by Sandra Cox
She swallowed the knowledge like a bitter pill. If she couldn’t help her best friend what good was she? “I’ll heal her as soon as she gets out of the hospital,” she vowed then asked, “Did he follow you?”
“A big SUV stayed right with me the whole trip two to three car lengths behind. He closed in just after I made the Michigan border.” Hank laughed. “You should have seen his face when he pulled up alongside and saw that cardboard cutout. I was hoping I could have kept him going longer but it bought you some time.”
“Did you get his license plates?” Jack asked.
“Yup. Called them in. The vehicle’s stolen. But I’m guessing he’s already switched plates or dumped the vehicle and stolen another one.”
“You’re probably right,” Jack agreed.
“Did he try anything, Uncle Hank?”
“Nothing I couldn’t handle. The doctor just came in, I gotta go. Take care of her, North Carolina.”
“I can take care of myself,” Maureen said but was talking to a dial tone.
Hanging up the phone she stared at it pensively.
“Fiesty aren’t you?”
“I prefer to call it self-reliant.”
He nodded. “Self-reliance is good but you are half of a whole now and need to remember what affects one affects the other.”
She looked at him through narrowed eyes. “I trust you aren’t expecting a woman that’s going to fall all over your feet.”
“Sounds like that would make walking pretty difficult,” he said mildly stroking his chin, his day-old whiskers making a rasping sound then gave her his unfocused, scholar look. “Haven’t we had this conversation before?”
She grinned and raised her eyebrows. “It’s downright scary how easily you can get around me.”
He took the breakfast tray and sat it on the floor then rolled over facing her. “The only thing I want to get around you at the moment is my arms.” He proceeded to do just that.
With a smooth move, he rolled her under him. “Good morning, beautiful.”
“That is so trite.”
He scanned her features. “But so true. I don’t think you realize how striking you are.”
“Bella is the beautiful one.”
“Bella is definitely beautiful in a pinup girl sort of way. The woman exudes sex appeal like honeysuckle does nectar.”
Maureen pursed her lips fighting a growing pique. “Sometimes, on rare occasions such as this one, it’s better not to be so agreeable.”
He touched her lips lightly with his own. “You didn’t let me finish. Yes, Bella turns heads but there is only one woman that I desire.”
She arched an eyebrow her expression skeptical.
“Bella’s like a pretty painting. I can appreciate her for her aesthetic appeal,” he said, grinning at her.
“You are treading in murky waters,” she warned.
“It’s true. Let’s get back to how striking you are.“
She narrowed her eyes. “Striking may be appropriate if I hear any more about Bella.”
“I didn’t bring her up.”
She shoved, toppling him over.
“You are so easy to get a rise out of.”
She glanced down at his jeans meaningfully. “So are you.”
“Around you, you bet.”
“And just for the record not even Bella can complete with that athletic body of yours.” He reached up and wrapped an auburn lock around his fingers. “I can’t think of anything more sensual than long auburn tresses and sparkling emerald eyes. I know tresses is an antiquated word but it fits you. You look like a princess of old. I could see you in green and gold velvet with a crown on your regal head.”
“You’ve got quite an imagination, Wolfe,” she said but was pleased.
His eyes darkened and his expression grew sensual. “But imagining you with clothes doesn’t come close to the reality of here and now,” and ran his hand over her naked body.
She slid her arms around his shoulders, feeling the heat through his blue cotton shirt. She walked her fingers down his back.
Just as he drew her close his cell phone rang.
In one fluid motion he was off the bed and on his feet. “Hello.”
As she watched, his face hardened and took on the dangerous look of a predator. He hit the speaker button on his cell. Maureen’s eyes widened and she felt the blood drain from her face as Victor’s voice came over the phone.
“Dr. Wolfe. You are amazingly resilient or lucky or maybe both.”
“What do you want, Price?”
“Come now, Dr. Wolfe. You know what I want. I’m after the amulet.”
“You are going to have to go through me to get it.”
Maureen took one look at his face and felt a chill crawl up her spine and settle at the base of her neck. The gentle scholar was gone replaced by a hard-edged stranger.
“Oh come now, Dr. Wolfe, do you really think I couldn’t? I thought I’d already established my ability to deal with you or anyone else.”
“I’m willing to go another round. Mano a mano.“
“I’m suggesting something a lot more simple. You give me the amulet and I let you both live. And as a bonus I give you the story of a lifetime. My biography. I’m going to be bigger than God.“
“That’s quite a sweeping statement.”
“I’m a visionary, Dr. Wolfe. I would have thought by now you would have realized that. You disappoint me.”
“And just what is it you want me to do?”
Maureen’s eyes widened. Surely he wasn’t going to negotiate with that deranged psychopath.
“Meet me to discuss terms.”
“Something wrong with the phone?”
“Meet me to discuss terms. Alone. No police. Ten o’clock tonight. 250 Thirty-Seventh Street in Madison.”
“I hear you took a little trip up north.”
The hissing of indrawn breath sounded on the other end of the phone. “Cooperate and Ms. Sinclair lives. If you don’t…” The phone clicked off leaving a dial tone buzzing over the loudspeaker.
Maureen shot out of the bed. “You surely aren’t going to meet that maniac?”
Jack shook his head, his expression absent as if his thoughts were elsewhere. He noticed the curtains blowing in the breeze, walked over and pulled them shut. “He won’t be there. He just wants to get me out of the house.”
“So what are we going to do?”
His eyes swept over her and he drawled, “I guess that depends on whether you get dressed or not.”
“Tempting but we need to talk.”
He patted her bare hip. “Why don’t you take your shower? I need to make some phone calls. We’ll talk as you as soon as you get done.”
“Jack…”
He held her gaze. “I promise I’m not leaving you out of anything, we’re a team but time is of the essence. Please, Maureen.”
She started to argue but something in his expression changed her mind.
“I’ll be right back.”
He nodded but his face was distant, distracted.
She grabbed her clothes and disappeared into the bathroom.
Her mind raced as she took a hurried shower, closing her eyes as the hot water sprayed over her. How had that maniac gotten out of prison? Was he watching them? Had he gone back to the old rental cottage?
She shook her head, sending a fine spray of water pinging against the shower wall. No, he wouldn’t go back because he’d know we’d look there for him. She stood motionless blinking the water out of her eyes. But we haven’t. Shutting off the faucets she hopped out of the shower and dressed quickly, anxious to share her theory with Jack.
Wearing a faded olive-colored, V neck and the inevitable pair of jean shorts, she hurried downstairs barefoot, her hair still wet.
Jack stood at the kitchen counter speaking into the cell. “He’s going to make his move tonight. You better come home. Be careful, I’m betting he’s hired someone to watch you.” He listened a moment then clicked
off.
Taking a steadying breath, she placed her hand on the amulet and drew on its calming powers.
As if sensing her presence, Jack turned.
Calm or not, she could feel her eyes spark. “Did you just tell Hank to leave his sick sister and come home?”
“You bet your sweet ass.” He wiggled his eyebrows and started toward her. “And sweet it is.”
She held up a hand like a school crossing guard.
He stopped, waiting.
“If his sister takes a turn for the worse and something happens, he’ll never forgive himself.”
“If something were to happen to you, he’d never forgive himself.”
She shook her head. “I can’t take the risk of something happening to his sister and him not being there.”
“You aren’t. I am,” he said, his expression implacable.
“How do you do that?” she marveled.
He cocked his head to the side watching her. “Do what?”
“Go from lover-scholar to warrior without a blink.”
He moved toward her his eyes once again gentle. Reaching out he ran his fingers up and down her arms. “I’m still your lover and I’m still a scholar but you are mine now and what’s mine I protect.”
She smiled up at him. “Like Pegasus? Not every man would travel cross country to try and save his daughter’s horse.”
He pulled her close. “Well, I’m glad to see you put yourself in such exalted company. Pegasus is a handsome, intelligent creature.”
“He is that.”
“He grieved when my daughter died,” Jack said in a quiet voice, his eyes shadowed. “I can’t help thinking that’s when the cancer set in. He seemed to lose his will to live.”
“But he’s better now.”
He jiggled her in his arms. “We both are and we both owe it to the same lady.” He bent and kissed the tip of her nose.
She shook her head. “You can distract me so easily,” she complained. “What I was going to tell you, ask you,” she amended. “Do you think he’s in the old rental cottage, he used before.”
His reaction like hers was a swift denial. “Too obvious.” Then like Maureen, he reconsidered. “But we haven’t checked it out have we?”
He ran his fingers down her arms, dropped them and pulled out his cell. “Tony, has anyone checked out the old rental cabin Price used before?”
He listened then clicked off and slid the phone in his pocket. “Tony is going to check it out.”
“Are you going tonight?”
He reached out and took her hands. “Maureen, you are going to be alone for about ten minutes tonight. I hate it but I don’t see any way around it. If there were any policemen in the house he’d know it.”
“And where will you be?”
He poured them each a cup of coffee and led her to the table. “He’s toying with me. He’s after you and the amulet. He squashed me like a bug at our last encounter and thinks he can do it again.” Jack’s hand tightened around his mug and his expression grew grim. “And you got in his way. You not only brought me back from a living grave you got the amulet back. He’s going to want revenge and he’s going to want the amulets back. Both of them.”
Her eyes widened in alarm. “We should call Bella and warn her.”
“I already have. She is taking an extended vacation in Italy under a different name. He laughed. “Our Bella is very creative.”
Smiling, Maureen nodded in agreement, thinking that Bella was a prime example of looks being deceiving. She had certainly misjudged her in the beginning but now respected and liked her more than any woman she knew.
“She offered to come and stay with us but we both felt it would be better to separate. Worse case scenario we don’t want him to get both amulets. She gave me her international number and said if we need her she’ll be on the next flight out.”
He reached over and took her hand. “Sorry, I got offtrack, must be the writer in me. Give me a subject and I’ll ramble on for pages about it.” He looked at her palm, traced her lifeline then looked up at her. “A little before nine, I’ll climb into my car and head toward Madison. About a mile down the road, one of Tony’s men will be waiting. We switch cars. He drives on to Madison and I circle back in his car. After we make the switch I’ll drive past the lane, park in the shadows and run back to the house. Once Victor has been sighted, Tony’s man will call Tony and he sets up road blocks, in case Victor gets past us. Not that that is going to happen,” he added hastily.
The muscles along his jaw tightened and he burst out, “I hate this. I hate leaving you vulnerable. We, I,” he corrected, “am using you to draw him out. But this has to end. We need to get him behind bars or finish him.”
She looked at his face. He was deadly serious. One way or the other it would end tonight.
“Lock the doors and windows and keep Wolf beside you at all times. Don’t let anyone in but me. Promise me, Maureen.”
“I promise. What can go wrong?”
He gave a humorless laugh. “Yeah, what can go wrong?”
* * * * *
Victor paced the confines of his hotel room. Tonight he would have the amulet and Ms. Sinclair would pay for the humiliation he had suffered. And then, he clenched his fists ‘til the knuckles whitened and he smiled a smile that stretched his taut features, he would go after the delectable Ms. Tremaine.
Chapter Eighteen
The day seemed endless. Maureen felt not only her own nerves twitching beneath the amulet but Jack’s as well. Except for an occasional trip to the ladies’ room, he refused to let her out of his sight no matter how she cajoled or argued. If she went to the barn, he went with her. If she moved from the living room to the kitchen he would develop a sudden desire for another cup of coffee or a bottle of water.
When she could deal with it no longer Maureen exclaimed, “Jack, this has to stop. You’re worse than Captain at being underfoot.”
He gave her a blank look.
“The barn cat.”
They were in the study. The moment she got up and walked toward the door, he had risen too. In three long strides, he stood beside her and pulled her into his arms. “I know this is hard on you, baby,” he murmured into her hair. “Just hang on a few more hours and it will all be over.”
For a moment she rested against him enjoying the heat of his hard warm body and the clean smell of soap that emanated from him. Then she pushed back. “Jack, I’m just going in the living room to pick up a book I left in there. You are worse than a mother hen.”
He gave a rueful chuckle. “My Anna used to say the same thing.” He sobered and said, “We can’t be too cautious where Victor’s concerned. The man’s insane but it’s the insanity of a genius. I feel guilty enough leaving you tonight. I’m sticking to you like glue until I absolutely have to go. And if you don’t like it, I’m sorry for it but it’s the way it is.”
She looked up at him and raised her eyebrows. “Bitter pills go down a little easier with sugar coating you know.”
Looking down at her, he rocked her in his arms. “I’m not that much of a hardship to be around, am I?”
She looked at his dear face and sighed. “You are a sweet talker aren’t you?”
He drew her close. “And speaking of sweet…”
“I trust you aren’t referring to my ass again.”
“And if I were?” He bent down and nibbled on her ear.
She felt a warm rush of heat and leaned against him feeling the thud of his heart against her own. His lips trailed down to hers and though the kiss started gently enough it deepened in intensity. His hands sent sparks of electricity radiating through her wherever he touched. He stepped back and with one quick gesture jerked off her top. Without hesitating she reached for his tee shirt. He lifted his arms to help her. She pulled it over his head and threw it on the floor.
She threw back her head, closing her eyes, as his hot lips sucked at her neck. With a flick of his fingers he removed her bra. “I want you, Maure
en.”
God, she couldn’t even speak, all she could do was nod.
She murmured in protest as he stepped back. Opening her eyes she saw him unfasten his jeans. Following his lead she unzipped her shorts and stepped out of them.
For a moment they stood naked looking at each other then both lunged. Jack carried her to the floor. Their coupling was not gentle but frenzied as they both sought temporary refuge from the fear and tension of the coming night, the final mating before the last battle.
Relentlessly, he drove her higher and higher until she toppled into a black pit of endless pleasure. He called out her name as he followed her down.
They collapsed in a spineless heap.
Jack raised his head, though it looked as if the effort cost him. He glanced out the west window. “The sun is going down.” He turned his head and looked at her intently as if memorizing her features. “You are so dear. I love you, Marnie. I’d do anything to keep you safe. I’d lay down my life to protect you.”
She drew his head down ’til his rough-textured cheek rested against her smooth one and whispered, “I know, darling, I know.” She turned her head and kissed him. “I’ll be all right. I promise you.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.” He stood up and pulled Maureen to her feet. “Let’s feed the horses. I’d feel better if we were back in the house before dark.”
With quick economical movements, he reached down picked up her clothes and tossed them to her then pulled on his own and stuffed his shirt into his jeans. They put on their shoes and walked hand in hand to the barn.
Like a well-oiled machine, they fed the horses with quick economical movements, each anticipating the other.
They soon finished and returned to the house.
