A Texas Hero

by Linda Warren

  “No mall visit required,” Ethan said with a smile. “I’ll tell Kel.” He walked down the hall and knocked on her door.

  “Yeah,” she shouted.

  He opened the door and went in. She lay on the bed, still in her school clothes, talking on the phone. “Get off the phone,” he mouthed.

  “Gotta go,” she said, sitting up.

  “We need to talk.” He sat on the bed.

  “Okay.” She crawled to sit beside him. “Dad, there’s all kinds of cool activities to do after school. See?” She handed him a sheet of paper. “I always wanted to play soccer and be a Girl Scout. And, oh, oh, this is so cool. There’s a dance group at the school and Cathy’s mom is the instructor. She said her mom would give me extra lessons so I could catch up. I really, really want to do this, Dad. I got the moves. Watch.”

  She jumped off the bed and wiggled her arms, hips and legs.

  “You got something, all right.”

  She made a face and plopped down by him again. “Please, Dad.”

  “Have Cathy’s mom call me.”

  She hugged him around the waist. “Thanks.”

  “Remember you have a tutor on Tuesdays and Thursdays to get your grades up.”

  “I know.” Some of the enthusiasm left her voice. Living with her grandmother and mom she hadn’t been able to join anything at school because there was little money and Sheryl was always moving. Behind the tough attitude was a little girl dying to be a normal girl with friends and activities.

  “Pick two things on the list and we’ll see how it goes.”

  “Oh, wow, gosh, thanks, Dad.”

  He caught her before she jumped up in excitement. “I want to talk to you about something.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’m going to be working a lot of late hours on the robbery case.”

  “Okay.”

  “Grandpa will pick you up from school.”

  “Okay. Grandpa’s cool.”

  “You can call me about anything.”

  “I know.” She patted him on the back. “Go catch the bad guys.”

  The conversation had gone better than he’d expected. She felt secure in her role in his life and knew he was always going to be there for her. That was a big accomplishment, and he was proud of his daughter.

  Later, after everyone was asleep, he got comfy in bed and called Abby. He just needed to hear her voice and to tell her about Kelsey. They talked for a while and then she asked, “Are you in the dark?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Me, too. I feel happy when I hear your voice.”

  “I feel horny.”

  “Ethan.” She laughed.

  “You weren’t expecting that, were you?”

  “No, Mr. Keep My Emotions Close to My Chest.”

  “I’m not anymore. I know what I want.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Do you have any free time in the morning?”

  “I’ll make time.”

  “I can be at your place a little after eight.”

  “Okay. My address is—”

  “I’m a cop. I know where you live.”

  “Oh, should I be afraid?”

  “Very afraid.” It wasn’t like him to be silly and flirty, but he was changing. She’d changed him—for the better. Maybe a normal life with a wife and kids was for him, too. And he couldn’t see that happening with anyone else but Abby.

  * * *

  THE NEXT MORNING, Ethan drove into Abby’s apartment complex right behind Abby after she’d dropped off Chloe at day care. They walked toward the stairway hand in hand. She didn’t feel any nervousness, just jubilation that she’d get to spend some time alone with him.

  “Did I tell you how much I like your lawman outfit? Men in tight jeans turn me on.”

  He lifted an eyebrow as they took the stairs. “All men?”

  “No.” She unlocked her door. “Just a dark-eyed badass detective.”

  “That’s better.”

  She went in and laid her purse on the kitchen counter. “Would you like some cof...” At the look in his warm eyes, her voice trailed off.

  “There’s only one thing I want right now and she’s about the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.” He walked to her and gathered her into his arms, his lips taking hers in a slow, drugging kiss. Her heart raced and she wrapped her arms around his neck, needing to be as close as possible. Her curves welded to his hard muscles and she felt weak with need. Before she crumpled to the floor, she took his hand and led him to her bedroom.

  Once in the bedroom it was a frantic rush to shed their clothes. One long kiss and he sat on the bed to remove his boots. She knelt behind him, pulling his shirt from his shoulders. She paused.

  “Oh, Ethan. Your shoulders are still slightly red.”

  “They’re fine.” He kicked off his boots.

  She rained kisses along his shoulders, feeling the heat of his skin, the power of his muscles. “Are you in pain?”

  “Only when you’re not touching me.” He twisted around, pushing her into the mattress and removing his jeans and briefs at the same time. Stroking her breast, he murmured, “Your breasts are beautiful. Sometimes at the oddest moment I can feel them in my hands.”

  At his first touch and hoarse voice she lost her train of thought. She just wanted to experience every inch of him. She didn’t want to think so she didn’t. Her hands and lips caressed every part of his hard, bronzed body. When he returned the favor and stroked her intimately, she cried out his name and begged for more, which shocked her at the same time. There was no holding back as their bodies began a dance that could only end one way. Had to end. If it didn’t, she would scream.

  “Ethan.”

  He caught his name with his mouth and entered her the same way he kissed—with power and control. With each thrust he drove deeper inside her until all she could feel was him. And her heart racing. She arched her hips, needing to be closer and closer until her body shuddered over and over into beautiful release. Without thinking, without reservation, she breathed, “I love you.” He joined her almost instantly and their sweat-bathed bodies lay entwined in perfect harmony.

  He lifted his head from the hollow of her neck. His hair fell across his forehead and his eyes were as dark as she’d ever seen them. “You okay?” he whispered hoarsely.

  She stroked his hair away from his forehead. “I’m as good as I can get.”

  “I’ll say.”

  “Ethan.” A bubble of laughter left her throat.

  He kissed her lightly and his lips trailed to her breasts, lavishing them with attention. “I need to name these beauties.”

  “And what would that be?”

  “I don’t know.” His tongue caressed a nipple. “Something no one else would call them.”

  “Not many people call my breasts by name.”

  “I got it. Wynken, Blynken and Nod.”

  She suppressed a laugh. “I only have two breasts. What’s the third name for?”

  His hand slid down her flat stomach to the triangle between her legs. “Here. The head of beautiful pleasure.”

  “Oh, Ethan.”

  Nothing was said for some time. Later, she lay in the crook of his arms, stroking his chest. “Your mother did read to you.”

  “Yeah. But tough cops don’t admit that.” He kissed her briefly. “Now, sweet lady, I have to go.” He crawled from the bed, grabbed his briefs and jeans and jerked them on. “I’ll be working long hours on the robbery case.”

  She felt bereft, needing his strength around her just a little longer. He sat on the bed to put on his boots and she noticed his red shoulders. Without another thought she reached for the sunburn ointment on her nightstand and knee-walked to his bare back. Squeezing a dollop into her
hand, she massaged it across his shoulders.

  “Ah, that feels good.” He leaned his head back to rest on her shoulder. “I think I love you.”

  She tensed. “Think?”

  “I’m almost certain. All I know is that my heart doesn’t truly beat until I see you, until I’m with you. That has to be love because I’ve never felt it for anyone else.” He turned his head and their lips met. “Oh, yeah. Lady, I have to go.”

  Not wanting to end this moment when Ethan James admitted he loved her, she ran her hands down his chest, stroking his hard abs and lower.

  He caught her hands. “Abby, don’t make this hard.”

  They both burst out laughing. He got up and reached for his shirt on the floor. “Bad choice of words.”

  “But appropriate,” she teased.

  “I’ll call you later,” he said, buttoning his shirt.

  She sat back on her heels, her breasts in full view. “Aren’t you going to say goodbye to Wynken and Blynken?”

  “Not on your life. I’d never get out of here.” He stared at her for an extra second and walked out.

  She stretched out on the bed feeling wicked and very well loved. And there was nothing about gratitude involved. It was real and might even include a fairy tale.

  * * *

  ETHAN HAD TO take a moment, before walking into the squad room, to try to wipe the morning from his mind. Impossible. For years his job encompassed who he was. A cop—first and foremost. He’d dated. He’d had flings, but marriage was never on his mind. He didn’t have that much time to spend on a relationship. Well, he finally had to admit that was a load of crap. He just hadn’t found the right woman. Now the right woman was all he could think about. As soon as this case was wrapped up, he wanted his dad to meet Abby and he wanted Kelsey to know Abby better, too.

  “Where the hell have you been?” Hal barked as soon as he walked into the room.

  Having the best sex of my life.

  “I have a kid to get off to school,” he replied to keep Abby’s name out of it.

  “Oh, I forgot about your new fatherhood.”

  Ethan looked around. “Where’s Ross?”

  “Still at the bank waiting for the videos.”

  Ethan took a seat. “Want to throw this around a bit?”

  “Sure.” Hal opened a file. “Let’s start with the crime scene. Everything we found is in the evidence boxes. Nothing of importance was found in the van. Fingerprints didn’t reveal any secrets. A multitude of fingerprints were found on the front door of the bank, including Rudy’s and Devon’s. Idiots didn’t even wear gloves.”

  “And they used Walmart bags,” Ethan said. “We’re not dealing with geniuses here.”

  “It sounds like it was an impromptu thing, and they used what they had in their van.”

  “Yeah.” Ethan scooted his chair forward. “Maybe they were there for another reason and robbing the bank was an afterthought. Rudy mentioned changing the plan.”

  “Okay. I’ll go along with that. If robbing the bank was a second thought, what was their main objective?”

  Ethan picked up a pen and pulled a pad forward. “There were five people there that day—me, Ms. Bauman, Mr. Harmon, Rudy and Devon. We can scratch out me, Rudy and Devon. That leaves Ms. Bauman and Mr. Harmon.” Ethan tapped the pen on the paper, remembering some of the things Abby had told him. “Mr. Harmon was the bank manager, yet he worked Saturdays. Why?”

  “Could be kindhearted and not willing to flex his muscle.”

  “Maybe. Let’s find out.”

  Hal stood. “I’ll do a background check on Mr. Harmon while you and Ross look at the videos, if he ever returns.”

  Almost on cue Ross came in with a box.

  “Damn, Ross, we just needed Thursday morning.”

  “This is Thursday morning from every angle.”

  “Have fun,” Hal said as he left.

  “Where’s he going?”

  Ethan explained as they went into the viewing room. For the better part of two hours they looked at the bank’s front door and parking lot from every angle possible. They saw Grundy approach the door from the left, suitcase in hand. Two vehicles parked to the far left were fuzzy and unidentifiable. They looked from different cameras, but each time the cars were too far away.

  Hal came back and threw a folder on the table. “Take a look at that.”

  Ethan opened it and could hardly believe what he was reading. “Mr. Harmon was a gambler and had two mortgages on his house and had applied for a third.”

  “I ran this by the guys in vice and they made a few phone calls,” Hal went on. “A bookie named Bonner has been putting the screws to Mr. Harmon. He owes Bonner about fifty grand. He is now our number one suspect.”

  Ethan studied the file. “Except dead men don’t deliver wads of cash to scumbag lawyers.”

  “That’s the kicker.” Hal leaned in to get a view of the computer. “Anything show up?”

  “Not a damn thing that would give us a lead.”

  Ross joined in. “Let’s look at what we have. A gambler who needs money. He could have been in cahoots with Rudy and Devon, promising not to push the alarm, but everything went very wrong. Then there’s still the matter of the money after Mr. Harmon’s death. It doesn’t fit.”

  “That leaves Ms. Bauman,” Hal remarked.

  “Yeah.” Ethan had a hollow feeling in his gut. The robbery had something to do with Abby.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  “I’LL START A background check on Ms. Bauman first thing in the morning,” Hal said.

  “Like hell.” Ethan was immediately on his feet. “She’s the victim.”

  Hal pointed a finger at him. “That’s the reason the lieutenant doesn’t want you on this case. You’re too involved.”

  Ethan held up his hands. “Okay. Do what you have to do.”

  “We’re looking for a clue. That’s all. Someone might have a grudge against her and it might tie all this together.”

  “I know.” He resumed his seat. “Just do it discreetly.”

  “I do everything discreetly,” Hal quipped, walking out.

  “Are you okay?” Ross asked Ethan.

  “Yeah, but I need some air.”

  Before he could move, the lieutenant appeared in the doorway. “Ethan, you’ve been a detective for a long time and you know you can’t share confidential information gathered on this case—not with anyone, and that includes Ms. Bauman. So you have a decision to make—Ms. Bauman or the case. Your choice.”

  The lieutenant walked out and Ethan glared at Ross. “Did you say something to him?”

  “You know me better than that, but Hal is pissed and he’s got big ears, if you know what I mean.”

  Without a word Ethan strolled from the room and out of the building. He hadn’t eaten since breakfast so he stopped at Subway and got a sandwich. People came and went as he ate, but he didn’t see them. His thoughts were turned inward.

  Hal was right. He was emotionally involved, and because of that he could compromise the whole case. The lieutenant was right, too. He had to detach his personal life from his job. The only way to do that was to stop seeing Abby. At the thought, a pain pierced his chest.

  * * *

  ETHAN ARRIVED HOME at nine-forty-five that night, just in time to say good night to his daughter. After talking to his dad for a few minutes, he went into his room and called Abby.

  She told him about her day and he wasn’t sure how to bring up the difficult subject.

  “You’re very quiet.” She picked up on his mood. “Is something wrong?”

  “Yeah.” He took a deep breath. “I’ve been told more than once that I’m too personally involved in this case.”

  “That’s understandable. You went throu
gh hell and want this other person caught as much as I do.”

  “But I shouldn’t have told you anything about the case and I have. I should never have mentioned the money. When I’m with you things slip out. That’s a first for me. Until this case is closed I have to stop seeing you.”

  “You think I would tell someone what we share?”

  “No, but something I mentioned could slip out without you being aware, like it did with me. It could compromise this case.”

  “I don’t understand, Ethan, but I trust you.”

  She trusted him. He wanted to tell her that in the next few days the cops would investigate her and members of her family, and it would be invasive. She’d told him Gayle had money and he couldn’t withhold that kind of information. The woman had a good motive to want Abby out of her life—he had to divulge that. But he couldn’t tell Abby. He was a cop bound by ethics.

  He hung up, stared down at his boots and felt like the scum of the earth. He hated himself and what he had to do. It did make him wonder, though, why a cop who was never afraid to break the rules wasn’t breaking one now.

  * * *

  HOLLY HAD THE day off, so Abby talked her into going jogging on the University of Texas campus. They had lunch at Cheddar’s, picked up Chloe and took her to the park to play. All the while Abby kept thinking about her conversation with Ethan. She didn’t understand his reasoning. Since he was upset, she didn’t push it. And she didn’t want to jeopardize the case either. Waiting would be difficult, but she wanted this person caught. She just didn’t know how she was going to get by without seeing Ethan. He’d become a big part of her life—and her heart.

  It was after four when she arrived back at the apartment with her sleeping daughter. Holly went home and Abby rested on the sofa.

  Before she could get comfortable, her doorbell rang. She hurried to get it before it woke Chloe. Two detectives stood outside. She recognized one of them.

  “Ms. Bauman, we’d like to ask you a few more questions. Is that okay?” Detective Beecher asked.

  “Sure. Come in.”

  They followed her into the living room and he made the introduction. “This is my partner, Steve Jannis.”