“You’re right. She did say that.”
Julie broke into laughter. It pealed like sleigh bells in the frosty air. He hadn’t heard the sound in a long time. He’d missed it.
They’d grown up together, for God’s sake. It had to be fate that they keep together. How could he convince her?
He shoveled the last patch of snow onto the side of the driveway and surveyed their handiwork with satisfaction. As partners, they’d finished the job in record time. Damn that word. She didn’t want to be his partner any more. That was the whole trouble.
“You’re awfully quiet. What’s the matter?” she said, leaning on her shovel.
Thinking would get him nowhere. “Let’s go inside your house and talk for a few minutes.”
She shot him a quizzical look. “Of course. It’s not like I’d let you go home frozen.”
“That’s not what I meant,” he said, following her in.
* * *
Julie handed Dade a steaming mug of coffee, which he placed down on the kitchen table. He beckoned for her to sit in the chair next to him and turned to her. “There’s no easy way to say this. I’ve acted like a complete jerk. You have every right to your own life. Personally, I’ll hate to see you go, but I won’t give you a hard time anymore.”
In the act of swallowing a sip, Julie almost sputtered the coffee. She stared at him in amazement.
“I don’t blame you for being surprised.”
He’d done such an about face, she must think he’d lost his marbles. Actually, they were all there for the first time in a long while.
Dade reached across to Julie and placed his palm over her hand. It was warm. Her pulse beat fast.
Smiling crookedly, he said, “We go back way too far to let something like this come between us. I’m sorry I shot off my mouth. Friends?”
He felt her fingers tremble. Something inside of him tightened. Neither were the reactions of friends.
“What made you change your mind?”
His thumb encircled her palm. “Suddenly, it all came to me. I’ve spent my whole life chasing money, maybe because I never had much of it when I was a kid. You know how that is. I figured law was the best way to get it. The way you looked up to me and followed my lead was a massive boost to my ego.”
She opened her mouth to protest. He silenced her by placing his index finger over it.
“Hey don’t get mad, Julie. You might have followed, but you did so with a vengeance. You’re damn good. Anyway, when you decided to be yourself and do what you wanted instead, it kind of shook me.”
She nodded. “I can understand. It shocked me, too. We’ve grown up, but in different directions.”
“Yeah, it’s hard to get used to. For a long time I had things going real cozy and just right. I hadn’t a clue it wasn’t the same for you.”
“I was happy for a while, but, like I said, things change. I don’t regret being your partner. I’ll treasure every moment. Neither one of us is right or wrong, just different. That’s okay, you know.”
Sliding his hand onto her shoulder, he looked straight into the dark emerald eyes, dotted with ebony. Jungle drums beat loudly inside him. This was deeper than he’d thought. Partnership was not all that was at stake, but one thing at a time.
“You’re the best partner I could have asked for,” he said. “I’ll never find anyone as great.” He let out a deep breath. “Well, now that that’s off my chest, it’s time to move on.”
“To what, Dade?”
“To something better.” He leaned toward her and moved his hand up to cradle the back of her head.
“And what would that be?”
Her lips quivered. Damn, they looked inviting. Why hadn’t he noticed them before? What kind of man was he?
“Damn it, I can’t take any more of this.” He pushed her chair closer then silently looked across at her. Before she could protest, he dove straight in, kissing her smack on her quivering lips. They were soft and sweet and yielding. He pressed deeper, leaning onto her chair, almost grinding his lips into hers, encircling, nibbling at the edges, pursuing entry.
He expected her to resist. Instead, she surrendered, allowing him to take his fill. He groaned, as he felt the pressure inside of himself build.
She gave back to him, pressing closer, rifling her fingers through his hair. The nerve endings of each tendril flashed into high alert. White hot need speared through and around him.
She turned into the aggressor, smashing, licking, nudging at his lips. Now it was his turn to surrender. As he did so, a thrill of victory shot through him. He had her.
He was lost in the wonder of Julie. With every breath, her special flowery scent filled him. His heart pounded fast, making him lightheaded.
That ragged breathing, was it his or hers? He couldn’t tell. The two mingled as one. He was rock hard and ready to explode. She was ready and willing. It was easy to ignore the lifetime of protective instincts demanding he be careful and treat her with respect.
“I have to catch my breath,” she said breaking free.
His need to touch her was so great he reached to engulf her smaller hands into his larger ones.
“Why the hell did we wait so long,” he asked, looking into her shining eyes.
She blinked, as if coming out of a daze. “I guess it wasn’t the right time.”
“And I thought I was the only one suffering.”
“I thought it was me. That’s why I kept avoiding you.”
“Me, too.”
They burst out laughing, then stopped and stared at each other.
“What are we going to do?” He brushed his hand lightly across her cheek.
She leaned into his hand. “This is all so new. Let’s take it slow.”
What do you mean, slow? He wanted to yell, as disappointment and need welled up. He shouldn’t have to jump through hoops. That was for people who didn’t know each other.
Now was the time for action, the time to rush into the bedroom and prove their love for each other. She should understand that.
A grain of doubt insinuated itself into his mind. Maybe she didn’t really love him. He’d not grovel. Begging was not his strong point. He stood up, turned his face away and stared at the kitchen wall.
“You’re not mad at me, are you? We have to do this right. It means too much.”
Dade sighed. Julie knew him too well. Between the two of them, she’d always been the voice of reason. He’d slow down, travel at her pace, and hope to God she’d come around in time.
To soften her words, she flashed him a sweet smile. In other words, the light was yellow, not red. It would change.
“We’ll make this work. It’ll be worth the wait,” she said, almost as if she were trying to convince herself.
“You’re damn right.”
Her look spoke volumes. Apparently she wasn’t as strong as she pretended to be. If he pressed her, she’d cave in.
“Would you like more,” she asked, rising.
“Much more.”
“Please, don’t make this difficult.” She reached for his coffee mug on the table.
His hand clamped over hers and rested there. A warmth like he’d never known before spread through and around him, starting at his fingertips and spiraling to his manhood. He couldn’t think. He could only want.
He pleaded with his eyes.
Having mercy on him, she whispered, “Don’t go.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
* * *
Julie felt shy, as if she and Dade had just met. She couldn’t move. Her feet were stuck to the tiles, her hand rigid, still holding the mug.
He grabbed the mug and almost flung it onto the table, then reached out and crushed her to his chest. The air swooshed out of her. She could hardly breathe, but that didn’t matter. She felt wonderful resting in the circle of his arms.
This was how she’d dreamt it would be. Next, her shining knight would carry her off into the bedroom and make fantastic love to her.
How could she not have realized who her knight was?
The world turned a pink haze. This was heaven. The church bells rang. And rang and rang. They weren’t church bells.
“Don’t answer. Maybe they’ll go away,” Dade whispered in her ear.
“Your car’s in the driveway. They know we’re here. It might be important. I better go.”
“Damn.” He released her reluctantly.
Outside of his arms, a chill swept through her.
What rotten timing. She stumbled out of the kitchen, onto the slate hallway, and over to the front door. Pushing back her hair, she took a deep breath, then turned the handle.
An elderly lady with red-rimmed eyes stood on the doorstep.
“Sarah, what’s wrong?”
Her neighbor flashed Julie a desperate look. “Have you seen Jimbo? He’s disappeared. I’ve called and called for him.”
“No, I didn’t, but I just got home half an hour ago and we’ve been busy clearing off the snow since then.” A feeling of unease filled her. It wasn’t like Jimbo to abandon his mistress.
With his white ear up and his black ear down, he zealously guarded Sarah’s territory. Jimbo would never think of leaving her yard, except to visit Julie, his only other human friend. Even then, he always rushed back. What could have happened to him?
They had to find the dog. It was already dark. It was cold and it would get colder, possibly zero tonight. He could die from exposure or frostbite. He had to be nearby. He had to be okay.
“We didn’t see Jimbo when we came in, but we’ll be glad to help you look,” Dade said, coming up behind Julie.
He could never turn down a plea for help, no matter how inconvenient. Dade’s compassion was one of the many things she loved about him.
Though Sarah had interrupted a turning point in her life, Julie couldn’t dwell on that now. “I’ve got a flashlight in my car,” Dade volunteered. “I’ll meet you by the door.
“I’ll get mine, too.” She rushed to the pantry and fumbled in the toolbox until she put her hands on it. She flicked its switch and surprisingly enough, the light shone, though she hadn’t changed the batteries in months.
She and Sarah met Dade outside and they silently walked to the next lot.
“My Jimbo’s out there somewhere in the cold,” Sarah said.
“Dade and I will look. You go inside and keep warm,” Julie said.
Dade nodded and turned to the elderly woman. “In what direction was Jimbo headed last?”
“He was barking at something by the maple tree in the back near Julie’s property line.”
She pointed a gnarled finger toward the tree at the extreme end of the lot.
“How long ago was that,” Dade asked.
“It must have been forty minutes or so. As soon as I let him out, my daughter, Caroline, called again from Arizona and insisted I move in with her. Caroline never gives up. I keep telling her I’m not helpless. I can handle my own life, thank you. I’m perfectly capable of getting around and besides, my Jimbo protects me. I thought he’d already let himself back in through the doggie door, but, when I called him, he wasn’t there. Oh, if he’s gone, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
She rubbed her hands back and forth. A tear glistened and streaked down the ridges of her face.
Julie placed her hand over Sarah’s slumped shoulders. “Don’t worry. We’ll find him.”
Sarah flashed a wan smile. “I hated to bother you, but I didn’t know who else to turn to.”
“It’s no bother. That’s what friends are for.”
Admiration vied with pity. Though bespectacled and thin, so bent she often leaned on a walking stick, Sarah carried on uncomplainingly. She’d never ask for anything unless she was in dire need. Sacrificing her pride testified to her love for her pet.
“Dade and I will search by the tree.” Julie said.
As they exited, Julie turned back to see Sarah sitting at the end of the chair, as if ready to bolt out and join them. The lot was snow-packed and dark. Sarah could easily slip and break a bone.
“Sarah, you know how slippery it gets in this weather. Promise you’ll stay here. The search will go much faster that way. We can’t keep on eye on you and look for Jimbo at the same time.”
With a sigh, the woman reluctantly agreed.
It was an awkward trek through the five inch snow banks to the far end of the lot. Almost as if to prove her warning to Sarah, Julie herself stumbled on an icy patch. Dade silently righted her. They trudged on, flashlights gleaming on the white snow.
At this end of the lot, the bushes were overgrown. Snow hung down, turning them into almost solid white curtains, blocking the view of the neighbors’ yards. Though she was next door to her own home, Julie felt disoriented, as if she’d traveled far from civilization.
She couldn’t see Jimbo’s paw prints, but that was not surprising. The snow had probably drifted and covered them.
Something wasn’t right. She fought back an uneasy feeling.
They came to the tree that Sarah had spoken about.
“Shine the flashlight beginning in circles at the base, then try the inside. I’ll do the perimeters,” Dade said.
After four circumferences, Julie’s light dimmed. If only she’d had time to drive out to the hardware store for more batteries.
The light went completely out. She was alone in the dark. The sound of heavy breathing froze her in tracks. Where was Dade?
“Dade, is that you?”
“I’m right here. Don’t move,” he said.
She couldn’t move if she wanted to. The breathing she’d heard had not come from the direction of Dade’s voice. Was there a monster out there, human or otherwise?
She heard a whimper. Her heart stood still.
“Jimbo, honey, where are you,” she asked, taking small steps, waiting and listening again. A second whimper guided her. She followed the sound to its source, about a yard away, under a bush.
She bent down and reached out. Her fingertips touched fur. It felt wet and slimy and had a metallic smell. He must be bleeding. Her stomach turned.
“Jimbo, honey, Julie’s here. Don’t worry, I’ll help you.” She tried to keep her voice steady. Dogs were not easily fooled. They could tell when people were upset.
Dade stepped beside her.
“I’ve found him, but I think he’s hurt,” she said.
Before Julie could warn him, Dade bent down and ran his fingers over the dog’s fur. Jimbo was trained as a guard dog and didn’t take kindly to strangers. Dade could get bit.
Instead of retaliating, the animal only whimpered. He had to be very weak. Julie’s heart went out to him.
“My poor Jimbo. What’s the matter, sweetie,” she asked.
“What the hell,” she heard Dade say.
“What, Dade?”
“Go back, get Sarah and call the vet right away. This poor fellow’s caught in a trap and he’s bleeding. He’s probably lost a lot of blood already. I’ll carry him to the car. Meet me there as soon as you can.”
Julie’s blood froze. Who would do such a thing, and right next to her own house?
She stumbled on clumsy legs through the snow, tripping and righting herself, as she rushed to get to Sarah’s back door. She had to hurry, but dread pulled her back. How could she tell Sarah?
The woman still sat perched at the edge of her chair, an anxious expression on her face. “Did you see him? Is he all right?”
Julie reached over and patted Sarah’s shoulder. “Jimbo’s hurt and bleeding. Some crazy person put an animal trap out there. We have to get him to the vet. I’ll call right now.”
The woman flinched, then straightened. “Let’s go. Time’s awasting,”
Julie helped her up. They hurried into the tiny kitchen. She spied the phone on the wall and rushed to it.
Julie picked up the receiver. “Is the vet’s number handy?”
“I know it by heart, five-five-five, one-two-one, three-three-five-five.”
&nb
sp; Julie’s fingers slipped as she dialed, but she managed to connect. The emergency message played, supplying a different number to call. Precious minutes ticked by.
Finally, she got a human at the emergency animal hospital. She explained the situation and was instructed to bring Jimbo over immediately.
“I’m coming with you,” Sarah said.
“Of course, Jimbo needs you.” Julie held Sarah by the elbow as they made their way through the snow to the car.
Dade was already holding the animal on his lap in the back seat. Julie helped Sarah in beside Dade. The exchange was made, so Jimbo could rest his head on Sarah’s lap. As Julie climbed in on the other side of the animal, she saw a shudder pass through the old woman. Julie swallowed hard, trying not to look at the gruesome metal object clamped to Jimbo’s leg.
“My poor baby,” Sarah said.
The animal let out what sounded like a human sigh.
Sarah continued to comfort Jimbo during the two mile stretch to the hospital. Once there, Dade wrested the dog from the old woman’s lap and quickly carried him in. The vet was waiting. The two men disappeared through a connecting doorway.
“Will I ever see my baby again?” Sarah sobbed, as she stood in the middle of the reception area.
Julie wanted to bawl also. She loved Jimbo, too, though, of course, not as much as Sarah. She had to be strong for her friend’s sake.
That was difficult when a few feet away she spotted a blood red trail leading up to the swinging door where Dade and the dog had passed. She hoped Sarah’s waning eyesight didn’t pick that up.
“Let’s sit on one of the bench seats.” She guided Sarah to a spot nearby.
“If only I’d called Jimbo inside instead of talking so long. He usually comes in when he’s cold so I didn’t pay any attention.”
Julie put her hand over Sarah’s. “Don’t even think this is your fault. Someone with a cold heart and twisted mind did this. You’ve got nothing but love for Jimbo. He loves you, too and he wants to be with you. He’ll make it. You’ll see.”
Killer Career Page 18
