Courting Death - Carol Stephenson [54]
“Carling.” Kate interrupted her with a warning note in her voice. “I’m sure Nicole is very aware of what happened tonight.”
“Oh, right.” Carling subsided.
Kate turned her bright blue gaze on me. “The pending question is why did you turn him down? Until whoever is doing this to you is caught, it wouldn’t hurt to have extra protection.”
“Especially when that protection is a hunk and a half.” Carling grinned.
I glanced at Melissa and then stared at my hands clasped in my lap. “Sam accused me of having trust issues because of my father.”
“Abandonment issues.” Kate nodded. “Know that one well. It’s a real bitch.” Kate would, having grown up parentless, raised by her great aunt and uncle after her drunk mother managed to kill herself while skiing naked down a mountain slope.
“Mom told Dad he was a real dick for how he handled his break-up with Annette.”
We all looked at Melissa, who flushed. “I overheard her yelling at him on my fifth birthday.”
“What happened?” Carling asked.
“I was crying that day so Mom asked what was wrong when I should be happy. I told her that I didn’t want my daddy to leave like he did Nicole when she was five. Mom went ballistic and told him from here on out, he was going to make it right. No more separation of family.”
That’s why I started getting invitations to all the Sterling parties and other get-togethers. Melissa nibbled her lower lip. “I know your mother and my father didn’t work, but maybe it was because they grew too far apart. Mom and Dad have been together twenty-one years and although they fight here and there, I can tell they still love each other.”
She leaned forward, earnestness glowing on her face. “What I’m trying to say is please don’t let Dad’s screw-up keep you from finding happiness. He would hate that, I know it.”
I glanced out the window at the three men huddled together on the front yard. “What diabolical plan do you think those three are hatching?”
“Gabe’s going to take a second look at the list of people with possible grudges against you,” said Kate. “We all agree that this feels personal, beyond someone trying to warn you off from a case.”
“Even though you’re no longer with the state attorney’s office, Jared says you’re still one of them and he’s going to comb through your old prosecutions,” Carling added.
“How’s Mom holding up?” I faced Melissa.
“She fell asleep so Sophie told me not to worry about waking her. She’s going to spend the night there.”
I nodded and stood. “I’ll be right back.”
I walked outside to where the men were gathered. “Gabe, Jared, could I have a moment with Sam?”
They both flashed grins and peeled away. Sam stood with his hands propped on his hips. I took two more steps, wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my cheek against his chest until I could hear the solid beat of his heart.
All the words I’d thought of saying fled and I simply said, “Stay.”
His arms circled around me and crushed me tighter. He rubbed his face against the top of my head. Then he pointed. “Look.”
Kate, Carling and Melissa had emerged from the front of the house carrying buckets, bottles and sponges. Melissa knelt with sponge in hand, hesitated a moment and then attacked the bloodstain with a vengeance.
I smiled. “This weekend would you take a look at the windows and doors and then go with me to buy whatever I need to beef up the security?” After all, commitment to do something together a few days away was no big deal.
He raised a hand and stroked my hair. “Sure thing, Red.” Then he kissed me. Not a hot kiss of passion but rather one filled with comfort and tenderness. I was aware of the others hooting but deep inside me the hard icy ball of insecurity melted.
The next morning I showered and dressed for work in record time. It had been a long time since we’d had a man in the house overnight and Sophie would be bringing Mom home soon. I entered the living room in a rush but the folded sheet and pillow were the only evidence Sam had been here.
Then I heard the low rumble of his voice and the modulated one of my mother’s