Surrender to Love (8 page)

J
ulia tossed and turned during her restless sleep. In her dream, she could see the gun shop she’d visited just days before David’s death….

She flinched when she opened the door and a bell rang above her head. She hadn’t known what to expect, but she was surprised by the store’s immaculate order.

“May I help you, ma’am?” A man suddenly appeared from the back.

There was nothing spectacular about the man’s appearance; no tattoos or strange body piercings, as Hollywood always portrayed the owners of such shops. In fact, the man smiling at her looked like the average blue-collar worker, with a name tag that read Henry.

She allowed herself to relax a bit.

“I-I’m interested in purchasing a weapon.”

It was probably her nervousness that caused the man to eye
her curiously. She suffered through his assessing silence, praying that he wouldn’t turn her away or, worse, call the police.

“Do you have a preference of what you’d like to see?”

Julia’s mind drew a blank. She had no idea what she wanted or what she should look for in a weapon. Before last week, she’d never dreamed that she would even consider purchasing a gun.

“I’m open for suggestions.” She moved closer to the counter with a nervous smile. “I’m sort of new at this.”

“I figured as much,” he said with a shrug.

She read understanding and even compassion in his eyes. Had he assumed that she was here after being victimized in some way or another? She didn’t know. It was just as likely that he treated all his customers this way.

He nodded with approval, then reached beneath the counter and withdrew an application. “Law requires a ten-day waiting period on your application before I can actually sell you a gun.”

She was familiar with the Brady Law. “I know.”

The man’s face exploded into a smile. “Good. Now let’s see about finding you a gun.”

“I need something that’s light, but powerful.”

“Ahhh.” His eyes lit while he walked to the far end of the counter. “How about a Smith and Wesson revolver?”

Julia peered down into the glass counter as Henry pulled out a silver key to unlock the backside of the case. The small gun looked more like a toy than a weapon.

“Here, feel it.”

He handed her the gun. She was instantly surprised by its light weight.

“It’s a .22 caliber and weighs about eleven ounces,” he informed her, and watched how she clumsily handled the small piece.

Julia shook her head, not quite sure what she didn’t like about the piece.

“You don’t like it. No problem, no problem.” He returned the gun to its rightful place, then instructed her to follow him to another section of the counter. “What about a Beretta Cougar F .357? Of course, it’s a little heavier than the revolver, and it packs a stronger punch.”

This time when she handled the weapon, a surge of power unlike anything she had ever known seized her. She was intrigued and frightened by it.

He regarded her with interest. “Have you ever fired a gun before?”

“No,” she answered honestly. “But I’m a fast learner.”

Julia forced her eyes open, wishing she could banish the memory. She hugged the pillow and could feel where her tears had dampened the material. The events of the past weeks would undoubtedly be the walls of her private hell for years to come. If it was the price she had to pay to protect herself and Robin, then she knew she would have to get used to the tears.

Policemen swarmed the home of Dr. Julia Kelley. Yellow tape instantly appeared as members from the crime lab took pictures of everything.

Lt. Thomas Jackson of the Atlanta Police Department was the officer in charge. Solemnly he approached a trembling Portia Jennings, who sat in disbelief on the staircase.

“Can I get you anything?” he offered in what he deemed as his patient voice.

Her gaze remained transfixed on a spot on the floor while she shook her head.

Jackson nodded and reached inside his breast pocket for his worn notepad and pen. He flipped the pages until he found the pages that contained her earlier statement. “I know you’re
tired, but we need to go over a few more things before I can let you go.”

She glanced up and brushed her thick, black mane back from her swollen red eyes. She looked a mess with her streaked makeup and disheveled hair.

His eyes lowered to her trench coat, an odd thing to wear in the middle of a humid summer night. If he had to guess, he suspected that the woman wore little or nothing underneath.

“How do you know David Lawson?” he asked.

“I already told you,” she whined impatiently. Her gaze darted to the officers milling around them.

“Tell me again,” he responded with more firmness.

She looked up. Her eyes found the familiar spot on the floor. “We were lovers,” she answered just above a whisper.

“And how long were you in this relationship?”

She paused before answering. “A little over a year.”

“Did his wife know about the affair?”

She shrugged, but Jackson pressed her for an answer. “Ma’am?”

“Not that I’m aware of.” She suddenly became agitated. “I don’t understand why you’re asking me all these questions. She’s the one you need to be talking to.”

“You believe she killed her husband?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” she snapped.

“But if she hadn’t known about the affair—”

“I said that she didn’t know about me,” she said, holding his direct gaze. “I didn’t say she didn’t know about the others.”

Nancy Davis looked nervous.

Tony glanced over at Walt to see whether he’d picked up on it as well. He read in the other man’s expression that he had. They sat down in Mrs. Davis’s dining room while the woman fumbled for her third cigarette.

“I can’t tell you how much of a shock this is to me,” she said in a haze of smoke that threatened lung cancer for them all. “When I saw David’s picture flash on the news like that, I didn’t know what to think. I mean, I’ve been friends with him and his wife for years.”

“How do you know David Mercer and his wife?”

“Mercer,” she repeated with a shake of her head. “It’s going to take me a while to get used to that name. You’ve got to remember, I knew him as David Lawson.”

Tony and Walt nodded patiently.

“Well,” she continued, “I’ve been friends with Julia for a long time. Our daughters are in the same dance troupe, and we often take turns carpooling them to classes. I met David shortly before they were married. I think that was three or four years ago. I can see why Julia was attracted to him, why any woman would be attracted to him. He was quite the charmer.”

Tony nodded.

For the next hour, Mrs. Davis said little that gave any hint to the source of her nervousness.

“When was the last time you saw Mercer—Lawson alive?” Paul asked.

Her gaze deserted his to eye the now-empty pack of Benson & Hedges Lights. The woman was definitely a basket case.

“Friday,” she said.

Tony frowned. Had there been a slight tremor in her voice?

“And Dr. Kelley?” Walt asked with a growing frown.

“I believe it was Thursday.”

Tony watched as she averted her eyes. The woman was definitely hiding something.

A rattle came from the front door seconds before it swung open and a tall man strolled through the door.

“Honey,” Mrs. Davis exclaimed, jumping from her chair and absently straightening her clothes. She shot the agents a strange and unreadable look but still made a feeble attempt to smile.

A puzzled look dominated Mr. Davis’s stony features as he glanced from his wife to the agents. “What’s going on?”

Nancy’s nervousness took off on a whole new flight, puzzling Tony and Walt further.

Tony stepped forward and introduced himself and Paul, but their identities only deepened Keith Davis’s bewilderment.

It was then that Nancy got a grip on her nerves and explained everything, but Keith hadn’t seemed too surprised by Mercer’s former life; he simply said, “I knew there was something about that man I didn’t like.”

“Care to elaborate on that, Mr. Davis?” Tony asked.

“I just never cared for the man, that’s all. Never really knew what the man did for a living. He always said he was a jack-of-all-trades and a master at none.” He shook his head. “I always felt that Julia could have done better, but hey, what do I know?” He slid an arm around his wife’s waist before adding, “Not to mention that the man, in my opinion, had a roaming eye.”

Tony witnessed Nancy stiffening in her husband’s arms without him seeming to notice.

“What do you mean?” Walt continued with the questions.

“Just what I said. He was too much of a ladies’ man. Julia finally found that out. Their divorce was finalized a week ago.”

The agents looked at each other, both wondering why Mrs. Davis hadn’t mentioned that bit of information.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Positive. I was her divorce attorney. They’d been separated since the beginning of the year, but David seemed surprised when he was served the papers. He refused to move out of the house until they had sold it and had split the profits,
which was stipulated in their divorce papers. The whole thing was a nightmare for Julia.”

Walt thanked them for their time just when Tony’s cell phone rang.

They were expecting a call to let them know when the mobile unit was ready to survey Mercer’s address. The news he received, however, shot that plan to hell.

Lieutenant Jackson was angry enough to spit fire when his captain called with the news that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was taking over the Lawson case. His incredulity died, however, when he learned of Lawson’s true identity and his place on the FBI’s Most Wanted list.

To Ms. Jenning’s horror, she had to be detained longer at the crime scene until the FBI had a crack at her.

Minutes after Jackson received the call, a new horde of people arrived at the house. Looks of resentment were exchanged between the two groups of law enforcement agents, but otherwise the transition was a smooth one.

Somewhere around midnight, Portia grudgingly gave another interview. She grew even more distressed with the news that she’d been having an affair with a man on the Most Wanted list.

Paul met Tony and his team at the crime scene and started asking his own set of questions.

Her admission of infidelity with Mercer and her declaration of David’s other liaisons brought another woman to the forefront of Paul’s mind. Was it possible that the nervous Mrs. Davis had succumbed to David Mercer’s charms as well?

Despite all the new information that Ms. Jennings learned about her former lover, she held fast that his murderer was none other than his missing wife.

Somewhere around two in the morning, they allowed her
to leave, while the bureau continued their sweep of the crime scene.

Tony finally met up with Paul around three in the morning to review their notes. “According to the coroner, David’s been dead at least twenty-four hours.”

“So the brothers were possibly killed on the same day?”

“Looks that way.”

Paul fell silent.

“What do you think?” Tony probed.

He shook his head. “I don’t think this is a coincidence. And despite what the lovely Ms. Jennings may think, I don’t think this was the work of a jealous wife.”

“Montello?”

“It would make sense, wouldn’t it?”

Tony nodded and looked around. “Then I’m afraid to ask my next question.”

“Where is Dr. Kelley?” Paul hazarded a guess. At Tony’s slow nod, he drew in a tired breath. “If she’s not dead, she’s probably somewhere wishing that she were.”

Portia Jennings—or, rather, Rachel Miller—clutched the hand unit of the pay phone tight against her ear.

“Did you tell them exactly what I told you?”

“I gave the performance of my life,” she reassured her boss. “When do I get the rest of my money?”

“When it looks like the feds took the bait,” the husky male voice responded with cool confidence.

“That wasn’t the agreement,” she reminded him.

“It is now.” His clipped answer left no room for argument, and a strained silence ensued.

Rachel suddenly had a bad feeling. She didn’t like it when rules were randomly changed. “So what do you want me to do now?”

“Sit tight. Stay at the address you gave the feds in case they want to ask you some more questions.”

“For how long?” Her irritation reached an all-time high. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck in Georgia.

“For as long as we need you.”

A palpable tension layered the phone line, while Rachel bit back a stream of curses. This wasn’t what she’d signed up for.

“Uncle Vinny appreciates all that you’ve done for the family.”

Rachel held her temper in check. “I sure hope so.”

The bastard actually had the balls to laugh, which further annoyed Rachel.

“I’ll be in touch,” he promised.

Before she could speak, the line went dead. “Damn.”

C
arson rose well before sunrise, but the unsettling coolness that seemed to invade his bedroom saddened him. He remembered a time when it had resonated with joy and love. Those were the days when he’d awakened every morning to Karen’s dazzling smile.

“Morning, sunshine,” she always said, and delivered a quick peck to his lips.

He smiled weakly at the memory. There was hardly a day when she hadn’t awakened in a good mood. Her attitude was infectious, and everyone loved her for it.

Crazy as it might seem, he swore that sometimes he felt Karen’s presence. And to his amazement he sensed sadness, which he couldn’t understand.

Once he’d been foolish enough to mention this to Lilly, and as quick as a whip she’d assessed that Karen’s sadness stemmed from the fact that he refused to move on with his life.

Karen would want him to marry again. How many times
had Lilly told him that? But the idea remained preposterous to him. No one had understood him the way Karen had, and he doubted that anyone ever would.

Almost seamlessly, his thoughts turned to Julia and whether she was feeling any better this morning.

Maybe he and Bobbi should run over to the inn for breakfast before heading off to church. He nodded and made up his mind to do just that when his bedroom door swung open.

“Daddy, Daddy. Come quick,” Bobbi shouted.

Carson’s heart leaped into his throat as he rushed over to her. “What is it, baby? Are you hurt?” He pulled her into his arms and immediately searched for blood or broken bones.

“No, no. It’s not me. It’s Champ. I think he hurt himself.” She tugged on his arm.

Carson’s concern shifted to their twelve-year-old golden retriever. “How did he do that?” he asked, rushing behind Bobbi. The old boy rarely left the comfort of their front porch.

“I don’t know, but he’s limping pretty bad. I think we need to take him to the vet.”

Carson pushed open the screen door to find their adopted dog huddled in the far corner. His mournful whines were heartbreaking to hear.

“What’s the matter, old boy?” he asked, kneeling beside him.

The dog whined louder in response.

“Do you remember which leg it was, Bobbi?”

His daughter fell to her knees beside him. “It was this one,” she said, pointing to Champ’s right paw.

Gently Carson lifted the dog’s injured paw. When the dog yelped, he quickly lowered it. “I think you may be right. I think we need to get him over to the animal clinic. You’d better go change out of your pajamas.”

“Okay.” She jumped up and rushed back into the house.

Cautiously Carson gathered Champ into his arms, careful
to avoid his injury. When the dog’s pleading gaze met his, Carson consoled him, “You’re going to be all right. We’ll get you all bandaged up in no time, old fella.”

Champ laid his head against Carson’s chest and expelled a woeful sigh.

“I know. I know. We’ll get you to a doctor.”

Julia rose early, unable to stand the torture of her dreams. They were more than dreams, she knew; they were memories grounded in reality. She dressed quickly, while doing her best to avoid looking into the mirror.

She was responsible for her life being a fiasco. Her prized career was undoubtedly over. Her chest tightened with regret, but her chin stiffened with resolve. She had to do what she had to do to protect her daughter.

Quickly she slipped out of the bedroom, and soon after she left the inn. Once outside, she watched the sunrise and thought that it was the most beautiful thing she’d seen in a long time. In fact, after searching her memory, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d witnessed such a spectacular view—if ever.

Stepping off the porch, she carefully took in her surroundings. All was quiet, while the perfumed scent of magnolia tickled her nose. It was almost as if she’d stumbled into a corner of heaven.

A few lights flashed on in some of the surrounding houses. It was time for people to start their days. She smiled, unaccustomed to not having a million things to do in twenty-four hours.

Julia eased into one of the rocking chairs on the porch and continued to soak up the atmosphere, and amazingly the weight of her problems lightened.

Who would think to look for me here?

She stopped rocking at the unexpected thought.
Who indeed?

She stood and once again took in her surroundings. With
the car out of commission, she didn’t have to worry about anyone spotting her on the road, and wasn’t she looking for a place where she could disappear?

She frowned at that. Everyone knew each other in this town. Hadn’t she learned at least that much being around Lilly?

However, the idea remained tempting.

She jumped at the sound of the door opening behind her.

“My, my. Look who rose with the sun this morning,” Lilly marveled with her hand on her hip. “You feeling better?”

Julia nodded with a spreading smile. “Just came out here to enjoy the sunrise.”

“Do that a lot, do ya?” Lilly knelt and picked up the small stack of newspapers. “You and my brother have that in common.”

At the mention of Carson, Julia lowered her head to the instant image of him from last night in the garden. Something in the man’s smoldering gaze formed questions in her mind. He was much more than the happy-go-lucky guy he portrayed. There was the promise of something deeper.

Julia looked up to find that Lilly’s friendly gaze had turned into a curious stare. She gave her another fluttering smile. “Actually, I believe this is the first occasion when I’ve taken time to notice the sunrise. I get the feeling that it won’t be my last.”

Lilly nodded. “Does this mean that you will be joining the rest of the guests for breakfast this morning?”

“I swear, if I stay here much longer I’m going to have to go shopping for larger clothes.”

Settling one hand against her hip, Lilly laughed. “Girl, you can use a little meat on those bones. Men like that.”

Julia couldn’t stop her bark of laughter. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You do that.” She turned to go back into the inn.

“Here, let me help you with the door,” Julia offered.

“Thanks.” Lilly’s gaze assessed her again. “You know, I’d
love it if you and Robin came to church service this morning.” At Julia’s hesitation, she added, “Seeing that you two will be staying here for a little while, this would give you a chance to meet some more people here in Moreland.”

The last thing that Julia wanted to do was socialize. In fact, if it was at all possible, she’d rather fade into the background. The fewer people she knew, the better, but then again, if she decided to stay…

“Come on,” Lilly implored. “Our church is having a giant bake sale later on this afternoon. It’ll be fun.”

Julia teetered in indecision, while chewing her bottom lip.

“Carson will be there,” Lilly tossed in shamelessly.

The best way to handle the woman’s blatant matchmaking was with direct bluntness. “You’re under the false impression that I’m interested in your brother romantically.”

Lilly’s brows arched quizzically. “False impression?”

Julia forced herself to nod. Why had the question caused a warm flush to crawl up her body? “Yes. False.”

Incredibly, Lilly’s face exploded into a smile. “Maybe for you. And maybe not for long.”

Julia returned to her guest room troubled more than she cared to admit by her conversation with Lilly. The woman was definitely determined to see things that weren’t there. Sure, she felt indebted to Carson for what he’d done for her and Robin. After all, he’d rescued them in the middle of nowhere, and during a thunderstorm at that. Then he had brought her to shelter and offered to fix her car.

A girl couldn’t have asked for a more gallant knight. But romance? It was out of the question. If anything, she’d had her fill of the overrated notion of love. Twice she’d been married—one man had run out on her, leaving her a single mother; the other one—hell, she didn’t know what to make of the other one.

She closed her eyes and tried to remember what was listed on the FBI’s Web site. Her husband, known to her as David Lawson, was really David Mercer, a man wanted for more crimes than Charles Manson, and had been associated with the Montello Mafia family. The Mafia!

Until a couple of weeks ago, the word
Mafia
was familiar to her only through movies and Mario Puzo novels. Those things weren’t real life.

Now, of course, she was of a different opinion.

No, she decided. The last thing she wanted in her life was another betrayal from love. She didn’t care how disarmingly charming Carson Webber was; she’d rather lock her heart in a steel cage and throw away the key.

The other problem Julia needed to face was telling Robin the truth about David—well, at least about his death. He’d been dead for a little more than thirty-six hours, and she hadn’t so much as murmured a word to her daughter. And did she dare risk telling Robin about her own part in his murder?

But was this the right time and place for such a talk? Life was definitely throwing her some doozies lately. And as always, she would find some remnants of strength and get through it.

Robin stirred.

Julia sighed. Today was going to be another long day in a month of long days.

“You actually said that to her?” Rick, Lilly’s husband, said incredulously.

Lilly shrugged and slid into her favorite royal blue dress. She loved the many compliments she received whenever she wore it. “You know I always say what’s on my mind. And I’ve seen the way those two behave around one another—one always sneaking a glance while the other isn’t looking. They can’t fool me. There’s something there between them.”

Rick shook his head, then leaned over from the edge of the bed to slide on his black socks. “I swear, Lilly, one of these days that mouth of yours is going to get you in a world of trouble.”

Stunned, Lilly swirled from the full-length mirror to level him with a piercing gaze. “Why, because I speak the truth?”

He looked up. “No, because there’s a distinct difference between the truth and your opinion. Your opinion isn’t always wanted.” He favored her with a smile, in the hope that it would soften his words. “Have you ever thought that it’s time to hang up your bow and arrow and stop playing Cupid?”

“Richard Dean Roberts, I’ll have you know that I’ve never been wrong about these things. Remember, I was the one that got Catherine and Drew together—despite your objections, I might add. Not to mention Joe and Rosie, Felicia and Henry, Margo and—”

“What about the wars between Savannah and Albert, Sierra and Benjamin, and the huge one between Wendy and Isaac?”

Contrite, but not defeated, Lilly shrugged. “Okay, so I don’t have a
perfect
record. But I’m right about this one.”

“Didn’t Carson say that the woman was married?”

“Sounds like trouble in paradise, if you ask me.”

“That’s my whole point, sweetie.” Rick stood. “No one has asked you.”

Carson, Bobbi, and Champ arrived at the town’s small animal clinic, only to find the place deserted, with a note on the door.

Frowning, Carson jumped out of the car and rushed to the door to read the note, which said that the clinic had closed for the next week and that Dr. Shepherds in Greenville would be handling any emergency until that time. Then vaguely Carson recalled that the vet had told him sometime last month that he was going on vacation. Why hadn’t he called before he’d rushed over? Now he had to drive another twenty minutes to
get to Greenville. “Great. Looks like we have to cancel church service this morning,” he informed Bobbi when he got back into the truck.

“They’re closed?”

“Looks that way.” He caressed the top of Champ’s head. “Hang in there, old boy. We’ll find you a doctor.”

“We’d better go tell Aunt Lilly that we’re not going to make it today. Do you think we’ll be back in time for the bake sale?”

“I don’t see why not.” He started the truck.

Carson arrived at the Georgia Inn and bounded up the small stairs, then was surprised when the door swung open just as he reached for it.

Julia jumped. “My goodness, you scared me.”

He smiled down at the beautiful woman. “Forgive me. Good to see that you’re still up and about.”

“Thank you. Hopefully that’ll be the last time I get stranded in the middle of a thunderstorm.”

“I certainly hope so. How’s Robin?”

“Fine. Fine. She said something about Lilly’s flapjacks and raced to breakfast.”

After sharing an awkward smile with her during the ensuing silence, Carson remembered the reason for his visit. “Ah, have you seen my sister this morning?”

“Earlier.”

“Good,” he said, stepping past her. “I have to tell her that Bobbi and I won’t be able to join her at church. Champ injured his leg this morning and we have to drive him to Greenville.”

“Oh?” She perked in interest. “Mind if I take a look at him?”

“Sure.”

Julia followed Carson off the porch and over to his truck. Inside the cab, she saw a little girl with her thick hair pulled back into a ponytail. When she met Julia’s gaze, Julia noticed
that the pretty girl had Carson’s dark eyes. But she also had features that were unfamiliar to Julia. The girl’s mother must have been a knockout.

Bobbi pushed open the truck door and jumped out. “Hi. You must be Robin’s mother.”

“You are correct. And you must be Carson’s rambunctious daughter I’ve heard so much about.”

Bobbi pushed out her chest with pride. “That’s me.”

“Well, I’m pleased to meet you.”

Bobbi glanced over at her father and winked. “I like her.”

Carson laughed. “I’m so glad you approve.” He tugged her ponytail.

“Well, let’s see what’s wrong with our little fella.”

“There’s something wrong with his front paw,” Bobbi added.

“Is that right?” Julia turned to Carson. “Can we lay him on the bed of your truck? Maybe I can get a good look at what we’ve got here.”

“Sure.”

Minutes later Julia discovered that Champ had managed to get a sharp rock embedded between the pads of his paw. Once she removed it, the dog was no worse for wear, and Julia was even rewarded by Champ with a sloppy, wet kiss against her cheek.