Jessie sniffed and hiccoughed as she looked up at him. “She has had a nightmare!” She emphasized every word.
Jeremy stood up, and Matt grinned as he took his place. “I’m sorry about your lamp.”
She looked puzzled. “What about the lamp?”
“I took it out when I jumped out of bed.”
Jessie smothered a giggle. “It’s okay. I’ve been meaning to get a new one anyway. I’m sorry I woke you. I really wanted you to rest.”
“Let’s hear about the dream.” He rubbed his hand up and down her back trying not to grimace. His injured arm hurt like hell.
“You and Jeremy were in it. Someone was about to kill you. I tried, but I couldn’t stop him. He’s watching us, Matt.” Her voice rose. “I can feel it. He was watching us tonight, calculating how he’s going to do it.” She shivered. He held her closer and Jeremy tossed him a throw to wrap around her. “I will never forget the cold dead look of his eyes.”
“We’ll have to be careful. All of us!” Matt looked at Jeremy. He nodded. He knew better than to discount her dreams and premonitions. They’d been too darned accurate.
“Matt.” She pulled away from him. “He was watching us tonight when we were at Patterson’s. I didn’t feel it then, but I know it now. He’s not like Jed. He is scary. It’s going to take us being smart to outfox him.”
“Then we’ll have to be smart. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
“It’s not me I’m worried about.” She grabbed his hand. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you or to my friends. I need your help to keep you all safe. You have to tell me what to do just in case.” She buried her face in his shoulder, mumbling a few incoherent words.
“Okay, sweetheart, we’ll work on it together.” He looked at Jeremy and shrugged his shoulders.
“I know how to handle the gun, but I’ve never had to shoot at a real person before. How do I drop if I have to? What do I do when there is only a moment to figure it all out? I need a plan.” Her whole body tensed against him.
“I’ll help you. You don’t need to worry about it.”
“Yes, yes, I do. Your life may well depend on me.” She sniffed and grabbed for the tissue Jeremy was handing to her.
“I know just the person to work with you for the next several days. Now, don’t worry!” He reached over and turned off the light. “Close your eyes. I’ll sit in the chair for a while.”
He stood up, and she stretched back out. He heard a sniffle or two and the rustle of sheets, soon followed by the sound of her easy, steady breathing. She was asleep. Sleep wasn’t going to happen for him. His arm was throbbing, and the pain made him twitch. Where had he put those blasted pills?
“Is she all right?” The sound of Jeremy’s voice startled him.
“Yes, she’s sleeping like a baby.”
“How about you, is your arm okay?”
“That’s another story entirely. It hurts like the devil. I don’t think it helped that I hit it dead-on when I fell into the wall.”
“Probably not…” Jeremy held up his bottle of pills. “You might want to take one of these.”
“Where were they?”
“Jessie told me to hold on to them in case you needed one. She didn’t think you would appreciate her telling you to take one.” He tossed him the bottle. “She thought you’d be more receptive to it coming from me.”
“Does she always worry over all the little details like that?”
“Yep, that’s our girl, just a tad on the obsessive side.” Jeremy leaned against the wall, silhouetted by the light from the guest room in the background. “She’s worried about something. I’ve never seen her like this before.”
“This is crazy; she hasn’t been trained for this kind of work.” Matt watched her sleeping form. “She almost died last time. Did she tell you? I barely got there in time. I still have nightmares over what Anderson had planned for her.”
“You’ve both told me,” he replied, trying not to smile, “but you saved her.”
“I almost didn’t though. It was way too close, man. If we had gone anywhere else first, it would have been too late.”
“Matt, give yourself a break. She’s a big girl. She walks into each story knowing the possibilities of what can happen when you stir things up. She’s a lot stronger than she looks.”
“I know she’s strong, but she also has a lot of stuff happening inside her head. She doesn’t get it, and it has her worried.”
They talked a while longer, and Jeremy let Matt know a few things that didn’t add up regarding the two Booker brothers. In spite of the talking and his fatigue, Matt still couldn’t fall back to sleep. What Jeremy had told him supported his current theory. Now all he had to do was prove it. He didn’t think it would take too long. Blast his arm; it kept twitching from the pain. He tossed and turned. He could not get comfortable. What about Jessie? He would have to think this through. He needed a plan. He smiled into the darkness. How many times had he heard her say that over the past few months? It was getting contagious.
****
The sound of a closing door awakened Jessie. Matt and Jeremy had left for their morning meeting. It was Sunday, and she planned to do nothing. She needed to quit over-thinking everything. If the time came for her as Reba had said to take care of her friends, then she would just have to do it. She jumped up, stripped the sheets off the couch, and headed to the shower. Then it was on to the hospital.
A few hours later, she was still thinking about that visit to see Josh Harris and Lindsey Adelson. Josh had confirmed Eddie was the one who had beat him as pieces of his memory returned. Eddie scared the kids and seemed to take delight in using that fear as his weapon. Josh hadn’t been as scared of Jed. He had called him mean several times. The only one that seemed to be decent to the kids at all was Karl. The other two men ridiculed Karl for being weak.
Her research told her that molestation diminished their sale value. She shivered. These guys wanted the money. It was too bad that neither Karl nor Eddie were alive to face the music. She could think of a few choice things that they should experience, especially Jed and Karl, seeing as they were both fathers. How could someone who had kids get involved in such terrible stuff without thinking about their own kids?
Something Sammy had said about Travis made her stop and think. It triggered something else, one thought lead to another. The sites she was finding supported it. She sat back from the computer screen, stunned by what she was finding. She had to make sure, before she told Matt. For all she knew, he might already be thinking along these lines. She smiled. He was a great cop and always at least a step ahead of her in a case. Maybe she should call him. She chewed her lip. Or should she wait until she had solid proof? The phone’s ring took the decision out of her hands.
“Hey, Jess, are you busy?”
“Doing the research you asked me to do. What’s up?” She jotted down a quick note from the screen in front of her.
“You want to hook up at Mindy’s Waterfront Grill with me for dinner? Jeremy and Katie will be there.”
“Sure, what time?”
“Just a minute…” She heard him talking to someone in the background. “How about six o’clock?”
“Six it is. How’s your day going?”
“It’s crazy! Just a minute, Jess.” His voice sounded muffled. “I need to go. I’ll see you later, Jess.”
“Okay.” She smiled; she rather liked it when he called her Jess now. No one else had better try it, though!
She turned off the computer and turned on the TV. An action cop show was in order, something she would normally have no interest in at all. She needed an idea how to protect her friends and maybe by watching an actor do it, she could imitate his actions. It wasn’t very sound, but it was all she had for now.
Chapter 31
Jessie finished dressing. She took one last glance in the mirror as she put on her lip-gloss. The gun in the holster over her shoulder was the only thing she saw. It wa
s strange seeing it there, but she was determined to wear it until it became second nature. She smiled and wrinkled her nose. On the count of three, she had dropped to the ground and rolled out of the line of fire. At the same time, she had to draw her gun, aim, and fire. Of course, there was no telling whether she would have even come close to hitting a target. She made a face at her reflection. She smiled. She fluffed her hair out over her shoulders and put on her boyfriend jacket. She buttoned the middle button and called it finished. What they didn’t know couldn’t hurt her. You have to have a plan. She chuckled and walked out the door.
Katie was waiting for her when she got to the Inn. “You’re finally here. I thought maybe I would have to call.”
“Why? I’m not late.” Jessie frowned at her.
“I know. I’m just impatient.” Katie lifted her hands. “I’m so jumpy and it’s driving everyone nuts, including me.”
“Dr. Gilbert, I’m telling you, she can help.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know you’re right. I just have to make myself. I never thought I would ever need a shrink. I’m so well adjusted.”
Jessie rolled her eyes.
“Well, fairly well adjusted.”
“She can help! Believe me, I know it’s hard to get through it alone.” Jessie grabbed Katie’s purse as she started out the door without it.
“Oh, thanks.” Katie took it from her hand. “I don’t seem to be able to remember anything these days.”
“She can help.”
“All right, already, I’ve got the message.” She let out an exasperated breath. “I’ll get her number from you and call her tomorrow.”
Jessie smiled at her. “Sounds like a plan to me. You’ve always got to have a plan.”
“No, that’s you. I just like to roll with it.” They giggled and laughed all the way to the restaurant. Neither one of them noticed the car that followed them at a discreet distance, turning when they did. Katie parked in front of Mindy’s Grill, one of the small buildings on the wharf. The other car passed them, unnoticed, and pulled into Anthony’s parking lot to wait.
Stepping through the door was like taking a step back in time for Jessie. Mindy’s had a seaside cottage feel with warm sun-washed floral fabrics and ginghams in blues and whites. The colors were soothing and easy on the eyes. Flickering candlelight and fresh flowers adorned each table. Spices scented the air. The cozy picture looked somewhat strange with Matt and Jeremy sitting at a table.
“It’s not quite their atmosphere, do you think?” Jessie whispered in Katie’s ear.
“A lot of guys like this place. The food is great! It’s like eating at the Inn.” Katie waved at Jeremy and headed toward them.
Jessie followed; she noticed Matt looking at her. A flutter tickled her stomach, and it had nothing to do with hunger. “Hi, how was your day?” She smiled at both of them.
Matt stood to pull out her chair for her. “Hi back at you.” He leaned close and whispered in her ear, “You’re the best part of it so far.”
She was glad that it was dark, her face felt warm. “What did you boys do all day?”
“Are you any closer to finding out who planted the bomb?” Katie interrupted their answer and pointed a finger at Matt. “The sooner you get it solved, the better, as far as I’m concerned. It’s hard to function knowing that guy is out there and might do it again.”
“We’re working on it. It takes time.” Matt handed Jessie a menu. “It’s all good here.”
“Let’s talk about something different.” Jessie gave Katie a quick look. She could hear frustration in Matt’s voice, and Katie would keep pushing it. “There should be a general rule; no talking about cases during dinner.”
“That’s just plain stupid, Jessie, and you know it.” Katie lifted her chin. “It’s the only thing people are talking about in town.”
“We don’t have to.” She nudged Katie under the table with her foot. “They’ve been working on it all day, maybe they need a break.”
“Okay, I get the message. You didn’t have to kick me.”
“Believe me, that wasn’t a kick.”
Jeremy signaled time out. “You two are really something.” He grinned. “You fight just like my kid sisters used to.”
“You mean this measly little argument?” Katie tossed her head. “This isn’t fighting. I could tell you some stories about fights if you want to know what a real one looks like.” After the waitress took their orders, Katie proceeded to do just that. It turned out to be a fun, relaxing evening.
The evening air had a brisk chill to it by the time the four of them stepped outside after dinner. Waves slapped against the shoreline with a hypnotic rhythm. Jessie shivered, but she wasn’t cold. Someone was watching them. The sense oppressed her, clogged her mind. Her legs suddenly felt heavy, as if she was rooted to the spot.
“Are you cold?” Matt was watching her closely.
“I’d like to get in the car.” Her eyes darted up and down the street as she started toward it. Jessie stepped out into the street to get in the driver’s side. The next thing she knew Matt had pushed her to the ground and he was on top of her. “You have to really stop landing on me like this,” she gasped as soon as she could get her breath. “Why?”
“A car was headed toward you.” He pushed off her with his good arm.
“I think you just like pushing me around,” she whispered and he laughed.
Matt threw Jeremy his keys. “Take Katie home and I’ll ride with Jessie.” Jeremy nodded at him.
“Are you okay, sweetheart? I’m sorry. It seemed the only thing to do to get you out of the line of fire if the driver had a gun.”
“Sure, that’s what all the guys say before they shove me face down into the asphalt.” She glared at him, but his words shook her.
He helped her up, opened the car door, and closed it after she got in. “What was going on in your head before that car came at you?”
“Why do you think something was going on?” She inspected a fresh scrape on her elbow.
“Oh, I don’t know. Your eyes glazed over, you started shivering, but said you weren’t cold. Then you walked out into the street and just stood there almost daring the guy to hit you.”
“No, I didn’t.” She frowned at him.
“Yes, you did! It was out of character, even for you.”
She told him about the strange feeling she’d had when she walked out of the restaurant. “I didn’t say anything, because I didn’t want Katie to worry. She’s having a hard time with all of this.”
He reached over and lifted her chin so he could look in her eyes. “Any feeling, dream, or ghostly impressions you get, tell me, do you hear me? I want to know so I can anticipate how I’m going to keep you safe. I can’t let anything happen to my girl.” He started the car.
“Are you okay to drive?”
“Yep, I’m fine.” He turned in the seat to look at her. “I mean it, Jess, tell me! It could save someone’s life.”
“I will.” She hunched her shoulders. “It all makes me feel just a little bit out of control. I don’t like feeling this way at all.”
“I understand that, but you have to admit something happens every time you have them. I don’t understand or get it. We do have to be smart about it though. I know that much.”
“Whoever this guy is, he tries to get inside your head. He’s studying our every motion trying to figure us out. He’s smart, methodical, and almost spellbinding in his approach. I…I felt myself captivated by it.” Her face really was hot now.
“Geez, Jess, what are you talking about?” He ran his hand through his hair.
“I mean I could sense, I’m not sure that’s the word I want, what he was doing. The strange thing, I was too occupied with his thoughts to be aware of anything else. I didn’t see the car at all. Which has me wondering…? He wouldn’t be that careless or miss for that matter.” She grabbed his arm, her face lit up.
“What are you thinking?’
“I’m wondering if Jed jump
ed the gun. I might be hearing the thoughts of one of them, and Jed is doing his own thing.”
“You blow my mind.” Matt shook his head. “Enough said. You’re right about Booker, whichever brother he is. He is methodical, and he wouldn’t jeopardize the job. Jed on the other hand, might try something on his own, in which case he might become the next victim.”
“I can’t imagine our hit man letting him live when this is over. He wants to be the only one left standing.”
“I need to get you home. If I forget to tell you later, thanks for taking care of me the last couple of days. It was nice.” He pulled out of the parking space and made a U-turn.
“We may be dealing with two men coming at us with two different approaches.”
“As crazy as it seems, Jed may be the hardest to anticipate. He’ll just spring it on us anywhere and at any time. Your head just might help us with the other guy.” He stopped to make the turn onto Main Street.
“How’s your arm doing?” She turned her head to look at him.
“You mean after I pushed you to the ground and landed on you?”
“Yep…” She grinned at him. “You really need to find another way to save my life. Your arm will never heal at this rate, and I already have enough bruises.” She smiled at him. “It’s not that you’re a big man. It’s like having a tree land on me.” She tried not to laugh.
“Nothing personal, Jess, but I can think of other things I’d rather do than taking a bullet or rescuing you from a speeding car. But I’ll take what I can get.”
“So what’s the plan?” She let her smile fade.
“We keep our eyes and ears open. I don’t think we’ll have to wait too long before they try something.” He looked over at her with a lopsided grin on his face. “Sweetheart, just be prepared for me to do almost anything to keep you safe.”
“Why do I detect a hidden meaning in that statement? I think I might have to keep my eyes on you, too.” She glanced at him, making eye contact for a moment.
“Time out…unfair tactics…flirting is against the rules unless you want what comes with it.” He stopped at the light and looked her over slowly.
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