Protecting Melody (6 page)

Melody stared at the letter that sat in the middle of the floor where she’d dropped it after reading it. The front desk clerk had given it to her as she came in that day, and Melody knew she really wouldn’t like what was in it. Once she’d closed the door to the hotel room, Melody had reluctantly opened the note. She’d never forget the words.
 

No matter where you go, I’ll find you. We’re the same, you and I, why can’t you see that?
 

Melody had no idea what it meant. This note was just as creepy as all the others. But there was no postmark on it. Whoever had sent it to her, had walked into the hotel and handed it to the clerk. That meant he was here. That also meant Melody had to go. Now.
 

Melody put her head back down on her knees. She was out of ideas. Well, she had one more idea, but she had to gather up the courage to follow up on it. She squeezed the phone in her hand harder. She’d bought a bunch of disposable phones to use to call her family and Amy. She’d seen enough shows on television to know they were untraceable. It obviously didn’t matter now though. He’d found her anyway.
 

Melody picked up her head once again, held the phone up and looked at it. She’d memorized the phone number Tex had given her. She never had any intentions of calling him, but she’d memorized it anyway.
 

She was so tempted. Melody thought back to their conversations. Tex was a good guy. He oozed good guy through every pore in his body. He was an honest-to-God-hero and Melody needed a hero, but she didn’t want to drag him down, and she knew she would. He’d get so embroiled in her situation and he’d want to “fix” it, but Melody had no idea how he could.
 

But she was tired and scared. She had money, thanks to her closed caption jobs and with Amy’s help, to move on, but to where? To another hotel in another city where the same pattern would play out? She was as far away from Pennsylvania as she could be, but somehow whoever was stalking her had still found out where she was.
 

Melody absently opened the text app on the phone and slowly, number by number, pushed in the number she’d memorized. Then, without thinking, she typed out the first thing she thought of.
 

Putting the phone down on the floor without hitting send, Melody put her head on her knees again. Her dyed brown hair fell in waves around her head and spilled down her legs. She mentally argued with herself.
What would it hurt to send the text? It’s not like Tex knows where I am. I miss him. I miss talking to him. He’s kept me sane this last year. He made me feel normal.
 

But what if he’s mad I deleted my account on the chat site? What if he doesn’t answer back? But what if he does? I need to feel connected to someone for just a little bit. I need to feel not so alone. He’s a SEAL. He can help me.
 

Without thinking more about it, Melody picked up the phone and hit send. The two words she’d written seemed garish on the small screen, but summed up all her riotous emotions so well. Would Tex respond? Would he care? Melody put her head back on her knees and closed her eyes, afraid to hope, afraid to move, afraid to stay.
 

* * *
 

Tex sat at the table in the little café across from the bookstore watching and waiting. Baby lay at his feet, her eyes seemingly also focused on the store across the street. It was as if she somehow knew Melody was nearby.
 

Tex was nervous, and he never got nervous. He was always known as the stoic one. The one who never broke a sweat before or during a mission. But Tex wasn’t stoic now. He knew he was cutting it close. Melody deleting her account, the silence, the working so many jobs in a short period of time. She was getting ready to run and he needed to catch up with her before she did. He hoped like hell she’d be working another job today. She’d done an excellent job of keeping her exact whereabouts hidden, but Tex knew if he could find her, so could a stalker.
 

The thought of somebody terrorizing someone as sweet as Melody cut through Tex like a knife. There weren’t a lot of truly “nice” people in this world, and from what he knew of Melody, she was one of them. Her family and friends couldn’t think of one bad thing to say about her. Hell, even her dog was pining for her. It pissed him off that someone would dare to terrorize somebody as sweet as Melody.
 

If he was honest with himself, Tex was a little freaked about how much he cared about this woman. A woman he’d never actually met. It was frankly a little crazy. Melody had told him she was twenty-seven, and in all honesty, that was probably younger than what he was really looking for in a woman. He was thirty-five, a very ancient thirty-five, but it wasn’t like he was actually looking to start something with her . . . or was he?
 

Tex leaned forward and pulled out his wallet and took out the picture Amy had given him. It was of Amy and Melody. They had their arms around each other and were smiling at the camera. The women were wearing shorts and T-shirts and Amy had told him it was taken at a barbeque she had at her house not too long before Melody disappeared.
 

Tex ran his fingers over Melody’s face. He hadn’t really thought much about what Mel would actually look like. He’d liked her for her wit and her sarcasm. Tex enjoyed talking to her and knew no matter what she looked like, he would still enjoy talking to her. But as it turned out, Melody was cute. Her hair was blond, shoulder length, and curly. She was neither short nor tall. Tex didn’t think she’d never be slender like a model; Melody was what Tex thought of as “luscious.” Shaking his head, Tex put the picture back into his wallet for safe keeping.
 

He was nervous and confused. No woman had ever made him feel what Melody did. She soothed him, supported him, and wasn’t afraid to call him on his bullshit. Tex had opened up more to her than anyone. She knew
him
, and that was scary as hell. She knew how he really felt about losing his leg. How he felt about the prosthetic. About being a SEAL. About his friends. She knew it all. A part of Tex was also hurt that Melody had cut him off so completely. They’d shared so much, and the fact that she could cut him out of her life so easily, was a blow.
 

Baby’s head came up at Tex’s feet as his phone vibrated and pinged with an incoming text message. The dog looked at him with her ears perked forward. Tex leaned down and smoothed his hand over her head. “It’s probably Caroline or one of the girls wanting to make sure I arrived all right,” he reassured the dog.
 

I’m scared
 

That’s all the text said. Just those two words. Tex didn’t recognize the number, but he immediately knew who it was. He sat up straight in his chair and quickly typed out a response. His heart was suddenly beating as quickly as if he’d just run a five mile race.
 

I know you are, Mel. Where are you?
 

Tex waited with bated breath for her response. He hoped like hell she’d text him back. He didn’t know where her head was at, but if Melody admitted she was scared after almost two weeks of not talking to him at all, Tex knew it wasn’t good. She was obviously skittish and Tex knew she could bolt at any time.
 

Nowhere
 

Cut the crap. Tell me where you are
 

Tex knew he had to get through to her. She was depressed and scared, not a good combination.
 

CA
 

WHERE exactly?
 

Anaheim
 

Keep going
 

What does it matter?
 

It matters to me. What hotel? What room?
 

What, are u going to come and get me?
 

Hotel? Room?
 

Holiday Inn Express. 305
 

Stay there. Don’t move. Don’t open the door to anyone. It’s going to be OK
 

Tex didn’t wait for her response. He knifed up out of the chair and grabbed Baby’s leash. “Ready to go see mama, girl?” Baby whined in response, as if she knew exactly what was going on and where they were going.
 

Tex thanked God Melody had reached out to him. Tex headed to the garage where he’d parked his truck. He was going to get his girl. She wasn’t alone anymore.
 

Melody put the phone down and rested her head on her knees once again and closed her eyes. Stay put. She could do that. She could
so
do that. She didn’t have the strength to go anywhere anyway. She was done. She had no idea what Tex had planned, but somehow she felt better knowing someone, other than her stalker, knew where she was.
 

She thought back to an online conversation she’d had with Tex not too long ago. She’d finally gotten up the courage to ask if he wanted to exchange pictures. She’d never forget his words.
I don’t need a picture to know you’re beautiful.
 

Melody had laughed out loud then asked him what he meant, that she could weigh eight hundred pounds and be a shut-in for all he knew. He’d told her that her friendship and unconditional support meant everything to him and that he knew she had a beautiful soul. His words made her smile for days afterwards.
 

But now Melody wished she knew what Tex looked like. She’d asked once and all he’d say was that he was a “washed up retired Navy guy who was missing half a leg.” Melody didn’t care if he was scarred, short, balding, or fat from eating too many doughnuts every day. He was her lifeline in this crazy new world she lived in. Melody knew he thought the loss of his leg was a deterrent for people getting close to him, but in her eyes, it made him who he was. And he was supportive, sensitive, and caring. Those things trumped physical looks in Melody’s eyes any day.
 

But she couldn’t help but picture Tex in her head as tall, dark, and handsome. He’d be taller than her, which wasn’t hard since she was only five seven. He’d be big enough to envelop her in his arms and let her feel surrounded by his heat. She hadn’t felt safe in so long, that alone would be heaven. He’d be muscular and strong, with bulging muscles, but not too bulky. His hair would be short, but still a bit too long to be military short, and his broad shoulders would be wide enough to . . . Melody stopped her thoughts with a jerk.
 

Whatever. All that stuff was crap. She didn’t care if he didn’t look like a man on the cover of a romance novel. She just needed
him
. His words and his strength. Melody had looked after herself for a long time now, and had done a pretty damn good job of it too. But it’d be nice to have some help.
 

Melody remembered that Tex’s SEAL friends lived in California. Maybe he’d call them and they would offer to help. That had to be it. She assumed Tex would text her back to let her know what he had planned. He’d said for her not to open her door. Melody laughed a bitter little laugh. Tex didn’t have to tell her. She wasn’t opening the door for anyone. She didn’t feel safe sitting in the floor curled into a little ball, but it was better than wandering outside or opening the door for someone who may or may not be a stalker bent on hurting her. She knew that for a fact.
 

Melody closed her eyes and concentrated on breathing. Nothing else, just breathing in and out. She could forget . . . for just a moment . . . that someone wanted her dead and she was alone in the world.
 

* * *
 

Tex ignored the dirty look he received from the front desk clerk as he walked as quickly as possible through the lobby to the elevator. He preferred the stairs, but his leg was still sore and he didn’t want to push it any more than he already had. Tex knew he had to give it a rest soon, but until he made sure Melody was safe, he wasn’t going to take the time.
 

Baby was silent at his side. Tex could tell she was tense, but she hadn’t made a noise. Thank God the hotel was pet friendly, even if the clerk wasn’t. The elevator opened at the third floor and Tex got out and followed the sign and headed down the hall toward room 305.
 

He paused outside the door and quickly sent Melody a text.
 

In a moment there will be a knock at your door. It’s fine. Look through the peephole first.
 

Tex took a deep breath and reached down and picked Baby up. He knocked on the door with one hand and held the dog up so that her face was level with the peephole in the door. He could’ve just texted her and said he was there and to let him in, but wasn’t sure she’d believe him. Tex knew of no other way to get Melody to trust him, to open the door, other than to show her Baby, her beloved dog. Of course it was also something a stalker might do, but Tex was hoping Mel would be so surprised and excited to see her dog, that she’d let him in. He’d remind her it wasn’t smart after he was inside with her.  
 

He waited, holding his breath, and suddenly the door was open.
 

The woman standing in front of Tex took his breath away. She seemed tired, and stressed, but other than the change in hair color, she looked just as she did in the photo Amy had given him. Tex had spent some time admiring Melody’s photo, but he never would’ve imagined how cute she was in person.
 

Melody was about average height for a woman. She came up to about his chin. She had long brown hair that currently looked like it could use a good wash. She was wearing a pair of ragged jeans that probably should’ve been replaced a few years ago, but they looked well-worn and comfortable. She was wearing a simple T-shirt that showed nothing and everything at the same time. She was curvy. Tex didn’t know sizes, he only knew what he liked, and he definitely liked what he was looking at. He hadn’t really been able to see her curves in the picture of her standing next to Amy, but he approved.