by Imogene Nix
“Are you sure you want to stay here?” His tone questioned her judgment, and she looked at the ugly, dirty façade, questioning the sanity of remaining here.
It’s the best you can afford, she thought, but her very soul recoiled at that reality. “I... Uh, I have a booking for this hotel.” The stink that rose turned her already fragile stomach. She’d have to make the best of it, because anything else was beyond her ability to pay. She still had long-standing bills from her psychology degree that hung over her head. Jenny gifted Steve with her practiced smile, hand on the door as she prepared to open it. “It can’t be that bad...can it?”
He grunted in reply and opened his car door as she did the same on her side. Lola climbed out after her and watched Jenny with passive brown eyes.
“We can leave your stuff here until you check in.” His gruff voice told her he didn’t expect her to stay, but she shrugged her heavy carry-on bag over her shoulder. The beep of the central locking left her frowning, and they wandered to the dirty doors of the hotel.
The smell of stale urine and something else entered her nostrils as soon as she opened the door. It reinforced her misgivings, but it was the drunk in the corner of the lobby that stopped her in her tracks.
“You’re not staying here.” Steve’s voice broke her horrified trance, and he pulled her back out the door. “You can come home with me.”
“I don’t...”
“Look. I owe you. For Cara. Please?”
Misgivings rose, but in that split second, her mind was made up. If she stayed at his place, she would feel a lot more secure while finishing what she came to achieve. She wouldn’t need to split her focus between worrying about her belongings and dealing with Cara’s requirements. She bit her lip, a tiny seed of concern rising, but she thrust it aside. For Cara. “Okay. I’ll stay with you.”
He gave a short, sharp nod and propelled her back to the car. Once more settled within, she looked out the window as they drove away.
Chapter 2
Steve had noticed the woman when she entered the baggage claim area. Her long, black hair had moved slowly in time with the sensuous movements of her body as she walked toward the carousel. He had been struck by her innate grace and generous curves. Cara. I have to remember Cara. That didn’t stop his body reacting though, unconsciously longing for something forbidden.
Anger rose like a black cloud, filling him. Things hadn’t been perfect between him and Cara, but he’d loved her. The desperation in his thoughts increased the sensation of guilt that tugged at him.
After the last of the baggage had been claimed he’d asked the person at the information desk to make the announcement, his surprise palpable as the black-haired woman had pushed her cart over to where he and Lola had waited. The woman’s green eyes were filled with sadness.
Steve couldn’t help the conflicting emotions that filled him. He was grateful she’d stayed with Cara on her final journey home, but he wished this Jenny Douglas far away.
His fingers tightened around the leather cover of the steering wheel. He had stunned himself when he offered to take her to the hotel. His memories of it, the prostitutes who frequented it, and of course, the drug dealers who loitered on the corners, selling their wares, had turned him icy cold. He told himself it was only because she’d been so loyal to Cara that he cared. His conscience remained quiet on that front.
“You said you found my contact information...” Steve spoke quietly, hoping she’d fill in the blanks.
“On Cara’s computer. She was nothing if not predictable. Always kept the same password, so it was easy to access her files and find your details.”
“Yes. So you said.”
That Cara was gone still seemed inconceivable. Jenny had rung him, after finding his contact details, and broken the news. He didn’t want to relive that experience, the cold that had washed over him, the dread. The relief... Steve shied away from considering what that meant. He’d loved Cara.
He eased the car around the corner, thinking over Jenny’s assertions that she’d stay here at the King’s Arms hotel. He’d heard the determination in her voice and shrugged, knowing that if she was in any form of right mind, when she entered the shabby foyer, she’d change her mind.
In the end, all it had taken was a single drunk in the corner and the smell of stale urine to bring her to a standstill. Funny, he would have thought the visage that presented at the front door would have done the trick. He grabbed her hand, made his offer, then towed her back to the car, watching as Lola climbed in.
Jenny turned, her face drawn and white. Her green eyes luminous orbs of misery. “You were right, I couldn’t stay there. Thanks for saving me.”
He laughed, not much more than a short bark, but it was more than he’d managed since receiving the news about Cara. Heading for the driver’s side door, he slipped into the seat. Jenny had already pulled on her seatbelt, and he did the same.
He noted the flicker of her gaze, one that encompassed the seedy neighborhood. They needed to get back on the road as soon as possible. The car purred as he fired the ignition and indicated before pulling into the flow of traffic. Just in time, he thought as two dark figures emerged from the shadows where the car had been parked.
The tires hummed as they drove, and he chanced a look at Jenny, her eyes averted in the direction of the window. Once more in an established neighborhood, flickers of scrubby trees and old wooden fences filled the glass, and he sighed. He’d been short with her before. Steve hurriedly looked back to the road, catching sight of Lola’s gaze in the mirror. He smiled at the little girl, and she gave him a half-smile that had almost become her signature.
If only she’d talk.
He’d met Cara through Lola. Cara had found the girl foraging through the garbage outside her unit and taken her in, fed her, and even bought her some clothes to replace the rags she’d been wearing. Lola hadn’t spoken a word since that day.
Cara had contacted the police, seeking assistance to identify the child and where she’d come from. Those questions had never been answered, and Steve still didn’t know where or who her parents were.
He and his partner, Dave, had answered the call that fateful day. All it took was one look from Cara and he was lost. It wasn’t her big breasts or doe brown eyes that hooked him, nor was it her long, blonde hair. It was her smile, her laugh, and how she’d been so alive. The effervescent nature that bubbled with laughter and her flirtatious wit had drugged him. Cara... Now she was gone, her light snuffed out, and he couldn’t comprehend how the world could continue without her in it.
Jenny turned toward him, and he cleared his throat, willing away the sudden sheen of moisture that filled his vision.
“Uh, Steve?”
“It’s nothing.” It wasn’t, but right now he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Instead, he pondered how this could have happened. He knew that the police in Victoria thought it was a mugging gone wrong. “Detective Reid—he seemed insightful.”
“I, uh... I guess so.” Her words were faint and clearly dismissive. “Your daughter is lovely.”
He sputtered with surprise, then sighed. It would be an easy mistake to make, he guessed. “She’s not actually my daughter. Well, she sort of is. It’s a long story.”
With a shrug, Jenny gazed back at the window, setting up an emotional barrier, and his thoughts returned to Lola.
He’d been aware immediately of Cara’s desire to help Lola. He’d been more than happy to do what he could in his spare time. Then someone had sent Cara threatening notes and things had escalated.
“Cara never really struck me as the parental kind. How did she... I mean, how did Cara deal with Lola?”
He blinked. “She was the main carer, but as we got closer, we kind of split the duties.” The sound of surprise she made had him whipping his gaze in her direction. “You seem surprised by that.”
“A little. She was never very interested in kids, you know?”
“When she found Lola, she
didn’t even know her name. Lola was the next name on the worker’s assigned name list. Anyway, Cara fought to keep her. Child Services was overstretched, so they agreed to let her stay with Cara in the short term.”
“Uh, I’m confused. Cara found her?”
“Something like that, but I’d rather discuss this later.” He glanced in the rearview mirror, his gaze connecting with Lola’s. She’d had enough to deal with in her short life; she didn’t need to listen to people talking about her.
She really didn’t know Cara very well if she thought that Cara didn’t care for the child, but there’d been a nagging doubt from the beginning. Something that seemed off, even when he’d met Cara. But her concern for Lola was something he’d never questioned.
His personal cell pealed and he reached over, reading the screen. It was a number he knew all too well—Cara. “Steve Davies speaking.”
“Oh God! Someone’s sent me a note, and they’re probably still outside.
It’s... I can’t...”
The sound of her breathy voice fired his protective instincts, and his hackles rose instantly.
“Are you at home? He shuffled the items around on his desk, looking for his keys and wallet.
“She’s here with me. Can we... Do you mind if we head to the station?” The wariness in her voice ripped at his guts. “You stay where you are.
I’ll be right over. Make sure the doors are locked and stay away from the windows. I’ll ring your cell when I get to your door. Keep it with you.”
“Thank... Thank you.”
Once he’d arrived at her apartment, he read the note that described the horrendous things they’d do to them if she didn’t hand Lola over. His fury had built, and he’d been unable to let them remain alone. Instead, he’d taken them both to his home. Things had escalated quickly then into a full-blown sexual relationship. One that was firmly against the rules.
Of course, he’d kept working the case; his need to solve the case and keep them safe paramount. Some weeks later his captain had caught him in the corridor.
“Steve, I understand you have guests.” The smile directed at him was heavy with frustration. “You know the rules.”
“But, sir...”
“Either remove yourself from the case, or I’ll do it for you. You cannot be emotionally involved with this woman while investigating her case. It’s a clear conflict of interest.”
Anger rippled through him, his nerve endings jumping.
The captain pierced him with a stern look, but Steve considered everything he knew. Cara and Lola, or the law. He couldn’t continue in charge of the case, and that wasn’t acceptable. He needed to protect them, needed to keep them safe and find whoever was making the threats. There was no contest.
“Then I’ll tender my resignation in writing at the end of the shift.”
His captain looked stunned. “Steve, don’t resign. Take a leave of absence if you must, but don’t act in haste.”
Cara had taken Lola home days later, arguing that she needed her space and she wanted Lola to have stability. He hadn’t wanted to let her go, but by then, he’d walked away from the police service.
Dave, his best friend, had questioned his sanity when he gave up his career for Cara. He’d spoken his mind in the beginning, but now he kept his mouth firmly closed. He’d been a rock since hearing of Cara’s death. For that, Steve remained grateful.
Cara. He’d promised to find whoever was after her. To keep her safe. He grimaced, remembering their last night together, how he’d told her he would lay his own life down for her. She’d laughed and told him he was being melodramatic before kissing him passionately.
That had led to something quite different. His stomach churned as he remembered the intimate encounter, and his eyes burned while his fingers gripped the steering wheel.
I failed you, Cara, but I promise I will protect Lola.
She’d left the following morning, after an argument, on a flight to Melbourne. She’d told him she was going to consult with a friend, a psychologist, about Lola.
A shrink. He’d growled when she opened the conversation over dinner that last night. She’d laughed and told him that this one was different. That she cared. Then she’d changed the topic, ensnaring him once again in the passionate web that she always seemed to weave.
The next morning, he’d been angry again, sure that they could heal Lola together. No matter his misgivings though, he’d taken Lola home, just as he’d promised to do the night before.
Now Cara was gone. The woman he had loved for such a short time was snuffed out like a candle flame.
He shook his head as the moisture gathered in his eyes again. He scrubbed a shaking hand over his stubble.
“Almost there,” he growled as much to himself as to Jenny.
The exit loomed ahead and he indicated, about to pull in when a dark van pulled alongside and swerved. His brain clicked into hyper-awareness. He knew what was coming before the collision occurred.
“Hold on!” He stomped on the brakes. The car fishtailed, and he used every ounce of his strength pulling it to a stop as his gaze flickered between the rearview mirror and the road ahead.
His heart thudded in his chest. Lola! He started to turn but noticed Jenny had flung an arm out between the two front seats, creating a fragile barrier. Lola grunted as the seatbelt caught her and gripped tight, her eyes wide. It only took a split second for him to take everything in, but limpness invaded his body upon seeing the child and woman unhurt.
“No... No one injured?”
Lola shook her head as Jenny murmured a faint, “No.”
“Good. We need to get out of here.”
He glanced ahead, in the direction of the offending vehicle. It had sped away and was out of sight, but that didn’t mean anything. The longer they stayed there, the more the danger grew. They’d stopped on the verge, two wheels on the grass, and he inhaled deeply, thanking lack of traffic for their safety. His stomach churned. It could have been so much worse.
“She warned me. It was in the letter, I just didn’t see it.” Jenny’s voice filled the silence in the car, and he whipped around, brows drawing together as he looked at her white face.
Doom filled him. “What letter?”
“The one I have in my pocket.”
“You never said...”
She had a letter, one that clearly showed there was extreme danger, though why Cara would write a letter to this woman... He wanted to ask more, but didn’t. Now wasn’t the time. Lola was there, and enough had happened today without her hearing something that might hurt her further. Whatever was in that letter couldn’t help anyone right now.
“Let’s head home and you can tell me about it once we get there.” He couldn’t help the terseness of his words.
Even as he considered the situation, another thought bloomed. Jenny seemed somehow broken. As if she were missing an essential part of herself. He couldn’t balance his angry thoughts against the protective emotions that rose when he looked at her. It didn’t seem right to attack her because Cara had decided she needed to write to her instead of him—but that knowledge burned his guts.
On the other hand, she’d brought more danger with her; danger that Lola didn’t need or deserve. He’d get to the bottom of this, and he’d do whatever it took to keep the child safe, even from the woman in the seat beside him.
Chapter 3
Night had fallen during the drive and exhaustion beat like a tattoo at her mind. Jenny didn’t get a look at the house, only noted that it seemed large in the gloom. But then, given that the residence was within a gated community, that also could be assumption.
The garage door opened at the flick of a switch, and Steve drove inside it. Lola let herself out of the car and into the house, turning on light switches as she went. Jenny wearily followed to the doorway then stopped. Steve was reaching for the bags in the boot of the car and dropped the first to the floor with an oomph. Jenny hurried over to help.
“I’ll take
that.” She bent to grab the handle as he dropped the second, their heads connecting painfully. “Ow!” Jenny stepped back quickly, her foot slipping, and she fell to the concrete floor, landing on her backside. “Damn.”
Her bum stung and her head ached. Her eyes burned, and to be honest, she just wanted to be alone long enough to sort through her jumbled thoughts. This isn’t the way a good guest behaves, she reminded herself. She wobbled slightly as she stood.
“I’m sorry. Do you need a hand?”
Jenny glanced at him. “No. I can do this.”
He frowned. “You’re sure you’re okay?” His eyes flickered over her face, and she could feel the confusion and embarrassment flooding hers with heat.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Do I go through here?” She pointed to the doorway Lola had retreated through, and he nodded. Retrieving the handle, she pulled the bag behind her and listened to the wheels whirr along the floor.
His hand rested on her shoulder and she stilled, feeling a zing of connection. “Bring the bag down here to the guest room.”
She looked around and caught sight of his eyes, mesmerizing and deep. Jenny nodded, and he pulled away, leading her to a bedroom.
He opened the door and tsked. “Sorry, I forgot to move the laundry.” He dropped the backpack he carried next to the bed.
Bemusement filled her as she noted the baskets of clean clothes and the ironing board with an iron sitting on it.
The room wasn’t exactly small, and as she stepped over the doorway she could see the built-in robes and another door.
“That’s your en-suite there.” He inclined his head to a closed door while grabbing the first basket of un-ironed washing and hoisting it into one side of the wardrobe, then he piled a second basket on top of it. “It’s for the ironing lady. Uh, I’ve never been good with an iron. If you don’t mind just using one side of the wardrobe, I can move the rest of this out of your way.”
