One Lucky Lady (7 page)

She heard a knock at the door. She stood, not really sure what to do. Mac was standing now also. He pointed her to her bedroom and she went. This was getting ridiculous. She was not a child. She was a hunted woman, but not a child. If someone was at the door, they could just shoot Mac to get to her.

Mac was standing at the front door with his nine millimeter in his hand, just out of sight behind the door. She could tell he was talking to someone trying to be neighborly, but also trying to get him to go away. She walked up behind him and peeked over his shoulder. No contacts in, broad daylight, this man would know she was a woman. Mac was going to kill her, but she was really tired of not getting to interact with people. Besides, Mac didn’t seem overly concerned about this guy.

Alex could immediately see why. He was about five foot three, balding yellow hair that had obviously been dyed. He was sweating wearing old polyester pants held up by suspenders and a Hawaiian shirt to match. It didn’t really match the pants-or the suspenders for that matter-but it seemed to go with his outlandish outfit. She liked him immediately. Her instincts were rarely wrong.

Alex felt Mac stiffen the minute he noticed her. She put her hand at the small of his back silently wishing him to breathe. He was probably going to wring her neck, but who cares. Whoever was looking for her was probably planning to do much worse, right? She introduced herself as Wilma, and stuck her hand under Mac’s left arm to shake the man’s hand. He reminded her a little of Barney Rubble. Who didn’t like Barney Rubble?

The man introduced himself as Barnard Wilson.
He even sounded like Barney!
Alex had to work to keep the smile on her face when she really wanted to start laughing. She was a little smarter than that, however. She knew once she started laughing, she would likely not be able to stop. Mac was giving her the evil eye, and boy could he do evil-with a capital E. She told Barney she had a million things to do and headed back to the kitchen holding her breath to keep from laughing out loud. Mac was going to have to close the door quickly or she was going to explode.

Mac was going to kill her as soon as he got rid of this guy. He looked like he belonged in a different era. He had offered his help, as he noticed that they were new to the neighborhood. He politely inquired if they were newlyweds or were planning on getting married.
Obviously old fashioned.
Mac decided it was probably safer to tell him that his dad loaned him the house to protect his girlfriend from her dad since she was recently with child.
His
child. He just wished Alex looked a little older than fifteen. This guy was probably going to call the cops on Mac for kidnapping and cradle-robbing. Shit was the only word that kept running though Mac’s mind.
Shit, shit, shit.
He really had to come up with a different word.
Damn? Hell? Nope. Shit was much better, since that was apparently what he was full of and neck deep in.

He finally got rid of the guy, claiming he needed to make sure
Wilma
wasn’t sick again. Barnard said if they needed anything to let him know and with a knowing wink, left whistling as he made his way down the steps. Mac went in search of Wilma.

Alex was in the kitchen standing over the sink, proud of herself for having the immense control it took to wait to laugh and could hear Mac stomping toward her. She should be worried, but Barney was just too much. She finally couldn’t hold it any longer and burst out laughing.

“Oh my Lord. It was Barney Rubble.” She turned to face him and was trying hard to stop laughing, but every time she looked at Mac-who looked like he was going to strangle her, by the way-a new round would overtake her. She had tears running down her face and was trying to wipe them away with her palms when Mac finally spoke.

“What in the hell did you think you were doing?” He said in a near whisper. Alex could almost see the smoke coming out of his ears, and he was holding his breath waiting for her response.

She looked beautiful. Mac couldn’t remember ever seeing a woman laughing so uncontrollably. Maybe she was losing her mind being cooped up in this house twenty-four, seven. He took a breath realizing he had been holding it.
The guy really did look like Barney Rubble now that he thought about it. No wonder the damn woman had introduced herself as Wilma. Wilma! Well, hell.
Mac’s face broke into a smile.

He looked like Fred Flintstone just before he started smiling. All he needed to do was yell ‘Wiiilllmmmaaa!’ really loud and she would never be able to stop. Alex was trying really hard. She took a deep breath and held it. Then just as she thought she had herself under control, Mac said low almost in a growl, “Wiillmmaa.”

It hadn’t been long and loud, but it was funny as hell and she tore off into another fit of laughter. Her eyes were watering so badly her vision was blurred and her sides hurt.

Mac watched as Alex stood by the sink, her face soaked with tears, green eyes sparkling, with her arm across her abdomen holding her side and knew she was absolutely the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.

He should be mad at her, should yell at her, but he just couldn’t. She was right. The guy did look and sound like Barney. He could feel himself starting to laugh, too. He kept his face away from her until he had a little control and thought she did, too. But when he turned to look at her, they both burst out laughing again.

Five minutes later, Alex was finally able to limit her laughter to a mild chuckle and he was still smiling. “I told him you had to hide from your daddy.” He really thought she would be upset, since she no longer had her daddy, and if she did, he would probably be the last person she needed to hide from.

“Why am I hiding from my daddy? What did I do?” She was still smiling, enjoying this more than she probably should.

Mac, who was willing himself to be serious, couldn’t stop smiling when he said “The official story-which will probably be neighborhood wide in less than ten minutes-is that you’re knocked up and your daddy is not happy about it.”

She was still smiling. “You told Barney you knocked me up? And what? My daddy’s after you with a posse full of pitchfork-carrying, gun-toting rednecks?” Alex looked dazed for a second before she bent over at the waist and was looking down imagining an army of men carrying torches and pitchforks with her pacifist daddy in the lead.

Her shoulders were shaking again, but he really figured this time she was crying. “Yeah, something like that. I’m so sorry, Alex. It was the best reason I could come up with. Hell, we’re two people of the opposite sex living under the same roof. I don’t think anyone would believe we are siblings.” He was chastising himself for even opening the door to Barney. But logically, if she hadn’t popped up right beside him, he wouldn’t have needed to say anything. Had he heard her coming, he could have motioned her back, but the damned woman moved like a ninja. It was really disconcerting. But then again, everything about Alex was disconcerting.

Alex couldn’t help it. She was thinking about the consequences, or really lack of them, and still couldn’t quit laughing. She was finally able to stand up, her hand still clutching her side. “Why are you apologizing? Nobody around here knows me. It’s a reasonable story and I like it much better than being a boy. My daddy was never prone to violence and he didn’t believe in shotgun weddings, but it’s believable around here, I’m sure.” She was finally able to take a deep breath without falling into another round of laughter, likely because Mac looked so serious.

“You’re not mad at me?” Mac sounded so surprised.

“Why would I be mad at you? I’m the one who walked out there when you told me to go to my room.” Alex thought about that for a second. “You’re the first person who has ever sent me to my room, and actually expected me to stay there. I thought you were going to wring my neck in front of Barney.” She was grinning again. “When he said his name was Barnard, I thought I was going to fall to the floor right there. I have decided that I have excellent will power. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Mac felt his mouth drop open. Will power would have been staying in her room. Will power would have been not introducing herself as Wilma, for God’s sake. “Yes, Alex. You have more will power than I have ever seen.”

She noticed the hesitation and knew he was choosing his words carefully. “Liar.”

They were both laughing again as she went to pull something for lunch out of the fridge.
Yes, Mac Rogers was definitely a good man.

Chapter Eight

He had been following Pedro for days. He was tired and becoming more agitated. He should just threaten him at gunpoint. Then that dumbass PI would just take him to her. Who did that nurse think she was, anyway? Nobody was going to take what was his. He would kill anybody who tried.

The lawyer was easy. Shawn had no trouble getting in the basement window. He had no trouble with any of it. He made it up the stairs into the kitchen and found the office easily. Hell, the dumb-fuck lawyer boy left the light on above the computer. He didn’t even have to search. He found the little computer they wanted and then heard the snoring coming from the bedroom downstairs. He made it across the room without the lawyer ever knowing he was there. He screwed on the silencer standing right next to the bed, and still the lawyer hadn’t moved. Shawn knew he was the best, but it had been almost too damn easy. He had to admit he did feel a little disappointed that the guy hadn’t even opened his eyes when he put the silencer to his head and pulled the trigger. He would have really liked to see the recognition in the guy’s eyes.

Of course, they showed up on his doorstep the next afternoon and asked if there had been another little computer thing in the room or in the office, but there hadn’t been. He was told his services were no longer needed. The guy with the scar was a little scary, but he had dealt with scary men before. He could beat the piss out of anyone, he was sure of it. Those two guys may be big and ugly, but he was cunning. He would get that nurse bitch and then he would get his wife back and they would both pay.

If he had known the lawyer and the nurse were married he would have shot them both that night. Why weren’t they sleeping in the same room? Rich people were all the same. They were probably married in name only. They probably both had lovers. Sick bastards. Didn’t they know that was one of the Ten Commandments? He was doing the world a favor when he shot the lawyer, but when he took care of the nurse and the PI, he was going to make damn sure they knew what was coming. He might even have a little fun with the nurse before he shot her. He was going to make sure his wife paid, too. But she was going to live to regret leaving him. She was fucking his, and he was going to remind her of it the second he could lay his hands on her. She was never going to leave him again.

He needed a shower. He had been in his car for four days. The way he smelled was starting to turn
his
stomach. That idiot PI didn’t even know he was being followed. He would take him to the nurse. He waited until all the lights were out in the house before he left. He knew the PI’s schedule now. He knew he had time to run home and shower. Maybe he would even get something to eat. Maybe she would be there. Probably not. They turned her against him, but he would make her see.

Pedro turned out all the lights like he did every night at the same time. He watched through the thin opening between curtain panels, making sure not to move them. Sure enough, the lights on the grey Olds came on and drove away. Pedro knew he would be back soon. When the car passed in front of his house, Pedro got a view of the guy’s profile. He looked familiar, but Pedro couldn’t place him, he was wearing a baseball hat pulled low and was sitting low in the seat. Something wasn’t right. Pedro could sense it.

Pedro threw a bag in his car and headed to Atlanta. He needed to make sure Mac and Alex were okay. He needed to know what Alex knew about one of Tom’s cases. Lucy, the girl Alex had taken care of in the ER was missing. So was her file.

Pedro asked Jarred to get in touch with Lucy and let her know what was going on. Jarred said he would take care of it, but called Pedro back a few hours later. Lucy’s sister told Jarred Lucy left. She didn’t know when or why, but was very worried about her. Jarred had found one sheet of paper with Lucy’s contact information on it stuffed in another file, but could not find her file. Pedro remembered her home address. He had to go get some of Lucy’s things. He talked to the husband. He seemed like a real piss ant. He let Pedro get a few things and look around some, but seemed sure Lucy would come back to him. He was starting to think the guy in the Olds was Lucy’s husband, but he couldn’t get a good look at him without tipping him off. He wanted the guy to believe he was oblivious to his presence.

Jarred sent another PI who worked for the DA’s office occasionally to the estranged husband’s house, but nobody was there. There was no sign of Lucy or her husband.

Pedro had asked Jarred if anyone was inquiring about Alex. Jarred said nobody had mentioned her.