by Taylor Lee
He picked her up and barked to his brother. “Get the squad car, Jake. Pull up to the back entrance. I want to get her to the precinct before the press arrives. You know they’ll be here any minute.”
Jude didn’t speak to her until they were in the squad peeling away from the mansion. He was holding her so tightly against his chest he wasn’t sure she could breathe. He didn’t care. His arms had a mind of their own and they weren’t about to let her go. As they pulled up to the station he murmured, “You do know, Squirt, that as soon as I get you alone I’m gonna spank your ass so hard you won’t sit down for a week.”
At her slight sob, he was fierce. “Answer me, baby.”
She smiled at him through her tears. “Yes, Jude, I know that.”
***
“God, Jude, they’re literally storming the ramparts. And Christ, man, they know about Sky. I promise you, buddy, I’ll find out who told them.”
Jude raised his hands. “It’s okay, bro, they’d find out soon enough. Is Jake there?”
At Jared’s nod Jude groaned. “Ðamn, I can’t leave him out there by himself.”
Sky spoke up. “I’m going with you.”
Jude turned to her and shook his head. His jaw was rigid. “No, darlin’, you are not.”
“Jude, they know I was there. I need to show them that I’m fine, that we have it under control. That it’s over.”
“They have pictures of her, bro. She’s breaking news on every channel.”
At Jude’s angry growl and Sky’s gasp, Jared grimaced. “Sky, I’m damned sorry, but the headline is that Morton J. Hughes’s daughter had been captured and is now free.”
“Those goddamned motherfucking vultures! I swear to God…” Jude’s face was dark with rage.
Skylar reached for his hand and appealed to him. “Please Jude. Don’t shut me out of this. If I’m not there, my father will believe I was afraid to be associated with something as ‘smarmy’ as a murder. Which is how he described my ‘ill-gotten’ avocation.”
Trying to hide the anger he was sure coated his reply, Jude persisted, “In other words, by making you a spectacle, we’re proving something to your father?”
Sky’s chin shot up. “No, Jude, we are proving that I’m one of the professionals who solved the crime, and that we’re here to answer the media’s questions. Besides, if I could stand up to the Parker women, don’t you think I can handle some wussy reporters?”
“Damn, baby. You know that’s not what I meant. Christ, Skylar, you look pale as a ghost and we’re both still shaking.”
“All the more reason for us to go out there together. I can lean on you.”
Jude conceded with a groan. “Fine, I know when I’m beat. Of course you belong out there, Skylar. One correction, as for standing up to the murdering Parker witches, the last time I saw you standing up to them you were tied to chair with three fucking guns pointed at your head.”
“But I was calm, Jude. I knew you would come for me.”
“Damn straight. How else could I be sure I’d be able to beat the hell out of you?”
She tossed him a saucy smile as she straightened her clothes. “Just a minute, I need to put my contacts in.”
“You gotta look beautiful for the national press?” Surprised at his jealous reaction, Jude tried to make a joke, but it fell flat. “You like the idea of all those rabid reporters lusting after my woman?”
Skylar ignored Jude and winked at Jake. “Do you think I’m going out there with two of the hottest men alive, and stand quietly watching every fluffy reporter-babe lusting after you two?”
Jude snorted. “So you’re gonna prance out there and give the guys some eye candy to feast on?”
Skylar mussed her hair, adding to its sexy disarray. She tossed her head and smiled at Jude as she sauntered to the door. “Damn straight, Detective.”
***
“Hear! Hear!”
Jude pulled Skylar next to him and raised his glass. Turning to the throng of officers and personnel crowding the door, Jude waved them in. Pointing to the bottles of Maker’s Mark lining the conference table alongside a row of glasses, he shouted, “C’mon in, everyone! We have some serious celebrating to do. And every person in this precinct deserves to celebrate.”
After the cheers had settled and glasses were refilled, Jude eyed the crowd.
“Ladies and gentlemen, every damn one of you is responsible for helping to solve the biggest and most vicious crime this out-of-the-way hamlet of ours has ever faced.”
He raised his glass to his team and singled them out by name, then nodded to Jake and Jared with a grin. “Of course, my brothers had a thing or two to do with our success.”
He waited until the rowdy cheers had died down, then tugged Skylar closer to him, his arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders.
His voice dropped and he swallowed hard to circumvent the lump in his throat. “When Commander Justice and I were getting ready to meet with that horde of buzz-saw media whores, I was furious to learn that someone had told the press that Skylar—Ms. Hughes, had been captured by the murderers. Of course, they were champing at the bit to see her and question her. Being the chauvinistic, insufferable asshole that I am—”
Shouts of “Right on, Jude!”, “You said it, Detective!” and other slams rang out.
Jude joined in the laughter. “To repeat, being the chauvinistic insufferable asshole that I am, I would not permit ‘Squirt’, as I call her, to face that rabid crowd. I knew how vicious they could be. Fortunately, Ms. Hughes persisted, and within the space of two questions she had captured the hearts of press the way she has captured all of ours.”
Jude tugged her closer and tipped up her chin to meet her luminous eyes. “As you’ll see when you watch the news coverage for the next several days, in a word, folks, Skylar was brilliant. She was articulate, professional, and, yeah, fucking brilliant.”
Jared interrupted from the sidelines. “Not to take anything away from the single smartest woman it’s been my privilege to know, who was cogent, confident, and brilliant, but you weren’t exactly a slouch, bro. Between you and Skylar, you solved an almost unsolvable crime. As for the press conference, the two of you brought down the house.”
Jude acknowledged the appreciative cheers and nodded to his brother. “Thanks, Jared, I don’t have to tell you how much it means to me to have you and Jake as partners and brothers.”
Jude was surprised that his lips were trembling and his eyes felt misty. He pulled Skylar closer. “Back to this Squirt for a moment. I’ve never met a cop or an intelligence analyst with Skylar’s analytical skills. And for God’s sake, she doesn’t even take notes. No, she just stares at the pieces long enough to let her computer-brain sort them into a coherent whole before calmly going to the heart of the question and announcing the answer.”
The crowd hooted in appreciation and raised their glasses, many of them shouting, “To Sky!”
Jude raised his glass in response and waited until he was sure his voice was steady.
“I’ve called the Squirt, I mean, Skylar, a lot of names—most of them unflattering. Like the chauvinistic, insufferable asshole that we all agree I am, I was trying to keep from admitting that in addition to being the single smartest person I’ve known, this young woman is also the most attractive. Yeah, she’s physically gorgeous, but I had trouble admitting that she’d gotten to me in a way and in a place that no woman ever has. Put it this way, I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying to convince her that hooking up with an arrogant, overbearing son of a bitch like me will be a hell of a ride!”
Bernice was finally able to be heard over the din of cheers and applause that rang out in response to Jude’s surprising declaration. “Sorry, Detective Justice, but Mayor Jensen is insisting that you and Commander Justice come immediately to City Hall. Apparently, unlike Ms. Hughes, the mayor is terrified of facing the press, afraid he’ll say something wrong.”
Jude shrugged, “Well, hell, Bernice, given his pencha
nt for sticking his foot in his ear, you coulda told him that’s a sure thing. But yes, Jake and I will be right over to make sure that our beloved mayor doesn’t inadvertently un-solve the crime.”
Holding Skylar next to him, Jude signaled for Jared to join them. In an undertone he said, “See that she gets something to drink besides whiskey, and some fruit or some damn thing to eat. Hell, see if you can find her a couple of doughnuts. Give her anything she wants.”
Sky looked up at him and shook her head. “She isn’t hungry, Detective, although if she was, and there were maple-frosted doughnuts…”
Jude laughed along with his brother but didn’t try to mask his concern. “God, Sky, you gotta be riding on adrenaline. I don’t think you know how pale you are. Give me a few minutes to talk Mayor Jensen off the ledge and I’ll be back to get you.”
Sky shook her head. “I won’t lie, Jude. I admit…it’s beginning to hit me. I’m exhausted…”
Jude pulled her next to him and pressed her cheek against his chest, cuddling her in his strong arms. “I know you are, baby. Hang on a bit longer. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
He nodded to Jared over Skylar’s head. “Take care of her, bro, until I get back. And for God’s sake, make sure she eats and drinks something.”
***
An hour later, Jude returned, frantic to see Skylar and to make sure she was all right. Damn, he was still strung out and could only imagine how she felt. To his surprise, Jared, Solly and Mac were sitting at the conference table finishing off the last of the Maker’s Mark.
Jude frowned at his brother. “Where is she, Jared? Please tell me she’s in her office resting.”
Jared shrugged and sighed. “You’re not going to like this, Jude, but Sky insisted that she wanted to go home. Said that she needed to get into her own bed. She’s completely wiped, Jude.”
Jude could barely contain his anger. “Do you think I don’t know that, Jared? But goddammit, man, I need to be with her. I gotta make sure she’s okay.”
“She’s as okay as she can be after what she’s been through.” Jared was firm. “Listen, Jude. Skylar insisted that Hailey take her home. She wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
He held up his hand when Jude started to interrupt. “Hear me out, man. Hailey said Sky fell asleep in the car. The adrenaline crash took her down. Hailey barely got her into their apartment before Skylar was asleep again. She needs to rest, bro.”
Jude tried to diagnose the anger he was feeling. He knew at some level that Jared was right. He’d been gone for over an hour and of course, Skylar was fucking fried. But goddammit, he’d told her to wait for him.
He surprised himself when he spit out the truth of what he was feeling. “You don’t get it, bro. I told her to do something and once again she did the exact opposite. Christ, Jared, how the hell can I be with someone who is so…irresponsible, who won’t listen, who doesn’t understand how dangerous this world is?”
Jared spoke up. “Someone who doesn’t jump when you tell her to? Who insists that she can take care of herself, even when you’re sure that she can’t? Who’s liable to go off on some dangerous tangent when she’s too absorbed in her thinking to know how risky it is?” Jared faced him. “Those some of the things that got your tail in a knot, bro?”
When Jude glared at him, Jared’s lips quirked up in a grin. He shook his head and drawled, “Welcome to the world of being in love with a headstrong, indomitable woman.” He added, “Seems like you’ve got your work cut out for you, brother of mine.”
Chapter 33
Jude punched on the hands-free phone button on the dashboard of his Z and barked, “What’s up, Jared? And don’t bother to lecture me. I know it’s early, but I’m on my way to get Sky if I have to drag her of bed.”
“You’re too late, bro. Sky’s been up for hours and she isn’t home.”
“What the hell?!”
“I was about to call you. Seems that Skylar has a visitor. A command performance no less.”
“Dammit, Jared, what are you talking about?”
“Look, Jude, Hailey called me. Sky left without saying good-bye. Left a note saying that she needed to go to the Justice Mansion. Seems Sky’s father flew into town in the middle of the night. He must not have known where she lived because he landed over at the mansion. Guess he assumed that the Judge would understand and support his mission.”
Jude’s chest tightened. “What mission would that be, bro?”
“According to the Judge, Professor Morton J. Hughes himself came to retrieve his wayward daughter and bring her back to sanity and civilization. To quote the indomitable professor, that is Boston, and safely in the constraints of the only man who understands how vulnerable and ‘unstable’ his daughter is—her father.”
At Jude’s warning growl, Jared added, “He had the audacity to tell the Judge that Skylar had shamed them both with her ‘outrageous’ press conference. That she’d made a public spectacle of herself, and worse, of him.”
“She’s there now, at the mansion?”
“Yeah bro, and the Judge said to get your ass over there post haste. Seems that Hughes all but has his chartered plane revving up on the runway. And buddy, apparently he doesn’t plan to take no for an answer.”
Jude was incredulous. “He honestly thinks Sky will go back with him?” Jude didn’t wait for his brother’s answer. “It’s obvious he doesn’t know his daughter or me.” Jude added with a dismissive grunt, “Apparently, Professor Hughes has been sheltered too long in the hallowed halls of academia. In addition to not having a clue who his daughter is, he doesn’t know how the real world operates. Particularly in Justice Land.”
Following Gregory’s instructions, Jude strode through the garden toward the gazebo. The early morning sun sparkled on the dew-covered flowers and shrubs. Jude had always loved this time of day in the verdant, multi-hued refuge. The chirping birds and buzz of morning insects greeting the flowering plants triggered memories of the peaceful hours he’d spent in this sanctuary. Jude didn’t have long to ruminate on the quiet moments of his childhood. Gazing toward the group in the gazebo, it was clear that his present and his future were calling out to him and their message was urgent.
Morton Hughes looked like Jude assumed he would, only more so. He was gray in every sense of the word. His hair, sharply creased trousers, and tweed jacket over a nondescript shirt were all indistinguishable shades of gray. Even his complexion had a sallow, grayish tint. It was confirmation that to the erudite man sunlight was a foreign concept and one to be avoided. His only resemblance to his daughter was in the set of his jaw and upward tilt of his chin when he saw Jude approaching. On Skylar it was an impertinent gesture, and spoke to a fieriness that had his cock jerking to attention. On her father, it was cold, imperious, intended to cow the person on whom he bestowed it.
Jude focused on Skylar. She looked pale, tired. She also looked resigned, as if she had acknowledged her father’s authoritative presence and was determining how she would deal with it. At that moment she saw him, and her face visibly brightened. From across the garden he saw her eyes flash with relief. The rosy flush staining her cheeks shot a surge of excitement to his groin. The palpable connection between them from yards apart confirmed that Sky’s father was a non-issue. Rather, the insipid tyrant was merely a temporary annoyance. One that Jude needed to dispense with so that he could take his woman in his arms and never let her go.
Hughes rose to his feet as Jude strode toward him. Jude was pleased that the slight man only came to his shoulder, although he admitted that the guy could have intimidated a platoon of raw recruits with his apparent disdain.
Jude nodded to his grandfather, whose eyes, like Skylar’s, were shining with relief.
Ignoring Sky for the moment, he put out his hand, not allowing the stern man to avoid it.
“Good morning. Professor Hughes, I presume?”
Hughes scowled, withdrawing his hand as quickly as he could and shoving it in his pocket. Jude had
the feeling that the prick had to force himself not to take out a linen handkerchief and wipe off the stain of Jude’s grip.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir. My name is Jude Justice.”
Hughes grimaced and muttered, “Yes, I saw you at the press conference yesterday with my daughter.”
Jude turned to his grandfather and shot him a hearty grin. “Good morning, Judge. Looks like we’re in for another sensational morning in the Northwoods.”
“That we are, Jude, that we are.”
Shifting his attention to Skylar, Jude smiled at her and held out his hands. As if they were magnetic, Sky rose from the settee and rushed toward him.
Jude caught her in his arms. Feeling the tremor shaking her slender body, he pulled her next to him and bent down to brush his lips against her rosy cheek. Having made his claim, he reinforced it. Tipping her chin up, he gazed into her eyes, gratified to see the relief flooding her astonishing purple-rimmed orbs.
“Good morning, Skylar. I trust you slept well last night. Having solved one the most hideous crimes I’ve ever been involved in, you deserved a night of rest and more.”
Holding Skylar tightly against his side, Jude focused on her father, whose rigid expression could have been carved in granite. “I’m presuming that after seeing your daughter’s spectacular news conference, you’re here to congratulate her. You must be very proud, Professor Hughes.”
Hughes glared at him and bit out his words as though he were chipping stones with his teeth. “No, Detective. Proud is the last thing I am. If anything, I am mortified for my daughter and myself.”
Turning his cold gaze on Sky, he sneered. “While I’m confident that your associate couldn’t possibly relate, you have to admit, my dear, that no matter what gibberish these law enforcement types have spewed into your receptive ears, your public exhibition has virtually ensured that it will take you years to recover your professional reputation—if you ever do.”
Pulling her closer, Jude locked his gaze on her father. He was impressed that even though he outweighed the man by fifty pounds and had at least eight inches on him, the daunting man was eyeing him contemptuously, as though Jude was a piece of dog shit a careless owner hadn’t scooped up. Jude decided it was time to reorder the prick’s skewed perception of reality.
