Hearts in the Crosshairs (15 page)

She sucked in a breath. “Who?”

Andrew hesitated. “I can’t say for sure. I’d hate to name the wrong person.”

“But it was someone who was there that Friday night?”

“Had to be. Or someone they blabbed to.” He put the vehicle in gear and eased toward Capitol Street. “We’re all angry that they’re doing this to Dave, but we can’t do anything about it. Except freeze out the person we think did it.”

Jillian pondered that. She’d noticed a distinct lack of camaraderie among the security team this week. “You know it’s not true, don’t you? There’s never been any inappropriate conduct between Dave and me.”

“Of course there hasn’t. But tell that to the colonel.”

Jillian pursed her lips as Andrew turned onto Grove Street. “Maybe I will.”

J
illian brooded too much. She knew that, but she couldn’t stop. In the last week of April, the weather broke. The days were longer and warmer, and the huge snow banks in the corners of parking lots disappeared. She tried to carry optimism into her professional and personal spheres. As she left the office a week later, she considered asking Lettie to set up a meeting with Colonel Smith. Dave shouldn’t suffer for something he didn’t do. Just because one of his colleagues saw him comforting her during a moment of stress, he shouldn’t be in danger of losing his job.

But maybe an official meeting wasn’t such a good idea. If she made this state business, it might become public. If the media got hold of it…

She’d invited Joe Armstrong to have dinner with her that evening. Seeing him always buoyed her spirits. Perhaps she would ask him for advice—it couldn’t hurt to talk to a friend.

“I had no idea what you were going through,” the old man said over coffee after dinner. “You say this officer has been disciplined, and there was nothing to it?”

“Well…” She smiled sheepishly. “I like him, Joe. I can’t deny that. But he’s never taken advantage of that fact. He’s always the perfect gentleman.”

“Wait a minute. Was he the one in charge the night we went to the concert?”

“Yes, Dave Hutchins.”

“I remember him. I liked him, too. Told me about his hunting trip up in the Allagash last fall.”

Jillian smiled at Joe’s selective memory. “I suppose people see something in my face when I look at him. And that night, when I found my computer had been compromised—well, I cried a little. Not a big, messy breakdown, but…Joe, I think maybe one of the other officers saw him hug me, but it wasn’t…” She sighed.

“It was just a brotherly hug?”

Jillian hung her head. “No. It was more than that. But it was far less than what’s been implied. He was comforting that night. I needed that. If you’d been there, I’d have run to you, no doubt.” She frowned, remembering how safe she’d felt in the circle of Dave’s arms. There was no comparison to a consoling hug from Joe. “But if someone were jealous of his position or—”

“Or jealous of you?” Joe eyed her keenly.

“Maybe. I’ve thought about it a lot. Should I call Colonel Smith in to talk it over? Someone told Dave’s boss he was involved with me, and the colonel suspended him. He’s back at work now, I guess, but that’s in his record. No officer should be punished for something he didn’t do.”

Joe sipped his coffee and set the cup down. “That might not be such a good idea, Jillian.”

“No?”

Joe cocked his head to one side. “Jumping in to defend him might make you seem a bit overly concerned.”

“I suppose it could.”

He nodded. “Don’t give cause for more gossip.”

“I was afraid you’d say that. I only want to help him.”

“Of course. But the more you meddle in it, the more his boss will think you care.”

“Well, I do care.”

Joe smiled. “Of course you do. But think, my dear. If the media tore into this story, what would become of that man?”

Jillian threw herself into her work and saw several of her proposals approved by the legislature during the next two weeks. She rarely heard Dave’s name mentioned. Occasionally she asked Stephanie about him, when she was certain they would not be overheard. Stephanie obliged her, and Jillian was grateful.

One evening the second week of May she returned to the Blaine House exhausted. The double guard at the mansion remained in place, but she wondered if it was still necessary. She’d crisscrossed the state on official business, without any threatening incidents. Carl Millbridge had decreased his updates to once a week, then every other week.

A knock sounded on her door just as Jillian pulled on a thick blue fleece bathrobe.

“Who is it?”

“Naomi.”

“If you were anyone else, I wouldn’t want to be seen right now.”

Naomi came in and sat down on the end of the queen-size bed.

“How are you doing?” Jillian sat down at her dressing table and reached for her hairbrush. “Seems like we haven’t talked in ages.”

“I know.” Naomi met her gaze in the mirror. “I miss you. Are you okay? You look tired.”

Jillian scrunched up her face. “Thanks. I am, but I’m getting a lot done.”

“I’ll say. I’ve had to read about it in the papers, though. Health care, school funding, alternative energy studies…” She hesitated, then pleaded, “Jill, let’s go away for a bit.”

“What do you mean?” Halfway into a brush stroke, Jillian stopped. “Like…a vacation?”

“Why not? Take a week off. You haven’t had more than a day off since New Year’s. We could take a cruise in the Caribbean.”

“That’s just plain silly.” Jillian started brushing again.

“No, I’m serious. We could book under different names. No one would recognize you.”

Jillian chortled. “Oh, sure. I could wear a wig and sunglasses. Naomi, I can’t leave now. Besides, people would think that was frivolous. They’d be prying into my bank statements and implying I used state money to pay for it.”

“I knew you’d say no.” Naomi sounded disappointed.

Jillian swiveled to look directly at her. “Maybe we could do a weekend together sometime.” She studied her friend’s tight expression. “What have you been doing these past few weeks? I know I’ve neglected you horribly.”

“I’ve gone home a few times.” Naomi shrugged. “I had a couple of dates.”

“With Beth’s cousin?” Jillian asked. “I thought you stopped seeing him.”

“I did. We just weren’t on the same track. I’ve had a couple of other dates.” Naomi laughed and pushed her hair back from her face. “I met one of the Capitol security guys, and he asked me out.”

“Do you like him?”

“He’s okay. But he hasn’t called me again.”

“Maybe he’s just playing it cool.”

Naomi bit her lower lip and studied the rug, then looked up to meet Jillian’s gaze. “The truth is, when we went out, he just wanted to talk about you. What you’re ‘really’ like.”

Jillian caught her breath. “You mean…personal stuff?”

“Don’t worry. I didn’t tell him anything. But I figured out pretty fast that he only wanted to take me out to pump me for
information. Don’t get me started on the reporter from the Portland paper.”

“A reporter asked you questions about me?” Jillian’s voice squeaked as she spoke.

Naomi sighed and patted her arm. “I told you. I didn’t give away anything. I don’t want repeat dates with jerks that badly.”

“You have to be careful.”

“I know that.”

Jillian nodded slowly. “Okay. I’ll trust your discretion.”

“Thanks. So I’ll let you in on a secret. Remember I told you that Sean introduced me to a friend of his in Portland?”

“Yeah. Jack Something-or-other.”

Naomi nodded. “I’m going out with him next Saturday.”

Jillian arched her eyebrows. “First date with him?”

“Yeah. He called me a couple of times, but I didn’t want to say yes until I had definitely ended things with Sean. I finally said I’d see him if he came up here. I’m not driving to Portland to meet him.” She stood and stretched. “Guess I’d better get to bed. You look like you could use about ten hours of sleep.”

“Thanks!” Jillian tossed a pillow at her, and Naomi caught it, grinning.

“Oh, no. No pillow fights tonight.” She laid it gently on the end of the bed. “I’ve got a full day tomorrow, too. They’ve put me in charge of scheduling all the public tours now. I’ll see you at breakfast.”

“Hey, wait,” Jillian said. “Do you like what you’re doing here?”

“It’s okay. It’s a lot different from the law office. Sometimes I feel as though I ought to be doing something more significant. I did talk to the administrative assistant, hence my new assignment with the tours.”

“But…you’re happy here?”

“Of course.”

“Naomi, I’m sorry I’ve neglected you lately. You’re my oldest and best friend. You know that, don’t you?”

Naomi looked at her for a long moment. “I don’t know. If your mom had never babysat me, do you think we would have been friends? Sometimes I wonder, why did you bring me here to share all this? Is it true friendship, or just habit?”

Stunned, Jillian stared at her. “I’m sorry you think that.”

“It’s not that I don’t appreciate all you’ve done for me. Because of you, I’ve gotten to do things I never would have done otherwise, and I’ve met people I surely wouldn’t have. But sometimes I wonder, without you, who would I be?”

Jillian stood slowly and reached toward her. “If you want to find another job, that’s okay. Or I could talk to the administrative assistant and see if she could turn more responsibility over to you. Maybe you can do some of the clerking, or…well, I don’t know, but, Naomi, I do care about you. Please don’t think that I don’t value our friendship.”

Naomi pressed her lips together and nodded. “Okay. Thanks.”

“Keep me posted on how things go with Jack.”

“I will.” Naomi smiled, closing the door softly behind her.

Jillian stood looking at the door and feeling her heart crumble.
Lord, she’s lonely. Please forgive me for not being a good friend to Naomi. And show me what I can do about it. I certainly can’t take off on a cruise.
She puffed out a breath. She couldn’t even blow an afternoon at the mall with her friend.

She did need a break, though. The Memorial Day holiday would come in a couple of weeks. The legislature would take a long weekend, though their session wouldn’t be over. Most of the senators and representatives would spend the holidays in their home districts. Jillian wondered if she could take a three-day hiatus, as well.

She’d have to go where not many people would see her. A plan began to form in her mind. She hadn’t gotten out into the
wilds of Maine for months. She yearned to go visit some wilderness areas. Why not do it? A canoe trip. She hadn’t been on one since Brendon died. She smiled as she ran the brush through her hair again. It would be the perfect getaway.

“A quiet weekend canoeing in the Allagash to escape the pressures of this office. That’s all I’m asking.”

Colonel Smith frowned and balanced his hat on his knee. “Ma’am, I know you’ve been working very hard, and you certainly deserve some time off. But I don’t think you understand the difficulties we’d face if we did what you’re proposing.”

“We haven’t had any serious incidents since late February. I’ve felt lately that we’re wasting taxpayers’ money by keeping such a heavy security team on duty all the time.”

“How do we know the reverse isn’t true, ma’am? That we haven’t had any problems in the last three months because we’ve been vigilant?”

She sat back with a sigh. “All right, so send all the EPU officers you want. But we won’t tell anyone where we’re going until the last minute—not even my guests.”

“And who might that be?” Smith asked.

“I thought I’d take Naomi Plante and two couples from my old law firm. Eric and Margaret Harris, and Jon and Bette Scribner.”

“Hmm.” Smith’s eyebrows drew together. “Six people to protect. We’d have to send at least four officers, I guess. Six would be better, if we can find that many who qualify for a wilderness trip. That’s a lot of gear.”

Jillian relaxed in her chair. He was seriously considering her idea. “If the Scribners and the Harrises are able to go, I’m sure they’d be happy to supply their own gear. I have a canoe, and so do Eric and Margaret Harris.”

Smith pulled out a pocket notebook and jotted a few notes. “I’m not saying yes, but I’ll run it by the public safety officer.”
He wagged a finger at her. “Don’t say anything to your friends yet. I’ll let you know by tomorrow if it’s a go. If it is, we’ll set it up and make all the arrangements. I do
not
want this leaking out.”

“Thank you!” Jillian couldn’t help grinning as they said good-bye. If it worked out, the trip would give her just what she needed: a couple of days detached from the city and the machinations of government. Physical exercise and the soothing effect of nature. Time with friends. Just a peaceful, rustic getaway.

The thought of renewing her girlhood camaraderie with Naomi eased her heart. They’d have a chance for a long, private talk on the weekend trip, and they could rebuild the closeness they’d lost.

She tried not to think of Dave and how much fun a canoeing trip would be with him along. But she wouldn’t ever mention his name to the colonel. It would only feed his belief that Dave had broken regulations and pursued an unethical relationship with her. She had to admit, however, that a part of her was hoping against hope that somehow Dave would be one of the guards assigned to her trip. And not just because he was good at his job.