Evidence of Desire: Hero Series 3 (19 page)

She nodded. “Yes!”

“Turn off your car.”

“What?” Her brain was fuzzy.

“Your engine. Turn it off.” He repeated.

Understand she slapped the button. Reaching for the door handle, she tried to get out. It was stuck. Fear froze her blood. “I can’t open it.”

“It’s dented in, probably when you struck the guardrail. Don’t worry the emergency people are on the way.”

“I’ll climb out the window.” She pressed the release for her belt but nothing happened. She pressed it again then started pulling at the strap.

“Wait! Are you hurt?” He reached inside and placed a calming hand on her shoulder.

“Um, I don’t think so.” She took a moment and took stock of her body to see if she felt any pain. Then she wiggled her toes to make sure she could feel them. “No. No.”

“Then just sit tight. Okay? I’ll be right here.”

It was too dark out where her car had ended up and she could really make out the features of her rescuer, but his voice was strong and steady and she was thankful.

“Alright.”

They talked about nothing of important. Mostly the football game. She was sure the man just wanted to keep her talking.

Finally the fire department, EMTs and the police arrived on scene. It took the Jaws of Life and some sharp sheers to get her out of her car. The EMTs insisted on placing her on a backboard and neck stabilizer even though she told them repeatedly that she was fine.

Soon she was in the emergency room with nurses and a doctor checking her out.

Once it was determined that she hadn’t broken or lacerated anything she was set to be discharged. “Do you have someone to escort you home and be with you through the night?”

She could call Charles and Charmagne but she disregarded that option. She thought about Simeon as well. However, there was only one person she wanted right now.

“I don’t know where my purse is…I need my cell phone.” She said to the nurse who came in recording her vitals for the last time.

“One second I think I just saw someone bring some things in.” She patted her leg and offered her a concerned smile. “You were very lucky you didn’t get hurt.”

“I know. I can take a little shaken up over the alternative.”

The nurse brushed the curtain aside and headed out.

Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes for a moment and counted her blessings. She didn’t understand what had happened. She was faithful in keeping her car service up to date.

“Glad to see you’re okay.”

Opening her eyes, she stared at the man she hadn’t intended to see. “Are you following me, Agent Williams?”

The tall black man with salt and pepper hair and a walnut brown complexion offered her a half smile. “You took quite a spin. Can you tell me what happened?”

It didn’t escape her notice that he never answered the question about tailing her.

She would have expected these questions to come from a state trooper or city police. “Isn’t chasing down roadside accidents a little below your pay grade?”

“Most of the time. Unless they have to do with a case.” As he moved deeper into the room she realized he was carrying her purse and the flowers.

“How’s this connected the case at the museum?” Her forehead tightened, drawing down between her brows.

He set two bouquets on the small table and her purse beside her. “You’re a significant piece of an ongoing investigation. Tell me about what happened.”

She wasn’t sure what he was getting at or why a fender bender she was in drew his interest. “It’s simple. I was headed home. I got cut off by a guy speeding on a motorcycle and I tried to avoid other cars and found myself on a hill. Case closed.”

Picking up her purse she dug inside until she grasped her cell and pulled it out. She didn’t want to talk with Agent Williams anymore. She was ready to go home.

“Excuse me.” She dialed Parkers number.

“Sonya?” He sounded groggy.

“I’m sorry did I wake you?” She kept her eyes downcast so as not to see how the agent was observing her.

“You have that right.” He yawned. “You alright?”

“Um…Sort of…I mean yes.” She exhaled, rubbing her forehead, feeling out of sorts. “I’m at the hospital. I need a ride home.”

“What? Are you hurt? What’s going on?” His voice came out clear now. There was scuffling around, the sound of things opening and closing.

“I’m fine. I just want to leave.”

“Was it the recital? Did you pull something?”

“I’ll explain it to you when you get here. I’m in ER room three.”

“I’m on my way.” There was the sound of keys jingling before he hung up.

She placed her phone back into her purse then reached for the flowers and drew them into her lap, still ignoring Agent Williams.

“Who gave you the flowers?”

Glancing at him in the single chair along the wall where he sat. She held his gaze for a moment. “You mean to tell me there’s something you don’t know?”

“I know you had a recital today. Heard you did well.”

The smile curled the corners of her lip before she could catch it.

“I also know you went to a rib restaurant with your friends.”

He was well informed about her comings and goings, which reiterated to her that they were following her. “All that information and you can’t solve the flower caper.”

“Pretty much.”

“Well, there form Parker.” She lifted the flowers and smelled them.

“A bit morbid isn’t they?”

She lowered them and stared at him. “What?”

“Lilies. Black ribbons?”

Taking in everything he said, she assessed the flowers again. She realized that the ribbon was black, not dark blue or purple as she originally believed. “Death.”

“Yes. That’s my impression of them.”

She didn’t realize that she’d spoken the words aloud. There had to be another explanation for the flowers. Feeling uncomfortable with them on her lap now she set them back on the small table.

“We had your car sent to one of our mechanic. I’ll touch bases with you tomorrow on our findings.”

“I don’t think that is necessary, but thank you.”

“Sonya.”

Her heart lurched in her chest at the sight of Parker. It had been so long since she saw him and it felt good to take in his features. The glimpses of him in the audience didn’t count when he was in shadow and she was in movement the entire time.

“Hi. Parker.” She sat up then turned her legs to the side as she greeted him.

“What happened? Why are you here?” He rushed to her side and took hold of her hands.

She assumed he didn’t notice that the FBI agent was seated in the room while he ran his hands up her arms and down her legs looking injury.

She smiled at his concern but pushed his arms away. “I’m ready to go. Agent Williams was keeping me company while I waited to leave. Now I will go get dressed.”

Parker glanced over his shoulder and frowned. “What are you doing here? Don’t you think you all have caused her enough problems already?”

The agent rose, the two men squared off. She considered staying and trying to keep them from ripping each other’s heads off but she decided she just didn’t have the energy.

“I’m doing my job. Here to find out the truth. I would think you would want your girlfriend cleared.”

Shocked, Sonya paused to look at the agent. She’d never said anything to them about her and Parker. She wondered how far into her background they had dug. Not wanting to think about that or the investigation, she grabbed her bag of clothes they had made her remove when she got to the hospital.

“Well, you’re looking in the wrong direction. Anyone who knows Sonya would know she’s not capable of something like forgery or drug smuggling.”

Parker’s confidence in her was heartwarming.

“People will surprise you. Speaking of that of which, nice flower bundle. I’ve been told flowers have meaning…care to explain yours?” Williams tipped his head toward the bouquet on the bed with the ominous black ribbon.

“What?” Parker’s brow tightened as he looked in the direction the agent indicated.

She paused before the curtain needing to hear what Parker would say.

“Those are not from me.” He picked them up and turned the flowers left and right then pulled back the tissue to peep along the side. “What was on the card?”

“There wasn’t one.” She told him. “They were left lying against the front window of my car.”

“Why’d you assume they were from me?”

For a brief moment, she met his gaze then looked away. She didn’t want to discuss what had been going on between them before the inquisitive agent.

“Never mind.” Parker saved her. He looked at the officer. “Does this rank on your list of things to investigate?”

“Maybe.” Williams took on a defensive posture, folding his arms across his chest. “She’d just been a part of a recital…it could have been from anyone.”

The agent’s words were the last thing she heard before she swept passed the curtain to find the bathroom.

Keep her safe.
Agent Williams’ gaze met Parkers for a brief intense moment before he walked out the small privacy enclosure at the hospital leaving the daunting cryptic message in his wake.

Parker figured the agent knew something about the investigation he wasn’t sharing? That made him upset, but he’d protect Sonya whatever it took.

“Thank you for the roses.” She finished reading the small card attached to the box of long-stemmed red roses that had been resting against her door when they arrived.

He’d had them delivered during the recital. When he attended it, he’d known he wasn’t going to stay. However, wanted her to know how proud he was of her. That was simply what the card had read: IT WAS AN HONOR TO WATCH SUCH BEAUTY IN MOTION.

“You’re welcome. Everyone from your studio gave a wonderful performance.”

“I think so, too.” There was a small smile on her lips but a grim shadow was in her eyes.

He brought in the mixed roses from their friends and they sat on the table beside his. Was she thinking about the flowers they’d left at the hospital? There was something about them that hadn’t set well with him and he could tell once Sonya discovered that he hadn’t given them to her, she kept staring at them with a ponderous look.

“You sure you’re alright?” Parker stood over her as she settled into her couch. She’d taken more than five years off his life when she called and said she was in the hospital.

“Yes. For the twentieth time, I’m fine. I didn’t get hurt, just shaken up.” The bun she’d worn during the recital was long gone. Her hair was down now and more than a little disheveled.

Seeing that she was safe made her more beautiful to him.  “What can I get you?”

“A glass of water would be great.” She offered him a smile as she rested her heels on the ottoman before the end of the couch where she sat.

“Okay. Be right back.” In her kitchen, he had to take several breaths now that he was alone. Agent Williams tone of questions toward him and his final comment had alluded to the fact that Sonya may not be safe.
Is it possible that what happened to her tonight and the strange bouquet were connected?

If someone was out to hurt her, he’d bet his medical degree that the person had something to do with the situation at the museum.

Christ
. His hands started to shake as he reached for the glass in the cabinet. He took another breath and clenched his hand into a fist to steady himself. Sonya needed him. Needed him to be strong for her. She was putting on a brave front but now that she was with him he could see the tension at the corner of her eyes and mouth. She was more than a little worried.

When he returned back to the living room, she was slouched down with her head tipped against the back of the couch. “Are you sleep?”

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. Putting on the mask again. She sat up and took the drink from him. “No. Just relaxing. It is good to be out of the hospital and away from Agent Williams honestly.”

“He can be a little disturbing. As long as he catches the person responsible, he can be as disquieting as he wants to be.”

After taking a couple sips of the water, she set it on the end table beside the couch. “Very true.”

They sat in silence for a moment—her at one end, him at the other.

Sonya stared deep into her glass as if she were hoping the water would give her information or perhaps assurance.

“Are you ready to tell me what’s going on, Sonya.”

He spotted a tear rolling from her eye. His heart ached to reach for her and pull her into his arms.

“What have you heard?” She swiped the tear twice.

“I don’t want rumors or insinuations. I want to hear the story from you.”

She nodded it. Her chest rose high and lowered as she took a breath. “You already know that I’ve been getting in shipments for my approved African Artifacts Exhibit,” she began.

“Of course.”

“Well, one of the items in the last shipment was broken after it arrived at our museum.”

“Not good.”

Glancing at him, she went on. “This is where it gets worse. It already was disturbing to my team and I, because the piece was supposed to made of at some mysterious ancient metal. It shouldn’t have been able to break. Especially not shatter into pieces and dust.”

“I’d assume not. So it was a forgery?”

Her hands worried the hem of her sweater. “Not just a forgery, but drugs. Ingeniously crafted to look like what is one of five discovered Groove Spheres.”

“No, shit?”

“Nope. It was done well from the chunk that was left. Even the coating on the outside was designed perfectly to create a false reading when Edgar tested it. Whoever did it knows that authentication is only done very little so as not to ruin the artifact. A lot of it is performed by measurements, design, and weight, microscope details…that sort of thing.”

“What are the authorities saying?” He slid over to her and massaged the back of her neck and her shoulder closest to him.

“The investigator from the UN wasn’t shocked by the situation. Chastain said that with the opium trade moving globally over the last twenty years, they have come upon ingenious methods used to disguise the drugs to get them out of Afghanistan. It’s made to look like clothing, rugs, furniture…a bag of almonds even. They can’t move it directly to the U.S. or Europe and Canada, so they get it into other countries that don’t have as stringent borders or shipping regulations. Once there they have contacts all over the world that setup operations and elaborate plans to have it brought into those extreme monitored countries.”

He was speechless. It was hard for him to take in all that he was hearing. The fact she carried the entire weight on her shoulders and hadn’t confided in him bothered him greatly.

“There’s no way that you are involved in this so why are you suspended?”

“Kravers.”

That was saying a lot. In the months that he’d been at the museum he had discovered that the director was a high-strung bully and control freak. He pushed his weight around and pushed up only the grant requests he deemed important. It amazed Parker that Sonya had finally gotten her exhibit approved.

“He stated it was only until while the investigation was going on.” Her face was contorted as she sniffed trying to hold back more tears. “But it feels like this is the end. This is a fiasco. If they don’t find the responsible people I will never be able to continue my career.”

The urge to tell her it would all be fine was on his tongue, but it he refused to offer her false promises. He hadn’t been in the museum business long, but one thing he did know was that a forgery or destruction of artwork was serious. It was doubtful that a large establishment would take a curator with such a smudge on her record.

“Whatever happens you’re not in this alone, Sonya. You have your girlfriends…and me.” He slipped his hand along her arm and took hold of her hand.

“I don’t want to be a burden.” Her gaze met his. Those hazel eyes were shadowed, matching the forlorn appearance of her features.

Leaning forward he cupped both her hand between both of his. “We need to talk.”

She glanced down at their hands then away toward the curtain covered windows.

“I’m tired, can we do this in the tomorrow?” She tried to rise and pull her hand from his.

He held firm so she wouldn’t be able to move away. “No. I know you need your rest, but I don’t want to put off this conversation any longer.”

Her teeth worried her bottom lip. She remained silent.

“Why didn’t tell me what was going on? For days I’ve been beside myself with worry for you. Trying to give you the space you needed. Waiting for you to turn to me.”

This time she was successful in yanking her hand out of his and rising. She walked away and faced the wall that held a large painting. He knew it was a Jacob Lawrence piece only because he recalled Sonya doing a report on it in her master’s program when they were married.

It was a woman sitting on the side of the bed hold a letter. To him it was a very depressing piece of artwork. However, it seemed appropriate with Sonya before it. The woman in the painting was alone, there wasn’t anyone else in the room or on the bed with her. Whatever news was in her
Letter From Home
could not have been joyous and she was dealing with it alone. Sonya handled life the same way—alone.

For a moment his mind went to the question the insurance person had asked him about expensive artwork. He didn’t know if the piece before Sonya now was an original or a print. Nor did he care, Sonya Watson wasn’t a thief.

“Sonya.” He called to her from where he sat on the couch.

“I did come to you. When this all started.”

He had too chuckle at the slight. “No, sweetheart. Using me to get your rocks off, doesn’t count.”

She faced him, her arm folded protectively before her. “Would you have preferred I go to someone else?”

A growl rumbled in his throat causing him to clench his jaw. The Councilman’s face flashed in his mind.

“Don’t treat a lion like a house cat,” he warned. If the man even attempted to do more than speak to Sonya he’d rip his head off. She was his. Not as a possession but the love of his life and he wasn’t going to let any man get in his way.

She shivered.

He wasn’t sure if his words made her nervous or excited her. “It wasn’t the fact you needed physical release and sought me out. However, not opening up to me pisses me off.”

She rested a hand on her hip. “Look, Parker, I don’t owe you or anyone an explanation about my life. I can deal with things myself. I’ve been—”

“Doing it all your life.” He launched to his feet. “I know. Don’t
I
know it. All you know how to do is be some Lone Ranger. Even when we were married and something happened with your dad or school you took care of it on your own. When one of your masters’ professors was sexually harassing you and threatened to fail you…I had to find out about it from a bawled up draft of a letter you were submitting to the Dean on the floor of our apartment. You were upset for days leading up to the hearing. But you never said a word.”

“When could I have, Parker? It was research this, bugs that…you were consumed by your own schooling. The last thing you needed was me dumping crap on you and it messing up your concentration.”

“You were my wife…you had the right to need me.” He jabbed a finger into his chest. “I had a right to be needed.”

She turned away again. “I handled it without you didn’t I?”

“Yeah, you did. Bravo for you.” He yelled, feeling the same anger and hurt he’d felt then. They’d had an argument after he’d seeing the letter accounting the multiple events.

“Don’t be an ass, Parker.” She tossed at him over her shoulder.

He shot his arms up then walked away. Stopping behind the couch he leaned down and gripped the back of it. “Tell me something.”

“What?” She still kept her back to him, gaze locked on the painting.

“Did you apply for that internship at the Smithsonian after that? We’d agreed you would find a spot in California. Then weeks later you were moving across the continent.” He still recalled coming home and seeing the stack of packing boxes in the hallway of their apartment.

There was a long pause. She lowered head then whispered, “I couldn’t handle it. You were so upset and pushing me to open up. Like now.” She glanced at him. “I was afraid. I felt like we’d rushed into marriage, too soon. I figured it was best for us both for me to leave…before you did. It had to be better for us to part ways before we hated each other.”

“I could never hate you. Hell, I even understand why you got panicked and jetted. Even if I don’t like it.” Crossing the room, he made a beeline to her then grabbed her arm and made her face him. “You don’t have to be some Super Girl that saves the world alone.”

“It’s easier not to depend on people, Parker. How many times should I have to be let down?”

He knew Sonya’s pain started from her mother leaving her and her father’s subsequent drinking problem. She’d become the breadwinner and parent.

“As many times as it happens. People are going to let us all down, but we keep standing because someone else is standing with us. Supporting us.” He brought a hand up and rubbed over his head to the back of his neck, there he squeezed trying to relieve the tension.

“You can’t expect me to change overnight. Start running to you with every broken nail.” She went to the couch to sit again.

“That’s not what I mean. I’m just asking for you to try. Let me in, just a little bit. Trust me.”

“Why should I?” She perched on the edge of the couch with her elbows resting on her knees. Her legs were bouncing up and down.

“Don’t you know?” He moved toward her then kneeled beside her.

“Know what?” She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes.

“I love you.” He didn’t hesitate in his admission. Over the weeks, he debated the right time to tell her, but after the scare he’d had tonight with her ending up in the hospital after an accident he didn’t see a need to hold the information back.