Guardian Angel

by Lise Fuller

“Yeah. Radio me when the truck heads out. I’ll be ready.”

  “Yes, sir.” The man hung up.

  Jake scowled as he padded back to the bed he and Marie now shared. This was one morning he didn’t want to run out into the cold. He tiptoed into the room.

  Marie had awoken and sat up when he walked in. The daylight exposed her creamy white flesh. “Good morning.” She stretched like a cat.

  “Mornin’.” He smiled, went to her and placed a peck on her lips.

  “Who was that?”

  “One of the deputies.” He ran his fingers through her hair as Marie’s brows knitted. “The valley’s snowed in,” he continued. “I’ve got to go.”

  “What about Jesse?”

  “He’ll be fine. He’s with Cal. Now…” He pushed her shoulders back into the pillow and put his lips to her forehead. “Get some rest. I know you didn’t sleep well last night.”

  She looked away.

  Jake frowned. “When we weren’t making love, you tossed a lot.” He bent over, held her to him and kissed her deeply. “I love you, Marie. Put your trust in me, okay?”

  Her watery eyes peered at him. He could read the struggle in them. She bit her bottom lip as he turned to leave. “Jake, my bag?”

  “I’ll get it. Meanwhile, get in my dresser and see what you can find for clothes.” He stood up. “I’ve got to get ready. We’ll talk when I get back.” He walked out and closed the door behind him. He didn’t want to see the fear in Marie’s face again.

  Pensively, he walked down the corridor. He grabbed his clothes and gear from the parlor and dressed. Putting on his coat and hat, he stepped outside and figured the frigid jolt might knock some sense into him.

  Or at least, give him some idea of what he faced.

  —

  Marie watched through the bedroom window as the SUV that came to pick up Jake pulled away from the house. Snowed in? Now what would she do?

  Anxiety gripped her. Sulking, she turned away. She couldn’t possibly stay another night. It already took too much out of her to leave. If she stayed one more day, well, she’d never be able to let Jake go.

  She wiped away the mist from her eyes. What had gone wrong? Somewhere in her late-night wisdom, she’d thought having sex with Jake would ease the pain. Now her heart about broke, hurt even more now that Jake had offered her the life she wanted.

  She rubbed her chilled body and stepped into the hallway to get Jake’s bathrobe. Stark naked, she opened his bedroom door and walked in. Except to clean, she hadn’t been in his room. She felt odd being in the darker room there in the buff. She glanced around the utilitarian chamber. Why did Jake sleep here? She’d asked him time and again to take the larger room but he would always tell her it didn’t feel right.

  Now she guessed he’d changed his mind because he said he wanted to spend the nights in the big bed with her.

  She crossed to the closet and opened the door. When she reached for his robe, she noticed an open box on the floor, one she hadn’t remembered seeing before. Bending over, she looked closer.

  A photo sat on top. A blonde woman stared back from the frame. It was simply a picture but something about the image seemed eerily real. Gingerly, she picked the photo up and fingered the quirky smile of the pretty woman. This woman had broken Jake’s heart.

  She put the picture back but underneath it lay another photo of Jake and his wife. Jake wore his army uniform and the two of them seemed to look at each other as if no one else existed. She picked up the one of the couple. Jake was younger then but just as handsome. He had ribbons on his chest and the image reminded Marie of how little she knew of his past.

  She brushed her fingers over his face and wished the woman had been her. She wouldn’t have been so foolish as to let him go. She pressed her lips together to hold back her tears and put the picture away. That woman had hurt Jake and Jesse. Marie pulled on the robe and tightened the sash. If Marie ever met Jake’s first wife, she’d bop her in the nose.

  “Well, good morning, purty lady. You and Jake have a nice evenin’?”

  She jumped when she heard the crusty voice behind her. Gramps stood there in the old officer’s uniform.

  “Sorry to pop in on you like this.” He stood near the bed.

  “How long have you been there?” she squeaked.

  “Now don’t git all riled up.” He shook his head. “I let you have your privacy. But this is too important. We need to talk. Fast.”

  “Talk?” Her voice hit another octave. “How did you get in here? I thought I was alone.”

  “Well,” Gramps mouth twisted. “You are, kinda.”

  “Kinda?”

  “Uh, well…” He pulled off his army cap and ran the rim through his fingers then cleared his throat. “There’s somethin’ yuh oughta know about me, Marie.”

  “What?” She pulled the edges of the robe closer together and wanted to tell him it didn’t matter to her that insanity ran in the family. She just didn’t want him to barge in on her. But she hadn’t heard him walk—

  She looked at the door. “You didn’t come in through the door, did you?”

  “No, ma’am.” He straightened and put his hands behind his back.

  She pouted and glanced at the window. It was shut and locked tight. “But there wasn’t anyone here when I came in. Jake said we were alone last night. You weren’t…” She shook her head. “You weren’t here…were you?” Her tone rose and grew imperious.

  “No, ma’am.” He put his cap on his head and stood at attention.

  “You didn’t come through the window?”

  “No, ma’am.”

  “Then how did you get in?”

  The older man went into parade rest— chin up, face front, his eyes looking directly ahead. “I faded in, ma’am. Master Sergeant Thaddeus P. Colder ready for duty.” He acted as if he gave a report to his commander.

  “You faded in?” Irritated, Marie walked over to him and placed her hands on her hips. Even in his current stance, he towered over her. “And how did you manage that?” She looked at him. He seemed a bit translucent. She blinked to get over the effect.

  “It’s difficult to explain, ma’am.” He lifted his chin higher and directed his gaze over the top of her head.

  She folded her arms across her chest. “Did Jake know you spent the night?”

  “No, ma’am.”

  Marie puffed her cheeks and relaxed.

  “Because, I didn’t.” Gramps broke ranks and crossed his arms. His biceps bulged under the uniform. “Marie.” He opened his mouth, paused, then yanked the cap off his head. He marched toward the bed and slapped the hat on his thigh. “Damn, Jake. I told him to tell yuh and I dun’ gone and broke my promise to ’em.”

  “What promise?”

  “That I wouldn’t pester yuh. Look.” He stepped toward her. “I know yuh think I’m crazy but yuh gotta listen. That man, Bill Martin, he’s a comin’. He’s out tuh git yuh and those damn numbers you been haulin’ round. I popped in here ’cause I thought Jake would be here so I could tell ’em.”

  Marie stuttered. “Jake…k-knows a-about the codes?”

  “No.” Gramps scowled as his brows knitted. “I ain’t give away all yur secrets.”

  “B-but how di-did you…?”

  Gramps paced on the pine floor. “I came tuh warn Jake. But I found you.” He stopped in front of her and grasped her arms. “Marie, where is he? I gotta let ’em know.”

  His hands were clammy through the terry cloth fabric and his eyes held a deadly gleam. “But…but…but…” She shook her head. “I don’t know,” she peeped.

  Gramps released her and glared. “He’s at that damn police station, ain’t he? Goll’ darn it.” The man paced again. “Takes off and leaves his woman unprotected. What the hell kinda way is that tuh treat my great-great granddaughter-in-law-to-be?” He stopped and turned. “We’ve got a few hours.” He marched up to her. “I’ll find ’em, Marie.” He nodded brusquely. “I’ll find ’em and we’ll fight off the en
emy together.”

  With that, he popped out.

  Marie waved a shaky hand through the thin air. Nothing there, merely a cool, comfortable sensation.

  From nowhere, Gramp’s face faded back in. Marie jumped and gasped at the same time.

  “By the way,” he squinted at her, “you know how tuh shoot a rifle?”

  Her mouth fell open. She slowly shook her head no.

  He knitted his brows. “Well, it’s all right, darlin’.” He tapped her cheek like she was a little girl. “I’ll find Jake. We’re gonna git this guy.”

  Her knees wobbled and her eyes rolled back in her head. A strong set of hands seemed to catch her and guide her into Jake’s bed. The cool hands tucked her under the covers.

  She pried open her eyelids and thought she saw Gramps fade into thin air again. Luckily, she sank into oblivion instead.

  —

  “Come on, you dumb yahoo.” Bill sat in the car and cussed under his breath. The trooper in front of him manually opened the gate to the Interstate. It was almost ten in the morning. About time they plowed the damn road. He’d been there since seven thirty.

  The trooper strolled up to his rented vehicle. Goose bumps rose on Bill’s skin. He hoped the man didn’t suspect him. Bill lowered the window and let the frozen air into the heated interior.

  The policeman bent over and studied him. “How far you going, mister?”

  “To the coast, Officer.” Bill pasted a huge smile on his face. “My family’s there and I haven’t seen them in a week. Be real glad to get home. This has been one heck of a storm.”

  The trooper nodded. “Yeah. Tell me about it.” The man eyed him a minute longer then straightened. “Be careful. The road’s still closed in some parts. Mighty slick in any case and they’re expectin’ more snow. You might need to pull off for a while along the way.”

  Bill forced a smile. “I appreciate the advice, Officer.”

  “No problem.” The man nodded and walked to his car.

  Bill let the cruiser pull ahead of him and followed the vehicle from a distance. He didn’t need anyone to muck up his plans now. He looked at the dense gray sky. The weather be damned. He had someplace to be. He shifted into gear.

  The officer pulled off at the next exit and Bill picked up speed. He snapped on the radio and tuned into a scratchy AM station to listen to the weather report. A few more hours, he reminded himself.

  Only a few more hours before he punished Marie’s sweet ass and took his revenge.

  —

  Jake stood by his office window and scanned one of the reports. They’d gotten lucky. Most of the accidents were fender benders and, miraculously, all the missing residents were located. Not that it was really so unusual. Most of those who’d been born and bred in Wyoming prepared for this type of weather. The pass-through traffic was what generally caused the problems in this kind of storm.

  He looked out the window. He’d been back a few minutes now but Kyle Thornsen still worked the last dispatch. Some businessman who took a shortcut around the closed part of the Interstate. The man’s car had slipped off the highway and rolled over. Kyle’d radioed in and said the driver would be transported to Memorial some miles away. Jake wondered if the man had a family.

  He dropped the paper on the desk and picked up his coffee. His hands warmed against the heated cup. Looking out the window, he examined the leaden-colored sky. It looked pregnant with snow.

  Pregnant? Funny choice of words. Marie said she would like to have children with the right man. Well that was him. But if he didn’t take precautions, that event might happen sooner than later. She’d said she was protected. And fortunately, he was generally a careful man.

  A few flakes fell. The sky threatened to drop more snow. Jake wanted to pick up Marie’s bag before that happened. He reached in his pocket for the key Marie had given him in hopes he’d drive her car home for her.

  He frowned. He intended to do more than drive it. From her confession, he had enough probable cause to search her bag and the car. Now, depending on what he found, all he had to do was figure out how to approach her after he did it. He tossed the key in the air then caught it and clutched the metal in his fingers. Yep, he would bring Marie’s things to her. That and whatever well-kept secrets he could discover, starting with her bag and her car.

  —

  Groggy, Marie awoke and glanced around Jake’s room. She’d been tucked snug under the covers. How that happened she wasn’t sure. She rolled her head from side to side to stretch her neck and sat up. She must have wandered into Jake’s bedroom and fallen asleep. That had to be it. It couldn’t have been…

  Slowly, she recalled the shadows of the morning. Gramps a ghost? Not likely. She rubbed her face with both hands. The stress must have gotten to her. Either that or they put weird stuff in the drinks in Wyoming.

  She huffed at her ridiculous thoughts, reclined against the headboard and reveled in the softness of Jake’s double bed. The pillows smelled like him, a spicy, musky maleness. She took a deep breath to savor the scent. He loved her. And she knew she loved him back. Now what would she do about it?

  She closed her eyes and tried to dream the life she could lead—if she didn’t have the thefts that hung over her and the threat of Bill Martin and his cronies showing up. God only knew what they would do. But Jake had said to trust him, to let him help her. She grimaced. Maybe she should. But she knew she risked a lot in the process. Would Jake listen to her? Would he believe her?

  She didn’t know. Still, she couldn’t do anything while the valley was snowed in. And neither could anyone else. She buried her head in the pillow and sighed. There’d be time enough for talk. Jake had made her promise that much before he’d been pulled away. She closed her eyes, tried to forget reality but sordid thoughts continued to flow in her mind. At some point, Bill would track her down and then she’d be on the run again. The offshore account numbers he had set up had more than a quarter of a billion dollars in them. He wouldn’t let that go without a fight.

  Fortunately, with the help of Jake’s computer, she had kept the money moving around so Bill couldn’t get his grimy hands on the rest of the funds.

  The stark truth of what she needed to do was plain. Bill had proven he could be deathly violent. She couldn’t risk Jake and Jesse’s lives in order to save her own. She rolled over on her side and hugged one of the pillows. Eventually, she would leave but never would she forget last night.

  Feeling a little woozy, she eased herself into an upright position and peered through the window. The dreary day depressed her and she needed to go to work. The diner wasn’t that far. Gus would need the help serving those who had been stranded in the storm. It suddenly occurred to her she had no idea what the time was. Quickly, she glanced at the clock. 11:21?

  “Oh my God.” Jake should have picked her up and taken her to the diner. He hadn’t called, had he?

  She threw off the covers and jumped to her feet. Tightening the sash of Jake’s robe, she raked a hand through her hair and remembered she had nothing to wear. She picked up the phone by his bed and dialed the number for the station.

  “Jake’ll be here in a bit.” Gramps faded in and stood by the phone then pressed the button on the cradle. “But before he comes, we need to talk.”

  “Uh…” She wavered on her feet, afraid she might have gone crazy again. Gramps was a ghost. “I’m supposed to be at the restaurant.”

  “That place don’t need yuh. Jake does. Besides, he called you in sick.”

  “He’s been here?”

  “Not yet. But he’s acomin’.”

  The apparition sat on the edge of the bed. She pinched the bridge of her nose. She still dreamed. That had to be it. “No.” She waved her hand at the older man and walked toward the door. “I’m not doing this.” She waggled a finger at him. “You are not real. You are not here. And I’m as sane as anyone else in this family.” She crinkled her nose and giggled as she realized how funny the statement sounded. No one, except
Jesse, was sane in this family. Gramps was senile and Jake wanted to marry a strange woman who came to town with a bullet hole in her rear window.

  Suddenly, Gramps popped in front of her out of thin air. “You wanna tell me the joke?”

  She shrugged. “Why not? I’ve decided I’m as loony as everyone else in this house.”

  Gramps crossed his arms and huffed. “You’re not crazy. I thought we’d got this straight.”

  She bent her head to rub the ache in her temple. “You’re not here. You’re a figment of my imagination. Gramps lives—you know, Jake never told me where Gramps lives.”

  “That’s because I’m not livin’.” He lifted her chin with a clammy finger, his mouth firmly set as he looked at her.

  She stepped back and put her hands on her hips. “I refuse to believe in ghosts.”

  “Well, then how do you explain this?” He took off his head and held it in his hands.

  Her eyes rolled back in their sockets and the world went black. “Damn,” she heard the faint voice say as she felt herself lifted up, “not again.”

  —

  Jake pulled his penknife from his pocket and dug into the small hole behind the driver’s seat. He hoped to find the bullet still there.

  He probed carefully then heard the dull ping of some loose metal. Jake cupped his free hand under the hole and dug into the leather. The slug had lodged firmly but he managed to loosen it. The object fell into his gloved hand.

  He’d been careful not to scratch it. Now Jake examined the metal with a jaundiced eye. The tip had exploded and he noted the scoring on the cylinder. It had been a hollow-point, a bullet meant to kill.

  Frowning, he dropped the evidence into a plastic bag. After he tied it securely, he slid the plastic sack into his breast pocket.

  The rest of the car was clean. With Katie’s permission and her door key, he unlocked her house. Slim had left, he noted as he made for the room Marie should have bunked in.

  Marie’s bag sat on the far end of the guest bed. As he walked around the footboard, he said a small prayer then unzipped the satchel, hoping he would find something that would help him prove her innocence. He fumbled through the clothes. When he came to a lacy bra, he ran his fingers over it. He swallowed hard. Last night was more than the fulfillment of their mutual lust. It was about love. He’d made a promise to Marie. He intended to keep it.