"That's right."
"And you are innocent," Kate said.
"Are you asking me, or telling me?"
"I'm telling you. I always knew you were innocent, Mack."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, maybe not right from the beginning, but close to the beginning."
He couldn't help himself. He gathered Kate up in his arms and hugged her. She lifted her face for a kiss, and without missing a beat, his lips slanted over hers. Kate's fingers twined through his hair, and he was in heaven.
"Mmmm, Mack?"
"Huh?" It was amazing that they could talk with their lips still touching.
"Not here. It's too...public." He felt a gentle push on his chest. "And you're my client."
He moved away from Kate. He should have known better, but he just couldn't help himself. She was right. Until this was over, she was off limits.
#
Back behind the wheel of her Blazer driving to the Rose Lake Sheriff's Department, Kate thought of how things had changed between her and Mack. She couldn't pinpoint when she had crossed the boundary between apathy and the burning urge to help him prove his innocence.
Maybe it had been his house exploding and the fact that she'd felt devastated without him. Maybe it had been how gorgeous he looked in the shower. Maybe it was how he had protected her with his own body when the sniper shots ripped through the cabin.
Actually, it started on the bank of Rose Lake when he found her crying about her father.
Whatever it was, she’d always been attracted to him.
No. She loved him. John Mackowitz: high school athlete, firearms instructor, cop.
John Mackowitz: a man who could take on the worst criminals, but saved cats.
John Mackowitz: who looked great in a red slip, but looked even better without it.
She stole a glance at him. He was drumming his fingers on his thigh, either to some imaginary tune or to his own thoughts. Whatever it was, he seemed calm whereas she was a bundle of nerves.
Clandestine operations were never her thing. Paper work was her thing. Computers were her thing. But being with Mack was exciting, in more ways than one.
I love him. The thought should have thrilled her, but instead it was making her crazy.
Kate gasped as she looked at her rear view mirror. "There's a patrol car following me, Mack."
"Can you shake him?"
"I-I don't think I should. Get down!"
Mack hunkered down on the seat. "He probably has a make on your car. He's probably looking for me, trying to figure out if I'm dead or alive. Must be that Captain Crowley didn’t put out the word yet that I’ve come back as a fisherman."
"I'll let him pass," Kate decided, slowing down.
"Let's see what happens. If he tries to pull you over, just step on the gas."
"I'll do no such thing."
She slowed down, and the officer did pass her, but not before making a point to look over at the front seat of her car. Kate waved and eased up on the gas so he could see no one was sitting beside her. The cop waved back and kept going.
"Okay, he's gone. You can get up now," she said.
"Drive into Danny's Dandy Donuts. Around back is a dumpster. Park behind that. We'll go the rest of the way on foot."
Kate nodded and did as instructed.
"Keep up with me," he ordered, getting out of the car.
"I will."
Mack knew every dumpster, every alley way and every dark nook and cranny of the area. Finally, they arrived at the side door of the Sheriff’s Department, the door that led to the basement.
"I'm going to unlock the door," he said, taking out a pointed metal instrument from his pocket."
"You mean pick the lock, don't you."
He smiled. "Whatever."
In seconds, Mack had the door open and motioned for her to follow. Bending over, he whispered in her ear. "Remember: quick. In and out."
Her heart thumped wildly, and she found herself holding her breath as she descended the stairs.
He waved to her again, and she quickly took a seat behind the computer.
It took forever for the old relic to boot up.
She plugged in a jump drive, one of three that she carried on her keychain. Her fingers flew. She had it! The computer chugged as it backed off the files Mack had wanted.
"Done!" she said, switching the computer off and sliding her keys into her purse. "Let's go."
They got out of the station without a problem, retraced their route back to her car, and drove away.
"Thanks for your help, Kate."
"My pleasure. Now where to?"
"We'll check into a motel, separate rooms of course, and I'll go to the Heliport."
"Nope. We'll go to the Heliport, then we'll check into a motel. One room. I'm not letting you out of my sight, remember?"
The thought of spending a night in a hotel room with Mack made her flush with heat.
"This one's too dangerous, Kate. I'm going alone."
"I can't let you do that."
"Dammit! I have the damn ankle thing on."
"This time, it's not about Your Home Is Your Jail, Mack. It's about me helping you."
"I appreciate it, but–" He swore under his breath. Why did she have to go and say a nice thing like that? "Okay, but you have to do everything I tell you. If you so much as give me a dirty look, you’re out. Got that? The second I feel that you're in danger, I'll give the word and you are to run like hell. Understand me, Kate?"
"Yes." Her knees shook in time to the pounding in her chest.
"Do you really understand me, Kate?" "Yes! Now calm down and don't worry about me. I've been in tight situations before. I was a probation officer, remember?"
He didn't answer, but as they got closer to the Heliport, the sun began to set. Mack directed her to turn left, then right and soon she was driving across what she thought was an overgrown field.
"This is an old runway. We can get closer this way. You'd better put it in four-wheel drive, Kate. Slow down. And cut the lights."
Luckily, there was a full moon which lit their way. She drove in silence until the runway disappeared, and pine trees loomed dark in front of them. She could see the lights of the Heliport through the trees.
"Okay. This is close enough. Cut the engine."
She did as instructed, and he leaned over and put his index finger over her lips. Whispering in her ear, he said, "I'm going to case the place. I'll be right back. Trust me."
It was creepy sitting there in the dark with the crickets and frogs and mosquitoes and heaven knew what else was out there. The minutes dragged by like hours, until Mack appeared out of the dark, scaring her silly.
"There's a meeting that's breaking up. I'll check again in a little while, and see who's left."
"Brief me, Mack. What's your plan?"
"There's a reception area in the front. There will be at least one cop there guarding the place, possibly two. They'll be watching TV or whatever. Off of that, down a hall, is the hangar. There should be a couple of helicopters in the hangar as well as some patrol boats and some other equipment. I'll be headed for the northeast corner of the hangar to be exact. There's a metal door which leads to the storage room where the confiscated drugs are kept until they are destroyed. That's where I'll be. In there."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Your job will be to distract the cops so I can slip in the front door."
"Distract the cops. Check. I can play the stranded motorist looking for directions."
"Brilliant, Kate." He took her hand, and she felt so very close to him at that moment, but scared to death. "Yeah, ask for directions. Just get them away from the door, so I can duck in. The only other way in is through the big electric door of the hangar, and I don't have access to that. Besides it's really noisy."
"Check." Kate nodded. "No noise."
"Remember, get them away from the door when I give you the sign, so I can exit the building."
&nb
sp; "Check," Kate said, breathing heavy, making a mental checklist. "Mack needs to exit the building."
He tucked a strand of hair behind her cheek. "Calm down, will you?" He chuckled. "I'll meet up with you somewhere on the road leading out of here." He snapped his fingers. "I know. There's a stop and shop gas station and convenience on the corner. Out back there's a–"
"A dumpster, of course. You know every dumpster in town.”
The amusement disappeared from his eyes and he looked at her intently. "So tell me more about the house you want to buy on Rose Lake."
"Now?" Kate gasped. "While we're on a stakeout?"
"What do you think cops do on stakeouts? We wait and we talk. So let's talk, so I don't end up making out with you." He grinned. "Do they still call it making out? I think we called it that in high school."
"And who did you make out with in high school, Mack?"
"A gentleman never tells."
He traced her jaw with his finger and she felt all warm and tingly where he touched.
"How about you?"
"A lady never tells," Kate said. Actually, she never made out with anyone. No one ever asked her out in high school.
"Then tell me about the house you want," Mack said.
"I’ve always wanted this big old Victorian with a wraparound porch and a patio that overlooks the lake. It's creamy yellow with white shutters. And I’ve biked by it a million times in high school or drove by it a million times. I wanted to buy it, but it’s never come up for sale. Now it’s a moot point. I sunk all my savings into Your Home is Your Jail.”
Kate sighed. Her house seemed like such a unreachable dream now. "It needs a new coat of paint, but it's grand and has these turrets, which are probably rooms. I'd hang lots of pink geraniums from the porch. I'd have a garden with flowers all around it–perennials. The lawn goes right down to the lake. It sits up high on a bluff and–"
"What's it like inside?"
"I don't know."
"Then how do you know you want it?"
"I just know, Mack. I know it in my gut."
He laughed. "But you said it's not for sale."
"I know, but maybe someday it will be. Maybe then I'll have the money again and I'll buy it."
He leaned back against the headrest. "Tell me more."
"You're laughing at me."
"Not at all." He looked over at her, intent on her answers. "Are you alone in this house? Any man in your life? Any children?"
Her heart fluttered. “That’s the part of my life that’s unfinished.”
“So the best part is yet to come, huh?”
Kate smiled. “I hope so. If I’m meant to be alone or have a family, remains to be seen. All I know is that I’d never leave that yellow Victorian with the white shutters.”
Kate sighed. Mack could care less about permanence, about settling in. His house on Pine Street surely reflected that. Actually, it reflected nothing, and now it was gone.
"So that’s your dream house, huh? I think I know exactly the one you’re talking about," Mack said. “The one where the driveway curves to a brick gatehouse? It has a basketball hoop on it?”
“Yes. That’s it.” She nodded. "I've checked with the town clerk to see who owned the place and it belongs to a company, the JFM Rooster Company. I was going to write the owner a letter to see if they'd like to sell it, but there's no sense now."
“Because you bought computer equipment for your program instead?"
"Correct."
"And that's why this program is so important to you?"
"It’s not the only reason. It’ll help the poor get out of jail. It’ll save the taxpayers money in incarceration costs. All of that. But I hope to make a living out of it, too. And buy my house someday."
"And I've made it really difficult for you." He rubbed his forehead. "And I am the test case that's supposed to–"
"Prove that it’s a good program.”
It'll happen, Kate–maybe not with me–but you’ll make it happen. Maybe the JFM Rooster Company will sell some day."
He grinned. He was grinning a lot lately, and Kate was glad for that. It erased the fatigue from his face, the worry from his brow.
Still holding her hand, he leaned against the head rest and looked relaxed. He glanced her way from time-to-time, as they continued to make small talk. It felt so peaceful being with him, so natural.
As much as she enjoyed bantering with him, she felt very content just enjoying his company. And it looked like he was feeling the same.
"So, what's your dream, Mack?" Kate asked.
"My dream is what everyone else's dream is: to be happy."
"Are you happy now?"
"At this instant I am. Hanging around the Heliport with a pretty partner is a treat for me."
"How about before this?"
"Before my house blew up? Before I was arrested? Before my partner was shot? Before I almost got you killed at the cabin?" He paused, thinking. "Yeah, I guess I was happy enough.”
"Good for you. Although I think it's a scary profession."
He shrugged. "So's being a probation officer."
"And what about your house blowing up? I keep wondering why that didn't seem to bother you all that much."
"You remember that house, Kate. It wasn't exactly great, and I wasn't attached to it."
"But it was all you had!"
Before he replied, the last car drove out of the parking lot of the Heliport.
Kate could see Mack shift from being relaxed one second and then alert and ready for action the next.
"According to my calculations, that should be the last car. It’s show time. I'll cut through here. You back out and drive in from the main road." He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "Good luck. And remember, if things go bad, you just get the hell away. I can take care of myself. Promise?"
Kate nodded. "Check. Get the hell away. Ten-four."
"I love it when you talk cop-talk. But promise me, Kate" he said. "If things get ugly, you will get out."
"I promise. Now go. And quit worrying."
He swore again, and then pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She moaned as his tongue found hers. Abruptly, he let her go. Studying her face, he winked.
"You're the prettiest partner I ever had, not to mention the first one I’ve ever kissed," he said, and then he was gone.
She tasted him on her lips and felt like she never knew what it meant to be really kissed until Mack.
And he called her his partner? Who was he kidding? Kate was surprised that he'd even let her come along with him.
This was an important part of his investigation, and as far as she could tell, she was the key player. If she wasn't successful in convincing the cops that she was lost and looking for directions, Mack would never be able to get in.
But then again, Mack should be under house arrest and she shouldn't be chauffeuring him all over the state.
But he didn't have a house, and her apartment wouldn't do. And now her father's cabin was out.
A hotel room. They'd have to share a hotel room.
Kate couldn't think of another place that she'd rather be than in a hotel room with John Mackowitz.
She pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind and took a deep breath. As Mack said, it was show time, and she wasn't going to let him down.
CHAPTER 9
Kate knocked on the brown metal door and mentally rehearsed what she was going to say.
The door squeaked open. "Yeah?" said a uniformed cop.
"Officer, can I bother you for directions? I'm lost."
"What are you tryin' to find, ma'am?"
"Um...uh...the Helicopter Restaurant. I'm supposed to attend a bridal shower there."
"This here's the Heliport, but I never heard of a Helicopter Restaurant. What’s it near?"
She saw Mack out of the corner of her eye. He was behind a bush at the end of the metal building, motioning for her to get the cop away from the door.
"I'm pretty sure i
t's near here." She took his arm. "Would you mind coming over to my car? I have a map. Maybe you can make some sense out of it."
She smiled at him. Actually, it was more of a nervous twitch. Then she prayed that she had a map in her car.
Taking her time in looking for a map, she made small talk with the officer.
"Here it is!" She spread the map out on the hood of her car, and looked at it under the pole light that was illuminating the parking lot.
"I think it's on Stone Creek Lane, or something like that. They said I couldn't miss it."
"I've never heard of it, ma'am. If you'd like, you could use the phone inside," he turned and began walking away.
"Officer Tompkins, wait!"
He raised an eyebrow. This won't do. She was blowing it and he was getting suspicious.
"I'm sorry, but I thought I saw an animal or something."
He looked around. "I don't see anything."
"Oh, sorry. It must be my imagination. But will you wait for me just in case?"
He waited patiently as she fussed over folding up the map, shutting her car door and locking it. Then she checked the lock again.
They walked toward the entrance of the Heliport, the crunching of the stones under their feet competing with the trill of the crickets. Luckily, the noise blanketed the pounding of her heart and the rattling of her knees.
Opening the squeaky door, the officer pointed to a dark corner. "The phone's over there on the desk," he said. "Go ahead."
"Thanks so much. I really appreciate this."
Kate stalled by looking through her purse. "I know I have the number somewhere." She didn't see another cop. "Are you all alone here in this creepy building?" she asked.
Looking at her suspiciously, he didn't answer.
"I just thought they'd give you some company. Someone you could talk to."
"Freeman called in sick, but Killer keeps me company."
It was then that Kate noticed a mass of fur in the corner. It stuck its head up when it heard its name. It was a dog. A ferocious, highly-trained, K-9 dog.
She was going to die.
But why didn't it react to Mack?
"Um...uh...Does the dog live up to its name?"
Stuck On You Page 12
