Threads of Love

by Frances Devine

  “Okay.” Eve surrendered.

  “Be in reception in two hours.” Jason sounded pressed. “I’ve got to go.”

  “Two hours.”

  He hung up.

  Eve slumped against the seat. “What a roller coaster ride of a day.”

  “At least we’re still on the track.” Isabel sounded relieved.

  “I’m afraid there’s a bumpy ride ahead. Jason and I are doing a stakeout here later.”

  “Really?” Isabel raised her eyebrows. “Together? You and Jason Gregory?” She turned the key in the SUV. Tiny splatters of rain fell on the windshield.

  “Pray we get this guy, Isabel.”

  “Oh, I’ll pray you get your guy all right.” Isabel managed to sound both resolute and amused at the same time. “The one in the cabin and the one next to you in the car.”

  Chapter 10

  Eve sat on her bed with her leg elevated and aimlessly surfed the channels of the wide-screen TV. She learned about Broadmoor amenities and how to fillet skate fish, and a weatherman informed her that the rain would intensify in mountain areas and eventually turn to snow. But all Eve could think about was the stakeout.

  She turned the TV off and threw the remote on the bed. Lord, what will I say when I see Jason? She rubbed her leg. Will he be angry with me? Is he doing this purely out of duty? Did my spin with Isabel today push him back onto the case? And then there’s Priscilla. She sighed and drew a pillow to her chest. He said he cared. She placed her chin on the pillow. Remembering his words brought a touch of fuel to her emotional gas tank, which was hovering near empty.

  Eve glanced at the clock. Twenty-five minutes until she would meet Jason. I know You said be still, but to do nothing when so much is at stake makes me crazy. She discarded the pillow and limped to her crutches. I’ll be still down in reception. Whatever’s going to happen will happen. She put on her thick wool sweater and wobbled to the door.

  With all the energy she could muster, Eve pulled the door open, caught it with a crutch, and used her hip to widen the opening. Once she pulled half her body through, she somehow managed to wiggle the rest of her into the hall.

  “Oh, yes,” she panted, “I’m a fine companion for a stakeout.”

  Jason pulled his Jeep up to valet parking in front of the hotel. He watched the back-and-forth motion of his wipers clearing rain from the windshield.

  “I needed someone to love me, and there you were.” The words of the Michael Buble CD that Priscilla had put in the player on the way to the airport filled the Jeep. She loved this rendition. Jason wrapped his arms around the steering wheel and leaned his forehead on it. “I just want to stop and thank you, baby. How sweet it is to be loved by you.”

  Jason pulled his head up. He snapped the CD player off, his jaw set. He took a deep breath then rubbed his tired eyes. He needed time to think.

  The soft jingle of Lucy’s dog tags made the music now. He turned and stretched his arm to the backseat as she stood up. He patted her. “Lucy, I can always count on my good girl.”

  There was a rap at Jason’s window. He rolled it down. “Tim,” Jason greeted the valet. “I need to go pick up a client. I’ll be right back.”

  The young man nodded.

  Jason jumped from the Jeep and walked through the portico. He wanted to take Eve into his arms and hold her, but that was the most dangerous thing he could do right now. He forced a puff of air out his lips. He had to get a grip and focus on the case, not the client.

  Eve leaned heavily on her crutches and watched Jason through the glass of the entrance door. She caught her breath.

  His hair was moist and the North Face form-fitting rain gear announced his rugged build.

  But as he came closer, she could see that he didn’t seem his usual self. His eyes looked worn, his brow was knit, and he didn’t walk as tall as he usually did. Her eyes caught his. She smiled, but he didn’t respond.

  “Are you all right?” she asked him when he entered.

  “Let’s go,” was all he said as he wrapped his strong arm around her back and nearly carried her. She didn’t try to resist. The mellowed scent of exotic spice invited her to lean against his chest. She surrendered herself to the strength of his firm support.

  When they arrived at the Jeep, the valet opened the door for Eve.

  “Thanks, Tim,” Jason said.

  “Anything for our security guys,” the young man answered as he settled Eve inside and put her crutches in the rear of the vehicle.

  A clatter of dog tags greeted Eve from the backseat. “Lucy.” Eve smiled. As Jason entered the driver’s side, she reached out and stroked Lucy’s head. The dog’s tail spun into motion.

  Jason closed his door. “She likes you.”

  “What’s not to like?” Eve chuckled.

  “Eve.” Jason paused. “It’s been a difficult day.”

  “Yes, it has.”

  “I really don’t want to talk about it, any of it.” He gripped the steering wheel. “You get me to Briggs, I’ll do the rest. That’s what we’re here for. Agreed?”

  Eve wanted to tell him how sorry she was for all the grief she had caused him, how much she appreciated that he was here. She wanted to ask if she could do anything to make him feel better, to tell him that she cared about him, too. Incredibly so. But all that came out was a quiet, “Okay.”

  Apart from Eve giving directions to Jason as they went, few words were spoken.

  Despite the cool downpour that was taking place outside, the atmosphere inside the vehicle was heat-laden. Eve only dared look at Jason when he kept his eyes ahead on the road. Alone with him in the Jeep, she heard distant notes in her mind from the serenade of the pines she and Jason had shared on the horseback ride. Warmth rose to her cheeks.

  Lucy snoozed in the backseat until they left pavement and hit the dirt road. The jostled ride awakened her.

  Although sheets of rain and little washed-out gullies made the trek a rough go, bounces across ruts, sharp turns, and inches of mud were no match for the sturdy Jeep. A couple of rough bumps made Eve grimace as pain shot up her leg.

  Jason gave her a glance. “Sorry.”

  Eve just nodded.

  They arrived at the grove of trees where Eve and Isabel had parked. Jason skillfully maneuvered the Jeep into the cover of the evergreens.

  Just visible through the downpour, the black pickup sat idle in front of the shack.

  “He’s in.” Jason sized up the lean-to. “That roof looks like a sieve. He must be getting wet in there.”

  Jason removed his rain jacket. His black T-shirt bared his muscular arms and clung to his chest.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I can’t maneuver well with my jacket on.” Jason checked his rearview mirror. “In case of a confrontation.”

  “Right.” Eve swallowed.

  “He could be making a move soon.”

  Eve redirected her eyes to look straight ahead and ran her fingers across her leg. “I’m afraid I’m not much help.”

  “Eve.” Jason’s voice was firm. “I’ve asked Bingham to follow us. He should be arriving any minute now. He’s going to take you back to the hotel.”

  Eve watched the rivulets stream down the windshield. “I see.”

  “Eve, look at me.”

  She worked at keeping her composure and directed her gaze to him.

  “I don’t want you to get hurt. This could get dangerous.”

  Eve was not in any shape, physically or emotionally, to argue. She nodded and turned her eyes back to the windshield. “Please, don’t take any unnecessary chances.”

  “Let me see.” Jason chuckled. “This is where I say, ‘Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?’”

  Eve gave him a weak smile. “Point taken.” She sighed. “Chances that involve me are one thing, but today I jeopardized the well-being of a good friend.”

  “I know how that feels.” Jason adjusted the rearview mirror and stared into it.

  “I saw Briggs, ri
ght there in that truck in front of us. A second time. My instinctive need to get him kicked in.” She ran a finger across her brow. “I didn’t even think about Isabel; I had no plan. I just barreled after him. And you know what makes it so ironic?”

  “I’ve a feeling you’re going to tell me.”

  “All my training, my whole career, is organizing other people’s lives. Thinking ahead, creating schedules, sticking to the plan.” She tapped a finger on her chest. “I’m a professional organizer. And yet, right now, my own life is out of control.”

  Jason smiled. “Eve, will you listen to me if I give you a word of advice?”

  She swallowed hard. Here it comes. She nodded.

  “You’re a beautiful, capable woman, eager to take the bull by the horns, head on.”

  She stared at him.

  “That’s good, and”—he took a deep breath—“deadly attractive.”

  Eve felt her face flush. “But—”

  “Sometimes the best thing we can do is just be still.”

  Eve blinked. Weren’t those the very words, be still, that had been in the verse she read? The one that had been coursing through her brain the past few days? And now Jason was saying the very same thing. She looked down and poked her sore leg. “I’m learning a lot about that right now.”

  “It’s not always an easy lesson.”

  “I’d say it’s a very difficult lesson, at least for me.”

  “It will get better, Eve,” Jason breathed.

  His tender words pulled Eve toward him. “Will it?”

  His eyes caught hers. She tried to turn away, but his warmth wouldn’t let her. It seemed stoked by the rhythm of steady rain dancing across the Jeep’s roof. A glisten of perspiration formed above his lips. Leaning toward her, he lifted his hand and moved it near her cheek. The expectation of his touch made her stomach flutter. Suddenly, Jason pulled his hand back. He turned away and sat back.

  “Where’s Bingham?” He gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles going white.

  Eve looked out her window. She felt the suppressed heat ricochet throughout the jeep.

  Keep looking out the window. She heard the rapid movement of Jason rolling his window down. The cold, moist air rushed in and she inhaled, letting it cool her yearning.

  “Come on, Bing.” Jason’s words sounded like a desperate plea.

  Chapter 11

  Splashes of icy rain hit Jason’s face. It was the next best thing to a cold shower, and right now he needed it. This was a stakeout in the woods, not a necking session on Lover’s Peak.

  His text alert sounded and he grabbed his phone.

  Lucy, lounging on the backseat, raised her head, and Eve gave her a couple comforting pats.

  Jason’s shoulders tightened. “Oh no.”

  “What?”

  “Bingham’s stuck in the mud.” Jason slammed the cell phone down. Icing on the cake of a rotten day.

  “Jason, if it helps any, I really can take care of myself.”

  Jason could hear the sincerity in Eve’s voice. Her light green eyes set against her ivory skin held tender earnestness. The luscious black hair that cascaded down her well-shaped shoulders made her seem so vulnerable. He wanted to protect her.

  He nodded toward her hurt leg. “Right.”

  He had to reestablish focus. He took a deep breath. “We’re”—he cleared his throat—“I’m here to take care of Briggs. Bingham or no Bingham.”

  Eve shifted her sore leg into a different position. “You’re going to get the giant and the goods, Jason.”

  Jason rubbed his hand on his thigh and stared through the windshield. The bitter cold rain from the open window ran down his neck and soaked into his T-shirt. A quick shiver, and his mind was razor sharp. Keep Eve safe, and still get Briggs. “How?”

  “How?”

  “Think like the criminal. Briggs is in the shack, getting doused.”

  “His possessions as well.” Eve’s eyes grew large. “I hope my squares are okay.”

  “He wants to get his stuff where it’s dry. He’s going to make a move soon.” Jason ran his finger over the steering wheel as he focused on the older-model black pickup. Snap. “Disable his vehicle.”

  “Yes. Brilliant.” Eve squinted. “How?”

  “Not an issue.”

  He pulled his trusty tool from under the driver’s seat and handed his phone to Eve. “Press two. Tell Bingham I’m going in. If Briggs shows, call 911. We’re on the logging access to Gold Strike Hill.”

  “Logging access, Gold Strike Hill.” Eve nodded.

  Jason opened his door. Rain pelted the floor as he spun out into the deluge. The tiny stings of frozen liquid that assaulted him were no match for his energized body. Adrenaline pumped.

  “Eve, whatever you do, stay in the car. Don’t leave the Jeep,” he yelled above the downpour. He reached in and put his hand on the gear box. “If for some reason something should go horribly wrong, even with a sore leg, this vehicle becomes your weapon.”

  Eve grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

  A zip raced through Jason’s already keyed-up body. He could go toe-to-toe with Briggs right now and win. He flashed Eve a confident smile, pulled back out into the rain, and slammed the door.

  “I care about you, too,” Eve called, but Jason was already racing forward. She closed the window. “Oh, God,” she prayed, “give him strength.”

  Lucy gave a low whine then jumped forward into the driver’s seat. She put her nose to the window and followed Jason’s movements.

  Eve pressed two on Jason’s phone.

  She watched as he opened the unlocked door of the pickup.

  “Come on, Bingham, pick up.”

  Jason popped the hood and wasted no time getting into the engine area, hunching over to do his work.

  Eve pressed END then two again. “Okay, Bingham, listen to your phone. Pick up.”

  She watched the cabin through the rain. Suddenly, the door flew open.

  “No, oh please, no.”

  Lucy barked and whined. Eve realized the urgency in her voice had aroused the Labrador.

  The giant stepped out. A rain poncho, draped across his large body, magnified his proportions.

  Eve dropped the phone. “Lord.”

  Jason was still bent over, working on the engine.

  Briggs stopped in his tracks. Then he bent low and began to creep toward Jason.

  “Jason,” Eve yelled. As quickly as her leg allowed, she scooted closer to the gear shift, leaned over to the steering wheel, and hit the horn. She made a fist and pounded it, over and over.

  Jason straightened up just as the giant attacked him. Briggs threw a punch toward Jason’s head. Jason blocked him and jabbed a fist into the giant’s ribs.

  Lucy launched onto the window, her front paws pressed on the glass. She bounced with every aggressive bark.

  Briggs’s fist caught Jason across the forehead, leaving a gash. Jason tumbled to the ground.

  “God, what can I do?” Eve screamed. She took a deep breath. “Be still. Stay in the Jeep.” She calmed herself as Lucy continued her tirade.

  Briggs opened the pickup’s door.

  “Show yourself strong, Lord. Please, for Jason.”

  Jason regained his feet and struck a blow to Briggs’s back before he could enter the vehicle. Briggs staggered and turned. He punched Jason in the stomach.

  “No,” Eve shrieked.

  Lucy pushed so hard on the window, Eve thought it would break.

  Lucy. With all the strength she could gather, Eve lifted and inched herself over the gear box. She pressed the dog against the back of the seat. “Lucy,” Eve commanded, “help Jason.” She leaned past Lucy and opened the door.

  Lucy bounded from the vehicle and flew several feet before her paws touched the moist earth, her barks full of fury. Undaunted by the icy sleet, she rocketed toward the fisticuffs.

  The giant pulled his arm back with force, a fist ready to pound Jason’s face. Then he caught sight of the enr
aged black animal. Stunned, he watched it race toward him.

  Jason seized the moment and swung hard. He planted a terrific blow to the large man’s shoulder. It sent Briggs sprawling against the cabin with a crash, Lucy at his throat.

  “Lord, please,” Eve shouted as she leaned out the open door of the jeep.

  The large eave that hung in a haphazard slant from the roof broke loose and came crashing down. It hit Briggs and smacked him flat against the ground.

  Splashes of light cut through the pines. Eve scrunched her wet eyes and then opened them. Red and blue danced across the cabin as a white SUV marked SHERIFF pulled up to the scene. Three law officers and Bingham jumped from the vehicle, guns drawn.

  Briggs was out cold, but they took every precaution.

  Eve couldn’t hold back any longer. Forgoing the crutches, she scooted from the Jeep and hobbled through the rain that was turning to snow.

  “Eve.” Bingham bounded toward her. “You need to stay clear.”

  She looked around. “Where’s Jason?” Panic stirred her voice higher. “He was right there.”

  “Jason can take care of himself.”

  “But he’s hurt.”

  Jason emerged from the cabin. “Almost every valuable thing reported missing at the hotel in the last three weeks is in there,” he informed the sheriff.

  “Well done,” the man told him. Then he called to the other men, “Gather it up, boys.”

  “Jason.” Eve began to totter to him, but Bingham caught her by the shoulder.

  “He’s got work to do.”

  Eve pulled herself away from Bingham’s grip and limped forward. “Jason.” Cold and wet seeped into her every pore. Pain shot up her leg. But nothing could keep her away from Jason.

  He turned to see her. “It’s okay, Bing. She’s a part of this operation.”

  With every bit of energy she possessed, Eve impulsively threw her arms around Jason’s shoulders. He embraced her, and passionate warmth rushed through her chilled body. The strength of his shoulders and chest, his arms, made her want to stay forever. She felt him shiver.

  “Jason, we’re going to take you to the ER,” the sheriff announced. “That’s a nasty gash.”