Remember Me Always (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (Air Force Fire Protection Specialists Book 7)

by Jen Talty

  Gunner wasn’t sure how he felt about someone he didn’t know working on this, but as long as Harper led the investigation, he knew he was in good hands.

  “Absolutely. Now tell me what you’ve got,” Harper said.

  “Because of an email we found at the victim’s home from Gunner—”

  “I haven’t sent an email to Denise in months. Hell, I haven’t seen her in months,” Gunner said.

  “Let him finish,” Harper demanded in an authoritative tone that made Gunner shrivel like a child being scolded.

  “Because of that, we had an order to seize his computer, or any other tablet we could find. We also found the same type of plastic bags that was used to cover Denise’s face along with the same brand of tape that was used to bound her wrists and ankles.”

  “Tape? What tape?” Gunner asked. “Because yesterday I went to get some duct tape, and I’m all out.”

  “There was a half-used roll on your kitchen countertop,” Hardy said. “It matches what we found at the scene.”

  Gunner’s heart dropped to his stomach. “The only thing I left there was a bunch of letters and pictures of my son.”

  Hardy shook his head. “There were no letters or images in the kitchen. Are you sure?”

  “It’s a long story, but yesterday morning, after I opened the letters, I left them there to go talk to my son and his mother. I didn’t know they were in town. Hell, I didn’t know I had a kid until yesterday, and I left all the pictures Arcadia sent me on the counter. I haven’t been home since.”

  Out of the corner of Gunner’s eye, he saw Zach and Noah race from their backyard.

  Gunner knew he could use all the support he could get.

  “If that asshole stole the pictures of my son, or my letters, I’m going to fucking—”

  Ace held up his hand. “I would stop that sentence right now, if you know what is good for you.”

  “Was there any sign of forced entry anywhere?” Gunner asked, knowing damn well he locked the door. Zach always harassed him about being anal-retentive about locked doors.

  Zach had a point, but it had been a habit Gunner’s father had ingrained into his head since he was a small child and their house had been burglarized.

  “None that we could find,” the detective said. “But one of my officers said the back door was unlocked.”

  Gunner forced his mind to go back to two days ago. He recounted his steps of the hour before he left for his twenty-four-hour shift. He was a creature of habit and liked his routines. That morning, he’d gotten up, made himself some coffee, and sat on the back patio and read the news before going back inside and locking the door.

  He remembered that detail specifically and when he’d returned home yesterday morning, he hadn’t even gone out the back door.

  The only people who had a key to his place were Noah and Zach.

  “Hey, Zach,” Gunner called, waving him over. “Bring Noah too.”

  “What’s going on?” Harper asked.

  “I’m positive I locked that door, but they have a key, not that they would go in my house without asking, but I gave them one for emergencies. They also can see my house from their backyard, especially when the landlord trims back the bushes, which he did a few weeks ago.” Gunner turned his attention to Zach and Noah. “Did either of you go into my house or see anyone?”

  “We left yesterday afternoon to go fishing and slept on the boat. Just got home about a half hour ago,” Zach said.

  “One of the neighbors said they saw the cable company parked in your driveway yesterday around three,” Detective Hardy said.

  “At three I was at my girlfriend’s house with our son. We had just picked up David after he had an altercation with Wendel’s son.” Gunner felt sorry for that poor, misguided boy, and he worried about what might happen to him when his father was busted for rape and murder.

  That would a horrible legacy to deal with, and in that moment, Gunner decided that when this was over, he was going to do his best to make sure that kid understood no one blamed him for his father’s actions.

  He could only hope that Arcadia and David would be on board after everything that had happened.

  “I can account for my every move in the last twenty-four hours. I’ve either been with my buddy Declan, or my girlfriend and son,” Gunner said. “And I didn’t call the cable company, so why were they parked in my driveway of all places.”

  “We’ve got a call in to them to find out,” Hardy said. “Shall I forward that call to you, Harper?”

  “Just give me the report,” she said, holding up a piece of paper. “This warrant is only for Gunner’s computer. You had no right to go looking anywhere else for evidence.”

  “The tape was on the counter, and I had probable cause, and you know it,” Hardy said. “What are the chances Gunner’s prints are on them?”

  “Slim to none,” Gunner said with an exasperated sigh. “While you’re at it, dust for prints on my back door.”

  “We’ll be sure to do that,” Harper said in a reassuring tone.

  “For the record, this smells like a bad setup,” Hardy said. “Timelines don’t add up. I’ve been doing this a long time; this is too easy. Too many tiny details that usually take time to uncover were laid out for us, right down to a scratch on your truck.”

  “That’s a specific detail, but I got that fixed just the other day.”

  “I’ve got it,” Harper said, holding up her cell.

  “Got what?” Gunner asked.

  “We’ve got a DNA match linking Wendel to two of the victims on the base.”

  “That’s great. That means all of this means absolutely nothing,” Gunner said, letting out a sigh of relief.

  “I wish. We still have to work through this investigation because right now, it’s not related,” Harper said. “Let’s take a walk through your house and then you guys can go meet Hunter and the rest of the gang.”

  “You’re not going to come?” Gunner asked. He knew that Harper had taken a couple of days off to be home with her family, so if she was working on his account, that bothered him. On the other hand, she was the only person he trusted.

  “Not right now. I’ll call when I wrap up here, file my report, and follow any leads. Hunter said he’d send someone to the marina in the small boat when I’m ready.”

  “Thanks, I really appreciate it,” Gunner said.

  “Harper, put us to work.” Zach slapped Gunner on the back. “Because we take care of our own.”

  Chapter 9

  Arcadia stood in front of her closet. What the hell did one bring on a yacht? She made the mistake of Googling the address and holy crap. The marina where Gunner’s friend kept his yacht was right out of the rich and famous. When he’d said the word yacht before and when Ace mentioned all the toys, it hadn’t really sunk in that she’d be going on a real yacht.

  More like a mini cruise ship.

  She’d changed her bathing suit and cover up three times and still wasn’t satisfied. “Mom, we’re going to be late,” David called from the family room.

  “That’s my line.” She grabbed her beach bag and tossed it over her shoulder. “How do I look?”

  “You’re the prettiest mom in the world.”

  “Thanks. Shall we take Gunner’s truck?”

  “Can you drive something that big?” David asked with wide eyes.

  “Want to hear something funny?” Tossing her arm around her son and leading him to the front door, she let herself remember everything that was good about Gunner and all the reasons why she’d fallen in love with him.

  And why she still loved him.

  Most would call him an alpha male. Strong and quiet but commanding at the same time. And he was all that. But she knew the real Gunner. The Gunner she knew was loving and sweet and had a soft spot in his heart for the world. He didn’t show it to most, but she’d seen how sensitive he could be.

  “Gunner’s first truck, I had to teach him how to parallel park it.”

&n
bsp; “No way!”

  “He was so proud of that truck.” He’d been heartbroken when Courtney had mutilated it, but the body shop had done a good job of making it look like new again. “He’d been saving for the down payment since high school.”

  “What did he drive before that?”

  “An old beat-up hatchback. It was the ugliest thing I’d ever seen, and I hated it, so when he showed up for a date in the truck, I was thrilled. I begged him to let me drive, but he wouldn’t hear of it, until he tried to park. I bet him a hundred dollars that I could do it on the first try.”

  “Did you do it?”

  She nodded. “He still owes me a hundred bucks.” She laughed as she curled her fingers around the doorknob and yanked it open.

  Her laugh caught in her throat. “Gunner. You’re back?”

  “And for the record, I can parallel park Marthy,” he said with a stupid grin.

  “Marthy?” David asked.

  “Your father has always named his cars. The truck he had when we were dating was LuAnndra.” She shook her head at the memory. “Dumbest name for a vehicle, ever.”

  “How do you decide on the names?” David looped his arm around Gunner’s waist, glancing up at him with doe-like eyes.

  Arcadia tapped her index finger against her chest in unison with her beating heart. Joy spread across her body like the warmth of the sun heating her face. She’d dreamed about this day for years, only the reality was better than anything she’d imagined.

  Her phone dinged.

  She dug it out of her oversized purse and frowned. “It’s my emergency line.” For the most part, Arcadia had always been able to leave work at the office and other than the nights she covered the suicide hotline, she rarely dealt with her patients outside of their hour on her couch.

  Except for those that were at greater risks for suicide.

  She tapped the accept button. “This is Arcadia Bloomingdale.”

  “We have a Rick Rosen on the line. He’s indicated that he’s got a bottle of pills and is about to take them.”

  “I need five minutes before you connect me.” Arcadia covered the phone. “I have to take this, and I could be a while.”

  “Why don’t I take David and you call me when you’re done. Even if Hunter takes the yacht off the docks, I can come get you on one of the jet skis or the little boat.” Gunner took the beach bag and handed it to their son. “David, take this and toss it in the back seat then climb in. I’ll be there in a sec.”

  “Okay, Dad. I love you, Mom.”

  “I’ll be there soon, promise,” she said, waving. “Are you sure you don’t mind?” she asked, pressing the phone to her ear.

  “He’s my son. I’ll never mind spending time with him. Or his mother, but I’ve seen that look before.” Gunner traced his finger along the side of her face. “Your eyes used to go from a shiny blue to a dull shade, and you would crinkle your nose like you’re doing right now every time Courtney would threaten to kill herself.”

  A sharp pain poked through her chest right to the center of her heart. “I got so tired of her threats; I ignored all the classic signs the last time.”

  “How many of your patients are suicidal?” Gunner asked.

  “That’s my specialty.”

  “So I tortured myself one way, and you do it another way.”

  She curled her fingers around his thick biceps. “No, Gunner. I don’t work with this type of client because I want to punish myself. I do it because as Courtney’s best friend, I couldn’t help her. She needed a professional. I’m that professional for everyone who has a friend that needs help. And I suspect you continued with your medical training and became a Fire Protection Specialist because you wanted to help people who are incapable, for whatever reason, of doing it themselves.”

  “I never looked at it that way before.” He pressed his lips against her temple. “I’m sorry for everything.”

  “I know you are,” she whispered. “We can’t go back, but we can be a family going forward.”

  “Does that include dating?”

  She let out a short laugh. “Call me crazy, but yes.”

  He cupped her cheeks. “No matter what the future holds, I won’t ever walk away from you and our son again. That’s a promise you can count on.”

  For the next thirty seconds, she stood in the driveway and waved to the man she never stopped loving and their son. This moment was worth every tear she had shed for the last ten years. “Patch Rick through,” she said to her after hours service provider.

  Arcadia stepped inside and headed toward the kitchen for another cup of coffee.

  “I can’t do this anymore,” Rick said with a raspy voice.

  “Where are…” Arcadia stopped mid-step between her family room and kitchen. “What the hell?” she whispered, staring at Wendel. He leaned against her counter with a smug grin.

  “Hello, Arcadia.”

  The inflection of his voice rose an octave, sending the hair on the back of her neck to stand straight up.

  Something shiny resting on the counter caught her attention.

  A gun.

  She dropped her hand to her side, and her cell phone crashed onto the floor. “What are you doing here?”

  “Your new boyfriend and his buddies are making my life miserable, and thanks to him, the investigator is at my house right now with a search warrant. Vile little bitch, that one.”

  “Harper?” Arcadia swallowed the fear that had slithered its way up from the pit of her stomach. She needed to snap her mind into action. She had no idea what this man wanted, but she didn’t think his motives were pure, especially since he took the gun in his hand and pointed it at her chest.

  Think.

  Breathe.

  Stay calm.

  Communicate.

  “My ex-wife showed up a half hour ago with papers giving her temporary full custody until this matter is taken care of, and it’s all your fault.”

  “I’m sorry your ex did that. I’m sure it was very troubling.” She clasped her hands together, squeezing tight to keep them from shaking.

  “Do you know what it’s like to have your kid taken away from you?”

  Her chest tightened, and for a second, she thought her heart had stopped beating. “What have you done with my son?” she asked behind a clenched jaw.

  “I haven’t done anything to him. But he will be scarred for life.”

  She lunged forward but skidded to a stop when he held his weapon in her face.

  “While I’m fucking you right here in your own kitchen, Gunner will be off having a good time, but I’m going to come forward with information that I believed he was going to try to hurt his son because of our relationship.”

  She’d dealt with many narcissistic sociopaths before, but not one this dangerous. Staring past the twinkle in his eye and his bright smile, she knew without a doubt this man was capable of murder. He was the kind of man who believed all of his actions were justified, no matter the cost to someone else.

  That meant he wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger if it helped his end game.

  It also meant there was no reasoning with him. No talking him down. No trying to get him to see the errors of his ways.

  Basically, she was fucked.

  “You really think that’s what people are going to believe?” she asked.

  “Of course they are because I’ll have pictures of us, showing the world how passionate you are when you’re with me.”

  She laughed, which she shouldn’t have since he pressed the gun to her temple, causing her to gag, vomiting a little in her throat. “You touch me, and I’ll fight back, and not a single picture you manage to take will look like I’m having any kind of pleasure at all.”

  “I’ve taken more than one woman before, and let me tell you a little something about the female body.” He leaned in closer, his nose so close to her skin she felt the heat of his breath right down to her toes. “It betrays you every time. I bet your nipples are tightening a
nd sending a warm throbbing right here.” He cupped her between the legs, rubbing his finger against her.

  A rumble at the pit of her stomach twisted and turned. The disgust at his touch turned her body cold. She grabbed his wrist and yanked as hard as she could, taking a step back. “You’re going to have to kill me because I will never let you have me. I will kick, scream, bite, dig my nails into your skin, leaving marks—”

  “Of passion, because we know you like it rough.”

  “You’re seriously delusional.” Taunting a raging lunatic wasn’t something anyone would recommend. However, if she pegged Wendel’s psychology correct, rape before murder was a necessity. “Tell me something, Wendel. How many women have you raped and killed?”

  “What makes you think I’ve ever killed anyone?” The way he smiled reminded her of Ted Bundy.

  She shivered. “You raped and killed women on the base, haven’t you?”

  “Even if I did, which I’m not admitting to, why would I tell you?” He inched closer until her back was up against the wall.

  “Because if you even try to rape me, you’ll have to kill me.”

  “But that’s the beauty of it. I won’t be the one killing you. It will be Gunner.”

  She gasped. “That’s impossible.”

  “Is it? Because he left here with your son, without you, heading to his rich friend’s yacht after he raped and killed you.”

  “You haven’t thought this through. Your DNA will be all over me. The pictures, they will be time stamped. Everyone will see that you did this, not Gunner.”

  “I’m a powerful man, and it will be easy to doctor the evidence. The only regret I’m going to have is that you won’t be alive to see it destroy your son and to watch Gunner get shackled and taken to prison.”

  He rammed his knee between her legs.

  She pounded his chest with her fists and managed to push from the wall, but no sooner did she maneuver around him than he yanked her back by her hair.

  “Let me go.” She cocked her arm and elbowed him in the gut.

  “Not smart,” he said, slamming her face forward into the wall. He stood behind her, pressing his disgusting body against hers.