Wild Ride (26 page)

Becca blushed again and went to sit near Grandpa Patterson at the table and began making small talk.  Her mother brought out a bottle of wine and handed it to Chuck.  He
appeared perplexed and just looked at Carla.

“Here
, Chuck, allow me,” Detective Sanders offered.

Chuck handed him the bottle and then helped her set the serving bowls of food on the table and ensure everything was ready for dinner.

Chuck held a chair for Meredith and then sat next to her and she could only smile at his attempts to be proper.  Her mother and the detective soon joined them.

“So the reason I asked to meet with you is that I understand you spoke with Chuck in your private chambers just this past Saturday
,” Becca said to her grandfather while taking dainty bites of her food.

Chuck looked up nervously and his eyes darted back and forth between her
grandpa and Becca.

“Yes, that’s correct.  I actually called your office on Friday… and they advised that you were on extended leave.  I did not know how to contact you and felt it was imperative that I speak with Mr. Reynolds both to ensure his safety and also that of my family
,” her grandfather replied.

“I would
hope it goes without saying that anything my client may have said implicating himself in any criminal activity will not culminate in charges or further probation oriented issues,” Becca said, eyeing her grandfather sternly.

“I am well aware of the law
, Ms. Waters, and I can assure you that I have no intention of charging your client with any crimes or extending his probation in any way.  Actually, I was prepared to offer your client a deal of sorts,” Grandpa said. “May I?”

“Of course
,” Becca replied, sipping her wine.

“Mr. Reynolds, I’m prepared to offer you a choice in how you finish out the terms of your probation.  Once you obtain a General Education Diploma, should you decide to further pursue your education, I am prepared to subtract two hours of community service for each hour of class time you spend in that pursuit
,” Grandpa said, turning to Chuck. “Would that interest you at all?”

“So we’re back to
Mr. Reynolds,
huh?” Chuck asked.  “That’s just great…”

Hearing the tone of dejection in Chuck’s voice she looked over at him.  Sighing heavily he pushed his plate away and slouched back in his chair.  “And here I thought we were tight
,” he finished sarcastically.

“Contrary to how this may appear Chuck, my father and Ms. Waters are here for
business.
  It just so happens they are meeting here rather than at a restaurant or in court.  Sometimes it is necessary in a business situation to revert back to formal titles,” Carla explained.  “Therefore, I must insist that you be respectful at this dinner table.”

“Sorry
,” Chuck said, glancing at her mother and then sitting back up straight. 

Looking back at Becca and her
grandpa their mouths were gaping open and they stared at Chuck.  Becca seemed to give Carla a nod of silent acknowledgment…
or approval.

“Do I have to answer now?” Chuck asked
.

“No
, Chuck, you think about it for a while,” Becca said and then turning to her grandpa continued, “We will have an answer to you upon his return from New York.  I will assume responsibility for him during his time in New York and I will see that he is returned to complete his community service hours in compliance with the terms of his probation.”

“How long do you expect the trial to last?” Grandpa asked
Becca.

“We expect no more than a week.  The case is pretty cut and dried but
the defendant
is
former FBI and so we have to do this by the book,” Detective Sanders interjected.

A sniff from her mother brought all eyes
back to her. “Sorry… I’m going to miss him just as much as my daughter,” she said.  Then seeing the incredulous looks she was receiving added, “I did the same thing every time Meredith left to go back to college… I’m sorry…”

Thursday morning found her riding behind Chuck on his bike heading for New York.  Lilly was driving the camper.  Lilly’s sister Sherri and Dana, who had to care for the baby, rode in the camper as well.  They had all insisted that she ride on the bike with Chuck for a while since she’d never done it before. 

Becca and Detective Sanders followed the camper in what appeared to be an unmarked police car.  Bobby and Tommy rode their bikes side by side leading the entourage while Dickie rode beside
her and Chuck on his own bike.  It was a beautiful day as they traveled along the I-95 corridor.  Leaning forward she hugged Chuck gently and relaxed against him.

By lunchtime she was ready for a break from the bikes and opted to ride with Lilly, Sherri and Dana in the camper for the rest of the day.  When evening fell they headed to a campground that Tommy had selected and mapped out for everyone.  Once they had arrived and set up the camper those who would be testifying in the upcoming trial followed Detective Sanders and Becca to a hotel a few miles away. 

As they stood in the lobby waiting for the clerk to provide them with four rooms, Lilly grabbed her stomach and caught her breath all at once.  Bobby went to her immediately with a dark scowl on his face.

“What’s wrong?”
he asked in alarm.

“My stomach… it feels like I went over a hill too fast or like the excitement I feel when I ride on the bike with you sometimes
,” she said, looking at him.

Turning to Chuck he said
, “Call Dana.”

Chuck pulled out his cell phone and placed the call and explained the issue to Dana.  Then looking at Lilly in amazement he said
, “She says it’s probably just the baby moving…”

Lilly looked stunned for a moment and then looked at Bobby.  The man smiled down at her and it seemed to soften his whole face.  She’d never seen him wear anything other than a dark scowl but the look he was giving Lilly…
she understood the interest women seemed to have for him.  He was a handsome man, not in the way that Chuck was, but more of a dangerous kind of sexy.

Reaching out Lilly took hold of his hand and guided it to her stomach and they shared a look.  After several moments the clerk provided four room keys
.  Grabbing up their bags in one hand and tossing the straps over his shoulder, Bobby took the room key in the other.

“We will see you in the morning
,” he said, taking Lilly’s arm and guiding her to the elevator.

Chuck gave
Meredith a knowing look and then grinned at her before taking their room key.  He also gathered up their bags and then guided her to the elevator as well.  Bobby and Lilly moved to the back of the elevator and stood staring at each other. 

Detective Sanders and Becca followed them all into the elevator and after the door closed behind them he turned to Chuck. 

“Want to get a drink in the lobby in about an hour?” Detective Sanders asked Chuck.

Looking down at her
, he grinned and winked then said, “Sure, but I’d like to turn in a little early myself.  A long day of riding after a dry spell tends to wear me out.”

Bobby snickered and Lilly’s face flushed before she gave Meredith
an understanding smile.  It appeared that Chuck and Bobby shared a similar fondness for doing and saying inappropriate things.  Smiling up at Chuck she said, “I enjoyed the ride and I’m disappointed that you got off prematurely.”

Laughter filled the elevator by everyone except for Becca
, who stood closest to the door.  Becca stood facing it with her cheeks blazing and a faraway look on her face.  When they reached the floor where their rooms were located they all parted ways after Chuck said, “We will meet you in the lobby in an about an hour, Greg.”

The evening was fun though Becca sat silently looking as though her mind was somewhere else.  Chuck and Greg talked non-stop about motorcycles, the paint jobs Chuck had coming up and the incident at her home where the two men had died. 

Amazingly enough, Chuck supplied Greg with more details about what really happened rather than the story that had been given to the local police and news media.

Seeing the questioning frown on her face
, Chuck said, “Becca told me once that she would stop me from ever saying anything incriminating.  I’m guessing that extends to my friends as well… even Dickie.”

Becca blushed again and looked away.  The woman looked positively uncomfortable and leaning to Chuck
, Meredith whispered against his ear, “Is she ok?” Chuck merely shrugged.

“Was Dickie in the military or something?” Greg asked
. “You said he had combat type skills?”

“I don’t know…
I was kind of kidding about the combat stuff but he’s obviously had some sort of martial arts training or
something,
” Chuck replied, shaking his head in amazement.

Detective Sanders looked thoughtful for a moment and the conversation seemed to finally die down until Chuck implied he was ready to call it a night.  After paying their tab he led her from the bar back up to their room.

The following evening found them in New York at a hotel.  They had made good time and decided to all have dinner together before the weekend hit. 

Becca suggested a restaurant and after they were settled in at the hotel they would be staying at for the remainder of the trial, they headed to dinner.  Entering the restaurant she spotted Lilly, Bobby, Dana, Tommy, Sherri, and Dickie sitting at a table that had four additional vacant seats. 

Heading over to them, she was surprised when Chuck scooped the tiny infant girl up out of her car seat.

“There’s my little diva…
sing it girl,” he cooed at the baby.

She sat next to him and watched as he gave the baby his undivided attention while those around him talked.  The baby was content to stare at him and from time to time would make a humming noise.  Dana seemed relieved that Chuck had the baby and
focused on joining in the conversation.

When Greg and Becca entered the restaurant Dickie stood and offered Becca a chair right next to his.  She eyed him warily but sat down.  Smacking Dickie gently on the back Greg said
, “Can I have a word with you?”

It was the first time Chuck’s attention had been diverted from the baby.  He eyed first Dickie and then Greg.  Greg waved his hand at Chuck as though indicating it was not about the two men’s deaths.  Though they were all being stared at by other patrons in the restaurant, especially Chuck, she felt relaxed around this group. 

They all
appeared comfortable as well, though Becca still seemed very tense.  Getting up, Dana made her way over and sat in the seat Dickie had vacated as he and Greg headed over to the bar.  She turned to Becca and touched her shoulder lightly and said, “Are you ok?  You’ve been so quiet this whole trip…”

Without warning Becca burst into tears, pulling her napkin out from under her utensils and attempting to cover her face with it.  Something was
really
wrong, the woman seemed so… in control most of the time. 

She and Lilly scooted back at the same time and made their way over to where Becca sat.  Sherri also extracted herself from the table and made her way around to where
everyone had gathered.

“Let’s get her to the restroom
,” Lilly said, looking around at the people sitting at nearby tables who were unabashedly staring.

Dana helped Becca out of her seat and they all headed to the women’s restroom leaving the men sitting at the table with their mouths hanging open.  Upon entering the room Dana put her arm around the petite woman’s shoulders and held her while she cried.  Lilly made a cool
, wet compress out of the paper towels hanging from a dispenser on the wall. 

Sherri dug around in her purse for some tissues.  Deciding this was not a time for intrusion
Meredith made her way over to the door of the restroom and prepared herself to request a few moments from anyone looking to enter.

After a few minutes Becca’s sobs subsided and she looked around at them
. “I’m so sorry… I don’t know what came over me,” she choked out.

“Bullshit…
something’s obviously wrong or you wouldn’t be crying your heart out right now.  There is only us in here and I guarantee every one of us has had a moment like this at one time or another.  We’ll listen if you want to share… sometimes it helps,” Sherri said matter of fact. “And because we’re
women
we can keep a secret.”

“I uh…
I’m being stalked by a former client,” Becca gushed. “My life no longer seems to be my own.  My brother insisted I take a leave from my law firm and is worried sick about me and refuses to let me out of his site.  I’m somewhat of a controlling person and right now nothing is in my control and I just…”

“Can’t take it anymore?”
she offered from her spot near the door.