Stranded (10 page)

Light flashed out the paladin windows in the cathedral ceilings of the middle floor.  Windows that looked down on the neighbors’ yards.  If it had been broad daylight and they were out, they’d get a free shot of Naomi in her birthday suit. 

Thunder rumbled off in the foothills.  Another thunderstorm was on its way to take its place. Naomi had better hurry to the basement.  There would be a major flood for sure.  As she felt her way down the stair case, she realized only a few auxiliary lights were on.  Her house was connected to a backup generator for when the power was lost.  But it didn’t automatically kick on.  The last storm must have killed the electricity while she and Foley in the throes of passion or dozing, and they didn’t even know it.

It was incredible how dark the basement floor could be.  There was enough light to shimmer on water covering the basement floor.  Damage had already been done.  She had to get to the pump immediately or the situation would become worse.  But the further she descended the creepier it got.   Naomi’s middle twisted some with fear but it was nothing like she experienced during the day.

She froze.  She heard footsteps.  The house was a hundred and fifty years old and even though much of it had been given a facelift, it still creaked and moaned.  The storm billowing out around the structure could possibly cause the stairs to whine as though someone was on them.  At least that was what she was telling herself since she was sandwiched between a flooded basement floor and someone on the stairs behind her.  Thoughts of the town’s urban legend came to mind. 

“Don’t move,” said Foley cryptically.

But the shock that he had come all the way down two levels of the house and she had only just now heard him, caused her to whip around.  She fell backwards into the water and immerse in excruciating pain.  Naomi was zapped with electricity with such a force it felt like being rear-ended by a car. She separated from her body and was now looking down on her body, seizing in the water.

Someone was crouching next to her. Huge. Muscle-riddled.  Human but not human.  Something incredibly sensual. Beastly with giant wings rising out of his back.  She was aroused by the sight of him in a way more powerful than she was by Foley.  Naomi was lust incarnate and her need to have him, in a way, kept her alive.  

He lifted her.  The upper floors of the house vanished and Naomi was now soaring, in the stormy black skies, thick with clouds.  The air was warm and humid but like riding on Foley’s motorcycle, flying through the air created a breeze and cooled her.

The clouds were still thick with rain water.  The beast sliced through them with Naomi cradled in his long, wiry arms, bathing her in cool, healing droplets.  Her skin had been burned.  The breeze kicked back the smell of singed flesh.  She shook; shivering with incredible chill. The beast swept her body with his long-nailed fingers and she was warm again.

He laid her back on a nest that was as cozy and dry as if it were fire-lit. He stroked her face, her hair and entire body.  His face was the expression of total care.  She was  whole.  She could see from the outside looking in that her hair had been brittle, her body scorched. She was clear-minded that she had been electrocuted. But this creature, obviously a hallucination, restored her. 

“You’re one of them,” she murmured, repeated Daryl Pollard’s words.

“One of them who?” he asked gently.

It was Foley’s voice.  She knew now it had all definitely been a hallucination.

“You know.  The myth of Orange County,” she replied, her strength coming back to her.

“Do I look like a myth to you?” he asked with amusement.

“I don’t know.  It just can’t be true,” she said.

“Oh,” he said. “Then I can’t be a myth. I am very true.”

He bent his giant form and brushed her lips with his.  He kissed the parts of her that were burned, extended his long wide tongue, bathing her.  He did not leave her skin wet or chilled.  She was dry and at ease.  The touch of his mouth transformed from healing to passion.

He made her well enough to make love with him.  Desire coiled up in her belly.  She fidgeted against him, pestering him to get inside of her.   He chuckled softly. With his big tongue, lapped her lips, encouraging them to open for her.

His swirled his tongue with hers.  It aroused her so wickedly.  Aching and the emptiness of need hummed at her very core.  When the beast whom some part of her realized was Foley entered her body, all was right with her.  Naomi was so hot for him that her orgasm was immediate and intense.  It pushed through her from the inside out, curing her.  Satisfying her.  Restoring.

He held her sweetly captive as he reach his climaxed, roaring in the night like the powerful storms that had rolled through the town.   And when their passion passed and their breaths still, the beast pressed her close to him, creating an armor of safety for her with his body as she drifted off to sleep.  It was a sweet, fulfilling sleep.  Naomi sank and slept soundly. 

The next time she lifted her eyes, she was laying in a bed, tucked tightly by a nurse in Culpeper Hospital.  The thing Naomi remembered most about that moment as she came to, were the cool sheets and how fresh everything felt.  She was completely out of pain.

“Hello there,” said Sheriff John Hayhurst with very pleasant voice.

“Hi,” she replied lazily.

“You gave us quite a scare. I just sent Foley home.  He had this foolish idea that if he slept all bent in this chair, that you would get better faster,” said John. “I expect he will be back in no time.”

Naomi relaxed against her pillow thinking about her beautiful biker.

“So do you remember what happened?” asked John. 

“Vaguely,” answered Naomi.

Flashes of the hallucination of Foley as a less-than human creature, heated her cheeks.  She burned, recalling the level of passion that she exchanged in her fevered dreams.  The remembrances were too hot to think about in front of the sheriff.

“Well you stepped into a live pool of water in the bottom of your house.  Someone cut an electric cord and placed it in the water,” he explained in his slow draw.

He was letting what he said to sink in. But then he clarified.

“Someone deliberately electrified that water with the hopes that you would get hurt,” he said.

There would be only one person who would do such a thing.  Naomi knew her husband was a jerk.  But it was beyond uncomfortable knowing he wanted her dead in such a gruesome way.

“I am guessing the reason why you are here is that you haven’t arrested him?” said Naomi.

“I know he tried to hire Foley to kill you, but I can’t prove it.  I am pretty sure he cut the radio on Foley’s bike but I got no prints.  I think he stopped by your house before he showed up at Mario's but again, I got nothing,” he said.

Naomi closed her eyes.  And then she remembered.  Daryl had wiped out her accounts.  She was broke.  She threw back the covers of her bed.

“Wait now,” he said.  “Where are you going?”

“Did Foley tell you Daryl cleaned me out? He stole every penny I have?”  she asked.

“Yes but that doesn’t answer my question.  What are you doing?” he asked.

“I can’t afford to be here.  I am going to rest at home,” she said.

But the thought of going home made her uncomfortable.  It no longer was the rich, comfortable home it once had been for her.

“Now ma’am,” John said taking his sheriff approach, “get back in bed and that’s an order.”

“I napped yesterday when I shoulda been putting my life in order,” Naomi growled.

It wasn’t like her to be so aggressive.  But she was extremely short on patience.  She was antsy and couldn’t stay put.  She had to get outside, if not out of the hospital.

“Naomi,” John said finally using her first name.  “You can’t leave until a doctor says it’s okay.  You literally came back from the dead.  Now get your ass back in bed!”

John’s use of harsh language since she had never even heard him raise his voice before, got her attention.  With perfect timing, Foley walked through the hospital room door. 

“What’s going on?” he asked with concern.

“She wants to leave and I wanted her to stay,” John answered for her.

“Baby,” said Foley.

Naomi sulked.  She knew she would end up staying put but she was enormously frustrated.  She wanted to take charge of her life again.

“She’s worried about the hospital bill,”  John. “I told her she doesn’t have to worry about anything.  We’ve got this.”

“That’s right,” said Foley.  “We’ve got this.  We’re cleaning out the water damage in your house.  When you get back you’ll have new carpet--”

Naomi broke down.  She had to sob a good couple of minutes before she could speak.

“I am so glad the children --” she started to say but could not finish.

She was glad the kids weren’t home.

Foley sat on the bed and pulled her to his hard, warm chest.

“We’ve got the truck fixed - or as you call it, the car -- the house is going to be all tricked out.  We have security on it so if that little fucker tries any more shit with you, we’ll nab him.  Baby the  Knights of Orange are on it,” he said.

“My mama was wrong,” said Naomi.

“‘About?” smiled Foley.

“Knights of Orange are not bad,” she said. “I wish I hadn’t a listened to her sooner.”

Foley winked.

“Now,” he said pushing her back to try to look her in the eye.

He took the corned of her sheet and wiped her face.

“They do have tissues,” remarked John.

“This is a country tissue,” replied Foley. “Works fine.  Now baby, you gotta get hold of yourself.  You and I are going to have a big knock down drag out argument.  I’m going to demand to know where the money is.  You’re going to accuse me of only liking you for your money.  You got it?”

Naomi studied him.  She was sort of catching on.

“Then I am going to go to Steve Farmer’s office and make him to me where your money is.  Daryl had to have help.  I know that shit head lawyer got super clever and moved your money.  What Pollard doesn’t know but Steve and I were thinking is Farmer took the money away from your ex so not even he will enjoy it.”

“Foley’s going to tell Farmer that you gloated there was one more bank account that not even Daryl knew about and that Foley wants to solicit Farmer’s help to do get to it and to do the same thing with it that he did with the rest of your cash.  We’re going to get him to admit he moved everything around on video,” said Steve.

“Is any of this legal?” asked Naomi.

“It’s country legal,” grinned Foley.  “Now take a couple of deep breaths and let’s get to it.”

Naomi blinked.

“Have a fight now?” she asked.

“Yeah,” said Foley.  “Give it to me.  You ready?”

She nodded.  “Here goes.”

“I got one foot in the grave and that’s what you got to say to me?” she shouted.  “Have I checked with the bank?”

“God damn! I am just thinking of you!” he hollered back.

A nurse appeared in the hallway, timidly.

“It’s working,” Naomi whispered. “Fuck you then! You’re just like that deadbeat no good soon to be ex husband of mine.  What did he send you in here?”

“I don’t need this!” said Foley, winking just so only Naomi could see. “I am out of here.”

“Maybe that’s best, Mr. Lardner,” said John, playing his part.

The sheriff escorted Foley out and invited the nurse in.

“Oh I am glad you’re here,” John said to the eavesdropping nurse.  “She’s awake now.”

The nurse had the expression of someone who had been caught redhanded.

“I am,” the nurse claimed.  “I’ll check on her and fetch the doctor.”

“Good idea,” John said with a scold.

Chapter Nine

Attorney Steve Farmer was almost as well known in Orange as Naomi’s family, the Wellingtons which was the town’s richest family. And as well known as the Dales which was now the richest family in town before scandal brought them down.  If you got in a jam, Farmer would get you out of it.  You would just have to pay a heavy price or he would sell you out.

Farmer was so familiar that Foley knew where his office was without having to look it up.   He took Donny away from Naomi’s house where the Knights of Orange were overhauling the water damage that had been done by the flooding.  The sabotage had been been documented and the work was in full swing.

He and Donny rode over to Farmer’s office and pay him a scheduled visit.   Foley had already contacted  him and set up an appointment.  Foley was sort of surprised to see that the woman that had been with Daryl in the Waugh show room was Farmer’s receptionist.  The receptionist showed Foley and Donny into Farmer’s office.

Steve Farmer didn’t even get out of his chair to properly greet them.  A dark smile curled the ends of his lips.

“Have a seat,” he said with the invitation of the devil.

Donny and Foley sat in two leather chairs across from him.

“Lemme hear this tall tale,” he said smirking. “I must remind you that Daryl Pollard, as you already know, is a client of mine and so I am not about to breach any confidentialities, whatever they may be.”