Page 36 of Love on the Run

“She saw him what?”

“She says Edward Bellamy is dead. If she’s telling the truth, and I’m sure she is, this time, there’s a body somewhere. He would have been killed five nights ago with a 9mm, gunshot wound to the head. And that also explains why his car was available. He had just gotten out of it.”

“Where did this all happen?”

“The garage of Foster’s own home.”

Ty whistled. “If that’s true, the boys in Homicide will be dancing on their desks. Foster on a murder rap?You know how long the department has been trying to get him?”

“He doesn’t have any priors. At all.”

“No, but that’s only because he bribed or knocked off any witnesses that could have…” Ty trailed off. “Ok, I see your point.”

“Callie’s scared out of her mind about this guy, and now I get why. I want her to talk to the Feds, but it took three days to pry this out of her, and she’s still not sure telling me was the right move.”

“Keep at her. The sooner she talks, the safer she’ll be. Though I wish she came straight to us. I would have loved to see the department finally nail him.”

“She doesn’t seem to have a lot of trust in police. But I’ll talk to her again tomorrow. Can you check up on Foster for me? Any details that might help me convince Callie to talk?”

“Already on it,” Ty promised. “I’ll give you whatever I got as soon as I got it. I might have to mention this to a few people. Only those I trust,” he added.

“Do what you need to do. And thanks. Watch yourself.”

“You watch yourself, Montana. Don’t let that girl get away.”

Jake laughed and signed off. He stopped laughing as soon as he hung up, however. He turned his attention to what little was available to him on Foster. From what he could tell in the public records, the man was well protected. And it took a lot of money to buy that kind of protection. The best legal team in California was probably on retainer for him. And Lord only knew who Foster was bribing to keep the indictments from coming. Jake curled his lip in disdain. This was exactly the kind of scum he chased down in his previous life as a Marshal. And according to Callie, this was the scum who swore she’d never get away from him alive.

* * * *

After Jake left, Callie slowly gained enough energy to contemplate moving around. She laughed a little at the idea that she might run away. Bruiser was not tired at all, however, so Callie led him outside, where he could run as much as he liked.

Stepping off the porch deck, Callie breathed in, savoring the clear, dry air, so different from southern California’s smog. She had never really known what they meant by “Big Sky” country until now. She tilted her head back, gazing at the darkening sky, now saturated with stars. There was no moon, and barely any city glow to block the stars. Callie grinned as she started to sing the childhood rhyme that flooded back to her: “Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. Wish I will, wish I might…” She stopped. What would she wish for now? When she was young, it was easy. I wish to fall in love. I wish to be a movie star. But now… Callie sighed. Could she wish for a new life? What star could grant that?

Callie whistled, and Bruiser came running out of the gently gathering dark, bearing a tennis ball he had found somewhere. Callie petted him as he dropped the ball at her feet.

“Think you can find this in the dark, boy?” She threw the ball as far as she could. Bruiser chased after it, disappearing into the night. Moments later, he reappeared, the ball gripped tight in his jaws. They played fetch for a good long while, until Bruiser was finally worn out. Callie took him back inside and refilled his water dish.

She cast about for something to do. After climbing the ladder-like stairs to the loft, she made up the bed she’d slept in, and looked around the room. Without thinking, she opened a small door in the sloping wall, revealing a closet with a sharply sloped ceiling, following the line of the roof. Before she could close it, feeling like this was yet another invasion of Jake’s privacy, she saw sports equipment, a few board games and a few items of children’s clothes. She pulled out a purple sweatshirt with the name ‘Melanie’ embroidered on it. Next to it was a boy’s baseball jacket with “Jason Brand” and a big number eight printed on the back. These must belong to the kids in the photo down in his bedroom. Did they visit? Callie hoped so. This house would be lonely with just one person in it. And what kid wouldn’t want to come to this place and play outside all day? She shut the door, determined to keep her nose out of other people’s business. If she had learned one thing in her life, she thought bitterly, it was that knowing too much about other people was never a good thing.

Her eyes caught her old bloody clothes that Jake refused to let her sleep in the first night. Blushing again at the non-memory of kissing him, Callie decided her clothes could definitely do with a wash.

After a short search, she found a washer and dryer tucked away in the corner of Jake’s garage. She put in her tiny load and headed back to living room. It was ten o’clock. Jake hadn’t said exactly when he would be home, but it would be very late. She was drawn outside again, stepping onto the wide wooden deck from the living room door. Two wooden chairs with slanting backs sat on the deck, but she didn’t sit down. There were even more stars out now, and she got dizzy trying to see them all. Bruiser followed her out and flopped contentedly onto the deck, looking like he’d be happy to sleep there all night. Well, why not? Callie smiled to herself, allowing her mind to picture it. Star Light, Star Bright…Sleeping outside was a pretty easy wish to grant.

* * * *

Jake found his shift that night intolerably long. Sometimes he had plenty to occupy him on a shift. Other times, like tonight, were dead quiet. Normally, he liked the peaceful nights. He liked just driving, seeing a side of his home territory most people slept through. But not tonight. His head was full of Callie’s story, of the nasty characters in it, and of Callie herself, beautiful and scared. He wanted to help her, and not just because he was a nice guy.

Distracted by a few particular memories of Callie, Jake almost missed the turn into his own driveway. He made a sharp turn and headed up the long, narrow road that lead to his place. His sanctuary. He never thought he’d live permanently on the land his grandfather had willed to him. But when his life turned upside down a few years ago, when Natalie…he firmly stopped that line of thought. The house. Think about the house. He’d built it practically by himself, calling in a few neighbors for the plumbing and the electric work. He lived there alone, except for Bruiser. There were occasional visits from his niece and nephew, and more rarely, his brother and sister-in-law too. But he wasn’t lonely. He needed the solitude. That’s what he told himself.

He pulled up in front of the garage, but didn’t bother to open the door. The night was cloudless. He usually left the car out. Jake got out, and stood still for a long moment, listening to the sounds of the night. It was just after 2 a.m. He was tired. He’d check on Callie and then hit the sack.

When he unlocked the door and stepped inside, the first inkling of dread hit him. Where was Bruiser? Bruiser almost always woke up long enough to greet Jake when he got back. His senses suddenly heightened, he shrugged his jacket back and carefully unsnapped the safety strap on his gun holster.You’re being paranoid, he told himself. But was he? Ty had said to be careful.

The house was dark. He usually left the little light in the kitchen on. Callie wouldn’t have known that, though. Where was Callie? he thought then. Safe? Asleep?

After poking his head into his bedroom and the den, he walked soundlessly to the staircase leading to the loft. He climbed them silently, not wanting to wake Callie if she was asleep. But he was on edge.

He didn’t have to go all the way up to find out her bed was empty. He climbed the rest of the way, though, his heart beating wildly. She was gone. She had promised him she’d stay.And you’re surprised a beautiful woman broke her promise?He asked himself bitterly.

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