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  Cam banged his head on a board, and cursed. Turning to her, he saw her cheeky grin, and slowly climbed down from the ladder, stalking her. She took off at a run and he chased her, catching up to her before she got to the door of her house.

  Her joyful squeal had him grinning.

  “So, you’re bored, and need some attention do you?” he said, tickling her.

  Teal giggled and pushed him away, running again, this time towards the shower area. Cam was right behind her, and picked her up, his arms circling her waist, while she shrieked with laughter.

  “Let me down Cam, your shoulder—.” She giggled when he growled.

  He let her down, but turned her, pulling her close for a passionate kiss.

  Just as they’d decided it was time for him to end his day as a construction worker, and start his evening as a lover, Delon pulled up in the driveway, honking on the horn.

  They looked at each other, and then ran to the car. Something was wrong.

  Delon got out, his face full of anger.

  “What’s wrong Delon?” she asked.

  “That bastard! He killed them.” Delon was so angry he couldn’t stand still, his fists hitting air as if he was having a fight with some invisible person.

  “Delon. Talk to us. What’s happened,” Cam said, holding the man by the shoulders. Poppy and Zola came running down the hill.

  “Don Tyrell. He supplied Zola’s two friends with drugs, and they are both dead!” Fury burned in his eyes, and then he realized that Zola was standing there, staring at him in horror.

  “No!” she cried, her hands over her mouth.

  Realizing his mistake, Delon went to her, and pulled her close to him. While she cried, and screamed in sorrow, he held her tight, kissing her head, mumbling endearments, and apologizing to her.

  “Bring her inside, Delon,” Teal said.

  He picked Zola up, and carried her inside, cradling her close to his heart. Poppy was right behind them.

  “Put her in my bed,” Teal slipped past him, and pulled the blanket down.

  Zola was eight months pregnant now, but still not heavy for him. She was petite, and had little extra fat from her healthy pregnancy.

  Once Delon put her down, he sat by her side caressing her face, wiping tears, kissing her forehead, and talking to her.

  Poppy, Cam, and Teal, sat in the kitchen and waited for Delon. Once the girl had cried herself to sleep, he came out of the bedroom, a haunted look on his face. He sat at the table with them, his hands shaking.

  “Can you tell us what’s going on?” Cam asked quietly.

  “That bastard Don Tyrell has been using the older girls from the school. He gives them drugs or cheap jewelry in exchange for sex. Zola told me this a few months ago. Tyrell is the father of her child.” Disgust for the man made Delon’s words harsh.

  “Delon, why didn’t you tell us this before?” Teal asked.

  Sighing, he put his head in his hands. “Don Tyrell is a powerful man. Zola was safe, and her girlfriends didn’t want me to confront the man. They liked what he did with them, and they liked the drugs more. He got them so addicted that they would do anything for him. He even took them both at the same time!” Fists clenched in fury, Delon slammed one down on the table.

  Poppy put her hand over his, and spoke softly, “Delon, you’ll wake her.”

  He glanced at Cam in desperation. “How can we stop him? He is rich and powerful. Even the police avoid him.”

  Cam sat back a moment, his expression closed as he thought about the dilema.

  “I think…that we have to do some surveillance, and figure out the best way to take him down without people getting hurt.” He looked over at Delon. “We’ll take him down. Murdering children, has got to be the lowest thing a man can do. We will stop him.”

  Cam’s eyes had changed. They were cold and hard, a cop’s eyes. Teal felt a shiver go up her spine, thinking that she wouldn’t want to be in Don Tyrell’s shoes when these two men got a hold of him. Then, the dream flashed through her mind of Cam covered in blood, dying in front of her, and she got up from the table and tore out the front door.

  Right behind her, Cam caught her before she got far and held her fast.

  “What? Tell me what has you so frightened?” He wouldn’t take no for an answer, and forced her to look at him. “Tell me.”

  Shaking from head to toe, Teal whispered, “My dream. I told you about it. If you go after him, you will die, Cam. I saw the blood on your chest. I can’t do that again. I can’t lose another person I love. It will kill me.” Tears were flowing now, and she shuddered.

  “Love, you know I’m a trained cop. I know what I’m doing. No one else has tried to stop the man, and now children are dying. I have to do this. For Zola, for her friends, for all the other people the man has hurt. Please understand.”

  “No!” she screamed in rage. “If you’re going to do this, then leave now. I don’t want any part of it, of you. We have been so happy for months now.” Pounding his chest with the bottom of her fists she yelled, “I won’t go through it again. I can’t.” Breaking down, she sobbed in his arms, her forehead against his chest.

  “I’m sorry Teal. I’m doing it. I have to.”

  Her cry of anguish echoed through the trees. Shoving him away, she ran to the car and climbed in, locking the doors. Starting it up, she ignored Cam’s frantic attempts to reason with her and pulled out of the driveway, taking off by herself.

  Cam raced to his car, but before he could follow her, Delon climbed in the passenger seat. Terrified she was going to hurt herself, the two men chased after her. She never drove the car herself, it was always Delon who did the driving. They had to get her to stop before she hit something, or someone.

  She was a fair distance down the road when she screamed. A cow blocked the road, and she swerved to miss it, her car slamming into a palm tree. Everything went black as she sunk into a quiet, safe world where there was no pain.

  ***

  “Wake up miss. Come on now. Open your eyes.” A warm voice with a heavy Jamaican accent called to her.

  As her eyes fluttered and opened, a wave of pain crashed through her head, and she gasped.

  “Ah, you are back with us Mrs. Greenwood. That is good.” Flicking a small flashlight in her eyes, the man stared down at her. “You are going to have a nasty headache for a few days, but you will be all right. You are lucky your ribs didn’t break. Do you know where you are?”

  “I would assume I’m in a hospital unless you always shine lights into people’s eyes when you talk to them.”

  Her attempt at humour was a good sign. The doctor was pleased. After his initial exam, he was ready to leave the room, but she stopped him, her heart fluttering.

  “I…ah, I’ve been having trouble sleeping doctor. Since I’m here, could you prescribe some sleeping pills?” There was that dead feeling again, holding her down, and taking away all hope.

  “Certainly. As long as you promise to use them sparingly. Exercise would help Mrs. Greenwood. It’s much better than pills.

  “Please,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes.

  “All right then. I’ll write out the prescription, and you can take it with you. I’m discharging you now. Go home and rest.”

  Relieved, she closed her eyes, but jerked when she heard his bitter voice say, “You planning on checking out? Two young girls just died from drugs, and you hope to join them, don’t you?”

  Teal kept her eyes closed, and turned her head away from him.

  “Coward,” he said. “Come on then, let’s get you home so you can swallow the damn bottle and take the easy way out. I thought better of you Teal. You disgust me.” His harsh words bit at her, taunting her to fight back.

  She stayed silent, biting back tears, refusing to feel.

  ***

  Cam dropped her and Delon off. He came into the house only long enough to push his point across.

  Climbing on the bed, Teal curled up into a ball.

  Cam
came to her, and handed her a bottle of water.

  “Here. Just get it over with then.” He held the pill bottle in his other hand, shaking it at her. His anger was like a wildfire, burning out of control, his eyes hard and unfeeling.

  When she didn’t take the bottle, only stared at it, he shook it again.

  “Go on then. You want to kill yourself, go ahead. I’ll make it bloody easy for you.” He opened the bottle, holding it out to her.

  Still she just stared at him, holding back a sob now.

  “Take the damn pills…now! Let’s get it done. You want to die then go ahead! If you are too much of a coward to live, then finish it! I’m sick to death of trying to pick you up off the ground Teal. I’m done. You win. I’ll leave, and never come back, just like you wanted from the minute you met me.” His voice rose alarmingly.

  Her lip quivered, and she jumped when he suddenly yelled, “Go ahead and do it damn you! Take the fucking pills!” He opened her hand and dumped the bottle of white pills into it, shoving her hand towards her mouth.

  “Stop it! Stop it, stop it, stop it!” she shrieked, tears pouring down her cheeks. Teal threw the pills across the room, and screamed in fury before bursting into heartrending sobs.

  His voice was calm now, defeated.

  “You win Teal. I’m leaving. If you choose to live, have a good life then.” Turning, he left the room, left her home, and drove away without looking back.

  The sense of loss she suffered then was even worse than that of what she’d gone through before. She’d lost him after all, and it was her own doing.

  ***

  Teal didn’t sink back into depression like she thought she would. Cam had given her a reason to fight, to live. She needed to prove him wrong. She was no coward.

  Delon had rented a car, while hers was being fixed, and he drove her to the school every day. Zola didn’t come, since her pregnancy was too advanced. She should have the baby within the next two weeks. The addition was done, yet Zola chose to stay with Poppy and Delon. The only thing left to do was to apply the textured pain on the outside.

  Teal was all by herself in the house. She didn’t go into the new room. She couldn’t. After picking up each and every pill from the bed and the floor, she took them into the forest and buried them. She chose life, no matter how hard it was to live it.

  Sitting with the children in the yard, Teal once again played the flute, a lively tune that had the children laughing and dancing. The children warmed her heart, cracking some of the ice, bringing feeling back to her.

  When the children at the back stopped dancing suddenly, they all stood still and silent, and Teal quit playing. There stood Tyrell, staring at her with a big smile on his face.

  Putting her flute down, she said to Leah, “Take the children inside for their art lessons, I’ll be right in.”

  Once everyone was out of site, she approached him. Her eyes spit fire at him as she thought of the young girls who’d died, and what he had been doing to them, to Zola. Her hand cracked across his grinning face, turning his look to anger.

  His hand came up to rub his cheek and then it cracked across her face, bringing Delon running.

  She held him back with a hand on his chest, while she looked at Tyrell with disgust, ignoring the burning pain on her cheek.

  “You are not welcome here murderer! Rapist! Bastard! Leave here now, and don’t come back.” Holding her chin up, her shoulders back, she dared him to hit her again.

  Snickering, he reached out and picked up a strand of her hair, holding it tight when she pulled away.

  “So, the little teacher has some fire after all. That is good to know. When I have you under me, it will make things more interesting.” His confident sneer enraged her, but she fought to control her temper to protect Delon.

  Delon surged forward, but she grabbed his shirt in her hand, and yelled, “No!” Her eyes never left Tyrell’s.

  “Ha! Your little boy here isn’t much of a guard dog, now is he?” Two of his henchmen moved forward, and Teal held onto Delon with a death grip.

  “Get out of here, you vile child molester. You make me want to puke!” Venom dripped from her words, but he still smiled.

  His finger moved to her cheek, still twisted around the strand of hair. “So soft for such an old woman, with a tongue like a knife. It isn’t quite as soft as the young girl’s skin…but soft enough. Plan to come to me when I call for you. You won’t like the consequences if you don’t obey.”

  “Don’t you threaten me, you jerk. There’s nothing you can do to me that would make me want to come to you.”

  His eyes flicked to Delon, and then the school house, and he grinned. “Oh, I think I can find something that will make you want to come to me. Don’t keep me waiting. I’ll send someone for you when I’m ready.” Yanking lightly on her hair, he let her go and left her, not looking back as he got into his car.

  Her body shook with fury as she watched him drive away. Now she needed to figure out a way to keep Delon and the children safe. A part of her ached for Cam, wanting his strength and support, his protection. He would know what to do, he would hold her and make her feel safe, but she fought back the urge to go to him, standing on her own for once.

  “Delon,” she said, turning to him with pleading eyes. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t want you getting hurt, Zola needs you too much.”

  Her eyes met his, and she knew he loved Zola.

  “Don’t let her get away Delon. Life is too short to waste. She loves you, and you love her. That should be enough.” Dropping her gaze before he could see her pain, she went into the schoolroom to teach art class.

  CHAPTER 9

  Facing Fears

  “Not a word? She just up and leaves without telling you anything? What about Zola? She’s due any day now.” Cam was bewildered and very upset that Teal was gone. He had finally cooled off enough that he was going to try making up with her, and she was gone!

  Poppy kept her eyes lowered.

  “She said something about a brother in Toronto, and left for the airport. That was early this morning, and that’s the last I saw of her.”

  “Toronto? She went to Toronto? What about her house? Her car?” he asked, incredulous now.

  “She told us to keep them. Her brother Brock would take care of her.”

  “I didn’t even know she had a brother.”

  “Oh, yes. Brock Spencer, he lives in Toronto. She said something about a place called Pickering or something. Don’t worry though, she’ll be fine. She said she didn’t feel needed here, and went home.”

  “Poppy, this is her home. She can’t just bloody well pick up and take off like that. When will the woman quit running from everything?” Cam was pacing now, throwing his hands up in the air in quick jerking motions as he spoke.

  “Well, you were done with her, so she probably went to find someone who does want her. A woman needs to be needed you know Cam.” Turning her back on him, she started tidying up the kitchen, hiding a grin.

  “Find someone who—,” he started, stunned at Poppy’s nonchalance. “I’ll bloody well show her someone who needs her all right! She’s not going to simply turn her back on me, and get away with it. Do you hear me?” he yelled.

  Keeping her face straight, an expression of surprise on it, she said, “But Cam! You told her you don’t want her anymore. Didn’t you? What was she supposed to think?”

  “I never said—well, I never meant—she wouldn’t just believe that I—Arrggg! That woman will be the death of me, you’ll see!” At that, he turned and stormed out of the house, running to his car, and taking off like a bat-out-of-hell.

  Poppy stood at the door and laughed, clapping her hands in glee. Delon and Zola came out from the bedroom where they had been hiding.

  Grinning, Delon asked, “Did you tell him she would be coming back in two days?”

  Laughing, incredulous, Poppy looked at him and asked, “Now, why would I do that?”

  All three of them laughed, pleased that
Cam was going after her. Delon stared down at Zola affectionately. Poppy wondered how long it would take her son to wake up.

  ***

  Landing at the Toronto International Airport was not a good experience for Teal. After living like a hermit, she found the swarming mass of people very unsettling. As soon as she got her bag off the baggage rack, she headed for the front door.

  “Teal!”

  Turning to search the area, it took her a moment or two to find him in the crowd. A wide grin lit her face as she saw Brock. He looked so good, healthy, and happy. It brought tears to her eyes when he picked her up and spun her around.

  “Look at you! The other half of you is missing! You look beautiful, Teal.”

  Identical eyes met hers, and she felt like she’d come home.

  Her voice husky with emotion, she said, “You are a sight for sore eyes yourself Brock. It’s good to see you.” She hugged him close again, fighting back tears.

  Clearing his throat, he stepped back. “Give me that suitcase. We have to walk a bit to find the car, it’s hidden in that maze of a parking lot underground.” Brock had his arm around her as he updated her on the progress of the favor she’d asked of him, while they walked to the car.

  ***

  Cam was building up steam by the time he knocked on the apartment door. He’d had to call an old friend from the Toronto precinct to help him track down Brock Spencer. Who knew that there could be so many men with the same name in one city? Finally locating the correct one, Cam headed straight to the man’s residence unannounced.