Happily Never After

by Bess George

  Head held high, chin up she passed the tall, dark stranger. The elevator was straight in front of her. All she had to do was reach it. She refused to ruin her confident exit in front of the detective. With gritted teeth, she waited for the doors to open. It was empty. She stepped inside and the breath she held escaped. As the door slid closed, on the view of a once again smiling Bode Taggert, one word entered her mind.

  Trouble.

  Chapter 2

  After she had left the building, Kelsey hastened toward the parking lot across the street. In Dallas, her baby blended in, but here in Redding, the bright red Lexus convertible stood out like a beacon. Large SUV’s claimed most of the available spots.

  A wave of apprehension caused her to hesitate. Her nails dug into sweaty palms when she clenched and unclenched her hands. Ready to run. Where are you? As nonchalant as possible, she scanned the faces around her. People busy minding their own business. No one paid her any particular attention, yet the feeling of being stalked lingered. She’d hoped to leave these sensations behind in Texas, along with nosy reporters and curious friends.

  Friends. After the shooting, she found out how loosely she threw that word around. At first, everyone hovered over her but then one by one they trickled away. Back to their lives and relationships. A workaholic doesn’t take the time to form friendships. They make acquaintances. It was her own fault that she found herself with no one to call late at night when the walls threatened to suffocate her.

  Once on her floor at the hotel, she stopped to check that the Do Not Disturb sign hung precisely as she had positioned it—tilted to the right—before swiping the key card. She peered into the depths of the room while standing in the doorway.

  She’d left every light in the room on. Forcing one foot in front of the other, she entered while singing the alphabet song. The simple act of singing calmed her nerves and helped her remember to breathe.

  After the attack, every time she left her apartment and returned was a test of willpower. She’d received numerous threats while prosecuting bad guys over the years. It was part of the job. But now those threats didn’t seem quite so inconceivable.

  It had also become automatic to leave the bathroom door wide open, and the shower curtain back. The compulsion to check and double check the locks on each door rode her all through the night. Being in a strange hotel ramped her insecurity up to a new level.

  Satisfied that the room was empty, she swallowed some pills for a headache. Her limbs were unwieldy when she peeled off her suit. It required extra effort to pull the comforter back and climb on the bed. The stress of the long drive had zapped her strength and she drifted to sleep.

  He eased down the street toward her. His death-filled eyes kept her rooted to the spot. People screamed and hurried to get out of the way. The gun lifted in slow motion. A flash exploded from the barrel and pain jolted her as she fell to the pavement. Other shots rang out, and Otis Warren’s dead face was mere inches away from hers.

  “You did this to me.”

  Oceans of blood flowed from his wounds. She choked on the vile fluid and tried to claw her way out from under him.

  Kelsey bolted upright and flew out of bed. She backed into a corner and crouched low using a pillow to stifle her screams as she scanned the dim room. Beige walls, plush carpet, and a desk. The only thing breaking the silence was the hum of the air conditioner. Safe.

  Her chest ached where the bullet had entered her body. Slick with sweat and hair plastered to her head, she willed her rioting emotions to calm down. She sang while rocking back and forth on her knees. A dull roar sounded in her ears, and her head felt as if it would shoot off into the night sky.

  The time glowing on the clock made her drag herself up off the floor. She needed to wash away the stench of the nightmare. Then she would spend the afternoon getting her act together before meeting David for dinner at seven.

  Once she arrived at the restaurant, it was automatic to survey the place for any threat. Mouth dry, she struggled to control her twitchy muscles. Please, not here, not now. She opened and closed her hands in an attempt to calm down.

  David and Bev entered the foyer and hurried toward her.

  “What’s wrong?” David demanded enfolding her in his arms.

  She sucked in a deep breath and the soothing scent of David’s familiar aftershave gave her comfort. “Nothing. I’m a little nervous, I guess.” Her heartbeat began to slow back to normal.

  Bev tugged her loose from her husband and whispered in Kelsey’s ear. “Sis, I’m so glad you’re here.”

  Tears pooled in Kelsey’s eyes at the term of endearment. David met Bev while attending law school, and Kelsey found an instant big sister. They’d spent hours together while he studied. Bev’s curly red locks and blue eyes made quite a contrast to his dark hair and midnight eyes.

  “Let’s tell someone we’re here before we lose our reservations. We can all catch up at dinner.” David hustled them further inside.

  The aroma’s drifting through the room made Kelsey’s mouth water. A waitress sashayed by with a tray of sizzling food and she inhaled the delicious scent of grilled meat. When was the last time she’d eaten?

  The hostess seated them at once. Kelsey paused from reading the menu. “So, tell me, how are the munchkins? I wish you’d brought them with you tonight.”

  Bev bloomed at the mention of their five-year-old twin girls before she laughed and rolled her eyes. “No, you actually don’t. They’ve reached the constant chatter stage. No matter who you are, no matter where you are, they are always talking. They might not even be speaking to anyone specifically, but the noise continues to spew forth.”

  “I’ll be sure to bring my ear plugs. If you’re going to be home tomorrow, I’ll drive out and see them.” She glanced back down at the menu. “I’m starving.”

  David leaned toward his wife. “What are you in the mood for, honey?”

  An intense pang of loneliness enveloped Kelsey at the obvious affection between them. For the first time in her life, she longed for someone of her own to love.

  The waitress left with their orders and Bev sat back in her chair. “David told me that you met Bode Taggert today in the office. The man is a hottie. What did you think?”

  “I didn’t notice.”

  Bev arched one brow. “Liar, liar, pants on fire.”

  “Okay, maybe I noticed a little.” And wasn’t that the understatement of the year? He was a handsome man with high, proud cheekbones and straight, black hair. His bronze skin and hawk-like nose gave him an air of wildness.

  “After you left this morning I started thinking about what you told me.” David paused to give her one of his looks. “More importantly, what you didn’t tell me when you jumped at my invitation to come visit. What else is going on?”

  The day of reckoning had arrived. “I may have a slight stalker problem.”

  "Someone may be stalking you,” David repeated, spacing his words evenly as if he strove to remain calm. “How is that possible, Kelsey? They either are or they’re not.”

  In a defensive gesture, she folded her arms across her chest. “I’ve been getting a lot of hang ups and someone broke into my car.”

  David’s lips thinned in anger. “What did the authorities say?”

  She shook her head. “There haven’t been any threats made. They checked and the calls came from a variety of pay phones. There’s no indication I’m in danger, so you know how it is. Resources get allocated to more pressing matters.”

  The police hadn't found anything in her past cases that raised a red flag, so they wrote both things off to her recent publicity. She didn’t agree. Without a single word being spoken, the calls felt personal somehow.

  David rubbed a hand over his head in frustration. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me any of this before. There’
s no way I’m letting you go back now.”

  “I have commitments. My apartment and my job—”

  “A job you haven’t been going to. Everything else can get handled.” The arrival of their food ended David’s tirade.

  The conversation slowed as they ate. It gave Kelsey a moment to consider her options. When she bolted from Dallas, her scattered thoughts hadn’t gone beyond remaining in California long enough for her stalker to lose interest. But why go back at all? Being around loved ones could be a chance for her to grow whole again.

  They finished eating, and she begged off after dinner drinks or following them home.

  “I still wish you would come to the house.” The corner of David’s mouth tipped with exasperation. “Will you at least call me when you get to the hotel?”

  Her lips quirked with humor. “Yes, Dad.”

  David hugged her tight. “Come back to the office in the morning, and we’ll get all the details ironed out.”

  She contemplated the evening as she drove. The impulsive decision to live in Redding had come out of nowhere. Stalker guy couldn’t call her if he didn’t know where she was. But just in case, she would keep her reservation at the hotel. The last thing she wanted was to drop a bag full of crazy on David’s doorstep.

  Without warning, her car wrenched to the right, and loud thumping began. Her heart took flight like a startled bird and her breath grew ragged. Her clammy hands gripped the wheel in a death grip while she maneuvered to the side of the road. A freakin' flat tire. She placed her head on the wheel and fought to calm down enough to deal with this. A, b, c, d . . .

  Bright headlights shining into her back window brought her head up in alarm. Her eyes riveted on the rearview mirror. The vehicle appeared too large to be a car. Every creeper movie she'd ever seen came back in vivid detail. The serial killer always drove a van, right? Beginning to hyperventilate, her breathing became stilted.

  No one stepped from the van as seconds dragged by like minutes. She twisted the key in the ignition and the little car’s engine purred. A flat tire or not, if Son of Satan got out of that vehicle, she was going to peel rubber and get the heck out here.

  Right before her nerves reached their breaking point, the van rolled next to her car. Dents and scratches covered the rusted side of a van that had once been painted white. The dark silhouette sitting in the driver’s seat swiveled toward her while it drove past. She could feel eyes boring into her. The driver punched the gas and roared down the road.

  Hysterical laughter burst forth and she laid her head back against the seat. Her heart still beat like hummingbird wings against her chest. She wiped away tears of relief with the heels of her hands. He must have decided the white knight routine wasn’t his thing.

  Her legs still shook a little when she opened her door and got out. Changing a tire wouldn’t be a problem. Before David taught her to drive, he made sure she learned all the ins and outs of car ownership. In five minutes, she’d be back on the road and in thirty, soaking in a tub full of bubbles.

  She sat back on her heels and cursed. There always had to be one lug nut that refused to loosen. A mammoth truck parked behind her car. The bright lights blinded her. She jumped up, shielding her eyes with one hand, as sheer black fright swept through her. The weight of the tire iron in her grip was comforting as a large figure emerged.

  A man stopped a few feet from where she waited. “Need any help?”

  “No, thanks. I’ve got it handled.”

  He snorted as the uneven ground made her teeter on the high heels she wore. “Doing a bang-up job, too. Think you’ll be finished anytime soon?”

  She didn’t fail to catch the note of sarcasm, and it got her back up when she recognized him.

  “C’mon, remember me? Bode Taggert. I met you at David’s office this morning. You’re his little sister. Let me get the spare out and change it for you.” With one hand held out for the tire iron, an air of command exuded from him.

  Her breath was released in a whoosh. She gave him a forced smile and a nod of compliance. There was no sense arguing with the man if it meant putting an end to this exhausting day.

  He stepped to her open trunk and peered inside. “Your spare is flat.”

  “No, it’s not.” She came around to the back of the car to inspect it herself. Her shoulders sagged in defeat. “I can call David—”

  “It’s late. Let me give you a ride and you can get someone out here tomorrow to fix both tires.”

  Too exhausted to argue she locked her car and got into his oversized SUV. Wary, she angled her head to keep him in her side vision. His profile spoke of strength and determination. He wore his black hair longer than most of the lawmen she was used to working around. The vibe that radiated from him practically screamed don’t screw with me.

  They drove in silence to the hotel she’d indicated. Instead of pulling through the drop-off, he stopped in a marked space.

  A tiny wrinkle formed on her forehead. “Listen, you don’t need to park.”

  “I just got off work and a jolt of caffeine would hit the spot. Today has been an incredibly long day. You look like you could use a little something too. How about you take pity and join me?”

  As much as she hated to admit it, even to herself, she wasn’t quite ready to enter an empty room after the unsettling events of the day. “Okay, I guess one cup of coffee wouldn’t hurt anything.”

  They entered the lobby bar, and she all but collapsed in the chair he offered. Bode joined her and motioned for the waitress. After receiving their orders, he waited for her to speak with disquieting patience.

  She narrowed her eyes in a defensive manner. “What?”

  “I remember back when you were attacked. David was pretty devastated.”

  “Yeah, it kind of turned my world upside down, too.”

  “It can take time to get past a traumatic experience like that.” He stared down into his black coffee.

  Was he even aware of how bleak he sounded? A surge of sympathy swept through her. This man had demons, too.

  She hated talking about this with a stranger. Well, he shouldn’t be classified as a complete stranger since he was a friend of David’s. He could provide her with a sort of backup plan in case her issues made the trip with her.

  Without thinking further, she blurted out. “I’ve recently started getting harassed. Nothing dangerous. Just crank calls and my car was broken into. The police checked it out and concluded it’s probably due to the publicity after my attack.”

  She sipped from her cup. “David called me a few days ago and asked me to come for a visit. It seemed like putting some distance between me and Dallas would be a smart idea. Tonight he offered me a job and I accepted.”

  His mouth opened in surprise. “You just jumped in your car, ran to California, and started a new job?”

  She was irked by his word choice. “I didn’t run here. Well, maybe I did, but I need to tell you something else. I’d like for you to keep it between us for now. For the last few months, I’ve felt like someone has been following me. You’re going to think I’m crazy, but twice today I got that same itch between my shoulder blades.”

  “You’ve been here twenty-four hours. You think your troubles could have found you that quick?” His voice was courteous but held a note of doubt.

  “Yes. No. I don’t know.” She pressed the heel of one hand against her twitching eye.

  “David’s been a good friend to me. I’m not comfortable keeping secrets from him. Especially about you. What is it that you want me to do?” The fingers of one hand drummed with restless energy.

  “It’s not a secret, I just don’t want him to worry if this is my imagination. I want to know if I can call you if it’s not.”

  He gave her a small grin. “It’s kind of what I do, Kelsey. You know, ‘Protect
and Serve’?” He became serious and matched her direct gaze. “Are you ready to return to work? You seemed a little strung out both times I saw you today.”

  “Wow. Aren’t you quite the charmer?”

  “Do you want charming or do you want someone to help you?”

  She stood and threw some money down. “Pick your poison, huh? Got it.”

  He jumped up and fell into step beside her. A frown pulled at the corners of her mouth and she stopped. “I don’t need you to walk me to my door.”

  “I know you don’t need me to. I’m going with you because I want to check your room.”

  Her arms crossed over her chest. “You may think I’m a frightened mouse, but I don’t need a hero. If I can’t take care of myself, I’m done.”

  “Sorry, Princess, no heroes around here. I’m not the real sensitive type. You asked me not to say anything to David. Well, what do you think he’d do to me if something happened to you because I didn’t take a few extra minutes? The faster you get moving, the faster I can leave.” He waited for her decision.

  Through gritted teeth, she muttered, “Suit yourself,” and stalked toward the elevators. There was one bright spot in him tagging along. Her annoyance with him squashed her anxiety of being confined in a small metal can. They entered, and she punched the correct button.

  She glared up at him. “Not only are you not the sensitive type, but you’re extremely pushy.”

  His deep laugh rang out. “Aw, now you’ve gone and hurt my feelings.”