“No, rest. For once let someone help you. Now, I’m leaving and going across the hall to my room. “Yell if you get scared, but don’t worry, no one gets in this house without me knowing.” He kissed her lightly on the lips and walked to the door.
“Why did you do that?”
“Because I wanted to.” He waved and left, closing the door behind him.
Chapter 8
A part of her reveled in the way Heath protected her, and she liked his kiss. But she’d been fooled before. Her ex-husband had been kind, loving, and protective. It was after she said, “I do,” that Carl’s real persona appeared.
Carl was protective, jealous and mean. Our marriage lasted one year. I swore I’d never trust another man or even let one get close. I went to Aces Bar and Grill to have fun and had thought I might be able to trust one of them. But seeing how overprotective they were with their wives and girl-friends worried me.
Deep inside, I doubted I’d ever let one of them get close either. But sometimes the loneliness, after seeing so many of my friends marry, had me thinking about trying again. I’m so tired I don’t know why my brain is bringing up all these memories.
She headed to the bathroom, removed her makeup, brushed her teeth, put on her pajamas and fell into bed and instant sleep.
Sunlight woke her. Cheryl abruptly sat up in bed and grabbed her watch from the bedside table. Nine o’clock. She hadn’t slept this late in years. She ran into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and put on the exercise shorts and top she’d thrown in her suitcase.
After rinsing her face and brushing her teeth and hair, Cheryl cracked open the door. There was no sound in the house. Her stomach grumbled, so she walked to the kitchen. He’d left coffee in the pot. She poured a cup and warmed it in the microwave. Then she saw a note sticking out from under a covered plate.
Hi, I talked with Mr. Putnam and then went for my run. He said it was fine to work from my house today and tomorrow if you’d like. Shadow came by early and discussed what he’d found. I’m at the store buying groceries for us. When I get back, I have a suggestion for you to ponder.
She smiled when she saw he’d scrawled “Blaze” at the bottom of the note.
Cheryl placed the note back on the counter and wondered what Shadow had discovered about the fingerprints. She peeked under the napkin and found two blueberry muffins. She took them and her coffee with her to sit outside. It was another sunny day, and the birds chirped in the nearby trees. Hot coffee and muffins, you can’t beat it. I almost feel like a new woman.
She’d finished her meal and had closed her eyes when she heard a door open. Her fragile calm broke as a shiver of fear swept over her.
“It’s me,” Heath called out.
She released a tightly held breath. “Next time, yell sooner.”
She heard his footsteps coming her way. He’d dressed in his uniform. “You’ve been to the base.”
“Yes. After my run, I had to take care of some business before I went to the store.” Heath joined her at the small table. “How do you like my garden?”
“It was nice and peaceful until I heard a door open. Next time yell out immediately.”
“Will do. You seem in a much better mood this morning.”
“I am, but I’m anxious to hear about the fingerprints.”
“Someone did get in your condo.”
Her body stiffened in shock. Through her tight throat, she asked, “How?”
“Your condo was built some time ago, when there weren’t as many good safety locks as they have now. The person who broke into your place managed to either pick your lock or make a copy of your key. He had to have some skills in breaking into homes. Where do you keep your key?”
“In my purse. It’s always with me.”
“In the courtroom?”
“Yes.”
“And you watch it every second?”
She shrugged. “Not that often. The guards are there and the other attorney, sometimes his client. Someone would see them if they tried to get in my purse.”
“You’d think, but I’d bet this outfit paid a person to get your key, make a copy, and return it before you left the courtroom for the day.”
“That’s almost impossible.”
“I agree, but I’d bet that’s what happened. Did you leave to go to the judge’s office at any time?”
“I do leave my purse in the courtroom if I go out for just a few minutes. There are others around, as I said.”
“The bottom line is, your condo is not safe.”
“Where do you suggest I live, in a hotel?”
“This is where my idea comes in. I started to mention it last night, but you were much too tired to think rationally.”
“Why are you hesitating and staring at me so hard?”
“Once I start, don’t stop me until I explain the whole plan.”
Cheryl nodded, and Heath leaned forward. “I suggest we get married.” He raised his hand when she opened her mouth. “Remember, let me finish.
“If we’re married there are many other ways I can protect you. I can’t explain them all until we marry, but I assure you this is a good idea. I don’t want to marry, either, but this will only be until you’re safe.” He glanced into the distance. “Then we can get a divorce and go our separate ways.”
“Isn’t getting married sort of a drastic way to keep me safe?”
“My thoughts exactly when the idea popped into my head. But you won’t agree to any of the standard ways of protecting you.”
“What makes you think I’ll agree with this one?”
“Because even though you’ll deny to your death that you aren’t scared, you are. If you don’t like this idea, then tell me how your uncle protected himself. I looked up what type of cases he took, and he sounds much like you.”
Surprising even herself, Cheryl started to cry. A tear ran down her face. Heath got up and placed her on his lap. His arms tightened around her. “Tell me. It might help you to verbalize what happened to your uncle and then you when you went to New Orleans.”
“No one knows the full story. I haven’t wanted to recall the terrible memories.”
“You need to talk about what happened to someone you can trust. I hope you can trust me enough and maybe I can understand why you do what you do.” He spoke with quiet emphasis.
Cheryl tried to speak. Tears smothered her voice. Finally, in a broken whisper, she said, “Give me some time. I need to walk, exercise, do something first.”
“I’ll drive you to the beach. It’ll be quiet today and peaceful. Most locals will be at work. I’ll walk beside you, but I won’t disturb your thoughts.”
“Just you being there will disturb me.”
“How about I follow a distance behind. I’m a fast runner. If anyone approaches you, I can be by your side in a moment.”
A brief smile crossed her face. “Is that the best offer I get?”
“Yep.”
“Then I’ll take it. I’ll mark this as a day off.”
“I think your boss will approve.”
In a few moments, they were on their way. Cheryl’s brain seemed on overload, like a hamster running to turn his wheel. Heath had proposed to her, although it was only temporary.
What if either of us gets feelings for the other? If it happened, it’d be a major complication. I wonder who I fear would fall in love, him or me?
“You’re quiet over there,” Heath said and glanced in her direction.
“I’ve had a surprising morning, thanks to you. I need to think.”
Heath pulled into a parking spot near the beach. “I understand. I dropped a load on you.” He opened the tailgate of his truck and grabbed a blanket and two chairs, set them on the ground, and then got out a small cooler.
“I thought we might like to talk afterward and have something to drink.”
“Sounds good to me. Let’s get settled and start our walk.”
Waves rolled in softly to the sandy shore, and a slight breeze r
uffled Cheryl’s hair. She took a deep breath of the salt air. She walked quickly at first and then slowed. Her neck and shoulders gradually lost their tenseness.
This is the first time I’ve relaxed in a long time. Heath’s staying back, and I appreciate his understanding. I’m not certain how far I’ve walked, but I’d like not to stop.
In the distance, Cheryl saw a figure running in her direction. It’s probably just a runner out to enjoy this beautiful day, but as the man got closer, an unreasonable fear brought her tension back.
When she turned to see Heath, he surprised her by being just a few steps away, running. He continued past and in front of her. The man stopped and reached toward his back, but Heath was faster. She hadn’t known he had a gun with him, but he did. He pointed it at the runner. Cheryl watched as the two men eyed each other. She heard Heath’s voice carried by the wind.
“If you pull your gun out, you’re a dead man. Tell your boss, whoever he is, that Cheryl Buckley is my woman, and I will go to the ends of the world to find and destroy anyone who dares to hurt her. Is that understood?” His voice had hardened ruthlessly, and he spoke with the certainty that his demands would be obeyed.
The other man nodded but gave Heath the finger as he turned. A shot sounded, and the man jumped, fell, and then picked himself up and ran as fast as he possibly could away from Heath.
Heath searched and found the bullet before he walked backward toward Cheryl.
“Someone is sure to call the police about hearing a shot,” Cheryl said.
“I’m going to call them myself and my Captain.” He stopped to grab their things. Heath motioned to Cheryl. “Get in the truck.”
Once he was inside, he began to make his calls, all the while staying alert and watching the area around them.
Cheryl had to admit she wouldn’t want him for an enemy. He’d been scary when he faced her attacker. Heath had just gotten off the phone, when she said, “I wouldn’t want to make you mad at me.”
Heath turned to face her. “Did I frighten you?”
“A little, but I knew you were on my side, or you’d have terrified me. I loved seeing that guy trying to run away as fast as possible. Hopefully, this will be a deterrent to the gang.”
“Don’t count on it. I may have made these guys more determined.”
“You’re trying to scare me, so I’ll agree to a temporary marriage for protection.”
Cheryl’s words made Heath bristle. He walked away and stared out the front window. Then he took a deep breath before turning to face her.
“Listen closely to my words. I don’t want to marry you any more than you want to marry me. We can call this all off now.” He clenched his teeth before continuing.
“Whether you accept it or not, I’ve been attempting to keep you safe and alive. Say the word, and my friends and I will stop helping you. You can go on with your stubborn belief that you can handle anyone and any situation.
“We’ll go to my house, get your things, and then I can take you home with no further contact. Think about it. You can decide whether to marry me for protection or not.
“It will be legal, but we can divorce quickly after this is all over. We can agree to not have any conjugal rights unless we both change our minds, so no need to worry about our marriage in that regard.” He took a breath and sat back, staring at the ocean. When he glanced at Cheryl, she was looking out her window. Heath pulled out of the beach parking space and drove toward his home. He’d let her ponder what he’d said.
After he parked in his driveway, he helped her out and handed her his spare key. “Go on inside the house. I’m going to visit Gordy for a few minutes. When I return, you can tell me what you’ve decided.”
Heath didn’t look back, but he heard her go to the door and enter. He waited a minute to hear the locks click into place. Then strode across the street to Gordy’s.
Gordy answered the door. “Hi, man. What’s up now?” he said. “You look pissed off. I bet Blaze came out today.”
“Yeah, Cheryl has gone back to calling me Heath, but Blaze was needed to save her life.”
“What the hell? Sit and tell me what happened.”
“Is Jackie home?”
“No, she and some of the wives went to see some movie starring a handsome movie star. I asked her why she needed that, and she grinned and said, ‘To remind me I still have a husband more handsome than any of the male movie stars.’
“There’s nothing you can say to a comment like that except hug her and say thank you,” Gordy said with a smile.
“She’s great. You’re a lucky man.”
“I am, but sorry I joked. From your face, I’d say there are serious problems.”
“Yes, there are,” Heath explained what happened at the beach. “I’d discussed a plan with her earlier, so she’d be safer if we had to deploy. She wanted to think about it. We went to the beach, and as she was walking, with me a distance behind, a man appeared. I ran toward the man and confronted him with my gun.”
“Damn, you’ll be in trouble again.”
“Never mind that. Cheryl expressed her relief that my behavior would stop anyone else from trying to harm her. That’s when I went off on her. I explained her life was in danger, but if she’d wanted us to quit helping her, then she’d be responsible for whatever happens in the future.”
“Wow. What idea did Cheryl want to think about?”
“I offered to marry her.”
Gordy sat back. “Man, I never thought I’d hear those words from you.”
“It’s the only way I thought she might be safe until the gang is brought down.”
“Tex could offer her more protection than she has now on her own. He won’t do it unless she’s a wife and agrees, so I see why you thought of this idea. What if she falls in love with you and doesn’t want a divorce?”
Heath shrugged, “Then I’ll divorce her.”
“I’m trying not to laugh, but the idea of you married and you suggesting it yourself makes it difficult. Wait until the guys hear this.”
“I’ll be Blaze. They may not like my reaction.”
“All kidding aside, it’s the only idea, I think might work.”
“I’m going home to see if she’s packed or waiting to talk with me.”
“Good luck,” Gordy shouted, as Heath strode across the street to his house.
Heath let himself in with his second key and searched for Cheryl. He found her in the garden, staring into the distance. Sitting in front of her, he leaned forward.
“Have you packed?”
“No,” she said in a low voice. “I know what you said was right. I’ve been stubborn and a fool.” She looked directly at him. “Thank you for saving my life and keeping me from harm numerous times.”
“There has to be a reason why you’ve refused protection.”
“As you guessed, it has to do with my Uncle Charles.”
Heath saw her gulp and fight tears. He rose and put out his hand. “Let’s sit in the drawing room. We’ll have complete privacy. I’ll make us a cup of Irish coffee, and then you can take your time telling me.”
“Thank you. I’d love a cup. It’s been years since I drank an Irish coffee.”
Inside the house, he let her hand go. “Find the most comfortable seat while I make the coffee.”
Chapter 9
Cheryl sat on the sofa, put a pillow in her lap and curled her legs up. Inside, she trembled. She’d told few people what happened.
“Ah, I see you’ve gotten comfortable on the couch.” He set her cup on the side table and pulled a chair forward to face her.
“Take a sip and see how the Irish coffee taste. I went light on the whiskey. I don’t want you to get tipsy on me.”
“It’s just right,” Cheryl said after a sip.
Heath sipped his coffee. They didn’t speak until he asked if she was cold.
“A little. I think it’s nerves.”
“Probably, but I find a fire in the fireplace is always relaxing.
” He walked across the room and lit the logs while she drank more of her coffee. Then he came back, sat, and sipped his drink. “Start whenever you’re ready.
“Few people know what I’m going to tell you. I admired my Uncle Charles from the day I can first remember him. He was a kind, cheerful man who brought me presents but also listened to my dreams. When I got older, I wanted to be just like him.” She stopped talking for a second. Heath handed her the cup of coffee. She took a sip and continued.
“In high school, I decided to be an attorney. I had visited him several times in New Orleans, where he’d settled and had become a well-known defense attorney.”
Tears came into her eyes. Heath handed her a Kleenex. “I’d planned to join him after law school. Everyone wanted him to defend them. On his last case, no one knows why, but he agreed to defend one of the biggest crime bosses in the city. Colleagues tried to talk him out of taking the case, but he told them everyone deserved a good lawyer.”
“He is right about that, but it’s a dangerous position to take and unusual for a man who’s already known and respected in his community.”
“I agree. When I heard Uncle Charles was killed, my heart broke, and I became determined to find the killer.”
“Ah. Is this when you decided to change from being a defense lawyer to prosecution?”
“Yes. After discovering the truth, I swore to make it my goal in life to take down the bad guys.”
“But I’m guessing what you found wasn’t just about the bad guys.”
“I drove to New Orleans with one idea in mind. I didn’t think I’d have my heart broken at the same time.”
“The crime boss had something on your uncle.”
Cheryl nodded and started to cry. Heath sat on the sofa and placed her on his lap.
“Cry it out, honey. Let all that hurt drain away.”
He rubbed her back and brushed his hand across her hair.
“I’m soaking your shirt.”
“Tears wash out.”
She hit his shoulder playfully.
“Do you want to stop and continue tomorrow?” Heath asked.
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