Chapter 26

 

 

 

 

“I WONDER if the mighty Oak tree is teaching today?” Octavia teased.

Linda unhooked her seatbelt and reached for her tote bag. “Oakley and I are in a good place.”

“You kissed and made up?”

She gave her sister a withering look. “Stop. He’s been quizzing me for the exam.” But as she climbed out, she relived the close call they’d had when he’d come to apologize. It made her wonder…

No. She wasn’t going to have a fling with Oakley as a reaction to Sullivan’s betrayal. She hadn’t gone back to his phone to learn the full extent of his relationship with the woman who’d left the messages. There was plenty of time later to learn the agonizing details and marinate in misery.

It would be cathartic.

They were running late so the classroom was full and Chuck was talking when they walked in. Linda was surprised to see Stone standing in the corner of the room, resting his big body casually against the wall. He nodded hello. She lifted her hand.

“This should be interesting,” Octavia whispered as she took her seat.

Linda ignored her.

“To lead today’s segment on self-defense, please welcome Stone Calvert, who manages a gym here in town. Mr. Calvert is also a veteran of this class, and he’s certified to work as a bounty hunter, or as it’s referred to in this state, pre-trial services.”

Linda exchanged a surprised look with Octavia. The man had credentials.

And, she quickly learned when Stone launched into teaching, the man was no dummy.

“The most important thing about self-defense is to be aware of your surroundings at all times. You want to see trouble before it’s coming and try to find a way to diffuse it.” His gaze landed on her. “It’s far better to avoid trouble than to try to figure out how to get out of it.”

She lifted her chin. No one knew that better than a mom.

“When you’re doing surveillance,” he continued, “anything can happen. You could get made, and the person could be angry and confrontational. Or someone might mistake you for a criminal. Or maybe they’re armed… or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. People are unpredictable, so you have to be the one who remains calm and collected. I give a free comprehensive self-defense class at my gym that you’re all welcome to take. But today I want to review some basics so you can plan to be safe when you go out on investigation jobs.”

As he talked, Linda took copious notes, but found herself lulled by the cadence of the big man’s voice. And she had to admit, she was seeing him in a different light.

“After the break,” Stone said, “we’ll come back and have a couple of demonstrations.”

The class broke up and Stone headed toward her… only to be cut off by Candy Lewis, who angled her body close to his. The woman was his physical match, to be sure.

“Come on,” Octavia murmured, nodding to the door. “Let her wear herself out.”

Linda frowned but followed her sister out into the hall. Octavia muffled a yawn. “Oh, God this is so boring.”

“You should be paying attention. This is good information, especially for you. You take too many chances.”

“And you don’t take enough,” Octavia said. “I guess we even each other out.”

Linda frowned. “You’ve been tart lately. Is something bothering you?”

Octavia leveled her blue-eyed gaze in her direction. “Right back at you, Sis.”

Linda swallowed hard. She’d tried to hide her anxiety over finding out her husband had been unfaithful, but apparently she wasn’t doing a good job. She’d considered telling Octavia a dozen times because her sister could relate, but something made her want to keep the secret.

To protect Sullivan’s reputation… and her own.

She stewed for the rest of the break and when they returned, the desks had been pushed to the walls. In the middle of the room was an apparatus that resembled a male stuffed torso sitting on a weighted base.

“Okay, as you can see,” Stone said. “I’ve set up what’s known as a Bob Dummy. This is just to give everyone an idea of how hard you have to hit a person to incapacitate them. Show of hands, how many people in the room have never thrown a punch?”

Although it seemed silly to be embarrassed about never being in a fist fight, Linda sheepishly put her hand in the air, as well as most of the women in the room and a good portion of the men.

Octavia didn’t and when Linda arched an eyebrow her way, she just shrugged. “Bar fight in college.”

“So I want everyone to line up,” Stone said, “and take a punch at Bob. And keep throwing punches until the red light comes on.”

Linda was halfway back in the line and almost everyone in front of her was able to get the red light to come on within two or three punches. When it was her turn, she nervously stepped up, balled her hand into a fist, and threw a punch that barely registered.

The class tittered. “A little harder,” Stone said.

She tried again, but in truth, it felt like an alien movement to her and the punch fell flat.

“A little harder,” Stone suggested, then came to stand next to Bob. “I know you have it in you,” he murmured for her ears only. “I’ve seen you mad.”

Her cheeks flamed when she remembered chasing him and Oakley off her lawn.

“Just think of something that makes you angry,” he said.

The woman’s voice message immediately popped into her head.

“Did you think of something?”

She nodded.

“Okay, center all your emotion and anger onto that one thing. Imagine it’s coming toward you, threatening everything you hold sacred.”

Anger sparked in her stomach and roared to her chest. How dare Sullivan betray her? How dare he put everything they’d worked for on the line? How dare he quit on her before she could quit on him?

“Now punch it,” Stone said.

She squeezed her hand into a fist and yelled as her pent-up fury exploded out. Her fist slammed into Bob again and again. The red light went off and she still kept punching. It felt so damn good.

“Whoa,” Stone said, touching her arm lightly. She dropped her hand and flexed her fingers. She was sweating and her heart was pounding. The room had fallen silent. Wide eyes stared at her.

“You okay?” Stone asked.

Linda nodded. “Better now.”