Chapter 15
Monday morning came around too soon, in Serena’s estimation, but she managed to get downstairs before Gena showed. Barely.
When the opened the doors, the crowd had noticeably thinned as the town moved onto another focus for gossip, and while she’d miss the revenue, Serena didn’t mind the steady pace over a frantic one.
And it gave her time to internally sigh over yesterday and last night.
And this morning. Because they’d put her shower to excellent use.
Being with Walker had been a revelation for her, had felt like finally coming home, but in a very sexy way. It was like she’d been waiting for him, and vice versa.
While Gena worked the register, she carefully boxed up Mr. Higgins’ figurine, along with a set of antique stemware that Adam had called ahead to request as a surprise for his girlfriend right before they’d closed two days ago.
If the two men stuck to their regular schedules, they’d be in right before closing.
If nothing else, the fracas and ensuing foot traffic had reminded people that The Menagerie had fun gifts as well as delicious coffee and pastries.
By the time Walker came down the stairs all of her regulars were in place.
She watched as he descended and all she could think about was how fit he was, and how that fitness had allowed him to pleasure her for what seemed like an eternity.
“Your tongue is hanging out,” Gena said on a whisper, then took a good look at her. “Oh my God, you two finally did it. I knew something was different about you, but the look on your face…” she chuckled.
“Shhhh,” Serena said but Gena just laughed harder.
“Girl, everyone who has two brain cells rubbing together is gonna know. The air between you is positively crackling.”
And when Serena looked up again and saw Walker standing at the base of the stairs, watching her, his gaze hooded, she got a hot flash.
Desperate to have something to do when all she wanted was to jump him and then drag him back upstairs, she put together his coffee. It had always amused her that Walker, the tough soldier, liked his coffee light and sweet.
“Here you go,” she said, and dammit, her voice had gone all soft and sexy.
He took the cup from her and ran his thumb over the delicate webbing between her thumb and forefinger, making her shiver. How could that possibly be hot?
“I’ve never asked,” she said, desperate to say something because she was ready to melt into a puddle of goo right now. “I don’t remember you liking coffee this way, back in the day.”
He smiled, the lines around his eyes creasing with amusement. Was he laughing at her babble? No, she realized, he was going to tell her something he considered funny.
“Army coffee sucks. Field coffee sucks even worse. When I got out I decided that I was going to have coffee the way I wanted it. So I spent a few weeks trying to figure out what actually tasted right. Now I’m a latte guy all the way.
” He took a sip, his gaze never leaving hers.
“The team had a great time with it, saying I’d gone soft, but they’re the only ones I’ll take that nonsense from. ”
Yeah, soft was the last thing she’d ever think of when it came to Walker. In a multitude of ways. When she blushed, he laughed outright. “I know exactly what you’re thinking, and you’re right. I’m far from soft right now.”
Oh God, if this was the way it was going to be between them from now on, all innuendo and heat, she was going to die from the stimulation.
Then Walker’s face lost all amusement as he looked over her shoulder. Those eyes that had laughed with her went hard as stone.
“What?” she asked, half turning. He grasped her arm and stood.
“Don’t look, come with me. Gena, can you handle the floor for a second?” Walker asked, his gaze moving from whatever he’d seen to the kitchen door. “We need to make a call.”
When Gena nodded, her expression as puzzled as Serena felt, he pushed them both into the kitchen, pulling out his phone as he did.
“Garrett? I need you at The Menagerie. I think I figured out who assaulted Serena.”
Serena’s gaze flew to Walker’s grim expression.
What? She started to say something, but he held up a hand asking for one moment.
“It’s that kid, Bobby. He’s got a bunch of scratches on his arms. I happened to see them because he pushed his sleeves up for a second, then pulled them back down. Glanced around all shifty. Serena and I are in the kitchen, so come in the back way. I’ll make sure the door is unlocked.”
“Bobby? That Bobby?” she asked, pointing out into the dining room.
Walker nodded. “It could be nothing, could be everything. Either way, he has means and opportunity. Motive is Garrett’s job to figure out. We’ll stay in here until he gets here and takes him in to custody.” He moved to the back door and flipped the deadbolt open.
“But my customers,” Serena said, then stuttered to a stop as Walker whirled.
“Garrett is damn good at his job. He’s in here enough that no one will think twice about it until he makes his move. My job is to keep you safe.” His voice broke for a second. “I won’t allow anything to happen to you. I can’t.”
Walker brought himself back under control, unashamed of his emotions, maybe for the first time ever. Then Serena was wrapping herself around him, her face pressed against his chest, her arms tight.
“Please tell me you’ll listen to me,” he said.
“I will,” she said and lifted her face to his. “I may bitch about it, but I’ll listen.”
“That’s my girl,” he said, and felt her hitch the tiniest bit at his words. But when he truly looked at her, he saw her acceptance and quietly rejoiced.
Garrett entered through the back door, expression serious as ever.
“He’s in his usual spot,” Walker said and Garrett nodded, then pushed through the doors into the dining room.
Serena disentangled herself and walked to the doors leading into the dining room, peeking through the thick glass windows.
Walker moved behind her, looking over her shoulder.
Garret stood at Bobby’s side, and the kid was looking up at him with terror on his face.
But he got to his feet when ordered and didn’t make a fuss when told he was being taken in for questioning, and would he like to call an attorney before they got there?
Serena pushed through the door and Walker didn’t stop her.
Not with the threat contained. And he wanted to hear what the kid had to say, if anything.
Even though he’d seen the evidence with his own eyes, had been the one to call Garrett, for some reason he was having a problem putting Bobby at the scene, using a flashlight as a weapon.
“It wasn’t me,” Bobby said, looking directly at Serena. “I swear it wasn’t me.”
Garrett grunted and escorted the kid out the front door.
The customers had paused in mid-everything to witness the drama, and the silence stretched for a long moment, almost echoing, and then everyone either started chattering or reaching for their phones.
Gena looked at both of them with wide eyes. “Methinks we’re in for another rush.”
Walker checked in with Garrett two hours later.
The rush had indeed come, and quickly, leaving the ladies hopping.
Walker helped where he could by bussing the tables and answering questions, though it wasn’t as if they knew anything, just that the Sheriff’s Department had taken Bobby in to have a chat.
“He’s in AFIS,” Garrett said, almost as unceremoniously as Quentin usually did. “Grand larceny out of Colorado. This isn’t his first rodeo by a long shot.”
“How old is he?” Walker asked as Serena walked into the kitchen. He put the phone on speaker but left the volume low enough that only the two of them could hear.
“Almost thirty,” Garrett said, which surprised the hell out of Walker.
He wouldn’t have guessed more than twenty-two or twenty-three.
“He did a year and a half, then completed his parole last year, so has been out in the world doing who knows what. He’s lawyered up, but he wanted me to tell you that it wasn’t him.
Which of course is what every criminal says.
“He claims he got the scratches out in the scrub when he was leading a crew from TMZ around. Something about discovering the secrets of the heroes of Last Light or some such bullshit. I’ve got a call in to the contact he provided but haven’t heard back yet.
Given his past history and the fact he claims to be living out of his car out in the state forest, I’m holding him until morning while we wait to see what happens with his alibi. ”
That worrisome pinging was starting at the back of Walker’s brain again. “Did he say where he took TMZ?”
“Not yet, and his lawyer showed up right around then, so he shut up. Why?”
“Because we had an incursion the other day but didn’t catch anyone on video. Do you think he’d talk to me?”
“I doubt it, but you’re welcome to try,” Garrett replied.
“Maybe you can get a motive out of him. Because the shit he stole to go to prison is of way higher value than anything Madeliene ever had on site, and his theft wasn’t violent.
In fact, he got caught because he didn’t hurt the victim, and they got a good look at his face. ”
Gena poked her head in. “Hey, both Higgins and Adam are here. Do you want me to ring them up, or do you want to?”
“Give me a second,” Serena said.
“I’ll be there after we close up The Menagerie and I can bring Serena along,” Walker said.
“You can go now,” Serena said. “I’ve got people all around me and Bobby’s in jail.”
He shook his head. “I can wait.”
They walked into the dining room and handed Adam and Mr. Higgins their packages. The woebegone man was suitably thrilled to get his family keepsake back, happily forking over the two hundred and fifty bucks and accepting the box without even opening it.
In celebration, Serena grabbed Walker by the front of his shirt and hauled him down for a long, thorough kiss.
Serena was feeling great when her phone rang a few minutes after they’d flipped the open sign to closed.
She had two happy customers, a dining room full of people who were lingering and chatting and looking at the other curiosities scattered around. The man who’d likely assaulted her was in custody, and now everyone in Rimrock Creek with two eyeballs had figured out she and Walker were together.
Gena had given her a not-so-discreet thumbs up, and Serena was pretty sure she’d heard all the women in the room sigh in disappointment.
“This is Serena,” she said, and everything within went still when Parker Gates’ furious voice filled her ear.
“You spiteful little bitch,” her father said, his tone full of pure malice.
“It’s nice to talk to you too, Parker,” she said dryly and looked up to see Walker coming back into the dining area. His eyebrows shot up.
“You set an investigator after me? Did you think I wouldn’t find out? I mean, I know you have a healthier ego than you deserve, but sending some shark after me is petty, even for you.”
“I did not sic a PI on you,” she said calmly and coldly, now as furious as Parker, but not willing to give him the satisfaction of showing it. “I was attacked last week, and the inquiry was part of the ongoing investigation.”
“I don’t give a fuck,” Parker said. “Call him off. I don’t need anyone in the firm looking at me sideways.” The line went dead. Not one question as to whether she was all right. How she was doing. What she was doing.
He truly didn’t care. Likely never had.
Dammit, she shouldn’t let him get to her like this. And she should have expected his call. Walker and Garrett had said they’d be checking him out, even if she knew it’d be a dead end like Marcus. But he’d surprised her and thrown her off balance.
She carefully put the phone down, drew in a deep breath, and looked at Walker.
He held out his hands in supplication. “I told you I was going to look into him,” he said.
It didn’t stop the irrational bolt of pure annoyance that went through her.
She knew the feeling was unreasonable. She knew he was chasing down any and all leads to protect her.
But it didn’t stop her from wanting to conk him over the head despite all the delicious sex.
Despite the very public spectacle she’d made not half an hour ago.
“I understand that,” she said. “It doesn’t stop me from being pissed.
It may be illogical, but it’s there. Your actions, no matter how discreet they were, caught his attention and brought him back into my life.
I haven’t talked to him in years, and I would have been perfectly happy with that continuing. ”
“If it makes any difference, his alibi checks out,” Walker offered, and she could tell he wished the words back the second he said them.
“Of course it does,” she snapped. “Just like Marcus’.
I told you, I’m not worth their time or effort.
” She stepped away from the counter. From him.
“I need you to go away and let me be angry. Gena’s here and we’ve got a bazillion cameras everywhere.
Hell, have Quentin watch me if you want, but I need space to work through this. ”
“I’m sorry,” he said, and she could tell he meant the words. “But I’d do it again to keep you safe.”
“I know. Call Quentin, let him know I’m staying here, locked in Fort Knox, okay? I’ll text you when I’m ready.”
He stood there for a long moment, and with each successive second she got crankier. Then he nodded, his expression more bleak than she’d ever seen it. “I’m going to go into Cottonwood and talk to Bobby. I’ll be waiting for your text.”
She almost called him back as he pushed through the doors in the kitchen. Because she was pretty sure he was seeing something in her dismissal that mirrored his ex. But right now she had her own shit to go through, starting with the fact her father had never loved her.