The Stranger Next Door (7 page)

“That’s sweet, but I’m a big girl. I don’t need protecting.”

“Didn’t I just save you?” he asked with mock confusion. “You looked very much like you needed help … or was I mistaken?

He watched as she blew out a breath, ran a hand through her disheveled hair, and started moving toward the house.

Following her lead, he trailed after her. She could be mad all she wanted. She wasn’t leaving his sight if he had anything to say about it.

He had the feeling this latest incident wasn’t the last. If someone wanted Tess bad enough to try to kidnap her, they’d be back. Whether she liked it or not, he was going to have to keep a close eye on her … a very close eye.

Chapter Seven

Tess pressed the palms of her hands to her eyes and leaned against the hard back of the chair.

She hadn’t been surprised when two men she recognized as friends from the force, Officer Danny Holdings and his partner, Officer Marty Flynn, knocked on her front door, but what really knocked her socks off was the sight of her street clothes-wearing captain, Richard Lewis. He wouldn’t have been in the office at this time of night, which meant someone had called him at home to inform him what had taken place.

Her skin prickled with suspicion.

Leading them into the house, she led the way into the kitchen and seated them all at the large table.

Once everyone was settled, she told her story as they took notes. Once she finished, they then turned and took Jack’s account of what transpired.

“You and Dean arrested a lot of bad guys. There's no telling who’s after you, if there’s anyone after you at all,” Captain Lewis said on a sigh. When Tess leaned forward, he continued, “But from what you and the PI here tell me, that’s what it sounds like, especially what they said about the old man wanting you.”

There was something in his voice, in his expression, that held Tess on the edge of her seat. She’d known Captain Lewis for over ten years. She knew when he was holding something back. Narrowing her eyes momentarily, she let the question die on her lips. Prodding him wouldn’t do any good. If he felt she needed to know, he’d tell her.

“Can you think of anyone who might be angry enough to come after you?”

Turning her head to the left, she met the deep green eyes of Danny Holdings. He was a handsome man with thick blond hair, a firm masculine jaw, and an astonishing build beneath his form-fitting uniform.

There's no doughnuts in his diet
, she mused.

Shaking her head, she frowned. “No one I can think of off the top of my head, but apparently there is someone or you guys wouldn’t be asking so many questions.”

Reaching across the table, Officer Holdings squeezed her hand gently before releasing it to resume his note-taking duty.

“Why did you come, Captain?”

She didn’t mean the question to sound as harsh as it did, but the situation had to be really bad before the captain came out to investigate. When he drained the last of his coffee and plopped his mug on the table with a thunk, that small niggle at the back of her mind tugged, and she grew even more certain he was hiding something. Something she wasn’t going to like.

Rubbing a palm over his balding head, Captain Lewis blew out a breath before answering.

“The truth?” he asked, raising his thick graying eyebrows.

When she nodded, he did the same and, looking to the officers to her left and right, began. “Have you watched the news or read the paper today?”

Shaking her head at the odd question, she answered, “No. We’ve been too busy working on the house to see much television, and I haven’t subscribed to the paper yet. Why?”

“We found Melanie Camillo dead this morning.”

“What?”

“Who’s Melanie Camillo?” Jack asked from where he stood behind her.

The feel of Jack’s strong hands on her shoulders anchored her, calmed her nerves. She didn’t have time to consider why or what it might mean that he was able to ease her with such an innocent touch.

Looking up into his face, she explained, “Dean’s wife.”

When he nodded his understanding, she looked back to the captain.

“What happened?”

“The maid found her. Apparently, she’d had the weekend off, and when she came in this morning, she found her. It looks like she was murdered.”

Tess couldn’t wrap her head around it. She and Melanie were far from friends, but why would someone kill her? As far as she knew, she was nothing more than a money-grubbing whore.

“Was it a robbery?”

“Doesn’t look like it,” Officer Holdings said.

“What aren’t you telling me?” she asked irritably, narrowing her eyes once again on the captain.

“There wasn’t anything missing from the house. She was tied to a chair, and it appears as though she was tortured.”

Tess swallowed thickly. “Tortured? Are you sure?”

Nodding, Captain Lewis took a deep drink of his coffee.

“What does all of this have to do with Tess?” Jack asked from behind her.

Officer Flynn spoke up. “That’s just it. We’re not sure it has anything to do with her at all. But with her being the victim’s deceased husband’s partner, there's a possibility that whoever tortured and killed Mrs. Camillo is after something. This person may come after Tess, thinking she can help them get whatever it is they’re after. That’s why the captain asked us to call him at home, should you call the station for anything out of the ordinary.”

“That makes sense,” Jack said thoughtfully. “What now?”

Again, Officer Flynn spoke, pushing the black hair from his eyes. “We don’t have much to go on. We could take you to a safe house until—”

“No,” she interrupted him, holding up her hands. “I won’t run. You said yourself you don’t know for certain the same guys that killed Melanie are after me.”

“And we don’t know that they’re not. Tess, you don’t know what these people are capable of. You didn’t see Melanie.” Officer Holdings spoke gently, once again placing his hand over hers and rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. “Nothing was taken from her house, but you never know what these people might be after. Do you have a safe or anything of monetary value in the house that anyone might know about?”

“Why do you ask?” she asked with a hint of suspicion.

“I’m only asking because, if you do, that might be what they’re after. Whoever knows about it might be the ones after you.”

Tess still didn’t know what her safe had to do with anything. If the men who attacked her tonight had wanted her money, wouldn’t they have asked for it instead of trying to kidnap her?

“No,” she lied. The truth was she had all of the money Dean had left her in a hidden safe in the attic, but the only people who’d ever known about it were Roman and Dean.

But everyone knows your aversion to banks…
“Besides, didn’t you say nothing was taken from Melanie’s house? I know for a fact she has a safe; everyone knows that.”

Holdings replied quickly as all eyes turned to him, each holding a question. “I'm just covering all the bases. Like I said, they might not have taken anything from her, but she might not have had what they were looking for, whatever that might have been.”

His thumb ran in a slow circle over the back of her hand as he looked into her eyes. “We want to make sure you’re safe. That’s why I’m asking anything and everything I can think of.”

A deep growl sounded softly behind her. Glancing up, she struggled to suppress the shiver that threatened to wrack her body as she took in Jack’s expression.

Looking up, Officer Holdings must have seen something in Jack’s expression as he quickly removed his hand before clearing his throat and continuing. “It would be better if you weren’t alone until we find who’s responsible.”

Despite the situation, Tess had the overwhelming urge to giggle. Not only was the handsome officer subtly flirting with her, not that he hadn’t always flirted with her, but Jack sounded as if he were a lion about to pounce. If she could, she would tell Jack he had nothing to worry about. If she wanted a man, despite the officer’s good looks and charm, he wouldn’t be the one she’d choose. But she had more important things to worry about than soothing Jack’s ego.

“We don’t even know if her murderer and the men breaking in here tonight are related,” Tess argued.

“True,” the captain replied. “But I can’t, in good conscience, leave you here alone like bait. You need to be with someone at all times or go to a safe house until this is all cleared up.”

When she started to argue, he held up a hand to silence her. “I won’t hear anymore about it, Tess. You get someone to stay with you, you go stay with someone, or you go to a safe house. Those are your choices. Take your pick.”

“I’ll stay with her. That is, if it’s all right?”

Turning in her chair, she met Jack’s indigo eyes. Although his statement was voiced as a question, his eyes conveyed the weight of his words. There was no question in his expression; the hard set of his jaw told her he held no room for argument. He was staying whether she agreed or not. She knew she was in trouble. She and Jack would never be just friends, just neighbors. It was only a matter of time … and there was no escape.

Gazing up at him a moment longer, her blood roiling through her veins, she capitulated.

“That sounds like a fine idea,” the captain agreed.

“Having a PI here is almost as good as having a cop living with you.”

“I am a cop,” Tess mumbled.

“We know that,” Captain Lewis assured her, “but he’s an extra set of eyes and knows what to do if there’s an emergency.”

“And I don’t?”

“You know what I mean, McCoy. Stop being so damn difficult!” Captain Lewis snapped.

Glancing at the men surrounding her, she closed her eyes for a moment and sighed as the heat of Jack’s hands continued to seep into her.

What have I gotten myself into?

* * * *

If Holdings had touched Tess one more time, he would have lost that hand.

Never before had Jack felt that kind of jealousy. It was quite the foreign feeling, one he found he didn’t like in the least.

Fortunately, after Tess agreed to let him stay with her until the case had been solved, the men left. They were satisfied she’d be safe with him.

Jack, on the other hand, was still irritated with the officer’s advances, subtle though they were.

He and Tess watched as the police got into their cars and drove down the street and out of sight.

“It was nice of you to offer to stay with me, but you really don’t have to. I’ll be perfectly fine on my own.”

Jack shrugged. “You could always come stay with me at my place. It might not be that bad of an idea. Whoever’s after you would look for you here and never consider my place.”

Tess glared at him. “I’m not staying in a strange house with a man I hardly know. I know you wouldn’t do anything to hurt me, but I just can’t pack up and move in with you. Besides, I think everyone’s blowing this entire situation out of proportion. I don’t need a babysitter.”

Jack understood Tess’s reluctance to have someone looking after her. He didn’t think he could handle someone in his space watching over him twenty-four-seven without going crazy either. But he had to try. When he’d offered to stay with Tess, he hadn’t thought of all the things he’d have to pack up and tote to her house. “I understand, but I’m not leaving you alone. Someone tried to hurt you today and then tried to kidnap you tonight. If I left and something happened to you, I could never forgive myself.”

Tess’s expression softened.

“Now, I know you don’t like the idea of me staying here—”

“That’s not it,” Tess interrupted. “I don’t mind you staying here. It’s just that I don’t like the idea of putting you into danger, if there is any danger. And I don’t like people thinking I can’t take care of myself.”

“Did I miss something or didn’t I just rescue you from being kidnapped? You needed help, Tess. I know you can take care of yourself, but in a situation like that, everyone would need a little help. I fully understand how you feel. But I promised those gentlemen I’d protect you. Now, if for no other reason, please let me stay for my own peace of mind. We can go on like we did today. I’ll stay out of your way, and the only difference will be, instead of me going home after dinner, I go upstairs to the guest room.”

Tess smiled a smile he could only interpret as one of capitulation and nodded. “All right. You can stay. While you get your things, I’ll ready one of the guest rooms.”

Grinning, Jack opened the door and made his way across the street. He would have rather had her staying with him under his roof, but this arrangement was fine. He could still protect her, and he would get to see her in her home as she would be were he not there.

Opening his door, Jack entered the house and went about the business of gathering his things.

* * * *

Jack smiled as Tess glanced back at him before continuing down the long second-floor hallway, leading him to the room that would be his indefinitely.

Being in her home, next to her day and night, could only work to his advantage.

He only wished better circumstances had brought him here. Selfishly, he would take any time with her he could get.

She still appeared to be a little out of sorts he would be staying with her, and he felt the urge to try and comfort her.

“I know you can take care of yourself, Tess, but I wouldn’t be comfortable knowing someone was out to get you, and while I was safe in my home, you were in danger in yours.”

It was the truth. He truly liked Tess. If something happened to her, he was certain it would destroy him.

Glancing back at him, she smiled. “Who said chivalry’s dead?” She stopped before a solid, dark-colored door.

“This is one of the three guestrooms,” she said, twisting the knob. “The other two are finished, but I thought this one would suit you best.”

Following her deeper into the room, he looked around and smiled. She was right. The room was perfect and surprisingly masculine.

The floors, a rich, dark hardwood, gleamed up at him as he crossed slowly to a bay window covered with deep, blood red curtains. The mahogany and cream-colored furniture closely matched the furnishings in his own home.

“This room has its own bathroom, computer with internet access if you need it, and a fireplace. There’s just about everything you could need in here. Even a mini-fridge in the closet.”

“It’s perfect,” he agreed, removing the duffle bag from his shoulder and placing it on the dresser to his left. “Do you have many visitors?”

“No, I just like to decorate. When I’m redecorating the house, it takes my mind off of everything except what I’m doing at that moment. It’s a stress reliever, if you will. Besides, I don’t see any reason to leave the rooms bare. I wanted to get the interior finished before I started work on the exterior.”