The Intruder (8 page)

"That's what Jake says, too. That he wouldn't bother to spank me if he didn't love me..." She looked at Kelly and said, "I answered my door without asking who was on the other side, and it's my fault that Quincy Darles learned Jake was in my apartment."

"That would be spankable at my house, too, but I wouldn't answer the door without looking. I've been to too many crime scenes that started just that way and I know better."

"I do, too. Now," Kari said with a rueful expression. She had to smile when Kelly giggled, and they talked like old friends.

Kelly's cell phone beeped and she answered, "Officer Wintrow. Yes, Lieutenant. Thank you, sir." She hung up and smiled. "Your man is on his way. Maybe you ought to go on back to bed before he comes in...?" she suggested.

"No, I couldn't sleep. I want to know what happened tonight," Kari answered.

Jake came in through the garage door and came to find them in the living room. "What are you doing out of bed, young lady. You've been ill and you should be sleeping!" he scolded.

"I slept six hours today, Jake. I'm not tired or sleepy right now."

"Jase said you are to rest."

"I've been sitting here resting all night, getting to know Kelly," Kari smiled.

"Anything at all to report, Officer Wintrow?" he turned his attention to the Officer, who was standing.

"No, sir. Everything has been quiet."

"Good. Go on back to the Station and see where you are needed for the rest of your shift. I'll expect you back here tomorrow evening at eight o'clock."

"Yes, sir." She turned to leave.

"Good bye, Kelly, and thanks for keeping me company."

"It was my pleasure, Kari," she smiled in return and then left.

"You need to be in bed, sweetheart," Jake said firmly.

"Not until you tell me what happened tonight," she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Nothing much, sweetheart. I spent all night looking for Darles, but didn't find him. He might have spotted the unmarked car I had on him," he admitted with a disgusted frown.

"Well, don't worry about it. I feel safe here, and Kelly was very nice. We talked of everything under the sun."

"Good. I'm pleased you made her feel at home. She's a nice young woman."

"Did you know they have two children?"

"Yes, they're Nevin's from his first marriage. His first wife was killed in a car accident, right after the youngest was born. He was left with a two year old and an infant. His Mom helped a lot, and then he met Kelly at work, and they hit it off right away. She adopted those babies as hers, and that was that."

"Oh, she didn't tell me any of that! I wondered how she could be so young and have a five and three year old!" She paused and then asked, "Did you know that Nevin spanks her?"

"What? No...! You talked to Kelly about spanking?" he was shocked.

"She realized that you spanked me when I asked to sit in here instead of at the kitchen table to eat our ice cream. Those chairs don't have cushions!" she said in an accusing tone of voice. "And then she admitted that Nevin spanked her, too, and she asked for a Domestic Discipline relationship because she didn't want to be like her sisters and divorced several times."

"You two did talk," Jake said quietly.

"Ut oh... Did I do something wrong?" Kari wanted to know, and her green eyes were full of trepidation.

"A spanking is personal, sweetheart. Like making love. It happens between two people who love each other, and it should be kept private and personal."

"Oh... I'm sorry," she said contritely.

"No harm done, but Kelly is under my supervision. I'm not saying she would want to make trouble for me, but having information of that sort could be a weapon in the wrong hands. Just as me knowing that Nevin spanks her. I don't feel that either of us are abusive, but it could be twisted and used against us by someone with a grudge or an axe to grind," he explained as gently as possible.

"I'm sorry, Jake. I would never purposely say something to hurt you."

"I know that, sweetheart, and I'm not upset with you. Kelly and Nevin are good people, and I trust them... but please be circumspect until you check with me... at least until you get to know everyone I work with a bit better."

"I will," she promised.

"And now, young lady, you are going to bed, and if I catch you up before eight o'clock, you'll get a spanking and sent back to bed." He scooped her up and carried her, giggling, to the large master suite and put her in bed and tucked her in. Goodnight, sweetheart," he said as he leaned down to kiss her.

Kari returned Jake's kiss with passion, and was disappointed when he ended their embrace. "Go to sleep, sweetheart. We need to get a wedding planned soon," he said.

"I'm sure you're the one, Jake. I don't care if you join me here..." the invitation was for more than 'sleeping' and he knew it. She loved Jacob Tobias and didn't want to wait any longer to make love.

"You've been ill, sweetheart, and I don't want you to make a decision like this until you're well, and when your body isn't full of desire. I don't want to seduce you unless I'm sure that you are sure. If you want to wait until our wedding night, I'll wait. I might be impatient and think I'm going to die of frustration, but I'll give you time... all that you need, Kari. He kissed her once again, and then left her alone in the huge bed.

Kelly came back the next evening, and Jake went looking for Quincy Darles. He didn't find Darles, but found one of his minions. The man was tying up loose ends for Darles and was to meet him elsewhere. Jake questioned him for hours but couldn't find out where Darles went. Rosenberg said he was to fly to Detroit and wait to hear from Darles. Jake asked him about Jenna's friend Deborah, and the man told where she was sold and he gave up several other names as well, trying to minimize the time he would spend in prison. Jake contacted the FBI, and heard a few hours later that they had found Deborah and she was being treated at a local hospital. The other girls were released from captivity, too, and Kari shivered to think that Darles was intending to do that to her, too.

"You aren't going back to your apartment, Kari," Jake told her the next morning.

"But, I can't afford..."

"Hush, sweetheart. You cannot stay there. It isn't safe. I'll go and pack up the rest of your belongings, and I'll take you to my place, or to Ma's if you'd rather stay there until we're married...?" he gave her an option to consider. He didn't want her to set foot in her old apartment. Quincy Darles and his hired goons wrecked the place and left graffiti on the walls. A lot of her furniture was destroyed... and he didn't want her seeing any of the destruction.

"I want to be with you, Jake. I'm sure of my feelings for you, and as long as you won't think less of me, I want us to be together. We can have our wedding night before the wedding, can't we?"

Jake nodded. "If that's what you want, sweetheart. If you're sure...? I'm not going to rush you into this."

"I wish the wedding was tomorrow," she shocked him by saying. "Couldn't we just call a judge and do it? Or fly to Vegas?" she suggested.

Jake flipped out his cell phone and hit a number. Her eyes lit up as she listened without shame as he spoke to Judge Benson and arranged a time for them to get married. Then he hit another number. "Ma, what are you doing tomorrow? Could you plan a small wedding reception? Kari and I are going to get married at the court house at five o'clock."

* * *

"This is not fair, bro, and you know it!" Jason fumed as he straightened Jake's tie. "I've been engaged for a few months now, and you're beating me to the punch!"

"Just lucky, I guess," Jake grinned, and then said seriously, "If Kari wanted a fancy wedding, I would have waited, bro. She didn't, and I know she meant the words. I'm a lucky man. No tux!" he teased his brother.

Kari's father was there, a stunned expression on his face, and one of her cousins came to be her matron of honor. Jake's family was there, too. His Ma, Jason, and even Jenna was there, looking very unhappy and glaring daggers at her new sister-in-law-to-be. Judge Benson was in a jovial mood, and admitted that he was a little surprised to get a call from Jake and couldn't wait to meet the lucky bride. The wedding didn't take long to perform, but it was done reverently and with respect, and no one in the room could doubt that Kari and Jake were truly in love.

Jake moved Kari to his home from the safe house, and kept insisting that he would go and get her other belongings as soon as possible. Kari whispered that he didn't have to do it that night, and Jake didn't argue. He made sweet love to his bride, and when she shyly admitted she was happy they'd waited, he kissed her and made love to her yet again.

The next morning, Jake's cell phone rang, and he told Kari he had to go to a crime scene. He was relieved when she didn't fuss and promised him she would be fine while he was gone. She unpacked her things as best she could, but learned there were a few things she really needed from her old apartment. She left a note for Jake, just in case he got home earlier than she expected, and then got into her car and drove to her old place. She parked in front and then used her key to let herself inside. What she saw was more than shocking! The furniture that she'd saved for months to buy was ruined. The walls were covered with spray paint and what they said was more than a little frightening. As she walked into her bedroom the stench was overwhelming. Her clothes, especially her unclothes, were lying in scraps on the floor and the bed was ruined completely. She started crying, and picked up her phone and called Jake. He told her he was on his way, and made her promise not to let anyone inside. It was obvious he was afraid the apartment was being watched, and in the next minute, there was a loud pounding on the front door... and a voice demanding she open up immediately.

Chapter Six

"You open this door, girl. I seen you go inside there!" The pounding continued and Kari recognized her landlord's agitated voice. She crossed the living room, stepping over the mess laying on the floor and jerked the door open. "You're going to pay for the damages in here, girl." The man pushed her aside so he could step into the living room.

"I didn't do this!" Kari was highly insulted. "And I'm not paying for it."

"You are or I'll sue you!" he sputtered. "It's going to mean new carpet, and repainting this entire place. I want you and your stuff out of here now... today, girl!"

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to, Mister? I did not make this mess; I am not responsible for any of the vandalism here, and I will not be intimidated by the likes of you. Is that clear? In fact," Kari warmed to her subject, "I am considering suing you for renting me an apartment next to a convicted felon. AND, how dare you purport these apartments as safe when the attic runs the entire length of the building? This place is not safe, which is false advertising, and for what you are charging for rent, it is high time someone take you to court and have you answer for your irresponsibility!"

"I'm going to call the cops!" the man blustered.

"I already did," she responded and smiled when she heard the siren getting closer.

Jake came running when he saw the door to Kari's old apartment was hanging open, and the relief he felt at finding her inside and unharmed was overwhelming. She was standing there, spitting fire at the landlord, and gone was all the fear she'd felt when she'd called him just a few minutes ago. He much preferred seeing her angry, with her hands on her hips and glaring at the man, than frightened and whimpering and afraid.

"Are you a police officer?" the landlord sputtered angrily.

"Lieutenant Tobias," Jake stated, showing the man his badge.

"I want to file charges against this woman for damaging my property!" the landlord insisted.

"She didn't damage your property, sir. This property was in excellent condition when she left here with me, and it was vandalized by her neighbor, a man named Quincy Darles, who is a felon."

"What? This woman is responsible since she signed a lease."

"This building is supposed to be secure, and it obviously isn't. Anyone could have come into her apartment at any time through the attic. I had this sight under surveillance, and we know who did the vandalism, and I assure you it wasn't this young woman. If you wish to file charges, you can come into the station tomorrow and someone will assist you," Jake said politely.

"I still want her out of here today!" the man sputtered again.

"So do I," Jake agreed calmly. "I wouldn't permit anyone I cared about to live in this dump."

The landlord's face turned a deep dark angry red and he stomped out the open door.

Kari couldn't help laughing until she got a good look at her husband's face. Jake was obviously very unhappy with her. "Jake, I feel perfectly fine and you really do need to stop worrying about my health. I needed to get a few of my things and I couldn't see sitting on my butt and doing nothing while you were at work. I'm fine, really."

"I told you not to come near this place, sweetheart, and you are going to get the spanking of your life for disobeying me," he promised. "Now come along and I'll take you home."

"But, wait! Why shouldn't I come here? My stuff is all here..."

"It isn't safe, Kari. What if one of Darles men was watching the place?"

"I didn't think of that," she admitted. "I only wanted to get my things, Jacob. I thought they all left town and it was safe now."

Her pretty face was full of dismay and Jake realized she'd had no idea she was doing anything wrong, but it didn't change the fact that he'd told her she wasn't to come to the apartment and she disobeyed him. "It's not safe, Kari, and when I give you an order for your protection I expect you to obey me. I'll make sure you learn this lesson before the day is over," he promised.

"I'm sorry, Jacob," she said in a wounded tone of voice. "Please don't be so upset with me. I just didn't understand there was still a danger. I didn't do this to defy you, and I won't do it again now that I know there is still a possibility that Darles is watching. It isn't necessary for you to punish me; I understand completely now." She also was wise enough to know that Jacob didn't want her to read the painted threats on the walls and see all the damage done to her belongings. His face reflected his feelings, and if she didn't do some fast talking, her bottom was going to pay the price for frightening him. "There isn't a lot that is salvageable here. I need to call my insurance agent and have him come and take pictures before we get this mess cleaned up... Would you want to take care of that for me?" she asked hopefully.