Читать книгу Clandestine Cover-Up - Pamela Tracy - Страница 10

As Vince drove the streets of Sherman, he pondered just exactly what he was doing.

Adding one more worry to his life, he realized.

Worrying about and taking care of his family had been a full-time job since he was ten.

He didn’t want to feel responsible for even one more person.

Which, he told himself, was why he shouldn’t be thinking about Tamara Jacoby. Thing was, he couldn’t seem to stop.

All because she was a redhead with haunted green eyes, a quick tongue and a killer smile.

He parked in front of her house and knocked on her door a few moments later, trying to think of just what he’d say.

He’d never been at a loss for words with a female. He was the prankster, the stud, the man of the moment. Everyone’s friend, no one’s confidant. He’d never thought about what to say to a woman because he’d never had to. He’d never really cared much one way or the other. If he started thinking about a woman too much, he stopped—stopped thinking, stopped calling, stopped taking them out. He didn’t want to let any woman too close. He already had too many responsibilities to his family.

No one answered his knock.

He hurried down the stairs, trying to tell himself he was glad she wasn’t home. His steps slowed when he got to her car.

It didn’t matter how tired he was. Unless he found out she was okay, he wasn’t going to get any rest tonight. He took out his cell phone and called her brother-in-law, Alex. No answer. So, he tried Alex’s wife, Lisa. Surely, if anyone knew what Tamara was up to, it would be her sister.

As Lisa’s cell phone rang he tried to think of the best scenario. Maybe the reason Alex hadn’t answered and now Lisa wasn’t answering was because Lisa had gone into labor. Of course if that was true, maybe Tamara had run from the apartment, zoomed right past her own car, and made decent time—on foot—to the hospital.

Scenario two, she was actually inside the apartment sound asleep and hadn’t heard his knock.

He liked both ideas. They were so much better than the other options his imagination could supply.

“Hey, Vince, sorry it took me so long to answer. I didn’t hear the phone buzzing in my purse. What’s up?” Lisa didn’t sound stressed enough to be in labor. And in the background, he could hear the muted sounds of a softball game in progress. He looked across the street at the shimmering lights of a ballpark.

“Do you know where Tamara is?”

“Sure, she’s here with us. Alex’s church team is playing tonight.”

“I’ll be right there.” It made perfect sense, Vince thought. She’d not need to drive the car across the street to the park. It was just as quick to walk. Which was what he started to do. His steps quickened the closer he got because he didn’t see two redheads, just one.

Lisa Cooke, Tamara’s sister, nine months’ pregnant, and who should be taking it easy, was in the stands cheering on her husband.

“Hey!” Lisa called. She nudged her stepdaughter, Amy, whose nose was in a book, and they both scooted over, giving him some room to sit down. “So, you want to tell me what’s up with you and my sister?” she asked.

“Where is she?”

“She didn’t want to use her cell phone and watch the game at the same time. She’s been slumming behind the snack bar for the past half hour.”

“Can you see her?”

Lisa pointed. “The preacher already wants her for third base. He says if she shows that much passion for a phone call, just think what she’d muster for a play-off game.”

“Who’s she talking to?” Vince asked.

“I’m pretty sure she’s still on the phone with Terry, which amazes me since I thought they weren’t talking.”

“Terry?”

“Her ex-fiancé.”

Vince started to stand, then thought better of it. He patted Amy on the head. She giggled and went back to reading.

The bleachers weren’t built with big men in mind. Vince found a place to stretch his feet and managed to knock over Lisa’s purse. After he righted it, he asked, “Did you know she bought the old Amhurst Church building?”

“Yes, and I think it’s great.”

“If you think it’s great, then she didn’t tell you about yesterday. Someone had painted a warning on the front door.”

Lisa glanced at her daughter, who wasn’t paying the slightest attention, and asked, “What did it say?”

“You’re not wanted here.”

Lisa’s lips tightened. “She didn’t say a word. She thinks just because I’m pregnant I’m made of glass. Did she say anything about William Massey? You think that’s why she’s talking to Terry?”

“She called someone yesterday. I’m not sure it was this Terry guy or not. Seems Massey’s still in jail.”

“Could he have—”

“Tamara said she’d find out. That’s basically why I’m here. I was with her at the church building last night. I even saw her safe into her apartment. Today, I can’t seem to get her out of my mind. I can’t believe she didn’t tell you any of this.”

“She didn’t tell me because I’d have insisted she come stay with us. She probably thinks she’d be in the way or somehow put us in danger.”

“I don’t think she should be in her apartment alone,” Vince said. “Not until the authorities find out who is leaving threatening messages.”

“Messages,” Lisa said. “You mean there was more than one?”

Before he could answer, the people around them screamed and jumped up. It didn’t take long to figure out the game had ended with Alex hitting a triple and bringing two runners in.

The remaining fans started gathering their kids and belongings. It didn’t look like tonight would be one of those lingering, “let’s go out for pizza” kind of nights. Glancing at his watch, Vince realized it was late even for a Saturday game. It was well past nine, it was dark, and there was church in the morning for most people there.

Lisa didn’t smile as she made sure Amy had everything and then carefully climbed down from one stair to the next. When they reached the bottom, Tamara stood waiting. The look on her face clearly showed her displeasure.

“Vince, when did you get here?” Tamara asked.

“A good half hour ago.”

“Long enough to tell me what you didn’t bother to tell me,” Lisa said.

“It might be nothing,” Tamara insisted. “Massey never sent me a ‘get lost’ message. It was always a ‘you’re mine’ kind of message. Besides, I’ve called the victim information and notification hotline three times, and they say Massey hasn’t been released. Terry says that Massey hasn’t left jail. He hasn’t had any visitors, either. And, apparently, his cellmate is a white-collar criminal who only wants to do his time and get out. Massey’s not a threat.”

“Someone’s a threat,” Vince reminded her.

Tamara nodded. “Only thing new in Massey’s life is some hotshot lawyer he’s hired. Terry says the guy’s trying to get some of my testimony stricken because of lawyer/client confidentiality.”

“Can they do that?” Lisa asked.

“Since I met Massey while I was assisting the attorney who was representing him on a separate matter, yes. Never mind that, after he started stalking me, my firm severed representation. His attorney is going to claim that while testifying, I had knowledge that I wouldn’t have had if I had not been present during the first case. He’s going to go over every transcript of my testimony and look for key phrases, similarities, any time I might have used legal jargon instead of acting like a witness.”

“It doesn’t seem right,” Vince said.

“It’s exactly what I’d be doing if I were his new lawyer. They’re scrounging for reasonable doubt,” Tamara said. “So, now, along with trying to figure out who painted the words on my door, I need to worry about the possibility of Massey’s release.”

“Vince.” Alex, out of breath, and still flying high from being instrumental in the winning run, chose that moment to join them. Grinning, he reached out to shake Vince’s hand. “Good to see you.” Alex let go of Vince’s hand and reached for his wife.

She didn’t move toward him. Instead, through gritted teeth, she muttered, “We’re going to have a little talk with my big sister.”

Concern flickered across Alex’s face.

“No, not about me,” Lisa quickly assured him.

He looked from Lisa, to Vince, to Tamara. His daughter was the only other one present who didn’t have a clue what was going on.

“Great hit, Dad,” Amy said, giving him a hug. She was soon skipping toward the parking lot with another little girl about the same age.

“Okay, what’s going on?” Alex asked.

“Tamara’s not safe,” Lisa said quickly. “She needs to move in with us for a while.”

“I’m not sure if I’m safe or not,” Tamara insisted. “But if I’m not safe, you guys are the last ones I’m going to endanger.” She looked pointedly at Lisa’s stomach. “In a few days, you’ll have another baseball player to worry about, and I’m certainly not going to let my problems become your problems.”

Alex turned to Vince. “Tell me everything.”

It took all of ten minutes, and Tamara only interrupted once a minute.

When they finished, Alex simply shook his head, dropped his bat bag to the ground and went back to the dugout. When Vince saw what Alex had in mind, he followed.

Behind him, he could hear Tamara’s protest and then Lisa’s voice beginning to rise. Tamara immediately hushed.

Jake Ramsey, Sherman’s sheriff, already had his softball gear packed and was ready to head toward his vehicle. He looked happy to see Alex—no doubt, anyone who could hit a triple during overtime had the sheriff’s approval—but he didn’t look as happy to see Vince.

No surprise there.

Vince and the sheriff were well acquainted thanks to the run-ins with the law of Vince’s uncle, dad and brothers. Okay, Vince hadn’t been completely immune to getting into trouble. He just happened to be the Frenci who learned from his mistakes.

“Tell the sheriff everything,” Alex ordered.

“I think the sheriff already knows everything,” Vince said. “Tamara was at the police station this morning. But that doesn’t mean he’s doing everything he can.”

“What do you think I should be doing, Vince?” Jake asked.

“More.”

“You’re right,” Jake said. “There is more I should be doing. Questioning you, for one. You arrived at the scene rather conveniently.”

“I got off work at five. The church is right on my way home. Plus, you know I work there.”

“What made you stop this time?” Jake asked.

“I saw Tamara just standing there, not moving. It wasn’t that hard to tell something was wrong.”

“Never took you for being a concerned citizen.”

Jake was cop through and through. His grandfather had been sheriff, then his father and now Jake. Vince’s family helped keep Jake’s family in business. Drew had been in and out of jail his whole life. Vince’s father, pretty much the same until he disappeared. Vince’s brothers, especially his next oldest brother, Mickey, knew the facility well.

Vince had already been behind bars once. When he was sixteen, he’d been caught stealing a car. His brother Darren had actually stolen the car, but Vince was driving it when the police cruiser had pulled up behind them.

Jake’s father had been the sheriff back then.

“Because of Alex, here, I knew some of what Tamara had been going through back in Phoenix. There’s not a chance I’d just drive by if she needed help.”

“And I’m glad you stopped, but I’m not glad you’re dragging everybody into my business,” Tamara said, walking over to stand next to Vince.

“Forewarned is forearmed,” Vince started.

Alex finished for him. “This is our business, too, and—”

“And I would have informed you about what’s going on once I figured out exactly what is going on,” Tamara remarked.

“It could be a month before that happens,” Vince said snidely. “Sheriff Ramsey, with all due respect, you need…”

Tamara put her finger to her lips, and Vince hushed.

“I can tell you what the sheriff’s doing,” Tamara said. “He’s assigned deputies to drive by my apartment every hour. He’s waiting for a call back from the detective in Phoenix who handled my case. He’s advised me to move in with Lisa and Alex. I’m the one who wanted to hold off for a while. If there’s something that can be done, he’s been doing it.”

Jake looked at Vince. “For years, you’ve been taking care of the grounds at that old church. I’d think you’d know if something funny was happening around the place.”

“Nothing funny has happened except for Tamara buying it and nobody, including me, realizing it was for sale.”

Before Jake could reply, he got a call and took off at a jog toward his car. Vince followed Alex and Tamara back to the bleachers. Lisa tapped her foot impatiently.

“Well, did you find out anything?” Lisa asked.

“Just that there’s nothing yet to find out,” Tamara joked.

It was a feeble attempt, and Vince admired her all the more for making the effort.

“Spend the night at our place,” Lisa said. “If you don’t, I won’t get a wink of sleep.”

“The sheriff has a deputy driving by every hour,” Tamara told Lisa. “I’ve got about ten phone calls to make and I’m expecting about ten phone calls back.”

“Spend the night,” Alex urged. “Tomorrow morning things will look better, and maybe Lisa won’t be so stressed.”

Tamara glanced at Lisa, and finally at Vince. “Okay, it’s probably a good idea. Not that anything’s happened today. Everything happened yesterday.”

Alex, Lisa and Amy headed for their van while Vince walked Tamara across the parking lot. His truck was parked behind her car, and it would be easy to make sure she got what she needed from the apartment and then was on her way to Lisa’s place.

As they walked, he half expected her to give him grief for telling her sister about the warnings, but she was quiet. A bit too quiet.

“Are you all right?” he said.

“No, not really. I haven’t been all right since all this started. And I hate that it’s starting again—the not knowing, the people offering to help when they haven’t a clue how.”

“That would be me.”

“Yeah, in many ways, that would be you. It’s just as bad watching people who you expect to be there for you pull away.”

“That would be your ex-fiancé, Terry?”

She didn’t answer. And, in typically lawyer fashion, her nonanswer was louder than words.

He didn’t know how to respond. This wasn’t the time for small talk or jokes. When she got to the edge of the sidewalk, she stopped.

“We can cross the street now,” he said quietly after a moment. “There’s no cars.”

She didn’t move, and suddenly he remembered her stance yesterday, when she stood on the old church’s sidewalk, unmoving. She looked exactly the same.

He looked across the street at Lydia’s house. It was too dark to see the door.

But it wasn’t the door she was looking at. It was her car. The tires facing them were flat. Not just a bit low but full-out, no-longer-round flat.

“You didn’t have any flat tires when I arrived,” he growled. He took two steps into the street, thought again and turned around to take her by the hand. Together they circled her car.

All four tires were destroyed.

“This only proves,” he pointed out, “that you need to be with family, friends, until we sort this out, because somebody’s out to get you.”

“No,” she said. “Because whoever’s out to get me is willing to get whomever I’m with.”

All four of Vince’s tires were destroyed, too.