CHAPTER THREE
Vivi sat in her office and tried to concentrate on the paperwork in front of her. It was vital that they didn’t lose the funding for the free prescriptions they offered. It seemed that news of what was happening at the clinic had caught the attention of the directors of the Federal Healthcare Program. Their funding made the program possible, and she needed to find a way to reassure them that they had things under control. Rubbing her temples, she let out a sigh. There had to be a way to spin this that didn’t make it appear as bad as it was. Straightening the corners of the paperwork, she tried to think of a way to explain the two bodies that had ended up inside their doors.
Just as she was about to start on the forms again, her door flew open and Trinity came barreling in. “Sweet Lord of mercy…there are three very good-looking men in our waiting room. They said that Ronnie sent them. Apparently, we need help.” Sweeping her hand over her hair, Trinity beamed at Vivi. “I think the help that I have in mind is much different than theirs.”
“Here…to help us with what? Are they football players, or baseball players? Does my baby sister think that we’re so desperate that she needs to send us dates? If that doesn’t beat all…”
“Quit whining and put some lipstick on. You look tired.” Digging through the purse that sat on the corner of the desk, Trinity found a tube and shoved it at Vivi. “Hurry up, Ruby is practically drooling over the one with blond hair and a beard. If we don’t get out there quickly, then she may drag him off to an exam room.”
Vivi slid some color on her lips and straightened her scrubs. “Did they say who they were?”
“The one who seems to be in charge said he has a company called SAI.”
Vivi quit fussing with her clothes, and her shoulders slumped. “Darn. It must be Joel. He doesn’t like me and is always giving me a hard time.”
Trinity dragged her out of the office and moved toward the front of the clinic. “There isn’t a person alive who doesn’t like you.”
“Oh, yes there is, and his name is Joel McDade.” Walking as slowly as she could, she tried to come up with a plan to get rid of him. As quickly as possible. There was no way she wanted to handle the problems with her clinic, the Feds, the DEA, and Joel. There was only so much that a person could be expected to deal with. Having him hang around and growl at her would tip her over the edge of sanity. “I’m going to get rid of them. We don’t need any help. We have Gideon, the FBI, and Uncle Buck.”
“You may have to convince Ruby of that, because it looks like she wants to keep Ben around for a while.”
“I’ve met Ben. He can stay. Let’s just get rid of Joel.”
Trinity swiveled and stared at her. “What?” Vivi said.
Tossing her hair over her shoulder, Trinity shrugged. “Nothing. I haven’t seen you react so negatively to someone since Timmy Budrow in fifth grade. And that was only because you had a crush on him.”
“This is nothing like Timmy,” Vivi replied sternly.
They both entered the waiting room and were greeted by three big men who appeared like they were capable of taking over a small country before lunchtime. Ruby sat at her desk with a look of awe as she studied Ben. It seemed that he was harboring similar feelings, because he was looking back at her the same way.
“Hey, you all, what brings you to our little corner of the world?” Vivi called out. She thought if she killed them with kindness, then she might be able to get rid of them faster.
“Hey there, Dane.” Vivi leaned up on her tiptoes and offered the strikingly handsome man a hug. He gave her a good squeeze and smiled down at her.
“You always promised to make me dinner, so here I am,” Dane replied.
“Oh, you devil, that is a long way to come for some of my jambalaya.” Tipping her chin toward Ben, she laughed. “It seems that Ben is already under the spell of one of my best friends.”
Joel stepped toward her, and she girded herself for what was about to happen. She didn’t think it was going to be anything good, so she plastered a friendly smile on her face. “Hello, Joel.” She put out her hand and had to wait a second before he grasped it. “Did you need a flu shot?”
The way his eyes scrunched up told her he was about to blast her with a nasty reply. Squaring her shoulders, she tried to appear unfazed.
“No, Vivi. I didn’t come up here for a flu shot. We came because Ronnie told us you’ve been having some trouble.” Rolling his shoulders, he exhaled. “She asked us to help you out and make sure that you’re safe.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she tried to keep the fake smile on her face. “I appreciate you all coming over, but I think you made the trip for nothing. We have the NOPD and the FBI working on the case, so were in good hands. I do appreciate it, though. We’ll make you all dinner tonight, and then you all are free to go home. No need to hang around here.”
“Oh, yes, there is,” Ruby replied. “We could use a real security system and maybe some good locks and those cameras on the outside, so we know who is after us.”
Ben leaned against the desk and gave Ruby an approving nod. “I like the way you think, Ruby. You can never have enough safety measures in place. We have to make sure you three girls are safe.”
“Oh, yes, Ben. I couldn’t agree more.” She rested her cheek on her fist and stared up at the big man in front of her. “You smell so good, my goodness.”
Dane leaned over and spoke quietly to Trinity. “I bet you a hundred bucks that they have their tongues down one another’s throats by dinnertime.”
Smirking, Trinity shook her head. “That’s a sucker’s bet. They’re not going to make it an hour. Those two are going to be in an exam room in thirty minutes. Ruby’s been a widow for five years, and she’s been operating on an extremely thin thread lately. I hope to God that your friend has taken his vitamins, because he’s going to need them.”
Throwing his head back, Dane let out a big laugh. “I like you, Trinity. And I look forward to making sure that you’re safe as well.”
Stepping back, she let her eyes drag slowly over Dane from the tip of his full head of dark hair, over his large shoulders and even larger chest, and all the way down to his feet. “Well, I don’t usually go for men who are better looking than me, but I may decide to make an exception with you.”
“A man can only dream,” he replied.
***
Uncle Buck tottered through the front door and stopped in the center of the room. “Who in the hell are these men? I can’t be gone for an hour without the three of you getting into trouble.”
Vivi moved toward him and took his arm. “Quit fussing, old man. Ronnie sent them up from Florida. Apparently, we need protecting.”
Settling himself into a chair, he studied the men again. “I told Ronnie about what was happening here, and she must have contacted them.” Sitting back, he smiled smugly at the group. “I’m glad to know that someone in the family takes me seriously. And I thank you for coming up to make sure my girls are safe.”
“No problem, sir. We are happy to do this,” Ben replied, as he grinned at Ruby.
“Oh…my…Gawd! Why are you always interfering? You made these poor men come all the way over here because Ronnie thought we needed it. Lord save me from the good intentions of my family,” Vivi snapped. “I apologize that you all made the trip unnecessarily.”
“Have you told them that the three of you are the Bermuda Triangle of women?” Buck inquired. He lifted his bushy white eyebrows and gave his niece a disapproving look. “You should warn them just in case.”
“We haven’t gotten to that part of the program yet. We like to know people for longer than five minutes before we start exposing our deep dark secrets,” Vivi replied.
Slapping his knee, Uncle Buck let out a snort and addressed the men before him. “The three lovely women before you each have a husband dead and buried. This right here is the widows’ club. Enter at your own risk.”
Trinity stepped forward before Vivi’s head blew off and she lost her mind. “Let’s not worry about none of that…yet. They’re not staying, and we’re not marrying again, so everyone should come out of this little encounter just fine.”
Vivi stared at the door longingly and calculated how quickly she could get through it and into her car. I could just get in and drive to the closest airport and fly back to Yemen. The people who said that being with MSF was dangerous clearly had never met her family and friends.
Before she could fully formulate a plan, two large boots appeared in her line of vision. Damn!
“Vivi, can I speak with you in your office for a few minutes?” Joel inquired.
Raising her eyes slowly, she shrugged. “Sure.” She should have just made a break for it when she had the chance. Now she was stuck.
Vivi entered her office, took a deep breath, and let her lungs fill with the calming scent of lavender. She had a big pot of it on her bookshelves and hoped it was going to give her the peace she needed to get through the next ten minutes. Settling into her chair, she crossed her legs and pasted a pleasant expression on her face. “Thank you for coming down. Sorry to waste your time.”
“No time has been wasted. This is a serious situation, whether you realize it or not.”
Vivi sat forward, and her smile slipped slightly. “I do realize it, and I trust that the NOPD and the FBI are going to solve the problem.”
“Why would you settle for amateurs when you have three SEALs who are willing to take care of you? I have never met a more stubborn woman in my life. You clearly care about the people who work here. Why would you put them in danger?”
Even Mama wouldn’t expect her to behave well in the face of the accusations that had just been hurled at her. “It’s time for you to leave, Joel.”
“That’s it?”
“Absolutely. You have just insulted me for the last time, and I have no interest in what you’re offering.” Sitting up straight, she skewered him with a look she rarely used. “I don’t know what it is about me that offends you, but you have been rude to me from the moment I met you. I have done my best to behave in a civilized manner, but if I spend five more minutes in your company, that no longer will be possible. Ben and Dane can stay and install a system. I will even let them sit in on the meeting with the FBI. But you, sir, are not welcome. Send me a bill for your time, and I’ll take care of it promptly.”
She watched him sit back and steeple his fingers in front of his face as he studied her. She knew what she had said was clear. Even he wouldn’t be able to misinterpret her statement. Why in the world was sitting there like she had just invited him for a drink?
“I’m sorry, Vivi. You’re right. I’m acting like an ass.”
Okay, that wasn’t what she expected to hear. What in the hell was going on? She tried to pull herself together. “Thank you. I appreciate your apology.”
“So, is it true? You all are widows?”
And the strangeness gets…stranger. “Yes. It’s not something that someone would make up.” Twisting around, she picked up a picture off her bookshelf. “This is my husband, Matt. He was killed in Somalia when we were working with an NGO. We had been married a month when he was hit by a stray bullet. A group of rebels invaded the village where we were working and shot up anyone who got in front of them.” Rubbing her finger over his face, she smiled to herself. “I didn’t know that a happiness like that was possible. It turns out, it wasn’t.”
“How long have you been a widow?”
Placing the picture carefully back on the shelf, she scrubbed off the small fingerprint. “Three years, one month, two weeks, and three days. But who’s counting?”
Nodding, he studied her closely. “My fiancée was killed when I was OCONUS, four years ago. I didn’t find out for a month because we were on a mission and couldn’t be reached. Had we been married, I would’ve found out right away.” Clearing his throat, he moved around in his seat. “It was a freak accident. She was crossing the street, and a car hit her.” Flattening out his pants, he glanced up. “I wasn’t there when she was buried.”
“I’m awfully sorry for your loss,” Vivi replied. Why in the world was he sharing this with her? It made no sense, based on the way he had interacted with her in the past.
“There are only two people who know the story outside my immediate family. I’m not sure why I’m telling you. Maybe as a way of apologizing for my behavior.”
“I don’t see the connection, but thank you for sharing that with me. No one knows better than me what losing the love of your life can do to a person.” Straightening the files on her desk, she concentrated on making sure that the corners lined up exactly. “You still don’t have to stay. Leave Ben and Dane here, and I’m sure we’re going to be fine.”
“I don’t think that I could get Ben out of here even if I wanted to. He seems to have been hit by your friend Ruby.”
“Ruby’s husband was a firefighter, and he was killed when a building collapsed five years ago. She was pregnant at the time, and she lost the baby shortly after Kellan died. I haven’t seen her look in the direction of a man until just the last couple of months. It seems that the thing she misses most is how a man smells. She followed one around the market last month, and she realized that maybe it was time to see if she was capable of feeling anything other than grief. I’d say by the looks of it that she is.”
Rubbing the back of his head, he let out a small laugh. “I guess the whole vitamin comment by Trinity makes a lot more sense now.”
“We may need to add prayers to ensure his survival,” Vivi replied dryly. Pushing away from her desk, she was about to stand when Joel stopped her. “Something else?”
“I believe that what is going on here is connected to a much bigger problem. My partner, Grady, is working a case in Florida, and we think that the people who are targeting the freight company are part of a group of criminals who traffic prescription drugs. I think that you’re dealing with more than neighborhood gangs.”
“I guess having the FBI and DEA become involved should have clued me in. My friend Gideon hinted that we might be in the eye of the storm. It seems that he wasn’t overreacting.”
Leaning forward, Joel caught Vivi’s hand. “I can’t leave until I know that you girls are safe and out of harm’s way. I promise to do my best to not give you a hard time anymore.”
“What is it about me that bugs you so much? I don’t think that anyone has ever disliked me without knowing me first. Usually they have to spend some time around me before they get irritated.”
“Something about you…stirs something in me that I have no desire to be stirred. Your kindness reminds me of my fiancée, Francie. Every time I’ve been around you, I’m reminded that there are good people in the world. And it pisses me off.”
Staring into his light blue eyes, she noticed the pain that was there. For a split second, she swore he appeared vulnerable. Which seemed impossible. He was six feet of hardened warrior, and she doubted very much that anything frightened him. “I could act really bitchy around you. That might help.”
Levering himself out of the chair, he stood and gave Vivi a small smile. “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think that you have enough bitchiness in you to make a real difference.”
Spinning toward the door, she opened it, and then walked out. “You might be surprised, Joel. I’m willing to dig deep and let my inner bitch flag fly. Who knows…it might be fun for a change. I might enjoy telling people what I really think.”
He followed her out into the waiting room and mumbled to himself, “What the hell have I done?”
“Did you say something, Joel?”
“No, just talking to myself.” Rolling his shoulders, he let out a loud breath.
“Remember, you can go home anytime. No need to torture yourself.”
“I’ll go home after I know that the situation is secure.”
“Suit yourself,” Vivi replied happily.
***
Stepping into the waiting room, Vivi noticed that Dane handed Trinity a twenty-dollar bill. “What was the bet?” Vivi inquired.
“That you would kill him within the first five minutes,” Trinity answered.
“I gave you twenty minutes,” Dane replied.
“I appreciate the faith, man.” Joel looped his arm loosely around Vivi’s shoulders and studied the group. “We have come to an understanding, and we’re friends now. No more bickering.”
“Are we talking about the type of friends that might kill one another?” Ben inquired.
“Not unless it becomes necessary,” Vivi replied. Turning slightly, she bumped her hip against his. “Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.”
The room erupted in laughter. “Let’s go to the house, and I’ll fix supper,” Vivi said loudly. She stepped over to Uncle Buck and helped him out of the chair. “Come on, old man, you started all this nonsense. I expect you to provide the bourbon.”
Holding on to Vivi’s arm, he grinned. “Sweet girl, we’re going to drink the good stuff tonight.”