Later, LynAnn phoned Becky and asked her to babysit while she visited Abby Southern. When Becky arrived, the poor girl was so embarrassed she couldn’t look her in the eye. “I wanted to ask you to please not say anything to my parents about last night.” Deeply mortified, she hung her head.
“Of course, I won’t,” LynAnn assured her. “After you found Jeff here, I am not about to condemn you.”
“Hunter and I love each other, and we’re going to get married someday.”
For a bit, LynAnn envied the teenager. They loved each other, or at least they thought they did, and they had plans for their future. But with Jeff, love was not mentioned, and there were no plans.
Although she didn’t want to scare the teen and there had been no further incidents, she gave Becky strict instructions. “Keep the children inside, and Jean is upstairs if you have a problem.” Becky nodded and LynAnn headed for the door. Abby Southern waited to see her.
The dog days of summer were upon them, and it was hot. Once on the road, LynAnn fiddled with her Subaru’s air conditioning lever which managed to throw cold air in spurts. She had to wipe the sweat from her hands several times on the five-mile drive to see Abby. She was always cautious of her surroundings, and the SUV was not in sight.
Jeff weighed heavy on her mind. He usually came up with an outing for them on Sunday afternoons, but when he left this morning he made no mention of when he would see her again. A sharp twinge jabbed at her chest. Were Jean and Stu right? Was it all a game to him? Did he thrive on seducing women, and now since his conquest was over, did he plan to move on?
For her part, last evening she gave herself to him because she loved him. Yes, she was hopelessly in love with him. She’d even blurted out the word, but he made no mention of love. She’d chosen to ignore her friends’ warnings and perhaps now she had to pay the piper.
Abby Southern lived in the countryside on the outskirts of Pottersville. Green cornfields were everywhere, their stalks heavy with ears and tassels. Here and there, she spotted red barns, complete with tall silos. She kept a watchful eye in her rear view mirror, but there was no sign of the black SUV.
When she reached Abby’s home, the ill woman was in bed and apparently confined to it now. She had lost more weight and was weak and frail. She hadn’t bothered wearing the scarf on her head today, and only thin patches of hair covered her scalp. Her husband, Don, sat beside her and held her hand.
“I wanted to see you, LynAnn,” the woman whispered. A nasal oxygen tube ran into her nose. “I have something for you. Show her, Don.” She slowly waved her hand at her husband as if it weighed twenty pounds.
Don handed LynAnn a tiny box and she immediately protested. “Really, Abby, you don’t have to give me anything.”
“It’s something to remember me by.” Abby forced a weak smile on her lips.
LynAnn opened the box and found the tiny opal ring the woman always wore around her neck. “Oh, Abby, it’s the opal your mother gave you. Wouldn’t you want to give this to one of your daughters?”
Abby gave another weak smile. “No, dear. I talked with my daughters, and they want you to have it.”
LynAnn leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Thank you. This means so much to me, and how thoughtful of you. I’ll never forget you, Abby. I’ll wear it every day.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “Your opal is a precious gift, and I will always cherish it.”
“Tell me about your children,” Abby prodded.
After twenty minutes of visiting, Abby’s eyelids grew heavy, and LynAnn kissed her cheek once more. “I’ll come see you again,” she promised.
Don walked her to the door and gave her a big hug. “She’s wanted to give you her opal ever since you told her about your aunt losing the one she promised you.”
“Thank you, Don. It’s a wonderful gift.” The same as when the sick woman was able to come to Dr. Wilson’s office, she departed with a heavy sadness in her heart.
Later in the afternoon, Jeff did phone. “How ’bout I bring over some pizza?” His voice had a happy ring.
“I went to visit Abby and stopped at a roadside stand on my way back and bought fresh corn and a cantaloupe. I can throw some hot dogs on the grill.” With Jeff around it would be safe to take the children out in the backyard.
“Sounds better than pizza. We’ll be over in an hour. Hey, you shouldn’t have gone there by yourself. I could have taken you.”
“Jeff, I was careful and there was no SUV. I tell you, they’ve given up, whoever it was. The police chase ended it.”
“I hope you’re right.” He didn’t sound convinced.
Later, when he and Jon arrived, Jeff scooped her into his arms, molding her to his body. She held him tight. He felt so good she wanted to soak him in. Her insecurity about being nothing more than a sexual conquest instantly dissolved.
After their meal, the children raced around the yard. Matt and Jon were inseparable and played until they were exhausted. Dusk set in before they all went back inside the house.
“Abby gave her opal ring to me.” She held the tiny ring in her palm and showed it to Jeff. “She’s so sick. She can’t go on much longer.”
He examined the child-sized gold ring. “You’re getting quite a collection of opals.” He tried to force a smile and then became somber. “I don’t know how you do it, sweetheart. You deal so much with dying people.
“I’d like to say you get used to it, but you never do.” She expelled a long sigh. “Dealing with death makes you realize how precious life is and you should never waste a day.” Her head bowed, and she went silent. Besides the death around her in her work, she had witnessed too many deaths in her personal life. She couldn’t help but think about Todd, and as if he could read her thoughts, Jeff gathered her into his arms and held her.
There were a few dishes to attend to from their cookout, and he lent a hand. She washed and he dried.
“I have a dishwasher at my house,” he teased.
“Are you trying to bribe me or showing off?” she countered.
Setting a plate on the table, he moved behind her and folded her in his arms. “Any regrets about last night?” he whispered into the side of her neck.
She inhaled his scent and an instant desire spread through her body. “No, none,” she murmured softly. “In fact, I should thank you for being so patient with me. Not many men would have put up with me. Do you have regrets?”
“Absolutely not.” He turned her toward him and gently kissed her. “Oh, my little Miata. I was afraid you weren’t ready. I…”
Spp…lat. Something hit the front of the house and halted his words.
“What was that?” she gasped.
Jeff didn’t have time to reply; he was already running out the door. LynAnn ran to the front window and watched from a crack behind the living room curtains as he raced across the street. Except for him, the street was empty. Darkness had fallen and the streetlight on the corner lit the area fairly well. She sped to the door and threw the dead bolt. Oh Lord, it was happening again.
****
Jeff ran across the street, and a man raced at full speed about fifty yards away from him into the next block of houses. When Jeff reached the next block, there were hedges and bushes all around him, and he had to slow down in case the person hid there waiting for him. “Damn it. I wish I had my pistol.” Guarding his back, he carefully weaved his way around the bushes, and then he heard a motor start up. He moved in the direction of the sound. A dark Ford streaked out from the curb on yet the next block. He hightailed it back to his car, quickly revved the engine, and tramped the gas trying to catch up with the Ford.
Although he drove fast, he looked down every alley and driveway along the roadway, but he couldn’t find the car. He was angry, and his mind whirled as rapidly as his BMW’s engine. Who was doing this? He ended up on First Avenue, and even for a Sunday night, traffic was heavy. “Damn,” he swore again and pounded his fist on the dashboard. It was no use. He lost the attacker. Frustrated, he retraced his route a short distance back up First Avenue and pulled off in an area where his car wasn’t noticeable and waited. There was a chance the Ford would double back to LynAnn’s house.
****
Anxious and fearful for Jeff, LynAnn continued to stare out of a crack in the drape. He had been gone for twenty minutes, and the street was completely still. Giggles came from Matt’s bedroom as the children watched a movie, unaware of what had happened. She waited and watched. Suddenly, the hair on the nape of her neck stood on end. It wasn’t a sound. It was a movement she caught out of the corner of her eye. Someone turned her doorknob. Once…twice…three times it slowly turned back and forth. She knew it wasn’t Jeff since he had his special knock. She raced to her bedroom and grabbed her heavy baseball bat. On the way past the children, she softly closed their bedroom door. She grabbed her cell phone and slipped it into her pocket and then posed her body by the side of the door with both hands gripping the bat high in the air and ready to attack. She intended to swing with all her might at whoever came through the door because if she didn’t strike her target in exactly the right spot to put him out of commission, she knew she wouldn’t get a second chance.
Barely breathing, she waited.
****
The cars streaked by on First Avenue, but none resembled the Ford Jeff saw peeling off from LynAnn’s neighborhood. He decided to call her. The little woman was probably beside herself with worry. He pushed her number on his cell, and she must have been holding the phone in her hand because she answered immediately.
“Jeff, are you all right?” she asked quickly.
“Is the dead bolt locked?” Jeff questioned hastily.
“Yes, but someone tried to open the door.” Her voice quivered as she spoke.
“What? Are you certain?” There was a long pause. “I chased the person up First Avenue but I lost him.”
“I’m sure. Someone tried to open my door. Oh, Jeff, there must be two of them.”
“I’m going to call Jim Anderson. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“No.” LynAnn raised her voice. “Don’t call him. Isn’t there someone else at the police station you can call?”
“What? I don’t understand. He is the police captain. Why wouldn’t I call him?”
She expelled a long ragged sigh. “We’ll talk about it when you get back. Please hurry. Come to think of it, don’t call anyone at the police station. Please, Jeff, humor me on this. Please, just get back here.”
Jeff had already turned his car around. He only agreed about the police because she was so adamant, but in his mind, his plan was the right course to take. Now, LynAnn was against all policemen. He shrugged his shoulders. There was really nothing Jim Anderson could do about this incident anyhow. He was never close enough to get a model or the license plate number of the car, and he didn’t get a good description of the man either. Dressed completely in black, he had a ski mask over his face. He judged him to be taller and heavier than he.
But now, LynAnn believed someone tried to open her door. Could it be possible the man had somehow doubled back to her house? Or could there actually be two perpetrators involved? Did one man purposely draw him out of the house so the second person could get to LynAnn and the children? A shudder stabbed deep in his gut, and he tramped down on the accelerator.
Although his last talk with Stu hadn’t been on the best of terms, he called him. He needed help. He held his cell up by the windshield to punch in the numbers and was still able to drive as fast as possible on the busy road. Stu answered on the second ring.
“Stu, its Jeff. There are big problems with LynAnn and the kids. They’re in danger. Someone lured me out of the house and tried to get to her. Is your revolver still upstairs in the house?”
Stu was surprised. “Holy Moses, who do you think it is?”
“I don’t know if the person is after me or after LynAnn.” More and more he was beginning to think the person or persons were after him. This evening, the person had to know he and his son were in the house with her because his car was parked outside.
Whoever he or now maybe they were, he really didn’t want a confrontation, at least not until tonight. He had merely toyed with them before. Like the near abduction of the boys, he didn’t intend to take the boys; he only wanted to frighten them. It was the same when the car forced LynAnn off the road. The driver could have easily pushed her into the guardrail, but he didn’t. His game was meant to frighten the wits out of LynAnn. Her assault at Dr. Wilson’s may have been what the police said…a drug addict looking for drugs. But this evening was different if the person attempted to get into her house. “Stu, is your revolver in your apartment?” he asked again.
“No, I have it here.”
“Where are you? Can you meet me at the house?”
“I’ve been living in a motel until I can get an apartment. I can be back at the house in ten minutes. I’ll see you there.”
“Fine. Thanks. But don’t bring the gun inside. Leave it in your car, and I’ll get it from there. I don’t want to frighten LynAnn more than she is already.”
“Got ya,” Stu agreed and Jeff sped in the direction of LynAnn’s house.
The Ford, parked beside a six foot wooden fence, was in an ideal place to hide. The person knew exactly what he was doing and also knew the layout of the area around LynAnn’s apartment.
When he reached LynAnn’s, Stu hadn’t arrived yet, and Jeff walked the perimeter of her yard. No one was in sight and when he caught a glimpse of her peeping around the curtain, he gave her a nod. At the front of the house he found gravel stones strewn in the grass. The man had pitched gravel stones at the house. Stones he could have picked up anywhere along the macadam road. More tactics to frighten LynAnn. But was it possible there were two men? Could LynAnn be so frightened she imagined someone tried to open her door?
Stu, his square jaw set firmly as if ready for battle, joined him a moment later. “What can I do to help?”
“I appreciate this, Stu.” Jeff gave his back a pat.
Stu handed him the revolver and a small box of shells. Jeff spun the chamber and found it was empty. He stuck it in his belt, pulled his shirt out over it, and put the shells in his jeans pocket.
“You wouldn’t ask for a gun unless the situation was out of hand.”
“Come inside with me. I want to make sure LynAnn and the kids are okay.”
To Jeff’s relief, they were all right. LynAnn opened the door at his knock, dropped the bat with a loud clunk, and ran into his arms. The children were still in the bedroom, unaware anything had happened. “Oh Jeff,” she clung to him, still breathless. “I was so worried about you and then someone tried to open the door.” When she noticed Stu behind him, her brown eyes widen in surprised. “Stu, what are you doing here?”
“I came to rescue a damsel in distress.” He tried to smile, but besides the problem at hand, being back in the double house and knowing Jean was upstairs must have made him uncomfortable.
LynAnn went to him and gave him a hug. “Thank you, Stu.” Then turning to Jeff, she asked, “Did you get a look at the man?”
He shook his head and turned to Stu. “We have to stay up tonight in case the man or men come back. I doubt if they’ll try anything more tonight though. We could all go to my house, but he doesn’t try anything there.”
“So we’re going to stay here and wait for him to come back?” LynAnn raised her brows and questioned his plan. “I felt sure you’d want us to pack up some clothes to stay with you. You mean we’re staying here like sitting ducks?” She clenched her fists together.
“Not quite.” He pulled her close to him. “You and the children are going upstairs to sleep with Jean. Stu and I will stay here and keep watch.”
LynAnn protested, “But you both have work tomorrow.”
“We’ll be fine,” Jeff assured her and then checked the time on his wristwatch. “At ten o’clock we turn out the lights as if you’re going to bed, and you take the kids upstairs. Use the inside stairs. Better call Jean and tell her what’s going on.”
“I think I’ll go outside and look around,” Stu chipped in, anxious to help.
“Wait, Stu.” Jeff held up his hand to stop him. “You go out and get in your car, drive back four blocks from the house, and start walking back toward the house, but keep out of sight. The man was parked three blocks back by a wooden fence. If he’s there, you could get him from behind.” He turned to LynAnn. “Better check on the kids, LynAnn. They may suspect something is up by now.”
After LynAnn went to her son’s room, he handed Stu the gun and shells, and he stuck them in his pocket. “I wish we each had one, but I didn’t want to leave LynAnn alone for as long as it would have taken me to go home and get mine and come back,” he whispered so the others wouldn’t hear.
Stu headed for the door, and Jeff stopped him. “If you have to shoot, aim for a leg to put him out of commission. Be careful, dude,” he whispered again.
Stu nodded and with long strides was out the door.
Jeff stood by the side of the window and peered around the drape as LynAnn had done previously. He turned off all the lights except one lamp, and eerie shadows danced off the walls and ceiling.
When LynAnn returned from checking on the children, she walked over to him, and he immediately snuggled her to his side, away from the window.
“The kids are fine. They have no idea what’s going on.”
“Why didn’t you want me to call Jim Anderson?” he asked.
“I knew him before. He knew Todd. He was his sergeant when Todd died. After Todd’s death, I kept going to see him, and I tried to tell him Todd wouldn’t commit suicide. He didn’t believe me and eventually when I went to the station, they said he wasn’t there, and by then everyone thought I was crazy. I could tell they did. They kind of giggled and whispered when I showed up.”
“Your husband worked with Jim Anderson?” This information stunned Jeff. He had many conversations with him regarding the incidences involving LynAnn, and not once did the man mention he knew her dead husband or LynAnn.
She nodded and continued, “Remember the day at the grocery store when you called him and told him to send an unmarked car and no sirens.”
A worried frown tugged at his face. “Yes, I did phone him.”
“And didn’t he give the orders to his men?”
He continued to frown. “I did ask him and he said some young rookie went gung ho and didn’t follow instructions.”
“Can you check it out?”
Keeping his eyes aimed out the window, he replied, “Not without raising a bunch of red flags. But I think I’ll pay a visit to Jim tomorrow.”
She wrapped both arms around his muscular torso. “If you mention my name, I’m sure he’ll tell you I’m ready for the loony bin.”
He had another question for her although he hated to ask. “When Todd died, did you see his body?”
“No.” She shook her head. “It was a closed casket.”
“Who identified his body?”
“I don’t know. Someone at the precinct, I guess. They never told me, and I never asked.”
They both grew silent, and fifteen minutes later, Stu returned. “There’s no one outside,” he announced.
Just before ten, Jeff got in his car and drove off. He rode around until he found an alley to park his car in a few blocks to the back of LynAnn’s house. He walked back to her house and entered by the back door.
****
At ten o’clock, as planned, LynAnn turned out the lights and took the children up the stairs to Jean’s apartment. The children didn’t mind, to them it was a fun sleepover game. Jean knew their plan and expected them. She helped bed the kids down.
“I want everyone to sleep in the bedrooms,” LynAnn insisted. She didn’t explain her reasoning, but in her mind she conjured up a terrible image of the man breaking down the front door and firing his gun at anyone who happened to be in the living room. The boys would sleep in their sleeping bags with Jean in her room and LynAnn and Cassie would sleep in the bed in the spare room. When at last the children were settled, Jean led her to the kitchen and then blurted out, “Did you see Stu? How is he?”
“He’s fine,” LynAnn assured her friend. “I’m really glad he’s helping Jeff. We have to get to the bottom of this.”
“I think it’s someone after Jeff. He makes a lot of enemies in his job. Someone has an axe to grind about something he did, probably someone he sent to jail.”
“Maybe.” LynAnn shrugged her shoulders, not really sold on the idea. She still wondered about seeing Todd, or someone who looked like Todd, at the lounge. Why did Jeff ask if she’d seen his body? Did he think it possible Todd was still alive? The thought made her stomach turn. Surely, if Todd were alive, he wouldn’t act this way. He would come to her. He would have somehow come to her after Cassie was born. He would have come to her long before four years passed. Todd loved his children, and he promised he would get out of the undercover work before Cassie was born. He was not able to get out. Someone stopped him before he could.
The women were both on edge, and Jean couldn’t help asking about Stu again. “Did Stu say anything about me? How did he look?”
“He looked fine. The men had their hands full with whoever was outside. He and Jeff are taking turns on watch in case they come back. It’s going to be a long night for them.”
“Oh, they could be in danger.” Distressed, Jean began to pace around the room. Finally, she flung her body into a chair, covered her face with her hands, and sobbed. “I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out what I did wrong. I tried to be a good wife, and I thought Stu was happy.”
LynAnn flew to her side in an instant and ran her fingers over her curly head.
“You were a very good wife. Don’t blame yourself.” She tried to soothe her.
After a while, Jean dried her eyes, and LynAnn was able to head to the spare bedroom to sleep. She found she was exhausted and felt safe with the two men downstairs. She fell asleep almost instantly.
****
“What do you know about Jim Anderson?” Jeff questioned Stu as he took his turn watching from the window.
“The police captain?” Stu was taken back. “He’s a straight shooter as far as I can see. Why do you ask?”
“LynAnn doesn’t trust him. He worked with her husband before he died. When her husband died, he was labeled a dirty cop. I guess they thought he was taking bribes or getting a kickback. She never believed it, but Anderson worked at the same precinct at the time.”
Stu gave a low whistle. “That’s quite a coincidence, don’t you think?”
Jeff nodded. “I’ve got a whole pile of checking to do tomorrow. I’m going to visit Anderson, and I also want to see Todd’s autopsy report. I keep asking myself, ‘What were they looking for in this apartment?’ They thought something was on her computer and then they searched mine.”
“Your computer, too.” Shocked, Stu scratched his temple. “This sounds like a real can of worms. You’d better be careful. I assumed this had to do with someone you put behind bars at the DA’s office. I didn’t think it could actually involve LynAnn. Now it sounds like both of you are involved. But how could that be?”
Jeff slowly shook his head. “I have no idea.”
“Do you think they found what they wanted on your computers?”
“No. LynAnn said the kids play her computer and she had to get the hard drive replaced some time ago. And there was nothing important on the one I use at home. I’m still not certain it’s LynAnn they’re after. It could be me.”
It was a long night, and there were no suspicious movements outside. Jeff slept until three, and then Stu woke him and he took over until morning. He called LynAnn at seven, and she and the children returned to her apartment to get ready for the day. Stu drove her to the daycare with the children and then to Dr. Wilson’s office. Jeff took Jon home and showered and dressed for the office.