James had turned onto a residential street, then a cobblestone driveway that ran between two big oak trees. A yellow two-story house stood beside it. Pretty and well-maintained, the house seemed to be everything anyone could ever want from a home.
Her stomach started to flutter. She had expected a hotel, or…well she wasn’t exactly sure what she had expected, but not this. Not someone’s home.
James turned off the motor and slid out of the car, closed his door and walked around to her side. He opened her door and extended his hand to her.
“I’m okay.” She ignored his hand, swung her legs out of the car and braced her arms against the frame of the door.
One, two, three…stand.
She managed to stand, but her head spun, her legs shook, and the sunlight grew dim.
Suddenly James’ strong arms were around her, holding her up, gently supporting her. His voice was muffled and distant. “Maggie?”
She looked up into his eyes. Those eyes had the ability to comfort and unnerve her all at once.
“Maggie?” His voice became clearer as the spinning slowed and everything came back into focus. “I’ve got you. Are you okay?”
No. She was weak. Sick to her stomach. And she was annoyed by the fact that she’d needed his help. Again.
“I’m fine. I just stood up too fast.”
He shook his head. “Alright, but the ground is uneven. Let me help you walk.”
She wasn’t going to fight him. She couldn’t.
He put his arm around her waist. Her legs trembled as she faltered toward the front door of the Victorian home. A white porch ran along the entire front of the home, the painted wood worn from frequent foot traffic.
She sighed when she saw the four stairs that led to the landing. She wanted to be independent. To prove to him that she was fine on her own. Instead, each stair was just like the rest of this day—a reminder of how much she needed him right now—a reminder that she couldn’t run even if she wanted to.
“Just go slow,” he said. “I’m not going to let you fall.”
Hero cop, right on cue. Her side throbbed every time she raised a leg, and her head was still foggy from a toxic cocktail of fatigue, medication, and nausea. She wasn’t going to hold onto him any longer than necessary, though, and she shifted away from him the second they reached the top step.
He shook his head. “You are very…independent, aren’t you?”
“Don’t you mean stubborn?”
One corner of his mouth pulled up into a smile and he cocked his head. “You said it, not me.” He reached for the handle of the front door and began to open it.
“Aren’t you going to knock?”
“Uh, no. It’s fine. I called ahead.”
“Sheriff,” Reynolds greeted them as soon as they walked through the door. “Everything has been cleared.”
Cleared? Maggie looked at James. “You don’t think my attacker would—”
“You’re safe here. The house has security. But I had to be sure it was completely safe before you got here. Standard procedure, try not to worry.”
James turned to Reynolds and handed him the car keys.
“Thanks, Hank. You can take the squad car back to the station. Have Edith get a report on all recent stolen vehicles and call me immediately if a blue mid-nineties Chevy shows up. And tell Terry thanks for dropping you off.”
“Yes, sir.” He grabbed the brim of his hat and nodded towards Maggie. “Ma’am,” he said, then walked to the car and drove away.
James led Maggie to a blue and white sofa, and she sat, resting her body against the back cushion. “I’m going to find Helen so I can introduce you. She’ll be your nurse while you’re here.” He glanced toward the front door and frowned. “I’ll be right upstairs, and that door is pretty loud when it opens and closes.”
“Don’t worry,” she sighed. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Not today, anyway.
She laid her head against the back of sofa and closed her eyes. Angry, hatred-filled eyes stared back at her through a ski mask. Her eyes shot open and she tried to take a deep breath. So much for rest. Maybe a look around would erase the image from her mind.
It was obvious she wasn’t at some kind of rehab house. There were too many knick-knacks, and a rehab house wouldn’t have pictures on the fireplace mantle.
Helen must live here. Judging by how comfortable James was in the house, he must know Helen pretty well. Maybe Helen was his girlfriend. Whatever. It didn’t matter. So why did it feel like it did?
The sound of James’ voice caused her to shift enough to see him coming down the stairs. An older man walked behind him, aided by a round, gray-haired, woman wearing purple scrubs. With some black hair dye, she’d look like Oprah. Definitely not James’ girlfriend. The sense of relief Maggie felt caught her off-guard, and she let out a short laugh.
“What’s so funny?” James asked.
“I just…it’s nothing.”
“Okay,” he said, his gaze curious and assessing.
Maybe he thought her head injury had made her lose her mind.
She didn’t correct him. The less he knew about what she was thinking, the better. Especially what she was thinking about him.
“Maggie,” he gestured toward the gray-haired woman, “this is Helen.”
“Nice to meet you, Maggie. Seems you got yourself released awful early, considering your injuries.” She smiled and swatted at the air. “No matter, we’ll have you better in no time. I’ll whip up a schedule for your medications, dressing changes, and exercise. Some good home cooking will give you some strength—a good three squares a day.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” the older man interrupted. “Stop pestering the poor woman. You’re going to overwhelm her.” He turned to Maggie and smiled. “You’ll have to excuse Nurse Ratched.” He winked at Helen and then turned back to Maggie. “She gets pretty bossy.”
“Careful, Pops,” Helen teased back. “I’ll quit making my momma’s pecan pie for you.”
Their playful banter made Maggie smile. She could see James out of the corner of her eye. He sat perched on the arm of the sofa, relaxed and focused on her. She felt it. She felt it every time he looked at her—a weird jump in her pulse, an uneasiness in her gut.
Look away.
She wanted to, but instead her gaze betrayed her and went straight to him, and his eyes locked with hers. The look on his face seemed to beg her to trust him, and for a split second, she wanted to. She was grateful when Helen approached him and broke their line of sight. She couldn’t afford to lower her guard any more than she already had.
“I’ve told you not to sit on the arm of that sofa.” Helen slapped James on the arm.
“Ow!” He rubbed his arm as he stood and smiled at Helen. “Careful, or I’ll have to arrest you for assaulting an officer.”
“I’d like to see you try.” She laughed, then turned to Maggie. “I’ll go get your room ready, dear, and then we’ll get you cleaned up so you can rest before dinner.”
Cleaned up? She had been so focused on trying to leave the hospital that she hadn’t taken the time to look in a mirror. She’d been chased through the woods, hit by a car, had surgery, been in the hospital for several days, and then gotten sick on the way here. She must look a wreck. Not to mention how she must smell. Sponge baths can only clean so much.
James must have noticed, but he had never given her even the slightest hint that he did. And he hadn’t lectured her about staying in the hospital, either. Maybe he really was trying to help. The problem was, she didn’t want or need anything other than her strength and her freedom. Once she had those, she’d figure things out on her own.
The older man sat beside her. “Helen will take good care of you-she is a fantastic nurse. If it weren’t for her, I’d be in some old folks’ home instead of my own house.”
So, this was his house. He extended his hand to her for a handshake. “I’m James, but my friends and family call me Pops.”
Maggie shot the sheriff a glance and the older man chuckled. “I’m James the first. The sheriff here is James the third, my grandson.”
Grandson?
That explained why James hadn’t told her where he was bringing her. He must have thought she’d refuse. She would have—there was no way she wanted to be indebted to him.
“Can I get you a glass of iced tea, Maggie?” Pops asked.
“That would be nice.” She leaned back, crossed her arms, and narrowed her eyes at James.
“Great. I’ll be right back.”
She watched Pops until she felt he was out of earshot.
“You brought me to your grandfather’s house?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“It was the perfect solution. This place has a state-of-the-art security system to keep you safe, and a nurse to help you recover. You’ll have your own room, good food, and it’s free.”
She frowned. “Nothing is free.”
“That’s a pretty cynical attitude, don’t you think?”
“Cynical or not, it’s a fact of life.”
Just then Helen came back into the room. “Alright, dear. Let’s get you upstairs.”
* * *
James watched Helen help Maggie up the stairs. Her legs shook a little more with each labored step she took. He took a step toward them, but then stopped. She’d made it pretty clear she wanted him to keep his distance. As long as Helen had it under control, he was going to stay out of it.
Pops came back carrying a tray with a pitcher of iced tea and some glasses. “Where’s…our guest?”
“Maggie,” James reminded him. “Helen took her upstairs.”
“What’s her story?” Pops asked.
Even though he’d been retired for several years, forty years on the force had created an instinct to investigate that had never gone away.
“She was attacked out near service road seven, but escaped. She ran into traffic.” James frowned. “I tried to stop, but I hit her with my squad car. She has amnesia, and she’s terrified. She thinks she would be safer on the run. I think she would be safer here.”
“Here, huh? That’s unconventional.”
“I don’t mind unconventional if it works.”
Pops nodded. “Does she have any idea who she is?”
“Not yet.”
“Maggie.” Pops seemed to be searching through some hidden files in his mind. “Something about her face…I don’t know, she just seems…familiar.
“Maybe you’ve met.”
“If we have, I can’t remember where.” Pops shook his head. “After everything she’s been through, she still wasn’t going to stay at the hospital? Sounds like a strong woman.”
James let out a short laugh. “Strong willed is more like it. I don’t think I’ve ever met a more obstinate woman in my life.”
“Pretty, too. But I’m sure you already noticed.” Pops winked.
“Pops, I—” the doorbell interrupted.
“Saved by the bell,” Pops teased.
James smiled at his grandfather. “I’d better get that.”
He glanced out the peephole to see Terry standing a few feet away from the door, a dog leash loose in her hand.
James opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. He squatted to greet his K-9 partner, rubbing the dog’s ears.
“Hi there, boy, how are ya?”
“Sure, say hi to the mutt first,” Terry joked.
“Hey, priorities.” James grinned and stood to greet his cousin.
She reached over and flicked his stubble. “You look awful.”
He laughed. “Thanks. I’m exhausted. I ended up staying the last few nights at the hospital. Maggie tried to run—”
“Wait.” Terry frowned. “Maggie? You’re on a first name basis with the vic? And what do you mean, she tried to run?”
“Actually, she has amnesia. She can’t remember her name, and I didn’t think calling her Jane Doe was going to gain her trust. Maggie was the first name she remembered. I need her to trust me if she’s going to tell me what she remembers. She’s really scared, and she has a right to be; her CT scan showed multiple healed fractures.”
Terry grimaced. “Abuse?”
“Yeah, the doctor thinks so. Her abuser could be the guy we’re looking for. I guess that’s why she felt like it would be safer to keep moving rather than stay at the hospital, so she tried to leave. Got as far as pulling her IV out.”
“You left an officer with her, then?”
James hesitated. Terry was a strict rule follower, a ‘by the book’ kind of cop, and he knew she wasn’t going to like what he was about to tell her.
“Not exactly.”
Terry’s eyes narrowed and she cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean, not exactly?” Her shoulders dropped and she took a step back, shaking her head. “Oh no. You didn’t. Tell me you did not bring her here. James this is a terrible—”
He held his hands up, stopping her tirade. “Hear me out. She has to be in protective custody, and she needs medical supervision. Oden can be with her when I’m gone, the house has the security system I installed, and Helen can see to her medical needs. Plus, I can still work the case—”
“—even though you’re on leave.” Terry sighed, her brow high on her forehead. “Having her here gives you first access to any information she has. Sneaky. Stupid, but sneaky.”
“And I’m hoping that you and Edith will keep me posted on anything that develops at the station.”
He smiled a cheesy, toothy grin, and Terry rolled her eyes and sighed.
“I knew I could count on you. I hate being on leave. Especially knowing there’s a killer out there.”
“How long are you off?”
“Until I’m cleared of any fault in the accident. Shouldn’t be more than a couple more days. Do I need to ask who’s filling in for me, or do I already know?”
“That weasel, Calvert,” Terry huffed. “You know he wants your job.”
He did know. Chip Calvert had been with the department longer than James and was the mayor’s appointee to the job. The city council, however, decided he lacked credentials, and hired James instead. Mayor Powell and Officer Calvert had been gunning for James ever since.
He shrugged. “It’ll be fine, don’t worry about it.”
Terry shook her head. “You worked hard to get this job, James. Keeping that woman—”
“Maggie.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. Keeping Maggie here is a bad idea. Calvert will do whatever he can to make your leave permanent. When he finds out about this, he will use it against you.”
“I’m not worried about Calvert. I’m worried about Maggie. I wasn’t about to let her leave the hospital unprotected. Someone is after her, and until we know who and why, she’s staying here. Besides, as long as I’m on leave, I’m just a guy renting out a room.”
“For free. You’re as stubborn as a mule,” she muttered, but she didn’t argue any further.
“Why don’t you come in and meet her? You can say hi to Pops, too.”
“Oh, well I would, but I really have to get back to the station.”
James sighed and softened his tone. “He would love to see you, Terry. Why don’t you come by later with the kids?”
He knew why she didn’t. Terry’s way of dealing with Pops’ Alzheimer’s was to ignore it.
“I’ll try.” She walked toward her squad car, talking as she went. “I just can’t promise anything.”
“Okay.” James waved at his cousin, and she got into her squad car and drove away. “Come on, Oden. There’s someone you need to meet.”
Oden followed James into the house and up the stairs.
James raised his hand to knock on the bedroom door, but hesitated.
He couldn’t keep the truth from Maggie too much longer. She was going to find out sooner or later. He hoped it was going to be later.
“Come in,” Maggie answered his knoc
k.
He opened the door and Oden strutted straight to Maggie, who was standing near the window.
“Hey there, boy!” She kneeled and began petting the bloodhound, so wrapped up in the dog that she barely noticed James walk by her and pull the curtain closed. Oden rolled over for her to rub his belly and she smiled, making her eyes glimmer.
“What’s his name?”
“Oden. He’ll be your protector when I’m not around.” James smiled. “You know, that’s the third or fourth time you’ve done that since you got here.”
“Done what?” She asked, rubbing the dog’s head.
“Smiled.”
She raised her head to look at him. “Yeah, well I like dogs. They don’t ask questions, and they know when to leave you alone. Speaking of leaving me alone,” she said, her tone relaxed, “I’m sure you’re tired, and I’m fine here. You should go home and get some rest.” She raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Besides, hero cops shouldn’t look so scraggly.”
He was right. It was going to be sooner. He couldn’t keep the fact that he lived here from her any longer. She had her reasons for not trusting him, and this was going to be one more.
“Actually, Maggie, I…am home. I live here.”
Chapter 6
No!
No way no how was she going to stay in James’ house.
Maggie stepped away from Oden and sat on the edge of the bed. She needed to think, but her thoughts were muddled, filled with a confusing combination of fear and hope.
“I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“Why not? You didn’t seem upset when you thought it was just my grandfather and Helen who lived here.”
“I know, but…”
“But what?”
But that was before I found out I’d be so close to you.
She wasn’t sure why but being around him made her…agitated. He’d been patient with her. Understanding. He seemed to be able to comfort her with his soothing voice. He smelled great. And then there was the way he looked at her with his beautiful blue eyes. The look that made it hard to look away. The same look that made her want to trust him.
Killer Secrets Page 5