Under His Protection
Chapter 3

Zane was off duty the next day so after he put on a pair of jeans and a black tee shirt he decided to go over to Jade’s place, using the excuse he was there to get the list from her. Standing at her door he knocked twice. A husky man whom he guessed was in his mid-thirties, he wore thick-rimmed glasses and walked with a limp was busy washing the floors.

When Jade opened the door he had to smile at her appearance. She had on a sweatsuit, no make-up and her hair was done up in a ponytail. Even without all the glamour, she looked smoking hot.

“Officer Warner, what are you doing here?”

“I was in the neighbourhood and thought I’d drop by and get that list from you. I hope I haven’t come at a bad time,” he said and he noticed that the man with the mop was watching them.

“No, I just wasn’t expecting company. I’m almost done with the list. Do you want to come in and wait? It won’t take me long.” She stepped aside to let him enter when he nodded his head. “I was just making some coffee. Would you like a cup?” she asked him as she led him into the living room.

“Sure, if it’s not too much trouble.”

“It’s no trouble, please sit and I’ll be right back. How do you like it?”

A smile crossed his face. If only she knew. “Pardon?”

“Your coffee, how do you like it?”

“Black,” he answered back.

A few minutes later she returned with two cups of the steaming beverage. “You’re not in uniform Office Warner.”

“It’s my day off. I’m not on duty so you can call me Zane.”

“Why would you come on your day off?”

“I had nothing better to do.” He couldn’t very well tell her it was because he wanted to see her again. “That man in the hallway, who is he?”

“That’s Kenny, the building’s janitor.”

“Does he always sneak around watching people?”

“It’s his job to clean and do any small repairs whenever needed. He’s perfectly innocent and kind of sweet. I hope you aren’t suspecting him of stalking me.”

“Everyone’s a suspect until we replace the guilty party,” he said, watching as she wrote on the paper with names, addresses and phone numbers. He jumped, taken by surprise when her cat jumped on his lap. Going to pet it, the cat called muffin hissed and leaped off his lap.

Jade let out a small laugh. “I don’t think she likes you.”

“Yeah, I get that feeling too.” He took the list from her hand, their fingers touching briefly. He looked at the paper. “This will be a big help, thanks.”

Just then the phone rang and she got up to answer it. She frowned, her eyebrows rising. “Stop calling me you sick bastard.” Slamming the phone down looked over at Zane who had risen to his feet. “That’s twice today. The same thing, calls but doesn’t speak, but I can hear him breathing.”

“I think it’s time to have your number changed. I’ll just make a few calls and have it done in no time.” She sat down and he noticed how her hands were shaking. Making the call he went and sat next to her. “It’s going to be ok, we’ll replace who’s doing this.”

“I know,” she said, nodding her head. “It’s just a little unnerving.”

“Have you eaten yet?” he asked her. “I just thought you look a bit pale and since it’s close to dinner we could go out for Chinese food. That is if you like Chinese.”

“I love it and no, I haven’t eaten today. But I don’t feel like going out, sorry.”

“No problem, we can order takeout. You go ahead and order whatever you like, I’m going to have a talk with this Kenny fellow.” He tossed some money on the table. “In case I’m not back when the food gets here.”

He wandered down the hall, no sign of Kenny so he got on the elevator and went to the main floor. There he went in search of the janitor’s room. Finding it he found the door open so he walked in. Kenny’s back was to him, he was rinsing out a mop in the sink. “Kenny,” he called out and the man dropped the mop and turned around.

“Yeah.”

“Can I have a word with you? I’m Officer Warner and I’d like to ask you a few questions about Miss Edwards.” He pointed to a couple of chairs in the corner. “Can we sit?”

Kenny shrugged his shoulders and limped over and sat down. Zane followed him, pulling out his badge and showing it to him before sitting down. “Have you heard about Miss Edwards being harassed?”

“No.”

A man of few words, Zane thought to himself. “Have you seen anyone suspicious hanging around her apartment?”

“No.”

“Have you noticed any strangers, people who don’t live here?”

“No.”

Zane was slowly losing patience. “Look Kenny. I need your help. Miss Edwards is being stalked and I understand you work a lot of hours and you must see just about everything. So if there is anything you know won’t you help me replace the person?” When Kenny said nothing Zane snapped. “I guess you don’t like her very much.”

Kenny’s head started bobbing and his arm began jerking, it was obvious the man had Tourette Syndrome and he was a couple of bricks short of a load.

“I like her, I like her a lot. She is a nice lady, nicer than the other people in this building. She always smiles and says hi to me.”

“So you do like her?”

“Yes, she is nice and very pretty.”

“So will you help me? Have you seen any strange men hanging around her place?”

“No. She never has men over, just that manager of hers,” Kenny said, his jerking settled down and he seemed more relaxed. "He's a creep, always touching her."

Zane found what he said a little strange. How would he know if she had men over or not? "How long have you worked here Kenny?”

“Long time, don't remember how long though."

Zane's hands reach into his pocket and he pulls out a card, handing it to Kenny. “If you see or hear anything suspicious call me at this number. Her life could be in danger.”

“Who would want to hurt her, she is an angel,” Kenny said almost dreamlike.

“That’s what we want to replace out.” Leaving the janitor’s room headed back to Jade. The door was unlocked so he would have to remind her to keep it locked at all times. She was in the small kitchen setting dishes out, and the Chinese food in their containers sat on the table.

“Would you like beer or wine?” she asked as she poured herself a glass.

“Wine is fine.”

“So you talked to Kenny, you were gone so long I thought maybe you had left.” She sat down and taking the containers dished out her food, handing him the rest.

“Yeah, he’s a bit of an oddball and he has a crush on you.”

She laughed. “What? No, he doesn’t. He’s just a sweet man who is lonely. Surely you don’t suspect him.”

“I think he’s worth keeping an eye on. So how long have you been a model?”

“About four years now, started when I turned eighteen.”

“Do you like what you’re doing?”

“It’s ok, it pays the bills but I don’t plan on doing it much longer. My plans are to move to Kansas and take over my aunt’s tea shop. As soon as I have enough money saved up to buy it I’m out of here.”

“That’s a far cry from the big city, won’t you be bored?”

“I grew up there when my parents died in an accident, my aunt took me in and raised me. I actually love it there. The small town with its beautiful country and the people are so friendly, down to earth. What about you? How long have you been a cop?” He had taken off his jacket and his shirt was tight-fitting, showing off his muscular shape.

“I’ve wanted to be a cop since I was a small child, my father and his father were also cops. I’ve been with the force six years now and I’m up for Detective this month. My mother died two years ago of cancer.”

“I’m so sorry Zane,” she said, placing her hand on his arm briefly. “Would you like another glass of wine?”

“No, I better not, I’m driving. It’s getting late, I should get going,” he said, carrying his empty plate over to the sink. “Your phone number has been changed and remember to keep your door locked and if you need anything call me.”

She walked him to the door and opened it. “Thanks for dinner. I enjoyed this evening, the talk and getting to know you. When I first met you I thought you were a pompous jerk. But you actually turned out to be a half-decent man.”

He chuckled. “And I thought you were a snob who was only trying to further your career by making up a story about someone stalking you.” Placing his hand on the door frame, his body inches from hers as he looked down at her. “It just shows that you can’t judge a book by its cover.” He had the urge to kiss her, even in her sweats she was gorgeous. He leaned down to kiss her but she put her hand between his mouth and hers.

“Don’t,” she said, backing up.

“I’m sorry, that was unprofessional of me. I promise it won’t happen again,” he said as he turned to leave, but stopped to look back at her. “Any problems give me a call.”

She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. It would have been so easy for her to have given in when he was about to kiss her. He was handsome and his body made her mouth water. But she knew men like that, players. Men who thought they could have any woman they wanted and after getting them into bed lost interest and moved on to the next female who crossed their path. It was clear to her that he was a womanizer, he knew he was good-looking and used it to his advantage. Even though she felt the sparks between them she vowed not to get involved with him, he would only end up breaking her heart.

Zane stopped at the bar before going home and no sooner did he sit down and order a beer when a brunette approached him. She was cute and when she smiled at him she sat on the stool next to him. He bought her a drink and they started talking. After a couple of drinks, they left the bar together and he gave her a ride home. They never made it inside. She straddled him inside the car, telling him to hurry while he unwrapped a condom and put it on. As she rode him he regretted it, his mind was on Jade so closing his eyes he tried to pretend it was her. But it didn’t work so he stopped the woman whose name he didn’t even know and moved her from his lap. He removed the condom and threw it in the garbage bag that was under the seat.

“What’s wrong?” she snapped as she pulled her dress down.

“Sorry doll, I’m not in the mood.”

She boldly placed her hand on his crotch, feeling his hard cock. “Your dick says otherwise. Would you rather go inside?”

He leaned over her and opened the passenger door. “No, now get out.”

Getting out she called him an asshole before slamming the door and walking away, turning back around she gave him the finger.

Rubbing his chin he grinned, this was the first time he left a woman unsatisfied.