Common Enemy (7 page)

“Don’t you think I know what an idiot I am? I married that monster. I deserve what I get, but where does that leave Lizzy? I’m not saying you’re wrong. I just don’t know what to do about it. I can’t live like this for the rest of my life, not knowing when he’s going to show up, or what he’s going to do. I feel like I’m losing my mind. The last thing I need is you reminding me. What are you doing out here anyway?”

“I was just wandering around thinking,” he said more quietly. “There’s something I want to tell you. I want you to know that last night meant a lot to me. I had forgotten what it felt like to be that close to someone. There have been other women since…my divorce. But, it was just sex. You were so much more than that. I just wanted you to know. I wanted to say thank you for making me feel normal again.”

“You are normal. After last night, I can’t say you’re average. That would be a huge understatement. But there isn’t anything wrong with you. As I see it, you’re pretty awesome. You took me, a neurotic Amazon woman, and made me feel desirable. That’s what I call a miracle.”

“You are desirable. You are downright amazing. And you are not an idiot. You don’t deserve any of this. You deserve a man who can love and protect you from that psycho. For now, you’ll have to settle for me. Even if I do have to stay away from you, I intend to see you and Lizzy through this.” He ran a finger through a lock of hair that had escaped her braid and then held her hand as he led her back to the house. He lifted her fingers to his lips before he left her at the door.

Jordan watched him walk back to his van. She was fascinated by the way he moved. He seemed half man, half panther. All his sleek muscles moved in a graceful rhythm. He had been hers for one night. If she had known the effect that one night would have on her, she probably wouldn’t have done it. She didn’t regret it though. And, she would never forget it.

Chapter Eight

For the next week, Connor made their routine appear as normal as possible. Jordan didn’t need to know that he was taking small steps back into his old life.

Every evening, she came home to a clean house and a home cooked meal. He had used the accounts she had opened in town to continue the redecorating. On Monday, the upstairs bathroom had been painted pale yellow. The silk floral arrangement on the white counter matched the red and blue towels. A painting of a mother and daughter walking through a brightly colored garden dominated the room. On Tuesday, Lizzy’s bedroom was the same pale yellow with new white furniture and brightly colored accents. He had used an old quilt Jordan had as a child to cover the bed. The flowers stenciled at the tops of the walls had ladybugs, butterflies, dragonflies and fairies. In the corner was a small table and chairs. Her books had been neatly lined on shelves. Lizzy swore she would keep her new room neat as she hugged and kissed every inch of Connor’s face.

On Wednesday, Jordan’s room became a pale, sage green. The four-poster bed and heavy oak furniture remained, but a bistro table and two chairs had been added in front of the window. The comforter and drapes were dark gold satin with tiny red flowers embroidered around the edges. The chairs and bed were accented with red and green satin throw pillows. Candles had been placed in clusters throughout the room. It was a romantic setting for two. Connor stayed in the doorway to watch her reaction.

“This is magnificent. I don’t feel like it’s mine.”

“You’re magnificent,” he replied. “This was the hardest room for me to decorate. Nothing seemed to match your beauty. That’s why I saved it for last. I’m glad you like it. It took me so long I didn’t have time to finish. Close your eyes and count to fifty. Then, the inside of the house will be done.”

As she counted, Connor slid the picture out from under her bed. He hit the nail on the hallway wall twice to place it in the perfect spot, and then returned to tap her shoulder.

“I’d better get downstairs before my roast burns.” He waited at the bottom of the stairs for a moment to, once again, see her reaction. As she walked out of her room she found the picture of her grandparents, restored, enlarged, and framed. He could tell by her gasp that she loved it.

A few minutes later, Jordan joined him in the kitchen wiping tears from her eyes. Connor took her into his arms and just held her.

“What’s wrong Jordan? You’ve hardly said a word since you got home. Now, you’re crying. Did you have a bad day at work or is it something I’ve done? You know I can change anything you don’t like. Just talk to me, sweetheart. I can’t stand to see you cry.”

She whispered into his chest, “Everything you’ve done has made my life more beautiful. I’m just afraid that it’s going to come crashing down on me. Do you know what today is?”

“I know. It’s the first of the month. I’ve had it on my mind all day too. We’re not going to borrow trouble though.” He used a finger to tilt her face up to his. “Whatever happens, we’ll face it together. He’ll be back behind bars before you know it. He can’t help it. Until then, I’m going to be watching. Now let’s call Lizzy down and have a nice dinner.”

He and Jordan were quiet while Lizzy chattered on about her day at Mrs. Rogers’s daycare. They replied when necessary and glanced at each other often. There was no doubt what was on Jordan’s mind. Bobby Ray Butler was a free man.

“We’ve got plans to make.”

“What do you mean? What plans?” Jordan inquired.

“Saturday is Heritage Day. We should do something to celebrate. We need some fun and fireworks. I bet they’ve got some kind of shindig planned in town.”

“What’s that?” Lizzy asked.

“It’s like a party or celebration. Wouldn’t you like to go to a party?” he answered.

Lizzy squealed and bounced in her chair as Jordan’s eyes went wide and her face went white. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. Do you think it’s safe to go out like that?”

“Do you plan to stay in the house for the rest of your life? Are you going to give someone that kind of power over you? I’ve done that for years now, and I don’t plan to do it any longer. I would never let anything happen to either of you, not ever.”

****

Bobby Ray wiped the blood off his hands with a rag in the floorboard of the car. He’d have to find a drugstore to get some alcohol. Why wouldn’t the bitch just leave him alone? He’d had to fight like hell to avoid STDs in prison. He sure as hell wasn’t letting that shit-bag give him one on the first day he got out.

After leaving the state prison, Doris had driven the car down a dirt road into the country.

“Where the hell are we going? This isn’t the way to Gainesville. I need to get my hands on a car before the end of the day. I don’t have time for side trips.”

“I’ve got something for you, baby. I know you’ve been waiting a long time.” Doris had stepped out of the car to pull off her sweat-stained tank top. All he could see were ribs sticking out from her tight skin. Next, the stretchy, short skirt came off. She was disgusting to look at.

“Do you actually expect to do this here, on the side of the road?” he’d asked.

“We could find a nice place in the trees.”

“Yeah, let’s do that. I’ll show you a good time, honey.” He kicked her discarded clothes under the car before he followed. She didn’t know he’d removed his belt until it was coming over her head to circle her throat. Even after she had stopped kicking, he wasn’t sure she was dead. He picked up a large rock to pound her head, over and over. When his arms were tired, he looked down and saw the blood on his shirt. He quickly tore it off and threw it aside, glad he’d worn an undershirt.

The girly keychain hanging from the steering column brought his thoughts back to the present. He yanked the stupid pink furry ball from the ring and threw it over his shoulder.

He’d never killed anybody before. No one he’d actually watched die anyway. It had been so cool. If there is one thing he’d learned from his long stint in prison, it was not to leave witnesses.

Nobody would miss an old junkie hooker. By the time anybody found her body in these woods she wouldn’t be recognizable. Too bad she was only carrying two hundred bucks. He had to get his hands on more money. At least the bitch’s old car would get him down south. He just had to be careful not to get pulled over. Maybe Bennett could help him get a driver’s license. Maybe even a new name.

On the way, he’d find him a pretty, young girl to release some of his tension. He wanted to be in top condition when he got to Jordan. She may not be much to look at, but she was a damn good fuck. Too bad she never liked it much. She probably hadn’t had any since he’d been gone, the frigid bitch.

Bobby Ray drove the seven hours to Ft. Myers. Off the interstate, he found a cheap hotel in a small town. He needed to sleep, take a hot shower, eat a decent meal, and find a woman.

He slept for ten hours in a king-sized bed. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been able to lie on his back and stretch out in any direction he wanted. Then he took a long hot shower in total privacy. He used every soft, white towel in the room before putting his one set of clothes back on. Traces of Doris’s blood were splattered on his shoes and pant legs. He remembered the thrill of seeing the blood color her bleached-out hair as he pounded her head with the rock. It had been like
killing a huge bug.

He walked to Mickey’s Bar & Grill a few yards down the road. The music was loud and the lighting was dim. His eyes took a moment to adjust after being in the afternoon sun. He had been free for a solid twenty-four hours. Too much of that time had been wasted. He ordered a rare steak with french fries and a tall cold beer. As he ate, he watched the few people who came and went. To his amazement, a pretty Spanish girl walked into the bar and sat at his table. She wore shorts that barely covered her ass, a tight white T-shirt with no bra, and tall platform sandals.

“You mind if I watch you eat, handsome?” She reached across the table and snagged a fry from his plate.

“If that’s what turns you on.” Bobby Ray studied the girl openly. She didn’t seem to mind. Although her style and manners were on the trashy side, her clothes were clean and good quality. Diamonds glittered from studs in each of her ears as well as a few delicate rings on her fingers. One of them was a wedding ring, but that wasn’t his concern.

“I just emptied my old man’s bank account, and I’m looking for someone to party with.” Her speech was lightly accented. He liked it.

“That depends on what kind of party you’re looking for.”

“I’m tired of sitting at home while my husband has all the fun. I feel neglected. You wouldn’t neglect a woman, would you?”

“No baby, not me, but isn’t your old man going to be pissed when he finds his money is gone?”

“I’m sure he will, but I plan to be gone by then.” She studied him for a moment. “You look like you’re just passing through. How about taking me with you? I don’t care where you’re going. I just need to grab some clothes from my house, and then I’m ready to run.”

“When’s your husband going to be home?”

“In about five hours. That’s plenty of time to sample what he’ll be missing. What do you say?”

Bobby Ray was surprised to find that her house was one of the best in the area. While the girl packed her suitcase, he perused her husband’s closet. The guy wasn’t too far from his size, just a little wider. A wedding picture on the bedside table showed that he was a heavily muscled black man. Bobby Ray planned to get all he could and be out, before he met the man in person. He filled a large duffle bag with all the clothes and jewelry it would hold. He even found a large box of condoms. They’d come in handy. The girl just laughed when she saw what he was up to.

“What’s your name sweetheart?” he asked.

“Juanita, but everybody calls me Nita.” She removed a handgun from the bedside table and placed it in her purse.

“I think we’re going to be friends, Nita. Take off your clothes.”

“I’m always more comfortable without my clothes.” Nita pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it on the floor. “What’s your name, honey?”

“Bobby Ray.”

“I just want you to know, Bobby Ray.” She inched her shorts down her legs. “You can’t be rough enough for me.”

****

Connor worked for two-and-a-half days painting the exterior of the house. He sprayed the siding a robin egg blue color. The white trim was done by hand. He thought about Jordan as he finished the railing.

She’d done a remarkable job of making life seem normal, but she still jumped every time the phone rang or anyone knocked on the door. Mr. Coleman and the Douglases were regular visitors now. Connor had confided in Coleman and Charlie about the danger Jordan and Lizzy were in. He figured he could use all the backup he could get to keep them safe. He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost dropped the paintbrush when the screen door slammed beside him.

“It’s about time to get this mess put away and get cleaned up,” Jordan announced.

“The sun is still pretty high. I was thinking of putting a fresh coat of paint on those rocking chairs.”

“You promised us fireworks, mister, and I intend to see fireworks. Hit the shower.”

“Whatever you say, boss.” He knew better than to argue. He was happy to see a smile on her face again.

As he carried the blanket and picnic basket to the car, Jordan set the security alarm. Lizzy watched her curiously. “Why do we need the alarm on when we aren’t home?”

“We want Tom to be safe while he waits for us to get back.”

Jordan and Connor looked at each other without a word before getting in the car. They didn’t want to let anything darken their holiday.

****

The park was crowded as they looked for a place to spread out the blanket. Jordan felt as though she were in a scene from an old movie. Everyone in town had turned out to play games and share food.

She noticed that Connor stayed on the blanket under a tree with his hat tilted down. His face was totally hidden by the brim. She had almost forgotten how self-conscious he was about his scars. She filled a plate with the foods she knew were his favorites. As she walked back to the blanket, she saw a woman stop to speak to him. She couldn’t believe the feeling of jealousy that came over her. She forced a smile as she approached.