by L. J. Taylor
Chapter XV
Ivy sat with her attorney watching the DVD. His brow lifted as he watched Zeke reach out and heard her gasping for breath. When the video ended, he turned to her. “Well, that certainly explains the marks I noticed on your neck when you walked in. That was a very dangerous thing you did, young lady.”
Ivy swallowed. “Seeing it again brings back some bad memories. So, did I get enough material to back up my testimony regarding the burglary?”
Her attorney nodded. “You certainly did. When you combine what he said on the DVD with the fact that he saw fit to threaten your life, I’d say you have more than enough for a jury to convict him for the burglary. Even if the video itself is inadmissible, you certainly have enough for a search warrant. Plus, you have enough to bring him up on charges of assault and battery against you, and to get a restraining order.”
He checked his computer contacts. “There’s a doctor in this building that I use to document domestic violence cases. I’m going to give them a call and send you down there so they can check you out, make sure you’re okay, and document the bruising around your neck. While you’re being examined, I’m going to put a call in to the U.S. Attorney’s office and see if they’d be interested in this matter. If we get them involved, we may be able to arrange for the U.S. Marshals to put you into the witness protection program. If not, then we’ll do the next best thing and call the state attorney’s office. We know they’ve been investigating Mr. Brown for several years and would be delighted to put him away.”
“I’ve thought about it and I don’t want to go into the witness protection program,” Ivy said. “That bastard has already taken so much of my life from me. I won’t let him scare me into leaving my friends and family behind forever. That’s not how I want to live my life.”
“You do realize that he may get out on bail pending his trial and that he could very well come after you?”
Ivy nodded. “Yes, I do. I also understand that, even if he gets convicted, he’ll get out of jail someday and he has a crew who might come after me even while he’s in jail. I’m not a complete idiot. I’m not turning down witness protection pending the trial. And after the trial, I’ll take some precautions, but I’m not going into the federal witness protection program. It’s not like Zeke and his crew are the mob or some international spy ring. If I change my name and move out of town that should be enough.”
Her attorney sighed. “You’re such a stubborn young woman. We’ll talk more about this after we see what we’re able to negotiate with the government.” The intercom buzzed. He hit a button. “Yes Sara?”
“I have a call for Ms. Brooks. It’s her friend Karen. She says it’s important,” the receptionist said.
Ivy stood up, clutching her bag nervously. She looked at her attorney in consternation. “She said it was important? How did she get this number? I hope she’s all right.”
“If she’s calling you, she must be okay.” Mr. Tate turned toward the speakerphone. “Ms. Brooks will take the call on the guest telephone in the reception area.”
“Very well,” said the receptionist.
Mr. Tate disengaged the intercom and looked up at Ivy. “While you’re doing that, I’ll make arrangements for you to see the doctor.”
“Okay.” Ivy rushed out to the reception area.
The receptionist pointed her to a telephone on a table next to the couch. “Line one,” she said.
Ivy rushed over to the telephone, snatched up the receiver, and hit the button for line one. “Karen?”
“Ivy. I’m so glad you made it there okay. Listen, you’re going to kill me, but I don’t care. I was scared – for you and me – so I called Luke. He’s on his way over there in a cab to pick you up and escort you back home. And I have to warn you that he’s really pissed at both of us for doing what we did today.”
Aw, hell. Ivy pinched the bridge of her nose. “Oh great. I don’t already have enough people pissed at me today. Karen, didn’t we agree not to tell him? We knew he’d be pissed if he found out.”
“Are you mad at me for telling him?” Karen asked.
Ivy sighed. “No. The more I watch that DVD the more I realize what a huge risk I asked you to take. I had no business allowing you to put yourself in danger like that. We didn’t figure he’d know who you were and that you were my friend. We miscalculated. I don’t blame you for being scared. I’m terrified myself. If I had a big brother to run to right now, I probably would,” she said.
“You have a big sister,” Karen said.
“Yeah, but she’s eight months pregnant and it’s not the same thing,” Ivy said. “Of course, I do have a brother-in-law now too. I’m going to need them both to protect Omari. You just gave me a good idea.”
“What?”
“I’m going to let Kathy and Charles keep Omari and take him out of town until this is over.”
“That’s a great idea,” Karen said. “That way, Omari will be out of danger and Zeke won’t know where to find him. We’ve just got to make sure Kathy and Charles aren’t followed or traced.”
“Charles has a private jet and a very loyal staff,” Ivy said. “There should be no leaks on his end. Of course, Zeke knows I have family in New York, so his people might try to look there.”
“Maybe Kathy and Charles can take him somewhere else for a while just to throw Zeke’s people off the trail,” Karen said.
“Maybe.” Her attorney came out of his office and stepped into the reception area. “I have to go now. Stay in and be safe.”
“You too,” Karen said. “Don’t leave there without Luke.”
“I won’t.” Ivy hung up.
“I’ve made arrangements for you to see the doctor. He’s available now.” Mr. Tate handed her a post-it note with the doctor’s name and suite number.
“Thank you,” Ivy said. “I’ll come back up when I’m done. Luke is going to meet me here to escort me back home.”
Mr. Tate nodded in approval. “Good. Luke is a very capable fellow. He’ll provide some protection for you until we can work something out with the authorities.”
Ivy grimaced. “If he doesn’t kill me first.”
Her attorney smiled. “I imagine that he’s not too pleased with your and his sister’s antics today.”
“According to his sister, that would be the understatement of the century.” She smiled ruefully. “I’ll see you later.” She headed out of the law office to the elevator.
***
Luke arrived at the law office while Ivy was getting checked out at the doctor’s office. He walked up to the receptionist.
“Hi, Sara. How are you?”
“Hi, Luke,” she said. “We’ve been expecting you. Your friend Ivy and your sister seem to have had quite a day.”
“Yes, they have. Is Mr. Tate in?”
“Yes. I’ll let him know you’re here.” She buzzed Mr. Tate on the intercom. “Luke is here to see you.”
“Thank you, Sara. Show him in,” the attorney said.
As Luke was escorted into Mr. Tate’s office, he overheard part of the conversation he held over the speakerphone.
“Do we have a deal?” the attorney asked.
“Yes, Mr. Tate, we have a deal,” the voice on the other end said. “We’ve waited a long time to get this guy. She could have gotten a deal a long time ago if she had only given him up. Why didn’t she?”
“She probably didn’t want to go through the hell she’s going through now. She put herself in a great deal of danger to get the evidence she’s bringing to you,” Mr. Tate said.
“I’ll be over in about an hour to see that evidence,” the assistant state attorney said.
“Just make sure you also bring over our agreement in writing and signed by the State Attorney himself,” Mr. Tate said.
“Understood.”
Mr. Tate disengaged the call and stood to greet him. “Luke.” He came around the desk to shake his hand. He gestured toward a seat in front of his desk and returned to his own. “Ho
w are you, old friend?”
“I’ve had better days,” Luke said.
“So I understand.”
“Where’s Ivy?”
“I sent her to a doctor on the third floor to get checked out and to have pictures taken,” the attorney said.
Luke surged forward in his seat and gripped the arms of his chair. “You sent her to a doctor? Is she all right? Is she hurt?” He stood up and took a few steps toward the door. “Karen didn’t say anything about her needing a doctor.”
Mr. Tate stood up and walked over to him. “No, she didn’t appear to need medical attention. In fact, she seemed fine. I just sent her downstairs to document the bruising on her neck and to make sure she’s okay. Please sit down.” He led Luke back to his chair. Once Luke was seated, he leaned back against the desk facing him and crossed his arms.
“I assume you’ve seen a copy of the recording.”
Luke nodded. “I probably aged five years after watching that. I could kill that bastard for putting his hands on her.”
“I didn’t hear that.” Mr. Tate covered his ears, stood up and headed back to his seat.
“Ed, I know you can’t share privileged information with me without Ivy’s permission. But tell me one thing: was it your idea to send her in to get evidence against Zeke Brown?”
“No. I had no idea she was going to do that. Had I known, I would have counseled her against it; however, if it’s any consolation, having that evidence will prove invaluable in getting Mr. Brown off the streets. I wouldn’t be too hard on her if I were you. She obviously did what she thought she had to do to keep her son. She’s been through quite a bit today.”
“I know,” Luke said. “I wish I could have protected her from all of it.”
“You must care about her very much.”
“I do,” Luke said. “She’s a friend.”
Mr. Tate’s lips twitched. He cleared his throat. “An assistant state attorney is on his way here to review the recording. I was able to negotiate a deal with them in exchange for her testimony. I’m not at liberty to disclose the terms of the deal to you without Ivy’s permission, but I can tell you that the deal is a good one.”
Luke nodded. “I’ve arranged protection for Ivy and my sister through an old friend of mine on the police force. Hopefully, we can make that official as part of Ivy’s deal.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Mr. Tate said.
The intercom buzzer on the attorney’s desk sounded off. He pressed the intercom button. “Yes Sara?”
“Ms. Brooks has returned from the doctor’s office,” she said.
“Please send her in.”
The receptionist brought Ivy to the door. Luke looked up. She looked at him for a moment then she rushed into the room and headed straight into his arms.
“Luke.” She burrowed her head into his chest and held on.
Luke held her close, relief flooding through him. She was safe, in his arms, where she belonged. After a moment, he lifted his head to find Mr. Tate and his assistant standing there, smiling. “Ed, is there somewhere Ivy and I can talk privately for a moment?”
“You can use my office. I’ll go get myself a cup of coffee,” Mr. Tate said. He exited the office taking Sara with him and closed the door.
***
Luke held Ivy for a moment more, then he took her by the shoulders and pushed her back a little. “Are you crazy? What were you thinking pulling a stunt like that and recruiting my sister to go with you? He could have killed you both and then what? Omari would have lost his mother and I would have lost both you and Karen. Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that again. Do you hear me?”
Ivy nodded. “Oh Luke, I was so scared, but I had to do it. I had to get proof that he was involved in the burglary or they would never cut me a deal. I’m sorry that I involved Karen but I needed help and she insisted.”
“Why didn’t you come to me?”
“I knew you would try to stop me. Plus, you and Zeke already had words at the fair and I didn’t want him focusing in on you. I didn’t want to put you in danger over something that was my fault. I didn’t know that Zeke knew Karen was my friend. I thought she’d be safe. She was only there to call for help if I needed it. I made her promise she wouldn’t jump in or try to help. Zeke and his people must have been watching me,” she said.
“I’m sure they were. I’d be watching you too if I thought you had the goods on me,” he said. “Alright, the most important thing now is for you to lock in a good deal with the government and to make sure that police protection is part of that deal. Ed wouldn’t tell me the details without your permission, but he did tell me he negotiated a good deal for you. If you let me, I’ll be right here by your side through all of this. Okay?” He took her hand.
She took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay.”
***
True to his word, Luke remained at her side. With his and Mr. Tate’s assistance, she was able to negotiate a deal that included police protection and the release of her probation and restitution obligations in exchange for her testimony against Zeke and the recording.
“With this recording and your statement, we should have a warrant executed for Mr. Brown’s arrest in no time, Ms. Brooks. He should be in our custody in a few hours,” said the assistant state attorney. “In the meantime, I’ll arrange for an unmarked unit to follow you back to your home and provide police protection until this is over. You’re doing the right thing, Ms. Brooks.”
“Thank you,” Ivy said. “I hope so.”
She and Luke left the law office in her car. As she drove, Luke kept a careful eye out for Zeke and his crew. He noted the unmarked police car that followed them as they drove out of the parking garage. “That’s our protection unit in that brown sedan two cars back.”
Ivy looked into the rearview mirror and spotted them. “I see. Listen Luke, I heard Mr. Tate mention that you had already lined up police protection through a friend of yours. I want to thank you for everything you’re doing for me and Omari. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem,” he said. He placed his hand over her right hand and squeezed it lightly. “If you don’t know by now that I care about you and little man, then you should.”
Ivy felt a warm tug on her heart. She glanced over at him and smiled. “The feeling is mutual.”
He returned her smile. “That’s good to know.”
“Speaking of Omari,” she said, “I need to make sure he’s safe. I know that Zeke and his crew are watching me. He knows that I have family here and in New York, but I was hoping my sister Kathy and her husband could take him away somewhere for the next month where Zeke and his crew won’t be able to find him. I think my brother-in-law Charles has a place in the islands somewhere.”
“That’s a very good idea,” he said. “Where is Omari now?”
“He’s with them. I dropped him off earlier. He’s supposed to spend the night over there.”
“Why don’t you pull over so we could switch places? Then you could call your sister and make the arrangements.”
Her throat constricted and she knew she was close to tears. “But Omari doesn’t have his stuff. And if they take him away now, I won’t have a chance to explain it to him and kiss him goodbye.”
“I’m sure your sister and her husband can afford to buy him new stuff. Besides, what’s more important – keeping him safe or kissing him goodbye?”
She was silent for a moment. “You’re right, but it’s so hard when I think I might not live through this and I can’t hold him one last time.”
“I know it’s hard,” he said. “I’ll miss the little guy too. I can’t imagine what you feel, but this is the safest way for him. They’re most likely watching you and not him right now. That makes this a prime opportunity for your sister and brother-in-law to take him out of the danger zone.”
Ivy nodded. “Okay, I’ll do it.” She pulled the car over and they switched places. She then dialed her sister’s number. She told Kathy everything th
at happened that day. After she and Charles finished telling her off and making her promise not to do anything that stupid or dangerous ever again, they agreed to keep Omari.
“Of course, we’ll keep him safe, Sis. We’ll take him to Charles’ summer house. He’ll love going fishing and boating with us. But what about you? Who’s going to keep you safe? Why don’t you come with us until it’s time for you to testify?” Kathy asked.
“I can’t. They’re watching me. If I come with you, it will only put you and Omari in danger. Don’t worry about me. I have police protection and Luke here to watch over me.”
“Luke, huh? Well, at least we know he knows how to fight and use a weapon,” Kathy said.
“Don’t start.” Ivy glanced over at Luke. “He arranged for me to have police protection, through a friend of his on the police force, even before I cut a deal. He also picked me up from my attorney’s office so that he could escort me home safely. He even stood by my side during my negotiations with the government and made sure I got the best possible deal.”
“Okay,” Kathy said. “I’m glad there’s someone there looking out for you. Be careful, little sis. I love you.”
“I will. I love you too. Now, let me speak to Omari.”
By the time she finished talking to her son, she was in tears. She completely broke down. Luke helped her upstairs, sat with her on the couch, and held her while she cried it out. Afterward, she lay there quietly, her head against his chest.
Luke stroked her hair with his hands. She turned her wet face up to his and he kissed her tears away. He trailed kisses down her cheek to her lips. She sighed and kissed him back. The kiss deepened until the two of them were practically devouring each other.
He trailed kisses down her neck to the top button of her shirt. He undid the buttons and pushed her shirt over her shoulders. He reached behind her with one hand and undid her bra. He pulled it off and then, taking a breast in each hand, he rolled his tongue around the sensitive tips of her nipples. She gasped and arched her back. He nipped and teased until she was almost mad.
He reached for her belt buckle and undid it. Next, he undid her pants and pulled them down her legs and off. He kissed her bellybutton and then headed lower until he reached the edge of her bikini underwear. He slid them down her legs and tossed them. Then he spread her open and feasted.
