Chapter 16
Show And Tell
Olivia didn’t like giving up control, even if was just to let someone else drive her car. But this was Nash, and he wouldn’t take advantage of her. Her nerves were singing, and she didn’t want to drive while feeling shaky, so she asked him to drive to Phail.
She needed to speak with Phail’s police chief about Adam. She’d worried that any investigation into Adam would alert him inadvertently to her presence, but the previous night, Knox and the others had convinced her that the local police chief was discrete, not heavy-handed.
Apparently, Ramirez was the best of the best. The men had nothing but praise for him. If Nash trusted him, she knew he had to be a good guy.
Only a few weeks before, no one had known her. Now, everyone at the farm knew her past and her pen name. She was about to add a stranger to that list. Everyone was convinced she would feel comfortable with the local police chief.
Nash drove into the town and parked in the lot nearest Phail Jail, the local police station. He shut her car off and turned to her. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Thanks again for coming with me.”
He reached across and brushed a hand over her cheek. “Any time. For any reason.”
She leaned into his hand. Ford and Jolie had talked Charlie into staying with them back at the farm. They were figuring out if they could turn the small pond into a rink, researching safe ice depths on the internet and coming up with options for other fun in the snow.
“Are you okay leaving Charlie with your friends?”
He ran his hands over her cheek. “I am. It feels a little weird because I’m used to the two of us being a team. But he’ll be safe with Ford, and they’ll all have fun.”
She nodded and didn’t move to exit the car. Ella was snoozing in her car seat, and it felt intimate with her and Nash in this isolated bubble. They hadn’t been able to find much alone time yet.
She was looking forward to more alone time in a far more intimate and private setting. Every touch from Nash incited her body in ways she’d never experienced. She’d seen the way Mary Mae and Liam had behaved around each other, so she recognized the signs.
Now, she wanted to take things a step further. The apple farm was home. She wanted to make that permanent with Nash. The logical next step was sex. And she couldn’t wait.
Something of her thoughts must have shown in her eyes, because Nash’s eyes darkened and his lips tipped up. He ran his thumb over her mouth. Then he leaned in to replace his thumb with his lips.
The kiss was soft and sweet. Full of promise. Of sex, sure, but of far more than that. Of love and lifetimes.
Or maybe she just had a strong imagination.
She hoped that wasn’t the case.
“Mama. Na.”
Laughing, Olivia looked into the back seat. “Hi, Ella. Did you have a good nap? Are you ready to meet some more people?”
“Na.”
Nash chuckled as he stepped out of the car and moved to take Ella out of her seat. Olivia’s heart expanded as he nuzzled the little girl’s cheek with his scruffy beard, making her squeal with laughter.
Olivia grabbed her purse, and together they walked into Phail Jail. A black cat sat on the counter separating the waiting area from the police work in the back.
A woman in a deputy’s uniform stood from her desk with a smile. She brushed her hand over the cat as she spoke to them. “Hello. How can I help you today?”
Olivia felt a rush of panic. “I’m Olivia Gonzalez, and this is Nash Cooper. I was hoping to speak with the police chief for a few minutes, but I’m just realizing now I should have made an appointment.”
The woman grinned. “No worries. Let me see if he’s got some time.”
She moved across the hall and entered a room after a quick knock on a closed door. In only seconds, she waved them forward with a smile. “Come on in. The chief can see you now.”
The man behind the desk looked serious and imposing. Strong and steady. Just how he’d been described.
With a broad smile, he moved around the desk with his hand out. “Alice. It’s so good to see you. I know you’ve been out at the farm. I should have found the time to come see you.”
The two men hugged. Ella giggled as she was included in the hug.
Nash rubbed the girl’s hair and then turned to Olivia. “Olivia, I’d like you to meet Marcus Ramirez, also known as Arrow. Marcus, this is Olivia Gonzalez and her daughter, Ella.”
Marcus shook her hand and then smiled at Ella. “Nice to meet you. Welcome to Phail. Have a seat and tell me why you’ve come to see me today.”
A huge Great Dane wandered in with the black cat, and Nash closed the office door behind them all. Marcus raised an eyebrow at the move but didn’t comment. He gestured at the animals. “Are you okay with these guys in here? They have free rein in the station but I can easily get rid of them.”
Olivia smiled as Ella squirmed in Nash’s arms trying to reach the big dog. “We’re all good with animals. No allergies or fears here.”
Marcus rubbed his hand over the dog. “This is Finch. He’s very gentle. When he was a puppy, he was found on a road curled around three kittens to keep them safe. He loves kids, too. The cat is Boo.”
Olivia laughed. “Someone is a fan of To Kill A Mockingbird?”
Marcus’s face softened. “My wife named them. The other two cats are Jem and Scout.”
“Oggie. Oggie.”
Nash sat in the chair with Ella in his lap. The cat moved to sit on the window ledge, but the big dog came over to sniff the girl. Ella squealed and clapped her hands. The dog rested its massive head on her lap and let her pat its face with her tiny hands.
The sight had emotions tumbling through Olivia. Love. Longing. Joy.
And she was here to make sure she didn’t lose the chance to have those things for the rest of her life.
After they were settled, Marcus’s demeanor changed. Gone was the friend, and here was the officer of the law. He took out a notebook and opened an app on his phone. “Do you mind if I record the conversation? Makes it easier to check my notes. Only my deputies and I will ever hear it.”
Nash gestured at her to answer, and she nodded. “It’s a bit of a long story and I may be a little paranoid.”
Marcus grinned. “Let me be the judge of that. Having a healthy dose of paranoia has saved my life on multiple occasions.”
She managed a smile of her own. “To give you the overview first, Ella Mae is my adopted daughter. Her mother was my best friend back in New York. Mary Mae and Liam had a will naming me as guardian and when they were killed, I took guardianship. Ella’s father had a stepbrother who was obsessed with Ella’s mother.
I think he killed them by sending their car over a guardrail.
I’ve changed our names along with my contact information.
Nash and I were in New York a few days ago, and I saw a man who reminded me of Adam.
Even though I haven’t seen or heard from him in months, I’m worried his obsession with Ella’s mother might extend to Ella herself.
I’m scared he’s going to try to take her or hurt her. ”
She whooshed out a breath. “Sorry, that was a long babble.”
Marcus smiled gently. “No problem. You’ve been through a lot, and you’re ensuring your precious little girl here remains safe. Let’s start at the beginning.”
For the next hour, Marcus guided her through her past and her connection with Mary, Liam, and Ella. She told him about the will and the lawyers. She gave him the names of the police officer they’d spoken with about Adam when he’d been harassing them.
Nash filled him in on the license plate change he’d done as soon as they’d crossed the Vermont border.
Marcus turned off the recorder and tapped the desk with his fingers. “You’ve done everything exactly right. You’ve been proactive in protecting Ella and yourself. I wish I could say you’re perfectly safe, but there’s always a possibility that Parsons has connections to a hacker or is one himself.”
Olivia shrugged. “Tech was never his thing, but he was always proud of his connections. Claimed he could get anything he wanted through them. He thought it made him impressive, but it made him scary. No matter where we moved, he found Mary Mae.”
Marcus nodded. “I know the type. Sounds like he might be connected to a gang in some way. I’ll contact the officer you mentioned and the vice department.
If there’s any link to gang activity, they should know his name.
If there isn’t, there’s less likelihood that he would have any access to your information. ”
She sighed. “There’s never a zero chance, is there?”
Marcus agreed. “Even if you moved to Italy, there’s a way to track most things on the internet if you know someone with the right skills. But you haven’t used your former name for anything that would lead to you. Your new name doesn’t have any paper trail leading to Phail, or even Vermont.”
That was good to hear.
“An image search might bring him more luck, but it doesn’t sound like he’s had an opportunity to take a picture. Does your publisher use your image on social media? Do they keep everything under the Livie Sanchez name?”
She nodded. “My picture is on the back of the books. I don’t have personal social media, but they use pictures. I’ve had to do a few photo shoots with them, and they’ve taken pictures at book signing events.”
Marcus nodded again. “How do you feel about me contacting your publisher and your agent to see if you’ve been getting any threatening mail that they’ve been keeping from you?”
That surprised her. “They would do that?”
He nodded. “Most threats are from people with no actual intent to follow through. Simply writing emails makes them feel big and important. But it would be interesting to see if Adam has sent anything, if he’s figured out your pen name.”
Ella had been playing on the floor with the dog. She’d been babbling and patting him. Finch appeared to enjoy the contact. The cat had even slinked by for a pet of his own before returning to the windowsill. Now, Ella pushed to her feet and reached her hand for Olivia.