Happily Never After

by Bess George

  They reached her floor, and she stepped toward her room. The card swiped through the slot and a green light flashed. She trembled as terrible scenarios built in her mind. Frozen in place, she let the door swing open.

  “What’s wrong?” Bode peered into the room. He tugged her behind him so he could enter the room first. He checked every space big enough for anyone to hide. “It’s all clear.”

  She took a deep breath that sounded more like a sob. “Thank you.”

  His somber eyes never left her own as she shut the door in his face. Too bad he wasn’t a hero.

  Because it was sure starting to look like she could use one.

  Chapter 3

  “Damn,” Bode muttered as he tossed and turned and tried to find sleep that just wouldn’t come. Throwing back the covers, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and got up. He padded barefoot to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to get a carton of milk.

  Carrying a glass and a half empty bag of cookies, he went into his living room and plopped down on the sofa. His finger mindlessly pressed the remote to scroll through the channels. Hero. His mind scoffed at the absurd notion. Most days it was all he could do to save himself.

  Too bad he couldn’t blame his insomnia on the earlier conversation with Kelsey. And it did tick him off that after everything she’d been through someone wanted to scare her. She was frightened enough that she’d driven to California hoping to hide. Tomorrow he would call an old college buddy of his who worked for the Dallas Police Department.

  No, it wasn’t uncommon for him to be unable to sleep. Memories and bad dreams tended to haunt his nights. His usual routine was to work until he could fall into bed, too exhausted for either.

  Tonight was different. His internal calendar had him on edge. This was the sixth anniversary of the day. Like a line of dominoes, one falling and bringing down the rest, his life had unraveled.

  He tilted his head back against the cushion and shut his eyes, concentrating on the low sounds of the television. The shrill ring of his cell phone broke the silence. The clock over his fireplace showed that it was almost three a.m. Right on time.

  “I knew you’d be sitting there watching the replay of the basketball game.” Shawn’s tired voice came across the line. He worked as a fed and was the oldest of the brothers.

  “Am I that predictable?”

  “Pathetically so, I’m afraid.”

  He couldn’t stop the grin lifting one corner of his mouth. “You know, you could be interrupting my love life.”

  Shawn burst out laughing. “Bro, if you’re answering the phone in the midst of getting hot and heavy, your love life needs interrupting.”

  “Yeah, but the mere fact you’re calling at this time of night doesn’t say much about your romantic pursuits.”

  His brother sighed. “What pursuits? I haven’t been out on a date in months. We just finished the kidnapping case we were working. I’m driving home now.”

  Bode hunched over, arms resting on his thighs. “You okay?”

  “Being okay can mean a lot of different things in this line of work. Which is why I’m calling you at three in the morning.”

  His attention traveled to the bottle of unopened whiskey sitting front row center on shelves behind the bar. Its job was to remind him each and every day that this was his second chance. Probably his last chance. All he’d ever wanted was to be a cop. He wouldn’t lose sight of that again. His brother’s voice brought his attention back to the conversation.

  “When are you going to give yourself absolution, Bode? Yeah, it was a tragic accident, but it wasn’t your fault.”

  His short laugh sounded bitter even to his own ears. “I tried to find absolution once before. Remember how well that worked out?”

  He’d shut down after losing his fiancé and his job. Secluded in a filthy apartment, he overindulged and drank enough to kill himself. Lucky for him, his brother stopped by and rushed him to the hospital.

  Shawn snorted. “Asshole. That was a long time ago. You’re stronger now.”

  “Yes, I am. So go home and let me sit here and eat my cookies in peace while I finish watching the game.”

  “Okay. By the way,” Shawn paused, “the Clippers won.”

  He chuckled at the disconnected line. That should be the last call. Each member of his family had found one excuse after another to contact him today. It was almost as comforting as it was annoying.

  Elaina’s beautiful face flitted through his mind and ruined his appetite. Tossing the bag of cookies aside, he closed his eyes against the onslaught of memories. His friends had spent hours teasing him about his ex-fiancé’s expensive lifestyle. At one time, he worked several jobs at once to supply the material things she seemed to crave.

  That was the before Bode. A man so stupid in love he’d do anything to make her happy. The after Bode was more to his liking. No more emotional sappiness. The one emotion he needed now was the euphoric high he obtained as an adrenaline junkie. Irritated at the direction his mind had wandered, he pushed the unwelcome trip down memory lane aside.

  His reflections shifted back to Kelsey. He opened his laptop and typed her name into a search engine. A link to a recent news feed popped up, so he clicked it open. An attractive brunette appeared on screen wearing a façade of sympathy that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

  “Two months ago, ADA Brackston was critically injured when Otis Warren attacked her after leaving the office. A repeat offender, Warren would spend the rest of his life in prison under the Three Strikes Law here in Texas. It is a statute enacted by state courts to impose harsher sentences on criminals convicted of three serious offenses.”

  A picture of Kelsey standing on the steps outside the courthouse snagged his attention. The little mouse had disappeared and in its place stood an Amazon warrior. She was about ten pounds heavier and looked fantastic in her elegant suit. Her blond hair back, she stared directly into the camera as beautiful blue eyes sparkled. A flash of even white teeth made her appear more like a top model than a formidable ADA.

  The newscast didn’t mention anything about a current stalking problem. He was still skeptical that anyone had followed Kelsey all the way to Redding. His money was on it being her imagination. But he would check things out to ease her mind.

  Pretty woman. Beautiful woman if you went for that aristocratic style. With her expensive clothes and aloof presence, she definitely wasn’t his type. He liked his women easy on maintenance and as baggage free as possible. Still, those eyes of hers sure could tempt a man. They reminded him of pools of the deepest blue water. Mesmerizing.

  Since the blow-up of his engagement, he maintained an arm’s length between him and any ladies in his life. No sleepovers and no commitments. He dated when he needed to get an itch scratched, but stated right up front that casual and short term was all he had to offer.

  There was no sense denying that something about Kelsey resonated within him. He knew a thing or two about starting over. And being unable to move forward. Forget about it. She didn’t need a one night romance, and that’s all he could give any woman.

  He shut down the computer and rinsed his glass out in the sink. Getting involved with Kelsey would be a stupid move on his part. And he’d already reached his lifetime limit on idiotic decisions. Since there was no going back to sleep, he veered toward a small room that served as his home gym. Ten or so miles on the treadmill should take the edge off.

  Kelsey decided to take a hot bath and try to relax enough to find much-needed sleep. As the tub filled, she added bubbles, popped a couple of aspirins and lowered herself into the warm, soothing water. The day’s events replayed in her mind like a movie reel. It felt so good to come clean with David. Well, about most of it anyway.

  Her mental wanderings drifted to Bode Taggert. What was it about him that unsettled her?
She’d participated in a few relationships over the years, but nothing seemed to last. Larger than life and right in your face, he was the exact type of guy she always avoided. Law enforcement was full of macho men who were too pushy and arrogant for her taste.

  Sophisticated professionals were more her speed. She dated quiet men. They were more inclined to let a woman make her own decisions. A quiet, tame accountant didn’t yell at you for working sixteen-hour days on a hard case.

  Bode was a tall man, around six two, so she’d still needed to tilt her head up to meet his direct gaze. He wasn’t what most woman would define as handsome. A five o’clock shadow covering his granite-like jaw lent him a serious appearance. Sure, he was ripped with narrow hips and a rugged maleness to him, but the intensity and testosterone radiating from him made her a little uneasy.

  She settled deeper into the water. Bode asked if she’d run to California. His comment made it sound like a carefree decision. When in reality, this would be more like a last Hail Mary for saving her career. A job she’d spent years perfecting. From knowing every law or precedent to wearing the right clothes, she knew what it took to win the big cases.

  Tears stung the back of her eyes and her lids closed to hold them back. She’d cried enough for a lifetime. It was time to toughen up and glue the pieces of her life back together.

  The memory of returning to her office still embarrassed her. Showing up, day after day, just to leave again. She never knew what would trigger a panic attack. A sound, smell or even a person’s voice could begin the meltdown. Once the anxiety began to build, it consumed her until she scampered home.

  Everywhere she went someone wanted to rehash the shooting in detail. How did it make you feel when Warren shot you? Idiots.

  Sighing, she came back to the present. The warmth and the aspirin were taking the edge off, so she lowered herself further down into the tepid water. She used one foot to flip the hot water back on and let it run again.

  Brown eyes and thick black hair floated behind her closed lids. Lord, why can’t I stop thinking about this man. He probably left the hotel to go home to a wife.

  A flutter in her stomach made her hand move to her chest. It had been so long since someone merely held her in comfort, much less a passionate embrace. She rubbed the rough scar tissue. With another deep breath, she reached for a towel. Time to get out of the pool and send the pity party down the drain.

  She entered the bedroom and changed into her favorite cotton pajamas. The lights on low, she crawled into bed and dragged the covers over her. Drugs the doctors prescribed lay untouched on the bathroom counter. They helped her relax but made her too groggy in case she needed to react in the middle of the night.

  “Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, and breathe out.” She hummed the ABC’s as sleep began to overtake her.

  Three weeks until Christmas, the crowded sidewalks hampered their progress as they maneuvered past slower window shoppers. Her boss, Martin grunted as someone pushed him from behind. “What the—” He fell and landed hard on the pavement.

  A strong arm snaked around her throat and yanked her back. Hot breath tickled her cheek. “I’m not going to let you do this to me. I can’t go to prison.”

  The steel barrel of a .45 dug into her temple as the attacker snarled. “Get Back! I swear to God, I’ll shoot.”

  Pure terror congealed the blood in her veins. “Please don’t do this. I can help you.”

  “Help me? Bitch, you’re trying to ruin my life.” His laugh resembled a sob. “You don’t know who I am, do you?” He pressed the cold barrel deeper into her skin with each word.

  Her thin heel wedged in a crack, and she lost her balance. The unexpected shifting of her body weight caused them both to stumble. The movement to the side caught her attention as an officer raised his weapon.

  Time stopped. A loud blast sounded, and Otis’ body jolted against her. She tried to throw herself sideways, but he grabbed her wrist and spun her around. Their eyes met and held. Otis swayed, his expression held a sad resignation as blood flowed down one arm.

  Instinct told her what was about to happen. “Please don’t—”

  He lifted his pistol and fired. Pain exploded and she dropped to the cement. Her hands became coated in bright red where she clutched at her chest. Several guns boomed, and his body jerked before falling on top of her.

  The coppery tang of blood overwhelmed her as Otis’ weight pressed down on her. His glassy eyes stared at her in accusation. Panic seized her, and she clawed and bucked to get away from the dead body. An animal cry ripped from her throat as people rushed to her aid.

  A scream roared into the room before she could pull out of the dream. She grappled against the restraints holding her in place. Crap, it was the sheet wrapped around her. One hand pressed tight to her chest, the pain seemed so real.

  “Stop it.” She scolded herself and got out of bed. More sleep was out of the question. Reliving the nightmare occurred more and more often. Exercise always helped her relax, so she worked on her yoga mat. She spent the next hour calming down before calling the phone number she knew by heart.

  Her boss would be at work by seven so she couldn’t put it off any longer. She dialed his direct line, tapping her leg as she waited for him to answer. “Martin, it’s me.”

  “Kelsey? Is everything all right? You sound a little shaky.”

  “Yeah, well I’m feeling a little shaky. David—”

  “Offered you a job and you decided to accept it?”

  The amusement in her friend’s tone annoyed her. “He did, and I did but how did you know?”

  Martin laughed. “I’m clairvoyant, of course. How do you think I keep track of everyone here in the office?”

  “When did he call you?” she asked dryly.

  “My phone rang first thing this morning. I got my ass chewed out for not telling him you haven’t been working. I’m glad you came clean. So, are you calling to give me your resignation?”

  She sighed. “I know I shouldn’t have made you promise to keep quiet. Officially, I’m still on a medical leave of absence but we both know it could be awhile before I get my issues worked out. It’s not fair to you.”

  “I don’t give a crap about the job, Kelsey. Do you think this will help you?”

  Martin’s soft words filled her eyes with moisture. “I don’t know, but I think it will help being around my family. Do you think Shelley would mind going to my apartment and sending me a few things? I can hire someone to put the rest in storage.” A weight had lifted from her shoulders by the time she hung up.

  The tow service delivered her repaired car by eight, so she left to go meet with David. The air outside was brisk with a clean, fresh essence that caused an unexpected peace to settle inside her.

  Her decision to remain in Redding felt right. Amazed at how easy it was to find a place to park, she almost skipped into the building. She signed in and gave a little wave to the security guard. When the elevator stopped at the correct floor, she walked up to the reception desk.

  “Good morning, is David around?”

  Samantha grinned. “He told me you accepted his job offer. You’re going to love it here. Let me buzz him. Would you like some coffee or tea?”

  Before she could nod, David came down the hall with a big smile. “Kelsey, come on back, and I’ll show you around.” He used her elbow to steer her down the hallway.

  They stopped several times to introduce her to various people until reaching the office next to his. He crossed the threshold of the small room and swept his arm around in a grand gesture. “Just think, this can be all yours if the price is right. Let the brown nosing begin,” he added with a grin.

  She smiled. “I don’t know if I can do this but thank you for giving me a chance. I love you for believing in me, yet once again.”

  Davi
d gave her a one arm hug. “Kels, this may or may not be for you. But you’re strong, and you’re not alone. Go slow. We’re not real formal around here so you should be cleared by Monday. You can work a few hours a day, and then step up the pace when you’re ready. You’ll have to register to take the Bar Exam but until then, we can pick your sharp brain and use your expertise.”

  She began the dull process of filling out paperwork the City and government insisted was necessary. Then David led her to the file room and explained how the system worked. When he left for a meeting, she wandered around the building to get acclimated.

  There was a mock courtroom on the third floor they used for education purposes and the door opened when she tried it. Her footsteps rang out loud in the empty room. A tangy scent of lemon oil filled the air. Dark oak benches looked satiny smooth from the janitors polish.

  It felt odd to enter a courtroom after all these months. The absence of body odor and the distinct smell of marijuana reminded her that it was all make-believe.

  She left the small room and meandered further down the hallway. A lone figure waited where another hall intersected this one. Why was he so familiar? His face pivoted toward her. Her body froze in shock as her vision tunneled. Otis Warren stared back at her.

  Without any warning, the first tendrils of panic curled up her throat like a clinging vine. She wanted to step back, but her feet had cemented themselves to the floor. Sweat rolled down between her breasts, and her heart beat an irregular pattern. Closing her eyes, she prayed. She didn’t know if it was for someone to help her or if it was for no one to see her like this.