“Sure. You let me hug you for the first time.”
She thought a moment. “That’s right. Then we went for pizza before you walked me back to the dorm. My roommate had gone to a frat party and hadn’t bothered to invite me. I’d thought about staying in and studying but since I loved basketball, decided to go by myself.” She smiled for real this time. “You were the perfect gentleman and saved me from an evening of solitude.”
“It’s the least I could do.”
“As I recall, we wound up spending a lot of time in that pizza parlor. What happened, Leo? Suddenly you just weren’t there anymore. Why?”
His smile faded and he grew somber. “You really don’t know?”
She shook her head. “No. I don’t.”
The hard glint returned to his eyes. “I dropped out of school.”
Perplexed, she asked, “Why?”
“Because of him, that’s why. I made the mistake of introducing you to Jason and after that, I didn’t exist anymore.”
“But we were just friends, Leo. That’s all. There weren’t any romantic feelings between us...” She had the good sense to stop talking when she saw the pain and hurt on his face. She wrapped her arms around her waist. “Is that what this is all about? You thought I jilted you?”
He looked panicked before he schooled his features. “Hell, woman, you ain’t worth it. I’m in this for me. Period. Well, and the money and power, of course. I’ve got more brains than my stupid cousin could ever hope for. I know things. Things you don’t learn in school, so don’t you go feeling all sorry for me. Besides, I’m alive and he’s not.” He threw his head back and laughed, the sound scaring Sara as much as seeing him shoot Melissa
“Just as well. You would’ve bored me to death within a month if we’d actually connected.”
“What do you mean?” If she stalled him long enough, maybe she’d find a way out.
He sneered at her, then pointed toward Melissa’s body with his thumb. “She’s more my style. She liked it nasty and rough. You’re probably so uptight you’d pass out just thinking about what I demand.”
She swallowed. “Was Jason the same way? Is that why he had the affair with her?”
“He jumped her as soon as he met her, so, yeah, I’d say trashy was his preference, too.”
Sara was sick to her stomach. How could they have been married all those years and she not have known? Jason had seemed so happy and hadn’t said anything to her to indicate their lovemaking didn’t satisfy him. Except the last two to three years he’d changed, grown more distant and reserved. Now she knew why. However, he hadn’t exhibited any other signs. If he’d preferred trash like Melissa, wouldn’t it have shown somehow? Then she thought back to the receipts she’d found where he’d gone to resorts, spas and high class hotels. No, Jason hadn’t changed, but Melissa had obviously made extreme attempts to fit into his world. She’d wanted to be a lady.
She’d failed. Miserably.
Sara hated him for his deceptions, for not loving her like she’d thought he had. Too bad he wasn’t here now. She’d show him a move or two. Only it would be Cat’s moves and Sara would fix it where he wouldn’t be getting any nasty or rough sex—from anyone—for a very long time. For all she cared, Jason Adams could rot in hell.
Leo got up and headed toward the playpen. Sara immediately placed herself between him and her child. He threw her a look as if to say he wouldn’t hurt the baby and moved around her. Kaycee chose that moment to spit out the pacifier and start crying again. Apparently she didn’t like Leo any more than Sara did. Smart baby.
Leo took a step back, obviously irritated with the noise. “Why the hell do all brats have to—”
Sara swung her flattened hand sideways against his throat, taking all her anger, frustrations and hurt from Jason out on Leo, putting as much force as she could muster into the blow. Pain shot up her arm from the impact, but she ignored it. This was her last—and only—chance at survival. Of getting herself and her daughter out of there alive.
Staggering, Leo grabbed his throat with his left hand while swinging around with the gun in his right. He wouldn’t go down without a fight. Neither would she. She fisted both hands together and hit him in the kidney. He grunted. She backed away from the playpen. He stumbled after her.
She let him get close, then grabbed a vase from the bookcase and hit him over the head, hoping it would be enough to knock him out. Pieces of the shattered glass scattered across the floor. Blood dripped down his face from his cut forehead. Still, he stayed on his feet.
Oh, God.
She backed up, then her foot slipped. She looked down. In horror she stared into Melissa’s lifeless eyes and realized she stood in a pool of her blood. One more step backward and Sara would’ve tripped over the body. All her energy drained out of her. That could’ve been her…probably would be before long despite her efforts. Why did she ever think she’d beat Leo in a fight?
She didn’t stand a chance.
She smelled her own fear, her own defeat. She couldn’t beat him—he was too strong. But Kaycee needed her…and she needed Kaycee.
“Damn it, Sara.”
Oblivious to the body on the floor, Leo lunged for her. Frantic, she twisted out of his reach, making a desperate attempt to grab the gun. She missed.
No!
Panting, she sent a chop to the back of his neck, but there wasn’t much force in it. She staggered, bringing her closer to Leo. He turned and backhanded her, sending her sprawling over the back of the couch, onto the floor.
“Dumb bitch!” he yelled as he wiped blood out of his eyes. “I wasn’t going to do this, but I’ve had all the crap I’m going to take from you.”
****
Morgan pulled into the driveway, slapped the gear shift into park, and bolted from the car. Just as he headed up the porch steps, a loud thud and a soft cry came from the house. Heart plummeting to his stomach, he broke through the door and rushed inside. Sara lay face down on the floor, just beyond a couch.
Please don’t let her be dead!
She stirred, then looked up at him, fear and relief in her eyes. He turned his attention back to the more pressing issue. He wouldn’t do her any good if he got himself killed. Blood dripping from his head, Martin’s jaw momentarily went slack at the sight of him.
“Morgan, be careful! He’s got a gun,” Sara shouted over a crying baby.
Pointing his Glock directly at Leo, he said, “Give it up, Martin. It’s over.”
His eyes wild, Leo shook his head with a mock grin on his face. “You people just don’t get it do you?
I’m
the one in charge. I made sure of that. I’ve got it all. First the company and now the woman, so you can just go to...” He raised his gun in Morgan’s direction. He wasn’t fast enough, Morgan fired first.
Sara screamed, looked up to see Morgan still standing, then scrambled to her feet. He quickly moved to Leo and kicked the gun to the other side of the room, although, he didn’t think Martin would be going anywhere, except to the morgue. Not with a bullet hole between his eyes. Morgan turned in time to catch Sara as she rushed into his arms.
He stuffed his weapon back into the holster as she clung to his shirt. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” He raised her chin, then swore at the bright red mark on the side of her face. Before she could react, he gathered her to him tightly. “God, I thought I was too late. I couldn’t get to the house fast enough.”
Sara didn’t say anything as she trembled in his arms. Until the baby’s cries drew her attention. She turned toward the playpen to pick up the child. He didn’t give her a chance. The way she was shaking, she might drop the kid.
He plucked the crying child out of the pen, cradled her in one arm, caressed her tummy, kissed the top of her head, then cooed softly, “It’s okay, punkin. I gotcha.”
He wrapped his other arm around Sara and led her outside, away from the two bodies and gory scene in the house. Sirens blared in the distance. In no time at all, the baby quieted. He couldn’t blame the kid for screaming her lungs out, though. Once the waterworks had stopped, the kid even smiled at him. He turned his attention to Sara, who was still shaky.
“I’m a damn fool.”
“You came,” she said at the same time he spoke.
“Almost a bit too late, but I got here.” He might as well have been talking to the wind. Sara’s entire focus had shifted to the baby. Okay. He could take a hint. He slid the baby into her outstretched arms.
Cuddling the child close, Sara looked up at Morgan. Only a blind man would miss the resemblance.
“Is this...?” He forced his mouth closed.
The brightest smile he’d ever seen split her face as tears spilled down her cheeks. Stroking a trembling hand across the baby’s cheek, she gave a weak nod.
“Well, I’ll be.” Even the baby gurgled and cooed as if she knew Sara was her mom. He was glad a squad car, lights and sirens blaring, pulled up right then because he was close to tears himself. He swallowed the lump in his throat and reluctantly stepped away from the pair to fill the officers in.
He sent Sara and her daughter another longing look before he turned away. Kaycee was home where she belonged.
In her mother’s arms.
It had been two days since the shooting—since Sara’s world had finally turned right side up. She had already packed what she wanted out of the house—which wasn’t much—and had talked to a realtor about putting the house on the market, contents and all, as soon as the police investigation was complete. The sooner she could move out, the better.
Kaycee was seldom out of her sight and always within monitor range. Sara slept in the nursery, both to give her daughter a security blanket, and for Sara’s peace of mind. The soft, steady breathing of her daughter never failed to bring a lump to her throat.
The one thing to be said of Melissa Long—she had taken good care of the baby. Except for those few terrifying minutes when Melissa had nearly smothered her. Every now and then Kaycee whimpered, as if she missed her “other” mother. Sara couldn’t let herself feel sorry for the woman, though. The six months Sara had been without her daughter had been pure hell. Soon Kaycee would forget all about Melissa, and, luckily, she was too young to remember the shooting.
Snuggled in the cherry rocker in the nursery, a sleeping Kaycee curled up in her arms, Sara almost jumped when the doorbell rang.
Must be Goodwill
. After she laid the baby in her crib, she hurried downstairs. After a quick check through the peephole, she opened the door to Detective Cannon.
“Morning, ma’am.” There were several men behind him.
“What’s going on?”
“We don’t have a search warrant, but we’d like to search your house. We found evidence Leonard Martin was keeping surveillance on these premises.”
Shock splintered through her. Surveillance? “As in bugs and cameras? How...?” Her stomach rolled, thinking of Leo watching her every move, listening to everything she said. Oh, God! Where? For how long? Did he watch her bathe, dress? What about the night Morgan had made love to her? Taking a shuddering breath, she focused on the detective.
“He had monitors at his home as well as his office. He also had audio feeds.”
She waved them inside, then walked to the stairs and slumped on the steps. “That certainly explains a lot,” she said once she’d regained her composure. She looked at the detective. His features remained impassive, reminding her of Morgan. Briefly she wondered who gave lessons to whom to keep such a straight face.
She sighed and resumed her train of thought. “During the night I’d hear Jason’s voice. I even saw him once. Things started disappearing—being moved. I thought I was losing my mind.”
“He probably had a key made, found the security code, and let himself in whenever he wanted.”
Good grief. She’d thought she knew the man. Obviously not. But then, the episode at the other house should have taught her better.
“I have nothing to hide. Do you have any idea where the bugs might be?”
He gave the go-ahead to his men who swarmed out like bees. “Yes, ma’am. It won’t take us long.”
She wanted to know the specifics. However, when one of the men went upstairs, all thoughts of where the devices might be were instantly forgotten. Kaycee. She forced herself not to run, but she quickly followed the officer until she reached the nursery. Of course he wasn’t there. She still crossed to the crib and needlessly fussed with the cover before settling in the rocker. Paranoid or not, Sara intended to ensure her daughter’s safety. They could tear the house apart for all she cared.
A half-hour later, Detective Cannon gently tapped on the nursery door. “Except for the one in here, we’re done.” He quickly found a tiny camera positioned behind a macramé hanging located next to the door and removed it. Just seeing it made her mad. How dare Leo defile her daughter's room?
She checked Kaycee before following him downstairs. The other men had already gone outside. Suddenly a thought crossed her mind. “Is it still running? Can you see what’s happening?”
Grim-faced he nodded. “Until they were removed, yes ma’am. There were a dozen surveillance units located in all the main rooms, and the safe room as well as a stuffed rabbit.”
Horror, then anger ripped through her. “Kaycee’s rabbit? I took it everywhere. I—I didn’t have a clue.” She felt as if her daughter had been violated.
“It was hidden behind one of the eyes. I’m sorry, but the toy’s pretty well destroyed.”
The once treasured animal no longer held an emotional tie. “Just as well, detective. I don’t need it anymore. I have my daughter back.”
For the first time, he smiled. “Yes, ma’am. Sure am glad about that, too.”
“Not as glad as I am.”
Glad
didn’t come close to how she felt. Thrilled, ecstatic, overjoyed, and thankful were a few of the words she could use.
He cleared his throat, taking a moment before he spoke. “It doesn’t appear as if there are any other units in the house so we’ll dismantle the feeds now. We used them to help find everything.”
Wrapping her arms around her waist to suppress a shudder, she said, “It’s hard to believe he was capable of such a thing. I thought I knew him. I thought he was my friend. How could he do this?” She looked expectantly at the detective.