Almost Forever (9 page)

Lori hurried through her shower but didn't have time to dry her hair before the doorbell rang.

“Mom, it's the cowboy,” Mackenzie called up the stairs.

“Do you mean the Ranger?” Lori asked.

“Yes, him.”

“Let him in, please, and tell him I'll be right down.” Lori glanced in the mirror and saw she was smiling. She'd forgotten what it felt like to be happy. Ever since last night when Justin had promised to help her, she'd felt almost light-headed with relief. She'd slept like a baby, and Mackenzie had had to wake her up, which was highly unusual. And now the mere thought of the man waiting downstairs excited her. She knew there was no chance of anything ever happening between them, considering the circumstances, but it felt so good to be alive again.

She pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top, then let her hair fall loosely around her shoulders so it could air dry. Almost like a schoolgirl, she skipped down the stairs, then paused to compose herself before she went into the living room.

Mackenzie was sitting on the floor and Justin was standing over her, looking down at the picture of a horse she had drawn.

“That's amazing,” he said, sounding sincere. “My brother is an artist.”

“That's what I want to be when I grow up. Or a horse trainer. Or maybe I can be a barrel racer.” Mackenzie looked up at him with adoring eyes.

Like mother, like daughter
, Lori thought. “Hi. Did Kenzie offer you something to drink?”

Mackenzie jumped to her feet. “I was showing Ranger Archer my drawing. He's thinks it's amazing.”

“I heard. Why don't you run and get us a couple glasses of lemonade?”

Mackenzie trotted off to the kitchen, all childish energy and joy. Lori was only thirty, but she felt like her own childhood was light-years ago. She turned to Justin and smiled nervously. The feel of his arms around her was still fresh in her mind. “Hi. How did it go with Terri?”

“Fine. I don't think she had anything to do with it, but she's not too fond of you.”

“Probably not.” Lori picked up the remote control and turned the volume down on the TV where Mackenzie had been watching cartoons. “I don't think she believes it, but I didn't steal Mark away from her. He and I didn't meet until a couple months after they broke up.”

“Have you had a chance to talk to your attorney?”

“We spoke this morning. There's been a steady stream of reporters here all day. I didn't see it, but apparently, it hit the newspaper and the Internet last night. That's why I escaped on the tractor.”

“Good idea.” He stood, his hat in his hands, and seemed uncharacteristically quiet.

“Do you want to sit down?” she asked.

“Sure.” He waited until she sat before he took a seat on the couch across from her. He placed his hat on the cushion next to him. “About last night…”

Mackenzie returned with two glasses of lemonade, which she handed out before flopping back down on the floor and resuming her artwork.

Justin gave Lori an apologetic smile over Mackenzie's head. It made her doubt any kind of connection she thought they had had. It wasn't like they had actually kissed.

“So, how's the crushing going?” he asked.

“Good. We're filling up the vats. It will take the grapes seven to fourteen days to ferment, then we rack it until it's clear.”

“Sounds complicated.”

“Not really. But it has to go through each step.”

“I'm going to help them bottle this year,” Mackenzie announced cheerfully. “I want to learn how to do everything.”

“I'm sure that will be a big help to your mother.”

“If we can make more money, maybe I can get a pony.”

Justin chuckled. “She's kind of one-track-minded, isn't she?” He leaned toward Mackenzie. “My grandmother has a couple ponies. My nephews ride them, but they're getting fat and lazy. Maybe you'd like to come for a visit sometime and give them some exercise?”

Mackenzie jumped to her feet and was practically vibrating as she said, “Really? I'd love to do that. Can we, Mommy? Please, please, please?”

Lori rolled her eyes at him. He'd left her no easy exit. But then, she wouldn't mind letting her daughter live her dream. “Sure, baby. We'll see if we can find a day that works for all of us.”

“How about Sunday?” Justin suggested casually. “Nick's two boys will probably be there, and Grammy certainly won't mind adding a couple plates on the table.”

Mackenzie whirled from one to the other. “Can we, Mommy? I'm not busy Sunday. Please, can we go?”

Justin threw up his hands. “It's up to your mother.”

Mackenzie spun back around.

“Okay, okay, we'll go as long as Ranger Archer makes sure it's okay with his family.”

Justin nodded his agreement, and Mackenzie squealed and hugged Lori's legs.

“We were just about to eat dinner. I put a roast on hours ago,” Lori told him. “I can set an extra plate.”

“I smell it.” Justin sniffed the air like a bloodhound catching a scent. “I'm sure it's delicious, but I already ate. I'll take a rain check.”

The timer in the kitchen went off, and Justin stood. “I'll try to get back out here tomorrow.”

“I'm dying to hear what you found out.”

“Nothing helpful,” he told her.

“By the way, I've got the memorial set up for Saturday. It's going to be more of a wake.” Lori followed him to the front door while Mackenzie went to set the island for dinner. “You are coming, aren't you?”

He nodded. “Of course.”

“Uh, could I ask you a favor?”

“Sure.”

“Could you come as a friend…you know, not in your Ranger uniform? That is, if you have normal clothes.”

He put his hand over his heart and pretended to be wounded. “I don't sleep in this uniform. I'm sure I can find something appropriate.”

She smiled. Her fingers itched to touch him, to feel the solidness of his body and recapture the sensation of him being her protector. But she resisted.

“I'll call you,” he promised vaguely and gave her that little polite hat tip before he left.

Mackenzie could talk about nothing else but the planned pony rides all through dinner. Lori let her chatter on. It was a better thing to look forward to than her father's service on Saturday. Lori had already made arrangements for Mackenzie to leave the memorial early and spend the night with a girlfriend. She didn't want her daughter to be there in case people started sharing colorful stories and reminiscing about “the good times” with Mark.

They played a couple of games before it was time for bed. Mackenzie took her bath while Lori walked over to the winery to make sure everything was locked up and turned off. She returned to the house and repeated the routine, checking all the doors and turning out the downstairs lights before going up to Mackenzie's bedroom.

She found her daughter already tucked in, her nose buried in
Misty of Chincoteague
.

“That was my favorite book when I was your age,” Lori told her.

The little girl's eyes were wide. “They rescued the baby horse from the water. She almost drowned.”

“It's sort of a true story. The fire department does a roundup of the ponies on Assateague Island every summer and has an auction to raise money.”

“I want one,” Mackenzie cried.

“So do I,” Lori agreed. “Now, it's time for bed.”

“Aw, Mommy.”

“Okay, finish the chapter, then turn out the light.”

Lori leaned over and kissed her daughter. Mackenzie leaned up and gave her mom a big hug. “I love you, Mommy.”

Lori held her daughter against her. “I love you too, Munchkin.”

Lori stood up to leave and glanced back, but her daughter was already buried back in her story of paint ponies and happy children. Lori smiled, her heart filled with love for the little girl. She could have forgiven Mark for almost any transgression, because he had left her the most precious gift of all. Lori was constantly amazed that this brilliant, amazing creature was her child, and she would do anything in her power to protect her. Quietly she slipped out of the room.

Lori got ready for bed, trying not to feel disappointed that Justin hadn't stayed longer.
Silly girl, you're just another case
, she chided herself. For all she knew, he was hurrying back to Austin for a hot date. She put her toothbrush back in its charger, rubbed a little moisturizer on her face, arms, and legs, and turned out the lights.

There was a book on the nightstand she had started a couple days ago, so she switched on the bedside lamp and slid under the covers, intending to read a couple chapters.

She didn't remember dozing off, but it was well after midnight when a terrified scream woke her. Automatically, her adrenaline brought her to her feet and down the hall to Mackenzie's room. She flipped the overhead light on and her daughter shot out of bed and clung to Lori, crying hysterically.

“What happened, Kenzie? Was it a nightmare?”

The little girl's whole body was shaking as she looked up with wide, frightened eyes. She pointed to the area at the end of her bed.

“It was standing right there. I saw it.”

The hair on the back of Lori's arms rose. She tried to keep her voice soothing. “Maybe you were dreaming.”

Mackenzie shook her head adamantly. “No, Mommy. The thunder woke me up, and then it lightninged, and there it was.”

“Who was there?”

“It was a ghost!”

At that moment, another bolt of lightning split the air, so bright that the night outside lit up. Only seconds later, a thunderous boom shook the house and Mackenzie's grip on her mother's legs tightened. Lori had been so caught up in Mackenzie's distress that she hadn't even noticed it was raining. Apparently, they were in the middle of one of Texas's infamous thunderstorms, with rain pouring down in sheets and lightning cracking all around them.

Lori didn't for a minute believe Mackenzie had seen a ghost. But that didn't mean she hadn't seen something…or someone. The possibility of an intruder being in their house terrified Lori more than a haunting.

“Grab Whinny, and you can sleep in my bed tonight.” While Mackenzie ran to her bed and grabbed her favorite stuffed animal, which, of course, was a horse, Lori checked the window and found it locked. No one had entered or exited that way. With Mackenzie's hand nestled in hers, Lori returned to her bedroom and checked her own windows to make certain they were locked.

“Hop in. I'm going to check the house to see if I can find your ghost,” Lori started to say, but Mackenzie interrupted with a whimper.

“Don't leave me, Mommy. I don't want it to get me.”

“Nothing's going to get you unless it gets me first.”

“Nooooo,” Mackenzie cried.

Lori realized she had not chosen exactly the right words to comfort her baby girl. She snapped the lock on her bedroom door and climbed into bed with Mackenzie. “Okay, we're safe in here. I'll even leave the light on.”

Mackenzie snuggled close, and with the resilience of youth, she relaxed and quickly fell asleep.

Lori, however, was wide awake. She was hyperaware of every bump and creak in the old house, even though she was sure Mackenzie had just had a nightmare and hadn't seen anything or anyone. She had definitely locked the front door and the bedroom windows were secure. The storm continued to rage outside, adding to the ominous atmosphere. Finally, when she was certain that Mackenzie was sound asleep, Lori slid out of bed and pulled her robe on. She knew she'd never get to sleep not knowing that the house was secure. But as soon as she stepped into the hallway outside her bedroom and looked down the stairs into the darkness of the first floor, she hesitated.

What if someone was waiting and attacked her? That would leave Mackenzie alone and unprotected. What if he knocked Lori out and kidnapped her daughter? What if the intruder killed them both?

Lori went back into the refuge of her bedroom and locked the door. She picked up her cellphone off the nightstand and ran down her options. She could call the sheriff. If he wasn't across the county on another call, he could probably be here in about an hour. She didn't live within the city limits, so local police wouldn't respond. Her fingers hovered over the keypad, then clicked on the “Recent Calls” list. After a brief hesitation, she pressed the number at the top of the list.

When the phone rang on the other end, she almost hung up. But she reminded herself she wasn't calling just because she wanted to talk to him. She needed to make sure her daughter was safe.

The phone rang again. Maybe he was with someone and…busy. That thought made her sick to her stomach. She knew she had absolutely no reason to feel any sort of ownership. They had never discussed his personal situation. He hadn't mentioned being involved with anyone, but that didn't mean there wasn't someone at home waiting for him. She could be a supermodel or a—

He picked it up on the third ring. His voice was rough from sleep. “Justin Archer,” he said. He must have gathered his wits enough to look at the caller ID, because he asked in a clipped, worried tone, “Lori? What's wrong?”

Lori glanced at the clock for the first time since Mackenzie screamed. It was almost two a.m. “I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was so late.”

“I'm awake.” And he did sound fully alert. “Did something happen?”

“Mackenzie said she saw a ghost in her room.” Once she repeated it out loud, it sounded ridiculous. “I mean, she thinks she saw something at the end of her bed. I wanted to check the house out, but I didn't want to leave her alone. It's probably nothing….”

She heard the rustle of covers and the sound of bare feet hitting the floor.

“I'll be right there,” he said, his voice distorted like he was holding the phone on his shoulder with his cheek while pulling on his jeans. “Stay in your bedroom with the door locked. Do you want me to stay on the line?”

“I'll be okay,” she said, trying to be brave, but her voice betrayed her by shaking. “Please hurry.”

“I will. Call me if you hear anything.”

“Justin…”

“Yes?”

“Thanks.”

“Don't mention it.” The phone disconnected.

He made the hour-and-a-half drive in just under an hour. Having almost no traffic at that time of morning helped. But the portable Kojak light stuck on the roof of his SUV allowed him to drive as quickly as he dared in the pouring rain, while watching out for deer and other wildlife.

He took the gravel road that spurred off from the winery's circular drive and screeched to a stop in front of Lori's house. He hit the redial button and she answered immediately.

“I'm outside,” he said as he ran through the rain and onto the porch. “The front door is wide open. Are you okay?”

“I'm fine.”

He heard the click of a door unlocking and saw the light from her bedroom flood the hallway. Justin flipped every switch on the panel by the door, and the front rooms were immediately brightly lit. He shut the door behind him and took the stairs two at a time to get to her. Without stopping to think about anything except his overwhelming sense of relief, he wrapped her in his arms and held her tightly against him. She didn't protest but melted against him, sobbing. Neither of them moved for several minutes as he cradled her protectively, his face buried in her hair.

“Is Mackenzie okay?” he asked.

Lori sniffed and leaned back a little. “She's asleep in my room.” Lori took a deep breath and moved back a step.

“I'm going to check out the house, but I suspect whoever it was is gone.”

“You said the door was open?”

“Yes. Did you forget to lock it?”

Lori shook her head. “I double-checked it before I went to bed.”

“Who else has a key?”

“Only Mackenzie…and Raquel. She babysits for me occasionally.”

“Let me look around, and then we'll figure it out. I want to start in Mackenzie's room.”

Lori pointed to the room next to hers, then followed him as he walked down the hall and entered it. She stayed in the hallway so she could keep an eye on her bedroom while watching him.

He began a thorough investigation of the closet and under the bed. There weren't any other places a person could hide, but he checked out the window and looked down to see if someone could access the room from outside. “Was this locked?”

“Yes,” Lori answered.

He paused at the end of the bed and squatted down. He ran his fingers over the wooden floor and lifted them for Lori to see they were wet. “Someone
was
here.”

Lori's face went pale. She must have assumed Mackenzie had been dreaming until she saw the evidence. “She said she saw a ghost.”

“He was probably wearing a raincoat and maybe a mask, which could have made him appear ghostlike, but he was very human. And he stood here long enough to leave a puddle.” Justin stood. “Let me check out your room, then you should stay in and lock the door. I'll come back when I'm finished searching the house.”

Lori nodded mutely, obviously very shaken by the confirmation of a real, live intruder.

He did a quick but thorough examination of her bedroom and bathroom, then waited until she had shut the door and engaged the lock before he began his systematic check of the rest of the house, starting with the second floor. Besides Lori's and Mackenzie's, there were two more rooms, one obviously a guest room and the other being used for storage.

His search of the first floor had the same results, discovering nothing unusual, ghostly or otherwise. All the windows and doors, with the exception of the front door, were securely locked and untampered with. He even walked around outside, checking for footprints, but the downpour had completely washed away any evidence. He'd look again in the morning, but he didn't have any hope of finding anything.

He climbed the stairs and knocked on her door. “Lori. All clear.”

She stepped out, then shut the door behind her so Mackenzie wouldn't be awakened. “Nothing?”

“Nothing. Everything else was locked up tight.”

Lori went to Mackenzie's room and dug through her backpack until she pulled out a key on a chain. She held it up for Justin to see.

“That leaves Raquel. How well do you trust her?”

“With my life,” Lori answered. “Her brother, Raúl, has been with us since he was fourteen. He came across the border with his uncle, who died during the trip, and was practically dead himself when I found him out in the pasture. Mark's family took him in and sponsored his green card and eventually his citizenship. Then we sponsored Raquel. She's been with us for about nine years and got her citizenship five or six years ago.”

Justin made a note to check up on them later. “Is it possible that someone was in your house when you came home and you locked up with him inside?”

Lori frowned. “I don't usually lock the doors during the day. And I did the rounds of the winery before going to bed. I guess he could have been in the house then.” She shivered.

“Maybe you should get an alarm system,” Justin suggested gently.

She glanced around nervously and hugged herself. “I don't think I'll ever feel safe here again.”

“It was probably random,” Justin suggested.

Her gaze searched his. “You don't believe that, do you?”

He considered lying to her, but she was too intelligent to buy it, so he sighed. “No, not really. Your husband was murdered, and his killer is still at large. I doubt that these events are related, but we have to consider it as an option.”

Lori's face went totally pale. It was clear that thought hadn't occurred to her.

Justin didn't want to frighten her, but she needed to be on the alert. “Until we get this case solved, you need to be vigilant. It's unlikely after all this time, but you might be a target. Now that we're stirring things up, they would want to keep you quiet, and they don't know how much you know.”

She nodded stiffly, her lips pressed together. “But I don't know anything.”

“You and I know that, but the killer doesn't.” He tried to stifle a yawn.

“I'm so sorry to have called you out so late. I just didn't know what to do.”

“I'm glad you did. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you.” He hadn't meant for his voice to soften or to reflect genuine concern, but she must have noticed, because her expression was raw with emotion.

“Because of the case?” she asked.

Again he considered lying. It would be better for all involved if she didn't know how deep his attraction was to her, and that it had nothing to do with the case. But he heard himself say, “What case?”

Later he wouldn't be able to remember who moved first, but suddenly they were in each other's arms. His lips pressed down on hers, tasting her sweetness and wanting more. He buried his fingers in her hair, cradling her head tenderly.

She returned his kiss with a fervor that set his blood on fire. His cock went from zero to sixty and threatened to burst through the denim of his jeans. With her arms around his neck and her body pressed against his, it was impossible for her not to know the effect she was having on him.

“I'm all wet,” he whispered.

“So am I…now.”

He pulled away slightly. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…”

She leaned in and nibbled his lips. “I don't care. I won't melt.”

“You just might.” He pulled her back against him and kissed her with all the pent-up desire that had been building inside him since the moment they met. He felt her hands slide under his T-shirt, her palms spread flat over his abs. Impatiently he jerked it off over his head and dropped it to the floor.

The tie on her robe had come loose, and the soft silk fell open, revealing the stimulating sight of her luscious curves barely covered by a thin nightgown. He lifted his hand and cupped one of her breasts. It was firm and round…and oh so tempting.

He bent over and took the nipple in his mouth, licking it through the slick fabric, wetting it until it clung, outlining the pouty pink tip.

Lori moaned and leaned against the wall, thrusting her breasts upward, silently begging for him to continue. Her fingers found the buckle of his belt and fumbled unfastening it. The scrape of the zipper sounded unnaturally loud in the quiet between claps of thunder. His penis sprang out, and her fingers wrapped around it.

“Oh, God.” The words came out of her mouth in a sigh. “You're commando.”

His hands slipped lower, between her legs. “So are you,” he murmured, his voice husky.

His jeans dropped to the floor with a clunk, and he lifted her. With her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms back around his neck, he braced her against the wall and lowered her until his dick was inside her. His mouth returned to hers, hungry and eager. He moved, thrusting inside her over and over, faster and faster, deeper and deeper until he felt her shudder. The muscles of her vagina grabbed him, stroking his penis in waves as she orgasmed. She cried out, but his mouth muffled the sound. As he felt himself plunging over the edge, he too was careful to swallow his moans. The pleasure seemed to last forever as he pumped into her, belatedly thinking about the wisdom of protection.

Slowly they relaxed, but their bodies were still attached as they weakly leaned against the wall for support.