Gabe: The Alvarez Security Series (20 page)

The explanation satisfied Ross, but he then looked around the room in concern. “Do you have…um…”

“Whatcha need, buddy?” Vinny asked.

“Well, I have a nightlight on at home,” he said in a small voice.

Gabe looked at the small boy in the strange bed, his eyes wide having just seen his sister in the hospital, and realized how young he was. Ross’ eyes stared at his, but instead of having a haunted look they were filled with the look of someone who trusted him to make things all better.

“Don’t have a nightlight, but I’ve got a small lamp in the study that we can put in here.”

Vinny volunteered to get it and soon Ross was settled in and fell asleep. Gabe propped Jennifer in his bed with lots of pillows and with the pain medicine making her comfortable, she was also soon asleep.

Gabe met Vinny in the living room, plopping down on the sofa, taking the offered beer. He took a long pull on the beer before looking at his brother.

“What are you thinking, bro?” Vinny asked.

“Man, I’m so torn between being scared and pissed, I don’t know which way to go,” he said, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. He took another long pull from the beer before looking back at his brother’s worried face. “She’s holding something back.”

“Yeah, that’s what we all thought as well.”

“That’s not like her. She jumps in to right a wrong quicker than anyone I’ve ever seen and sometimes without thinking about herself at all.”

“You think she’s just scared?”

Gabe nodded. “Whatever those fuckers said to her spooked her. And I’d be pissed as hell if it were a random attack, but they called her there.”

Vinny settled back on the sofa. “You might as well know that we’re convening a meeting here tomorrow about her. Tony knows you don’t want to leave her, so he’s bringing the whole gang over including Matt and Shane.”

“Appreciate it, man. Hopefully by tomorrow, she’ll be more likely to be able to answer some questions. I think tonight she was just in shock.”

Vinny hung his head in thought for a moment before a chuckle erupted. “I’m sorry man, but when Ross wanted to know where she was going to sleep, I almost lost it. I was in a panic over how to answer him, but you were real cool.”

Gabe smiled, “Well, he’s a cool kid. I didn’t want to make things worse, but I couldn’t lie to him either.”

The two men sat quietly for a few minutes finishing their beers before Vinny spoke again. “You’re really doing this, aren’t you bro?” At Gabe’s questioning look, he continued. “Her. Ross. Making it work for all of you. You’re willing to take her on, knowing that includes helping to raise her little brother.”

Gabe shook his head while smiling. “What can I say? I saw those huge blue eyes looking at me from that fairy face and I was a goner. Tried to tell myself that it was just because I was tired of the meaningless fucks but honest to God, my chest sometimes hurts when I look at her. And as I got to know her? Goddamn, there is nothing but goodness in that tiny woman. Got a heart as big she is and I know…just know…that there’s no one else for me.”

They stood up together as Vinny left for his apartment. After Gabe locked the door, he began shutting off all of the lights. As he was turning off the lamp on the table near the hall, he stopped. Remembering Ross’ comment about being afraid of the dark, he decided to leave it on. He peeked in on Ross and was glad to see him sleeping peacefully.

Moving on to his room, he stopped by the side of the bed and stared down at Jennifer. He gently leaned over to maneuver the pillows to the side of her, helping her to rest easier. Quickly taking care of business in the bathroom, he slid under the covers and awkwardly moved as close to her as possible without disturbing her sleep.
Hell, with those pain meds in her, she wouldn’t wake up if a bomb went off.

He lay, listening to her breathing through her mouth and his anger rose to the surface again.
Some fucker’s gonna pay. And when I get my hands on them…

W
aking the next
morning, Jennifer was aware of a stiff neck and her face feeling tight. Sluggishly she tried to move, but something heavy was holding her legs down.
Where am I?
Her eyes felt swollen as she tried to open them and then slowly the memories began to come back.
The alley. The men. He hit me after I kicked him.

Her breathing became rapid as the memories flooded back and she felt the movement in the bed instantly.

“Baby? Are you in pain?” Gabe asked as he jerked himself up. He saw that the ice pack was thawed and said, “Stay here, I’ll get a fresh one and your pills.”

“I don’t mean to be crude,” she croaked, “but I have got to go to the bathroom.”

Nodding he assisted her into the spacious room and closed the door as he left. She avoided the mirror as she headed to the toilet. Walking to the sink, she washed her hands with her head staring down at the water.
Stop being a wuss. If Ross is going to see your face, then you need to know what he’s looking at.
Taking a deep breath, she lifted her eyes to the large mirror…and gasped. Her left cheek was swollen and purplish and her eyes…
I look like a raccoon.
And on her neck was the purple imprints of the man’s fingers.

Taking a shaky breath, she remembered the night’s events.
They must have been there to rob someone. But who would be there at night in the alley. Oh my God, I must have stumbled across some…some…something illegal. Wrong place at the wrong time,
she thought as she promised to have Carlos wait outside from now on.

Deciding to take a quick shower to rid herself of the sweat, fear, and the hospital smell she turned on the huge shower. Stepping inside she quickly washed her hair and body, feeling the cleansing power of the water as the warmth enveloped her. Stepping out, she saw Gabe leaning against the counter, one large leg crossed over the other. Wearing jeans hanging low on his hips, he was shirtless and the expanse of muscles never ceased to draw her in.

“You didn’t want to join me?” she asked, trying to take the scowl off of his face. Walking over, she placed her hand on the warm skin of his chest, feeling the power underneath her fingertips. “I’m really okay, honey,” she said. “Just the wrong place at the wrong time.”

His eyes flashed anger, but he quickly held it in check. “Let’s get you dressed, baby. As much as I’d love keeping you naked all day, I’d lose my resolve to be a gentleman while you’re injured.” He held up her bra and assisted her in fastening it. He gave her a fresh t-shirt of his to put on, seeing that it hung to her knees.
Damn, love seeing her in my shirt.

“Is Ross awake yet?” she asked. “He’s usually an early riser.”

“Yeah, he’s up and having breakfast with Vinny. I told him that we needed to let you rest and then you’d be out to see him.”

She wanted to smile, but her lip hurt too much and all she produced was a wince. Gabe reached behind her to grab some pain meds and handed them to her with a glass of water. Satisfied after watching her drink, he placed his hands on her shoulders and said, “Baby. I gotta let you know that there’s going to be a meeting here in just a little bit. Everyone’s coming over to talk to you, ’cause last night at the hospital you were already out of it from the shock and medicine. Matt and Shane will be here and so will Tony and the gang.”

Nodding her understanding, she looked up sensing that there was more that he was not saying. Placing her hand on his firm jaw, she asked, “There’s more, isn’t there?”

Sighing, he agreed. “Yeah. It seems that it wasn’t random.” At her sudden intake of breath, he continued, “But you’re going to be safe. I’ll make sure of that.”

Confusion crossed her face as she tried to make sense of his words.
Not random? They were after me? But…that makes no sense.

Before she could process more of what he was saying, she heard Ross coming into the bedroom.

“Jennybenny, you awake?”

Skirting quickly around Gabe she opened her arms, welcoming her brother’s embrace. His usual enthusiasm was gone, replaced by a very soft hug. Looking down at his reticence, she knew that Gabe had warned him to be careful.

“Hey, sweetie. Did you sleep okay?”

“Yeah! The bed was huge but Vinny and Gabe gave me a light that I could keep on all night so it wasn’t scary! And the bathroom! They had a light on in there too ’cause it’s so big.”

His voice continued to rattle on, but she had stopped listening.
He gave Ross a light for his room and one for the bathroom as well.
With Ross still in her arms, she leaned her head way back to look into Gabe’s face. “
Thank you
,” she mouthed.

He just smiled and herded both of them to the kitchen, knowing that the group would be coming soon. Out in the kitchen, Vinny handed her a cup of coffee which she took gratefully. “I ran by your place this morning to get some things from Cora.” He held out her robe, which she grabbed. Even with a bra on and Gabe’s t-shirt hanging to her knees, she felt exposed. She tied the soft robe on, belting it at the waist.

As comfortable and beautiful as she looked, Gabe couldn’t help but notice the worn material and could not wait for the day when he would buy her new things.
But not now. She’d never accept them right now.
Pride was as important to her as it was to him, but he longed for the day to claim her completely and then shower her with all the things that she had never had.

A knock on the door signaled a change in the comfortable atmosphere. Vinny opened the door and in walked a wall of masculinity…and one small woman, carrying her laptop case. Lily rushed over to hug Jennifer, as the other men’s faces registered shock and anger at the evidence of her assault.

Jennifer knew that she was going to be questioned and needed to move Ross from the group. Signaling her intent to Gabe, she walked Ross back to the guest room and turned on the large, flat-screen TV hanging on the wall. With assurances that the grownups had to talk, she left him wide-eyed, watching TV.

The group had settled in the spacious living room, the furniture suitable for the large-framed men. Gabe walked over and escorted her to a place on the sofa next to him and threw his arm protectively over her shoulders.

Matt and Shane began their questions, taking notes as she carefully described the night’s event from the time she received the call to the time Carlos ran out to chase the men away. Her recollections were detailed and the two detectives were pleased with her thoroughness.

When she finished, she looked at the group and said, “Gabe told me that it may not have been random, but we didn’t have a chance for me to find out what you know.” Licking her swollen lips, she added, “What can you tell me?”

Shane leaned forward, placing his arms on his knees as he held her eyes. “We interviewed Carlos last night and found out that he never made a call to you. That wasn’t him on the phone. The call did come from one of the kitchen phones, but there’s no way of telling who made the call. The kitchen is filled with employees, many who use the phones a lot. You were set up, honey.”

Her eyesbrows pulled together as she tried to take in this new information. “But…but why? I don’t have anything of value to rob.”

“We don’t think it was a robbery,” Matt added.

Her eyes shot around the room at the other men sitting there intently listening before she twisted around to look at Gabe. His eyes held warmth for her, but his jaw was tight and ticked with anger. “I don’t…understand.”

“We don’t either, baby,” he answered. “But that’s why we’re here.”

“Jennifer, what all are you working on?” Tony asked, pulling her attention over to him. She could tell he filled the role of boss with the same intensity as he must have in the military.

“I…um…well, I’m hired by the city as a social worker with the Department of Social Services. I…” giving a little laugh, she continued, “I’m nobody. My focus is with elder housing.” Seeing the somewhat blank looks from the assembly, she said, “As a nation we’re having a serious shortage of affordable housing for older people—the ones who can still take care of themselves and live independently, but the cost of living is beyond their ability. I’ve worked to receive grant money and keep the center going. It’s only one, but I hope to see more like it develop. You know, a lower-cost apartment building that’s just for the elderly.

“Because I devote a lot of my time to this particular center, I get to live there practically rent free and well…” she smiled, “I love it.” Her face sobered as the thoughts of last night came flooding back. Looking directly at Tony, she added, “So don’t you see? I’m nobody. Not rich, not famous. I don’t have anything of value. There is nothing about my life that is special.”

Tony’s eyes softened as he listened to the woman in front of him with his friend’s arm around her shoulders and said, “I wouldn’t say that, sweetheart. I think we’d all agree that you’re nothing but special.”

His face hardened again and he said, “But something is happening and we’re all here to find out what that is.”

The group began to brainstorm over the possibilities. A feminine voice broke through the noise. “She does have one thing of value,” Lily said. The others in the room looked over, giving their full attention to her.

“You all asked if I could look into some of the possible extortion cases being used in some real estate dealings in the city. I honestly haven’t come up with anything concrete, but let’s face it. Jennifer’s got her hands on some prime real estate.”

“My old building? I know my boss said that someone wanted to possibly buy it, but we’ve got a five-year lease from my grant. And by the time it is up, we should have more centers available.”

“So someone is looking into buying the building from its owner? If they want it bad enough, then maybe trying to scare you away would fit into the extortion that they are used to using.”

Shane looked over at Lily giving her a wink as he said to his partner, “Matt, you married a brilliant woman.” Matt just smiled at his wife, saying, “Don’t I know it.”