Chapter One
“You’re joking, right? This is payback for setting you up with that brunette, right? I swear I didn’t know she used to be a call girl, Sam.”
“Yeah, sure you didn’t, Mac,” Sam Gregory’s gray eyes narrowed in displeasure as he remembered that particular evening. Oh, he’d liked Genevieve well enough, and she was very beautiful, but she took calls on her cell phone all evening, and finally admitted that her clients were ‘johns’, and then smiled sadly when she realized Sam was no longer interested in seeing her.
“I didn’t know!” Mac was the picture of innocence. “I was doing a favor for Jillian, and it wasn’t until the date was over that she learned about Genevieve’s career.”
“Ah, yes, the elusive Jillian… Where did she disappear to?” Sam demanded. He’d always wanted to know how Jillian knew Genevieve.
Mac shrugged, but Sam was quick to note the flash of hurt in the other man’s dark eyes before he hid it with an indifferent smile. “You know how it goes, Sam. Jillian didn’t like the hours I work, or that I’m on call all the time.”
“Or the fact that we get shot at on a regular basis…?” Sam frowned. His ex-wife couldn’t take it, either, and bailed after four years of marriage. He shook his head to clear it of unpleasant memories and then said, “Mac, we need you on this one. Prudence Chockwell is a handful. This will be her fourth placement in five months time. She has a mind of her own and refuses to play by the rules. She’s going to get herself killed if she doesn’t start paying attention to what she’s told.”
“What makes you think she’ll listen to me?” Mac asked with a raised eyebrow. Sam knew him well enough to know that he wouldn’t tolerate foolishness of that kind from any female. She was the type of client that needed a tight rein.
“You won’t permit her not to listen,” Sam replied. “You’ll lay down the law and then enforce it.”
“What? Did they have green kids watching her, or something?” He couldn’t imagine anyone flaunting a U. S. Marshal and getting away with it.
“You know Peters in the Dallas office…? He threw up his hands after just three weeks of trying to work with Prudence. She’s a real problem, Mac. A walking attitude.”
It wasn’t the first time Mac had been given a difficult assignment, but most of the ‘difficult’ ones were older men who’d lived a life of crime, not twenty-seven year old females. “Peters is a good man; we trained together. I have to admit this assignment sounds like a challenge.” His dark eyes were sparkling in anticipation.
“One I’m sure you can handle, Mac,” Sam said with a perfectly straight face. He knew Mac’s views on women, and shared most of them. He was confident that one Ms. Prudence Chockwell was in for a shock. Mac wouldn’t put up with her stunts, and the first time she crossed the man assigned to protect her, he’d make her wish she hadn’t in a very elemental way. Marshal John McCree was just the man to handle a problem like Prudence Chockwell.
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Prudence twisted her long red hair into a knot and pulled it through a scrunchie. The green eyes studying her reflection in the tiny mirror were snapping in anger and frustration. She hated this! She wanted her life back!
The discreet tap on the door reminded her that there were other people in the world, and Prudence squared her slender shoulders and slid the door open, not one bit surprised to see another woman standing there, squirming as she waited her turn in the tiny closet restroom.
Prudence made her way down the narrow aisle to her seat. The Marshal acting as her escort got to his feet and stepped into the aisle to allow her to slide past his seat to the one by the window. Neither of them spoke to the other. The man was quietly furious with her, strung out on drugs, and she had no respect for him. She’d made the grievous mistake of attending a book signing by one of her favorite authors, never dreaming the local television station would cover the signing, or that they’d supply Oprah with a clip for her show when the author made a guest appearance there just two days later. The Marshal acted like she’d planned the entire thing, which she hadn’t, of course. She hated moving again. She hated having another new identity. And the next person who suggested she cut and color her hair was going to get an earful!!
********************
As Mac waited for the plane to land, he read and reread the file on one Ms. Prudence Chockwell and couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for her. She wasn’t like most of the people in the Witness Protection Program; she wasn’t turning witness to avoid a prison term. No, Ms. Chockwell had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the right time, and, as a result, her life was forever changed. It wasn’t fair, but life was seldom fair. However, the lack of fairness didn’t excuse her bad behavior toward the Marshals assigned to protect her. He’d already decided to lay down the law as soon as possible and let the woman know he wouldn’t tolerate any of her foolishness. She wouldn’t find him very tolerant… or patient… where her life was concerned.
Mac heard the announcement that the flight had landed and it wasn’t long before he spotted Dan Peters approaching with Ms. Chockwell. The woman was clearly angry, and Dan’s expression was grim. “Dan, good to see you,” Mac stepped forward and shook hands.
“How you doin’, Mac?” Dan managed a smile for his old friend. “This is Ms. Chockwell,” he added shortly, and for her benefit, he said, “Marshal John McCree.”
Mac nodded at her, but she didn’t smile or offer her hand. So be it.
“I have another flight to catch, Mac. I’ll leave you to it,” Dan didn’t bother to say anything further. He knew that Mac had the file on the woman. “Good luck.” He turned to say a perfunctory “good buy” to Prudence, but she held up her hand to stop him.
“Don’t bother to be pleasant, Marshal Peters. I wouldn’t want you to choke on the words you don’t really mean, and we both know that you’re as happy to be rid of me as I am to be rid of you!”
“You’ve got that right,” Dan didn’t lie as he flushed with temper and shook his head in disgust. “You’ve got my sympathy, friend,” he told Mac, and then stomped off, not a bit sorry to be rid of Prudence Chockwell, and hoping he never had to set eyes on her again.
“Are you always so rude, young lady?” Mac asked quietly. The palm of his hand was already itching, and he’d met her less than a minute ago!
Prudence shrugged. “Don’t expect me to fall all over myself to be polite and insincere, Marshal,” she snapped. “It isn’t my style.”
“A little courtesy goes a long way; you might want to keep that in mind.”
“I don’t need lectures from you about my manners.”
“You mean your lack of manners,” he corrected her. Her green eyes snapped furiously and he cut her off before she could say anything. “Let’s get out of here. Your new apartment is in a small town north of here.”
“I don’t like apartments or small towns!” she announced, frowning in disapproval.
“Too bad. It’s what was available on such short notice.”
“Listen here… I specifically said no apartments and no small towns!” Prudence said angrily.
“Your name is Winifred Screech, and from now on, that is what I will call you.”
“Absolutely not!” she stopped walking to put her hands on her hips. “I refuse to be addressed by such a hideous name!”
“It suits you. End of story,” Mac was having fun. The redhead looked positively murderous. He marched ahead and when she just stood there, balking like a small child, he walked back to her and said with a laugh in his voice, “Now, darlin’, no tantrums the minute you get home!” He took her arm and pulled her around and gave her what appeared to be a playful smack on the backside.
“How dare you?” Prudence hissed, mortified. Her cheeks were a bright red and burning hot, but not as hot as the handprint on her bottom!
“I dare much more that that, little lady. Now behave yourself and stop trying to give me guff. I just give it right back and twice as much.” He led her outside and after looking around carefully, he pulled her toward the parking lot.
“Where did you park?” Prudence demanded, trying to keep up with his long stride. Her stilettos weren’t made for walking very far.
“Out here in the lot. It’s a nice day and the walk will do you good after sitting on the plane for so long.”
“Slow down!” she finally gasped. “I don’t have stilts for legs like you do!”
“You are short… very short,” Mac agreed as if he’d just realized it. His expression told her that he disapproved of her expensive shoes and that no one would be fooled into thinking she was tall by adding three or four inches to her petite frame. “I don’t want to see you wearing shoes like that again. If you get into a dangerous situation your life might depend on being able to run fast, and you’d break an ankle trying to run in those damned things. They’re ridiculous, and you need to start thinking in terms of your safety, Winifred.”
“Don’t you dare call me by that hideous name, and you will not dictate to me what I can and cannot wear!
“I can’t believe Dan Peters put up with your sass!”
“I can’t believe I put up with him!” she quickly retorted. “The man is a jerk.”
“He’s a good Marshal, Winifred. One of the best, in fact. You’ll realize that after knowing me for a while. Dan’s a piece of fluff in comparison to me.”
“Just great!” Prudence looked heavenward. Another cop who admitted to being a hardass!
His car was a surprise. Instead of the normal black sedan, Mac drove a red SUV. He opened the car door for her, and when she was seated, he ordered, “Buckle up.”
“I don’t believe in seat belts.”
“Tough. It’s the law here.”
“I don’t care. It’s an infringement of my personal freedom and I refuse to wear a seat belt.”
“You are riding in my vehicle and I don’t give a rat’s ass about your personal freedom. I’m not getting pulled over because you want to be stubborn. Now buckle up.”
“You have no right to order me to do that.”
“That is where you are wrong, Winifred. As a law officer, I have every right to insist you obey the law or I can arrest you.” He immediately realized the threat was a mistake. He saw the dare come into her green eyes. “Of course, I won’t do that,” he immediately said and waited until she nodded in complete satisfaction before he added, “I prefer a more direct method of dealing with such blatant disregard for your safety. I’ll just turn you over my knee and spank you until you beg to wear your seatbelt.” He saw her eyes widen and her mouth drop open in disbelief. “Buckle up, now, Winifred, or you’re going to find sitting for the drive north a whole lot painful.”
“You wouldn’t dare! I’d report you and you’d lose your badge and face charges!” Prudence said in an icy tone of voice meant to put him in his place.
“Honey, it’s time for you to wise up here and now. Why the hell do you think you were sent here for me to deal with? You’re a problem, and I solve problems. If you complain to my superior about a sore butt, he’ll just laugh in your face and tell you that you had it comin’ to you. One last chance to buckle up before I make it very unpleasant for you to sit down.”
Prudence hated the man’s insufferable arrogance, but she wasn’t about to do battle with him here and now. There were so many people coming and going, and she wasn’t about to suffer a public humiliation. “You will pay for this, Marshal; I give you my word,” she threatened as she carefully drew the seat belt around her slender body”
Mac snorted, but didn’t comment as he carefully backed out of the parking space and made his way through the airport traffic. Once they were on the main road, he asked, “Are you hungry? I am,” he answered before she could tell him she wasn’t interested in eating anywhere with him.
He drove straight through the town they were in and pulled into the nearly hidden ‘golden arches’ by the Interstate, and headed for the drive-thru, and right up to the ordering screen. “May I help you?” the voice on the other end asked pleasantly.”
Prudence was shocked when the man ordered three Big Macs, two large fries, and two chocolate shakes! Where did he intend to put all that food? Once he got the total, he drove to the window, and made small talk with the cashier as he paid for his purchase. Another stop at the next window, and Prudence felt her mouth watering at the delicious odors. She hadn’t eaten a Big Mac in years!
He found a place to park that had the shade of a big tree, and then removed his seat belt and opened the bag.
“Couldn’t you at least wait until you drop me off to gorge yourself?” Prudence demanded, infuriated by his poor manners.
“I bought food for you, too. You look like you need a good meal. You’re too skinny,” he said with a frown as he looked over her slim body. “A good wind would blow you over. Eat this,” he shoved a Big Mac at her, and then a box of fries and a chocolate milkshake.
“I can’t eat this!” Prudence looked at him in horror.
“I know it’s not what you’re used to, Fancy Lady, but that’s just too bad. I pay; I pick. Now eat up. You won’t be doing any grocery shopping until tomorrow at least, and I’m not going to cater to your whims tonight. If you want to eat, this is it.”
“I was sitting right here! You could have asked what I wanted!” she gave him a look of utter disbelief.
“And have you pick a dainty salad and bottled water? I don’t think so. You need to eat some real meat.”
“That is ridiculous! I am used to making my own decisions.”
“And therein lies the problem, Winifred. You make poor decisions, and I’m going to see about changing that,” the eyes he leveled on her were full of determination.
“You can’t dictate to me about what I eat!” she argued heatedly.
“If you ate more than a salad you wouldn’t be so grouchy all the time,” he expressed his opinion, and then shrugged. “It’s a long time until morning, Winifred. Eat now or go hungry,” he said, and then turned his attention to his own food.
Prudence was furious and determined she wasn’t going to eat… until he unwrapped his sandwich and she caught a fresh whiff and saw how much he was enjoying his food. It was so tempting, and finally she simply couldn’t resist. She opened the Big Mac, promising herself that she would only eat two or three bites. A few minutes later the entire sandwich was gone, as were the fries, and she was slurping her chocolate milkshake, trying to recall the last time she’d enjoyed something so sinful. She was stuffed, and surprisingly in a good mood!
Mac was smiling on the inside as he watched Prudence wolf down her food. She was too thin, and irritable from constant dieting. He wasn’t going to allow her to continue her normal routine; not only was it unhealthy but it made her hard to be around. “Dieting all the time isn’t a good habit to get into, Winifred. You need to eat healthier and put on a few pounds. You’ll feel better if you do.”
“My weight is none of your business, Marshal!” he’d managed to offend her. “I work hard to maintain my weight, and I find it presumptuous of you to think you know better than I do what makes me feel good!” He just raised an eyebrow at her and she looked away.
He gathered up their trash and put it in the waste can before driving on. Prudence… Winifred… was quiet, and looking out the window as he drove. He purposely avoided the highway, but took a main road north.
Prudence was not a bit happy when Mac finally turned off the road and into a housing division out in the middle of nowhere. He made a couple more turns and then pulled into the driveway of a townhouse apartment.
“This is your new home, Winifred.”
“No, I won’t be staying here. I specifically said ‘no apartments’ and that I want to live in the city, preferably downtown. I walk everywhere, and out here there isn’t even a Starbucks!”
“You can make your own coffee,” Mac stated, not about to listen to her complain. He got out of the car and came around to open her car door. She gave him an angry look and shook her head ‘no’. “Winifred, it’s been a very long day. Get out of the car and come inside.”
“Absolutely not. You can take me to a hotel until you find something suitable.” She simply would not budge on this. Living in a place like this was simply unthinkable. She hated small towns, but even more, she hated not being able to get out and do her shopping, especially to get her coffee each day. This wouldn’t suit at all! “I am serious, Marshal. I want you to take me to a hotel, right now.”
“The only place I am going to take you is over my knee,” Mac warned seconds before he reached inside the car and flipped open her seat belt. He scooped her up in his arms and headed for the front door, the key to the unit in his hand. He unlocked the door in spite of her fussing and wiggling, and carried her over the threshold, hoping the neighbors mistook them for a couple of newlyweds and smiled instead of thinking he was abducting her. At least she was cursing him quietly, and not crying ‘rape’ or screaming her head off!
Prudence was highly insulted, and a bit intimidated by his size and sheer strength as he carried her inside the townhouse and dropped her on the soft sofa. “You bully!” she sputtered. “How dare you manhandle me like that!” He was so strong that he made her feel like a small child when he picked her up in his arms the way he just did!
Mac closed and locked the front door behind him, and to her shock, he drew his gun. “You sit tight,” he whispered, and then searched the entire apartment, including the closets, upstairs, and any spot large enough for anyone to hide, even a small person. He wasn’t taking any chances with his client, even though she was a pain in the butt. She hadn’t committed a crime, and yet, her world was completely upside down. It couldn’t be easy for her, not that she was going to get any sympathy from him. Miss Prudence Chockwell didn’t need sympathy; she needed a damned good spanking on her sassy bottom. And that was next on his ‘to do’ list.
This story was posted on July 31, 2008, as our special "Fifth Thursday" update. In any month where there is a fifth Thursday, a completed novella is posted on that day. Four additional chapters of this story are currently in our members' area.
