“NOW!”
Croop only squinted his eyes, a cold smirk on his face. “Maybe I don’t feel like leaving right now.”
There was a time Callie would have felt entirely capable of taking control of a situation like the one she now found herself in. But that was long in the past for her. Physically overpowering Croop, grabbing his keys, and taking off did not register with her as a viable option now. Although against her instincts she felt forced to try to appeal to Croop’s inner sense of decency. “Please, John. I don’t feel well. I need to go.”
Croop made no effort to move, the smug smile remaining in place.
She stared at him, waiting him out.
Finally, he relented. “Okay, Callie. If that’s what you want, of course we’ll get you back home.”
The ride back to Thornhill Road was the longest journey of her life.
Every few days for the next two weeks he phoned her. She tried to end the first call on a reasonable note. “I’m sorry if I gave you the impression I was interested in a relationship,” she enunciated slowly. “It was a mistake. Please understand, and please don’t call me again.”
When he continued to call she became more adamant and less pleasant. Her unremitting rejections, however, only resulted in a shift of gears on Croop’s part. Without spelling it out he made it clear that, if she were more obliging, he would have no reason to have a little chat with Jack when he eventually came on the scene.
With all Jack had been through in the past seven years the last thing in the world she wanted to hit him with when he returned was a troublesome suitor who, as luck would have it, happened to be a part-time cop. She could visualize how Croop would portray her in his version of events.
The thought crossed her mind that she should confide in Miles about what was happening. But she dreaded the thought of having to admit she had been so foolish as to let Croop into her life.
She knew she had to deal with Croop, and soon. She expected Jack to make an appearance any day and she didn’t want Croop spoiling whatever chance she and Jack might have for a reconciliation.
That she had to deal with Croop was a certainty; how she was going to do it remained a mystery.
6
With Jack’s release scheduled for the following day Callie made the decision to confront Croop face to face. Appealing to his sense of decency had so far met with no more success than her repeated demands but maybe seeing him in person she could convince him it was in his own best interest to listen to reason.
She got his number from the phone directory and was about to punch in the numbers when the phone rang in her hand. It was him. She took a deep breath. “I want to see you.”
“Finally, you’re being reasonable,” Croop said.
She detested the cockiness in his voice. “I need to talk,” she said, striving for an authoritative tone. “Nothing more.”
“Well,
Croop only squinted his eyes, a cold smirk on his face. “Maybe I don’t feel like leaving right now.”
There was a time Callie would have felt entirely capable of taking control of a situation like the one she now found herself in. But that was long in the past for her. Physically overpowering Croop, grabbing his keys, and taking off did not register with her as a viable option now. Although against her instincts she felt forced to try to appeal to Croop’s inner sense of decency. “Please, John. I don’t feel well. I need to go.”
Croop made no effort to move, the smug smile remaining in place.
She stared at him, waiting him out.
Finally, he relented. “Okay, Callie. If that’s what you want, of course we’ll get you back home.”
The ride back to Thornhill Road was the longest journey of her life.
Every few days for the next two weeks he phoned her. She tried to end the first call on a reasonable note. “I’m sorry if I gave you the impression I was interested in a relationship,” she enunciated slowly. “It was a mistake. Please understand, and please don’t call me again.”
When he continued to call she became more adamant and less pleasant. Her unremitting rejections, however, only resulted in a shift of gears on Croop’s part. Without spelling it out he made it clear that, if she were more obliging, he would have no reason to have a little chat with Jack when he eventually came on the scene.
With all Jack had been through in the past seven years the last thing in the world she wanted to hit him with when he returned was a troublesome suitor who, as luck would have it, happened to be a part-time cop. She could visualize how Croop would portray her in his version of events.
The thought crossed her mind that she should confide in Miles about what was happening. But she dreaded the thought of having to admit she had been so foolish as to let Croop into her life.
She knew she had to deal with Croop, and soon. She expected Jack to make an appearance any day and she didn’t want Croop spoiling whatever chance she and Jack might have for a reconciliation.
That she had to deal with Croop was a certainty; how she was going to do it remained a mystery.
6
With Jack’s release scheduled for the following day Callie made the decision to confront Croop face to face. Appealing to his sense of decency had so far met with no more success than her repeated demands but maybe seeing him in person she could convince him it was in his own best interest to listen to reason.
She got his number from the phone directory and was about to punch in the numbers when the phone rang in her hand. It was him. She took a deep breath. “I want to see you.”
“Finally, you’re being reasonable,” Croop said.
She detested the cockiness in his voice. “I need to talk,” she said, striving for an authoritative tone. “Nothing more.”
“Well,
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