Under Currents (14 page)

“You’re a hero, Scott,” Caleb said, flashing the boy a wide grin. He stood and shifted his attention back to Julie. “I’m going to carry you to bed.” Caleb leaned forward and slid his arms underneath her shoulders and legs to lift her, keeping the throw blanket over her. “Scott, show me where your mom’s room is.” After carrying her a few feet, he shifted her in his arms slightly, hitting her feet on the wall. “God, Jules, I’m sorry.”

“I tan’t feellll anything.” Talking required so much effort. Each distorted word had to be forced from her mouth. Julie tried to smile but couldn't. She could barely keep her eyes open.

“Pull the cover back,” Caleb requested, his voice sounding far away.

“I’ll do it,” her mother said and jerked the blanket back before stepping out of his way.

He lowered her to the bed. Everything was happening in a haze of slow motions. ”Lady, you’re heavier than you look. I think I pulled a back muscle.”

“Flat-ttteryy will get yoooo nowhere,” she whispered, unsure whether he’d heard her. Julie closed her eyes and drifted in and out of sleep.

♦♦♦

Caleb smiled at Julie. He didn’t care what her parents thought at this point. The only thing that mattered was Julie and her kids. “Scott, your mom’s all right thanks to you. Now you need to go back to bed.”

Scott did the unexpected. He walked over and threw his arms around Caleb’s waist and sobbed.

Caleb picked Scott up and let the kid’s head rest against his shoulder. Then he patted the boy’s back. “You were brave tonight. You took on the responsibility of a man.”

“I was scared Frank would hurt my mom and shoot you.”

“Hey, sport. Everything’s cool. Now head for bed.” Caleb lowered him until his feet touched the floor.

Scott turned to his grandparents. “Are you going to stay?”

His grandfather nodded. “Yep, till morning. Then I’ll talk to your mom once her head clears.”

After Scott left, Caleb glanced back at Julie for a moment before turning to face her parents. “I’m glad you showed up when you did.” Caleb lowered his gaze to the shotgun. “And thanks for bringing the Calvary.”

Mr. Webb chuckled.“Nothing like a shotgun to convince someone to see things your way.”

“Maybe we should drive her to the hospital?” her mother suggested.

“Murder wasn’t his intention,” Caleb said. “She’ll be able to sleep off anything he gave her.”

Her father nodded. “I think you’re probably right. Besides the closest one is Poplar Bluff. Wonder what he gave her?”

“He probably used whatever was in his medicine cabinet—pain pills, muscle relaxers or maybe some kind of tranquilizer mixed with the alcohol she drank at the dance,” Caleb said.

“Let’s step in the den and let her sleep,” Mr. Webb suggested.

“Sure.” Caleb really wanted to sit by her side all night, to watch her sleep, and be there for her if any nightmares troubled her.

As they were about to walk out, Julie called his name. Called it loud enough for her parents to hear. “Caleebbb.”

He walked over to the edge of the bed and sat. He gently brushed the hair from her face and tucked it behind her ears. “I’m here, Jules. Just go to sleep. No one’s going to harm you.”

“Don’t leavveee meee,” she whispered.

“I’ll be right next door. Now go back to sleep.” He smiled down at her, wishing he could give her one little kiss on the forehead, but instead, he reluctantly stood and followed her parents to the den.

Mrs. Webb turned on him quickly. “So you’ve wormed your way into her life. Made her kids like you.”

“Mrs. Webb, I’ll tell you just what I told your husband. Julie and I can’t even be friends. I’m a neighbor. That’s it.”

“I’m not blind. I see how the two of you look at one another,” her mother spurted back.

“I won’t deny how much I like her, but I have nothing to offer her. I’d only bring her down to my level, and I won’t do that.”

“Why should I believe an ex-con?”

“Martha, that’s not called for,” Mr. Webb reprimanded. “The man just risked his life to protect our daughter. What we need to talk about is what to do about Frank and decide whether Julie needs to call the police.”

Mrs. Webb nodded. “If she doesn’t, Frank might come back.”

“You can’t,” Caleb stated firmly.

“Why’s that?”Mr. Webb asked.

“He’s a cop. Everyone saw them together at the dance and witnessed Julie drinking. He’ll say she did everything willingly and that I broke in on them. He’ll take everything that happened and twist it until people believe Julie’s at fault.”

“And just what makes you an expert on what makes Frank Grear tick?” Mrs. Webb raised her brows.

“I’ve been in prison with men just like him. And another thing, he won’t give up until he gets what he wants.”

Fear flickered in their eyes.

“Thanks for coming over,” Mr. Webb said. “I hate to think what would’ve happened if you hadn’t been here.”

“Even before tonight, Julie was afraid of him.”

Her mother appeared taken back while her father’s expression showed acknowledgement of what she'd been going through with Grear.

“Why hasn’t she said anything?” Martha Webb said.

“She didn’t think you’d believe her. Sooner or later a chameleon shows its true color. Frank showed his tonight.” Caleb walked toward the door, stopped, and glanced back. “In prison you learn to sleep with one eye open. If you need me just knock.”

“Thanks, son. And I’m real sorry about what I said to you the other day. I was just concerned for my daughter.”

“No apology needed. I understand.”

“I’m glad you were here for her tonight,” Mr. Webb admitted.

♦♦♦

Julie raised her arm over her eyes to block the light.
Holy cow
. The sun's brightness intensified the pain in her head. Returning to sleep was impossible with the killer headache behind her eyes.

No matter how she tried to block scenes from the previous night, it didn't work, so she slowly swung her legs to the floor and sat up. She placed a hand on each side of her head, hoping to stop the sledge hammer pounding against her skull.

Suddenly, she remembered she was supposed to open the shop. She stood only to find herself wobbling from side to side like a drunk. She glanced in the mirror.

Oh, God. I look worse than I feel.

She'd seen corpses at funerals that looked better. “Mom, Dad, anyone here?”

Her mother rushed into the room. “What are you doing? Lay back down. We called Dana and asked her to open for you. I told her you have a stomach virus.”

Frank Gear was worse than a stomach virus. He was more like a case of bubonic plague.

Julie slowly leaned back until the bed was beneath her. When she closed her eyes, she felt like Alice falling down the rabbit's hole, spinning and tumbling. She opened her eyes to stop the sensation and looked at her mother. “I need some aspirin and maybe some Seven Up and soda crackers.”

“I'll bring you some.” Her mother paused. "I still can’t believe Frank did something so horrendous, him being a policeman.”

“He’s a creep, Mom. But I never mentioned it. You thought so much of him.”

“You should've confided in me. Instead, you turned to an ex-con who murdered your cousin.”

“I mentioned it briefly to him. As far as telling you, you were so sold on Frank that I didn’t think you’d believe me.”

“I liked him. I just find what he did last night hard to swallow. Perhaps he just had a weak moment.”

Is she crazy?

“My God, Mom! How can you think that? He told me he didn’t care if Scott and Ally watched. The man’s an animal, and I’m really afraid for Caleb.”

“Caleb again. When I saw the way he looked at you, it was a shock, but it was the way you stared at him that worries me. And the fact that you begged him not to leave.”

Damn it. Everything is hazy.

“Mom, I was drugged. The man rescued me. For heaven’s sake, I thought he was Superman last night. Caleb’s too decent of a man to ever put his own desires over what’s best for the kids and me.”

“I sure hope so. We’d have to pack up and leave town.”

“Well, if Caleb and I decide to become more than neighbors, you’ll be the first person I tell so you’ll have time to pack.”

“You got company,” her father’s voice sounded from the doorway.

“Who is it?”

“Caleb asked to see you.”

“Speak of the devil,” her mother whispered.

“Last night he was my guardian angel,” she whispered back before glancing at her father. “Tell him I’ll be fine, but no one is seeing me looking the way I do. Tell him to come back later.”

“I’m sure you’re beautiful as always,” Caleb’s deep male voice rang out as he entered the room.

“Go away, Caleb.” She covered her head with the pillow, refusing to let him see her. He crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed.

“I brought you something that will make you feel a whole lot better. It’s an old college remedy. It’ll ease your headache.”

Julie removed the pillow from her face. “What?”

“Drink this.” Caleb offered her a half glass of thick red liquid. “I made it just for you.”

“It looks disgusting. What is that?” She tried not to let her gaze linger on Caleb too long with her parents watching.

“I used tomato juice, dash of hot sauce, vinegar, and a secret ingredient. Just the potion needed to make a princess feel better.”

“I’m not a princess. Not even close.”

“You are to this frog.”

Despite feeling like death was knocking on her door, Julie managed a smile. “Ally’s right. You’re funny.”

He gave her a warm smile. “Sometimes. Now drink.”

She rose up on her elbow, took the glass, turned it up, and drank it quickly. She couldn’t help making a face after swallowing. “That was terrible. This is like being on one of those reality shows where they drink something disgusting.”

Caleb chuckled at her comment. “You’ll feel like a new person within fifteen minutes.”

“I hope so. I think there’s an elephant sitting on my head right now.”

Though her mother laughed along with Caleb and her father, her mom’s eyes showed concern and fear.

“Anything I can do to help? Mow your yard, wash your dishes, clean out the elephant’s pen?” Caleb asked, the corners of his blue eyes wrinkling as he grinned widely.

“No. What you did last night was enough.” She sighed. “Last night wasn’t a good night. Besides Frank’s stunt, someone destroyed some of my canoes.”

Caleb’s face grew serious. “I’m sorry, Jules.”

She shook her head. “After I put up a fence, I doubt whoever is doing it will return.”

“I hope not, but remember what I told you. You’ve got to take this seriously and realize whoever is doing this may look for an alternative method of making you surrender.”

“I will. I promise. At least this time some teenagers caught a glimpse of his van. Caleb, he was an older man with a white beard.”

"Santa."

"It has to be."

"You know anyone in town who could be Santa's stunt double?"

"No one."

"Mind letting us in on this?" her father asked.

Caleb told them about the man Ally had mistaken for Santa.

"Sounds serious.” Her dad moved closer to the bed. “This might be a good time for me to build your boat ramp. Hang around a bit so Frank doesn’t come back.”

“I’d like that, Dad.”

Caleb stood. “I have work to do. I’m putting a new roof on.”

Julie sat up. “Do you know how to roof a house?”

Caleb grinned, letting his dimples show. “Heck, no. I checked out
Roofing for Dummies
at the library.”

Julie laughed softly. “Don’t fall and break your neck.”

“I’m not planning on it. See you later, Jules.” He turned toward her parents. “Have a nice day, folks.”

Caleb left the room with her father right behind him. Her heart sank. She wanted him with her.

As predicted, Julie’s head stopped hurting, and she managed to stand and make her way to the kitchen. Her mom stood at the counter, preparing lunch. “Mom, I’m sorry Dad and you had to miss church.”

“It’s no bother. We miss a Sunday every now and then. Your dad drove to town to pick up the lumber and concrete mix for the ramp. Ally and Scott rode with him.”

Julie picked up the phone and dialed George’s number. “Cora, this is Julie. I need to ask you something. The drink you handed me last night. Did you get it from the bar?”

“No, Frank did and asked me to give it to you.”

After she hung up, she called Jimmy, who said the same thing.

Frank. That clever devil. Damn him.

"Son-of-a-bitch. The bastard.” She looked at her mother. “Frank spiked my drinks.”

“He’s always spoken so politely to me. I’m shocked he did something so wrong.”

Before she could respond, someone pounded on the backdoor. Her mother peeked out the curtains. “It’s Noreen and Bob. Neither one looks very happy.”

Julie thought she’d heard the front doorbell. But when it didn’t ring again she decided she’d been mistaken. No doubt, they saw all the cars in her driveway and knew they were here. There was no escaping. “Let them in.”

The moment the door opened, Noreen raised her hand and stuck her index finger in Julie’s face. “You backstabbing little hussy. You’re having an affair with Caleb McGregor.”

Julie was speechless.

I can’t deal with this now. 

“Now wait one minute,” her mother said, standing up to her sister. They resembled long horn sheep about to butt horns. “Julie is doing no such thing.”

Right now she wanted the hug her mom.

“That’s not what Frank told us after church today,” Uncle Bob said, his face hard as rock.

“Well, did Frank tell you that he drugged Julie last night and was going to take advantage of her?”

“What?” Noreen’s face appeared in shock.

“I don’t believe it,” Bob said.

“Well, it’s the gospel truth. Scott called us before he ran next door and asked Caleb for help.”

“Frank Grear said she insisted on being home by ten-thirty. And when he dropped her off, Caleb pulled up on his motorcycle. Being suspicious he came back later and caught them together.”