her teeth were chattering so hard. She buried her face in the curve of his neck. The tip of her nose found his pulse below his ear. She was surprised to find it beating furiously.
In spite of the weather, it was a beautiful night. She caught glimpses of the world passing below them, looking like bright jewels against a black velvet tapestry. Overhead, the stars were incredibly brilliant, like crystalline drops of ice suspended in space. The Defender flew high enough to prevent them from being seen, but low enough so as not to interfere with any air traffic.
It was quiet up here in the skies. She never realized how noisy life was at ground level until now. Even at night the insects and bullfrogs kept a soft chorus going in the background. But up here, above the trees, sound and time stilled. Only the rushing of the wind going by them could be heard.
She had no idea how long they flew. She remembered overhearing Mrs. Palmer once comment that it took her a little less than an hour to drive from their home to the beach house. It would probably take The Defender a fraction of the time to get there.
The Defender shifted his body. Instead of being parallel to the ground, he was now in a vertical, standing position. Gravity tugged at her, and Brenda realized they were landing. The sound of the ocean penetrated the silence, and she caught a glimpse of moon-washed waves sparkling in the distance. She also spotted the beach cottage sitting on its tall beams like an insect with stilt legs moments before they set foot in the sand behind a ridge of tall dunes.
He lowered her to her feet and backed away. “Stay here. I want to check out the place first. Make sure it’s safe.”
“Okay.”
He jetted up and over, heading straight for the beach house. Brenda watched from the top of one dune, peering between the sea grass for safety’s sake. Her eyes were adjusted enough to the dim moonlight to see The Defender land in front of the door. In a few seconds, he’d unlocked it and walked inside. He reappeared almost immediately and flew back to her. Silently, he picked her back up in his arms to transport her over to the cottage, setting her on the small deck.
“It’s dark inside. Be careful.”
“That’s okay. There’s no electricity, but I think I remember where the candles are.”
She tossed her purse onto the small settee sitting nearby and quickly found the drawer where she recalled the votive candles and matches were kept. Fumbling in the dark, she tried to strike a light, but her hands were still trembling from the cold. A pair of warm, gloved hands relieved her of the task. After another moment or two of searching, The Defender also found a lantern. He gave it a shake.
“There’s enough fuel inside. Hold on.”
Brenda warmed her hands over the small candle flame as she watched The Defender expertly trim the wick and get the lantern going. Its soft golden glow quickly filled the room.
“Looks like you’ve done that sort of thing a time or two,” she whispered with a smile.
He glanced up at her in surprise, then smiled. “A time or two. Now, let’s see what we have.”
Setting the lantern on the only table, he started going through the short row of upper and lower cabinets. Brenda glanced around as memories flooded back to her of summers spent here. She walked over to the windows that were boarded up and debated whether to open one, but the breeze coming off the waters was too cold.
“God, it’s been so long since I’ve been here. I used to come up every summer with the Palmers when I was growing up. We’d spend at least a week, some
times two.”
“Good memories?” The Defender asked. He strode over to the narrow hallway and peered into it.
“There’s a bathroom down that way, and the bedroom. Mister and Mrs. Palmer would sleep in there, and the boys and I would sleep on cots and pallets on the floor in here.”
The Defender turned and gave her a smile.
“It feels like the place hasn’t seen a human being in quite some time. You should be safe here.” He strode over to the single sink in the corner that served as the kitchen. Turning on the faucet got no results.
“I think there’s a cistern or something on the side of the house where rainwater collects.” She gave a weak laugh. “I’m sorry I’m not too knowledgeable about how everything’s supposed to work.”
The Defender checked the small two-burner stove. “I need to check the propane tank.”
“It’s outside, too. There’s a small storage bin on the other side of the deck where it’s kept. Here, I’ll show you.”
She started to get up and head for the door when The Defender stopped her. In the lantern light his face was stern. His dark eyes seemed to see all the way through her, and she felt another shiver rattle her bones.
“No. Stay here. I’ll find it. I don’t want you outside where someone could see you.”
“It’s pitch-dark outside,” she protested. Other than the moon and the stars, there was no light to give her away.
“Uh-huh.” The Defender nodded. “But have you ever heard of night vision goggles and infrared scopes?”
Oh, shit. Yeah. Technology. Brenda bit her lower lip. It would be better to leave the protecting to the experts. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He smiled. “I’m just doing my job.”
Brenda watched him leave and heard his footsteps on the plank deck that surrounded the cabin. A yawn suddenly caught her unaware, and she realized how exhausted she was, plus the fact that it had been ages since she’d eaten anything. But she didn’t feel hungry. Not at the moment. The danger wasn’t over yet, and although she felt a lot more secure in this remote place than she did in a jail cell, tension remained knotted in her stomach, leaving little room for food.