Tony: Alvarez Security Series (14 page)

“And just who the hell is ‘he’ that lives next door?” Tony growled.

Turning around, she asked incredulously, “Are you jealous?” Giggling, she continued, “He’s a darling man with a lot of house renovation experience who volunteered to help me with any of my projects.”

Stepping close, Tony said, “Well, from now on, he can take his project helping somewhere else.”

Swatting his arm, she said, “He also happens to be about seventy years old.”

Grumbling, Tony said, “Don’t think that old man doesn’t check out your ass every time you bend over in front of him.”

“Well, I said he was seventy, not dead.”

Turning to run out of the room, she screeched when he scooped her up and tossed her on the bed.

“He’d have to be dead to not check you out. But seriously,” he said looking down into her eyes as he leaned over her body, “You need help around the house, you’ve got me now.”

Grinning, she pulled him down for a kiss but his cell phone ringing interrupted the moment. Glancing at it, he looked back at her as he answered. “Yeah, Jennifer, what do you need?”

“Good morning to you too, grumpy,” she laughed. “I just wanted to make sure you and Sherrie got home safely. I tried calling her phone but she’s not answering.”

“We’re good,” he said, giving his patent short answers.

“Good as in safe or good as in
good
?”

“Good as in that’s as good an answer as I’m going to give,” he replied.

Sherrie, laying under him listening to the conversation, grabbed the phone from his hand. “Jennifer? We’re safe. And not just good, but great. So great that he’s on top of me on my bed and your call interrupted what would have been a phenomenal kiss.” Hearing Jennifer squeal to Gabe in the background, she said, “So goodbye and I’ll talk to you tomorrow when I’m back at work.”

Disconnecting the phone, she tossed it to the side while never losing he gaze. “So where were we?”

A hungry look flashed through his eyes just before he recaptured her mouth. Her lips were warm and pliant beneath his. Hint of coffee and mint filled his senses as he licked the inside of her mouth, exploring as though afraid he would forget her taste all the while knowing that it was committed to memory.

Her doorbell rang interrupting them once again.

“Fuck,” he said, “Ignore it.”

It rang again, followed by a knock. “I can’t ignore it, Tony.”

The moment broken, he groaned as he rolled off of her. Lying on his back with his massive hard-on pressing into his jeans, he listened to her jogging down the stairs.

“Bernard. What brings you over on this cold morning?”

Finding himself wanting to know who the hell Bernard was, he headed down the stairs adjusting himself.

“Wanted to check on you, darling. Saw some men over here yesterday and I came over to see what was going on. They seemed all official but I’ve been keeping an eye out for you.”

“You are so sweet. I was stuck in the storm but home safe—”

“Bernard, is it?” An outreached hand came from behind her toward her neighbor, who was looking up at Tony whose body was pressing into the back of hers.

“Yes, and who might you be?” Bernard asked, curiosity written on his face, shaking the extended hand.

“Tony Alvarez, Sherrie’s boyfriend. And those were my men who were installing her new security system.”

She watched in amazement as Bernard’s eyes lit while pumping Tony’s hand up and down.

“A boyfriend. ’Bout time she finally decided to stop being single. Been after this girl to get her a man for months.”

“Well, she’s got one now,” Tony said, smoothly wrapping his arm around her shoulders once Bernard finally let go of his hand.

“Never was a fan of a girl living by herself. Me and Ethel tied the knot as soon as we got out of high school, God rest her soul. Now this one here,” he said pointing to her, “hasn’t had a man here since she moved in.”

“Good to know I’m the fir—” Tony grunted as her elbow made contact with his ribs.

“I’m right here, gentlemen. There’s no need to talk about me as though I’m not,” she grumbled.

Bernard laughed and turned to leave. “You got yourself a good ’en,” he called out. “Girl, you call me for your next project, you hear?”

She could not help but smile, watching as her neighbor made his way back to his house before being pulled back into Tony’s embrace.

“Hate like hell to leave you, darlin’, but I need to get to the office to check on things.”

“I know. I’ll be back at work tomorrow, so I thought I’d get some things done around here.”

Bending down to kiss her, the taste of coffee and mint was just as potent as before. Dragging his lips from hers reluctantly, he pulled her head into his chest and held her tightly. “Gotta tell you, these past few days have meant the world to me.”

“Me too,” she whispered.

Leaning back, their gazes locked as words went unspoken. Words of grief relieved. Words of healing hearts. Words of futures promised. Unnecessary words only because they both knew them in their hearts.

Kissing the top of her head goodbye, he headed out the door calling for her to set the alarm after him.

M
onday morning found
Sherrie back in the law office, regaling the office staff with her weekend adventures. She stumbled over the parts that included her new relationship with Tony, but the smile on her face gave her away.

Mr. Marks said, “My dear, I have to tell you that my wife was fretting something fierce until you called to reassure us of your safety.” Giving her a fatherly hug, he said, “I’m glad you have someone in your life. You deserve that.”

Simon walked over, smiling as he congratulated her on her first storm survival. “I was stuck in a snow storm once, but confess to not having a beautiful woman with me. I envy Mr. Alvarez.”

“Alright, enough about my adventures or misadventures,” she laughed. Looking at Simon, she asked, “What about my CASA cases? Anything new?”

“Actually, I’ve got a young woman I’d like you to talk to. She was referred by the courts, but won’t talk to me, so you’ve been assigned as her worker. She is a runaway and currently in a foster placement. You can visit her at her foster home this afternoon if you can fit it into your schedule.”

“Sure. I’ve got quite a bit of catching up to do, but I’d love to.”

That afternoon found Sherrie sitting at the kitchen table of the foster home, talking to Betina. She was the only one talking because Betina refused to speak. The young woman was fifteen years old and a natural beauty. Long, black hair and tan skin, the Latina teenager looked furtively from side to side as though searching for an escape.

“Betina, I want to explain why I’m here. I’m your Court Appointed Special Advocate but we shorten that to CASA. Has anyone explained to you what that means?”

A quick shake of her head was the only answer given.

“The judge in your case assigned me to work with you, talk with you, and make sure you are safe. I will be interviewing your teachers and parents to get a good idea of how things are with you so that when I make my report to the judge, he will have your interests in mind.”

The young teen sat stoically, not responding.

“Betina, I was noticing that this seemed like a pretty nice house. I grew up in foster care and had a few nice ones, but also had some that were not so nice. Do you like it here?”

A short nod was the only answer.

Sherrie continued as though the girl had given her a dissertation. “Good, I’m glad. Are you in the same school as before?”

A shake of her head gave her nonverbal acknowledgement. “Is that hard, moving to a different school?”

For the briefest of moments, Sherrie saw a flash of regret pass through Betina’s eyes before being quickly replaced by practiced indifference.

Jumping on that, she moved the conversation to school. After several minutes, Betina seemed to relax a bit and actually answered a few questions about classes.

After a slight pause, Betina looked out of the kitchen window and simply said, “Art. My favorite class.”

“Do you have any drawings?” Sherrie asked, trying to keep Betina from shutting her out again. “I’d love to see anything you’ve done. I’m afraid I’m not very artistic myself but love to look at other’s work.”

Looking furtively around again, the teenager pulled out a small notebook from her backpack and pushed it across the table to Sherrie. Thrilled that she had made the slightest inroads with her, she eagerly opened the notebook. The pages were filled with pencil drawings, with clear lines and incredible detail. Most of the drawings were of people’s faces, with a few scenes depicted amongst them.

Several were of other teen girls and boys, and a few adults mixed in. Mesmerized at the intricate drawings, she asked if they were her friends.

Another emotion flashed through Betina’s eyes and Sherrie could have sworn she saw fear for a moment. Years of working in seedy bars to make money to go to college had Sherrie an expert in reading expressions, but she had to admit that Betina’s ability to cover up quickly made it difficult to ascertain what she was thinking.

“Some,” came the simple answer.

“Well, they’re amazing. Really beautiful. How do you capture their faces in such detail?”

Betina smiled for the first time and Sherrie wondered if praise was something that the young girl rarely received. Shrugging, Betina just added, “I watch people. I see them.”

“You see them?” Sherrie prodded.

“You know. Like really see them. The inside of them,” came the halting answers.

“Well, they are phenomenal.” Sensing that she had gotten all out of the young woman that she was going to get, she patted her hand as she pushed the notebook back across the table, noting Betina’s aversion to the touch on her hand.

Filing that away for future reference, she stood saying, “Goodbye for now and I’ll be by to see you again in a day or so,” carefully watching the expression on her face.

Betina did not smile but gave the slightest encouraging nod, which Sherrie took as a positive. Back in the office that afternoon, she met with Simon going over the interview with Betina.

“I know there is something going on and I wish she would open up,” she said.

“She lived with her mom and a man they called her stepdad, but he and mom never married. He runs some local businesses in the area. Pays his taxes and doesn’t seem to have anything going on with him.”

“Sexual abuse, you think?” she asked.

Simon answered, “Thought about it, but the girl has not indicated anything untoward.”

“Well, something makes her run away,” she said, frustration clear on her face.

“The DSS worker who placed her in the foster home said that the medical exam did not show bruises so physical abuse was ruled out. The mother claims the girl keeps running away to see a boyfriend and was staying out all night, but the fear shown from the girl indicated that something was going on.”

“So what happens now?”

“If Betina won’t talk, then she’ll probably be placed back in her home. Foster care was just temporary anyway and she may have to go spend some time at the Juvenile Detention Center.”

At the thought of ‘juvie’, Sherrie shuttered. Her sister had spent plenty of time at the detention center when picked up for drugs when she was a teenager. The idea of Betina going there was unacceptable to her.

“Well, I’m going to try to find out what’s going on so that doesn’t happen,” she stated emphatically.

Her cell phone rang and at a quick glance her smile returned. “Hey,” she answered softly.

“Hey yourself,” Tony replied. “How’s your day going?”

“Busy, but it’s almost over. What about you?”

Tony shook his head, thinking of the way his friends had reacted to him spending the weekend snowed in with her.

Walking in that morning to Alvarez Security, he expected some questions but not a joyous inquisition.

Lily, immediately placing her hand on his arm, peered into his eyes as though trying to see deep inside of him. “Are you alright?” Receiving his nod, she continued. “Is Sherrie all right?”

“Yes, we’re both fine.”

“No, I mean are you two really okay? Together?” she prodded.

Tony, unused to talking about his personal life to anyone, found his weekend with Sherrie had released him from being quite so uncomfortable. “Yeah, Lily. We’re great.”

Turning away from her smile, he was accosted by BJ and Gabe.

“So, you finally went after the girl, huh?” BJ asked.

BJ had not served with them in the Army, so he would not have gone through their experiences together. Tony saw Gabe’s expression, knowing his friend was both happy for him and understanding how life-changing this was.

Tony’s eyes did not flash irritation at BJ’s question, but instead found it hard to keep the smile from crossing his face.

“Not that my personal life is anyone’s business, but yes. I went after the girl,” he said.

Vinny and Jobe walked up, hearing the end of Tony’s one-sentence speech, each smiling. BJ had continued on toward the conference room, but the others stood in the hall with Tony.

“Captain, can’t tell you how happy I am for you,” Jobe spoke, sincerity filling every word.

Tony looked at his former squad members, now friends as well as employees. The men who had stayed with him as he picked out the white matching caskets. And secretly held him when he fell apart, careful to keep anyone else from seeing. He now saw the emotions clearly written on their faces. Happiness. And relief.

Smiling, he just nodded. They slapped him on the back as they too headed into the conference room.

Answering Sherrie, Tony said, “Everyone was happy we made it through the storm safely.”

“That’s it? No one had anything else to say?” she prodded.

“Like what, babe?”

“Oh, like BJ calling his wife, Suzanne, to tell her that we were now a couple and Lily calling her husband, Matt, to tell him as well. And then they told Annie and Jennifer, who by the way already knew before Gabe could call her.”