Thieves Like Us Part 5

"I'm not taking you there, nice as that sounds. I'm taking you to the Westfield's."

Make an unexpected, uninvited visit to her ex mother-in-law? "That's not necessary. I can get a motel room."

His expression was soft, but his voice was firm. "Janet, let's not argue about this. There is no place safer than Elizabeth's house. I know it's late, and I know there's an uncomfortable history there."

Only the fact that she was responsible for sending Elizabeth's lying, thieving, doublecrossing son to jail.

"But I also know she loves you like a daughter and would be justifiably furious if I took you anyplace else." As Janet opened her mouth to respond, he added, "And I'm prepared to go to Ben if I have to."

Ben Thatcher was one of the nicest guys she knew. He was also the chief of police and the great love of Elizabeth Westfield's life. Both of those positions gave him an advantage he wouldn't hesitate to use if he thought it would help keep Janet safe.

She raised her eyebrows. "I was just going to say, okay."

"Oh." He recouped gracefully, pulling out his cell phone. "Great. I'll call to let her know we're coming."

She went upstairs to pack, trying not to think about how Ben would get involved anyway once the police report was filed, and then she'd have two well-meaning men telling her what to do.

And no car. This just got better and better.

She was back in minutes, a small duffel bag slung over her shoulder. "Did you make my reservations at the Westfield Hilton?"

His sense of humor seemed to come back now that she was cooperating, because he actually smiled. "Elizabeth said she's thrilled to have you back in her house."

"I'll bet. She agrees to keep her granddaughter so her son can take his wife to Europe for thier honeymoon, and now she gets her exdaughter-in-law, too. The poor woman never gets any time to herself."

She talked as she headed for the front door, but Rocky hung back. "Don't you have a cat carrier for Jingles?"

She bit her lip; it hadn't been an easy decision. "I wasn't going to take Jingles. Do you think he's in danger here?"

"Frankly, no. They aren't going to bother with a cat, and he'll most likely hide. But I thought you'd want him with you."

"I do. But Elizabeth isn't a pet person. He has lots of food and water, a comfy couch, and no compet.i.tion for the TV remote. He'll have a ball," she said, more to convince herself than Rocky. There wasn't much choice. She couldn't find a kennel that would take him at this time of night. If she was lucky, this would all be over in a day or two and she'd be back in her condo.

She felt self-conscious in the car, like a little kid being taken home to mommy's. Mommy's gated and guarded mansion. Still, she was touched by Elizabeth's warm hug at the front door.

"I'm sorry to intrude," Janet said.

"Nonsense. You were right to come here. You're family." From anyone else it would have sounded like a generous gesture; from Elizabeth Payton Westfield, it was irrefutable fact, a royal decree that allowed no argument. Elizabeth stepped back, her sharp gaze running over Janet from head to toe. "You look exhausted, dear. Why don't you head upstairs? Roberto can tell me about this horrible event."

Janet cast a sideways glance at Rocky. "Roberto exaggerates. But I am tired." She looked at the graceful sweep of stairs, thinking of the warm whirlpool tub and huge canopied bed in the suite of rooms she had once shared with Banner. "Same room?"

"It's always yours."

She smiled. "Thank you." It came out as a soft sigh. She was cras.h.i.+ng fast. Starting toward the stairs, she turned for one final comment. "Elizabeth, please don't worry. This isn't nearly as dangerous as Rocky makes it sound."

Elizabeth gave her a serene smile. "Then we'll use it as a chance to visit. We can talk in the morning."

That sounded good. With a wave to Rocky, Janet climbed the stairs, looking forward to the whirlpool bath and huge, soft bed.

Rocky watched her go, but made no move to leave. Elizabeth turned to him, hands folded in front of her, as composed as always. Rocky thought if she were standing on the deck of the t.i.tanic as it went down, she would have looked the same.

"I know you well enough to realize you did not bring Janet here because of some exaggerated hunch."

"No, ma'am."

"Is she in danger?"

"Yes." He looked up the long curve of stairs where Janet had disappeared. "More than she knows." His gaze went back to Elizabeth. "I know it's late, but could you call Ben for me? I need to talk to him."

"Tonight?"

He hated to confirm the worry in her eyes, but had no choice. "Yes. As soon as possible."

Chapter.

Four.

Rocky hadn't been to Ben Thatcher's small house before, but wasn't surprised at its immaculate, barely lived-in look. How else could it be, when Ben spent most of his time at the Westfield mansion? Stubborn pride was all that kept him from moving in there, or so Elizabeth claimed. Rocky kept his mouth shut, but sympathized with Ben. The man probably didn't want to look like he was living off his rich lady friend, especially with his position in this town. Rocky a.s.sumed Ben was holding out for marriage. Rocky would be, if it were him. Some guys just preferred the traditional family life of marriage and children, even if it happened in reverse order.

Ben met him at the side door, barefoot and bare-chested, wearing only rumpled jeans. Running a hand through sleep-tousled hair, he grunted and motioned for Rocky to come in.

He entered into a small kitchen and took a chair at the table. Ben followed, sat down and hooked his foot around another chair to angle it closer. Propping his feet up on the second chair, he looked at Rocky. "Okay, shoot."

Rocky hesitated, distracted by the fact that Elizabeth's call had gotten Ben out of bed. "I'm sorry to wake you, I guess I lost track of the time."

Ben waved his concerns aside. "Liz said there was a problem with Janet. That ex-husband of hers might not be my son, but he is Liz's son, and Janet was Liz's daughter-in-law. Still is, by her reckoning. The way I look at it, that makes her my family, too. If she's in danger, I want to know about it."

"There's a chance I'm overreacting."

"I trust your instincts, kid. If you're worried, I'm worried. Now tell me."

Ben's fingers intertwined above an abdomen that looked washboard hard, even as relaxed as he was. Rocky reminded himself that Ben had only been eighteen when he'd met Elizabeth Payton, fallen in love with the pretty college freshman, and gotten her pregnant. His military service and Elizabeth's marriage to Leonard Westfield had kept them apart for more than thirty years, and had kept Elizabeth from acknowledging that Jack was Ben's son. It was only years later, with Elizabeth widowed and Ben single, that they had resumed their relations.h.i.+p.

Rocky understood how disoriented Jack must have been to find out the local police chief who had hara.s.sed him through his teen years was actually his father. Rocky felt a bit disoriented himself. Not many ex-convicts could claim the unquestioned loyalty of the local police chief, but thanks to his friends.h.i.+p with Jack, that's exactly what he had. He would never take advantage of that relations.h.i.+p for his own benefit, but he wouldn't hesitate to use it to help Janet.

As Rocky outlined the day's events, Ben listened, concern showing in the deepening creases on the older man's brow and the tightening around his mouth.

Ben raised a hand to his face, stroking the stubble above his upper lip as he regarded Rocky thoughtfully.

"You're right. We're not talking about ordinary vandalism. Someone's pretty d.a.m.n desperate to find something, most likely the rest of that jewelry. And desperate people are dangerous."

Rocky nodded and delivered the punch line. "These people might be more dangerous than most." It was this fear that had brought him here, and he waited to see if Ben had been thinking along the same lines.

Recognition sparked in Ben's eyes. "You're talking about the gangs that prey on jewelry couriers."

"They aren't usually so destructive, but hitting the car first is how they think. It's their trademark."

"You think they'd be interested in the Pellinni Jewels?"

That was the part that bothered Rocky, too. "Not usually. But it's possible they saw it as an easy s.n.a.t.c.h if they moved fast. The industry has wised up and made it harder for them to stage successful grabs, so it might have looked like easy money. Safer than a smash and grab at a jewelry store."

"But it wasn't successful," Ben pointed out.

"No. And that worries me. That scratch down the side of the car had nothing to do with a search for the Pellinni Jewels. It was for shock effect, intimidation."

"Meaning what? Turn over the jewels or else?"

"Basically. And if it is one of these gangs and they try the condo next, Janet's in real trouble. They're a whole lot more dangerous than a solitary jewel thief who wants to get in and out as quietly as possible. These guys aren't subtle, and all they care about is the final result, getting the jewelry." The thought of them even putting a finger on Janet made his gut twist.

The frown on Ben's face showed he trusted Rocky's a.n.a.lysis and shared his concern. "You sure she's okay tonight? She's not gonna do something foolish like call a cab and go home?"

"I told both Elizabeth and her butler, Mr. Peters, that she shouldn't be allowed to leave. I don't think we have to worry."

Ben nodded his satisfaction. "I'll find out who's working her case and make sure I'm kept updated. And I'll talk to Janet in the morning, see if I can convince her to listen to your advice and stay with Liz for a while."

He pulled a grimace. "I don't recommend calling it my advice, not if you want her to take it."

"Huh." Ben studied him. "What's she got against you?"

"Nothing. She's just doesn't like me telling her what to do."

Ben mulled it over. Rocky squirmed under the scrutiny, regretting that he'd said anything.

"The girl knows her own mind. Maybe she just doesn't like you."

He didn't want to discuss it. "Maybe." Standing, he pushed his chair in. "Forget I mentioned it."

Ben didn't move. "Janet has a right to be gun-shy after what that b.a.s.t.a.r.d put her through."

"You're right." Rocky started for the door. "Thanks for looking out for her."

Ben still hadn't made any move to get up. "You know, her parents moved to Arizona."

He didn't like the feel of this. "Yeah, I heard they retired there."

"So the only family she has around here is Liz. And me."

"And Jack and Ellie."

Ben ignored him. "So I have to step in sometimes, since her dad can't be here."

Rocky sighed; he wasn't going to get out of this, so he might as well face it. "Look, Ben, Janet's twenty-nine years old. So am I. I'm not asking your permission to date her. But if it makes you feel any better, I know what she's been through and I'm not rus.h.i.+ng her. That's all you'll get. Anything else is between me and Janet. It has nothing to do with you."

Ben c.o.c.ked his head, pinning him with a hard look. "That so?"

If the comment was calculated to irritate Rocky, it couldn't have worked better. He'd finally made some progress with Janet tonight, then nearly ruined it by insisting she follow his orders. Even if it had been the safest course of action, he wasn't happy with the results. The proverbial "one step forward, two steps back." The last thing he needed now was someone else's opinion about their p.r.i.c.kly relations.h.i.+p.

Staring back with an expression every bit as hard as Ben's, he said, "d.a.m.n right that's so. I'd say the same thing even if you were her father, and you're not. And for your information, Janet's not made of gla.s.s. She's tough and smart and capable of making her own decisions. One bad choice hasn't changed that. But she might be in over her head here, and all I'm asking is that you keep an eye on the legal end of things. I can handle whatever else comes up."

A smile played at the corner of Ben's mouth. "I believe you can, kid."

Rocky frowned, as irritated with himself as with Ben for baiting him. "Are you just jerking me around for fun, or are you going to help keep Janet safe?"

"I'll help. Jerking you around is just a bonus."

It was probably better if Rocky kept his mouth shut. Settling for a curt nod, he left. Driving home, the wry thought occurred to him that at least someone was getting a laugh out of his relations.h.i.+p with Janet. Too bad it wasn't him.

Janet sat halfway up the imposing cement and brick stairway to the Westfield's front door, hoping the morning humidity didn't send her short hair into mad ringlets. At the base of the steps, Jack's thirteen-year-old daughter sat astride one of the life-sized cement lions that guarded the entry. Libby bent backward like a circus performer, chin pointed to the sky and hair falling over the lion's rump, fixing an innocent look on Janet. "Is Rocky picking you up?"

"Yup."

"I like him."

"That's nice." She was careful not to say me, too, in front of Jack and Ellie's frighteningly perceptive daughter.

Rising up in a smooth move that made Janet's back hurt just watching, Libby turned around and sat backward, knees drawn up to her chin. "My friend Tanya likes him, too. She said Rocky's cute in a really bad way."

The teen was obviously digging for gossip Janet had no intention of providing. But Libby had caught her interest with that last bit. "What does that mean, cute in a bad way?"

"Really bad," Libby corrected. "It means he's cute, but not, you know, safe. Like he'd be good at doing bad things."

Janet instantly thought of a few bad things Rocky might do that made her mouth go dry. She knew exactly what Tanya meant. She squinted at Libby. "How old is Tanya?"

"Thirteen, same as me." She stretched out her legs and flexed her toes, balancing delicately. "She knows a lot of stuff about boys that they don't teach us in school."

A year ago Janet might have been thrown by the statement, but she'd gotten to know Jack's daughter since then. Before Jack had known of her existence, Libby had been abandoned by her drug addict mother and lived with her overwhelmed maternal grandparents. If not for the girl's own intelligence and her young aunt's valiant efforts at parenting, Janet imagined she wouldn't have come out of the experience as well adjusted as she had. As it was, Libby was a master manipulator, who practiced her skills at every turn.

Janet was determined not to fall for it. "What a thought-provoking comment."

Libby stuck out her lower lip in a deliberate pout and tried the direct approach. "What do you think about Rocky? Don't you think he'd make a good boyfriend?"

"Can't say. I really don't know him well enough." What was taking Rocky so long?

"No one around here wants to talk about boys. How am I supposed to learn anything?"

"Try books. Or have you already exhausted that section at the public library?"

Libby slid off the lion and skipped up the steps to sit beside Janet. Leaning back on her elbows, she sighed heavily. "It's tough being precocious."

Janet laughed. As much as she dreaded being the target of Libby's overactive mind, Janet was crazy about Ellie's stepdaughter. With Jack and Ellie married for barely a year, the three of them had been feeling their way through family life, learning as they went. Despite the occasional hair-ripping and profanity-laced stories from Ellie about life with a teenager, they managed to make it sound like the best adventure life had ever thrown their way. And according to Ellie, they hoped to soon add a baby to the happy turmoil of the Payton family. Janet couldn't think of a better life, and despite the occasional twinge of jealousy, she was extremely happy for Ellie and honored to be included in their extended family.