Sweet Revenge

by Rebecca Zanetti

  The sheriff frowned and grabbed the paper: You’re lovely, and I can’t wait to know you better. I feel you’re the one. He read the words slowly, crimson sliding across his face. “Damn it.”

  Nate leaned forward. “The guy needs to stalk two women at once.” A primary target and a secondary. Unfortunately, the primary ended up dead quickly. “He’ll try again for Miss Jacobs soon.”

  The woman fluttered her hands, her classic face pale. “Todd, what should I do?”

  The sheriff stood and tucked the woman close for a hug. An intimate hug. “I won’t let anything hurt you, Tasha. I promise.” They stood about the same height, but next to the burly cop, the woman appeared lean.

  Nate frowned. “Is this your first note?”

  “Yes,” she said.

  The sheriff released her. “My apologies. Dr. Leo McGovern, this is Dr. Tasha Friedan, our local coroner.”

  And the sheriff’s girlfriend, apparently. Nate smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.” He studied her.

  Intelligent eyes dominated a classic face. She wore her blond hair straight to the shoulders in a no-nonsense style she could pull back when cutting into bodies. No wonder Matt had liked her for the surgeon he’d hunted… until he’d fallen for the actual surgeon.

  She pushed back from the sheriff. “It’s nice to meet you. What kind of a doctor are you?”

  “I’m not. A profiler,” he said.

  Her head lifted. “I see,” she said in the snotty tone only medical doctors could manage when dealing with other doctorates. “Why is this guy after me?”

  Probably because she was a bitch. “He likes successful career women who live alone in quaint-sounding towns. You fit the bill perfectly.”

  “Wonderful,” she said. “The FBI has been after him for some time, right? Shouldn’t you have a better handle on who he is? I mean, our tax dollars do pay your salaries.”

  Nate shrugged. “I’m not with the FBI.”

  The reporter poked his head into the doorway. “No, but her question was a good one. Why doesn’t the FBI have more on this guy?”

  Hell if Nate knew. He wasn’t a profiler. “Why don’t you? I mean, you’ve followed the case for weeks now, right?”

  “Yes, but I just report the news. I’m not involved in solving cases.” Frant shoved his glasses back up his nose. “Though, frankly, I think I’ve provided more information to the FBI than the other way around. What is the status of this case?”

  “None of your business.” Agent Patterson shoved past Frant to reach for the newest note, which he read quickly. He eyed Tasha. “Where was this?”

  “On my car at work. I left to go grab lunch, and the paper was secured under my windshield wiper.” Her voice trembled at the end, and the sheriff reached down to take her hand.

  Agent Patterson swore and yanked out his tattered notebook. “Tell me everything.”

  Nate listened as Tasha recounted her last week, noting several times she hadn’t seen or even felt anybody watching her. The woman had terrible instincts.

  Of course, apparently Laney hadn’t noticed anything, either, and she probably had decent instincts. At least to have hidden from the commander for so long. Nate knew Matt would go after the guy hunting Laney, but hopefully it wouldn’t be until they survived the damn chips.

  Finally, Patterson wound down the interview and thanked Tasha Friedan. He turned toward the sheriff. “Do you mind acquiring the surveillance video from the coroner’s office?”

  “Nope. I’m on it,” the sheriff said.

  Patterson faced Nate. “My partner, Agent Cusack, will be back in town in about an hour. He interviewed all of the earlier witnesses from the last two towns and has a lot to report. How about we meet and plan our next step?”

  “Sounds good.” Nate hoped to be heading out of town at that point. “Let’s meet at Swank’s Diner, down the street. We can have a lunch meeting.”

  “Excellent. I need to make a couple of phone calls.” Agent Patterson strode out of the office without another word.

  The sheriff slid an arm around Tasha’s shoulders. “Come on, Tasha. Let’s go get the video, and then we’ll figure out a way to keep you safe, sweetheart.”

  Nate stood. “Hey, Sheriff? I’d love a copy of the picture you took of Matt Dean. If I send the photo to colleagues in the FBI, they can give us a better idea of who he is. Just in case.”

  The sheriff kept his gaze on Tasha. “Go for it. The shot is in my computer in a picture file called ‘Big Catches.’ ” He grinned. “I usually keep fish pictures in the file.” Keeping a protective arm around Tasha, he ushered her from the office.

  Nate skirted the desk to sit and find the file. He brought up the picture of Matt. Anger shone in his brother’s eyes, while Laney stood right behind him. Interesting. They made a striking couple.

  Shaking his head, Nate typed in a series of commands to corrupt the picture. After completing the task, he erased the photo and emptied the trash.

  Good enough. Slipping away from the desk, he strode through the sheriff’s department to his car waiting outside. Once inside, he dialed Matt. “It’s done.”

  “Excellent,” Matt said. “Thanks. Drop by and we’ll load up your car before heading out of town. I’d like to be on the road within the hour.”

  “You got it.” Nate disconnected the call. God, he hoped Matt knew what he was doing in bringing the surgeon they’d been hunting for five years to their safe house in Montana.

  His big brother wasn’t thinking clearly, but Nate had made the decision to trust Matt with his life more than once.

  He couldn’t stop now.

  Chapter 24

  Laney threw several yoga outfits into a bag. “Where are we going, anyway?”

  “Somewhere safe.” Matt inserted bullets in an extra clip for his gun. “I appreciate you coming with us willingly.”

  The last word in his sentence dropped a ball of ice in her abdomen. “If I didn’t want to leave my home here, would you truly kidnap me and force me to leave?”

  “Yes.” He didn’t look up from his task. “Either the commander or the serial killer would catch up to you. It’s too dangerous for you here.”

  “So the possible kidnapping is all about my safety.” She allowed sarcasm to fill her voice.

  “It’s partly about your safety.” Matt slid the extra clip into his bag, his gray gaze slamming into her. “The other part we’ve already discussed. I need your help with the chips, although I’m hoping I won’t have to take you on a mission. Shane should be able to duplicate the computer program we need.”

  That was an ambitious and unlikely hope. “The program is as complex as possible, and without the code, there’s no way to duplicate it exactly.” She had better mentally prepare herself to go into battle. Would she faint at the sight of blood? More than likely, and what then?

  She turned and tossed another pair of boots into a bag, trying to ignore the fact that he sat on her bed.

  Serious and determined, he brought a sense of maleness into her space. He’d been inside her several times, but she wasn’t sure how to reach him. How to convey the feelings bombarding her. She’d never needed anybody before, and vulnerability threatened to shatter her. “Are you still mad at me?”

  His eyebrows lifted. “No. You had your dream job, and you did help people. While you understood the risks, you still went forward and worked for the commander. But you didn’t hurt me or mine, Laney. Any forgiveness for your actions, you need to give to yourself. And believe me, I’ve done plenty of things I’ve had to deal with, so I do understand.”

  The words filled her with relief and hope. Could she forgive herself? Maybe helping deactivate the chips would lead to redemption. “Where does that leave us?” She had to go and ask the tough question, now, didn’t she?

  “You know I’m probably dead in six weeks, right?” he asked softly.

  “Maybe.” She wasn’t willing to give up on him. He was one of the most well-trained soldiers on earth, and he’d be
able to find the computer and save himself. “But what if you’re not?”

  “When we find safety, I’m going to take precautions to keep you safe, no matter what happens. That’s what we have to work on right now.” He shifted his weight on the bed.

  She forced a smile as hurt wandered through her. “One step at a time is a good plan.”

  He stood. “Yes, it is.” Grabbing one of the bags, he headed into the living room.

  She looked at the empty doorway, her head slowly lifting. Enough of running, of being scared. Life was too short and uncertain to leave things so neatly. She followed him into the other room. “I have feelings for you, Matt. Real ones, and I don’t want to pretend they’re not there.” God. Had she really tipped her hand like that? Heat spiraled into her face.

  The front door opened and Nathan loped inside. “My car is at the curb, and we should get going before the sheriff discovers I deleted the photo.”

  Laney sighed. So much for the serious discussion she’d wanted to have. “I’m all packed. Are we taking the car?”

  “Your bags are going in the car, but you’re riding the bike with me.” Matt tossed one bag toward Nate and lifted two more. “Are you sure this is everything you want to take?”

  “Yes.” She eyed the signed documents she’d left on the sofa table that turned the bar and apartments over to Smitty, as well as a plea for him to take good care of Eugene. “There’s no returning, is there?”

  Matt shook his head. “No. Even if we take out the commander and the entire organization, it’s too risky for you to return here. Just in case we miss somebody.”

  Something in her chest hurt. She’d liked Charmed. “I understand. To be honest, I’m surprised I was able to stay this long.”

  Nate pushed the door open. “Then you shouldn’t have sent another letter and more money to your friend’s grandmother. It was a dangerous risk.”

  Laney frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  Nate lifted an eyebrow. “You sent money and condolences to Nancy’s grandmother when she died.”

  “Sure. That was the right thing to do.” Laney reached for her purse.

  “Yes, it was,” Matt said. “However, you shouldn’t have sent her more money last year—especially from Charmed. Even though you didn’t write on the postcard or envelope, you became easy to trace.”

  Laney stilled, and her gaze slashed to Matt. “I didn’t.”

  “What?” he paused, his formidable focus narrowing right to her.

  Nate flipped around, his gaze intense.

  She blinked several times, trying to make sense of the situation. “I didn’t send Nancy’s grandma another postcard or money. Not at all.”

  The world screeched into a pounding silence. Matt lifted his head as heat washed down his torso. As reality smacked him hard, he sprang into action and grabbed Laney’s arm.

  “Trap,” he said to Nate, who was already heading for the door.

  How in the hell had he missed it? Not once—not once—had he questioned Laney about the second note. Shit. She’d sent the first one, and it had made sense.

  But if the second one had been sent by the commander, Matt had just walked his brother into a trap.

  They hurried down the stairwell and into the darkened bar.

  “Why not strike us by now?” Nate asked, his voice low with urgency.

  “They’ve been watching me and waiting for you and Shane to show up. I’m sure they’re done waiting now.” They would’ve given Shane less than a day to show up before taking Matt and Nate. The hair on the back of Matt’s neck rose. “Run.”

  The plan was brilliant, and even worse, he’d had to work at finding Laney. Hard. The note had been sent almost a year ago, and he’d taken months to find it, and then had wasted precious time in town narrowing down the search.

  The commander had most likely found her years ago.

  She stumbled on the last step. “I don’t understand.”

  “You’re bait, doc,” Nate said as he tugged a gun from his waistband. He nudged open the door and viewed the quiet street outside. “I’ll go for my car and meet you at the second rendezvous point.”

  Matt rushed Laney toward the back door. “Shoot first, Nate.”

  With a smart-assed grin, Nate dodged outside.

  Panic rippled across Laney’s face. “They’re here?”

  Matt couldn’t hear much past the roaring in his ears. He needed to calm down. “Not yet. Let’s get out of town and regroup.” Hell, yes, they were there… probably planning an attack now. “Trust me.”

  She nodded and yanked open the back door.

  A cocked gun in her face pivoted toward Matt as the sheriff dragged Laney outside.

  Matt stiffened, his gaze taking in the scene within seconds. Agent Patterson held a gun on him from several feet away—much too far to take. Three deputies trained guns toward him from various positions in the alley.

  Damn it.

  The sheriff pulled Laney behind his back. “Matt Dean, you’re under arrest for stalking and murder.”

  Matt couldn’t disarm all of them, and he couldn’t risk Laney being hurt in a firefight. So he held his hands up and walked out. “I didn’t murder Claire.”

  “Ah, we have evidence you did.” Agent Patterson stalked forward and motioned for Matt to turn around.

  Matt turned, his mind calculating through the last couple of days. The cuffs clicked over his wrists with an ominous snap. “What evidence?”

  “We’ll discuss evidence at the station.” The agent frisked Matt and removed the gun at his waist as well as the knife at his boot before tugging Matt around.

  Laney shoved to the sheriff’s side. “Matt was with me the night Claire died. He hasn’t killed anybody.”

  Matt jerked his head in a motion to keep her quiet. The less she said right now, the better. “I’d like Laney to accompany us to the station.” If he left her alone, the commander would make his move.

  The sheriff nodded. “I’ll bring Miss Jacobs. We need to work on her timeline of recent events.”

  Laney opened her mouth to protest, and Matt shook his head. “Good. Laney, I’ll meet you at the station.” God, he hoped Nate had gotten away. Now he had to figure out how to get Laney out of the station once they were there.

  Two deputies and Nate strode around the end of the alley.

  Agent Patterson tilted his head. “We had both entries covered, but I knew you’d go for the bike.”

  Nate reached the scene, his hands casually tucked in his pockets. “Agent Patterson? You sure you have the right guy?”

  “Positive.” Patterson’s eyes gleamed in the early light as he surveyed Nate head to toe. “What were you doing here, anyway?”

  “Interviewing Miss Jacobs again,” Nate said smoothly. “I feel like the killer is going to strike again soon, and I wanted to know more about the progression of the notes.”

  “Dean is the killer,” the sheriff said, a murderous gleam in his eye as he turned toward Matt. “And now we’ve got you, you son of a bitch.”

  Matt kept his focus on Laney. “Stay with the sheriff until we figure this out.”

  She nodded, her face so pale her lips looked blue.

  Patterson name turned toward Nate. “I could use your help with the interview, McGovern. Why don’t you ride with me?”

  “Sure thing,” Nate said. “Let’s get going.”

  The men ushered Matt down the alley and into the back of a patrol car, whereas Patterson and Nate sat in the front.

  Matt kept his face stoic as he made plans to kick Nate’s ass later for not fleeing town when he had the chance.

  “So, what’s the evidence?” Nate asked the agent.

  The agent shrugged. “Let’s discuss everything at the station. I’d like to go over the new evidence with you before we interrogate the prisoner.”

  Matt settled into the backseat. He could release himself from the handcuffs, and Nate could take care of the agent. But as two patrol cars flanked them the
several blocks through town, he relaxed. The escape would be easier at the station when they had him contained.

  He glanced out the back window for the sheriff’s car. Where the hell was Laney?

  Chapter 25

  Laney secured her seat belt in the backseat of the sheriff’s vehicle. “Am I locked in?” she asked, gazing at the bare doors.

  The sheriff chuckled and glanced through the bars separating the front from the back seats. “Yes, but don’t worry, you’re not under arrest.” He shoved a pile of books and papers across the front seat before hitting a button and partially rolling down her window. “We’ve been moving the courthouse library to a bigger room at the sheriff’s station, and somehow I volunteered to help. I apologize for the mess and the musty smell.”

  “It’s okay.” Laney cranked her neck to peer out the front window. Agent Patterson’s vehicle was out of sight. Thank goodness Nate was able to go with Matt. “You really do have the wrong guy.”

  “I don’t think so. Dean had time to kill Claire and Greg and still make it back to the bar within the timelines you’ve specified.” The sheriff’s faded eyes sobered in the rearview mirror. “When he went after Tasha, he started making mistakes.”

  Laney narrowed her eyes. “Are you seeing Tasha?”

  “Yes. For about six months now.” The sheriff scratched his whiskers. “I thought she was such a cold fish at first, and I even ran her records.”

  “Isn’t she here under a false identification?” Laney asked.

  “Yes, and I agreed to cover for her once I learned the truth. She warmed up to me, and I realized she’s just scared of men. Really scared.”

  “I heard she fled an abusive husband.” Laney knew what it was like to be hunted. She should’ve reached out to Tasha earlier and not assumed the woman was rude. “That’s scary.”

  “Yeah. But their divorce went through all right, and my sources have confirmed the guy moved on. So my Tasha is safe.”