Vigilant

by Sara Davison

  “Why not?”

  Nicole shoved aside an empty cola can with her tan leather boot as she moved toward the couch. “Why don’t you turn it off so we can talk?” She reached for the remote.

  Gage grabbed her wrist and squeezed. “Don’t do that.”

  Her eyes narrowed to glittering slits. “Don’t do what?”

  “Don’t try to fix me, princess.” His fingers tightened. “I’ve got God and my shrink for that, and last time I looked you weren’t either of those.”

  Nicole spoke through gritted teeth. “You are hurting me.”

  He dropped her wrist and lifted both hands in the air. “I’m sorry.”

  She stepped away from him and spun toward the door.

  “Nic, wait.” His foot crushed an empty bag as he strode toward her.

  She gripped the handle but didn’t turn it. When he reached her, he touched her arm. Nicole whirled around.

  “I said I was sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

  She pushed back trembling shoulders. “I think you did. You don’t need me. Got it.”

  “That’s not what I said.”

  Nicole reached behind her for the knob.

  Gage pressed a hand against the door. “Don’t go, please. I want—”

  Her furious expletive cut him off. His eyes widened.

  Her shoulders sagged. “I don’t really care what you want at the moment.” Her voice dragged with exhaustion. “I’m tired, Gage. I can’t do this anymore.”

  Gage let go of the door and Nicole pulled it open. Brushing past him, she slipped through the opening and pulled the door shut behind her. Hard.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Daniel pulled into an empty spot in the parking lot across the street from Gage’s building and settled into his seat, prepared for a long wait. Not that he expected anything to happen. A few nights ago there’d been another attempted child-snatching, thwarted by an alarm going off. The report had come in shortly after three a.m., later than any of the other abductions, and an hour after he’d left his post. Had Gage or Holden figured out they were being watched and waited until the coast was clear to head out? In any case, since there were usually at least a couple of weeks between attempts, nothing was likely to happen tonight. Still, he couldn’t take the chance that it might.

  Ten minutes later, at quarter after eleven, the door swung open and he straightened up so quickly he nearly spilled coffee onto his lap. Dropping the paper cup into the holder between the two front seats, Daniel leaned over his steering wheel to peer out the front window. Nicole.

  In the glow of the parking lot lights, he watched as she stalked toward a red car parked in the corner. What was wrong? His eyes narrowed. Did she and Gage have a fight? Nicole jumped into the car, slammed it into gear, and spun toward the parking lot exit.

  Daniel grabbed for his seatbelt, locked it into place, and started his vehicle. By the time he pulled out of the lot, her vehicle had nearly disappeared around the next corner. He followed her at a safe distance for fifteen minutes, until she pulled to the curb across from Joe’s and jumped out. He parked a couple of blocks away, gave her five minutes, then undid his seatbelt and climbed out of the car.

  A light rain misted the air around him as he strode toward the building, dampening his jacket. He hitched the collar up higher around his neck. What reason could he give Nicole for showing up at the diner at this time of night? He shrugged. He’d think of something. Daniel climbed the stairs and stopped in front of the glass door.

  For a few seconds he peered over the Closed sign to watch her at the table in the far corner, her back to him as she scrubbed hard at the surface. Every muscle in her body was tense. Good. It didn’t appear as though her anger had dissipated any. He didn’t enjoy seeing her go through that, but trouble with Gage could only be good for him. For the investigation, that is.

  Nicole straightened and pressed a hand into the small of her back. For a moment she stared out the window. What is she looking at? Then she must have seen his reflection in the glass because she spun around. The fear that flitted across her face disappeared when recognition replaced it, which he was happy to see. He lifted a hand.

  Nicole wove her way through the tables until she reached the door. He smiled at her. While she didn’t return the smile, she did turn the lock and open the door a few inches.

  “Am I too late to get a cup of coffee?” Daniel spoke quietly, hoping the fear wouldn’t reappear. Not that she’d so far shown herself to be the nervous type.

  He searched her eyes and found, to his relief, only mild curiosity. Please let me in.

  “We’re closed.” She propped a shoulder against the doorframe. “Typically that means all the customers have to leave.”

  “What about the friends?” He bit his lip, ninety percent sure she wouldn’t consider placing him in that category, and one-hundred percent sure he shouldn’t ask her to.

  “I already have all the friends I need.”

  “Not here.” He glanced over her shoulder at the empty diner. “And from the way you were scrubbing the top of that table down to the wood, it looks like you could use one. Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Not particularly.”

  He searched her face. She appeared to be open again, like she’d been that day in the park, before she’d told him she was seeing someone. Except that tonight, nothing about her was relaxed. If Daniel had to guess, the anger that radiated off her in waves was fully directed at Gage, which was taking all the energy she might otherwise have used to keep her guard up against him. That and the fact that she clearly needed to vent, and if she was willing to let loose on him, he was more than happy to offer her the opportunity.

  The other possibility, one that he was scared to even allow himself to entertain, was that she’d felt the connection between them that day in the park, as strongly as he had. Or at least strongly enough for her to lower her defences. Temporarily, anyway. If there was any chance of her closing up as quickly as she had the last time, he needed to move fast, although with extreme caution.

  “We Good Samaritans are known for being excellent listeners, you know.”

  Her lips twitched slightly. “You’d have a hard time proving that from the Bible. The man the Good Samaritan rescued was unconscious throughout the entire story. I don’t believe two words were exchanged between them.”

  She had him there. “Well, they spoke more in the original Greek version. It lost something in translation.”

  “I see. And you always read your Bible in the original Greek, do you, Mister …?”

  “Grey. Daniel Grey. And not the whole Bible, no, only the New Testament.”

  Her lips twitched again. “Of course, it would be tricky to read the Old Testament in the original Greek, since it was written in …”

  “Hebrew,” he finished with her.

  Nicole contemplated him. The fire in her eyes had definitely died down. A little too much. He needed her at least a little angry, so she’d be more willing to talk about Gage. Time to stoke the flames a little.

  “Look, you’ve obviously had a rough night. If you’d rather be alone …” Daniel moved down a step.

  Nicole’s green eyes darkened as she pushed away from the doorframe and opened the door wider. “No, it’s all right. You can come in. For a few minutes.”

  Setting the boundaries. Fair enough. Daniel walked into the diner. The sounds of silverware clattering into drawers, dishes clinking together, and people calling out to one another, came through the swinging doors from the kitchen.

  Nicole waved a hand toward the thoroughly sanitized table in the corner. “So you know, the staff is still in the kitchen cleaning up. In case you were contemplating doing anything unfriendly, that is.”

  Daniel nodded. “I wasn’t, but I am glad that you don’t let strangers into the diner when you’re here alone.” He paused briefly as he passed the cash register. A white sheet with a list of names, dates, and times—some type of work schedule, from t
he looks of it—had been taped onto the counter. He scanned it quickly as Nicole rounded the counter, heading for the coffee pot on the ledge attached to the back wall. Nicole Hunter was the fourth name down, and the only Nicole on the list. Good. He had a last name. Daniel crossed the diner to the table she’d indicated and pulled out a chair. He sat, his back to the door. That went against every instinct he had, but maybe being able to keep an eye on her escape route would help her relax a little. Open up to him faster.

  At this point, he’d take any advantage he could get.

  Nicole grabbed the coffee pot from the machine on the counter. What are you doing? Inviting someone she barely knew, especially given that he was someone she was far too drawn to, was definitely not the smartest thing she’d ever done. Of course, very little she’d done around this man was smart, or typical for her. She wouldn’t have let him in if there weren’t still people working in the kitchen. Even so, they’d have a quick coffee and then she’d send him on his way. She made her way to his table. When she reached him, she turned over two mugs and filled them expertly before setting the pot on the table and dropping onto the chair across from him.

  “How did you know where I worked?”

  “I was driving past the park where we met the other day, and that reminded me that you’d recommended Joe’s, so I thought I’d scout it out, in case I wanted to try it sometime. When I saw you through the window, I decided to press my luck and stop by.” He wrapped his fingers around the warm mug and pulled it closer. “You looked upset when I came in. Is everything okay?”

  She pursed her lips and contemplated him. He looked tired. His eyes were as bright blue as she remembered, but now shadows were smudged beneath them. She leaned forward and rested both arms on the table. “Not really. But I’m sure you didn’t come in here to listen to some waitress you barely know dumping her tales of woe on you.”

  “Actually, I did.”

  Don’t do it. Do not talk to this man about Gage. Nicole hesitated. I need to talk to someone. She laced her fingers tightly and stared down at her hands. “All right then. But remember, you asked for this.” She let out a soft sigh. “It’s my boyfriend.”

  “Man trouble? Really?”

  “What, you didn’t think I had a man in my life? I told you I was seeing someone.”

  “No, it’s not that. I’d be a lot more surprised if you didn’t. I just can’t imagine one foolish enough to treat you badly.”

  “He’s not a fool. Not really. Unfortunately, he forgets that himself sometimes.”

  “Ah. A common affliction. Not usually fatal.”

  Nicole’s throat tightened. “Well, in this case,” her voice lowered and he leaned in closer, “I think it might be.”

  Her hand was inches away from his on the table. For a moment neither of them moved, then the man slid his hand across the space between them and lightly covered her fingers with his. Nicole drew comfort from the strong warmth of them for a few seconds. What are you doing? She stared at their hands before slowly pulling hers away. She rose and stood facing the window, arms crossed over her chest.

  “The thing is, I thought I knew him, you know? But tonight I saw another side of him, and it scared me.”

  Her voice caught, and he got up and moved to stand behind her.

  Nicole faced him. “I shouldn’t be talking to you about this. I barely know you.” Why was she opening up to him? There was something about the man in front of her. Something that invited trust, that promised empathy and compassion. Precisely what she needed at the moment. A tear slid down her cheek.

  He reached out and wiped it away with his thumb. Their eyes met, and Nicole’s heart thudded wildly in her chest. He had to go now, before she did something she would regret forever. “You should …” A movement at the front door caught her eye and her gaze slid from his over to the door. Gage. At the sight of him, everything that had happened that night came flooding back. Guilt and anger coursed through her, and rational thought fled. Before he could react, Nicole lifted her hand to the back of Daniel’s head and pulled him down so she could press her mouth to his.

  His senses exploded. He’d caught Gage’s reflection about the same time she’d seen him, but about half a second in, Daniel stopped caring that she was only doing this to prove something to another man. The light scent of apple blossoms wafting from the hair that brushed against his cheek, the soft lips against his, for a few seconds there was nothing else in the world but her. And then she pulled away, flushed and breathless.

  Nicole shot another brief glance toward the door and her shoulders sagged. Gage must have gone. Daniel didn’t turn to look in case Gage recognized him. One of Nicole’s hands was still pressed against Daniel’s shirt. Her eyes met his briefly before she looked at his chest and stiffened. He followed her gaze and his heart sank. His jacket was hanging open slightly and his police badge, clipped to his shirt pocket, was clearly visible.

  Nicole moved away, her forehead wrinkling in confusion. “You’re a cop?”

  “Yes, I …” His head was spinning, and he was having a hard time coming up with his own name, let alone a plausible reason for keeping that fact from her for so long.

  “But that kid on the street, he committed a crime right in front of you and you let him go. Were you … off-duty?”

  Here we go. His chest tightened. “No.”

  Her eyelids flickered, as though she was trying to comprehend what he was saying. “Are you off-duty now?”

  Daniel didn’t answer.

  “So the street, the park, here … you didn’t happen to bump into me, did you? You were, what, watching me? Following me?”

  “No. Yes. I mean … could we maybe start over here?” He pulled out his ID and flipped open the case. “Detective Daniel Grey, Toronto Police Services.”

  Nicole didn’t look at it.

  Daniel slid the badge into his pocket.

  “Why are you here?” she demanded.

  He gestured toward the table. “Could we sit?”

  Nicole hesitated, then walked over and lowered herself onto her chair, back rigid and hands clasped tightly in her lap.

  He sat down across from her. “Okay, here it is. I have been watching you.”

  “For how long? And why?”

  “For a few days now. I wanted to talk to you about a case I’m working on and I was waiting for the right time.” He hesitated, but she only lifted her shoulders. Daniel pressed on. “I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but we’ve had a string of unsolved kidnappings in this city.”

  “I read about them in the paper. And about how the police don’t have a clue how to stop those guys.”

  Daniel let the dig pass.

  Nicole shifted in her seat. “What does all this have to do with me?”

  “We’ve been working on the case for months without really getting anywhere. The odd tip and a few clues here and there but, until recently, not enough to add up to anything substantial. For example, a few weeks ago a single parent reported that her daughter had been taken from the home in the night. Several hours later a neighbor brought in a digital camera and showed us a picture he’d taken of a man carrying a child out of the home around one in the morning.”

  “Could you tell who he was?”

  “No. He wore a mask. The neighbor did get a picture of a car that pulled up to the curb and took the girl away, though. We got a partial from the plate, although we were never able to track down the vehicle.”

  “Sounds like you don’t have much.”

  “We didn’t, until a few days ago. Then we stumbled across a new angle that might be the break we’ve been hoping for.”

  The light from the lamp hanging above them glinted off the hair she’d pulled into a ponytail, picking up strands of gold.

  “So you think you’re getting close to finding out who is doing this?”

  Daniel dropped his gaze to her face.

  Nicole was watching him intently.

  His face warmed. “We feel like we’re
making progress. In fact, we have the names of a couple of persons of interest.”

  “You have suspects?”

  If his words were making her nervous, or guilty, it didn’t reflect in her eyes. Daniel shook his head. “No, not yet. They’re persons of interest, not suspects. People we believe may know something about the kidnappings, whether or not they were actually involved.”

  “Why did you come to me? It sounds like you have a lot more information than I do. All I know is what I’ve read. I don’t see how I can help you.”

  “I wanted to talk to you because you know the people we’re interested in.”

  Her forehead wrinkled. “I find that hard to believe. Who are they?”

  “Gage and Holden Kelly.”

  Her green eyes widened in shock. As Daniel watched, they deepened to dark, glittering emerald.

  “You are on the wrong trail, Detective. I can assure you that Gage and Holden are decent, law-abiding citizens.” She pushed the words out through clenched teeth.

  “I’m not accusing them of being otherwise.” Daniel pulled out the calm, reassuring voice that made him one of the best negotiators on the force. “I’m merely gathering information at this point.”

  Nicole Hunter was not in the mood to negotiate. She jumped to her feet. Flattening both hands against the top of the table, she leaned toward him. “Then you should talk to them, not me. And you had no right to talk to me without telling me who you were.” The gold flecks in her eyes flashed like sparks of fire. “Do I have some sign across my forehead that says ‘Keep Things from Me’? Because that seems to be everyone’s favorite pastime lately. That and lying.”

  “Look, I didn’t mean to lie to you. I—”

  She flung both hands up in front of her. “Of course you meant to. What is it with men? You can’t help yourselves, can you?”

  His jaw tightened.

  “You pretended to be this big hero the other day, showing up out of the blue to save the day. Then tonight, you came in here intending to lie to me, asking casual questions like you were simply making conversation, calling yourself my friend, when the whole time you were trying to get information about the man I …” her cheeks flushed, “... about Gage. Which means that you weren’t only lying to me, you were using me too.”