Chapter 2
Tommy and Willow didn’t leave the water until sunset. Afterward, they ended up at a nearby bar on the way back for a few drinks. Willow could admit, watching the sunset on the ocean made her forget about everything. Richy, Charlie, the money. She got so lost in the bliss that she felt guilty for enjoying herself. Of course, she ended up telling Tommy about the resort and what she suspected, and to her surprise, he didn’t immediately want to make a move on the place. Instead, he asked questions and said he thought what Willow was doing was a great idea.
“So, this Shelly… do you know her? Like, have you seen her before?”
“Last night was the first time I saw her. I don’t ever remember seeing her when Charlie and I used to come on vacation. Who knows though? She’s probably always been around. She was acting really strange last night when I called about the room.”
“She could be someone helping Charlie. I’ll look into her when I get back to my desk. I’m not too familiar with the workers at the resort. But I can brush up on her and figure out who she is and who she’s connected to.”
That sounded like a good idea to Willow. She could have asked Brandi to look into who Shelly was, but she was already busy with her own cases. Besides, Tommy was the sheriff. It seemed more of a good look for him to do something to figure out what was going on with Richy, instead of everyone else doing all the leg work.
“What else did she say? Anything that made you think for sure the money was there or that she’s been helping Charlie?”
“Not really,” Willow said. “She just gives me the creeps whenever she’s around. She called my room this morning to check in on my stay. That was weird to me. I feel like she suspects something of me and is trying to slowly draw it out of me.”
Tommy looked like he was deep in thought, sitting across the table from me. She loved the way he looked when he had his mind set on something. He was so focused and so handsome. Willow tried her hardest to keep her mind focused on the conversation at hand, but he stole her attention.
“How have you been?” she asked. “I mean, I know it”s only been one day, but it feels longer. Outside of work, what’s been going through your mind?”
“It does feel a lot longer than one day,” he chuckled. “I don’t really know what’s going on in my mind. This thing with Richy has me all twisted up. I try not to worry myself to death about him, you know? Trying to keep good faith that he’ll be brought back safely. That’s really all I”ve been thinking about.”
She kind of wanted him to say he was thinking of her. Willow surely thought of him while they were away from each other. She thought of him more than he knew. How kind he was. How helpful and honest. Tommy easily became a man who filled a void for Willow that no other man was able to fill during her time in Sanibel. She appreciated him for that.
“What have you been thinking about?” he asked. “How to move on with your life after this is all over?”
“That and a lot more,” she said. “I’m not really sure how I”ll move on or what I”ll do after this. I’m just ready for it to all be over.”
“You should stay here.” Tommy looked me square in the eyes with the deepest and most pure intention. “Just for a while. I’d sure love to have you around.”
His words were genuine and sweet. They really touched her in a way she wasn”t expecting them to. Willow felt like he really wanted her to be there with him—in more ways than one. Asking him what his intentions were seemed a bit taboo to her, but she asked anyway. She just wanted to be sure they were on the same page and she wasn”t reading too much into him being nice to her.
“What are we doing here, Tommy?” she smiled. “I feel like there’s something sparking up between us. I could be wrong though. I’ve been known to read too much into things at times.”
He took a moment to answer. He subtly drank his beer and looked around a bit before opening his mouth to speak. Willow was hanging onto the edge of her seat, waiting for a response from him and when she got it, her breath was taken away.
“I enjoy your company, Willow,” he said. “I’m not sure what this wave of emotions is that I”m on right now, but it’s been a while since I”ve been around someone who makes me feel alive again. Your smile, your laugh, just seeing you when I get the chance to, brightens my day. I know you have a lot going on in your life at the moment, believe me, I”m not trying to overstep any boundaries, but I believe in being honest about how I feel.”
Her eyes started to water hearing him speak. She didn’t know why the tears started to swell and pour onto her cheeks, but she nearly wept like a baby in front of him. That was something she never did; cry in front of people. Not unless they were someone close to her. But Tommy made Willow feel so comfortable, so content and safe that she let the tears fall.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He gently wiped her tears with his own napkin and brushed a soft finger against her cheek.
“No, it’s okay,” she chuckled, feeling embarrassed. “I’m sorry for crying. That was just the nicest thing any man has ever said to me. I feel like you really meant every word of that. Maybe it’s because there’s a lot going on in my life right now that makes me feel so vulnerable.”
“Or maybe it’s because I really did mean everything I said just now. I wouldn’t have said it if it weren”t the truth.”
They locked eyes for what felt like forever. She got lost in the depth of his gaze and the softness of his hand on her. It was a sensation she truly had never felt before. It was warm, honest, loving, and sensual. Everything every other man in her life never was.
“This was a nice way to forget about life for a moment,” she said. “Thank you. For everything. Especially being able to take my mind away from everything that’s driving me insane right now.”
“My pleasure,” he smiled. “Should we get back now?”
Before she had the chance to answer, Willow saw someone who looked very familiar from the corner of her eye. The walk, the build, everything about the man she saw told her he was someone she knew very well.
“That man…” she said. “Don’t look too quickly, but there”s a guy standing near the entrance. He looks familiar to me.”
The man was dressed in baggy pants and an old beat up oversized t-shirt, but that didn’t take away from the fact that Willow knew who he was. His disguise did nothing to protect his identity from her. He may have been able to pull wool over the eyes of the people who didn’t know him the way she did, but she knew it was Charlie.
“The homeless man at the entrance?” Tommy took a look over his shoulder.
“That’s no homeless man,” she replied. “I’m positive that’s Charlie.”
“Charlie!”
Tommy jumped from his chair and sprang into action. It wasn’t the reaction Willow hoped for because she wanted to get closer to Charlie somehow before he took off running in the other direction. But that flew out the window when he saw Tommy running toward him.
“Tommy!” She shouted after him. “No!”
He was too quick for her. Tommy was halfway out the door and on Charlie’s trail before Willow made it away from the table. He blew it, and she was angry at him for it. She knew it was a spur-of-the-moment reaction for him, but for her, it was the chance of a lifetime. And he ruined it.
Willow took off in the same direction she saw them running, but they were both way ahead of her. It didn’t look like Tommy would ever catch up to Charlie from where she was. Charlie was a high school track star, and even ran some marathons during their marriage, so Willow knew it was probably a slim chance that Tommy would catch him. She was right.
“Tommy! Why did you do that?” She snapped at him when she finally caught up to him. “You just blew our chance at getting him! Why couldn’t you wait it out until I made a move first!”
“I’m sorry,” he panted. “I thought I could catch him. I don’t know what came over me… I just reacted to the first thought that came to mind. I knew he was going to run either way because he knows who I am.”
“Great! Now we’re never going to find out where Richy is or have another chance to catch Charlie because he now knows that you and I are working together. I should have kept my mouth shut.”
Willow started to walk back to the restaurant without him. Tommy was busy trying to catch his breath and keep up with her, but all she wanted to do was get back to her car so that she could get back to the resort and continue her own hunting. Funny how that small misunderstanding ruined an entire day of fun for them.
He tried talking to her on the ride back, but Willow was speechless. Her mind was too wrapped in thought about what would happen since Charlie now knew she and Tommy were on his trail. Willow was sure he was aware that the cops were already out for him, but him knowing she was working with Tommy had to have some greater impact. Because she was one of his victims. And his wife.
“Willow, I’m sorry, all right?” Tommy parked his truck in his driveway and attempted another apology before they parted ways. “I know I screwed up tonight, I”m just so ready to catch this guy, I had to do something. It was the wrong reaction, I know and I”m sorry, but this has to come to an end. Now that he knows I won”t give up on this and now that he knows you and I are in this together, I”m sure he’ll resurface. Believe me, he’ll show his face again if it means keeping me away from you.”
“What?”
Willow was confused and offended all at the same time. She suddenly felt like the only reason Tommy was being nice to her and trying to reel her in was because he was trying to make Charlie jealous.
“Are you just using me to make Charlie upset? Like I”m some kind of bait or something? Is this some stupid get-back game between you two?”
“What?” he frowned. “Are you serious right now? Do you really think I”d use you as some kind of pawn to get back at a guy I haven”t seen in years? I’m better than that. Better than he is. Sure, revenge sounds good, but I wouldn”t use you to get back at him. There are a lot of other ways for me to do that. Throwing him in jail is at the top of the list, believe me.”
Willow was so angry at that moment, she couldn”t believe a word he was saying. He reminded her of Charlie: a liar. Someone who would do and say just about anything he could to get his way. After his statement, Willow didn”t trust Tommy any more than she did Charlie.