Page 13 of Coveting Catherine

Leo drove back to Serenity. His gut rolled. He didn’t miss the trembling of Catherine’s body or the fear in her eyes. He noticed her gaze flew to the tiny bundle in the bed as if to assure herself Melody was safe. He sighed in aggravation as he attempted to piece together the missing part of the puzzle. The temptation to turn the truck around and demand Catherine talk to him pulsed throughout his body. No, he caused her enough pain for a lifetime.

Leo recalled the night she reached out to him three and a half years after Ash’s supposed death.

Leo set his go bag on the floor as his phone rang. Noticing the number wasn't one he knew, he let it go straight to voicemail. He needed a shower and a hot meal. Setting the take-out order on the counter, Leo made his way through the utilitarian apartment, unpacked his bag, and started a load of laundry. He turned on the water to heat up as he replaced what he needed for his bug-out bag. When the water rose in temp, Leo stood under the spray and let it run down his back as he made a mental list. He needed to let Chase and Michael know he returned. Leo's teammates, Saint, Taco, and Shadow agreed to head over tomorrow to watch the game, and he needed groceries.

Turning off the water, he dried off, slipped into some basketball shorts, and returned to the kitchen. Opening the bag of barbecue wings from Sharkey's, he smiled as he pulled an IPA from the sack with a note attached.

Welcome home, Leo. Sharkey had scribbled on the back of an old receipt.

Leo twisted the cap off and took a swig. Damn, it felt good to be home. His team retired from official duty. They took government jobs as independent contractors. They returned from a six week deployment on a fact-finding mission. Leo decided all of them deserved some downtime. A vacation might do some good. The team floundered since the FUBAR mission which resulted in losing Olaf and Whiskey. Their brother, Ragu, was charged with using drugs while on duty and pulled from the team. Although all the evidence pointed to him, something niggled in Leo's gut. When the team decided to retire, Ash became more resentful. He transferred to a different team. Catherine no longer attended any barbeques and seemed to disappear altogether. A couple of weeks after Ash deployed with his new team, a friend notified Leo of Ash’s death while on a mission.

Leo's phone beeped, indicating a voicemail message, returning him to the present.

Hitting the voicemail button, he nearly dropped the phone when Catherine's voice came over the speaker.

“Hi Leo, it's Catherine. I need a favor. You owe me. I'm working the next three nights at Seattle Health and can meet you at Joe's Diner across the street. I get off at seven p.m. I’d appreciate it if you could text me what day works best to meet.”

What did Catherine possibly have to say to him after all this time? He listened to the message two more times before he texted his reply.

I'll be there tomorrow night.

Leo watched Catherine walk in, and her eyes instantly went to the back of the room in the booth against the wall. They briefly met his before quickly focusing on the floor, and she headed in his direction.

Leo’s grip on the spoon he held to stir his coffee tightened at the sight of her. His heart skipped a few beats and he let out the breath he unknowingly held while waiting for her. Three and a half years. He hadn’t spoken to her in so long. But she lingered in his thoughts and in his heart. Fuck, he thought as she walked toward him. She licked her bottom lip nervously. Her hair, a long, red braid down her back and a smattering of freckles dotted her nose and cheeks, she still took his breath away. She wore cartoon covered scrubs. She always loved kids. He wouldn't be surprised if she worked in the pediatric unit.

Her chin rose slightly as if she mustered the courage to talk to him. As if finally making up her mind, she walked to the booth and slid onto the seat across from him.

“Hi, Leo.”

“Kit Kat.” His nickname for her slipped out before he thought about it. Her green eyes flashed almost as if it pained her to hear him say it.

The waitress came over, and Catherine picked up the menu and seemed engrossed in the menu’s offerings. He almost chuckled. She ordered the same thing every time he met her at the diner during her clinicals...before Ash.

“Can I take your order?” the cheerful server asked.

Catherine bit her lip, and he wondered if she thought she made a mistake in asking him to come. She asked him to help her, and he refused to let her back out now.

“She'll take the club sandwich, sweet potato fries, and a glass of unsweetened tea. I'll have the Reuben with Thousand Island dressing and a salad with balsamic vinaigrette.”

Catherine's eyebrows rose as he placed the order, yet she didn't correct him. Sitting in silence, she waited for the server to refresh Leo’s coffee and set her drink on the table.

“I know a long time has passed, but I need help. I have a friend, Kassie. She's running from something. She refuses to talk about it, and Emma, her daughter, is sick. I'm concerned for their welfare. I wouldn't ask you to help, except I think she's running from an ex, and she's terrified. I don't know of any other way to help her.” She sipped her tea and brought her emerald eyes up to meet his.

Leo nodded. His ego deflated at the thought she didn't ask him to help her but someone else. Still, the thought of a woman on the run from an abusive asshole made his blood boil.

“What makes you think she’s terrified of an ex?” Leo asked.

“Her daughter's the same age as mine. They're best friends. Anytime I ask for the girls to get together, Kassie shuts it down. She won't discuss where she's from, and she takes different routes home. Emma's sick lately, Kassie's lost a ton of weight and exhausted to the bone. She helped me with watching Melody while Mom recovered from a broken hip. I don't know where she lives, and she avoids going out. I have a feeling in my gut she's in trouble.”

“Have you asked her?” Leo moved his arm when the server set their sandwiches on the table.

“Yes, she's admitted she's running from someone but refuses to say why. Kassie's scared and alone. She's my best friend, and I need your help to find out what she's running from.”

Leo knew it must have cost her to call him. Catherine remained loyal to the people she loved. This Kassie person must mean a lot to her. He used to be included in her protective circle until he broke her heart. He was responsible for discovering what the hell happened on that mission. He missed Olaf's funeral. In truth, Leo didn't know if he could watch the pain Catherine, or her parents must've suffered. Genuinely believing Olaf and Whiskey's deaths fell on his shoulders; Leo spared the family of his presence.

Even with all their history, he didn't think twice about helping Catherine now. If this woman and her child were involved in something, he didn't want Catherine mixed up in it either,

“I’d be happy to help. Tell me everything you know about Kassie.”

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