Humidity Rising (Romantic Suspense) (4 page)

Kristi remained quiet for most of the ride home. She liked Wes a lot, and would be thrilled to pursue a relationship with him but Liza seemed determined to interfere. What kind of bond would they be able to form if his ex was always around, threatening not only her, but also Janie and Wes?

She felt as though she were being jerked in opposing directions. Should she give in to what her heart wanted, regardless of what may come or should she let it go to preserve the security of her niece, the only family she had left?

As they came within a few blocks of her house, she made her decision.

“Wes, I think we need to stop this before it goes further.”

He whipped his head toward her for a moment, then returned his attention to the road. “And if I disagree? What do we do then?”

She looked at him, feeling the first tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “It’s not my intent to argue with you but I have to take mine and Janie’s safety into consideration. That woman is just plain crazy and I can’t take the chance that she’ll do something to hurt us. And I don’t want her hurting you, either.”

“Yeah. You’re right.” His voice was quiet as he wiped at his eye, probably to pretend to having something caught in it to disguise it as the tear it was. “Maybe we should put this on pause for a while and see what happens.” He glanced at her again. “I don’t want to do that, but it looks like we don’t have a choice.”

“I can’t think of any other alternative. She’s definitely a strong-minded woman, I have to give her credit for that.”

“Well, I’m not sure I wanna find out what she’s capable of, if you know what I mean.”

She glanced at him as he pulled into her driveway. “Yeah. I know what you mean.”

Moments later, Janie had scooted inside as Wes and Kristi said goodnight at the door.

“I guess this is the part where we tell each other it’s time to separate for a while.” His voice told her he felt miserable about the mutual decision.

“Yeah. But, what else can we do?”

He placed a hand under her chin, tilted her face upward, and covered her lips with his. She felt the heat and desire coming through his kiss, and she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, deeper into the passion. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing her midsection firmly against his.

She felt him tremble with anticipation and raw emotion, as if he craved more of her as each moment passed. His kiss was consuming her, burning away all resistance to what he obviously wanted from her. She was losing herself in her own desire to give in, losing the debate whether or not it would be the right thing to do. At this very moment, she wanted him more than anything else, almost more than the air she needed to breathe.

But then, she thought of Janie. She didn’t want to let him down, but she had to stop this. She pulled herself away from him, slowly and gently ending their scorching embrace.

“I’m sorry—”

“No. Don’t be.” He was gazing into her eyes. What was it she was seeing in his? Something more than mere passion. Was it a desire to be with her forever? Could it be love? They hadn’t known each other long enough for that to happen. Or had they?

“I just … I can’t do this. Not now. Not if we have to part for an indefinite amount of time.”

He sighed heavily, but held onto her. “It’s okay. I know exactly what you mean. I don’t want our first time to be under these circumstances, either.”

She smiled up at him. He was the most understanding man she’d ever met. No matter what was going on, he seemed to know just what to say, how to react. It was as though he could read her mind somehow, as if he completely empathized with everything she was going through.

No, she wouldn’t, couldn’t, let him go. If Liza wanted a battle, she could have it. But as far as Kristi was concerned, that woman was going to lose.

* * * * *

Why did she do that? Okay, so she followed them last night to find out where the bitch lived, made the sign, and planted it in her front lawn. But then this morning, he accused her of trying to run the lanky bimbo over in the hospital parking garage where she worked. She didn’t even know the cow worked there.

She only went back to see if he’d come by again, and he did, but she really didn’t intend to follow them and make a scene in the parking lot of a burger joint. That turned out embarrassing for her, to say the least.

Why couldn’t she let go of him? That was the million-dollar question. Something about him made her lose all sense of who she was, what she wanted out of life. Since she first met him, all she could think about was being with him, doing whatever it took to please him.

Never did it dawn on her that she was trying to control him, like he accused her of doing the day he said they needed to separate. She couldn’t remember if he’d actually said it was over for them, so she naturally thought he just wanted some time to think things over.

But he did say that, you know
.

“I didn’t hear it, so you must be wrong.”

I told you before, denying something doesn’t mean it didn’t happen
.

“I’m
not
denying anything! I told you, I don’t remember him saying it was the end.”

Uh huh. That’s just the way you want to remember it but I’m telling you, he did say it
.

“Ugh! I don’t know why I argue with you. You never listen to me.”

Oh, but I do. I know everything that happens with you. Except when we black out
.

“When
we
black out? Don’t you mean when
you
black out?”

No. I meant that when you black out, I do too. I’m part of you, or don’t you remember that?

“Yeah, I know.” Sometimes, she wished she could get rid of that annoying voice. But then, she’d lived with it for so many years, she’d probably feel lost without it. Sometimes, the voice was comforting, even something close to a friend.

Yes, I am your friend. Who else do you have to keep you company?

“I have Andy. He’s good to me.”

Okay, you have him. But he can’t be around all the time, you know. That’s why you need me to keep you from going insane—again
.

“I never went insane! Just got a little too close to the edge, that’s all.”

Yeah. That’s one way of looking at it
.

“Okay, now you’re being sarcastic and I don’t like it.”

Well, what else did you expect? You have become more than too close to the edge—your swan dived over it
.

“Alright, already! Quit! So I went over the edge a little. Cut a girl some slack.” Damn! That voice could be downright annoying. “Will you be quiet now and let me think? Please?”

Sure. Whatever you need. I’ll just go sit in the corner over here
.

Finally! A little peace so she could think about what to do next. She supposed she should call him to apologize, but the thought of him with that tramp caused her body temperature to rise to such a degree, she might spontaneously combust if she didn’t do something about it.

No! She needed to stop before her brain turned into fried bacon. Forget the harlot and think about him. About how good life will be when she finally wins this war. And she was sure to win because he’d known her for a longer time, not to mention more intimately. Yeah. Victory was already
hers
and when she was done with the bimbo, she wouldn’t even know what hit her.

* * * * *

Wes couldn’t sleep. Thoughts of Kristi, of the kiss they’d shared on her doorstep, kept him on the thin line between sleep and the sweet release of passion. What was it about her? Why did he long to be with her every moment of every day, as if she were the other half of him, the other half of his soul? Every minute without her presence was like an eternity, and every minute in her company was never long enough.

Not seeing or calling her would be the same as being strapped to a medieval torture device and slowly pulled apart, inch by agonizing inch. But if that’s what he must do, then he would find a way to endure it. As long as he knew she would be there waiting for him, he would do anything, bear any burden, to spend just one more minute with her again.

Was this the meaning of true love? That a man would go through the worst situation, the most horrible torture he could imagine, only to be with the beloved for a mere moment when it was all over?

Yes. It must be. And if that were true, then he was madly in love with Kristi, and there was nothing he could do, nothing he
wanted
to do, to change it.

This brought up a question. Should he call and tell her how he felt? Yes, they’d promised not to do that, but the revelation that just came to him begged, like a child wanting an ice cream cone, to be shared with the one he adored.

He reached for his cell phone and began to dial her number. Wait! What if she hadn’t reached this point yet? Was it right for him to tell her how he felt, if she didn’t feel the same? He turned it off and set it on the nightstand. They’d made an agreement, and he couldn’t give in now. That would be the same as admitting defeat to that crazy ex of his.

Why did Liza insist on trying to get him back? Didn’t she understand the meaning of the words ‘we’re through’ and ‘I never want to see you again’? Could she be as unstable as he and Kristi thought she might be?

The more he mulled it over in his mind, the more he came to realize Liza most likely did have some kind of insecurity problem, or four or five. Why else would she have treated him the way she did, and why else would she be acting like she was now? It was the only thing that made any sense at all.

He didn’t want to spend the rest of the night thinking about his ex and wondering what her motivations were. He wanted to be with Kristi right then, holding her, kissing her, and, when the time was right, making love with her.

He had to stop having those kinds of thoughts about her. They were causing a heat, a desire within, that only being with her could quench. It was as if he were in a spaceship that was on a collision course with the sun.

There was only one thing he could do. He went into the bathroom and took a cold shower, not that it helped much. Stripping to his underwear and taking a dip in a frozen lake wouldn’t be any better but the chill of the shower did help take his mind off Kristi. All he could think about was how fast he could finish and get to bed for some much deserved warmth and sleep.

Kristi hadn’t seen or heard from Wes in more than a week, but she did see Liza’s car parked down the street where it had been the first time she saw it. Why couldn’t the crazy woman leave her be? The answer came immediately to mind. It was part of the question. Liza was just plain, old-fashioned, cracked in the head crazy.

The thought made her chuckle lightly as she drove toward home after work. She didn’t look forward to cooking dinner. Sure, she could make breakfast for herself and Janie, but frying eggs and bacon wasn’t rocket science. Neither was pouring milk over a bowl of boxed cereal.

Thankfully, there were frozen dinners she could make easily, either in the microwave or the regular oven. Tonight’s dinner menu was a family size lasagna with garlic bread, both from the freezer. Fast and easy, just the way she liked it.

First, she had to get Janie from Mrs. Thompson next door. Ella was a sweet, lovable lady who had lived there for more years than Kristi had been alive. She’d become a fast friend almost from the first moment Kristi moved into the house next door. As soon as Ella knew she had Janie to care for, she’d made the offer to baby-sit before Kristi had even thought about it.

She pulled into her driveway, making a mental note that the silvery grey car wasn’t there that afternoon. That was a good thing. She shouldn’t be wasting time wondering why, she had things to do and a life to live. Liza could be put into an institution for all she cared. That’s where she belonged, anyway.

As her foot hit the bottom step of her neighbor’s porch, Ella opened the door and stepped out looking more nervous and distressed than Kristi had ever seen her.

“Are you okay, Mrs. Thompson?” She couldn’t help being concerned about the woman.

Ella stepped toward Kristi, fiddling with something in her hands. “ I was just trying to call you! Promise you won’t be upset with me. Please? I swear, it wasn’t my fault!”

“Okay, I promise,” she replied calmly. “What’s wrong? You look awfully pale.”

The older woman hesitated for a moment. “About ten minutes ago, I was sitting here on my rocking chair watching Janie play in the yard. The phone rang and I had to go inside.”

Kristi felt a sense of foreboding come over her like a flood. Something happened to her niece.

Ella continued, “I wasn’t even gone a minute but when I came back out, Janie was gone. This was on the porch. I think it’s for you because of what’s written on it.”

She handed the envelope to Kristi. On the front was one word: BITCH.

Fear struck her heart like a dagger going for the kill. Liza! She’d snatched Janie!

Okay, time to calm down. She couldn’t let Mrs. Thompson see her reaction. The poor woman was already a bundle of nerves and looked as though she expected Kristi to bring the Wrath of God down on her head for not keeping a closer eye on the girl.

Forcing a smile that she hoped was sympathetic, she looked up at Ella. “It’s okay. I’m sure Janie’s fine. This person is just trying to get to me, and I don’t think she’ll harm her.”

“Oh, I certainly hope you’re right.” She paused. “I’m so sorry, Kristi. Like I said, I was only inside for a minute and—”

“It’s gonna be just fine,” Kristi said, grasping her neighbor’s hand. “I’ll find Janie and we’ll probably be back in time for dinner.” She smiled, hoping it would comfort her. “I’m gonna take this home and see what it says, and I’ll talk with you later. Okay?”

Ella simply nodded, trying to put on a brave smile but it faltered. Her eyes showed that she wasn’t convinced there would be a happy ending to this.

Kristi turned and went to her house, doing her best not to appear too anxious about the note.

She’d barely stepped inside and closed the door when she threw her purse on the coffee table and attacked the envelope as if she were suffocating and there was a tank of oxygen inside. The message inside was clear and simple.

If you want the little bitch back, come to the Pizza Playground. We’ll be waiting.

That was it? All she had to do was go to a pizza place designed for kids? No explanation, no demands? But then, she didn’t really expect anything like that from Liza. The woman was a certifiable lunatic. Still, if she wanted Janie back, she’d have to go and find out what this was all about.

There were half a dozen Pizza Playground restaurants in town, but Liza’s note hadn’t stated which location. Only one could be considered close by, so that had to be where she’d taken her niece.

Kristi picked up her cell phone and called Wes without a moment’s hesitation. She wasn’t sure what he could do, but the crazy woman seemed to listen to him for some odd reason.

“Hi there.” He answered on the first ring.

“Wes, we have a problem.” She got right to the point.

“Uh oh! What’s she done now?”

“She’s kidnapped Janie from Mrs. Thompson’s front yard.”

“What?” His volume increased more than she’d expected, and she held the phone away from her ear. “Are you sure it was Liza?”

Kristi took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “She left a note addressed to ‘BITCH’ on the front porch. It has to be her.”

“Does it say what she wants?”

“Only that I should come to the Pizza Playground to get her back. There’s only one of those anywhere near here, so I’m guessing that’s where she went.”

She heard a deep intake of breath, followed by an exasperated sigh. “Okay. I know which one it is. I’ll try to get there as soon as I can.”

“I would definitely welcome your help with her, if you think she might be dangerous.”

“Yes, I do. And I think you’re gonna need me there.”

“Wes, hurry.”

* * * * *

She sat across the table from the little bitch, smiling and pretending they were having a good time. She was doing the best she could to try to keep the kid from jumping up and running away but it was apparent that if harlot didn’t get here soon, she may have a scene on her hands. The kid was acting like a spoiled brat, and had been defying her ever since she plucked her from the old witch’s front yard.

“Don’t you want to play some games?” She tried to coat her words with honey.

“No!” the little snot spat back at her. “I want you to take me home!”

“You’ll be able to go home soon enough. As soon as your mommy comes to get you.”

The little wench crossed her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes. “She’s my
aunt
. You aren’t too smart, are you?”

What?
How dare this little vixen talk to her that way? But, she did her best to keep her cool.

“Oh, I’m a lot smarter than your precious aunt wants to think I am.”

“Only in your dreams, lady.”

Now the little bitch was being sarcastic.

Still, she was the adult here, and she wouldn’t be outdone by some snotty kid.

“But it’s true, dear. Your auntie’s just a dumb old cow.”

Again with the rolling of the eyes. “Yeah. Keep dreaming.”

That was it. The little tramp got her dander up with that one. Heat began rising up her neck and into her face. She brought her hand up to slap some sense into the snotty little brat, when it suddenly stopped in mid-air. Dumbfounded, she simply stared at it for several seconds before she realized there was a hand gripping her wrist, and a smug smile on the little bitch’s face.

“Touch my niece and I promise you there’s not a court in this country that will convict me for murdering you.” She should have known better than to sit with her back toward the door.

The voice was harsh, and the words were whispered into her right ear. She relaxed, and her arm was released. Then the jezebel came around the table and sat next to the brat. The look of superiority on her face was offensive, but she decided to let it go and ignore it, for the time being. She gave the harlot a smile that was intended to convey contempt.

“What do you want, Liza?”

Regaining some of her composure, Liza replied, “I want you to leave
my
man alone. He’ll be marrying me before the end of the year, so you may as well just go away and lick your wounds.”

A patronizing smile came across the tramp’s face. “I didn’t get that impression when I spoke with him ten minutes ago. In fact, he was angry with you for kidnapping my niece.”

“For your information, I didn’t kidnap her,” she said in a smug tone, with a smile to match. “I simply brought her here for an early dinner. Your presence indicates you got my invitation.”

“No. But I did get your threatening note and I’ll gladly give it to the police, if you decide to make that necessary.”

She kept the smile, but hoped the momentary fear didn’t show in her eyes. “I don’t think it’ll come to that.”

“Tell me what you want, Liza.”

Now the harlot was demanding things of her. How dare she speak to her in that tone? As if she were the superior. No matter. She decided not to let it bother her. If she did, she’d lose control of the situation and she couldn’t have that happening.

“You’re a nurse, am I right?”

“So what if I am? What’s it to you?”

Maintaining her smugness, she continued. “A nurse can get work anywhere. I think you need to pack up your snotty little niece and leave town.”

Now the bitch had a surprised look on her face, and Liza took advantage of it. “You see, Wes and I were meant for each other. And I can’t take the chance of him messing with you after we’re married, so you just have to leave. It’s as simple as that.”

“You and Wes? Married?” She began to laugh. “That’s not gonna happen, Liza. He doesn’t want you, and I happen to know for a fact that he pities you. He certainly doesn’t love you.”

“That’s a lie! He loved me once and he’ll love me again. If you hadn’t wiggled your behind in his face, I’d already have him back by now.”

“I don’t think so,” the bimbo said. “When are you going to realize that he’s over you?”

“He is not over me! He can’t be!”

“Let him go, Liza.” Now her voice was soft. “You really should look into getting some help with your problems.”

Liza reached into her purse on the chair next to her. “I don’t have any problems this can’t help me fix.” She brought her pistol out and held it just above the table. Couldn’t have everyone in the place causing a stampede to get out if they saw her waving it around.

“Put that away. Now!” The cow’s eyes seemed to grow as big as the moon.

“You’ll take your brat, pack up, and leave town, or I’ll have no choice but to eliminate both of you, once and for all.”

* * * * *

Wes placed his hand on Liza’s upper arm and gently squeezed. She obviously wasn’t thinking clearly, or she would have chosen a seat that faced the door. Her lack of foresight became an advantage for him, allowing him to approach and disarm her before she had a chance to cause any harm to Kristi or Janie.

He bent and spoke quietly into her ear. “Put the gun away, Liza.”

She tried to turn and look at him, but he moved his hand further down her arm and forced it to the chair where her purse lay. “Put it away. Now. You don’t want me or Kristi to call the police, do you?”

He released her only after she slipped her hand into the purse and let go of the weapon. As soon as she pulled her empty hand out, he took her by the shoulders, stood her up, and turned her around, holding her at arm’s length. She was almost as limp as a rag doll in his hands.

“Wesley, I was just—”

“I don’t want to hear it,” he said. “You need to get some counseling, Liza. I told you we were through and I never wanted to see you again. Which of those words is confusing to you?”

“No. You never said that to me!” Her words expressed denial, but her eyes spoke otherwise.

“Yes, Liza. I did say that. Never once did I ever suggest that I wanted to marry you.”

“But you did!” she insisted. She searched his eyes, though he had nothing for her to see but pity. “I could’ve sworn you … didn’t you?” Tears began to form in her eyes, but he wasn’t going to let that sway him.

“No.” He shook his head slowly. “I never once said that to you.”

Liza stiffened as the first tears slid down her cheeks. She pushed him away, defiantly wiped at the droplets on her face, and grabbed her purse from the chair.

“Fine! If you insist on being so cruel to me, I only have one choice left.” The look of absolute misery on her face caused him to pause for a moment, but apparently that was all the time she needed to slip past him and dash toward the door.

Confused, he glanced at Kristi, looking for some clue as to what he should do. She was a nurse with at least minimal training to recognize this type of behavior, so she might be able to help him figure out his next step. Should he let her go or follow and try to talk some sense into her?

“Go,” she said. “She’s likely to hurt someone, or maybe herself if you don’t talk her into getting some kind of therapy. You might be able to get her to agree to an initial visit, if nothing else.”