Arrest of the Heart

by Judy Kentrus

  Out of the mouths of babes. “My sister played the piano in a high school band, and they would put on concerts in that gazebo.” One of his biggest regrets was not having a closer relationship with Jenny Elizabeth. He didn’t find out about her death until he got back to the States. He’d tried to contact her at the only phone number he had, but it was no longer a working number. Then he contacted Sallie Mae and she informed him of Jenny’s death. He would be forever grateful to Scott and Russell. He’d cried in their arms and went on a drinking binge for a week. In his lucid moments, he talked about starting Adams Security and Investigations. They wrote a six figure check without expecting payback.

  Linc and Edie got back to the house a half hour later. “Mom, we got an antipasto with extra salami and provolone. Mrs. Flach gave Mr. Lincoln a big hug. She kissed him on both cheeks and said he turned out to be a handsome devil. She made cannoli and Mr. Lincoln bought some for dessert.”

  “We’re in for a treat tonight.” Jess finished buttoning her blue and white check blouse that she wore over her navy jeans, feeling a hundred percent better and blessedly clean. “Do you mind using paper plates?”

  “No problem.” Lincoln set the pizza box and bags of food on the counter and purposely kept his back to her. Instant arousal tightened the front of his jeans. She was barefoot and a sweet, sexy fragrance assailed his senses. He was sinking, deeper and deeper into her natural bewitching spell. Damn, he wanted to kiss her.

  Eat, get your mind off of Jessie Taylor, he told himself, when they sat down for dinner a few minutes later. A distracting change of subject was definitely needed. “Did you ask your friend to be a part of your anti-bullying committee?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Edie picked off the pieces of sausage, pepperoni and meatballs from the cheese-oozing slice. “Peter wasn’t sure, but I told him this would tell those bullies he was going to stand up to them. My teacher suggested we make posters and hang them around the school.”

  “Your teacher sent me an email. I responded back and told her I thought it was a wonderful idea. She is going to suggest to Principal Wayne that the entire school get involved.”

  “That’s super great! Mommy, did you know Mr. Lincoln’s sister played the piano?”

  Jessie kept her eyes lowered and concentrated on pouring oil and vinegar on the colorful variety of vegetables, meats and cheeses on her plate. Earlier, she’d lectured her daughter on the importance of telling the truth. She’d be a hypocrite if she lied. “Yes, I did.”

  “Just so you know, I recognized the bike and the piano. What else haven’t you told me?”

  The question had barely left Linc’s mouth when the back door opened and Lisa Kay came rushing in. She pulled out a chair and picked up the glass of red wine in front of Jessie and drank it down without coming up for air.

  “I needed that,” she said, sighing heavily. “I’m in love. I fainted and I woke up in his arms. I met my soul mate.”

  Jessie frowned at her empty glass. Lisa Kay rarely drank. “Slow down. I’m almost afraid to ask. Soul mate? You don’t date.”

  Linc got another glass from the cabinet and poured Lisa Kay more wine, then refilled Jessie’s glass. “Thanks,” she smiled. “I was just about to close when this guy came in with a half-drowned kitten he found under the wheel of his Harley. He’s gorgeous with bulging muscles and a tattoo of a raven on his upper arm. He’s new in town and does carpentry jobs. He’s a little older than me. I need some work done on the house, but I need you to check him out first.” Lisa fantasized with a dreamy smile. “He is so built.”

  Jessie had never seen her friend this enamored over a man, but then again, this stranger reminded Jess of one of the Alfa males on the cover of Lisa Kay’s romance novels. “What’s his name?”

  “Sam Morlock,” she mumbled over another drink of wine.

  “Warlock? Like a male witch?” Jessie questioned.

  “No, Morlock. He’s an amateur Chiroptologist.”

  “What’s that?” Edie asked.

  “A person who studies bats,” Linc supplied. He’d kept his own counsel during the entire exchange, but made a mental note to contact Sam and find out what the hell was going on.

  “That’s so cool! There are bats in the church.”

  “Who told you that?” Jessie asked.

  “Mrs. Schmidt, my piano teacher said Mr. B. is so wacky he’s got bats in the belfry.”

  The three adults at the table burst out laughing, knowing the statement wasn’t completely wrong.

  “Thanks for the wine. Sam Morlock is staying at the Last Chance.” Lisa put a hand to her stomach and decided she had better eat something before she threw up.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll check him out.” Jess wasn’t about to let her best friend be taken in by some silver-tongued devil.

  “Appreciate it. I gotta go. Mom is waiting supper.”

  They finished dinner, and once again, Linc volunteered to clean up while Jessie shared her special time with Edie. He was eager to spend time alone with her and get some answers.

  “She’s down for the count,” Jessie said, when she returned to the kitchen an hour later. “Edie’s guilty conscience must have been bothering her because she said two extra prayers for telling her ‘little’ fib.” Her voiced trailed off when Linc approached her with determination in his stride.

  “What?” she breathlessly asked.

  He put a gentle hold on her shoulders, but kept her at arm’s length. “When you walked into the kitchen after your shower, you were wearing that sexy scent and almost brought me to my knees. If Edie wasn’t here, I would have taken you in my arms and kissed you until we lost consciousness.”

  They needed to talk, but there was something she wanted, needed from him. Jessie deliberately leaned to the right and then the left, pretending to search the kitchen, just like he’d done earlier looking for a bucket of water. She took a step closer, making his arms drop, and slipped her arms about his neck. “I think we are completely alone.”

  “Are you sure I won’t get arrested for assaulting a police officer?”

  “I’m not wearing my badge,” she replied in a voice filled with inviting warmth.

  “That’s all I wanted to know.” Linc brought her hard against him and lowered his head to capture her mouth, which eagerly blended with his. When he outlined the smooth seam of her lips with the tip of his tongue, she opened her mouth in invitation. He was captivated by the feel of her soft body and ached to make love to her.

  Jess let go and settled into him to make it easier for him to take possession of her mouth. Their lips and tongues merged perfectly, generating mutual heat. She delighted in the strong, sexy body that consumed her dreams. This was Linc, her fantasy man. His arousal was obvious and she pressed against him to savor the heat and hardness that had found a home between her thighs.

  That was how Margaret Taylor found them. “This is an unexpected development. Guess I won’t be charging you with assault on a police officer.”

  “Mother!” Jess dropped her arms and took a step back. An embarrassing pinkness swept her cheeks and she crossed her arms over her chest, hoping the pebble hardness of her breasts wasn’t obvious.

  Margaret spied the half bottle of wine and glasses on the table. “I could use some of that right now.”

  Linc took the hint and poured a glass for the judge, damning the tightness in the front of his jeans. If Margaret hadn’t come in, who knows how far things would have progressed with Jessie? “We thought you were coming back this weekend.”

  “The chief contacted me about the mayor, so I thought I better get back as soon as possible.” She sat at the table and enjoyed her wine, not bothering to hold back the sarcasm in her voice. “Tell me you two haven’t been playing house.”

  “How could you even suggest such a thing? Linc has been sleeping in the apartment. He treated us to pizza.” Jess frowned at her what her mother was wearing. Margaret Taylor never wore jeans, let alone a T-shirt from the Hard… Jess blinked and re-read the
name on the shirt, Hard Male Bodies Café. Under the words was a picture of a sexy hunk, wearing nothing but a G-string over his well-endowed genitals. What exactly had she been doing with her sister Donna?

  Margaret released the clip at the back of her neck, giving freedom to her silver white hair. “Sorry, it’s been a helluva few days. I don’t know how I’m going to handle the mayor’s responsibilities and everything else I have to do.” She gave Linc a pointed stare. “We need to talk about your inheritance.” Margaret hoped he would understand the underlying message in her statement.

  He gave a quick nod. “I need to talk to you too. When’s a good time?”

  “I’ll let you know after I go into the office tomorrow.”

  An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Linc decided it was a good time to make an exit. Spending time alone with Jessie wasn’t about to happen. “It’s been a long day for me too.” He grabbed his jacket from the hook and gave Jessie a flirty wink before walking out the door.

  Jessie was disappointed their time alone had been cut short. Logic said she should be grateful her mother had come home and interrupted the hottest kiss she’d ever enjoyed, but damn, she was far from finished with her dream man. She twirled the stem of her glass between her fingers and took a good look at her mother, the woman she admired for her strength and courage. She appeared weary, her complexion pale and withdrawn. Her mother never displayed evidence of defeat. She was unstoppable. Where her father had been laid back, but a fair, formidable judge, Margaret Taylor had the stronger, more dominant personality. She was also fair, but put something more in her decisions, like she had to prove she was worthy of the position of judge.

  “Mother, I have to ask. Where did you get that shirt?”

  Margaret offered a half smile. “Your Aunt Donna decided I need cheering up, so we went to this male strip club with a couple of women from her office. This blond-haired Adonis was hung like a bull.” Margaret realized she had spoken her spicy musings out loud to her daughter. She pressed her fingers to her throbbing temples. “I’m tired and stressed.” Margaret wanted to confess everything to Jessie, but couldn’t, not yet. “You two certainly bonded. Does he know you were gaga over him as a teenager?”

  “No, and I’m not about to tell him. He found out about the bike and the piano.”

  “Did he ask how you got them?”

  “No, but I’m sure he will. I’ll tell him as much as I can.” Jess yawned and hoped she wouldn’t get called out tonight. “I’m exhausted. Since the chief filled you in, you know about the mayor’s disappearance.”

  “So, it’s not an official murder?”

  “Everything is up in the air because we don’t have a body.” Jess yawned again.

  “Go to bed. We can talk tomorrow night.” Margaret slipped her arms around Jessie and hugged her close. “I do love you. Sometimes the things I do don’t make sense, but trust me. I am doing what is right for you and Edie.”

  Jess tipped her head to the side, wondering what her mother was talking about.

  She patted Jessie’s shoulder. “Don’t ask.” Margaret watched her daughter walk out of the kitchen. She’d always prided herself on making the right determinations, but the past couple of days she began to question those decisions. Right now, Lincoln Adams was their only saving grace.

  Jess’s mind was troubled as she put on her black silk PJ’s, another private indulgence to go with the sexy lingerie. Something was going on between her mother and Linc Adams. She’d caught the guarded looks and hidden innuendos in their brief statements. And who was this Sam guy? Her brain was too tired to give it further thought. Her overworked body gave a welcome sigh of relief when she slipped into bed and snuggled her head into her fluffy pillow, but couldn’t get comfortable. It felt like a rock had been placed under her head. She sat up and lifted the end of the pillow to discover a See’s candy bar.

  Chapter 10

  Linc wiped the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his shirt and reassessed what he’d accomplished over the last four afternoons, rearranging and condensing the “treasure” in the garage. He’d established a daily routine. Mornings were spent focusing on his company via Skyped conferences with Cindi, his admin and Logan Chamberlain, his second in command. Reggie, his chief of computer operations had identified the origin of the threats sent to Margaret Taylor, but wanted to check further, to make sure there weren’t any mistakes. Preston, their forensic accountant, was working on the financials of the members of the town council. Danni Snow had lifted and classified two sets of prints from the note, and Nate’s connection in the FBI was running them against their national data base.

  His other priority was meeting with the judge. Linc had sent her a message asking when they could get together. She got back to him with the excuse she didn’t have a moment to spare, since she had to oversee her own law practice and the missing mayor’s responsibilities.

  To his great disappointment, spending time alone with Jessie had become impossible. Margaret Taylor came home for dinner every night and worked in her home office during the evening. The bright part of his day was when Edie came home from school early enough to have a game of one-on-one. He checked the time on his watch and noted it was close to four. Linc sat on the bottom step and reached into his back pocket for his harmonica, his private form of relaxation. When he was a kid, sometimes he would sit beside Jenny when she played the piano. He couldn’t read music to save his life, but played by ear. He rarely indulged in front of people. To his surprise, Scott and Russell thought his talent unique and enjoyed listening to their friend play Billy Joel’s Piano Man.

  “Bye” Edie shouted to Peter, her seat-mate, and Ms. Linda, the driver of the yellow school bus, just before she ran up the driveway to the back of the house. Soccer practice had been cancelled because the coach was sick. It was also Friday! When she heard the sound of a harmonica, she stopped and peeked around the corner of the house. Abbie Lincoln and Xavier Cugat sat at Mr. Lincoln’s feet, licking their paws.

  Linc heard the school bus as it went down the street and pretended not to notice the peeking nine-year old. He finished the last measure and tapped the harmonica on his pants leg before putting it away.

  Edie grabbed her backpack from the ground and moved to sit beside him on the step. “Why did you stop? You play great.”

  “Thank you. Sometimes my sister and I would play together.”

  “My mom told me Buford gave me your sister’s piano. I wanted to thank him, so I put flowers on his grave.” Edie reached for Mr. Lincoln’s hand. “You should come with me to the cemetery. I think Buford looks down from heaven and is happy when I visit him. He’d be glad to see you too.”

  This kid certainly knew how to get to him. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “My grandfather and I didn’t get along. I said some bad things to him and he was angry with me.”

  “My mom said the first step in settling an argument is to say I’m sorry. Maybe if you tell Buford you’re sorry, he won’t be mad at you anymore. You should come to church with us on Sunday. When we get out, we go to breakfast at the Spoonful. Sallie Mae makes me Belgian waffles with strawberries and gobs of whipped cream.”

  The innocent logic of a nine-year old. Since returning to Laurel Heights, he slowly began to realize his hatred for Buford Adams was a futile waste of emotions, a holdover from a bitter teenager. His resolve was weakening.

  “We’ll see.” It was time to change the subject. “How about a game of one-on-one?”

  Jess walked out of headquarters and waved to Lorenzo and Bowll, just as they were pulling out of the parking lot to start their patrol. Before starting the car, she opened the wrapper on the candy bar that accompanied her lunch order. She’d called the Spoonful and asked Sallie Mae if she’d put the candy in her lunch. The café owner denied any knowledge of how the treat had gotten in Jess’s lunch. Every day this week, a candy bar mysteriously appeared. She’d found one in the top drawer of her desk and another on the passenger seat of her radio car. She w
as truly baffled.

  She decided to do a drive-by on Buford Adam’s house. It would also give her a few extra minutes to enjoy her candy and think about their handsome tenant. Her heart ached. The few kisses they’d shared had rocked her world. She’d be lying, especially to herself, if she denied wanting Lincoln Adams. Her dormant, adolescent feelings had blossomed into adult yearnings.

  Unfortunately, her dear mother had taken on the role of guard dog since she’d found them lip-locked. She was home for dinner every night and worked from her home office long into the night. The other morning, Jess had an unexpected meeting with the chief. He needed to put her on permanent days until further notice. Sergeant Carrington had requested the three to eleven shifts. Her husband started a new job as a night foreman, and they could be together in the mornings. Jess’s senses had gone on high alert when she spotted her mother leaving the chief’s office prior to her meeting with him. Something was afoot, so she contacted her friend to confirm the schedule change. Joyce was bubbling with excitement. Her husband had been out of work for four months and he suddenly got a call with a job offer with Long Construction. The obvious conspiracy shouted, “Keep her and Linc apart.”

  She finally had a few minutes to call Danni Snow, but hit another dead end. After inquiring how her very pregnant friend was feeling, Jess casually mentioned their mutual friend, Lincoln Adams. When Jessie asked Danni if she knew what he did for a living, her friend moaned and said she had to go because she needed to throw up.

  Adding to her frustration was trying to find out more about Lisa Kay’s mystery man. She’d checked with the clerk in the Building Department to confirm Sam Morlock had applied for a work permit. The white-haired clerk, who had manned the desk for thirty five years, had batted her eyelashes and said he was very handsome and mysterious. He reminded her of a young Bela Lagosi, but was much taller and had lovely muscles. Jess checked the Last Chance Motel and the clerk said Mr. Morlock was never around during the day. She drove over to the old train depot, but the place was vacant and locked up tight. She was tempted to ask Lisa Kay if he only came out when the sun went down. When she arrived home, a warm glow filled her heart at the sight of her daughter and Linc sitting side by side on the step.