Chase clicked his pen a few times. “Actually, this is one I’d like to hear from Jenny.”
“Grant dropped a bag on the sidewalk and I picked it up. There were two hammers and some boxes of nails. Not once in the entire scenario did he have either of those hammers in his hands, and he certainly didn’t threaten me. So whatever Roy and his so-called witness told you is a lie.”
After a brief nod, Chase looked back to Grant. “So, let me ask again. Where were you between two and five yesterday?”
Silence fell in the room. Jenny’s expectant gaze met Grant’s, and he slouched back in his chair. After a shake of his head and a disbelieving half-laugh, he dug into one front pocket, then the other. Finding what he was searching for, he withdrew a piece of paper and slapped it on the table. As he slid it across to Chase, Jenny sat forward, too.
“What is that?”
Chase opened up the crumpled paper. He scanned the receipt, and Grant was impressed when only one corner of his mouth twitched.
“What is it?” Jenny demanded with exasperation.
“An alibi,” Chase answered. “A pretty airtight one, too.”
“Can I see?”
Chase lifted an eyebrow at Grant. He sighed in resignation and tipped his head in Jenny’s direction as an acknowledgment for the sheriff to hand it over. This time, Chase didn’t hold back his smile, especially as she read the receipt with a date and time stamp that proved Grant wouldn’t have had time to trash her apartment, drive to the far, south side of Green Bay, and make it back to the farm in time to pick her up at five-fifteen.
Listed on the receipt were his purchases of twelve gallons of gas, a pack of gum...and one box of condoms.
“Oh.”
Grant tilted his head to give Jenny a sideways glance. Her face was almost as red as the flower prints on her borrowed dress. She set the paper back on the table before dropping her hands into her lap. The demure look was in direct contrast to her sexy crawl across the bed last night.
Dragging his mind away from that vision, he informed Chase, “You’ll find the hammers in my storage room.”
“Actually, I’m guessing we’ll find just one. I asked Jenny earlier if she owned a hammer because one with a maroon handle was found in her apartment this morning.”
He’d bought a hammer with a maroon handle. He opened his mouth, but Chase held up a hand.
“Being a man with more than half a brain,” he shot Grant a wry look, “here’s how I see it—off the record, of course. I don’t think we’re going to find any prints in your apartment, Jenny. I think Roy conveniently ran into me at the gas station to feed me his story about the hammer and the witness, knowing I’d find Grant’s hammer planted in your apartment.”
“Roy admitting he saw the hammers puts him here the night the lights were broken in the hallway,” Grant added.
“Sure does.” Chase wrote more notes.
“Is that enough to arrest him?” Jenny asked.
“No. Unfortunately, what I think doesn’t matter unless I have concrete evidence to back it up.” Chase sat forward now, his expression dead serious. “And I need you to be extra careful. File a restraining order. Let him know you’re in charge now, and he has no right to touch you. I’ll be more than happy to throw his ass in jail if he tries to come near you again.”
Jenny glanced at Grant before taking a sudden interest in his kitchen table top. “Don’t you think that’ll just make him angrier?”
“Probably,” Chase agreed. “But you will be protected.”
Again, her gaze shifted between Chase and Grant. He reached beneath the table to give her leg a reassuring squeeze, backing up Chase’s promise. Her hand covered his; small, but warm and steady and strong.
She nodded to Chase. “Okay.”
Her agreement sent a wave of relief through Grant. Every little bit of help was needed to keep her safe.
The sheriff wrapped up the visit after explaining to Jenny how to go about filing the restraining order on Monday. A check of the storage room confirmed Chase’s suspicion about the missing hammer before the three of them trekked upstairs. The crime scene techs needed a few more hours in the apartment, but informed Jenny she’d be able to start cleaning up once they were done.
In the meantime, Grant found himself making another trip with her to Green Bay after the insurance company confirmed the dollar amount they’d reimburse for her clothes and personal affects. They went to a photography shop first, then the mall. Though he truly didn’t mind shopping with her, when she claimed she’d had enough after about four hours, he nearly sang Hallelujah.
They’d almost reached the doors when she suddenly tossed him a grin and grabbed his arm to pull him across the aisle. His attention perked up when he realized it was a lingerie store, but watching her pick out bras—and lacy underwear and a few silky nighties—proved to be torture. Delicious torture.
As the clerk rang up the sale, Jenny leaned over and whispered in his ear. “Buy me dinner and when we get home, I’ll model these for y—”
“Deal.”
As if that proposal required any thought. He’d endure four more hours at the mall for that, especially since he’d already planned on dinner. He wouldn’t even mind that the minutes sitting across from her as they ate would stretch endlessly with the agonizing anticipation of dessert.
One glimpse of her slim, sexy body in the midnight-blue and cream-colored negligees she’d bought would be more than worth the wait.
Chapter 13
Ever since Chase’s visit yesterday morning, Jenny knew what she had to do with the photo in her safe deposit box. She kept coming back to Grant’s support and the sheriff’s promise that she’d be protected.
The emotion in Charlie’s voice when he’d talked about Roy walking free also ate at her—and Tara’s expression when she mentioned Annabel at the barn. Even if they ended up hating her, she had to do what was right.
Once she came to the only conclusion possible, it felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It also gave her hope that she could finally put her past behind her and look forward to the future.
With Grant. A man who surpassed her wildest dreams and every romance hero she’d ever read about. Morning grumpiness and all.
Jenny glanced at the clock on the back wall, impatient to act now that she’d made a decision. Half hour before her shift was over.
It’d been an unusually slow afternoon, and everything she could clean and restock was done. All she waited on was the table of four high school cheerleaders who’d just gotten their food. She sidled up to Dex as he wiped down the espresso machine.
“If Carrie doesn’t mind me leaving early, would you mind closing out my last order?”
He cast a pained glance over his shoulder at the giggling girls before scrubbing with renewed vigor. “Um...yeah...I can do that.”
“Carrie doesn’t mind.”
Jenny swung around to find her boss standing behind her.
“And I’ll take care of the girls,” Carrie added, casting the gangly college student a sympathetic smile.
“Thanks you guys.”
In the employee bathroom, Jenny removed the work shirt she’d gotten that morning, and put on one of her new tops from shopping with Grant yesterday. It was dressier than she normally would’ve paired with jean capris and sandals, but she’d been inspired by Nadine’s closet. After brushing out her hair, and adding some pink-tinted lip gloss, she stepped back into the kitchen.
An understated wolf whistle from Matt had her blushing as Carrie turned around.
“Ooh, I like that top,” Carrie said. “You look very nice.”
“Thanks. Listen, I need to run to the bank before Grant picks me up.” She hung her larger canvas bag back on her hook and grabbed her small purse for the walk to the bank. After a quick glance at Matt, she gave Carrie a hesitant smile. “He’s taking me to the police station to file a restraining order against Roy today.”
Carrie came forward and took hol
d of her hands. “It’s about time. And you know I don’t mean that against you at all.”
When a particularly intense counseling session had snuck up on her back in the fall, her boss had confided her own abusive past and offered a shoulder or ear anytime Jenny needed one. She hadn’t ever taken her up on it, but knowing someone she looked up to and respected had come through a similar situation stronger than ever had helped on more than one occasion.
Chest tight with emotion, Jenny squeezed Carrie’s hands. “I know. Thanks.”
They shared a smile of understanding before stepping back from each other.
“If Grant shows up before I get back, tell him I won’t be long.”
The bank was a couple blocks down the street on the opposite side of Salvation Avenue, so Jenny exited Coffee To Chai For through the front doors. On her way out, she almost ran into Allie.
“Sorry,” she said, sidestepping the shorter woman so she could start across the street. An ominous rumble overhead made her jerk her gaze up to the leaden sky. Darn it—she hadn’t known it was going to rain.
“Hey, wait,” Allie called. “I was coming in to see you.”
Jenny paused, took one look at her smiling face, and sighed. “Let me guess...you talked to Tara.”
“Yes!” The brunette propped her hands on her hips. “I asked you about those pictures a dozen times. Why didn’t you ever say anything?”
Jenny glanced down the street in the direction of Wayside apartments, but no Grant yet. “It’s complicated.”
“Not that complicated. This could be a win-win for both of us.” When Jenny opened her mouth, Allie rushed on. “I’m not taking no for an answer. You do great work and you could really make some money at this if you’d let me help.” She opened the door to the coffee shop. “Let me buy you a cup of coffee and tell you what I’m thinking.”
“Allie, I’d love to, but I’m in a bit of a hurry. How about Wednesday afternoon? I’m done at three-thirty and we can talk then.”
Allie’s determined expression softened, and she released the door. “I suppose I’ve waited this long, I can wait until Wednesday.”
“Great.” Jenny smiled as she backed away. “Now I am sorry, but I have to go before the rain starts.”
She checked for traffic before jogging across the empty street. Not only had the coffee shop been slow, but the sidewalk was practically deserted, too.
The closer she got to the bank, the more nervous she became. A particularly loud crack of thunder made her jump.
Four years ago, after a couple weeks of relative calm between them, Roy had gotten upset about tripping in the basement over one of the boxes left from their move into the new house he’d bought. Of course it’d been all her fault, so the next day she’d hoped to please him by clearing things out. When she came across the handful of disposable cameras stashed in the bottom of a box, she’d decided to develop the pictures for him as a surprise.
The expiration date on the cameras were more than a couple years old by then, but she was able to salvage three of the five rolls of film. She quit printing the pictures half way through the second roll, and simply stood there, overcome by numbing fear.
In the background of the black and white girls-gone-wild style photo she saw the image of Roy’s hand over the drink of a pretty girl who had her head turned, laughing at someone behind her. The dark-haired girl was almost a dead-ringer for Tara Russell.
Annabel.
She’d heard about the high schooler’s death when she first came to town. A sad story of a young life wasted. The family was convinced of foul play, while some speculated the girl had used drugs before. The police had never been able to prove anything either way.
After a few minutes of sheer panic, Jenny’s survival instincts had kicked in and she’d secured the photo and negative in a safe deposit box at the bank. It had crossed her mind to burn everything and Roy would never know, but something told her she might need it someday.
Today was that day.
She hadn’t looked at the photograph since she’d developed the roll of film and freaked out over the image. It was a feeling she’d never forget; the certainty that if Roy knew she had the photo, if he knew she knew what he’d done, he’d kill her.
With her heart pounding the entire time, she walked inside and talked to the bank manager. Nerves had her thinking everyone was looking at her, especially the blond teller on the far end, but she knew she was being paranoid. Once inside the vault, she quickly opened her box and secured the photo in an envelope, then hurried from the bank to meet Grant back at the coffee shop. Thankfully, the rain still held off.
She was halfway down the block when she heard footsteps behind her. Before she could turn, a hand grabbed her arm and swung her around. Jenny bit back a scream as she came face to face with her ex-husband.
“Hello, honey. Just came from the bank, did you?”
“Let go, Roy.”
“What have you got there?”
She tried to hold onto the envelope when he grabbed for it, but he was too quick. Then, easily overpowering her resistance, he pulled her toward an unfamiliar, black four-door with tinted windows parked along the curb.
“We’re going for a little ride. With all the running around you’ve been doing with Walker, it’s time you learned your place once and for all.”
As he opened the door, she cast a frantic glance around for help.
Where the hell is everyone?
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Shut up and get in,” he growled.
“No!” Her shout was drowned out by another rumble of thunder.
This isn’t happening! Not now!
Grant had given her everything to fight for, and Jenny struggled harder against Roy’s hold. She opened her mouth to scream for help, but he twisted her around and clamped a hand over her face, cutting off her oxygen. Clawing at his hand got her nowhere, he was too strong. He shoved her inside the car and slammed the door as she sucked in a gulp of air.
Her frantic scramble for the handle met with nothing. She stared with dawning horror at the hole where the door handle should’ve been, and thought of the black car instead of his usual blue Charger.
He planned for this.
A lunge for the opposite door was cut short when he opened it and slid into the driver’s seat. She sat frozen in terror as he lifted the flap on the envelope.
This is it.
Roy silently stared at the image. Her only warning was the tightening of his jaw before pain exploded across her cheek from his backhanded swing. She gasped, then cried out as he fisted his hand in her hair and dragged her halfway across the console. Rain began to pelt the windshield and roof of the car. Jenny bit back a sob.
“Shh.”
She swallowed hard, trying to hold back the tears blurring her vision. Roy smiled as he stared into her face. She figured she must be hallucinating, because for one crazy second she saw the man she’d once loved. Smug satisfaction took over his expression as fear trembled through her body.
“Relax, sweetheart.” He shoved her back to her own side and reached back to tuck the picture inside a duffle bag on the rear seat. “Let’s try to enjoy ourselves, alright? It’s been too long since we’ve had an evening together.”
The words could’ve fit for any couple who’d been apart for awhile, but said by him, they turned the blood in her veins to ice. She fought through the panic jolting her mind and forced herself to start thinking rationally. She had to find a way out...
Her phone! If she could dial Grant without Roy seeing—
Oh, shit! She didn’t even have her phone in her purse. After talking to Grant during her lunch break, she’d tossed it in her bag because she’d been a couple minutes late. Damn it!
The sky opened up, the sudden furious onslaught deafening inside the car. Anyone out in the deluge paid no mind to the black, non-descript vehicle as Roy drove past the library, Coffee To Chai For, his father’s car dealership. Jenny’s heart
sank when it became apparent he wasn’t going to make any turns that would take them back in the direction of his house, either. Of course, that’s the first place the police would check once anyone realized she was missing.
As he drove out of town, she suppressed a shiver. The location he would most likely take her was much worse.
The cabin had been abandoned for years. It sat a mile or so back into the woods, a desolate retreat on an estate that’d been boarded up for just as many years. Unfortunately, she was all too familiar with the place, and knew without a doubt no one would ever think to look for her there.
Grant. Oh, God, how she wanted his arms around her right now.
Sure enough, Roy made the final turn, navigated the overgrown lane, and then parked just outside the sagging structure. He pocketed the keys before reaching back to grab his duffle. Instead of coming to open the door on her side, he clamped his fingers around her wrist and dragged her out the driver’s side. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as her hip scraped over the console, her elbow cracked against the steering wheel, and her head thumped against the door before he finally released her to gain her footing.
Rain continued to fall, sluicing off the leaves of the trees to pound the forest floor. Jenny was soaked in seconds. Water dripped from her hair, and her thin shirt plastered to her skin. No other sounds penetrated the wilderness. They were completely alone.
That’s when it dawned on her she was going to have to save herself. The prospect was as fearsome as Roy, and yet once the realization hit home, a thread of strength began to wind through her. He’d always held the power, but today, she was going to take a stand for herself. Grant had showed her she deserved so much more, and she was done being Roy’s victim.
A hard jerk freed her elbow from his grip. When he glared at her, she dared to glare right back. “You don’t scare me anymore.”
“But this does.” He raised his clenched fist and she couldn’t control a flinch. He laughed. “Get the fuck inside.”
She did as he said, picking her way across the rotting porch only because she needed the time to come up with a plan. Roy forced the door open, and then attempted to close it behind them. He cursed the weather when the swollen boards prevented the door from closing completely.
Hold On To Me (Welcome To Redemption) Page 13
