JJ held her breath while Eric studied her. Finally, his expression softened. “I know you didn’t. I’m just puzzled as to why Felts thinks you did. I’ve got a call in to Frank DeLeon to see if I can get this cleared up.”
She winced. “If Shawn is his brother, it won’t matter what you or I say. Blood runs thick. He’ll help him.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure of that. Frank takes his job seriously. And this Shawn person sounds like an all-around bad guy.”
“He’s a stockbroker. Well respected among his peers.”
After pulling out a chair next to the couch, Eric took her hand. “How about you fill me in? I had no idea you were in an abusive relationship.”
To her horror, her eyes filled with tears. Swiping at them with the back of her hand, she took a moment to gather her composure. “I didn’t know,” she finally said. “I grew up in the city, and met him right after college. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, and since my degree was in business, I took a receptionist job at the finance company he worked for. He was tall and handsome and sure of himself. Everything I wasn’t. He drew me in the way a bright light attracts a moth.”
Saying nothing, Eric waited.
“It started with small things at first. He didn’t like my outfit, or the way I fixed my hair. Soon I was scrambling to please him, because he was always so right, and I wanted him to love me.”
Now that she heard herself speaking the truth of their life, she could only wonder how she hadn’t seen it sooner.
“The first time he hit me, he apologized. But he also said it was all my fault. If I’d been better, prettier, less me, it would never have happened.” She gave a self-deprecating laugh. “And I don’t know why, but I believed him.”
“Until one day you didn’t.”
She nodded. “Exactly. Until one day I didn’t.” Swallowing hard to get past the lump in her throat, she shrugged. “And now I’m here. My great-aunt passed away and left me the house in Forestwood. I made sure Shawn didn’t find out, and I left when he was at work. I didn’t take anything that wasn’t mine, because I sure didn’t want to be accused of stealing.”
“Did you have a car?”
“No. I took the train.” Thinking about it made her smile. “When I got here, I had to take a driving class and get my license. After I had that, I purchased my car used. My mother was so impressed.”
“Your mother?” Gaze sharp, he watched her. “What about your mother? Did she know? Couldn’t she help you?”
“Oh, she knows. And she tries, but since she lives in Australia, there’s not a lot she can do from so far away. We talk once or twice a month on the phone.”
“Well, at least Shawn couldn’t threaten her.”
“True.” Try as she might, JJ couldn’t manage to produce a second smile. “That’s one advantage to not having her close, I supposed. But even so, the distance didn’t stop Shawn from repeatedly calling and harassing her. The last time I talked to her, she was changing her phone number so he couldn’t keep phoning her.”
“Come here.” Eric pulled JJ into his arms. “It’s all going to be fine, I promise. I’ll get Garth back, and I’ll make sure Shawn leaves you—us—alone.”
With his muscular arms around her, she could almost believe him. She’d been strong for so long, and though she’d settled into her new life in her new town, in the back of her mind she felt like she’d been on the run. And damn if she wasn’t tired of running.
“I’d like that.” She sighed. “What happens next? Where did Felts and her people go?”
“They had no concrete evidence and couldn’t arrest you, so I asked them to leave. I’m still waiting to hear back from Frank DeLeon.”
“What about Garth?” JJ searched Eric’s face. “When can you go get him, or are they bringing him to you?”
“I’m still trying to get confirmation on that.” He grimaced. “But Felts did let me see video of him, which proves he’s all right.”
Relieved, she nodded. “Good. As for me, I really don’t want to hang around here and wait for Shawn to show up.”
“I agree.” Smoothing a few wayward strands of hair from her face, he followed up with a quick kiss on her forehead. “Are you strong enough to walk?”
“I think so.” To prove it, she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the sofa. She waited, but everything remained in focus. “I’m not even dizzy. I’m not sure why I fainted, but I’ve heard shock will do that to you sometimes.”
Despite that, he took her arm. “Come on.”
Walking with him to the door, she resisted the urge to lean into him. Though she would enjoy it, she didn’t want him to think her weak or unsteady. “Where are we going?”
“To Rhonda’s. If Shawn DeLeon comes looking for you, no doubt he’ll go directly to your house. We can see everything from Rhonda’s, and we should be safe there.”
He had a point. Plus she wanted to thank Rhonda for standing up for them the way she had earlier.
Once they reached Rhonda’s house, they found the door locked. “I can’t say I blame her,” Eric commented. “Things have been a little crazy lately.” Lifting his fist, he knocked three times sharply.
They heard the sound of Rhonda’s heels as she hurried to answer. “Come on in,” she said, peering around them as she ushered them past her. “Where’s your police escort?”
JJ waited to answer until they’d reached the kitchen. As usual, the warm yellow walls and bright artwork cheered her. “They couldn’t actually charge me with anything, so Eric made them go.” She climbed up on her usual bar stool. Rhonda went around to the other side of the island, fiddling with a mixing bowl full of what looked like cookie dough.
“Oatmeal cookies,” she said, smiling faintly. “I tend to bake when I get upset. It soothes me.”
“Those are my favorite.” Eric took a seat next to JJ, taking her hand in his.
“Listen, Rhonda,” JJ began. “I wanted to thank you for standing up for us earlier. You haven’t known me that long, but I appreciate your faith in me more than I can express.”
Rhonda looked down, appearing almost shy. “You’re a friend. Both of you. I don’t let anyone talk that way about people I care about.”
“Thank you for that.” Eric echoed JJ’s words. “And if you need someone to help you dispose of those oatmeal cookies, I’m your man.”
They all had a quiet chuckle at that. Rhonda began dropping dough by the spoonful onto a baking sheet. Once it was full, she slid it into the oven and set a timer. “In just a few minutes, you’re welcome to have as many as you want.”
As the delectable scent of oatmeal cookies baking filled the room, Eric inhaled. “I’ll definitely take you up on that,” he said.
“Good.” Smiling, Rhonda filled a second cookie sheet to put in once the first came out. “Eric, I’m really glad they found your son. I’m sorry I didn’t even notice he was missing. When are you supposed to get him back?”
“No worries.” Eric checked his watch. “As a matter of fact, I’m waiting to find out when I will get him back. Actually, I’m tired of waiting.” He stood, phone in hand. “If you ladies will excuse me, I need to make a call.”
Both JJ and Rhonda fell silent, watching as Eric walked outside to the front porch. Once he’d gone, JJ filled Rhonda in on everything that had transpired after the other woman had left.
“A crazy ex-boyfriend?” Rhonda’s brows rose. “Wow, I never would have guessed it. I’m glad you found the courage to get out of that situation. A lot of people don’t.”
JJ studied Rhonda’s carefully neutral expression. “You sound as if you speak from experience,” she said.
“Actually, I do.” Rhonda grimaced. “I know exactly where you’re coming from.”
Before JJ could ask her to explain, several gunshots went off outside, one right after the other.
“Eric!” Jumping up, JJ ran for the door. Behind her, she heard Rhonda’s oven timer sound.
“Wait!” her neighbor yelled. “What if it’s Shawn? Don’t go outside until you know what’s going on.”
Almost to the front door, JJ skidded to a stop. She turned as Rhonda rushed up behind her. “Eric’s out there.”
“I know.” Shouldering in front of her, Rhonda pushed her back. “I’m an uninvolved third party. Let me go check things out. You hang back until I give you the all clear.”
Before JJ could speak, Rhonda went out the front door. Stunned, JJ hesitated for all of three seconds before going after her. No way was she leaving Eric out there to fend for himself, not to mention letting her friend put herself in danger.
Heart pounding, JJ at first didn’t see anything, squinting as she was into the bright winter sunlight. Rhonda’s front yard was empty. Next door, though, at JJ’s place, a small crowd of people had gathered. She spotted Rhonda’s fuchsia sweater on the fringes and ran over to join them.
Rhonda turned as JJ reached her. “It wasn’t a gunshot,” she said, her voice relieved. “One of the construction workers had an accident with one of the nail guns. He’s hurt and an ambulance is on the way.”
“I’m so sorry.” Feeling bad for the worker, JJ nonetheless couldn’t help searching the area for Eric. Sirens grew closer and an ambulance pulled up, lights flashing. As the paramedics got out and began administering first aid to the wounded man, most of the neighbors dispersed, heading back to their homes. And still no sign of Eric.
“Rhonda?” JJ caught her friend’s arm. “Have you seen Eric? I know he came outside to make that call.”
Rhonda frowned. “No. But his SUV is still here. Maybe he went inside to his own place.”
Breathing a sigh of relief, JJ nodded. “You’re probably right. I’m going to go check on him.”
“I think you should leave him alone. He’s going through an awful lot right now.” Rhonda’s tone sounded a tiny bit sharp. “Give him his space. He’ll come back when he’s ready.”
Maybe Rhonda was right. After all, Eric had wanted to talk in private. JJ didn’t want to intrude by barging in on him. Still...she couldn’t shake the feeling that something might be off. She wasn’t sure what or how, but even as she turned to follow Rhonda back to her house, she questioned whether or not she was doing the right thing.
“Come on,” Rhonda urged. “Those oatmeal cookies might still be warm. And if they’re not, I’ve got another batch ready to put into the oven.”
Eating cookies was the furthest thing from JJ’s mind, but she managed to smile and nod. “I’m game,” she said.
As she followed Rhonda down the hall toward the kitchen, she wished she could shake the ominous feeling that something was very, very wrong.
* * *
Once Eric had informed Frank DeLeon’s assistant that he’d hold until the Protector was located, the woman took him up on his offer to do exactly that. He held, listening to tinned Muzak, and held, and held, until he wanted to throw the phone against the wall in a fit of anger.
After the first fifteen minutes, about to hang up and dial again, he heard a commotion outside. A nail gun, maybe. Then sirens indicating an ambulance. Curious, he went to the window to check it out, just in time to see one of the construction workers loaded up to be taken to the hospital.
Then Frank came on the line. “What’s up?” he barked, his voice stressed.
Immediately, Eric tensed. “I’m calling to get an ETA on my son’s arrival,” he retorted. “Infants his age don’t do well away from their parent for too long.”
The silence on the other end stretched on for the space of several heartbeats. “Uh, yeah,” Frank finally said. “We’re working on that. It’ll be soon, that’s all I know.”
“This is ridiculous.” Letting his frustration show, Eric muttered a curse. “Damn it, I just want to see my boy.”
“Look, I’ve got company here. I’ll have to call you back.” And the Protector hung up the phone.
Eric cursed. While normal social niceties might demand he wait to hear back from the other man, this was not a normal situation. He punched Redial, listening as the phone rang and rang. Finally, voice mail picked up.
Well, two could play that game. He punched Redial again. Voice mail. And he tried once more. Voice mail. Whatever the hell DeLeon was up to pissed Eric off. And worried him. Until he had Garth back, he couldn’t take anything for granted.
Just as he was about to try calling again, his phone rang. “What the hell, DeLeon?” Eric snarled. “Now is not the time to play games.”
“I just had a visitor,” DeLeon began.
The hair on the back of Eric’s neck stood up. “Your brother?” he asked. “Shawn?”
“How do you...? Never mind. Yes, Shawn. We’ve got a major problem. There’s a bit of a situation.”
“Involving Julia Jacobs? Because Felts and her crew already questioned her. Your brother has a personal vendetta against her and his intel can’t be trusted.”
“I know.” Exhaustion and strain warred with each other in DeLeon’s voice. “That fact has recently been hammered home. This is my adoptive brother, damn it. But what he’s done this time... Listen, I might as well level with you. I had one of my people drop Garth off here so I could personally return him to you. Shawn tied me up and took off with the baby. My assistant walked in and just freed me.”
“Took off with... Why?” Feeling his heart drop, Eric struggled to make sense of it all. “What the hell does your brother want with my son?”
“That’s just it. He doesn’t want Garth at all. He says he’ll exchange the baby for the girl.”
At first Eric didn’t understand. “The girl?” Then, as he realized what Shawn DeLeon wanted, horror filled him. “You mean JJ?”
“Yes. And he wants it to go down in an hour, right after dark. At the crossroads of Fifth and Elm, near the cemetery. He says if we don’t do what he asks, the baby is as good as dead.”
And if JJ went to Shawn, he’d kill her. Rage filled Eric. He muttered something along the lines of he’d call DeLeon back later. Jamming the phone into his pocket, he ran outside and hurried next door to Rhonda’s house.
“JJ!” he called, rushing up the steps, inside and down the hallway. “JJ, where are you?”
He found her in the kitchen with Rhonda. Both women looked up as he ran in. “I need to talk to you privately,” he said, grabbing her arm. “Sorry, Rhonda.”
“It’s okay.” JJ shook off his hand. “Rhonda’s on our side. You can talk in front of her. What’s going on?”
Breathing hard, he took a second to catch his breath. Then he told her what DeLeon had said. “And he wants you in exchange for Garth. He’s demanded we meet tonight, near the cemetery at Fifth and Elm. In less than an hour. It’s already dark outside.”
Eyes narrowed, Rhonda stepped in front of JJ as if to protect her. “You’re not seriously thinking of doing this, are you?”
At first he didn’t answer.
“You are, aren’t you?” Rhonda shook her head. “Men. You’re all alike.”
JJ moved around in front of the other woman. “It’s okay,” she said. “Actually, I think Eric needs our help to come up with another plan.”
Relieved, he nodded. “Exactly. And that’s why I wanted to talk to you alone.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.” Rhonda came around the other side of the island, a heavy cast-iron skillet in her hand. “Because now I know what I have to do.”
She swung. He felt an instant of blazing, red-hot pain before he fell.
* * *
JJ jumped back, her heart pounding as Rhonda slammed her skillet into the back of Eric’s head. He went down like a bowling pin hit by a heavy ball. As she rushed to Eric’s side to check on him, she cradled his head in her hands and checked for a pulse. His heart beat steady and strong, despite the egg-sized knot coming up on the back of his head. “Rhonda!” She glared up at her friend. “You didn’t have to do that. He wasn’t going to overpower me and drag me to the cemetery.”
“No, he wasn’t.” Something in Rhonda’s tone made everything inside JJ tighten. “But I will.”
JJ saw Rhonda swing the skillet right before it hit her.