and returned it to Ella. ‘Why on earth didn’t you just call Frank Nelson? Checking into something like this is a job for our police chief. I cannot believe you actually confronted Reed. I’d have been scared spitless to accuse him to his face.’
‘I didn’t want Daddy to find out and go ballistic or for Mother to get all upset, so I thought that if I handled the problem myself—’
‘What did Reed say? Mercy, Ella, what did he do?’
‘He denied writing the letter.’
‘Of course he did. You didn’t think he’d admit to doing it, did you?’
Ella sighed. ‘After speaking to Reed, I’m not so sure he wrote the letter.’
‘Uh-oh.’
‘What does that mean?’ Ella asked.
‘It means something else went on between you and Reed, didn’t it? Something besides a confrontation over that letter.’
Ella nodded. She twined her fingers together and nervously rubbed her thumb over the palm of the opposite hand. ‘I can’t explain what happened. It was like heat lightning. For just a split second, I thought he was going to kiss me.’
‘You’re kidding me.’ Heather reached out and grabbed Ella by the shoulders. ‘Now, you listen to me, girlfriend – stay away from Reed Conway. The guy is trouble with a capital T. Whatever game he’s playing with you is a dangerous one. He’s got to know that the best form of revenge against your father is by using you.’
‘Don’t you think I know that? But it doesn’t change the fact that I … responded to him. I wanted him to kiss me. I actually hoped he would kiss me.’
‘Shit!’
Reed rang the doorbell, then banged on the door. Ever since sweet Miss Ella Porter had left the garage, he’d been walking around with a hard-on. What kind of fool did that make him? He had wanted to lift her onto the desk in Briley Joe’s office, strip off her panties, part her legs and ram himself into her. When she’d stared at him with those big brown eyes, it had taken all his will power not to grab her and kiss her. And if he hadn’t read her wrong, he figured that she would have let him. Kiss her, that is. Not screw her.
Reed knocked again. The door swung open and Ivy Sims’ mouth spread into a wide grin.
‘Well, hello there, sugar. You’re early. I just got out of the shower.’
Reed visually raked her body from neck to knees. The short floral robe hung open just enough to reveal her thighs and parted above the belt to give him a glimpse of the inner curve of her breasts. Reed pushed her backward, came into the apartment and shoved the door closed with his foot. Then without saying a word, he grabbed Ivy, thrust his tongue into her mouth and lifted her up by her butt. She quickly wrapped her legs around his hips as he carried her through the living room and straight to her bedroom. She giggled when he tossed her onto the bed. He unzipped his jeans; then pulled a small square packet from his pocket. She squirmed and held out her arms when he opened her robe. He parted the fly of his briefs and freed his sex, then donned the condom hurriedly. Ivy cried out with pleasure when he impaled her.
He drove into her like a madman, all the while with his eyes tightly shut. The woman beneath him wasn’t the one he wanted, but he could pretend she was, couldn’t he?
Expecting a call from Heather, Ella answered the phone on the third ring. ‘Hello?’
Silence. Complete quiet. Eerie nothingness. Ella’s hand tightened on the telephone receiver as she said, ‘Hello. Is anyone there?’
Breathing. Deep, heavy breathing. Sensual panting. Just like the two unknown calls she had received yesterday.
‘If you have something to say to me, say it. Otherwise, do not call me again!’ Ella slammed down the receiver. When she lifted her hand, she noticed the slight tremble. Stop this! She tightened her hands into fists and slammed them down atop her desk.
Phone calls cannot hurt you, she reminded herself. Whoever is on the other end of the line is harassing you, trying to upset you. The caller had not done anything to warrant the fear that grew steadily within her. Ever since she’d received the letter three days ago, she had argued with herself over Reed Conway’s involvement. Was he or was he not the guilty party behind the letter and the phone calls? He was, of course, the most obvious suspect, but that alone could not condemn him. But if not Reed, then who? She had read through her files, studying every case over which she had presided since she’d become a circuit court judge. Had a disgruntled felon felt unjustly convicted? Not one of the men or women whom she’d sentenced to prison had threatened her or made any comments about injustice or revenge.
A light tapping outside her office door brought her back from her thoughts. ‘Yes?’ Ella’s heartbeat roared in her ears. Where was Kelly? Why wasn’t she running interference for her?
The door cracked open slightly and Roy Moses stuck his head in and smiled at her. ‘Morning, Miss Ella.’
She breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Good morning, Roy.’ Ella checked her watch and realized that it wasn’t quite eight. Kelly wouldn’t arrive until eight-thirty.
‘I was sweeping up along the hall and saw something lying outside your door.’ Roy lifted his meaty hand and held out a white envelope. ‘It’s got your name on it.’
Ella sucked in a deep breath as anxiety swept through her like a tidal wave. Don’t let it be another letter from him. ‘Please, bring it on in.’ She stood and walked toward the door to meet Roy.
‘You sure do look pretty this morning.’ Roy held out the envelope.
‘Thank you.’ Ella forced a smile, then grasped the envelope. She noticed that her name was typewritten, as on the first letter. Her stomach did a nervous flip-flop.
‘You have a good day.’ Roy plodded toward the door.
‘You too,’ Ella called after him. The moment he closed the door, she picked up the letter opener from her desk and sliced open the envelope. Willing herself to be calm, she eased the single page of unlined paper from its casing. As she spread open the folded missive, she prayed that it wasn’t what she thought it was.
Have you been thinking of me? I’ve been thinking about you. Bad thoughts. Dirty thoughts. Thoughts that would make you cream your pants.
Ella stopped reading. It was from him! Another sexually explicit, harassing letter. A crude, threatening love letter just like the one she’d received three days ago. Just like the two Reed had sent her from prison fifteen years ago.
This had to stop. She couldn’t continue ignoring the matter. Three heavy-breathing phone calls and two menacing letters. She’d thought she could handle the situation without involving anyone else, but she’d been wrong.
Ella picked up the telephone receiver, dialed the familiar number and waited.
‘Porter residence,’ the housekeeper said.
‘Bessie,
