The door slammed behind him as he all but ran to his truck. His mind a tangled web of fear, he forced himself to keep to the speed limit as he drove to Gillian’s. He pulled into the parking lot and gasped at the two cruisers sitting, lights flashing in the morning sunshine, behind Gillian’s car. He parked and hurried past the crowd, taking the steps to her apartment two at a time.
“Gilli?” Jack opened the door to see her sitting in a ball on the couch, her face streaked with tears, a female officer sitting on the chair next to her. “Baby, are you okay? What’s going on?”
“Who are you, sir?” The RCMP officer stood, her hand going to her waist.
“I’m her boyfriend, Jack Payle. She called me.” He narrowed his eyes and read her name tag. “What’s going on, Corporal McQuire?”
“Miss Hilliard got a rather disturbing phone call.”
“Are you okay?” Jack kneeled before Gillian, pulling her hands away from her face. “Did Michael call you?”
“Yes.” Gillian sobbed. “He said, he said…” Diving into Jack’s arms, she wept uncontrollably.
Jack clung to her and stared at the woman cop. “What’s going on? What does this have to do with her mother?”
“Nothing that we’re aware of. It seems her ex-boyfriend’s gotten himself some privileges and has been reaching out. I’ve tried to get her to go to another location, at least temporarily, but so far she’s been unwilling,” the constable explained. “I’ve also contacted the prison. They’re doing a head count to be certain he’s still in custody.”
“Hey.” Jack pulled back, his hands cupping her face. “Why don’t you come and stay with me?” He tensed when she sobbed harder, her entire body shaking with terror. Uncertain why his offer would send her into hysterics, he glanced from her to the officer and back. Tightening his grip, he rocked with her. “Or I can see about finding you a place. I’ve got a friend in real estate; maybe he can find you an apartment for now. Just until we can figure out what’s going on.”
“I’m so sorry, Jack, I didn’t mean to get you into this.” Gillian clung to him. “I didn’t. I’m so sorry.”
Rocking her back and forth, Jack stared at the stunned face of the cop and shook his head. Come hell or high water he was going to find out what was going on.
An hour later, several bags sat in the back of his pick-up, a shaken Gillian curled against the passenger door, her hands covered by the sleeves of her sweat shirt. He slipped into the cab and glanced at her, a hard knot of unease in his gut. “Gilli, it’s okay. We’re going to fix this. Baby, I still say it’s best if you stay with me. I know this is hard, and it may get harder, so please, please reconsider. Come stay with me.”
“I can’t.” Gillian shook her head, her breathing coming in raspy hiccups. She closed her eyes, a distant look crossing her face as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward town. In spite of his offer, she’d elected to go to a hotel, refusing any help. The gnawing feeling of unease grew with each passing moment.
The truck rumbled to a stop in front of the hotel and Jack got out. Without saying a word, he helped Gillian inside, setting her bags next to the dresser before he straightened. She hadn’t moved from the chair she’d sunk into when they got into the room.
“I’ll swing by your place and grab your mail and bring it by. Do you want anything from the office?” He hovered near the door. “We’re going to get through this, I promise. Are you sure I can’t change your mind about staying with me?”
“No, thank you,” Gillian clutched at his hand. “I’m sorry, Jack, I really am so very sorry.”
“Hey, you haven’t done anything.” Jack pressed a kiss to her knuckles, the unease coming back at the look in her eyes. Something told him she wasn’t apologizing for calling him. “Get some rest, I’ll be back this afternoon. The constable said they were going to bring you a rental by later, but I’ll pick you up for dinner.”
Gillian offered a weak smile and nodded. Her fingers tightened around his for a second before she pulled away, a lone tear tracking down her face. He sighed as her eyes slid past him to the bed, her brows furrowed.
“I’ll be back,” Jack promised and slipped from the room. He tensed at the soft sob as he closed the door, her whisper too low for him to hear. He turned to the closed door, his hand on the knob, fear licking at the back of his mind. Ruthlessly, he crushed it and hurried to the truck.
*
Huddled on the bed, Gillian waited for Jack to leave. Mike’s threat rang in her head, again and again, his words grating over her exposed and raw self-confidence. How had Mike come to know about Jack? Who would … with a sickening clarity she knew. Swallowing, she raked a hand through her hair and cursed.
“I can’t do it,” Gillian whispered to the empty room. The idea of Jack being hurt worse than anything she’d ever felt. Mike’s and Barbara’s betrayals were so minor compared to the panic ripping through her at the thought of Jack being hurt or killed. She couldn’t, no wouldn’t, let them hurt him. Hurt someone whose only offence was to care about her, to want her. “God, how did I let myself fall so hard? I can’t let him get hurt. I just can’t.”
Memories surfaced, dancing across her mind in vivid colors. Every
