Accidentally in Love (16 page)

He had her go with him through each room this time, checking to make sure everything was locked up, and other than those single-paned windows in the kitchen that any five-year-old could smash open, everything seemed to be fairly secure.

“You going to be okay?” he asked.

“Yeah.” There it was again: that smirk, those velvety soft eyes looking up at him. “I think I shook out most of my crazy in your truck, so I should be good now.”

He wasn’t entirely convinced, and the longer he stood there looking at her, the harder it was not to pull her up against him, to hold her until she really was okay, to slide his hands through her long, silky hair, and to kiss those soft lips until she melted in his arms and—
Stop it!

Blink, swallow, nod, head for the door. Good.

“Call if anything—”

“Brett?”

Before turning around, he had to force himself to stop smiling at the sound of his name on her lips. “Yeah?”

“Would it be okay if I gave you a hug?” As soon as the words were out, her eyes widened, filled with panic, and she took a step backward. “Is that really weird? It’s just that—”

Brett opened his arms and she walked straight into them as though her soft, warm curves had been tailored just for him. Hands flat against her spine, he pulled her in tight, then tighter still as his left hand moved lower, slowly seeking out the small of her back.

He knew he shouldn’t be doing that, but right then and right there, he didn’t give a shit. At least he managed to stop his hand from moving any lower, even after she released that soft sigh against his neck. How could such a small thing like that make him so hard so fast?

And why the fuck did she have to smell so damn good?

“Thank you,” she murmured, the feel of her breath sending his entire system into a full-on Mayday.

If he didn’t get the hell out of there pretty soon, things were going to go sideways in a big hurry. But no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t bring himself to let go. Not yet, especially when she tightened her hold a little and laughed lightly.

“If you ever need a date to throw off your own stalker, I hope you know who to call.”

“Ghostbusters?” God, he sounded like he was back in the throes of puberty again.

“Damn right.” She stepped back, letting her fingers slide down his arm until she caught his hand. She gave it a quick squeeze and released it, leaving a huge cavern in the six inches separating them.

Go.
Just go.
Stop looking at her—stop staring at her bottom lip—turn around and march your ass out to the truck. Now!

“Okay.” He nodded. “I’m, uh, gonna go, then. Lock up behind me.”

Before he could do anything he might really regret, he pulled the door open, jerked it closed behind him, and then stood on her porch for a good minute after he heard the dead bolt slide into place.

Whew. Cold shower and a shot of Jack; that’d straighten him out.

Yeah, right, who was he kidding? No amount of whiskey was going to help him now; his only hope of relief was standing on the other side of that door, warm and willing, which was exactly why he squealed the tires on his truck trying to get out of there in such a hurry.

If she’d so much as unlocked that door…

Shit.

“What I want out of each and every one of you is a hard-target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse in that area.”

—Deputy Marshal Samuel Gerard,
The Fugitive

The first time Ellie called Constable Tory Hudak to tell her Kurt was hanging around, it was more than just a little bit awkward; the second time not so much; and by the fourth time, Tory didn’t even have to ask the questions anymore—Ellie just recited her answers.

“He’s been outside my store for about an hour this time. He hasn’t said anything to me, and he hasn’t come inside, but a second ago he walked up to the window, peered in, and pointed from me to him. As soon as I picked up the phone, he walked back over to the bench and sat down.”

“Sorry, you say he’s been there an hour? Why did you wait so long to call?”

Ellie closed her fingers tight around the phone, then relaxed them. “Because up until now he wasn’t doing anything but sitting there. Every other time I’ve called, he’s already gone before you get here, so how many more times can I call you before you stop answering?”

“Miss Palmer—”

“That’s not a complaint against you,” Ellie hurried on. “I know you’re getting here as fast as you can, but I feel like an idiot having you come out all the time for no reason.”

There was a brief moment of silence before Constable Hudak cleared her throat.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can. In the meantime, if he attempts to enter your premises or if you’re feeling threatened in any way, immediately dial 911 and a member will be dispatched to your location.”

With a sigh, Ellie hung up, then tossed the phone across the counter in frustration. She couldn’t let Kurt get to her—couldn’t let him know how much it had freaked her out to see his face pressed up against the glass like that.

It was the closest he’d been to her since the day he’d been waiting for her outside, and even though he hadn’t said a word, that creepy smile and his finger pointing back and forth in that “you and me” gesture made her shake harder than any words could have.

In the three years she’d spent with him, he’d never smiled at her like that, like he was getting his kicks out of making her nervous. Fighting a shudder, she picked the phone back up and took it with her to reorganize the sale rack. If he so much as came near that window again, she needed to have 911 at the ready.

Maybe if she moved one of the mannequins over a little and used some of these pieces she could block—

Before she could finish the thought, her phone buzzed in a text from Maya.

Are you watching this?

Ellie frowned and hit Reply, but before she started typing, she happened to look out the window. There was Constable Hudak standing in front of Kurt.

I am now,
Ellie typed back. She couldn’t make out what either Tory or Kurt was saying, but he didn’t seem impressed when Tory pointed first to Ellie’s store, then around, as if indicating the entire area.

A few seconds later, Tory stepped back and watched Kurt walk away without incident, then she headed inside Ellie’s store.

“What time did you first notice him out there?”

“About ten-thirty.”

“I’ll ask around at the other businesses to see if they can confirm the time frame or if they witnessed any odd behavior.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

Tory tucked her notebook away but didn’t move. Instead she looked down at her polished black boots for a second.

“I advised Mr. Neill that it would be best for all involved if he didn’t hang around you or any of your friends, including places of work, but at this point, that’s as much as we can do. Next time, Miss Palmer, call as soon as he shows up. If this man is a threat to you, the hour you waited could be crucial, so please never presume to know what I, or any other member, might think about any case. Just let us do our job. And you might want to look into getting a restraining order against him.”

Blunt, to the point, certainly not sympathetic, but not rude, either. And true to her word, Tory spent the next little while canvassing the surrounding businesses to see if they had any information. Ellie didn’t hear what, if anything, her neighbors had to say because Tory didn’t come back that day. Neither did Kurt.

After work, Ellie met Maya for a quick dinner, then headed home to get ready for Gail’s return the next day. Gabbie’s lifestyle didn’t lend itself well to long-term parental visits; it was rare for her to be home more than two nights in a row—not when there were nightclubs, movies, theater productions, sporting events, or any number of other things to do. And Gail…well, they didn’t make homebodies like her anymore.

“Just as well,” Ellie had said to Maya. “Apparently, she’s discovered online dating sites. Can you believe that—my mother putting herself out there online like that? It’s crazy.”

She walked Maya to her apartment, then headed home with her bag of leftovers. If she hurried, she could make it back before the last of the sun disappeared behind the mountain. The streetlights were on, so that wasn’t a problem, but as soon as that sun set, the temperature was going to drop like a rock.

Pastor Pete was shuffling around his bench outside the church, rearranging his cardboard and moving his one little duffel bag to one side, then the other.

“Hey, Pastor.” Ellie hopped over the narrow ditch and started toward him, her bag of food held out in front. “I’ve got some fried rice and chow mein for you.”

Pastor Pete turned, frowned as though he’d never seen her before, then tapped his Bible, always clutched close to his chest.

“Sober up, food girl. Your enemy the devil lurks around like a noisy beast, seeking someone to devour. Peter five eight.”

“Okay, thanks.” It was her stock answer every time he quoted scripture to her, because she had no idea what any of it meant. Her whole life, she’d opened a Bible maybe two or three times, and that was only because Jayne and Nick had the Scott family Bible in their house. Ellie loved the feel of the crazy thin paper it was printed on and the fact that generations of Scotts were listed there in the back pages.

Knowing that Pastor Pete didn’t like people handing him anything, she set the take-out box on the end of the bench, tucked a plastic fork under the handle, and offered him a brief wave.

“Have a good night, Pastor.”

“The devil lurks, food girl! Read your Bible!” One more tap on the old weathered cover of his book before he spun back around and started to rearrange the cardboard he’d just set up a few seconds ago.

She didn’t see another soul until she turned onto her street and Dickie waved to her from his front porch. But two steps inside her front door, she froze dead in her tracks.

Tulip petals—
black
tulip petals—lay scattered across the floor, starting at the front door and trailing through the living room, into the kitchen, and up the stairs. And there, on the coffee table, sat a glass vase with the naked stems sticking straight up.

She wouldn’t scream; she wouldn’t panic. No. Instead, she stepped backward out the front door, pulling out her phone as she did, and fumbled to punch in Brett’s work number. Straight to voice mail. Damn it. Okay, she needed to calm down, but her voice shook so hard she could hardly leave her message. Next she called his personal cell number, on the off chance that he had it with him on shift.

Voice mail again.

Shit!!

Don’t panic. Stay on your porch so you can see Dickie and he can see you. That’s it. Now just dial 911. Why are those damn numbers so small all of a sudden?

The operator didn’t tell her anything she didn’t already know, but it was a comfort just hearing someone would be coming. If need be, she’d walk across the street and bunk at Dickie’s for the night.

Right—and what if Kurt was lurking over there again?

Gripping her phone so tight she thought her knuckles might crack, she dialed Maya’s number.

“You don’t have to come over,” she began. “I just need someone to talk to until the cops get here.”

Judging by the way she was breathing, Maya was obviously hurrying somewhere, but she kept Ellie calm, coaxing out the whole story, short as it was, and then assuring Ellie that she was going to be safe, and that Kurt wasn’t going to get away with it.

“I don’t know, Maya.” Ellie caught the knot of panic that threatened to bubble out and shoved it back down as headlights started down her road. Cops, maybe? No.

The phone line cut out two seconds before Maya burst out of her car and raced up the porch steps.

“Are you okay?” She might be little, but no one could hug as tight as Maya.

“What are you…? Yes, I’m fine. You didn’t have to come; I just needed to talk to someone until—”

“Yeah, right,” Maya snorted. “Like I could leave you here by yourself. Not a freakin’ chance. Are you sure he’s not inside?”

“I don’t think so.” Another cold shot of panic raced up her spine. “That’s not how he works.”

Without letting go of Ellie’s hand, Maya dragged the two chairs side by side and pushed Ellie down into one just as the first strains of a siren floated over the still air. It was still a ways off, and there was no guarantee it was coming to Ellie’s call, but she could hope.

“What did 911 say when you called?”

They’d already been over this, but it helped them both relax a little to talk about something, so Ellie went over the whole thing again. The siren got louder, closer, and then died altogether as the car came around the corner, the flashing lights almost blinding them.

Brett was across the grass before Ellie could push out of her chair. She didn’t care if he was on duty or not, she didn’t even stop to think if it was inappropriate or anything else, she just walked straight into his arms and hung on.

They could send every other cop in the detachment and she wouldn’t feel as safe as she did right there.

“You okay?” he murmured against her hair. “Did you see him?”

She shook her head, scraping her cheek back and forth against the edge of his vest. A second cruiser pulled up next to his, and out stepped the new woman cop, Corporal Kris Monk.

“Miss Palmer?”

“Yeah.” Ellie tried to pull back, but Brett kept one arm around her shoulders, and she’d never been more thankful for anything.

“Are you okay? Do you need medical?”

“No, I’m just…” She swallowed hard. “Little shaken up, I guess.”

“I understand. I’m going to ask you to stay out here while we go in and look around. Is that okay?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Did you touch anything?”

“No, but I…I might have stepped on a…on a few of them.”

“That’s fine. Do you know if anything was taken?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t get much farther than the front mat. As soon as I saw what he did, I called.”

“Uh-huh, good. Okay. Constable Hale?”

As soon as Brett released Ellie, Maya took her hand and tugged her back down to the empty chair.

“You’re going to stay with me,” she said. “At least for tonight.”

Ellie didn’t answer; she could only sit and watch as Brett and Corporal Monk headed into her house. It didn’t take them long to clear it and come back out, but instead of stopping to talk to Ellie, they walked out to the patrol cars, talking quietly between themselves.

Ellie didn’t realize she was shivering until Brett returned and wrapped her in a thick gray blanket, and by that time, Dickie had come over and was talking to Corporal Monk, and Jackie had pulled open her front curtains so she could watch.

With Ellie bundled in her chair, Brett bobbed his head at Maya.

“Can you give us a second?” Once she stepped off the porch, it seemed to take him a long time to lower himself into her chair. Leaning his elbows on his knees, he sighed. “Given our relationship, Monk thinks it’s better if I go. I can stay until you’re okay, but she has another member en route and we’re already spread kind of thin, so having three of us here…”

“Yeah.” Ellie nodded, pulling the blanket a little tighter. Corporal outranked constable, so what could he do? “It’s fine. I’m just…you know. What happens now?”

“If you’re up for it, you’ll have to do a walk-around with Monk, but until they can get IDENT in there, you’ll need to stay somewhere else, at least for tonight.” He cleared his throat quietly, glanced down at his boots, then stared at his hands folded in front. “You’re welcome to stay at my place, if you’d like.”

Yes, that’s exactly what she’d like.

“Thanks, but Maya’s already offered.”

His jaw tightened. “Sure, okay.”

“It’s just…” She hated sounding weak, but the truth was the truth. “You’re working all night, and I…I’d rather not be by myself.”

“Yeah.” Brett chewed his bottom lip hard. “No, Maya’s is best.”

An ache started deep in her core and began to spread, creeping like liquid mercury through every part of her. She didn’t want to go back to Maya’s. She wanted to go home with Brett, to have him hold her the way he had a couple of minutes ago, and she didn’t want him to do it just because it was his job or because they were pretending to be together.

How crazy was that? Batshit, that’s how crazy.

They sat in silence for a while, until another cruiser pulled up.

“Miss Palmer?” Corporal Monk stepped out onto the porch. “If you’re ready, I’d like to walk through with you now.”

“Mm-hmm, sure.” She pushed to her feet, then turned to Brett, who stood behind her, his presence taking up more room on the tiny porch than anything else. “Guess that’s your cue.”

He pushed her hair back a little, tucked it behind her ear, and looked down at her with eyes clouded by something she couldn’t make out. When he cupped her face between his palms, she thought he might kiss her, wished to God he would, but all he did was slowly smooth his thumb across her cheek and then let her go.

“I’ll call you later.”

Nodding, she couldn’t hold his gaze for fear he’d see what she was really feeling, and until she had that figured out herself, she wasn’t about to share it with anyone. As she stepped inside with Corporal Monk, she saw Brett stop to talk with the other member, then indicate Maya with a nod.