by Lola Drake
He returned to the hospital that evening along with the detectives. Juliet had drifted off to sleep again, but she woke up as the door opened. Aaron sat beside her, reading. A harried man rushed past Jake before he or the detectives could say a word, and practically screeched to a halt in front of her bed as though slowing to a walk before reaching her would take far too much time. Jake instantly guessed this was Wetherby, the DDA assigned to the case. He looked to be in his late thirties, with blonde hair, almond-shaped hazel eyes, and a Cary Grant-esque dimple on his chin.
“Miss Morris, how are you feeling today?” the man gushed, reaching to shake her hand. He stopped almost comically with his hand outstretched toward her, obviously realizing she couldn’t shake his hand with her right arm in a sling.
Jake took in his briefcase full to bursting with papers, his slightly disheveled suit, and hair that badly needed a trim. Still, he supposed some women might find him attractive, if they liked that type. He wondered what Juliet thought as she gave him a bemused smile.
“Um, I’m fine, thank you.”
“Oh, sorry, I should probably introduce myself.” He fumbled around in his pockets until he found a business card, which he set on the bedside table. “Michael Wetherby. I’m a deputy district attorney, and I’ll be handling this case from beginning to end. The district attorney may get involved as trial gets closer as well. Now, first things first, do you have any questions for me or concerns? I know the detectives are working on getting you guards.”
“Guards? She needs guards at the hospital?” Aaron sprang to his feet, his body tensing as though an attack were imminent.
The attorney looked confused as Jake swore under his breath. He’d come to agree with Juliet that they should keep Aaron in the dark about exactly how much danger she faced.
“No, no, probably not,” Wetherby hurried to reassure him. “I doubt the gang would dare do something as bold as attack her here.”
“But you do think they’ll go after her?”
Wetherby looked from one sibling to another, exhaling loudly. “I won’t lie to you, much as I’d like to. This gang has a reputation for witness intimidation. In all likelihood they may try something. We can, of course, put you into witness protection, Miss Morris.”
“I’ll take her back to San Francisco with me.”
Wetherby and Juliet both started shaking their heads, albeit for very different reasons. “I’m afraid I need her here in Los Angeles for the time being. The moment we find Martinez I want to press for a speedy preliminary hearing to get Juliet’s testimony on the record. It may help keep her safe, since that testimony can be used at the actual trial if something were to happen to Juliet.”
Aaron didn’t look the slightest bit comforted by that. Juliet laid a hand upon his arm.
“Aaron, after all this, I want to go home. Sleep in my own bed.”
Detective Harris stepped forward before the argument could continue. “Before we get into all of that, do you mind looking at a few more pictures for us, Miss Morris?”
Juliet nodded. Jake let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding, grateful for anything that could distract Juliet’s protective older brother. Detective Harris placed a sheet with eight photos in front of her. “Do you recognize any of these men?”
She studied each face intently before shaking her head, “No, I’m sorry. Who are they?”
“Other members of the gang,” Harris explained. “We’re trying to figure out who else witnessed the murders that night. You’re sure Martinez was the only one who fired?”
“Definitely. It’s not an image I’ll ever forget.”
“Okay, then…thank you, Miss Morris,” Wetherby replied. “You’ve been a big help. We’ll have a guard here at the hospital tonight and maybe tomorrow we can discuss what you’d like to do when you’re released.”
“What happens now?” Juliet asked.
“It all depends on how soon we find Martinez. But don’t you worry about that. Concentrate on feeling better. We’ll talk more soon, I promise.” With that Wetherby scurried from the room, leaving a resounding silence in his wake. Harris, Reed, and Jake all looked at one another, then the detectives shuffled off after Wetherby, mumbling their goodbyes.
“OK, Jake…level with me,” Aaron demanded.
Jake shrugged, not knowing what exactly to tell him. He caught Juliet’s eye and she gave a slight shake of her head. “It’s unlikely the gang even knows who Juliet is.”
“Don’t bullshit me. You know as well as I do the police department can leak like a sieve. All it takes is one corrupt cop willing to accept a bribe and they’ll get all the information about her they need. Juliet, you need to come home with me.”
“You heard what the lawyer said. I can’t leave right now.”
“I don’t give a damn what the lawyer said. Your life is worth more than a guilty verdict for some gangster.”
Juliet turned pleading eyes on Jake once more. With a sigh, he put a hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “Look, I know how you feel. But I checked out Harris and Reed, and they’re good men. And from what I’ve heard, Wetherby has an impressive conviction rate in gang-related homicides.”
“If the gang knows that, it could just make them more motivated to eliminate the star witness.” Jake grimaced slightly, his expression gone almost before it became noticeable. But Aaron knew him too well. “What is it? What aren’t you saying?”
While doing a background check on the major players involved in the case, he’d discovered that Wetherby tended to prosecute capital murder cases. He had succeeded several times in sending felons to death row. That could either work for Juliet, in that Martinez might take a plea if Wetherby agreed to life in prison instead of the death penalty, or it could really work against her just as Aaron had suggested by making Martinez that much more determined to eliminate her before she could testify.
Jake didn’t know if he should tell Juliet that this could be a death penalty case. If she shared her brother’s opinion on such matters, she’d oppose it, which might make her more reluctant to testify. He personally thought all murderers should fry, along with rapists, pedophiles, and several other criminals he’d come across during his years with the bureau.
“Jake, you make me nervous when you suddenly stop talking.” Juliet poked him in the ribs to get his attention. “What are you thinking about?”
Damn, why did all women seem to ask that question at the exact moment you didn’t want to answer them? “Wetherby wants to charge Martinez with three counts of capital murder with special circumstances – multiple murder to benefit a gang. Then he can throw in one count of attempted murder for shooting at Juliet and one count of street terrorism. If Martinez decides to go to trial, then the DA will ask for the death penalty. But if Juliet isn’t able to testify, the prosecution’s case gets a whole lot weaker.”
The color drained so quickly from Aaron’s face Jake wondered how he managed to remain standing. Maybe he should have lied about the possible dangers. Juliet seemed to be handling it better than Aaron. Either that or the reality of her situation hadn’t hit her yet.
She turned to look at him. “Did Wetherby really mention witness protection? Did he mean the whole new identity, changing my entire life kind of witness protection? Or just protection for me, a witness…?”
“No, he didn’t mean the Federal program. You might have to relocate temporarily, but I doubt it will come to that.”
“I’m taking you with me to San Francisco, and that’s final,” Aaron insisted.
“And I said no way in hell. I’ll be fine here. I have guards, remember?”
Aaron looked unconvinced.
“Would it make you feel better if I volunteered to be her personal bodyguard? After all, not every witness merits their very own FBI shadow.” Jake flashed his trademark cocky smile at Aaron, hoping to convince him. The idea of being glued to Juliet appealed to him in ways he didn’t want to think about too closely. He tried to picture the Juliet he had first m
et as a gawky twelve-year-old with ridiculous multi-colored glasses, a mouthful of braces, and such a spindly figure her clothes always seemed too big for her. It didn’t help. The Juliet before him was definitely all grown up and so striking he wished he could shove Aaron out the door and pick up where they’d left off.
The arrival of the doctor distracted Jake momentarily, much to his relief.
“Can you give us some good news, Dr. Goldman?” Aaron asked. He clearly couldn’t handle any more bad news.
Both Juliet and Jake turned to the doctor in surprise.
“Where’s Dr. Erosou?” Juliet asked.
“Who?” Dr. Goldman picked up Juliet’s chart, barely looking at her. “Sorry it took me so long, Mr. Morris. Everything here looks fine. She’s healing nicely. We can release her in the morning.”
“Thank you, Doctor. That’s a huge relief.” Aaron gratefully shook the doctor’s hand. “I know I’ve been pestering you, so I appreciate you stopping by.”
“Dr. Erosou. Where is he?” Juliet repeated.
Jake could see Juliet’s fury building at being ignored. Justifiably, he acknowledged. Was this doctor from the Stone Age where he wouldn’t discuss a woman’s medical problems with her directly?
Dr. Goldman finally glanced in her direction. “I’m not familiar with Dr. Erosou. He might be new.” With that he gave a final nod to Aaron and left the room.
Aaron seemed to calm down slightly at Juliet’s progressing recovery, but he continued to clutch her hand pretty hard.
“Jake, since I can’t drag Juliet bodily to San Francisco, can I count on you to look after her?”
“Yeah, of course. I won’t let anything happen to her.”
“Okay then.” He clasped Jake on the shoulder, clearly nervous about leaving. “I’ll leave her in your capable hands. Please take good care of her.”
Jake gritted his teeth, trying hard not to let his mind wander to precisely where he wished his “capable hands” could go. He caught Juliet’s gaze flickering toward him before fastening itself on her brother.
“Don’t worry, I’ll look after her. Not a problem at all.”
But considering the images of Juliet he couldn’t stop from flooding his brain, he wondered if she wouldn’t be safer far away from him.
Chapter Three
It’s Getting Hot in Here
Juliet emerged from the shower, relieved to be out of the hospital and back at her own house. Pulling off the plastic bag that had kept her arm dry, she limped to the closet – her hip still a bit sore from the “flesh wound.” Easy for doctors to say––it wasn’t their flesh that bullet had blazed a path across. She knew she had far more pressing things to worry about, but she couldn’t help taking a moment to hope the scar wouldn’t be too ugly once it healed.
With one arm, she rubbed the towel across her body to dry off as best she could then pulled a pair of sweat pants out of the closet. Fortunately she could step into those easily. Now came the real challenge: a shirt. She finally found a huge flannel shirt she’d stolen from her dad some years ago and had never bothered to throw away. Gingerly she poked her injured arm through the sleeve, then the good one, and eventually decided to leave it unbuttoned for the moment while she tried to brush her teeth with her left hand.
Carly had come over that morning to help, but Juliet had felt so sore and tired she just wanted to pop one of the pain pills the doctor had given her and crawl into bed. Now she wished she’d let Carly help her with all of these things first. This would have been so much easier with a pair of working hands.
Ablutions complete, she sank, exhausted, onto the chair in front of her old-fashioned white vanity. Her mother had used that vanity as a teenager, and she’d given it to Juliet for her sixteenth birthday. Now, even at twenty-nine, Juliet still loved using it. Somehow she always felt prettier seeing her reflection in that ornate antique mirror than she did anywhere else, especially in the last few years since her mother died. She trailed her finger over a tiny crack in the wood. Her mother had been furious when Juliet had done that. Now, however, as she rested her palm upon it, she couldn’t think of anything in the world she wanted more than a hug from her mother and her reassuring voice saying everything would be all right.
The soft knock on the door startled her. “Come in.”
Jake poked his head in the doorway. “Are you doing OK? Need any help?”
“I’m managing.”
“You in a lot of pain?”
Juliet shook her head, attempting to brush her hair left-handed. “The medication helps. I’m more frustrated than anything.”
“So let me help.”
Jake came up behind her, took the brush from her hand, and stroked it through her hair. His thumb grazed the back of her neck as he gathered up a section of curls, holding them so he wouldn’t pull at her head as he worked out a tangle. Their eyes met in the mirror and held. Juliet’s heart thumped in her chest so loudly she wondered if Jake could hear it. If he did, he gave nothing away as he ran his long fingers gently across her scalp.
“You have beautiful hair.”
Juliet chuckled. “Now I know you’re feeling sorry for me. My hair’s brown and boring.”
Jake shook his head, gently separating out a few strands. His eyes met hers in the mirror once more. “No it’s not. It has shades of auburn and even gold under certain light. It’s beautiful.”
Her breath caught. The air around them grew heavy with expectation as once more their eyes locked through the mirror. Slowly, as though afraid any movement might startle him like a frightened deer in the woods, Juliet turned around to face him. Desire flared inside her. She’d wanted him for so long, and now, with the heat in his gaze… was he finally going to kiss her after all these years?
Keeping her eyes glued to his, she rose, their bodies so close they practically touched. Jake’s breath warmed her cheek and a need, a hunger flared in his eyes. As he leaned in, Juliet’s eyes drifted closed, the anticipation of having his mouth on hers at last overwhelming her. And then it happened, his lips touched her––on the forehead.
What the…? Juliet’s eyes flew open.
Jake abruptly stepped back, setting down her brush. “Got any good movies? Let’s go watch a movie. I need a beer.” He turned on his heel and practically sprinted from the room.
Juliet couldn’t understand what the hell had just happened. She did know she wished she had thrown the brush at his retreating back. He clearly wanted her. Didn’t he?
A photo of her and Aaron from her high school graduation caught her eye. Oh yeah. Aaron. Maybe that had prompted Jake’s decision not to touch her? At least, she hoped that was the reason and not that he still thought of her as an ungainly kid sister. But she felt sure she hadn’t imagined anything. He had lightly licked in his lips in that moment before leaning in, and the way he had caressed her hair definitely didn’t feel like something a brother would do. She shuddered, disgusted at this last thought.
No, Jake wanted her. And she would convince him to see that.
Juliet managed to put on a touch of mascara and some lip-gloss before heading into the living room to join Jake. He sat on the couch flipping channels so she sank down beside him, letting her thigh rest against his.
“Want me to make popcorn?”
He seemed about to stand up, so Juliet put her hand on his thigh to keep him in place. Jake swallowed, hard.
“I’m not hungry.” Juliet tried to flirtatiously flip her hair back with her left hand, but it ended up smacking Jake in the cheek. To distract him from that less-than-attractive maneuver, she slid her fingers lightly up and down his thigh. He started to blush, making him even more adorable.
“But, um, movies are always better with popcorn. Right?”
“Why are you acting so nervous?”
Jake laughed, but it sounded so tight and high he’d clearly forced itout. “Nervous? I’m not nervous.”
“Uh huh.” She smirked, letting her fingers graze his upper thigh as she pulled her
hand back. His breath gave a slight hitch.
“Look, Juliet…”
“Here it comes.”
“What? I only wanted to say…” he trailed off as a car that clearly had no muffler grew progressively louder. “Any of your neighbors drive cars like that?”
Juliet shook her head.
“Shit. Get down!”
Jake threw himself over her just as the windows exploded. He dragged them both behind the couch and pressed her against the carpet as bullets whizzed through the air. Glass fragments cascaded down around them, falling to the carpet where they glittered like deadly sharp diamonds. The TV shattered. Wood chips knocked from the bookshelves spewed into the air, surrounding them with the scent of saw dust.
Then came the pungent scent of gasoline as a bottle smashed beside them. Flames filled the room, their heat pushing against Juliet like a wrecking ball. She crawled backward on the rug to get away, crying out at the weight placed on her injured arm.
Another one of the explosives flew into the living room. As the bottle shattered, gas spilled everywhere, spreading more fire along with it. A car peeled off outside with a final burst of gunfire.
With the coast clear, Jake grabbed a blanket off the couch and began trying to smother one of the fires. Juliet followed his lead. But as the coffee table and billowy drapes ignited, the futility of their efforts became clear.
“We have to get outside.” He had to raise his voice over the growing roar of the flames. Both of them had begun coughing and sweating in the intense heat and accruing smoke.
Taking hold of Juliet’s uninjured arm, Jake dragged her through the kitchen and out the back door. Juliet dialed 911 on her cell phone. Whipping his own phone out of his pocket, Jake called Detective Harris as he ushered Juliet to safety several yards from the house.
“Harris, it’s Jake Parker,” he barked into the phone. “Juliet was just attacked.”