She made a noise in her throat. “Poor Norma.”
He smiled. Tina’s soft heart was the main reason he loved her. Yes, he could say it now. He wouldn’t have gone over to Seth’s and made a fool of himself if he didn’t love her. All he had to do now was convince Tina that she felt the same way.
He put his hand to the back of her head and pulled her close for a kiss.
9
On her way to the grocery store the morning after spending the night at David’s, Tina spotted a commotion and a sea of red hats outside of Seth’s house. What were those women up to now?
She pulled her car along the curb and cut the ignition. Slinging her purse over her shoulder, she slid from the car and marched to the group. Iris, holding her pink hat instead of wearing it, stood off to the side.
“What’s going on?” Tina asked.
“They’ve taken it upon themselves to get Seth out of your life so you and David can get married.” Iris exhaled deeply. “I’ve decided to stay out of it. I’m only here to make sure things don’t get out of control.”
Tina wasn’t sure what Iris could do if the women decided to push the issue. She did know that Seth wouldn’t take kindly to a group of women on his lawn telling him what he should, or shouldn’t, do. “Maybe we should call the police.”
“Already done.” Iris motioned her head toward the house next door. A curtain in the front window fell into place. “The old lady who lives there shouted out a warning for us to leave and then withdrew. I’m sure she wasted no time in dialing the phone.”
Sure enough, two squad cars pulled in behind Tina’s car. Two officers from each car climbed out and marched toward the group.
“Thank you!” Seth stepped onto his porch. “I demand that you arrest these women for harassment. I have an infant inside. They’re frightening my daughter.”
Tina sighed. The baby was too young to know what was going on. Still, she took Iris by the arm and pulled her across the street. “We can watch over here. I don’t want to be arrested.”
“You really think it will come to that?”
“If Seth has his way, yes.”
Seth pointed in Tina’s direction, causing the officer’s to look her way. She shrank behind Iris. “Sorry,” she whispered. “I’m a coward.”
Iris laughed. “No problem, but it doesn’t look as if we’re going to escape whatever is happening here.”
Two of the officers approached them, stopping two feet in front of Iris. “Which one of you is Tina Johnson?”
“I am.” Tina stepped from behind Iris. “What’s going on?”
“You tell us.” Officer Ludlow, according to his name tag, frowned. “Mr. Miller said you organized this vigilante gathering.”
“Wouldn’t he have needed to have committed a crime in order to warrant vigilantes?” Tina crossed her arms. Oh, why hadn’t she filed the restraining order. “He’s been stalking me, not the other way around.”
“That isn’t the way he tells it, and since you belong to the … club,” his mouth twisted, “we can’t discount his claims.”
“Are you arresting me?” A lump formed in her throat.
“I’m afraid so. You and the others.”
“On what charges?”
“Disrupting the peace, unlawful gathering—” He took her arm. “You two come with me. We’ll load up the others as soon as the bus arrives.”
Tears pricked Tina’s eyes. She was actually being arrested. How could this be happening? She glared through her tears at the smiling Seth. He had sunk to a new low, even for him.
“Don’t I get a phone call?” She asked as the officer dragged her along.
“After you’re booked.”
Booked? This could not be happening. She cast a glance at Iris, who looked every bit as startled.
By the time they arrived at the station, Tina’s nerves were stretched almost to the breaking point. What would her boss, Mr. Green, say? Would she lose her job? She stiffened as a woman in uniform rolled Tina’s fingers across an ink pad and then across a square piece of thin, white cardboard.
She was a criminal! Her fingerprints were on record. Well, they already were since she was a teacher, but this time she was actually being charged with a criminal activity. Wait until she got her hands on Seth. She’d give him a real reason to call the cops.
“Isn’t this fun?” Betty said, the moment the iron-barred door clanged shut on the cell the women shared. “A totally new experience for me.”
“What were you thinking?” Tina plopped on the hard, concrete bench.
“I heard this man was bothering you, took it to the group, and we decided to show a force of action to get him to leave you alone.” She grinned. “Then, you’d be free to marry David, with no entanglements.”
“I can marry David on my own, thank you very much.” She leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes.
“She’s going to say yes,” Betty called out to the others. “It worked.”
Tina groaned. “This is ridiculous.”
“I promise to stay out of your business once the vows are said.”
“Sure, you will.” She opened her eyes and stabbed Betty with a glance, then transferred her attention to Winnie Barton, the mayor’s wife. The woman studied her manicured nails as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
Maybe she didn’t. Her husband would grease some wheels and get her name cleared.
Winnie stood and approached the bars. “Officer Ludlow? Enough of this. I’d like to call my husband now.”
He danged a set of keys in his hand. “Why didn’t you tell me who you were? I didn’t recognize you.”
Winnie patted her vibrant red hair. “I just had a dye job. Now, open this door and let us out.”
“Only you.”
She stepped back. “Then, I’ll stay. You have no cause to detain us. Mr. Miller is a menace and has caused Tina Johnson a good deal of stress. He should be the one here, not us. I will be speaking to my husband about the travesty of justice in this town.”
“Settle down, Mrs. Mayor.” He unlocked the cell. “You’re all free to go. This was only a warning. No charges have been filed.”
She planted fists on her hips. “Are you playing a game, son?”
“No, ma’am. Mr. Miller threatened to cause a scene. This was only to appease him.”
Tina jumped to her feet. This was small town justice at its finest.
“Miss Johnson?” Officer Ludlow shot out a hand to stop her.
“Yes?” Her heart lodged in her throat.
“I’d file that restraining order if I was you.”
*
David waited on the front steps of the courthouse and waited for Tina. When his mother had sent him a text from Seth’s front yard, he had almost had a heart attack. She was going to be the death of him. If his mother kept interfering in his love life, Tina would definitely say no to his proposal.
He rushed forward the moment she walked through the doors. “You look like you need some coffee. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I want to go home. Please take me to my car.” Her features looked frozen in place as he helped her into the passenger seat of his jeep.
“I’m sorry,” he said, sliding behind the steering wheel. “My mother doesn’t know her boundaries.
She glanced at him. “The red hats are a wonderful group of ladies, but they need to stick to helping those who really need it. I’ve never been more embarrassed in my life.”
“I’ll talk to her.” Again. He drove to Seth’s house. If he caught one glimpse of the man, he couldn’t be responsible for his actions. His body may still ache from the night before, but he’d be willing to have another go and forcing Seth to leave Tina alone.
Fortunately, the man didn’t appear to be home. David followed Tina to her place, reluctant to leave her alone after the stressful day she had had. The boys were being looked after by his neighbor.
Tina turned at the slam of his door. “I’ll put on a pot o
f coffee.”
Her invitation sounded anything but. Still, David followed her inside and into the kitchen. “What do you want me to do?” He asked. “Miller can’t keep having this kind of control.”
“I don’t know what to do.” She leaned her hands on the edge of the sink. “I’m not sure marrying you is the answer.”
His heart dropped. “Maybe not. It’s worked with Marilyn, though.” A few well-laced hints about him getting engaged had put a stop to her improper advances. “But, you’re right. I don’t want you marrying me if you don’t love me. Using marriage as a means to get rid of someone is wrong.”
She glanced at him, tears filling her eyes. She shook her head as if he were the densest man on the planet, then started measuring coffee grounds.
What was he missing? He pushed away from the door. “What am I doing wrong?” He turned her to face him.
“I can’t tell you that, David. You need to figure it out on your own.”
“Figure what out? Don’t you love me?”
She stomped her foot and yanked away. “I think the question here is … do you love me?”
He froze. He hadn’t told her. Every time he meant to, something came up. He pulled her to his chest. “I love you, Tina Johnson. More than life itself. I’m sorry I’m such a fool.” He cupped her face. “I should have told you a long time ago.”
“I won’t marry you just in order to provide a mother for your boys and to get a couple of insane exes off our backs.”
“I don’t want you to. That was a dumb idea. I fell in love with you so quickly, I thought it was a way to marry you and get you to love me in return.”
“Oh, David.” She caressed his cheek. “I loved you from the first moment I saw you interact with your children. I knew that a man who cared so much for a couple of unruly boys would be the perfect man for me.”
“Does that mean …”
A knock at the front door interrupted them. “Don’t answer it,” he said.
“I have to. It might be important.” She planted a quick kiss on his lips, then brushed past him. “What if it’s your mother looking for you?”
“It isn’t. She’s supposed to relieve my neighbor in watching the boys.” He reached out to stop her, and missed.
She laughed and yanked open the front door.
Seth stood there, a gun in his hand. He raised it.
David raced toward the door.
A shot rang out as Tina lunged sideways.
She screamed and crumpled to the floor.
David tackled Seth, taking him down. The sharp crack of his head hitting the concrete floor of the porch, resounded in the afternoon air. Leaving him to lie there unconscious, David crawled to Tina’s side.
A pool of blood spread under her.
10
Tina opened her eyes. The soft beep of a machine to her right and the needle in her hand, gave her a moment of panic. She was in the hospital. She moved, coming in contact with something soft. She rolled her head to see David, his head resting on the bed beside her, asleep.
She smoothed the strands standing up like soldiers and smiled as he stirred. He lifted his head. Creases from the blankets marred a cheek with several days of stubble.
“How long have I been here?” Her voice rasped.
“You don’t remember?” He blinked and straightened, rolling his head on his shoulders. “You’ve been out for three days. Do you know what happened?”
“I answered the door to see Seth standing there with a gun.” She tried to swallow against a throat as dry as the hospital air. “I jumped out of the way.”
“Not fast enough.” He scrubbed both hands down his face. “His bullet took you in the side.”
“Where is he now?” She attempted to get out of bed, ready to strangle him.
“I knocked him unconscious. He spent two days in the hospital and was released to the authorities yesterday. The police have been here every day to take your statement.” He glanced at the clock. “They should be here again very soon.” He poured her a cup of water, stuck in a bendable straw, and then held it to her mouth.
She’d never tasted anything so good. The tepid liquid soothed her throat. She frowned when he pulled the cup away.
“Don’t drink too much. The stitches in your side wouldn’t be very happy if you vomited.” He set the cup down, then took her hand. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I’ve been shot.” She forced a smile. Why would Seth want to kill her? Was he really so deranged that no one could have her if he couldn’t? He left her a year ago, not the other way around.
Her anger ebbed. She actually felt sorry for him. Life must be difficult for a person who could never find happiness, and must take away someone else’s. That’s where Seth had failed. Tina glanced into David’s eyes. Waking up with the man she loved by her side, was all the happiness she needed.
The door to her room opened. A doctor and Officer Ludlow entered.
“Wonderful. You’re awake.” The doctor, his name tag said Montag, picked up her chart from its holder at the end of her bed.
“We got Mr. Larson’s statement,” Officer Ludlow said. “Do you feel up to answering a few questions?”
“I can try. I don’t remember anything after opening my front door.” Tina pushed the button on her controller and raised the bed so she could look the officer in the eye while they talked.
“Start at the beginning and tell us everything you remember.” He opened a small spiral notebook.
She started with when David picked her up from the police station and concluded with her trying to avoid Seth’s gun. “The next thing I knew, I woke up here.”
He snapped his notebook closed. “I think this is enough to put Mr. Miller away for a long time. Get well, Miss Johnson.” He turned and left the room.
“You’re making great progress, Miss Johnson.” Doctor Montage. “Keep up the good work, and you’ll soon be going home.” He smiled, patted her foot, and left.
“I don’t want to stay here,” she said.
“Doctor’s orders.” David stood, arching his back. “They should be bringing you something to eat soon. I think the nurse said something about jello and broth.”
“Yuck.” Tina closed her eyes. “Wake me when she arrives.”
She felt his lips on hers. “I’ll wake you with a kiss, same as I send you to sleep.”
She smiled and drifted away.
*
If the last couple of days were any indication, Tina would sleep for a couple of hours. David stopped by the nurse’s station, requesting they hold her lunch. They informed him that she would either eat at the designated time, or he was free to purchase her a liquid lunch from the cafeteria.
He sighed, and pushed through the large double doors leading to the parking lot. He had a stop he wanted to make first.
Ten minutes later, he pulled in front of the courthouse and signed in to visit Seth. Since the courthouse had recently upgraded to video visits only, David was assigned a small booth. As he watched the numbers count down until Seth picked up the phone on the other end, he realized it was for the best. If David were able to get his hands on the man, he’d most likely bash his head in again.
Seth entered through a door visible on the camera and picked up the phone. “She’s dead, isn’t she? That’s why you’re here. To tell me I killed her.” Tears ran down his face.
“No, I’m here to tell you that she woke up today. Fortunately, your bullet didn’t do any lasting damage.” David clenched his free hand into a fist. He didn’t want to feel compassion for the man. “What I want to know is why? Why did you go to her house with the intent to harm her?”
Seth shook his head. “I lost my mind. When I saw what she had become, how beautiful she still was, I lost my head. I was bored with Norma, and being a father isn’t exactly what I was cut out for. I thought, maybe … I don’t know what I thought. If I had been in my right mind, I would have known a gun wouldn’t solve the problem. I was going to shoot her, the
n myself.”
“Instead, you’re in jail for a very long time.” Exactly where he belonged, but David bit back the words. He’d come to find out why, not to torment. “I’m going to marry Tina,” he said. “I don’t want you trying to call or write. No contact of any kind. Not even through a third party. You have a child. I suggest you focus on forming a relationship there.” He hung up and marched away.
When he returned to Tina’s hospital room, she was frowning at a Styrofoam cup of watery chicken broth. She glanced up as he entered. “How do they expect me to get better with this?”
He laughed. “There’s always the lime jello.”
“My least favorite flavor.”
“I went and saw Seth this morning.”
She paled. “And?”
“He was planning a murder/suicide.”
“Why?”
David shrugged. “I asked him that, and he said he had no idea. That he had lost his mind. The man cried when I asked him.”
“Good. He needs to shed a bucket more tears.” She lifted the cup of soup.
“I agree. Now, drink up, sweetheart, we have a wedding to plan.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I haven’t said yes.”
“You will.” He sat in the salmon-colored chair next to the bed. “I figure it will be about three months before you can fit a wedding gown over your wounded side. Is that enough time?”
“You’re the most exasperating man.” She sipped at her soup. “Not bad.”
“You probably already have a dress, right? The one you were going to wear to marry Seth?”
“I can’t wear that!” Her eyes widened. “Besides, I sold it on ebay.”
He noticed she was now speaking as if she’d given him the answer he wanted. With Mom and the other red hats involved, a wedding would be a cinch to carry off. “I don’t care what you wear,” he said. “As long as we get married. You can wear that faded blue hospital gown, if you want. It’s quite fetching.”
“Shut up.” She smiled. “You’re so cocky and sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
He leaned over and caressed her face. “You didn’t let me wake you with a kiss.”
Love Draws Near Page 12
