Chico was getting cranky from hiding in the woods. He stumbled upon an old deserted barn and set up camp. He was cold and bored and there were weird noises in the woods. What a shitty town. Nothing fun to do here. It closed down at dusk and looked like a ghost town. Where were all the bars and girls and lights? He saw two deputy dorks and a sheriff driving around. He had followed Lacy once and she went into a little restaurant. He hadn’t wanted to go in there with all those people to kidnap her, and it wasn’t open at night. Besides, he wanted to catch her alone. Maybe she wasn’t so dumb after all, ’cause she stuck closer to the sheriff than glue. And she was hot. He liked his women with big tits. Why had he never taken her back in Detroit? Maybe he’d have some fun with her now before he killed her. Now that sounded like a plan. That will make up for my pain and suffering, he told himself, taking the supplies he stole back to his hideout. Soon we will meet, Lacy—real soon.
Chapter Eleven
Lacy went to visit Liz’s shop after work to get a costume for the upcoming Halloween party. She needed a distraction from her upset over last night’s events.
Lacy wanted something simple, so she tried on a silky black dress that ended just above her knees and only had a hint of cleavage with short sleeves. She didn’t want anything too revealing, but she wanted to look good for Ryan at the same time. She wondered if Emma would be there and hoped not. That would ruin the party for sure. Hopefully Emma had the sense to not show up and cause trouble.
“What do you think?” she asked Liz, looking into one of the mirrors, twirling around. She felt sexy in the dress. “All I need is a witch’s hat, maybe a broom. Then I can reuse the dress again someday.”
“You are one hot mama. Ryan might not let you go to the party after all,” Liz told Lacy as she whistled. “You picked the perfect dress.”
Lacy looked over her shoulder at Liz and winked playfully and said, “Don’t you know Latin girls are caliente?”
“What do you have planned, Liz?” Lacy asked her friend.
“I have an angel costume already. A pretty white glittery dress complete with wings and a halo,” Liz answered with a smile. “I bought it last year when I went back home to visit.”
“I gave in to Stella’s pressure and went out with Stanley’s boss last night,” Liz continued. “He was so obnoxious and vain but I don’t want to tell Stella that. She’ll be so disappointed. I’m doomed to be an old maid and have cats.” Liz sighed dramatically.
“You are not! You are too smart and beautiful to end up alone. The right guy is out there. You’ll meet him when you least expect it,” Lacy said with confidence, the way Ally had said the same to her not too long ago. Liz was beautiful and sophisticated and smart. “Maybe you’ll meet someone at Ally’s party. The whole town is expected from what Ally says. As for Stella, just tell her there was no romantic connection. She’ll understand. Nothing can bring that girl down from cloud nine right now.”
Liz shrugged and agreed with Lacy. Stella was so happy with her pregnancy. Liz hoped she would meet someone at the party but she didn’t want to get her hopes up. She was used to being alone, but it would be nice to have someone to share her life with. She had good friends but they all had men in their lives. She looked out the window for a few minutes then looked at Lacy thoughtfully. “So does Ryan know you have someone following you? What’s the story, girlfriend. Is Emma making that much of a nuisance of herself?” Lacy had told her about Emma going to the diner and the incident at Thorn’s.
Lacy sighed and saw Ethan sitting on a bench across the street, watching the store closely. She was glad he stayed within sight but didn’t follow her in the store, giving her the privacy she needed. Ryan insisted on someone shadowing her when she told him of her plans to visit Liz after work, and nothing she said would make him change his mind. She hated the thought of burdening other people with her problems, but Ethan had assured her he didn’t mind when Ryan introduced them at the diner earlier. Ethan was a lot like Gabe. He didn’t say much but his eyes were everywhere, searching for anything not right. He was a big man, tall and husky and very handsome. This town sure knows how to grow handsome men, she mused. But she was comforted by his presence.
She had learned her sweet sheriff had a stubborn side to him. Last night when he had come back she had known something was wrong right away. He was tense and quiet, too quiet. At first he refused to tell her anything, but she demanded the truth and that led to their first argument.
Lacy was frustrated at his refusal to be honest and share with her what was really going on and had argued with him. “Ryan, knowing the truth wou
ld be easier than imagining the terrible things that could be going on. This is my life in danger. I have the right to know if Chico is here and I hate how you hold things back from me!” she said angrily, with tears in her eyes. “Have I given you the impression that I’m so weak I will break down the minute you tell me something bad?”
Finally, he had given in to her tears, hugging her tightly, his body trembling with emotion. He was worried but he hadn’t wanted Lacy to know anything because he wanted to protect her. It was his job not only as the sheriff but as her man to keep Chico away from her.
“Okay, you’re right,” he admitted, letting her go and starting to pace, running his hands through his hair with worry. “I’m sorry and I know you are not a weakling. You got away from Chico once and ended up here. I just want to protect you from everything bad in the world, but you deserve to know the truth.”
So he sat with her on the couch and told her about the break-in and what they suspected. Yes, she was scared but at least she now knew to be alert at all times. She was tired of living her life being terrified of a bully, and that was exactly what Chico was. She would live through this because life was worth fighting for. There would always be ups and downs in life, but she still had to keep on living and not trying to hide the way she had been. She had learned that lesson this last year with all that had happened to her. If Chico thought he was dealing with the same scared little girl that avoided any confrontations, then he was in for a big surprise!
“Why don’t you teach me self-defense moves? I knew a lot of the girls where I worked in Detroit took classes. They invited me, but I never went with them,” she told Ryan. Now she wished she had gone to those classes instead of sitting home feeling sorry for herself.
“We’ll see,” he answered vaguely and Lacey felt disappointed. She’d bring it up again later. It is a good idea, but one battle at a time, she told herself. Her stubborn sheriff was going to have to learn that she was no fragile doll and didn’t like being treated as one. She was strong and she refused to be treated like an empty-headed twit.
That night Ryan made love to her with a desperation that unsettled her. She was angry at herself for bringing this bad situation into this peaceful little town and to Ryan. Yet she couldn’t regret meeting Ryan or any of her friends or coming here. This is where she was meant to be. She felt that deep in her soul.
She put her regular clothes back on and told Liz the whole story. “So that is why I have my own personal bodyguard and I’m scared, Liz, but I can’t admit that to Ryan or he’ll lock me in the apartment with a guard posted at the door. I just found my happiness and I don’t want to lose it.”
When she was done, Liz had tears in her eyes and hugged Lacy tightly. “Oh, Lacy, Ryan would never let anything happen to you. Thank God you got away. I can’t imagine how terrified you were to see something like that. You are not going back there to live, are you?”
Lacy shook her head. “No, I’ve changed for the better since coming here. I’m not feeling lost and lonely anymore. I know what I want and it’s a life here with good friends and the man I love.”
Within seconds they were both blubbering like babies, then they looked at each other and started laughing. “At least if someone has to follow you around, be glad he’s hot,” Liz said, looking at Ethan one more time before grabbing a box of Kleenex.
“You think Ethan is hot?” Lacy smiled as Liz’s cheeks turned a charming pink color. Interesting, Stella might be looking in the wrong direction setting her up with Stanley’s boss. She’d have to tell Stella later.
* * * *
Gabe and Ethan came into the diner looking for Mr. Harris. He had called the police station saying he saw someone last night at the Reynolds Farm, which had been deserted for over a year now. Mr. Harris got lonely and often reported that someone was trying to steal his cows, but with Chico around they had to check out every little report. They knew he was hiding in the woods, but there were so many acres of it to search.
After talking to Mr. Harris and promising to look into it, they stayed for breakfast. Ally insisted on feeding “her boys” as she called the three of them. Lacy knew they were hunting for Chico and that made her feel safer yet horrible that they were working so hard on her behalf. The sooner Chico was found the better everyone would feel, especially her.