“You wouldn’t want me to handcuff you now, would you?” He paused for a moment. “On second thought that might be fun. At least you wouldn’t be able to slap me again.”
“I had every right to do more than that after your hurtful words.”
“A few more of your kisses will help me forget that harsh slap.”
“Please stop. The children aren’t asleep.”
“We’re only kissing. I’ll save the other for later.” His gaze swept to her chest, watching her breasts rise and fall with each breath.
“No! Not after what you said, Duncan. Have you forgotten how you apologized after our first night of fabulous love making, and how, this morning you called me ‘that woman’ and said it ‘should never have happened?’ How can you quickly just forget that?”
“Another slip of the tongue. You’ll have to get use to that, being married to a man.”
“A slip of the tongue can cause considerable hurt to the recipient.”
“Melanie.”
“No, I won’t. Ever. Get use to it. I don’t even enjoy this charade of yours.”
“Liar,” he whispered in her ear, sending chills through her. “I didn’t want you to hear anything, but let me tell you what that man said to have caused me to utter such stupid words.” He released the hold of her hands. “All I have to do is hit this button. I make it a habit of saving important incoming calls. A device I chose for this one phone.” He hit the button and put it to her ear.
“Talk to me.” She heard Duncan’s voice first then the other man on the phone line. “Better watch your step if you want to keep that little lady of yours alive. The cutting of the brake line didn’t work. I’ll have to come up with something better for you, detective. It was a joy watching her sister die. It will be an even greater joy delivering Melanie an even better death, nice and slow. I just hope you’re there when it happens. I’d like to see the look on your face when I dismember your little family, one by one, especially that sweet little Melanie.”
Melanie’s face went pallid. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she thought for sure she’d wet her pants.
Duncan put the phone back inside his pants pocket. “Melanie?” She looked like she might faint.
Melanie’s breathing was raspy. She wanted to speak, but the words still echoed in her mind. That voice. Who?
There was a knock at the door. Duncan hid his gun from view. He peered out the window. The pizza had arrived. He paid the man, then closed the door and locked it once again.
“Tiffany, Matt.”
They bounced into the room.
“Here you go.”
“I changed the order, Dad. Just got me and Matt a small one, and you and Mom a medium.”
“That’s okay, honey. Got some drinks already?”
“Yeah, Matt and I haven’t even opened ours yet and we have ice in the bucket.” She padded off to their room with Matt in tow.
Melanie forced her legs to move so she could sit down on the bed. That voice. It sure didn’t sound like Riley, unless he was disguising it. Duncan pulled her to her feet and brought her to the table beside him. He opened the pizza box and put a slice on a napkin.
“Melanie, you need to eat. I wanted you to know what we’re up against. That was why I chose my words so unwisely. The more I get involved with you, the worse it’s going to become. But I guess it makes no difference now. He’ll know how deeply we care for each other by the time this is all over. I’ve got others working with me to find this man.” He took a bite of the pizza.
“I-I … that voice. It didn’t sound like Riley.”
“He could be using one of those voice-disguise gadgets. He was very clever to get my number, too. Just what did you say or do to Riley to make him mad?”
Melanie inhaled, then took a small bite of the pizza, thinking of the times she had seen her sister’s lover. “I didn’t like him. There was something strange about him.” She talked around her food. No matter how much of a shock those words had been, she was hungry. She didn’t realize it until she tasted the pizza.
She glared at Duncan, but the anger she felt was for Riley. “He appeared to be a ladies’ man. Once he had his hooks into my sister, he wouldn’t back down. He told me in no uncertain terms that I’d better not try to break them up or else. I in turn told him not to threaten me or I’d go to the police. I was pretty sure there was something nasty in his file, just like there was for her ex-husband who never paid his child support. Riley just gave me a devilish grin I’ll never forget, then stormed out of my office.”
“Did you see him after that?”
“Only a couple of times, both when he was with Allison. I didn’t like the way he eyed the children, and I told him to leave them alone.”
“And?”
“He proceeded to tell me that once they were married he’d adopt the children and make sure I never saw them again. Duncan, he was a hateful man. He said his business could use Allison, Tiffany and myself in making huge profits. I wanted to scratch his eyes out. He knew I hated him.”
“And that’s what drove him mad?”
“Apparently so.” Melanie took another bite of the pizza. “I embarrassed him a couple of times we spoke, since we were in public.”
Duncan finished a slice then took another one.
“Duncan, I know what’s bothering you.”
“You do?”
“Every time this man speaks of harming us, you think of Jean and Johnny and your unborn daughter. You’re afraid you aren’t going to be there for us. You’re wrong. We’ll help you this time.”
Duncan finished the pizza slice, then reached for a napkin. “Melanie, I wish it were that simple. None of you are trained.”
“But you deputized us and dragged us along.”
“For protection.”
“Nonsense, you could have put us into protective custody or something. You wanted us along. You wanted me the first day you saw me. You’re just too scared to admit it.” Her gaze bore intently into his.
Duncan yanked another slice of pizza out of the box. Darned if she wasn’t a clever little blonde. Yeah, he’d wanted her the first time he’d set eyes on her. It was as if he was under a spell he didn’t want broken. But he knew better than to get mixed up with a woman and kids right now. It was time he realized he’d allowed his heartstrings to interfere, and it was much too late to turn back. He knew it shouldn’t have happened, but something wasn’t getting through to his heart.
“We’re done,” Matt said, coming in to tell them goodnight. “After we watch a little more TV, we’re going to sleep. I ate too much.”
“Honey, you got a stomach ache?” Melanie rubbed his tummy.
Matt giggled. “No, Mom. Just full.” He gave her a big kiss and hug. “Love you.”
“Love you, too, sweetheart.”
“Love you, Dad. And thanks again for the badge. I am going to sleep with it by my pillow. Love you.”
“I love you, too, sport. Get some rest. We’ve got a busy day tomorrow.”
“We sure do.” Matt ran off into the other room.
Tiffany was next to offer her goodnights before retiring for the night.
When Tiffany had followed Matt to bed, Melanie said, “I’m finished myself. I couldn’t eat another bite. You might as well eat that last slice, Duncan. I’m going to go take a shower.”
“Oh really,” he said, with an incredulous smile and wink.
“Wipe it off—really. And alone this time.”
“We’ll see.”
“No we won’t.” Melanie pulled a gown out of her suitcase. She noticed Duncan reaching for some papers as though he intended to look over them. Well, she’d show him—when she said alone, she meant alone.
Once in the shower, Melanie allowed the water to cascade down her chest. She wished it could erase all the bad things that had happened in their lives. She thought of Allison, sweet Allison who hadn’t deserved to die such a terrible death. And now her sister’s killer wanted her. Was
it Riley? Or was it someone else? Of course Riley was a smart man when it came to getting his way. Tears welled in her eyes. She shut them trying to block out the bad, trying to remember the good before Duncan had said those ill-chosen words.
A hand covered her mouth, not allowing her to scream, then she was turned around.
“Duncan McGregor!” She slapped his face … hard. “Don’t you ever do that again! How did you even get in here? I locked that door.”
“I know how to pick locks, sweetheart.” Duncan noticed her red eyes. “Melanie. What’s wrong, honey?” He pulled her into a tight embrace as he heard her sobs. “I’m so sorry about the words. I truly am sorry.” Something told him that this had nothing to do with him clamping his hand over her mouth and entering the shower.
A good thirty minutes after they’d finished their shower, Duncan checked the doors again, and then pulled the door to the children’s room closed. He made sure his gun was by the nightstand. Melanie was on her side facing him when he slid between the fresh, clean sheets.
“You feel better now, hon?” He breezed a kiss to her cheek. She carried her own fragrance of soap and something from Victoria’s Secret—some kind of flower garden—and it was a nice sampling of scent to his nostrils.
“I needed to cry again. I didn’t want to forget Allison. I shouldn’t be acting the way I am when we only recently buried her.”
Duncan clasped her hand in his. “I believe she’d want you to go on living. And she’d want you to remember the good times the two of you shared.”
“I know.” Melanie snuggled closer, feeling his breath lightly caress her neck. He smelled like a man. Wonderful, sexy, suave and manly. Her finger traced his lips. “The children are asleep. I have the door closed.”
Duncan planted a row of kisses along her neck as his hands made their way to her dainty breasts. He heard her moan quietly. Lifting her gown, he allowed his hands to touch her flesh, making her whimper again.
“Oh Duncan…”
“Melanie I want you. I need you. I truly never meant…”
“Shhh, you can have me, sweetheart. I love you.”
That was all he needed to her in order to love her again. To take her in his arms and make her his wife always.
Matt talked nonstop the next morning when they entered Epcot. He was as excited as a little child on Christmas morning.
“What do you expect, Duncan? He is still young. This is his very first time here, and he’s having fun.”
Matt’s excitement was something Duncan would have enjoyed, had he not been keeping an eye over his shoulder. He’d occasionally see a few of the standby agents nearby, but something told him Riley Brewster wasn’t going to take the chance of coming to Disneyworld. It would be too easy. Just show up and grab them right inside a crowded park. No, wherever that snake in the grass was, he was planning his next big move and it wouldn’t be in any park. Taking a breather, Duncan McGregor decided to give in and behave like a human for once. After five years, he decided it was time for him to let his hair down.
Melanie touched his face when they sat down in Honey I Shrunk the Kids. They’d decided to sit together and put one child on either side of them. “I sort of like it when you have that little bit of stubble like you did last night when … when you gave me that little sensation with your lips.”
“Hmmm, I thought you might. Maybe I should consider growing a bit of a beard, darlin’,” Duncan suggested in that raspy deep voice that sent chills all the way down to her toes.
“You need to save that kind of talk for later.”
“Wow! We best watch the show. Put your 3-D glasses on, babe.”
Melanie did as he said and held on to Tiffany’s hand. She noticed that Duncan held Matt’s. He’d instructed them to always hold tight to one of the other’s hands, to never let go and to kick where it hurts if someone even tried to snatch them. She was trying to have fun, but deep in the back of her mind she knew anyone could be lurking in the shadows.
After the ride on the racetrack, they decided to go into the World Showcase. Matt had heard about the Norwegian boat ride, while Tiffany wanted to discover the Mexican boat ride which went through a variety of different countries. Duncan assured them no matter how long they had to wait in line, the park would be open late, and they wouldn’t miss anything.
“Whew, can we get some more bottled water? I am parched,” Melanie said, slumping onto a bench.
The sun would be going down before too much longer. They’d almost made a round of the world showcase and her feet were begging to rest a spell.
Duncan handed her a bottle of water and sat next to her, Matt and Tiffany alongside him. “Getting hungry?”
“A little. I think the kids are, too.”
“What country shall we dine in?”
“Can we have fish and chips?” Matt asked. “We aren’t far from Britain. If there are no tables, we can sit right out here. We are going to stay for the fireworks, aren’t we?”
“You bet.” Duncan hoped the only fireworks would be the ones at the park and not those created by anyone else. He rested his elbows on his thighs and leaned forward, feeling Melanie’s hand rubbing the small of his back.
“I imagine you’re somewhat tired yourself.”
He turned his head to watch her. “Not too much. I’d like to come back around the holidays when this place is decorated. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
“I think it would be,” Tiffany answered.
“Me too,” Matt agreed.
“Then it’s settled. We’ll mark it on the calendar.”
Melanie didn’t say a word. She was still debating on whether or not to take the children to Nashville after this trip. After last night, and Duncan’s little sprinkle of love, she didn’t know if she had the heart to up and leave him. But her home was in Nashville, her work there. He needed to accept that.
“These fish and chips are to die for,” Tiffany said, twenty minutes later. “I mean they’re great.”
“I agree,” Melanie said, taking another bite. “Duncan, you should let me help pay for something.”
“Nope. A father pays for the expenses of his family. And you are my family.”
“Yep. We’re his family.” Matt smiled as he shoved another French fry into his mouth. “I’m glad we got to see most of the stuff today. Maybe we should go to the other side to see the fireworks. That way, when it’s time to go, we won’t have to make a path through all these people. We could go over there.” He pointed across the water. “Maybe when we get there, another bench will be empty and we can get it before anyone else does. Of course, if we have to go to the bathroom, the women will have to go, then the men. We can’t forfeit our bench, Dad. The fireworks are important.”
Duncan finished the fish and placed the container in the trash bin. “Guess you’re right, son. We just need to keep a watchful eye out.”
“Yes, sir,” Matt said, with a salute and a hug. He finished the last fry, then tossed the paper in the trash.
Melanie stood up. “Guess we better get this team headed that way. By the look of things, this place is going to stay crowded until closing. Best go get that bench.” She kissed Duncan on the lips, then took his hand.
“Tiffany, Matt, let’s go. Take hold of our hands.”
“Sure thing, Dad.”
He pulled another cigarette from the pack, and lit it. The fish eaten, he tossed his rubbish into the bin. So they wanted to be closer to the fireworks? That was fine with him. The closer the better, he always said. Just let them have a little fun before he made his move. Catch them completely off guard, then bingo. Wouldn’t they be in for a surprise, especially sweet little Melanie? He could almost see the look on her face now. A grin curved his lips. He could hardly wait.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Melanie said, easing down onto the bench. “I was supposed to call Harris to tell him about a patient. I left my PDA back in the room.”
Harris, huh? “You need to use my phone?”
“Do you
have both or just the important one?”
“Important one. The other’s in the room. It’s all right, Melanie. You can use this one to call out.” He handed it to her. “I made it a point to have a block on it. No one outside the Bureau will see the number, even if they have caller id.”
“Thanks, sweetheart. Love you.” She kissed his cheek. Not once had he uttered the word ‘love’ to her. She wondered if he did love her, or if he just had a hard time confessing it to a woman. She brushed the thought aside for now and made the call. It took a few rings before Harris answered.
“Hello.”
“Harris, Melanie here. I forgot to mention Brenda Sattler to you. She’s due to come into my office in the morning. It was a quick change since she’s going out of town on a vacation with her children.”
“Yes, I noticed that on the books.”
“The books?”
Duncan arched a brow as he listened in, not allowing her to see.
“Yes, I made a point to check your appointments and to search your calendar. Hope that was okay? I mean, I am your assistant, Mel.”
“Yeah, sure. Guess I failed to remember to tell you that you could do that in case I forgot anything.”
“With so much going on in your life, you have reason.”
“Meaning?”
“You know, taking care of the children while your sister is on her honeymoon.”
“Oh, yeah. Had my mind on my work.” Melanie wondered if Allison’s death had been in the papers. Even if it had, it wouldn’t have been in the Nashville papers.
“Melanie?”
“Sorry. I guess I do think too much about my work.”
“Told you, honey, you need to find a man, settle down, get married, and have some children of your own. Alice says the same thing to me every time I talk to her. She’s extremely fond of you.”
“Yes, I know. One day you’ll have to let me meet her. I’ve only spoken to her on the phone. She sounds like a really nice woman.”
“Oh, she is at that. I can hardly wait for you to meet. Maybe when you bring the children up to stay with you. She’d love to meet them as well.”
Running On Fear Page 15