By two in the afternoon, the crowd was dying down and there was a lull. Her cell phone rang and she glanced at the screen. Jack. She smiled. He’d promised to stop by this afternoon. She couldn’t wait for him to see Barely There in action.
She couldn’t wait to see Jack, period.
*
Jack took a lot of grief from his deputies for coming back to work right after getting married. He’d taken the heat, because he’d had no choice. Jillian didn’t want a honeymoon. She was too busy working on the opening of Barely There, and she’d been right to refuse him. Lately, he tended to forget their marriage was a fraud. Jillian had come to this town for one purpose and one purpose only, to get her company back on track.
Still the guys razzed him about leaving a gorgeous new wife at home, and the female officers only shook their heads at him, as if to say, you dumbshit, every woman secretly wanted to be whisked away by her new husband.
Jack couldn’t win, but he found himself grinning like a fool anyway. He and Jillian clicked. How fortunate he was to come home to a woman at night that was happy to model sexy lingerie for him.
“You daydreaming, boy?” Jack glanced up to find his father walking into his office.
“Hell, no, I’m not daydreaming.” Jack had a pile of folders on his desk, an official report on his lap and a shitload of work to do.
“Could’ve fooled me. Did you tell her yet?”
“Damn it, Dad,” Jack said, gritting his teeth and lowering his voice. “Close the door.”
Monty immediately spun around and closed the door, but didn’t bother with the blinds. Nobody in the department ever shut them, unless what was being discussed was top, top secret. Which wasn’t ever the case in Hope Wells.
“You didn’t, did you?” Monty eyed him suspiciously.
Jack ran a hand down his face. “No, I haven’t told her. I haven’t told a soul. You’re the only one who knows.”
“What is it with you, son? You’ve got life by the balls right now. You’re getting everything you want.”
Was he? He wasn’t so sure about that.
“I have my own suspicions about why you haven’t told Jillian about the adoption going through.”
“Dad, I told you already, the paperwork hasn’t come through yet. I’m not gonna say a word until that happens, just in case there’s a snag. I don’t want to risk Beau getting disappointed.”
“Bull. The paperwork is a formality. You’re scared.”
That hit a nerve. He sat up in his seat. “I’m not scared.”
“Then why haven’t you told her? Or Beau. It’s been a week.”
“I just told you why. Now, go away.”
“You’re afraid she’s gonna walk out on you again, aren’t you? You gotta give Jillian more credit than that. She’s—”
“I know what the hell she is.” He lowered his voice. “She’s my fake wife, Dad. I made a deal with her, remember?”
“Why the hell don’t you admit that you love that woman? Damn, it’s as plain as that there badge on your chest and everybody but you can see it.”
“I’d be an idiot to fall for Jillian Lane again. She’s out of my pay grade, Dad. What we have is a bargain, plain and simple.”
Monty shook his head. “You don’t believe that anymore than I do.”
Jack sighed.
Monty watched him carefully and then finally changed the subject. “You got any leads on who pounced on you the other night?”
“I’ve pretty much nailed down who didn’t jump me. But I’ve got a hunch about something and I’m checking into it.”
“Assaulting an officer like that, it’s gotta be someone with a vendetta. Someone sending a message. You watch your back, son.”
“The team’s working on it. We’ll find out in due time.”
“Alright, I gotta get going. Have a physical exam this afternoon. You be sure to give that pretty wife of yours a kiss from Monty. And think about telling her the truth, Jack. She won’t run.”
“Out,” he said, shaking his head in total defeat and pointing to the door.
Jack fumbled his way through the rest of the day, his concentration level at an all time low. As much as he hated to admit it, his father was right. He owed Beau the truth. And Jillian too.
He’d been over the moon when he found out he’d been granted the adoption, but nothing was legal until the papers came through. That much was true and his fears regarding Beau’s future had been put to rest. He could be Beau’s dad now.
He’d received the news two days before the wedding and planned on telling Jillian, he really had. But something stopped him, something that came from the pit of his stomach.
Then after the wedding ceremony at 2 Hope when he’d pulled her aside to talk to her, she didn’t want to hear anything regarding their deal. He wasn’t sure why, other than maybe she wanted the day to seem real. A woman’s wedding day, shouldn’t be wrought with subterfuge and lies. He got that, so he’d kept the news to himself and thought it best to wait until the papers were delivered.
Deputy Peterson popped his head inside the door. “Sheriff, the mayor is on line one. And fair warning, he’s got his panties in a knot about something.”
Jack sighed and glanced at his watch. “Fine. Thanks, Charlie.”
He leaned over to pick up his phone and greeted the mayor. Two minutes after listening to the mayor go off about his reelection bid being undermined, rising crime in the county, and the failing new ordinances, he called an emergency meeting. “Now, Morris?” Jack asked.
“Yes, Jack. I know it’s near the end of the day, but we need this meeting ASAP.”
He needed the meeting. Jack needed to pick up Beau from school today and take him over to the Barely There grand opening. They both wanted to show Jillian their support. “Okay, let me rearrange some things, and I’ll get back to you.”
He hung up the phone and immediately dialed Jillian’s number. When she picked up, he asked, “Hey, babe, how’s it going?”
“Better than I hoped. It’s turning out to be a great day. When are you coming?”
“Uh, that’s why I’m calling. I’ve got this meeting with the mayor that can’t be avoided. The thing is, I need someone to pick up Beau from school. He’s expecting me and excited to see you. Do you think you can you tear yourself away for a few minutes to get him?”
“Of course. Things are slow right now, and I’ve got Marla and Marcie here to hold down the fort. I’ll bring Beau to the shop and he’ll have a ball. I’ve got balloons and cookies.”
“The magic words. Can you stop by the office to trade cars? You know how to work the car seat, right?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Okay, great. I’ll leave my keys in my office. And after my meeting I’ll come by the store.”
“It’s a deal, lawman. Don’t worry about a thing and I’ll see you later.”
*
Don’t worry about a thing.
Tremors took over Jillian’s body as she sat in the hospital emergency waiting room, those words pounding in her skull over and over. When she’d told Jack not to worry about a thing, she’d meant it. She’d had every intention of following through, of taking good care of Beau in Jack’s absence, of seeing him safely back to her shop. Now, that poor boy lay in a hospital bed, having tests done to make sure he didn’t have a concussion or worse.
Tears spilled down her cheeks. She stood up, unable to sit another minute, her nerves raw from the agony of waiting, of not knowing. For the second time in Beau’s young life, he’d been carted away in an ambulance.
Jack’s booming voice startled her and she rose, finding him down the hall at the nurse’s station. “I need to see my son immediately. Where is he?”
The nurse asked him to wait and when he spotted Jillian, he marched over to her, his steps sharp thuds on the hospital tile. “What the hell happened, Jillian? Where’s Beau?”
She cringed. He couldn’t make her feel any worse than she already did. “I’m so sorry, J
ack. I’m so, so sorry.”
He took hold of her arms, his teeth clenched. “Tell me what happened.”
On a shaky breath, she started from the beginning and as she spoke, he released the pressure on her arms. “I picked Beau up from school and e-everything was fine. We went to the shop and he had some c-cookies. But then, he said he wanted a blue balloon and the only one left was outside the front of the shop, tied to a lamppost. I walked out there with him,” she said, trembling again, reliving the memory. Tears dripped down her face. “I swear I only turned my back on him for a few seconds and then, wham, some teenager on a bike c-came barreling down the sidewalk, hit a bump, and lost control of the bike. Beau was in his path and got knocked down.”
His face pinched tight and hard accusing eyes flickered her way. “How could you let this happen?”
“I, uh, I’m so sorry, Jack. I know it’s my fault. I should’ve gotten the balloon for him. I should’ve been more aware…” Jillian’s heart ached seeing the little boy spread out on the concrete that way, unconscious for a short time. She’d sent up a string of prayers while all kinds of frightening scenarios played out in her head.
“How long was he out?” Jack asked.
“Just a few seconds. He came to right away looking sort of dazed.”
“But he hit his head pretty hard?”
“I don’t know for sure. Oh, Jack, I’ve been praying…”
Jack’s shoulders trembled and he began shaking his head, muttering, “Damn it. Damn it.”
She’d never seen Jack like this, not even when he’d been beaten up. He’d never fallen apart like this before.
The doctor came out of the triage exam room, and spoke directly to Jack. “Sheriff Walker? I’m Dr. Rodgers. I understand you’re the boy’s adoptive father, is that right?”
“Yes, ma’am I am, as of a week ago. How is he?”
The woman smiled. “He’s got one heck of a headache, but he’s going to be fine. I suggest because of his age, that we keep him overnight for observation. It looks as if his fall was broken. He sort of got tangled up in the front wheel as the bicycle hit him and so the trauma to his head is minimal. He didn’t hit it directly, thank goodness. We’ll still keep an eye out for a concussion, but other than some bruising on his arms and legs, he’s in pretty good shape.”
Jack blew out a relieved breath. “That’s good news.”
Jillian just about fainted from gratitude, her nerves strung tight. She hated the thought of seeing little Beau banged up, but it was a whole lot better than dealing with a head injury.
“Can I see him?” Jack asked.
“Yes, of course. He’s been asking for you.” The doctor turned her attention to Jillian, giving her a sympathetic look. “One visitor at a time, for the moment. You can take turns going in. He’ll be moved into a hospital bed on our pediatric floor in an hour or two.”
Jillian nodded, her heart thumping like crazy. “Okay,” she said to the doctor.
Jack announced, “I’m going in first.”
“Of course.”
Jack immediately entered Beau’s exam room.
On trembling legs, she took a seat before she fell down and thanked God the boy was going to be fine. What a failure she was. She’d let Beau down. And Jack too. He’d trusted her with the boy, and not half an hour had gone by before Beau was run down by an out of control biker.
There was no excuse for it. She was responsible for Beau’s injuries. And even if she hadn’t thought so, the expression on Jack’s face when he’d confronted her was proof enough.
As she was sitting there, beating herself up in a dozen different ways, going over everything that had happened in her mind, suddenly Jack’s words popped into her head. Jack had declared he was Beau’s adoptive father as of last week. Wow. She couldn’t even process that news right now. Or what it all meant. Why hadn’t he told her?
She squeezed her eyes closed. It was all too much to register at the moment.
All she cared about, all that mattered right now was Beau.
*
Jillian sat in the dark on Jack’s sofa balancing her cell phone in her lap. She watched it, willing it to ring. She’d asked Jack to call her tonight to give her an update on Beau’s condition. So far, nothing, and it was nearing nine o’clock.
Once she was finally allowed to see Beau, she was struck by how small and fragile he looked in the hospital bed. Bandages covered his elbows and legs, and a dark bruise under his eye, marred his beautiful young face. She’d bit her lip to keep from spilling tears and had taken his hand. He’d smiled at her, happy to have her in the room. So sweet, so innocent.
Jack hadn’t said much to her and his silence unnerved her.
“It isn’t your fault,” Marla had said to her, suddenly becoming the voice of reason, as they’d waited for the paramedics on the sidewalk.
“Trust me, I have kids,” Marcie had added. “They are always getting hurt. Beau will be just fine.” But none of it made Jillian feel better. She’d had one job to do, and that was to watch out for Beau until Jack could get there, but she’d blown it.
She wasn’t mother material. That was for sure. Any thoughts she’d entertained to the contrary had immediately vanished the second that biker had plowed into Beau. Jillian was at fault. She was to blame. She was Jack’s jinx and she always had been. She’d brought him down so many times, but this was the worst, the absolute worst of them all.
Her cell finally rang and she jumped to answer it. “Jack?”
The voice on the other end chuckled in an eerie tone. “Expecting your loser of a husband? Guess what? It’s not him. He got lucky the other night. But his luck will run out one day. Just like yours.”
A frigid chill gripped her. He was referring to Jack’s beating. “Who is this?” She didn’t recognize the voice. It was obviously masked to disguise his identity. “What do you want?”
“Haven’t you noticed how many accidents are happening around you?”
Jillian gasped. She couldn’t swallow. Couldn’t breathe. The cryptic message stunned her and her eyes began blinking. “W-what?”
“Get used to it.”
Click. The phone went dead. Jillian trembled so fiercely, her cell phone stumbled out of her hands and fell to the floor. She stared at it a moment, frozen in fear and then her body began shaking uncontrollably. Had that little boy been purposely hurt? Oh God, what if Beau had been a target and not just an innocent bystander? But who would do such a thing to a child? And what about Jack’s mysterious attackers? Was it all related?
Her head ached as she sent up mental prayers. No, no, no. Not Beau. Not Jack. Please, God, keep them safe.
She bounded up, suddenly hyperaware of her surroundings, of the darkness. Immediately she turned on all the lights in the house, so very afraid. She needed to warn Jack about the threats. He was sleeping in Beau’s hospital room, watching over him tonight. Trembling, she called Jack’s phone number and it went straight to voicemail. He was probably asleep by now too. Even so, she blistered off a quick message and then dialed Monty’s number. He’d know what to do.
And once he picked up, she said, “Thank goodness, I reached you.”
She rushed Monty a quick explanation and when she was through, she was completely out of breath.
“Make sure all your doors are locked,” Monty said. “Hang on, Jillian. I’ll be right over.”
She’d checked all the locks when she’d turned on every single light in the house. Relieved that Monty was on his way, she dialed Tessa’s number, needing to hear her friend’s voice.
“Oh, man, Jillian. You must have mental telepathy. I was just about to call you. I’m so sorry, but there’s been a break-in at corporate. The place was ransacked, computers busted, windows broken and paper files tossed all over the ground. I just got here and the office is a holy mess. The police don’t think it’s a robbery. Nothing seems to be stolen.”
The news sobered her and she stilled her trembling. “Tessa, I’ll tell you late
r why I called, but right now, please let me speak with the officer in charge.”
Jillian spoke with an LAPD detective at length, explaining all that had happened today. He’d asked her several questions, especially probing her about whether she’d seen or spoken with her ex-boyfriend, Enrique Vasquez. She told him no. She’d washed her hands of him as soon as she’d found out about his illicit dealings. Caught dead to rights and with Jillian’s deposition, a speedy trial had put her once-charming boyfriend in prison for the next five to ten years.
Just as she was ending the call, a sharp rap at the door made her jerk to attention.
“It’s me, Monty. Jillian, open up.”
Jillian raced to the front door and immediately fell into Monty’s arms. He cradled her like a child and for a moment, she felt safe. But it didn’t last. Her self-imposed recriminations came pouring out. “It’s all my fault, Monty. Everything. That little boy was hurt because of me. Someone crashed into him on the sidewalk deliberately.”
Monty walked her further into the house and closed the door, locking it behind him. “No, no, Jillie. Whatever gave you that idea? Beau’s accident was a coincidence, is all. The stupid ass kid who crashed into him was Nathan Rivers. His family is as old as dirt around here. I’ve known that boy all his life. He’s crashed his bike so many times in town; I swear it should be revoked. Matter of fact, I’ll talk to his folks about that very thing.”
“Really? You’re not just saying that?”
Monty shook his head and his voice softened. “Now, when have you known me not to speak the truth?”
Jillian filled her lungs, the breath going deep. “Oh, thank goodness.”
“Come on. You ready to go the hospital? You need to tell Jack what happened tonight.”
Jillian nodded, using her sleeve to wipe away her tears. “Thanks.”
*
The halls on the pediatric floor were dark and only the blips of the machinery at the nurse’s station disturbed the peace. Young patients slept and nurses spoke in hushed tones. Monty traded places with Jack to sit with a sleeping Beau in his room. Jillian leaned against the waiting room wall, facing Jack, and recounted the conversation she’d had tonight with the unknown caller. Jack’s eyes were bloodshot, rimmed with red and concern deepened the planes on his rugged face. He listened carefully to her, asked a few questions in full sheriff mode, and then left her to call in the details to his office.
Loving the Texas Lawman Page 17