WindSwept Narrows: #4 Alice Branch

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “We have your seat fixed…I think it would be a grand idea,” Alice told him with a smile. “We’ll meet you back at the house, Nick.”

  “Just…” Nick caught himself. He couldn’t wrap her in a box to keep her safe. “Be careful.”

  “We will…” Alice kissed him softly. “We will…” She promised.

  She stopped at the grocery, very aware of every blue car around her. She tried losing herself in games with Matthew, crowding her mind with everything but it didn’t seem to be enough. It was definitely a learning curve, being part of a couple, she mused, buckling Matthew back into his seat. Nick worked as hard to protect her and Matthew as she did to protect him from what might be.

  Alice released Matthew outside the house, lifting the two bags of groceries while watching him maneuver the door knob. It never entered her mind that there wasn’t the customary squeal of delight when he saw Nick. Not until she was inside the house and nudged the door closed with her hip.

  Matthew had run to his father. But beside him was another man holding a gun to his side. Traces of blood tinted one corner of Nick’s mouth, dark eyes immediately gesturing.

  “Nick…” Alice continued walking to the table, setting the bags down before realizing someone had been behind the door. A sharp yelp left her lips seconds after she reached up and squeezed the left earring, the long ponytail grabbed and held tightly. Heat seared her eyes even as she heard Matthew whimper.

  “Let’s have a little chat, Alice,” Alex Demming released her hair and gripped her arm tightly, shoving her into one of the chairs. “This is simple and short. You locked out my money. I want it unlocked. Now.”

  “I…your money…” Alice winced when his hand returned to her ponytail with a sharp pull.

  “Listen to me, bitch…I want those accounts unlocked. And trust me, you’ll never see me or my friend here again,” he growled in her ear.

  “I can’t,” she answered, prepared for the pain in her head. “I don’t have the laptop,” she said quickly. “It wasn’t mine! Jack Garrett brought his laptop over to the house yesterday. I don’t have that kind of access on my…my home computers,” she lied smoothly. “I wasn’t even supposed to have access at all, but…Jeremy…did you…”

  Alex Demming cursed strongly, yanking her head up and peering into the wide grey eyes. “You can get access at the office.”

  “It’s all been shut off when the merger took place,” she searched for excuses, trying to prolong things while Jack listened. She hoped he was listening. “Did you…hurt Jeremy?”

  “That fool drunk,” he spit out angrily, releasing her and pacing the floor. “Idiot was dead when I got there…I wouldn’t need you if he’d stayed sober. Call Garrett.”

  “I…call him? I…I don’t know what to say…” Alice fumbled with the phone he pulled from her bag and thrust into her hands.

  “Tell him you forgot a couple of accounts. Tell him to bring the laptop here so you can finish what you missed,” Alex grabbed her hair again, directing her vision to Nick and Matthew. “No slip ups, Alice…or…” He accepted her rapid nod, loosening his hold and watching while she put in Jack’s number.

  “Jack…it’s Alice…”

  “Good morning, Alice…what’s going on?” Jack asked, knowing they’d be listening and working damn hard to sound casual.

  “Oh, no…nothing terribly exciting at all…I just remembered a couple additional corporate accounts. Could you…maybe bring the laptop over so I can shut them down for you?”

  “Would one or two work better?” He asked carefully, hoping Alice understood his unasked question. “A few meetings to attend to first.”

  “Around two this afternoon? Yes...I understand…we’ll be here all day…yes…see you then…bye…” Alice closed the phone. “He can’t be free until after lunch. So he’ll be here at two.”

  “Lock them up in the back bathroom. We only need her,” Alex looked her over carefully. “And I know she’ll do just what we need…to keep them alive.”

  Alice watched Nick move toward the back, Matthew held tightly in his arms. She closed her eyes. “I need some air…can you…open the patio, please…”

  “Only a couple hours to wait, Alice,” Alex Demming moved to the door behind her, sliding the patio doors wide without taking his eyes from her.

  “It’s all about the money,” she said quietly. “Your harassment had nothing to actually do with me…or even Emily…it was just about the money.”

  “Can’t keep the cash flowing without the company…Elizabeth was part of that,” he admitted flatly, nodding to his partner to stand by the front door.

  “But you lost her, too.”

  “She’s a lot more trouble than she looks,” he said coldly. “Stupid father of hers thought he could control her. I told that fool we needed to shut things down and set up somewhere else…”

  All three sets of eyes went to the door when the knock sounded.

  “Alice! I got that costume for you for Friday!” Emily called out excitedly, holding the hanger with white knuckles.

  “Be right there,” Alice called out, glancing at Demming. “It’s for the charity event on Friday evening…”

  “Tell her to come in…”

  “Come on in, Emily!” Alice called out, trying to sound cheerful.

  Alex Demming nodded to the man by the door, his hand on Alice’s shoulder. Sounds of all kinds suddenly filled the air.

  Emily shoved hard on the door at the same time the sounds of several guns locking in place were heard from the deck. Alice felt herself sway, barely taking in the sight of the two men lowering their weapons and raising their hands. Officers in bullet proof armor came in from both doors, quickly handcuffing and subduing the pair.

  Alice was up and running to the back at the same time Nick rounded the corner, his free arm open for her, holding her tightly between him and Matthew.

  “I seriously need to sit down,” Alice whispered, taking Mathew in her arms and hugging him tightly. “It’s all over…it’s okay now…”

  Nick talked to the police, never far from Alice sitting curled in the corner of the sofa with Matthew huddled on her lap. Emily sat next to her, their voices low, a warm hug exchanged before Emily nodded and left the sofa, stepping easily into Jack’s arms.

  “It’s over,” Alice whispered against Matthew’s head, rocking gently. She carried him into the kitchen, dabbing softly at the streaks of tears and peeking into the wide, dark eyes.

  “How about we make some pancakes for dinner?” She was rewarded with a little nod and a smile, her hand up and waving as Emily and Jack left the house, the last of the police trailing next.

  Nick didn’t protest when Alice held Matthew long past his bedtime, nestled down in his bed and reading to the sleeping child. He went back a short time later, gathered her in his arms and carried her to their bed. Now it was his turn to be calmed, his arms holding her close, his senses just listening to her breathe and feeling the beat of her heart next to him.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Nick felt the trepidation in the morning, in him as well as in Matthew. Somehow Alice made them both smile, Matthew chewing on his new favorite, cherry pie toast and Nick, over a large mug of fresh coffee.

  “You an’ me get to go to work in the new car,” Alice told Matthew, zipping him into his jacket.

  “I’ll get the old daycare squared away,” Nick promised, setting his cup down when Alice moved to stand in front of him, her hands working to straighten his tie.

  “Have a great day,” she whispered against his mouth. “See you at dinner.”

  “Yeah…” Nick stood in the doorway, watching them drive off, Matthew happily chattering away about his new teacher.

  Nick stood in kitchen. They’d made it all the way to Thursday without anything upsetting their plain, boring lives. He smiled to himself, watching Alice lay out a plate for him and a smaller one for Matthew.

  “We’re working on the final fitting,” she told him as she slipped i
nto a pair of flat shoes, kissing him and running for the door. “Emily is picking me up…you already have your costume, which I think is kind of…cheeky…but we’ll let it go at that…”

  “Hey…Wash was a viable sci-fi character on the show…cargo khaki’s and flower shirt,” Nick held out his arms with a boyish grin.

  Alice scowled at him, dashing back and kissing him swiftly. “Later,” another kiss dropped on Matthew’s forehead as he made his way through the little pancakes and sausages.

  Emily breathed a sigh of relief when Alice bounced into the seat of the sports car. Both looked at each other before she headed the car to the entrance to the highway, far from the costume shop.

  “Here,” Emily dropped the phone into her lap and reached up to her earring, squeezing it as instructed. The phone chimed and Alice lifted it, listening.

  “He won’t notice it’s missing?”

  “Naw…he’s always misplacing it…he’s taken to blaming the cat down the street,” Emily said with a nervous grin. “How do I look?”

  “Professional…good…” Alice stared out the front window.

  “This will close the puzzle…” Emily said cautiously. “But what are you going to do with it, Alice?”

  “I don’t know…I honestly just don’t know…I thought…I’ll try talking to Darren…” Alice said, her stomach churning as they drew closer to the university.

  “This is definitely a tricky one…I feel for you…” She pulled onto the campus, following the various markers and parking next to the dark blue Monte Carlo. “Let me snap a few photos…for my speech…press record and we’re off,” Emily turned the car off and stepped onto the concrete. After taking a few snaps of the front bumper, she tucked the phone into her pocket, straightened the little jacket she wore and pushed her shoulders back.

  They had timed it to the end of her final class, Emily entering and taking a seat at the back, watching the students slowly trickle out of the large room. Only when the last one was gone, did she stand up and cross the room.

  “Dr. Hunter? Victoria Hunter?” Emily asked in a low, precise tone.

  “Yes? I don’t recognize you…are you a new student?” She looked up from the papers she was gathering, her hands faltering over the collection of notes when the silver badge appeared before her eyes. Dark lashes blinked and met the pair of eyes watching her intently.

  “No, I’m with the Des Moines Police Department. Investigating an auto accident last week.”

  “I don’t see what it could possibly have to do with me,” she shrugged coldly.

  “It involves Alice Branch. Do you know her?”

  “She’s the woman my son has taken up with,” was her clipped answer.

  “I’ve taken photographs of your car, Dr. Hunter,” Emily watched the alarm enter her eyes, suddenly the papers weren’t so important.

  “Photos…my car? What for? I’m here in the evenings, teaching.”

  “But not the night of the accident. I checked with your class schedule. You have Fridays with no classes,” Emily said slowly, letting each word seep in.

  “I…are you accusing me…how dare you…”

  “Did you know your grandson was in the car with Miss Branch?” Emily almost felt sorry for the older woman. All color drained from her face, her hands shaking and gripping the edge of the desk.

  “No. No he was not. He always travels with Nick,” Victoria swallowed hard, stuffing things into her bag. “No…no he was not…”

  “Yes, Dr. Hunter, he was. They switched play care sites and Matthew now travels with Miss Branch,” Emily paused again. “We have paint chips from her bumper. She was pinned inside the car, knocked unconscious. If she hadn’t managed to activate her phone and let Nick Hunter know where they were, Matthew might not be alive today.”

  “No! I’m telling you, Matthew does not…does not travel with that…” Victoria felt her world crumbling, her head shaking.

  “Why, Dr. Hunter? You’ve only just met Miss Branch…” Emily asked softly. “Your son is happy. Why would you want to take that away?”

  “I…I don’t…I was going to talk to Nick,” she said quietly. “Then I saw her at a light…and…and I was angry…first my son, then Darren leaves…I don’t know….”

  “There will be a restraining order issued, Dr. Hunter. You’re not permitted near either Miss Branch or Matthew, do you understand?” Emily said what she and Alice had discussed. She watched the dark head nod slowly. “I also strongly suggest you seek some professional help and contact an attorney.”

  “I don’t know why I…I’ve never done anything like that…” She sunk to her chair, hands on her face.

  “Good night, Dr. Hunter,” Emily turned and left the classroom, her eyes closed against the hot moisture for a long minute. She sat for a quiet couple minutes with Alice in the sports car, the sun setting off to the west.

  “I’ve sent the audio file to my email, like Chloe showed us,” Alice said in the falling shadows. “I feel so sorry for her, Emily.”

  “I know…”

  Alice waved and entered the house, listening to the discussion on the floor as she locked up the door.

  “Hi, Alice!” Matthew ran to greet her and then headed to the back.

  She looked quizzically at Nick, who winked. “We’re off to take a shower.”

  “A shower…”

  “Big guys take showers you know…”

  “Really…and here I thought I know one big guy who really liked playing in the bathtub…” she said softly, watching his body come to a halt in the hall, a low, husky chuckle before he continued on to the shower with Matthew.

  She opened her computer and quickly made a copy of the audio file, slipping it into a sleeve before leaving the house. The lights were still on above the garage, so she tapped lightly, bring a smile into place when Darren answered.

  “Alice…”

  “Darren…may I speak with you a minute? I…I need some advice,” she said, quietly entering the large living area.

  “Of course…what’s wrong?” He liked his future daughter-in-law a great deal, but something was obviously on her mind. He looked at the disk she held up.

  “A music player? Or computer? I…I need you to listen to this because I don’t know what to do, Darren,” Alice sat perched on the edge of the sofa, watching him put the CD into the player. "The accident…”

  Darren Hunter felt the color draining from his face, his knees quaking as he found the edge of the recliner and sat down heavily. Two shaking palms ran over his face.

  “Alice…I am so sorry…I…I never thought for a moment that she…oh, god…” He looked at her, offering her a tissue for the tears running down her face.

  “I don’t know what to do, Darren. Nick…Nick will be heartbroken…and angry…very angry…” she whispered shakily.

  “And you’ll be a wreck if you don’t tell him, Alice,” Darren removed the disk and handed it to her. “Was that your friend, Emily?”

  “Yes…we talked about it…the accident thing didn’t fit with the rest,” she stood up and removed the disk, sliding it into the sleeve. “Nick…he was so worried…I haven’t talk to him about it. He still wants to beat Demming into the ground,” she said with a shaky chuckle. “But this…”

  “My son is smart and strong,” Darren said with a slow nod.

  “We thought…if we led her to believe the police knew…but it wasn’t intentional…please, you look just like your son,” Alice paced across the floor. “Yes, she caused the accident, but she was headed to speak with Nick and I…I was an afterthought, if you will.”

  “Victoria is a grown woman who made a very bad choice.”

  “I…feel so sorry for her…”

  “Do you want me to be there?”

  “No…no…I’ll find a way to bring it up, but thank you for the offer,” she hugged him. “I…honestly just wish I could throw it away and forget.”

  “Just give him the disk to listen to, Alice. And be there for him…you t
wo will get through this,” he said confidently.

  Alice made certain the door was locked, carrying the disk with her to the bedroom. Nick came in from the hall, a towel rubbed briskly over his head.

  “Interesting shower?” Alice asked, slowly changing into her pajamas.

  “He’s decided he prefers baths for the moment,” Nick remarked, draping the towel over the chair. Maybe it was because they were so new. Or maybe it was because he was coming to know Alice on more levels than he thought possible. “What’s wrong, Alice?”

  She pulled her knees to her chin, sitting on the wide window bench seat. “Emily and I went to see your mother tonight, Nick.”

  He moved around the bed, sitting on the edge facing her, his elbows on his knees. “This is about the car accident…” He met the wide, startled eyes, with a slow nod. “I suspected…feared…listening to you and Emily brain storm the other night brought it a little stronger into perspective. It didn’t fit into the rest of it at all. He wanted you alive, not dead.”

  “Oh, Nick,” Alice moved into his arms, sliding easily back onto the bed with him. "I didn’t know what to do…how to…I knew you would be angry…and…and hurt and…if it matters…it honestly wasn’t intentional.” Alice met the skeptical gaze, one brow arched. “She was on her way to speak with you about something…Emily didn’t ask what…and she saw me…she didn’t know Matthew was in the car. I think that truly scared her.”

  “What did you and Emily do, Alice?”

  “Well…I didn’t…Emily pretended to be a police officer,” she said quietly, watching his eyes close for a long minute. “She handled it very well, Nick. She…we agreed that perhaps if she knew a restraining order was in place and…and Emily suggested she seek professional help.”

  “Is that all?” Nick asked slowly.

  “I…yes…yes, I think so…”

  “Nothing else to confess? You and Emily haven’t started a range war somewhere, have you?” He met the crooked scowl. “It’s a fair question…I think you two are enjoying investigating a little too much for my sanity.”