Love's Protector: A Maverick's Shield Novel (3 page)

After setting the parking brake, it took her a while to get out of the car because she hadn’t had a clue about the questions she would ask them. She couldn’t go inside and say “Hi, my name is Amour Graciette and I’m here to find out who possibly killed my mother twenty-seven years ago. I have no evidence, no possible suspects and no motive. In fact, I didn’t even really know her!” They would think she was crazy. She could start by showing them the research she’d found online and explaining to them what her father had told her but even that was all circumstantial; she wasn’t even sure if they would even consider
even
taking
that
seriously. Well, it was only one way to find out. Either she would roll the dice and take the gamble, or she would take her father’s advice and let it go. She definitely wasn’t going to do the latter even though that would probably be in her best interest. She had come this far though; so she might as well follow through. Besides, she’d promised her father that if things became too much for her to handle or she hit too many dead ends, she would leave L.A., come home and forget the whole thing. So what did she have to lose?

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she walked through the shaded entrance of the police station because she still hadn’t had a good
grip on how to plead her case to them. Her eyes locked on the three vending machines by the door making her sick to her stomach at the sight of the food inside them. She hadn’t had anything but coffee all morning but there was no way she could eat now even if she wanted to; she was too nervous. Pausing at the door, she took in a deep breath and closed her eyes for a few seconds before slowly stepping inside.

She approached the large wooden and white desk in the lobby and stood behind an older woman who was sobbing and had appeared to have been beaten up very badly. While she waited, she observed the lobby of the station and noticed the array of activities that surrounded her. Omaha police stations weren’t quite as busy as this one, at least not where she lived, but she figured a city like Los Angeles would have quite a lot going on considering what a huge town it was. A large wanted poster caught her eye that hang on the wall behind the desk offering a fifty-thousand dollar reward for the capture of an eerie looking man named Phillip Rucker.
Fifty-thousand dollars?
She thought.
He must’ve really done something terrible for that kind of reward.
Another officer had escorted the woman in front of her out of the room by the time she had regained her focus on the task at hand.  Her eyes locked with the female officer at the desk as she approached her.

“Hello. What can I do for you ma’am?” The officer asked as she stapled a small stack of papers together.

Ma’am?
Really?
“Hello. I’m looking for some information on my mother’s death. I was told that this was the police station that handled her case.” She placed the small red tote bag that held the paperwork she’d printed out on top of the desk.

The officer’s eyebrows form a groove as her brown eyes lowered onto the tote bag. “Okay, what’s your name?”

“Amour Graciette.” She slid the papers out of the bag and placed them on the desk. “My mother’s name was Carly Graciette. I’ve done some research on her death before coming here.” She looked back up at the officer. “I’m sorry, what’s your name?”Her father had always told her to get the name of any person giving her important information.

“I’m Officer Winslow,” the woman replied while skimming through the papers Amour had provided. “This case is over twenty-five years old; I’m not sure how much we can help you,” she said while handing the papers back to Amour. “And it’s been solved.”

“I understand that this is a closed case but I’ve just received new information that gave me reason to believe that my mother was possibly murdered.”

“Information?”
Officer Winslow asked with an inquisitive look in her eyes.

Amour inhaled, and then slowly released it. “Yes. My father told me that my mother’s death was ruled natural causes because of a heart condition that no one knew she had, not even him. Then one day, she winds up dead and this illness pops up out of nowhere. I just find that awfully hard to swallow.”

Officer Winslow studied her for a moment and said, “Let me go and get someone, I’ll be right back.” She disappeared to a room in the back.

After what seemed like an eternity, she returned with and older gentleman with salt and pepper hair and a strong but handsome face. He didn’t wear the standard issued uniform the other cops wore; he had on a white dress shirt and brown slacks.

“Hello! I’m Captain Westfield. What is it that you need?” He leaned one elbow against the desk.

Looking at his face, she could see that he had to be at least fifty. She could tell by the small wrinkles that surrounded his blue eyes and mouth, which means he could’ve very well been here during the time of the case. “I’m looking for information on my mother’s death.” She slid the papers she’d brought towards him.

He studied the paperwork. “Carly Graciette. Wow! I remember this case. I didn’t work it because I was only on the force for about three years then.” He looked into her eyes. “What made you inquire about this case after all these years?”

She explained to him what her father had told her but he didn’t seem too impressed by what she had to say. In fact, he seemed very uninterested. “I understand that this is a long shot sir, but could you please at least look into this?” The look in his eyes told her that was not going to happen.

“I’m sorry Mrs…”

“Miss,” she said, correcting him.

“Miss Graciette.  This case is closed; I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do for you.”

“Can you please just at least take it into consideration?” she pleaded.

“Like I said, it’s been closed. I can’t just open a case back up based solely on speculation from a grieving husband and curious daughter. I need hard evidence. Bring me that, you’ve got my attention. As of right now, you’ve got nothing to convince me to pursue this.” He handed her the papers back. “I’m very busy here. I’m sorry; I can’t be of anymore help to you. This happened almost thirty years ago, maybe you should think about letting your mother rest and making peace with her death. Honestly Miss Graciette, without any kind of proof, you’re just wasting your time.”

“But…”

“Have a good day Miss Graciette,” he interrupted.

“Sir?”

He turned to face her again. “Yes?”

“So if I brought you evidence, would you consider re-opening the case then?”

“As I said Miss Graciette, if you can provide that, I can help you but I seriously doubt you’ll find it after all these years, if there’s anything
to
find that is. If I were you, I would forget this whole thing and let her rest in peace. All you’re doing is torturing yourself.”

But he
wasn’t
her, and there was no way he would understand her motivation behind this and she didn’t care. All she cared about was getting the evidence she needed at this point. She didn’t feel the need to dignify what he’d just said with a response. “Okay, thank you captain Westfield. You’ll be hearing from me soon.”

She stood at the desk as she watched the captain disappear to the back. Although she was disappointed about the outcome of this trip to the police station, she couldn’t say that she was at all surprised. She knew this wouldn’t be easy and expecting help from the cops was a long shot.  This just scratched the surface of the fight she had on her hands, but she was prepared for it. If she couldn’t get help here, she would get help elsewhere. She owed it to her mother and her father to get the answers she needed and she was determined to do so. But at this point, she just wasn’t sure how.

“Why don’t you install an air conditioner in this car man?” Jason asked as he and Mack Bryson, a friend and fellow co-worker drove down Culver Boulevard.

“No need, I don’t like that air on me it messes with my allergies. Besides, I’m a fresh air kind of guy.”

“But it’s hot as hell in here and these leather seats are burning me,” Jason said leaning back in his seat.

“Roll the window down then! We’re not even going that far. Just to the station and then to the bar, what’s the big deal?”

“It’s a ninety degrees out here man, that’s the big deal. That shit’s not going to work. You need
air
in this kind of weather.”

“Hey, this car didn’t have air conditioning when my father bought it forty-six years ago, it didn’t have it when he left it to me, and I’m not putting it in here now so quit your whining and just roll down the damn window will you!” He fiddled with the radio dial trying to find the station he wanted.

“Why are we going to the police station anyway?” Jason asked as the wind blew through his short cropped hair.

“I promised Chandra I would stop by and say hi today since I was in the neighborhood.” He stopped at a red light. “I’ve been telling her that for weeks now so I guess I have to make due on my promise.”

Jason frowned. “Why are you still dating her man? Why don’t you just tell her you want out?”

“I don’t know. She’s so into me and I do actually care about her. I’m just not in love with her you know? I don’t know how to break it off without her feelings getting hurt.” The light turned green and he gave the car some gas.

“Man you do this with every girl you date. One of these days one of them will put a serious hurting on you mark my words.” He didn’t understand why Mack always did this. Instead of telling the women he dated that he didn’t want a relationship from the beginning or at least not anymore, he just led them on and continued to sleep with them. The women would always get pissed at him and rightfully so for some of them. Some even became so obsessed with him to the point of stalking. One of them even came up to the job and threatened to shoot him if he didn’t get back with her. “And this one is a cop.” He laughed. “You’re really going to be in for it if you piss this one off!”

“Yeah yeah I know,” Mack said as he entered the lot of the police station and parked in a small parking spot available.

“Okay man.”

“You’ve never had a serious relationship in your life. What do you know?”

“I know enough to tell a woman from the start what my expectations and non expectations are.” Jason didn’t believe in relationships. He thought they were just an expensive pain in the ass. There was no such thing as falling in love as far as he was concerned because most people turn stupid once they got involved in one. He made it a point to tell every woman he became involved with that it was just a casual thing; nothing more, nothing less.

“Whatever,” Mack said sneeringly and set the parking brake. “One of these days, some chick is going to whip it on you good man and it’s going to hit you like a ton of bricks!” 

Jason pursed his lips. “Not me. Besides, you have
your
nerves; you never stay with a woman long.”

Mack held his hand in the air. “True, but I also know that love is a possibility, just not with any of the chicks I’ve been with.”

“Whatever man, you’re so full of shit!”

Mack chuckled before staring out of the window. “Well well...what do we have here?” he said while eyeing the pretty blonde behind the wheel of the red Mustang in the space next to him.

Jason turned to look at the woman. “See, there you go again. You’re just itching to get your ass kicked today aren’t you? Chandra already caught you once man.”

Mack shrugged and said. “Hey, it’s not like she didn’t deserve it. Besides, I’m just a man, and I don’t recall saying “I do” to anyone. Mack does
whatever
the hell and
whoever
the hell Mack wants to do.”

Jason chuckled as he opened the passenger door and stepped out of the car to a loud “Shit!” coming from the woman next to them as she banged her hand on the steering wheel.

“She looks pissed,” Mack said closing the car door.

“I’ll say.” Jason approached the woman’s car. “Is everything ok ma’am?”

She shot him a malevolent stare. “Please don’t call me that!”

“Sorry! I’m just trying to offer you some assistance if you need it, but I can see that you’re in a bad mood so I guess I’ll be going.”

“Wait!” she shouted back at him as he turned to walk away.

He paused and then turned to face her raising his eyebrows. “Yes?”

“I’m sorry; I do need your help. You’ll have to excuse me I haven’t exactly had the best day today.”

He walked back to the woman’s car. “That’s okay. We’re all entitled to have a bad day every now and then. But it’s only noon; your day has gone to crap already?”

“Sadly, yes.”

“Well hopefully we can fix that. What seems to be the problem?”

“Well, my car doesn’t seem to want to start. I think it’s the starter but I’m not sure. It’s a new car, but it’s also a rental so who knows what the last person has done to it?”

“Ok, give me a second.” He looked behind him only to see that Mack had gone. He must have gone inside the station. He faced her again. “I’ll be right back.”

“Alright.”

He entered the station lobby to find Mack hugging Chandra. “Hey man, this chick out here needs some help.”

“Alright sir.” Mack put his arm around Chandra’s waist as they walked out behind Jason.

“How have you been Chandra?” Jason asked.

“Fine, trying to figure out how I can be a permanent fixture on Mack’s schedule; how are you?” Mack rolled his eyes and chuckled but said nothing.

“I’ve been fine, just trying to get my Good Samaritan points.”

“Really? How so? Would it have anything to do with the “chick” you came in the station talking about?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact it does.”

She laughed. “Why does that not surprise me?”

The afternoon sun was blazing down on them as they made their way through the parking lot. Jason could feel the beads of sweat on his forehead and his t-shirt was beginning to stick to him. When they approached the woman’s car, the driver’s side door was open and they could see that she had gotten out. She had the hood open and was bent over underneath it checking out the engine.

The sight of those long legs in that mini skirt made Jason pause in mid stride to take a breath. As his eyes moved from her legs to what he could see of her tiny waist and every muscle in his body immediately became rigid. He turned to look at Mack taking in gulps of breath. “Um…her car...it won’t start.”

“What the hell is wrong with you man?” Mack asked with a smirk.

Chandra laughed so loudly that she got the other woman’s attention causing her to rise up from under the hood and face them. Jason had already seen that she was pretty, but he had
no
idea such a body was attached to that face.

“Hey, you’re back!” the woman said while walking up to the three of them.

Her smile was gleaming and warm, yet sexy and seductive. He couldn’t stop staring at her mouth, her eyes, her slightly crooked nose and those damn legs.

“You’re still here? I thought you would be long gone by now,” Chandra said to the woman. “You should’ve come inside the station. I would’ve gotten someone to help you out.” 

“Yeah, I was going to but these two gentlemen pulled up just as I was about to come inside,” she said as she stared at Jason.

Jason remained silent. He couldn’t recall any woman ever having this affect on him, and so soon. Sure he’d been attracted to other women in the past, but never like this;
he couldn’t understand it. He had no idea who this woman was or anything about her, not even her name. Sure she was beautiful, but she didn’t exactly stand out. To describe her would be the same as describing most girls in L.A. What was it about this one?

Mack gave Jason a mocking stare and then turned to the woman and held out his hand to her. “Hello, I’m Mack.”

“Amour, nice to meet you.” She extended her hand to Mack’s. “Sorry, my hands are a little dirty.”

“That’s okay, nothing wrong with a little dirt.” He then turned to Chandra. “If you guys will excuse me, I’m going to walk Officer Winslow back inside.”

“Okay, I’ll be out here.” Jason spoke the words to Mack but never took his eyes off Amour. “I’m Jason…by the way.” 

“It’s nice to meet you as well Jason.” She held her hand out to him.

“Likewise.” The touch of her hand sent a jolt of electricity through his body that went straight down to his cock. What he was feeling may not have been love at first sight, certainly not, but it was definitely
lust
at first sight. Her touch brought certain thoughts to mind. Thoughts of her long legs wrapped around his hips and those lips wrapped around…
Stop it!
He said to himself.
You don’t even know her!
What the hell is wrong with you? Snap out of it!
He shook his head slightly trying to get a hold of his senses. He cleared his throat. “Did you call the rental car place you got it from? Did you get the insurance?”

“Yes, of course; they said it’s going to be an hour and a half to two hours before they can send a tow.” She looked away briefly and then caught eyes with him again. “I suppose I could catch a cab to the rental place if I don’t want to wait here but I’d still end up waiting there all the same because they won’t let me rent another one until they get this one back.”

He realized that he may or may not have insulted her intelligence when she replied to his questions, he certainly hoped not but he had to say something that would distract him from his inappropriate thoughts. “Well, I have Triple A. I’m sure it won’t take them that long to come out and cabs cost a fortune. I could call them and the tow truck driver could take you to get another rental.”

She shook her head. “You don’t have to do that. I can see that I’ve interrupted something you were in the middle of. I don’t want to take you away from anything important. I’ll just take a cab but thanks anyway.” She grabbed her cell phone out of the pocket of her denim skirt.

“What’s all this talk about a cab?” Mack shouted as he and Chandra walked up behind Jason. “What’s going on here?”

Jason turned to look at Mack. “The rental place she got her car from won’t be able to get a tow here for at least an hour and a half.”

Mack pursed his lips. “Use your Triple A man! Don’t let her pay all that money for a cab.”

“Gee, why didn’t
I
think of that?” Jason said sarcastically.

Amour laughed and said, “That’s ok…Jason already offered; I can wait. You guys look like you were in the middle of something.”

Jason liked the way she said his name. He wondered how she would sound saying it while he was inside of her…
Stop it!
He said again to himself.

“No we weren’t,” Mack said as he turned to look at Jason with grin. “We were just stopping by here on our way somewhere else. Weren’t we Jason?”

“Yes that’s true,” he said with irritation in his voice. He knew exactly what Mack was trying to pull and he didn’t appreciate it one bit.

“Well then it’s settled. Triple A it is. Call them Jason.”

Jason gave Mack a look that told him to shut the hell up and he spoke through gritted teeth. “She doesn’t want me to Mack.”

“Sure she does.” Mack turned to Amour. “You need the help, we can provide it.”

Still holding her cell in her hand, she hesitated and then turned to Jason. “Well if you don’t mind.”

Mack patted him on the back irritating him even more. “Of course he doesn’t mind, do you Jason?”

He was not pleased about how uncomfortable Mack was making him. “No, of course not, I’d be happy to.”

“Thank you! I owe you one,” she said smiling back at him.

Jason shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t mind at all.”

“No, please let me repay you. I’ll buy you lunch.”

Mack put his arm around Jason’s neck giving him a brotherly hug. “What a coincidence. The three of us were
just
about to go to lunch.”

He looked up at Mack curiously.
“The
three
of us?”

Chandra spoke before Mack could get a word out. “I actually came in really early this morning so I get off in thirty minutes.”

“What do you know? It’s like a double date,” Mack said mockingly.

Jason really wished Mack would shut the hell up. “We’re heading out to Jake’s downtown Amour.”

“Oh okay, well I could meet you down there after I drop this car off and get another one. Just give me the address so I can put it in my navigation system.”

“It’s just on Grand and Eighth Street. You can’t miss it,” Mack said.

“Well I don’t exactly know my way around L.A. I just arrived here last night.”