by Lise Fuller
She had never felt this loved.
Chapter Thirteen
Slim Jim walked into the motel room and shook the snow off his jacket. “It’s about time ya’ll showed up.” He eyed his partner and a junior assigned as backup. “If you’d called any later, you’d be spending the night in the street.”
Brolin MacDugal, a second generation Scotsman, raised an eyebrow. “I can’t believe they don’t have any more rooms.”
Jim shrugged. “Normally they’d have plenty but with the snow, everyplace up and down the highway is full.”
“And where, may I ask, were you?”
“None of your business,” Jim countered. “What took you so long?”
MacDugal looked him square in the eyes. “I don’t know that you’ve noticed but the roads have been closed. We had one hell of a tough time getting here.”
“I’ve noticed, but the storm hasn’t kept Martin from crawling into town.” Jim put his hands on his hips and looked at them with the accusation. “He was supposed to call earlier but I still haven’t heard from him.” His eyes narrowed. “I don’t want him to show unannounced. The guy’s a wild hare. Someone could get hurt.”
MacDugal shuffled his feet. “We’ve been following the BAM agents that trailed Martin. McPhearson and his crew are still tracking the guys. Seems the illustrious organization lost track of Martin and circled back. We came ahead to meet you—Slim.” MacDugal’s rigid face softened and a crooked grin spread across his face.
The junior man bit on his toothpick and snorted. “Yeah, Tex. You really fit in. Even those ladies at the greasy spoon knew you. Said you’d gone out with…” Steve Carter scratched his head. “What’s her name, Mac?”
His partner eyed the younger man with practiced disdain. “Katie. And don’t call me Mac. It’s Mister MacDugal to you, Carter, at least when we’re not undercover. And I’m the only one allowed to call ‘Slim’ here, Tex. He’s Agent Douglas to you. Got it?”
The younger man removed the toothpick and bobbed his head up and down. “Yes, sir.”
Jim laughed and shook his head. “Ya’ll stick out like a sore thumb. Look at your clothes.”
MacDugal straightened the lapel of his suit coat. “What’s wrong with our dress?”
Jim snorted. “It’s ‘citified,’ Mac. Unless ya’ll have something else to wear, you’ll need to stay in the room until we close in. Otherwise you’ll be televising to the BAM men exactly who you are.”
“Jim,” MacDugal pressed him, “you can’t follow all these folks by yourself. You’ve been left here alone long enough. You need backup.”
“Mac, you dress like that and you’ll break my cover. This is cow country. I know cows and I know the people. You don’t. And neither do you, Carter.” He hooked his thumb at the rookie. “Yes, I need you as backup. But not until I’m ready.”
His partner glared at him. “And when will that be? When you’re dead?”
“No.” Jim frowned. “I don’t intend for the op to get that far. It’ll just be for a couple of hours, maybe a day or two.”
“Jim, Slim, whatever the hell name you’re using, I won’t be cooped up here that long. I’ve already been with this greenhorn longer than I can stand.”
Jim glanced at the younger man who squirmed and loosened his tie. “I can flip burgers at the greasy spoon if you can get the owner’s cooperation.” He threw the tie over the back of a chair. “And I don’t have any close affinity to wearing a suit.” He walked over and eyeballed MacDugal. “Unlike some of us, I came packed for country living.”
MacDugal huffed.
The light in Jim’s eyes danced. “You’re young enough, Steve. I can show you how to work the cows. Ever been on a horse?”
“A few times.” The man nodded.
“Good.” He slapped Carter on the back. “You come with me. I’ll introduce you to the sheriff. Mac, guess you’ll work behind the scenes.”
His partner scowled. “Thanks loads, Slim.” He eyed him with a crusty glare. “Now that we have that straight, do I have this right? You already got the locals involved?”
Jim lifted the corner of his mouth. “Had no choice. Martin called and I didn’t think you’d make it in time.”
MacDugal’s brow arched. “Maybe you ought to fill us in.”
Jim pointed to the bed. “I have good news—and bad.” He gestured them forward. “Have a seat, boys. It’s gonna be a long night.”
—
Bill and his magical friends had stolen all the forks from the plastic breakfast packs they’d found that were shoved in one of the storage rooms. “Here, you hold them.” One of the sprites held out a white plastic fork and twisted it in Bill’s hair. Bill jutted out his bottom lip and looked about his person. Where would he put two dozen forks?
“Oh, all right.” He chortled and stuffed them in his shirt but without anything to hold them, they fell out.
“Shhh,” one of the fairies whispered. “The banshees ’ill hear us ifn’ you’re not careful.”
Bill snorted with humor. He’d never had so much fun. As a child, he didn’t have many friends. His parents were solid, church-going people and way too strict to let him playact and believe in fairytales. As a boy, he’d missed the thrill of finding Easter eggs on a Sunday morning. Hell, he’d never even had the chance to fantasize about Santa Claus, although that was one hoax he’d held onto, if only for a little while.
Yet, here he was. In Fantasyland.
A gossamer wing fluttered before him to usher him out the door. Bill grinned. He felt like Peter Pan or something.
Bill picked up the forks and stuffed them in his underwear which, mercifully, the emergency room personnel had let him keep. He grabbed the IV stand and pushed it forward. Bill stuck out his chin and walked through the door as if nothing were amiss. His tiny friends flitted beside him.
A clacking noise sounded on the floor and echoed through the hallway. Bill looked to see the forks drop down his pant leg.
“Hide,” one of the nymphs yelled. The tiny creatures plastered themselves against the far corner wall. Bill followed their lead. His IV slapped against the plaster.
A soft voice mumbled nearby. Bill and a few flying friends peeked around the whitewashed corner of the hallway and saw the trim blonde standing inches away. She wrote in a chart. Bill thought for sure a woman with such a pretty face shouldn’t work so hard.
“Go ahead,” the gruff voice of the little sprite on his shoulder suggested. “Give her a good pinch.”
Clucking to himself, Bill reached out and grabbed a good inch of the woman’s behind. She screamed. Bill and his buddies fell against the wall laughing.
The clipped sound of heels resonated on the tiled floor. Bill looked up and saw the blonde glare at him.
“Mister, what are you doing out of your room?”
As Bill stood, a fork popped straight up through the fly in his underwear. His eyes widened as it lifted and pointed straight to the ceiling.
“Ten’hut,” the fairy with the cap shouted. Bill snapped to attention and saluted.
The pretty woman stood there, stunned. Slowly, she eyed him from head to toe. “Tara,” her voice squeaked. “Call an orderly. Stat.” She looked back at Bill. Her hazel eyes widened. “And make sure he’s got psych training.”
—
Katie paced in her small bedroom and looked at the lonely bed. Slim had gotten an emergency message on his cell phone and left her. She wanted to call him, see if everything was okay but she wasn’t sure how he’d feel. She glanced at the phone for the hundredth time then back at the bed. She didn’t know how long the man would be in town but she knew, with the little time he did have, she wanted to spend any free moments with him.
She puffed her cheeks. It’d been a long time since she’d met a man like him. It’d been forever since she’d felt the things she did now. She’d had other men. Most of them were just friends. She had more than a yearning for Slim, more than a sense of friendship.
She let her han
d stroke the soft cottony sheets. Loneliness was an enemy she’d fought a long time. She recognized a comrade when she saw one. She hugged herself and rubbed the coolness of her flesh. The night in Slim’s arms had been warm but it’d also been more. Love was an emotion she hadn’t had in ages. And she’d never thought she’d find it here in the valley.
Slim’s tender caresses haunted her. She remembered the taste of him. The man sent her senses reeling. She glanced at the phone with trepidation.
Its ringing cut through the quiet night. She reached for it and picked up the receiver. “Hello?”
“Hi, darlin’.”
Her smile widened. She really liked the sound of Slim’s voice. It did things to her.
“I didn’t know if you were asleep, but…”
“Come over, handsome. I miss you.”
“Yes, ma’am.” If a voice could grin, it would sound like his. “I’ll be right there.”
“I’ll be waiting.” She hung up and fell on the bed, giddy about her newfound lover. He would come for her and tonight neither of them would be alone.
—
The morning sky shined a brilliant blue. The dawn’s rays bounced off the new blanket of snow and illuminated the day. Crystal droplets hung from the trees and shimmered like lanterns through cut glass.
Jake stretched as he stood in front of the window and absorbed the splendor for a moment.
Then he gazed at the bed. His eyes took in the beautiful brunette who shared it with him. Marie’s hair fanned over the pillow. Her full breasts pressed against the sheets. Her soft, firm back rose gently with each breath.
He’d never had a woman like her. He’d fight to the death to keep her. Marie was his—to eternity.
He’d already shaved. He buttoned his uniform shirt and tucked the ends in his pants. No one had called him last night and the fact worried him. He came to the bed to gaze at Marie and lightly stroked her cheek. She stirred. A small moan escaped her lips. Jake bent over and kissed her tepid brow. Thank God the flu was one of those twenty-four-hour varieties. The fever had broken overnight.
She stirred a moment then dropped back into sweet oblivion.
Quietly, he grabbed his boots and walked toward the kitchen. He picked up the phone and dialed the motel to see if anyone had left Slim a message. The night clerk told him no and Jake left a message of his own.
Then he walked into the living room in his sock-covered feet. “Gramps,” he called to the thin air. “You around?”
The old house creaked but old man didn’t materialize.
“Gramps?” he whispered louder, and sat in a chair to put on his boots.
He heard a muffled yawn behind him and shifted to see the old man lean against the cabinet. His eyes were still closed.
“Whadda need, boy?”
Jake sighed. “I want you to stay here with Marie. Her fever’s broke and I need to find Slim. We still haven’t heard from Martin yet.” Jake slipped on a black shiny boot and tied it.
“Hell, boy, yuh know Slim’s at Katie’s. Them two’s inseparable.”
“Gramps, since when did you start playing matchmaker?” Jake slid on the other leather boot.
The old ghost grinned. “Ain’t doin’ half bad, ifn’ you ask me.”
Jake finished tying his laces and leaned an elbow on his knee. “No one’s asking you.”
Gramps’ chagrined look almost made Jake laugh.
The old man put his fists on his hips. “Yeah, well you don’t hav’ tuh look too far for the Martin feller either.”
“What do you mean?”
“Been doin’ my part an’ keepin’ the feller busy. He’s stuck in some special room at the hospital.”
“Memorial?”
“Yep.”
“What ward?”
“Some general floor, I think they said. But they have him watched. Seems he’s seen some mighty funny creatures last night.”
Jake nodded to the old man. “Thanks, Gramps. I’ll have dispatch connect me with Katie’s on the way. We got to get the guy locked down.”
“I’ll be here awaitin’. Don’t worry about Marie. She’ll be fine.”
Jake nodded and grabbed his coat. As he rushed out the door, his lone thought was to nab Martin and ensure he stayed behind bars.
—
Bill moaned and struggled to wake through the drug-induced haze. The light drilled through his eyelids and darted into his skull. His head pounded like hell and he wanted to vomit.
A loud hum sounded. He felt something squeeze his upper arm. He turned his head and saw a blood pressure cup fill with air. The monitor attached to the cup clicked away.
He struggled to sit and found himself hooked to a set of tubes. The IV was still there and the oxygen mask had been replaced. He found the call button and pressed it. Soon a man clad in blue scrubs came in. His nametag listed him as a licensed practical nurse.
“I want out of here,” Bill croaked, his throat dry.
The burly man crossed his arms. “That’s up to the doctor. You know, Mister Doe, you caused some problems last night.”
“Mister Doe?” A sharp pain shot behind his eyes and he grabbed his head. “Who the hell is Mister Doe?”
The male nurse rubbed his chin. “We didn’t have a name. You never gave one to the admitting staff. Do you want to give me one now? It would help.”
Bill gritted his teeth and tried to remember why he hadn’t. “Bill Martin. Now get me detached from this contraption.”
The man glanced at the blood-pressure monitor. “I’ll get the doctor.”
Bill raised the back of the bed as he ran his tongue around his parched mouth. He needed water. He poured a drink from the pitcher that sat on the rolling table next to him. He took a sip and put his thoughts together.
Snow-blinded, he had run into the tractor-trailer ahead of him. The rental car was beyond repair but the air bag had saved his butt. He’d stuffed his wallet between the seats then crawled out and around the car. He yawned. For some reason, he didn’t want his name associated with the police report.
He closed his eyes as pieces of memory flew by. Marie. He was after Marie. She’d stolen the codes and his money. But who was after him? He remembered a car tailing him.
Back to America.
His skin chilled. He had double-dealt the deck. Some of the money he’d stolen he’d used to line his own pockets which, fortunately, he was able to pin on Marie. He needed to get the arms deal completed before they found out.
At once, as if a beacon of light flashed before him, his memory flooded back. Marie had spurned him and clobbered him on the head. He rubbed the scar near his hairline. For her betrayal, she would pay.
A prim, petite woman walked into the room. “Hello, Mister Martin. I’m Doctor Havelock. How do you feel this morning?”
“I’m fine and I want out. Now.”
“Mister Martin, last night you didn’t even know your name.”
“I know my name, Doctor, and I know my rights. You can’t keep me here.”
“Do you remember anything about last night?”
“Vaguely. I have extreme reactions to certain drugs. Apparently you administered one that had an effect on me. What happened was not my fault.”
“That was a very unusual effect.” The bitch’s sensual mouth pouted in disbelief. He didn’t give a damn. He wasn’t sure what had happened yesterday. There were some odd things he saw but he chalked it up to some weird dream that stemmed from the drugs they’d given him.
He shrugged and gave the woman a congenial smile. “I’m an unusual man. Now if someone can disconnect me, I’d like to get out of here.”
“We took a CT scan of your head. There’s been some recent trauma. Care to explain it?”
“No, I do not.” He clenched his jaw. “I was under medical care. I’m perfectly fine now.”
The frown stressed her pretty features. “You passing through, Mister Martin?” She arched an eyebrow.
“Yes.”
“On
your way home?”
“Yes.”
“I recommend you see your family physician upon your arrival. No driving. There’s a small airstrip not far from here. I strongly urge you to take a cab and get there. We can make arrangements from here if you wish.” She ripped off a prescription sheet with her recommendations written on the paper. “You were very lucky, Mister Martin. I’ll have outpatient processing come see you. There are still insurance forms to fill out.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” He took the paper from her and folded it in half. “Now, the tubes?” He lifted a mocking brow.
She stuffed her pen in her pocket. “Be patient, Mister Martin. I’ll send a nurse by shortly.”
Bill ground his teeth in anticipation.
—
Marie shivered. Jake’s warm, sensual body was gone and the fireplace had long since grown cold. Marie stood before the bedroom window. She stretched and let her nude form bathe in the warm, amber sunlight. Yawning, she wrapped her arms around herself. She still felt pleasured from the evening before. Her nerve endings tingled as she thought about Jake’s powerful body lying next to her. Made her wet and ready all over again.
She sighed and wished she could be as sure as Jake that everything would be all right.
Goose bumps rose on her arms. She rubbed them then picked up Jake’s robe from the end of the bed. She guessed Jake had put it there.
She smirked at the strangeness of her life. Here she was, screwing the local sheriff, the man she’d tried so hard to run away from.
A man she had committed herself to.
It felt good. Right. With all the experiences she had in life, she knew how rare that feeling was. How rare a man like Jake was.
No matter what, she was glad they’d found each other. Even for a short time.
She slipped on the soft garment and went to stand at the window again. She soaked up the crisp, winter scene. Its serenity let her reflect on her life since she’d fled D.C. and helped her to sort through her thoughts and emotions.