by Robin Caroll
Sophia nodded. This was all so . . . crazy. Being attacked. Her mother being murdered. Surgery. Learning she’d never be able to compete again. And now this . . . concern the attackers would be back to finish her off and the home she’d been raised in burned down. How did her life get so crazy so fast?
Lord, what did I do to deserve all this?
“In the meantime, I thought you might like to put on these scrubs.” The nurse lowered the chart to reveal a neatly folded pair of scrubs sitting on top of the chart. She handed them to Charlie. “I know they’ll be a little big, but I figured you’d prefer them over the hospital gown.”
“Yes. Thank you.” The kindness the nurse had shown her . . . Charlie . . . Julian . . . everybody . . . tears formed in her eyes again.
“You’re welcome. I’ll be back as soon as I have your discharge papers,” she said as she headed from the room.
Charlie lifted the clothes. “How about I help you get into these? I’m sure you’re sick of the gown.”
Julian’s face reddened. “I’m going to have a word with the officer outside.” He rushed out the door.
Charlie started laughing as soon as the door closed. “I didn’t know he could move so fast when he wasn’t chasing a criminal.”
Sophia let Charlie help her out of bed. Her legs wobbled a bit as she put her weight on them, but she felt stronger than she had since she’d awakened in the hospital.
“You know you could’ve stayed with me,” Charlie said as she held out the scrub bottoms so Sophia could step in them.
“Yes, but I do need to be with Alena. There’s a lot about my mother, apparently, I don’t know.”
“I understand. I’m still going to come by and check on you just like I do in here.”
“I’d hoped you would.” Sophia smiled. Despite the reasons for being here, she was truly glad she’d met Charlie Wallace. And Julian.
Especially Julian, but she tried to keep thinking about what Charlie had told her. She was just a victim in the case he was working.
That’s all.
After getting dressed, she let Charlie steady her as she began walking laps around the room. What had she gotten herself into? She had no idea where Alena lived. What if it was apartments and hers was upstairs? Sophia would never make it up the stairs.
“Soph?”
She looked at Charlie. “I know you’re strong and can kick butt and all, but you need to be careful. I know Julian and Brody will give you a list of a gazillion things they don’t want you to do. It’ll seem excessive and your instinct will be to just nod and not pay attention. You can’t do that.”
“I wouldn’t.”
“You think so, but trust me, their orders will be many and frustrating for someone like you.”
“Someone like me how?” What was wrong with her?
“Strong. Independent. Used to doing things for herself.”
Sophia gave a little smile. “How do you know me so well?”
Charlie blushed. “I’ll be honest, I watched a video of you on the Internet.” She shook her head. “You blew me away.”
“Not anymore.” Sophia glanced at her hands. Why, God? Why? She’d never blow anyone away again.
“Don’t say that. You’re a strong woman. Determined. And yes, you can’t compete again, but you could do what your mother did.”
“What?” Get herself killed for hiding something? Yeah, it was real smart. The more she thought about it, the madder she got at Mamochka. It was incredibly selfish to do something to put her life in jeopardy.
“You could become an instructor. A gymnast coach.”
Sophia shook her head. Charlie didn’t understand. Coaches weren’t disgraced former gymnasts. Coaches were people with the knowledge and ability to teach. There was no place for her in the gymnastic world anymore.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to upset you.”
Sophia swallowed the tears. “No, it’s okay. I’m fine.”
A knock sounded, followed by Julian’s voice, “Okay to come in?”
Sophia looked at Charlie and smiled. “Yeah, come on in.”
Julian came in and then shuddered to a stop. “Wow, you’re up walking.”
“Yeah, I’m supposed to. Get my strength back and all.”
“I know. I just hadn’t seen you up and about.” He smiled, and her heart melted. “You look good on two feet.”
“Thanks, but I’m still clumsy.” Not graceful like she used to be. People used to describe her as lithe and having contained and controlled power much like a panther.
Not anymore.
“Not so much. Pretty soon, you’ll be ready to go out dancing.”
Her stare locked onto him. “Is that so?”
Charlie shot her a look that sent Sophia’s embarrassment level into the red zone. “I’m just teasing.”
“No. It’s a date. I’ll take you dancing when you’re steady on your feet again.”
Charlie snorted. “You? Julian Frazier . . . dancing? You don’t dance.”
Julian turned red. “I do dance.”
“Since when?”
“Since none of your business.”
“Charlie, leave him alone,” Sophia mouthed. “You’re embarrassing him.”
“Okay,” Charlie told her.
“Okay, what?” Julian asked.
“Okay, I’ll ask about shoes for her.” Charlie winked at Sophia.
Wow, the girl was scary-good on cover-up. Sophia needed to remember that among other things.
Like Julian had promised to take her dancing.
* * *
Dancing?
Had he lost his ever-loving mind? He hated dancing. Girls he used to date kidded him about being born with two left feet. Now he’d invited the daughter of a prima ballerina to go dancing?
Was he insane?
Before he could figure out a way to get out of his offer without hurting Sophia’s feelings, Dr. Rhoads came back into the room.
The doctor smiled at Sophia and touched her arm, and unexpectedly, a strange sensation came over Julian. The desire, a strong desire, to punch the doctor right in his smiling face.
Where had that come from?
The doctor looked up. “Everyone, I’ll have to ask you to step outside, please. I need to examine my patient before discharge.”
Charlie walked out with Julian. “Hey, I’m sorry about what I said to you yesterday.”
He stopped and faced her. “About what?”
“Lecturing you about your interest in Sophia.”
“Oh.” He’d replayed their conversation over in his head several times as he’d tried to sleep last night. “No, you were right.”
“Julian, I had no business saying anything to you.”
“No, you’re right.”
“If you and Sophia are attracted to each other, it’s none of my business.”
“It’s okay—” Wait a minute. Did she mean . . . “What are you saying? Has Sophia said anything about me?”
“Oh, mercy. I am not going to do this. We aren’t in high school. If you want to know what the girl thinks about you, you’ll have to ask her or figure it out on your own.”
“Charlie, come on. One day you’re telling me to stay away from her and the next you’re hinting she might be interested. You can’t yo-yo me around like this.”
She groaned. “Now’s not the time, either way.”
“You’re right.” He chastised himself for acting like a schoolboy. What was next, sending her a note that read: Do you like me? Circle Yes or No. He shuddered.
“I hope she’s going to be okay at Alena’s,” Charlie said.
“Me, too, but Brody won’t let her go there if the place isn’t secure.” Julian checked his watch. “We won’t move her until tonight. Less chance of her being seen and us being followed. If we are, then she can’t stay there.”
“It’s not what I meant. I hope she’s okay being with Alena. She just met the woman she thought was dead, found out she wanted Sophia aborted, and
now is going home with her. I just don’t know.”
Said like that . . . “Do you have any other suggestions? It looked like it was her choice and you tried to argue with her.”
“I know.” Charlie hugged her arms and leaned against the hallway wall. “She’s strong and all, but after everything . . . I just worry she’s more emotionally fragile than she lets on.”
“Really?” His protectiveness threatened to rear its ugly head.
“But, she has her faith, and it’s strong, which is good. God will get her through this. I just hate to see her suffer any more.”
“I do, too.” Julian couldn’t shake the feeling in his gut. The feeling . . . there was something about Sophia Montgomery . . .
“On the other hand, when Alena was here last night and she and Sophia were talking about Nina and the quilt, they seemed to get along. Maybe Sophia’s right and she does need to spend time with her grandmother to learn more about her mother.”
“I guess. I just find it hard to believe Alena would know more about Nina than Sophia. Seemed to me that Nina cut her mother out of her life and was done with her.”
“Maybe so, but there’s a lot about Nina’s past before Sophia that Alena can share with her. Things like she told Sophia last night about Nadia and Dimitri.”
“Nadia and Dimitri?” Something seemed familiar about . . .
“Yeah. According to Alena, Nina and Dimitri dated a bit before she met Sophia’s dad. Alena claims Nina broke Dimitri’s heart. Nadia was her best friend, according to Alena, although Sophia had never heard her mom mention Nadia before. Anyway, Nadia took Nina’s place for a time after Nina married Sophia’s dad and left the ballet. Also, again, according to Alena, Nadia and Dimitri became an item, until she was killed.”
“Killed?” He hadn’t heard any of this.
Charlie nodded. “Alena said she was murdered backstage during the Nutcracker ballet. She said the costume, the center, focal point on the quilt isn’t Nina’s, but Nadia’s. The Sugar Plum Fairy costume Nadia wore in the Nutcracker, which ended up being her final performance.”
14
Darkness threatened to swallow her.
Sophia took a deep breath, keeping the wrapped baby doll close in her arms. The wig she wore itched something crazy, but they only had a few more feet until she’d move from the wheelchair to Julian’s car.
The disguise had been Charlie’s idea, which was both good and bad. Brilliant to hide her identity from the press as a woman who’d just had a baby and Julian was the father taking them home from the hospital. Bad because it made Sophia think about Julian in ways she shouldn’t.
She was just a victim in a case he was working.
Charlie was on the other side of the hospital, getting ready to come out of her room with a hoodie over her head and let Brody lead “Ms. Sophia Montgomery” into his squad car. They’d “leaked” it over the hospital that Sophia would be checking out tonight. If the reporter’s source was someone in the hospital like Brody claimed after interrogating him, then the press would be waiting to pounce on Charlie as the decoy.
“Almost here, honey,” Julian said.
Even though Sophia knew he was just playing the part for anybody who might overhear him, his term of endearment sent heat spreading out from the pit of her stomach.
He pushed the wheelchair to the curb where his car was already parked. He opened the back door, took the doll from Sophia, and bent, pretending to fasten the doll into a non-existent car seat. He straightened and shut the back door quickly. “He’s all set, sweetheart. Let me help you.” He helped ease her out of the wheelchair, careful to keep her hands covered with her mother’s quilt.
“Congratulations. We just had our fourth,” a man pushing his own wife, holding a baby, in a wheelchair. “A girl. How about you?”
Sophia’s eyes locked onto Julian’s. What happened if they asked her a question? They’d get suspicious if she didn’t answer.
“A boy. Our first.” He leaned closer to the friendly man. “My wife’s a little exhausted. Wore slap out. She’s almost falling asleep sitting up.”
“Oh, honey, you’ll get used to it. You’ll be amazed at how little sleep you can function on,” the other woman called out.
“We’re going to stay at her mother’s for a bit. Let her help us out with the new baby and all.” Julian maneuvered his body between her and the overly chatty couple.
She plopped down into the passenger’s seat. He fastened her seatbelt, then planted a quick kiss on the tip of her nose before backing out and shutting the door. Her mouth was totally dry.
“Congratulations to you both,” Julian said as he rushed to slip behind the steering wheel. He put the car in gear and eased out of the hospital’s front circle.
He glanced in his rearview mirror several times, then seemed to relax. He looked over at her. “You okay?”
She nodded, for once, glad she had an excuse not to speak because her tongue was still tied into knots.
“It shouldn’t take more than fifteen minutes to get to Alena’s place. Brody checked it out and said it’s nice.”
She nodded again.
“Brody and Charlie will run by the store and pick up some items she’s adamant you must have. They’ll keep circling and doubling around until they’re sure no one’s following them, then they’ll meet us at Alena’s.”
She nodded again, starting to appreciate how a bobble-head character felt.
“Our team is working on securing you a more permanent safe house. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of days.”
Sophia smiled in the darkness. A more permanent safe house. How long would she need protection? How long could Julian’s department afford to give it? What if the attackers weren’t even from here? What if they were from another town . . . another state, and were long gone by now? How would she know? Was she destined to just live under police protection for the rest of her life or until someone tried to kill her again?
She glanced at Julian. Being under his protection for the rest of her life wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen.
Stop it! She was just part of the case to him. Nothing more. A witness. A victim.
“The report from the fire department states they believe the fire was set. They’re pretty sure it was arson.”
Panic welled in the back of her throat. What was she going to do with the rest of her life? She couldn’t compete any more. She didn’t have any money set aside to go back to college. Her life was over. She’d be a washed up has-been selling sports gear at the local athletic superstore.
“Hey, are you okay?” Julian took his eyes off the road to look at her. “Sounds like you’re hyperventilating.”
She concentrated on slowing her breathing. In. Out. In.
“Are you in pain? Is the seatbelt hurting you?”
She shook her head. Slow breath in, long breath out. Steady. Rhythmic.
“You’re all right?”
Sophia nodded. Drat it! She’d meant to ask Dr. Rhoads about her voice. Could she try it tomorrow?
“Sorry, I don’t have a radio or anything in the car. I haven’t gotten around to installing one in my baby.” He patted the dashboard. “Since I have your undivided attention and you can’t tell me to shut up, I’ll tell you about Maggie here. Maggie’s a 1972 Dodge Charger. She’s been through a lot, but I found her and fixed her up. Restored her to her prime condition. Took me three years, but worth every day I spent working on her.” Again, he lovingly patted the car.
If he was this affectionate with a car, how did he act with the women he dated?
Ouch. Just the thought of him dating someone made Sophia want to throw up. What did it mean? What did it say about her? Was she just some hopeless romantic sap with an overactive imagination?
Probably.
“My old partner named her. Maggie May. As in Maggie may start, and Maggie may not.” He chuckled, a deep, reverberating laugh.
It warmed Sophia’s heart more than it should have. She s
miled at him.
“Yeah, Eli was quite the comedian.”
Eli, not Brody. She cocked her head to the side.
“Oh.” He stopped smiling. “You want to know what happened to Eli.”
She nodded.
She could hear him swallow in the darkness. “Well, an undercover team had infiltrated a drug cartel. We were in on the bust. Somehow or another, we got separated. The drug group went a little crazy when we stormed them. Started shooting.” He shook his head. “When the smoke cleared, Eli was dead on the ground.” Julian’s voice cracked.
Sophia wanted to hug him. Hold him. Tell him it was okay. But she couldn’t do any of those things. Slowly, she twisted in the seat to face him and reached out. She let her fingers slip down the side of his face.
Slowly. Carefully. Deliberately.
His jaw tightened under her touch, and heat shot up her arm as her nails grated against stubble. The car hesitated as he took his foot off the gas pedal. She jerked her hand back to her lap.
“Sophia,” he growled, making her heart stutter.
Was he feeling the attraction at all, or was it all in her mind? Blood rushed to her head. She slowly exhaled.
God, I’m in deep here. What do I do? Is what I’m feeling wrong?
He cleared his throat and turned the car into a driveway. “We’re here.”
* * *
Thank goodness they’d arrived, because Julian didn’t know if he could resist the urge to pull over to the side of the road and pull Sophia into his arms and kiss her until she lost her senses. When she’d touched his face . . .
Man, he’d never felt so vulnerable, yet so close to someone before. It was nice and strange and scary all at the same time.
He popped both their seatbelt releases then turned in the seat to face her. “Sophia.” He could get lost looking into her eyes. The honesty of them. Of her.
The porch lights flicked on.
Julian jumped back. “Your grandmother’s on the porch waiting for us.” He got out of the car, ran around and opened her door, draped the quilt over his arm, then gently helped her stand. Just touching her elbow made his heart pound.
