“Hi, Sophia.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Hearing her voice again brought back the reality of her situation. The severity of her world and how much he needed to help her escape.
“I’ve called and left you messages.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I had to…leave town for a while. Is everything okay?”
“Yes. Carlos was angry at first. Thought maybe you’d gone to the police or something. That you were a traitor. But he had guys scope the police department for a week or so and they didn’t see you.”
The hair on the back of Ben’s neck stood on end. He was grateful he thought to rent a car and leave his cell phone behind. Carlos was keeping an eye on him. That didn’t help explain the attack on Tess or the guy in her house though. If Carlos hadn’t followed him, he didn’t know where Ben had gone, or where Tess lived.
“I just had some…personal business to take care of.”
“Are you back now? Can I see you soon?”
“Yes, I’m back.” Ben didn’t know yet how to answer her other question. They were friends, yes, but he worried she thought it could be more, and he wanted to discourage that as much as possible.
He heard shuffling in the background.
“I need to go, Jake. We’ll talk again soon.”
He ended the call and rubbed his beard. It was time. Time to return to the grubby, horrid existence of undercover work. A completely different world from the one he had only a week ago with Tess. He thought of the grungy house where he lived as Jake Wilson, and cringed. Being back in that hellhole now made his skin crawl. What he wouldn’t give to be with Tess on her back porch, soaking in the sun and the sight of her.
Lives saved and lives changed. His dad’s words slid into the forefront of his thoughts. He would save Sophia’s life and then hopefully change his own. He prayed that change involved a future with Tess. At this point, God was the only one with the power to make that happen.
Chapter 15
Tess sat on the back porch with Mike and Emma. It was Friday and she had the weekend off from work. A fact that would normally thrill her, but now only caused her gut to tighten. Work had been a welcome distraction since Ben left. Two days of misery thinking only of what she had and what was lost didn’t sound appealing.
“Hellooooo! Is anyone home?”
Tess turned to see Aimee come around from the front of the house. Her auburn curls flowing in the breeze, her aviator sunglasses perched on her freckled nose.
“Aimee!” Tess jumped from her chair. She ran down the back steps and into her sister’s waiting arms. A sense of relief flooded her, and tears formed in her eyes. Her family was her rock and until that moment, she hadn’t known just how much she truly missed them.
“Hey, big sis. What’s with the locked front door? I thought you left everything open all the time.”
Tess pulled back from their embrace, not hiding the tears that now flowed freely.
“Wow. Hey. Are you okay?”
Tess nodded.
“I guess we have a lot to talk about.”
Tess laughed through her tears. “You have no idea.”
“Hey, Aimee.” Mike’s baritone voice floated over the back porch railing.
“Hey, Mike. Hi Emma.”
Tess and Aimee climbed the steps together, arms still wrapped around each other’s waist. Aimee released her hold on Tess to hug Mike and Emma.
“How are you guys doing?”
“We’re good, thanks.” Emma said.
“Here. Take a seat.” Tess pulled a chair near hers to join the group. Her sister plopped down and leaned back, entwining her fingers across her middle.
Tess smiled and watched as Mike and Emma caught Aimee up on wedding plans. Having Aimee near was like having a piece of her happiness back. She would be just the distraction Tess was looking for.
“So, you wanna tell me what’s going on?” Aimee’s attention was back on Tess.
Well, maybe not.
“I think that’s our cue.” Mike stood and took Emma’s hand, leading her into his house. “You staying for a bit, Aimee?” he asked over his shoulder.
“Yeah. Maybe we can surf tomorrow. I brought my board.”
“Sounds good to me. See you guys later.” He disappeared through the door with Emma.
“They’re such a great couple.” Aimee now faced Tess. Her feet stretched out in front of her, legs crossed at the ankles. Her red toes were dotted with sand. Her ankle bracelet dangled, the silver catching the light of the sun.
“Yeah. They’ve been such great friends to me. I don’t know what I would do without them.”
“Well, without them, Dad and Mom would probably be living here with you.”
Tess laughed. “Are you serious? What makes you say that?”
“You know how Dad and Mom are. Not overprotective but…well, they’re parents. After meeting Mike and Emma when you first moved down here, they knew you’d be in good hands.”
“Wow. That makes me sound like a child who needs watching over.”
“No, but you were a broken person who was fragile.”
Tess looked out toward the water. The sun was beginning to set. Hues of orange and yellow blended into blue. “That’s true.”
“Are you still broken, Sis?”
Tess took a deep breath. How could she possibly explain all that had happened in the past couple of weeks?
“I thought I was putting the pieces back together, but let’s just say they shattered again, and I’m back to picking them up.”
“Well, it’s a darn good thing I showed up then. I’m staying this weekend, and you are going to catch me up—on everything. Nothing will be left out. I won’t leave until I have every last detail.”
Tess laughed. Tenacious was definitely the right word to describe Aimee. Relentless too.
“Come on. I’ll treat you to dinner.” Aimee patted Tess’s leg and stood. “Let’s hit that joint you love—Andy’s is it? I swear I dream about those fish tacos. They are the best!”
“Sounds good. Let me grab some shoes and I’ll meet you out front.”
Tess went inside and donned sandals and a light sweater. Having Aimee visit for an entire weekend was just what she needed. As she locked the back door and made sure the front door latched completely, she tried to shake the darkness that lurked in the back of her mind ever since Ben left. She did lock her doors now, but did she really have anything to fear?
She shook her head as she walked to Aimee’s car. No. She wasn’t going to think like that. Fear wouldn’t rule her life. And Ben was her past. Her future was…whatever God had planned. She’d started over once before, she could do it again. Her head told her that, and she prayed her heart would someday be strong enough to follow.
***
“Theeths tacos are tho good!”
Tess laughed. “Don’t talk with your mouth full, Aimee! That’s gross.” She admonished her sister but couldn’t help smiling at her. The youngest child, Aimee was a goof most of the time. Most people saw her as carefree and adventurous. Tess always saw an athletic little girl with curly hair who made her laugh. A lot.
“Seriously, though. These are amazing.” Aimee wiped her mouth with a napkin and took a sip of iced tea. She hated soda. Too much sugar.
“You live in San Diego, Aim. They sell fish tacos on every corner.”
“None of them are like this though.” She took another huge bite. “Believe me, I’ve twied.”
Tess shook her head and threw a napkin at Aimee’s face. It bounced off her nose and into her lap. “You’re hopeless.”
Aimee chewed her taco and grinned.
The two sisters sat in silence for a moment, finishing their meals. A pelican landed on one of the boats outside, his chest puffed out. A boat horn sounded in the distance.
“So, you gonna ever tell me what’s going on with you? You don’t normally break down every time I give you a hug, ya know?”
Tess balled up a napkin and toyed with it.
>
“Yeah. Sorry about that.”
“I’m not saying you should be sorry. I’m just saying I know something’s up. I knew it after I got off the phone with you when I told you I thought I saw Ben down in San Diego. That’s why I’m here. I wanted to see you, talk to you face-to-face.”
Tess looked her sister in the eye and then out the window.
“It was Ben, wasn’t it?”
Tess nodded.
“What in the world is he doing back? Has he tried to see you?”
“That’s where things get complicated.” Tess rubbed the back of her neck with both hands. She looked into her sister’s eyes again. “I’ll give you the short version.”
After relaying the story to Aimee, Tess sat back in her chair, suddenly exhausted. Having thought of nothing but Ben since he left almost a week ago, she thought she could handle the simple telling of what happened. She was wrong. Talking about it made her tired.
Aimee reacted the way Tess expected. Shock, anger, frustration, doubt. Everything she’d been feeling since Ben walked out her back door.
Aimee shook her head. “Wow. In all my life, I could never have thought up a crazy story like that one. To have it be true is just…mind boggling.”
“I know, right?”
“So he’s back in San Diego now?”
“Yes. Well, I guess he is.” Until that moment, Tess thought San Diego was where Ben had gone. Maybe he was somewhere else. Maybe he was with Sophia somewhere. The fish tacos in her stomach swam the wrong way and a wave of nausea hit her. The same wave that hit every time she thought of Ben with the smiley-faced woman in the phone picture.
“Would you ever take him back?”
Her sister’s question shook her attention away from her curling stomach.
“What? Why would I do that? I told you everything. He lied to me, more than once. And I have no clue who this other woman is. No idea what he’s been doing. I don’t even know who he is anymore, Aimee. Why would I take him back?”
“Because maybe he’s telling the truth.”
Tess leaned forward in her chair. “Hold on a second. You and Grace were my biggest advocates when Ben left. You both threatened to have him skewered if I so chose. How could you possibly sit here now after everything else he’s done and even ask if I would consider wanting him back in my life?”
“Hey, hey. Keep your voice down and unruffle your panties. All I’m saying is…maybe he’s telling the truth. I’m around cops all the time, Tess. From what Ben told you, it sounds like maybe he’s caught up in something he can’t exactly just get out of right away.”
Tess leaned back again. “What do you mean?”
“What I mean is that lots of these guys go undercover, and to protect the people they love, they have to lie, or not always tell every detail about what they’re doing. Maybe Ben’s caught up in something he can’t get out of.”
“I don’t know, Aim. That sounds like a stretch.”
Aimee shrugged and sipped her tea. “It’s just a theory. Look, the guy hurt you—again—and that makes me beyond angry. You know I would gladly go and tie him up by his teeth if you’d let me. I’m just saying, maybe before you write him off completely, think hard about what he said, and consider he just might be telling you the truth. Or hiding it to protect you.”
Tess shook her head.
“Maybe. Maybe not. Now, I propose from this point on, the rest of the weekend is about surfing, eating, and sunning ourselves. No talk of Ben or work or anything that upsets us.” She raised her plastic cup in a mock toast.
Tess tapped her cup to Aimee’s in agreement.
Aimee drove them back to Tess’s house. The moonlight glittered on the water. Maybe Aimee was right. Maybe Tess was too quick to dismiss Ben and all he’d told her. But what could he be protecting her from? And how did this other woman, Sophia, fit into it all? A shiver ran down her spine. She wrapped her sweater around her and crossed her arms. Whatever it was, she prayed for Ben’s safety. She was angry with him, but the last thing she wanted was him hurt. Or dead.
***
Dane took off his sport coat and hung it on the back of his desk chair. He paced behind it and straightened his glasses. Again. As a detective, he knew how to keep his cool under stressful circumstances, but having his best friend in a dangerous position brought out his protective side. And right now he wasn’t only worried about Ben’s safety, he also worried Ben and Tess would never reconcile. And no two people were meant for each other more.
The San Diego police department was busy. Good. Less of a chance of anyone seeing Ben. Ben was stealthy, but right now he needed all the help he could get.
Ben contacted Dane last night and said he wanted to see him again. Dane had hoped it was to tell him he was ready to call the whole thing off. Let Carlos go and give the case to someone else. Although, knowing Ben like he did, that was highly unlikely.
A woman with auburn curls caught his eye just as she disappeared around the corner and down the hall. Her face danced on the edge of his memory, but he wasn’t sure where he’d seen her before. Following a gut instinct, he wandered after her. She walked fast, determined, her curls bobbing as she went.
“Hi, Dane,” an officer said as he passed.
“Oh, hey.” Dane turned his head in greeting. When he turned back, he ran smack dab into the tiny redhead.
“Excuse me, but might I ask why you are following me?”
“I…I wasn’t.” Oh, man. One look in her green eyes and he turned into a stuttering fool.
“Yes. Yes you were.” Her eyes narrowed and she tilted her head. “Wait a minute. I know you! You’re friends with Ben.”
That was it! That was how he knew her. She was Tess’s sister. What in the world was she doing here?
“Are you gonna just stare at me with your mouth open and your glasses askew?”
He hadn’t even noticed his glasses got knocked funny when they bumped into each other. He sure noticed when she reached up and straightened them for him. Ever nerve in his body heated up.
“Yes.” He cleared his throat. Get a grip, man.
“Yes, you’re just going to stare at me?”
Uh-oh.
“You were supposed to be his best man.”
“Yes.”
“So, do you know any words other than yes?” She smirked, and he lost all train of thought.
“Well, it was good to see you again…um, Ben’s best friend.” She patted him on the chest and turned to leave.
“Dane! My name’s Dane.” Geez. He sounded like a nervous middle-school kid.
She turned again. “That’s right. Good to see you again, Dane. And I’m Aimee.”
She backed up down the hallway and directly into Ben’s chest.
She spun around and said, “Excuse me,” but when she recognized Ben, her spine went stiff.
“Aimee!” Ben froze. “What in the world are you doing here?”
“I would like to ask you the same question. In fact, I’d like to ask you a whole lot of questions.”
Dane shook his head, once again his thinking clear. The three of them in the hallway, a perfect Bermuda Triangle.
Chapter 16
Ben looked down into fierce green eyes. Eyes shaped just like Tess’s but darker in color. And filled with much disdain at the moment.
“What are you doing here, Aimee?”
“I came to find you, Ben.”
“I think we should talk in here.” Dane stepped beside Ben and guided them all into a small room nearby.
Ben took a seat across a small table from Aimee while Dane stood against the wall, arms crossed at his chest.
“Have you seen Tess? Is she okay?”
Aimee held up her hand. “Okay, big guy. Or as I’ve come to call you, big jerk. I get to ask the questions first.”
Ben couldn’t ignore Dane’s snicker, not hidden well at all behind his hand. He flashed a frown his way and looked back at Aimee.
“You leave my sister a week before you
r wedding with nothing but a stupid, and I might add, cheesy, note. Then you show up with amnesia, get in her good graces again, remember and then leave her…again. Remind me why I should even be giving you the time of day, let alone my undivided attention?”
Dane laughed.
Ben shook his head. “Come on, man. This is serious. Give me a break.”
Dane held up his hands in surrender. “Sorry. She has a point though, ya know?”
Aimee pops in out of nowhere, and now his best friend won’t even take his side. Unbelievable. Things were just getting better and better. Ben hung his head.
“Hey, boys. Remember me.” Aimee waved her hands around. “Now look, Ben. I just spent the weekend with Tess.”
Ben’s head snapped up. “You saw her? Is she okay?”
“Slow down. She’s fine. Well, physically, she’s fine. Emotionally, she’s a train wreck. But you probably already knew that, since you’re the cause of the derailment.”
“Nice, Aimee.”
“You know I’ve never been one to beat around the bush.”
“No, unfortunately, you’re not.”
Aimee leaned forward in her chair, her elbows on the table in front of her. “But I did tell Tess I think she should give you the benefit of the doubt.”
“You did?” A glimmer of hope stirred in Ben’s heart. Having Aimee on his side would be a huge step in the direction of winning back Tess. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I know cops.” She stole a sideways glance at Dane, who now watched her with rapt attention .
“What does that mean?” Ben leaned forward on the table as well.
“It means, I think you’re working undercover and you’re hiding things from Tess to keep her safe.”
“Man, she’s good.” Dane took off his glasses. He wiped them with the sleeve of his shirt then placed them once again on the bridge of his nose. “She’s very good.”
Ben rubbed his beard. “Did you know this whole time? Did you know that was why I had to leave before the wedding?”
Aimee took a deep breath and shook her head. “No. I believed then what everyone else did. That you ran off to Europe to get your head together or something. If I had guessed then that you were undercover, I would have been more lenient with the torturous plans I had for you.”
Remember Me (Men of Honor Series Book 1) Page 12
