“Enough, Lexi.”
“You’re right. Two years is long enough to beat yourself up.”
“You have no idea what I went through.”
“So you have no feelings at all for Laurie?”
He used her elbow to urge her further away from the living room. “I didn’t say that.”
“The way I see it, you can either take the chance or spend the rest of your life alone. Change your business cards to Bachelor Kentucky Chandler. Get Rogue a few brothers and become the neighborhood dog man.”
“You’re annoying. And bossy.”
“And you know I’m right.”
“You have to let me handle this my way. Stay out of it.”
A huge grin lit up her face. “Does that mean you’re going to pursue her?”
He cringed. “She’s a woman. You make it sound like she’s some kind of criminal I need to catch.”
“Fine! Are you going to try and win her heart, Prince Charming? You already practically saved her after the break-in. I would say you should be ahead of the competition right now.”
Lexi had always liked to boss him around when they were kids, but this was a new level for her.
“I barely know her, Lexi. Relationships with cops get messy.”
“That’s fear talking.”
“Maybe. But I think I have a reason to feel that way. I can’t go through something like that again.”
“Laurie isn’t Jana.”
Her words were like a punch to the gut. Tuck watched Laurie smile at Patty, pushing some of her copper hair behind her ear. No, she wasn’t Jana. Praise God for that. In a lot of ways, she was the polar opposite of his ex-fiancée. He turned his gaze to his sister.
“Stay out of it, Lexi. Please. If anything is supposed to happen between us, it’s going to develop naturally.”
She seemed to ponder his words for a moment. “You’re right. I just don’t want to see you miss an opportunity like this. You deserve to find someone to spend the rest of your life with.”
He couldn’t deny the truth of that. Laurie was amazing, and even though he didn’t know her well, he could already tell that she had a kind heart and a strong personality. Those amazing eyes weren’t exactly hurting, either. He put his arm around his sister’s shoulders and rested his chin on her head. “Tell you what. I’ll try my best to not push her away and to get to know her better. And you pray that I can manage at least the first half of what I just said. Deal?”
Lexi looked up at her little brother. “Yes, it’s a deal.”
His cell phone rang and he pulled it off his belt. “It’s Lance. One sec.” He answered the phone. “Hey, man, what’s up?”
“There was another forced entry. The boss wants us on it. Meet me at the station as soon as you can.” His partner’s voice sounded rushed.
“Will do.” He ended the call. “Sorry, Lexi, I’ve got to go.” He strode into the living room where everyone else was visiting. “I’m sorry I have to leave early, but I’ve got to go back to the station. Lance and I got called in. I had fun, though!” He kissed Grams and Patty on the cheek and gave both sisters a hug. He swung Gideon into his arms for a big squeeze before tossing him gently onto the couch. The boy laughed as he rolled off the cushions and landed on the floor. Tuck looked at Laurie. “There’s been another break-in on the other side of town. I’ll let you know if we find any evidence leading to the guy who broke into your studio.”
She chewed on her bottom lip and nodded. “I appreciate that. Stay safe.”
He gave them all a wave and strode from the house. Laurie’s last words played over in his mind and it tugged on his heart.
~
Tuck shined a flashlight on the broken window at Powell Elementary School. “And someone heard the window breaking?”
“One of the teachers was heading out when she heard it. She turned the hall light on and that must have been enough to scare the punk away.” Lance snapped a few photos. “Doesn’t Serenity work here?”
“She sure does.” Tuck didn’t appreciate seeing anything like this in his town, much less in a place that hit so close to home.
There was very little evidence since the person had not gone inside. But they did make casts of several shoe impressions in the dirt under the window before they wrapped up their investigation.
“What are you thinking, Tuck?”
“This could have been anyone. Most likely some kid who was bored.”
“I would be more convinced if we had caught the guy who broke into the photography studio.”
“So would I.”
~
Laurie got to her apartment much later than she had intended. The evening over at the Chandler home had been a huge success. She thoroughly enjoyed visiting with everyone and felt like she had made a great deal of progress with Gideon.
By the time she was heading out, he had even brought his favorite toy train to show her. Serenity had been the one to confirm the appointment for the photo shoot. She invited Laurie to join them for another Sunday evening meal afterwards. Excited about the business – as well as the company – Laurie had quickly agreed.
Her mind drifted to Tuck. There was no doubt about it. The thought of the tall police officer made her smile and gave her a bubbly feeling. She hoped he would be at the dinner in two weeks.
She spent a couple of hours on one of her previous photo shoots, working the images on her computer. When she got too tired to focus, she pulled up her website.
She had been meaning to go through and change the look for a while. On the homepage, images of past clients faded in and out as the photo album displayed one after the other. The cute little redheaded girl with Down’s syndrome made her smile. The image of an older couple laughing at a joke only they understood made her wish to someday have a love like they shared. And the photo of seven kids – four boys and three girls – piled on top of each other with toothless grins made her laugh. She remembered the escapades of having so many children in her studio at one time.
Yes, she loved her job and she was blessed to be able to make a living doing what she enjoyed the most.
Laurie backed up all of her work to a small hard drive on her desk, closed the laptop, and readied for bed. She switched the lights off in her living area.
A clatter downstairs followed by shattering glass made her jump. Goosebumps covered her arms and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She held her breath. Frozen in place, she waited for another sound. She heard nothing but the hum of the refrigerator and the ticking of the clock that hung over the television.
Emptying her lungs, she took another quick breath. She hurried to the front door, ignoring the protest from her ankle. After she made sure the door was bolted, she pushed a small bookshelf and then her coffee table in front of it. Satisfied that no one was going to come through, she sat on the couch and stayed motionless. When she didn’t hear anything else from downstairs, she realized that she needed to go check it out before she was going to be able to sleep.
A shiver traveled down her spine. There was no way she was going to venture down there by herself.
Out of nowhere, thoughts of Tuck entered her head. No, she couldn’t call him. The poor guy had already been summoned back to work tonight.
On the other hand, if there really was someone downstairs, the apartment could be next.
That was all she needed. She reached for her cell phone, moved a frog magnet to retrieve his business card from the fridge, and dialed his number.
~
Tuck had only been home thirty minutes before his cell phone rang. He tossed a piece of crust from his sandwich to Rogue. The phone number was unfamiliar, but he rarely got calls after ten unless it was dispatch calling him to work. “Hello?”
“Tuck?” the voice on the other end was immediately familiar.
“Laurie? What’s wrong?”
A pause. “I’m so sorry to bother you. But I heard glass breaking downstairs in my studio. I’m in my apartment and I’m asham
ed to say I’m scared to go check it out. I’m sure it’s nothing…”
Adrenaline kicked in and Tuck sat his sandwich on the counter. “Is your door locked?”
“Yes, and more than one piece of furniture is pushed in front of it.” A nervous laugh came through the phone, punctuating her admission.
“Stay there. Don’t open the door until I call you back. I’m coming right over.”
He took another bite of his sandwich and tossed the rest to Rogue. The dog caught it in the air and swallowed it quickly. “Sorry to leave you again, boy. I’ll be back in a bit.” He grabbed his coat and headed out.
He parked a couple of buildings down from Laurie’s studio. Handgun out and ready, he quietly approached the building. The door was closed and locked securely. Using his flashlight, he illuminated the interior, scanning every corner and area of the floor he could reach with the beam. He didn’t see anything out of place. Then his eye caught what looked like a large picture frame that had fallen onto the floor. Holstering his gun, he called the number Laurie had contacted him from.
After he described the fallen photo, he said, “I don’t see anyone. I’m thinking it probably just fell off the wall. Come on down. I’ll wait here at the front door for you.”
He watched as Laurie’s head peeked around the door that led to the stairway to her apartment. When she saw him, she hurried across the studio and let him inside.
Eyes wide, she was breathing quickly and had her arms crossed tightly across her chest.
“Hey, it’s okay. Come sit down for a minute.”
Tuck pulled a chair over and helped ease her into it. He examined the source of the noise more closely. “It looks like the hook on the back of the picture broke. It made a huge mess over here.” He picked the frame up. The image had several long, white lines across it. “I’m afraid the glass scratched up your photograph.” He took the broom and dustpan out of the closet and proceeded to sweep up the glass and deposit it in the trash can. When he was done, Tuck went to stand in front of her. She wiped tears off her cheeks as she turned away from him.
His heart clenched in his chest. He pulled another chair over and sat in front of her, only a couple of inches between their knees.
“I feel ridiculous. I’m a grown woman, and I’m acting like a scared child. I’m sorry you wasted your time coming over here for this.”
“First of all, this was not a waste of time. Secondly, you’re not ridiculous.” He bent his head, making eye contact with her. Without thinking about it, he placed a hand over one of hers. “Laurie, you’re okay.”
Chapter Eight
Her green eyes swam with tears and Tuck was surprised by the need to pull her into his arms. What was it about Laurie that brought out such intense reactions in him? He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
“Do you have any family I can call? Someone who can come and stay with you for a few days until you feel more secure?”
“No.” She shook her head emphatically. “My parents are somewhere in Paris. They come back for a month around Christmas. My sister works in New York and it would be a huge inconvenience to her.”
He couldn’t imagine not having family nearby. “Well, let me tell you something. I’m serious about this. If you need anything – whether you think your studio is being broken into or you just need a friend – call me.”
Her eyes widened and she blinked at him. “Why?”
“Because everyone needs someone else they can count on.”
“And it’s your job to maintain the safety of the civilians of Kitner.”
“Something like that,” he said with a wink. He didn’t believe one word of that and he wasn’t sure Laurie did, either. He removed his hand from hers, instantly missing her warmth.
“I wish I wasn’t this nervous. I hate feeling this way in my own place.” She hugged her arms to her chest. “I’d consider getting a gun if I could afford one.”
“I don’t think that’s a bad idea.” When her gaze swung to his, Tuck rushed on. “I mean, it’s great to have a way to protect yourself. I do not, however, think a gun will do you a lot of good if you don’t know how to use it.”
“What do you suggest?”
“You can go to a shooting range here in town and rent a couple of different types. Try them out and see which you like better. Then, once you buy a gun, I recommend that you take some kind of class. That way, you get the practice you need and become more comfortable with it.” His thoughts were running. “There are two or three particular guns I think would fit your hands well.”
“I guess I kind of expected you to say I shouldn’t have a gun and that I should leave it all up to the police.”
“We are trained to handle situations. But in a pinch, a gun can mean the difference between life and death. If someone breaks into your home while you’re there, it’s better to shoot the intruder and survive, than to hide in the closet, wait for the police, and hope the guy doesn’t find you in the meantime.” She shivered and Tuck instinctually reached to cover her hand again. “I’m not trying to scare you. I’m stating a fact. Hopefully you’ll never be in a situation where you’ll need a gun. But if you are, you’ll have it to protect yourself.” Suddenly, the idea of her facing an intruder and him not being there to shield her made him feel sick. “If you’re serious about purchasing a gun, let me take you to the range.”
Even as he spoke the words, his brain tried to warn him that seeing Laurie regularly like that wouldn’t be a good idea. It would be easy to get used to spending time with her, and he shouldn’t risk it. Not when there was a chance of it all falling apart. But his heart betrayed him, galloping at the thought of having an excuse to see her more.
She seemed to mull that over, her eyes on their hands. He wondered if she had felt the same jolt of awareness that he had when they touched. Her long eyelashes lifted and her green eyes sought his. Tuck felt like he could drown in their depths. She blinked quickly and looked away.
“I would like that, thank you. Did anything come from your call out earlier?”
“No, not really.” He told her about the break-in. “We’re not even sure if there’s a connection between the two burglaries. It’s more likely that they are completely unrelated at this point.” He shrugged. “I’ll definitely let you know as soon as we discover anything concrete.”
“Thanks.” She glanced around the room. “I should let you go. You’ve had a late night and then had to come by at the whim of a crazy lady. Do you at least live here in town?”
A laugh escaped him. “You’re not crazy. But I do think we need to call it a night.” Reluctantly, he stood and walked towards the door. “I live about ten minutes from here. It’s not far. If you need me to come back, call me.”
“I will.”
“Okay. Come lock the door behind me. Try to get some rest. I’ll call you tomorrow about going out to the range.”
Laurie stood and followed. “Thank you again. For checking on the studio and for cleaning up the mess. But mostly, for being here.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiled at her, warmth spreading through his chest at the relief on her face. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
He waited long enough to make sure she had secured the door behind him. With a last wave, he headed home.
Tuck expelled the air from his lungs. What was he getting himself into? The last thing he wanted to do was to hurt Laurie. Jana had been miserable in their relationship for a while. He’d beat himself up for months – how could he have not realized his fiancée was so unhappy?
Something Lexi had told him earlier was chanting in his brain. “Laurie isn’t Jana. Laurie isn’t Jana.” He knew that.
If he were smart, he would teach her to shoot, see her when she took photos of Gideon, and then they would go their separate ways.
Even he knew he was kidding himself. The last thing on his mind as he fell asleep that night was a prayer that God would protect his heart as well as Laurie’s.
~
“I w
ant you to try several guns and see which one you like the most.” Tuck signed the paperwork to rent his first choice. The range they were at was his favorite and he’d told her it was where he did a lot of his own training. He also purchased two boxes of 9mm ammunition for them to use.
Laurie cringed as he paid, the amount higher than she had expected. “I’ll reimburse you when I get back home.”
“That’s not necessary.” He handed her a pair of ear plugs. “Come on, I’ll show you some specifics about this gun before you shoot.”
They found an empty stall at the indoor handgun range. He laid everything out on the table.
She paused at the door. “I’m sorry, I’m nervous.” She had looked forward to this since they first talked about it nearly three days ago. But now, the butterflies in her stomach were working overtime. She wiped her palms off on her pants.
“I completely understand, and it’s normal to feel that way. We’re not even going to load the gun yet. Trust me.”
Laurie was surprised when he took her hand and led her over to the table.
She studied his face, incredibly aware of how strong of a presence he projected. “I trust you.”
He paused only a moment before he let go of her hand. She thought he was going to say something else before he turned his attention to the gun. “This is a Ruger SR9C. It shoots 9mm ammo.” He turned the gun over in his hand. “This button releases the magazine.” He demonstrated, the magazine falling into his other hand. “Once you load the shells, you push it back in. In order to shoot the gun, you need to pull the slide back,” he held the gun securely and demonstrated as he spoke, “which puts a shell into the chamber. At this point, all you have to do is pull the trigger and the gun will fire.” He eased the slide back into position and handed the gun to Laurie.
She took it gingerly, feeling the weight in her hands. “It’s heavier than I thought it would be.”
“I chose all three of the guns you’ll try tonight because they are a little smaller. That’ll make any of them a good gun to carry concealed, if you decide to get your license, but also more comfortable for petite hands like yours. Now, go ahead and pop the magazine out, put it back in, and see if you can pull the slide.”
Finding Peace (Love's Compass #1) Page 6
