by Brenda Novak
“Damn. I’ve only met him once,” she grumbled. And that first meeting hadn’t gone particularly well. She’d been bitchy and rude in her attempt to remain unaffected. And he’d retaliated. Are you really that attracted to me? Because I’m not having the same problem.
Yeah, she was really that attracted to him. Which meant she needed to keep her distance before she did something stupid, like become infatuated with him. But after last night’s conversation with Kalyna, she was absolutely convinced he was innocent. And that obligated her to share what she’d discovered. She kept telling herself that those details wouldn’t make a difference. As she’d explained to Kalyna, the case would probably never make it to court. But…what if it did? Or what if the information she possessed could put an end to it sooner—give Luke back his life? McCreedy was a talented attorney, but he was paid by the hour and might not be in any hurry to end this. And just because he was good didn’t mean he’d make all the right moves. Whether Kalyna’s neighbor Maria was homosexual, bi or straight, she wasn’t likely to repeat the fact that she and Kalyna had spoken of a three-way. The implications could ruin her career. Ava had given her permission to keep her mouth shut, hadn’t she? And no one but Ava knew about the conversation with Tatiana Harter or Kalyna’s response on the phone last night—the panicked Did my sister call you back?
Ava drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. She could wait until Monday and contact Luke’s attorney, pass along a copy of his file. But she occasionally came up against McCreedy on other cases and didn’t want him thinking he had an ally at The Last Stand just because she’d helped him with this one case. And the prosecutor refused to call her back. She’d tried to get in touch with Major Ogitani several times, to no avail. Just as she’d assumed, the military didn’t want her involved and were doing their best to ignore the intrusion.
“Call Luke and get it over with already,” she muttered.
After digging through her purse, she located her phone and ran through the notes attached to her calendar. Luke wasn’t in her address book because she hadn’t expected to call him again, but he was in her notes. She scrolled farther down, and found his number in a memo she’d recorded the day she’d tried to get in touch with him regarding Kalyna.
She held her breath as the phone rang….
But she’d screwed up her courage for nothing. He didn’t answer.
You’ve reached Luke Trussell’s mailbox. Leave me a message and I’ll call you back.
Squaring her shoulders, she waited for the beep. “Captain Trussell, this is Ava Bixby at The Last Stand.” She knew he’d recognize her name without any mention of the charity, but she was determined to behave more professionally than she had at Starbucks. Last night, they’d somehow crossed boundaries she normally kept very rigid. Are you asking to satisfy your own curiosity or because you think this pertains to the case in some way?
That was the second time he’d seen through her.
She was determined there wouldn’t be a third.
“I have something I’d like to discuss with you,” she said. “If you could give me a call at your convenience, I’d appreciate it.” With that, she recited her number and hung up.
Like almost everyone else in America, he was probably busy with Fourth of July activities. Figuring she’d hear from him on Monday, she headed over to the office. But it was only a few hours later that he called her back.
16
Luke hadn’t checked his phone when he left the gym so it wasn’t until he was getting out of his car to go into Outback for a steak that he realized he’d missed a call—from Ava Bixby. Intrigued, and just a little nervous about what she might want, he listened to her voice mail.
She needed to talk to him. But she gave him no clue as to why. He hoped his parents hadn’t called her.
He punched in her number and she answered on the third ring. “Hello?”
“Ava?”
There was a slight hesitation. “Yes?”
“It’s Luke.”
“Captain Trussell.”
He would’ve chuckled at her starchy response, except that he wasn’t sure what it signified. “That would be my formal form of address, yes.”
“Thank you for calling.”
As he gazed across the lot toward the busy street fronting the restaurant, waves of heat rose from the asphalt to mix with smoke from all the forest fires in the state. The air quality was always at its worst in the late afternoon, especially on days like today when the temperature rose to triple digits. “You haven’t changed your mind and decided to help Kalyna put me behind bars, have you?” he asked bluntly.
“No.”
Good news. His shirt was already sticking to his back, so he got out of his BMW and started toward the restaurant entrance. “So…what did you need to talk to me about?”
He was expecting to hear that his parents had made her an offer, but that wasn’t it. “I’m going to give you copies of what I’ve collected on your case so far.”
He stopped walking. “Really?”
“Yes. It’s not a huge amount, but some of the information could prove useful.” At the very least, it’ll save you some money because it’s work McCreedy and his investigators won’t have to duplicate. It might even highlight the best places to focus your resources as you go forward.”
She could’ve told him this last night, but hadn’t. “I don’t have my parents to thank for this, do I?”
“Your parents?”
Apparently not. “Never mind. I appreciate your help. Should I pick up the file?”
“That might be simplest. Or I could save you the drive and ship it to either you or McCreedy.”
“No, that’s okay.” If she had anything useful, he wanted it right away. But it was nearly five o’clock on the Fourth of July. Not exactly the optimum time for a business appointment. “Is it too late to meet up tonight?”
“Don’t you have other plans for the evening?”
His only plans were to have dinner alone. He had friends who were at the lake playing beach volleyball and riding Jet Skis; they’d invited him but he’d begged off. The last thing he wanted was to face a crowd. “Being accused of rape has a way of dampening your desire to take part in group activities. My situation isn’t something I want to explain a dozen times, if you know what I mean.”
“I understand. Sure, you can come by. I’m at the office.”
“It’ll take me an hour, without traffic.”
“I’ll wait.”
Was he inconveniencing her? “This won’t make you late for your own celebration, will it? I mean, I could stop by on Monday if—”
“No, today’s fine.”
He noticed that she didn’t mention whether or not she was under time constraints. “Okay. I’ll see you soon.” He searched for a way he could thank her or repay her for her help. “Have you had dinner? Can I bring you anything? No iced mocha, of course. But maybe some takeout wouldn’t be considered too manipulative?”
“You don’t owe me dinner,” she said. “But…”
“What?” Was she already having second thoughts?
“There’s no need to have you drive all the way into Sacramento. I live in the delta, which is closer.”
“Would you rather meet there?”
“We might as well. I was thinking of heading home, anyway. Are you familiar with the area?”
“Not at all, but I’ve got GPS.”
“It won’t help with this because I can’t give you an exact address. But there’s a fish-and-tackle shop in Penrington that shouldn’t be too hard to find.”
“Penrington?”
“It’s a town of only three.”
“You mean three hundred?”
“No, I mean, three people,” she said with a laugh. “But it’ll be easier to locate than my houseboat, so I’ll meet you there.”
“You rented a houseboat for the Fourth?”
“No, that’s where I live.”
“Every day?”
“Ev
ery day.”
“With just the three people in Penrington for company.”
“No. I’ve met some friends who usually dock where I do.”
“How many friends?”
“Two other houseboats.”
Somehow he wouldn’t have imagined her in such an environment. Her manner suggested an efficient downtown condo. “Sounds interesting.”
“I like it. Are you ready for directions?”
“I’m ready.” He returned to the car and jotted down what she told him on an envelope he dug out of the jockey box. “I think I can find that,” he said.
“Good. See you in about thirty minutes.”
“I’ll be there.” Luke had skipped lunch because he was working out. He was ravenous. But he wasn’t about to risk missing this opportunity. With a parting glance at his favorite restaurant, he got back in his car and peeled out of the lot.
Ava was wearing a sundress and a pair of sandals. At first, she looked too young to be the woman he’d met last night. But as Luke drew closer, he recognized her dramatic haircut and willowy body. He didn’t see a car—any car—so he guessed she lived within walking distance.
The bait shop was closed. More of a shack than an actual store, it had peeling white paint and a padlock on the door, which was too warped to shut completely. A homemade sign out front bore the picture of a crudely drawn night crawler. Another sign in the window read Back at…A clock indicated 6:00 p.m. Luke wondered if it was merely a remnant from summers past. The place felt as if it had been shut up for some time.
Ava stood next to a rusty gas pump with a third sign—Out of Order. She stepped forward when he drove up, and he immediately saw the envelope in her hands. There it was. Copies of what was in his file, as promised.
Letting his engine idle, he lowered his window. “Nice place,” he said, taking in the weeds that grew in clumps around the building and the shiny bits of colored glass that littered the broken asphalt.
She seemed surprised by his words. “You don’t like it?”
“It’s fine, I guess. Just an unlikely place for a single woman to live.”
“How do you know I’m single?”
“You told me you’ve never been deeply in love. I’m hoping that would keep you from getting married.” And she wasn’t wearing a ring, but he didn’t mention that, didn’t want her to think he’d checked.
“Oh, right. I forgot we discussed that.”
And she obviously didn’t want to talk about it now. “What brought you out here?” he asked.
“It’s got character.”
He bent forward to take another look around. “I’d have to agree with you there.”
“You should see the old guy who owns this place. He’s as decrepit as his shop but really nice.”
“He’s not around?”
“Not this month. He’s traveling from state to state, visiting family.”
“And the other two people who live in Penrington? What do they do for a living?”
“They’re a married couple, both of them environmental scientists. They’re currently studying how ammonia from Sacramento waste can hurt the delicate ecosystem.”
“Where do they live?”
“You can’t see their house from here. They’re not at home. They told me they were going into town for dinner and fireworks.”
He realized his radio was playing rather loudly and turned down the volume. “Why didn’t you stay in town so you could see the show?”
“I needed to give you this.” She handed him the envelope, and he put it on his passenger seat.
“We could’ve met in Sacramento.”
“I didn’t plan to see the show, anyway.” She backed up and tossed him a quick smile. “Good luck!”
He stayed where he was, trying to think of a way to make the offer he’d discussed with his mother.
“Is there anything else?” she asked when he didn’t drive off.
He slung his arm out the window as he studied her. “Why are you helping me?”
“Because I believe you’re innocent.”
“You thought I was innocent last night, too. You could’ve had me follow you to the office and given me a copy of the file then.”
She squinted into the distance, then approached the car. “I talked to Kalyna after I left you.”
“And?”
“And I think you’re right. She’s crazy.”
“What did she say?”
“You mean, besides calling me an evil bitch and telling me she hopes I’ll burn in hell?”
Apparently, Ava had caught a glimpse of the Kalyna he knew. “Welcome to the dark side.”
“No kidding. She changed so fast I thought she was possessed.”
He chuckled. “It only comes out when she doesn’t get what she wants.”
“There’s something missing in her. I’m afraid she might be dangerous.”
“Physically?”
Ava’s expression grew contemplative. “You never know. We’ve seen that she’s vengeful.”
“Those couples you mentioned, who dock near you?”
“What about them?”
“They’re there now, right?”
“Actually, they’re on a fishing trip. Why?”
Because if Ava got into trouble there’d be no one to help her. Maybe it came from his military training, but Luke immediately recognized her vulnerability. “Does Kalyna know where you live?”
“No.”
“That’s good.”
“I wasn’t thinking of me,” Ava said.
“She’s not going to hurt me,” he responded. The very idea seemed preposterous. But then he hadn’t expected Kalyna to do any of the things she’d already done.
“You can’t protect yourself against some weapons.” Forming her fingers into the shape of a gun, she pulled the imaginary trigger. “And I’m guessing she knows where you live—or she can find out.”
“At this point, I think I’m more tempted to shoot her,” he admitted. “She’s already got me by the b—er, throat. What more could she want from me?”
Ava’s smile was mocking. “Are you kidding? She’s never touched a man who’s bigger and thicker than you are.”
She was teasing him, rubbing his nose in his bad behavior. Luke’s neck and ears burned, but he grinned. “I might’ve been exaggerating.”
“A lot or a little?”
She was pressing her advantage, so he put her in her place. “Are you hinting that you’d like to see for yourself?”
When her eyes widened, he knew he’d turned the tables on her, as he’d planned. But the spark that’d flashed between them last night suddenly flared up again, surprising him. The instant tightening in his groin reminded him how quickly a man could bounce back from a bad experience like Kalyna.
But Ava? Was he out of his mind? She wasn’t his type at all. Maybe she was cuter than he’d first thought. She looked a lot more feminine in this dress than that nondescript suit she’d been wearing before. But she was independent to a fault, fussy, bossy and stubborn. And that was just what he’d learned about her so far.
Fortunately, she laughed and raised her hands in the classic halt motion, which eased the tension. “Okay, I asked for that,” she said. “But I think we should stop there. Have a nice life, Luke Trussell. And watch your back. You never know what Kalyna might do next.”
That was goodbye. Telling himself to get the hell out of there, he waved and gave the car some gas. But he felt sure that Ava’s personal weaknesses would be professional strengths. She knew Kalyna and had lost faith in her. She could make a big difference to his case. And he’d never have a better opportunity to enlist her help.
At the edge of the lot, he threw the car into Reverse.
When she heard the whine of the engine, she waited, letting him drive up beside her.
“This has absolutely no reference to our earlier conversation, so please don’t get the wrong idea, but is there any chance you’ll have dinner with me?” he asked.
>
She didn’t take even a second to consider it. “No, thanks.”
Slightly offended that his invitation hadn’t tempted her at all, he glanced pointedly around. “You don’t seem to have any better offers. Not for tonight, anyway.”
“I don’t need any. I’m fine as I am.”
“Doing what?”
She began to walk away, but he kept pace with her. “I brought some work home with me.”
“You’re going to work while everyone else is out watching fireworks? Where’s your patriotism?”
“Were you planning to do any flag-waving tonight?” she countered.
“My life’s a bit upside down right now. Yours, on the other hand, is business as usual.”
“People are depending on me.”
Here was proof of those professional strengths, he thought.
They reached some gravel along the bank of a canal, and he raised his voice to speak above the crunch of his tires. “It doesn’t mean you’ll be letting anyone down if you take time out to have dinner, Ava. You have to eat.”
She raked her fingers through her hair, which immediately fell back into place, brushing her chin as she walked. “That’s not what I’m worried about.”
“Then what are you worried about?”
She came to an abrupt halt. “Let’s just say I prefer a more direct approach. You want me to go to dinner with you for a reason. What is it?”
“I have to have an ulterior motive?”
“You made it very clear yesterday that you’re not attracted to me, so I know you’re not asking me out.”
Embarrassed yet again by his bad behavior, he flinched and stopped trying to charm her. “I was…frustrated when I made that statement.”
She resumed walking. “That’s what makes it so refreshingly honest.”
It wasn’t exactly honest. In his right mind, he wasn’t attracted to Ava. But there were those odd moments when she got to him. Why, he couldn’t say. “Can’t we forget about that and all the other stupid things I’ve said and start over?”
