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“I’m okay,” I said, tears streaming down my face.
Zack stepped through the door into the room, his pistol pointed toward the floor. “Nobody tries to kill women I adore,” he said with a growl.
It took a couple of weeks for the shooting to be ruled justified. Both Lillian and I had no trouble testifying to our fear that Randall was going to kill one, or both of us.
Randall’s girlfriend, Wendy, gave the police all the information they needed to close the case. Randall was in debt to some bad guys out of Las Vegas. Drug and gambling debts. Wendy testified that she’d only arrived in Dallas the previous night, so she’d had no idea that Baxter had been dognapped. Randall had told her to watch his grandmother’s dog.
However, her story didn’t hold up under Zack’s interrogation. Wendy had been the second person involved in robbing Lillian’s house. It took a while, but Zack was able to find the storage building where Randall had stashed the sterling silver pieces, the objets d’art, and some of Lillian’s jewelry. The cash from her safe was long gone, used to pay Randall and Wendy’s living expenses. But Lillian was more than happy to part with a thousand dollars if it meant getting her precious Baxter back.
Lillian came home two weeks after the attempt on her life. Zack and I brought over dinner and Baxter to welcome her home.
“Baxter,” she cried and swept her dog into her arms. Baxter wiggled happily in her arms while covering every inch of her face with excited licks.
“I think you were missed,” I said.
“I missed him, too,” Lillian said. “Thank you, well, for everything. I never dreamed Randall was so…so evil.”
“I think he was more desperate than evil,” Zack said as he walked in from the kitchen. “Drugs and gambling are the evil elements that got hold of your grandson. I’m sorry for how it ended.”
Lillian carried Baxter over to where Zack stood. She stood on her tip-toes to kiss his cheek. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I lost my grandson years ago. When he didn’t come home for his own mother’s funeral, I accepted I’d never see him again.” Her face turned sad. “When he turned up here at my house, I’d hoped he was home, that he’d changed, but, well, you know how that turned out.”
“You tried to help him,” I said. “You tried to protect him.”
Lillian sighed. “I did try.” She pushed a smile on her lips. “I’m starving. What’s for dinner?”
“Steaks, courtesy of the Marble Mansion, along with garlic mashed potatoes, toasted almond green beans, and fresh-baked bread.” Zack grinned at the astonished expressions as Lillian and I exchanged looks.
“I swear, I’ve been wondering if they did takeout,” I said.
“They don’t,” Zack said. “But they did it as a special thank you to me. Come on, ladies. Your table awaits.”
“Zack’s been practicing being a waiter,” I confided to Lillian. “Maybe he has a career in the hospitality field.
Lillian giggled. “I can’t wait to hear this story,” she said, carrying Baxter along to the table.
Over dinner, Zack told the ladies that he’d accidentally stumbled on an employee stealing Wagyu steaks from the Marble Mansion to the tune of almost twenty-thousand dollars.
“The retail for Wagyu is about one-hundred-twenty to one-hundred-fifty dollars a pound. One of the teenage busboys thought he’d hit a gold mine. He was selling steaks out of the back door to his teachers and friends of his parents. Dumb ass.”
“When did you have time to uncover this serious crime?”
“I think you know. I caught him pocketing the cash and delivering the product.”
“How much do you think he stole?”
“Thousands, but I turned the case over to robbery and let them take it from there. Kid’s facing some serious consequences.”
While we’d been talking, I cut into my steak and my mouth dropped in shock. “Holy cow. This is like cutting soft butter with a hot knife.” I put a piece in my mouth and moaned. “Ohmygod,” I said with my mouth full. “I’ll never be able to eat regular beef again.”
“Sorry, honey, but on a cop’s salary, it’s hamburger.”
I smiled. “Luckily, I love hamburger.”
And if it meant having Zack in my life, I’d eat hamburger every day of the week but I also knew he was full of bull. He had a seriously nice nest egg from his NFL years, so a Marble Mansion steak was certainly within his budget.
As I enjoyed my meal, I listened in on Lillian and Zack’s conversation about her garden and what she might plant this year. He was assuring he that he’d be happy to help.
I leaned back in my chair and watched the love of my life as he laughed and talked with my elderly neighbor. I’d never stop loving the twinkle in his gorgeous gray eyes or the way he made me feel just by holding my hand,
