The Right to Remain Mine

by Linda Kage

  Thinking it probably a family member then, she teasingly called out, "Hey! What're you doing in my kitchen?"

  The guy—she could tell he was male by his shape—spun her way. The outline he made had her pausing; longish hair, thinner shoulders, short frame, he didn't match any member of her family

  Suddenly, she realized how strange the situation was. The light was off in the kitchen. Why wouldn't whoever-this-was have turned on a light? Besides, her guest was standing there for too long without calling out a hello or revealing his identity.

  The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, but she moved toward him, telling herself it had to be someone she knew, probably trying to scare her. As soon as she turned on the light, he'd laugh and say, "Boo. Did I spook you?"

  When she picked up her pace, however, he whirled away and took off in the opposite direction. He slipped out the back door and pulled it shut at the same moment she flipped on the light. A shiver overtook her when she realized he hadn't been a family member or a friend.

  Someone—someone she didn't know—had just been inside her home.

  ~ * ~

  In the middle of giving some hotrod teenager a speeding ticket, Raith grumbled when his cell phone rang. Glancing at the pimply-faced kid who trembled as he tore his wallet apart, looking for proof of insurance he swore he had, Raith dug his phone from his belt and checked the number. He didn't recognize it, but answered anyway.

  "Malloy."

  "R-Raith?" a woman said, sounding wobbly and from a great distance away.

  "Yeah?" he answered, frowning when he couldn't identify the hoarse voice. "Who's this?"

  "It's... it's Willow... Willow DeVane," she added shakily, as if she didn't think he'd know her by her first name alone.

  "What's wrong?" he asked, straightening as he frowned at the kid who'd finally found his insurance card and was now holding it out the opened car window.

  "Someone..., someone was just in my... in my house."

  His heart kicked up into his throat. "I'll be right there." He slapped the phone closed. "It's your lucky day," he growled to the kid, already sprinting toward his police cruiser. "You can go."

  He'd never heard Willow sound so scared before. She was one of those cool, collected women who didn't easily fly off the handle and freak out over minor problems. So hearing the tremor in her voice had his own insides locking down with fear. By the time he roared into her driveway, lights and sirens blaring, he was shaking like a leaf.

  She opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch as he sprang from his cruiser.

  "You're working," she said needlessly, blinking at his uniform before glancing at his police car. He wanted to snap. Yes, he was on duty, not that it mattered. He'd have come to her no matter what. She'd sounded too scared to just ignore.

  "What happened?" he demanded already looking around the place and slipping into cop mode. Nothing seemed out of order. Willow shivered and crossed her arms over her chest. "I came home, and someone was in my kitchen."

  He scowled. "Who?"

  "I don't know who," she muttered. "That's why I called you. There was a complete stranger lurking in the dark inside my freaking kitchen. I came home and started back to see what I had in the fridge to eat and I saw some shadow of a guy."

  "You didn't see his face?"

  She shook her head. "He was in the dark. At first, I thought it was some family member. But when I called out, he turned and ran out the back door."

  Raith's jaw knotted. "If you didn't see his face, how do you know it wasn't a family member?"

  "Because," she growled irritably. "He was shorter than any male member of my family. He didn't have the right shape. And besides, why would someone I know lurk in the dark and then run off when he saw me?"

  ~ * ~

  Willow felt like strangling the good deputy. He eyed her as if she was the suspect here. She felt like stomping her foot and yelling, "I'm not lying, damn it." But that would probably make her look like a total liar.

  She didn't want to be defensive. She was too scared to think about defending herself. Besides, she hadn't called Butthead Malloy over so he could simply glare at her. She'd been in trouble, and he was the first person she'd sought for help. She wanted him to pull her into a reassuring hug and ask if she was okay. But if she held her breath waiting for his comfort, she would probably suffocate to death.

  His jaw hardened as he glanced around the living room. "Where's your cop statue?"

  She lifted her face. "What?"

  He motioned toward the empty spot on her end table where the figurine had first appeared. "The little statue that appeared out of nowhere. Remember? You didn't know where it came from. Where'd it go?"

  "I don't..." Shaking her head, she studied the bare surface of the

  table and frowned. "Well, hmm. I don't know where it went."

  "You didn't get rid of it?"

  "No."

  Raith muttered a curse. "Come on," he growled, taking her elbow and escorting her back toward the kitchen. "Tell me if anything back here's been moved or is missing."

  "He didn't take anything," she started. "He was just here... in my house."

  "You mean he didn't take anything except the statue," Raith corrected.

  "I'm still convinced you bought me the stupid statue in the first place." She tugged her arm out of his grasp because it was distracting her too much. "So, you're probably the one who took it away."

  "I didn't give you the damn statue," he muttered and stopped in the center of the kitchen once they reached it.

  Willow halted, trying not to look at all the places she'd made love to him in this room. But, God, the only place left to stare was at the ceiling.

  "How'd he get in?" Raith asked, prowling the floor and opening cabinets as if her intruder would jump out of one.

  Willow sucked in a quick breath like a child who knew she was about to get a lecture. "How do you think he got in?"

  Malloy paused and glanced her way. He read the guilt on her face and cursed. "God damn it, DeVane. How many times have I told you to keep that fucking door locked?"

  "Well, who would want to come into my home?" she snapped, turning away from the intensity of his blue stare. "There're nicer places on this block than mine. Besides, nothing was taken."

  "You mean, beside the—"

  "Will you shut up about the statue? I don't know how it got here. I don't know how it left. I'm more concerned about a human being trespassing into my home at the moment."

  Raith's jaw bulged as he gritted his teeth and glanced away. "It was probably one of those kooks you helped get a divorce, come to take over my spot."

  Willow frowned at him. "What does that mean? Take your spot?"

  Refusing to answer, he moved toward the back door. "Did you touch the handle since he's been here?"

  "Yes," she mumbled, realizing that probably hadn't been the smartest of moves. "To lock it."

  Raith snorted.

  She set her hands on her hips. "What did you mean by that take-myspot remark?"

  "What do you think I meant, DeVane?" He finally turned from the door to spear her with a look. "I've heard how quickly you move through men. You can't go without one for long. And since you got rid of me, it's about time for the next guy to slide on in, isn't it?"

  For a moment, she was too startled to speak. There were so many points she wanted to argue, she didn't even know where to start. First of all, she didn't move through men and secondly, she could go a good long while without searching for the next one. And besides, she'd just found out she was pregnant; thinking about finding a replacement for Malloy was the last thing on her agenda.

  Good God. Was the man mental?

  But most important of all, how much more insensitive could he get? She was scared out of her mind here and he was getting jealous because... hell, she wasn't too sure why.

  She could've argued any one of those points. Instead, the words she hurled his way were, "Well, you sure as hell haven't touched
me since that condom-breaking incident. I assumed our little affair was over."

  Raith's nostrils flared, he was that mad. "Lady, you were gone to who-knows-where for six evenings straight. How do you expect me to come calling when you're not even home?"

  Willow stared at him in shock. "How do you know I was gone?" she asked, giving him a wide-eyed stare.

  He shook his head as if any explanation he gave didn't matter. "The point is..." he muttered. "I thought you were done with me."

  "Well, I am now," Willow said. "You seem to know a little too much about when I'm here and when I'm not. Are you sure it wasn't you lurking in my kitchen, stalking me?"

  "Yeah," Raith snorted. "I'm sneaking into your house so I can raid your panty drawer. Give me a break, DeVane."

  "I wouldn't put it past you."

  He glared. "Was there really someone in here tonight at all or were you just trying to get me to come over and play?"

  Gasping, she took a step back. "You are such a jerk. Just... Get out of my house. Right now."

  "With pleasure." He turned on his heel to start back through the house toward the front door. "Next time you have imaginary intruders, don't call me."

  "Screw you!" she yelled after him.

  ~ * ~

  Raith slammed the door on his way out. He was halfway to his car when a second cruiser pulled to the curb.

  Hinton climbed out. "Need any back up?" the boy called, hurrying toward him.

  Not sure whether he believed her or not that someone had been in her home, Raith paused. He wanted to tell Hinton to shove off and leave his woman alone. But he couldn't just walk out before checking the entire place over, just to make sure no one was hiding in the bushes or one of her closets. Plus, he'd already called dispatch and reported he'd be checking out a possible intruder; he couldn't just ignore this. Then again, there was no way he was going back into that house and piss her off any more than he already had. So, honestly, he needed his friend's help.

  "Still been watching this place like I wanted you to?" he asked.

  Hinton paused in surprise. "Uh... no. Sorry. I thought you just wanted me to watch it that one night." He frowned suspiciously at Raith and then eyed Willow's place. "Everything okay?"

  "No," Raith snapped. "She came home to find some stranger in her house."

  "God," Hinton gasped.

  "Now go in there and finish checking the rooms and take her report, will you?"

  "Don't you want to..." The kid sent him another confused look and finally shrugged. "Well, okay. I'll go talk to the lawyer lady... if you're too shy." He sent a leering grin toward Raith and started to strut toward the front door.

  "She's scared," Raith hissed after the kid. "So, cool it with the macho act, will you? She doesn't want some dork trying to come onto her. She just wants to report an intruder."

  "I can handle it," Hinton said testily and lifted his hand, telling his lieutenant to back off.

  "You better," Raith warned. "I'm going to go find out where Theo Franklin is."

  "I can tell you that," Hinton paused and turned back. "He's in county lock."

  Raith frowned. "You sure?"

  "I arrested him myself last night. He doesn't have first appearance until tomorrow and I know he didn't bond out."

  Wiping a hand over his face, Raith said, "Thanks a lot, Hinton."

  "Yeah, see you."

  Raith turned to his cruiser. As he started the engine, he glanced up at the house and couldn't stop the curl of jealousy he felt as Willow held the front door open for Hinton and let him inside. She paused and glanced back at his car before coldly turning away and firmly shutting the door. He blew out a breath and wondered if he was doing the right thing. Probably not, but shit, it was too late now.

  Twenty

  A week passed. Raith heard nothing from Willow. He hadn't called her either, but he'd driven by her house to make sure everything looked okay from the outside.

  As far as he knew, she was still pregnant with his baby and no more intruders had broken into her house. He'd been checking her back door, just to make sure it was locked every night. It was—which told him she was spooked—and also told him she hadn't been lying about an unknown person visiting her.

  He decided to investigate her clients. It hadn't been easy. She'd probably spit on him if went directly to her and asked for her full client list, past and present. So he did as good a job as he could manage, relying on gossip to discover a few names. Nothing too unusual jumped out and alerted him to trouble.

  Planted at his desk on a Tuesday afternoon, he looked up the last name on his list in the police database. He couldn't help but wonder if maybe an ex-lover was stalking her. That would explain why the creep would leave a cop figurine in her house as a way to let her know he was fully aware she had moved on and was sleeping with another man now. But after doing a deep background check on Cole DiAngelo, he couldn't find anything to suggest the man took up stalking in his spare time.

  Still scowling at the names on his list, Raith barely listened to his scanner until dispatch rang his desk, informing him a 911 call had come from a grocery store on Main Street. Some woman had gone into labor, and they were asking for an ambulance. Sighing, Raith took the call since he was only a few blocks away. Lucky him, he beat the ambulance and was the first emergency responder on the scene.

  Praying he didn't have to deliver some kid in the frozen food section, he followed the sound of the commotion and found about two dozen people crowded around a blonde plopped on the floor, right in the middle of the aisle.

  "Excuse me," he said, forging a path to her side. Seeing his uniform, the crowd parted, and he finally made eye contact with the woman in labor.

  Willow's cousin, Camille Taggart, sat in a puddle of some kind of thick liquid substance and panted out her labors pains while tears streamed down her cheeks.

  When she recognized him, she squeezed her eyes closed and groaned. "Oh no. Not you."

  He squatted next to her. "Hello, Mrs. Taggart. Having a little problem today?"

  Camille opened her lashes to glare at him through narrowed eyes. "I'd like to smack you right now for what you did to Willow."

  Raith gave her an obliging nod as if he completely agreed. "Well, until then, what say we get you settled somewhere else until the ambulance shows. Okay? I can't imagine you're too comfortable on this cold, wet floor."

  Camille took his hand when he offered it to help her to her feet.

  As he assisted her up, she muttered, "This doesn't mean I like you."

  He winked. "Don't worry. Not many people do."

  Before he could get her up fully, however, another contraction hit. Still holding her hand when she cried out, Raith hissed as she attempted to squeeze his fingers off.

  "Jesus," he said and tried to pull away, but she wouldn't let go. She sobbed harder and looked scared to death by the time the pain passed.

  "I want Dylan," she bawled.

  "It's okay," he murmured and smoothed his hand over her hair, unconsciously calming the locks that had become frazzled. "Don't cry. I'll get him for you. Put your arms around my neck for now, though, and I'll carry you to where we need to go."

  Shaking her head, Willow's cousin stared up at him with a pair of wide blue eyes. The poor girl was frightened to death.

  "I'm too heavy," she croaked, looking absolutely mortified.

  Raith chuckled. "Honey, you can't weigh but a buck twenty-five and that's as pregnant as you are. I can carry you, no problem."

  But the stubborn woman only bit her bottom lip. "I'll get you all wet. You know what that is, right? My water broke."

  He'd had his suspicions, but she didn't need to go and verbalize it. Ignoring the fact he'd have that stuff drenching his clothes, he took the woman's chin and looked her directly in the eye.

  "Camille," he commanded. "Put your arms around my neck. Now."

  She did so without further complaint. He hefted her into his arms and moved past the checkout registers toward the front
doors before she spoke again.

  "That's exactly something Willow would've done, you know," she murmured thoughtfully and then shocked the stuffing out of him when she rested her head on his shoulder. "You bossing me around back there; it reminded me of her."

  "Just be glad you got me instead of DeVane," he answered. "I doubt she'd be able to carry you so easily."

  Camille Taggart lifted her face and sent him a surprised look. "You call her by her last name too."

  Raith opened his mouth but didn't have the opportunity to answer, which was just as well. He wasn't too sure what he would've said. Instead, her eyes went huge and her arms tightened around his neck, damn near choking him. Face turning purple, he tried not to pass out and drop her, and gratefully sucked in air as soon as her contraction passed.