Resurrecting Charlie's Girl (10 page)

She
thought the guys were gonna stick together. Alarmed, Charlise straightened in
her chair. "What's that mean?"

"Garrett
thinks we need to be seen around town. A dinner out. A walk through the
park," Tom said. "I agree with his plan."

She
swallowed. "I thought we were here because there's safety in
numbers."

"We'll
have surveillance on you both continually." Garrett gathered the papers
and files, tossing them in his briefcase. He closed it and said,
"Charlise, Sally left you a bag up in the room at the top of the
stairs."

"Thanks."
She squeezed Tom's hand, pushed away from the kitchen table and headed for the
stairs.

Lately,
the good things in life didn't come so easily. She'd learned to accept the good
things the moment she got them. Clothes and shoes compared to a band-aid on a
paper cut. It made everything feel better for awhile—until you had to remove
the band-aid.

Chapter Ten

To
Charlise's delight, Sally sent her fancy dresses, make up, high heels, clutch
purses, and some jewelry. The next night after their arrival to the safe house,
Charliese lost herself in the process of getting ready to go out on the town.

The
woman in her bubbled with pleasure at the chance of dressing up. The woman in
her who was going out on a date with Tom nervously looked forward to being
alone with him. The woman who knew Jared was out there waiting for her trembled
in fear that the last night she might live would be spent with the man she fell
in love with.

Charlise
slid the slinky black dress over her head. The material caressed her curves as
it slid down her shape. She ran her hands along her hips.

Spritzing
the air with the scent of jasmine, she walked into the cloud and let it settle
on her. She sniffed and smiled. Perfect.

She
strapped on the flirty heels and walked down the stairs one step at a time. She
hadn't worn a pair of high heels this high in a year and coupled with the
nerves about her first "pretend" date with Tom, she was a little
unsteady.

She
paused on the last step as Tom greeted her with a wolf whistle from the
entryway.

"My
God," he whispered.

Tom's
gaze dropped to her shoes and began to slowly climb her body. Heat followed
wherever his gaze fell on her. She wanted to fan herself.

Tom's
hot eyes lingered at her hips and breasts. The muscle along his jaw twitched.
"You look beautiful."

"Thank
you. I wish…" She tucked a strand of hair behind an ear. "Oh Tom, you
have no idea the thoughts going through my head."

A
sense of freedom flooded her. She grinned and twirled a finger in the air.
"Let me see you."

He
chuckled, holding his arms out to his sides and turning around. Decked out in
navy blue slacks, matching blazer, white dress shirt, and a red patterned tie,
Tom was devastatingly sexy. Her whole body vibrated and her hands itched to
reach out and touch him all over. "Oh, yes, you'll do. You'll definitely
do, P.I. man."

Tom's
smile softened and his gaze grew intent the way she was getting used to seeing
right before he kissed her. Her gaze ate him up as she approached him. A swish
of her hips gave off a sexy feel with the ultra-sheerness of the dress. The
knowledge that Tom enjoyed the way the dress hung on her inspired her to move
with grace.

The
shadow along Tom's jaw now gone, she ran her hand over the smooth skin on his
face. She lingered at the indention on his cheek. A bead of desire shot through
her. She wanted this man.

Wishing
circumstances were different, Charlise took what she could get and looked forward
to spending the evening with Tom. She linked her arm with his and strolled out
the front door beside him, trying to appear like she had no worries.

She
navigated the concrete walk outside and slid into Tom's car with the ease of
someone who had experience wearing high heels and tight dresses. For tonight,
she'd pretend that it was her resurrection.

No
longer the victim. No longer in Jared's life. No longer believing all the
horrible things her ex-husband had brainwashed her to believe. She was Charlie's
girl again.

The
drive to the restaurant sobered Charlise, and she glanced at Tom to gauge his
reaction. His hands, usually so gentle and dependable, moved between the
steering wheel and his earpiece.

She
fingered the locket to make sure the wire Joe outfitted her with remained
hidden. She frowned and questioned her sanity. How did someone contemplate ways
to flirt over dinner, but plan an escape from someone out to kill her? Would
life ever be normal?

What
if the backup car lost them? What if she needed to use the restroom? What did
she do if Jared gunned down everyone she cared for? How could she live with
herself if something happened to Tom?

"Deep
thoughts?" Tom pulled the car into the restaurant parking lot.

"As
deep as the Pacific Ocean, I'm afraid." She forced a smile.

Not
one who usually wore jewelry, the piece holding the wire Joe and Pete would be
monitoring seemed to burn her skin where it lay. Garrett insisted it went
perfect with the dress when he delivered it to her bedroom at the safe house.

"I
promised everything will work out, right?" Tom glanced in the rear view
mirror.

"There're
a lot of cars. I don't think we should endanger all of these people by drawing
Jared here." Charlise opened the empty clutch purse on her lap and shut
it. There was nothing inside. No lipstick, no mirror, and not even a driver's
license.

"I
doubt he'll show up." Tom adjusted his tie. "More than likely, he's
going to follow us around and make a plan on how to draw you away. That's not
gonna happen when I'm with you. Seeing as how I'm not going to let you out of
my sight, he can't harm you."

He
smoothed a hand down the front of his shirt. "Let's go to dinner."

He
got out and rounded the car's hood to open her door. Charlise offered a
tentative smile as she got out. Her hand shook as she took Tom's. Her gaze
sought out and found the car with Joe and Pete in it parked down the street.
Banishing her fears, she walked beside Tom into the restaurant.

The
hostess greeted them when Tom approached the desk.

"Brannet,
party of two." Tom lifted Charlise's hand and kissed her fingers.

The
hostess escorted them to a table in the middle of the floor. The plan was to
sit out in the open where Jared or his men could find them. If this was a real
date, she had no doubt that Tom would pick somewhere less conspicuous.

"Sure
beats cheeseburgers and sneakers at the all-night diner, huh?" Tom grinned
around the side of the menu. He lowered his hand and leaned closer. "Will
you do me a favor?"

Charlise
cocked her head. She'd run away with him if he asked. "What kind of
favor?"

"As
soon as our lives get back to normal will you let your hair go back to being
red?" He sat back with a smile.

Charlise
pinched a strand of midnight black hair off her shoulder and lowered her eyes.
She hated the black hair with a passion.

The
night she'd escaped from Jared she'd decided that the opposite of warm red is
dark black. She'd even dyed her eyebrows to match, and if she studied herself
in a mirror she resembled a dead woman with her pale skin.

"I
thought you said I was beautiful," she whispered.

"God,
Charlise. You drive me insane, but after seeing your picture— he unfolded his
napkin and placed it on his lap—I would love to see you in your natural hair
color."

"Let
me tell you a secret." In a sultry whisper, she said, "I can't wait
to go back to being a redhead."

When
his grin revealed his dimple, her stomach did a complete flip and she bit her
lip to keep from smiling. Deciding she better pay attention and not get lost in
Tom, she concentrated on her dinner that'd arrived.

Lost
in her own thoughts, she jumped when Tom's hand touched her wrist. "I'm
sorry…what?"

"Keep
eating or just look at me." He lifted her hand and kissed the inside of
her wrist. "I think one of Blatwell's thugs sat down to wait for a table,
and he doesn't look too hungry to me. Copy Joe?"

Nervous
tingles ran down Charlise's back and her throat tightened. She picked up her
water and pretended to sip.

"Let's
go." He threw his napkin on his plate and brought out his wallet.

She
stood. "Shouldn't we stay here?"

"No.
I want to draw him out. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll follow us." Tom
motioned to their waitress, who hurried over. "We've got an emergency and
need our bill, please."

Outside,
Tom updated Joe and Pete as he walked Charlise to the car without any mishaps.
She got in, her nerves stretched taut. It hadn't taken Jared long to find them.

Tom
stood in front of the car and stretched. Inside the car, she muttered for him
to hurry. He put himself in danger standing out in the open.

No
sooner dhad Tom shut the door, Charlise smacked him on the arm. "What are
you doing, standing out there?"

"Hang
tight. I'm not going to do anything dangerous before I get to see that fabulous
hair of yours." He leaned over and gave her a fast kiss.

"There
he is." Tom spoke in a calm voice, and she realized he was speaking into
his microphone. "We're taking off. Slip back and see where our man
goes."

He
started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. Charlise gazed behind them
out the rear window, but Tom's hand on her leg brought her head back around.

"I
don't want him to think we're running scared." He squeezed her leg.
"We're going to stay nice and calm."

She
laid her hand on top of his. "I want to run."

Tom's
gaze drifted to the rearview mirror as he replied, "I know you do. The
sooner this bastard goes to prison for everything he's done—you'll be safe.
That's all that matters."

When
they turned onto the road leading to the safe house, Charlise couldn't help
chancing another look over her shoulder. The black sedan behind them continued
down the other road, not turning to follow them.

She
squirmed in her seat. "I don't understand why Garrett picked a safe house
a quarter mile off the road."

"It
gives us more privacy."

Tom
pulled up in front of the house and parked. "I'm going to call Garrett and
have him meet us out front."

He
pulled out his cell phone and flipped it open. Punching a number, he waited in
silence.

Charlise
gazed out into the darkness of the night, wishing the sun was out and they
weren't so vulnerable. Without the benefit of streetlights, the shapes hidden
in the shadows appeared threatening.

"He's
isn't answering." He closed his phone and loosened his tie.

Knots
formed in Charlise's stomach. Garrett would answer. They were on a case.

Tom
flipped open his phone again and punched in more numbers. "I'm calling
Pete."

The
minutes dragged, and Tom's lips thinned as he spoke with Pete. Charlise's hopes
began to falter. What if something happened to Garrett?

Tom
snapped his phone closed, startling her. "Pete and Joe are on their way
here. The car they followed lost them about two miles past our road. We can
only communicate by phone. The wire is useless with this kind of distance."
Tom ripped his tie off and threw it in the backseat.

"Tom,
I'm sorry—"

"Stop.
None of this is your fault. Let's keep it together, okay?"

Tom
reached over and with one hand on each side of her face, kissed her.
"We're going to make it, Charlie's girl, trust me."

She
gripped his wrists. "I know. I trust you, Tom."

Tom
lifted the cuff of his pants, removed a small pistol strapped to his leg, and
handed it to her. "I want you to hang on to this."

She
laid the weapon on her lap, one hand on the handle, and her heart threatening
to burst out of her chest.

"Slip
the safety off right before I open your door. Keep the pistol pointed at the
ground." Tom reached behind him for the pistol tucked into his waistband.

Charlise
fingered the weapon and located the small orange safety switch above the
trigger on the barrel. The memory of Bill showing her how to discharge a pistol
back at The Ridge flashed in her head, and she swallowed hard.
Bless you,
Bill.

"Do
you think Jared's here already? I don't understand how fast he works. He always
seems to be everywhere. Even with all his money and friends, it doesn't make
sense." She shook her head. "He keeps finding me faster and bringing
in more people."

"I
don't know how that son of a bitch does it." Tom laid his pistol on the
dashboard.

The
darkness encircled the house and an oppressive sense of doom crawled up
Charlise's spine. She squinted past the car's window, but only the shadows of
the landscape came into view. Every breath she inhaled seemed to echo inside
the car. The crackling of tires over gravel set Tom into action and he picked up
his pistol. Her hand tightened on the gun in her lap.