"I'm sorry this is happening to you. Please cooperate, don't take any unnecessary chances. We'll be in touch.” The detective released her hand. After a few minutes, the detectives left the file and some contact information with Uncle Phillip before they left the precinct.
Uncle Phillip walked over to stand next to Lillian by the window.
"I'm so sorry, Lillian. I never knew,” he told her. He wanted to protect her. He thought about Aunt Mabel and the fact Lillian had no other family around. She was part of their family.
"That's the way I wanted it. I don't want to relive this. I don't understand why this is happening. Martin's a killer? How could he do those things to those women? How am I going to explain this to Aunt Mabel? It's going to start all over again."
Uncle Phillip placed his hands on her shoulders, turned her toward him. Lost in thought it seemed she almost forgot she was at the police department, inside of his office.
"We won't let him find you, Lillian. We'll make sure he never comes near you.” He gently hugged her.
* * * *
Lillian embraced the comfort she felt in Uncle Phillip's arms. She had become close with Carla's uncle over the years and respected him and his position as Chief of Police. Uncle Phillip was tall, largely built, the epitome of authority, wisdom, and law enforcement professionalism. He had a huge heart hidden within that tough exterior. He was well respected in the police department. Lillian knew Michael and Carla cared very much about him. She welcomed his fatherly concern considering that her own father was miles away. Surely, they would be worried and she needed to call them the second she got back to the store.
Uncle Phillip and Lillian spoke a little longer about surveillance at the store, paying closer attention to the things going on around her, and remembering the training she received in the self-defense courses she took. She suddenly recalled what her instructors stated about self-defense. It was not about fighting violence with violence but rather about being prepared. Taking the necessary precautions, making sure her own actions did not place her in a position of becoming a victim. Perpetrators looked for certain types of individuals, those who appeared weak, alone, oblivious to events going on around them.
The instructors stated that after taking the precautions—following her gut instincts, not placing herself in a potentially dangerous position, like walking alone through a poorly lit parking lot—if a perpetrator sought her out, self-defense was the last resort.
"I know exactly what to do, Uncle Phil. After everything happened, I took every kind of self-defense course possible. Now that I know what Martin is capable of, I won't under estimate him. I guess I should get going. I need to contact my parents, let them know I'm all right. I'm sure they're concerned now that the detectives called them."
"Give me a minute, I'll follow you. I have an errand to run."
"That's not necessary."
"I want to, Lillian. So stop being stubborn. Whether you like it or not, you're going to have plenty of protection. I'll even call Eddie to get him to come over to the store right away to fix that window."
"Thanks,” she stated. Fifteen minutes later, she walked out of the police station with Uncle Phil.
* * * *
Lillian felt emotionally exhausted, but she had work to do downstairs in the store. She had already told Aunt Mabel what had gone on down at the police department and finally calmed her down.
Eddie arrived to fix the window in the small room upstairs. He expressed he felt responsible for not placing the sensor on the window to begin with. He was a nice man, had been very professional when he installed the alarm system. She convinced him that more than likely someone hadn't tried to break into the store and that she was just being cautious.
Lillian headed to her office. She had three messages from Michael but refused to call him back. She felt confused, worried. She didn't want Michael involved. It seemed to her that now wasn't the best time to start a relationship. She just didn't want to tell him about Martin or what he had done to her. The easier thing to do was just push him away, have him be angry for a while and avoid getting him involved. She tried this tactic with Carla, but of course it failed. Twenty minutes after Lillian talked to her, Carla arrived at the store providing instant emotional support as well as a double Cappuccino Latte Mocha Swirl.
* * * *
"Why don't you two go upstairs for a while. Have some lunch, enjoy your special coffee. I'll cover the store with Kelly. You look like you could use the break, Lilly,” Aunt Mabel stated with a smile as Carla took Lillian by the arm to lead her away from work before she could argue otherwise.
"I called my uncle, Lillian. I hope you're not mad?” Carla asked as she helped remove some cold cuts from the refrigerator. Lillian retrieved some bread to make sandwiches.
"No, I'm not mad. I hope he calmed you down. You've been looking at me funny since you arrived.” Lillian took a fresh tomato from the bowl on the counter.
"You're imagining things, Lilly. I've never looked at you any differently even after you told me about Martin. Stop trying to cause a fight.” Carla stood next to Lillian with her hands on her hips.
Lillian took a sip of the specialty coffee. It was tasty.
"I'm not trying to cause a fight.” Lillian turned away from her friend.
"The hell you're not! I know you, remember? You're going to try to be mean to me, make me dislike you, so that you can protect me, keep me from feeling what you're going through."
"I am not, that's absolutely...."
Lillian tried to deny it but Carla had her head titled. Her eyes narrowed as her hands held her hips. It didn't help that Carla stood six inches taller than Lillian, looking down at her.
Lillian raised her hands in the air, a signal of defeat.
"All right! All right! You're so damn smart. Why couldn't you just play along with it? Can't you see I'm worried about anyone who's close to me?"
"I know that, Lillian, but what you need right now is your family and friends. This is serious. We're all frightened."
Carla was silent a moment as she nibbled her bottom lip. Lillian knew she was holding back a comment or a question.
"What Carla? Just spit it out?"
"Have you thought about what you're going to tell Michael?"
Lillian held her head down, ran her fingers through her hair. The tears filled her eyes as she looked at her best friend.
She could feel her lip begin to quiver. The tears came on so suddenly, causing her voice to crack as she spoke the words aloud.
"I love him,” Lillian said, then began to cry. Immediately, Carla held her. Lillian could feel Carla crying as well.
"He loves you, too. I could tell immediately."
"I don't want him involved, Carla. I don't want him to get hurt."
The two women embraced.
"I know that, but you really don't have a choice here. You guys love one another, Martin tried to kill you. He's now wanted for questioning in multiple murders. Michael is a detective, Lillian, working for the B.C.I. Unit, for Christ's sake. There's no one, I mean no one, who would be able to protect you more."
"I can't explain everything to him. He'll hate me for staying involved with Martin for so long...."
"What? Are you kidding me? Gosh, Lillian, I thought you said counseling helped to heal you? Deep down, you still think you were somehow at fault, don't you? You think you asked to be beaten to near death because you stayed in an abusive relationship?"
"No, I don't. I know it wasn't my fault, but I can't help the weakness I feel. Martin apparently still has a hold on me. As little as it is, I'm scared to death, Carla. Damn it. I'm so scared!” Lillian turned away to face the cabinets in the kitchen. Her hands braced the counter as she tried to hide the shaking.
Carla turned her gently by the shoulders, taking Lillian's hands.
"He doesn't have a hold on you. You're stronger now. Look at what you've accomplished, Lilly. He can't destroy it. He can't destroy you. We're all going to be here to help you.
This time, you're not alone."
* * * *
Uncle Phillip made some calls, set up the patrol car surveillance as well as sent out photographs plus any other information he could get on Martin Crane.
Lillian was important to the family, he would do everything in his power to protect her and keep that monster, Martin Crane, from ever touching her again. He thought about the photographs, about how Lillian nearly died. He would do anything in his power to help. After giving his people the heads up, he headed to the Rockland County Sheriff's Department.
He arrived at the sheriff's station and conversed with a few friends before seeing the sheriff. Together, they began to notify everyone there. He figured if he showed up personally to ask his old friend, the sheriff, for help, things would get done more quickly. While there, he wanted to talk with Jimmy and Michael. They were friends with Lillian. He knew they'd be willing to help protect her.
"So, this Martin Crane is wanted for questioning in three murders? Who is this in these pictures? My God how could someone survive this?” Michael asked as he looked at the file. Jimmy looked over his shoulder.
"That's the hard part, Michael, Jimmy. I'm asking you two to personally look out for Lillian Baxter."
Michael looked up toward Uncle Phil.
"Lillian? What does she have to do with this?"
"Well, son, that's her in those pictures. Martin Crane tried to kill her."
Michael swallowed hard as the color left his face “My God, we had no idea,” Jimmy began to say as he kept a close eye on Michael. “None of us knew, except Carla and Aunt Mabel. Poor Lillian, she's been through so much. You should have seen her today when the two detectives from Jersey showed up. We have to protect her."
Michael stood up and began to pace the office floor.
Uncle Phil absorbed it all. He and Michael locked gazes.
"Oh, shit! You're involved with Lillian, aren't you, Michael?” Uncle Phil asked. Michael glanced at his uncle, his facial expression hadn't changed. He looked angry as hell.
"Why didn't anyone tell me? I would have never come in here like this—"
"Forget it, Uncle Phil. I'm glad you did. Lillian's been avoiding me all day. She won't call me back. I could only imagine what this is doing to her.” Michael moved some papers on his desk, pulled his car keys from his pocket.
"Where do you think you're going? You get off in an hour,” Jimmy stated as Michael looked up at the clock on the wall. “I'm going to talk with Lillian."
Uncle Phillip stopped Michael from leaving by grabbing his arm, then releasing it.
"No, you're not. Not yet, anyway,” Uncle Phil stood in front of Michael.
"What do you mean?” Michael asked.
"We have to come up with some kind of plan of action here. I've posted Martin Crane's picture, all the information we have so far, through the department's computer system. Every police department in the county, the state, should have it by now. I also sent Eddie to fix the window in the upstairs sitting room at Lillian's store."
"Oh, shit, that's right. The other night, we heard something. When I checked it out...."
Michael didn't finish his sentence.
"Don't worry about it. Her alarm system is working perfectly,” Uncle Phil added.
"What if that was him the other night? What if he's in the area already, maybe wearing a disguise?” Michael asked as he went back over toward his desk.
"It couldn't have been. He's not in the area. The other detectives from New Jersey said Martin was last spotted in Pennsylvania. They think he's hiding out somewhere between New Jersey and the Pennsylvania border. The heat is on, big time."
"What do we do in the mean time?” Jimmy asked. “We do our best to protect Lillian and keep a lookout for Martin Crane. I have a lot of men on the case now, the sheriff and chief investigator will need detectives here at the sheriff's department, working the case, as well. I'm sure you're going to want to be a part of that too,” Uncle Phil said, directing his comment toward the two men.
"You bet your ass we do. Maybe we can track him down,” Jimmy stated. Michael remained silent.
After a few minutes, Michael headed for the door.
"I can't take this anymore. I need to see her."
"Wait, Michael. She didn't want you to know about this. She asked me once in front of the Detectives, but I had forgotten I had no idea you two were dating."
"What do you mean she doesn't want me to know?"
"She obviously is concerned about your safety. You can't go storming into the bookstore, ready for a fight, acting like the over-protective boyfriend. You'll scare the shit out of her,” Uncle Phil stated.
"I won't scare her or hurt her, ever. What are you saying?” Michael asked.
"She had to put the past behind her, move on with her life. She's a survivor, Michael. She's going to probably close up. This news is bound to make her relive the past and she'll want to keep you away from her. You can't push it. She could look at it as a sign of control."
Michael sat back down at his desk looking at the pictures in the file. “Michael, do you understand what I'm saying, son? Now is not the time for you to be forceful, make demands, insist that everything be your way or the highway. She'll need you to stay calm, be empathetic to her feelings, the fear that I'm sure she'll deny that she has. Lillian is going to need your support, all of ours."
"I hear you, I understand. When I go to see her, I'll be better than I am right now. Let me have the detectives’ numbers, so I see where they are at with the case. Jimmy and I are going to work this case. I'll talk to the sheriff, then the chief investigator about the situation,” Michael stated.
Uncle Phil wrote down the information on a piece of paper.
"Don't worry about Bob. I'll talk to him right now,” Uncle Phil said. Uncle Phil then headed back to work while Michael contacted Detective Miller.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter 10
Lillian sat at her desk in her office. She buried herself in paperwork and order forms all day, trying to avoid the pain of remembering the past. She had no idea how she would forget any of it tonight when she went to bed.
She loved her best friend, Carla, and was thankful for her and for Uncle Phil. He had called back an hour ago to see if Eddie checked the alarm system and fixed the window. Lillian also talked to her parents again, making a promise she would call them regularly.
Deep in thought, she was startled when she heard the knocking. Someone was at her office door.
She laughed at her scared reaction and tried to stay calm as the door opened.
Michael entered her office. He closed the door behind him as he said hello. She could tell immediately he knew what happened to her. He knew about Martin. By now most of the police departments would be on the look out for Martin.
She thought he looked tired, angry. She didn't want to fight with him, she wanted him to hold her.
She rose from her seat, said hello, as they met by the side of her desk.
The silence lasted a moment too long. Looking at her, Michael didn't say a word. The pain and the fear hit her hard.
Lillian lowered her head, began to move away from him, but he wouldn't allow it as he grabbed her hand to stop her, pulling her into the loving embrace she needed.
He held her close, tight, rubbing her back, then her head as she began to cry. She couldn't hold back the tears. She felt so safe with Michael, so willing to show her emotions. She knew he loved her just as much as she loved him.
"Oh, God, baby ... I'm right here, honey ... right here to keep you safe. I love you so much,” he whispered as she wiped the tears from her eyes and squeezed him one more time before releasing his embrace.
"I'm okay. Really, I am. It's been a trying day, very emotional. I'm swamped with paperwork.” She motioned with her hand toward the desk. She knew damn well she planned it that way in order to keep her mind off Martin.
Michael took Lillian's hand into his.
"It's nearly s
even thirty. Why don't you leave that for tomorrow? We can go get a bite to eat."
"I'm not too hungry really. I wouldn't be good company tonight, Michael. I really don't feel like seeing anyone."
"How about just us? I'll cook for you at my place. Something light, you know. Come on. I'm not taking no for an answer."
He wrapped his arms around her. The second his lips covered hers, she felt the tension in her body release. Her eyes stayed closed when his lips parted from hers.
"All right, I guess,” she said in defeat.
Michael smiled wide. “My kisses are powerful.” He watched her fix up her desk, then turn off the light.
She locked up her office door as they headed down the hallway.
"You leaving, Lillian?” Justin asked as he met them in the hallway carrying an armful of books.
"Yes, I am. Kelly said she'd close tonight, so if you want to head out early, you can. Thanks for the extra help this morning, too.” Lillian grinned at Justin.
"No problem, Lillian. Are you feeling better? You seem upset today."
"I appreciate your concern, but everything is fine. I'll see you in the morning."
Lillian took Michael's hand as they headed out of the building after saying good night to Aunt Mabel, then Kelly.
* * * *
Michael helped Lillian into his truck, then they headed to his place.
"What's that smell?” Lillian asked scrunching her nose.
"That would be dinner. I picked up some fresh shrimp along with filet of sole. I hope you're not allergic?” he asked suddenly all concerned.
"No, I'm not allergic. I like both. How do you plan on making it?"
"I'm not sure yet, but don't you worry about it. You're not going to do a thing. I'm cooking for you."
Lillian smiled as Michael drove down the road.
"So, what's up with that guy Justin? He's kind of young to be working at a book store,” Michael asked.
"What do you mean?"
"He's got the hots for you. He doesn't quite look like the bookstore type."
Lillian's Love Page 11
