Authors: Val Tobin
Injury (5 page)
The driver slammed the door, shutting Dani into the limo’s
dim light and air conditioning. She opened her carry-on bag, which she’d
insisted on hanging onto when he’d stowed her luggage, and pulled out a bottle
of vodka.
What a hellish four days it had been. She was glad to be
back in the States, back in LA. Almost breaking a nail in the attempt, she
struggled the wrapper off the top of the bottle. Fingers shaking, she pried up
the plastic-topped cork stopper and tried not to spill while she poured it into
a martini glass she’d found in the limo’s bar.
Dani glanced out the window and realized the car was heading
to the freeway, back to her apartment. Why not? The driver would’ve been
instructed to do just that, and it made sense she’d want to head home after a
trip out of the country.
She slid down the panel that separated them while trying to
remember his name.
Cope. Yeah, that’s it.
Short for Copeland, but he preferred just “Cope.” Dani couldn’t remember his
first name. “Cope, I don’t want to go home.”
“Where would you like to go, Miss?”
“Somewhere I can get some air, and no one will harass me. Do
you know anyplace like that?”
“Sure. It’s a long drive, but it’s a nice view. I go there
sometimes to get away. Will that be acceptable?”
“All right.”
“I’ll let Mr. Madden know.”
Dani frowned and gulped her warm, Sahara-dry martini. “John
asked you to call him when I was in the car.” It wasn’t a question. There was a
time when she’d have found John’s controlling nature comforting.
“He wants to make sure you arrived okay.”
“Yeah, and he wants to make sure I go home and not to a
bar.” Dani held up her drink so Cope could see it in the rear-view mirror.
“Cheers.”
He nodded but didn’t speak—not to her, anyway. He used the
voice-recognition on the limo phone to call John. The conversation was brief.
Dani could tell John was happy to hear she was back safe and sound, but
suspicious that she wasn’t heading straight home. Cope assured him they weren’t
heading to a bar and didn’t rat her out about the martini.
They drove in silence for an hour, Dani sipping her way
through three martinis. By the time Cope parked the car, she was flying high
and tipsy enough to have wiped out the memory of the visit to her mother in
prison. It had been a painful disaster, and, in her mind, the meeting with
Detective Aaron Vega had been unproductive. Worse yet, for the last three
nights, the same nightmare had haunted her and made her terrified to go to
sleep.
In the dream, Dani was five years old and alone in her room.
Lilli stormed in as she had done many times over the years Dani had lived with
her.
Lilli grabbed Dani’s arm and shrieked, “I’ll bury you.” Her
mother stuffed Dani into a coffin, slamming the lid closed, locking her inside
the satin-lined box. When clods of earth hit the top of the coffin, and Dani
realized she was being buried alive, she’d wake up drenched in sweat and
stifling a scream.
That dream killed her sleep no matter what time of night or
early morning she woke from it. As a result, Dani had had only ten hours sleep
over four days.
Aware the car had stopped, Dani glanced up when Cope opened
the door and offered her his hand. She took it, stepped out onto dirt, and
immediately regretted her choice of footwear.
Her spike-heeled sandals— no—her
come fuck me shoes
, would be a problem on the soft earth of the
cliffs ahead. Dani swayed and tossed her empty martini glass back into the car.
It landed on the seat and bounced off. Through an alcohol fog, she noticed it
didn’t break.
Cope put one hand under her arm and the other around her
shoulder. “Not the best idea to bring you here.”
Dani giggled though she found nothing in her situation
funny. “Shit. We’re here. Let’s go for a walk. I’ll take off the stupid shoes.”
Cope eased her back into the car, and she slipped off her
heels. He leaned across her and took a bottle of water out of the bar fridge,
uncapped it, took a swig, and handed it to her. “Your turn.”
Dutifully she chugged some water. She could feel it going
down, and it struck her then she hadn’t eaten that day. Dani braced for the
coming attempt at standing.
Cope gripped her arms and helped her up. The car door
slammed shut behind her, and Cope locked the limo.
“Wait.” Dani put a hand on his arm. “Leave your cell phone
here.”
“I can’t do that, Miss Grayson. I need to stay in contact
with dispatch.”
“Please? I need quiet, and I don’t want anyone to know where
I am.”
“It’s on vibrate.”
“I’d rather you turned it off. You can check for messages.
Will that be okay?”
He agreed, reluctantly, turned off the cell phone, and
clipped it to his belt.
Dani gazed around. They stood on a field that stretched out
twenty feet in front of them, ending at the edge of a cliff. She heard the
ocean below. Behind them, the road, lined with palm trees, branched off in two
directions. In the distance stood a large, white house.
“Where are we?” The place looked somewhat familiar. Had she
partied around here before?
“My parents’ place is over there.” Cope motioned toward the
house in the distance. “It’s quiet here. Private. No one will bug you. It was
the one place that wouldn’t be crawling with paparazzi. We can walk to the
beach using the trail along the side.”
He led her to a dirt path, and they followed it, Cope
guiding her steps and supporting her.
“You live there?” Dani was surprised. That place was worth
millions.
“No. I have an apartment in Pacific Palisades.”
She arched her brows. That wouldn’t be cheap either. It was
where her apartment was. “On a chauffeur’s wage, or do Mom and Dad give you a
hand?”
Cope pressed his lips together in a tight line, and his eyes
narrowed. Maybe she’d struck a nerve.
“I’m sorry. That was rude.” She took another sip of the
water.
“It’s okay.” He sighed. “Yes, they helped me out with the
down payment. But I’m saving to start my own limo service soon.”
“How old are you?”
He looked away, and just as she thought he wouldn’t answer,
he said, “Twenty-eight.”
Three years older than she was.
Cope pointed to the bottom of the trail, which ended in a
rocky scree, and beyond that, the beach. “That’ll be hard on your feet. I’ll
carry you over the rocks, if that’s okay.”
Dani nodded and slid her arms around his neck. He lifted her
effortlessly, and she leaned her head on his shoulder, relieved to stop
walking. Cope picked his way across the rocks, and she molded to his chest,
fatigue making her eyelids droop. He smelled of fresh air and a hint of spicy
soap, and she breathed it in, finding it comforting.
When he set her on the sand, she stumbled. Cope gripped her
arm again and steered her toward the shoreline. “The sand’s not too hot on your
feet, I hope. I didn’t think this through.”
Dani shook her head. “It’s warmer than I’d like, but not
burning.” She chugged more water. Suddenly, she had enough of being drunk and
wanted to wash the alcohol out of her system.
The strong, salty breeze refreshed her. “This is wonderful.”
She sucked deep gulps of sea air into her lungs. Dani let go of Cope and faced
the setting sun. Eyes closed, she absorbed the warmth and light. The sound of
seagulls crying and ocean waves crashing on the shore soothed her. She opened
her eyes and caught him staring.
Cope grinned, which made him look boyish. He removed his
jacket and set it on the sand. “Have a seat.”
She shook her head. “Your jacket.”
He stared at her, puzzled. “It’ll dry clean.”
Dani sat, looking out over the ocean, avoiding his eyes.
What must he think of her? “How long have you been driving me around, Cope?”
“Three months this time, Miss Grayson.” He was always
polite, deferential. “Though I sometimes drove for you before that.”
Dani couldn’t believe she knew nothing about the man who’d
been driving her around so long. Granted, John had done the hiring, but she’d
always treated Cope like a servant. She hadn’t thought about him having a
personal life independent of chauffeuring her around.
He’d always been there when required, followed her
instructions, and looked after her when she needed it, which was more often
than she cared to admit. Cope had always made sure she arrived home safe, no
matter how drunk she was, or how late the party ended or bar closed.
“Call me Dani. Miss Grayson sounds so formal.” She smiled at
him, and he smiled back.
Now that his jacket was off, she took a long, lingering look
at his chest and noticed the muscles under his shirt. An attractive man, Cope’s
chestnut hair, deep brown eyes, nice lips, and ripped bod made him a great
package—too bad he wasn’t older.
She put her head in her hands.
Knock it off, Dani. He’s your fucking driver.
That reminder made
her relax. She didn’t have to be on with him. He’d seen her puking drunk—more
than once. Dani patted the spot next to her. “Please, sit with me? I promise to
behave.”
Cope sat, partly on the jacket, partly on the sand.
The sun hovered near the horizon. There was a pleasant mix
of lingering warmth from the setting sun and body heat from the man next to
her. Dani sipped her water and let peace infuse her.
They sat together, talking about nothing important, just
enjoying the fresh, cool air and the soothing atmosphere, while the sun sank
lower beyond the edge of the ocean.
Intimacy claimed Dani, and she reveled in it. “Tell me about
yourself, Cope. Where did you go to school?”
He told her about his years at college, and she listened,
envying him the ability to live a normal life. His parents sounded demanding,
but in a way that Dani thought showed they cared though Cope said he resented
their intrusions into his decisions.
“No one ever told me how to run my life. My mother ... ”
Dani choked on the words and shook her head, unable to continue.
“It’s okay, Dani.” Cope said. He put an arm around her, and
she leaned into him relishing the touch.
Commotion from above made them both look toward the limo
parked at the top of the bluffs. A man and woman in security uniforms made
their way along the steep incline down which Cope had carried her. He leapt up
and went to meet them. Dani’s heart sank. The couple was from the limo service,
and the anger on their faces was directed at Cope.
Unable to hear what the newcomers said to Cope, Dani stood
and swished through the sand toward them. Raised voices swept by on the wind,
garbled and unintelligible. She quickened her pace and finally got close
enough.
“I have my cell phone. It’s off.” Cope pulled the phone from
the clip on his belt and turned it on. A series of staccato beeps heralded the
incoming messages.
The man, a hulking giant who looked like his uniform might
burst at the seams if he exerted himself too much, frowned. “Call in, Cope.
We’re glad you’re both safe, but this won’t go well. You went against company
policy.”
“I’m sorry. I was accommodating the client.” He indicated
Dani with a wave of his hand. “I meant to check my messages, but I forgot.”
“Call it in, Cope.” The woman’s voice sounded less angry
than the man’s, but her tone was worried. “They’re concerned and tracked you
using the GPS on the car. It didn’t look good that the car was parked at the
top of a bluff, and we couldn’t reach either of you.”
Cope called the office and talked to his supervisor. The
explanation he gave sounded flimsy even to Dani, and he was silent while the
man at the other end of the phone ranted seemingly without taking a breath.
Face grim, Cope hung up the phone and turned to the security
team. “You two can return to the office. I’ve been instructed to take Miss
Grayson home, and I’ll do that now.”
“You okay, Cope? What did Newt say?” the woman asked.
“We’ll talk later, Amanda.” Cope touched the security
officer’s arm, lingering on it in a way that aroused a hint of irrational
jealousy in Dani.
Amanda gave Cope a half-smile, reassuring, promising to see
him later. Again Dani felt a little stab and wondered why it should bother her.
She recalled his strong arms carrying her, the offer of his jacket to sit on,
and intimacy that had grown between them. A stubborn desire to hang onto that
jolted her, making her want him in a way she’d never wanted anyone else.
When security had left, Cope asked Dani to wait while he
retrieved his jacket from the shore. He walked down while she watched,
squinting in the fading light. Cope moved like an athlete, and when he bent
over to pick up his jacket, Dani ogled his ass, glad he couldn’t see her.
Back in the limo, Dani opened another bottle of water and
took a swig while Cope tossed his jacket into the front passenger seat and
climbed into the car.
“I’m sorry, Cope. It’s my fault. I’ll explain everything and
make sure they know you’re not to blame.”
“Don’t worry about it, Miss. It was my choice to turn off
the phone, and my neglect that kept it off.”
Was it wrong that it hurt he referred to her as Miss? Under
the circumstances, she didn’t blame him, but wanted him to say her name again.
Next time, I’ll correct him.
When Cope took her home, he walked her up to her apartment
unit, carrying her bags. They said good night, and before he walked away, Dani
learned his first name was Robert.
***
“They fired him?” Dani couldn’t believe what John had just
said. “What do you mean they fucking fired him? It was my fault. Why are they
punishing him?” Hot anger making her restless, Dani paced the living room
between the couch and the loveseat and then circled the coffee table. “God
dammit, John, Cope needs that job.”
“I’m sorry, Dani. I have no control over that. Copeland
deserved a reprimand. The man went against policy. Do you have any idea the
panic we were in when neither of you could be reached? Then they located the
car parked on the bluffs by the ocean? I was afraid you’d been kidnapped and
Copeland was at the bottom of the sea with a bullet in his head and cement
shoes on his feet.”
“That’s very imaginative. You should write novels. Cope
checked in with you when he picked me up from the airport. He told you I wasn’t
going home. What more do you want?”
A frustrated sigh told her John was reaching the end of his
patience. “You feel responsible for what happened. I get that. And yes, he told
me you were going for a drive. Next thing I know, we can’t reach either of you,
and the car is out in the middle of nowhere.”
“At his parents’ place.”
“I didn’t have time to check the deed on the property, Dani.
I’m glad you were both fine, but that’s where the problem arises. Copeland
shirked his responsibility, and you’re an important client. That’s the end of
it. He’s out.”
Dani disconnected the call and tried the limo company. At
first, the owner, Dale Newton, or Newt, as his employees called him, tried to
placate her. His voice sounded reasonable, as if she was missing the point, but
would soon get up to speed. When Dani refused to accept his decision as final,
an edge crept into his voice, and he sputtered at her until she wanted to slam
the phone down.
“Newt,” she interrupted. “I don’t want anyone else to drive
me. Get him back.” She paced again, faster, covering the hallway, the living
room, drifting around the bedrooms. The thought of losing Cope, of not seeing
him every day, though she’d taken him for granted for months, put her in a
panic.
“You can’t fire him. It’s not his fault. I told him to turn
off the phone, and I distracted him from checking in. It won’t happen again.
Please, Newt. Don’t do this. He’s a good driver, and he takes his job
seriously.”
When Newt spoke again, it sounded like he was talking
through gritted teeth. “The decision’s final, Miss Grayson. Sorry. We gave him
his papers, and he’s gone. Your new driver has years of experience, and he’s
just as capable as Cope. You won’t notice the difference. Don’t blame yourself.
Cope should know better than to allow a client, even an important one, to distract
him.”
“Fine. Just tell me where I can reach him.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t give out personal information. Be
aware, though, that you’re fighting harder for his job than he did. He’ll find
something else. Don’t worry about Cope.”
“It’s me, Newt, not a stranger asking for his phone number.
I’m sure he won’t mind. I’d have asked for it from him yesterday if I’d known
you’d fire him. Please, give it to me so I can call him and apologize.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Grayson. It’s against—”
Dani pressed “End” as forcefully as her thumb could manage,
cutting Newt off, but getting no satisfaction from it. Luanne. Luanne could
track down Cope.
The assistant picked up on the first ring, and Dani didn’t
even have to disconnect before Luanne had somehow located a phone number.
“Thanks, Lu. You’re a life saver.” Dani entered Cope’s
number into her phone, disconnected from Luanne, and called him.
The suggestion to lend him money was barely out of her mouth
when he turned her down flat. Dani no longer paced the apartment. She’d curled
up on the sofa, but now sat bolt upright, wondering if Cope had lost his mind.
“What do you mean, ‘no thank you?’”
“I mean, it’s okay. You don’t need to lend me money. I’ve
already said no to my parents. I’ll do this myself.”
“Cope, it’s just a loan. It’s my fault you lost your job.
Let me make it up to you. At least meet me for lunch, and we’ll talk about it.”
“I’m busy. Maybe another time. I’m putting together business
proposals and meeting with investors. When I’m up and running, I’ll call you.
Don’t worry about it, Dani—Newt was right to fire me. I’d have done the same
with any driver who pulled what I did. It was negligent. I’ve learned my
lesson.”
“Cope, I own an investment company. I had to do something
with my earnings, and I invest in start-up companies. They’ll look at your
proposal. Consider it good networking.”
“No, I don’t want to owe you, and I don’t want people to
think I used you for your money.”
“No one will think that. I want to help you.”
“Thank you, but I’ll be fine. Take care, Dani.” The line
clicked, and he was gone.
She leaned back against the cushions, considering what to
do. At least he’d called her “Dani” and not “Miss.” There had to be a way to
help him.
An idea struck her, and she called Luanne. “Lu, call Star
Power Investments and tell William to call me. I want to talk to him about
Robert Copeland.”
Luanne promised to make the call, and Dani hung up the
phone. One way or the other, she’d lend that money to Cope, even if he didn’t
know it was her money. William
Haz
, the president of
her investment company, could help with that.
The alarm sounded on her cell phone, alerting her it was
time to leave for the meeting with the film studio. Happy with her scheme, Dani
loaded a copy of the script for the new movie into a faux-leather bag and
headed out the door.