Double Jeopardy (Entangled Select)

by Linda Wisdom

  He sighed as he recalled that time. “Even in the beginning, she didn’t talk to me directly. She always confined her messages to my voicemail or sent typed notes. When the flowers and gifts started arriving on a regular basis, I put Ginnie on the trail. She’s better than a bloodhound in finding out something, but even she couldn’t come up with a name. The orders were paid in cash, and the person wasn’t memorable. It wasn’t long before the deliveries turned into a joke around the office. I got kidded about my secret admirer, and the women even worked up a dibs list as to who got the next delivery of flowers.” He drank the rest of the wine, then studied the now empty glass. “I think whiskey would be better right about now. Wine doesn’t numb the senses well enough.”

  She shook her head and settled back more firmly in his arms with the intention of not getting up again.

  “Just as well, since you can’t numb anything right about now. Besides, I can’t drink whiskey because of the antibiotics I’m on.”

  “Then you shouldn’t be drinking wine.”

  “Who’s the doctor here? Besides, I didn’t drink all that much.”

  He leaned forward and set the glass on the coffee table. “Some doctor you are, if you think you can rationalize safely drinking wine while taking those pills, while you refuse to drink anything stronger.”

  “I never hear my patients complain about my methods.”

  “How can they? They’re dead!” He started to laugh, suddenly feeling more relaxed than he had in a long time.

  He cradled her more closely in his arms as he idly combed his fingers through her hair, watching the way the lamplight highlighted the tawny strands to gold, dark blond, and ash shades. A faint scent of vanilla from her shampoo clung to his fingers. It wasn’t the first time he wondered how a battle-weary guy with a dark past like him got so lucky as to find someone as special as Lauren was. He wasn’t about to question it too closely for fear something would turn horribly wrong and she’d disappear from his life just when he’d discovered how much he wanted her in it.

  “When this is all over, what would you say about going off somewhere quiet and remote for a few days where we can just kick back and be ourselves?”

  She tilted her head to look at him better. “What, and go crazy with boredom because we’d have nothing to do?”

  He nuzzled her ear as he whispered, “I’m sure if we put our heads together, we could come up with something to keep the excitement level pretty high.”

  “Yes, I’m sure you could.”

  He rested his chin on top of her head as he twisted to wrap his arms around her. “I thought it might be nice if we got out of town for a while and found an out-of-the-way place where we wouldn’t have to worry about phone messages or uninvited visitors.”

  “A place on the beach,” Lauren said promptly. “I want to fall asleep hearing the ocean in the background.”

  “I’ll find us one. Just don’t count on doing a lot of sleeping.”

  They sat together for several moments, content to listen to the music in silence.

  “I’m going back to work tomorrow,” Lauren said in a low voice. She spoke quickly to forestall Josh’s protests. “I can’t hide away, Josh. I did too much of that before, and it only left me afraid of my own shadow before I began to fight back. She’s never tried anything there.”

  “What do you call stealing Norman? I’d say we have pretty strong proof that she was the one who took him.”

  “I think that was more a show of power. She wanted to show me she could get into my office anytime she wanted to without being seen. She steals into our territory because she thinks it gives her an edge. It’s as if she likes us to know she can go through our personal things any time she wants. I’ll be fine working in the morgue. I can’t imagine she would want to go in there too often. There are plenty of days when I’m not too happy about going in there.” She wiggled out of his arms and turned around to face him. “So far, you and I have been able to carry on our lives pretty much as usual. That means my going back to work so I can prove to her she hasn’t won.”

  “And here I’d thought about taking a leave of absence. I hoped things might calm down if I wasn’t around the courthouse so much.”

  “Considering the workload you carry, you’d go crazy within a few days if you didn’t have anything to do. Besides, I don’t think that would help.” She softened her voice. She didn’t want to explain to him that there were times when she felt as if his unseen admirer could hear everything they said. As if she knew what was going on before even Lauren and Josh did. “We’ll just go on as if she doesn’t matter.”

  He reached for her, laughing when she edged her way backward. “As far as I’m concerned, she doesn’t matter. So why don’t you come on back over here and we’ll discuss the proper way to dissect a frog.”

  “If you want to talk about dissection, I can always tell you about my first autopsy.”

  “Gory?”

  She grinned. “The kind little boys go nuts over.”

  “Then I’m all ears.”

  Lauren grinned. “Good, because the victim had had his penis cut off, along with a few other parts of his anatomy I’m sure he once considered just as important.”

  He winced. “Ouch.”

  “I’m sure he protested a lot more than that.”

  Josh stared at Lauren for several moments.

  “What? Do I have something on my face?” She started to lightly rub her chin, then crossed her eyes to stare at her nose. “What’s wrong?”

  He still studied her face. “You could have been badly scarred from the ground glass and the caustic agent, yet you haven’t seemed to worry about it. In fact, all you’ve done is complain about your face itching. People would think you’re merely getting over the chicken pox.”

  “I don’t see any sense in worrying about something that didn’t happen,” she said, dragging a throw pillow onto her lap. “As it is, I doubt I thought about the consequences, even in the beginning. At that time, all I cared about was getting rid of the burning sensation because it was so strong. You’re the second person to bring that up. Gail talked about that today, too.”

  Josh grew still. “Gail talked about it?”

  She nodded. “She asked me about it when we went to lunch. And later, she brought it up again when we went shopping. She didn’t seem to think she could have handled the whole situation very well if it had happened to her. I tried to tell her you never know what will happen until it does. There’s no reason to worry about something that may never happen. And if it does, you just have to roll with it. I also think it has to do with growing up in an impossibly normal family. My mother was a statewide beauty queen when she was a senior in college, and my dad was a star athlete in college. They believed what was important was what was inside a person, not what they looked like on the outside.”

  “So you’re saying I must have something pretty good inside me, since I don’t have anything else to recommend me?”

  She couldn’t resist teasing him then. “I guess I did think of you as some aging cowboy who should have been riding the trails as a Texas Ranger instead of spending his days indoors, even if he was a prosecutor. But I figured I’d give you a chance anyway.”

  “Aging cowboy?” He advanced on her with the intention of getting even.

  “You’re already turning gray, how could I think otherwise?” She laughed so loud there was no doubt Josh wasn’t frightening her. She scrambled backward over the side of the couch and continued backing away from him. “Now Josh, just remember that you’re bigger than I am, so anything you’re thinking of doing wouldn’t be fair.”

  “You’re one to talk about fair. You’re the one with the evil mind, not to mention easy access to sharp medical instruments, and you are accusing me of being unfair? Tell me another story, Doctor.”

  Figuring on faking him out, Lauren feinted to the left, then quickly reversed to the right, except Josh guessed her move and tackled her. She shrieked, more with laughter than fea
r, as they rolled on the floor until they ended up with Josh sprawled on top of her.

  “Josh, I can’t breathe! You have to let me up.”

  “First you have to admit I won this round.”

  She shook her head. “You won only in your imagination.” She pushed against his chest. “Let me up, Josh.”

  He shifted his body so his legs straddled hers. “Nah, I think I like you this way.” He lowered his head. While he initiated their kiss, he allowed Lauren to control it. At first she seemed to want it soft and cuddly, with light, teasing touches. But it wasn’t long before it changed as they each wanted more. Josh nibbled on silky, soft skin while whispering in her ear equally teasing and outrageous ideas.

  Lauren wasn’t sure if it was something she heard, or a flicker of movement in front of the patio door she caught in the corner of her eye. She froze and dug her nails into his arms. Keeping her expression that of a woman only interested in what was happening, she raised her head to whisper in his ear.

  “I could be wrong, but I’d swear I saw something, or someone, go past the patio door.”

  Josh quashed his first inclination to jump up and investigate. He cradled her head against his shoulder so he could look as if he was doing nothing more than whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

  “Don’t look around or say anything. Act as if nothing’s wrong.” He made a point of nibbling her earlobe. “If she’s out there, let’s give her a show she won’t forget for a long time.”

  “Don’t expect me to give her too much of a show, darling.” She did some snacking back. “I prefer a little privacy when I indulge my wilder side. Besides,” she breathed in his ear, “isn’t what we’re doing a bit dangerous? What if she doesn’t like what she sees and decides to do something about it?”

  “Then maybe we’ll get a chance to find out just who is behind all this.” He wrapped his arms around her and rolled until they were farther from the patio door and the partially drawn drapes. He hoped he could angle his body so he could reach the beeper. “I’m going to try to reach the alert button for Kevin.”

  “What if it’s all in my imagination?” Now she was worried for another reason.

  “I’d rather have a false alarm than do nothing and have her out there playing peeping Thomasina.” He made sure to keep his back to the large glass door.

  Lauren kept her eyes half closed, trying to look as if all her attention was for Josh while she was really trying to catch a glimpse of what might be out there. The trouble was, Josh’s wandering hands were making it difficult for her to concentrate on anything else but him. At the same time, anger was growing inside at the woman for doing this to her and to Josh. She tamped it down before it erupted. Wouldn’t she enjoy watching Lauren begin a fight with Josh that, in a way, she’d initiated?

  She sensed more than saw his hand reach the plastic case at his belt.

  “No.” She quickly covered his hand. “She’s gone. I can sense it.” She moved out of his arms and quickly crossed the room to close the drapes all the way. “This is ridiculous. I’m afraid I’ll soon start jumping at shadows. That I’ll always be looking over my shoulder anytime I’m out in public. At this rate. I’ll turn into a nervous wreck. I don’t like this feeling, Josh.” With a quick look over her shoulder at the secured drapes, she moved away from the door. “See, I do it in my own home. Not anymore, Josh. We have to fight this. We have to start fighting her with everything we’ve got.”

  Josh grasped her hand and pulled her down onto the floor beside him. “Kevin and I have thought of that but couldn’t come up with a good enough idea we thought would work. Do you have an idea?”

  “Of sorts. There’s only one way to do this, and that’s by sheer gall. We literally smoke her out. We spend all our free time together, make sure there’s plenty of gossip about us circulating that she’ll be sure to hear. Mainly do anything and everything to force her out into the open.”

  He was shaking his head before she finished talking. “The last time she did something, you had ground glass and caustic powder in your face cream. Next time, it could end up in your food. No, I don’t want you to take that chance.”

  “Too bad, Counselor, because I don’t intend to allow her to rule my life any longer. The more I think about this, the angrier I get. What gives her the right to force us to change the way we live because of her insane whims? The only way we’ll win this battle is to force her out into the open.”

  He rubbed his hand over his jaw, wincing as he thought about his heavy evening beard scratching Lauren’s still-sensitive skin. “Have you talked to Dana about this?”

  “No, but I know she’d agree.”

  “I’d still be interested in hearing her opinion.”

  She couldn’t help but push a bit more. “And if she says it’s a good idea?”

  “Then we’ll get together with Kevin and talk about it more. And only talk.” He held up a hand. “Lauren, this woman is turning out to be more dangerous than we could have imagined. I’m not taking any chances.”

  She agreed to shelve the idea until talking to Dana, but she knew it wouldn’t stop her from doing whatever she could do in the meantime. Something she decided not to mention to Josh.

  “Dana holds group therapy tonight, so I’ll call her in the morning. For now, we’ll play the parts expected of us. Why don’t you find a good horror film on TV while I fix some popcorn? We’ll share a nice, quiet evening.” She picked up the wineglass on her way to the kitchen.

  “That’s not exactly what I had in mind for tonight,” he called after her.

  “Too bad, because you’re lucky I don’t tell you to go home.”

  “That’s because I wouldn’t go.”

  …

  Why did she close the drapes? She wanted to throw a tantrum right then and there, but she’d always been careful not to leave any signs of her presence out here. The open backyard was perfect for her to blend in with the shadows in the rear. Not having neighbors behind Lauren’s house helped even more. There was no one to get curious about her lurking around.

  She sensed something was up the minute she drove past and saw Josh’s car parked in Lauren’s driveway. Seeing Lauren in those thin leggings and top that just skimmed her waist told her that she wore them to show off her body to Josh. Just as Celia used to wear skimpy clothing whenever a boy came to see her. Celia, who always got what she wanted. Lauren’s just like Celia. They were now rolling on the floor like two animals in heat. She knew she would have seen even more if Lauren hadn’t closed the drapes. They were probably having sex right there on the carpet. She could see Josh tearing off her clothes, and her tearing off his. A keening animal cry erupted from her throat before she could clap her hands over her mouth to stop it. She barely drew a breath as she waited to see if anyone had heard her.

  “That bitch will pay for taking him from me.” She stared at the closed drapes as if she could see right through the fabric and watch them writhing on the floor, having the hot sex she was supposed to have with Josh. “She’ll pay. Just as Celia paid.”

  …

  “Would you please stop yawning!” Sophie dropped a typed report on Lauren’s desk. “All you’re doing is making me sleepy. I also emailed it to you,” she grumbled.

  Lauren stifled another yawn as she skimmed the pages. She was pleased to see that Sophie now made use of the computer’s spell-check program. She was even more pleased to see that her clerk had forgone the bubble gum today. While the young woman’s attitude still bordered on insolent most days, she had worked on improving her office skills.

  “Sorry, I had a late night.” She quickly signed her name on the last page. “Didn’t the detective in charge of this case ask if we’d let him know when the report was ready so he could pick it up?”

  “I already called him.” Sophie turned a bright red under Lauren’s surprised gaze. “Well, he’s kinda cute, and…” She looked off in the distance, too embarrassed to say anything more.

  Smothering a smile, Lauren han
ded back the report. “Then why don’t you take care of this for me? Tell him if he has any questions, he can call.”

  Sophie remained standing by the desk. “Is it true you and Mr. Brandon are having an affair?”

  Well, she knew gossip traveled fast.

  “We’re friends, and we see each other.”

  “When he found out you were at the hospital, he left his office right away because he was so worried about you. After all, some old girlfriend of his broke into your house and put ground glass in your face cream.” She wrinkled her nose.

  Lauren leaned back in her chair and gestured for Sophie to sit down. “It seems the gossip chain has been having quite a time discussing what Mr. Brandon and I are supposedly doing. What else have they said?”

  “I don’t tell anyone anything!” She turned red again.

  “Sophie, I never thought you had. You’ve never seemed the type to spread gossip. I’m just curious about what you’ve heard.”

  The young woman fidgeted. “You already know about Mr. Brandon’s secret admirer. I mean, everybody knows about her. How he started getting flowers and stuff from her. Then she broke into his house a couple times and cleaned it up. Except the night of his birthday, when she tore up all his clothes because he was out with somebody. As if he’d know she was there or that he’d even want to see her. If I knew who the woman was, I’d tell her to get a life. Why bother with a guy who doesn’t even know you’re alive when there are so many other guys out there?” She rolled her eyes.

  Lauren smiled. “Do you agree with what the others think? That she’s associated with the courthouse?”

  She thought the subtle up-and-down motion of Sophie’s shoulders was meant to be a shrug.

  “Beats me. But I could see where it could be. I mean, she knows nearly everything about him. I just don’t know why she’d want to bother with him.”

  “Why not?”