Seeing Love: Saints Protection & Investigations (20 page)

“Um…well, in college. And when I go out with my friends.”

“To…?”

“Bars,” he admitted.

“Right! Your knowledge of women is limited to those women who are looking for a hookup. Gotta tell you, Bart, not every woman you meet is trying to get you in bed!”

He rubbed his hand through his hair in frustration.
What the hell just happened? This game was supposed to let her know how much I’ve noticed her and somehow I’ve insulted all womanhood.

Several miles of silence filled the truck. He spared a glance her way but, instead of appearing angry, her expression was pensive.

“Bart, I’m sor—”

“I didn’t mean to—”

They both spoke at the same time, then halted, looking at each other and grinning. “You first,” he said.

“You were giving me a compliment and I turned it around to something unpleasant, just because of my own insecurities,” she replied.

“I didn’t mean to insult women,” he said honestly. “And you’re right. In college, as a football player, I didn’t have to look for women at all…they pretty much lined up outside the locker rooms and dorms to want to hang out with us. Then when I was a SEAL, there were bars outside the base where women would flock. They were either husband trolling or looking to bang…um…I mean…oh hell, Faith.” He sighed heavily.

She nodded, a somber expression on her face.

“I suppose, now that I look back, I’ve only hung out with women who wanted the easy way, the easy night. I didn’t have to work at a relationship because there was nothing to work at.”

“So you’ve never had anything more?” she asked, shaking her head. “That seems so…”

“Selfish? Crude? Irresponsible?” he filled in, now hating the game he started.

“No. Honestly, I was going to say it seemed so sad. After seeing the love you say your grandparents and parents had, I would think you would want that. Love. Marriage. Children.”

“I guess I always figured it would happen someday, but never really looked beyond what was happening at the time.”

Leaning over, she placed her small hand on the corded muscles of his forearm as he held the steering wheel tightly. “You’ll find it someday…if you take the time to look for it. I don’t think it’s going to come out of nowhere and just hit you on the head!”

He glanced at her pensive smile and thought…
I think it already did.

T
here was no
sun peeking through the blinds when Faith awoke the next morning. As she twisted the handle allowing more light to enter, she saw dark rain clouds overhead, casting the gloom from the outside into her apartment…and her mood.

It had been almost a week since Erik was kidnapped and even with Ivan making two payments…nothing. Her dream had been vivid—a dark haired boy, sitting on a bed, this time playing some kind of game. The dream always ended at that point. No more clues as to where he was. Or who he was with.
But he’s still alive, I just know it.

She was glad for a day without teaching…
or interviewing the criminal underworld,
she thought ruefully. Stepping into the shower, she let the hot water pound the stress out of her body even if the images in her mind could not be so easily removed.

Stepping into the kitchen, Smee made his obligatory figure-eights between her legs. “Hey sweetie,” she cooed, putting the canned food in his dish. He immediately left her legs for the food and she grinned. “I know. You only love me because I feed you,” she teased. Fixing some toast and hot tea, she sat on the sofa, turning on her laptop.

Bills to pay, emails to check, and some online Christmas shopping to do. What to do first?
Swallowing her last bite of toast, she paid her few bills first, determined to get that chore out of the way. Checking her bank statement, she winced. She would never take money from Ivan for helping, but she sighed deeply when seeing her balance.
I hate to wish for crime, but I need the police department to ask me to do some witness drawings!

As she thought of Christmas, she grimaced at both the thought that she had little money for Christmas presents and the realization that she had almost no one to buy for. There were only two teachers at school that she had become friends with and the dispatcher at the police station. Her mind rolled to Bart and she wondered if they were friends enough to exchange Christmas presents.
God, girl. Get over yourself! All he’d want for Christmas he can find in any bar on any night.
Sighing heavily, she checked her emails, deleting most of them.

Standing, she washed her few dishes and glanced down at the mail on her kitchen counter. Spending the last few days with Bart running around the state and then one day at school, she had not taken the time to go through her mail, all gathered in a pile. Credit card offers, newspapers, sales advertisements, general solicitations…all went into the trash.

A plain piece of paper fell off the stack and floated to the floor. Bending, she scooped it up and unfolded the missive.

Stop what you are doing.

What is this?
Confused, she flipped the message over to the back, but it was blank. Her name was nowhere on the note, so she wondered if it had been meant for her. She heard a commotion outside in the alley behind her building. Walking over to the window, she saw two of her elderly neighbors yelling at each other. Cracking the window slightly, she could hear one accusing the other of putting their garbage in his can. The two men fussed and cussed for several minutes before moving back inside.

Grinning at their antics, she tossed the note onto the kitchen counter.
I guess this got mixed up in my newspapers by mistake. Seems like Mr. Carlotti is pissed once more at Mr. Gevani and his note came to me by accident.
Downing the last of her tea, she headed to her room to get dressed. Wanting to hit the grocery store before the Saturday crowds set in was next on her list.

*

The Saints were
piled up in Jack’s living room, filling up the comfortable sofas and chairs around the fireplace. Bethany, Miriam, and Sabrina were getting ready to dish out the dessert. The men had ordered pizzas and the group had devoured several boxes. Each man, still frustrated by the lack of progress in Erik’s case, had left their morning meeting, grimly accepting that there was little else they could do with the FBI in charge. Monty gave an update from Mitch, and all Bart’s interview tapes had been forwarded so there was nothing left for the Saints to do. Jack had distributed new assignments for everyone and the group dismissed to move upstairs to share lunch.

Luke stretched his long legs toward the fire, mulling over the facts. His methodical mind constantly worked on the puzzle of the case. Closing his tired eyes, he let the fire’s warmth ease his mind, as his caffeine buzz slowly abated. Blaise came in from the deck, his dog bounding into the room ahead of him. Tired from his run, the dog flopped down in front of the fire, his owner not far behind.

Chad pulled out his phone and texted madly for a few minutes then slipped the phone into his back pocket before grabbing his dessert dish. Marc stared out of the window, the Blue Ridge Mountains in the vista. He had a new assignment and was going to be flying his plane the next day for a security escort. So far, the weather had been mild and he hoped it continued that way. He loved the idea of being up in the air again looking down on the mountains.

Bethany moved to sit in the chair with Jack as Miriam snuggled up to Cam. Bart’s cousin, Sabrina, sat on a cushion on the floor between Jude’s knees as his hand rested on her shoulder. The conversation rolled back to the kidnapping, and Bethany shook her head sadly. “I can’t imagine how that mother must feel. To have your child snatched away from you and to not know anything.” Jack pulled her in tightly, kissing the top of her head as it rested on his chest.

Bart glanced over at the three couples among the Saints. He had been glad for Jack when he found Bethany, seeing it bring warmth to Jack’s life that had been all business. Sliding his gaze to his best friend, Cam, and Miriam, he was happy for them also. Both from large, in-your-business families, they thrived on their new relationship and wedding planning. Sabrina was also planning her wedding to the newest Saint, Jude.

He thought of Faith, honestly admitting to himself that she was never far from his thoughts.
She sees me…the real me. She doesn’t take any shit and lays the truth out.
He thought about the way they parted last night. He wanted to take her into his arms and kiss her again. The idea of the simple feel of her lips on his invaded his every thought.
Why didn’t I?
She had seemed to hesitate before walking into her apartment and he let her.
Was I crazy? I’ve never let a woman get away.
He knew she was attracted to him, but their last conversation stayed with him.
What does she really think of me?
He acknowledged that, for the first time, he actually cared what a woman thought of him. And the realization that he came up lacking bothered him.

*

Coming back in
from the store, Faith balanced her grocery sacks on her arm while fishing for the keys from her purse. Tipping one of the bags slightly, an orange rolled out of the top and landed on her welcome mat.
Damn it!
Finally setting the bags down, she managed to open her door and set the bags on the kitchen counter. Walking back to the door, she bent to pick up the errant orange when she saw the corner of a white piece of paper sticking out from under the mat. Pulling it out, she noted that it was folded in half, like the note from this morning.

Seer, stop meddling. You are not the only one who can see. You are being watched.

This time, she stood with shaking hands still holding the note.
Oh, my God, it was meant for me!
Her gaze jerked back and forth outside her apartment, but she saw no one. Backing into her apartment, she slammed the door shut and quickly bolted the locks. Heart pounding, she pushed her hair back from her face as her eyes darted around as though the person threatening her would suddenly appear. Sucking in a deep breath, she knew she needed to let someone know.
FBI? Mitch? Or Bart?
Without hesitation, she ran to her purse on the kitchen counter and dumped its contents trying to locate her phone.

Searching her contacts, she pressed the number.

Bart answered, his greeting warm, but she did not give him a chance to say anything else. “Someone’s sent me a threat!” she blurted.

“Where are you?” he instantly demanded.

She was vaguely aware of hearing people’s voices in the background as she told him she was at home.

“Stay there, stay locked in, do not go to the door for any reason unless you know it’s me,” he ordered.

“Okay,” she breathed, heart still pounding. Moving away from the door, she walked over to her old sofa and perched on the edge. Her eyes darted to the side where her window blinds were always raised to let in as much natural light as possible. She jumped up, rushing over to pull the cord, lowering the blinds. The idea that perhaps someone was in the building across from her slid a shiver down her spine.

Time crawled until she finally heard the pounding of heavy footsteps coming up the stairs. She stood, but did not go near the door until loud knocking was followed by Bart’s voice calling her name. Running over, she threw back the deadbolt and barely stepped out of the way before he came slamming through.

Putting his hands on her shoulders, he leaned down to peer into her eyes. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, but had no time to answer before he pulled her into his broad chest, cradling her body against his. She was vaguely aware of someone else in her apartment and pushed her way back so that she could see.

Three other large men invaded her small space and she jerked her gaze back to Bart for an explanation.

He looked down and saw her confusion. “Faith, these are my friends and fellow Saints. This is Monty, Chad, and Marc.”

The three men smiled at her before quickly dispersing throughout her apartment. As small as it was, it did not take them long to check the area.