Relentless Pursuit (20 page)

Tammy flinched as Dr. Emma Francis pressed the dark marks on her chest. With Emma’s help, Tammy was able to convince Marcy and Noodle to stay outside the exam room as she stripped out of her shirt and bra. The whole area above her heart was various colors of black, blue, and green.

“You’re lucky it wasn’t a direct hit to your heart or you could've bruised it. We won’t know for sure until we do an MRI, but I think you’re just going to be very sore for a while. It doesn’t feel as if anything was broken.” Emma shook her head and her dark brown curls bounced. “Thank goodness you had that vest on!”

“I know. Bridget and Annie gave it to me, I think mostly as a joke, but I decided as I was walking out the door to see what was in the package Bridget had dropped off. I couldn’t resist trying it on. The only reason I kept it on was I noticed how late I was for work,” Tammy explained as she pulled on a hospital gown.

“I bet Pierce is so relieved. Noodle told me that you all made it official by having dinner at the café the other night,” Emma smiled and Tammy was grateful to be speaking of something other than the shooting.

“I’m sure he is. He ran off to do something, though, and that has me very worried. I just wish he’d have come with me.”

“I’ll stop by tonight to check on you both if you'd like. I’m spending most of my nights in Keeneston now anyway,” Emma blushed and Tammy laughed.

“So you and Noodle are getting serious?” Tammy teased.

Emma pulled off her exam gloves and held out her hand. There was a beautiful diamond on her ring finger. “He gave me it this morning. He had it hooked on his fishing line. I saw it sparkling on the ground when I woke up. I went to reach for it and he reeled in the line with me following behind!” Tears glistened in Emma’s eyes as she smiled. “Then he got down on one knee and said that he knew a good catch when he saw it. He just wished I wouldn’t throw him back in. Then he told me how much he loved me and how I was his everything. Finally, as tears streamed down my face, he asked me to marry him.”

Tammy moved as quickly as her bruised body would let her and wrapped her arms around Emma. “Congratulations! I feel so honored you told me! You two are so perfect for each other.”

Emma wiped a tear from her eye. “Well, now that I have you smiling, let’s get that MRI done and get you home to spread the gossip!”

Tammy walked out of the emergency room and into the lobby of the hospital with Marcy and Noodle by her side. Marcy had her arm wrapped protectively around her as they stopped in front of the small crowd gathered in the lobby.

Mo, Annie, and Nabi stood up and came over to greet her. Nabi moved to the door and gave a signal out the window. Mo and Annie hurried over, firing off questions on how she was feeling. Tammy smiled and tried not to be overwhelmed.

“I’m okay, just very sore. I need a day or two of lying in bed and then I'll be back to normal.” Tammy reached for Annie’s hand and squeezed it. “I wouldn’t be alive without that gift. How can I thank you?”

“By resting and feeling better.” Annie gave her a grim smile and Tammy realized this wasn’t over by a long shot.

“We’re ready, Your Highness,” Nabi said in all seriousness as he bowed quickly to Mo.

“Nabi! How sweet of you to come check on me. I didn’t know you cared so much!” Tammy teased.

“It’s Nabi Ulmalhamsh Mosteghanemi,” Mini-Ahmed clipped out.

Mo just shook his head and Annie rolled her eyes as Tammy burst out giggling.

“Come, my dear. I have the limo waiting to take you home.” Mo said as Nabi opened the glass door for him to escort Tammy out.

“Please, get in first. I’m just moving a little slow.” Tammy looked up to mini-Ahmed and smiled. “I'm sure your man here will help a damsel in distress get slowly to the limo.” Tammy looked across the emergency drive to where the limo was parked and kicked herself for being so stubborn as to turn down the wheelchair.

Mo nodded and took Marcy’s arm and led her to the limo. Noodle and Annie would follow them in the cruiser as they hurried off to get the car.

“Alone at last,” Tammy teased Nabi. He just looked at her and the only indication that he had heard her was the slight stumble in his step. Tammy smiled. Mission complete!

Tammy held onto Nabi’s arm tightly as they started across the ambulance bay when the roar of an engine caused Tammy to look up. Fear gripped her, but before she could move Nabi grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off the ground. Without saying a word, he tucked her head into his shoulder and dove for the sliding emergency room doors as the ambulance barreled toward them.

Tammy heard Marcy shriek the second before they hit the ground. Nabi cradled Tammy's head as he turned in the air, taking the force of the hit before rolling on top of her to protect her. Nurses and doctors flooded into the lobby as the ambulance bounced off the sidewalk and sideswiped another car before tearing off down the street.

“Why, Nabi!” Tammy gasped as she tried to fill her lungs with oxygen. “You do like me!” While Nabi remained expressionless, he didn’t correct her on his name. Tammy felt triumphant until the realization that this wasn't an accident came crashing down on her.

“Oh Nabi, I’m so sorry, but I think I’m about to cry.” Tammy felt the tears fill her eyes and she finally let go with a body-wrenching sob. She was really starting to dislike trying to be killed.

“Oh, no! Don’t. Please. Will you stop if I let you call me Nabi from now on?”

Tammy giggled and her tears started to slow as Mo and Marcy helped her up.

“Oh, Mrs. Davies! We need to find Pierce. If they’re doing all this to me, we have to warn Pierce that he’s in danger.” Suddenly the fact that she was nearly run over didn’t seem to matter. Tammy had to get to Pierce. She had to know that he was all right.

“Well done, Nabi Ulmalhamsh Mosteghanemi. You proved yourself very worthy of your duty today,” Mo said as he shook Nabi’s hand. “Tammy, you are coming home to stay with us.”

Tammy shook her head. “Thank you, Mo, but I don’t want to put you and Dani in danger, especially with her pregnant. I couldn’t stand it if anything happened because of me. Besides, I'm sure the Rose sisters and the rest of the café will be on high alert now. If I'm going to be on the defensive, I'd rather do it from my apartment.”

Mo looked at her and grabbed her hand in his. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay at my house?”

“I’m sure. Thank you. You’re such a dear friend,” Tammy kissed his cheek and Mo patted her hand.

“Let’s get you home, my dear.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Tammy looked out the tinted window of the limousine and cringed. She was tired and hungry, but the café was packed. All the tables were taken and people were just floating from table to table talking. Talking about her. Oh, she now felt so bad for all the times she did it!

“I can take you around back?” Mo said, but the normal confidence in his voice was now filled with skepticism.

“It’s alright. I better go face the crowd head on. At least Miss Violet will feed me.” Tammy turned to where Marcy sat across from her on the cool, soft leather seat. “Have you heard anything yet?” Marcy had a death grip on a cell phone in her lap.

“Not yet, dear. But I’ll let you know as soon as I do.” Marcy leaned over and gave Tammy’s leg a pat. “Such a good girl you are. Your father never knew how lucky he had it,” Marcy said before the door opened and Nabi helped her out.

Tammy took a fortifying breath and climbed out of the climate-controlled limousine and into the warm spring air. Summer was coming soon. But for the next few weeks, Keeneston was enjoying perfect weather. Trees were in bloom, flowers overflowed from pots, and the humidity that plagued the town in the late summer was nowhere to be seen.

The café looked like a beautiful nightmare. There was the warm glow of lights, the friendly voices floating through the screen door, and the inevitable hours of interrogation she’d face the second she was seen.

“There are many times in life when you just have to suck it up. This is one of those times, dear,” Marcy said sweetly as she walked past Tammy with her head held high.

Well, if Marcy could do it, then so could she. Everyone in the cafe converged as soon as Marcy walked through the door. Tammy froze before she got to the door and Nabi stopped behind her. They watched as questions were hurled across the room and people wrapped Marcy in embrace after embrace. It was both sweet and terrifying.

She heard Nabi swallow hard. “I can take you to a secure location if you wish.”

“Aw, don’t tell me you’re scared, Nabi,” Tammy cooed. For some reason, his nervousness was what gave her confidence. This wasn’t a nightmare. They weren’t evil people trying to scare her. These were the people who gave her food when her father was incapacitated. These were the people who cheered for her at graduation. Who gave her an apartment to live in and who took her shopping. These were her friends, no matter if they peppered questions better than any journalist. They cared.

“Um, Miss Fields?” Nabi shook his head as if trying to clear it. “I would swear there is a pig in a pink tutu eating a bowl of salad. Please tell me I am seeing things.”

Tammy looked to where Nabi was pointing. Prissy the pig was tied to the lamppost just outside of the cafe. Prissy was dressed in a pink tutu accented with sparkles to match her collar and leash.

“Oh, that’s just Prissy. I guess Mr. Tabernacle is here. I should go say hello.” Tammy bounded into the café with a renewed energy.

Old Man Tabby sat at the table next to the window so he could keep an eye on Prissy. Townspeople started calling out to Tammy the second she came through the door. She headed straight for Tabby and threw her arms around him in a big hug. His old eyes widened and his face turned pink.

“Thank you for having Prissy protect me. Do you think she can come to the office again tomorrow?”

Tabby’s chest puffed with importance as he wiped some crumbs from his overalls. “Of course she can. I’ll bring her by in the morning. She’s a good pig.”

“The best! And she’s wearing pink, which is my favorite color! Did you do that just for me?” Tammy teased.

The people nearby snickered and John Wolfe raised a glass of sweet tea. “To Prissy!” The people clapped and Tammy beamed as Tabby burst with pride.

The mood in the café shifted as Prissy became the center of attention. Tammy told her story to Miss Daisy as she sat down at a table with Marcy and Mo. Sensing Tammy wasn’t going to last long, Miss Daisy headed straight to the two tables in the center of the room. John and Lily sat back-to-back as they gathered and spread the gossip. By telling them both, Tammy knew everyone in the café would know the story within minutes. She just hoped that they’d hear something from Pierce soon.

The screen door banged closed as Cade and Annie walked in with little Sophie.  Marshall and Katelyn followed close behind. Marcy sat up straighter as she watched them approach. “It can’t be bad. They’re all smiling. Oh, look. There’s Will, Kenna, and Sienna. Oh, she’s getting so big!” Marcy smiled as the toddler walked into the café with her red curls bouncing as if she owned the place.

“And Morgan and Miles, too.” Tammy pointed, her heart lightening as everyone approached the café. Pierce had to be all right. “There’s Cole carrying Ryan’s carrier with Paige just walking toward the café now. Seems the whole crowd is gathering.”

“Hey, Ma!” The boys circled their mother as they took turns kissing her cheek.

“How’s Pierce?” Tammy asked. She didn’t have Marcy’s patience.

Marshall gave her a quick smile. “He’ll be here shortly. I dropped him off at the farm to pick up his old Explorer since he can’t use the truck anymore.”

“It took you this long to do that?” Tammy said as she absentmindedly tapped her foot.

“No. Noodle called me and told me Dr. Francis wanted to see Pierce to check him out. She might be tiny, but like you, she’s a force of nature. So he had to get examined.” He held up his hands warding off Tammy’s next question. “He’s fine. He’ll tell you more when he gets here.”

Tammy felt relieved and her heart warmed, knowing Emma made Pierce come in just so that she’d feel better. Tammy sat back in her chair and listened as Marcy talked with her daughters-in-law. Cade talked football with Coach Parks and some of the kids on the football team as Annie made her way over to them. Marshall stood by the front door talking with Deputy Dinky and his girlfriend, Chrystal. Annie joined them as she hugged her cousin and teased Dinky about something.

Tammy let their voices and conversation wrap her in safety. She felt her eyes lowering. But she felt a kiss on her cheek just a moment before she would've fallen asleep.

“Oh, Nabi, you shouldn’t have,” Tammy murmured. Through her lowered lashes, she saw Nabi’s eyes go wide from where he stood against the wall.

Pierce chuckled. “So, there was some bonding going on today. Dr. Francis told me all about how she rushed into the lobby and found him lying on top of you.” Nabi flushed and looked nervous as Pierce approached him. “Great job. Thanks for saving her. I’ve kinda grown attached to the little sprite.” Pierce held out his hand and Nabi shook it, clearly relieved.

“What happened? Are we safe? Are you hurt?” Tammy fired out before cringing. She sounded just like what she wanted to avoid. “Sorry.”

“I’m fine. Dr. Francis said I’m just bumped and bruised. I also told her I was having some snippets of memory coming back. She said when I smell certain things, see something, hear something, or if I’m really tired, then my subconscious triggers the missing memories. They’re there, they just need an outlet.” Pierce leaned forward and gave her a killer smile. “A kiss will make up for your interrogation,” he winked.

“Not in front of your mom!” Tammy whispered as Pierce sat in the chair next to her and picked at the fruit next to Tammy’s sandwich with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“What? Worried you’ll be so hot for me you’ll just make love right here on the table?” Pierce whispered into her ear, his hot breath caressing the delicate skin of her ear.

She felt on fire just at the suggestion. No, wait, there really was a fire! Pierce’s old Ford Explorer was on fire across the street! The explosion came soon after. People gasped as pieces of the SUV rained down.