“Hey there, Annie.”
Annie shrieked in alarm as she whirled in her chair to face the intruder.
“Jesus.” She clutched at her chest, willing her pounding pulse to slow to a normal rate. Any chance of that happening diminished when her gaze locked on Joe Martin’s green gaze. “You scared the crap out of me, Joe.” And you still are. she thought the last.
“Sorry, Annie.” Joes familiar smile brought a twinge of guilt to her. This was the man she’d known for the majority of her life. Could he really be responsible for such heinous crimes? “Cath told me you went back to work today so I thought I’d stop by and see how it was going.” He moved further into the small dispatch room. “She’d be pissed , and I’d hear about it for months if I didn’t.”
Annie searched his face for signs of deceit. She relaxed a fraction, but didn’t let her guard drop completely. She knew someone in their close knit group could not be trusted. After the events of the past few weeks, she wasn’t about to be naïve.
“You can tell her I’m fine.” She forced a smile. Annie doubted if she’d truly be fine for a long time to come.
“So you’re feeling okay then?”
“I’m okay as I can be under the circumstances. I won’t be boxing anyone for a while yet, but heck, I’m just glad to be upright again.” Annie pushed herself from the chair, and lounged back against the desk. At least now she wasn’t at a disadvantage.
“Will you have any limitations?” he hurried on before she could respond. “Aside from the boxing that is.”
This time Annie’s smile was a genuine one. “Nope. No long term limitations.” She grabbed a stack of reports from the desk, and moved toward the doorway. “But I learned one hell of a lesson for sure.”
“Any news on the arson investigation?”
Her gaze shot to his once again. The question was routine enough considering everyone on the department knew about the arsons. That fact didn’t keep the frisson of trepidation from slithering through her.
“As far as I know it’s still an ongoing case,” she straightened to her full height. “I haven’t heard anything different have you?”
“Nope,” his shuddered gaze locked on her face. “I wonder if they’re going to bring anyone from the State or A.T.F. in to help?”
Annie shifted her weight, hoping he’d interpret the action as a need to use the bathroom facilities.
“I have no idea. I’ve never worked a big investigation like that,” she said, rounding her eyes in mock awe. “Have you?”
Joe stared at her for several seconds. Annie felt as if he were looking for any sign she might be lying.
“Nope, but it would be interesting to tag along on one,” he said several seconds later. “Don’t you think?”
“I suppose if you’re into all that overhaul it might be,” she returned. “Personally I’ll stick with the fun part of the job.”
She paused in front of Joe waiting for him to step aside. The drumming of her heart increased, and panic threatened to rear its ugly head a split second before Joe stepped aside, allowing her to pass.
Calm down, Annie. she chided. You have to give the guy a second to react before you go freaking out.
She stepped down into the apparatus bay with Joe close behind.
“Well, now that I can report back to the boss that you’re alright, I’m gonna take off.” Annie heard the smile in Joe’s voice even though she couldn’t see his face. “Make sure you let us know if there’s anything we can do for you, Annie.”
They reached the door separating the bay from the offices. Annie turned to face her longtime friend.
“I will, Joe,” she fanned the papers in her hands back and forth. “Now I’m off to see what other fun stuff Chief has planned for me.” She pulled open the door, and stepped through before turning back. “What I wouldn’t give for things to be back to normal around here.”
“You and me both,” he said, a hint of a grin crinkling the corners of his eyes. “Like your mama’s fond of saying, ‘everything happens for a reason’.”
“Yeah,” she said. “And that always makes me want to choke her. What if the reason isn’t a good one?”
“Well, Annie,” he pushed through the door that led outdoors. “Life isn’t supposed to be easy now is it? What fun would that be?”
Annie watched as he crossed the parking area, and climbed into the Jeep he’d had since high school. Uncertainty twisted her stomach in knots.
What fun indeed.
~&~
“There was something about his demeanor that wasn’t right.” Annie pushed the remnants of her spaghetti dinner around the plate. “I can’t put my finger on it. Maybe it’s because every place I go someone’s firing inquiries at me.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case. You’ve had a lot of things happen in a short time. What did he ask?”
Annie relayed the gist of her encounter with Joe, to Mason.
She twirled the fork in the pasta. “Are the fires still being investigated? Is Chief Daniels going to request special assistance from any outside agencies?
“What did you tell him?”
She raised her eyes to find him studying her features.
Would she always feel that damned thrill of desire when she looked at him? Annie focused on the discussion at hand.
“Don’t worry, Mason. I didn’t rat you out.”
Annie smiled as he forked a heap of his spaghetti into his mouth. The confident gleam in his dark eyes ensured he wasn’t worried that she had. Her heart swelled a little in her chest. Mason’s trust held more importance to her than it probably should. Her mesmerized gaze followed the movement of his tanned throat as he swallowed.
“I wasn’t worried that you had, Annie.” Her eyes shot back to his, locking gazes. Heat burned up her cheeks. “If I was, I wouldn’t have left you alone.”
“So where exactly did you go today?”
“I’ll fill you in on that in a minute. Tell me about the rest of the conversation.”
“I told him that I had no idea if Art was going to call anyone in to help out. I was only taking pictures at his request because they might be needed for insurance claims.”
“Good thinking.”
“Thanks,” She dropped her gaze to the scarred wooden table top. “but I hate lying to my friends. And regardless of whether they are suspects or not, they are still my friends.”
“Believe me, I wish there was a way around the situation. The only thing we can hope for is that they aren’t involved. And that they can understand why you had to do it.”
“And if they are involved what then?”
“Then it’s out of your hands, Annie.” His warm hand covered hers where it lay beside her plate. “They’re all adults who knew the consequences their actions could bring and made the decision to go ahead with them anyway.”
“I know you’re right, but it doesn’t make it any easier.”
Several minutes later they exited the small restaurant. Though the last vestiges of sunlight were sinking behind the building, the warmth of the day still hung in the air.
Annie didn’t balk when Mason dropped an arm across her shoulders and pulled her tight to his side as they walked the distance to the parking lot.
There weren’t likely to be many more chances for her to enjoy the comfort the simple act provided.
“So you never did tell me what you were up to today.” She pushed a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “Or is that top secret information?”
“If I tell you I’ll have to lock you away somewhere and keep you forever to ensure that you never reveal my secret.”
“Well that’s a new one. Usually you government types just threaten us civilians with death.”
He threw back his head and let out a hearty chuckle.
“That’s so cliché, Sweetheart. I like to be original.”
“And you’re so good at it.”
“Why thank you, Sugar.”
~&~
CHAPTER FOUR
TEEN
“So it’s not bad enough that you think Joe’s responsible for the fires,” she pushed off the couch and paced the confines of the living room. “you also think he’s been stalking me for almost two years?”
“That’s the direction all the evidence we have so far points.”
“That’s absurd, Mason.”
“We’ve been able to link a black sedan to his mother that matched the description you gave of the vehicle that ran you off the road.”
“That doesn’t prove anything, Mason. There has to be at least a dozen dark sedans in Hammond’s Bend alone. Not to mention Rykers, and Louisburg.” She named the two larger towns nearby that lay along county road fifty-seven. “Hell, how does the car fit into my stalker? I’ve never even caught a glimpse of him or her.”
“That’s true.” His hand on her arm stilled her movement. “And once we get the search warrant for the car and his residence, we’ll have better information. Until then, I don’t want you anywhere near Joe or Cathy Martin.”
Anger burst across her face.
“No, Mason.” She shook off his hold and turned for the door. “I’m sorry but I’m not going to turn my back on my friend. When you execute your warrant I intend to be there.”
Mason’s gaze touched on her stubborn features. What the hell? He understood the need driving her to be involved until the end.
“I’m not out to nab the first person I come across on this, Annie.” His tone dropped to a husky whisper. “I have to get this right before someone else I care about dies.”
Annie veered away from the door, and stopped in front of the picture window instead. The slump of her shoulders bore testimony to the stress she endured.
His need to comfort her won out over his gut instinct to give her space. She’d have all the space she wanted soon enough.
“I know that you’re an honest man, Mason. And that you’ll do things the right way.” A breath shuddered from her. “I just can’t wrap my mind around the possibility that Joe could be behind all this chaos. It just doesn’t fit with the Joe I know.” She pivoted around until she stood toe to toe with him. “I sure hope you’re wrong about this.”
Mason wrapped her in his arms. He rested his chin on the top of her head and puffed out a breath. “I hope I’m wrong too.”
And if he was wrong, their case would be back at square one. But the little voice in the back of his head told him he was right on target. He’d learned long ago to trust that little voice. Even if it destroyed the normalcy of the one person he was trying to protect the most.
A sharp knot twisted in his gut. The next few hours would tell if they were indeed, headed in the right direction.
“Trey’s waiting for the judge to sign the warrant now.” He stepped back, crooked a finger beneath her chin, and tipped it up until their eyes met. “Within the next few hours we should have a good idea where we’re headed from here.”
“I meant what I said, Mason. I have every intention of getting to the bottom of this. And I pray to God that you are wrong about Joe. If you’re not, it will devastate Cathy.”
Although the stubborn glint in her eyes meant trouble for him, Mason admired her resolve to see the investigation through to the end. No matter what the outcome.
“How much longer do we have to wait?”
“Shouldn’t be long.” A sudden burst erupted from his cell phone. Hurt flashed across her face. He knew there was nothing he could do about it at the moment. He suppressed the guilt bubbling in his gut. “I have to take this call, it’s my C.I. I’ll just be a minute.”
“You don’t owe me any explanations, Mason.”
She turned her back to him once again. He stood there for several seconds, torn between assuring her that it was a business call and not the personal one that the ring tone implied, and letting her assume the worst.
The blast of sound from the palm of his hand settled the decision for him.
“Yeah.” He snapped into the phone. “I was in the middle of something.”
Mason felt the air in the house change as he walked toward the garage door. It was almost as if Annie had vanished from his life. Shivers ran down his spine. He shook off the unease as he slipped through the door and into the coolness of the darkened garage.
Damn it, but it served him right for getting involved with a civilian in the first place. But, Annie was more than your run of the mill civilian.
She’d been the only one to capture his heart, and threaten to turn his life upside down.
And once things settled down, he intended to have a long talk with her over what they were going to do to rectify the situation.
~&~
Annie waited several long seconds until the snick of the door closing carried to where she stood.
The desire to be alone drove her to the credenza. She snatched up the keys to the truck her dad had loaned her, and headed out the front door.
She cranked the key in the ignition. The truck’s powerful engine barely had time to roar to life before she slipped the gear shift into reverse and shot out of the driveway. If Mason heard her leaving he’d surely try to stop her.
“Man, I can’t wait til this crap is over with.” She muttered into the silence of the interior.
She made a futile swipe at the tears threatening. With no real destination in mind, Annie made her way through streets now thankfully empty.
By the time she navigated the truck to the outskirts of town, tears streamed hot and steady down her face. Fear that someone she knew would see her bawling like a baby drove her further out into the secluded countryside.
She maneuvered the vehicle off the roadway and onto the familiar narrow two-track drive. A sense of calm bathed her when she passed beneath the faded rectangular wooden sign proclaiming “Rambling Acres”.
The truck bumped down the dirt track that split the front acreage. Tall grass grew tall behind split rail fences that were in need of repair. She battled the twinge of guilt that assailed her. It had been too long since she’d checked on the place.
When the large, two story farmhouse came into view, the same excitement she’d felt on every visit for as long as she could remember, washed over her.
Perched at the top of the rise, the house sat like a king on his throne overlooking his kingdom below.
Despite Nathan’s best efforts to maintain both homesteads, sadness filled her when her gaze fell on the abandoned flower boxes lining the large wrap around porch. Grandma Andrews had always made sure beautiful blooms filled each one.
Annie’s gaze flew to the window boxes on the second story. They too were empty.
She pulled the truck to a stop at the rear of the house. The huge red barn was now faded to a shadow of its past majestic hue.
She slapped the truck into park, and wiped at the last remnants of her tears. Gravel crunched beneath her boots when she slid to the ground.
A huge sigh of contentment escaped from her. The feeling of coming home surprised Annie. Maybe it was time.
After all, she’d allowed someone else to make the important choices on where her life was headed for too long now.
The wooden steps creaked beneath her weight. Her hand shook as she searched the familiar spot just above the door frame, and came away with the spare key.
Some things never change. She smiled.
Hinges that had gone unused for years groaned under the strain of the door as she swung it open. An instant musty aroma greeted her nose.
From her vantage point in the mudroom doorway, Annie held her breath and listened for the telltale skittering of any unwanted guests.
The sound of her breathing was all that broke the silence. Satisfied that she was alone in the house, Annie stepped further inside. She felt for the light switch on the wall, and flipped the toggle upward bathing the darkened interior in light.
A row of hooks studded one wall above the long, well-worn, wooden bench her grandfather had crafted.
Her hand trailed over the lid of the woven hamper
Grandma Beth had kept to collect their dirty or wet clothes when they came in from their adventures.
Annie choked back emotions threatening and made her way further into the house.
She stepped from the mudroom into a short passageway that opened into the large country kitchen and dining area combination.
Today there were no shadows across her heart as her gaze touched every surface in the large space. Even though she’d been a petite woman who barely topped five foot tall, Grandma Beth had stood toe to toe with the strapping men she’d held reign over. Annie could still hear the grumbling of the ranch hands that Grandma worked circles around.
Even in her final years she had insisted on pulling her share of the work around the farm. Every Sunday Grandma Beth had insisted on the entire family gathering for a dinner complete with the china set Annie’s great-great grandparents had brought when they settled in Hammond’s Bend. The delicate white dinner set with dainty pink hand-painted roses now graced the hutch in Annie’s parent’s dining room.
The spry woman always seemed to know whenever anyone had a problem. And she always knew just the right things to do or say to help make them better.
“Oh, Grandma,” Annie breathed into the still house. “I sure wish you were here now.”
She brushed a hand over the worn laminate counter top. A thin layer of dust coated her palm, and tiny specks floated in the heavy air around her. She crossed the space to the opposite wall of the eat-in kitchen and stopped in front of one of three large fieldstone fireplaces that graced the main floor of the house.
The half-log that had been hand-hewed into the mantel still showcased the wedding day picture of her grandparents in the position of honor. Annie scanned the various other photos. Some were of her parents and her family, while still others showed aunts, uncles, and her many cousins.
Way too much time had passed since she’d really looked at the pictures. She’d let college and her burgeoning photojournalism career occupy the last years her grandparents had been alive.
She picked up a picture of her in her cap and gown flanked on either side by her grandparents, their faces beaming with pride. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes. Oh sure, they’d been there to see her walk for her college degree. And Grandma had been more than supportive when Annie had been unable to come home for the holidays because she was crisscrossing the globe in search of fame.
Where There's Smoke: The Heroes of Hammonds Bend(Romantic Suspense) Page 16
