Resurrecting Charlie's Girl (9 page)

"We'll
be taken to a safe house. Pete, Joe, and Garrett will be with us." Tom
spun the salt shaker on the table between his hands and kept his gaze on the
front door of the diner.

"And
then?" She clasped her hands under the table. "I don't get it. Who's
going after Jared?"

"All
four of us are there to protect you Charlise. You'll be safer if I have
backup." He set the salt shaker back, and fiddled with the silverware laid
out on the paper napkin.

Charlise
watched the traffic whiz by outside. His game plan didn't make sense. Unless…

"Oh,
I do get it," she muttered. "No one's going after Jared."

Her
hopes plummeted. After all this and she still wasn't safe? That couldn't be
true.

Tom
shoved the utensils away and glared at her. "The Feds sent out
APB's." He unfurled a finger from his closed fist for each statement.
"They're investigating the murder of Bill. So, yeah, someone's going after
Jared."

Charlise
sank back in the booth. "The bomb— she squeezed her eyes shut, inhaled,
then opened her eyes to meet Tom's gaze, daring him to lie to her—He's mad,
isn't he? He wants to kill me, not take me back where he can control me. He's
no longer interested in keeping me alive."

She
raised a shaky hand to her head as she realized that Jared wouldn't be
satisfied with keeping her under his power at home. No, he wanted her dead.
Along with anyone who helped her.

Tom
reached out and took her hand in both of his. "I'll protect you, Charlise.
Blatwell stepped this up a notch by setting that bomb."

He
eased back when the waitress returned with food laden plates.

"Here
ya go. Two orders of burgers and fries. A cup of coffee for you, ma'am, and a
double chocolate shake for you, sir." The waitress slid the bill under
Tom's plate and hurried away.

Not
hungry anymore, Charlise stared down at the plate of food. She'd been given so
much by Tom and his associates. In all fairness, she owed them big time.

Determined
to see this through, she chewed and swallowed a bite of burger. "I do
understand, Tom. I'm the one who dragged you into this mess. Whatever it takes,
I'm game."

She
sipped her coffee and managed to eat one of the burgers by the time Tom
finished both of his. She didn't think it wise to try for the second hamburger
with the way her stomach was doing flip-flops, and ended up asking the passing
waitress for a takeout box.

"I'm
going to the restroom. If anyone comes in and makes you uncomfortable, stand up
and scream your head off." Tom scooted out of the booth.

Not
quite able to smile, Charlise held her coffee cup in both hands and drank. She
kept watch on the front door. The burger and fries renewed her energy and with
it, some of her hope. She eyed the clock on the wall behind the counter. Only
ten more minutes until their ride would be there.

Tom
took a long time in the restroom. Charlise paid the waitress with money Tom
left with her. Becoming concerned with his tardiness, she frowned and glanced
in the direction of the restrooms. Could Jared or one of his thugs have slipped
in and cornered him?

She
stared at the clock, more worried about Tom's disappearance than about someone
entering the restaurant. She'd give him two more minutes. Somewhere between Tom
saving her and the way he hadn't run away screaming during her meltdown, she'd
fallen in love.

Love
sure came at a crappy time.

Charlise
scooted to the end of the booth and dangled her legs off the edge. She finished
counting to one hundred and to her relief, Tom walked out of the kitchen area. She
raised an eyebrow at his approach."Everything okay?"

His
eyes crinkled at the corners, and he hid his hands behind his back as he stood
in front of her.

"Got
you something, Charlie's girl." Tom handed her a pair of running shoes.

Practically
brand new running shoes. She squealed behind her hands and raised tear-filled
eyes to his. "Seriously?"

"As
a heart attack." Tom grinned and the sight of his dimples caused her tears
to cascade down her cheeks.

She
ignored the other customers who turned to catch the action at the back of the
room. Not caring who witnessed her good fortune, she took off her socks, and
looked around for a place to put them.

"I'll
take those." Tom took the socks from her, pulled a more feminine pair of
socks from his back pocket, and handed them to her.

"Socks,
too?" She smiled as she pulled them on her feet. "But how?
Where?"

"A
kind waitress keeps a spare pair in her locker, and with a little incentive,
decided to give them to you." He winked, and darned if that dimple of his
didn't make a second appearance tonight.

She
held her foot out, turned it this way and that to admire her new shoes. "They
fit perfectly."

"Great."
He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the booth. "We need to go."

Charlise
threw her arms around his waist and gave him a hug that said everything she
couldn't say aloud. The simple things this man did meant so much, and even in
the face of danger, he gave her something so beautiful, even death paled in
comparison.

"Our
ride's here." Tom pointed his chin in the direction of the parking lot.

She
followed his gaze and sure enough, a squad car was parked out front. At least
she could walk out with a pair of shoes on and a newfound confidence. Damn it
all, those shoes meant a lot to her.

***

Charlise
slept most of the way to the safe house cuddled against Tom's side in the back
of the squad car. Tom's attempt at a normal conversation with the deputy escorting
them relaxed her and she was asleep in seconds. His gentle nudge on her
shoulder woke her and they thanked the officer before getting out of the
cruiser.

When
the car's taillights disappeared down the street, Tom linked hands with her and
led her up to the house. She pulled on his hand to stop him before they went
inside. She looked into his beautiful eyes.

"Thank
you for everything you've done. Getting me away from Jared, keeping me safe,
and teaching me to fly a kite—she held up her foot—the shoes."

Tom
leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. She tipped her chin down the
second his mouth left hers. "About yesterday—"

He
covered her lips with his finger. "Don't worry about it. When this is all
over, you can tell me everything that pops into that pretty little head of
yours. Everything that needs to be said between us can wait. We
will
have time, Charlise."

Her
chin quivered with emotion. She never dreamed a man so kind would enter her
life and sweep her off her feet in the middle of the worse time of her life.

Tom
tugged on her hand and led her inside the safe house. Butterflies, of the
nervous kind, fluttered. They were no longer alone.

His
associates were gathered around the kitchen table that was covered in paperwork
and files. Tom found a seat for them both and then said, "Fill me
in."

Garrett
nodded at Tom, and turned toward Charlise. "You hangin' in there?"

She
tried to muster a smile, and failed. To ask these men to put their life on the
line wasn't right. She had no money to her name to pay them for their kindness.
Plus, she hated the fact that she needed to draw others into a situation that could
get them hurt or killed.

Garrett
shoved a paper across the table. "Tom, here's the update."

Tom
picked up one of the papers, and she leaned over to read the information too.
The fact that her real name stood out right underneath Jared Blatwell's made
her lightheaded.

"This
isn't a typical man-obsessed-with-his-ex case. Sorry Charlise, you'll have to
excuse the frank talk, I'm afraid." Garrett tipped his head in apology.

Charlise
waved a hand at him, shrugging off the need to apologize. "Please, go on.
It's okay."

"I
have no doubt that Blatwell will find the safe house. The only thing we don't
know is when." Garrett rubbed his chin.

Tom
flipped the paper over and the muscle in his jaw bulged. The expression on his
face made Charlise lean away from him. Whatever he read shocked him.
Oh God.

The
paper in his hand shook. She wished the file didn't exist.

What
she'd lived through embarrassed and humiliated her. To have Tom read the police
bio on her killed what little self-esteem she had. On paper, she probably
appeared insane. Jared always painted her as the jealous wife and unstable
woman. The police never believed her, only Jared's side of the story made an
impression.

Tom
needed to understand that whatever he read came from the fact she didn't have a
choice in what Jared said or did to her. She'd lived a prisoner's life and had
done the best she could under the circumstances.

"Tom?"
Joe's voice sounded too loud in the room.

Tom
lifted his head and he stared at Charlise. His jaw slack, he rubbed a hand over
his whiskered chin.

God,
she wanted to die of embarrassment.
Just say it. Tell me how screwed up I
really am.

She
leaned forward and carefully peeled the paper out of his white knuckled grip.

The
moment she pried the paper away from him, he blinked. A slow smile replaced the
puzzled expression, and he laughed.

My
life isn't funny!
Charlise crumbled the paper in her
fist. Nothing noted in the paperwork should make him laugh like that. Whatever
the officers claimed she did was a lie.

Humor
and laughter kept coming from Tom. Every time he tried to speak, he filled the
kitchen with more laughter. Charlise tapped her foot on the floor and threw the
paper onto the table. Fine. If he wanted to make an ass of himself, he could,
but if he thought laughing at her was funny, he'd better think again.

"Oh,
stop it." She slapped his arm. "Really,Tom."

Tom
braced himself on his knee and attempted to hold in the laughter, but the sight
of his shoulders convulsing under the pressure gave him away. She decided to
wait until he settled down.

"I
think he's lost it." Pete smiled. "Can I have his office back at
HQ?"

"He's
a dumbass," Charlise muttered.

"That
he is, Charlise, but I think I know what his problem is." Garrett winked
at Pete.

"Oh,
do tell, boss." Joe scooted forward on his chair. "This should be
interesting. Not often to we get to have something to hold over Tom."

"Oh
God, stop…I should have known." Tom sucked in air, the chuckles subsided,
but his eyes danced with delight when he smiled over at her.

"Known
what? That you're crazy? Yep, you are." Charlise glared at him and pursed
her lips.

"Look."
Tom picked up the crumpled paper and smoothed it out on the table. He thumped
it with his knuckle.

She
glanced down. Okay. A picture of her. Not the best one she'd seen, but
whatever. He'd have to give her more than that if he wanted her to understand
what was so freaking hilarious to him. "What about it?"

His
dimple caved in deeper than ever before. "This picture explains so
much."

"So
much what?" She snorted. "Spit it out. What's wrong with my
picture?"

"You're
a redhead. Under all that black hair dye, you Charlise are an absolutely
beautiful redhead." He twisted around in his chair, hands out in
supplication with a huge grin on his face.

Charlise
gaped at him, then gazed around the table. The other guys wore a similar grin. "You're
all crazy…"

Garrett
cleared his throat and pushed out of his chair. "Tom has a—he waved his
hand in the air—thing for red heads."

A
thing, huh? Charlise quirked an eyebrow at him and tried to stop her lips from
twitching. "Are you serious?"

"Jesus,
I should have known that temper came from somewhere. How was I to know?"
Tom leaned over to squint at her face. "Not a damn freckle in sight."

"So
sue me." Charlise rolled her eyes.

Tom
leaned over and wrapped his arms around her. The whispered words in her ear
made heat flood her cheeks.

"Sassy
and sexy redheads fascinate the hell out of me." His blue eyes ate her up.
"I'll show you exactly how much as soon as we close the case."

Garrett
cleared his throat, Joe coughed, and Pete turned red in the face and got up to
pace. Tom stood, but left a hand on Charlise's shoulder. She ducked her chin.
Pleased and slightly embarrassed, she'd finally done something Tom approved of.

Garrett
sat back down. "Let's get down to securing the house. Pete, set up the
cameras along the road."

Pete
gave him a thumbs' up sign and rose. Garrett waited for Pete to leave, and then
instructed Tom, "You two are going to have to draw him out."

Tom
grimaced. "I suspected as much."