by Cindy Stark
Allie understood his need for privacy and his desperate wish to keep this part of his life a secret, but he had nothing to fear from her in that respect. "Thanks, Carole. I really appreciate you doing this." If Carole had any idea what Allie was about to say, she'd probably refuse to make the call.
"Honey, all I can hope is he's not fool enough to let you go a second time. If he does, well, there's not much I can do about it."
Allie admired the woman standing before her, and she hated to disappoint her. "You should know my goal is to get him to stay out of my life so I can move forward in a new relationship."
"I wondered as much." She nodded once. "And just so you know, my goal is to get you two together again and watch the sparks catch fire. Getting you both talking is the first step."
A small shiver rushed through Allie at the mention of sparks. A lack of heat was one problem she'd never encountered with Jase. "I guess we understand each other, then."
Carole gave her the sweetest smile. "I guess we do. You should also know, I'm a fierce competitor."
Allie laughed as Carole left the room to retrieve her cell phone.
"Grandma!"
Carole hadn't been gone a minute when a young boy rushed into the sitting room. He skidded to a halt when he spied Allie, his dark eyes wary. Boo jumped to attention, but didn't leave her side.
"Where's my grandma?" His dark curly hair was damp with sweat, and he had splotches of mud on his bright green shirt. He clutched a jar of bugs between his hands.
"She went to get her phone, but I'm sure she'll be right back."
The boy didn't reply, but continued to stare. His gaze darted between her and Boo, and the look on his face told her he was a little nervous of them both.
"I'm a friend of your grandma." She gave him a smile she hoped would put him at ease. "My name is Allie. What's yours?"
He hesitated a moment. "A.J."
"Oh, see." She smiled, wanting to make friends with the cute little boy. "We have something in common. Our first names both start with A. And this is my friend, Boo." She reached down and petted his furry head. "It looks like you've got quite a collection of bugs. Did you find them all by yourself?"
A.J. relaxed. "Uh-huh. Grandpa Robert showed me how to find them under rocks and stuff." He paused, eyeing Boo again. "Is your dog nice?"
"Oh, he's very nice. Why don't you come say hello?"
He came forward and put a hand out to Boo. The dog licked A.J.'s hand before rubbing his head against it. The little boy laughed and held out his jar to Allie. "They're called tater bugs. If you want, you can hold 'em."
Allie took the glass jar and gazed inside at the numerous black-ridged bugs that were covered by two crumpled maple leaves. "Did you give them the leaves so they'd have something to eat?"
"Uh-huh." Keeping one hand on Boo, he pointed a dirty finger at the jar. "See the big one? He's the king."
"Yes, I see that." Allie found herself chuckling. The little boy had completely charmed her, and apparently Boo, too. Her dog started licking A.J.'s hand and appeared intent on making his way up his arm. "Do the bugs have a queen, too?"
"No." His smile faded. "I had her, but I dropped her in the bushes before I could get her to go inside the jar. Then I couldn't find her." He raised his brows, his dark eyes twinkling. "Maybe you and Boo could help me find her?"
How could she say no to that? "We'd love to." Allie stood, a small pain piercing her heart. Carole's grandson would be close to her own daughter's age. Did she spend her afternoons collecting bugs, too?
Sometimes, the ache from giving up her child was too much. And lately, it seemed all she could think about was Jase or her daughter. She had to stop those thoughts. They were debilitating. She'd done the right thing. She knew that. Allie had a new life now and needed to keep her focus where it belonged.
Allie let A.J. lead her and her dog to a row of rhododendrons that edged the side of the house. Several fist-sized rocks had been rolled over beneath them, and Allie could see a few of the hostas had been mashed in the process.
"The queen's in there." He pointed to a clump of blue-green leaves.
"Okay, then." Allie got down on her knees and spread apart the leaves. It only took a few seconds of moving the foliage before she spied a "tater" bug. She caught the hard black body between her thumb and forefinger, and pulled it out. The bug curled into a ball as she sat it in her palm for him to inspect. "I think I found her." The bug uncurled and started creeping across her hand toward her wrist, tickling her.
"That's it! That's her." A huge smile pushed out his cheeks, giving her a glimpse of his sweet dimples. He screwed off the lid and held out the jar.
Allie nudged the bug off her hand and into the glass container. She wasn't sure she could have given the boy a better gift.
"A.J." Carole walked up and put an arm around her grandson. "I wondered if you might have stolen my guest."
"She helped me find the queen." A.J. thrust out his jar for inspection. "And she has a dog." He said it as though that made Allie some sort of god.
Carole ruffled his hair. "That's wonderful. It looks like Allie has a magical touch, doesn't it?"
"Uh-huh." He gave her a quick smile.
"Why don't you see if you can find Grandpa Robert and show him your queen? He's working on the faucet in his house. Maybe you can help him with that, too."
"Can Boo come?"
When his grandma agreed, the little boy's mouth split into a grin. He took off at a dead run around the corner of the house, the black dog following behind.
"Little boys and dogs." Carole sighed. "I wish I had their energy."
"He's darling, Carole."
"He is." Carole nodded. "He's the greatest joy in my life. But you didn't come here to meet A.J." She held up the phone. "Let's give Jase a call, shall we?"
Carole dialed the number, giving Allie a conspiratorial smile. "Jase, it's Carole."
Allie could hear the echo of his voice coming across the line. Just knowing he was on the other end gave her butterflies. She hadn't seen or heard from him since the day he'd left her in Portland. Hearing his voice brought back the long-buried yearning to be safe in his arms once again. She mentally torched those thoughts. She was her own woman now, strong and independent.
"It's not exactly an emergency. I have Allie here with me and—" Carole stopped short. "No. No." She paused again. "She came here to see you. She needs to talk to you." Carole didn't say anything for a moment and then put down her phone. She turned to Allie with a disgruntled look. "I believe that man just hung up on me."
"What?" Allie hadn't expected that reaction from Jase. "What did he say?"
"He said to tell you to go back to California and your new man. There's no reason for you to be at his ranch." Carole snorted.
"My new man? What does that mean? Is he spying on me, too?" Outrage clouded her veins. If he knew about Ryan, then why did he continue to send money? If Jase didn't want her on his ranch, then why did he keep interfering in her life?
"Are you serious about this new man?" Carole suddenly seemed concerned Ryan might pose a threat to her plans.
"What difference does it make? Jase doesn't want me anywhere near his life, but he won't stay out of mine."
"It's because he loves you."
Allie turned her frustration on Carole. "How can you say that? He sent me away. He refuses to have any contact." She blew out a derisive breath. "That doesn't sound like love to me." She paused as thoughts continued to burst in her brain like fireworks. "And, I refuse to be sent away again like a chastised puppy." She snatched the phone from Carole's hand and hit redial.
"Don't bother me, Carole." Jase's voice rumbled across the line.
Allie's heart squeezed. "This isn't Carole. It's Allie."
The line went silent.
"I know you're there, Jase." The silence pierced her. Was it so difficult for him to be civil to her? "I'm not trying to come back into your life. I don't want anything from you. In fact, that's the r
eason I called. I'd like you to stop sending money to my bank account."
The silence seemed like it would continue forever, but then he answered. "Why?"
It wasn't the answer she'd expected. "What do you mean, why?" She didn't think she needed a reason. "I don't need it anymore. I want to thank you very much for your generosity, but I'm quite capable of taking care of myself these days."
More silence. "I don't have time for this right now, Allie. It's my money. I'll worry about what I do with it. Go back to California where you're safe."
The phone clicked in her ear. She dropped her jaw as she turned to Carole. "I don't believe it. He hung up on me, too."
Carole clucked as she shook her head. "That man is impossible."
"And he refused to stop sending the money." Allie looked at her friend in earnest. "How am I ever supposed to have a normal life if he won't stop interfering?"
Carole shrugged. "You know I don't want you to have a normal life if it doesn't include Jase." She tilted her head as though reconsidering her words. "Well, I do want you to be happy, but I just think you'll both be happier together."
That didn't make Allie feel any better. "With his pig-headed stubbornness, I can't have either. He doesn't want me, but he's making it impossible for me to have a normal relationship with anyone else."
"That is a problem."
Both women fell into their thoughts. Carole wandered to a nearby bench and sat. "You could go to Chicago." Allie's gaze jumped to Carole's face. The woman raised her brows. "It's one way to get his attention."
Allie nodded. That part was certainly true. But did she dare?
Carole studied Allie. "I know you had some trouble before you came here. It's obvious from the way you showed up on our doorstep with only the clothes on your back."
"You seem to have a better grasp at what's going on around here than anyone gives you credit for."
Carole shrugged. "I don't get paid to scrub the toilets." She grinned. "Okay, maybe I do, but a girl needs to enjoy her job, right?"
"Right." Just like Allie enjoyed her job. Not the paperwork part of it, but the feel of a weapon in her hand. The power, the control it gave her. She wasn't the same scared little girl who'd run from the big, bad boys in Chicago. She was a cop. No one knew those streets better than her, and she had the element of surprise. Going back sounded better and better. She'd come to Oregon intent on confronting Jase, and she wasn't about to walk away now.
Besides, it wasn't like she'd known the Trasattis personally. Joey had hung out with them, but she never had. Even if she did run into one of them, it would be a stretch for anyone to recognize her. Although if someone did, it could be a costly mistake on her part.
And what about Jase? Would he recognize her?
Going back might have more repercussions than she realized, but she was stronger now, prepared, and ready to fight back. Her future depended on it.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
"Miss Fox?" Sergeant Cates of the Chicago Police Department actually seemed happy to see Allie, unlike the overworked-underpaid people she usually found in police stations. His bushy gray brows hung over his blue eyes the same way his paunchy belly hung over the waistband of his uniform, but his smile was warm and inviting. "How may I help you?"
Allie extended her hand over the reception counter at the precinct and shook his. "I was hoping we could talk privately for a few minutes." Honestly, she wasn't quite sure why she'd stopped at the police department first. She'd come to find Jase and make him quit interfering in her life, but somewhere between Oregon and Chicago, her curiosity had gotten the best of her. She had no idea why the Trasatti family had seemed so intent on murdering her, other than wanting her because she could have been a potential witness to Joey's shooting. Now, she had the chance to find out. There had to be more to the story. Time had given her the emotional distance she needed to confront her past, and she'd realized solving the puzzle was one more step she needed to take before she could move forward. "Do you have an available office?"
Cates shrugged. "Sure, come on back." He buzzed her through the security door. She followed his bulky form down a hall filled with the scent of fresh paint, past two empty ladders and into a tiny office. "It's not a brand-new corner office, but when you work for the government, you happily accept any upgrades."
The small room had been recently painted as well, though the furniture appeared to be well-used. Allie took a seat in front of the metal desk and was surprised when the officer perched on a corner of the desk near her instead of sitting in his chair. "Thank you for seeing me, Sergeant Cates."
The older man smoothed his unruly moustache. "What can I help you with?"
She tilted her head up to see him better. "I'm with the Sacramento Police Department in California."
"That's what the receptionist said." His smile seemed friendly, but she had no doubt he was sizing her up. Especially her legs. The officer's gaze seemed to have snagged on her thighs that peeked from her tailored skirt. She wanted to tell him it was rude to stare, but decided the distraction might work in her favor.
"I wanted to ask you about a case from several years ago. A shooting. The victim's name was Joey Pagano."
His gaze jumped to her face. "I remember it. Me and another officer were the main detectives. It's a cold case now. Never solved." His gaze slid downward again. "What's Sacramento P.D.'s interest in it?"
"Actually, I'm not here as a representative of the department. It's more a personal interest. A friend of a friend knew the vic, and I'm always a sucker for an unsolved mystery. I'm here in town on personal business and thought, if you didn't mind, I'd review the evidence."
Cates' chuckle rumbled through the room. "So you think you can waltz in here and solve a six-year-old case in a few days' time, when some of Chicago's finest detectives couldn't crack it after trying for years?" He shook his head. "Kind of arrogant, ain't it?"
Allie's cheeks burned. "I didn't mean to insult you, Sergeant Cates." She shifted in her chair. "I'm not suggesting I can solve it. But I would like the opportunity to review the case."
He studied her for a moment. "I can't release any of our files."
"I'm not asking you to." He hadn't said no, so that was good, right?
"We don't have any extra office space for you to use."
"I could sit in your office. I wouldn't take up much room. Then you could keep an eye on your files." She glanced around the small room, envisioning being trapped in there for hours with the old sergeant and his roaming eyes.
"You going to keep wearing short skirts?" The man raised his bushy brows.
Allie couldn't help but laugh at the old man's tactics. She should have been offended, but something in his eyes said he was harmless. "Into sexual harassment much?"
"I'm not a pervert if that's what you're thinking. I won't be hitting on you. But after working for the government for twenty-five years, I'll take all the perks I can get." He winked. "And a pretty lady's legs are about all the décor this office will ever see."
She'd play his game. "If that's what it takes then fine."
"Done." Cates stood. He smiled again, his blue eyes twinkling.
"You drive a hard bargain."
He chuckled. "I knew I liked you from the moment I saw you. A woman with spunk. Come back after lunch, and I should have the files by then. Let's see what you and your arrogance can accomplish."
* * *
"This case has been a real bugger." Cates shoved two files across the desk toward Allie.
She took them as she did a quick scan of his messy desk. The room smelled of hamburgers and fries, but she couldn't see any tell-tell signs of food other than the super-size soft drink near his computer.
"If you're able to solve this, it'll make my years of service all the sweeter." He nodded toward the files, his bushy brows arching upward. "The Trasatti organization cost me a promotion. Besides the Pagano murder, we're pretty sure the Trasattis were involved in Representative Winslow's murder around the same
time. There were plenty of rumors suggesting the two events were connected, but we never found anything concrete enough to make an arrest. But I guess a fresh set of eyes never hurts."
Allie released a pent-up breath. It was like somebody had dropped a rock in the river of her emotions, and all her old fears bubbled to the surface like stirred-up silt.
She was not prepared to like Sergeant Cates as much as she did, nor was she prepared for the punch to her gut when she opened a file to see pictures of the crime scene.
The expert photos captured the crime very well. Joey on his back, his eyes open but no longer seeing the world she continued to live in. The shock of that horrible night came rushing back, overwhelming her with intense memories.
She thought she'd moved beyond that time in her life, but all she'd really done was bury it. Time had done nothing to diminish its effect on her. She swallowed and turned the page, unable to block out what had happened to her six years ago.
She gasped at the autopsy pictures and turned her head. Nausea rose in her throat. The page held photos of Joey's chest among other things. She'd seen the hole near his heart. It had pierced him on the right side of his tattoo. The twin of the one she still carried on her body. Some of his symbols were missing, but their initials still remained etched into his skin, surrounded by a heart.
Sergeant Cates clapped a hand on her back causing her to nearly fall out of her chair. "Not much of a cop if you can't look at dead bodies. How green are you anyway?"
Allie tried to catch her breath and calm her stomach. She hadn't realized he'd joined her on her side of the desk. "I graduated from UCLA two years ago. Joined the force not long after."
"That's pretty green."
She looked up and caught him rolling his eyes. "I worked patrol for almost two years while I finished my Master's degree, and now they've moved me into the psychological profiling department."
He shrugged. "I guess that's something. Profiler's are useful sometimes, but nothing beats good, old-fashioned detective work."
"Profiling is detective work. It's the—"