by Jamie Hill
He smiled. Hate to say it, but I guess so.
LOL. See you soon.
Ben gazed at his phone wistfully. Not soon enough. He looked at Nick. “You think Jordan’s up?”
Nick glanced at the time then nodded. “Call her on your cell, will you? Mine will go over the Bluetooth. Until we know what’s going on, Mitzi doesn’t need to hear.”
Ben punched up Jordan’s number and dialed before handing the cell to Nick. He could hear her answer.
“Hey, Benji. What’s up? Everything okay?”
“Hello gorgeous,” Nick replied. “Everything is fine. We’re on our way back. Mitzi is sleeping and I didn’t want my call to go over the speaker phone.”
“Hey, baby!” Her voice lowered and Ben couldn’t hear what else she said. He waited patiently until Nick completed the call to find out what was happening.
“See you soon. Love you.” Nick punched the off button and returned the phone. “It seems Addie’s condo was trashed when she got home yesterday.”
“Trashed?”
“Someone ransacked the place.”
“God damn it,” Ben swore. “I should have walked her in. I just freaking dropped her off at the damn door.”
Nick shrugged. “Probably wise, considering everything. You had no way of knowing.”
“I can’t believe this.”
“Look, she’s okay. Her stuff is mostly intact. Somebody was apparently looking for something.”
Ben frowned. “I guess we know who, and I guess we know what.”
“Maybe. Jo said to talk to Addie before doing anything. There might be extenuating circumstances.”
“Extenuating circumstances? What the hell does that mean?”
Nick smiled. “We’ll find out soon.”
He knew he was pouting and didn’t care. “Not soon enough.”
“I’m driving the speed limit, man. Oh, and I’ve been instructed to drop you two off at the safe house with Addie and Olivia, then I’m supposed to head into the office.”
“For what?”
“Evan wants a briefing. I hope he knows I haven’t slept.”
Ben smiled. “If he doesn’t know, he’ll figure it out once he sees you, and hears how cheerful you are.”
“What the fuck ever,” Nick muttered jovially. A short while later he said, “You want to wake Mitzi up? We’re almost there.”
“Sure.” Ben turned around and shook her knee. “Mitzi, we’re back.”
She stretched and yawned, then looked around. “Wow. That was a quick trip.”
Ben and Nick exchanged smirks. In the driveway of the safe house, Ben got out and grabbed his and Mitzi’s bags. He motioned for her to go ahead and checked out the surroundings as they approached the front door. He used his key and unlocked it, then stepped in after Mitzi.
Addie and Olivia were eating breakfast at the kitchen bar. “Hey,” he called, then turned to wave to Nick. As the other man drove off, Ben closed the door and locked it. He set down their bags and moved toward the kitchen. “What’s going on here? Slumber party?”
“You wish.” Olivia rolled her eyes. “How’d your trip go? Find anything?”
Ben was surprised. “I take it you haven’t talked to Evan.”
“No,” Olivia replied. “I haven’t spoken with anyone yet today.”
Mitzi picked up her own bag. “I just want to sleep. Is there a bed I can crash on?”
Olivia nodded. “Sure. Last room at the end of the hall is empty.”
Addie gazed at her. “Hey, Mitzi. You hungry? We have pancakes.”
“No, thanks.” Mitzi gave a small wave as she passed by.
Ben heard the bedroom door close. He approached the bar and checked out Addie. “Are you okay?” She appeared well rested, and beautiful as ever. He was mystified as to why they were here.
Addie smiled. “I’m fine. We’re anxious to hear how your trip went, though. Why don’t you go first?” She touched the bar stool next to her. “Would you like pancakes or bacon?”
Ben sat, nodding appreciatively. “Yes and yes. We haven’t slept. It’s been one hell of a night.”
Addie started to rise but Olivia stood first. “I’ll get it. Go ahead, Ben.” She moved around the counter and poured him a cup of coffee before turning the griddle back on.
“Thanks,” he acknowledged. “Well, we got to the ‘palace’ just after dark and started searching the rooms on the main floor. We finally decided to go upstairs to where Mitzi’s office was. She said she had a computer there. But after a few minutes we heard noises and realized we weren’t alone.”
“Oh, no!” Addie’s eyes widened.
“We stuck our heads out and they took shots at us. We dived into a room and pretty soon we discovered what they were doing. They’d set the place on fire.”
“Fire?” Addie and Olivia echoed at the same time.
He sipped his coffee then nodded. “We called nine-one-one and a big fire truck with a nice long ladder arrived. They sent up a fireman to help Mitzi down and told us to wait for them. Nick said something along the lines of ‘fuck that’ and we climbed down after.”
Addie reached for his hand under the bar. “God, Ben! Are you sure you’re okay?”
He rubbed his thumb over her palm. “Just some smoke inhalation. We were checked out at the hospital, and they cleaned us up. Soot.” Ben made a face and then smiled.
He released her hand when Olivia moved closer, bringing him a plate of pancakes.
“Holy guacamole, partner! That’s too close for comfort. I can’t imagine climbing down a ladder to escape from a burning building.”
He grinned. “It doesn’t sound like much fun, until you look behind you and see flames licking at the only door. Helps you make up your mind real fast.”
“For real. Here you go, bacon is right there. Excuse me just a second.” She headed down the hall.
Ben took advantage of the moment and cupped the back of Addie’s head, drawing her close for a kiss.
She slid her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. Addie opened her mouth slightly and her tongue nudged the seam of his lips.
Hungry for the taste of her, he allowed his tongue to bat hers for precious long moments. He finally had to pull back to breathe. “Damn, I missed you.”
Addie ran her thumbs over his cheeks. “I had a niggling feeling that something was wrong. I tried to convince myself I was being paranoid because of what was happening here. Now I know I was right. I sensed you were in trouble.” She kissed him once more. “I’m relieved that you’re okay.”
He smiled. “Me, too. I suddenly feel like I have so much more to live for.”
Her eyes twinkled and they kissed again. Ben felt comfortable in her arms, and wished they didn’t have to stop. But he heard Olivia coming back and pulled away slowly. With one more smile at Addie, he settled back on to his bar stool and reached for the syrup.
“Sorry,” Olivia said. “Had a quick call to return.”
Ben suspected she’d left to give them a moment of privacy, but he didn’t say anything.
Addie picked up the conversation. “So you never found anything at the club?”
He shook his head as he ate. “Not even close to finding anything. The palace was trashed. Every bottle of liquor was gone. Nothing behind the bar but glasses and cobwebs.”
Olivia scratched her chin. “You really thought her computer would still be there?”
He shrugged. “Dunno what we thought. It was a longshot.”
“But you’re all okay? No one was hurt?”
“We’re fine.”
“And the people who set the fire?”
“In the wind,” Ben replied. He looked at Addie. “So what’s your story? Jordan said your apartment was ransacked?”
She glanced down, then back up and into his eyes. “Yeah. It’s kind of embarrassing. At first I thought it was DeMarcus, you know, looking for the file. Then I called my mom to check in with her and she told me something. It seems my ex was nosing ar
ound my hometown asking about me. He ran into my parents, and made some comments about seeing me again.”
He slowed his eating. “That’s nice…isn’t it?”
Addie shook her head. “He was trouble, Ben.”
Setting his fork down, he gazed into her eyes. “What do you mean, trouble?”
Olivia added, “Pretty much what you’d think, partner. A slap-happy son of a bitch.”
Fury welled in Ben’s gut as he glanced back at Addie. “He hit you?”
“And more,” Addie said softly. “It was bad.”
He almost hated to ask further questions, but there was so much he needed to know. “How’d you get away from him?”
She took a breath and blew it out. “I testified against him at a trial, and sent him to prison.”
Ben thought his heart might beat out of his chest. “I don’t—I guess I don’t understand. You never talked about him.”
Addie smiled. “We didn’t talk much at all. And the week we spent with Nick and Mitzi, well, we didn’t discuss anything too heavy.”
He nodded. “This is heavy.”
“This is very heavy. I’m sorry, Ben. I know it’s a shock, and it’s coming at a real bad time.”
He reached for her hand, uncaring if Olivia was watching or not. “There’s not a good time to find out another man’s been abusing someone I care about.”
She smiled. “I guess not. They found him guilty and he spent almost two years in prison, but apparently he’s out now. And not too happy.”
Ben frowned. “Well, guess what? Neither am I. You think he trashed your place?”
Addie shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know. We haven’t heard back from the CSI techs, or the cops Olivia and Jordan called.” She shivered. “I’m not sure if I’m hoping it’s Cole, or Antonio DeMarcus.”
Olivia said, “DeMarcus is a murdering thug, so I vote for it not being him. I’d rather deal with one jealous ex.”
Addie smiled nervously. “When you put it that way, I guess so. I’d just rather not have to deal with him by myself.”
“Are you kidding?” Ben scoffed and drew her into his arms. “You’re not by yourself. You haven’t been for a while now. You have Olivia, and Jordan, and God bless her, Mitzi’d be one tough mother in a fight. Then there’s the chief, and Doug who is fiercely protective when anyone threatens his friends. You haven’t seen that side of him yet.”
Addie nodded, sniffling.
Ben spoke softly into her ear. “Nick would take out anyone who tried to hurt you. Have no doubts about that.”
“I know,” she replied quietly.
“And you have me, Addie. Don’t ever question that. You always have me.”
She turned her head and spoke into his ear. “Ben Markham, you’re all I need.”
* * *
Addie pulled out her briefcase and sat on the sofa. Ben had gone to catch some sleep and Olivia was finishing the dishes. Something was niggling at Addie, and she wanted to check it out.
She searched through files until she found what she was looking for. The list of evidence obtained from Pomeroy’s Palace of Pleasure and Pain, from the night of the murders of Dave and Tricia. Addie scanned the notes and flicked it with one finger. “I thought so!” She carried the paper into the kitchen. “Olivia, look at this.”
The marshal had been drying her hands, and turned to Addie. “Hmm?”
“Look,” Addie insisted. “The night of the murders, police confiscated a laptop computer from Mitzi’s office. As far as I know, it’s still there.”
Her eyes lit up as she scanned the sheet. “Where is ‘there’?”
Addie smiled. “My office. All evidence was messengered over a few weeks before the trial was to begin, in case we needed it.”
“Did you see the computer?”
“No, not personally. But I have no reason to think it’s not there.”
“You need to find out. And if it is, we’ve got to get it to our tech guys. They can search it for any unusual files.”
“I’ll call my boss.”
Addie placed the call, and then returned to the kitchen. “He’s checking on it and will call me back.”
“Great. Fingers crossed it’s still there.” They walked to the living room and sat.
When Addie’s phone rang, it was one of her coworkers. “Addie, we’ve got it. The laptop computer from the Pomeroy case.”
“You’ve got it?” She looked at Olivia. “They have it!”
The marshal nodded. “Ask them to get it over to our office. I’ll call the chief, he’ll make sure it gets to the tech team.”
Addie relayed the message while Olivia phoned Rhodes. Excitement welled in Addie for the first time in a while about the case. It was a long shot, but it was something. She ended her call and smiled at Olivia.
“Nice work!” Olivia grinned.
“It’s something, anyway. I wish I would have thought of it yesterday. They might not have made the trip to Kansas City.” She shuddered, thinking about what could have happened.
“They’re okay,” Olivia reminded. “The marshal service can be dangerous sometimes, Addie. You need to know that before you get in too deep.”
“It would seem I’m already in. My boss indicated that they like to keep one ADA working with the service, due to the sensitive nature of your cases. I think I’m it for now.”
Olivia smiled. “That’s great, but it wasn’t what I meant.”
Addie gazed at her levelly.
Olivia raised one eyebrow.
Addie finally smiled. “Okay. So you know about Ben and me.”
The marshal caved and smiled back. “I’ve known since I got back to town. There aren’t many secrets in our department. But Ben’s kind of a private guy, so I was trying to give him some space. Figured he’d tell me when he was ready. We just haven’t had much time to talk recently.”
“Neither have we,” Addie admitted. “Things happened pretty quickly.”
“Yeah, they did. The marshal service rolls that way sometimes. Then we might go for weeks with nothing exciting happening. After you get shot at, you learn to relish the down times.”
Addie sipped a cup of tea. “I still can’t believe that happened. It had to be so scary.”
“It was,” Mitzi said from the doorway.
Addie glanced at her. “Hey! You didn’t sleep very long. Are you okay?”
“I have a headache. Thought maybe some coffee might help.”
Olivia rose. “What do you take in it?”
“I can get it.” Mitzi waved a hand. “But thanks.”
“Are you hungry?”
“No. I’m really not.” Mitzi went to the kitchen and came back with a steaming cup of coffee.
She sat on the sofa, just down from Addie.
“Scary night, huh?” Addie smiled.
“Scary, sad, terrifying, heartbreaking…I can’t wrap my mind around all the emotions running through my system.”
“I’m sorry. We might have a bit of good news. I guess nobody realized that the police had confiscated your laptop from the club the night of the murders. We have it, and just made arrangements to send it to the federal tech team to search it for anything unusual.”
Her face brightened. “My computer? Oh, wow. I don’t suppose I could get it back when they’re done with it? I have very little of my personal property left anymore.”
“I don’t see why not. There isn’t a case anymore. Once the techs are done with it I’ll make the requisition to get it back for you.”
“Thanks, Addie.” She glanced around. “Where’s Ben?”
“Sleeping.”
“Oh, yeah. I slept all the way back to town. I don’t think Nick let Ben sleep a wink, from what I overheard, anyway.”
“Sounds like Nick,” Olivia agreed.
Addie thought about him for a moment then decided to ask, “So what happens to Nick now that you’re back and partners with Ben again?”
“He fills in wherever someone is needed. A lot o
f the cases only require one marshal, and he handles those.”
Mitzi glanced at Addie while making a pretense of checking out her own manicure. “Why, Addie? A little jealous, maybe? It’s easier when Ben’s partner is a man, rather than a pretty woman, eh?”
Addie rolled her eyes. “Does everyone know that Ben and I are interested in each other?”
“Pretty much,” Mitzi and Olivia said at the same time, and then smiled at each other.
Mitzi added, “It’s hard to live with people and not notice them sneaking around, whispering and kissing. Nick and I had a bet. I said we’d catch the two of you doing it at some point but he insisted you wouldn’t. Guess I owe him a case of beer.”
“Nice.” Sarcasm dripped from Addie’s voice.
Mitzi shrugged. “We were bored. Being locked up together in a safe house may sound exciting to some people, but the truth is much more mundane. Bo-ring.”
“Don’t have to tell me that.” Olivia whipped out her cell phone. “I got stuck on Candy Crush and moved on to Bubble Witch Saga. Ben hates that one.”
Addie nodded. “He does. Soda Crush isn’t bad. I’m further than Ben on that game.”
Mitzi stood and paced the living room floor. “You people and your phone games. I’m ready to get back to real life. I miss talking to people, social interaction. You don’t get that online.”
“Going online is the only social interaction some people get,” Addie said. “It’s better than being isolated.”
“But spending time with real people is better yet,” Mitzi argued. “That’s what I miss about my club. I saw dozens of people every night, and became friends with many of them.”
Olivia looked at her skeptically. “Is that really what you miss about the club?”
Mitzi snorted. “Ha! Now that sounds like something Nick would say. Okay, sure, I miss sex, too. But I miss being with people, talking with people, just as much.”
Addie gazed at her thoughtfully. “Was there anyone special in Atlanta, Mitzi?”
“You mean a gentleman caller?”
“That’s exactly what I mean.”
She dropped back down to the sofa and seemed to think about it. “There was a guy. I didn’t let things get too serious because of my circumstances. I always felt like I was lying to him. Plus, I didn’t really think I’d go back there after the trial. For some stupid reason, I thought they’d let me go home.”
