by J. A. Coffey
Jayden closed down the computer and raced over to Chloe's apartment. The door was still locked so he used the spare key and went in. Nothing looked disturbed from last night. There were no traces of Chloe and he knew that she had purposely left it that way. The back door caught his eye as he went into the kitchen. It was shut, but the dead bolt was off. He had locked it himself last night.
Damn, someone had been there. Knowing no traces of Chloe were left, he felt a bit more at ease, but still anxiety filled him.
*****
Chloe opened her eyes slowly. She hadn't slept so soundly in quite a while. She looked around at the unfamiliar light. The light blue walls were clean, decorated with a few landscape photos. Sun streamed in from the lone window across the room.
Last night, she had told Jayden everything, except about the baby. She was afraid to mention it. She had the hope that there could be more, but fear of Jayden walking away when he knew of the pregnancy filled her. Carla had assured her she wouldn't bring it up.
Her stomach grumbled. She swung her legs out of bed and sat up slowly. She stood and started taking clothes out of her bag. She didn't know how long she would be staying here, but wanted to give Jayden a chance to at least run a background check on Tony before taking off. If he didn't find something soon, she would be leaving and finding a new place to hide. The thought of it left her with an ache in her chest.
Dressed and having used the bathroom, Chloe started down the stairs. She froze as a man's voice filtered up the stairs. No one she recognized, but fear gripped her. Had one of Tony's men found her? Sarah didn't sound upset and in fact she was quite friendly with him.
Chloe continued down the stairs and hesitated a moment before she started to the kitchen, hoping to not be noticed.
"Chloe, can you come here for a second?" Sarah called.
She hesitantly turned and walked into the living room to see an elderly gentleman sitting on the couch. Sarah stood from the chair and motioned for Chloe to sit.
"This is Dr. Eldridge. I asked him to stop by because Carla mentioned your condition. I thought we should have you checked out. You certainly don't have to, but it might give you a sense of security knowing your baby is healthy and how soon you should be checked again." Sarah spoke quietly and directly, but with enough concern in her voice that Chloe had to admire her initiative.
"That's fine. As far as I can tell I'm about four months along."
"Chloe, if it's alright with you, I would like to listen to the heartbeat and do an internal exam. It'll give me a better idea how far along you are. If there are any questions, I have a portable ultrasound machine," Dr. Eldridge said. "I know you don't know me but Sarah will be right with you the whole time. I come here regularly to do check-ups on the women or if someone is sick. I won't let anyone know you are here."
Chloe stiffened at the words. She needed to have her pregnancy monitored, but she was scared someone had followed him. Tony had so many doctors and other professionals in his back pocket she didn't know who to trust.
"Sarah, can I speak with you in the kitchen for a moment?" Chloe stood. "If you don't mind, Doctor?"
"Not at all." He sat back.
Chloe and Sarah went into the kitchen where they were alone. Chloe paced around the small room before saying anything.
"Chloe, I know this scares you. I've been there. You don't know who to trust. And seeing a man here when you first wake up is probably a shock." Sarah took a breath and studied Chloe for her reaction
"I didn't know Carla told you that I was pregnant."
Sarah was slow to answer. "She had your best interest in mind. Jayden still doesn't know. We both agreed that would be your place to tell him when you're ready. Carla and I both have been pregnant and in an abusive relationship. We understand the misgivings you have on trusting anyone, and we both are honored that you have trusted us."
Chloe stopped pacing and stared at her toes. She knew the right thing to do was to have the exam. "Okay, I'll do it," she whispered. "I don't want Jayden to know though."
"Your secret is safe. It will be just Carla, myself, and Dr. Eldridge who know."
With her thoughts racing, Chloe held Sarah's hand through the exam. The doctor confirmed she was a little over four months along and offered the ultrasound if she wanted to know the sex. Chloe refused at this time. He left her with a bottle of prenatal vitamins and instructions on what to look for in the way of complications, but felt she was healthy and should have no problems. He reiterated the need for milk and protein rich foods to keep her strength up, reminding her she needed to gain a bit of weight for the baby to be healthy. He promised he would check in with her in a month if she was still there. If not, he recommended she seek a check-up monthly until she was closer to her due date.
Once the doctor left, Chloe shut herself in her room. She sat on the bed and let go of the tears that had been threatening to flow. They coursed down her cheeks at the losses she had gone through. Her parents, her home, the thought of love in her life. She was thrilled with the baby coming, but now longed for Jayden to be a part of her life. How could that happen? Would he ever forgive her for not telling him, and if he did, would he want her and another man's child?
A quiet knock on the door brought Chloe back from the indulgence of self-pity she had allowed herself to wallow in. "Come in."
Carla poked her head in. "You want some company?"
Chloe stood as Carla came in. She threw her arms around her friend and Carla hugged her tight.
"You doing okay?" Carla sat beside Chloe.
"Yes. A doctor came by and confirmed I'm four months along." Chloe picked at a thread on the quilt. "I didn't know you had told Sarah."
"I wanted to be sure you were okay. I don't know what your plans are, but at least it's a start for now." Carla grabbed her hand. "Chloe, Jayden is concerned for you. Don't you want to share everything with him?"
"NO." Chloe jumped from the forcefulness of the word that escaped. "I mean, I don't know what to say to him."
"His feelings aren't going to change for you."
Chloe looked at her friend. "His feelings?"
"You know what I'm talking about. You know he has feelings for you. Just look at the way he looks at you and wants to protect you. That's more than just being a police officer, Chloe." Carla paused. "I think you feel the same for him."
"I'm not in a position to have feelings for anyone right now. Look at me. My life is a wreck. I'm carrying another man's child. What man wants to get messed up with that?"
"I think you're underestimating him, but you need to do what you're comfortable with. He wants to stop by later and see you."
Chloe shook her head. "I think it would be best if he stayed away. Honestly, Carla, I don't know what to say to him."
"If you change your mind, Sarah knows how to reach me and I can get a hold of him. Don't shut others out. Arden is your home now."
After Carla had left, Chloe stood looking out the window. The street below was empty. She pondered her friend's words about Jayden. Did he really have feelings for her? She knew she was falling for him, but she didn't know him very well. There were still so many secrets on her end and she really knew nothing about his past. If nothing else, her relationship with Tony had taught her she couldn't trust anyone and she needed to know more about him. Everyone had skeletons in their closet.
Chapter Thirteen
Jayden waited at the counter for his PI friend, David. They had been great friends when Jayden worked in Portland. David had checked on him for months after the shooting. David had tried getting Jayden into counseling beyond what was required from the department, but he refused thinking he could forget the incident. And he had until this guy showed up looking for Chloe.
Carla broke through his thoughts. "She doesn't want to see you."
Jayden clenched his hands. "Why not? Why push me away?"
"She's in shock that Tony found her. She feels she let her guard down. Give her some time."
Jayd
en shook his head. "I don't want to give her time. I want to protect her."
Carla squeezed his hand. "If you really care about her, let her be for now."
Jayden stilled at Carla's words. How much did he care for her? Was this love he was falling into?
As the door opened. David walked in. He pointed to a booth in the back and they made their way there. Carla had already prepared hamburgers and fries for them and brought them out, leaving them alone. She knew Jayden was getting information, but also knew Jayden would tell her as much as he could.
"Whatcha got?" Jayden said as soon as the food was placed in front of them.
"I can't even get a bite in?" David joked as he picked up a fry.
"I don't know how much time we have."
"Okay. Anthony Massey is one mean dude. You can't find any information on him because his real name is Anthony Petroni. He is bad news. A rap sheet a mile long involving possession and selling drugs. There has been talk about a few disappearances of people in association with his name, but then he fell off the grid and no one could find him. We're looking at a mafia wannabe." David picked up his burger and took a huge bite.
Jayden watched him. "That's it?"
"What do you mean ‘that's it'? Man, you have no idea what I just told you. This guy has connections somewhere. No outstanding warrants, but he's a dangerous man. He's careful about staying under the radar though." David took another bite as Jayden glared at him.. "How involved are you with the girl?"
"What? I'm not involved." Jayden pushed the fries around on his plate with his fork.
"Man, you've got it bad." His friend chuckled. "I don't think I've ever seen you like this."
Jayden scowled at him. "I don't know what I feel."
"Yeah, but not like any Joe off the street. You want to protect the one you think you're falling in love with."
Jayden pushed his plate away. There was no use denying it. The question became, what do I do about it?
Carla came over to pick up the plates. She raised an eyebrow at Jayden and he just shook his head. "Chief, there is some word that a couple of guys were checking out the alley behind the diner this afternoon while I was gone. Want to take a guess at who they must be?"
"Where did you hear that?" Jayden sat up.
"The Brantley twins stopped in for sodas and they were talking about it. Their description matched those two from earlier. How are you going to find them?"
Jayden gestured for her to sit with them. "I didn't tell you yet, but Chloe's apartment was broken into after we left."
"I knew there was someone there last night. I felt them watching when we left."
"Nothing was touched, but the dead bolt was off the kitchen door and I personally locked it myself. I don't want Chloe to know this."
Carla looked at him. "I'm not staying away from my own house so don't even think of it."
"I had a feeling you would say that." Jayden glanced at David. "That's why I thought David could stay with you for a few days."
Carla stood and picked up the plates. "Clever. That's fine, but just so you know, Jayden, you are not changing my routine. And don't be so slow to tell her how you feel before she slips away."
Jayden watched Carla walk into the kitchen. Did everyone know how he felt about Chloe?
According to David, Joe was Tony's right hand man, but with Tony's background he wouldn't hesitate to cut Joe loose if it meant he could get away. How bad did Tony want to find Chloe? What end would it come to? If push came to shove, he didn't know if he could draw his weapon and defend her.
"So what do we do to draw him out?" Jayden tapped his fingers against his glass.
"Well, it would be tricky. He's not on his home turf so we can't just set up a drug buy and grab him." David pondered.
"Would he know you if you two came face to face?" Jayden paused. "He knows who I am."
"It's hard to tell. If any of his guys are as good as I am at digging things up, he knows both of our backgrounds." Dave sat back. "You know you've got nothing concrete to legally help her?"
"I know, I know. It's so damn frustrating that she won't ask for help."
*****
Chloe paced the room. She didn't want to run, but her gut instinct said she needed to get away. Her car was at the apartment and she didn't have a way to get back there. Would Carla bring it to her? If she could convince Carla she needed it just in case Tony got close then maybe she would. She picked up her cell phone and dialed Carla. When Carla's phone went to voice mail, she hung up without leaving a message. A fear nagged at her and she questioned Carla's safety. She needed to either leave and draw attention away from Arden, or she had to confront Tony. Doubt filled her. She didn't want to put her baby in danger.
She wandered around the big house and found the others in the living room and sat to listen. She didn't know how they had come to be here, or if anyone of them had transportation. She had kept to herself, stayed distant. As Chloe listened to some of their stories, their common link was Carla. At one time or another Carla had known each of them and gotten them to safety. Sarah had been here for years and never worried about being found. Her husband had divorced her on grounds of abandonment and she was okay with that. He had remarried and had stopped looking for her. Sarah became the go-between for the girls and Carla for information as she felt the safest move about the town.
"Do you all have vehicles here?" Chloe asked.
Sarah glanced around the room at the others. "No, Chloe. No one does, but me. It was easier to get rid of them. Or actually, Carla took care of them so none of us could be traced here. If you need to get somewhere Carla can take you."
Chloe sat back in shock. "None of you have a way to leave if one of your exes find you?"
"It hasn't happened in all these years. We feel it's better not to have anything tied to us here." Melissa spoke up. "Do you need to be somewhere else? I honestly am not sure there is anywhere safer than right here."
"I just didn't know how it worked." Chloe's mind raced with possibilities of leaving. The bus station was down the road. If Tony was busy in Arden she could get a ticket as far away as possible. Afterward, she could message him and draw him elsewhere, anywhere to get him away from Carla and Jayden.
As it came closer to dinner, the girls dispersed to start cooking and setting up. Sarah and Chloe remained in the living room. "Chloe, please don't think of running," Sarah spoke softly.
"Why would you think that?"
Sarah moved closer to her. "We've all been there. Our instinct is to run."
"I don't want Jayden or Carla to get hurt."
"I know you don't. Carla has taken care of herself for years and can be pretty fierce. I know you care about Jayden, but he's trained to protect. You can trust him." Sarah gave Chloe a hug.
Chloe picked up the double meaning of trusting Jayden, but her stomach tensed at the thought of trusting anyone again.
Chapter Fourteen
Darkness fell. Chloe stood in the living room behind the curtain looking out. She had been hoping Jayden would show up. She told Carla she didn't want to see him, but she had almost convinced herself that he wouldn't listen.
The street lit up as a car cruised slowly down the road. Chloe shrank back against the wall and breathed a sigh of relief when the car continued on. She prayed it hadn't been Tony. He would be brazen enough to just come to the front door.
Chloe stayed in the living room listening to the house settle around her. It was well after midnight before all the women had made their ways to their bedrooms . She sat in the dark pondering her next move. She was certain that if she moved on Jayden would be safe. She worried about Carla also, but Jayden was foremost in her mind. It would kill her if something happened to him.
Chloe crept up the stairs to collect her bag. She packed everything as quiet as she could and had just started to open the door when the downstairs door opened. Slipping into the hallway, she moved quickly to Sarah's room, opened the door and called her name.
Sarah
jumped from bed. She grabbed the fireplace poker, and motioned for Chloe to move out of the way. As they stepped into the hallway, the living room light flicked on. She crept down the stairs.
"Sarah?" a voice called out. "It's me, Carla."
"What are you doing here? You scared Chloe half to death."
"I was worried she might try to run," Carla explained. "I thought I would spend the night here, but it took me longer to get here. Needed to make sure no one was following me."
"What's going on?" Chloe stood in the doorway. "Has Jayden found out anything?"
"Come on in and sit down." Carla curled her feet under her in the chair. "A PI friend of Jayden has come in from Portland to give him some help. He got some background information on Tony."
"What kind of information?"
"I don't know the details. Jayden asked David to stay at my house for a couple of days to help him." Carla was vague and hoped Chloe would let it go.
Chloe closed her eyes. "Is he okay?"
Carla smiled. "Yes, he is fine other than being upset that you don't want to see him. I have never seen him act this way over a woman before."
After some small talk, all three women headed up to bed. Carla decided to sleep on a cot in Chloe's room. Chloe knew she was keeping an eye on her, but she seemed content to stay for the night and not run. Chloe slid into bed and laid awake, her thoughts on Jayden. Even as she finally drifted off as the sun was coming up, Jayden was in her dreams and she felt safe.
*****
Jayden sat back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. He had been at the office all night looking for all the information he could find on Tony now that he had his real name. The drug charges had never stuck and he served no real time. The implications of missing associates of his had no evidence that Tony was involved, although everything pointed to him. The photos all came up showing a resemblance, but there were no recent pictures. He needed to arrest him in order to run his fingerprints.
