Splashdown: A Christian Contemporary Romance with Suspense (Dangerous Series Book 3) (16 page)

“Because you sounded down. I wanted to help. But we talked about this before.”

“Lynn, you’re no babe in the woods. Don’t tell me you’re a virgin. I won’t believe it.”

“Well, thanks for that vote of…of confidence.” She twisted out of his embrace, rose and walked across the room.

He followed her. His anger and desire hit her like heat from a bonfire, a catapult to her defenses. She wasn’t sure she could hold to what was right.
God, you know I’ve prayed for a pure relationship, one that honors you.

She moved around a chair, gripping the back of it. It created a barrier that she needed. Rich’s eyes dropped to the chair and rose again to her face. He took a deep breath, swallowed, and straightened.

When he spoke a moment later, his voice sounded almost normal. “I’m sorry. I did not mean…well, I did mean. I mean…are you a virgin?”

She would have laughed at his stumbling if the situation had not gone past laughter. If she told him the truth, it would only make it harder; but she couldn’t lie.

“No, I’m not.”

His face changed in an instant, and he stepped forward like a robot on autopilot.

Her hand shot upward. “Stay right there and listen to me. Before I became a Christian, and even for a while after that, I…well, hooked up with some different guys; but now…now I’ve taken one of those vows—one of those purity vows you were making fun of—
to God
. And I plan to keep it.”

He didn’t move. His studied look pried like a physical assault. “You sound as if you mean it.”

“I do.”

His gaze raked the ceiling and came back to hers. “I’d better leave then.”

She couldn’t say anything. Her voice, her throat, her chest were squeezed in a tight vise.
Oh, God
. The cry for help went deep; she wanted him to stay. He waited. Her nerves stretched like fishing line peeling out after being hit by a massive fish. 

A moment later, he nodded and strode to the door. Lynn bowed her head, closed her eyes and prayed again.

Quiet.

Then the door opened and closed. She jerked her head up, eyes flying open. The door stared back at her. She twisted her head to see the rest of the room. Empty. Vacant. Bare.

Her heart crashed.

***

Three whole days without a word, a call, or a text. Lynn stared out the doors and gulped deep breaths. Outside, waves thrust themselves onto the white sands, leaving lines of foam as they rushed back to join the Gulf waters. Gray storm clouds gathered above them, and silver lights danced on the waves. Soon, the water, too, would darken, and the thrust and pull of the waves would become ominous.

Work was God-sent, but she couldn’t stay there forever. And home, which used to be her chosen retreat, now seemed like a prison.

She loved the Gulf and her condo. The room in which she stood reflected it. Seascapes, sea turtles, dolphins, and multi-colored fish decorated her walls. Sea shells, bobbers, sea sponges, and other “finds” from walking the beach adorned wooden shelves and tables.

She walked to the front of her condo and looked down at the street, then jerked in surprise. Sharee’s Honda CRV pulled into a parking space below. Whirling, Lynn ran for her purse, grabbed it, and raced to the door. She hadn’t answered Sharee’s calls the last couple of days; and now, here she was.
I can’t do any heart-to-heart, Lord.
She started down the stairs.

“Lynn!” Sharee’s face came into view around the corner. “Where have you been? Why haven’t you returned my calls?”

Lynn forced a smile. “You know how hectic work can be, and I just collapsed when I got home. Sorry.”

“I was worried about you.”

Lynn grabbed her arm and turned her around. No tête-à-tête, no place where she might give away too much information. “Well, let’s get something to eat. I’ve got nothing in my place.”

“All right, but let me call John and let him know. I told him I might stop by, but I didn’t think about dinner.”

“That’s right, you’ve got to report in, don’t you?”

Sharee stopped on the landing, pulled out her phone and frowned. “Report in? No, but if you expected me for dinner, and I changed plans, I’d call you. You know that.” She punched the numbers.

“You don’t have to do anything. Look, I’m good. Go home to John.” She couldn’t stop the sarcasm.

Sharee’s forehead wrinkled. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m fine.” Lynn straightened.

Sharee’s concern evidenced itself in her look and the short pause before she spoke into the phone. “Hey, babe. How are you? No, it’s good you’re home early, but I’m a Lynn’s. She says she’s doing okay, but…well, we’re going to dinner. Do you mind?”

At Sharee’s small smile, Lynn shuttered the urge to grab the phone and throw it.

“No, I’ll be home later. I love you, too. Bye.” She pocketed the phone and looked up at Lynn, her smile disappearing. “Lynn…”

“If we go anyplace, we’re not talking about anything, is that clear?”

Sharee’s face changed. “Then perhaps we should stay here, because something is wrong. Don’t try to hide it.”

“Look, I’d rather not do this, okay? Go home to John.”

“Lynn,” Sharee’s hand touched her arm. “We’ve been friends too long for this. I’m here to help. You’ve always been there for me.”

“But now you’re married.”

“What difference does that make?”

“You married the perfect guy.” Silence dropped between them. “Look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I just need to be alone.”

“I married the perfect guy? You know that’s not true. You…” Lines formed between Sharee’s brows. “Are…are you in love with John?”

Lynn met Sharee’s wide-eyed gaze. “No.” Idiot. Of course, she’ll try to guess. Just tell her. “No. I’m not in love with John. It’s just that you got the last guy on earth who’d wait to have sex.”

“Right. You know that’s not true. Even though—well, girlfriend, we both know it’s hard these days.”

Lynn huffed. “Yeah, real hard.”

“Lynn, you know I went out with my share of guys that didn’t want to wait. I got dumped over and over. Remember? Then God sent John. He’ll send someone for you, too.”

Silence stretched between them. Lynn fought with the different emotions snaking through her. “Only I thought I’d already met him.”

“You what? You’re seeing someone?” Sharee’s voice rose. “When did this happen?”

“Well, I…”

“Why didn’t you say something? Who is it? What’s his name?”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s over.”

“Because…”

“Yes, because I want to wait.” Her voice broke.

Sharee’s arms encircled her. “Oh, Lynn. He’s probably a jerk, anyway.”

“Yeah, a real jerk.”

“Who is it? What’s his name?”

She pulled back and wiped her cheeks dry. What would it matter now? He’d left the other night and never called back. “It’s Rich. Rich Richards.”

“What?” Sharee’s mouth opened, her eyes widened. “You mean Detective Richards?”

“Yes, I…”

“But I thought…”

“What?”

“That he was married. He has a child.”

Lynn took a step back. “Why would you say that?” 

“He has a child. At least I thought…I thought he was married, too. Maybe I just…” Sharee’s brows came together. “When Lisa’s baby was kidnapped, his baby was just a few months old.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because he said so. He talked about his baby that was the same age as Joshua.” Her forehead wrinkled. “Maybe he wasn’t married, but it sounded that way. Maybe he was just living with someone.”

Lynn closed her eyes. He’d never mentioned a baby or a child. All the reasons he’d given for secrecy assaulted her. Her chest tightened and squeezed.

“Lynn?” Sharee’s voice sounded tentative. “Maybe I’m wrong. I mean, I’m not wrong about the baby; but if he was married, maybe they’re divorced or separated by now.”

She opened her eyes. Heat assailed her body. “He didn’t want anyone to know about our relationship—especially you. Because of the case, he said. We even went out of town to eat.” She inhaled and waved a hand in front of her face.

“But…” 

“Of course, he came to my condo. That was no problem.” The sarcasm helped push back the pain. “I’m a fool.”

“No, you’re not. You take people at face value.”

“Look, I can’t go to dinner. I need to sort through this. Maybe I’ll just run to the Sheriff’s Office and have it out with him. Wouldn’t he love that?”

“Lynn, I could be wrong.”

She whirled and walked to her car. As she climbed into the driver’s seat, she heard Sharee’s voice and rolled down the window. “I need to think about this. Think and pray. Sorry about dinner.”

She backed the car and roared away from the parking lot. The wheels from the Lexus had just touched Gulf Boulevard when the tears came. She struggled to see.

“This is ridiculous. This could all be a mistake. I just need to call him.” She backhanded the tears from her eyes and slapped the steering wheel. “Right, call him after the other night. Sure.” She drew more choppy breaths. “But if he ever calls…if…he ever calls, I’ll ask him.”

***

Sharee climbed into her Honda and headed home. Her eyes filled with tears when she thought of Lynn’s face. If Detective Richards ever showed himself in her life again, he’d get a cannon blast of what she thought of him. She paused. No, that wasn’t fair. What if she was wrong? What if... But Lynn had said he’d asked her to keep their relationship quiet. So what did that mean?

She passed someone walking along the road. Her eyes went to the rearview mirror. Pedro.

She started to stop then remembered her promise to John. But it’s Pedro. Her mind flipped back and forth, but she kept driving.

She glanced in the rearview mirror again, searching. I need to keep a bicycle in the car instead of just these bags… The bags! She could give one to Pedro even if she couldn’t give him a ride. Her eyes went once more to the mirror, but the man had disappeared. Into the park? She noted the entrance sign almost where she’d seen Pedro. He might plan to fish for dinner or just use the restroom, things he’d mentioned doing before.

Lord, I know people see him and are scared, but good and bad come in all lifestyles—and that man is good.

Ahead, she noticed a man standing, studying the traffic. Her quick glance took in the dirty coat he wore, the torn jeans, the ball cap pulled low. Well, at least I can help him. Another car pulled off the road ahead of her and angled in that direction. Sharee hesitated before steering onto the grass. If someone else helped him, she’d save a bag for another person.

The man glanced around as she stopped, stepped back from the other car and turned away. The other car drove off, grass and dirt flying. She shook her head, reached into the back and grabbed one of the bags.

“Hey!” She called and started to open her door but remembered John telling her to keep the doors locked and rolled her eyes. “Okay. Okay.” She let down the passenger side window half way. The man looked her way.

Uneasiness filtered its way into her. The man was awfully big to be homeless, wore a jacket and looked familiar, but with the ball cap so low and his head down, it was hard to tell. He walked to the car

“Hi,” she said, “if you’re homeless, I work for Downtown Ministries, and we can help.”

The man grabbed the door handle, trying to jerk it open.

“Hey!” Sharee protested, but his hand shot through the open window, searching for the door handle. She hit his hand with the bag. “No rides today!”

He continued to search for the handle, and Sharee hit the automatic window switch. He yelled as the window closed, trapping his hand. Sharee winced. He hit the car with his other hand then kicked it, cursing. She could only see his chest now and his hand in the window. She rolled the window back down.

If he would just remove his arm… But the man yelled an obscenity, and he shoved his arm farther down. His hand ran along the inside. Fear tightened every nerve, and Sharee poked the button again and heard a click. She’d hit the lock/unlock button instead. The man seized the handle and yanked the door open.

“No! Stop!” Sharee pushed against him as he swung into the car, but his hard body slammed hers and shoved her over. “Get out!”

The man fumbled the gear shift. Her heart jerked. She reached for the opposite door, but his hand clamped over her wrist and twisted. Sharee screamed.

A shadow dropped over them, and someone grabbed her assailant and hauled him out of the car. The pair struggled then fell to the ground. Sharee jumped from the car and ran to the street waving at passing cars. A small red car pulled to the curb.              

A man rolled down his window. “What’s going on?”

Sharee pointed at the two men still wrestling on the ground. “The…the man in blue tried to attack me.”

The driver climbed out and stabbed at the numbers on the phone he carried. One of the men yelled, and Sharee spun back around.

She recognized Pedro now. The man in blue had a knife clenched in his fist. Pedro caught his arm, holding the knife away from him. The attacker yanked free and stabbed downward. Sharee saw the blade disappear into Pedro’s arm. Horror shot through her. She ran forward and slammed a kick into the man’s side.

Her attacker rocked sideways and cursed but kept his attention on Pedro. Sharee kicked him again. This time, he rolled off and jumped to his feet. He’d lost his hat, and without it, recognition was easy. Afton’s right hand still held the knife. He lunged at her, but Pedro grabbed his leg and brought him crashing down. Then Pedro scrambled to his feet and threw himself on top of the other man. The knife flew out of Afton’s hand and skidded past Sharee.

From behind her came a yell. The man from the car she’d stopped ran forward. Afton twisted free, leapt to his feet, and sprinted toward the woods.

The driver of the other car knelt next to Pedro. “You all right, man?”

Pedro’s shoulder oozed blood.

“Call an ambulance,” Sharee said, kneeling beside them. She put her hand over the gash on Pedro’s arm and pressed. 

The man fished his phone out again and made the call before squatting beside them once more. He looked at Pedro. “He did that to you?”

“
Si`
.”

“The cops should be here any minute. I called 911 when I got out of the car.” He looked back at the woods bordering the park and US 19. “Was he trying to get into your car?”

“Yes, I stopped to give him a bag I keep for the homeless…”

“These homeless people are worthless. You shouldn’t give them anything.”

Sharee’s eyes went to Pedro. He shook his head. She glanced back at the man. “No, some of them try to save your life.”

“Oh, yeah? Well, how many do you know?”

“I know Pedro.” She nodded at him.

Quiet settled over them. “Oh, sorry, man. But it’s guys like this other one that get to me.”

The sudden roar of an engine came from the woods. Sharee startled.

“That’s him,” Pedro said. “Afton. He has ATV hidden in the woods. He hide it there, and come out here to wait for a man to pick him up.”

“An ATV?” Sharee’s head swiveled toward him.

“That’s what I’m saying,” the other man said. “Homeless? That guy’s probably got more money than you and I have together.”

“Afton?” Pedro’s voice softened. “I think you are right.” They listened to the sound fade away. “Yeah, I think you are right.”

***

“Look,” John said as they left the hospital and headed to the parking lot, “you mind letting me in on the problem with you and Detective Richards? You were barely civil to him.”

He’d raced to the emergency entrance when he received her call, grappling with the fact that the man, Afton, had tried to force his way into her car and had then stabbed Pedro. But if Pedro hadn’t been there, hadn’t seen Afton force his way into Sharee’s car… The idea of how close she’d come to disappearing left a crater in his gut the size of a football field. That concern and his anger at the whole situation congealed, and the best he could do was concentrate on something else before he detonated like a grenade.

“I’m sure he knew why,” Sharee said.

“Mind telling me?”

They reached her car, and she turned. “He and Lynn have been seeing each other.”

“As in …”

“Seeing each other. You know, dating.”

“All right, that’s a surprise; and maybe not kosher, but why does it upset you?”

“You don’t remember?”

“Remember what?”

“The baby he said he had. He had a child about four months old when he was investigating Joshua’s disappearance. That baby would be close to two now.”

“And you think?”

“That he’s married. Or was. At any rate, he hasn’t said anything to Lynn. If you had a baby, don’t you think you’d mention it?” 

“Lynn should ask him about it. You’re assuming the worse. That’s not like you.”

“I think it’s a moot point now.”  

“Okay. Let them work this out. We need to talk about what happened.”

“I knew it.”

“Knew what?”

“That you’d try and get as much mileage out of this as possible.”

“Mileage?” He stopped and frowned at her tone. “What would have happened if Pedro hadn’t been there?”

Sharee paused. “I’m glad he was.”

“Me, too. When he said that Afton hid his ATV there on numerous occasions and that someone picked him up and brought him back later, Richards almost jumped for joy. They needed something else to go on in this case.”

“I hope it helps.”

“I hope it does, too. Sharee…”

“Don’t say anything. I know.”

Her impatience hit him, fueling his own. “Then you realize that this is just the type of thing I’ve worried about.”

“God protects me.”

The words threw a flame onto the fuel. “Do you know how that sounds? Did you pray this time? Or are you just thinking that whatever you do, God has an obligation to keep you safe? What about that personal responsibility you’re always touting? Doesn’t it apply to you, and does my opinion mean nothing?”

“I did what you wanted. I had a bag to give him with all the stuff in it.”

“Which is the only reason I didn’t hogtie you, throw you over my shoulder, and walk out with you just now.”

She scowled and turned toward her car. He moved to block her way, and her head shot up.

“I’ve got something else to say.” He didn’t try to soften the tone.

“What?”

“What I’ve asked before—that you quit this, once and for all. No more hitchhikers.”

“What you’ve pushed for, you mean, even before we were married.”

“What I’ve asked
since
we married. And by defiantly doing your own thing, you might ask yourself if you’re testing God in this area.”

“Testing God?” Her voice rose. “In what way?”

“God has protected you. I agree with that, but does he want you to continue doing this? I’m against it, others have pointed out how dangerous it is; but you continue anyway—ignoring me and all the advice you’re given.”

Her eyes narrowed. He stepped aside, and she pulled open the Honda’s door.

“I’ll see you at home.” She yanked the door closed.