Decker's Fate (The Decker Brothers Trilogy Book 1)

by K. R. Richards

  “Okay. I’ll take you there. I’ll stay with you. Do you have time for us to grab some dinner before you go?”

  “Very little. I usually try to get there by five-thirty so Harper and Riley can leave. Erin and Annie stay and Claire comes in at five.”

  “We’ll think of something. If I get off on time, I’ll stop and grab something before I pick you up, otherwise, we’ll have something delivered.”

  “Thanks. That will work. Have a good day.”

  “I will. I need to get in the shower before I talk myself into jumping back in bed with you,” he told her in a low, husky tone as he entered the bathroom and flipped the switch. She couldn’t help but notice the obvious bulge in his boxers as he turned to close the door behind him.

  Jade sighed in longing. She wished they could spend the day in bed. His morning kisses were amazing and she wanted more. Much more.

  She was still remembering those kisses at four fifty-five while she was walking back to the main hotel from the large event tent being set up for a local Romance Writers group tonight. It was a special night for the Chapter. It was their annual Chapter Awards Banquet. Celine, the events coordinator assigned to the event, had to run and pick up her son at daycare. She would return after she dropped him off with her husband at five. Since Jade had worked events for many years at the San Marcos, she did not mind doing a set-up check for her co-worker.

  She walked along the path used by golf carts, walkers, and runners. The lush, green golf course grounds stretched as far as the eye could see on her right. Tall, old palms and other soaring trees provided plenty of shaded areas. Thick copses of desert trees and shrubs formed a barrier to the left of the wide walkway. The desert hedge and low concrete wall served as a buffer for traffic noise from the busy Chandler Boulevard beyond while providing privacy for San Marcos golf and event guests.

  The hotel, now on the National Register of Historic Places, tried to keep some semblance of the atmosphere that had earned it its nickname a hundred years before, the Oasis in the Desert. Not too long after A. J. Chandler built the San Marcos in the small, then remote town of Chandler, it had become the playground of Hollywood’s elite, including such notables as Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Gloria Swanson, Joan Crawford, and Clark Gable. There was still that opulent, turn of the century feel in the older part of the lobby and the wings of the original structure, including the ballroom. The golf course and grounds were mature and well manicured. It truly did look like paradise.

  Jade felt her phone vibrate. She looked and saw it was a text from Decker.

  “Hey, I know I’m early but where are you?”

  “Be there in a few minutes. Walking back from the event tent. Had to do a set-up check.” She pushed send.

  Okay. Just checking on my girl. He added a smiley face blowing a kiss on that one.

  She smiled happily. She liked being Decker’s girl. She looked up and gasped when she saw Ciaran step onto the path directly in front of her. He wasn’t a shadow, but a fully manifested form, and there were two scraggly-looking men on either side of him.

  Chapter Ten

  Frantic, Jade texted, Come now! Ciaran is here.

  “I told you, you will be mine. And today is the day, Jade Murphy. Caoimhe.”

  “No, it’s not the day for that.” In her mind, Jade called to her angels and spirit guides for protection. She called upon Archangel Michael, felt comforted when strong, good energy circled and surrounded her. She felt her phone buzz in her hand, but she couldn’t look, Ciaran was walking toward her.

  A quick look around proved that there were no golfers in sight, no one else on the path, except Ciaran and these two men. And she was alone.

  Decker ran to the counter. “I’m sorry to interrupt.” He looked to Jade’s co-worker. “I’m Jade’s boyfriend. A crazy man is stalking her. She just texted me, she said she was on the path near the event tent and he’s there. I need to find her right away.”

  The man wasn’t the same one who was at the counter the day before. He hesitated. “Um.” He reached out his hand to pick up the phone.

  “Look, here’s my badge. I’m a cop. Just. Tell. Me. Where. She. Is. It is a matter of life and death.” There was no mistaking the command in his tone.

  Jason, the man who was at the counter the day before rushed up to them. He had heard some of what Decker said from the corridor.

  “It’s okay Dave. Jade told me she was being stalked and that the officer is her boyfriend. Come on, man. We’ll take the golf cart. We’ll get there quicker,” Jason told him as he ran around the counter and motioned for Decker to follow him.

  They jumped in the golf cart and moved quickly through the parking lot and onto a wide gravel path.

  “Where is the event tent?” Decker asked.

  “Beyond that second group of palm trees on this side of the lake,” Jason pointed.

  Damn it was far! While Jason drove the cart, Decker called his department for back up then texted a message and sent it to both Brody and Liam, telling them to keep an eye on things at home and the shop.

  He put his phone away when they drew close and he saw Ciaran trying to drag Jade from the path.

  “Stop here!” Decker commanded. He jumped out and instructed Jason to stay there with the cart. He ran toward Jade. Ciaran and his two goons were boxing her in.

  “Look at me!” Ciaran yelled at her.

  Jade’s head was turned to the side. She refused to look at him. She called in more protection. A bit of soothing calm eased through her when she saw a flash of blue and white sparkles shimmer before her eyes. That was a sign from her guides. She knew it well.

  The shrill sound of a siren and blue flashing lights announced the arrival of the Chandler police. Decker recognized his old partner’s car now hauling up the path from the other side, the Alma School Road end, of the golf course. Jackson must have been right in the area! Thank God.

  He knew his gun probably wouldn’t deter Ciaran, but it might make the two thugs with him think twice.

  When Jade saw Decker, she began to struggle anew. This time she broke Ciaran’s hold on her and managed to back out of his reach. The thugs ran toward her. One tripped and fell onto the path. He struggled to his feet.

  Decker saw a shimmer of pale, blue light settle around Jade and felt some sense of relief. The light lasted only seconds. He knew Jade must have called in Divine protection.

  Jackson Montgomery, jumped out of the car, gun drawn, followed by his new partner, Adam Bridges.

  “Let go of the girl!” he ordered in a booming voice. His partner moved to the other side of the wide path and kept his gun trained on the men with Ciaran.

  Ciaran still hadn’t seen him. Decker ran full force toward Jade. Ciaran’s thugs saw him and the two police officers at the same time and backed away from her. They scrambled toward the bushes and concrete wall.

  “Get the damn woman!” Ciaran screamed at them.

  Decker ran wide around Ciaran, leaned in, curved his arm about Jade’s waist, and pulled her toward Jackson and away from the demon. He gathered her in beside him as he guided her toward the patrol car.

  He heard a definite beastly growl behind him and a howl of rage as Ciaran followed them and ran into something. He heard the thud. It must have some sort of angel barrier, because Decker looked and saw nothing there except a few sparkles of blue, but he saw that Ciaran was unable to pursue them. Decker pulled her with him. Once they reached Jackson’s car, he told her to get down behind it.

  He straightened, and aimed his weapon at one of the two thugs. Ciaran growled with rage and shouted, “You’re dead Michael Decker! The girl will be mine.” Decker watched Ciaran turn and run faster than any human being could possibly run. He sped across the golf course green, his form becoming a blur. Decker saw him disappear. He just faded into nothing about mid-course.

  Jackson’s partner had followed Ciaran. Jackson was holding the two thugs at gunpoint.

  Decker took her hand, “Come with me, babe. Stand b
ehind me,” he instructed as they came up beside Jackson. He leveled his pistol at the man closest to him while they waited on Adam, who was already heading back.

  Jackson’s partner called in Ciaran’s description and requested back up when he returned.

  “I’ve never seen anyone run so damn fast,” Adam, Jackson’s partner shook his head in disbelief.

  “Neither have I. He sure was fast,” Decker commented in a nonchalant tone. Jackson raised a brow and rolled his eyes at Decker.

  Decker shrugged.

  Adam disarmed the two men. One had a gun and both had knives on them. He and Jackson handcuffed them. The two men seemed dazed and kept asking what was going on, where they were, and how they got there.

  Once the thugs were in the car, Decker pulled Jade close against him.

  “We’ll need you two to come to the station.” Jackson walked toward them.

  “Sure. Okay.” Decker turned to Jade.

  “I need my purse from the lobby,” she told him.

  He could feel her trembling slightly.

  “Is it cool if you skip working at the shop tonight, babe?”

  “I need to let everyone know,” she said as she lifted the hand that still clutched her phone.

  “Brody is at the shop with Erin and Harper. I’ll let him and Liam know in just a minute,” he told her as he took out his phone.

  He turned to Jackson. “This is my girlfriend, Jade Murphy. Jade this is Jackson Montgomery, and Adam Bridges. She works here at the hotel as well as the White Magic down the road. She needs to turn in her work blazer and get her bag then we’ll meet you at the station.”

  “Okay.” Jackson nodded. “Hey Adam, can you start the car. I’ll be right there.”

  “Sure,” Adam returned to the car.

  Jackson looked to Decker and then Jade. “Decker and I are good friends, ma’am. We used to be partners, back when he was a detective. I know a little about your situation. For the police records, we’ll leave the fact that this guy is some sort of evil demon out of this story – for now.”

  “Sure.” Jade nodded.

  Two more squad cars rolled up on the gravel path.

  “Let me fill them in on what we are looking for. Do we have a name for this stalker?”

  “Ciaran O’Sullivan, though he has been known to use other names, but we have no idea yet what those names are,” Decker offered.

  “Okay. Go ahead and get your lady squared away and we’ll see you at the station in…”

  “Ten minutes,” Decker offered as he led Jade to the golf cart where Jason waited.

  “I’m sending Adam on with our attackers and one of the other guys. I’ll have Howie wait for me while I go into the lobby and smooth things over with hotel management.” He looked back toward the big white tent. “Looks like there’s an event tonight, I’ll promise increased patrol.”

  “Thank you. There is a writer’s banquet tonight,” Jade informed him.

  “Thanks, Jax.” Decker gave him a nod. He led Jade toward the golf cart where Jason waited for them.

  “Mr. Baker is waiting for us in the lobby,” Jason informed them nervously. Decker helped Jade into the cart and slid in beside her. Jason pressed the button on his radio, “We’re on our way, sir.” He set it down on the seat beside him.

  “Who is Mr. Baker?” Decker asked.

  “The General Manager.” Jade shook her head. “He won’t be happy.”

  Decker put his arm around her and gave her a quick hug. “It’ll be okay, babe.”

  She looked up into Decker’s calm, blue eyes. He took her hand and squeezed her fingers reassuringly. “Everything’s going to be fine. Trust me.”

  “You know we think the world of you, Jade,” Don Baker patted her arm as he spoke to her. “You can come back when this is all over. It will be safer for you if you stay where you are protected. I will pay you for your time off, of course. You are a valuable and loyal employee. So go on now, get to the police station. Officer Montgomery is waiting in the lobby for me.”

  Don Baker, dressed in a gray summer suit, looked to Decker. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Officer Decker. Take care of her for us.” He extended his hand to him.

  “I assure you I will, sir.” Decker shook the man’s hand and led Jade from the richly appointed office.

  “Right or left?” he asked as they came to another hallway.

  “Left will take us to the lobby.”

  “Take care, Jade,” Jason called from the desk as they walked by.

  “I will, thanks,” she offered him a weak smile.

  “Thanks for your help again, Jason,” Decker called out.

  “No problem. Anytime, Officer Decker,” Jason beamed and waved to them.

  “You’re lucky, babe. Mr. Baker seems like a nice guy, and you’ll get paid for your time off.”

  “He is a very nice man, but I think mostly, he just doesn’t want any more trouble at the hotel. I can’t blame him really.” She sighed heavily.

  “Are you holding up okay?” He looked over at her before he backed out of his parking space and headed out of the parking lot.

  She gave him a weary smile. “Yes. I am, but I was scared when he appeared right in front of me,” she confessed quietly. “He wasn’t there just seconds before that. I panicked.”

  Her frown deepened. “Actually, I was terrified. I called my angel protectors and felt better when I felt them, but I was really shook-up.”

  Decker nodded. “I don’t blame you. It scared the hell out of me too.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Hell yeah,” he admitted. What if he hadn’t reached her in time? Damn, he still shook inside when he thought about it. The bastard had his hands on her.

  “We need to find the other notebook. We need to hear from this O’Flynn cousin. We need to know more about this whole thing. The more we know, the better equipped we’ll be when he comes at us.” Jade sighed in frustration after she leaned back against the leather seat.

  “I agree, babe. We’ll do it. We’re making some progress already.” He tried to reassure her.

  The downtown station was just a short, two-minute jaunt from the hotel. Decker turned on Boston Street. They crossed the main thoroughfare, Arizona Avenue, at the traffic light and pulled into the parking lot at the main Chandler Police Station.

  He parked, jumped out, and hurried to the passenger side. He paused to give her a much-needed hug and a tender kiss before he helped her out.

  “I’ll feed you when we finish here, then we’ll go home,” he promised as he led her inside a place he knew very well, Chandler Police Station.

  Jade sat in a chair in Decker’s small office that he shared with Jackson. Decker had been with her most of the time, while she explained what happened to Jackson and then later to Decker’s Captain. He left her alone a few times, for about five to ten minutes at a time, but she noticed Jackson hovering outside the office door when he did. He told her he just wanted to talk to the detectives who were interrogating Ciaran’s two accomplices. This last time, he told her he needed to talk to Captain Maddox before he took her home. They had been at the station about an hour.

  “Did you set it up with the Captain?” Jackson Montgomery fell into step beside Decker.

  “Yeah. I haven’t taken vacation in over a year, except a few days when Liam had his surgery. I took two weeks off. Have you ever had any experience with demons, Jax?” Decker asked him quietly. They were not far from his office door where Jade was waiting for him.

  “No, not one that proclaimed to be a demon anyway. I’ve dealt with some evil, nasty spirits in my day. I did spend a year in Ireland after college, and I’m still in contact with some friends in the know there. I’ll see what kind of info I can come up with for you. I also have some contacts in other places that have had experience with what they believed to be demons. It may take a week or two to catch up with them all and get their info compiled for you. In the meantime, I’ll do some research on my own.”

  “So will I
. Thanks, buddy. I appreciate the help.”

  “I would avoid confrontation with this thing if at all possible until we have some answers.”

  “I wish I could. He seems to be zeroed in on Jade.”

  “Yeah, it looks like it. Maybe he won’t be able to find you if you do decide to go up North this week.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping. I’ll have to see how Jade feels about that when we get home. I do think we need to get her away from here.”

  “Good luck, and by the way, she’s a sweetheart. I approve. I think she’s perfect for you.” Jackson grinned.

  Decker rubbed his jaw. “I think so too. Time will tell.”

  Jackson laughed. “Trust me, Deck. I don’t think you need those damn rules of yours anymore. I get the feeling she’s a keeper. Just relax. Let it flow. Enjoy it.”

  “I hope we can get away from this guy, and head to Sedona, so that we can enjoy some time getting to know one other.”

  “Call if you need anything at all, even advice on the romance. Sounds like you need it.” Jackson raised a teasing brow.

  “Shut up, Jax. Uh, the last person I’d call is you!” Decker laughed. Jackson joined him.

  “Seriously, call if you need something.” Jackson told him before he turned and walked away.

  “Thanks.” Decker walked into his office.

  She smiled when Decker returned.

  “Are you ready sweetheart?” he asked with that sexy smile as he breezed back in.

  “More than ready.” Jade rose. She smiled when he brushed his lips against her temple.

  She looked tired and was still a little pale. He slid his arm around her waist and led her into the corridor.

  “See you later, Decker. Ma’am,” a uniformed officer she hadn’t met called as they passed him.

  Captain James Maddox stopped them as they neared him in the corridor.

  “It was a pleasure to meet you Miss Murphy. We’ll see you in two weeks, Decker. Keep us in the loop and informed.” He gave Jade a nod and continued on his way.