Sharing Hailey (19 page)

Damn.
He didn’t know. “Uh. Daniel and I broke up a couple of weeks ago.”

His eyes widened, and his smile faded. “Oh, wow. Sorry. Like I said, I haven’t seen him. I didn’t know.”

Hoping Jeff hadn’t noticed it yet, she turned the box so the mailing address was against her chest. “That’s okay. I’ve been out of town, and Daniel was gone too. Maybe that’s why you haven’t heard from him.” Lame excuse, since she knew he had cell service in Hawaii. She glanced at the counter and tried to will the clerks into hurrying.

He shifted his feet and stared at the dirty white linoleum. “Well, uh, you’re still welcome at the party. Twelve, my place. We’re watching the Bears and Saints.”

“Thanks, but I’ve already made plans for the game.”

His head popped up and relief lit his eyes, belying his next words. “Well, if you change you’re mind, come on by.”

Both clerks freed up within seconds of each other, but with his back to them, Jeff didn’t notice. Hailey nodded to the counter. “Your turn.”

He looked as relieved as she felt. “Well, it was good to see you. Talk to you later.”

“You too. If I see Daniel, I’ll tell him to call you.” No sense in letting Jeff know how acrimonious the breakup had been.

A few minutes later, she had mailed the package and was headed to Mark’s house, excited about spending the evening with her two favorite men. It was dark when she turned off the main road in Corrales onto the narrow, rough road that let to Mark’s house. When the road opened up to the gravel drive in front of the house, the outside security lights where blazing. It looked like daylight.

Daniel’s silver Accord was parked in front of the house. A shadow moved on the porch.

Daniel.

Chapter Eighteen

Panic washed over her. She had to get rid of Daniel before Tony and Mark got back or all hell would break loose. Where were they? Mark had told her he was going to spend the day cleaning his shop, but he obviously wasn’t here now or Daniel wouldn’t be. She hadn’t asked Tony about his plans. Not that it mattered. They’d kill Daniel if they got their hands on him. That would lead to nothing good. Yeah, she definitely needed to get rid of Daniel. And fast.

Nervously she opened the car door and got out, keeping the door between them. Pasting a smile on her face, she tried to sound cheerful when she called, “Hi, Daniel.”

As he left the porch, the shadows cast by the lights made him look tired. Or maybe it wasn’t the lights. His eyes were red. Maybe he
was
tired.

“Where the hell have you been?” he shouted.

Hailey bristled. “What do you mean?”

“I went to Phoenix to meet your flight so I could drive you home. You weren’t on it.”

“I came back a few days early.” Her keys cut into her fingers as she unconsciously clenched her hands. She tried to relax so she could deal with him calmly, rationally. “Daniel, I didn’t ask you to pick me up. I had a ride. You knew that.”

“Because you’re already fucking Allen!”

Her breath caught. How did he know about Mark? Was he guessing? That had to be it.

His mouth twisted with rage. His blue eyes blazed with accusations. “When did it start? New Year’s Eve? Or were you fucking him before? Is that why you went to Hawaii without me? Fucking whore!” His hands fisted and opened, fisted and opened at his sides.

Heart pounding, hands trembling, she tried to think of something to calm him down.

He took a step off the porch, and she knew she’d run out of time. If he got close, he’d do more than shove her against her car. And there was no one around to stop him. She scrambled into the car so fast that she bumped her head. She slammed the door and hit the power locks.

Daniel pounded on her window. “Open up, bitch! Unlock the door!”

Hailey fumbled with her keys, trying to get them in the ignition. She took a deep breath to calm her shaking hands. It helped a little. Daniel had stopped beating on the window. She quickly scanned the yard and gasped when she saw him pick up a thick branch lying on the ground beneath a cottonwood.

Desperation and a sense of unreality finally calmed her enough that she could thread the key into the ignition. The engine started as soon as she turned the key. Before she could shift into reverse, the branch slammed into the driver’s side window. She jumped and ducked to the side, but the branch didn’t come through. Just cracked the glass. She quickly checked behind her then shoved her foot on the accelerator and shot in reverse down the gravel road.

Daniel yelled, but she couldn’t make out his words. She kept going until she reached the driveway of another home. Slowing, she backed in then put the car in drive. The tires spun on the gravel before finally gaining purchase and shooting her down the narrow lane.

She had to get to the police station. It was on the main road just a little north of Mark’s house. If she could get there, get inside, she’d be safe.

The headlights of Daniel’s car appeared in her rearview mirror. She straightened her arms, bracing for the impact, but he didn’t hit her.

At the intersection to the main road, she slowed but didn’t stop as she turned right into traffic. The car she cut off honked, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to put distance between her car and Daniel’s. She checked her rearview mirror in time to see him turning left. He wasn’t following her. She didn’t relax, even when she parked outside of the police station. She looked around to make certain Daniel hadn’t followed her then darted into the building. A female officer sat at a desk in the back.

“Can you help me?” she asked, her voice small and quivering. Her legs were about to give out. She needed to sit. She stumbled to a chair against the wall and sat hard. The room began to spin. She lowered her head until it dangled between her knees.

“Take deep breaths. In through your nose, out through your mouth.” The officer’s voice calmed her even before she followed her instructions. She was safe here. Daniel hadn’t followed her, and even if he had, he wouldn’t dare hurt her while she was in a police station.

She grasped the edges of the wooden chair and pushed herself up. “It’s my ex-boyfriend. He’s really angry. He broke my car window. I think he wanted to kill me.”

“Let me get you something to drink.”

“No!” Hailey reached out for her. “Don’t leave me.”

“Okay. You’re safe here,” she said and smiled gently. “Did he follow you?”

Hailey shook her head. Her mouth was dry as she spoke. “No. I turned right. He went left.”

“That’s good. I’m just going to look out the window.”

Hailey nodded and watched intently as the officer took a few steps to the small glass pane next to the door. When she returned, she said, “All clear. I’m going to step behind the counter and call for backup. I don’t think we’ll need it, but better to be safe.” The officer made a quick call, and Hailey cringed as she heard the words “domestic disturbance.” She didn’t know why. Tony had used the term “domestic violence” to describe her relationship with Daniel. But it was different hearing a police officer say it. That wasn’t her. She didn’t have a husband who beat her, who kept her at home barefoot and pregnant. She had a degree and her own business. She was independent. She traveled alone. She lived alone. She had a home and a car in her name.

The officer interrupted her silent protests. “I want to get a full report from you. But before we start, is there someone I can call? Someone you feel safe with?”

Hailey swallowed and nodded. She pulled her cell phone from her back pocket and stared at it. Tony or Mark?

Tony. Mark had freaked when her brother had yelled at her. He’d totally lose it when he found out Daniel had attacked her. Tony could keep him calm…she hoped.

Again, she wondered where they were.

“I can make the call for you,” the officer offered.

Hailey shook her head. “Thanks, but I think I’d better do it. If you call, he might think I’m dead.”

“We don’t do that over the phone,” the officer said. “We do it in person. But I understand. He’ll feel better if he hears your voice.”

Hailey gave her a wan but grateful smile. “Yes.”

Tony answered on the first ring, not giving her time to think about what she would say. “Hey, sunshine. What’s up?” His voice was cheerful. Damn it. She was about to ruin his day.

“Um.” She cleared her throat and took a deep breath.

“What’s wrong, Hailey?” From cheerful to alarmed in two seconds.

“I’m fine,” she blurted, then moderated her voice, trying to sound unruffled. “I just had a little problem with Daniel. I’m at the Corrales police station. Can you come down here?”

“Are you hurt?”

“No, he didn’t touch me. The window on my car…well, I’m gonna need a new one.”

“Are you
inside
the station?”

“Yes. I’m with the police officer.”

Some of the tension left his voice. “Okay, hang on a sec.” He must have covered the phone or lowered it from his mouth because his words were so muffled she couldn’t understand them. Then he was back with her. “Hailey?”

“Yeah, I’m still here.”

“We’re on our way. We’re just down the street at the grocery store. I’m driving, so I’m going to hand you off to Mark. Keep him on the line until we get to the station. Do you understand me, Hailey? I don’t want you to hang up.”

Good thing she’d charged her battery yesterday.

“Babe?”

“Mark, I’m okay,” she hurried to reassure him. “Really. I don’t want you to worry.”

“Tell me what happened.” His voice was tight.

“Okay, but can you wait a minute?”

His words were clipped, not his typical Texas drawl. “Make it a quick minute.”

Hailey lowered the phone. “They’re worried.” Okay, an understatement. “They don’t want me to hang up until they get here. Is that okay with you?”

The officer smiled reassuringly. “That’s fine. It looks like you’ve got your legs back. Come on back to my desk. You can talk there.”

Haley followed her to the back of the room.

When they stopped in front of the desk, the officer extended her hand. “I’m Deborah Lujan.”

She shook her hand. “Hailey Anderson.”

“Have a seat, Ms. Anderson. Do you mind if I make some notes while you’re on the telephone?”

“No, please, do whatever you need to do. Thank you for your help.”

“You’re welcome.”

The chair Officer Lujan offered put Hailey’s back to the door, which made her uncomfortable, so she angled it to the side so she could see the front door but didn’t have her back to the police officer. She sat and lifted the cell to her ear. “Mark?”

“Yeah, babe. Still here. Tell me what happened.”

She sighed. “When I got home tonight, Daniel was there waiting for me.”

“Wait. Your home or mine?”

She chewed her bottom lip, reluctant to tell him. He’d blame himself for not being there.

“Hailey? Did you hear me?”

“Your house,” she said softly.

He groaned before repeating what she’d said to Tony.

“I was hoping to get rid of him before you and Tony got home, but he was really angry. He said some things…”

“What did he say?”

She curled her shoulders forward protectively as she repeated his hateful words.

Mark didn’t say anything, and she wondered if she’d lost him. “Are you still there?”

“Yes,” he answered. It sounded like he was barely keeping his anger in check.

Officer Lujan returned to the desk and handed Hailey a cold bottle of water. Hailey mouthed, “Thanks.” Officer Lujan nodded then sat behind her desk.

Hailey heard Tony’s voice. Mark answered him, telling him what she’d said. As he spoke, the station door opened. Hailey whipped around, facing it fully. Terror gripped every cell in her body. At first, all she saw was the silhouette of a man in the doorway. Her mouth opened to scream, but only a squeak came out. A light hand rested on her shoulder and squeezed.

Officer Lujan spoke, her voice gentle. “It’s okay. He’s backup. He’s one of the good guys.”

Little by little she relaxed until she could make out the details of the uniform and then the face. It wasn’t Daniel. This guy was bigger, not as good-looking.

“I’ll be right back,” Officer Lujan said before she went to speak with the other policeman.

Mark’s sharp voice snapped her attention back to the phone. “Hey, are you still there? What’s happening? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry.” She swallowed. “Someone else just came in. I thought it might be Daniel.”

“I should have driven. Tony drives like an old man.” She suspected he was trying to lighten things up, but frustration and anger made his voice brittle.

“It’s okay. I’m okay. I was just startled. Don’t get angry with Tony. This isn’t his fault.”

“I know that. I’m not angry with him. I’m just frustrated. I want a transporter. Beam me up, Scotty,” he said drily.

She continued the story while Mark relayed it to Tony.

When she finished, Mark asked, “He didn’t touch you?”

“No.”

“We’ll get a restraining order,” he said.

“Okay.” She didn’t know if that would help. It was just a piece of paper. But she didn’t tell Mark that. She didn’t want him killing Daniel and getting himself thrown in jail.

Because she was pretty sure he’d do just that.

“Hey, we’re only a few blocks away.”

She thought she had it under control. She felt calm, self-possessed. She even laughed at something Mark said. She mentally patted herself on the back. She was fine now. Everything was going to be okay.

Until both men walked into the station. The moment they strode through the door, their expressions concerned, their protectiveness filling the room, their bodies so big their presence seemed to shelter her from everything bad in the world, her chin began to quiver. She tried to hold it back, but a sob escaped, then another and another. Before she could stand, Tony crossed the room and enfolded her in his arms. Hugging her tightly, he rubbed small, soothing circles up and down her back.

“I’m so sorry,” she repeated over and over between sobs that she tried to choke down.

Tony murmured, “Shhh, shhh. It’ll be okay.”

Finally, she stopped apologizing and wept, abandoning all efforts to maintain control. She was aware of Mark speaking in low tones to Officer Lujan, but she didn’t know what they were saying. She didn’t care. She didn’t have to do anything now. Tony and Mark were here. They’d take care of everything.

Her sobs abated to sniffles. When she lifted her face from Tony’s tear-dampened chest, Mark handed her a tissue. She was suddenly exhausted, but the release had also left her feeling cleansed and, for the moment, serene.