He could see in Fred's eyes this was not the whole answer. "Fred, I'm growing weary of this conversation. You're spouting religion at me as if you really believe your words, but I don't believe you." He started to get up.
"Wait, wait," Fred pleaded, "Gail and some of her other filthy witch friends have the deed to some property I want, and they won't sell. I'm having a devil of a time finding them though. They've established a corporation and there is a lot of legal wording. Their witch names are included but they can eventually be traced to their real names. As I found out their true identities, I had them eliminated. For example, Gail's name is Dionne."
Jeff shook his head. "So it comes down to this being all about land and money. Fred, you are one greedy, ruthless bastard. It's time, Fred."
"So, you're going to kill me anyway, even though I told you the whole story?"
"Never said I wasn't," Jeff answered in a flat, emotionless voice. "But since you gave me this information, I'm going to give you a choice. I'll let you take another pill and go to sleep or I'll do what I intended in the first place and just throw you overboard and let you drown. It's your choice."
Jeff got out of his seat and began to attach weighted bags to Fred's legs.
Fred screamed and cussed at him. He called him every vile name he could think of. He cursed Jeff and told him he would surely burn in the fires of Hell if he did this. The entire time he ranted, Fred's eyes shifted wildly, looking for any possible form of rescue - another boat, a plane passing overhead, anything other than the endless water that surrounded them. Nothing appeared. At last, with nothing more to say, Fred became quiet.
Through Fred's whole tirade, Jeff remained silent.
"I'm not Wiccan, but I don't believe in Hell, Fred. I think deep down you do though and if so, you better prepare yourself because I believe you have a much better chance of going there than Heaven. Now, I'll ask you one more time, do you want this pill or not?"
Fred simply nodded. He was going to die. There was absolutely nothing he could do to prevent it from happening.
Jeff gave him the pill and waited until Fred went to sleep before pushing him overboard, watching him sink quickly out of sight.
"Goodbye, Fred," Jeff said. He started the boat and headed back toward shore. He tied off the boat at the dock.
Chapter 7
Jeff meticulously cleaned the boat, making sure all traces of his excursion were eliminated. He considered torching the car but decided against it, fearing it would start a fire in the wilds. Jeff slipped on a pair of gloves then meticulously wiped all his fingerprints from the car. After driving to a particularly bad section of town, he pulled to the curb on a side street. He made one more check to ensure all traces of him had been removed. Rolling all the windows down, he threw the car keys on the floorboard.
Finally, he opened the door and walked away. He was sure the car would be vandalized and stripped long before the police discovered it, further obscuring anything that would connect him with it. When he was about a mile away, he flipped open his phone and called his friend.
"I'll meet you at 12th and Vine, okay?" he asked.
"Okay."
Jeff stood from the park bench and stepped over to the curb when a silver sedan pulled up to it. He slid into the passenger seat. For the first time, now that there was no danger of their conversation being recorded, he addressed the man by name. "Thank you, Howard." He gave Howard directions to his rental car. "So, how are things?" Jeff asked.
Howard rolled his eyes. "Same old, same old, you know how it is. Spies, lies and a lot of politics."
"Yeah, I don't miss the politics at all," he told Howard and pulled out a roll of bills. "This is for the use of your boat, the gas and for picking me up."
The man started to protest, but he stopped him. "Take it. Besides, I may want to borrow your boat again, but this time for pleasure," he grinned.
"Anytime. You know I owe you big. Did you get rid of the garbage?" Howard inquired.
"Yep. All taken care of and the boat is clean." They pulled into the parking structure and Howard parked next to Jeff's rental. Saying goodbye, he slid out of Howard's car and into his own.
He drove the rest of the day and through the night and when he arrived, he turned the rental car in. After walking home, he looked at his watch and debated whether to get a few hours of sleep or drive to Gail's. The need to see the woman he loved won out.
Opening his phone, he dialed a number. "Hi Greta. How are things?"
"Fine. Everything has been quiet."
"Good. Did you take her to work?"
"Yes, dropped her off this afternoon. She's doing fine, Jeff," she added. "Although I think she's missing someone."
"You can go home, Greta. She'll be safe now. I'll pick her up after work."
"Okay. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you. Bye."
Jeff drove to Gail's workplace, parked and waited for her to get off. He watched her come out of the plant and look around in confusion, searching for her car. He stepped out and stood beside his car, waiting for her to spot him. When she did, she raced across the parking lot with a huge smile on her face. She flung herself into his arms, hugged him tight and kissed him.
Gail stepped back and looked at him. He was sure his face revealed just how haggard he felt. Her words confirmed this. "Ya look like shit. Haven't been sleeping again, have you?"
"Not recently."
"Where's Greta?"
"I sent her home."
They did not talk much on the way home. He was too tired to think straight. When they got there, she closed and locked front door. Taking him by the hand, she led him toward her bedroom.
"Come on, let's go to bed. You can talk to me later."
She led him into her room where they stripped and tumbled into bed. Hours later, after a restful sleep, he awoke to find Gail wide awake, watching him less than a hand's length away from his face. Her green eyes were the most beautiful sight he remembered ever waking up to.
"Morning," he said with a smile.
"Afternoon," she corrected.
She untangled herself and slipped out of bed. Gail went to her closet, slipped on one of his shirts, buttoned only the two lower buttons and padded softly from the room.
"I'll be in the kitchen, fixing lemonade," she said over her shoulder, "whenever you decide to get out of bed," she finished.
Jeff stretched and slid out of bed. He put on his boxers and joined her in the kitchen where he seated himself and watched her mix the pitcher of lemonade with her back turned to him.
"Gail, I love you," he said.
Gail smiled and pretended not to hear. "What?"
"Gail, I love you," Jeff repeated.
"What?" she asked as she turned on the sink faucet.
Exasperated, he yelled. "Gail, I love you!"
She turned off the faucet and turned to face him. "That's what I thought I heard you say... all three times. I just like to hear it." A smile beamed from her face.
He laughed. "Come here, you witch."
Gail bounced across the floor and jumped into his lap. "I am a witch and calling me one won't hurt my feelings," she said as she looked into his eyes.
"You're a scamp too," he said in a low voice.
"Yeah, that too, but you'll just have to get used to both." Gail put her arms around him, leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Because I love you too."
She kissed him on the cheek, bounced out of his lap and crossed to the counter to finish pouring the drinks. He glanced at his watch and went into the living room. There, he turned on the television and switched stations until he found a Seattle newscast.
Gail came in and handed him a glass. "Aww, why do you want to watch that depressing crap?"
Placing his fingers to his lips, he urged her to silence and patted the couch beside him. With a "harrumph," Gail settled beside him.
The newscaster continued to speak. "…and now for local news. As a follow-up from yesterday, the well-known television evangelist, Fre
d Collins, is missing. He was reported missing yesterday. More details have been discovered on this report. His chauffeur was found bound and gagged in his apartment, leading police to fear kidnapping or foul play. The chauffeur, Charles Sparks, claimed his assailant wore makeup and a disguise so he looked just like him. Mr. Collins' limo was discovered in the Asbury area where it had been stripped and burned leaving few, if any, clues. Mr. Collins' bodyguard, Mr. Silvan, is also missing. No ransom note or phone call has been forthcoming at this time. More details will be reported as they become available but police remain baffled with so few leads. Now on to the weather. More rain is forecasted for tomorrow..." He switched television stations and sat back.
"What was that all about?" Gail asked. "You know something about that, don't you?" she continued, moments later.
"Let's just say that you and your coven won't be bothered any more for now at least, Gail… or should I call you Dionne?" Jeff asked.
Gail sat for a moment in stunned silence at the mention of her Wiccan name. Feigning innocence, she asked, "Who is Dionne?"
He cocked his head. "Perhaps you should tell me."
"Perhaps I will." She flashed him a dazzling smile.
"So, how did you find out about my Wiccan name? I guess from your words that the danger to us is gone? I have a lot of questions for you."
He did not want her to know all the gory, less than pleasant details about the things he had done. It was his job, and he was sure she would eventually find out, but not right now. "Fred targeted you and your coven friends because you own land he wanted very much. It really didn't have anything to do with the fact you're witches. It was just a matter of greed. I suspect the property you own is about to become very valuable and Fred had an inside track. When you refused to sell, he set about eliminating you one by one, hoping to convince the others."
"So what happened to him? I assume he had help. What happened to them? Are they going to get jail time?"
When he looked at her, his gaze was serious and sober. "I don't want to tell you the details. Let's just say that the problem Fred and his helpers presented has been eradicated. I'm not going to say anything more, Gail. Respect my wish. Please."
He watched her gulp as the word eradicated sank in. "Okay," she said in a voice just above a whisper.
He wanted to change the subject. "So, had any good sex lately?" he teased.
She still had a lot of questions, but the look in his eyes reminded her they would not be answered, at least not now. "Yeah, I did. There was this man here last night and well… we about melted the bed it was so hot."
He looked into her eyes with love and saw it reflected back. "Gods, you're beautiful, my little witch. I love you." I got it. I actually got it right. I said Gods instead of God.
She did not say a word. She just turned to him and beamed a huge smile.
The end
Watch for further adventures of Gail and Jeff in next book
To Know you is to Love You.
Gail and Jeff: To Know You is to Love You
By G.E. Stills
Chapter 1
Gail had just stepped out of the shower when her phone chimed. She looked at the caller identification and her heart skipped a beat. A smile split her face when she picked up the receiver and heard his voice.
“Hello. How is my beautiful witch today?” Jeff asked.
“Your beautiful witch is fine, although somewhat embarrassed by being called beautiful,” Gail answered then asked in turn, "and how is my strikingly handsome man? This witch is missing her man since he's been busy and hasn’t been over for a few days.”
“Did I time it right? At you finished showering?”
She chuckled. “You didn’t reinstall one of those spy cameras, did you? Are you watching me now?”
“Nah. Wish I was though. You know how much I like to see you skyclad. No, I just know you. You’re a creature of habit.”
“And you know my schedule nearly as well as I know it myself.”
“That’s part of my job, babe. Got to keep track of my little witch.”
“So to what do I owe the honor of your phone call? I remind you again it has been days,” she chided softly.
“How would you like some company after you get off work tonight?”
“That depends on who the company is,” she teased as her heart started to race.
“My company of course, unless you have someone else in mind,” he teased back. “Oh, and by the way, I think you better pray to the Goddess for some added stamina, it has been a while you know.”
“I’ll be sure to do that and I know she'll provide it. You have a key to my place, I'll be expecting you to be waiting, my love. I have to go and ask for that stamina before getting ready for work. See you tonight.” She broke the connection.
****
The night at work seemed to go on forever. She kept looking at her watch. It seemed like each hour was a day long, but at last her shift finished. Gail resisted the desire to run to her car and break every speed limit on the way home. Only a small part of her mind focused on her driving. She knew the route well after having driven it so many times. Her lips stretched into a smile when she thought of her Jeff. Goddess, I love that man.
She reminisced how they had met. How she had hired him to protect her when someone was threatening her life. From the very start she had been attracted to him like a moth to flame. In the beginning it had been purely physical. What made it even better was her witch senses telling her that he found her equally attractive.
She frowned for a moment when she remembered how determined he had been to keep their relation on a purely business level. She felt her cheeks get hot when she recalled how she had flaunted herself in front of him, gradually wearing his resistance down, while he in the meantime kept her alive. He had blue eyes that seemed to have endless depths. She could get lost in those eyes for days if she let herself. They were filled with warmth and caring when he gazed at her.
Deftly, she negotiated a turn and headed straight again. Her thoughts continued. He had the face of a Greek god and a body to make many athletes cry in envy. Muscular shoulders and chest with a flat stomach gave way to strong runner’s legs. He also had the cutest little tushy. Gail chuckled at that thought. She could hardly wait to have those strong arms of his wrapped around her in tight embrace.
What had started out to be just physical had grown to much more as they had come to know each other better. Jeff honored without question her Wiccan beliefs. He also accepted she was a witch.. Often he said he loved her teasing nature and the humor in her that was always near the surface. He is always kind and gentle and treats me like a precious jewel. I've never been treated that way before.
As she negotiated the final turn of her trip home, her face sobered. Not everything about Jeff was warm and cheery. He was a private investigator and bodyguard. He tried to keep his darker side hidden from her but she knew about it anyway. Normally, his jobs did not require it. In fact, thank the Gods, none of them had since hers.
A shudder passed through her as she thought of it. She had seen it on occasion when he let it slip out and did not know she was watching. Those same eyes that showed warmth and care for her could be cold and merciless. They could pierce a person’s soul like daggers. Jeff could and did deal out death to bad people in a heartless, insensitive manner. His lethality was not restricted to only his shooting ability either. He could be a total death machine if the occasion called for it. Over the months she had managed to get out of him, in bits and pieces, what had taken place during the time he had been eliminating her would be killers.
Only she knew what each death he meted out had cost him. On several occasions she had cuddled him close and helped him through the terrible, trembling shakes he suffered each time he took someone’s life. He did not like to talk about it and rarely did but she knew he had been dealing out death most of his adult life.
Gail turned onto her street and shook her head to clear her troubled thoughts. She co
mbed her fingers through her red hair and turned into her driveway. When she opened the garage door a warm fuzzy feeling burst into being inside her stomach. His car was parked in the extra stall. Gail walked into the kitchen and there he was, sitting at her table, waiting.
Jeff stood up and strode across the kitchen floor to greet her. As he did she studied him from head to toe. His blond hair was cut short. A sober expression normally clung to his face unless his lips were drawn into a smile, as they were now, when he looked at her. She could hardly wait to have those tasty lips pressed to hers.
A Witch and Her Man (Jeff and Gail) Page 11
