10 Timeless Heroes; A Time Travel Romance Boxed Set
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Wasn’t that what he wanted, to have her out of his mom’s life and his? Damn straight. Then why did that thought bother him?
“I’m losing it, Prince. Can’t get Deirdre out of my mind.”
Prince thumped his tail and came over.
“See, she’s hooked us both. You’ve grown attached to her too, haven’t you, boy?” He stroked his dog’s head. “No doubt about it, we’ll both miss her when she’s moved on.”
Remembering her predictions set him thinking about Larry’s murder. Suddenly, everything about Larry’s death, his own injuries, Deirdre’s mysterious appearance, the SUV-caused wreck, Frank’s death, the explosive fire, the whole puzzle rushed at him. Why couldn't he get a handle on the person responsible? His mind filled with rage, railing at his ineffectiveness.
Watch it, or you’ll lose it. You’ll be the nutty one.
Long ago when his mother had taught him yoga, she’d shown him a way to empty his mind of worry. He lay flat on his back, stretched out on the carpet with a throw pillow cushioning his head. Breathing as she’d shown him, he concentrated on healing his body and calming his mind.
Inhale through the nose four slow counts, hold the breath four more, exhale through the mouth to the same beat. Focus. Move stress out with bad air, bring strength in with good air. Again, again, again....
He awoke when Prince’s cold nose nudged him. Checking his watch, Brendan said, “Thanks, boy, you make a good alarm clock.” He ruffled the dog’s fur. “We’ll go for our evening walk later.”
He rose and he heard his mother and Deirdre return. No nearer solving his dilemma, at least he felt refreshed. The aroma of the pot roast he’d started earlier filled the house. His stomach rumbled in protest of his missed lunch.
Deirdre entered the room, rushing to him. Her face lit up when she spotted him and his gut did a flip. What was with that?
Her enthusiasm compelled him to smile. Simple things excited her, forced him to see them in a new way.
She hurried up to him and her smile died. “Brendan, we drove by your lovely home. It’s sorry I am it’s gone.”
Blossom was right behind Deirdre. “Son, I can’t believe how close that was. You could have been killed.”
He tried to downplay the fear he’d experienced. “Guess Deirdre and I have something else in common—both of us had our home burn.”
“Don’t make light of it.” His mother grabbed his arm. “This is serious. Three times you’ve nearly been killed.”
He put an arm around each of the women. “Don’t think that fact has escaped me.”
“Tell us what happened.”
He gave then the details of the fire. “Don’t worry, either of you. I’ll get to the bottom of this. Now, tell me about your day.”
“Until we learned your misfortune, I had the loveliest day. Blossom said I’m turning into her best associate.”
His mom called her clerks associates to bolster their self-image. She was all about helping others. He wondered what he was about? Protect and serve, same as all lawmen. But what about the big picture? His own personal creed?
“You should see her working, son. Amazing is the only description I can think of. Customers wait for her to help them instead of another associate who’s available.”
“Glad you both like the way the job is working. Dinner’s ready except for setting the table. I’ll take care of that while you two freshen up or whatever.”
During dinner he told them about Frank’s death and his suspicions. “Someone must have seen Frank talking to me, so that means someone watched or followed either Frank or me.”
“Mayhap that’s why someone set an explosion in your home.”
“That’s right, son, but I doubt anyone could follow you without your knowing it.” She frowned. “Whoever is behind all this must be very powerful. I try not to think about the danger of your being a policeman, but this is not ordinary for the job. You’ve had three close calls. Larry’s dead, and now this other man has died. You will be careful, won’t you?”
“You know I will. But someone killed Frank for a reason related to Larry’s death. Frank told me he’d given Larry a tip just before the shooting.”
Deirdre looked at him. “You think Frank’s death today is related to your friend’s?”
“Yes, and the attack by the SUV the other night and the fire today.”
Blossom set a bowl of fruit and a selection of cheeses on the table for their dessert. “This all sounds extremely frightening to me. Brendan, I wish you’d go away somewhere until all this blows over.”
“You know I’d never run and hide, Mom.”
She nodded. “Yes, but that doesn’t keep me from wishing you would. You’ve already been shot and run off the road in what could have been a fatal crash. And you almost died in an explosion today. It makes me ill.”
Each of them took dishes to the sink and Blossom loaded the dishwasher while Deirdre and he put left over food into the refrigerator. Deirdre kept chewing on her lip and darting worried glances at him.
As they went into the family room, he said, “Okay, what’s bothering you? Out with it.” He sat in his favorite chair and Prince lay at his feet.
“I must tell you something.” She sat on the sofa.
He raised his eyebrows at Deirdre. “So tell me.”
“During dinner I saw something. There’s a man with a large spider”—she made a circle the size of a nickel with her fingers—“on his wrist, just above a white cuff. The man intends to kill you.”
His mother cried out, “Oh, son, who can this be?”
His voice was harsh and he didn’t care. “Now, see, you’ve upset Mom all over again with your crazy predictions. If someone had a spider on him, he’d brush it away or smash it. That’s nonsense.”
“It’s sorry I am to upset Blossom, but I had to warn you when you asked.” Deirdre shook her head. “I saw it clearly. There’s a spider on his wrist and he’s reaching into a drawer for something and his cuff goes up his arm to expose the spider.” She shivered. “He’s evil, for can’t I feel it coming at me in waves?”
“Don’t tell me about your ridiculous visions. I’m not listening.” He snapped his fingers at Prince as he stood. “Come on, boy, time for our walk.”
His mother rose and grabbed his arm as he passed. “Brendan, remember the wreck? Remember she saw your face when she was still in Ireland. Please heed Deirdre.”
“I’m telling the truth, Brendan, if only you’d trust me and believe. It might save your life.” Deirdre pleaded, her beautiful blue eyes shining with unshed tears.
He wanted to yell at her but she appeared so sincere he let it go. Maybe she really believed all that crap about seeing the future.
His mother said, “Son, her visions are genuine precognition. Clairvoyance is one of Deirdre’s gifts and not to be taken lightly.”
“Then you believe in them all you want. As for me, I think the whole idea of psychics and clairvoyants and any other of that crazy stuff is overactive imagination or a well–acted scam.”
Deirdre looked at him. Pain filled her eyes and tears ran down her cheeks before she turned and rushed toward her room. He strode out into the night air before he lost his temper—or worse, weakened and ran after her.
Chapter Twenty One
He’d walked for ten minutes when he spotted Dave Roan headed his way. No doubt on his way to call on Blossom. Those two were bound to announce their engagement any day. It couldn’t be too soon to suit him.
When they met, Dave surprised him by falling in step beside him. “Heard about the fire. Tough, losing everything like that. Glad you weren’t more than shaken.”
“It scared the shit out of me, but I’m okay.”
After a few steps, Dave asked, “How are things at Blossom’s?”
Brendan should have guessed. “Mom called you?”
Dave nodded. “She seemed upset that you and Deirdre had harsh words.” After a few more steps, he said, “I thought you’d decided to
believe Deirdre. Was I wrong?”
Brendan exhaled. “I don’t know what I believe anymore. You know about her visions of the future. It’s crazy.”
“Your mother and I discussed them. That’s easier for me than the time travel. I guess it’s not for you, right?”
“Hell, I don’t know what I think anymore.” He raked a hand through his hair. “When I’m with her, she appears so genuine that her story of traveling through time and having visions sounds almost plausible. Then later, I think about it and realize I’d have to be crazy to believe her.”
“Yet her predictions have been right on the mark so far. According to Blossom, she saw a vision of you before you met. Then let’s see. She knew your dog’s name, knew about your friend who died, and predicted the car crash. Anything I missed?”
“Yeah, she says she’s had another one.” He stopped walking and turned to face the doctor. “You’re not saying you believe all this?”
Dave shrugged and resumed walking. “The longer I live and the more I learn, the more I know there are lots of things in life for which there’s no logical explanation. Things no one can justify. But they exist anyway.”
“I know that, but visions of the future, travel through time. Those are hard pills to swallow, Doc.”
“Very funny. Look, you’re an admirable young man, but you tend to overanalyze. Some things just are. Like ‘I am the great I am.’ You have to accept them on faith and stop trying to take them apart.”
“I’m trying, but it’s against my nature.”
“I know, but there’s a saying that springs to mind. ‘Go with the flow.’ Not good as a general plan in life, but it definitely applies here.”
“So you think I should believe her predictions and take appropriate steps to prepare for them? Well, listen to the latest. She thinks there’s a man with a spider on his hand just below his white shirt cuff who plans to kill me.”
“Well, someone certainly seems determined to.”
Incredulous, Brendan stopped walking and stared. “Dave? You’re a man of science.”
The older man shrugged. “I’m also a middle-aged man who’s seen a lot of things in this life he can’t explain. How does one patient, who by all textbook rules should die in a few weeks, recover completely? And at the same time, another whose condition is not nearly as serious dies within days? It’s not logical, but it happens. It happens more often than you can imagine.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“You see, that’s where you’re wrong. In a way it is precisely the same thing. I’m talking about defying logic, cheating the rules of nature—at least the rules as we know them.”
Brendan hunched his shoulders and stuffed his hands into his jeans’ pockets. “Deirdre said her visions are a gift from God. And she says she prayed to Saint Brendan and Saint Brigid and that’s what spared her life and propelled her through time. As a man of medicine, can you buy that?”
Dave clapped him on the back. “Perhaps. At least I don’t deny its possibility. You believe in God, Brendan. Give Him a little room to work. Remember, His rules are not bound by ours.” With that, the doctor turned and left him.
Brendan watched the doctor walk away then performed an about face and trudged home, mulling over Dave’s counsel. He knew he’d hurt Deirdre’s feelings. If she’d been angry, he probably wouldn’t worry so much. But he’d hated the pained expression she’d sent him before she turned to leave the room.
Back in the house, he fed Prince then checked doors, set the alarm, and turned off lights. As he walked down the hall toward the bedroom set aside as his—and now his only home—a slit of light showed under Deirdre’s door. Feeling lower than a snake, he knew he’d get no sleep unless he apologized for hurting her feelings. He tapped gently.
She opened the door. Her eyes were red and she looked as if she’d been crying. She cradled Badcat in her arms and the cat hissed at him.
That’s the way things had gone for him lately.
“I came to apologize. I was wrong not to give you the benefit of the doubt.”
She sniffed but smiled. “Thank you for that. Me, um, my visions have caused trouble all my life. I don’t suppose things like that change no matter where I live.” She set BadCat on the floor and he hurried to leap on the bed.
Brendan took out his handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes. “No more trouble from me.”
“You believe me?” She looked up at him.
He traced the line of her jaw with his finger. “I’m trying, Deirdre. Can you give me time?”
“I wish you could trust me.” Without taking her gaze from his she captured his hand and held it to her cheek. “On faith I’ve accepted many miraculous and unbelievable things from your time. Why is it unreasonable for you to do the same and believe in me?”
“It’s no longer that I doubt you’re who you say.” He pulled his hand free and gathered her to him, tucking her head beneath his chin. “I grew up with people who claimed special powers of several kinds but who, basically, were fooling themselves. In my work, I’ve met others claiming similar abilities who were trying to take advantage of people.”
He kissed her hair. “Give me time to get used to the fact that you might be able to predict future events through visions.”
She burrowed her head against him. Holding her forced him to acknowledge how important she’d become. Her body curved into his, as if they’d been made for one another. Damn, he wished he didn’t enjoy cuddling her quite so much.
She sighed an almost sob. “Visions are a part of me. All the women in my family have been the same. When I was young, I tried to keep them away for I wanted to be accepted. To be what you’d call normal. They came anyway. Now I know it’s my gift from God and I must use it to help others.”
He caressed her back. “Then you’re in the right place. My mother is all about helping people.”
She pulled away to search his face. “Do you not know that’s what you do?”
Surprised she connected him to good deeds, he shook his head. “I hadn’t thought of it in those terms. Catching crooks doesn’t sound the same as helping others.”
“It does to me. Helping the defenseless, protecting them from those who would hurt or cheat them. Sure and it’s a good man you are, Brendan Hunter.”
He laughed. “Suddenly I’m feeling noble. So I guess it’s time to say goodnight.”
She raised on tiptoes and pressed her lips softly to his. “Then goodnight to you.”
He wanted to return the kiss, but didn’t trust himself. A beautiful young woman—perhaps delusional—under his protection deserved him observing the line he shouldn’t cross. Only the worst rat would take advantage of her. He released her and turned toward his room. The soft click of her door echoed down the hall.
Chapter Twenty Two
The next day he went by the cop shop. Owen stepped around his desk to shake Brendan’s hand. “Heard about your condo. Too bad. How’s it going since then? Living out at the lake?”
“Yeah. Had my physical therapy this afternoon and thought I’d stop by, see if there’s any news on Larry’s murder.”
Owen frowned. “Now, son, I told you we might never find the guy responsible.” He walked back toward his chair.
“We were set up, Owen. Two guys fired on us.”
Owen stopped and turned. “Oh? You get a look at them?”
“No, not exactly. All I remember is a dark car with tinted windows.” He decided to throw in Trey’s facts as if they were his own. “But the shooter lowered the window to fire. There were two men, the driver and the triggerman. Both white adults, not teens.”
“No doubt drug dealers aiming for the street gang.”
“I don’t think so. They targeted Larry and me.”
Owen stroked his chin. “Could be you’re right. Look at all the men you’ve sent away. Even if they’re still in prison, they have friends and relatives around. No telling who it might have been.” He leaned back in his chair. “You’ve g
ot to move on and put this behind you.”
“I’ll try.” But Brendan couldn’t, not until those responsible were caught.
The chair clunked as he leaned forward suddenly. “Try be damned! Do it. You’re making yourself crazy. You won’t be worth shit when you come back unless you let this go and shape up mentally. You have two weeks.”
Brendan held up his hand and lied to soothe his mentor. “You’re right, you’re right. Well, guess you need to get back to work, so I’ll get on out of here.”
“Remember what I said. Let it go.” Owen pointed a forefinger at him. “That’s an order, son.”
Brendan closed the door and walked toward his own cubicle. He sat in his chair, eager to return to active duty. Without thinking about it, he opened his desk file drawer. He immediately focused on something he hadn’t noticed before, a file folder labeled in Larry’s careful block print. “Personal.”
Chills slithered along his spine. He was positive the folder hadn’t been there the last time he looked. That would have been the last morning he’d worked.
Larry must have slipped the folder in later that day. A message from a dead man. Making certain no one else was watching, Brendan pulled out the file.
It contained copies of old newspaper clippings that appeared as if they’d been downloaded from the Dallas Morning News archives. He laid them in a row on his desk. All three were about an infamous case in Dallas where allegedly gypsum was packaged as cocaine and used as evidence to arrest and convict several innocent people.
Why had Larry put these clippings for him to find? Radford Crossing had nothing to do with the Dallas case. Brendan puzzled over the clippings until an idea smashed into his conscious. He recalled Larry’s last words.
It was the other way around. That’s how they did it.
Could someone in the Radford Crossing P.D. evidence room be removing drugs and substituting bags of gypsum dust? How would Larry have learned about it? Did that information cost his life?
The more he thought about it, the more he was certain he’d unraveled one piece of the puzzle. He and Larry had stumbled into a huge drug bust and seized massive quantities of cocaine about three months ago. The case hadn’t gone to trial yet, so the drugs should still be in the evidence room.