Chapter 6 #3
Her smile went silly. “Oh, sure. I’ve moved in on you and given you my worries.
You’re floating me financially for the month of December.
And Christmas! Hendrix, I’ve dumped Christmas on you, tree, colorful lights and all.
Plus you now have a rambunctious seven-year-old who wants all your attention. ”
“I love that particular seven-year-old.”
His statement caught her off guard and turned her expression to mush. “He loves you, too. So much.”
“I’m also enjoying the tree. Talk about a nice smell. And the lights are pretty. I consider them a part of our evening walks on the beach.” Her hand in his, Ryder jabbering and occasionally sneaking a shell into his pocket. It was all special to him.
“Hendrix,” she whispered. “There can’t be another man like you anywhere.”
He felt the same about her. “Full disclosure here, okay?”
Brows lifting, she asked, “Are you going to tell me something life altering?”
“Not really, but I don’t want you under the misconception that it’s a big deal not to charge you for the month.” If he had his way, they’d share all the finances going forward. “See, when I was a few years younger than you are now, I inherited from my grandparents.”
Typical of Joey, her first thought wasn’t about the money. “You lost them both? I’m so sorry.”
“Actually, we’d lost my grandpa a few years before that.
He’d owned a construction company, and over the years he’d bought a lot of properties.
” Talking about money always made Hendrix uneasy.
Especially after that tragic Christmas morning, he knew how incredibly fortunate he was.
“Long story short, it was a lot of money. Some of the properties went for a fortune when the areas were revitalized. Overall, my sister and I had left our shares in the trust.”
Her eyes held so much understanding. “You used that money to buy the campground?”
“To start over.” He’d hoped to put all those memories behind him. It hadn’t worked.
Her small, cool hands settled at either side of his jaw. “No one can outrun the past. Wonderful things, and tragic things – they become a part of us. But that doesn’t mean you have to carry them alone.”
“I know.” With Joey’s contagious joy of life, everything was a lot easier.
He opened his mouth to say something important and emotionally significant, but his phone dinged and that sound, the sound he’d been anticipating for so long now, made his heart lurch.
It was the signal from the security cam.
“My phone. I left it in my jeans.” Hastily, he moved Joey to the side so he could leave the bed. He grabbed up his jeans, dug his phone from the pocket and... Son of a bitch.
“What?” She pulled the sheet around her. “Hendrix? What’s happened?”
As he stepped into his jeans, he said, “Get dressed.”
“Oh, God,” she whispered, throwing off the sheet to leave the bed gloriously naked.
Damn, if only they hadn’t been interrupted. Groaning, he said, “No time, honey. I want to catch him red-handed.”
“Him?” she nearly screeched. “Who?”
He shot her a look. “You know who, babe. Now clothes on.”
“But he could be armed!”
“That’ll be two of us.” At the top of his closet, he got down his .45, slapped in a magazine, and stuck it in the back of his waistband. He hesitated, then grabbed his 9mm, too.
“I don’t believe this,” Joey muttered, as she stumbled into her jeans.
Since he’d stripped off their shirts when they’d first come in, he pulled a T-shirt from a drawer and pulled it on, then tossed one her way, too. Lastly, he checked his phone again. “He’s at the cabin you used.”
That stalled her. “Hendrix...” she whispered.
There was little time to waste, but Hendrix used precious seconds to cup her face. “Lock the door behind me, then call 911. Do you understand?”
White-faced and trembling, she nodded.
He grabbed her hand and hauled her along with him to the back door. “Try not to worry, okay? I’ve got this.”
Air sawed in and out of Joey’s lungs as she struggled to get enough oxygen into her shocked system. Ted, here. And Hendrix wanted to confront him.
Of course he did. She gave a near-hysterical laugh. He wanted to save her – financially and personally. But at what cost?
Ted was unhinged. God only knew what he would do.
She’d known this would eventually happen, yet she’d still held out hope.
Hand to her head, she turned a circle, and then remembered Hendrix’s directions. Practically leaping on her phone, she put in the call and the second the dispatcher answered, she started babbling like a nervous wreck.
She gave all the information she could think of: location, the threat, her name, Hendrix’s name. Ted’s name.
Blast Hendrix for leaving her like this! Why hadn’t he just stayed with her and let the authorities handle things?
Determined to help more than hinder, Joey got herself under control. “We’re in an RV campground, but it’s closed for Christmas, so right now we’re the only ones here. My ex has been...violent before.” And now he might be violent with Hendrix. “Please hurry.”
The dispatcher was still talking to her when Joey made up her mind and the moment she did, she felt more in control. She was the one Ted wanted. If she was nearby she could keep him busy long enough for the cops to arrive.
Hendrix had done more than enough for her. At least with this, she could help.
“I’m going outside.” With that decision made, she hurriedly stepped into her shoes.
The dispatcher said, “No, don’t do that.”
Ignoring the order, Joey slipped out the door and kept as close to the trees as she could.
When she heard glass shatter, she thought her heart might pop from her chest. “Something broke,” she whispered.
“I think a window. He’s trying to get into the cabin where I was staying. I’m putting the phone in my pocket.”
“Listen to me–”
She tucked the phone in her back pocket upside down so the microphone would still be exposed.
Creeping closer, she saw Ted on the porch of the tiny cabin she and Ryder had used. Thank God Ryder isn’t here. Using a rock, Ted broke the remaining glass in the window frame.
Beyond him, coming from the gate, Hendrix asked, “Looking for something?”
Ted jerked away from the window so quickly, he inadvertently cut his arm. Cursing a blue streak, he gripped a hand around the wound as he stared at Hendrix. “Who the fuck are you?”
“This is my campground. You’re trespassing, and that’s my property you’re destroying.”
“Go fuck yourself. I’m looking for my wife.”
As if he hadn’t spoken, Hendrix said, “You’re racking up some serious charges. Criminal trespass, criminal mischief, and attempted burglary just to start. Those windows aren’t cheap, so I hope you have a job.” When Ted glared at him, Hendrix grinned. “No? Why am I not surprised?”
Hitching his chin, Ted said, “You act like you know me.”
“Of you, at least, none of it favorable.”
For the moment, Joey kept quiet, but she could see Ted scheming.
His dark blond hair, a little longer than Hendrix’s but not as thick, looked like it hadn’t been washed in a week.
Given his appearance, he’d recently seen the bottom of a whisky bottle, too.
Always, whenever Ted drank, he was especially mean.
Now in a placating voice, Ted said, “Look, man, I just want to see my wife.”
It was Hendrix’s turn to go rigid. “It’s obvious you’re slow, but try to keep up. She’s not your wife anymore.”
Ted took a step away from the cabin. “She’ll always be mine.”
“I know Joey divorced you. I know you haven’t kept up with your obligations. I know you’re a coward who skulks around instead of doing things the right way.”
Furious and not bothering to hide it, Ted snarled, “The bitch told you that and you believed her? Well, believe this: she is mine. She will always be mine, and nothing the court says or does will ever change that.”
Anger had Hendrix striding forward. “You couldn’t be more wrong.”
Ted charged him.
She knew what a dirty fighter he could be and it scared her – until she saw Hendrix easily turn with the impact. They both went down, but it was Ted who landed hard on his back in the rough gravel.
When Ted swung and missed, Hendrix landed a punch to his jaw. “That’s enough!”
She thought it was under control, that Hendrix would keep him contained until the cops arrived. Relief coursed through her – until another man stepped around the side of the cabin and aimed a shotgun at Hendrix.
Her father-in-law, Leo, said, “I suggest you get off my son.”
With his forearm braced on Ted’s neck, Hendrix turned his head, saw the shotgun, and pressed to his feet.
Coughing and gagging, Ted moved more slowly, staggering upright and then spitting a stream of blood. One side of his mouth was already bruised, and the blood from his cut arm dripped down around his fingers.
Reaching back, he pulled a large knife from a sheath on his belt and held it in front of him. “Is she here?”
“Who?” Hendrix asked, as if he didn’t know. As if he didn’t have any concern about a shotgun and a knife and two men she knew could be utterly ruthless and immoral.
Ted barked a laugh, then he surprised her by roaring, “Joey. Get your ass out here, girl, before I gut this bastard!”
Hendrix was going to be so pissed, but she had no option. Stepping out, she said, “I’m here.”
Both Ted and Leo swiveled to look at her.
Their brief distraction seemed to be the only advantage Hendrix needed. In a near-seamless move, he snatched away the knife and wrapped a muscled arm around Ted’s neck, pinning him close, his back to Hendrix’s chest.
He’d moved so quickly, it took her a moment to realize what had happened.
Being a little shorter required Ted to stand on his tiptoes, his body awkwardly arched, as Hendrix contained him. He served as a perfect shield so Leo couldn’t use his shotgun.
With the knife held at Ted’s throat, Hendrix said, “Drop the shotgun.”
Instead, Leo turned to aim at her.
“Threaten her in any way,” Hendrix barked, “and I will end him, I swear it.”