“I’m going to paint her name on the hull before our next fishing trip.”
“Do you even know how to paint something like that?” Bowie’s dark brown eyes narrowed.
“Would I do anything to disfigure our girl after you entrusted her to me?”
“No.”
No hesitation there. That was trust.
He didn’t take Bowie’s trust lightly. He never had. He was gaining a new understanding of what Piper had experienced. How a lack of trust could make you doubt yourself. Doubt other people.
“Our friend is back,” Bowie said, drawing his attention back to the fenced-in dog run.
“That’s Tony. He works here, Bowie. He’s walking the dogs.”
“He sure has an interest in where the cameras are positioned. He’s checked them out every time he’s come out. And the vet, Ryan something, has been out three times.”
“They’re probably both just interested in our progress.” Zach handed Bowie the drill and climbed down off the ladder. “Ryan is a tightass. Even if he’s getting the labor free, he’ll be out here checking everything we do. He’s worried we’re not going to get the cameras up before clients start to arrive.”
“After these last two, we’ll have mounted twelve cameras in three hours. What the fuck has he got to complain about?”
Zach shook his head. “I kissed Piper out in the parking lot, and you’d have thought we were ripping each other’s clothes off in front the of pet owners.”
“Maybe he has a thing for her.”
“Maybe.” He’d already thought about the possibility. Piper didn’t seem to like the guy much, though; otherwise he’d be concerned about it.
Keep it light, he reminded himself. He’d be going wheels up again in three weeks or so. He had no right to get possessive. Damnit.
They finished the last two cameras, texted Flash, and loaded the ladder into Bowie’s truck.
A tone sounded when they opened the door, part of the alarm system Flash had installed. He’d done the doors, but not the windows. The motion sensors he placed in the hallways would catch anyone inside when the alarm was on.
Flash cuddled a gray tabby kitten against his chest with one hand while he typed something into the computer with the other.
He glanced up from the screen when they came to lean on the counter. “Good job, guys. All twelve cameras are working great.”
“Who’s your friend?” Bowie asked, reaching for the kitten.
“Piper’s calling her Clementine, but Joy can change it if she doesn’t like the name. I’ve decided on a kitten instead of a pup, because it won’t be as much work for Sam. Joy will be crazy about it.”
“I hope you called Sam before you said yes,” Zach said.
Flash glanced up. “I’m not insane, Doc.”
“That’s debatable.” Bowie cut in. “I’ve seen you do more than a few crazy things,” The kitten climbed his T-shirt to perch on his shoulder.
Sherry the receptionist and, Jasmine, one of the vet’s assistants, watched avidly while he cupped a protective hand around the kitten’s body. But it wasn’t the kitten they were interested in. Zach had seen the response before. All the man had to do was walk into a room.
Bowie could turn on the charm and get any woman he wanted. He might distrust them, but it didn’t stop him from wooing them.
Zach left Flash and Bowie bickering good-naturedly and moved around the counter to check on Gracie.
“How’s my girl behaving?” he asked Sherry, the receptionist.
“She’s incredibly well-behaved. The kitten decided to explore and climbed all over her. She just sniffed her and laid back down.”
“Gracie knows she’s not a threat. Don’t you, gal?”
Her tail thumped in return and she sat up. Physically she was feeling better, and had started to try to push a little. He had to hold her back when they were out in the yard. He didn’t want to stress the pins in her hip or encourage her to overuse the leg. She’d begun to rest the foot on the ground for balance. Six weeks was a long time to not be able to run or do other physical things when you were used to training every day. Malinois were known for their high energy levels. And now she’d started to bounce back from the initial trauma, she wanted to push herself. It was going to be tough controlling her.
He probably wouldn’t be around to see her recovered, walking normally, and back in training shape. He ran a hand over his hair.
“She still doesn’t like Tony.” Jasmine commentedwhile she keyed something into her computer.
Zach wondered about that. Maybe arriving at the vet’s office, traumatized and injured, and seeing someone similar in looks to the man she’d been chasing had cemented Tony in her mind as someone to dislike. Young, dark-haired, wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Easily described a million men Tony’s age and older. Except for the stocking mask.
Still, he planned to ask Piper what time Tony arrived for work the morning of Gracie’s accident.
He checked his watch. “Guys—” he broke into Bowie’s and Flash’s conversation. “It’s nearly zero-nine-thirty. We need to finish up and bug out.”
Flash looked up from the computer screen. “You guys can go ahead. I just have a few small things to tweak. And I have to sign adoption papers and settle up for the kitten’s shots and stuff.”
Zach used his phone to text Piper, who was in surgery, that he was leaving and he’d see her at noon. He needed to clean up the apartment. It was starting to look like the dog lived there instead of him.
He’d often wondered how parents lived amidst the clutter children seemed to generate. It had only taken him a couple of weeks to understand how easy it was for things to get out of hand.
He hooked Gracie’s harness to her leash and she perked up immediately.
He said his good-byes and left with Bowie in tow, scanning the parking lot and the surrounding area for Lester. They stopped by his vehicle. Wary that Gracie might attempt to jump into the car herself, Zach gave her the command to sit. Her hip and leg weren’t ready for a jump yet.
He opened the door and bent to lift her into the car. She settled onto the back seat and waited for him to feed the seat belt through her harness. Then she swiped his cheek with her tongue while he fondled one of her ears.
“Do you honestly believe putting in security cameras is going to do anything to dissuade Lester?” Bowie asked.
“They will when I check the video footage each night and catch him following Piper or driving by. And even if they don’t, Piper was trapped inside a cabinet in the surgery while the asshole or assholes who broke in were still in the building. At least the alarm system and the cameras will be a deterrent.”
Bowie’s dark brows crimped in a frown. “Lester may just turn his sights on you because you’re trying to protect her. He can cause you trouble, Doc. Why do you want to get involved in this?”
He hadn’t told Bowie about the cops searching his boat for drugs and guns. He hadn’t wanted to hear him go ballistic. And if he were honest with himself, he didn’t want to hear his comments about Piper bringing trouble his way.
“Piper’s lived the last seven years looking over her shoulder. He’s using his power as a policeman to stalk her. If we were in any other country besides the USA, wouldn’t we be protecting her?”
“Man, women can look you right in the eye, lie, and make you believe everything they say. They have skills.”
“Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black, Bowie?” He’d seen Bowie spin yarns a thousand different ways, with just enough truth to make everyone believe he spoke the gospel.
Bowie grimaced. “All right, I’ll give you that one.”
“She was going to walk away from me to protect me from Lester. She urged me to keep my distance. She’s told the same story twice, with no inconsistencies, since I’ve known her. Once to me, and once to a police detective. Does that sound like a guilty person?”
Bowie shook his head. “But you need to be careful, Doc. You need to watch
your back.”
“I am, my man. I promise.”
*
Piper looked flushed and beautiful when she arrived at his apartment. “Flash has been able to get us some information on Lester. I thought it might be a good idea if you share everything with him. He’s dealt with a situation similar to yours in the past, so I thought he might have some ideas.”
Piper bit her lip as she took a place on the couch and Zach sat down next to her.
Flash leaned forward to place his water on a coaster. “Look, nothing you tell me will go any further than the three of us. It might help you to know Sam’s ex stalked her for over a year. He still considered her his property, even after the divorce was finalized.”
“I’m sorry she had to go through that. I understand how she felt.”
“In a way, what you’re going through is more difficult, because Lester has more resources to call on to harass you. Samantha’s ex tried to screw with my business and intimidate me, but he didn’t have an entire police force at his disposal to mess with me.”
Flash’s easy manner put her at ease in turn, and she started to open up to him. While Zach listened to her go over the whole story again, he noticed, though her hands shook, and she paused now and then to fight off emotion, the telling of it seemed to be easier.
She got up to get a drink from the kitchen and returned with two bottles of water, offering him one.
Flash gave her a moment to recover before picking up the folder of paperwork he’d brought with him and handing it to her. He rolled the bottle of water he was nursing between his palms. “Lester has a reputation for being an overzealous cop. He’s arrested a lot of bad guys and cleared a lot of cases, but his methods aren’t exactly police department-approved. He’ll hound and stalk whoever he’s targeted as the guilty party until they do something he can pounce on.”
Piper sat down beside Zach and he reached for her hand. “And if they don’t do anything?” she asked.
“There’s never been any proof he’s planted evidence, but he’s had some arrests that were nothing short of miraculous. And once he has his target behind bars, he makes a case.”
Piper’s fingers tightened around his. “Who told you this?”
Flash exchanged a glance with him. “I’m sorry, I can’t tell you. Let’s just say I have people out there who owe me big favors, and I called one in. People who, in my opinion, should be crawling up this guy’s ass, aren’t doing it for some reason.”
Zach was aware he could be following in Flash’s footsteps if he wasn’t careful.
Flash had put his SEAL career and his freedom on the line to capture a major drug dealer, take down a cartel, and expose a dirty FBI agent. He deserved more than a favor now and then.
Instead, his career had stalled because of that nine-month absence. But he’d gained a beautiful wife and daughter out of the experience.
SEALs didn’t risk their lives for accolades or promotions. But all their teammates knew what had gone down, and were a little bitter about the injustice of it.
Gracie moseyed up to Flash to be petted, and he immediately started rubbing her ears.
“I hope the favor you called in wasn’t something that will cause you any trouble,” Piper said, a worried frown creasing her brows.
“No. It won’t cause me any trouble.” He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “My wife’s ex-husband tried to kill her more than once.”
Shock blanked her expression. “How awful.”
“She’s great now. But my point is… These guys don’t give up, and they don’t think like regular people. Lester stalked you under the guise of a police investigation, and he took a hit professionally because of it, and upped the stakes for him. He has something to prove now. Which makes him doubly dangerous. But it might make him reckless as well, and that may work in your favor.”
“You need to be hyperaware of everything around you. Keep someone with you as much as possible, so you’ll have a witness to whatever happens. Check your house and car for any kind of tampering every day. Record every phone conversation if he calls, and if he shows up, record that as well.
“With the resources he has at his disposal, he can jack with you without even being there to witness it. Don’t do anything to make it easy for him to cause you trouble. Which includes no drinking in public, not even beer, no drinking even one beer and driving, no speeding, nothing. Check your head and taillights every day.” He patted Gracie’s side. His attention shifted to Zach. “Keep your firearms locked up or on post.”
“Already done. And all my guns are registered.”
Flash turned his blue eyes on Piper, and she shook her head. “I don’t own a firearm. I’m afraid of them.”
“Sam was, too, after everything she’s been through. I’ve been taking her out to one of the local ranges and letting her target shoot. I want her to be able to protect herself when I’m gone. And I’m teaching Joy gun safety. It’s cost me some money, but I’ve gotten trigger guards for every weapon in the house. Though I keep everything locked up, my fear is she’ll get curious and gain access to one at someone else’s house. So, I’m doing everything I can to make sure it doesn’t happen.”
“Seeing the damage they can do firsthand…I’m not sure I’d ever be able to pick one up,” Piper said.
Zach jumped into their conversation. “They’re safe enough if you know what you’re doing, Piper.”
Flash finished his water and stood to leave.
Piper rose with them. “Thanks for everything, Flash. You’ve gone above and beyond on my behalf.”
“I almost lost Sam because of a crazy asshole. This is a crazy asshole with a badge. Be careful.”
Piper looked him in the eye and nodded, firmly. “We will be.”
Once outside in the driveway, Flash paused next to his car. “I got you the information you asked for about the ex-boyfriend, but I didn’t want to give it to you with Piper in the room. It even includes some psychological evaluations that are damn scary.”
While he spoke, he opened the door to the car, got out several sheets from the front passenger seat, and extended the packet of papers to him. “It might not be a bad idea to get one of those dash cams for your cars in case you’re stopped. And an alarm. A GPS on her car wouldn’t be bad, either, so you can track it if something happens.”
Jesus! “I’ve already been thinking along those lines, but none of it comes cheap. Gracie’s vet bills have pretty much wiped me out for now.”
“Understood. Piper wouldn’t charge me for the kitten’s shots. And she gave me flea stuff and such for when the kitten gets older.” He looked away. “She’s a strong lady.”
“Yeah. She hasn’t had much choice but to be strong.”
“When you can, buy the equipment, and I’ll help you install it. If you need any more info, let me know.” They bumped fists.
“Once we’ve gotten past this, and it’s safe, I’d like to introduce the ladies. I think Sam and Piper would hit it off,” Zach said as Flash got into his car.
“Sounds good.” He shut the door and gripped the steering wheel, but didn’t move to turn the car on.
“I’ve also promised Bowie we’d have a fishing trip on the boat before we go wheels up. I’ll call you to come out with us.”
“I’ll be ready. I haven’t heard anything, have you?”
He shook his head. “No. I’m working the hip, trying to get it back in shape, but it’s still sore as hell. I still can’t run on it.”
“Don’t push it too much.” He looked up, his expression serious. “This guy’s going to come after you so he can get to her, Doc. You need someone to watch your back. He’ll jam you up.”
“He hasn’t done anything since he sent those bozos out to search the boat.”
“He will. These guys don’t give up. They’re as focused as working dogs like Gracie searching out drugs. You don’t want your career destroyed by this asshole.”
Hearing his own concerns coming out of Flash’s
mouth gave his insides a twist. “I can’t walk away and leave her to face this alone, Flash.”
“I couldn’t leave Sam, either. I was already in love with her by then. But I figured my career was gone already, and I’d be in prison for twenty years for being AWOL. I was living each day as it came. You still have everything to lose. Be extra careful.”
Jesus. He hadn’t really allowed himself to think about what Flash had faced. “I will.”
He watched Flash back out of the drive, giving himself a moment to settle down before returning to the apartment. He scanned the street, but saw nothing suspicious. He folded the paperwork from Flash and tucked it in his back pocket. He’d have to put it away until later.
Why couldn’t he walk away?
Because being with her was more than he’d expected. They saw each other at lunch and dinner. Always had something to say to each other. In bed, Piper was awakening to her needs and wanted to fulfill his. It was a strong sexual high to know he was the first to give her pleasure. That he might be replacing bad memories with good.
But beyond all that, she’d sneaked in under the barrier he’d erected after Patricia’s betrayal. He cared about her, and she cared about him. He knew it, felt it.
She was naturally nurturing. The wall she threw up with people when she first met them hadn’t come naturally until after David Henderlight and Lester entered her life. He’d bet his Budweiser on it.
When he entered the apartment, Piper looked up from the floor where she sat cuddling Gracie. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” He offered her his hand and pulled her to her feet. He homed in on her lips and kissed her, cradled her in his arms, and absorbed the feel of her.
When the kiss ended, she continued to lean into him. “If you need to walk away, Zach. I’ll understand.”
He shook his head. “Not happenin’. In fact, I want you to move in with me until this is over.”
Chapter 33
‡
Nerves fluttered in the pit of Kathleen’s stomach when she left Jameson in his recliner, studying the files on her computer. While he was busy, she rubbed salt, garlic, and pepper into a roast, cut up vegetables to go with it, put it in a baking bag, and popped it in the oven.
Breaking Out (Military Romantic Suspense) (SEAL Team Heartbreakers Book 6) Page 30