A Soldier's Return

by Judy Christenberry

  When he held out his arms, however, she hesitated before she moved close to him. Close for her, anyway. Not close enough, for him.

  After several moments he eased her slightly closer. A moment later she put more distance between them.

  “Are we supposed to dance this far apart?” he asked.

  “It’s a good idea until you get to know your partner well.”

  “Don’t we know each other well?”

  She lowered her eyes. “Not really. And besides, you’re practicing for Vanessa’s party, not for dancing with me.”

  “Oh. So any of the women I dance with won’t be surprised if I dance this far apart?” he persisted.

  She glared at him now, a fire in her eyes he hadn’t seen most of the evening. “I’m sure they’ll let you know if they are.”

  “What will they do?”

  She dropped her arms from him and stepped back. “You’re being difficult, Jim. I’m sure you’ve been around women who wanted to let you know that they were attracted to you. You’re not a child!”

  “No, I’m not. Have you ever let a man know you wanted him?”

  “That’s none of your business! I think it’s time I go home now. I have some things to do before I go to bed. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

  She rushed past him, but he caught her by the arm.

  “I didn’t mean to upset you, Carrie.”

  “Of course not. You couldn’t upset me if you tried!” She raised her chin up, as if to punctuate her remark.

  “Right.”

  She pulled away and again reached for the door.

  “Don’t forget your CDs,” he called.

  “Bring them with you to the office tomorrow!” And then she slammed his door behind her.

  Chapter Ten

  For the first time since she started working for Will, Carrie dreaded going to work the next morning. She was deliberately late, not wanting to run into Jim in the hallway or the parking lot. But at nine o’clock, she could delay no longer.

  She opened the door to her apartment and peeked out. The way looked clear, so she stepped quietly into the hallway and locked her apartment door. Just as she started down the stairs, she heard a door open behind her.

  Whirling around, she discovered Jim locking his door.

  “Looks like we’re both late this morning,” he said without expression.

  “Yes,” she agreed, and turned and ran down the stairs.

  “Hey, wait up.” He hurried after her. “You want to share a ride this morning?”

  She didn’t look around. “No!”

  He watched as she got in her car and drove away.

  Jim stood there, staring after her. He’d waited until he heard her on the stairs before he’d come out, hoping a casual meeting would ease things at the office. Obviously he’d failed. He’d upset her last night.

  “Damn,” he said with a sigh. He’d really hoped they could become friends, share their problems, work as a team. Wasn’t that what he’d been doing?

  He thought back to his behavior last night. He’d pushed her because she was behaving like a nineteenth-century heroine. He’d been wrong to do that.

  Getting in his new SUV, Jim had intended to follow Carrie to the office but she was already gone. When he got there, he noticed her car wasn’t in the parking lot. He raced up the stairs to see if Will knew what was going on. That’s when he found Vanessa seated at Carrie’s desk.

  “Good morning, Jim,” she greeted him.

  He gave her a hug before he asked, “Where’s Carrie?”

  “She called me early this morning to say she needed to be out of the office today to do some work and wanted me to hold down the fort.”

  “What about your classes?”

  “Mostly I’m on independent studies. I can make my own schedule except for a couple of classes, so I fill in when Carrie needs a break,” Vanessa assured him with a smile.

  “Did she say what she’d be working on today?”

  “No, she never tells me what she’s working on.”

  “Look in that stack of files and see if you find one marked Riley,” he suggested as he put his briefcase down on his desk.

  Vanessa looked dubious about intruding into Carrie’s files, but it was Jim asking.

  Vanessa searched the cabinet. “I don’t see a file marked Riley. Is that good?”

  Jim frowned. “Not exactly.”

  “You mean Carrie is chasing after Riley today?” Will asked, coming out of his office.

  “It’s possible. His file is missing.” Jim scanned Carrie’s desk, looking for other files she might have kept separated, but he didn’t see anything.

  “I don’t think Carrie would do that without checking with me first,” Will said. “We usually discuss any new approach.”

  Jim didn’t say anything, but he had his doubts about Carrie following that procedure today.

  “By the way, did you make an appointment to see Michaels?” Will asked.

  “Yeah, I’m having lunch with him today.” Jim wasn’t sure how good it was since he was sure he wouldn’t be able to keep his mind on business with Carrie missing.

  All morning at his desk, he worked on his new computer, updating files. Every time the door opened, which wasn’t that often, he looked up, hoping to see Carrie stroll in.

  No such luck.

  A little before twelve, he gathered the files Michaels would be interested in and headed to the restaurant where they’d agreed to meet.

  Much to his surprise, he found Carrie there. Before he could approach her to speak to her, she spotted him and gave a slight shake of her head that warned him to keep away. Could she be working a case?

  He found Michaels and introduced himself, but his attention was divided between his conversation and Carrie and the group of women with whom she was eating.

  When the women paid their bills and got up to leave, he saw Carrie go into the ladies’ room while the rest of them left. Fortunately, Michaels had to get back to the office. After shaking the man’s hand, Jim went back in the restaurant and waited outside the restroom.

  When Carrie opened the door to come out, he noticed her hair for the first time. It was done differently from the simple style she wore, more elaborate and stiff with spray. Carrie’s hair was always soft, bouncy, inviting a man to run his hands through it….

  Stop that! he told himself. He had no business thinking about Carrie in that way.

  “Are you all right?” he asked her as she emerged from the ladies’ room.

  She jumped as if he’d shot her.

  Drawing a deep breath, she said, “Yes, I am. Did the women all leave?”

  “Yes, who were they?”

  “Some beauticians and their customers. It was an impromptu gathering.”

  “I see you got your hair done. Will doesn’t mind if you take off for personal things like that?”

  Carrie stiffened. “Why don’t you ask him?”

  “I’m not the enemy, Carrie. I was just curious.” Jim waited, hoping she would tell him what she was doing. Instead, she headed for the door to the parking lot.

  He followed her, still hoping to make amends for whatever he’d done, whether it was last night or this morning. “Are you going back to the office now?”

  “No, I’m going shopping.” She got in her car and drove out of the parking lot.

  When Jim got back to the office, he reported to Will, on his lunch with Michaels, and about seeing Carrie. “I’m not trying to get her in trouble, Will, but it seems like she’s behaving very strangely.”

  “You can’t get her in trouble, Jim. She’s a partner, remember? I’m sure she has a good reason for what she’s doing.”

  “Yeah, but why is she so secretive about it?”

  “I don’t know.” Will shook his head, then called, “Vanessa?” When she appeared at the door, he asked, “Where does Carrie usually go to get her hair done?”

  Vanessa stared at Will. “You mean a beauty shop?”

 
He nodded.

  “There’s one on Park where she goes to get it cut, but that’s only once every other month. Why?”

  “Nothing, honey. Thanks.”

  Jim finally understood. “So she was undercover for some reason. I think it must be connected to the Riley case. But his wife doesn’t work, does she?”

  “I don’t think so. Carrie has worked on that case mostly by herself.”

  “Okay. I’ll try not to ask too many questions.”

  “Jim, in the years Carrie has been with me, I’ve never been cheated on her efforts, and I’ve come to trust her judgment. The only time I step in is when I think she’s going to get in trouble.”

  Jim sighed. “I know. I just can’t help worrying about her.”

  “She’s taken self-defense courses, and she has a gun.”

  “Sometimes things happen so fast a gun can’t help.” He knew that all too well.

  “Trust her, Jim. It’s the only thing you can do. She won’t let me or you or anyone else take care of her.” Will smiled at Jim, recognizing his frustration.

  “Right.”

  Jim returned to his desk, checked a few things on his computer, then stood. “I’m going out for a little while, Vanessa. I have my cell phone with me if anything comes up.”

  Vanessa was reading a school text and looked up to smile and nod before returning to her studies.

  He missed Carrie. She didn’t always smile at him, but she always intrigued him. Then he reminded himself he had enough mysteries to solve in his files. He should concentrate on them instead of a certain blonde.

  WHEN CARRIE GOT to her complex that evening, later than she’d expected, she was exhausted. Undercover work was often necessary, seldom fun and always tiring. She didn’t like lying to people.

  She slowly climbed the stairs to her apartment, thinking only of changing clothes and eating the pizza she’d ordered for delivery. She was even too tired to pick it up on the way home.

  As she was unlocking her door, Jim’s door opened behind her and he asked, “Carrie, are you all right?”

  She didn’t turn around. “Of course I am. I’m a little tired, that’s all.”

  “A long day at the office?” he taunted.

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, it was.” She opened the door but before she could close it, Jim followed her in. “Go away!”

  “I just wanted to return your CDs and make sure you’re okay.” He put them on the table. “Do you have food here for dinner?” He opened her refrigerator and then her pantry. “Don’t you shop?”

  He’d pushed her to the limit. “Get out of my apartment! I can take care of myself!”

  In a soothing voice that agitated her even more, he said, “I’m sure you can. How about something—Chinese, a pi—”

  “I already ordered a pizza. Are you satisfied?” she said sarcastically as she flung herself down on the sofa. At least she’d get rid of him, now that he knew her nutritional needs were being met.

  It didn’t. Instead, he joined her on the couch.

  “I’ve been pacing the floor worrying about you,” he said.

  “Worrying about me? Afraid I’m not giving my all to the partnership?” she asked bitterly.

  “No, because I figured out that you were out on the Riley case.” Before she could protest, he continued, “I’m hoping when you explain it, I’ll learn more about the work I’ll be doing one day.”

  So he trusted her? That was a pleasing thought, one that loosened her tongue. “I found out Riley’s brother, Charles, is married to a beautician. So I made an appointment to get my hair done. I chatted with Susie, we hit it off, and a bunch of us went to lunch.”

  “What did you learn?”

  “Not a lot. Except she doesn’t like her husband to hang out with his brother, because she considers him to be a liar and a cheat. But Charles has always looked up to his big brother.”

  “Interesting.”

  “Susie keeps him on a short leash. She said she learned early in their marriage not to let him carry the checkbook because he’d give his brother whatever he asked for.”

  “So that’s why your hair is like that,” he blurted, as if he’d finally realized why. “I don’t think it’s an improvement.”

  “Susie said it was a vast improvement over my old style,” she assured him with a grin. “It’s been driving me crazy ever since. I want to stick my head under a sink and wash all that hairspray out.”

  Jim reached up and touched it. “It’s like a piece of cardboard.”

  “I know,” Carrie agreed, trying to run her fingers through it, but finding it impossible to do. With a sigh, she said, “After that, I went shopping where Riley’s sister works. Susie told me to go, so I introduced myself as a client of hers. I finally bought something to wear to Vanessa’s party because I had to buy something after spending three hours there trying on clothes.”

  “Can’t you charge it to the firm?” Jim asked.

  “No. It’s bad enough that I was shopping. I don’t think I can ask Will—or you—to pay for it.”

  “Did you find out anything?”

  “Yes. Riley and his wife are going to Vegas, right after they get the settlement check. His wife had come shopping there to buy a wardrobe for the trip.”

  Jim sat up straight. “That’s big, Carrie. Did you find out when they’re going or where they’ll be staying?”

  “Of course,” she said smugly before bursting out laughing at Jim’s expression.

  “I think that’s where you have it over me and Will. I can’t see men shopping and getting that kind of information!”

  “Men gossip as much as women do,” she told him, raising one eyebrow as if daring him to disagree.

  “Yeah, but it’s usually about a football team or some other sports-related topic.”

  A knock on the door interrupted their conversation and Jim stood and took out his billfold.

  “I have the money for the pizza,” Carrie said, reaching for her purse.

  “Nope. This one’s on me.” He paid for the pizza and took it from the teenager standing at the door, giving him a good tip.

  “Isn’t Carrie here?” the boy asked, trying to look over Jim’s shoulders.

  “I’m here, Max. Thanks,” Carrie said, moving to the door.

  “Sure thing, Carrie. Enjoy.” Then he backed away from the door before turning and running down the stairs.

  “I didn’t know you ordered from the pizza place all the time,” Jim said, raising an eyebrow.

  “Not that often, but Max always delivers for me.”

  “Yeah, I got that. He seemed more interested in you than the tip.”

  “That’s not true. Do you want Diet Coke, milk or water with your pizza? I’m afraid that’s all the choices I have tonight.”

  “I’ll take Diet Coke,” he said, moving to the coffee table with the pizza box.

  She brought him his drink as well as her own and they settled down for their impromptu dinner.

  “Will’s going to be really impressed with your news, Carrie,” Jim said.

  “Maybe. It means he’ll need to send me to Vegas to take pictures. That will be costly.”

  Jim stopped the pizza halfway to his mouth. “Wait a minute. You don’t think you’re going alone to Vegas to take pictures, do you?”

  “Of course I am. What would be the point of two of us going?” She took a bite of pizza and closed her eyes to enjoy the taste. When she opened them, Jim had put his pizza back on his plate and was staring at her.

  “Carrie, that wouldn’t be safe and you know it! Will has said this man is dangerous. If he saw you taking pictures, he’d kill you before he’d let you get away.”

  “Jim, I’m not an amateur. I’ve taken pictures without people ever realizing it. I’ll be perfectly fine.”

  “We’ll talk to Will about it. I don’t think he’ll approve.”

  “So what? You’re going to volunteer to go with me? That won’t work.”

  “Why not?”


  “Because we’d be in separate rooms. I might forget to let you know I was going out. Or Riley might follow me back to my room and you’d never know it.”

  Jim stared at her, opening his mouth to protest, then closing it. He only said, “We’ll discuss it with Will.”

  “I intended to do that all along.” Her chin was in the air and he knew he’d seriously offended her.

  “Fine, we’ll discuss it as partners tomorrow. You will be there tomorrow, won’t you?”

  “Of course.”

  He rose, taking one more piece of pizza with him. “Then I’ll go home and get some rest. Thanks for sharing your pizza.”

  “Thanks for buying my pizza. Sure you don’t want more of it?”

  “Nope. I’ve got enough. Good work today,” he added, but she didn’t respond to his praise.

  Jim hurried into his apartment and grabbed the phone, putting the pizza on the counter and forgetting it. He dialed Will’s number at home.

  “Is Will there?” he asked Betty. “It’s Jim.”

  “He’s having dinner, Jim. Can he call you later?”

  “Yes, of course. That will be fine.” It wasn’t fair to interrupt a man’s dinner. But he had to talk to him before Carrie did. He had to make sure she didn’t go to Vegas alone.

  A FEW MINUTES AFTER Jim left her apartment, after she’d finished her pizza, Carrie decided to call Will. She wanted to tell him her good news, but she also wanted to talk to him before Jim started in.

  She was not going to be protected!

  When Betty asked if Will could call her back after dinner, she agreed, not seeing any need to rush. She was going to be home all evening. But it was important to talk to Will before Jim did.

  WHEN WILL AND VIVIAN LEFT the dining room, they intended to go upstairs and play a little while with Danny. They did so each evening before they put him to bed.

  Before they could escape, Betty delivered the two messages she had for Will.

  “Did either of them say what the call was about?” Will asked, frowning.

  “No, sir. Jim sounded more urgent, but Carrie sounded normal.”

  “All right, Betty. Thanks.”

  “Do you want to call them before you come up?” Vivian asked.