Gotta Get Next To You

by Emery, Lynn

  Vince leaned forward, both elbows on his knees. “If she feels the same way you do, then you can work it out, man.”

  For several moments Lee considered his friend’s words. He wanted to believe he could find a way back into Andrea’s heart, but he knew better. The look of hurt, contempt, and disappointment in her eyes that day in Mandeville’s office went too deep.

  “No, Vince, we won’t. Anyway, I’ve done enough damage,” he said, his voice hoarse with regret for what he’d lost. “I’m going to make sure I don’t do any more.”

  Chapter 19

  Andrea spent a quiet Sunday afternoon with her grandmother. They sat on Gran’s front porch. She needed the solace of Gran’s domestic haven. It helped dull the anguish of not seeing Lee. Still, it would only come back to swallow her up once she was alone. Alone. The word echoed in her mind. Being alone had not seemed a tragedy before a tall, dark, and dangerously alluring man had entered her life. He was everything she did not need, she told herself constantly. Lying was his stockin-trade, deception his method of operation. TROUBLE should have been tattooed in bold letters on his forehead. And yet…

  “What’s wrong with you, child?” Gran put aside the knitting needles and white shawl she was working on. “You’re moping around like your pet fish died.” “Nothing is wrong. I’m just resting.”

  Gran watched Andrea in silence, rocking slowly.

  “Uh-huh,” she said deep in her throat, her way of saying “Like I believe that!”

  Andrea drew both legs up on the large, cushioned seat of the swing. Gran grunted and picked up the half finished shawl from the table beside her. Andrea exhaled in relief when Gran seemed to become absorbed in the stitches.

  White cane ceiling fans overhead creaked as they stirred the warm summer air. The scent of freshly cut grass floated on the breeze. White egrets and heron circled above. Their long wings were outstretched as they sailed along like airborne ballet dancers. Usually Andrea found pleasure in one of nature’s best performances, but not today.

  Thoughts of Lee and Denny rattled around in her head. Dread was her constant companion. Denny had made so many mistakes in his young life. Andrea feared that taking up with Ty’Rance would prove to be a fatal one. Of course, Lee had sworn to protect him. He was strong, smart, resourceful, and daring. She’d sensed it the first day they met. Lee would charge in with a take-no-prisoners determination. She prayed that he would not take too great a chance. Considering the whole situation, Andrea worried that she’d been too harsh with him. One more source of apprehension to keep her awake until the wee hours of die morning.

  Andrea pressed the heel of her right hand against her forehead. The dull thud of a tension headache plagued her.

  “You can’t hide anything from me. I know exactly what’s going on.” Gran’s tone was matter-of-fact. “That young man is more than he seems.”

  Andrea dropped her hand and stared at Gran. “Wha-at?” she stuttered.

  “He acts cocky, Mr. ‘I’m so cool it just rolls off my back.’ ” Gran did not pause from making a pattern in the lacy yam. “Way I see it he’s trying to convince himself he doesn’t need tenderness and love. But he does.”

  “Oh,” Andrea said, tension draining from her body. With her thoughts full of the investigation, Andrea’s first thought was that Gran somehow knew everything. It was irrational, of course. But the extraordinary events of the past few days left her open to believe anything was possible.

  “It’s plain to see, cher.”

  Andrea stood on unsteady legs and walked over to the small table between them. She poured herself a glass of lemonade from the pitcher. “What is so plain, Gran?” “You two had a fight. You’re both being stubborn, trying to teach each other a lesson.” Gran gave a tolerant chuckle. “Young folks.”

  “Yeah, that’s it.” Andrea went back to the swing and dropped down onto the cushion again. She pushed it into a lazy sway.

  “Okay, might as well tell you now. Then you can get over being mad by the time he gets here.” Gran’s voice was mild. “I told Jamal to come over.”

  Andrea squeezed her eyes shut. “Not again! Gran, you’re unbelievable.”

  Gran did not flinch in the face of Andrea’s wrath. “Don’t try to make this about me. You two were made for each other.”

  Andrea crossed her arms defensively. “No, we’re not. Trust me; he’s not the prince you think he is.”

  “You find out he’s married with seven kids?” Gran cut in sharply.

  “No, but—”

  “On the run from the police? Broke outta prison maybe?”

  “Of course not,” Andrea replied. “But—•”

  “He’s been tipping with another woman in town?” Gran’s dark eyebrows went up to her hairline.

  “No—” Andrea tried to retort, but Gran beat her to the punch.

  “Then it makes no sense to keep up this silliness. Bet y’all fussed about something that means nothing when you really look at it.” Gran clicked the needles together as she stitched with a smile. “Good thing you got me to point it out.”

  Andrea floundered for some plausible way to explain. “He’s not the man I thought he was. We’re so different.”

  “Sure. He jumps into life with both feet. You like to sit down and plan, then stick one toe in to see if it’s okay.” Gran laughed.

  “I’m not that timid,” Andrea replied with irritation.

  “ ‘Cautious’ is the word I’d use,” Gran said.

  “And what’s wrong with that?”

  “Nothing, long as you don’t take it too far. But when it comes to love, sometimes you oughta close your eyes and jump.”

  Andrea grimaced. “I did that once. I landed flat on my face in the dirt. I’ll keep my feet on the ground from now on.”

  “Let go of the past, cher.” Gran shook her head. “Jamal isn’t Ellis.”

  “Yes, but who is he?” Andrea murmured low. She imagined him, tall and smiling as though he’d played a joke on the world.

  Gran didn’t hear her. “Stop making him pay for what some other man did,” she said.

  Andrea swung her legs to the floor. “I’m leaving. You two have a fine time sipping lemonade.” Her sandals slapped angrily against the porch’s wooden floor. She went through the side door to the living room.

  Gran was undisturbed by her anger. “Sure, baby.” She smiled and started another row in the pattern.

  “Where are my car keys? I put my purse right here and now it’s gone.”

  “Check in the back bedroom,” Gran called out with good humor.

  Andrea huffed in frustration. “I haven’t been in there, Gran—” She came back to the porch and stood with both hands on her hips. “Okay, you’ve had your fun.”

  “What, cher?” Gran affected an innocent expression.

  “You’ve gone one step too far this time, Mavis Louise Ricard.”

  “Brush your hair a little bit. Here he comes.” Gran nodded toward the road.

  Andrea followed her gaze in time to see Lee’s sporty dark green Integra turn in to the driveway. “I’ll deal with you later, missy,” she hissed with a scowl.

  Lee parked and got out of the car. “Afternoon.” He smiled at Gran.

  “You gonna thank me one day,” Gran mumbled low to Andrea. Then she beamed at Lee. “Hi, baby. I got a glass of lemonade waiting for you.”

  Lee climbed the porch steps in his long-legged stride. “Thank you, ma’am. Hello, Andrea,” he said. His smile was tense when he glanced at her.

  “Hello.” Andrea clipped off the word.

  “I’m going in,” Gran announced without ceremony. She was gone before Andrea could say anything.

  “Moves pretty fast for a woman her age,” Andrea

  muttered under her breath. She turned to face Lee. “You should have known better than to come here.”

  He gazed at her for a few seconds. “I guess you’re right.”

  “What did you expect, a warm welcome? Did you think I’d fall into
your arms?” Andrea glared at him in defiance.

  “No.” Lee took a deep breath and let it out. “Look, maybe the way we started complicates our future.”

  “You’re good at something else, understatement!” Andrea blurted out. She walked away from him to the edge of the porch.

  “So it’s hopeless,” Lee said in a flat voice.

  “You’re just like my so-called father. But then I’m stupid. I should have figured out he was somehow hooked up with the clinic. Not that my mother would ever tell me the truth!” Andrea spoke with bitterness.

  He walked close to her. “You didn’t know about his connection to the clinic or the contract?”

  “How dare you judge me! I don’t have to prove anything to you.” Andrea put distance between them again by moving away.

  “I’m sorry, Andrea. I know it’s inadequate, but it’s the truth. I’m so sorry,” he said quietly, his voice deep and intense.

  The emotion implied in his words tugged at her heart. Andrea fought the urge to look into his eyes. She would yield if she did. Wasn’t that how she’d let Ellis make a fool of her? The men in her life were like evil magicians. They were masters of illusion capable of pulling sincere declarations out of thin air. This time she would not cooperate with the sleight of hand. Andrea faced him with her chin up. They studied each other for a time. She sensed he was looking for a vulnerable spot. Well, she wouldn’t show him one.

  “Okay, so you’re sorry. Fine, but nothing changes,” she said in an even tone.

  Lee nodded once. “All right. Let’s go for a walk.”

  “I said—”

  “We need to talk about something else. I can’t risk Gran overhearing,” Lee whispered. He glanced toward a window.

  Andrea followed his gaze and saw the curtain twitch. “Let’s go.”

  They left the porch and walked around the house to the backyard. The summer sun was a bright white light. Heat waves shimmered above the blacktop road that ran in front of the house. Andrea led him to the backyard and toward the oaks trees. Here shade and a breeze that carried the scent of the bayou made being outside more bearable. She led him to one of the benches her grandfather had made. They sat down.

  “Things are moving with Denny. Ty’Rance gave us a list of drugs he wants. Pills for pain, muscle relaxants, the works.” Lee took a piece of notepaper from his pants pocket and showed it to her.

  Andrea read the list. “Some of these are addictive. Most are mild. But they can be mixed with other drugs.”

  “Exactly. Ty’Rance is putting together his own drug lab. They didn’t sell all of the equipment Denny stole from the clinic.”

  “You need a Drug Enforcement Administration number to order this stuff.” Andrea forgot her anger. She looked at Lee.

  “He’s going to forge your pharmacist’s signature.

  Bill’s been pretty sloppy about leaving his authorization number lying around,” Lee said.

  Her eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe Denny thought up such a scheme on his own. You were a cop.”

  “Andrea, get serious. These are drug dealers. They know as much about DEA numbers and the chemical properties of certain drugs as any medical professional. Probably more.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Andrea said as she waved a hand. She hated to admit that he was right.

  “And what Denny didn’t know, I’m sure Ty’Rance or some other gang member taught him.” Lee leaned against the back of the bench. “They didn’t need me to coach them, that’s for sure.”

  “Now what?”

  “We bring Denny in and tell him what we know,” Lee said.

  Andrea’s heart rate sped up until it thumped like a drum. The danger of their situation rushed in on her with greater force than before. It seemed only yesterday that she’d found out about Lee, Denny, and the investigation.

  “Oh God,” she murmured. “It’s happening so fast.”

  “That’s the way these investigations go sometimes. You have to be ready in case things speed up. The bad guys set the timetable.” Lee sat forward, elbows on both knees.

  “You’ve done this many times before?” Andrea glanced at him in curiosity.

  “A few back in L.A. I did backup and went undercover.” Lee clasped his large hands together.

  Andrea stared at him for a long time. He seemed to be thinking back to his past. She tried to imagine him as a police officer. “I think of you as having a big problem with authority. It’s weird to think you became a cop. Or were you ever the bad boy you told me about?”

  “Yeah, that was the truth. I got into a few scrapes. Nothing serious, though. I got to know a couple of black cops in this basketball league. Real good men, ya know?”

  “They took an interest in you,” Andrea said.

  “Sure did.” Lee smiled with affection. “They weren’t as tough as this old preacher that lived down the street. Reverend Rooney was a character. Between them they helped keep me straight.”

  “But you left the force. Why?”

  Lee’s smile vanished. He stood and walked away, looking into the woods. “I thought being a cop meant making the world a better place. After a while, I just got sick of seeing the ugliest side of humanity. Some cops weren’t much different from the punks we arrested. Then my little brother got killed.” He seemed to bite off the last sentence. “I lost those idealistic dreams.”

  “So that was the rough time you mentioned,” she said.

  Lee shook his head. “I’m not going to stand by and let Denny die,” he said forcefully, his baritone voice a low, dangerous rumble. “I’m going to save him.” Andrea stared at him. He seemed to have grown even taller. The look of resolve stamped on his face left no doubt that he meant it. She began to believe that Ty’Rance had more to worry about than Denny. Yet she still felt a kernel of fear. Andrea stood and walked to him.

  “Remember what you told me? Ty’Rance Wilson is smart and vicious. That’s a deadly combination.” Andrea put her hand on his powerful forearm without thinking. “Be careful, Lee.”

  He looked down at her hand. Andrea savored the solid feel of him. Heat seemed to flow up her arm and spread through her entire body. He looked into her eyes and she wanted to hold him close. A bone-deep hunger almost took hold. Her nipples hardened and rubbed against the satin fabric of her bra. Andrea wanted him to hold and caress her. She was only inches away before she knew it. Lee’s chest rose and fell rapidly.

  “Right,” he growled, his voice hoarse. This time it was he who moved away. “I managed to convince the sheriff and state police to make the arrests away from the clinic.”

  Andrea stood with her arms down, hands balled into fists. She couldn’t believe she had almost kissed him! Lee rubbed his eyes and sat down again.

  “Damn! I’m losing it,” he grumbled.

  “Am I still a suspect?” Andrea asked.

  “No, not anymore.” Lee stood. “Look, let’s try to put aside personal feelings for the next few days. We can’t afford to let it distract us. It could lead to dangerous mistakes.”

  Andrea wrestled with her fury toward him. He was right again. They had to concentrate on the investigation. Denny’s life could depend on it. So did Lee’s life.

  “Of course.” Andrea’s tone was short and businesslike. “What do I do?”

  “Nothing,” he answered quickly. “I want you as far out of this as possible.”

  “Fine time to consider that after you …” Andrea’s voice trailed off when he frowned at her. “Sorry. Go on.”

  “Denny is going to make excuses to work late. He’s been practicing Bill’s signature and making false entries on patient records,” Lee said.

  “The invoices are preprinted with the DEA numbers. We keep those locked up.”

  “Like I said, Bill’s been careless. He’s left them around where Denny could take several.”

  “I’m going to fire that moron,” Andrea burst out. She paced in front of him.

  “Yeah, but wait until this is over,” Lee said. “Then
you can hang him up by his thumbs if you want.”

  “Not a bad idea,” Andrea retorted. “But I was thinking of another body part.”

  “You’ve got quite a temper, Nurse Noble.” Lee’s mouth twitched as though he was trying not to smile.

  “Guess I’ve got a touch of drama queen from Charlene after all,” Andrea said with a shrug.

  They gazed at each other for a second, and then both looked away. Lee cleared his throat. Andrea closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again. Her head reeled; she was dizzy from the wild swing between desire and animosity. Lee Matthews introduced more drama into her life than Charlene ever had. He’d shaken up her ordered existence. Andrea could deal with Charlene. She could even handle Mandeville sticking his nose into her clinic, albeit behind the scenes. But she’d spent long hours pondering how to handle Lee. More to the point, she had to handle her fierce appetite for Mr. Wrong.

  “I better go,” he said.

  “Yes,” Andrea replied weakly. Leave before I do something stupid like rip your clothes off! She took a deep breath to steady herself, and then took two more.

  “I won’t tell you much from now on. Can’t risk it. ’Bye.” Lee hurried off as though he needed to escape. “Goodbye.”

  She watched him stride across the grass until he disappeared around the house. Gran must have returned to the front porch. They spoke briefly. Seconds later his car engine roared to life and she heard the crunch of tires on gravel. He turned onto the paved road and Andrea watched his car head off toward town. She walked slowly toward the house, deep in thought. When she got to the front porch, Gran was in the rocker working on the shawl again.

  “There now. No bloodshed and the sky didn’t fall,” Gran said.

  “We didn’t kiss and make up either,” Andrea said in a dry tone.

  “You will.” Gran spoke with confidence. “You will,” she repeated.

  “No more nudges from you, Miss Mavis.” Andrea shook a finger at her. She sat on the top step of the porch.

  Gran sighed noisily and stopped knitting. “Stubborn since you were a baby.”

  “You don’t know what happened between us, and it’s not up for discussion,” Andrea said quickly when Gran’s mouth flew open. ‘Trust me, we’re better off apart.”