by Dena Blake
“Probably, but they can’t do anything until we have something to go on. Let’s do some investigating on our own first.”
Amelia pulled her lip up to one side and stared at Jillian.
“What?” Jillian said.
“Seeing you in action like this is incredibly sexy.”
“Yeah?” Jillian cocked her head.
“Oh, yeah.” Amelia crossed the room and kissed her. “It’s kind of fun to watch you.”
Jillian gave Amelia a wide smile to keep the moment light. It might be fun, if I wasn’t so fucking scared.
When they reached Amelia’s office, Julie was already there working at her computer in her office. Amelia pushed through the door first and Jillian followed, sweeping the room with the RF detector.
“What’s going on?” She stopped typing and stood.
Amelia held her fingers to her lips and reached for a pen and a legal pad. “I had to come by and pick up something before we head over to the house to see Blake.” She wrote Julie a note explaining the situation, and Julie’s eyes widened.
Jillian closed the door. “Nothing in here. I’ll check the rest of the office.” She opened the door and went into the reception area.
“What the fuck? Off-limits girl is some kind of a private detective?”
“She’s an investigative reporter. That’s Jillian McIntyre.” Amelia pulled her brows together at Julie’s non-reaction to the news. “You already knew that, though. Didn’t you?”
Julie nodded.
“How long?” Amelia wasn’t angry, but she was hurt that her best friend hadn’t told her the most important person in her life had come back to town.
“A couple of weeks.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“She wasn’t here to hurt you, and it looked like you both needed to resolve this one way or another.” Julie seemed to assess her. “Which it looks like you may have done.”
“Stop psychoanalyzing me, Jules.”
“Someone’s got to look after you.”
“How did you know it was her?” How did she know? Amelia had kissed her more than once, and she hadn’t even figured it out.
“I didn’t at first, but I know you, and you don’t trust many people. So I ran the background check.”
“I told you—”
Jillian came through the door and set a glass of water on the desk with two listening devices sitting at the bottom. She also dropped a phone charger onto the desk. “Okay. You’re all clear.”
“Is that my phone charger?” Amelia picked it up and sank into one of the chairs in front of Julie’s desk.
Jillian sat in the chair next to her. “It’s not a phone charger. It’s a wireless key sweeper disguised as one.”
Julie took it from Amelia, studied it for a minute. “What’s a key sweeper?”
“It captures everything you type on your computer and transmits it over the Internet to a web interface.” Jillian scooted her chair up close to the desk. “Do you have a small screwdriver?”
Julie opened her desk drawer and searched inside before setting a couple of different screwdrivers on the desk alongside the key sweeper.
“Do you have anything smaller?”
Julie reached back in and took out a short, skinny one. “Only this one that I use for my glasses.”
“That’ll work.” Jillian took the small Phillips-head driver from Julie’s hand and went to work opening the small device. “It has a microcontroller, a radio frequency chip, and a SIM card inside.” She separated each element from the others as she named them. “It also has a battery, so it continues to run when it’s unplugged.” She picked up the small, thin rectangular battery, studied it for a moment, and then set it back on the desk. “All they had to do was get the FCC identifier from the back of your keyboard to find the frequency information they needed to set it up.”
“Why only me? Jules does the same kind of work.” Amelia swallowed hard. This wasn’t so much fun anymore.
Jillian touched the wire that ran from the keyboard to the computer. “Julie doesn’t have a wireless keyboard. Someone would need access to her computer to load this kind of software on it.”
“There wasn’t a listening device in here either.”
“Are you working on any cases that might warrant someone needing inside information?”
A shiver ran through Amelia as she tried to think of who might have done something like this. “That’s always a possibility, but I don’t think any of them would go to this extreme.”
Jillian reached into her back pocket, pulled her phone out, and looked at the screen. “I’ll be right back.”
Amelia watched as Jillian lowered her voice and moved down the hallway. After a few minutes, she followed her, catching a word here and there. All she heard clearly was the tail end of the conversation. “I told you soon. Don’t worry. You know I want that too.” When Jillian turned around and spotted Amelia behind her, she smiled, pulled the phone from her ear, and touched the red button with her finger.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Everything’s fine.” She shoved the phone into her back pocket before she took Amelia’s hand and pulled her back to Julie’s office. “You need to think long and hard about who might want information, because someone has you under surveillance big-time.” She glanced back at Amelia, who was still focused on the phone conversation she’d just overheard.
Jillian slipped her arm around Amelia’s waist, kissed her on the cheek, and said, “Come on. We need to check the house.”
Amelia snapped out of her thoughts. “You think someone may have gotten in there too?”
“Not necessarily, but we need to be sure. Someone seems to be watching you.”
Chapter Twenty-six
Jillian watched the numbers change above the elevator door as she rode to the tenth floor. She’d been disappointed her Saturday morning with Amelia had been cut short, but they’d made up for it on Sunday, Monday, and this morning. They’d started the Fourth of July holiday off with multiple fireworks. Jillian hoped they would have many more mornings to spend together now that Amelia knew who she was.
Saturday they’d combed the house for bugs and had come up with only two: one in the kitchen and the other in the living room. The placement was interesting, and to Jillian, it meant someone was gathering information from Amelia, probably about a case. But who? Neither Amelia nor Julie could think of any case where someone would go to such measures.
She slid her key card in and out of the slot quickly and waited for the light to turn green before she opened the door. “I brought bagels. Did you order coffee?” Jillian said as she dropped her purse on the chair in Marcus’s suite. She’d sent him a text as soon as she’d left Amelia’s this morning and invited him to come to the holiday cookout at the house. He’d replied that he had other plans already and for her to bring New York food. The closest thing she could find were bagels. Even though they weren’t quite the same, they were close.
“It’s on the desk. Did you bring cream cheese?”
“Plain, hazelnut, and blueberry.” She set the food out on the table and poured herself a cup of coffee. “What do you have planned this afternoon?”
“I’m going to the fireworks display downtown. I hear it’s accompanied by the symphony.”
“You met someone in the bar.” He must have. Marcus wasn’t the kind of guy to go to an event alone.
“As a matter of fact, I’ve met a few people since I’ve been here.” He gave her a wink. “Enough about me. What’s going on at the house?”
“I found listening devices at Heartstrings House, Amelia’s office, and her house.” She spread plain cream cheese on half a bagel and took a bite.
“You were at Amelia’s house?” Marcus dipped out a portion of all three kinds of cream cheese and spread them together on his bagel.
“Yes. I found two bugs there.” She scrunched up her nose and motioned to his bagel. “That looks awful.”
“Mind
your own business. You have yours the way you like it, and I’ll have mine my way.” He took a bite and washed it down with a drink of coffee. “Is that why you went there?”
She dropped down onto the couch. “I had another nightmare Friday night, and when I woke up she was sitting on the bed beside me. I didn’t have my contacts in.”
“She recognized you?”
She nodded. “She told me how she felt about me leaving, among other things, and then she took off.”
“So you followed her.”
“I couldn’t leave it that way.” She took a bite of bagel and gazed across the room past him. “When I got there, she was waiting for me and it was…” She closed her eyes, and her body heated as she remembered the raw sensations that had run through her. “It was undeniable.”
“Wow, you certainly did an about-face on that one.”
“I didn’t mean for it to happen. I’ve wanted her so badly for such a long time, Marcus. I just couldn’t stop.”
Marcus eyed her in that certain way he always did when he understood. “So, we’re calling it a force of nature.”
“Yes.” Jillian smiled shyly and nodded. “That sounds right.”
“Where does that leave your future?”
“I have no idea. I don’t even know what she sees in me. I mean, she helps kids, Marcus. Abused kids. How can I measure up to that?” Jillian had never had anything to do with kids until she’d been forced to care for Abby.
“Uh…you do investigative reporting. You expose bad people who take advantage of weak people.”
“I’m paid a lot of money to do that.”
“What do you do with that money? You fund Heartstrings Houses all over the country.”
“It’s not the same, Marcus. It’s easy to give money.” Jillian picked up her cup and set it back down without taking a drink. “She gives her time and fights for them in court.”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Jillian. Funding is a big deal. Amelia wouldn’t be able to accomplish everything she does without it. Plus, many people who make more money than you don’t give anything back to the community.” He finished off his bagel and poured himself another cup of coffee. “How was it?”
Jillian didn’t have to ask what he meant. She and Marcus always knew what the other was thinking. “Spectacular. Just as I imagined it would be.”
“That’s going to make things more difficult for you when it’s time to leave.” He rubbed his chin. “Did you tell her about Abby?”
“No. I couldn’t. I don’t want her to think that’s the only reason I’m here.”
“It is the reason you came.”
“Yes, but I didn’t know Amelia was going to be here, and that changed everything.”
“Hmm.”
“Stop analyzing me, Marcus.”
“Can’t. It’s what I do, remember?”
“Then help me figure this out. Tell me what to do.”
“Okay. You asked for it.” He sat across from her. “What exactly do you have in New York besides a job?”
Jillian felt the familiar adrenaline rush. “It’s not just a job. It’s my life, Marcus.” Jillian’s voice faded. “It’s all I have.”
“Is it?” Marcus tilted his head slightly. “Look at what you’ve got here, in Oklahoma. A home, a child, a woman who loves you. Whether you like it or not, Jillian, you matter to these people. You need to give this thing you have with Amelia a chance, whether you’re here, she’s there, or you have to do it long-distance. I don’t think you’ll ever be happy if you don’t.”
The thought of leaving Amelia made her stomach churn, but the thought of not returning to New York did the same. “Do you think I’ll ever be happy, Marcus?”
“I hope so, but that’s all up to you, sweetheart.”
Jillian’s phone buzzed on the table, and she didn’t recognize the number. She picked it up, thinking it was probably her assistant calling from her cell. “Hello.”
“Hey, baby.” The sound of Kelly’s voice made Jillian physically ill, and she couldn’t speak. “Surprised? I thought you would be,” Kelly said.
“I wasn’t expecting you to call.” She looked up and saw the concern on Marcus’s face. “I’m on assignment. How did you get this number?”
“I’m a cop. I can get anything I want.” Kelly’s voice was firm, almost authoritarian. “I was surprised you left without telling me where you are.”
Jillian pushed off the couch, went to the door, and looked through the security hole. Her stomach settled slightly when she didn’t see anyone in the hall. “Like I said, I’m on assignment, and this one’s pretty hush-hush.”
Marcus motioned for her to put the call on speaker phone, and she did. Jillian could hear Kelly take in a deep breath. “When are you coming home? I miss you.”
He took the pad of paper from the desk and wrote, “Gentle, but firm.”
Jillian nodded. “Kelly, we’ve been through this. It’s not going to work between us. You and I see life very differently.”
“I’m willing to change.”
“I don’t want you to change. You need to be who you are, but with someone else.” There was silence on the other end of the line. “Kelly, are you there?”
“I’m here. We’ll talk about this when you get home,” Kelly said, and the line went dead.
“Fuck!” Jillian turned the phone completely off and threw it across the room.
“You had location services turned off, right?” Marcus said as she fell into his arms. Jillian nodded and sucked in a big sob against his shoulder. “I’ll call her supervisor again and see if he can do anything.”
Jillian had had no idea the kind of hell she was going to experience when she’d first met Kelly. Her life had turned into the most miserable hell since. The emotional and physical abuse was devastating, but the worst of it all was the control. Jillian hadn’t even known the manipulation was happening until well into the relationship. It was all clear to her now, and she couldn’t escape Kelly’s forceful determination to own her.
* * *
Amelia had worked a half day and then gone to the market to pick up the hamburgers and hot dogs for the cookout. The last few days had been nothing less than spectacular, and now that she and Jillian had talked, she wanted to spend every moment with her. She carried the bag of groceries in the back door and set them on the kitchen table. She’d called Coop, filled her in on the new status between her and Jillian, and let her know she would pick up the food for the cookout. Amelia was in the mood to celebrate.
“The flowers you sent are beautiful,” Coop said as she took the food out of the bag.
“I didn’t send any flowers.”
“Well, someone did, and they’re beautiful.” She pushed open the kitchen door and motioned to the huge bouquet of lilies on the dining-room table.
Amelia plucked the envelope from the holder, slid the card out, and read it.
Hey, baby,
It was great to hear your voice last night. Can’t wait until you get back to your real life. Our bed is pretty empty without you.
All my love, Kelly
Amelia’s stomach dropped, and she covered her mouth to hold back its contents. “She’s involved with someone in New York.” She shook her head, thinking back to the phone conversation she’d overheard when they were at her office. “I should’ve known better.” She jammed the card back into the envelope and left it on the table.
“What?” Coop picked up the card and read it. “Huh. You never would’ve known.”
“I didn’t, or I wouldn’t have…” Tears streamed down her face.
“Oh, honey. Come here.” Coop pulled her into her arms. “Maybe there’s some explanation for this.”
“It looks pretty clear to me.”
“You never know. Don’t you think you should let her explain?”
“I have to go.”
“What about dinner?”
“I’m sorry, Coop. I can’t see her right now.”
* * *
<
br /> Jillian parked in front of the house and got out of her car, then glanced around the neighborhood to see that everything looked normal. She’d been a nervous wreck after Kelly’s call. She couldn’t keep from looking over her shoulder everywhere she went and was terrified she’d turn a corner and run into Kelly. She was probably being paranoid, but the woman knew how and where to get information. It wasn’t the first time she’d gone into hiding from Kelly. It was just the first time she’d done it so far away. She was surprised not to see Amelia’s car. She’d called her earlier and said she was on her way to the store. Maybe she got hung up at work.
“Wow, these are beautiful. Who are they for?” Jillian leaned in and took in the scent of the gorgeous lilies on the dining room table.
“You.” Coop plucked the card from the holder and handed it to Jillian.
“From Amelia?” She smiled and slid the card out of the envelope. Fear tore through her when she saw the note. She found me. Jillian ran to the window and looked outside. “Have you seen anyone new in the neighborhood this week?”
“No, but just an FYI, Amelia was here earlier.”
“Oh, my God. She saw these?”
“And read the card from your girlfriend.”
“She’s not my girlfriend, Coop. I haven’t seen her in months.” It dawned on her. The surveillance devices and the odd things happening at the house. No one was following Amelia. Kelly was following her. Fear flooded her. “Where did she go?”
“I don’t know. She tore out of here like a bat out of hell. My guess would be home.”
Jillian raced to Amelia’s house, but she wasn’t there. Next, she went to her office, but again, not there. Where else could she be? She pushed the favorite button for Blake and held the phone to her ear. “Hey, Blake. I’m looking for Amelia. Have you seen her?”
“Not today. Did you check her house?”
“Yeah. I’ve checked her house and office. Do you know where else she might be?”
“Could be at Julie’s. Even though they’re divorced, they’ve had a pretty steady friends-with-benefits thing going since they split.”