The Guarded Widow (6 page)

“We gotta get back to the station, Gav.”

“Oh certainly, I’ll see you out.”

She turned in time to see Michael galloping into the kitchen.

“Hey Mom, can we have more popcorn?” he asked, studying their company with a curious tilt of his head. “What’s with the cops?”

He didn’t wait for his mother to answer.

After noticing Gavin, he grinned with recognition. “Hey you were the ref at our last basketball game!”

Gavin smiled and introduced himself, gripping Michael’s hand within his own with a firm handshake. “You’re right. You’re on Bob Rathton’s team. You played a good game last Saturday.”

Michael beamed from the praise.

“Thanks! I’ll see you at the next game, Officer Rafferty,” he said before running off to await his popcorn.

Olivia glanced up at Gavin and, for the first time since he’d strode through her front door, she felt herself soften toward him just a little bit. Then she led the two men toward the front door and stepped back, waiting for Ron to pass through. Once he did, she angled her face and offered Gavin a genuine smile.

His first thought was, damn she’s pretty. He acted on his second thought. Leaning over, he firmly placed his hand upon her arm and lowered his head, dropping his voice so only she could hear him.

His face was so close she was forced to stare up into his icy blue eyes. “You’re a terrible liar, Olivia.”

For a split second, what he’d said did not even register. Once it did, she tensed up and glared at him, hissing furiously, “What are you insinuating, Officer Rafferty?”

“Don’t get all fired up again,” he murmured. “I know you weren’t completely forthright tonight. Barton mentioning those footprints bothered you. I can guarantee you that I’ll be returning at a later time, without Officer Barton, to find out what you’re omitting.”

He released her arm and grinned.

“Good evening, Olivia Jones. I’ll see you soon.”

As he descended the front steps, his grin widened even more as the front door slammed so hard he could feel the steps reverberate underneath him. Then he strode out to the police cruiser and climbed in beside his visibly amused partner.

“So, that’s why you pulled up the Jones report the other night,” Barton smirked as he gnawed on a coffee stirrer. “Spill it, Gav.”

Olivia stood in the kitchen, surveying the damage created by the boys popping their own popcorn, and then bent over to pick up the scattered pieces which trailed into the family room. Disgusted, she admonished herself. I can’t believe that I actually started to like him for a minute. As she gathered up the plastic cellophane wrappers someone left on the counter, she vowed she’d never drop her defenses with Gavin Rafferty again.

Feeling exhausted, she wandered into the family room and cuddled up with her sons to finish watching their movie with them.

He was highly pissed off and chased his foul mood with a double shot of whiskey. Tom Jones’s house had been a dead end. But he knew, without a shred of doubt, that Tom had kept copies of all their client’s insurance policies.

“Where the hell are they?” he growled and poured himself another shot of whiskey. Then, before his cell phone even indicated an incoming call, he lifted it and sneered.

“Prompt as always.”

After kicking back his shot glass and welcoming the familiar burn, he slammed it down with a heavy thud against the surface of the hotel night stand.

“I didn’t locate the policies yet,” he stated. “So I figured that I'm going to have to talk to the wife.”

The way he pronounced the word, talk, insinuated it held an entirely different meaning than its true definition.

“Don’t worry. I’ll locate them and destroy them before Tom Jones manages to incriminate us from the grave,” he angrily promised before abruptly terminating the call. His final shot of whiskey prompted a sardonic smile; he anticipated his meeting with the attractive Mrs. Jones.

Olivia lay wide awake, listening to the wind as it whipped through the trees and violently slammed against the side of the house. Unable to sleep, she slipped out of bed and padded soundlessly down the hall. Careful to not awaken her sons, she quietly opened Tommy’s bedroom door wider and peeked in on him. He was haphazardly sprawled across his bed, sleeping on his stomach. Following the urge to mother him, she smoothed back his hair to kiss his forehead and noted that the twin size mattress he was lying on was starting to look rather small for her almost twelve year old son.

She snuck into Michael’s room next. He was flat on his back with his head under the covers, grinding his teeth in his sleep. Pulling back his quilt, she placed her lips on his hair and inhaled deeply. With a smile she realized Michael was just as high strung as Tom had once been, manifesting his stress nocturnally. Then she readjusted his covers and went to check on the twins. After successfully tiptoeing through the minefield of toys on James and Luke’s bedroom floor, she kissed each of their cheeks and snugly tucked their blankets in around them.

Then she stopped by her own bedroom to collect her pillow and alarm clock before proceeding down the stairs. Not wanting to feel trapped in her second floor bedroom, Olivia decided she’d sleep on the living room couch for the next few nights.
 

Humming happily while she strolled through the supermarket, Maddy wished she could be a fly on the wall as she wondered how Olivia would respond after listening to the voicemail she’d just left. Having decided that Thad Wolfe, the long term sub, would be a much better choice to re-enter the world of dating with, as opposed to Jeff Masters, she’d taken the liberty of setting the plan in motion. Although she did feel a small amount of guilt about manipulating her own sister, she shrugged, figuring Olivia would get over it.

“It’s for her own good,” Maddy muttered aloud.

She truly couldn’t comprehend her sister’s way of thinking. Maddy was the type of woman who thoroughly enjoyed men. Never wanting to be tied down to just one man, she believed it was her sisterly duty to help Olivia through this dry spell.

I guess I’ll just never understand her, she decided as she rushed into the express lane, fully aware that the basket hanging heavily on her arm held more than the ten allotted items.

“Excuse me,” an unfamiliar male stated from behind her.

Maddy slowly turned around to face the owner of the voice, completely prepared to dazzle him with her most jaw dropping smile.

“You‘re Olivia Jones’s sister, right?”

She had to tilt her head back in order to completely view the handsome masculine face, recognizing him she offered him a flirtatious smile.

“Yes, I’m Maddy Spangler,” she purred. Demurely dropping her voice, she glanced up at him through veiled lashes. “How are you, Gavin Rafferty?”

“I’m fine. Actually, I was just wondering how Olivia faired after last night?”

As he’d spoken, he peered into her basket and noted she had about twenty items shoved in there.

“This is the express lane,” he grumbled before Maddy had the chance to answer him.

“Oh Gavin, you’re so observant.” Maddy smiled widely, placing a hand on his arm. “Did you see my sister last night?” She pretended to pout. “Is she withholding steamy information from me?”

“Oh your sister’s withholding something,” he muttered, moving his arm out of her reach. Then he narrowed his eyes. “She didn’t tell you about someone just walking right into her house yesterday, while she was at work?”

That’s incredible, he thought irritably, Olivia Jones doesn’t even open up with her own sister.

“What are you talking about?” Maddy demanded.

Her delicate brows furrowed with consternation as she altogether dropped her flirtatious demeanor. Now her sole purpose was no longer attracting his attention, but completely focused on getting answers.

Gavin curiously watched her transformation, noting she was definitely peeved.

“Sorry, I just assumed she would’ve called you after Barton and I left,” Gavin replied. “Everyone’s okay, nothing was missing, but whoever it was, walked right in by swiping the house key off the front porch.”

“Oh, that sister of mine,” Maddy declared. Thoughtfully, she sank her top teeth into her bottom lip and then pondered aloud. “Maybe the boys really did see a man skulking about in the woods this past weekend.”

So there it is, Gavin thought. The information Olivia didn’t want to offer up last night.

“Hey Maddy, I’m really sorry if I upset you,” he told her as she paid the bill and collected her bags.

“Oh, you certainly didn’t.” My sister sure has though, Maddy fumed with her jaw clenched in frustration. After nodding a goodbye, she rushed out in order to get back to school before the lunch break ended.

As Gavin paid for his groceries, he decided this afternoon would be an opportune time to grant an unannounced visit to Olivia Jones.

Olivia decided it was prudent to ditch her previous plans and spend the morning having copies of the spare house key made, with the intent of securing one to each of the boys’ book bags. When she returned home, she completed a reassuring search of the house, which was unnerving, since she’d never felt compelled to do so before yesterday, and then began tackling the never ending housework. She’d just finished stripping the kids’ beds when the doorbell rang. An impetuous glance out Tommy’s bedroom window allowed her enough time to mentally prepare for Gavin Rafferty before she even began descending the staircase. Swiftly walking to the front door, she flung it wide open and stood glaring at him with her hands on her hips.

Gavin snarled at her. “Don’t you even ask who it is before you open up your home to a potential stranger?”

She gave him a nasty smile. “What does it matter when someone just waltzed right in yesterday by using the house key?”

Nudging her aside, he entered in, uninvited. “Maybe you shouldn’t leave your house key sitting on your front porch,” he ground out with obvious restraint. “Now tell me Olivia, why didn’t you inform us last night, about the man who’d been seen trespassing on your property this past weekend?”

Clamping a firm hand over her arm, he began leading her down the hallway toward the kitchen.

“Welcome to my home! Come on in and make yourself comfortable,” she gritted from between clenched teeth as she attempted to wrench her arm out from under his iron clad grip.

When he failed to release her, she angrily demanded her release.

Irritation seeped through him as she huffed by, vigorously rubbing her newly freed arm.

“Who told you about this supposed trespasser?”

“Your sister, Maddy. As a matter of fact, she seemed rather shocked to find out that Barton and I made a trip out here last night.”

Olivia stared at him.

“Did you go down to the kindergarten classroom and drag my sister around to get her to answer questions too?”

“Actually, I saw her at the supermarket during her lunch break,” Gavin replied, amicably. Then he asked again. “Why didn’t you tell us, Olivia?”

He started walking toward her, very slowly, not stopping until he had her wedged between him and the kitchen counter. The hard counter ended her retreat by pressing into her bottom so she lifted her chin, completely prepared to meet him eye to eye, ready to stand her ground.

“I didn’t remember,” she defiantly stated, staring right at him.

His patience was coming to an end, rapidly. He slammed his hands palm down against the counter top, one on each side of her body and prevented her from moving away from him. As Gavin towered over her, he was shocked by the unexplainable sudden urge to know how that insolent mouth would feel under his.

Not one to back down from a fight, Olivia kept her eyes level with his and saw the unmistakable change occur in his eyes. He was so close, she could feel the heat emanating off his body.

“Bullshit!” Gavin snapped, his control finally slipping. He stalked away to give himself some distance. “I’m a cop. I can tell when someone’s lying to me.”

Relieved to have him out of her personal space, Olivia reluctantly acknowledged an unanticipated tinge of disappointment roll over her. For a split second, one delightfully terrifying second, she’d thought he was actually going to kiss her. And for some unbelievable reason, she’d honestly hoped he would. I must be going insane from stress and lack of sleep, Olivia decided.

She folded her arms over her chest and cast him a side-long glance, watching Gavin scowl at her weakened her prideful resolve.

“Fine. I was in shock. When Ron said he saw those boot prints, I just didn’t want to believe that it could possibly be true.” She sighed as she ran her hand through her hair. “I have no idea why someone would sneak around or enter my house. I’m sorry that I lied. I’m just feeling overwhelmed as I try to process what happened yesterday.”

Gavin, instead of acknowledging her confession, only spun on his heels and began walking through her house.

“Now, what are you doing?” she asked, hurrying as she followed him up the staircase to the second floor.