Natural-Born Protector / Saved by the Monarch (4 page)

He’d had one brief affair a year ago with a woman he’d known had no expectations of a happily-ever-after. He had a feeling that Melody Thompson wasn’t at all like that.

As they’d sat in the bar watching the crowd, the toetapping music had made him want to grab Melody in his arms and swing her out on the dance floor. He’d wanted to feel her body pressed against his, move in the rhythm that mimicked sex.

Rebecca had loved to dance. Almost every Friday night she’d asked Hank to go with her to the local honky-tonk for a night of dancing. Most Friday nights he’d declined. He’d been too tired, preferred spending his evenings alone with Rebecca and Maddie rather than in a bar with loud music and drinkers.

When Melody wasn’t asking questions about her sister, they’d talked, passing the time and getting to know each other better. She was easy to talk to, both intelligent and quick-witted.

He parked and they got out of the car. “You want to come in for a little while?” she asked when they reached her door. “I know it’s late but I’m a little wound up. I could make some coffee.”

He smiled. “Coffee is the last thing you need if you’re already wound up.” He could tell by the soft plea in her eyes that she didn’t want to be alone. “But, I would come in for a tall glass of water.”

She flashed him a grateful smile and unlocked her door. He followed her through the living room and into the kitchen where he sat at the table while she got out the glasses and ice.

“Thank you for tonight,” she said as she placed his glass of water in front of him.

“You don’t have to thank me,” he replied as she sat in the chair opposite him. “I want Lainie’s murderer caught, too.”

Melody took a sip of her water, then stared out the window where the blackness of night was profound. “She hated the night,” she said softly. “She read a poem when she was younger. I don’t know who wrote it or where she found it, but it started out something like…‘When night falls and takes the day, that’s when evil comes out to play.’ I don’t remember the rest of it. She told me once that when night fell and she was alone, she feared she’d disappear. It was her biggest fear and it breaks my heart that it came true.”

Melody looked at him, her eyes filled with pain. “As silly as it sounds, I think it would have been easier if she’d been murdered during the day instead of at night when she was most frightened anyway.”

Her words broke his heart. Once again he had the desire to pull her into his arms and offer comfort, promise her that the pain would pass and life would go on. But how could he promise her that when he wasn’t at all sure it was the truth? It had been two years, and his pain was still as raw as it had been the night that Rebecca slipped from this world.

“Tell me about your life in Chicago,” he said, hoping
the change of subject would take away the shadows from her eyes. “Lainie told me you’re a teacher.”

“Third grade. I love kids that age, around Maddie’s age.”

“You always wanted to be a teacher?”

“Not always.” She leaned back in the chair and for the first time since the evening had begun she looked relaxed. The tiny line of stress that had streaked across her forehead had disappeared and her mouth looked less tense. “For the first two years of college I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life.”

“You went to Maple Park College?” he asked, knowing the small school was a mere twenty minutes away.

She smiled. “I think almost everyone who lives in Cotter Creek attends Maple Park Community College at one time or another.” She took a sip of the water, then continued. “For a long time I thought my job in life was going to be taking care of Lainie. She never wanted me to be too far away from her.”

“But you moved to Chicago.”

She leaned forward, the line of stress once again creasing her forehead. “By the time I graduated and realized I wanted to teach, there were no jobs here in Cotter Creek. Actually, it was Lainie who initially encouraged me to take a job wherever I could get one. She was feeling particularly good at the time, strong and independent. So I got the offer from the school in Chicago and decided to take it. I was thrilled when I heard that Lainie had decided to move out of Mom’s home and into her own place. But I could tell by her phone calls that she wasn’t having an easy time without
me.” She sighed, as if the long explanation had exhausted her.

“Lainie mentioned you didn’t date much. You have somebody special in Chicago?”

She laughed. “Nobody special, nobody even casual. I haven’t had time to do much of anything except work and settle into my apartment. I did have one serious relationship when I was in college, but in the end I broke it off. He told me he was tired of Lainie’s phone calls interrupting us when we were together and basically gave me a him-or-her choice.”

“And blood is thicker than water,” he replied.

“In this case, definitely. But that’s enough about me. Tell me about you. Did you always want to be a bodyguard?”

“Never entered my mind until about six months ago. I needed a change. I was tired of ranching. My mom lived here and it seemed a logical choice. As far as the bodyguard work, Dalton West is an old friend of mine and he’s the one who initially suggested it to me.”

“Isn’t it dangerous?” she asked.

The only danger he felt at the moment was from the glossy shine of her lips, which seemed to beg for a kiss, and the scent of her fragrance, which eddied in the air and made him want to explore exactly where on her body it came from.

“I served in the military for four years, I’m a crack shot with a gun and I’ve been trained in hand-to-hand combat. I feel fairly confident that I can handle whatever comes my way,” he replied.

He stood, realizing that it was time to go. He was
finding her nearness far too appealing and had a feeling that if he remained she’d ask questions he didn’t want to answer. “It’s late,” he said.

She got up as well. “I’ve taken up far too much of your time,” she said as she walked with him to the front door. “Thank you, Hank, for going with me.” She placed a hand on his arm and smiled up at him, and the muscles in his stomach tightened in response.

“What’s your next plan?” he asked.

She dropped her hand to her side. “I think sometime tomorrow I’ll take my rental car in for an oil change at Car Haven.”

“And maybe question Dean Lucas?”

She nodded. “From what you told me he was probably the last guy Lainie was dating.”

His impulse was to offer to accompany her, but he knew she’d be okay talking to Dean in broad daylight in public. She didn’t need him and he needed some distance. “Then I’ll just say good-night.”

As he walked out of Lainie’s town house he tried to summon up a mental image of his wife, Rebecca, but all he could visualize was how Melody’s blouse had given him a tantalizing glimpse of her breasts, how she’d looked at him as if he were her own personal hero all evening.

He didn’t want to be her hero, but if he were perfectly honest with himself he’d admit that he wouldn’t mind taking her to bed. It had been far too long since he’d had the warmth of a female body in his arms, enjoyed the release that came with making love. And Melody was the first woman in a long time to remind him of that.

But he was certain the last thing on her mind was an uncommitted night of sex. She was focused solely on her goal—to catch a killer—and at the moment his sole focus should be keeping her safe from any trouble her investigation might bring her way.

“
W
hy on earth would you want to involve yourself in a matter for the sheriff?” Rita asked Melody, her raised voice drawing the attention of other diners in the restaurant. After spending the morning packing away some of the items in the town house, Melody had rushed to meet Fred and her mother for lunch.

Fred placed a hand on Rita’s to calm her, but his look at Melody was just as outraged as her mother’s. “Melody, Dean Lucas is a hooligan. You have no business having anything to do with that young man.”

Melody couldn’t believe Fred had actually used the term
hooligan
and she couldn’t believe that she’d been stupid enough to tell them that she was doing a little investigating into Lainie’s murder on her own.

“I’m just asking a few questions here and there. Don’t you both want to know who killed Lainie?”

“Of course we do,” Fred blustered. “But that’s Zack West’s job. He’s a good man. He’ll eventually find the guilty person.”

“Eventually isn’t soon enough for me,” Melody replied.

“I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you, too,” Rita said. She reached over and grabbed Melody’s hand and squeezed it tightly. “You don’t even need to stay there to pack up the rest of the town house. Fred and I can do it. I just want you safe and happy, not involving yourself in this ugliness.”

Melody pulled her hand from her mother’s. “I owe Lainie this. It’s something I need to do, and stop worrying about me.”

“How’s the packing coming?” Fred asked, in an obvious ploy to change the subject.

“Slowly, but it’s getting done,” Melody replied. She twisted her napkin in her lap, wishing she were back at the town house plotting her next move.

“I understand there’s a wall in the town house that needs to be painted. You want me to send one of my men over to take care of it?” Fred owned a large construction firm.

Melody looked at him curiously. “You haven’t been in the town house before?”

“Not inside,” he replied. “Lainie kept telling us she was going to invite us over, but every time we’d bring it up she’d tell us the place wasn’t quite ready for company.”

“She was trying so hard to be independent,” Rita said, her eyes radiating the sadness of a mother’s heartbreak. “Fred didn’t want to intrude on her privacy.”

“Just say the word and I’ll get a couple of men in
there to do whatever needs to be done to get it on the market as soon as possible so you can get on with your life,” Fred said.

Melody laughed. “I’m beginning to think that the two of you are trying to get rid of me.”

“Don’t be silly,” Rita exclaimed. “You know I love having you here, but I know you’ve begun a new life in Chicago and there’s really nothing here for you.”

“And I’m hoping to finally convince your mother to make a new life with me,” Fred said. “I’ve asked her to marry me.”

Melody smiled at the man who had been in her mother’s life for years. “Fred, you’ve asked my mother to marry you at least a dozen times before.”

He gazed at Rita fondly. “But I think this time she’s going to say yes. She’s wearing my ring around her neck.”

Rita smiled and pulled a chain from beneath her blouse. Hanging on it was Fred’s college ring with its blue stone. Melody found it corny, but oddly charming. “I told him I’m willing to go steady, but I’m still thinking about marriage.” She smiled coyly.

My mother has a better love life than I do, Melody thought and found that fact incredibly depressing. Her mind instantly filled with a vision of Hank. She’d felt so safe with him the night before, and after they’d gotten back to Lainie’s he’d seemed to know that she wasn’t ready to be alone.

Her thoughts of Hank suddenly turned unsettling as she wondered what those broad shoulders would feel like naked beneath her fingers. She wondered what those lips of his might taste like in a fiery kiss.

The rest of the lunch was pleasant enough as Fred and her mother talked about a cruise they were taking in the fall and some renovations Fred had decided to do on his home.

After lunch she left the restaurant and headed down Main to Hall’s Car Haven. As she drove, her thoughts scattered in a million directions. She hoped her mother finally married Fred. He’d certainly waited for her long enough.

Fred had been partners with Melody’s father, James. James had died of a heart attack when Melody was ten and Lainie fifteen. Fred had been a huge support to the grieving widow and eventually their friendship had developed into something deeper.

Melody’s thoughts turned to Steve, the young man she’d dated in college. When he’d given her the ultimatum of choosing either Lainie or him, the choice had been remarkably easy and she’d realized at that time that she wasn’t in love with him.

Lainie had needed her and since the time they were young, Lainie’s need had been enough to fill Melody. Now, with Lainie gone, Melody felt more alone, emptier than she’d ever felt in her life.

Was it any wonder that she was vulnerable to Hank Tyler’s charms? Lainie’s death had left a huge hole inside her and surely her visceral attraction to Hank was simply the need to fill that hole.

She shook her head to clear her mind as she pulled into Hall’s Car Haven, where several cars were on lifts and a small group of men clustered around the front door.

Nerves tightened her stomach muscles as she got out of her car and approached the front door. The men moved
aside for her to enter. The minute she walked in and saw the man behind the counter, she knew he was Dean.

His long black hair framed a handsome face that had the lean, slightly dangerous look that had always attracted Lainie. Tattoos covered his arms but he smiled pleasantly at her. “Can I help you?”

“I hope so. Are you Dean?”

His dark eyes narrowed slightly. “Who’s asking?”

“I’m Melody Thompson, Lainie’s sister.”

A flash of pain streaked across his features. “What are you doing here?”

“I was just wondering if I could ask you a few questions.”

He looked around, as if wishing that somebody else would come in. He finally looked back at her and drew a deep sigh. “Look, I already told the sheriff I don’t know anything about her murder. We broke up a couple of weeks before and I was with my new girlfriend the night Lainie was killed.”

“Did you know who she might have gone out with the night she was murdered?”

He shook his head. “After we broke up, we didn’t talk anymore.”

“Whose idea was it to break up?”

“It was mutual. We were just kicking it, you know. Neither one of us was in love or anything like that. We dated for a couple of weeks and decided it wasn’t working. No hard feelings, no big drama.”

Disappointment fluttered through her. “So you don’t know anyone who might have wanted her dead?”

“Sorry, I can’t help you.”

“Thanks for your time.” She turned to leave but stopped as he called her name.

“You know she wanted a kid. She told me she didn’t want to get married or anything like that, but she wanted a baby. That’s why we broke up. I’m not ready for kids.”

“You know where I can find James O’Donnell?”

His eyes flashed darkly. “Why do you want to find him? He’s a crazy dude. That’s who I figured killed her, but Sheriff West said he had an alibi for that night.”

“I’d still like to talk to him.”

“He works most nights at the video store on Main. I don’t know where he hangs during the days when he isn’t working.”

“Thanks, Dean.” She turned and left, thinking that he’d been telling the truth. At least she hadn’t had to pay for an oil change in order to talk to the man. But that was a small comfort, considering she really hadn’t gotten any new information.

She headed home, deciding that she’d spend the rest of the afternoon packing up more of Lainie’s things. She’d been home only about thirty minutes when there was a knock at the door.

Maddie marched in when she answered, a bag of chocolate-chip cookies in her hand. “I’m still not sure I’m going to like you, but I thought maybe you’d like to eat some cookies with me,” she announced.

“I was just thinking maybe it was time for a cookie break,” Melody replied as the two headed for the kitchen table.

Maddie set the bag on the table, then went to the
refrigerator and pulled out the gallon of milk. “My grandma baked these cookies. They were Lainie’s favorites. Lainie always said a chocolate-chip cookie could fix almost anything, but no matter how many I eat, I’m still mad at my dad.” She scooted into a chair at the table.

“Why are you mad at your dad?” Melody asked as she poured them each a glass of milk, then put the jug back in the refrigerator.

“Just because,” Maddie replied as she opened the bag of cookies and took one out. “My mommy’s dead.”

“I know. My daddy died when I was about your age,” Melody replied.

Maddie chewed thoughtfully, her gaze not leaving Melody. “Do you remember your daddy?”

“Not a lot,” Melody confessed. “It was a long time ago and I was pretty young.”

“Sometimes I don’t hardly remember my mom. Grandma says she was perfect for my daddy and that his heart will hurt forever. I wish his heart would stop hurting so he could maybe find me a new mom.” She took another bite of her cookie while Melody digested this information about Hank.

Maddie took a drink of her milk and wiped her milk mustache off with the back of her hand. Melody got up and grabbed a paper towel and handed it to her. She murmured a thank-you and reached for another cookie.

“I liked coming here to see Lainie. My grandma always tells me what to do and my daddy hardly talks to me at all, but Lainie always talked to me.”

“It’s important to have a friend to talk to,” Melody replied.

“Which do you like better? Cowboys or bodyguards?”

Melody sat back in her chair at the abrupt change of subject. “I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it before,” she replied, wondering what was going on in the little girl’s head.

Beneath the obvious intelligence and touch of bravado Melody suspected there was a hurt little girl who needed something she wasn’t getting.

“Aren’t you going to eat a cookie?” Maddie asked.

“Absolutely,” Melody agreed and grabbed one. “Mmm, your grandma is a good cookie baker,” she said after taking a bite.

“Grandma cooks everything good. Lainie couldn’t cook. Sometimes she’d order pizza and we’d eat it right out of the box. I love pizza.”

A knock sounded at the door and Maddie frowned. “That will be my dad or my grandma.” She didn’t move from her seat at the table.

“Then I guess I’d better answer it,” Melody said as she got up. She opened the door to find Hank, a deep frown cut across his forehead.

“Is my daughter here?”

Maddie appeared in the living room doorway. “Maddie, you’ve got to stop bothering Melody,” he said at the sight of her.

“I’m afraid this is all my fault. She isn’t bothering me. I invited her in,” Melody said, figuring the little white lie wouldn’t hurt. “We were just talking about having a pizza party.”

Maddie moved to stand next to Melody, and to her surprise the little girl slipped her hand into Melody’s.
“You like pizza, Daddy. You could come to the party, too.” There was a faint wistfulness in her words.

Hank looked at his daughter for a long moment, then gazed at Melody. “When and where is this pizza party?”

“Tomorrow night, right here. I’ll make a big salad and homemade pizza,” Melody replied.

“It’ll be fun,” Maddie said as she dropped her hand from Melody’s. “Please, Daddy. We never do anything together and this will be fun.”

“What time?” Hank asked.

“Why don’t we say around six? What kind of pizza do you like, Maddi—Madeline?” Melody asked.

“Pepperoni is my favoritest.”

“Then pepperoni it is,” she replied.

“Okay, then we’ll see you around six,” Hank said. “And now, Maddie, it’s time to go home.”

“Bye, Melody,” Maddie said.

“Goodbye, Madeline,” Melody replied. She watched as father and daughter walked back out into the hallway. They didn’t touch each other, didn’t even speak, and Melody wondered about their relationship.

Which do you like better? Cowboys or bodyguards?
If Melody had to hazard a guess, it would be that Maddie wasn’t thrilled with her father’s new job.

She returned to packing up the items in Lainie’s room, thoughts of Maddie and Hank falling aside as her heart filled with memories of her sister. Each item that went into a box for charity broke her heart.

By ten o’clock she was exhausted. She took a quick shower, changed into her nightclothes then got into bed.

She tried not to be depressed that she’d learned
nothing over the last couple of days to help identify her sister’s killer, but it was hard not to be discouraged.

Nobody seemed to know anything about the man Lainie was going out with on the night of her murder. Nobody knew anyone who was angry with her or wanted to harm her.

“I’m trying, Lainie. I’m trying to find out who took you from me,” she whispered in the dark of the room. With her heart aching, she drifted off to sleep.

The ringing phone awakened her, and her first thought was that it was Lainie, calling to tell her about her day. She rolled over and fumbled on the nightstand for the receiver, at the same time waking up enough to know that it couldn’t be Lainie.

Lainie was dead.

The luminous numbers on her clock radio let her know it was just after midnight. Who on earth would be calling at this time?

She grabbed the receiver and lifted it to her ear. “Hello?”

“Go back where you came from.” The low, male, guttural voice was filled with a menace that seeped through the line.

Her first impulse was to hang up, and that’s exactly what she did. She tossed the phone onto the bed and reached out to turn on the lamp, needing light as a chill danced up and down her spine.

Although the phone call had frightened her, it excited her at the same time because it meant she’d made somebody nervous. Now all she had to figure out was who.

Hank stood in the doorway of Maddie’s room, watching her sleep. A knot formed in his chest as he stared at her little face.