by Kathy Harris
“I don’t need to hear how careful you’ve been, Robert. I need your reassurance that this will be fixed.” Ramirez sniped. “If you’re incompetent enough to let this happen once, you’ll eventually have the cops on your tail. And mine.” The man paused long enough for Rob to swallow. “You don’t want that to happen, and neither does your girlfriend.”
“Danielle? She doesn’t know anything about this, sir.”
“Spare me the drama, Evans. Just keep her under your thumb, or you’re going to wish you had.”
“I’ll handle it, sir.”
“Good. Do it quickly. If you don’t . . .” He waited a beat. “I’ll have to, and you don’t want that to happen.”
Rob swallowed again.
“Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
The line went dead, and Rob dropped his phone and slumped forward, supporting his head with his fists.
This couldn’t be happening. He had to stop the fallout. And quickly. Ramirez was right. News about his second income must have reached the backstreets of Nashville, and it was only a matter of time before his secret life would be exposed. He had to act fast.
Thankfully, he’d been smart enough to leave the last stash of money with Danni, forestalling an even bigger disaster. But he had to find out how much she knew. If Ramirez made good on his threat, they would both be in danger.
Not long after the first light filtered through her bedroom window, Danni threw back the covers. Staring at the ceiling wasn’t accomplishing anything. She would manage to get through the day on adrenaline and caffeine.
After the police officer left, she had dropped into a fitful sleep for what might have been a couple of hours, due only to the sedative she had taken earlier in the night. But the pill hadn’t been a perfect elixir. Judging from the looks of the disheveled bed linens, she had fought with the homeless man in her dreams.
Anger settled into the back of her neck, stirring the beginning of a headache. She would have rested easier if she had spoken to Rob. The thought of his sleeping through her phone calls when she needed him most grated on her already-frayed nerves. She had been attacked by a madman inside her own home!
Her heart pounded. Her life had been invaded by something she didn’t understand or recognize. And she had the uneasy feeling it was about to get worse. If she pressed charges against her assailant, wouldn’t she be inviting more trouble? He knew where she lived—and that she lived alone.
A sudden chill in the room prompted Danni to drape her robe around her shoulders. She slid her feet into her house slippers and headed down the hall to reset the thermostat.
None of this made sense. How did the intruders get past the security guard? And what were the chances the homeless guy would be standing at her door at the same time Rob’s condo was burglarized? Were the two men working together?
The police officer had told her the burglar had walked past all of the obvious things, like electronic equipment and artwork, to mine the contents of Rob’s closet, and based on what Rob had said before he left town, he had cash in there. A lot of cash. Just as she now had in her clos—
Oh, no! What if someone knew she was keeping Rob’s money? Her place could be next. Is that why the homeless man had targeted her?
Panic set in. What should she do? She had always heard that criminals didn’t stay in jail for long. He would be back on the street soon, and she would be—
Danni stopped herself mid-thought.
Why was she making up scenarios? There was a good chance Rob’s place had been targeted at random. And most likely the Rutherford had already stepped up their security because of last night’s break-in.
She forced a breath, willing herself to relax. There was no way the homeless guy or the burglar could know she had a briefcase full of Rob’s cash in her closet. And she had survived last night, thanks to Sophie.
Sophie. Where was Sophie?
The big dog was usually at Danni’s side the minute she awoke. She had a sixth sense that alerted her to Danni’s rousing. But Danni hadn’t seen her this morning.
“Sophie?”
Danni wandered back to her bedroom and into the adjoining en suite, where she saw four sets of toes peeking from the dark recess of the closet.
“Get up, lazy girl. It’s time for our morning run.”
Sophie responded with a thump, thump, thump of her tail against the pecan wood floor. Danni switched on the closet light, and the dog stared at her. Her brown eyes pleaded for a few more minutes of rest.
Danni kneeled, folded her body over the Newfie and stroked her back and neck, enjoying her warmth. It would be easy to fall asleep right here on the floor next to her.
“Thanks for being my protector last night, girl. We make a good team.” Danni planted a kiss on the dog’s muzzle. “It sure would be nice though to have a hero rescue us once in a while.”
Sophie responded with another thump of her tail, and Danni jumped to her feet. “Okay. I’m giving you fifteen minutes, missy. But as soon as I’m dressed, and I’ve had my coffee, I’m leaving. With or without you.”
Twice that long, and two cups of caffeine later, Danni snapped a leash onto Sophie’s collar, and they set out for their routine Monday morning run to the Bicentennial Mall. The small park, nestled between downtown government buildings and the farmers market, was one of the few remaining patches of grass in a city that had sprouted nothing but skyscrapers in the past five years.
By eight o’clock the sun had transformed the night air into a palpable coolness, pumping enthusiasm into Danni’s gait. About the time they turned down Rosa L. Parks Boulevard, her four-legged companion began pulling at the leash.
“We needed this, didn’t we, girl?” Danni inhaled the scent of the fresh air. A brisk outdoor run had always been the perfect medicine for her. Jaycee said Danni was trying to run away from her problems and that they would eventually catch up with her. Danni always countered with the idea that, at least by that time, she would have fighting adrenaline running through her veins.
Danni looked both ways as they crossed Charlotte Avenue toward the ceremonial railroad trestle, and a familiar ring shattered the quiet. Rob.
She answered her phone and pulled Sophie toward a nearby picnic table.
“Where were you when I called last night?”
“Good morning to you too.”
Danni offered no response. Instead she took a seat.
“I must have been in a no-service zone. Are you okay? I just saw I had a message from you.”
“I’m fine.” Danni’s hand trembled as she tugged on Sophie’s leash. “But your condo was broken into last night.”
There was a beat of silence.
“Why? Who would have—?”
“The cops said he was a young street thug. And he had a gun, Rob. It went off when the police arrested him.”
“The police were in my condo?”
That was all he was worried about?
“I’m fine, Rob.” Danni stood and pulled the dog forward. “Thank you for asking.”
“I didn’t mean it that way. I’d assumed you were okay since we’re talking.” He huffed into the phone. “What’s wrong with you today?”
“Are you serious? You have no idea what my night was like.”
“Look . . . babe, I’m sorry. You are okay, right?”
“Yes. But . . .” She thought about the man who had attacked her.
“What, Danni?”
“It gets worse.”
“What happened?” The tone in Rob’s voice climbed an octave.
She told him about the homeless man and how Sophie had saved them both. “It was awful.”
“Wow. It sounds like it.” His voice faded. “So the two guys were working together?”
“There were two men, but I don’t know if they were working together. The police are still investigating.”
“Hmmm . . .”
Either the connection had been lost, or he was now preoccupied.
“Rob, are you there? I
keep losing you.”
“I’m here. This is just, just a lot to take in quickly.” He cleared his throat and mumbled something indiscernible.
Danni looked at her phone. “What? I can’t hear you.”
“I said did the first guy damage my place? What about my electronics, the artwork?”
“He walked right past everything. The police said he was digging through the closet in your master suite when they found him.”
“Are you serious?” The pitch in his voice rose again. “Did he—did they?—find anything?”
“I don’t think so.” She directed Sophie around a tree. “The police asked me to have you call them. I have the number at th—”
“Why do they need to talk to me?”
Danni shook her head. “They probably want you to file charges, Rob. Or tell them what might be missing. What else would they want?”
He grew quiet again. “Babe . . . do you think you could take care of this for me?”
“You mean do more than I already have?”
“I know. Really, Danni. I know. And I appreciate it, but I’m on the road.” He stumbled through his words. “Just tell the police that I appreciate their offer to help, but that I don’t want to file charges.”
Well, if you don’t, I will. Danni bit her tongue. “Rob, I was attacked. I can’t let this drop. And I’m not sure that you—” I’m not sure that you even care. The final words not making it past her lips choked her to tears.
“Danielle,” Robbed soothed, “you know I appreciate everything you do for me.”
“Is that why it took you so long to call me back?”
“I told you, I didn’t get your message until this morning.”
“Rob!” She turned toward the fountains nearby. “I need to file charges against the man who attacked me.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea. Let this go.” He was clearly aggravated, but so was she.
“Let’s call off the wedding . . . At least for now. There’s too much—”
“What? Why?”
But she had thought this through. “With you being out of town so much, I need more time. I still have a lot to do.”
“Just to mail a few invitations? Danielle?”
“I have to find a church, buy a dress, and before I mail invitations I’ll have to put together the guest list.”
“Maybe Melissa can help you with the guest list. I’ll ask her to start on it. Won’t that help?
“I suppose.”
“What else can I do to help?”
“Nothing, I suppose.”
“Great.” He waited a beat. “So when you talk to the police, don’t tell them any more than you have to, okay?”
They were back on that subject?
“What do you mean?”
“You know, about the cash we have at our places. They don’t need to know about that.”
“Of course not.”
“Thank you, babe. I’m glad you’re okay. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you. I’m sorry you had a bad night.”
A bad night? She took a deep breath and bit back her thoughts. Again. “I’m better now.”
“Okay. Keep me posted. I want to know about everything, including the police report, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Okay?”
She didn’t answer.
“Or later today if you need me.”
“Okay.” Danni disconnected the call and slipped the phone into her pocket. Only a few days ago, she had decided to take charge of her life. To make changes. To move beyond her past mistakes. But by all appearances she was going backwards.
She steered the dog back onto the sidewalk. Maybe it would be easier to run away from her problems than to face them head on. The thought was appealing.
Then again, that’s what her mother had done. And that hadn’t ended well.
CHAPTER 7
One week later – March 25
A portion of the downtown Nashville skyline reflected off the north-facing windows of the Metropolitan Nashville Central Police Precinct building. As she walked closer, Danni took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She had every right to do this, even if Rob had been against it. If she didn’t stand up for herself and file charges against her attacker, someone else might fall prey to him. And they might not have a dog or a vase to protect themselves.
She looked both ways before crossing Korean Veterans Boulevard, which ran between the Cumberland River and the Eighth Avenue Roundabout. Pulling open the heavy metal front door, she peered into the small, aseptic reception area, one not unlike the cold antechambers of many other government offices. Although sparsely decorated, it was less intimidating than she had feared.
Danni diverted her attention to the video camera hanging from the ceiling in the corner of the small rectangular space. To her right, a middle-aged African American woman occupied a chair behind a security window. She wore a police officer’s uniform that bore the blue and gold seal of the Nashville Davidson County Metropolitan Police Department—the same emblem hanging on the wall above her.
A row of brochures lined the counter in front of the window. One read Criminal Warrants Division, Warrants Section, Fugitive Section, US Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force. Another referenced the victim information hotline.
Maybe it was time to rethink the intimidation factor.
“May I help you?” The woman behind the glass broke into Danni’s thoughts.
Danni offered an obligatory smile. “I called earlier about signing paperwork.”
“Your name?” The woman peered over the top of wire-framed glasses.
“Danielle Kemp, ma’am.”
The woman nodded. “And who did you speak with, Ms. Kemp?”
Danni dug for the small scrap of paper she’d stashed inside the Michael Kors satchel Rob had given her for her birthday.
“Sergeant Schlessman. Rick Schlessman.”
The female officer pointed toward a single metal chair on the opposite side of the room. “Have a seat. I’ll let him know you’re here.”
Danni pulled her cardigan tighter and took a seat. Based on the comfort, or rather discomfort, of the chair, she shouldn’t be waiting long.
She snagged her phone from her handbag and scanned her emails. The first three, all from Jaycee, could wait. And so could the note from her sister in Iowa. But Chamber of Commerce special events manager, Sarah Williams, had marked her correspondence as urgent. Danni read it quickly. The Chamber wanted to add another item to the dessert menu for today’s luncheon—a birthday cake for the Chamber vice president.
She glanced at her watch. Not good. Their lunch was less than three hours away. Jaycee wouldn’t be happy, but Danni knew the chef would get it done.
Before forwarding the note, she added a frowny face to the top.
In ten minutes she had powered through the remaining stack either answering, rerouting, or flagging each message, then muting her phone and putting it away. She glanced at her watch again. What was keeping him?
Right on cue, the elevator door in the back of the room opened and a uniformed officer stepped forward. He offered his hand and a pleasant smile.
“Good morning, Ms. Kemp.”
Danni stood. “Officer Schlessman?”
“Yes. Please follow me.”
Danni hesitated. “Will this take long?”
“It shouldn’t.” He escorted her to the elevator, waved his badge in front of the security portal, and held the door open for her. “I just need to go over everything with you.” He smiled again and pressed the second-floor button.
After a quick ascent, the elevator door opened into another sterile-looking environment. Danni followed the officer down a corridor, which appeared to be connected to a spiderweb of hallways, each filled with people. It was controlled chaos, much like the kitchen at Amoré.
Men and women, some dressed in police uniforms, some wearing civilian clothes, milled about. Others rushed past, disappearing around a corner.
In one adjoining hal
lway, several uniformed officers had gathered in a loose semicircle, chatting, laughing, and whispering. Another group of men were huddled in a corridor and spoke in hushed tones.
Sergeant Schlessman escorted Danni into a small conference room that had been outfitted with a window overlooking the main hallway.
“Please, have a seat. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“No, thanks. I just need to leave as soon as—”
“This won’t take long. Make yourself comfortable.” He closed the door as he left.
Danni retrieved her phone from her bag, confirmed that it was muted, stowed it, and then turned her attention to the room. It was clean enough. At least on the surface. But something about it made her want to pull out a bottle of disinfectant spray.
She lowered herself into a chair. Hopefully, this wouldn’t take long.
Repositioning her body toward the window that overlooked the hall, she noticed a small group of men had gathered nearby. They talked and laughed as though they didn’t have a care in the world.
Our tax dollars at work. They should be out on the streets in search of criminals instead of cavorting inside a police station. Danni frowned and looked closer.
One man, who had his back turned to her, appeared to be the center of attention. Dressed in khakis and a button-down shirt, he looked like he could be the police chief or some other muckety-muck. Perhaps he was an off-duty detective. Or a local news reporter putting in time at the station to chase down the facts for a story.
That was probably it. He did look familiar. If only he would turn his head.
Almost on beat, the man wheeled around to speak to a woman passing in the hallway, and Danni saw his face. It was his big, dark eyes that took her breath away. They were the eyes of the homeless man who had attacked her.
She blinked and looked again. It couldn’t be.
It was. It was him!
But why here? And dressed in normal attire? That’s why she hadn’t recognized him at first. He was actually quite handsome. His dark brown hair was combed in a reasonable style, not greasy and limp. And his clothes were neat and clean.
Still, she was certain it was him. It was his eyes. She would never forget his eyes. They terrified her.
