Valentine Wishes (Baxter Academy Book 1) (17 page)

I
shut
and lock the door behind me, glad to be back home. I’m so jumpy and could barely eat anything. Ashley, on the other hand, was cool and collected, like she always is. You think I would have relaxed when she introduced me to the
new
employees at the club, but even having Greg and Ingrid sitting at the back of the diner didn’t help and I kept watching the door each time it opened, afraid one of the suspects was going to walk in.

They never did.

Now I just want to throw up.

“Brett?” I call out when I get home.

Silence greets me. The hair stands up on the back of my neck. I step further inside and look up the stairs.

“Brett, are you in here?”

Nothing.

Where the hell did he go?

Instead of going up, I walk toward the kitchen. Dishes are in the sink, soaking but not washed. “Who did he have breakfast with?”

I look around. What if the creep came here?

Brett wouldn’t have had breakfast with the guy, he would have shot him first.

Shadows fell outside the kitchen window. It was probably Brett, but I pulled the long knife out of the drawer anyway and stay rooted in the kitchen as the door handle slowly turnes, and then the door opens. I clenched the handle of the knife so tightly that I’m being to lose feeling in my fingers.

“You can put that down.”

I blinked to see Brett and then Theo coming through the back door.

Brett took the knife and put it on the table before he pulled me close, hugging me tightly. “Nothing is going to happen to you. I promise,” he whispered in to my ear. When his arms were around me I believed him. But when they aren’t, I’m scared to death.

“Let’s hang out with campers, look at some art work then have lunch with your aunt before I head to the fitness center, okay.”

It sounded like a plan, though if I am going to be here, I should be working. Not that I’d be able to concentrate on anything. “Okay.”

A
shley greets
me with a smile as I walk in then leans in close. “None of them are here yet.”

“Good,” I whisper back.

“Self-defense demonstrations all afternoon and night,” she calls out as people walk in the door and then stop to sign in.

I walk around the counter and sit behind a desk with a computer on it. Ashley ignores me for now. The plan is for her not to talk to me about anything until one of the suspects walk in.

Greg and Ingrid are in the center of the room, putting out mats. At the far end are the weight machines and free weights. At the opposite end are the treadmills, cycles, and whatever else is needed for cardio. Normally, I’d be working on my cardio today, but I don’t want to get winded or tired in case we finally figure out who he is. Instead, I’m pretending to fix the computer while Greg and Ingrid try and drum up students for their classes that will never happen. They aren’t going to try too hard, or Jackie’s uncle will actually have to hire someone to teach them.

Unless we don’t get the suspect right away. Then they could be teaching for a few weeks while I work on computer bugs.

“So what are you doing again?” Ashley asks me as suspect number one stops at the desk to sign in. He barely looks up.

“Jackie’s uncle wants me to install new software and try and figure out how the membership stuff works with the new accounting program.”

The guy barely blinks and goes off to the locker room.

Just because we didn’t get a reaction doesn’t mean he’s not the guy.

We don’t say much and I play some games of Solitaire, but I’m making faces like I can’t figure stuff out. It isn’t like anyone can see the screen except me.

I’m getting bored, I want to check on Jackie and I’ve got to pee. And there is not a damn thing I can do about any of them.

“How’s Jackie’s grandmother doing?” Ashley asks and I look up to see suspect number one near the counter.

“She’s getting out of the hospital later today but will be staying with Jackie’s aunt.” I answer absently.

“So, it’s just her and Theo in the big house.”

“Nope.” I look up and grin. “I’m staying there too.”

The guy doesn’t even flinch. It’s like we aren’t even there. He’s not the one and a few minutes later he heads into the locker room.

“What does Jackie’s grandma think about you staying in the house?” Ashley teases.

I look up again. Suspect two is now signing in.

“Not much. Of course, I’m in a guest room. Her brother also lives there, which puts a damper on any romance.”

“Hey, how is Jackie doing?” the guy asks Ashley.

“Okay.”

“Miss not having her at the theatre this summer, but I guess it’s for the best with her grandmother.”

“It was pretty scary,” Ashley says.

“Yeah, that’s what Cheryl said last night when she told us she’d be out this week.” He grabs his bag off the desk. “Well, tell her I said hi next time you see her.”

“Will do.”

I watch as the dude wanders off. My guts not telling me anything about him, but that doesn’t mean anything.

“There you are,” a nice looking woman in shorts and a t-shirt says as she walks up to the subject. “I was wondering if you’d get here.”

He laughs and then kisses her. “A deal’s a deal. I try your circuit and you cook me dinner, right?”

The smile the woman gives him is nothing but inviting.

“Or, we could skip both.”

It’s not him. He’s too busy panting over blue shorts and white-t.

I sit back and watch Greg and Ingrid demonstrate some moves. And, she pins him and pins him good. I can’t help but grin. “Don’t think I want to go up against her.”

Ashley tilts her head. “I don’t think I’d mind if he pinned me though.”

“I’ll be sure and tell him,” I laugh.

The front doors open and I go back to my pretending to figure out software.

Ashley turns and speaks a little louder. “So, you’re staying with Jackie, her grandmother’s not there, but you aren’t sleeping with her.”

I glance up. Number three is in the room. “I’ve got to respect her grandmother’s rules.”

Ashley laughs. “Jackie did say you were a Boy Scout.”

Number three looks up from signing in and his eyes sharpen. I’d bet anything it’s not him. The kid is couldn’t be older than sixteen, if that, and the only reason he’s not crossed off the list is because he has the productions and this club in common. Still, I have a hard time believing it’s him. He still has a face full of acne, lily white skin, skinny arms and chest. He doesn’t even look like he’s fully out of puberty. There is not one thing that is threatening about him. Hell, Jackie could probably take him in a fight and she isn’t that big either.

“I can’t believe they told Bob these two programs were supposed to work together.”

“Don’t try to get off the subject of Jackie,” Ashley teases

“Oh, I’m always willing to talk about Jackie, but I promised Bob I’d figure this out.”

Number three grabs his bag and practically stomps into the locker room. Somebody doesn’t like me being here. Or so I assume. If he’s the one after Jackie then he knows who I am. I still don’t think it’s him. “Crap,” I say a little too loud, but it gets the attention of Greg and Ingrid.

“Sorry,” I say to Ashley but give a slight nod to the locker room.

The locker room opens a few minutes later and Ashley doesn’t miss a beat. “I’m willing to bet Jackie’s in love,” she says in a singsong voice.

If only that were true, but it’s way too early in the relationship to know if that’s happening. Though, it would be nice.

“I’ve known her only a couple of weeks,” I remind Ashley.

“She’s in love. You’re in love.” She laughs.

Ingrid is tense, facing Greg, but I don’t think she’s looking at her partner.

The phone rings and Ashley grabs it “Baxter Fitness and Recreation,” she says in her bubbly voice. The smile slips. “Hi, Dad.”

In a heartbeat, I’m hoping the counter as Ingrid lunges for the scrawny red-headed kid. Really? It’s the least threatening of the suspects. Greg pulls the gun from the workout bag sitting next to the mat.

“He was just on his phone,” Ingrid says.

The kid’s hands go up and he steps back.

“Phone.” Ingrid demands.

“You can’t take my phone,” he argues.

“Probable cause,” Greg tells him as Ingrid grabs it from the guy.

“What was the text this time,” Ingrid calls back to Ashley.

I don’t take my eyes off of him. One move and he’s mine.

“
She isn’t in love. She’s merely insane,”
Ashley calls back.

Ingrid nods. “It’s Jackie’s number on the phone and it’s the same message.” She tosses it in a pocket and grabs the cuffs from inside of her bag.

“
I
t’s over
. It’s really over.” I know Brett has told me it is, but I really can’t believe it.

“Gerald Dousch. This was the summer he was going to profess his love but you never auditioned.”

“Who is he?”

“Runs the spotlight, up in the rafters, rarely comes down,” Brett tells me. “Just sat up there and admired you. He was upset that you didn’t show up at the theatre and then he saw you that night. He was getting the courage up to approach you, but Seamus told you I was going to be late and then he heard your conversation with Ashley and couldn’t believe you were taking the asshole tea.” He grins. “Asshole, meaning me.”

I can’t stop shaking my head. I’m not even sure I ever talked to Gerald.

“He drove by while we were at the side of the road and when he saw us the next day, that’s when it all started to unravel for him.”

“What’s going to happen to him?”

Brett shrugs. “That’s all up to the State’s Attorney.” Then he frowns. “Dousch was getting ready to send one more text to you.”

“What was it?”

“Let me see. It was odd.” He grabs a small notebook from his back pocket then thumbs through the notes. “Here it is.
All you have to do is crook your little finger
.” He looks up at me. “Like motioning and he’d be right there?” He gestures with his index finger but his eyebrows are drawn together in confusion.

My stomach tightens and I swallow against the lump in my throat. “To pull the trigger of a gun,” I tell him. “It’s from
Gun Song
from
Assassins
.”

“I guess we’ll never know if he was going to aim at me or you.”

“Well, he’s now ruined
West Side Story
and
Assassins
for me. They were two of my favorite musicals.”

“Don’t!” Brett turns me to face him. “Do not let him take that from you.

I stare into his deep blue eyes. Brett’s right. Why should I let some jerk ruin something for me? I had fun being in those musicals and I’d see both of them again if I got the chance. Just because some ass twisted the lyrics doesn’t mean I have to let it affect me. “You’re right.”

He leans and kisses me. “And now that is taken care of, I think they are going to move your grandmother back to the house tomorrow, and Theo.”

“So, what are you proposing?” I hope it’s what I think it is.

“That we make full use of that bedroom of yours while we can.”

I match his grin. “Race you up the stairs.”

“
G
ood work
, Robak,” my boss is telling me when I get in the next day. “Agents Jones and Bruce tell me you handled yourself well.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I think Miss Hickock should apply to the FBI,” Ingrid says as she walks by.

“I don’t think Ashley would mind a few private lessons from Agent Jones,” I counter.

Greg turns to look at me, his eyebrow lift as if he doesn’t know if this is real or I’m giving him shit.

“She said she wouldn’t mind being pinned by you.” I laugh.

“Maybe I do have a few follow-up questions for Miss Hickock. We don’t want to leave anything out.”

“Okay, enough of that,” my boss says. “We’ve got something else brewing. Come to the conference room.”

And so the fun for the morning is over. I grab my bag, dump it at my desk, get a cup of coffee and head into the room. Greg and Ingrid follow me in. Six other agents are sitting around the table and a map of New York State is up on the board.

“We’ve may have a few home grown that are operating along the border and getting illegals in.”

I’m not sure what that has to do with us.

“Buffalo and Niagara are covered. You guys are going here.” He circles Ogdensburg. “We think they are using boats instead of crossing at the border.”

“How long will be we gone?” one of the agents asks.

“Two weeks. A month. Don’t know yet. So pack accordingly. You leave on Monday.”

Shit!

This is what I wanted to do. To stop terrorists. But, things are just about to get normal for me and Jackie. Will all that change if I’m gone for a month?