For a Hero (22 page)

Jenna gasped and sat up. She slapped his chest as hard as she could, knowing he could take it. He just smiled. “My fault?”

“Yes. I wouldn’t have broken the headboard if you hadn’t handcuffed me to the bed. I can’t be held responsible for what I do when you turn me on. I can’t control myself around you anymore.” He said, almost teasingly. There was a lot of truth in it though, and he was proud of it.

She enjoyed him playing with her. And she CERTAINLY enjoyed their love-making. It was better than she ever thought it could be.

They relaxed together in a big reclining chair in the corner of the room. Jenna sat in his lap, curled up to his chest. “David?”

“Yes, Honey?”

“I have a question.”

“Ok, go ahead.”

She looked up at him with a serious expression on her face. “Where am I going to sleep?”

He looked into her eyes for a few moments. His dimples popped out and he came forward to kiss her quickly on the lips. “In my arms.”

That answer was entirely satisfactory. She allowed her body to completely relax on the firm bedding of David’s embrace.

Hours passed. She was sure David had dozed off, but Jenna’s mind was still racing, as it so often did in the middle of the night. His eyes were closed and his breathing was peaceful. Truthfully, he had the most content expression on his face. Feeling guilty, her thoughts went back to the unsettled feelings she had before.

Blaine wanted her to leave him, she thought. For some reason, he believed that her loving of David would cost Austin, and the world, what this man has to offer. This plagued Jenna. All the people David had pulled from certain death came to mind. She thought about his willingness to give and sacrifice. She thought about the sad circumstances that had led someone so wonderful and powerful to have such a huge responsibility on their shoulders. It was all so unfair. He shouldn’t have to carry that burden around. But how many lives had been saved because of that burden?

His breathing rocked her gently. If she wasn’t tormented by her doubts, sleep could come so easily here with him.

Then she started to think of her own short-comings. Maybe he does deserve to step out of this lifestyle and into a safer, happier one, but if so, it must be with a woman much more deserving and perfect than she. 

Jenna didn’t know why, but this seemed like the best time to tell him. She had to tell him. She had to tell him how wrong she was for him, how she had failed at every other relationship, how she never brought out the good in men. She had to let him know that he was too wonderful and valuable to settle for an ordinary girl like her.

Balancing her head on her chin, she looked at his beautiful face. This was it. Count down from three, take a deep breath and. . . .

“Jenna, I have something to tell you.”

“Oh.” She was taken aback. She thought for sure he was asleep and she would be waking him with her sad things to say. She thought to herself, ‘before he starts, Jenna, tell him how much you admire his high calling and how you don’t think you’d fit into his world. Tell him now how unhealthy you are in relationships. Tell him, Jenna. Tell him before he can say something that will make you change your mi-‘

“I love you.”

He loved her.

Jenna’s heart flooded with emotion. She wanted to cry. In fact, she might just go ahead and cry. This was it. He had gone and said the one thing that robbed her of the ability to dash his hopes and her dreams. How was she supposed to tell him these things after the most sincere, precious ‘I love you’ she’d ever heard?

Meeting his gaze, they looked at each other for a few moments. He didn’t look like he expected anything back from her. He wasn’t waiting on a response. He was just enjoying her being there. Like always, he was just giving to her.

So, instead of saying what she needed to say, she let slip the accursed truth. “I love you, too.”

His arms shot up around her and he held her tightly. His head rolled to one side. He looked like he was in heaven. She let him hold her.

She did love him, more than anything or anybody she had ever loved before, but what if her love was wrong for him? She hadn’t told him everything yet.

As he cradled her close, she let her mind torture her some more. ‘What if Blaine’s right? What if loving me somehow takes him away from the rest of the world. There would be nobody else running into him and telling him they loved him. He wouldn’t save anybody else’s life ever again, because of me. And the worst part is, when the excitement of our sex life has worn off, and David stops looking at me with rose-colored glasses, he will fall out of love. ‘I will break his heart.’

In paradise, she found no rest.

Chapter Eight

David reclined in his office chair behind his massive wooden desk. His thoughts consumed him. One finger between his lip and his nose, he thought and he thought. His eyes were pointed out the window but he was not seeing what was there. Occasionally, he would focus and notice the car wash fundraiser. Most of the firemen were out there, shirtless, washing cars with the fire hose for the soccer moms that drove their mini-vans and mid-size sedans to the fire hall.

Hank looked like he was having a great time. He really enjoyed the attention. When he held the hose, he would flex his arms trying to make them look as big as possible, but he didn’t need to. The women were all over him. The droplets of water in the air made his bright green eyes shine.

Scott was getting a comparable amount of adoration from the women, but he was much shyer. He was leaner than Hank, but still very athletic and his golden hair bouncing when he ran made him look like a streak of lightning.

The two men were the stars of the day. They were making the fire department a lot of money. David should have been happy.

David was not participating in the car wash. He has been asked for a time or two by a curious woman that might have seen him on the news, but his mind was far too busy putting the pieces of this puzzle together to go splash around in the sun.

When his eyes did focus on the events outside, he saw his firemen putting on a first-rate show on his behalf. Could Blaine be right? His mind returned to the clues he had been given. Were Hank and Scott capable of committing such acts, such crimes?

He watched them. They were having a great time. Hank was so playful. Scott was so unassuming. They did not act like schemers.

One of the women outside screamed. David shook his head and once again focused his eyes. Hank had sprayed Scott with the hose and knocked him down. Scott retaliated with a water balloon. Wait. Where did they get water balloons? David smiled. The women chose sides and the battle began. The girls were so wrapped up in the festivities that they didn’t seem to mind that the long line had come to a complete stand-still while their fire fighter car washers were playing around instead of getting down to business.

David stood and walked outside. The battle immediately stopped. Hank was sure he was in trouble and the women were somewhere between embarrassed and awe-struck. Scott, however, didn’t see David coming, and continued to scoop up water balloons. He only saw a lull in the battle; stopping and chuckling to himself, he quickly grabbed the fire hose.

“Haha, yeah!” Scott snickered as he aimed it at Hank. Before he could pull the lever that would blast his friend across the parking lot, David’s strong hands pulled the hose from him. “Shit, Sir. Um, Chief. Sorry.”

Scott immediately stood at attention. “This isn’t the army, Scott.”

Scott didn’t relax much. “I know, Sir. Still, sorry.”

David spoke loudly. “This is a fire hall. Here, we train people to save lives. This car wash is to raise money to save lives. Do you all understand me?”

Hank, Scott and all the women silently nodded their heads.

David leaned into Scott’s ear. “I need to see you in my office.”

Scott gulped, but slid his damp shirt on and ran into the building.

David then took the hose and pretended to roll it up. The crowd was completely still and quiet. When he thought everyone would least expect it, he opened the hose to full-blast and knocked Hank to his butt. He handed the hose to a nearby woman and winked at her, then tossed a few water balloons into the air. The crowd cheered and laughed and the play began anew.

David ran back inside before he, too, could get soaked. Scott sat in David’s office, facing his desk like he was about to get chewed out by the assistant principal. David walked in and closed the door. He went to the window and called Scott’s attention to the play happening outside to help Scott relax.

Scott visibly decompressed. His sweet, innocent smile came back. David enjoyed his happiness. But, there were things he needed to talk about with Scott. He needed to remove the possibility that Scott or Hank could be behind this.

“Scott, I have a few questions for you.”

“Yes, Sir. Ask me anything.”

David took a deep breath. Holding the lamp over his friend and colleague’s head wasn’t easy. “Tell me about the Monte Carlo fires. How much would the person who started the fires need to know about arson to do what he or she did?”

“Well, Sir. To be honest, I bet an average civilian couldn’t have done it. However, if you were to take a simple course on American car mechanics, it would become obvious.”

“Have you taken a simple course on American car mechanics?”

The implication flew right over Scott’s brilliant, but dense head. “No. I specialized in arson investigation in the fire academy. There was a brief, but exhaustive study of automobile fires.”

“I see.” No help. “Did you bother to look at the location from where all the cars were stolen?”

“Yes, Sir. They were all taken within a relatively small radius. It would be a safe bet that the perpetrator lives in that area.” Scott said with a haughty smile, as if educating someone of something, hoping to be rewarded.

“But did you see exactly WHERE the radius is?”

“No, Sir. I did not. I imagined that would be APD business. The police would investigate the explosions, right?”

He looked sincere. He legitimately knew nothing about the taking of the cars.  “Thanks for your help, Scott. We can talk about something else now. How much do you know about me?”

Scott’s eyes got really big. “I know just about everything there is to know, Sir.”

David’s breath caught with nervousness. “Like what?”

Scott leaned forward, seemingly elated to share his knowledge. “You were top of your class in the academy. You rose through the ranks quickly because of your dedication, willingness to sacrifice, incredible physical prowess, mental fortitude and an extreme amount of luck, according to your file. Your personality profile said that you treated the position as a responsibility instead of a privilege and that you were the most highly recommended Chief in the last thirty years. Your endless accolades and accomplishments in the department are the reason I wanted to be one. I saw the difference you made and thought that if I could do a fraction of that, I would have made the world a much better place.  I know that you can bench press double your weight which is enough to qualify for Olympic power-lifting and you can squat double that. I know that you are seen and associated with Blaine Windsor, who does not have a listed employment in city records other than Owner for a list of trusts, companies and properties. Even though his employment and activities are widely unknown, his influence is fairly ubiquitous. I imagine that you are one of the only people in the city that knows what he really does but have chosen not to say. You must be a good friend. I know that because of your actions at the Senator’s house a few weeks ago, you are being honored with a parade on New Year’s Eve. I know that you have recently begun dating Miss Jenna Johnson after she purchased you at the Bachelor Auction sponsored by Mr. Windsor. The foods I see you bring to work most often are. . .”

“Ok, Scott.” David was flattered, and a little embarrassed. “You answered my question. You really did your homework. Thank you for your time.”

Scot began to rise. “I hope that my responses were satisfactory, Sir.” He started to leave.

“Wait a second.”

“Yes?”

“Do you think you might want to be Chief one day?”

Scott’s jaw dropped. “I‘ve never thought about it.” Scott stood silently for a moment, letting the idea permeate his mental faculty. “No. I don’t think I would. I could not do the job that you do, Sir. And to be honest, without you, I’m not sure this job would be as special as it is.”

He said the sweet words candidly, like they were the simplest of observations.

“Thank you, Scott. I appreciate it.” David felt mostly better about Scott. He was either the best actor he had ever seen, or he was completely innocent. “When you go back out, can you please ask Hank to come in and see me next? I have a few questions for him too.”

“Yes, Sir. He’ll be right in.” Scott left his office quickly, but respectfully.

David relaxed into his chair. Scott didn’t seem to know about David’s family. He didn’t seem to know about the cars being stolen from his area. He had no ambition to be Chief or even have David removed from the position. He didn’t have a malicious bone is his body.

It was a relief for David to pardon Scott in his mind, but it got him no closer to the answer. He would ask Hank the same questions, but it was beginning to look more and more like the person behind all this wanted David to think it was them. A lot of thought had gone into this. Someone had spent a lot of time investing energy and concentration into sending David a message. It was a humbling, scary thought.

David waited. Hank did not come. He checked his watch. Eight minutes had passed. Did Scott forget? He wheeled his office chair to the window and looked outside. The car wash was dissipating quickly. David could see his firemen shooing the women away from the fire hall. What the heck was going on?

David left and walked out into the wet parking lot, now devoid of life save for Hank and Scott. “What is going on?”

Hank walked up to David, very close. He handed him a manila envelope. “This was left at the back door. The camera had been busted by a rock. I checked the footage. Nothing out of the ordinary could be seen until the signal went blank. It’s hard to say what it is exactly, but because of what it says, Scott and I think it’s from our guy.”