Her Lawman Protector

by Patricia Johns

  “Liv. Slow down. What’s happened?” Jack said.

  “I received a package at some point after I came down at nine this morning,” she said, trying to compose herself. “It was addressed to Mrs. Kornekewsky, and it contains pictures of me.”

  “Okay.” Jack’s tone turned curt. “Don’t touch it again. I’ll be right there.”

  “Thank you.” She sucked in a breath, and she suddenly felt better. She wasn’t alone in this. And while Aunt Marie might think this was only a joke, Liv was now convinced otherwise. It would take a sick person to joke around like this.

  “And lock the door until I get there,” Jack said. “See you soon.”

  Liv ended the call. All of her earlier bravado had evaporated, and she stared at the box on the counter with a shudder. For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out who’d hate her this much or what it had to do with Evan. Jack seemed to think it might be Evan, but while he might be a cheater, he still had some respect for her as his ex-wife. Maybe Jack could figure this out faster than she could. Her aunt was right—she needed a male presence around here, and a pair of decoy shoes wasn’t going to cut it.

  * * *

  CHIEF SIMPSON EXCHANGED a look with Jack as he hung up his phone. A few officers in the bull pen were typing away on their paperwork; the coffeepot gurgled to one side. Jack tucked his phone into his pocket and rested a hand on his belt.

  “It would appear that the pictures worked, sir,” Jack said. “Kudos to Buchannan for the drop-off.”

  This was the most adventure this precinct had seen in decades, or would again, if Jack could guess. Buchannan had gone in plain clothes and, apparently, it had all gone off without a hitch. Now it was up to Jack.

  The chief crossed his arms over his ample belly. “Your assignment is clear. You’re to tell her it’s imperative that you shadow her for her own safety. If she needs further confirmation, bring her by the station and I’ll sit her down. But if all goes according to plan, you should be able to begin your investigation.”

  “Understood, sir. I’ll be in touch.”

  “We’re staying in close contact with the team that is watching Kornekewsky, so if he tries to reach her, we’ll inform you ASAP.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “And, Talbott?” The chief’s voice grew firm.

  “Sir?”

  “Stay close to her, but you don’t have permission to cross any lines.”

  “Lines, such as...” Jack was pretty sure he knew what the chief meant, but some things were safer to spell out in case they had different ideas of where that line started.

  “No romantic entanglement. It’s easy to bend the rules when you’re undercover, and I don’t want that happening here. I want this clean. Don’t give their defense lawyers any gifts, you hear me?”

  Jack was more professional than that, and this wasn’t his first undercover operation as a detective, even though it was his first for internal investigations. This was his chance to nab a spot tracking down the dirty cops—something he’d wanted since he was a kid in the projects, watching cops plant evidence.

  This felt eerily similar—using planted scare tactics to nab a suspect. Back in the projects, he’d seen the cops who were supposed to protect a community tear it apart—his own cousin had done jail time for a possession conviction based on planted evidence. But that had been different. Berto had been an innocent kid, and the cops who were planting evidence were being paid off by the big drug dealers to divert suspicion away from them. They had to “catch” someone now and again so it looked like they were doing their job. Berto had never been the same again when he got out of prison. When he’d finally pulled himself together, he’d joined a gang, solidifying his life in crime. And Jack had vowed to make it right—get the cretins who’d done this to his cousin.

  So while he might find the suspect attractive, he wasn’t foolish enough to get emotionally involved with her. This was a search for evidence and a chance to even the scales a little bit. He was firmly on the side of the boys in blue.

  “Loud and clear, sir. Strictly professional.”

  “Good luck.”

  As Jack headed out of the precinct, he felt a combination of relief and adrenaline. This was a job, and adrenaline always kicked in when he was getting to work, but he was also relieved to be finally heading in there. This wasn’t personal, but the sooner they started, the sooner they could suss out the extent of this scam and lay charges. There were a lot of vulnerable people whose investments and livelihoods might rely on it.

  It didn’t take Jack long to arrive at Hylton Books, and he hopped out of his cruiser and headed around to the front door. Liv must have been watching for him, because she met him at the door and opened it before he had a chance to knock.

  “Hi,” she said, backing up to let him in. “It’s on the counter.”

  She nodded in the direction of the small box, but she didn’t go closer.

  “I talked to the chief before I came,” Jack said, heading for the box and taking the required look. He knew what he’d find—the chief had shown it to him that morning.

  “What did the chief say?” she asked, her voice low.

  “He said that you need protection round the clock until we sort this out. I’ve been assigned to you.” He put the box back down on the counter, keeping it within her line of sight. She was silent for a moment.

  “Jack, why was it addressed to Mrs. Kornekewsky?” she asked. “Whatever this is, it has to do with Evan. I just don’t see how.”

  “Maybe Evan was up to something,” Jack said.

  “He’s a fellow cop, Jack! That’s where you go first thing?” She shook her head. “Evan is a cheating louse, but he’s still one of the good guys. As much as I hate to admit that.”

  Yeah. Jack wasn’t so convinced. And “good guy” was a strong description for the husband who’d dumped her.

  “It’s pretty clear that this has to do with Evan. You might not like that, but it’s true. And you used to be married to him, so—”

  He wanted to solidify that fact in her mind right now—this had everything to do with her ex-husband. Maybe she’d be more forthcoming with information if they didn’t waste time dancing around that one.

  “So someone is mad at Evan—” She shook her head. “Everyone in town knows about my divorce. It’s the juiciest news Eagle’s Rest has had for the last year. Why target me?”

  “Is there anything you can think of that might connect him to this town?” he asked.

  “Besides this building? I told you we bought it together. His name was on the deed until he signed it over to me.”

  Now wasn’t the time to cross-examine her. He needed her trust, and right now she was spooked, but she wouldn’t be dumb enough to incriminate herself.

  “Liv, we have time,” he said with a shake of his head. He pulled an evidence bag from his pocket and dropped the box into it. “I’ll stick with you for the next couple of weeks, so that we don’t have to worry about your safety, and we’ll figure this out.”

  “What do you mean, stick with me?”

  “What does it sound like?” He shot her a mildly annoyed look. “You want to face off with a stalker alone?”

  “No!” She pulled her auburn hair out of her face. “But I told my aunt about the letters, and she’s convinced it must be a joke. I have to admit, I was, too, but she invited me to a family thing tonight. If I show up with a police escort—”

  “That might be for the best,” he interjected.

  “What?” She frowned. “The gossip? The drama?”

  “That they assume it’s just a practical joke,” he replied. “We need to catch whoever is fixated on you, not just chase them off for a few weeks. You won’t be able to breathe easy until this is resolved for good.”

  “That’s true,” she agreed. “And my family all panicking about it won’t he
lp matters.”

  “Bingo.” He smiled ruefully. “So what if we let them minimize this for a while? Let them brush it off, and we can focus on figuring it all out.”

  “And how exactly do I explain a bodyguard?” she retorted. “No offense, but even in plain clothes, you don’t blend in.”

  He raised one eyebrow. This was why the chief had warned him earlier—his ability to stay close enough to gather evidence relied on a balancing act of his own. “So don’t explain me.”

  “They’ll assume that you’re my boyfriend if you come tagging along to family events and whatnot. Unless you’re only planning on being here at the store...or will you keep at a distance? What’s the plan here?”

  Liv met his gaze easily, her expression full of questions. She wasn’t about to be passive in any of this, not that he’d expected her to. She was smart, and she wanted to know what she was dealing with, too.

  “How about this,” Jack said. “Let them assume I’m a boyfriend. I’ll be a perfect gentleman, so no need to worry about anything. That way, I can stay close enough to make sure you stay safe and to keep an eye on the people closest to you.”

  “You think my family is involved?” she asked incredulously.

  “Frankly, Liv, I don’t know what to think. But I’m not taking any chances.”

  Liv sighed. “So you’ll be with me 24/7? You do realize that I other have family events. My cousin Rick is getting married later this month, for example. Are you seriously wanting to tag along for all of that?”

  “If I were some nut looking to hurt you, I’d wait until you were alone,” he replied quietly. “My goal is make sure that person never gets the chance.”

  She looked away from him, and her cheeks pinkened. “And at night?”

  “You have a couch, don’t you?” he asked.

  “I do.”

  “I know this isn’t comfortable,” he said. He didn’t offer any follow-up on that statement, because he didn’t really want to give her a way out. His investigation would be most effective if he had a view into her personal life.

  “No, it isn’t,” she admitted. “But neither is being stalked, or whatever this is. So I suppose we’d better make the best of it.”

  That’s what he’d wanted to hear, and he shot her a smile. “I’ll be as unobtrusive as possible. Your safety is my priority.” And that wasn’t a lie. If she was linked to the kind of people they thought, her safety was definitely a cause for concern. The police department needed her either on the stand as a witness or standing trial—and they needed her in one piece.

  “There’s that barbecue tonight,” she said. “At my aunt’s place.”

  He eyed her, waiting. There was a beat of silence between them.

  “If you’re coming along, do we make up our story now?” she went on. “Because they’ll be asking a lot of questions.”

  Jack was actually going to enjoy this part. The chief had warned him against getting emotionally involved with her, but undercover operations involved some acting the part. This was only for appearances, and other than that, he’d keep his professional distance. “All right. So when did we meet?”

  “In Denver,” she said. “Let’s keep this as close to the truth as possible. Less to remember.”

  Yeah. She knew how to lie effectively, it seemed. “Okay, I worked with Evan and got to know you that way. When did I ask you out?”

  “Who says I didn’t ask you out?” she countered.

  “Because I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t waste a lot of time,” he replied with a teasing smile. “But it’s up to you.”

  Liv rolled her eyes, but a smile tickled the corners of her lips. “Fine. You asked me out. When?”

  Jack thought for a moment. Keeping things as close to the truth as possible was the best course... “As soon as your separation was finalized,” Jack said. “Because I’m a decent guy.”

  Heck, he’d been planning on asking her out then, anyway. It was only this investigation into her ex-husband that had put a crimp in his plan.

  “Then we’ve been dating for a year?” she asked.

  “Let’s call it eleven months,” he said. “It sounds more credible if it’s not quite a round number. And if they ask why you didn’t tell them about me, just say that you weren’t sure about me yet, and you’re still skittish postdivorce.”

  “Which I am, so that’s believable. I suppose we could play the rest by ear.” She paused for a moment. “One more thing. You didn’t attend Evan’s second wedding.”

  “Was I invited?” he asked.

  “Yes, but you turned it down because you believed in monogamy and Evan’s cheating offended you on a very deep level.” Her tone was tight—this mattered to her.

  “Okay...” He paused. “Liv, I didn’t condone his cheating.”

  “Got it.” She shot him a bland look. “But if you’re going to be my fake boyfriend, I get to rewrite what I don’t like.”

  “Fair enough. Anything else you’d like to rewrite?” He spread his hands. “It’s now or never.”

  “I’ll keep you posted.”

  Jack shot her a grin. “Do I get to rewrite anything?”

  “Like what?” She looked like she might be dreading his answer, and he wondered what she was expecting him to say.

  “If I’m going to be your fake boyfriend, I want you to pretend that you’re crazy about me,” he said. “I rock your world. I curl your toes. I’m the best thing to ever happen to you.”

  Liv’s face cracked into a smile, and for a moment he was stunned by the transformation. He’d always known she was beautiful, but he’d never been smiled at quite like that. He swallowed.

  “Fine,” she agreed. “But at the end of this, you’d better tell my family how heroic I was and all that, because otherwise I’m not going to live this down.”

  “Deal.” Heroic. Or she’d be proven guilty, and he’d have no explaining to do at all.

  CHAPTER THREE

  LIV HADN’T BEEN expecting a houseguest when she woke up that morning, so as she led the way up the back staircase toward her apartment, she tried to remember exactly how clean she’d left the place. Did she have bras hanging over the shower rod? Had she left the window cracked open like she normally did to air out the breakfast smells, or had she forgotten? Always nice to introduce your living space smelling like old fried eggs. She was aware that she may have settled back into single life a little too well... Funny how fast that happened. When Evan had first left her, the emptiness had been agonizing.

  “One of the officers will swing by my place and pick up a bag of clothes for me,” Jack said from behind.

  “Where are you staying?” Liv asked as she reached the top of the stairs and fished in her pocket for the key.

  “At a hotel, actually. I’m not settled yet.”

  Not settled was an understatement, but then men were different. They didn’t seem to mind roughing it as much as she did. Liv liked to have a home—comfort, solitude, her personal items surrounding her to make her feel safe. Except safe right now was relative, wasn’t it?

  Liv unlocked her door and glanced around before opening it all the way. Everything seemed in order—or mostly so. There were a few dishes on the counter, but that was probably forgivable.

  “Come in,” she said stepping aside to make room for the burly cop. He gave her a nod of thanks, then stepped into the apartment and looked around. She got the feeling that his eyes were picking up more detail than anyone else’s would. She knew how cops worked, how they thought.

  She’d have a cop staying under her roof for the next little while, and that was a bit uncomfortable. Not only was he very, very male—she glanced over Jack, who was checking window locks—he was muscular and intimidating. But under that shell, she could see hints of a regular guy—the stubble on his chin, the scrape across the knuckles of one hand. Every cop
had personal armor they put on when they were at work, but they were human, too. It was the “guy” part of him that made this the most awkward. She’d only just gotten comfortable living alone again, and she didn’t need reminders of what she was missing out on.

  “I hope you don’t mind the couch,” Liv said. “It doesn’t pull out or anything.”

  “I’m not exactly a houseguest,” Jack replied. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be sleeping with one eye open, anyway.”

  “The water in the bathroom is a bit finicky,” she added. “It’s either piping hot or freezing. But there is a sweet spot, if you find it.”

  “I’ll survive.” He shot her a rueful smile.

  “Also, there’s a draft that I can’t seem to find the source of. We might need to move the couch about a foot if you don’t want to freeze at night.”

  When Evan had shown her the place before they’d signed all the papers, they’d felt that draft and Evan had jokingly suggested a ghost. She hated being spooked, and back then, Evan had loved getting her into his arms... She pushed back the melancholy memory.

  “You okay?” he asked. Liv looked up to find Jack’s dark gaze fixed on her.

  “Fine.” She pushed the sadness back. Missing Evan took her by surprise sometimes, even though she knew that he wasn’t worth her heartache.

  “So when you bought this place, you bought it jointly?” Jack asked.

  “Of course.” She gave him a speculative look. What exactly did he think of her marriage? Evan had loved her once upon a time. “Jack, have you ever been married?”

  “Not yet. Lived with a woman once, but we never got to a wedding. Why?”

  “Because married people tend to buy things jointly,” she replied with a shake of her head. “We were married. We had a life together. I wasn’t tucked away in the background somewhere.”

  “Got it,” he replied.

  “Although being married to a cop is a whole new kettle of fish,” she admitted. “They have too many secrets. I’ll never marry another one.”

  “And all cops are the same?” He pulled away from the window and glanced back at her.