Protecting Holly

by Lynn Bulock

  “It will be okay. Once I tell her where we’re going she’ll be all right with it.”

  He smiled a little. “Does that mean you’re going to tell me our destination?”

  Holly shook her head. “Nope. You told me to keep it as much a secret as possible. I figured that meant from you as well.”

  His grin was wider now. Jake leaned forward and chucked one index finger under her chin. The mildest of his touches made her shiver. His voice was husky as he spoke. “You’re tougher than I thought you were, Holly. Maybe you should think about going for a position in the bureau higher up than just support staff.”

  Holly’s mother came into the room with a teapot and cups on a tray just in time to hear that remark. Jake moved his hand before Marilyn saw the gesture. “Don’t you dare encourage her in anything like that, Jake. It’s bad enough she works down there with all those guns and felons. I’d worry constantly if she were an FBI agent.”

  Holly moved a small table in front of the settee so her mother could put down the tray. “You don’t have to worry, Mom. Jake couldn’t convince me to do what he does. And you shouldn’t be concerned about me. I’m probably safer at work most days than you are, in the lobby of the newspaper building.”

  Marilyn lifted the teapot and poured Jake a cup. “You might be right there. Those older gentlemen who come in to complain about where the carrier left their papers do get fairly irate. And they never seem to appreciate it if I point out that the carrier doesn’t lie the newspaper on the porch anyway, he lays it there, or places it there.” Her expression was pensive. Holly didn’t dare look over at Jake for fear of them both exploding into laughter. It would be good for Jake, but it would miff her mother, and that was the last thing they needed right now.

  An hour later Jake had driven her Jeep to his loft and Holly was in the kitchen helping her mother clean up the tea things. “Are you sure that this will be all right?” Marilyn asked with more concern than Holly was used to seeing her mother exhibit. “I haven’t had to worry about you in a while.”

  “Since I came back to Colorado, you mean,” Holly said softly, drying the antique teapot with infinite care.

  “No, it was a while after you came back that I stopped worrying. Once you talked to that counselor at the Galilee shelter, and kept going to church regularly. And you started eating regularly again and stopped having the nightmares.”

  Holly winced. “I didn’t know you knew about the nightmares.”

  “It was hard not to hear them. That and the fact that you spent a lot of nights sleeping on the couch with the lights on and the television going. For a while I was afraid that man had won.”

  “He never won, Mom,” Holly told her, taking a thin-shelled porcelain cup from her. “I wouldn’t let him. God wouldn’t let him. Victor Convy might have possessed my body for a very short time, but he never had my soul or my mind or my heart. I gave those to Jesus a long time ago, and nobody as awful as Victor Convy will ever change that.”

  Marilyn kept washing the dishes, occasionally looking out the kitchen window into the midwinter darkness. Holly was glad that her mother’s sharp, dark gaze wasn’t fixed on her, didn’t see her hands tremble while she dried the dishes. Her words were brave and she tried to convince herself that she meant every one of them. This new threat had shaken her resolve a little.

  “You don’t think that what Jake was talking about could be connected with that man, do you?” No matter how many times Holly said the name of the man who had attacked her five years ago, her mother would not speak it out loud.

  “No, I don’t. You know the Ohio authorities have to notify me if there’s even the chance that he ever gets out of jail. This is exactly what Jake said it was…threats aimed at him to keep him from testifying against Alistair Barclay. The drug cartel has plenty of money and way too many connections to the seamier side of life. It would be easy for them to pay somebody off to threaten Jake.”

  “I’m just sorry you’re involved in it. You wouldn’t consider quitting, would you? Or even just going on some sort of leave?” Marilyn’s voice was hopeful.

  “It wouldn’t help. If I left now, the syndicate would have just what they needed. Nobody else could back up Jake well enough on this short notice. The trial is going to go on no matter what. For it to go on with Jake’s best testimony, I have to help him.”

  “If you say so.” Her mother’s voice held a note of doubt. “At least I know where you’ll be. How did you ever get Michael to agree to this?”

  Holly grinned, glad that her mother still gazed out the window and couldn’t see her expression. “Let’s just say I called in a whole bunch of favors. And he’s a good brother.”

  “He certainly is. With this all happening, I think I’ll take him up on his offer to spend Christmas at the ranch. He always says we should, and I always drag him into town instead. Now if we could just convince Kenneth to take leave as well…”

  “You’re pushing for a miracle there, Mom. But that’s okay. You can always try for one.” Holly looked out into the cloudy darkness herself, questioning how many miracles one family could actually expect even in this season of wonders. If nothing else, attempting to get Kenneth home on leave from the air force would keep her mother’s mind occupied and that was nothing short of miraculous in itself.

  She whispered a quiet prayer of thanks as she put the teacups away. They were so delicate and fragile looking, but they’d been in the D’Arcy family for at least a hundred years. Holly knew porcelain got its strength by going through fire. Maybe this was another one of those times when she was being transformed by God, from plain clay to porcelain by the fires of life. She’d just have to hold on and pray that she could withstand the fire like these beautiful, translucent cups.

  In the midst of her thoughts the doorbell rang and Holly put down the last cup gently so that she could race to the door. “All right, I’m here,” her older brother Michael said. “How about we get this show on the road?”

  Holly hugged him, drawing him into the house. “You’re letting all the cold air in. Mom will have a fit. Come in for a couple minutes and say hello anyway. By the time you bring me back tomorrow she’ll be at work.”

  “I guess. You didn’t tell her—”

  “Of course not,” she cut him off. “That was part of the bargain. Now go say hi and bye and I’ll grab a toothbrush and jeans and be down here in five minutes.”

  Michael rolled expressive black eyes. “You’ve never done anything in five minutes in your life. But then again, Mom will take longer than that to say hello. Scoot so we can get out of here in less than half an hour.”

  Michael headed back toward the kitchen and Holly scooted upstairs to get herself ready to go. In minutes she’d changed into jeans, boots, a turtleneck and sweater and had tossed what little else she needed into a small overnight bag. By the time she joined her mother and brother in the kitchen, Michael was being tempted with her mother’s lacy praline wafer Christmas cookies.

  She lifted one off the plate for herself and kissed her mother goodbye. “And you said I was going to hold you up.”

  Michael smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, well, you know I can’t resist these.” He looked at their mother. “I’ll bring her back in the morning. Want me to stop by the newspaper office and say hello?”

  “No, you have plenty to do out there. I hope your sister appreciates what you’re doing for her by driving out here tonight and back, and then doing this again tomorrow. Not to mention loaning her the cabin for a week or more.”

  “Oh, I appreciate it, Mom. Michael really knows how much I appreciate it,” Holly said, popping the cookie in her mouth with a flourish. Behind her mother’s back she looked at her brother cross-eyed and he returned the favor with a grimace.

  When they were settled in his truck a few minutes later and headed out to Highway 24 on the trip to Cripple Creek, Michael finally breathed a sigh that sounded like relief. “Okay, hand them over,” he demanded.

  “They’re in th
e overnight bag. I can’t get to it without taking off my seat belt and I’m not about to do that with you driving. But rest assured, dear brother, that when we get to the ranch I’ll give you your precious envelope.”

  Michael shook his head. “I still can’t believe you kept those things all this time.”

  “Hey, a girl with two rowdy brothers needs insurance.” Holly watched the miles go by on the dark roads, smiling to herself. Even after fourteen years Michael hadn’t guessed that she would never really have turned over the copies of his teenaged speeding tickets she’d gotten by beating him to the mailbox before their parents got home. Maybe a couple weeks from now when Christmas had come and gone she’d give him a special present by telling him just that. But for now it was fun for him to think he wasn’t just being a protective, gruff older brother by hiding her out on his ranch. Tonight it could feel like a trade. Stars broke through the clouds as the truck headed west on the silvery highway and Holly listened to the wheels spin, feeling safe under her big brother’s protective gaze.

  Chapter Five

  “This feels like an FBI setup,” Holly grumbled as she walked through the parking garage, trying to call as little attention to herself as possible while pulling a suitcase on wheels and toting a backpack full of toiletries.

  “Good. It’s supposed to,” Rose D’Arcy answered. “It’s been carefully planned to keep you two safe. And I don’t see anybody who looks like they’re watching us, so we’re good to go.” She led Holly to a sleek black car and opened the trunk. “Put your suitcases in and let’s head to the courthouse.”

  All in all, Holly thought this was probably too much effort to expend on their stalker, but everyone else felt differently, so she’d gone along with their elaborate plan. Her cousin Sam Vance, a detective with the Colorado Springs Police Department, had arrived half an hour before and whisked Jake and his computer equipment away in an unmarked police car. If all had gone well, Jake was waiting for them at the courthouse in the parking garage there, where her Jeep had been parked today to keep it away from the stalker.

  She had to admit that it was good not to worry about who might be following them. “So, do you think we’re in the clear, Rose?”

  “So far.” Listening to her cousin, Holly had to roll her eyes. Rose talked like a lawyer, all right, never one to give out any more information than she had to. Of course if that was true, her cousin had been in training for her law degree from childhood. She’d always been the tight-lipped older cousin.

  “Don’t you think Jake’s overreacting about all this? I mean, surely this guy will give up now.”

  “I wouldn’t bet on it. Remember, the Diablo crime syndicate has already killed more than one person to damage this case. And there have been attempts on the lives of several of the principal investigators or their friends and families. You can’t be too careful.”

  Now Holly gave a shiver in her seat. She hadn’t thought about things quite this way before. Maybe she should be more grateful to Jake for suggesting that they hide out for a while, instead of feeling put upon for having to set this all up.

  “Thanks, Rose. I feel about two inches high now for being resentful of all this,” Holly said quietly.

  “No, you’re just used to taking care of yourself. This is one of those times when you need a little help. I’m glad to be part of it.” Rose gave her a quick look before pulling into the courthouse parking garage. “Looks like we got here without any followers. Now let’s go find the guys so that you two can be on your way.”

  In moments Holly was standing by her own Jeep, which had already been loaded with Jake’s suitcases and computer hardware. Naturally, there was more hardware than luggage. Jake looked different, having dressed down more than he normally did for the office once Holly told him they’d be roughing it a little on their trip. He looked good in jeans and a nubby cable sweater. She’d chosen a flannel shirt and jeans with an old barn coat herself, but then she had the advantage of knowing where they were going.

  Jake insisted on stowing her suitcases while Holly said goodbye to Rose. “You’ve got our cell numbers, right?”

  “And you have mine, I trust. Everything’s set up with the country sheriff in…uh…where you’re going,” Rose looked over at Jake and corrected herself when Holly made a face. “I’d forgotten Jake was in the dark about the location,” she said in a near whisper.

  “Not that he hasn’t tried everything to weasel the information out of me. I’m not sure whether he’s testing me to see if I can be trusted with secrets, or if he’s that anxious.”

  “Probably a little of both. I’ll look in on Aunt Marilyn for you a couple times, okay?” Rose reached over for a quick hug. “Now go while you still have daylight for the trip.”

  Holly didn’t need much more urging than that to be on the road. She was still feeling skittish about this whole trip, hoping that nobody was following them.

  “Do you want me to drive?” Jake asked, grinning.

  “Not a chance. For that I’d have to tell you where we’re going. You’ll know when we get there.”

  “And not a moment sooner,” Jake said with a sigh. “I’ve said it before, but I still mean it, Holly. You are one tough customer.”

  Holly was getting the feeling that this was a new quality in women for Jake. Surely the last word that would have described most of his society dates was tough. No, they were mostly rich, spoiled, pampered and delicate. Some of them must have some purpose and drive, but she certainly hadn’t picked up on either of those qualities from her brief meetings, or from pictures of the women in the society pages.

  Jake scanned the rearview mirrors while he and Holly made their way out of town. Holly found herself glancing at him almost as often as she looked at the dials on the dashboard. “So, did we give them the slip?” she asked, trying to sound like one of those old detective movies.

  “I think so, sweetheart,” he answered, giving her back a fairly decent Humphrey Bogart imitation. “Looks like it’s just you and me, kid.” The hand he put on her shoulder for a moment as he said it made her shiver in the nicest way possible.

  Jake could feel himself relaxing a little as they got farther outside the Colorado Springs city limits. No one appeared to be following them, and they were headed in the direction he had hoped they would be. He knew Holly’s brother owned a ranch out near the town of Cripple Creek, and it would make a great place to stay away from their stalker for the time it took to finish building the case against Barclay.

  Of course he wondered if the resources he needed would be available in the middle of a cattle ranch, but given that Holly set this up, he wasn’t really worried. She was so incredibly efficient that he didn’t know what he’d do without her. He glanced over at her, driving the Jeep down the highway in the growing dusk. He couldn’t think of too many other women with whom he would have been comfortable riding. Perhaps that was a comment on his overconfident view of his own driving skills.

  Her efficiency was the first thing that had attracted him to Holly as an assistant, but these days it was not the only thing he found attractive about her, and he was beginning to look at her as much more than just his right-hand woman at work. She was as strong, confident and stubborn as anyone. And to add to that, she was incredibly attractive physically. Why had it taken two years for him to notice that? Jake wondered. When had he started comparing her to women like Zoe whom he normally dated? And the even bigger question, when had Zoe and her companions started coming in a distant second?

  Holly looked even better out of the office than she looked in her everyday business attire, Jake decided. The blue-and-green flannel shirt she wore looked soft and complemented her glossy dark hair. Out here she didn’t bother with restraining the masses of waves nearly as tightly as she did in the office; one clip pulled back her long hair in a soft ponytail instead of the more severe French braid that she usually wore. Jake found himself wondering if she ever relaxed enough to let her hair loose. What would it look like framing her fa
ce? The thought stirred him in ways that he hadn’t thought possible when considering Holly until just a few days ago.

  Watching her drive along the highway, Jake decided he needed a lot more sleep than he was getting. Sleep, a good solid meal and maybe even a vacation. What else besides stress could make him think this way about Holly Vance? It wasn’t as if she would have anything to do with him as anything but her boss anyway. Sure, she was always there and ready to help him with any project, but she made it clear where she drew the line. Besides, there was no way to describe Holly without mentioning her faith. It shone through in every aspect of her life and he’d seen it. That wasn’t for him, Jake was sure. Maybe it was okay for the rest of his family, but not where he was concerned.

  He must have been more caught up in his thoughts of Holly than he realized, because her sudden braking of the Jeep surprised him no end. “Dear,” she exclaimed, making him wonder if she could somehow read his thoughts. Maybe that was why she was so efficient. She really could anticipate what he needed.

  Jake started to say something, then noticed that Holly was pointing at the side of the road. With a shake of his head he cleared out the cobwebs, thanking his lucky stars that he hadn’t spoken. Holly hadn’t called him a pet name. She was pointing out the good-size doe that had almost bounded onto the roadway, causing an accident. “Good thing we missed it,” Jake said, settling back down in his seat. And it’s a good thing I didn’t make a colossal fool of myself, he mentally added.

  “I’ll say. Can you really see near misses like that every day, Jake, and not believe in the protection of the Lord?”

  There was another one of those things that made him sure that Holly would never be the right woman for him, no matter how attractive she was. Not only did she have a depth of faith that he was positive he could never find, but she was so open in talking about it all. The thought of being that sure of something you couldn’t see or touch or feel mystified Jake.