SB03 - The Defender's Duty

by Shirlee McCoy

  “How about we chalk it up to fatigue?”

  “How about you admit you were scared?”

  “Were? I still am.” She started the car, and Jude let his hand fall away from her arm.

  “You don’t have to be. We’re safe. For now.”

  “It’s the ‘for now’ part that’s got me worried. Who’s trying to kill you, Jude? Why?”

  “If I had the answers to those questions, we wouldn’t be sitting here talking about it.”

  “You don’t even have a suspect?”

  “Lacey, I’ve got a dozen suspects. More. Every wife who’s ever watched me cart her husband off to jail. Every son who’s ever seen me put handcuffs on his dad. Every family member or friend who’s sat through a murder trial and watched his or her loved one be convicted because of the evidence I put together.”

  “Have you made a list?

  “I’ve made a hundred lists. None of them have done me any good. Until the person responsible comes calling again, I’ve got no evidence, no clues and no way to link anyone to the hit-and-run.”

  “Maybe he won’t come calling again. Maybe the hit-and-run was an accident, and maybe the sedan we saw outside your house was just someone who got lost and ended up in the wrong place.” She sounded like she really wanted to believe it.

  He should let her, he thought. That was what he’d done with his family. Let them believe the hit-and-run was a fluke thing that had happened and was over. He’d done it to keep them safe. He’d do the opposite to keep Lacey from getting hurt.

  “Have you ever walked outside at night?”

  “Sure. Who hasn’t?”

  “Then you know how it feels to be at ease in the darkness. To feel like everything is just the way it should be.”

  “I guess. I’ve never really thought much about it.”

  “Imagine that you are outside, walking around, feeling like you have every other time. Next thing you know, your hair stands on end, your pulse starts racing and you realize you’re being watched. You can’t see the person, but you know he’s there. And you know that as soon as you run, he’s going to chase you down.”

  She stiffened, and Jude knew he had gotten through to her.

  “That’s what’s going on with me, Lacey. That’s how I know I’m in danger. I feel it.”

  “I can understand that.” She sighed and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

  “Then you’ll also understand that as long as I’m in danger, anyone who’s near me is in danger, too. That’s why you need to grab your suitcase and leave as soon as we get back to the house.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “What do you mean ‘you don’t think so’?”

  “I mean, I’ve never left a job before my contract was up.”

  “There’s a first time for everything.”

  “This won’t be it.”

  “It will if you’re carried out of here in a body bag.”

  “I don’t think that is going to happen. The way I see it, God gave me this job for a reason. Until He tells me something different, I plan to keep it.”

  “God wouldn’t want you to put yourself in danger to help me out.”

  “God expects us to do whatever job He gives us to the best of our abilities. That’s what I plan to do.”

  “Sticking around is a bad idea.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “But you can’t know.”

  “Sure I can. I feel it. The same way you feel danger breathing down your neck.”

  “Unfortunately for you, all the ‘feeling’ about it in the world isn’t going to keep you working for me. I told you before that I was going to fire you. I wasn’t kidding.”

  “Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m working for your brother.”

  “You’re working for Grayson for now. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.”

  “Tomorrow is going to bring the sunrise. Just like it always does. As for anything else, I prefer to concentrate on today rather than worrying about what hasn’t happened yet.” She pulled out onto the road, her hands at precisely ten and two o’clock, her eyes trained on the road, tendrils of pale hair escaping her ponytail and sliding down her back. Delicate and pretty, Lacey wasn’t the kind of woman Jude had ever paid much attention to. He preferred tall, athletic women. The kind who wouldn’t hesitate to hike mountain trails or climb rock faces. The most strenuous thing he could imagine Lacey doing was sipping tea in a flower garden.

  Despite that, or maybe because of it, he couldn’t seem to pull his attention away from her.

  That wasn’t good.

  Not when there were other, more important things he needed to focus on.

  Like staying alive.

  “There won’t be a tomorrow if the guy who’s after me decides two for one isn’t a bad deal and takes you out at the same time.”

  “Why would he?”

  “Murderers tend to get rid of witnesses. Unless you’re in the market for dying in the next few days, you’d be much better off going back where you came from.”

  “Dying doesn’t scare me. It’s living that’s hard.” She stopped at a red light, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel.

  “That’s a morbid way of looking at things.”

  “Not when you’ve watched people suffer for weeks and months and even years. Most of my terminal clients fight and claw for more time, but eventually they accept that death isn’t such a bad thing. It means freedom from pain, eternity with God. Once they embrace that, it doesn’t scare them anymore.”

  “Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be scared. Dying of disease or age is one thing. Dying at the hands of another person is something else entirely.”

  “I didn’t say I wasn’t scared of being killed. I said I wasn’t afraid of dying. One way or another, there’s no way I’m going to walk away. I agreed to work for your brother. I signed a contract. More importantly, I believe this is where God wants me. Nothing is going to make me walk away from that.”

  She said it without heat, but Jude knew she meant it. In her eyes, a person did what she had to do. No matter how painful doing it might be.

  “You’re an interesting person, Lacey. Not easy to figure out.”

  “Why would anyone need to figure me out?” She pulled up in front of the house and shifted in her seat so she was facing him. The darkness hid her expression, painting shadows across her face and secrets in her eyes.

  “Figuring someone out is part of getting to know them.”

  “Only if you’re a bored homicide detective.” She grinned, but there was no hiding her anxiety.

  “Does it make you nervous that I want to find out more about you?”

  “Why should it?”

  “There you go again, avoiding my questions.”

  “I told you I didn’t plan on answering them. The sun will be up in a few hours, so I guess it’s time to stop playing twenty questions and get some sleep. I’ll see you later.” She was up the porch stairs and in her side of the duplex before Jude managed to get out of the car.

  He grimaced, limping around the side of the car, his legs protesting every step. Light spilled onto the wide wheelchair ramp that Grayson had had built before Jude moved in. It was exactly the kind of thing Jude expected from his older brother, done out of love and concern, but serving only as a reminder of Jude’s physical limitations.

  He frowned, bypassing the ramp and using the stairs. It hurt, but not as much as rolling up the ramp in a wheelchair had. Yeah. He had a pride issue. He’d admit to it. But there were other reasons for using the stairs. He had to build his strength, regain his balance. Weakness made him vulnerable. There was no doubt the guy who was after him knew it.

  He pushed open the front door and stepped into the duplex his parents had insisted he use during his recovery. He’d have been just as happy to stay in New York. The chance of another attack occurring in the crowded city was a lot higher than the chance of it happening on the outskirts of Lynchburg, Vir
ginia, and Jude had wanted it to happen, would have been happy to be a sitting duck in his studio apartment if it meant resolving the situation that much sooner.

  If his mother hadn’t threatened to stay with him there, he would have done just that. But there was no way he’d put her in danger. No way he wanted any of his family put in danger.

  He lifted his laptop from the coffee table, booted it up and scanned the names he’d typed in earlier. Men and women. Young and old. He’d worked homicide long enough to know that no one could be ruled out. The list of possible suspects was long. Jude remembered many of the people listed on it. Loved ones who’d stood vigil during long trials. Some of them had been shocked, others sad. It was the ones who’d been angry and defiant who’d stuck in Jude’s mind. Whether or not one of them was trying to kill him remained to be seen. It was possible the attempt on Jude’s life had nothing to do with his job. In which case, investigating people connected to homicide cases might lead nowhere.

  In the meantime, the clock was ticking and a killer was getting closer. Jude had tried to get his supervisor to step in and help with the investigation but had gotten a lukewarm response. Sure, Bill wanted to help, but he didn’t want to expend time and money on something he deemed a wild goose chase.

  So maybe it was time to head in a new direction.

  Jude grabbed the phone, dialing quickly. It had been three weeks since he’d spoken to his ex-partner, Jackson Sharo. He should have returned some of his friend’s phone calls before now, but hearing about Jack’s work as a private investigator in New York only made Jude want what he couldn’t have: his old life back.

  The phone rang three times before Jackson answered. When he finally did, his voice was as raspy and old as a lifetime smoker’s. “I thought about ignoring your call the way you’ve been ignoring mine, but then I wouldn’t get the opportunity to tell what I think of you.”

  “Save it until after I apologize.”

  “You’re calling me at four in the morning to apologize? Or are you planning to apologize for calling at four in the morning?”

  “Both.”

  “Don’t bother. We’ve known each other too long for either. So, what’s up?”

  “I need your help.”

  “Name it.”

  “I’ve got some legwork I need someone to do. Someone I trust.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “It’s going to require some time, so you may want to hear me out before you agree. I know Laura’s been on you to keep more reasonable hours.”

  “Laura and I split up three weeks ago.”

  Which Jude would have known if he’d bothered calling. The thought didn’t make him feel any better about himself. He and Jackson had known each other for ten years. They’d both started in homicide the same year, had become partners six months later. Had gone camping and fishing in upstate New York every few months for as long as they’d known each other. They were as close as brothers. And a whole lot less judgmental of each other than blood brothers could be.

  “I’m sorry, man. I thought you two were in it for the long haul.”

  “Yeah, well that was before we started planning the wedding and Laura realized that I didn’t quite live up to her expectations.”

  “Like I said, I’m sorry.”

  “No, you’re not. You never liked Laura.”

  “I liked her for about as long as it took me to get to know her.”

  “Me, too. Unfortunately, it took way too long for that to happen.” Jackson laughed, but there was little humor in it. “You said you need some legwork. I’ve got the time. Tell me what you need me to do.”

  “I’ve got some people I want you to track down.”

  “People? How many are we talking about?”

  “Twenty.”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Would I be calling you at four in the morning to kid around?”

  “The way you’ve been lately? No. So go ahead. Give me the list.”

  “You’re not going to ask me why I need you to do this?”

  “Man, I already know why. You’re trying to find out who ran you down. You think maybe it wasn’t an accident. You’re convinced the accident had something to do with your job. Maybe a friend or relative of someone you put away.”

  “You’ve been talking to Bill.”

  “I have, but he didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know. What you’re thinking is exactly what I’d think if I were in your situation.”

  “I don’t think anything, Jack. I know it. Someone is trying to kill me. I’ve noticed a black Honda following me around town. A few hours ago, it pulled into my driveway. Idled there until I tried to get a look at the driver. Then drove away.”

  “Did you get a license plate number?”

  “No, but that doesn’t mean the car wasn’t there.”

  “Hey, no need to get defensive, man. I believe you. Give me the list. I’ll see who’s still in New York and who isn’t.”

  “And you’ll charge me your going rate.”

  “I’ll charge you my family rate.”

  “You don’t charge family.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Forget it, then. I’ll hire someone else.”

  Jackson laughed again. This time, though, he sounded amused. “First of all, you wouldn’t trust anyone else to do the job.”

  True, but Jude wasn’t going to admit it.

  “Second, I started my own list a few days after I spoke to Bill. So, whether you give me what you have or not, I’ll still be pursuing the case. It’ll just take me longer to figure things out. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a feeling your time is limited.”

  Jude had the same feeling, and wasting time arguing about whether or not Jackson was going to accept payment didn’t make sense. “You win. I’ll e-mail you the list and the information I’ve already gathered.”

  “I’ll move on it today.”

  “Thanks, Jack.” He saved the list of names as an attachment and sent it to his friend.

  “You can thank me by watching your back. I’m not going to be happy if I have to search for another rock-climbing buddy.”

  “Looks like you’re going to have to do that one way or another.”

  “You’ll be back up those rock faces, Jude, if I have to drag your sorry behind the entire way.” The line clicked, and Jude knew his friend was already working on the list he’d sent.

  Maybe that would be enough, but Jude didn’t think so. That same quiet voice that whispered of danger was telling him that Jackson’s investigation might end up being too little too late, and that the death Jude had avoided for two months was biting at his heels, ready to take him down.

  SIX

  Lacey pulled her hair into a loose bun and eyed her reflection in the mirror. Nightmares had kept her awake half the night—or rather, half of what had been left of the night after they’d gotten home from the diner—and it showed. Dark circles. Pale lips. A frown line between her brows that hadn’t been there yesterday.

  Or had it?

  She leaned closer, scowling at her reflection. She was too young to have lines and wrinkles and too old to be worried about them. Yet here she stood, staring at her reflection as if that could change anything.

  She grabbed the keys from her dresser and hurried downstairs. She’d left all the lights on the previous night, and now went from room to room turning them off. Then checked the back door to make sure it was still locked, ran the vacuum she’d found in the coat closet, checked the thermostat, straightened a pillow that didn’t need straightening.

  And finally admitted the truth—she was avoiding doing what she knew she had to do. Her client was right next door and she was too chicken to walk the few feet that separated them, open his door and get to work.

  Ten years of experience in her career, thirty-two clients attended to, and she was nervous.

  Anxious.

  Scared.

  The feelings had churned in the pit of her stomach, filling her dre
ams and turning them into nightmares. Everything inside Lacey told her to pack her bag and run as fast and as far as she could. And not just because of Jude’s belief that someone was trying to kill him. She’d faced danger before and wasn’t about to let it force her to back down this time. But looking into Jude’s eyes was like looking into a storm-filled sky. Beautiful and terrifying all at the same time.

  If she were smart, she would run for cover.

  She had always thought she was pretty smart.

  So why wasn’t she running?

  She frowned and pulled open the front door. The rising sun bathed the front porch in watery light and tinged the lawn with gold. A few birds chirped happy greetings to one another and the cold air held the crisp, clean scent of winter. Lacey inhaled deeply, forcing herself to focus on the positive. A beautiful day. A job that paid well. A place to stay. Another day to enjoy it all. God had given her those things. If she really believed that, she also had to believe He’d brought her to Lynchburg for a purpose. If that was the case, she should stop worrying about Jude and his stormy gaze, stop worrying about the danger that seemed to hover just out of sight. Stop worrying and give it over to God, let Him be in control of it all.

  If only that were as easy to do as it was to say.

  She sighed, letting the cold morning seep into her bones. Not wanting to do what she knew she had to: turn around, knock on Jude’s door and start her day. If he were any other client, it would be so easy. But he wasn’t. He was Jude, and his deep-gray eyes seemed to look straight into her soul and see things Lacey would much rather keep hidden. Her past. All its darkness and fear.

  Fingers of light painted the horizon golden pink, and Lacey knew she couldn’t put off the inevitable any longer. She took a deep breath, rapped her knuckles against the wood, waiting for a few heartbeats before she knocked again.

  The door swung open and Jude glowered out at her, his dark hair damp, his eyes flashing with irritation. “It’s seven in the morning.”

  “The perfect time to make a pot of coffee.” She brushed by him, ignoring the heat that shot through her and the quick, wild thrum of her pulse as their arms touched.