by Karen Cote'
He tried again. “Your directions were extremely detailed and I had no problem finding you at all.” With still no communication forthcoming, he made a gesture of impatience. “What the hell, Lily. I had no idea about the crap Dr. Wilkinson pulled or my parent’s involvement. I can tell by your attitude you’ve seen a different doctor so Wilkinson must’ve lied to us too?”
Lily bit her lip against her stupid weak tears and straightened her shoulders. He’d thought she called him about the doctor’s scandal. He’d come anyway.
She relaxed her body language of indignation. “Let’s go inside.”
He rubbed both hands vigorously over his face before dropping them in defeat.
“You’re not going to blindfold me and line me up against a wall are you?”
She rolled her eyes and reiterated her invitation with a gesture.
They were seated in her living room when Fred said, “You know, you haven’t changed a bit. You’re just as beautiful as ever.”
“Flattery won’t take away the sting of what your mother did.”
He looked down at the hardwood floor. “After I heard the news about Wilkinson, I suspected my mother manipulated the situation as a ruse to separate us. She never approved of our marriage.” He glanced up defensively. “But it was you who wanted the divorce, remember? I was fine with adopting.”
He couldn’t hold her direct stare and suddenly Lily felt very tired.
“You weren’t fine with it, Fred. Your family inheritance demanded an heir with a bloodline connection. A small detail drummed into your head since birth. But all that’s old history and regardless of this catastrophically damage to my life, Dr. Wilkinson isn’t the reason I called you.”
Fred’s sandy head reared back in surprise. “It isn’t?”
His obvious surprise was a bit humorous.
“It’s about Jerry’s death.”
Fred’s brown eyes darkened in pity. “Incredible that he’d overdose. I mean, I know he didn’t like me very much, but I always thought highly of him.” He paused. “You did get my flowers, right?”
“Yes, they were beautiful,” she assured. “But Jerry wasn’t doing drugs.”
Lily went on to explain about Anthony and the phone call she’d received. She didn’t think for one second Fred would disbelieve her as in spite of everything, they’d never lied to each other. It was why Lily knew Fred hadn’t been involved in the Wilkinson fiasco.
“One dead District Attorney coming up,” Fred said angrily after she’d finished telling him about Anthony. “Even if I have to kill him myself.”
Lily smiled. “You’re in enough trouble already. And whereas I couldn’t give a rat’s butt about your family, taking Anthony on wouldn’t do you any good.” With emphasis she added, “Nor me. The press might discredit anything you had to say by reporting your use of a bigger scandal to take the heat off your parent’s reputation.”
“I don’t care, Lily,” he affirmed, but it wasn’t with conviction.
She raised a brow and he rubbed a weary hand around his neck.
“You’re right,” he conceded with a sheepish gesture.
He peeked at her beneath his short lashes and then blurted out, “I’m engaged. Her father is a New York Senator and is already implementing damage control with my parents.”
Fred is getting married? Lily took a moment to search her emotions and strangely enough, news of his upcoming nuptials was a relief. As if a closed chapter of her life had belatedly clicked shut.
She smiled sadly. “I’m happy you’ve met someone; I haven’t seen it announced anywhere.”
He grimaced. “We were going to take out a full page ad, but then the deal with Wilkinson exploded with my parent’s involvement. I was so furious, Lily I thought I’d do something to my mother. It was no accident Joyce and I went to Africa while the families tried to diminish the impact. I wanted to call you, but they were afraid how public you’d take the news.” Shame and regret filled his face. “So which doctor told you the good news about future children?”
Lily took a few moments to take in Fred’s revelation before replying.
“As a matter of fact, I haven’t been to a doctor,” she said. “I’m pregnant.”
Shock was the first thing that appeared on Fred’s handsome face. Then something strange passed before a grudging smile followed.
“I don’t know if I’m angry, envious, or just plain old happy for you, Lily. Who’s the lucky man?” Then he frowned. “Not Capriccio?”
“No,” she hurriedly assured. “Actually it’s someone I met here. The town’s sheriff to be exact. How’s that for a cliché?”
His brows rose. “That was fast. What does he say about it?”
“He doesn’t know,” she said flatly.
“You haven’t told him?”
“I just found out myself,” she defended. “I wasn’t concerned at first because I didn’t think it was possible.”
“There are more reasons to practice safe sex than just pregnancy,” he lectured.
Lily blushed. “We were practicing safe sex,” she glowered. “There was a malfunction in the contraceptive method we used.”
“His condom broke?”
“I can’t believe I’m even discussing this with you, but yes. There wasn’t any reason for me to be on the pill,” she said. “At least none that I believed.”
“Okay,” he drew out the word. “I guess the big question is how do you feel about it?”
A momentary shadow passed over her before being chased away with a beam of radiance.
“I’m ecstatic,” she whispered through glistening tears.
Fred’s smile was mixed. “As much as it pains me that this isn’t our celebration, I’m privileged to share in at least part of it. Let me take you to dinner.”
Lily laughed. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. This community is small and I don’t feel like evading questions about you right now. How about I cook us something?”
“Your meatloaf?” Fred looked like a kid in a candy store. “I haven’t had that in such a long time I’ve forgotten how it tasted.”
“I don’t have all the ingredients, but there’s a small market not far from here if you don’t mind the ride.”
Fred grinned. “You drive.”
* * * *
It was much later after consuming several helpings of the meatloaf that Fred yawned. Overall, the night had been a lot more pleasant than Lily could’ve imagined. For the most part, they’d avoided hot topics such as her pregnancy and his parents. Instead, they’d focused on Jerry and Anthony and whereas Fred wasn’t in a position to help, just discussing it made Lily feel better.
“Come on,” Lily smiled in affection at Fred’s droopy lids. “I’ll show you where you’re sleeping.”
His lips curved in rueful line. “The day was more exhausting than I realized.”
Lily took him up to the guest bedroom.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” she said. “You’d better use the bathroom now.”
She explained about the uninhibited guest bathroom window. Assuring her he did not intend to provide her with entertainment, Lily bid him goodnight with an impulsive hug. Then she checked to ensure the doors securely locked before retiring to her own room.
Only then did she retrieve her cell phone. Four missed calls and all from Jet, the most recent being ten minutes ago. There was only one message.
“Damn it, Lily, where are you? I’ve been delayed until tomorrow, but if you don’t call me back tonight, I’ll drop everything and leave early. So if you don’t want me to show up at three in the morning you’d better call.” He disconnected.
Deciding it wasn’t an empty threat she dialed his number.
“Where in the hell have you been?” Was his greeting.
“Hello to you too.”
He didn’t respond to her flippancy. “Well?”
Very casually Lily replied. “I’ve been having dinner with Fred,” she said and waited for the axe to fall.
“You knew I was trying to get in touch with him,” she replied. “He simply showed up at the cabin without calling first.” There was no reason to explain Fred’s interpretation of why she’d initially called him.
“Is he going to help with Capriccio?”
Lily hesitated. She couldn’t go into all that. “Things are a little complicated for him right now.”
“Good. You don’t need his help. When did he leave?” Jet asked softly.
“He didn’t,” she said lightly.
“He’s still there?” Jet sounded floored at her response.
“He’s in the guest bedroom.”
The silence on the other line was so long, for a moment Lily thought he’d hung up.
“Are you going to tell me he’s staying in your house, but not in your bed?”
“Unlike you Jet, I don’t sleep with every warm body under the sun.”
He ignored her comment and demanded, “I want him out of there, Lily. In fact, I don’t want him in your life at all. Not anymore.”
“You don’t have the right to make those demands, Jet,” she said flatly.
“Oh I have rights and we’ll discuss those when I get back,” he said and Lily shivered at the dangerous tone. “Is Bailer the reason you haven’t returned my calls?”
“No. I’ve been busy,” she prevaricated. “But in reference to discussing anything when you get back, let’s not. When it comes to relationships, I don’t do casual. The time with you was fun, but there’s a saying about good things and coming to an end, yada-yada-yada.”
She held her breath as another long silence ensued.
“You’re punishing me because I wouldn’t talk about my past, aren’t you?” he asked at last.
In the midst of forming a response, Lily detected a female voice in the background. There was static as the receiver was muffled before Jet came back on the line.
“We’ll talk more when I get back.” More muffling and then, “Look, I’ll call you tomorrow.” Then he lowered his voice. “And Lily? You’d better sleep alone tonight.” With that threat, he disconnected.
Lily sank down on the bed as the roller coaster of emotions set off again. She hadn’t been mistaken. The voice had been distinctively female. The image of him with another woman cut deep in her chest and she wanted to scream like a banshee. Then the jerk had the audacity to warn her off Fred?
Bitterness moved her hands to rub against her temples. What did it matter if he was with someone? It was better anyway, wasn’t it? There was no future for them. The realization didn’t stop the hurt, however, and groaning she threw herself back on the pillows.
Sleep that night didn’t come easy for Lily, but when it did she awoke a few hours later by a flickering light across the hall. Groggy, she caught a shadow in the bathroom window. Then she remembered Fred and smiled. He must need to go bad. She rolled over to give him privacy and soon fell back to sleep.
The nausea the next morning wasn’t as bad as the previous day. After using the last of the toothpaste, she tossed the empty tube in the wastebasket and went into the hall to retrieve the new one. She reached into the pantry, but jerked her hand back as if she’d been bitten.
That wasn’t her brand of toothpaste. What was going on? Horrified realization slowly sank in. It was Anthony’s brand and with absolute certainty, she knew she hadn’t bought it.
Fear curdled her insides as another thought occurred. Anthony also preferred crunchy peanut butter and regular coke. All this could only mean one thing. Not only was he in Windom Hills, Anthony Capriccio had been in her house.
She backed up in denial at the possibility. Her shoulders hit against the guest bathroom door and it swung open, unbalancing her. She caught herself and in her dazed state, it took her a moment before she noticed the object in the room. That’s when she started screaming.
“Lily,” Fred came charging out of his room tying his robe. Then he looked behind her and Lily would later remember it was the first time she’d ever heard him use an Anglo-Saxon word. He led her away as blessed numbness spread throughout her body. In the distance, she heard him dial 911.
“Hello, this is Fred Bailer and I’m staying with Lily Delaney. We need someone at her cabin right now!” He paused, taking a calming breath. “It appears someone has done a rather nasty job on a cat. What’s left of it is hanging by its neck from the ceiling.”
Chapter Twelve
Jet took one last look around for further clues. Other than the cat, the bathroom was clean. Too clean. They’d already checked for prints and found none, but Bailer claimed using it just the night before. That meant someone had come in while they were sleeping.
Willies trickled down Jet’s back at how close this psycho had been to Lily. A sicko who had opportunity to do harm to her if he’d wanted to. It had to be Capriccio. The scumbag wanted to scare her…and that lame dick ex-husband of hers had been right in the next room. Some hero he’d turned out to be.
Jet had received the call while still in the city. He’d dropped everything to beat feet it back, but not before checking on Capriccio’s whereabouts. Ostensibly, the District Attorney hadn’t shown up for work and now Jet knew why.
His fingers itched with a desire to strangle the maniac. Vigilante justice wasn’t Jet’s style, but he’d do whatever it took to protect Lily and if that wasn’t available through the court system, screw it.
* * * *
“Here, Lily, take this,” Denie said handing her a glass of water and a couple of pills.
“Thank you,” Lily said taking the glass. “Just the water is fine.”
“These tablets will help you relax,” Denie insisted.
If someone had told Lily how nice Jet’s dispatcher could be, she would’ve been skeptical, but ever since the traumatic events at the cabin; Denie had been like a rock. Still, Lily didn’t want to take anything that might harm the baby.
“I’m alright, I promise,” Lily reassured and drank from the glass.
Denie’s disapproval was plain. “You’ve had a shock and you look like hell. Jet will kill me if I don’t take proper care of you.”
Lily smiled at the gruff concern. “I’ll tell him how wonderful you’ve been.”
Ever since his return from the city, his possessiveness toward her had taken on a surreal quality. Mark and Nathan had tiptoed around his volatility, taking orders in rare sobriety. Even Denie had jumped at the order to drive Lily home as if to escape the unpredictable atmosphere.
Then there was poor Fred. In her catatonic state at the cabin, she’d heard Jet talk to him or interrogate was more like it. Nevertheless, Fred had weathered it and had even insisted on staying with Lily. That was when Jet had almost blown a gasket.
Lily had stepped in then and had even managed to spend a few quiet moments with Fred while Jet returned upstairs. She soothed his distress and for once Lily was grateful for Denie’s presence. Given the fact that Fred had made the connection of Jet being the father of her unborn child, Lily wasn’t confident he wouldn’t ignite that crate of dynamite. She was relieved when he left without further incident.
“I’ll fix you something to eat then,” Denie growled and turned away.
“No!” Lily halted her and put a hand over her unpredictable stomach. “I think I just need to lie down for a while if you don’t mind.”
Denie gave in, but insisted she rest on the couch so she could keep an eye on her. She was still wide-awake when Jet came home looking achingly familiar in khaki pants and white shirt.
“Hey,” he knelt down in front of her. “I was hoping you’d be asleep.”
“Someone mutilated an animal and hung it from my ceiling,” she murmured. “It’s hardly an image to cradle peaceful sleeping.”
He searched beneath the flippant tone. “The animal had been dead a couple of days. Most likely road-kill scrapped off the pavement. So it didn’t suffer if tha
t helps the image.”
The big sloppy tears she’d held back puddled to stream down her cheeks. He swore and joined her on the couch, pulling her into his arms.
“Shh,” he whispered when her delayed sobs followed.
“H-he was in the house Jet,” she cried. “He was in my house and I didn’t even know it.”
“I know, baby,” he murmured against her hair. “I’m here now. He can’t hurt you.”
He rocked her back and forth until little hiccups were all that remained. He then gave her a Kleenex and gently set her back against the cushions.
She used it and didn’t care how inelegant it was to blow her nose in front of him. A suitable rejoinder to the rest of this messy situation.
“He’s also been switching out my groceries,” she muffled through the white thin cotton.
“Your groceries?” he asked. “What do you mean?”
Lily finished wiping her nose and explained about the items.
“At first, I thought it was me making the mistake. I suspected something wasn’t right after the Diet Coke incident, but when I found Anthony’s brand of toothpaste, I knew then it wasn’t me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before?” he asked impatiently.
“I didn’t connect the dots until this morning.” She managed a watery smile. “A little late though wasn’t it?”
“Damn it, Lily.” Jet glowered at her.
“I know.” She lifted a shoulder in defense. “How did he find me here? Fred said he didn’t tell him.”
Jet’s mouth twisted. “You might have told him.”
Lily was affronted. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Not on purpose, but you did use a wireless card on that laptop I saw, didn’t you?” She frowned and nodded. “The tower recorded your whereabouts.”
Lily pressed her eyes closed. “I’m so stupid. I thought he could only track the cell phone,” she said in disgust and rubbed her temples. “What am I supposed to do now, just wait?”
“Stay here with me until we figure this out,” Jet replied and took out his phone. “I’m having Mark fingerprint the entire cabin, but I’ll tell him to pay particular attention to the kitchen area. If Capriccio was playing with your food, he might’ve left a trail.”
