Sassy, Sexy, and Stalked

by Wall, Shelley

  “Everything okay here?” Todd asked, not shifting his gaze from her.

  The guy shook his head. “Naw, we’re good. I just had a little car trouble and my friend here was trying to help.”

  The guy had no idea that Reva knew their new visitors. Apparently, he thought they’d just happened onto the scene. Tim had finished his call on the radio and stepped out of the truck, rounded the corner, and came forward with his hands in his pockets.

  “Todd, did you know there’s a target shooting gallery over in those trees? I saw it while I was talking to Ben.” Tim pointed at a series of small white targets nailed to the tree trunks in the woods. “We should come out here sometime.”

  The guy looked from Todd to Tim, then back. He smiled. “I come out on the weekends sometimes by myself. It’s pretty peaceful. The bike trails go along the river bank though so you have to be careful not to shoot someone.”

  The stranger wiped his hand on his shirt and reached toward them. “I’m Adam and this is my friend, Reva.”

  Reva’s face clouded. Tim studied the guy without offering his hand. “You know her?” Tim asked, “How?”

  Todd noticed the startled expression that crossed Adam’s eyes as well as Reva’s stillness.

  “We work together,” Adam answered. “Right Reva?”

  “Uh, right.” She slowly stepped forward, a stilted silent glide toward Todd. Todd flicked an eye at the man as he started for her hand, then stopped. “Adam’s friends were supposed to be here and give him a ride but they’ve already gone. You’ll be okay though, right?”

  She glanced back over her shoulder and offered a grim smile before she slipped her fingers into Todd’s. The iciness of her skin cooled his palm and he was thankful they’d found her. He leaned into her hair and whispered. “You scared me. Sure you’re okay?”

  She nodded and waited for Adam’s response. He watched the three, realizing the error in his assumption that the truck held random passers-by. “Yeah, sure. I’ll just call and get one of them to come back. No problem. Thanks for trying, boss. I appreciate it. You guys go ahead.” He brushed his hand at them in a dismissing gesture. The smell of pine reached Todd’s nose, along with a muskier tone. There must be a dead raccoon or something nearby. He recognized the scent of decay.

  Todd let Reva slip into the seat between he and Tim, then climbed in behind. Adam stood watching them, hands on hips. A cloud passed across his face and Todd knew there was more to the story than either of them had described. The rearview mirror displayed Adam for easy view as they bounced away over the rutted road. Adam turned his back to them and passed a hand through his hair, a movement that Todd had witnessed once before. Todd frowned.

  “He’s more than just a coworker, isn’t he?” he asked.

  ***

  Reva darted eyes sideways. “Excuse me?”

  Surely he didn’t think there was something going on with Adam?

  “How well do you know that guy?” The calm tone didn’t do anything to hide the inference. He did. As if there hadn’t been enough to add to the tension in her life, now this. Reva wanted to scream.

  “Look, I work with him. That’s all. If you think there’s something else going on, that’s your problem, not mine. What the hell is wrong with men that they automatically think there has to be something more than just a work relationship? Can’t you see what he was doing? Do you really think I’d be interested in that guy? You know what…why don’t you and he have a long talk. You both deserve each other.” She hooked a finger at the barely distinguishable figure in the back window. She lifted her hip to pull whatever was jabbing her in the butt out from underneath. A walkie-talkie.

  Todd glanced at the device in her hand. “We were talking to Eric and Ben. Only they didn’t answer. Some cousin of yours was there.”

  “David,” Tim interjected, “they’re waiting for us back at the store.” Tim’s hands were hanging between his knees. He dropped something on the floor and kicked it under the seat then readjusted to give her room.

  “So, we have the whole family out here?” She breathed in deeply. They had rounded the small twist in the road and the pavement of the highway quickly approached. The smell of dust and pine filtrated into her head. Todd’s fingers were white on the steering wheel. They had a search party out for me. Todd shrugged. “You disappeared without a sound, so I called your brothers. And I called the police.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

  Now what? Adam stood watching the truck disappear. Silently, he thanked whatever force compelled them to leave without lingering. The last thing needed at this point was an outdoor adventure by her group tramping around in areas he preferred left alone. They saw the target practice site, he reminded himself. No biggie. There’s no law against having a gun, nor in learning to shoot it.

  Fortunately, they didn’t find what was beyond the targets.

  He’d said too much though. Things would get difficult at work. Admittedly, the comments weren’t appropriate but he knew she understood. They were alike. That’s probably why she’d been so hard on him in the office. Well, she’d just have to get past that. He’d managed to charm the others—he could manage her too. And, if he couldn’t, then he’d just make sure the others trusted him more, believed him more. Either way, he’d conquer this mountain. With or without her. She was not standing in his way again. Not this time. Not ever again.

  Adam felt behind his back to make sure he’d left the pouch zipped. Yes. Good. He pulled it from his waist, removed the contents and headed toward the target in the trees. It was probably best to stash it and take the shortcut through the woods to get his truck. He needed to kill some time anyway before the commotion at the convenience store cleared. On the off chance that they came looking for him, there was a lot of undergrowth to conceal his travels.

  And they did. Come looking for him, that is.

  He heard the grumble of two engines and, from his perch several hundred yards away in the brush, he saw tracks of dust cloud puff through the trees. It surprised him a little to see two cop cars, but not so much as to panic and run. The officers walked around a bit, called out, then left.

  This was a good spot to watch. He could see the road in front of the store plus the opening with the dock. He expected to wait long enough to ensure Reva and her friends were gone, then hustle up to get his truck. The cops added a new element he needed to think about. While he’d had a clean record up to this point, he doubted he’d be able to speak with them calmly.

  When the last of the sun’s beam flittered down behind the trees, the glow in the sky cast some fairly ominous shadows. Adam noticed that the noise of cicadas and other unknown life kicked up a notch. His ears rang with it. Several cars left the store and headed back toward the city but he stayed put. The lights from inside the store cast a yellow stain across the lot and out into the road.

  He perched in his cocoon of underbrush and waited until the lights clicked off and darkness engulfed the road. When a lone set of headlights left the store and headed down the road, he decided it was okay to move.

  But not in that truck. He only had a few hours before it would all erupt.

  CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

  Adam considered his options for the umpteenth time on the short trek to his house. None of them panned out in his mind the way he needed. Admittedly, he’d crossed the line. Not just crossed it, he was practically across the continent from it. Why had she pushed him so far? He’d never wanted to react like that. He wasn’t a violent man. He didn’t do that type of thing.

  He strung his fingers through his hair. One of the men that came for Reva had directed the cops to his truck. Adam had watched as they took the license and walked around, surveying his new vehicle as if it were—evidence.

  Shit.

  It was like watching an episode of CSI as they stalked around, surveying the vehicle, running hands along the bed. They knew. He was screwed. He had to get out. Go away. Forget work, he needed a new life. Damn Reva. She could have just left
him alone and none of this would have happened. The project would have been completed by now. And he’d have been virtually in command. Of everything. No, she had to be a bitch about it.

  It had taken forty minutes to jog the five miles to his house. Thank God it was such a short distance. Trying to hurry in the trails through the trees had been tricky. He could have made it faster on the road but didn’t want to risk being seen.

  Inside the house, Adam grabbed his backpack from the closet. He filled it with supplies, tossed in his gun and clips, then headed out the back door. Can’t let the neighbors see him leave. The time on his watch told him an hour had passed. He needed a vehicle and planned to make one last stop before saying adios to this town. There was a thrill to starting over. He’d never done it before. Not like this.

  Adam left his neighbor’s “borrowed” van at the park near Reva’s house. A quick jog put him in the backyard where he’d watched her a few times before. The house was dark. He turned to view the other house where the cell phone had nearly exposed him. Dark too.

  He skipped the doors and pried a window to one of the back rooms open with his pocketknife. Once inside, a quick scan of the rooms told him she was still out. The woman had quite the social life. He hunched into an easy chair in her living room, dropped the bag on the floor at his feet, and clutched the weapon in his lap. He’d just wait for her return. No rush now. This was the last item he needed to take care of before moving on.

  A loud rap on the door startled him awake. He glanced at his watch. Too dark to read it but the glow-in-the-dark hands told him it was around nine ten. He swiped a hand down his face. No need to answer the door since it wasn’t his house.

  A scratching noise caught his attention. Someone else wanted in? Without a key? No way. He stood and looked from side to side for a good spot to conceal his presence. The door swung open and a big man with a burr head stepped in.

  “Stop right there,” Adam commanded. He raised the run. There was enough light in the room to see the shock on the man’s face.

  “Hang on now. Who are you? ” The man held up his hands. “I’m not here to cause trouble. I just wanted to talk to Reva.”

  Burrhead wore a starched shirt and slacks as if he were a salesman making a call. At this time of night? Not likely. A motor’s whirring signaled an arrival out front. Adam peeked at the glass to see Reva’s car.

  ***

  Reva had given up the driver’s seat to Todd at his insistence. If he wanted to drive, fine. She’d only grumbled a smidge because the day had been so tiring she really didn’t care. She felt cocooned between the two bulky men beside her and her brothers and Eric in the back. Her Dad had insisted on riding along until they were at Todd’s. She glanced from one solemn face to another.

  “Do you ever wonder what makes a person decide to be violent?” She blew upward to ruffle the bangs out of her eyes, her hands were pinned to her sides. “I mean, think about it, one day a person seems completely charming and normal. Then without any warning, something sets him off. Out of nowhere.”

  Both men in the front seat shot her a look as they turned into her drive. Neither spoke. She knew they weren’t sure whether she really wanted their opinion or not.

  “Only it’s not really out of nowhere, is it? Something triggers it but you don’t know what it is. You don’t even know there’s a problem. You just wander through your day, thinking everything’s all great. Then wham. “ Reva pushed a shoulder into her father. “Let me out Dad, and I’ll run in and get my stuff. You guys can stay here. I won’t be a minute. Eric, you want to go? We’ll get the paint and maybe we can paint a shirt or something tonight?”

  She placed a shaky hand over the back of the seat. Todd noticed. They all probably did. Reva needed to stay busy and nothing like a five-year old boy to keep one distracted from personal issues.

  “Sure,” Eric answered as he crawled up on the seat. By the time Tim had pulled the handle on the door, Eric had already scurried over the seat and dropped his legs to the ground. “Be right back.” He grinned at Todd.

  “We’ll grab your lawn chairs from the backyard.” Todd slipped from the car with Ben and Tim alongside and headed to the gate. “You probably don’t want to do that inside and I don’t have anywhere to manage it-we can spread it across the chairs.”

  Reva took Eric’s hand and they swung arms as they pranced up the steps to the door. They were already at the threshold when she looked up to see the door ajar with a man’s back to her. A chill cursed through her, causing an abrupt stillness. A man she had hoped to never see again. Nick. What the hell? She clenched down on Eric’s hand but it was too late. He’d already slipped past her and ran through.

  “Come on in, boss.”

  Adam.

  Reva swallowed hard and started to motion to the car.

  “No, I said come in, now. Don’t make me get ugly.” Adam tilted the gun just a hair, then narrowed his eyes. He was comfortable with the weapon, no doubt. Not a good idea to challenge that and find out.

  “Adam,” she stated flatly as she swiveled from one man to the other, “and Nick. What’s going on?”

  “Good question,” Adam answered.

  Nick glared. “You put a restraining order on me, Reva? On me? Looks like you have bigger issues than someone that’s halfway around the damn globe.” Nick nodded at the firearm staring them down. “Don’t you think you have the wrong guy? They served me at my apartment, right in front of Jessie.”

  Reva assumed Jessie was the new girlfriend. “You sent me hate mail.”

  “I didn’t send you shit. You left. I moved on.”

  “Who the hell are you?” Adam thrust the gun toward Nick.

  “The fiancé.”

  “Ex-fiancé and why are you here? You didn’t fly all the way here just because of a restraining order.” Reva glared. She desperately tried to ignore Adam’s shaking hand on the firearm.

  “You had me arrested, then ran out in the middle of the night to God knows where. After no word for all this time, you decide to slap a restraining order on me. What the hell?”

  The clip-clop of heels on the concrete walk in front, signaled another woman’s approach.

  “Shut up. Don’t move,” Adam hissed.

  Clump. Clump. Clump. The heels mounted the steps and tromped to the door. Reva could feel Eric’s tiny form snugged against her legs. His fingers bit into her thigh.

  “Hello?” A female voice. “Reva Zamora? Are you there?”

  The streetlight behind the fading sun cast an iridescent glow on the short-cropped blonde hair of the woman as she tilted her head in the door. Damn.

  “Who the fuck are you?” Adam asked.

  Annie flung her hands into the air and evaluated the room. Nick with hands up, Reva with Eric tucked in behind her, one hand on his shoulder, and some unknown crazy man flailing a gun at everyone. Reva could feel the disapproval in her fear-laced glare. “Holy shit! I’m no one. I’m just the wife of her neighbor and I want my kid.”

  “Ex-wife,” Reva corrected, “of my neighbor.”

  “The peeping tom in the backyard?”

  While the others were distracted with Annie’s appearance Reva slipped her cell and Officer Teckley’s card into Eric’s hand. She looked down and mouthed Go call. Then gave Eric a small shove down the hall toward the back of the house.

  Crack. She turned back to see Nick fling himself on Adam. The gun had gone off but she couldn’t tell whether he’d been hit or not. He tossed out a few curses and landed heavy on Adam’s chest, knocking both to the floor. The gun dislodged and tumbled across the carpet. Nick took the opportunity to straddle Adam, then started pummeling him with bare fists. Bones crunched, flesh turned to raw steak, and Reva could hardly see Adam’s eyes or nose for all the blood.

  Fabric ripped. The starched shirt tail pulled loose from Nick’s waistband. He’s really not going to like that, she thought. Then she noticed the blood drips seeping through the fabric.

  A voice boomed from the
open door. “Oh, hell no. You’re not doing that again!” Reva’s Dad barreled into the room, grasped Nick’s head in a vice grip and yanked back.

  “Hey!” Nick yelled.

  “You are not ever beating on one of my kids ever again, you piece of shit.” José Zamora held tight, and dragged Nick away from Adam. Nick went limp in his arms and sagged to the floor. Reva hadn’t seen the hole in his shirt from behind, she’d registered the blood but thought it was Adam’s. The stain of blood seeping through the shirt told her otherwise.

  “He’s shot, Dad,” she mumbled. “Let him go.”

  Adam flailed around for his handgun but the blood in his eyes seemed to make it hard to find.

  “Looking for something?” Todd’s voice called from his back. Reva hadn’t seen him come in. Hadn’t seen him creep around Nick. Yet, there he stood with the gun pointed dead at the man’s eyes. “I’d recommend you calm down and have a seat.”

  The sound of sirens in the distance sent a relieved sag through Reva’s shoulders. Eric had called. Thank God.

  “Todd, what the hell is going on, and where is my son?” Annie yelled. “Who are these people and what have you gotten yourself into with this crazy woman?” The fear in her eyes was replaced with fury. “Eric, get out here! We’re leaving.”

  “He’s not here, Annie.”

  “Yes, he is. He came in with that bitch.” Her finger jammed at Reva.

  “He climbed out the window and came and got me in the backyard right after he called 911. I sent him over the fence to my house and came back. He’s fine, but he’s not here.”

  “You’re done playing Dad with my son, Todd. I don’t know what kind of crazy—”

  “Shut up Annie. I’m not playing Dad, I am his Dad. Don’t you remember the adoption papers? I’m the only dad Eric knows and you should be glad about that, since you have to be the shittiest mother on earth.”