Saving Sophie: Book Seven In The Bodyguards Of L.A. County Series (19 page)

“
What
?” He jolted up, ripping his covers back, rushing to his feet. “How—”

“She’s got herself an attorney. She’s coming to fight the charges against her. Hold on.” Clyde murmured something to someone.

How did Clyde expect him to hang on? Sophie was coming.

“Eric, I’ve gotta go.”

“No, wait. I—”

“I have to go. I thought I owed you the courtesy after all you’ve done for the department. I can’t say anything more.”

The phone went dead in his ear. “Clyde? Hello?” How dare Clyde hang up? He tossed the phone on the bed, laughing through the disbelief. She was coming. Tomorrow Sophie would be back, and she would pay. “Stupid,
stupid
, Sophie. You should have stayed away.”

Sophie walked into the police station with Stone
and Jeremiah Trombley at her side. She let loose a shaky breath as nerves ate at her stomach. She was deathly afraid, despite Stone’s steady support and her powerhouse attorney leading the way. She breathed in the scent of stale coffee, glancing around at familiar faces as the soles of her sandals slapped against the linoleum floor. Now that she was here she wanted desperately to turn and run out the door.

“I’m going to let Officer Abney know we’ve arrived,” Jeremiah said as he moved to the left in his suit, carrying his thick briefcase in his hand.

“Guess this is a good time to hit the bathrooms. You coming, Soph?” Stone held out his hand in his short-sleeve, navy-blue polo and dark-wash jeans, his simple outfit emphasizing his broad, muscular build.

“No, I think…” Her eyes locked with Joe Burlington’s, who sat at his desk across the room. They’d known each other since high school. He’d been a regular customer of hers, buying jewelry for his wife year after year, yet his cool stare made it clear he thought she was a thief. “Yes.” She took Stone’s hand and they walked down the long corridor, turning into the small, quiet lobby separating the men’s and women’s rooms from the rest of the station.

“I’ll be right back,” Stone said, closing himself behind the door.

She nodded, crossing her arms over the white spaghetti-strap tank she’d paired with a navy-blue striped maxi dress, brushing her palms against her chilled skin, trying to chase away the goosebumps. The early-summer temperatures were more than comfortable, yet she’d been cold ever since she and Stone boarded the plane this morning.

She glanced over her shoulder, unable to relax, moving closer to the plaques on the wall as she studied commendations various Bangor officers had received over the years. Hopefully their meeting with Clyde would be as painless as Jeremiah had assured her it would be. She just wanted this over with as quickly as possible. Blinking tired, weary eyes, she rubbed at the deep ache clenching her neck muscles. The day had been endless with long flights and torturous layovers, and it was far from over. Home. That’s what she desperately needed—to be on Stone’s cliffs with Murphy, maybe playing a pickup game or cooking something for an early dinner. Anything but this.

“Welcome back.”

Her heart stopped as the prim, schooled voice brought a rush of wild fear. Whirling, she faced Eric.

“Look at you,” he sneered, his gaze traveling up her body. “I barely recognized you. Nothing but a streetwalker.” He sniffed the air. “You smell like one too.”

Her breath rushed in and out in hot waves as she stared into his mean blue eyes.

He shook his head on a disgusted laugh. “This is exactly why I tell you what to wear.”

“Leave me alone,” she whispered, fisting her hands at her sides, paralyzed by the primal terror he invoked.

“Talking back?” He grabbed her arms.

She flinched, gasping from the painful bite of his fingers into her skin.

“Since when do you talk back to
me
?” He gave her a nasty shake, his cheeks pinking, his eyes growing more hostile with his ragged breathing.

She cringed, waiting for the fist or kick that was surely coming any second.

“Two months, Sophie.” He gave her another brutal shake, yanking her against him. “I owe you for two long months. Did you think I wouldn’t know the moment you walked through this door? You’ve
humiliated
me.” He gripped her tighter, making her whimper from the throbbing pain. “I’ve been keeping track of all that you owe me, and it’s a hell of a lot more than five million dollars.” He shoved her towards the women’s bathroom. “I told you what would happen if you left. You’re going to—”

The men’s door opened with a rough yank. Before Sophie could blink, Stone rushed forward, gripping Eric’s collar, slamming him against the wall with a nasty thud.

“Get your hands off—”

“Shut up.” He pressed his muscled forearm into Eric’s throat, making Eric gasp. “You listen to me, asshole,” he said through clenched teeth. “Don’t you
ever
fucking touch her again. Don’t look at her or even breathe in her direction. You got it?”

Eric’s eyes were huge as he fought to breath, trying to push Stone’s arm away.

Stone pressed harder. “I asked you if you understand.”

Eric nodded frantically.

“Good.” Stone loosened his grip.

Eric coughed violently, yanking at his tie and collar. “Who—who the hell are
you
?”

“Sophie’s husband. Consider this your one and only warning.” He let Eric go and turned, his eyes still fierce as he looked at her. “Are you okay?”

She swallowed, gripping her arms across her chest, trying to stop trembling as she glanced from Stone to Eric.

Stone took the two steps separating them, standing toe to toe, brushing gentle hands down her arms, caressing the bright-red marks Eric left on her biceps. “Are you all right, Soph?”

She’d never seen that side of Stone—the shocking capacity for violence, yet he touched her as if she were fragile. “Yes. I’m just a little shaken up.”

He slid the hair back from her cheeks, tucking several strands behind her ears. “Should we go?”

“Yes.”

“Come on.” He took her hand, eyeing Eric as they moved around the corner and walked down the hall.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I should’ve been able to handle that.”

“Don’t worry about it. I just did.”

“But—”

He slowed, hooking his arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay, Soph.”

No it wasn’t.
None
of this was all right. She glanced up into the security mirror in the corner by the ceiling, shuddering, watching Eric stare after her. “I—I don’t want you saying anything about what just happened.”

“Of course I’m going to say something. He left marks—”

“
No
,” she cut him off, her skin crawling as she looked at Eric again. If the incident was brought up, it would only complicate everything and keep her here longer. If there was even the remotest of chances she could be on the next flight home, that was all she cared about.

“Soph—”

She pulled away from him. “I want you to drop it.”

Jeremiah stepped out of Clyde’s office with the portly, fifty-something officer at his side, ending their conversation. “We’re ready for you.”

Sophie took a deep breath and walked in, taking one of the padded chairs in front of Clyde’s desk.

Stone sat in the seat next to her, snagging her hand, giving her a subtle nod.

She squeezed his fingers, grateful for his strength and support and his willingness to respect her wishes.

“Welcome home, Sophie,” Clyde said as he took his seat behind his desk, his gaze wandering over her and Stone’s clasped hands. “It sounds like we’ve got a bit of a situation we need to clear up.”

“Yes,” she replied quietly, remembering to look him in the eye instead of stare at her lap the way she wanted to. “I didn’t steal Eric’s money.”

“That’s what Attorney Trombley says.”

“That’s what
I
say. The money I left Maine with was from the inventory I sold during my last day in business at the mall. ”

Clyde nodded. “And that’s where the problem lies. According to the documents I’ve seen, Eric owns full partnership of Burke Jewelers.”

“Clyde,” Jeremiah addressed the officer, “Sophie didn’t take the funds from Burke Jewelers with malicious intent. She’s more than willing to return the full amount Mr. Winthrop feels is owed to him to end this matter.”

“I guess I’m wondering why you left the way you did, Sophie. You and Eric had a strong, committed relationship. You were weeks away from getting married.”

“Things may have appeared fine, but they weren’t.” She held the officer’s stare.

Clyde sighed, folding his hands on his desk. “Attorney Trombley has shared some very serious accusations you’re making against Eric.”

“No less serious or damaging than the allegations Mr. Winthrop has made against Sophie,” Jeremiah added. “But we’re willing to let that go.”

“I see you’ve married,” Clyde glanced at the ring on her finger as her hand lay folded loosely in Stone’s.

“Yes.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Stone asked.

Jeremiah sent Stone a warning glance. “Sophie would like the charges against her dropped,” Jeremiah said. “This entire situation is nothing more than a huge misunderstanding.”

Clyde puffed up his flabby chest. “But Eric’s accountants are able to show us a five-thousand-dollar deficit in his books, which
does
make these charges stick.”

“Which Sophie has explained to you she believed to be hers,” Jeremiah interjected. “The inventory she sold was made with her own hands.”

“Sophie turned the business over to Eric when Christina was ill,” Clyde argued.

“I did,” she admitted. “Which I regret every single day.”

“And one might be able to argue that Sophie signed the legal documentation Mr. Winthrop presented her to gain control of the business under emotional duress,” Jeremiah suggested. “But that’s an entirely different can of worms. Let’s get back to the here and now.” Jeremiah scooted up in his chair. “Mr. Winthrop’s accountants should be able to show that Sophie is entitled to some sort of compensation for providing product to his company and for being his employee, which she did not receive.”

Clyde chewed on the inside of his cheek. “I’ll have to see how Eric would like to proceed.”

“Let’s cut through all the bullshit here,” Stone said sitting up, ignoring Jeremiah’s not so subtle clearing of his throat. “Eric can waste his time, the court’s time, and ours, but we all know these charges aren’t going to stick once we get in front of the judge. Sophie’s set to inherit five million dollars next year. Why would she risk a criminal record over five grand? This whole thing’s a bunch of crap, and you know it.”

Clyde sat back in his chair, holding Stone’s intense stare.

“I’d really like to give the money back, Clyde, and go home,” Sophie added, hoping to relax some of the tension in the room.

Stone squeezed her fingers. “Even though it’s yours.”

“Let me talk to Eric,” Clyde said.

“You make sure to tell him to stay away from Sophie,” Stone added.

“I can’t make guarantees on Eric’s behalf.”

“I’m still trying to figure out how he knew she was here.”

It was Clyde’s turn to shift in his seat as he cleared his throat.

“We want this entire matter to go away,” Jeremiah said. “Sophie has agreed to leave the past in the past if we can find a resolution to our current problem.”

“If you’re speaking of her allegations of abuse, Jeremiah, you know I can’t go around issuing warrants for domestic violence without proof. Now with all due respect, Sophie, you know Eric loves you—”

“Hold the hell up,” Stone interjected. “I just peeled your
pal
off of my
wife
back by the bathrooms—”

“I don’t care about that or any of the rest,” Sophie said in a rush, flicking a glance toward Stone’s unreadable gaze. “I just want the warrant for my arrest to go away.”

“We’ll let you speak to Mr. Winthrop or his attorney.” Jeremiah closed his briefcase. “You can give me a call when you know how he would like to proceed.”

“Ms. Burke, or Mrs. McCabe, I guess it is now, is not free to leave the state,” Clyde said as he stood.

She glanced toward the window, hating the idea of being stuck here for even one more minute.

“We’ll be at the hotel over by the airport,” Stone added as he and Sophie got to their feet.

“Thanks for your cooperation in this matter, Clyde,” Jeremiah shook his hand, and they walked out.

She stepped from the room, pausing when she spotted Eric speaking to Joe.

Stone took her hand. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.” He tightened his grip, and they left as quickly as they’d arrived.

~~~~

Stone sat across from Sophie, watching her push her food around her plate, as she’d done for the last several minutes. He’d hoped the quaint Italian place with its classic checkered tablecloths and squat candle burning in the center of the table might relax her, but that clearly wasn’t the case. He polished off the remains of his perfectly prepared rib eye and set down his silverware. “How’s the piccata?”

She continued sliding her bite among the pasta and spears of grilled asparagus, staring into the flame.

“Soph.” He brushed his finger over her knuckles.

Her eyes darted to his. “Hmm?”

“How’s the food?”

“Good.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes.” She sat up further in her seat. “Very delicious.”

“I haven’t seen you take a bite yet.”

Sighing, she looked at her plate. “I’m not hungry.”

He stood, abandoning his side of the table, and slid into the booth next to her. “You should eat.” He took the fork and stabbed the piece of golden chicken, bringing it to her lips.

She took the bite and chewed.

“Good?”

She nodded.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, wanting to erase the troubled look that had been in her eyes since last night. Their trip to her mother’s grave and walk along her favorite local beach had brought her little comfort. Nothing seemed to help. “How you doing?” he murmured against her soft hair.

She leaned further into him, resting her head in the crook of his neck. “Okay.” She touched his wedding band, twisting the silver on his finger. “I hate it here. This was my home for so many years, but now I want to leave so badly and never come back.”

He thought of Eric’s nasty murmurs through the bathroom door and the way the asshole had grabbed Sophie’s arms, shoving her toward the women’s room as he opened the door. He’d wanted to kill the bastard. He’d wanted to squeeze the fucker’s windpipe until his heart stopped. “We’ll be out of here soon,” he said, struggling to force the sickening memory away.

“I can’t settle. I keep waiting to turn around and see Clyde coming at me with a pair of handcuffs.”

He pulled her closer against him. “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

She twisted his ring faster. “I’m not so sure. He and Eric are such good friends. Eric does a lot for the department—scholarships for the officers’ children, family barbeques, art nights for the spouses, not to mention he and Clyde are golf buddies.” She stopped fiddling with his finger. “I feel like everyone’s looking at me, like this whole town is against me. He has them all fooled.”