The Secret Life of Bryan (10 page)

Picturing Bryan in a store, sorting through all the varieties, stocking up on feminine products, brought a smile to her face. What a guy.

She turned on her cell phone. While she was out, she’d call Dawn. Her friend did like to fret.

Not bothering to change clothes—since she had nothing to change into—Shay threw her purse strap over her arm and headed out, facing the day with a whistle and a lot of anticipation.

W
earing a low-billed cap and mirrored sunglasses, Bryan watched Shay leave the safe house. She looked young and energetic and full of purpose. His instincts insisted that he follow her, not only because he didn’t trust her, but because he still couldn’t shake off the damn dream. He wanted to see what she was up to, and he needed to make sure she stayed safe.

Idiot.

Even as he cursed himself, he kept her in his sights. She headed for the bus stop, drawing a lot of attention along the way. Shay wasn’t a woman anyone could ignore—male or female.

Chili was still at the bar, hanging outside, looking for ways to waste his money. His shirt was more out than tucked in, and he barely managed to stay upright on his feet. He eyed Shay as she passed him, his expression covetous behind his glasses. Bryan made a mental note to have a talk with the little cretin, especially since he seemed to be skulking about a lot more often.

Men in recessed doorways, in various stages of drunkenness, tracked Shay with their blurry gazes. The pawnshop owner, a fifty-year-old woman, stopped sweeping her walk to stare. The newspaper vendor did the same.

Oblivious to them all, Shay slipped on sunglasses and continued on her way, her expression lost in thought.

She wasn’t wearing a see-through dress today, but still she captivated one and all. It wasn’t the clothes; it was the woman.

Bryan groaned. Hell, he was doomed.

He waited until Shay got on the noisy bus, then he followed along in the station wagon. At each stop, he waited to see if she’d depart, but it wasn’t until they reached the nicer area on the outskirts of downtown that he spotted her bright hair and long-legged stride among the crowd leaving the bus. She separated herself, striding up the main street to a family-style Italian restaurant. Bryan pulled to the curb and kept the car running while he watched her go inside.

It was almost half an hour before she came back out, accompanied by an older, rotund man in an apron who kept his arm around her with obvious affection. Shay smiled down at the shorter man. She kissed him on the cheek, accepted his hug, and walked away.

The sun was already high in the sky and despite a gentle breeze, the day had warmed considerably.

It had nothing on Bryan’s temper.

Rather than return to the bus stop at that point, Shay traipsed across the street to a tidy clothing store, then into a coffee shop, and after that, a private gallery.

After each visit, she left grinning.

And so the morning went. Bryan followed her from one destination to the next. She spent anywhere from twenty to forty minutes in each establishment.

After visiting no less than ten places up and down the main street, she hailed a cab.

What the hell was she up to?

In the back of Bryan’s mind grew the ugly thought that she might be servicing regulars, gathering up some ready cash. His hands fisted on the steering wheel and his guts cramped.

He hated the idea so much that he talked himself out of it. After all, she wore no makeup this morning, had her hair in a plain ponytail, and wore the used clothing he’d given to her yesterday. Logically, she couldn’t be working.

But then, even dressed down, Shay looked more edible than any woman he’d ever seen.

His anger simmered. All her dealings were with men, of all ages, build and familiarity. Hell, she seemed to know everyone in this neck of the woods. Why she had to visit them all now, if not for business, he couldn’t guess.

But he’d figure her out sooner or later.

The cab left the business area for the suburbs, and Bryan, a pro at tracking, held back so Shay wouldn’t notice him.

Finally the cab pulled up in a residential area. Small brick homes lined the street, each nearly identical to the one beside it. Only the trim colors on shutters and gutters offered any variety. Enormous trees were everywhere, dating the area. Family-style cars, mostly older, were parked all along the street.

Bryan stopped several yards away, inching the wagon in behind a minivan that helped conceal him. A group of kids ran down the street kicking a ball, chased by a dog. It was the type of neighborhood he’d grown up in: far from wealthy, but wholesome and clean.

His dad had done a hell of a job with them. Raising two kids alone couldn’t have been easy, but not once had Bryan ever heard his dad complain.

After paying the cabbie, Shay strolled up a cracked walkway lined by colorful flowers, to a concrete porch shaded by a massive elm. It was a small yard, lush with vegetation, flanked by another house on the right only two yards away. On the left was an empty building, and a narrow alley that led to another street and more houses.

A young, quite petite woman met Shay at the door. Of course, standing next to Shay would make most women seem short. Bryan guessed the woman to be in her late twenties. She had very dark skin, stylishly short hair, and a wide smile of welcome. They were obviously friends.

She held the door open for Shay to enter, and Bryan caught a glimpse of Leigh, the girl he and Shay had discussed the night before. She hovered in the doorway, anxious to see Shay.

Shay drew her into a warm, friendly hug.

Bryan stared so hard that he almost missed the shadow at the side of the porch, by the alley. Unlike the shade of the tree that moved and shifted with the breeze, this shadow remained still, too still. Bryan pulled off his hat and glasses, then leaned over his steering wheel, keeping his attention divided between the front door and the side yard. He waited, his senses on alert.

The shadow shifted and a shrouded head appeared.

Well, well, well, Bryan thought, already sliding from his car in silent fury. The hot September sun beat down on him, yet the intruder had dressed in dark clothes, complete with a loose-fitting sweatshirt and hood. The clothes were so concealing that Bryan couldn’t catch a single distinguishing feature.

He crept forward, his movements silent, undetectable, as he skirted from the car to a tree, waited, and then moved along the length of the van, staying out of sight of anyone from the house. Tuning out the sounds of kids, barking dogs and running cars, he concentrated on his timing, preparing to lunge so he could take the guy by surprise. He waited, gathering his control—and suddenly Shay was there.

She stepped around the end of the van, hands on her hips, sunlight glinting off her fair hair.

Bryan was so startled to see her, he didn’t at first move. She managed to look down her nose at him. “I knew it! You followed me. How dare you!”

Goddamn it.
Knowing she’d already scared off the intruder, Bryan thrust Shay behind him. “Get in the wagon and lock the doors!”

In the distance, he could see the guy shooting down the alley. He was small and wiry, his feet flying over the ground. Bryan ran hard. He heard Shay call to him, but he ignored her, keeping his attention on the quickly disappearing body. If he got distracted now, he’d lose him.

As Bryan ran past the house he yelled to Shay’s friend on the porch, “Get inside!”

The man skidded around the end of the alley and was out of sight. But Bryan didn’t stop. In his mind, he remembered the shape his brother had been in after being attacked, the bruises and cuts…This had to be related somehow.

He’d be damned before he let a woman get hurt like that. He shot around the corner—and stalled. There was confusion everywhere. Youths were shooting basketball, a woman was unloading groceries from her car, two older folks were talking. But he didn’t see the man. He turned a fast circle, bouncing on the balls of his feet, ready to break into another run…but he had no idea which way to go.

Damn it.

One boy, around ten or eleven years old, stared at Bryan.

“Where’d he go?” Bryan demanded.

The kid pointed up the street, but didn’t say a word. The road was long, with side roads cutting across every ten houses and numerous large trees, fences and detached garages.

Running a hand through his sweaty hair, Bryan asked, “Did he turn anywhere? Did you see where he went?”

The woman stepped away from her car, her expression growing suspicious. “What’s going on? You a cop?”

“No, ma’am. I saw that guy sneaking around your neighbor’s property, and then he took off running.” Bryan shrugged. “So I chased him.”

“Well, he’s gone now. I doubt you’ll find him.” She caught the bag under one arm, and with the other, corralled the kids like a small herd of cattle. “Inside. Let’s go. All of you.”

She didn’t look at Bryan again. He ground his teeth, so frustrated he wanted to shout.

Someone touched his arm. Even before he turned, Bryan knew it was Shay. His temper snapped and he rounded on her.
“I told you to get in the car.”

Her eyes widened in stunned disbelief. “I don’t take orders from you.”

Her defiance was like gasoline on a blazing fire. Bryan snagged her arm and started walking her back the way he’d come, through the alley and toward the house where Leigh and the other woman waited.

Shay tried to pull away, and when he didn’t immediately release her, she gave up. “You’re making a spectacle of yourself.”

“Do I give a damn? Someone was stalking you.”

“Yeah.
You.”
She stumbled to keep up with him.

He snorted. Because he needed a minute to calm the adrenaline rush, he didn’t answer. He was afraid he’d say things he’d regret.

Shay didn’t own an ounce of caution. “I knew you were following me, Bryan.”

“Not a chance.” He was better than that. Hell, he followed people for a living.
No one
ever caught on to him.

Shay nodded. “From the time I left the house, though I didn’t see you at first. I just felt you watching me. When did you get the wagon?”

Bryan stopped and stared at her. They were under an enormous oak with chatty squirrels overhead. He knew Leigh was on the porch, peering around to watch them. Bees were buzzing, the grass was hot from the sun.

Clenching his teeth, he struggled to keep his voice low. “I was in the wagon the whole time.”

She frowned. “No, at first you were following me in a cab. Then on foot. Then in the car—”

“No, Shay.” He rubbed the back of his neck, so annoyed with himself he could have chewed nails. “You probably caught on to that other bastard following you. And if I’d been on my toes, I’d have caught on to him, too.”

“The guy you were just chasing?” She sounded very perplexed. “And why
were
you chasing him?”

Bryan thrust his face close to hers. “He was hanging around the side of the house, snooping, trying to listen in. It’s hot as Hades out here, but he wore a hooded jacket. Maybe to conceal himself. But maybe to conceal a gun.”

Her mouth fell open. “You mean…” Worry replaced her indignation. “Oh God, then he knows where Leigh is? Maybe that’s why…”

Idiot,
Bryan called himself, because more than anything, he wanted to reassure her, to promise to keep her safe. To hell with it.

He took her elbow again. “I won’t let anyone hurt either of you. You have my word on that.” He got her walking again, headed for the house. He’d made enough mistakes for one day, no reason to keep her standing out in the open, too. “Damn it, I should have seen him.”

“Why would you?” She hustled along beside him, full of questions and curiosity. “It’s not exactly a preacher’s job to be aware of stalkers.”

They started up the steps of the porch. “You noticed him,” he pointed out.

“Yeah, but I…” Her words fell off into silence and she bit her bottom lip.

“Got enemies you don’t want to tell me about?”

She didn’t reply.

“That’s what I thought.” More secrets. He led her into the house while Leigh stared at him wide-eyed and the other woman just got out of his way. “I would have noticed him if I hadn’t been busy watching you flit from place to place. I’m damn curious about what you were doing, but we’ll talk about that in a minute.”

“No we won’t.”

Ignoring that, Bryan turned and faced the other two women, both of them mute. “Leigh.” His voice softened. She was young, too young for what she did. “You okay, hon?”

She blinked big blue eyes at him. Belatedly, Bryan remembered that Bruce never called the women by endearments. But damn it, she was only a kid, not even twenty yet. She should be grounded in her room. She should have two parents coddling and protecting her.

He couldn’t help but treat her the same way he would a child.

“I’m okay now, thanks to Shay.”

Bryan eyed Shay, saw her face was red, and narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, she’s a regular Wonder Woman, isn’t she?”

He’d meant it to be sarcastic, but Leigh nodded. “She is.”

The other woman stepped forward with a determined smile. “Hello. I’m Dawn. And I presume you’re the preacher?”

Bryan took her proffered hand. “Guilty.”

“It’s very nice to meet you. Leigh has told me a lot about you.”

He winked at Leigh, confounding her again. He’d never get the hang of being a preacher.

With the introductions out of the way, the women started shuffling their feet.

Shay cleared her throat. “Dawn, would you mind taking Leigh in the other room so Bryan and I can talk?”

Leigh said, “Bryan? That’s your name?”

He rolled his eyes. “Only pushy broads insist on calling me that. You can still call me Preacher.”

“Oh.” Leigh looked more uneasy by the moment. “Okay. Sure.” She twisted her hands together in worry.

“You sure you’re okay?” Bryan asked her.

She nodded, but then blurted, “I’d heard you were hurt. That’s why I didn’t come to you. I didn’t want to cause you more trouble.”

Everyone seemed to know about Bruce being attacked. Luckily, they didn’t realize his speedy recovery was due to Bryan impersonating him. “I’m fine now—and, Leigh? You can always come to me.”

“But the rumors on the street were that you got hurt real bad, that you were even in the hospital…”

Shay stiffened. “What’s this?”

“As you can see, I’m fine,” Bryan said in what he hoped was a soothing tone. “I had a concussion, that’s all.”
Bruce had also suffered a cracked rib, and fractured ankle…