Holly
After Marty left, I felt a giant hollow emptiness inside. Elaine had work piled up, she wasn’t interested in my help, and so I played with Gertie in my recently refurbished backyard. I tried to coax her into the swing with me, but she refused the offer, plopping down in the grass to watch me instead.
With her presence, as well as the motion sensors that flooded the yard with light at night, I felt safe. For the most part, Gertie trotted inside with me during the day when I retreated from the weather.
At night, she stretched out on the elevated back porch, hidden in the shadows, but alert to any intruders.
The first night, nothing much happened, not even a flicker of the new lights.
The second night, though, Gertie roared from her back-porch perch, bounding into the yard when the lights streamed on. I didn’t see anything from the view of my upstairs’ window. Jack appeared in the backyard, rubbing sleep from his eyes, and I wondered if he’d been asleep in his SUV.
I fixed him a late-night slice of pie, had one as well, invited him to sleep on the couch, and went back to bed. I still felt safe.
Eazy stopped by once that week to check on Gertie. I gave them privacy and was wounded when I saw the big dog climb into the swing and lean on him.
Did it mean she didn’t trust me? Like me? When he stood, ruffled her coat, and gave her a hug, I sidled out to the backyard for a moment.
“Is she upset? Did I do something wrong?”
“You think Gertie’s got her tail in a twist? Might be personal.” Eazy frowned at his dog, concern written on his face. “You worried, muffin? I’m working on it.”
“She won’t sit in the swing with me like she did you,” I explained quickly, pretty sure we weren’t talking on the same subject. “I thought she and I were friends.”
“Nope. She’s on guard duty with you. With me, we’re just discussing family business.”
“I’m sorry you’re having problems,” I offered.
“Custody battle,” he told me, gruffly. “That’s why I stashed her here with you. Not that Gertie would have stayed if she’d taken a dislike to being here.”
When I went back into the kitchen, Elaine eyed me. “Saw you talking to Eazy out there,” she said, her nosy-gene in an uproar. “He’s an odd one. What did he say?”
“His wife wants her dog back. Gertie wants to stay with him. She was hiding out here.”
“Like I said, he’s an odd one.”
That was the most excitement unfolding in my world, and given the recent vandalism I should have been grateful. However, I had cabin-fever out the wazoo. When Marty had tried to talk me into calling off work during the Championship Playoffs that weekend, I snarled at him. No way.
Friday night, Balls & Bones was rocking. Nobody wanted to go home, the customers replayed, reenacted, and rejoiced together over beer. I loved it. I’d been so cooped up at home, I wanted to dance on the bar all night long.
As predicted, despite my protests, I had a bodyguard. Jack had planted his ass on a stool and waited for me to get off work. It was clearly no pain for him. His team won, and he was having fun arguing with half the customers and celebrating with the rest.
On a foray into the kitchen, somebody handed me a trash bag and pointed me at the back door where more bags were piled. I didn’t mind, everyone had dumpster duty eventually, and I was on deck this time.
I hauled six bags out, two at a time, and stacked them by the huge green container. Once I had them all lined up, I tossed two up and in, bent over to pick up the next bag, and whammy, someone grabbed me from behind and wrapped a skinny, shirt-covered arm around my throat.
When I’d bent over to lift the bag, apparently, he didn’t allow for me being taller than him. Before he could step backward, I hunched in on myself as much as possible and powered up, breaking his strangle hold and hauling him up with me.
He twisted my right arm behind my back and I felt something pop as he went back to choking me with his other arm. But again, he didn’t allow for the angle because of our height differential. I couldn’t get loose, so I slammed my head backward and hit him.
I almost blacked out when my skull crashed against solid bone. He grunted and loosened his grip enough for me to draw breath and shove backward again. I tried to scream. My throat wouldn’t work.
Jack finally remembered he was babysitting. Thank God.
I knew this because I heard him let out a yell and in two seconds I sat on the ground watching Jack kick the guy’s ass.
Ted came to the back door, saw me bloody and propped against the dumpster. He grabbed his cell and dialed 911 before he rushed down to me.
“Stalker,” I croaked, nodding weakly at the guy, now laying prone on the ground, his cheek smashed against the dirty alley way.
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, girl. I look away for ten minutes and you’re in trouble.” So much for my bodyguard’s tender loving care. I didn’t go to Garret’s clinic. Ted had called the police, and I went to a real hospital, this time in an ambulance.
“Company insurance?” And saying that hurt like hell. But damn, I sure hoped Elaine had filed those papers.
“What the hell? Would you stop worrying about that shit. You’re covered. If you weren’t, I’d pay it out of my own pocket. I should have been watching you.” Jack stayed with me the whole time, helped clear the alley after the attack, and helped the medics load the gurney with me on it.
“I’ll take care of this and be at the hospital when you arrive,” Jack promised.
I could hear him sharing information and names with the two new officers so that they could coordinate their evidence with the two cops who’d investigated my backyard vandalism.
I still had no idea why he’d targeted me. It wasn’t for money. He’d seemed a lot more interested in choking me than getting my tips, which were still safe in my apron. I was glad to have the money, but that left the question of why he’d been trying to kill me. He’d failed, but not for want of trying.
“Baby,” I told the EMT guys. “Pregnant.”
“Already know,” one of them answered. “You got a friend called the dispatcher who called us.”
I wanted to sleep during the ride, but they both kept talking to me which I found irritating. I wanted to tell them to be quiet, but my throat hurt too much.
After they wheeled me into the emergency room, they passed me into the next set of waiting hands, Garret, wearing his stethoscope. Elaine stood next to him.
“Baby okay?” I made a feeble attempt to touch my belly, but my arm wouldn’t work.
“We’ve got you, Holly,” Garret said. “Dr. Spencer’s on her way. But I’m not going to wait to fix your shoulder so…” He helped me into a sitting position with my legs over the side of the bed.
I hadn’t been able to move my fingers for a while. Garret examined my arm, murmured, “This will hurt for a minute…”
Before I could brace myself he simultaneously pressed, pulled, and twisted, blasting excruciating pain from my shoulder, down my arm, and into my fingers.
“I’m going to puke,” I warned as a wave of nausea hit me.
“Have the lab check for blood,” I heard him tell the nurse.
I tried to give the vomit a look when I quit barfing, but the nurse whisked it away. When she came back, Garret had moved onto other issues.
“We need to look at your head now. The medic said he couldn’t find an open wound but the back of your head is covered in blood.”
It turned out the blood wasn’t from the big lump on my head. It belonged to the guy who’d jumped me.
“I won,” I muttered, my voice barely a whisper.
“No, you got beat up and nearly killed,” Elaine snapped. So much for support from the peanut gallery.
“She’s family,” Garret intervened when one of the nurses suggested Elaine wait outside.
“Not,” I managed to croak a denial, but Elaine defended her territory.
“I’m her grandmother and I’m going nowhere.” She took my hand, and I suddenly didn’t want to let go. She’d never appeared to be a touchy-feely person, nor was I, but she let me hang onto her just the same.
“We’re moving you to a private room.” Garret supervised my transfer instead of handing me over to a nurse and leaving.
“Patch me up, I want to go home,” I told him.
“The baby doctor says no, and Garret says no. You’re staying here until they agree you can leave,” Elaine announced.
“Dr. Spencer will be in soon,” the nurse volunteered, looking sympathetic. “She wants you to remain here where we can monitor your baby’s condition for the next twenty-four hours.”
“I want to go home and sit in my closet.” I didn’t mean to say it aloud, but it had been a sublevel thought for a while. As I remembered the attack, panic caught me in its grip. “Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod…”
Elaine squeezed my hand. “I’m here. Aw, sweetie.” Until she handed me a tissue I hadn’t realized there were tears streaming down my cheeks.
“Delayed reaction,” the nurse said sympathetically. “It should make you feel better to know you probably broke the guy’s nose. Maybe the police will match the sample we sent to DNA in their data base and they’ll use it to put the asshole away for a while.”
I really didn’t want to think about him. Jack had turned him over to the cops when they arrived, and he was currently in a holding cell in the downtown jail. I hoped I had broken his frigging nose. It gave me a horrible kind of satisfaction, remembering the feel of my skull crunching against his face.
While I entertained myself with blood-thirsty thoughts, the nurse wheeled me to a l room rivaling a five-star hotel suite for luxury. Once she’d transferred me to the bed, and hooked me up to the monitors discreetly stored behind an oriental screen, she left.
Elaine remained. I was embarrassed she’d seen me blubbering like a kid.
“What really pisses me off,” I wheezed, mopping my face. “I got caught flatfooted—again.” You’d think with Jack grabbing me recently, I’d have been on my toes.
I’d been thinking about Marty, how I was going to spend the tip money, as in cradle or crib, and having fun along with everyone else who’d cheered the Cavaliers to victory. I hadn’t even scouted the alley before I waltzed into the corner where the dumpster stood.
I groaned in frustration.
“Are you in pain? Should I call the nurse back?” Elaine asked.
“No. Tell me Marty stories. Secret stuff nobody knows.”
“You’re the one pregnant. You tell me.” Elaine rolled her eyes at my attempt at humor. She didn’t volunteer much Marty information, but she pulled a table and chair closer to the bed and produced a deck of cards from her bag.
She won more than I did, but I didn’t embarrass myself too greatly. The cops came and left. Megan and Roger both came to check on me and offered to stay.
Elaine remained fixed in place and both eventually left.
Dr. Spencer arrived early in the morning and Elaine evidently judged me to be safe with her, because she left the room for a bit and gave us privacy. After the doctor examined my external injuries and touched different spots on my belly, she patted my hand.
“Your blood pressure is elevated, but not dangerously so. The baby’s been bothered enough. I’m not going to poke around inside you if it’s not necessary.”
“Then let me go home. I can rest better there.” My throat still hurt but at least I could say more than a word now.
I desperately wanted out of here. The fact it was a very nice private room didn’t keep hospital employees from roaming through whenever they felt like it. I didn’t know one from another and even with Elaine sitting in the chair next to the bed, I felt vulnerable here.
Dr. Spencer touched the bruises on my neck. “You had a close call.”
“Yes.” Instead of relaxing in safety, I sat in bed watching the door for another attack. “I’m eventually going to crash, and I need to be somewhere safe when I do.”
“Do you have someone to stay with you at home?”
“Yes. Gertie.” I was knee-deep in volunteers, but I would take the calming effect of the visiting guardian dog over the rest. Both Megan and Roger had offered to stay with me, plus Elaine, who seemed to have put herself in charge of my convalescence, probably wouldn’t shake loose when I went home.
“I’d like the nurses to monitor your condition today. If you have no cramping or bleeding, no unexplained internal pains, and your vitals remain steady, we’ll see what we can do this evening.”
My shoulder hurt, my head ached, and my throat felt as if I’d swallowed broken glass. But those were things time, not the hospital would heal. As soon as the doctor gave me the heads-up on the baby being okay, I intended to go home.
Meanwhile, I remained on guard, sitting upright in the bed. The nurses tried to get me to relax, I didn’t. After a while, when apparently, the danger zone for mild a concussion had passed, they encouraged me to close my eyes and rest. I didn’t.
When Marty followed my lunch into the room, Elaine smiled for the first time all day. “She’s had a bad time. I’m so glad you’re back.”
Marty
As soon as I had heard from Jack, I’d had him call Garret. The kid called me back via my SAT-phone and his headset and kept me with him on the trip to the emergency room. Once there, though, he cut me out of the loop as soon as he found Holly. For fifteen minutes I was left gnashing my teeth, waiting for answers.
“Update me,” I ordered him as soon as he reconnected. Garret had been with me during Kit’s illness and he knew I wanted information with no sugar.
“Dislocated shoulder, bruised throat, and a lump on the back of her head, maybe a mild concussion.” Garret hesitated, then added, “Dr. Spencer’s already examined her and she’s keeping Holly in the hospital for observation. I don’t want to upset you but sometimes babies don’t hold tight after a mother experiences significant trauma.”
“I figure he’s got a strong grip on his mama, him being my kid; but Holly’s health comes first. And check Jack’s blood pressure, he’s a basket case.”
Jack blamed himself for taking his eyes off Holly during the championship match. I told him, if he’d tried to help Holly do her job she would have clubbed him upside the head. Besides which, if I’d been there, my ass would have been parked on a stool in front of the game and the same thing would have happened.
The police were connecting the dots on the stalking incidents. I talked to Elaine and she said Holly was pretty shaken up. Well hell yeah.
“Can I talk to her?”
“Honestly, not long.”
“Hey, baby, heard you were in a brawl. Who won?” I thought I’d insert some humor and maybe make Holly smile when Elaine gave her the phone.
“Kicked. His. Ass.” Her rough whisper shocked me. Despite Garret’s information, or maybe because of his clinical delivery, I’d mentally minimized her injuries.
“I’m on my way, baby doll. Rest and heal.” I wanted to talk to Holly, but shit, I could feel the pain it cost her in every word she spoke. I had a driver waiting, and when I deplaned, I went straight to the hospital. I figured it was more important to be there than prettying-up.
When I walked into her room, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I expected tears, or maybe even a little hysteria. Thank the fuck I didn’t get either.
“Bout time,” she muttered, giving me her version of the stink-eye when I gazed down at her. “Glad you’re here.”
“Aw, shit, baby. What can I do to make you feel better?”
Christ. She could barely whisper, bruises marked her throat and jaw, her eyes were puffy, the left side of her face swollen, and her right arm was in a sling; and those were just the things I could see. I wanted to kill someone—slowly.
“Hungry,” she said, looking pointedly at the lunch tray.
“Me too. How about sharing?” Evidently the menu didn’t change for patients in the fancy rooms. I investigated a milk-carton-like box, warm but not too hot to pick up.
“Soup, I think.” After I opened the top, and confirmed the content, I handed her the spoon, crackers, and the carton of noodle soup.
“Well, it’s not Church’s chili but it will have to do.” When she fumbled to hold the spoon in her left hand, I fed her soup and ate the hamburger and limp French fries.
After the soup, we split the applesauce in the plastic cup and the strawberry gelatin. After she finished off the chocolate milk, I moved the tray to the hallway and then came back inside.
“We’ll wait to see what the doc has to say later today. Meanwhile, you look like you could use a nap.” I figured I’d sit in the chair next to her and doze while she slept. She had a better idea.
“Hold me.” She took my hand and pulled me onto the bed next to her.
Hey, it worked for me. I curled around her back, snuggled my groin against her bottom, threw my arm over her waist, and laid my head on her pillow.
“You smell like burned matches,” she told me.
Shit. I’d cleaned-up but it had been in a two-by-two shower on the plane here.
“Want me to move?” I hoped not. My body had already molded itself to hers.
Her answer was to rub her behind against my package and tug on my arm until my hand lay on her belly.
“Are you saying you want me to light your fire?”
Her laughter piddled off as she snuggled closer and fell into sleep.
Her hair smelled more like disinfectant than green apples today, but she felt good in my arms, and I closed my eyes and rested beside her. I held her until her breathing deepened into true sleep. I would have preferred staying there until she woke, but a nurse entered, eyeballed me and frowned, before she left quickly. Garret returned.
I eased from the bed, and he took my arm, urging me toward the door.
“I’m not leaving,” I told him. I knew that for certain. Nothing and nobody was getting between Holly and me. “The sooner I get her out of the hospital, the better.” I studied the room, looking for vulnerabilities.
“Dr. Spencer’s outside. I want you to talk to her.” When my blank expression telegraphed my confusion, Garret clarified. “Holly’s baby doctor.”
“Okay.” Jesus, I’d forgotten all about the kid while I’d been in bed with Holly. I scanned the room for threats one last time, followed Garret to meet the baby doctor, and stopped outside the door, facing the woman in the hallway.
Dr. Spencer’s expression changed to disapproval as she gazed at me. “Miss Smith will have to give approval for your team interaction. Please don’t call and harangue my nurse again.”
“I’ve never spoken to anyone in your office.” I wasn’t impressed with the doctor’s communication or organizational skills. “Cut to the chase. How is she?”
When she looked confused, I verbally nudged her. “Is there a problem?”
“It’s good to meet the other half of our baby’s parent team in person. Our previous conversations have been unproductive.” Her eyes were icy chips as she glared at me.
Our baby? And what phone calls? I could feel red creeping up my neck. I didn’t need attitude, I needed answers.
“Sorry. I was out of town on work. I’m Marty Jones. Holly’s significant other, and the baby’s father. I’d like to know how they’re both doing.” I held onto my temper as I considered replacing the wonder doctor.
“Her external injuries are not life threatening. We’re monitoring the baby for the time being.”
For the time being was the best I could get out of her. We didn’t bond. I wondered if Holly could be pried away from the hot chocolate and swank robes. Then, remembering the doctor’s credentials, I sucked up my irritation.
“Let me know what you need me to do to secure Holly and our kid. If she needs to stay here, fine. But I’m staying too.”
“If you’re not the man who called, and speaking to you I am assured you’re not, who did call my office? Someone certainly did.”
“I’ll pass that onto the police detective when he shows. He’ll want to talk to you. Sounds like her stalker tried to talk his way into her medical information. Thanks for being so alert.”
I did my best to make myself look like a respectable business man. If need be, I’d promise to donate a machine or something they needed at her office. Having helped Garret set up the clinic, I knew that shit didn’t come cheap. And part of me wanted her to know I could afford the best for Holly and my kid.
I retreated into Holly’s room, closed the door behind me, and stood gazing at her soft and vulnerable form. Fear tangled with an emotion I thought I’d left behind.
I’m in love with her. I admitted it to myself as I carefully slid back into the bed. I didn’t know how things were going to play out for us, but damned if I wasn’t looking forward to the ride. Meanwhile, Holly’s situation seemed clear to me.
“I think we should get married, Sweet Cheeks,” I murmured, cuddling her closer. “Without Garret running interference, I couldn’t even get close to your room. Fuck that shit.”
Holly
Before I could decide whether that had been a real proposal or just Marty bitching about hospital rules, someone knocked on the door.
Marty stopped the detective who entered at the doorway, and checked his credentials before he’d let him in.
“I know you’re not going to want to come down to the station for a while. But I need to get the ball rolling. Wondered if you’d take a look at this picture and see if you recognize the perp.”
I shivered at the idea of having someone stalking me, spying on me.
Marty took the picture and held it in front of my face. My dithering ended when I really focused on the guy they’d arrested.
“You really did a job on his nose,” Marty noted with pride. The white tape holding it in place contrasted nicely with the black rings surrounding his eyes. His face was so swollen, had he been a well-known friend, I might not have recognized him. I started to hand the picture back when I paused.
Those ears. Huge ears. Sticking out on each side of his skinny head. I’d seen those ears before.
“Dance-a-thon,” I whispered, my throat screaming.
Marty handed me a pen and paper and I wrote, The guy minding the business phone in the back. I had to borrow his cell to call the cab company and leave a message for Megan.
“We’ve got this guy now,” the detective assured me and took back the pic. “Got him on cyber stalking based on his early calls. He escalated after you blocked his access to you.
“A couple of your crew checked out that house next door and called us when they found an open window. We’ve got prints and DNA. He was squatting in one of the rooms, had it filled with Marilyn Monroe pictures mixed in with assorted pieces of women’s clothing in all sizes. We found a brown glove and a B&B Tee that have been identified as belonging to you.”
Shit. I remember those things going missing. The guy was so close…
“You mind not scaring the shit out of her now that we caught this guy for you,” Marty muttered.
“Sorry,” the detective apologized. “It looks like you were just one of his targets. We’re sorting through his collection of fifties memorabilia mixed with weird shit right now. If it’s any consolation, it’s Marilyn he’s fixed on, not you.”
“Maybe so,” Marty snarled. “But, it sure wasn’t Marilyn he’d tried to strangle. If the day comes when he’s not locked up, I want to know.”
After he left, Marty returned to the bed and slid his arm under my shoulders. I know I should have been scared or feeling vulnerable. But, I’d never felt so safe.
“You understand we’re going to talk about this sooner or later,” he murmured against my hair.
“What?” I croaked, trying to look puzzled. Like I’d forget he’d broached the subject. I’d thought maybe I’d have to casually find a way to slide it back into the conversation.
“Nod your head if you’ll marry me.”
When I nodded yes, waiting for him to say something romantic, he went all drill-sergeant on me. “Sooner is better. I already have Elaine working on it.”
I should have known that. I rolled my eyes at him and he leaned close enough to plant a kiss on my forehead, my nose, and then my lips.
“You probably think I’m doing this to get Grandpa’s bed. You’d be partly right. But, the truth is, I don’t want to spend a moment anywhere, including the bed, without you. You understand? I love you for you, baby doll, not just for the kid.”
I never doubted it. I nodded, mouthing the message, I love you too.