by Talty, Jen
“She needed help. Help your father should have gotten her.” Hadley took Kaylee into his arms. “I should’ve been a better friend to both of them.”
Blaine glanced out into the white of winter trying to piece together everything he could remember about Mrs. Mead. One thing kept coming to mind: she believed Rutherford was always watching, but never doing anything to help her. She’d even once cornered Blaine, begging him to get her out of the ‘house of cameras.’
“Thanks for stopping by.” Blaine closed the door after a whoosh of air blew some snow into the house. “I’m hungry. You?” A good mystery always got his stomach going. He’d given up trying not to eat at inappropriate times.
She snapped her head up and glared at him. “You are unbelievable.”
“I know this is hard for you, but thus far you haven’t learned anything new.”
“Great,” she muttered. “And I thought you’d changed.”
“I have.”
“Not.” She flipped on the stove, pulling out a skillet. “Still an insensitive bastard.”
“I’m just hungry.” He cocked his brow.
“Okay, I get it.” She pulled out the eggs. “You’re always hungry.”
“Sit. I’ll cook.”
“Works for me.”
“Tomorrow we go check out your house, and then on Sunday, we go to church.”
“I don’t do church.”
For a brief moment he debated whether or not he should tell her what he was thinking. “You do now.”
“You can’t make me go.”
“What if I told you I thought your biological father would be there?”
She narrowed her eyes and glared at him. “Blaine Walker, you’d better explain yourself.”
“You’re not going to like this.” He tossed some bread on the counter.
“I don’t like anything about being back in this town.”
Blaine squeezed the egg in his hand, cracking it. “Damn it.” He rinsed his hand in the sink. “You seemed to like what we were doing about an hour ago.” At that moment he desperately needed her to acknowledge them in some sense, and hopefully as something other than a mistake.
“That was an hour ago.”
That didn’t help. “I’ll order a pizza.” He grabbed the phone and headed for the door. Damn his libido straight to hell.
“Blaine, I— ”
“Save it.” He slammed the door shut. There he stood in the snow, barefoot, staring down at whiteness, feeling like howling at the moon, or ripping someone’s head off.
Life had too many cruel twists, although this had nothing to do with cruel twists, but sheer stupidity on his part. He had only himself to blame. He knew the moment he climbed into bed with her that he’d be the one to suffer the consequences.
Chapter Eight
“Now who’s running?” Kaylee tossed her hands wide and stared out the window at Blaine’s back. This wasn’t about them having sex. This was about her crazy mother and not-so-sane father. This was about her life, her problems, not his stupid ego. He shouldn’t take things so damn personally. It wasn’t like he didn’t know their little roll in the hay was simply a trip down memory lane.
She sighed, leaning against the wall. She knew what had happened between them was more than a trip down memory lane. She felt more connected to him now than she did the day she found out she was carrying his baby. And maybe he felt it, too. But what difference did it make?
When he found out what she was involved in, he’d have to arrest her. He’d never be able to forgive her for lying to him.
Large snowflakes fell from the sky. The wind swirled and howled, but Blaine didn’t even look cold. A shadow by the garage door caught her attention. She opened the door and got slammed with a burst of cold air and an icy glare from Blaine.
“Who’s in the garage?” she asked.
“What?” He leaned over the railing. “Shit.” A single light came barreling into the driveway. “Toby’s here,” Blaine said, pointing at the door. “Kaylee, get me my gun, it’s on the table.” His eyes were fixated on the side of the garage.
“Why?”
Suddenly a loud swooping noise filled the crisp night air, and wild orange and red lights flickered in the window below.
“Just do it, now!”
Without thinking, she leaped across the room and grabbed the gun sitting on the coffee table and shoved it at Blaine. His eyes shifted around the dark night. Toby waved frantically toward the backyard as a smaller figure leaped from the moving snowmobile and headed for the garage.
“Blaine?” she questioned.
“Wake up my mother,” he yelled over his shoulder.
For a brief moment, she watched Blaine jog down the stairs, his dark hair whipping around wildly as he headed off into the night.
“Kaylee, get out!” someone shouted.
“Yeah, I’m coming.” She waved to Dave and Shima, who had come out of the main house. She stuffed her feet in her shoes and grabbed Blaine’s coat. The gravity of the situation began to meld together in her brain. Someone had just lit the garage on fire—on purpose. Why? That was a question she didn’t need answered. She knew who’d done it. And she knew why.
“I’ve called it in.” Dave grabbed the hose from the figure in front of the garage. “Get in the house and get warm.”
The figure pulled off her helmet…Emma. “When Toby and I pulled in, we saw someone light something in the garage and take off.”
“Where are Blaine and Toby now?” Shima asked from the porch.
“Whoever started the fire went that way.” Emma pointed through the backyard. “I bet they trudged through the woods and have a car waiting for them by the interstate.”
“Pretty stupid in the snow,” Kaylee said, still staring at Emma. Not in a million years would she think that woman would ever wrap her legs around a snowmobile, much less Toby. But at least she wasn’t in Blaine’s life.
“Not if they expected us to be hiding out inside, then the snow would cover their tracks by morning.” Dave continued to hose down the inside of the garage, specifically Blaine’s late-model Mustang.
Kaylee glanced back at the garage. Small flames flickered inside the car, and her nostrils were assaulted with the stench of burning leather. Her pulse slowed to a painful beat.
“Blaine loves that car. This is going to piss him off,” Emma said, looping her arm over Kaylee’s shoulder. “Let’s get inside. I’m sure there isn’t much damage to anything but the Mustang.”
“We’d be dead by morning,” Kaylee barely managed behind the constriction of her throat muscles.
“That might have been the point,” Dave added.
Kaylee shuddered, wrapping her arms around her middle. “I have to get out of here.”
“What?” Emma questioned.
“You don’t understand. As long as I’m here, everyone is in danger.”
“What are you talking about?” Emma nudged her up onto the porch.
“Nothing.” Kaylee shrugged her arm off. She stomped the snow off her shoes and entered the kitchen. She headed straight for the bathroom. Her stomach swished and gurgled.
The small bathroom smelled like lilacs and vanilla. She inhaled sharply, taking in as much of the soothing scent as possible. Nino’s cronies had found her. No doubt about it now. “Daddy.” Could she have been responsible for her own father’s death? Did Nino do this just to get to her?
She turned on the faucet and splashed water on her face. No way would she be responsible for anyone else getting hurt. This ended right now. “Okay, Nino, you win,” she spat.
She unhooked the latch on the small window, lifting the wood frame carefully. Before she climbed through, she checked around for the snowmobile and Blaine, but she didn’t see either of them. She stepped onto the toilet and hoisted herself up, lifting herself feet first, then jumped from the window.
The police station was about five miles away. It would take her about an hour to get there, more in the snow. Maybe she
should just call Nino and have whoever had just tried to kill her come get her.
“Are you nuts?” She laughed dryly at her own thoughts.
“I’m not, but you are,” Blaine’s smooth voice echoed in the night.
She looked around the front yard. She hadn’t taken more than ten steps when she’d heard his voice. “Where are you?” she demanded.
“Right here,” he whispered in her ear.
“Damn you,” she whipped around. “I’ve always hated the way you sneak up on people.”
“And I’m not too keen on how you always run out on me.” His biceps bulged as he folded his arms across his broad, bare chest. His deadly stare didn’t help calm her nerves.
“Trust me. You’re better off not knowing me.”
“Yeah, well my brain figured that out, but I can’t manage to send the signal to the rest of my body.” A slight hum in the distance caused his gaze to shift. “Come on, let’s get inside. I feel like an ice cube.”
“I need to get out of here.”
“Not while someone is trying to kill you.” He tucked her under his arm and started pulling her toward the house.
“If I go back, he’ll leave you alone.”
“Maybe, but he’ll probably kill you…or worse.” His hand shifted down her spine, painfully reminding her of the damage to her back. “I’m a cop. I get paid to put my life on the line to make sure you don’t have to.”
“But I could leave and you couldn’t stop me, right?”
“I suppose.”
“I’m not a suspect anymore, right?”
Sirens flared and flickered as a fire engine and sheriff’s car pulled in. Blaine waved at them and then pointed at Dave. “Not technically, but I could arrest you for obstruction of justice.” His grip increased. “And I will if you try to leave.”
“You don’t understand.”
Anger flickered behind his cool stare. “I understand you’re in way over your pretty little head. And if you try to go it alone, I will be investigating your murder. I’m not prepared to do that.” He gave her a good shove toward the house. Shima and Emma stood at the front door with their arms crossed, both staring at her.
Kaylee glanced toward the garage. Dave and Toby stood with hoses as dark smoke filled the air.
“Get in the house,” Blaine ordered.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve,” Emma said, opening the door. “Don’t you get it?”
“I think she does,” Shima said quietly, closing the door behind her.
“If she did, she wouldn’t go running off in the middle of the night when someone is trying to burn down the house she’s in.”
“We don’t know she’s the target,” Shima said, as she poured some hot water into some mugs.
“We all know I’m the target.” Kaylee grabbed one of the cups, stirred the dark liquid, and then blew on it. “And we all know how much better you’d be if I just disappeared.” And boy did she want to. She didn’t deserve the kindness of anyone around her right now, even if they weren’t being friendly.
“Have you told Blaine what’s really going on?”
“Some of it,” Kaylee admitted.
“Why’d you try to run off?” Emma turned to face her, looking damn human again. And pretty. Her hair fell to her shoulders and her light brown eyes were soft and caring.
“I figured I could walk to the station, get my car, and run off to the guy who’s behind all this. Finally putting an end to it,” Kaylee said.
Emma shook her head. “You realize how stupid you sound?”
Kaylee nodded. “Yeah. I actually thought about calling Nino and asking him to send his sidekick to come get me and take me to my car.”
“He’d take you right to the morgue,” Emma replied.
“Ladies,” Shima said, looking quite shocked. “I don’t know who this Nino character is, and I don’t understand what is so funny.”
“I’m sorry.” Kaylee placed her cup down and stood next to Shima. “Nino is a guy I used to work for, and he hired someone to scare me when I found out he worked with the mafia.”
“What?” Shima dropped the bag of marshmallows on the floor. “This is some kind of weird joke, isn’t it?”
“Afraid not.”
“Good God.” Shima sat down at the kitchen table.
“Anyway, I thought if I left here, you all would be safe since it’s me he wants.”
Shima looked up at Kaylee, and for the first time in a long while, she saw love and concern from another human. And it was directed at her. “But you wouldn’t be safe, and what the hell good would that do?”
“I’m beginning to see that, but I hate putting all of you in danger.” Kaylee grabbed her mug and sat down.
“I got shot at by a client once,” Emma said.
“I got threatened by a student with a loaded gun,” Shima added.
“This isn’t making me feel better about the situation.” Kaylee knew they were trying to tell her everyone’s been in danger at some point. “And don’t start in with what a crazy man Toby is or how it’s Dave and Blaine’s job.”
“Okay,” Shima and Emma said in unison.
“But you have to tell Blaine the whole truth,” Emma said, patting Kaylee’s hand.
“I can’t.”
“Why not?” Emma asked.
“He’ll have to arrest me.”
“I think I’ll pretend you didn’t say that.” Shima rubbed her temples.
“Maybe you and I should talk,” Emma added. “Alone.”
“Maybe.” Kaylee rose and leaned against the back door, staring out across the yard. The cold air seeped into the house, giving her the chills. It appeared the flames had been put out and the firemen where pulling out of the driveway.
Toby and Blaine started up the stairs to the apartment as Dave headed toward the door. He looked worn and tired. She flung the door open for him while he brushed the snow off his coat. “The fire was contained to the car. You girls can go back to Blaine’s.”
“They didn’t find the guy, did they?” Kaylee asked, knowing how good Nino’s guys were.
“Toby tracked him and got a plate number. Jonesy’s running it now.” Dave kicked off his boots. “But for the moment, I think we should all try to get some sleep.”
“Are we safe here?” Shima asked.
“I’ve got Jonesy and a part-timer to hang close. The State Police said they’d up their patrols in this area.”
“You girls be careful, okay?” Shima hugged Kaylee and whispered, “Don’t run from your problems. They only follow you wherever you go.”
Didn’t she know it? “You be careful, too.”
Emma locked her arm with Kaylee’s, practically pushing her out the door and across the yard.
Kaylee dug her heels into the snow. “You mind?” She glared at Emma.
“Actually, I do. You ruined my night with my boyfriend.”
“You and Toby?” Kaylee gawked at Emma, who surprised her with a warm playful smile.
“Well, stranger things have happened.” Emma looked up toward the garage apartment. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
Kaylee pushed opened the door. A sudden chill crept up her spine when Blaine looked at her then turned away. She closed the door, took off her shoes, and contemplated her next move.
Toby slammed his beer down on the table. “Damn asshole shot at me.”
“Damn glad he missed and hit the snowmobile instead.” Emma eased her way over to Toby and tucked herself under his arm.
“Hit the damn gas tank, and now we’re stranded here for the night. The roads are horrible and it’s just going to get worse.” Toby gulped his beer.
Kaylee didn’t mean to stare, but when she knew Toby, no girl could get within five feet of him without permission. He didn’t date a girl more than once, maybe twice if she put out, but never were they allowed to show any kind of public affection.
“You can close your mouth,” Toby mused. “She’s been drugging me or something to make me act li
ke a fool in love.”
Emma actually blushed.
“Toby, in love?” Kaylee heard herself say.
“Much to everyone’s surprise, I am human.” He eyed the room. “But I’m more concerned about where I’ll be sleeping tonight.”
“The couch folds out into a bed,” Blaine barked.
“That takes care of me and Emma. What about you and Kaylee?” Toby’s words sounded like he was slightly amused by the situation.
Blaine’s face tightened and he tossed his beer cap on the counter. “She can have my bed.”
“I’ll take the floor,” Kaylee blurted out. She understood why he was mad. She couldn’t blame him, but he didn’t have to be such a jerk about it in front of his friends.
Blaine shrugged. “Have it your way.” He rinsed his beer mug, tossing it in the sink. “There’s a sleeping bag in the closet, along with a small bedroll. Goodnight.”
“Asshole,” Emma shouted.
Blaine stopped halfway up the stairs, but didn’t turn when he said, “She can have the bed if she wants. It’s her choice.”
Kaylee got herself into the bathroom, found her muscle relaxants, and popped two. She forced herself to follow her routine, showering, changing, and brushing her teeth before she re-entered the family room, praying Blaine had remained upstairs.
“We thought you might have made a window,” Toby teased.
“Ha, Ha.” Kaylee wasn’t in any mood to go at it with the ‘good-natured-nothing-affects-me’ Toby. She grabbed the sleeping bag from the closet and started to roll it out.
“Sleep with Emma on the sofa bed.” Toby touched her shoulder. When she looked up at him, she saw a depth inside his eyes she’d never seen before. “Girls can do that shit all the time. I’ll take the floor.”
“Its okay, Toby, really. I’ll be fine.” She forced back the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks. The floor felt hard against her butt when she sat down on the bedroll. “So, tell me, how did you two hook up?”
“I hired him to help me investigate a case, and he just wouldn’t go away.”
Toby laughed. “Like I said, she’s drugging me.”
Kaylee glanced between Toby, who was standing near the kitchen, and Emma, who had climbed onto the pullout. Emma was petite and gorgeous, but in a very reserved way. Toby was rough and big, like a grizzly mountain man. They looked like complete opposites, but when you looked at them, they seemed to fit.
