Midnight Secrets (16 page)

As he drove, he made a quick call to Gibby Wilcox. Stupid to not have gotten Savannah’s cellphone number last night, although he wasn’t sure he would have been successful. Thankfully, Gibby seemed preoccupied and provided Zach with the number without her usual chatter. Thanking her, he tapped out Savannah’s number, quickly added it to his phone book, and then hit Call.

“Hello?”

“Savannah, it’s Zach.”

The soft little gasp that came through the phone line went straight to his groin. Hell, hardening at such an insignificant sound made him feel like a teenager, when anything and everything could turn him on. And that’s the way it was with Savannah—just about anything and everything she did had turned him on.

“What do you want, Zach?”

The cool, hard tone doused the desire like an ice-cold shower. His tone matching hers, he said, “As we established last night, I’m checking to make sure you’re safe.”

“And as I told you last night, I don’t need your protection.”

“Whether you want it or not, you’ve got it. I’m assuming since you answered the phone, you’re fine.”

“How astute of you, Chief Tanner.”

Zach slowed to a stop in front of the Wilde mansion. Need warred with common sense. What he wanted to do was bust open the damn door, pull her into his arms, and devour that beautiful snarling mouth until she groaned with the same arousal running through him. Common sense told him to get his ass to the office and do his job.

“Call me if you need me.” He ended the call before she could hurl another insult. Having accomplished his goal of assuring himself she was fine, he made a U-turn and headed to the police station. He had a pile of paperwork to wade through, but first and foremost, he was going to start making some inquiries. Did the pricks not realize that bringing Savannah into the equation upped the urgency quotient about a billion percent? No way in hell would he allow her to be threatened in any way.

Savannah pocketed the phone with a huge sigh, resisting the temptation to throw it across the room. Her anger wasn’t with Zach, but herself. Why the hell couldn’t she act like a mature person with him? Why was it she could be a cool, rational law professional who’d been known to intimidate even the most hardened criminal with an icy glare, but with Zach she was this too-emotional, slightly childish woman? Last night she’d done everything but stick her tongue out at him. And her response to his phone call had definitely been on the shrewish side.

After a restless night filled with nightmares and oddly erotic dreams about Zach, Savannah had woken with a slight headache and in an irritable mood. Her first order of business had been making coffee, in hopes of heading off her headache, and iced tea for later, since the temperature was supposed to be close to a hundred today. Then, because she’d still felt so listless, she spent a half hour taping boxes together for her grandfather’s belongings. That had been the extent of her accomplishments. She might have two months to get everything done, but if she continued at this pace, she’d be here that long, plus some.

Taking a sip of her now-cold coffee, she grimaced and headed back to the kitchen. Maybe another pot of coffee and breakfast would help. She quickly prepared more coffee and was in the midst of toasting an English muffin when the doorbell rang.

She peeked out of the kitchen window and caught sight of the big silver Mercedes. Only one person in town drove a Mercedes. Putting her breakfast on hold, Savannah went to open the front door to Midnight’s mayor, Lamont Kilgore, and his wife, Nesta, who was bearing a large platter of cinnamon rolls. Their kind faces wreathed in welcoming smiles, the Kilgores were the epitome of Southern warmth and friendliness.

Lamont grabbed her in a bear hug, then pulled away and turned her to his wife. “Doesn’t she look as pretty as a daisy in springtime, Nesta?”

Nesta put down the platter and hauled Savannah into her arms, hugging her with the same enthusiasm. “Looks more and more like Maggie every time I see her.”

It was hard to be in a bad mood with the older couple grinning at her as if she were the prodigal daughter. Granddad had always said the Kilgores could kill you with kindness. She never had figured out if he had meant that as a compliment or an insult.

She led them to the sitting room and then offered the coffee she’d just made. Nesta jumped up and said, “I’ll get the coffee. You stay here and visit with Lamont.”

And that’s the way the entire visit went. Lamont asked questions and shared the goings-on in Midnight while his wife flitted in between the kitchen and sitting room. As Nesta refilled the coffee cups and served the still-warm rolls, she added tidbits here and there to aid Lamont. Savannah had always been impressed at how she seemed to know when to add what. Like a comedy skit, it was almost as if they practiced it at home before taking it out on the road.

Two hours later, she felt as if she knew all the minutiae of each person’s life since she had left town.

“Lamont, I believe we’re about to put poor Savannah to sleep.”

Sitting up straighter in her chair, she shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. I just didn’t sleep well last night.”

Nesta leaned forward and patted her hand sympathetically. “So many memories here, both good and bad.”

Unable to refute the accuracy of her statement, Savannah smiled and nodded.

“I heard that Chief Tanner stopped by last night,” Lamont said.

Oddly, this was the first time Zach’s name had been mentioned. It seemed as if they had talked about every resident of Midnight with the exception of the too-handsome chief of police.

“He just came by to—” She stopped herself. If she told them about the threats in Nashville, they’d just worry.

“To what, dear?” Nesta asked.

“To say hello. You know, old friends and all.” She inwardly winced, sure they would see right through such a lame excuse.

Instead, Lamont said, “I can’t tell you how reassuring it is to have someone of Zach’s caliber as our police chief.”

“You’re an admirer of Zach’s?”

“Oh yes,” Nesta answered for her husband. “He’s finally brought integrity to an office that we both believe was corrupt. Our previous mayor, Lord rest his soul, seemed to think it was easier to keep Harlan Mosby as police chief than to look for a new one. When Lamont became mayor four years ago, one of his priorities was to find a good, decent man to be chief of police.”

Lamont nodded. “We found that man in Zach Tanner.”

Silly, but a huge lump of emotion welled inside Savannah’s throat. She might have her issues with Zach, but to hear others talk about him in such glowing terms was a delight. For so long, he’d been the bad boy of Midnight, and now not only was he the police chief, but he’d also gained the town’s respect.

“Zach is a fine and honorable man.” As she said the words, she realized she actually meant them. How good it felt to say something nice about the man for a change. She’d spent way too many years either ignoring his existence or hating him. In her heart, she had always known that Zach had the kind of character most people could only dream about.

“Being a war hero certainly helped him get the job.”

“Zach’s a war hero?”

Lamont nodded, eager to share all he knew. For the next half hour, Savannah was glued to her seat as he related what he knew about Zach’s time in the military. Not allowing herself to find out anything about him for the last ten years had left her with a hunger to know as much as possible.

“My heavens, Lamont, we’ve got to be going if we’re going to get to the dentist’s office at eleven.”

In a flurry of movements, both Nesta and Lamont hugged her again and practically ran toward the door. Savannah followed behind them. The Kilgores were known to be sticklers for being on time.

They were driving away when Nesta stuck her head out the window and said, “Forgot to tell you. Come for dinner …” She looked back at her husband and said something, then turned back to Savannah. “Thursday night. Lamont’s getting a fancy new grill.”

Before she could answer yes or no, the car roared away. About to close the door, she caught her breath as two more cars appeared in her driveway. She’d been spotted. No way could she pretend not to be home. Huffing out a sigh, she watched as two women she had gone to school with got out of their cars, both waving at her as if they were the oldest of friends. Which was curious, since they’d barely acknowledged her existence back then. Not doubt about it, visiting time in Midnight had definitely started.

Chapter

Twelve

Two hours later, Savannah locked the door and closed the plantation blinds on the first floor. She had sat through depositions involving gruesome crimes that had been more pleasant than the visit she’d just had with Sylvia Johnston and Carrie Long. Within five minutes of their arrival, she had realized they were here for only one reason—to determine if she had come back to Midnight for Zach.

Not that they’d asked her outright if she was still interested in her old boyfriend. She almost wished they had, since that might have shortened their visit. Instead, they talked around the subject.

Pride or just plain stubbornness had kept her from revealing any of her thoughts about Zach. Sylvia and Carrie’s frustration had been obvious. Savannah had ruthlessly used their frustration against them, and she now knew much more about Zach. When the women had left, they’d looked suitably confused, realizing they’d learned nothing new from Savannah.

That was it for today. She was through entertaining. With the blinds pulled, anyone who stopped by would assume she wasn’t at home. She’d been up for hours and all she had to show for it was a stomach roiling from too many sweets, a throbbing headache, and way more information than she’d ever wanted on the citizens of Midnight. With the exception of what she’d learned about Zach.

He was a war hero. That didn’t surprise Savannah. How many times had she marveled at how protective and caring he was when they were dating? Zach was a born protector. It was completely in keeping with his personality to have saved lives while he was in the service. That was one of the biggest reasons she had held on to hope for so long. No way would he leave her like that. He was too good, too honorable … too caring. Savannah pushed aside that old familiar pain.

As mayor, Lamont had information about the new police chief that others might not know. He’d said Zach didn’t like to talk about his experience in the army but that he had been an Army Ranger and had both a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.

A Purple Heart. That meant that Zach had been wounded. That knowledge hurt much more than Savannah wanted it to.

And thanks to Sylvia and Carrie, she had also learned that Chief Tanner was considered the best catch in town. Apparently every unmarried female between the ages of twenty and forty had set their sights on him.

As she walked up the stairway, Savannah rubbed her neck to relieve the tension of the morning. First aspirin and then work. Becoming entangled in the news and goings-on in Midnight was pointless, even if that included learning more about Zach. Not that she was that interested. She mentally rolled her eyes. Who was she kidding? Love him or hate him, Zach had always fascinated her. And the way it was going, every person she met was going to want to talk about him. Might as well soak up all she could. When she returned to Nashville, she’d have to go cold turkey.

After downing three aspirin tablets, Savannah headed into her grandfather’s room. The instant she opened the door, the scents she always associated with her granddad—Lagerfeld cologne and pipe smoke—brought the memories back so vividly, she could almost imagine he was in the room with her.

She took a moment to walk around the room, touching a comb on his dresser, opening a music box that had been her grandmother’s, picking up his favorite pipe that he always kept beside his bed.

He had stopped smoking cigarettes when her grandmother got sick, but after she died, he’d developed a pipe-smoking habit. Actually, come to think of it, he’d started smoking the pipe not long after her parents’ deaths. The stress of raising three granddaughters and losing his son and daughter-in-law had probably had a lot to do with that.

However stressful it had been for him, she couldn’t imagine anyone doing a better job.

She gazed around the large room he’d once shared with her grandmother. Camille Wilde had passed away when Savannah was five. Though she barely remembered her, Daniel Wilde had done what he could to help his granddaughters realize what a phenomenal person his wife had been. One of the many reasons she’d admired her grandfather so much was how he had loved his wife. And despite the fact that he’d only been in his early forties when she’d passed away, he had never remarried. As far as she knew, he’d never even dated again. She smiled as she remembered how she and her sisters had tried to come up with women he might be interested in so he wouldn’t be alone. They’d played matchmaker for a couple of months until he had caught on and had gently explained that no one could replace Camille in his heart and he was perfectly content to stay single for the rest of his life.

She went to the bureau at the far end of the room. First she’d empty the drawers and then call the churches to see if they wanted his clothes. If not, she might have them shipped to a homeless shelter in Mobile. She opened the first drawer and was immediately swamped with the memory of her first piano recital. She hadn’t wanted to take piano lessons. She had been eleven years old, and by then, all she had wanted to do was bury herself in her books—they were the only things that made sense to her in a world that had become so chaotic. Her grandfather had insisted she try, promising her if she didn’t like it after the first month, she could quit. Six years later, she had still been taking piano. And despite her intense shyness, she had enjoyed playing in the school recitals.