The Lawman

by Martha Shields

  He considered yanking the folder from her hands and demanding her attention. He had several good excuses. He needed to tell her about the recording devices attached to her phones. He needed to coach her on what to say to Hines, how to act, how to keep him talking so they could get a good trace.

  But he didn’t. He let her win…this time. He was eighty-percent certain Hines wouldn’t call that day, and probably not the next. If Hines wasn’t already out of the area, he’d hunker down and let the search die off. So what Jake needed to tell Tabitha could wait an hour or so. Maybe she’d have cooled off by then.

  Oh, she looked cool enough, sitting there in her serene surroundings. But there were telltale signs—shallow breathing, high color on her cheeks—that let him know she was still seething inside.

  He spun around and headed for the door. He needed to do a bit of cooling off himself.

  As he turned to close the door behind him, Jake couldn’t resist one last look.

  She seemed so aloof, so in control. But he knew better.

  So she hated cops. Why? The only reason he could come up with from what he knew about her was that her father had made sergeant in the Dallas Police Department.

  But women who had cop fathers usually were rather fond of policemen. Many officers he knew were married to daughters of cops. Having grown up in the life, they understood how things were done.

  So what had Tabitha’s father done to make her hate them?

  Determined to find out, Jake focused again on her sexy face. He wanted to walk over and wipe the frown of concentration off her face. He wanted to make her concentrate on him.

  Instead, he closed the door. Very softly.

  Nearly an hour later, Tabitha sat in her desk chair, listening to Jake’s monologue on handling kidnappers. There were five other officers in the room, all in various stages of attention. A couple of them took notes. One added comments now and then.

  Tabitha did neither. Her hands gripped the leather-bound arms of her executive chair. Her feet, cold as ice, were frozen to the floor.

  She’d known, of course, that she was in charge of the situation, the one everyone was looking to, the one responsible for the outcome.

  But she hadn’t known.

  She’d actually thought about how great handling this was going to look on her résumé. Oh, she’d been genuinely horrified. After all, she knew the people who’d been kidnapped. She was as good a friend to Caitlyn as anyone, and had a passing acquaintance with Dr. Sam Walters.

  But not until Jake explained exactly how much danger Sam and Caitlyn were in, all the things that could go wrong, what they were likely experiencing, did Tabitha know the overwhelming enormity of her responsibility.

  Where was Caitlyn now? Was she tied up in some dark basement, lying on a cold, wet floor, crying, not knowing what was going to happen? Was Dr. Walters with her, or were they kept separately? Was he comforting her?

  Or was it worse? Was Caitlyn wrapped in a dirty sheet, lying cold and lifeless in a shallow grave just a few feet from—

  Tabitha’s nails dug into the leather. No. She couldn’t go there. Jake said the probability was high that they weren’t dead…yet.

  She had to keep a positive mind-set. If she didn’t, she would never get through this without cracking up. She needed to remember everything they’d taught in the seminar she’d attended in Dallas two years ago.

  “You okay?”

  Tabitha drew her mind back to the room and focused on Jake’s concerned face. He stood on the other side of the desk, so calm, so in charge. Didn’t he feel anything?

  “You’re white as a sheet,” he said.

  She tried to suppress a shudder. Bad choice of words.

  Jake came around the desk and pried her hand off the arm of her chair. “And cold as ice.”

  “Sam and Caitlyn could die,” she whispered.

  “Yes, they could.” His face hardened. “I’m not going to lie to you.”

  Tabitha’s heart lurched, and she looked away. “All it will take is one little slip on my part. Something I forget to say, something I say that I shouldn’t.”

  “You can’t think of it that way. Look at me, Tabitha.” He pulled her chin up with his other hand. “You cannot think of it that way. You will do the very best that you can. And we’re here. We’re trained for this. We’ll help you.”

  She tried to swallow but couldn’t.

  Jake’s incredibly green eyes were intent. “You can’t blame yourself if something goes wrong. We’re dealing with a man who doesn’t think like normal people. Hell, let’s call a spade a spade. The guy’s crazy. He could get any kind of notion into his head. If he does, you can’t blame yourself.” He squeezed her hand. “I won’t let you.”

  The last words, more than any others, heartened her.

  His voice lowered and softened. “If I could do this for you, I would. But the last person he wants to talk to is a cop.”

  “I understand.” Only then did she realize that he still held her hand. Though she wanted to keep it right where it was and put her other hand in Jake’s, too, Tabitha drew it away. “I’m okay.”

  “You sure?”

  She nodded, hoping she looked convincing. Again she felt compelled to tell him, “I’m certified in crisis management, you know. I took a weekend seminar at Dallas General a couple of years ago.”

  “Them weekend seminars ain’t worth sh—”

  “That’s great.” Jake threw a nasty look at the middle-aged officer who’d spoken, then leaned against the edge of her desk, returning his attention to her. “You’ll do just fine. We’re going to get them back. I have a very good feeling about this case.”

  “You do?”

  He nodded. “We’re going to be proactive, though, which means you’ve got to put yourself in the spotlight. Can you handle it?”

  She took a deep breath, and gathered her inner strength. “Of course. I have to, don’t I?”

  “If you really think you—”

  “What do I need to do?”

  He smiled. “If you’re up to it, then I’ll schedule a press conference for seven o’clock. That’ll give us time to prepare and the news agencies plenty of time to get it on the air for the ten-o’clock news.”

  “What do I say?” Tabitha asked.

  “You’re going to make it absolutely clear that you’re willing to negotiate. You’re not going to promise Hines a baby. You’re going to be vague on exactly what you’ll give him, but you want to make him believe that the options are open. He doesn’t have to do anything stupid. You’ve got to sound like his only friend in the world. Can you do that?”

  “I think so.” She placed her shoulders back against the chair. “Yes. I can. Definitely.”

  His smile was warm and proud. “Good girl. And don’t worry. We’ll have a carefully worded statement for you before then.”

  He straightened and turned to bark orders to the officers there.

  Tabitha couldn’t help but be impressed with Jake’s confidence, the depth of his knowledge and his ability to handle people.

  He knew exactly what needed to be done and believed he could do it right. She hoped he could instill some of that confidence in her.

  Left alone for a blessed minute, Tabitha rested her head against the high back of her chair and closed her eyes. She tried to concentrate on her mantra so she could find serenity, but serenity was elusive. Heck, concentration was elusive.

  Too much had happened in too short a period of time. Her emotions were on overload, and her brain was in danger of shorting out.

  “You asleep?”

  Tabitha opened her eyes to see her secretary’s gray head poking in the doorway. “I wonder if I’ll ever sleep again. Every time I close my eyes, I see Caitlyn’s face.”

  With a sympathetic expression, Marie pushed the door open and walked in. “It’s awful. I still can’t believe something like this happened in Mission Creek, of all places.”

  Tabitha sighed. “Crazy people are everywhere.�
�

  “That’s for sure.” She laid a piece of paper on the desk in front of Tabitha. “I brought the statement for you to look over. Chief White and his men finished it a few minutes ago.”

  Tabitha picked it up. “It’s great of you to come in on a Saturday, Marie. Especially since this is Labor Day weekend.”

  “Oh, pooh. The only plans I had were sitting in Harry’s bass boat and watching him fish. I’m just glad I could do something to help, even in a small way.”

  “You just being here helps a lot. Thanks.” Tabitha began reading the statement she was to give in a few hours, but sensed Marie watching her. “Is there something else?”

  “Can I run out and get you something to eat? Knowing you, you haven’t eaten all day.”

  “No, I couldn’t possibly eat anything. But thanks.”

  Marie nodded. “Maybe that nice Chief White will take you out after the press conference.”

  Tabitha shook her head. “I’ll probably be here at the hospital until we get Caitlyn and Dr. Walters back.”

  “I don’t think so. They’re setting up taps on the phones at your house. Why would they do that unless you’ll be going home?”

  Why, indeed? “When are they going to do that?”

  “Oh, they’re doing it now. When you were in here earlier having that conference with Chief White and the others, Daniel Hammel—you know, Bessie’s boy? He joined the police force a couple of years ago. He’s into all that technical stuff. Anyhoo, he asked if I knew where you kept your keys. They wanted to get started and didn’t know how long you’d be, so I gave them the spares you keep in my desk. I hope that’s all right.”

  “You know the officer who asked you for them. You’re sure he’s all right?”

  “Bless me, yes! Daniel goes deer hunting with my youngest son, Cody. Don’t worry. He’s not going to rifle through your underwear drawer or anything.”

  “I wasn’t worried about that.”

  “Now that Chief White…” Marie wiggled her eyebrows. “The way he looks at you, I’d say he wants to do more than rifle through your drawers.”

  “Wha—?” Tabitha cleared her throat. “What makes you say something like that?”

  “I know the look a man gives a woman when he’s hot for her.”

  “Marie! You’re expecting your first grandchild.”

  “So? I wouldn’t be if I hadn’t been given that look once or twice.”

  Tabitha felt heat stinging her cheeks and lowered her gaze to the paper in her hands to hide her fierce blush. She tried to make her voice cool. “I’m sure you’re mistaken about Chief White. Thanks for typing this. I need to read over it so I—”

  “If I’m mistaken, then pigs don’t wallow in mud. You never believe me when I tell you certain men would like to get to know you better, even though there have been several in here who have. Jake White is one of them. I’d stake my great-grandmama’s tea biscuit recipe on it.”

  Tabitha rolled her eyes. “Marie, this is not the time or place for romance. Two employees of the hospital have been kidnapped. They’re in a great deal of danger. I can’t be thinking about who has or does not have the hots for me. And Chief White is much too professional a police officer—” her voice almost cracked at the lie “—to make a move even if he were interested.”

  “I know what’s going on with poor Cait and Sam,” Marie said without shame. “But sometimes love springs on you when you least expect it. I met my Harry at my granddaddy’s funeral.”

  “Jake is not in love with me, Marie.”

  “Oh, it’s Jake already, is it?”

  “Marie, please. I need to read over this statement.”

  “All right, I’m going.” But she muttered as she left. “How am I ever going to get her married off when she won’t see what God sets down right in front of her?”

  Tabitha stared at the laser-printed words Jake had no doubt written, but she didn’t see them. If Marie had picked up on the tension between her and Jake, then others would, too, eventually. Marie seemed to have a homing instinct for men who were attracted to Tabitha, and wasn’t shy about pointing them out. Tabitha could sense their interest, but it made her deal with them even more impersonally than she would normally have.

  This was a recurring theme in Tabitha’s life. Men would show an interest, and she would run the other way. Or more like it, push them away.

  It wasn’t hard to figure out why. What her father hadn’t accomplished, Scott had. Scott was the only halfway serious boyfriend she’d ever had. But he’d turned out to be just like her father.

  Both of them had been abusive—mentally and physically. Neither of them had loved her. Neither of them had wanted her love.

  So now she pushed men away before they got close enough to push her. She recognized the habit, and had tried more than once to stop doing it so she could have a normal, meaningful relationship.

  But she couldn’t stop. Self-preservation was too deeply ingrained in her psyche. She simply didn’t know how.

  Tabitha straightened her spine.

  This, however, was neither the time nor the place—nor the man—to worry about any of that. Not only were there much more important things to worry about, Jake was a cop.

  Sewer rats were higher on the list of desirable males than cops.

  Satisfied with her decision and the strength of her resolve, Tabitha forced her eyes to focus on the words she had to say to the world.

  Three

  Jake knocked on Tabitha’s closed door, but there was so much noise in the outer office he couldn’t hear if she replied.

  “It’s okay, Chief White,” Marie told him. “She’s doing some paperwork to keep her mind off…you know. Go on in.”

  Jake smiled at the secretary. “Thanks, Marie. You’ve been a big help.”

  “Just doing my bit,” she said. “Glad you noticed.”

  “Noticed? Anything my men need, you see that they get, from coffee to additional electrical outlets. You’re greasing the wheels around here, and everything’s running smoother because of you. So, hell, yes, I’ve noticed.”

  Beaming, Marie nodded toward Tabitha’s office. “She helped, too, you know, by posting an announcement to all hospital employees to cooperate with me—and you, of course. Anyhoo, that’s how come I’m so greasy.”

  Jake chuckled.

  “Can I get you anything?” she asked.

  He shook his head and pushed open Tabitha’s door. “I’m good, thanks.”

  As he entered, he heard Marie mumble just loud enough for him to hear, “Yessir, I’ll just bet you are.”

  Jake grinned. Older women who flirted always brightened his day.

  As soon as Jake closed the door, he felt as if he’d stepped into another world. The command center in the office outside was loud and hot and filled with men checking the status of the search operation. Tabitha’s office was cool and serene, the only noise the quiet hum of the aquarium pump and the trickle of water in the various fountains. The only person in the room was a beautiful woman who looked at him expectantly.

  “Honey, I’m home.” Jake was amazed at the words that popped into his head and out his mouth at the same time. How was it possible that they felt right?

  She raised a pale brow. “Oh, good, dear. You’re just in time to cook supper.”

  He grinned and pushed away from the door. God, he loved women with quick minds. “Have hot plate, will cook.”

  She blinked. “You cook?”

  “I can heat up a can of soup with the best of them.” He relaxed into one of the comfortable chairs facing her desk. He was not one to take it easy on the job, but it felt good to sit down.

  “Right in the can, no doubt.”

  “Whatever works.”

  She stared at him for a long minute, then said, “Well?”

  He sighed. His mind had been off the case for all of a minute. Too much to ask, he supposed, to have it stay there. He straightened in the chair. “We’ve found the abandoned ambulance on a dirt road sev
eral miles southeast of town. There were tire tracks nearby that do not match the tread on the ambulance’s. They’re being checked out.”

  “Checked for what?”

  “To see what kind of tires they are. Make, model, how long they’ve been there. You can tell a lot from tire tracks.”

  “You think they’re from Hines’s car, then.”

  “Possibly, although the only vehicle he owns has an alibi.”

  “His car has an alibi?”

  Jake nodded. “A questionable one. Mrs. Hines swears she was visiting her mother at a nursing home in Laredo. Trouble is, we can’t get any witnesses to corroborate her story. Her mother’s room is the first one by an exit that Mrs. Hines said is usually propped open, even though the home’s policy is for visitors to check in. She says she came and went through that door, and didn’t see anyone.”

  “What about her mother?”

  Jake shook his head. “Alzheimer’s.”

  “Do you believe her?”

  “Don’t have any choice at the moment. She’s never been tied to any of Hines’s crimes, and we haven’t found a witness to place her here at the hospital.”

  Tabitha leaned back in her chair. “Humph. I wish you’d given me a go at her.”

  Jake grinned. “Catfight?”

  She snorted in disgust. “Is there a man on this planet who doesn’t like to see two women together?”

  “Probably, but I’ve never met him.”

  Returning to serious, she straightened. “I’m pretty good at getting information out of people. You have to be, in this job.”

  “I’ve already given orders to have Mrs. Hines brought back in. I want to question her myself. Want to sit in?”

  Tabitha brightened. “Yes, of course. You can use my office.”

  He shrugged. “All right with me. I won’t be the only one in here, so one more won’t matter.”

  “I do have a stake in how this turns out, you know.”

  “I’m going to be questioning other people, as well, starting in about half an hour. Want to sit in on those, too?”

  “Who?”

  “Hospital employees, mostly.”

  “Then, yes, I certainly do. You might as well use my office for all your interviews. I’m not getting any work done, and the atmosphere in here helps people relax.”