Just to be Left Alone (18 page)

I
watched the rain as I waited for Parker to get me. When he pulled in front of
me, I grabbed up my things and ran to the passenger door of his sedan. He
started the drive back to the office.

“What
the hell were you doing with him?”

His
hands strained on the steering wheel as he asked. He looked almost like a dad
scorning a child coming home late.

“Well,
Dad, it broke down in the middle of this storm and Jason happened to drive by.
He recognized my vehicle and pulled over to see if I needed any help.”

It
sounded so simple when said like that.

“You
should’ve called me. I would’ve picked you up. How could you let him in your Jeep
after what he did to you? What were you thinking? You could’ve been slaughtered
by that man and no one would’ve been around to help you.”

“I
hear what you’re saying, but I’m here and in one piece. Besides, I don’t know
where my phone is, so I couldn’t call you.”

“I
can’t believe you! This man threatened you in public, abused you and then
kidnapped you. Why are you acting so calm about this?”

“I’m
fine. I’m just going to be thankful that it worked out and now I have to call
the shop to tow the Jeep in.”

He
fumed. I decided to be silent. I wasn’t going to tell Parker how scared and
vulnerable I felt. It wouldn’t make things any better. Right now, it’d make me
feel even more naked to my mounting fears. Instead, I had chosen to be
defensive and childish. Not good.

I
went to my office to call the mechanic about my vehicle and the restaurant
about my missing phone. The mechanic said he wasn’t too busy to run out and
take a look at it. He’d tow it back if he couldn’t fix it on the spot. He came
by to get my keys and promised to call when he got a better look at things.

While
I waited for the report on my car repairs, I went over the reports on my desk
and placed a few calls. My work phone rang. It was Conrad.

“Samantha,
what the hell am I hearing about you being around Jason?”

“Yes,
I was in my vehicle with Jason. I broke down and he saw me as he ran an errand.
I didn’t have my phone and wasn’t about to huff it all the way to work in the
pouring rain,” I said without even taking a breath.

“That
was a crazy thing to do, don’t you think? What if he had taken you off
somewhere and done something insane to you? What were you thinking?”

“I’m
fine and he didn’t act crazy. If I had been given a different option, then I
might have taken it. I went with my gut like I usually do and I’m fine. I’m
sorry that it bothered everyone, but what else was I to do?” I questioned him
in return.

“Don’t
take me wrong, I’m glad you’re safe and thought things through. I’m just crazy
over what could have happened if he had gone cuckoo again. Did he lay a hand on
you? Threaten you? Have you called Detective Montrose yet?”

I
hadn’t even thought about it and told him so. All I got on the other end was a
long sigh.

“I’ll
call him as soon as we get off the phone. My Jeep is headed to the shop now and
if it’s not ready then I may have to bum a ride home.”

“One
of us can get you home safely. What about your phone? Did you call the
restaurant to see if you left it at the table?”

“I
called as soon as I got here. They didn’t see it since they were pretty busy
when I left,” I said.

 
“I want Montrose to serve Strickland at work
if it’s possible. Call Montrose and the shop, I’ll call you back in about
thirty minutes to see if you need a ride home,” he instructed.

I
shook my head and let him get away with his bossiness because he was right. But
that did not mean I didn’t resent them treating me like a child. I had to try
harder not to be defensive.

I
sighed. “I’m really sorry today bothered you guys so much. I was afraid and
should never have to deal with this crap in the first place. I’ll either find
my phone or get another one. As a matter of fact, one of the crew left their
company phone here when the warehouse shut down. I can use it as my own for the
time being. Give me a second and I’ll go get it.”

I
put him on hold before running for the locked cabinet in the corner of my
office. Getting out the push to talk phone, I was glad it had the number listed
on it as well as the chargers. I brought all of it back to my desk and picked
up my line again.

“I
have it here and I’ll give you the number.”

I
checked the current charge on the phone.

I
gave him the number and hung up to call Detective Montrose.

Detective
Montrose sounded just as surprised as Conrad, except not as angry. He started
lecturing me, but I told him I had already gotten my daily dose and grasped the
mistake that I’d made.

“I
understand the predicament you were in and wouldn’t have wanted my wife in that
position. You did what you thought was best and I’m extremely glad it ended
well for you. I have seen too many women never come back when they have made
that choice. I will get on the phone to see if Mr. Strickland can be served at
his job. Does he travel very much for them?” He questioned.

“Not
very much, but does have to go to meetings at least once a week. He’s in
technology services and loves to bury himself in his work. He can rewire a phone
line while reprogramming your remote and not even blink twice. He could
probably draw schematics in his sleep.”

I
remembered him setting up my new phone several months ago.

“You
don’t sound like the same person who was threatened by him. You aren’t going to
take this all back are you?” I heard silence on his end of the phone.

“No,
he did what he did and even though he was civil one time that doesn’t mean
he’ll continue to do so. I still want him to stay away from me and will
hopefully get his problems checked out by a professional.”

It
was still hard to believe the one hundred and eighty degree turn he had taken.

“I
had to ask since most battered wives change their minds before we can get
anyone in court. I could tell you stories that would curl your hair, poodle
tight. Just please let me know if you run into him again. Did you get your
phone?”

“No,
so I’m using a work cell phone for now. I probably dropped my other one in the
rain somewhere. I just got it this year and may have to get another one.”

I
gave him the number to my temporary one and told him good luck before I hung up
to call the shop. It took five minutes for him to explain the damage he found.
It seemed as though several of my parts and cables had melted and if I had
driven any further, the motor would have locked up. I was lucky it would cost
me only five hundred dollars to repair instead of most of my savings for a new
motor. He wasn’t sure how the damaged occurred, but it looked like the motor
had been splashed with a corrosive liquid. The only thing I could think of was
driving through construction on the way to the restaurant.

It
might have happened that way and just ate its way through by the time I was
driving back to work. I hung up after thanking him for his speedy attention and
he was going to call me in a couple of days when it was repaired.

Running
my hand through my hair, I sighed at the turn of events. I kept running into
bad luck, no matter how hard I tried to avoid it. Picking up the phone again, I
called Conrad with an update on my repairs.

“Did
the corrosion affect anything other than the motor? It could be eating the body
or suspension.” He would think of that considering his welding experience.

“No
sign of it so far, although he’ll have time to check it over with it being
there for a few days. I guess I’ll have to get a ride or borrow a car until
next week.”

“The
weather’s fine the next couple of days so why don’t I ride the motorcycle and
you take my truck? I don’t have any deliveries to make and I can pick you up
tonight with it. We can have a little dinner and then you can drop me off at
home. Sound good?” He suggested.

“Yes,
that does sound good. I hate borrowing things, but seeing as how I can’t sit at
home and handle everything, I’ll gladly take the offer. When do you get off
work?”

It
was surprising that he’d hand over an expensive truck to me without even
blinking an eye. Especially, after being upset with me on how I handled the
situation with Jason.

“I’m
done around four-thirty and can be there by five, if that sounds good.”

“That
sounds great. We can eat at the little sandwich shop on the way back to your
place. What do I owe you for this great service?” I inquired playfully.

“I’m
sure I’ll think of something you could do for me,” he replied with a husky
voice.

“Just
make sure it’s something I can handle, okay big guy?”

“Oh,
I’m sure you could handle it, but that’s for another time.”

“I’ll
see you at five and I’ll even pay for the meal since you’re playing white
knight yet again.”

“I’ll
be there. I don’t know if I like the idea of the damsel buying dinner, but will
take you up on it just the same.”

“Now
get back to work before you get hot enough to melt steel on your own.”

“How
did you know that was happening?”

“Just
get back to work and we’ll finish this discussion another day.”

He
said with a groan, “How can I work when I can barely walk right now?”

“Trust
me, the feeling is mutual. Now go back to beating some steel before we beat the
speed record for sexual frustration on a phone call.”

“Feeling
is not the problem and the word beating was way below the belt, if you know
what I mean.”

“Sorry,
babe. I couldn’t help it.”

Boy,
was my mind working over time.

“I’ll
see you at five and be prepared to get partially ravaged when I get there.”

“Partially?”

“Yeah,
partially. I can’t do it all in a truck, although I can go pretty far when
properly motivated. I may have to take a shower when you drop me off, but I’ll
have a grin on my face either way. Bye.”

He
hung up laughing. Was he joking? I could seriously go for some ravaging.

Somehow,
I got through the next few hours without thinking about anything sexual. Right
before five, my work phone rang.

“Already
on your way to come get me, big boy?” I asked slyly.

“Uh,
excuse me?” Jason asked awkwardly.

“Oh,
sorry. I thought you were someone else.”

“Evidently.
I was calling to see if you needed a ride to the mechanic since I’m heading out
from work. I figured Nathan would’ve gotten back with you about the repairs by
now. Who did you think I was? That Indian, Conrad?” he asked this calmly and I
could hear the steel in his voice.

“His
name is Conrad and yes, I thought it was him calling me,” I replied feeling
like a scolded child.

“Well,
I guess I don’t need to come by since you have
that
covered.”

“I
have my transportation lined up.”

I
heard a long sigh before he said, “Okay, I just thought maybe I could drop you
off at home. I wanted a few minutes with you and thought I could help you at
the same time. Do you have a car to drive for the next couple of days or do you
need a ride to the rental company?”

“I’m
borrowing a car until mine is done, so I’ll be fine. Thanks for asking.”

I
started to hang up and yet still heard him yell out to me.

“Hey,
don’t hang up on me. I was only trying to be helpful.”

“I
understand, but I’m fine. I don’t need you to look after me.”

“I
love you and want the best for you. Why can’t I be the one to help you out? I
just don’t understand.”

He
was turning this around on me, again. I took a deep breath and started
counting, like my mother taught me.

“Look,
I’m glad you were there when I needed you, but I have it all under control
right now. I appreciate you calling and have to go so I can close the
warehouse.”

“Don’t
you dare hang up on me. I haven’t finished talking to you yet.”

He
sounded like a toddler who was stomping his foot. And with that I lost it.

“You
say you don’t understand, well let me make this clear. I’m not with you
anymore. You need to get past this. You were the one who mistreated me in the
first place and I will not tolerate it again. Do you know how scared I was on
our last date? Do you realize what situation you put me in by having to rely on
a complete stranger? What if he’d been a rapist or better yet, what if he
hadn’t been there to help me in the first place? Would you have smacked me
around until you got your way? How about that for understanding?”

“You
led me on and then pretended to be the insulted virgin. You knew we would
eventually sleep together. How could you turn me down like that and then run
off with some half breed that can’t even get a decent haircut? You’re not the
only one hurt in this.”

“What
gives you the right to act this way? Who do you think you are? Do you know this
behavior has forced my hand to involve the police? I have a protective warrant
against you.”

“I
know who I am. I’m the man for you and I have every right to protect what’s
mine. Believe it.”

Then
he hung up.

I
was so rattled that I had to shake my whole body to relieve the icky feeling
sliding down my spine.

I
had a couple of minutes to close everything up before Conrad came to get me, so
I called Montrose. He wasn’t there, so I had to leave a message.

I
was locking the warehouse door when the white truck pulled in. Breathing a sigh
of relief, I bounded down the steps toward his side of the truck. By the time
he got the window down, I had already reached in to give him a resounding
smack.

“Wow,
and just for showing up. I’m not meaning to be offensive, but what do I truly
owe this sign of affection?” he asked as he slid his hand up my arm.