Jennifer Apodaca - Samantha Shaw 04 - Batteries Required

by Jennifer Apodaca

  Getting up off the floor, I tried to think. Vance. Call Vance. I went to my purse, dug around, and came up with Gabe’s house key.

  Shaft of pain. Ignore it. Holding the key, I got out my wallet and found Vance’s card. I called the police station, punched in Vance’s extension, and got his voice mail. OK, here goes. “Vance, it’s Sam Shaw. I found a diamond necklace inside a box that Angel and I got from Daystar. That must be what Zack Quinn was looking for. I will bring it by the police station on my way to work this morning.” I hung up.

  OK. So far so good. Next, I dialed Angel at her mom’s house. And held on to the key to Gabe’s house.

  “What? Who gets up this early?”

  “Angel, it’s me. I opened the sex-toy kit and found a diamond necklace. I called Vance. Meet me at the police station—”

  Angel woke up. “A diamond necklace where? I’ll be there ASAP!” She hung up.

  I set the phone down and squeezed the key in my hand. What next? Clothes. Couldn’t go to the cop shop and work in a T-shirt and panties. I went to the closet and pulled it open. Dressing quickly, I put on a pair of black jeans, a pink tank top, and a jacket over that. Put on minimal makeup, fluffed my hair, and took a deep breath.

  I squeezed Gabe’s stupid house key in my hand. Mail it back? Drop it off? Give it to Blaine and tell him to return it? What did I tell my kids? Hey, boys, I just got dumped by your hero. Want some Fruit Loops?

  Stop it. Just stop it. I stuck the sex-toy kit in my purse and forced myself to leave my bedroom. Grandpa’s door was still closed.

  Hell. I was up before Grandpa. That meant I had to make the coffee. I stopped halfway down the hallway and sniffed.

  So why did I smell coffee? Angel couldn’t have gotten here that fast. Did criminals looking for diamond necklaces break in and make coffee?

  I doubled back to my bedroom and set my purse on the bed. Returning to my closet, I found my big can of pepper spray. After positioning my finger on the nozzle, I went back out in the hallway and walked as softly as I could in my boots. The doorway to the kitchen was on my right. From there, I could see the back door was closed, with the dead bolt lock turned.

  But the smell of coffee was stronger. The kitchen was a long galley kitchen that opened into the dining room. There was a sliding glass door there someone could break in through. Or the front door . . .

  Finally my common sense kicked in. I had an alarm system, and better yet, I had a crack guard dog. If someone had broken into my house, they’d be ground meat by now, or at the very least, I’d have heard Ali’s warning barks.

  The coffeemaker had a timer. Sometimes, Grandpa set the timer.

  I squeezed Gabe’s house key in my left hand, while dropping my right hand, which held the pepper spray, to my side. “Idiot,” I muttered. Taking a breath, I tried to pull myself together and walked into the kitchen.

  Gabe leaned against the counter with his back to the window over the sink. He sipped coffee. And watched me with a subzero expression.

  Stunned, I stopped cold. My mouth fell open. “Uh . . .”

  He arched a single eyebrow. It was a signature look for dealing with me.

  “I thought you’d left.”

  “You would.” He took another drink of coffee.

  My stomach squeezed up a splash of acid. I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to escape. To not face all the being-adult-about-a-breakup crap. I didn’t want to be adult. I squeezed the house key.

  House key. Gabe’s. Adult women returned their boyfriends’ house keys. Unless they were Angel, in which case they used said house keys to fill up their boyfriend’s house with Vaseline and toilet paper.

  I knew I’d better return the house key. My feet felt like lead bricks in my pointy-toed boots. I took a step and held out my hand. Unclenching my fingers, I turned my hand palm up. “Here’s your house key.”

  He glanced down at the key, then he slammed his frostbite gaze back into me. And didn’t move.

  I could spray him. That would have zapped that icy look right off his face. My right hand actually twitched around the can of pepper spray. He stood there so damned sexy and mysterious, making me squirm because I didn’t have the guts to tell him I loved him. God, I really wanted to spray him.

  “Try it, Sam. Go ahead.”

  I turned around, took a step to the stove and slammed the can down beside it. It made a satisfying thunk. “What are you, Dirty Harry now, Gabe?” I smacked the key down next to the can, but it barely made a sound. I had the urge to pick up the can of pepper spray and bang it on the counter over and over. “Get your own house key.” I turned to storm back to my room.

  Gabe caught my left elbow, then shoved me up against the old olive green refrigerator. It hummed against my back from the vibrations of the ancient motor. Gabe’s face was so tight, I saw white lines around his mouth and nose. But his voice was soft. “I don’t want my house key back.”

  “You don’t?” That was too weak and hopeful. Using the fridge to pretend I had a backbone, I said, “I played that love-your-man game once, Gabe, and came out looking like the town dupe. I’m not going to do it again. Besides, we both know that I’m just a stepping stone for you.” There. I told the truth. “You can take your house key now.”

  I heard the chugging of the refrigerator motor behind me. In front of me was dead silence.

  “I smell coffee,” Grandpa’s voice was cheerful as he walked into the kitchen. He stopped when he got to my right shoulder where I was pinned up against the refrigerator. He had on gray slacks, a yellow-and-green-plaid shirt, and a crinkly smile that never wavered. His milky blue gaze slid from me to Gabe, who had both his hands placed flat against the fridge just above my shoulders. Grandpa made a swift about-face. “Forgot something,” he said, and went back down the hallway.

  Great. I stared after him, willing him to turn around and come back.

  Gabe’s voice climbed up from silky death to baffled when he said, “Stepping stone? You are a stepping stone?”

  Since Grandpa had bailed, I had no choice but to turn back to Gabe. He looked like the words didn’t fit in his mouth.

  “Stepping stone. Stopover. Rebound. The one you bang while your heart heals, then you move on. Come on, stud, this should all be old news to you.” My face burned hot enough to fry an egg on.

  He rolled his eyes. “This is what I get for falling in love with a woman who reads romance novels. I should be shot.”

  “You have been shot,” I pointed out. That was what had led him to taking an early retirement from the LAPD and landed him here in Lake Elsinore to open his PI business. I didn’t like thinking about Gabe’s being shot, so I turned to his romance novel comment. “Don’t be so smug. I’ve seen you read one or two of my books.”

  He leaned his head down. “I read them for the sex.”

  “Whatever. Are you done threatening me? I have a full plate this morning. You know, break up with my boyfriend, hurl the sex-toy kit at my bedroom wall, then discover a diamond necklace in the vibrator, get the boys ready for school, dash off to the police station to explain the necklace in a vibrator to Vance—”

  Gabe thawed and slid his hands behind my head and back, pulling me toward him. “Slow down. Diamond necklace in a vibrator?” He shook his head. “We’ll get to that in a minute.” He took a breath. “Stepping stone. Christ, I don’t even know how you dreamed that one up.”

  I decided to help him out. “You will want a wife and kids again.” I was older. I knew what I was talking about. “Gabe, look at how good you are with TJ and Joel. As time goes by, you’re going to realize that it wasn’t your fault . . . what happened. And you’ll want it all. You were meant to have kids.”

  He was silent. One of his hands found the sore spot on my neck and gently rubbed it. “That’s the biggest load of bullshit I’ve heard since I’ve been off the streets.”

  I blinked. “Excuse me?”

  The vicious ice mask over his face dissolved completely. “Bullshit,” he clarified. />
  Reaching out, I shoved at his chest.

  He didn’t move.

  “Listen here, stud. I am not bullshitting you. I’m trying to be realistic. I’m trying to be an adult. And damn it, when I push you, move!”

  He grinned. “Touched a nerve, huh? And do you know why, Sam? Because you are scared of what you feel for me.”

  “I could be a lot madder at you if you’d stop rubbing my neck.” I swear, if he made me cry, I was going to get the pepper spray and make him cry. I hated being this vulnerable. “Stop smiling like that! I fell for that happily-ever-after stuff once. I won’t do it again.”

  “Yes, you will.” He shifted his fingers from massaging my neck, tunneling them deep into my hair and pulling me to his mouth.

  I sank into his kiss when the phone rang.

  Gabe stepped back and I hurried to the other end of the kitchen, snatching the phone off the hook. “Hello?”

  “Flat tire.” Angel announced. “I’ll be there as soon as Auto Club gets their sorry butts out here and changes it.”

  “OK, I’ll call you if I leave before then and you can meet me at the police station.”

  “One question. How did you find the necklace?” Angel sounded both irritated and excited.

  “I threw the whole sex-toy kit against the wall. When it fell, one of the vibrators broke open, spilling out the necklace.”

  “Cool.” She hung up.

  Gabe leaned against the wall where the phone was, watching me. When I hung up, he said, “It was all part of my master plan, babe. I meant to get you that pissed off so you would throw the sex-toy kit and discover the diamond necklace.”

  I was surrounded by insane people, and it was barely six A.M. Narrowing my gaze, I said, “You meant to get me naked and play with the sex-toy kit.”

  “That, too.”

  10

  I walked Gabe to his truck. He leaned back against the door and pulled me into his arms. “You will call if there are any problems?”

  I looked at his face and felt my heart catch. It was getting harder and harder to keep our lives separate. Gabe was making it harder. “All depends who will be answering your cell.”

  His mouth twitched. “I’ll tell Dee that if you call, she’s to give me the phone.”

  Gee, thanks. What had he told Dee yesterday? Piss off my girlfriend if she calls? I shoved it aside. “I’ll be fine. Angel and I are going straight to the police station with the necklace.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Leave the necklace in the sex toy kit, Sam. Give it all to them.”

  I sighed. “Yeah, yeah, evidence and all. I know.” I just couldn’t wait to explain to Vance why Angel and I had a sex-toy kit. Vance already thought I was a trailer-trash bimbo Barbie. On the other hand, Vance hated that I appealed to a part of him he wanted to deny. A part of him that wasn’t so high-nosed and sophisticated and desired a woman like me, who wore tight jeans and had breast implants. Seeing Gabe’s steady gaze on my face, I said, “I’ll take the diamond necklace in the sex-toy kit. Give Vance a thrill.”

  Gabe’s hand, which had been resting on my back, flexed. “I’ve changed my mind. I’m going with you.”

  I shook my head. Vance and Gabe had gotten into a slugging match not too long ago. If Vance starting shooting off sex-toy innuendoes about me in front of Gabe, there was no telling what would happen. They both had guns! “Go film your workman’s comp guy. Vance may have already arrested Zack if he found him. And once Angel and I give Vance the diamond necklace, there’s no reason for Zack to threaten Angel.” But it bugged me. “How did Zack know there was a diamond necklace in there, when Mitch St. Claire gave that box to Angel and me? It just doesn’t make sense.”

  He used his hand to cup my chin. “Not your problem. You have an open house to worry about tomorrow night.”

  I smiled. “You remembered.”

  “Don’t insult me, sugar. I’ll see you tonight.” He brushed his mouth over mine, then added, “Unless you need me sooner, then you’ll call, right?”

  I stared back at him. “Gabe, once I give the—”

  He still had ahold of my chin. “Sam.”

  Stubborn Italian. But he’s also the Italian who remembered my open house at Heart Mates because it was important to me. I forced the words out. “I’ll call you if I need you.”

  He laughed. “That looked like it hurt. Later, babe.” He turned, opened the door, and got into his truck.

  I went back inside. The boys were sitting at the table eating cereal. Ali crunched her breakfast in her spot by the sliding glass door while Grandpa drank coffee and read the paper.

  “Hey, Mom,” TJ said between bites of Fruit Loops, “Grandpa said the skate pro is in the paper. He had an accident in practice and had to get stitches. He’s going to reschedule the demonstration in a week or two.”

  I smiled at TJ, while wondering about this mystery girl Joel had said TJ liked. “Great, TJ. It’ll probably be in the newspaper. Do you boys have your homework? I put lunch money out for both of you.” I went to the coffeemaker, got down a cup, and poured some coffee. How long would it take Angel to get there? Auto Club should have had her tire changed by now.

  “I have a permission slip for a dance.” Joel waved the white paper back and forth while drinking down his orange juice.

  I took the permission slip and read it over. Dance on Friday night. I got a pen, signed the permission slip, and handed it back to Joel. “Do you have your homework?”

  Exasperated, he answered, “I didn’t have any homework, remember? You left your pepper spray on the counter.”

  I smiled. “Thanks, Joel.”

  TJ got up and took his bowl to the sink. Tilting his head toward the can of spray, he asked, “Did you think Gabe was a robber or something, mom? Grandpa said you should have expected him to show up, since you locked his assistant in the closet.”

  “Grandpa said that?” I glared at Grandpa. “What kind of example does that set for the boys?” I demanded of him.

  He laughed, folding up the newspaper and going to his computer. “Probably lets them know that no one should mess with their mom.”

  I grabbed the pepper spray from the counter by the stove.

  Joel shut the dishwasher. “Hey, Mom, do you know what Gabe’s gonna do to get even?”

  No. The only clue I had was that it probably had something to do with that picture Dee took of me. “This isn’t a game, Joel. Gabe and I are adults. Now it’s almost time to go to school.”

  Joel and TJ laughed all the way to their bedrooms. Sighing, I took the pepper spray and my coffee to the table and sat down. “Grandpa, I can’t believe you told the boys that I locked Dee in Gabe’s closet!”

  He had signed on to his Internet service. “Don’t start on me. I figured it was better to tell them that, than about the diamond necklace you found in a sex-toy kit.”

  “Gabe told you.” He had told my grandfather! It was my morning for hot embarrassment. “At least now we know what Zack wanted from Angel.” I frowned, looking at my watch. “Where is Angel?”

  Swiveling his chair, Grandpa fixed his milky blue gaze on me. “He told me because he loves you, Sam. He wants someone watching your back while he’s out of town working. Call Angel if you are worried about her.”

  I dropped my gaze to my coffee. All true. Gabe wasn’t a liar and wouldn’t say he cared about me if he didn’t. But telling my grandfather about sex toys? Nothing much embarrassed Gabe. Or Grandpa. I played with the can of pepper spray and said, “I’ll give Angel a few more minutes.”

  “All right,” Grandpa said and turned back to his computer screen. “Here’s what I have on Zack so far. He was arrested as a juvenile for theft and breaking and entering. His record was expunged.”

  Unease spider-skittered up my back. “Any adult arrests? How old is Zack?”

  “No adult arrests, and he’s twenty-two. He was sixteen and seventeen when he got into trouble.”

  “How did you get the information, Grandpa? If his record was
expunged—”

  “There’s always a trail, but I found this out by connections. Found the arresting officers who remembered him. They said that Zack was following older kids, had average intelligence but didn’t think things out, and that he believed he was owed by society.”

  “Connections” meant Grandpa’s Triple M society of magicians that spread far and wide. If the National Security Agency ever found out how much information that network of magicians accessed, they’d become a secret weapon. I had learned to trust that information, but I didn’t like what I was hearing. “Guess Zack grew up and is trying to think for himself now. He must have stolen that necklace from someone at Daystar, but how did he come across Mitch’s sample sex-toy kit?” I bit my bottom lip, realized what I was doing, and took a sip of coffee. “Mitch carried the sample kit in a briefcase. I guess Zack could have found an opportunity to stash it in there—maybe not realizing that Mitch would give that box away. But then, how had he planned to get the necklace back? And how would he have found out that Mitch had given it to Angel? From there, he’d have to get Angel’s address—”

  Grandpa cut in, “Sam, the main thing is to get the necklace to the police.”

  Snapping my gaze up, I nodded and tried to let go of the puzzle. “And maybe they’ve already arrested Zack, anyway.” And I could make Vance satisfy my curiosity about Zack and the necklace.

  Joel rushed out. “Mom, I have to get to school early to turn in my dance slip!”

  Grandpa stood up. “Come on, guys, I’ll drop you off on the way to my meeting. I have important news.”

  Meeting, my ass. Grandpa was going to Jack in the Box to huddle with the gossipy senior citizens in town and to tell them all about the sex toys and the diamond necklace. I hugged the boys good-bye, then watched as Ali ran out with them to Grandpa’s Jeep. She raced around, barking and playing with them. At last they were all settled inside. Once Grandpa started the Jeep, Ali ran back up the steps to the porch and sat next to me. We watched them leave.