Gasping For Air 2 (Last Chance Romance Series) (8 page)

“When you put it that way, I feel like a crybaby when I should be grateful,” uttered Lillian. “I’m not ready to quit the Keys. I’ll do exactly what you say. I want to stay. I love the people here and the weather is nothing to complain about either.”

Masterson grinned. “Just wait until August. You’ll be singing a different tune then.”

Lillian returned his smile.

Masterson’s heart skipped a little beat. He picked up their bags. “Come on. Let’s get settled in.”

L
illian did some compulsory cleaning, but not deep, deep cleaning. She was under the impression that each apartment was going to be gutted and then remodeled. Cleaning would be a waste of time. Otherwise, she would have washed the walls, windows, and floors. As it was, the bathroom and the kitchen sparkled under her direction but that was all.

She bought an air mattress for the bedroom, and paper plates and plastic utensils for her meals.

Following Masterson’s instructions, she parked her car in the back and always came through the back entrance. She hung blankets over the front windows and never looked out of them. She never approached her apartment’s front door unless she heard the secret knock. Then she would look in the secret peephole that Mike put in for her. Her mail was sent to a P.O. Box at the main post office.

Masterson did all the shopping for her and unless she went to work at Aussie Jack’s or to the battered women’s support group, Lillian didn’t leave the apartment. She was starting to go a little stir crazy.

Night after night both she and Masterson waited for Jeremy to make some sort of move but nothing happened. No weird mail, no hanging around the apartment, no bothering her car, and no sabotage at Aussie Jack’s.

Lillian could tell that Masterson was getting impatient.

“I thought surely he would follow you here from Aussie Jack’s and do something. That’s why Mike put up all the surveillance cameras.”

“Maybe he saw the cameras and was scared off.”

“Only an experienced person could detect where we put those cameras. They are very well hidden.”

“Perhaps he’s moved on?”

Masterson rubbed his chin. It was a gesture Lillian noticed that the officer did when he was agitated. “No, he’s on the Keys.”

“Can you arrest him then?”

“On what? We have no proof.”

“What about what he did with Heather at the Last Chance Motel?”

Masterson shrugged. “We have just her word that Jeremy put her up to the prank and then arrest him for what–criminal mischief for putting a lizard in your bed and red dye in the pool? A good lawyer would have him out in ten minutes and then sue the police department. We’ve got to get him on something more serious.”

“I’m so sorry to have you waste your time on this,” said Lillian.

Masterson grinned. “That I don’t mind.”

“But it’s taking you away from your life . . . your home.”

Masterson shrugged. “A lousy apartment and a life of TV dinners every night.”

“No family or special friends?”

“Like I said before–came close, but no cigar.”

Lillian looked away, but not before she noticed that Masterson smelled really nice . . . clean and fresh, but masculine. Her stomach fluttered a little. “I’m glad you’re here with me. I don’t know what I did with my evenings before we came here.”

Masterson smiled. “Why don’t we go out to Marathon? I know a nice restaurant where we can get a huge lobster and watch the sun go down. I’ll have you back by ten.”

Lillian, bored at being cooped up, jumped at the invitation. “I would love that, but only if I get the tab,” she insisted.

“Have it your way,” grinned Masterson. “I don’t mind if a lady pays.”

Lillian grabbed her purse and joined Masterson in the back parking lot.

He opened the car door for her.

Lillian stood stationary, as a man hadn’t opened a car door for her since her college days. She stood wondering what he was doing until she recognized the courtesy being offered. She almost giggled at the pleasure of it.

Getting in the car, she did a quick inspection. Her legs were shaved, her dress was clean, her pedicure looked great in her new sandals, her makeup looked flawless in the side mirror, and her hair was reasonably combed. Lillian realized she hadn’t looked this well groomed in a long time. She let out a long sigh of satisfaction.

Looking concerned, Masterson asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lillian gave him a bright smile. “Nothing. Nothing at all.” She felt the ocean tug at her. “Let’s go. I want to see water. Miles and miles of bright blue water.”

“Your wish is my command,” crooned Masterson as he put the car in gear and pulled out onto Highway 1.

L
illian was contently sipping her after-dinner coffee, watching the sun go down in the bay. “This is such a lovely place,” she purred, “and dinner was wonderful. I don’t know when I have enjoyed such a meal.”

“Been a long time?”

“Yes. Very long time.”

“Want to talk about it?”

Lillian put down her coffee cup. “There’s not much to say after what I told you. I fell in love with a nice man whom I thought was Prince Charming, and he was for a very long time until he started drinking, and then the hitting started. I believed that one day he would lose total control and kill me in a fit of rage.”

“Why didn’t you report him or leave earlier?”

“He made the money and I loved him.” Lillian stared at the water. “I really loved him. Then he hit me one time too many and I stopped loving him. I mean the love died in an instant.”

Lillian took another sip of her coffee. “I guess if I had been honest with myself, I would have recognized that my love was dying bit by bit each day but I was busy. Busy with house cleaning, busy with the yard, busy with car maintenance, busy paying bills.”

“Busy with life,” interrupted Masterson.

“Yes, I made myself busy so as not to notice my own emotional state,” Lillian nodded in concurrence.

“What about your daughter?”

Lillian glanced at the water. “Unfortunately, she inherited both of her parents’ bad qualities. And I spoiled her. Our relationship is mostly my fault.”

“Can it be mended?” asked Masterson, waving to the waitress.

Lillian held up her cup for the waitress to top off. “I don’t know.”

“And your daughter is safe from your husband?”

Lillian nodded. “Absolutely. I never would have left if Bob were dangerous to our daughter. She’s his princess. He would never hit her. It would kill him.”

“I see this so often. A good person goes off the correct path and starts taking his frustration out on a member of the family. Anger and fear do not mix well with alcohol. It’s a combination for disaster.”

“It certainly destroyed my family,” concurred Lillian.

“You did the right thing getting away from your husband. Later, after all the heated emotions calm down, you can contact your daughter and mend things.”

“That’s what I’m counting on,” Lillian smiled.

“Lillian.”

“Yes?”

Masterson rubbed his chin. “I don’t mean to pry, but have you filed for divorce yet?”

“Yes. I filed a week ago. Bob talked to my lawyer and he has agreed, so the process has started.”

Masterson stared at Lillian as he tried to measure his next words.

Lillian could feel the heat rise to her face. Few people looked at her so intently. It made her feel uneasy and excited. Those butterflies in her stomach were churning again.

“I was wondering if you . . . or when you got your divorce . . .” Masterson trailed off.

“Yes?”

Masterson looked away.

Lillian could see that his face was flushed.

“I was wondering if you would . . . perhaps you might want to . . .”

“What is it, Officer Masterson?”

“Jim. Remember, I asked you to call me Jim?”

“I’m sorry. What is it you were wondering, Jim?”

The color of Masterson’s face turned back to normal. “Nothing.” Masterson stood as the waitress handed him the check.

“I’m going to get that,” reminded Lillian, taking the check from Masterson.

“I’ll get the car then,” offered Masterson.

As he walked away, Lillian wondered if she had missed an important opportunity a few seconds ago. Lillian worried that she might not get another chance. If she did, she wouldn’t let it slip away so easily.

J
im and Lillian got back to the apartment in record time, as there was very little traffic. Jim parked the car under a bougainvillea tree. Lillian turned in her seat to talk. She was going to ask Jim if he was interested in asking her out on a date when Jim’s attention was diverted to the back door.

Lillian was taken aback when Jim leaned over her and opened his glove compartment, taking out a gun. “Get out of the car, but stay here,” he told her.

“What is it?” asked Lillian, scanning the building. She didn’t see anything amiss.

“The back door has been jimmied,” replied Jim. “Please stay by the car and be alert.”

Jim called the police station on his cell phone for backup. Within minutes two police cars rushed into the parking lot and several police officers followed Jim into the apartment building while a third stood with Lillian.

Ten minutes later the policemen filed out the back door with Jim heading toward Lillian. Anxiously, Lillian waited quietly until Jim had finished conferring with his compatriots.

They talked quietly for a few minutes and then the other officers left with their sirens and lights turned off.

Jim stood near Lillian watching them turn out onto the highway.

“Anything?” asked Lillian.

“I’ve got good news and bad news,” replied Jim.

“Give me the bad news first.”

“Your apartment has been trashed.”

“What does that mean?”

“Someone broke in and tore the place up including your clothes. You’re going to have to buy new things.”

“Oh dear. I think I need to sit down.” She opened the car door and sat on the car seat. “What’s the good news?”

“We got who did it on the surveillance cameras and once my guys do the paperwork, they are going to pick up Jeremy and arrest him. He’ll go down for this.”

“Is it over then?”

“As soon as we pick him up, it will be over for you. You will still have to go to court. He trashed the apartment good so we can arrest him on multiple charges. His lawyer will try to plea bargain, but with Heather’s testimony, the judge might require a psychiatric evaluation.”

“This is wonderful,” cried Lillian, throwing her arms around Jim. She gave him a grateful squeeze, but found herself not letting go. To her amazement, Jim squeezed back and they stood in the dusty parking lot hanging onto each other. They didn’t let go for a very long time.

L
illian was back at the Last Chance Motel working the desk, even though Jeremy hadn’t been caught yet. They received word that he had fled to relatives in Texas. The Texas police were looking for him as well. That was enough for Lillian to resume her life.

A guest had called the front desk asking for a new clock. Since housekeeping had gone for the day, Lillian locked the office and headed to the laundry room where the motel kept extra supplies. She got another clock and hurried to Bungalow Three where she installed the new clock for a grateful guest.

On her way back to the office, she stopped by the pool and asked the sunbathing guests if there was anything she could do for them. After chatting for several minutes, she retraced her steps to the laundry room where she put the clock in the repair bin with a note to Juan.

“Mom?”

Lillian swirled around.

There stood her daughter looking accusingly at her.

“Emma?”

“Mom, what are you doing?”

Lillian ran over to Emma and embraced her.

They held onto each other until Emma pushed her away. “You look so different. Your hair. Your clothes. I wasn’t even sure it was you.”

“Do you like my new look?”

“Mom, do you know how worried Dad and I were? How could you do that to us?”

Lillian stepped away from her daughter. Had nothing changed? “I left letters for both of you. I explained why I left and that I would be in contact when I felt ready.”

“You abandoned us!”

“That’s absurd. I never abandoned you. I just needed some time to myself. To get my life in order.”

“How were we to contact you if there was an emergency?”

“I was the emergency.”

“Dad gave you everything. How could you repay him by leaving like you did?”

Lillian bit her lip to keep from replying. “Why are you here, Emma?”

“To make sure that you are all right and bring you home.”

“This is my home now. Your father and I are divorcing. That doesn’t mean that our love for you is less. As soon as I am in a permanent place, I would like you to visit.”

“Where are you living now?” asked Emma, looking with contempt at the motel.

“In a suite behind the office. Speaking of the office, I need to get back. You can walk with me.”

“Is that all you have to say?”

“No. I have much to say, but this is not the appropriate place to say it. I’m working now.”

“But I’m your daughter and I have come all this way.”

“I appreciate that, but like I said, I’m working and I need for you to go. I can meet you somewhere after five today. Where are you staying?”

“Not at this dump, that’s for sure,” sneered Emma.

“The Pink Flamingo Motel is hardly a dump.”

“I’m really angry. You’re treating Dad and me with complete indifference to our feelings. Dad said you were having an affair and that’s why you left.”

Lillian’s face grew into a fury. “I was not the person who was having an affair, if you must know. And as for you, daughter, if you don’t start treating me with respect, you can get back on that plane and fly the hell away from here. I’m tired of your condescension, which I have put up with since you were a teenager. I know it’s my fault for not putting a stop to it when you were young but you’re grown now. You should stop acting like a witch.”

Emma’s mouth twitched trying to find the words to respond.