CHAPTER 15
Tim woke with a start and looked to the side. No Brandi. He reached for the phone and called her. His hand was still throbbing badly, but nothing could stop him from seeing if she had made it home safely. It was 9:30; surely, she was awake by now. He could hardly wait to hear her sexy voice again.
Brandi caught the phone on the second ring, seeing ‘Polaris’ on the display. “Just the man I was thinking of. How are you this morning?”
“Great, now that I know you made it home okay. Why didn’t you wake me before you left?”
“Because you were sleeping so soundly. That painkillers knocked you straight out.”
“I think it was the beer from the pool hall.”
“How’s the hand?”
“It hurts, still a bit swollen.”
“You hit that guy really hard. It was kind of exciting watching you nail him.”
“I didn’t think my girl was the fighting type.”
“There’s still a lot about me you have to find out about. I like romantic things like having my man cook for me. Are we still on for that tonight, or does your hand hurt too much?”
“Nothing will keep me from cooking for you.”
“Will this cooking be in or out of bed?”
“Maybe both, but let’s not rush things.”
“Never heard a man say that. Men are usually the ones rearing to go.”
“I don’t want to rush with you. I want everything to be perfect. I want what we build to last a lifetime.” He put the phone on speaker and re-bandaged his hand while they talked. “Everything will be as you like it tonight. Oh, that reminds me. I got tickets for Shakespeare’s As You Like It, for tomorrow night. You said you wanted to see it.”
“I do. Thanks. So, what are we having tonight?”
“I still have to go to the market, but I was thinking of rack of lamb, mashed potatoes and chef salad, and key lime pie for dessert.”
“I didn’t know you could cook. That’s so exciting.”
“I learned early on, since I was on my own.”
“I’m sure everything will be wonderful, Mr. Timothy. That would be a good name if you ever get your own cooking show.”
“It’ll never happen. I like teaching too much.”
“What time should I come over?”
“That’s not going to happen, either. I will be your personal chauffeur. I’ll be uneasy about you coming here as long as the person behind the attacks on me and my property is roaming free.”
“You have had some trouble because of me, haven’t you?”
“Don’t feel bad about it. Nothing has been your fault.”
“Have you thought about moving?”
“There are nuts everywhere, Brandi. I can’t start running from them. Besides, I like my house, and my neighbors. We all watch out for one another.” He checked the time. “Hey, if I’m going to cook tonight, I’d better get to the market. I’ll be there around six. Is that good for you?”
“It’s perfect.”
* * *
A short while later, Tim discovered a hateful threat spray painted across his truck’s windshield: “She was lucky—this time! Next time will be different!”
He backed away from the truck and looked for the camera attached to his garage. It appeared intact. He removed it and took it straight to the police station to have the footage checked.
That evening, Tim pulled in front of Brandi’s house, and watched as she ran out and hopped inside, giving him a quick kiss. “So, what did my personal chef make me for dinner?”
“Brandi, about dinner, well, I didn’t make it.”
“You didn’t? Why? Was your hand hurting too much?”
“It wasn’t that…”
“Its okay, Tim, we can go somewhere else.”
“I think we will have to. We have to talk, Brandi.”
He looked bewildered and frustrated. “Tim, what’s wrong?”
“A lot.” He started the car. “I’ll tell you after we get something to eat.”
“I think I need to know now, because this is sounding really bad. You’re scaring me. Is it something that concerns me?’
“Ultimately.”
“Ultimately? I don’t understand.”
Tim soon turned into Tasty’s Burgers. “Let’s go in and order something. Then we can talk.”
“I’m going to have an anxiety attack. Can’t we just talk now?”
He got out and opened her door. “I’m sorry about this, but I couldn’t take you back to my house for dinner.”
“Okay, this is becoming maddening. What happened?”
He escorted her to a table and sat across from her. “Brandi, the truck was trashed again. Someone spray-painted the windshield.”
“My God! Were you hurt?”
“I’m fine—now.”
“I did see that red car again. I tried getting the plate number, but they sped off. What was spray painted?”
Their waitress took their order and left. He took Brandi’s hand. “Something to the effect you were lucky to have gotten away with your life last night.”
“You’re kidding!”
“I’m definitely not kidding, Brandi.”
“Did you go back to the police station?”
“Yeah. I took the surveillance camera with me. There was motion on it, but not enough to make out any real detail. Everything was fuzzy because of the darkness. Whoever it was made sure to stay on the other side of the truck, but I don’t know how anyone could have seen the camera. It was hidden by shingles. You have to get pretty close to the area to see it. It would have nailed them, and someone knew that.”
Their food arrived and they waited for the waitress to leave. “What did the cops say?”
“All they can do is continue to patrol the area and decipher what they can from the tape.”
“Maybe Dad can help with this.”
“What can he do, Brandi? He doesn’t want me near you in the first place. Now with this stuff happening, I’m sure he would rather you not be around me.”
“All Dad is trying to do is keep us apart because of this stupid race thing he has going on.”
“It’s more than that, Brandi. Your life is in danger, so is mine.”
“Then what do you suggest we do about being together?”
“I do have an idea, but you won’t like it. I don’t even like it.”
“Maybe I won’t, so just tell me.”
He fumbled for words, trying to find a simple, calm way to present his idea, but he couldn’t come up with anything but the truth. “Brandi, as I said, your father doesn’t want you at my house anymore; neither do I, until these attacks blow over.”
“Tim, do you want me to be with you?”
“Sure.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Brandi, I don’t want you hurt. Being with me could be dangerous for you. If something were to happen to you, I would die.”
“Are you suggesting we not be together at all? I know we aren’t safe in your house, but there are other places we can go, Tim.”
“You’re not understanding me, Brandi. Someone has something against me, and will apparently do anything to get to me. I don’t know if it’s a race thing, or something else.”
“What do you mean something else? Did you do something to someone?”
“No! I can’t remember every single thing that I may have done in the past, but I can’t remember hurting anyone. I don’t know why I’ve been targeted, Brandi.”
“Look, Tim. Other mixed couples have this problem. Someone doesn’t like them, but they still stay together. Nothing is going to happen to me while I’m with you. Don’t you want to be with me?”
“You know I do, Brandi, and this isn’t a black and white issue. Someone has it out for me, and I don’t know why. The best thing right now is to cool it until I can find out who is doing this. This is hard for me, too, you know.”
“We can work this out. We don’t have to be apart because of Dad’s stupid issues.”
“Can’t you understand? It’s more than his dislike of me. He’s a cop, Brandi. He knows what he’s talking about, and I think he’s right.”
“We don’t have to split up.”
“We’re not splitting up. We are just going to be separated for a little while.”
“How long?”
“Baby, I don’t know how long, but I promise you that I want you with me. That’s why I’m trying to find out what’s going on. Do you think I can stand going to your funeral?”
“You’re taking things out of proportion. We just started dating, and now I can’t have you. This is ridiculous, and too quick for us not to be together.”
“It won’t be long; just long enough to get a handle on everything.”
She pushed her plate aside. “Suddenly, I’m not hungry anymore.”
“Brandi, don’t do this. I know you’re upset.”
“Upset! That’s an understatement. We can still see one another through this. That’s what loving couples do, Tim. I think other things are going on with you.”
“Like what?”
“You’re letting things scare you, like my Dad. He’s finally getting to you. I think this entire race thing is getting to you.”