by Dale Mayer
The detective looked at Kurt in surprise. “What are you talking about?”
Kurt stayed silent as he listened to the others relate one of the missions he’d been on. Truly, Kentucky’s governor’s brother and sister, both doctors and scientists, had been kidnapped and held for ransom over in Iran. Kurt had been part of the team who had gone over and rescued them. By the time his story was retold, Kurt could see that the atmosphere around him had shifted. He had earned their respect, but the detective would be a hell of a lot longer getting there, and that was fine. Kurt didn’t give a shit if the detective ever got there, as long as he left Kurt alone. He looked down at the Slippery Simon guy and again asked, “So you want this guy or no?”
“Yep, we want him,” the younger guy said with a grin. “He’s Slippery Simon. He’s got his fingers in all kinds of shit. And he’s dangerous, with a long memory.”
“In other words, watch my back?”
“Yep. When he wakes up and realizes you’re the one who fingered him, he’ll be all over you.”
“Good warning,” he said. “Thanks for that.” He watched and stood off to the side, as they woke up Simon and got him groggily to his feet and then marched him to one of the cruisers.
The detective never said another word to Kurt. That was fine with him too.
As soon as they were gone, he took several steps back into the bush, sat down quietly in the growing darkness, and called out to Sabine. “It’s okay, girl. It’s all over with.”
He heard a tiny whimper.
Kurt shifted, pulled some treats from his pocket, realizing he would be in trouble soon as he was running low, and tossed a few her way. Slowly, ever-so-slowly she crept back out again. Realizing that it was just the two of them and that she was prepared to make that step toward him made him the happiest he’d been in a very long time.
He sat here, quietly earning her trust, talking to her, just helping her to adjust to the fact that somebody in her world gave a damn. And slowly, slowly she crept a little closer and then a little closer again.
As he kept talking, he pulled out his phone and put it on Silent, just so nobody would scare Sabine if and when they called. He didn’t want her startled unnecessarily. And he just wanted her to be in a safe and soothing and calm environment for a change.
It took another half hour before she came much closer. He leaned down, gently feeding her little treats on his fingers. On the next one he managed to stroke the side of her face. She stilled, staring at him, and then he did it again and again, gently stroking the side of her head and then coming up onto her jaw to scratch gently. He could see her eyes were closed with the remembrance of better times and better contact with humans, and finally she crept a little bit closer.
He gently scrubbed her neck and smoothed his hand over her head and her ears. He wanted to pick her up and hug her. He could feel the tears in his eyes as she crept a bit closer and then a little bit closer. Finally she curled up into the space between his legs and dropped her head onto his thigh, and he just sat here in the darkness with her, gently stroking her from head to toe and finding a bond between the two of them that he’d never expected.
When he could, he took a photo and sent it to Badger. The response came back almost immediately.
Wow, that was fast.
“It was,” he said, when he called Badger, “but now she’s breaking my heart because the bond is there, and I don’t want to let her go.”
“Did anybody say you had to?”
“It’s not like I have a house to live in or a home where she would fit in,” he replied.
“Well, sounds like it’s time for you to make some decisions then.”
“I’m too much in flux right now,” he said.
“What were your plans for the dog?”
“I was thinking I’d take her back to the motel. I’ve got one that allows pets,” he said, “and then I would contact you.”
“Well, you’ve done that or almost done that,” he said, “so what’s the next problem?”
“Who does she belong to?
“That’s a good question. She’s had a pretty rough few months. I’d say that, if you’ve got a bond with her, we could make a good case for her to stay with you.”
“I would really like that,” he said. “I have to find out just how dangerous she is though.”
“Yeah, there’s a bunch of training, some tests that should be done. That would probably be a good idea, if you think she’d stand for it.”
They talked for a few minutes more, then he dialed Laurie Ann.
“Well, you’re not here,” she said. “I presume you’re not coming for dinner.”
“I’ve got the dog,” he said.
“What do you mean, you’ve got her?” she asked, half in excitement and half in curiosity.
“I’m in the darkness with her curled up in my legs,” he said. “I’m sorry. I was so focused on gaining her trust that I shut off my phone, and I never even thought about dinner.”
“Dinner is minor,” she said. “Saving the dog? Now that’s major.”
“Well, I’m hoping so. It wasn’t anywhere near as easy as I thought.”
“What happened after you left?”
He gave a half laugh. “You wouldn’t believe it.” He quickly filled her in on the details.
“Oh, my God,” she said. “As soon as you’ve hit town, it has been nothing but chaos.”
“But good chaos,” he protested. “And maybe, in a way, I’m cleaning up the streets.”
“Well, that would be a change,” she said with a laugh.
“I’ll take the dog back to the motel,” he said. “I need to find some food for her and more treats because I’m pretty well out of them.”
“Well, are you still on for a barbecue tomorrow?”
He hesitated and then asked, “How do you feel about me bringing her?”
“Is she dangerous?”
“I don’t think so,” he said, “but I really have no idea.”
“Well, there’s nothing like finding out,” she said. “I suggest you bring her, but make sure she’s on a leash, so we have some control.”
“Absolutely,” he said. “I’ll be a whole lot longer here, getting her on a leash and getting her back to my place anyway.”
“Still be careful,” she warned. “You don’t know what she’s been through.”
“No, I don’t,” he said, looking down at the skinny shepherd curled into his legs. “But I know that she won’t get that kind of treatment anymore. Not while I’m around.”
Chapter 8
No sooner had Laurie Ann hung up from talking to Kurt than her phone rang again, and it was Jeremy. “Can I stay here at Frank’s for dinner?”
“I thought that was a given,” she said with a note of humor.
“Well, I don’t want to interrupt your dinner date,” he said in a mocking tone.
“Not a problem,” she said easily. “Kurt just called, and he’s managed to locate the dog, but now he’s at a delicate point where he doesn’t want to leave her alone, and he has to gain her trust in order to get a leash on her.”
“He found her,” her son’s voice rose enthusiastically. “Oh, wow, that’s awesome.”
“It certainly is,” she said with a smile. “If he is still coming for a barbecue tomorrow, he’ll try and bring the dog too.”
“That’d be great,” he said. “So can I stay overnight tomorrow too?”
She groaned. “Give you an inch, and you’re always trying to take a mile.”
“Hey, Mom. I haven’t stayed over in quite a while. You know that.”
“I know,” she said, “Okay. Yes, for tonight. Yes, even for tomorrow night. But be home for the barbecue tomorrow.”
“Will do.”
He spoke in that completely casual tone of voice, as if tomorrow’s barbecue and spending time with his newfound father was absolutely of no consequence. She didn’t think he felt that way, but she suspected it was his way of handling the stre
ss and the heavy emotions. Or maybe she was the one completely out to lunch. She didn’t know, but she was happy with it all. She set her phone down, when her sister called. Laurie Ann groaned.
“Wow,” her sister said, in that brittle tone of hers. “Normally you’re happy to hear from me.”
“Of course I am,” she said, desperately trying to pull back her tone of voice. “I’ve just gotten off the phone from multiple phone calls, so it was one of those Darn, now who else? kind of moments.”
“Ah,” she said, “I figured you were still upset at me over Kurt.”
“Nope, not at all,” she said. “You’re entitled to your opinion.”
“And you’ll do what you want regardless, right?”
“Well, I have to,” she said. “Otherwise, it isn’t my opinion or my choice, is it?”
Her sister groaned. “Does that mean you’re seeing him?”
“Well, let me put it this way. He knows about Jeremy, and Jeremy knows about him.”
A shocked silence was on the other end before her sister exploded. “What? You told them? Why would you do that?”
“Because I felt that was the fair thing to do,” she said. “I know you don’t understand, but I won’t live in fear that either one of them will find out later from someone other than me and then be mad at me.”
“Well, of course, they both could be mad at you,” she said. “That’s how the world runs.”
“It doesn’t have to,” she said. “Besides, they both know, and they’re both coming over for barbecue tomorrow.”
“Where’s Jeremy now?”
Rolling her eyes, she quickly rephrased her answer. “Jeremy’s staying over at Frank’s house for the night.”
“Ah,” she said, “well, I guess that makes sense. I sure hope you know what you’re doing,” she said in a warning tone.
“I don’t know what I’m doing from one day to the next,” she said, “but I’m trying to do the best I can. A boy’s life and his whole future is ahead of him, and I don’t really want to keep him separated from his father if there’s no reason to. Plus, there’s a very decent man who didn’t know he even had a child.”
“He was hardly a decent man,” her sister said in exasperation.
“Maybe he’s also different now,” she said.
“Uh-oh.” Her sister went quiet for a long moment, and then she said, in a resigned voice, “There’s absolutely nothing I can do or say that’ll stop this from happening, is there?”
“No,” she said, “there really isn’t.”
“In that case, I’ll get off the phone and try to ignore what’s going on this weekend,” she said. “Just remember who was there for you a long time ago.”
“I won’t forget,” she said with a sudden insight into maybe why her sister was so against Laurie Ann having Kurt back in her life. “You’re the only one who was there for me,” she said. “Believe me. I will always remember that. And I’m so damn grateful. I wouldn’t be where I am without you, Sally.”
“Fine!” her sister said. “I know. I know.” She hesitated. “And I don’t mean to keep bringing it up. I’m just worried.”
“And I love you for that too,” Laurie Ann said, “because I know that the fear and the worry on your part is all about what might happen, and you’re worried about me. But I’m not a child anymore. I’m not a young adult. I am somebody who has a much better understanding of life.”
“Maybe,” she said, “but don’t forget it’s still pretty easy to get taken in when we really want to believe in something.”
“I know,” she said quietly. “But, if you gave Kurt a chance, I think you’d really like him.”
“I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t forgive the past as easily as you.”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” she said, “except that he has to forgive me.”
“What are you talking about? He’s the one who left you pregnant.”
“I knew before he left,” she said. “I didn’t tell him. He has a lot to forgive too.” And, with that, she hung up on her sister.
Laurie Ann sat here for a long moment, wondering if her sister would call her back. When she didn’t, Laurie Ann slowly blew out her pent-up breath and stood and walked into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. A lot of forgiveness was required on all sides. But it had to start somewhere, and she was willing to take that first step and to acknowledge all the things that she’d done wrong. She had come a long way herself, and, damn, so had Kurt. She still admired and liked him. He was somebody she could also respect and could see he had done a ton of work on himself.
It was hard not to feel that pull, particularly when she already knew how great things had been between them. He was a hell of a man. But that also didn’t mean he would stay this time around, and she didn’t want to end up pregnant again when he left. That wasn’t in the cards. As much as she would love to have more children, she wouldn’t do it alone a second time.
And neither could she call on her sister for help anymore. That was pushing things. Some people understood and were there when trouble came, but not everybody was willing to see that repeated all over again. She’d often wondered about going to a sperm bank for a second child, but she’d held back because it just hadn’t been the right time, particularly when she was going through school. Now that she was better established, it might be possible to stay home with a child although the student loans were still an issue.
She could certainly forgo one of the clinics, at least temporarily. But she didn’t want to go through motherhood all alone again. It had been lonely back then. It had been scary, and she really hated not having somebody to hold her, to talk to. Besides, going through that with a true partner who was just as invested in the child’s health and wellness and care as she was would be something very special. She’d lost out on all that with her first pregnancy.
Her sister had been there as much as she could—physically, monetarily—but, not having had children herself and not having any interest in having children, Sally had found it very difficult emotionally to understand why Laurie Ann wanted to go through with her pregnancy. Yet Sally had accepted a pregnant unwed Laurie Ann into her home and had helped raise Jeremy. That’s what counted. And Laurie Ann had to remember that.
You don’t turn your back on people because they don’t like your decisions. You must remember what people have done for you in the past as well. It didn’t mean that Laurie Ann had to kowtow to her sister’s opinion, but Laurie Ann did have to remember to have some generosity toward that mind-set because now she understood where it was coming from.
Sally was scared of losing Laurie Ann’s and Jeremy’s love to another: Kurt.
For the longest time, the only people in Sally’s life had been Laurie Ann and Jeremy. And Sally was probably scared that their newfound relationships with Kurt—as Laurie Ann’s boyfriend, as Jeremy’s father—would now change the family dynamics. And no way it couldn’t. But that didn’t mean it had to necessarily change in a negative way.
It was also quite possible that, if Sally opened her heart, Kurt would be more than welcome to let her remain as a strong and active member of the family. At that, Laurie Ann brought herself up cold. “Good Lord, what the hell am I doing? I’m already laying the groundwork for Kurt being a permanent part of my life.”
And then she realized that Kurt might become a permanent part of Jeremy’s life, as his father, but that didn’t automatically mean Kurt would become a permanent part of her life. Confused, disoriented, and all of a sudden a little more worried than she expected to be, she took her tea and sat on the deck. Because now memories of divorced friends surfaced. Oh my, it’s been such a nightmare. I hate when the kids are at their dad’s for the weekend and came home, completely wild on sugar and hating me from all the things that he’d said about me.
She didn’t even want to think about things like that, but, now that she had gone down that pathway, she kept remembering more horrible things her divorced friends had talked about. T
hings that Laurie Ann hadn’t had to deal with at all and now didn’t want to either. She couldn’t imagine Kurt trying in any way, shape, or form to push Jeremy away from her, but she did acknowledge that the two would want to spend time together—without her. And that was disconcerting to say the least. She’d always been heavily involved in Jeremy’s life. She didn’t know how she felt about being the one left out now. She knew it was probably necessary for the guys to build a relationship, but having to let go after all this time? … Ouch.
She sat here, mulling it all over, when she heard an odd sound in the bushes to the left. She looked around the side of the house. The covered deck came out almost like an outdoor alcove. As she looked around the side, the bushes moved again. She figured it was a raccoon or possum. She had a few animal visitors like that, so sat and waited, hoping to see it.
When she heard or saw nothing further, she settled into the past again, back in her chair, wondering at how suddenly she had an evening free, two afternoons free, and how quickly her life had been flipped. When the noise came again, she smiled and peered around the corner, wondering what critter was visiting her.
And her shocked gaze landed on a man, standing half hidden in the bushes. He studied the side of her house, but, at the sound of her movements, he turned and melted backward into the shadows. She hadn’t seen enough of his face to recognize who it was. She snatched up her phone, stepped back into the house, locked the glass door, then the front door, and immediately called Kurt. When he answered, she said, “Somebody is in my backyard.”
“Who?” he asked immediately.
“I don’t know,” she said, “just a man.”
“Did you see what he was doing?”
She closed her eyes, tried to focus. “He was looking up at the side of the house. I was out on the back deck,” she said.
“What’s up there?”
She sucked in her breath. “My bedroom,” she said.
“Is there anything on the outside wall there?”
“A trellis,” she said, her voice rising in horror. “A latticework trellis is there.”
“I’ll be there in a few minutes,” he said.
