Deadly Dealings (Hardy Brothers Security Book 13) (4 page)

“That is a cause for concern,” the first deputy conceded. “We’re going to ask that you keep a close watch on your wife and report any suspicious activity you come across.”

“No problem,” James said. “I’ll be working from home with her by my side for the foreseeable future.”

“James … .”

“Don’t you even think about arguing with me, Mandy,” James warned, cutting his wife off before she could get a full head of steam. “You’re weak and you need me. You’re not going anywhere without me. Period.”

“You’re being awfully bossy,” Mandy said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“That’s what happens when I think my wife is going to die in my arms.” James was serious. “I will keep you safe. I … failed … in the haunted house. I won’t let that happen again.”

“You didn’t fail,” Mandy argued.

“And I won’t from here on out,” James said, his eyes distant. “I will not let anyone touch you no matter what.”

Grady and Mandy exchanged worried looks before Grady turned his attention to the deputies. “We’ll keep in touch. I promise.”

“We’ll do the same.”

Once the deputies left, Grady clapped his hands to yank James out of his dark reverie and Mandy from the pit of worry she was living in as she fretted about her husband. “I think it’s time we got Mandy home,” he said. “We need to do some shopping and get everything our favorite blonde needs to be comfortable.”

“I only need James,” Mandy said quietly, causing James to tighten his arms around her waist.

“You’ll have me forever, my baby, just like I’ll always have you.”

Grady didn’t give voice to his concerns, but he was officially worried. Mandy would put up with James hovering for a few days and then she would balk. When that happened, Grady was terrified James and Mandy were going to have a throwdown of epic proportions. “Let’s get her home first,” he said. “You two can spout as many sonnets as you want to each other once we’re out of here.”

“I can’t wait,” Mandy said. “I want to go home.”

“I’ll have you there very soon, baby,” James said. “I’m going to take care of you. No one is going to get past me again.”

“I’m fully capable of walking from the truck to the house,” Mandy grumbled as James slipped an arm under her legs and hoisted out of his Ford Explorer.

“You’re my princess,” James replied, refusing to argue with his increasingly annoyed wife. “I shall carry you into our house and proceed to dote on you for as long as I feel like it.”

“How long do you think that will be?”

“Until I don’t have a heart attack every time I picture you falling into my arms.”

“That’s a pretty manipulative thing you’re doing,” Mandy said, resting her head against James’ shoulder as they trudged toward the house. “You know I can’t say no to you when you’re struggling like this.”

“I know,” James said. “I’m using it to my advantage and I’m not even ashamed about it.”

James balanced Mandy against his hip as he opened the front door, situating her in his arms and kicking the door shut behind him as they moved through the house. He was tired. No, to be fair, he was exhausted. He was also relieved. The day before he’d almost lost his wife. He could tell by the obstinate tilt of her head that she was going to be a problem when it came to rest. He’d rather fight with her about that than worry about the alternative, though.

“Okay, baby, we have a serious discussion in front of us,” James said. “Do you want to hunker down in the living room or the reading nook upstairs?”

Mandy made a face. “I want you to put me down so I can get something to drink,” she said. “I’m dying of thirst.”

“The living room it is,” James said, not missing a beat. He lowered Mandy to the couch, being careful to situate her comfortably, and then leaned forward and pressed a long kiss to her forehead. “I love you.”

Mandy sighed. “I love you, too. I … .”

“Baby, I need you to let me hover today,” James said, cutting her off. “I
need
you to let me do this.”

Mandy pressed her eyes shut, tugging on her patience as she tried to collect herself. “Okay.”

“What do you want to drink?” James asked, tilting her chin up and rubbing his thumb over it. She was paler than he liked. He knew her stomach was upset. He’d seen her grimace as if she was going to throw up twice during the ride home. He would’ve preferred getting food in her, but he also didn’t want her miserable and puking. He could only do what he could do at the present moment.

“How about some green iced tea?”

James nodded. “You’ve got it.” He started to move away from her and then stilled, swiveling back and extending a finger. “You need to stay there all day. I’m not joking.”

“What if I have to go to the bathroom? I need fluids. That’s what the doctor said. If you keep putting fluids in me, I’m going to have to go to the bathroom eighty times.”

James licked his lips. She was purposely baiting him. He silently reminded himself that she felt helpless, a feeling no one liked, and inhaled deeply. “The bathroom is right there,” he said, pointing. “I would offer to carry you, but I know that’s going to go over like a lead balloon.”

“James, I’m okay.” Mandy’s blue eyes searched his brown orbs. “I need you not to go off the rails here.”

“It’s too late for that, baby. There was moment last night when … .”

“You thought I was going to die,” Mandy finished for him, hating the tears pooling in his eyes and her inability to make him feel better.

“You were having trouble breathing on the ride to the hospital,” James confirmed. “I thought you were going to die in that little room in the hospital when they wouldn’t let me back with you and it almost killed me right there.”

“I’m here, though.”

“And I
need
to take care of you.”

Mandy nodded wordlessly, fighting her own bout of tears. She’d almost lost their future.

James moved back to her side and knelt in front of her, collecting her hands in his. “Wife, you are my everything. You’re my whole heart. My soul can’t exist without your soul. Now, I know you think I’m going to smother you … and that’s a real possibility … but I need you to really try and let me take care of you right now.

“I don’t want any misunderstandings like we had after the explosion,” James said, referring to another incident where Mandy almost died. “I love you. I will always love you. You need to rest, though. You need to get back to one hundred percent for me. You need to accept the fact that you’re hurt. That is what I need from you.”

“Okay.” Mandy’s voice was small as she reached out and ran her finger down James’ cheek. “You need to do something for me, though, too.”

“What?”

“You’re going to stop hovering in a few days,” she said. “When that happens, your temper is going to get the best of you and you’re going to go on a rampage after the people who hurt me.

“I need you to remember that I can’t live without you,” she continued. “I need you to keep in mind that I will die without you. You can’t go off half-cocked. Promise me.”

James cupped Mandy’s hand against his cheek. “I promise.”

“I’m going to remind you of this in three days when you’re not as worried about me.”

“Let’s survive the next three days first, baby,” James said. “All I want to do now is get some fluids into you and cuddle up on the couch. I’m even willing to watch
Jaws
on a nonstop loop.”

Mandy grinned. She couldn’t help herself. “Will you massage me as much as I want?”

James returned the smile, relieved to see a little twinkle returning to her eyes. “See, now you’re thinking. Baby, I will rub you until the end of time if it means you’ll be quiet and let me take care of you.”

“I do love you, James Hardy.”

“I love you, my baby.”

“WELL,
I thought this is where we would find you,” Grady said, leading a line a concerned Hardy family members and friends into Mandy and James’ living room later that afternoon.

Despite his best efforts, James was unable to get Mandy to eat. She was nauseated and breaking out in sweating fits. Currently she was lying on her side, a small garbage can on the floor next to her in case of an emergency, and James was sitting close but not crowding her because she was too hot. The doctor told him this might happen, but he felt helpless.

Grady must have read the desperation on James’ face because he immediately pulled up short. “What’s wrong?”

“You should go,” James said, his voice tight. “She’s not feeling well and she needs to rest.”

“Oh, no,” Ally said, pushing past Grady and kneeling next to Mandy so she could push her friend’s disheveled hair away from her face. “Why is she sweating so much?”

“I just told you she was sick,” James said, swatting at Ally’s hand. “Don’t touch her. She’s hot and she doesn’t like it right now.”

“Oh, this must be killing you,” Finn said, clucking sympathetically. “After last night, all you want to do is touch her and you can’t.”

“It hasn’t been the best afternoon,” James conceded.

“I’m sorry,” Mandy murmured, her voice pitiable. “I’m so sorry.”

“Baby, you didn’t do this,” James said, frustration wafting off of him. “You had this done to you. I wish you could keep some food down. I think that’s what you need to get your strength back, but there’s nothing you’ll eat.”

“What if I make some homemade chicken noodle soup?” Ally offered.

“I can’t eat,” Mandy replied.

“I’ll make it bland,” Ally said. “Even if you can’t eat the noodles, vegetables, or chicken, you can still sip the broth. It’s not much, but it’s something.”

James eyed his sister hopefully. “Would you do that?”

“Don’t be stupid,” Ally said. “I want her to feel better as badly as you do. I’m guessing you don’t have supplies, though.”

James shook his head.

“Make a list,” Jake said. “I’ll go to the grocery store and get whatever you need.”

Ally studied Mandy a moment, worried. “We should get as many bland things as we can so she has something in her.”

“Make a list, angel,” Jake instructed. “I promise to buy everything on it.”

TWO
hours later Ally and Emma were cooking in the kitchen while everyone else was grouped together in the living room. Mandy slipped into fitful sleep occasionally, but she could never get comfortable enough to fall into the deep sleep she needed.

James was miserable watching her. He doused a washcloth in cold water and kept it pressed to the back of her neck to cool her. There was nothing else he could do.

“Now is probably the worst time to ask this, but we need to know how you want us to proceed,” Jake said, sympathy for James threatening to swallow him whole.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m assuming you want us to do some work on this,” Jake said.

James glanced down at Mandy, her eyes half open at a time when he was sure her ears were completely tuned to the conversation. He made her a promise, but he also wasn’t going to let this go. “I’m not sure,” James said, rubbing his stubbled chin as he considered his options. “Right now we need to figure out how this stuff is being transported and who the figurehead in the area responsible for it is.”

“I have an idea how we can do that,” Sophie said, her expression serious.

“You want to go to Peter, don’t you?”

Peter Marconi was a known figure in the Detroit mob scene. He did one hundred illegal things every day, and yet he also had a code of ethics a mile long. As Sophie’s foster father, the Hardys had forged strong ties with Peter. Now was an example of when his help would be invaluable.

“If anyone knows where this stuff is originating from, it’s Peter,” Sophie said. “It can’t hurt to ask him. He adores Mandy. He’ll want to help.”

“Go for it,” James said. “I’ll take whatever help I can get. I will be staying here for a few days. I won’t be going into the office at all.”

Mandy groaned at his words.

“My wife needs me to take care of her,” James said. “She’s really looking forward to all the hovering I’m going to do. I think in about three days we’re going to be ready to kill each other.”

“Well, that will be fun,” Grady deadpanned. “If you blow the top off the house in three days you can make up with some righteous sex and everyone will be happy again.”

James shifted the cloth on Mandy’s neck and rubbed his thumb against her cheek. “That will be nice.”

“It’s going to be okay,” Finn said. “We’re going to figure out who is doing this and we’re going to take care of it.”

“We’d better,” James said. “The thought of someone else losing what they love the way I almost lost Mandy … .” James swallowed hard. “I was very lucky last night. I don’t want someone else to wish they were me, not for this reason at least. We need to find the source and shut it down.”

“We’re on it,” Jake said. “Take care of Mandy. We’ll keep you updated with anything we find.”

“And I’ll stop by every day to spend some time with her so you two can take a break from each other,” Ally said, appearing in the room with a mug of soup in her hand. “Are you ready to try eating this?”

Mandy glanced around the room and found a multitude of hopeful faces staring at her. “I can’t eat with all of you watching,” she said. “I can’t … do anything else with all of you watching either.”

“That’s why they’re going,” James said, leaning forward and snagging the mug of soup. “Ally, thank you for making this. I’ll put the rest in the refrigerator and if she can’t eat it tonight we have hope for tomorrow.”

“I … .”

James shook his head firmly. “She doesn’t want you watching over her. You can come back tomorrow.”

Ally realized the truth – and worry – behind his words. “Okay. I’ll bring stuff to give you a pedicure, Mandy. I’ll buy some trashy magazines, too.”

Mandy nodded wearily. “Okay. Thank you.”

“Go,” James prodded. “Thank you all for coming but … tonight it’s going to be my wife and me.”

“And
Jaws
,” Mandy said.

“And
Jaws
,” James conceded, shooting her a rueful smile. “Way to milk it, baby.”

“I’m still figuring out a way for you to massage me, too.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”