Blind Witness (18 page)

“No.” Great pain burned in her voice, she fought to push away.

“Yes, I love you.” He stressed each syllable, pulling her back to him. “Rachelle, I love you. I want to marry you.”

She went limp, tears streaming down her cheek. “I don’t want to hurt your family.”

“You won’t, they’ll accept you. Tiffany just got everyone thinking I’d marry Maureen. They’ll come around, but even if they don’t, having you in my life is what’s important. You make me happy. I have felt more joy in the last couple days than I have my whole life. I want that. I want you forever.”

Rachelle calmed and leaned lax against him. “How can you say that?” She took a deep breath. “We’ve only known each other a couple of weeks.”

“And I could have said it a couple days ago, because it’s true. I love you. And I know you love me. Will you deny it?”

She shook her head. “I can’t. It hurt so much when I thought you didn’t want me and now, when I thought I couldn’t ever be with you.” She tightened her hold on him.

For a full minute Britt held her to him, sitting in the grass, and then he pressed her back enough to frame her face with his hands. He tilted her face up as though she could see him. “Then say you’ll marry me.”

“Britt.”

He watched her eyes try to move over him. Knowing she was trying to see the certainty in his face.

“Are you certain?” She was hesitant with the question, but there was such hope on her face he felt it to his soul.

“I’m certain. Will you marry me?”

Her countenance glowed with light. “Yes.” She threw her arms around his neck. Her lips found his with ease, and Britt found
himself bursting with joy at the passionate woman who would be his wife. She tasted sweet and smelled like the little flowers he had given her. She was nectar to him, and he started to drink but only allowed himself a minute, knowing full well if he didn’t, it would kill him to stop.

He held her tight trying to get
himself under control. Her breathing was heavy. “Are you all right?” He pressed a kiss to her temple, feeling her nod slightly. “Let’s go back and make the announcement.”

“Britt, no, please, can we leave now?” She forced in a deep breath. “I know you probably think this is like riding a horse. That when you fall off you should get back on. But I think everyone needs some time to cool off, calm down and it will be better. As you said, Tiffany counted on you marrying Maureen. We have to give her time, give them all time to come to terms, or there’s no telling what might be said and not meant, but can’t be taken back. And I don’t want you to hit Carlton again.

“How do you know it was me that hit him?” His lips twitched into a smile.

“Please, he doesn’t strike me as the type that would strike someone head on. Like what he said in there, it was when he didn’t know I could hear. He’s been very charming toward me in person. Besides, he’s forever whining to you, instead of taking care of things.”

“Good points. I didn’t hit him half as hard as I wanted to. It was just enough to get his attention and make him shut up.”

“My protector,” she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

“You missed.” He teased though he figured that was where she aimed.

She smiled. “I’ll have to work on that. I’ll get better with practice.” She kissed him again.

“Oh, practice. We’ll have to do that a lot.”

“What if I’m a quick study?”

“No, I think we’ll need to take our time to make sure you get it right.”

“That sounds like a lot of practicing.”

“All good things have their sacrifices. I’m willing to make this one.”

Laughter bubbled out of her, and she leaned into him again.

****

Britt had been quiet since they left the house. Rachelle knew he was thinking of something. She hoped he didn’t regret his proposal. Ten minutes later, she was relaxed back in the seat when he spoke. “What kind of wedding do you want?”

Surprised, she paused and thought. “I don’t know. When I was little, I wanted the big wedding with all the fancy dresses, flowers, cake. You know − everything. That’s what I was planning with Richard, and then the guest list started to sound like a client social for him. Everything was for show. When my accident happened and he broke off our engagement, I realized the big wedding wasn’t necessary and that I’d forgotten what was important.”

“What was that?”

“A man that loved me.”

Britt dreaded to ask the question but couldn’t stop
himself. “Did you love him a lot?”

“At the time, I thought maybe I did, but then I realized I was in love with the idea of being in love. I wanted to have my perfect little life, with children, a successful husband and a white picket fence. When he left, I felt no loss. In fact, I felt at peace, or as peaceful as my life was at the time being. Walking across the room was traumatic.” Rachelle paused before continuing. “I think now, looking back, that I wouldn’t have made it to the wedding. It wasn’t right. I knew it. Something was missing.”

“Do you know what it was?”

“I do now. When you get near me, I don’t have to see you. I feel like another part of me is present, like I never was even when I could see. I guess a lot of women would disagree about needing a man that way.” Then she looked worried. “I hope that doesn’t sound scary to you.” She felt the car pull over to the side of the road and he shifted to her. His hands came up to frame her face.

“It doesn’t. I know the feeling. When I sent you away, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I wanted you with me so much. It was like a piece of me was cut out and missing. I thought I was doing what was best for you. Then, when I thought I wouldn’t get to you, nothing else mattered. Without you, part of me would be gone forever. I need you with me.”

“I want to be with you. You’re all I need,” she said softly, a smile radiated across her face.

“Then will you marry me tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes, as soon as we’re done at the doctor’s office, I want to get a license. I’ll call Conrad to see if he can marry us.”

Sur
prise rolled over her. “Britt.”

“Rachelle, I know it’s sudden, but I don’t think it would be a good idea for us to announce it now. There’s no telling what the nut would do, but I want you staying with me.” He cradled her cheek and kissed her. “I know you just agreed to marry me.”

“Yes.” The word slipped out of her mouth. Once out, she knew it was right.

It was Britt’s turn to be shocked. “Yes?”

“Yes, I’ll marry you as soon as we can arrange it.”

“We can call your family now.” He reached for his cell phone.

“They’re out of town. My brother-in-law’s family had a wedding, and they all went to it and turned it into a vacation.”

“I remember you saying that. We can have another ceremony later if you want.”

“I’ll think about it, but it really isn’t important to me.”

“You name what you want and it’s yours.”

“You!” She leaned forward. He was there for the kiss. Wrapping his arms around her, their passion grew taking them into a world of their own. The world shattered along with the back and front windows of the car.

“Down!”
Britt forced her head between the seats, shoved the car into gear and took off in a race for their lives.

“Britt?”

“Just stay down.”

“Was that the windshield?”

“Yes.” He shifted to see through the fractured glass.

“Someone shot at us.”

“Would you like to guess who?”

“I could guess it in one if I just knew the name.”

“You and me both.” Frustration poured from him. “Here.” She felt his cell phone pressed into her hand. “Stay down but call the police!”

Rachelle fumbled with the phone as Britt rounded a corner. It seemed like forever before someone answered though it was only seconds. “Someone is shooting at us.” She gave her name. “Where are we?” she yelled as they went around another corner. Britt gave the street names as he watched for someone following around the corner. Rachelle relayed information, and two minutes later, they met up with the first group of officers and pulled over. They were still sitting in the same place an hour later when Detective Todd showed up.

“I thought I was going to have a quiet weekend,” the detective greeted them.

“What can we say,” Britt shrugged, his arm remaining around Rachelle as they sat on the hood of his car.

“Sorry, I don’t have much to give you. They haven’t found the bullet so we’re pretty much stuck at a dead end. Except that we can count on it being our guy. He’s becoming more unstable though. This was a personal attack, and the gun is a switch. I will suggest that you don’t stop along any more roads just to sit and talk.”

“Good idea.”

“You want something positive?”

“Definitely.”

“Well, if this guy is as good with the gun as we think he is, I believe he wasn’t really trying to kill you. This is all conjecture, but I think it was just his way of letting you know he was watching.”

“Or you could be wrong. He’s a bad shot and just doesn’t care which one of us he hit,” Britt came back.

“Right. Anyway, you’re free to go. I’ll have an officer give you a ride home. We’ll have to impound your car.”

“Not like I can drive it with the windshield like that.”

“I’m amazed you made it this far without running into anything.”

“Desperate times.
Is it all right if I get Rachelle’s suitcase out of the trunk?”

“Sure.”

Rachelle stayed by the detective. A minute later Britt was back. She heard keys rattle and she guessed Britt had tossed them over. “You ready to go?”

She stepped to him as he took her hand. Moving with him had become as natural as breathing, even though her nerves were still all jumbled. She clung to his arm, pressing close, offering comfort as well as taking as she had been for the last hour. “You’re not going to send me away are you?”

Brit found himself smiling again despite what had happened. “No, we’re getting married tomorrow as planned.”

They were getting in the police car when Britt’s cell phone, which was still in Rachelle’s pocket, rang. “Just answer it,” he said, releasing her arm.

“Hello,” she said, then waited when no one said anything. Figuring that whoever it was, was confused by a female voice, she was about to say it was Britt’s phone when the voice answered. “So Clairbourne’s having angels answering his personal phone, but I forgot you’re not an angel. What else do you answer to?”

“Why are you trying to hurt Britt?”

“You know why, but you didn’t listen. He took her away from me,” the voice whined. “He took you away, too.”

“I was never yours. I don’t even know you. Or have we met?”

There was a pause. “You could only think about him. Just like …”

“Aubrey.” Rachelle finished, when he stopped.

“Yes, she was beautiful and always got what she wanted. She always had me. She always came back to me. But with him, she wasn’t coming back.” The voice changed back to harsh tones. “And just to prove to you, that you should have stayed away from him. I left another surprise in Clairbourne’s big building. He has four hours to find it, or someone will die.”

“Please don’t do this. I know Aubrey hurt you. I’m sorry. Let me help you. It wasn’t Britt
Clairbourne’s fault. Please.”

“It was him,” the man yelled. “He has to pay. He has to. All will be mine. All mine.” The voice quieted.
“Even you.” The words turned sing song. “And it all will come tumbling down.”

Rachelle became aware of Britt holding her when his hand came up to take the phone from her.

“What did he say?” Todd asked. He was close and she realized both he and Britt had been trying to listen to the conversation.

“He has a bomb in the administration building. We have four hours to find it, or someone will die.”

“I’ll get a team over there. If I can have your cell phone, I’ll get someone to see if they can trace the call. Are you sure about it being the administration building?”

“He said the ‘big building.’ The big building would be the main headquarters building.”

“It makes sense. He’s playing with us, giving us a time frame. But, if he’s doing like the psychologist said, he’s working a pattern, and if we discount the attempts taken at you, those are personal aggravations coming through. They’re throwing him off. Which Dr. Lamb also thinks he blames you for. He started at the receiving bay, and then the warehouse, the quad was in between.” The detective began to think out loud, “The main office or just outside your office. The next place would be inside your office, which he should be leaving for last . . . or the main lobby.”

“But what about the hit and run on Mr. Mason? That wasn’t at
Clairbourne or on us.” Rachelle had to ask.

“Yes, but you were there. And he almost succeeded driving a wedge between you two, which was a blow to
Clairbourne, and a boost to our guy’s ego.”