by Vella Day
“Will do. See you tomorrow.”
Jamie got out of the car and headed toward the bar. When she spotted two black vans, the muscles in her stomach tightened. She thought she’d conquered her fears from the attack, but apparently she hadn’t. It was dusk, and lots of people were around. Nothing was going to happen.
She hoped.
Jamie inhaled and walked faster, seeking the safety of the bar. Before she reached her destination, another black van drove down the opposite side of the street, causing the hairs on her neck to rise. Why did every vehicle seem to be a black freaking van? Her imagination was out of control. She couldn’t help it. As she reached for the door to Banner’s, she turned to see who was driving that van. It was a man wearing a baseball cap. Shit.
Stop it. She couldn’t let her imagination run wild or she would lose her mind. Most men around here wore caps. It was damn cold out. Yeesh. It had been bad enough when she thought everyone in the hospital was a killer. She didn’t need another few months of nightmares.
Just as Jamie was about to step inside, a shout sounded behind her. She spun around. It was Becky, and the tension in Jamie’s shoulders released. Perfect timing. Handing the small gift to her friend in front of the other girls would be tacky. Jamie dug her hand into her pocket and extracted the gift.
“Hey, girlfriend,” Becky said as she gave Jamie a hug. “I stopped in to see your friend before I came over, and he’s resting peacefully.”
“That was so sweet of you to check. Above the call of duty, actually.” Jamie held out the gift. “For you.”
Becky’s eyes widened. “For me? Why?”
“Because you’re a wonderful friend. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to get it for you.” Jamie spotted Lydia Sayers, the owner of Naughty Desires, head their way. All of the girls had suggested she join them, and Jamie was happy Lydia was finally able to make it.
Their friend was a bit out of breath when she arrived. “Phew. I actually got away from the store on time.”
“Awesome,” Jamie said.
Becky pocketed her gift without opening it. She, too, must have realized unwrapping the present in front of others wouldn’t be cool.
“Ready for some fun?” Jamie put as much enthusiasm into her tone as possible.
“You bet,” Lydia answered.
Jamie pushed aside her anxiety and yanked open the door. While the inside smelled of beer mixed with the tangy scent of peanuts, Jamie basked in the familiarity. She glanced to their usual spot. “Melissa and Zoey are here.”
As soon as they reached the table, both women stood and gave Jamie a hug. Zoey pressed her lips together. “How are you holding up, sweetie? I heard about your car.”
“Car?” Becky asked.
Jamie loved Becky, but when it came to gossip, the girl never seemed to be on the receiving end. “Let me get a drink and I will tell you all. My life has been anything but dull.”
Just as Jamie and the girls pulled out chairs and sat down, their waitress, Abby, rushed over. “What can I get you, ladies?” They each ordered, and Abby hustled to the bar.
“Start from the beginning.” Melissa said.
Jamie retold the story of the break-in, the tale of the horrible fire and finding out that her friend had been seriously burned, before ending with her car breaking down.
“Oh, my God. Who did you piss off?” Melissa asked.
That brought a smile to Jamie’s face. “I keep asking myself the same question.”
Zoey sipped her drink. “You know the old saying. What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.”
“If that’s true, you’ll be able to call me ‘Iron Girl’ pretty soon.”
They all laughed.
“How are you getting around?” Melissa asked. She was a nurse at the hospital where Jamie used to work.
“Remember Max Gruden, the tall man, from Amber’s wedding?” Jamie asked. Melissa nodded. “He’s been driving me to and from work. He lives near me.”
Everyone smiled. She knew if she told them of her date tomorrow, the girls would fuss too much.
Becky, the romantic, leaned forward. “He really seemed taken with you at Amber’s wedding.”
“He’s a very nice man. He even gave me some pointers on survival.”
Becky’s eyes sparkled. “He’s not just nice, he’s freaking hot. Doesn’t he get your motor revving? I know mine would be if I were around him.”
Jamie laughed. “It’s too soon to tell, but I’m keeping my options open. End of story.”
Becky grinned, acting as if she’d gotten more information than she’d hoped for. “Good for you.”
Zoey stared at her for a moment, acting as if a miracle had occurred. She then directed a question at Lydia. After all, this was Lydia’s first time at their happy hour.
It didn’t take long before everyone turned their focus to the newcomer, asking her about her business, and what was new in her love life. Happy hour seemed to be geared toward making sure everyone was on the right path to true love. That was one of the many things Jamie liked about meeting with her friends. They were all so supportive.
After they all filled up on finger food, and shared more gossip, Zoey pushed back her chair. “If you’ll excuse me, ladies. I have a dinner date with Pete and Thad. Jamie, can I give you a lift home?”
“That would be fantastic.” While she would enjoy seeing Max again, he deserved a break.
They said their goodbyes and left. It seemed as if the other women wanted to hang out for a while, so the timing worked for her. Zoey pointed to her car at the end of the block. “So, how’s it really going with Max?”
Jamie had wondered if she’d bring up that topic. “He asked me out to dinner tomorrow night.”
Zoey’s face lit up. “And?”
“I said yes.”
Zoey stopped and gave her a hug. “I’m proud of you.”
Jamie chuckled. “I finally got it through my thick skull that I needed to move on.”
“I’m happy for you.”
“Me, too.”
Zoey dropped her home and wished her luck with Max tomorrow. It was getting late, and Jamie wanted nothing more than to soak in the tub and think positive thoughts. She’d snacked on a ton of the pita chips and mozzarella sticks so she wasn’t really hungry.
Once inside, she headed into the bedroom. She lifted her top over her head, and was about to toss it in the dirty clothes bin, when her cell rang.
“Ugh. Who’s calling me?”
Not that she didn’t like to chat, but now wasn’t a good time. She bet it was Max, checking to see if she needed a ride home. Jamie smiled. He was one of a kind. She prayed she didn’t blow it at dinner tomorrow.
Jamie grabbed a bathrobe and slipped her arms in the sleeves as she raced to the kitchen to retrieve her cell from her purse. It was Becky. Disappointment raced through her.
She slid her thumb over the screen. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“Oh, Jamie. Can I come over?” Her voice cracked.
A ton of adrenaline blasted her. Jamie pulled out a chair and sat. “What’s wrong, hon?”
“A man. He was wearing a baseball cap. Like the one after you. He followed me down the street. If I hadn’t parked so close. Oh, my God. I think he might have caught me.” Her words whooshed out in spurts.
The image of the men chasing Jamie toward the clinic slammed into her mind. “Was he tall with brown hair?”
“No. Blond. My height, maybe.”
If Jamie had a car, she would have driven to town. Road noise made it hard to hear. “Are you in your car?”
“Yes.” Poor girl sounded scared to death.
“Did you call the police?”
“No.”
“Are you positive he was following you?” The thought gave Jamie the creeps.
“Yes. As soon as I got in my car, he stopped. In my rearview mirror, I saw him call someone. I’m totally shaken.” A horn sounded.
“Had you ever seen this man before?” Now s
he sounded like Trent.
“No. Never.”
Jamie searched her mind for the right thing to say. “I don’t need you talking on the phone and driving. I’ll be waiting for you.”
“Okay.”
As soon as Becky hung up, Jamie rushed back into the bedroom to change. She couldn’t help but compare her near attack to what happened to Becky. Jamie needed to call someone. If she knew Trent, she would have contacted him, and while Max was no longer with the department, he might be willing to call his friend for her.
There were cameras on every corner in Rock Hard, which might mean the cops would be able to identify the man. Scaring women to death should be illegal.
As Jamie drew on her jeans and a warm top, she tried to put herself in Becky’s place. When Thad and Trent had showed up at the clinic, she was glad to have the support. Becky sounded quite upset. Being able to tell her story to a professional would help calm her. Jamie was sure of it.
Damn. Zoey said that she, Pete, and Thad were going out to dinner, and Jamie didn’t want to disturb them. She rushed back to the kitchen and called Max. Jamie paced, waiting for him to pick up.
“Jamie? You okay?”
Why did he have to assume the worst? Was it because she was a magnet for trouble? “I’m fine, but my friend isn’t.” She explained about Becky walking toward her car and some guy in a cap following her.
“Could it have been one of the men who followed you?”
She’d thought that, too, until Becky described them. “No. The man after Becky had blond hair and was rather short. The men after me were both tall. Unless Becky stole some drugs from the hospital and was waving them around, this guy was after something else.” In the background she heard an engine start.
“I’ll be over there in ten minutes,” Max said. “And I don’t want you saying you have everything under control.”
He knew her well. “Okay, but why not call Trent?” She had to admit that just knowing Max was coming to the rescue evened out her racing pulse.
“I’ll listen to what Becky has to say and if need be, I’ll contact him.”
“Thank you.” In the short time she’d known Max, she’d come to rely on him. He’d become her sounding board, her friend. She prayed she wasn’t making a mistake by opening her heart.
Chapter Ten
With the few minutes Jamie had left before Becky and Max arrived, she threw a bag of popcorn into the microwave. She found finger food comforted a person, especially when the anxiety level was off the charts.
Becky arrived just as the microwaved dinged. She immediately threw herself into Jamie’s arms. For the first time in a long time, she was able to give support, instead of receiving it. The sensation was wonderful.
“Come and sit down. I made some popcorn.”
Becky’s eyes were red and her breathing ragged. Her friend fortunately didn’t reek of alcohol. The girls were good about not overdoing it.
Becky hiccupped. “That’s awesome. Can I have a glass of water, too?”
“Sure, hon.” Jamie dumped the popcorn in a bowl and filled two glasses with water. Since Max might want coffee, she prepared a pot.
Jamie entered the living room carrying a tray of their snacks and drinks. “Can you start from the beginning?”
The briefest of smiles formed. “That’s what I always say.”
“I know. By the way, I called Max. He insisted on coming over.”
“Why?”
“If this guy scared you that bad, it must be serious. Don’t you want to know who he is?”
“Can Max help?”
“He has friends in the department. He used to be a cop. I know Banner’s has security cameras, so the police could check them, too.”
“Okay. Do you really think those surveillance cameras are good enough to get an identification?”
“I don’t know. If, as you said, this stalker had his cap low enough, no, but we have to let the police do their job.”
Becky stabbed her hand in the bowl of popcorn. “They’ll think I either made it up, or tell me they can do nothing because the man didn’t harm me.”
“Possibly, but if this guy does the same thing to another woman, there might be a record of him being a stalker.”
Becky stuffed the popcorn in her mouth. “You’re right.”
“So, tell me again what happened.” Becky’s story over the phone had been quite disjointed. Before her friend could tell her tale, tires grated on the drive. “Hold on. That must be Max.”
Jamie jumped up and peered out the window. When she spotted his car, she let out a long held breath. While Becky didn’t know Max that well, they had been introduced at the wedding.
Before he rang the bell, Jamie opened the door. “Thanks for coming.”
She had this urge to hug the man, but refrained. If Becky hadn’t been there, she might have.
Max looked frazzled, like he feared this person had followed Becky there. “Hope I can help.” He stepped over to the sofa and sat next to Becky. “You want to tell me what happened?” Max had a way with making a person at ease.
“I made coffee,” Jamie said. “It’s decaf. You want some?”
He looked over at her and smiled, the connection between them strong. “Sure.”
“Becky, how about you?” Jamie asked.
“Yes, please.”
Jamie ducked into the kitchen for the drinks, but she could hear the conversation. She hadn’t expected the rush of excitement at having Max here. The more time she spent with him, the more comfortable she became. By the time she filled the cups and carried them out, Becky seemed a bit more composed.
Max turned toward Becky. “If Trent can pull up some mug shots, do you think you could identify him?”
“Maybe. Do you think he’ll come after me again?” The fear in Becky’s voice caused Jamie’s gut to twist.
Max shrugged. “I want to say no, that you were some random, pretty woman that this man targeted, but I can’t be sure. If I had to guess, he might have been debating asking you for a ride. Once he got you alone, there was no telling what he might have done.”
Becky visibly shivered. “I would never give a stranger a ride.”
“I’m glad.”
They each picked up their coffee mugs and sipped their drinks. Becky placed a hand on Max’s arm. “Thank you for coming out here. You didn’t have to.”
Jamie hoped Becky wouldn’t say something to embarrass her—like how lucky Jamie was to be with Max.
“I’m always happy to help.”
For the next half hour, Max asked Becky and Jamie questions, and they did their best to answer.
Jamie set down her cup. “Could there be a correlation between the clinic break-in and Becky’s stalker?” Jamie asked.
Max shook her head. “The only similarity is the fact all the men had caps covering their faces.”
Damn.
Becky wiped her hands on her napkin. “Jamie, we might be friends, but that doesn’t mean anyone would know that. We no longer work at the same place, which would make our connection even more tenuous.”
“You’re right.”
Max leaned back and tapped his leg. “Are you ladies positive this man wasn’t some jilted boyfriend of yours?”
Jamie sat up straighter. “I’m sure. He wasn’t Benny, and I haven’t dated anyone else.”
Max took another sip of the coffee then set it back down. “We must be missing something. Becky, can you go through it one more time. Leave nothing out. Not even the slightest detail.”
Jamie guessed his request was to see if there were any inconsistencies. Max had definitely been in his element, asking intelligent questions and never badgering Becky.
After an hour, Becky’s energy began to wane.
Max slapped his thighs. “I think I’ve picked your brain enough. I’m glad you called Jamie. I’ll follow up with Trent, and let you know if the police find out anything.” He stood.
Becky’s smile was weak, but she no longer app
eared to be as scared. “Thank you. Jamie is right. You are a good man.”
Max’s face turned a dull red. She was happy Becky said that. If Jamie had more courage, she would have told him she liked him.
Max helped Becky up. “Get some rest. For the next few days, make sure you ask the security guard at the hospital to escort you to your car.”
Becky nodded. “Trust me, I will.”
Jamie got up and hugged Becky goodbye. “The cops will find the guy. Don’t worry.”
“I hope.”
Max pulled on his coat. “Do you want me to follow you home?”
Becky looked over at Jamie as if she needed her permission. If Jamie were in Becky’s position, she’d feel better knowing some creep hadn’t found out where she lived. Jamie nodded.
“I’d like that.”
Jamie walked them to the door. Once more, Max had come to her rescue. This time she wrapped her arms around him without hesitation. She expected him to stiffen, but he didn’t. He hugged her right back. His warmth seeped deep into her. “I don’t know how I can repay you.”
He smiled down at her. “You know I don’t do things to get something in return.”
He’d shown that side of him time and time again. “I know. I agree with what Becky said. You’re a good man, Max Gruden.”
He tapped her nose. “So are you. A good woman, I mean. See you tomorrow.”
She smiled. “You bet.”
What that man did to her body should be outlawed. Tomorrow was going to be an exciting day.
* * *
Jamie had a hard time waking up the next morning because she’d barely slept. Not only did she relive the delicious feeling of hugging Max, but she’d stayed up late doing some research on the Monster Truck Rally coming to Rock Hard, as well as on concut. What she found made no sense. Tomorrow on their date, she’d have to ask Max what his take on it might be. She decided not to mention her find during her morning ride, since there wouldn’t be enough time to discuss it in detail.
With a cup of coffee in her system, along with a bowl of Frosted Flakes, Jamie trudged to the window to wait for her ride. She should be elated she wouldn’t have to rely on Max for transportation anymore, only she wasn’t. The relying on him part she could do without, but not seeing him after today would be hard. She’d come to enjoy her time with him. This past week had been rather special. Amber had paired up Jamie with Max at the wedding for a reason. Now she could see why.
