She felt another round of tears rush to her eyes. She stood, realizing she couldn’t look at these pictures anymore.
She paced into the kitchen, where Levi placed scattered silverware into the dishwasher. “I just wanted to let you know, that I’m going to step outside onto the deck for a minute.”
Levi looked up, holding a handful of spoons. “Take all the time you need.”
She was thankful for his understanding. Because the events of the past few days would be enough to scare off most reasonable people.
Chapter Eleven
As soon as Rebecca disappeared from sight, Levi’s muscles tightened. He remembered his conversation with Ed, and he glanced around Rebecca’s house. The one place where there would most likely be evidence was Rebecca’s desk. It was located in the corner of the dining room.
Levi stepped from the kitchen and paced down the hall. Rebecca stood on the deck, leaning against the railing and staring out into the distance. The sight clutched his heart, but he tried to push those emotions away. She was going through a lot and just needed some time to herself.
Levi hesitated a moment, torn between going to her and doing his job.
This was his best chance to find information. He swallowed his guilt, hoping he didn’t hate himself for what he had to do.
Moving quickly, Levi went to the desk and pulled out a drawer. He riffled through everything. There were bills and pictures and paperclips. Nothing of interest.
He moved on to the next drawer. More of the same—envelopes, stamps, sticky notes.
He opened the last drawer.
Business cards were scattered there. His fingers splayed through them, looking for anything of note. Most were nothing.
But he stopped at one.
Wilford Black.
His throat tightened.
Wilford was one of the men he was investigating. This business card listed his title as a mortgage appraiser. But Levi knew the man was much more than that.
The question was: Did this card belong to Rebecca? Or had it been her husband’s?
Levi thought he knew the answer, but he had to be careful. He’d already been betrayed once. He’d never be able to show his face around his colleagues if he let it happen again.
As he peered down the hallway at the deck, he saw Rebecca was still standing there leaning against the railing. Except this time her shoulders shook.
His heart lurched. He knew what that meant.
She was crying.
After only a moment of hesitation, he shoved the card into his pocket and started her way. Softly, he opened the back door and stepped out onto the deck.
He didn’t want to surprise her. Instead he called, “Hey.”
Rebecca didn’t even look over her shoulder. Instead she offered a subtle rise of her shoulders to let him know she’d heard him.
Levi paced toward her and leaned against the deck beside her. He’d been right. Moisture streamed down her face. She quickly wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand and then pulled her sweater closer.
“Can I get you a blanket or anything?” Levi’s voice cut into the silence. “It’s cold out here.”
“I’m okay. Thank you.”
He wondered for a moment what he could say or do that could possibly make her feel better. He knew the truth: very little could make her feel better.
Instead, he just stood there with her, waiting to see if she would say something on her own.
When she finally spoke, her voice sound hoarse. “I feel so ill-equipped.”
“What do you mean?” His heart thrummed in his throat.
Rebecca stared off into the darkness beyond the house. “I mean, I’m about to bring a baby into this world. I should have more things figured out than I do.”
“You have the most important things figured out,” Levi said. “For example, you know that you already love this baby inside you.”
Rebecca rubbed her belly again, that soft look coming to her eyes. “I do love Emma, even though I haven’t seen her face-to-face yet.”
“What else do you need to know?”
She drew in a long, shaky breath. “Practical things. Like I need to know how I’m going to show houses and act as a realtor when I have a baby with me. I need to know how I’m going to pay my bills when the clients don’t roll into town or when a big hurricane comes and shuts everything down for a month. I need to know I’ll be able to feed my child when she’s hungry.”
The raw authenticity of her words caused Levi’s heart to throb in his ears. “Has money been that tight?”
“There are times when it is. Like I said, it’s just going to be hard to work and take care of a newborn. I never anticipated doing this alone.”
He placed his hand on her back. “It seems like you have a great community surrounding you. I know people will step in to help out.”
“I know they want to. I don’t know why I’m worrying so much. I’m usually not such an overreactor. I promise.”
“You’re pregnant. It’s going to heighten your emotions.”
She let out a soft laugh and shook her head. “Yes, you are probably right. I told you I’m kind of a mess right now.”
“If this is you in a mess, then you must be even more fantastic on a normal day.”
Rebecca cast a quick smile. But it faded all too soon. She drew in a deep breath, and Levi braced himself for what she was going to say next.
“I know this might sound crazy, Levi.” Her wide eyes met his. “I can’t help but think that maybe my baby is the target here.”
He sucked in a deep breath at her words. “What do you mean?”
Her hands protectively went over her belly. “I mean, what if whoever has been targeting me over the past two days isn’t really targeting me? The only thing I have of value is my baby.”
As the words washed over him, Levi sucked in another breath. What if she was right?
Rebecca wiped away her tears, feeling foolish at the words that had just left her mouth. What was Levi going to think of her? She knew her theory sounded absurd, but she couldn’t stop thinking about it. How was she going to keep her baby safe?
“I’m right next door.” Levi’s voice sounded kind and concerned, not at all judgmental as she had feared. “If there’s anything you need, anything at all, I can be here in thirty seconds flat. We are not going to let anything happen to your baby.”
She didn’t know if it made her feel better or worse to know that he thought her idea might have some validity. Despite her indecision, she rolled her shoulders back and raised her chin.
“Why would somebody want my baby?” Rebecca’s throat burned as soon as the words left her lips. They sounded so awful to say aloud.
Levi stepped closer. The stillness of the night seemed to pause even further around them. Gone was the earlier rain and sharp wind. For the moment, everything felt crisp and peaceful.
Even the scent of the ocean seemed a spa-like aroma at the moment, beckoning relaxation and deceleration. “For starters, we don’t know that for sure. Yes, there are some psychos in the world who like to target pregnant women. But that doesn’t mean that’s the case with you right now.”
Rebecca turned toward him, her gaze probing Levi’s “Then what else could it be? Why else would all of this be happening?”
“That’s a good question. I’m sure the police chief is working to figure that out now.”
“I mean, there have been break-ins. That mysterious car. My bank account. What’s going on?”
Levi shifted, turning to face her more. “You have no idea why somebody might do any of those things? There have been no other hints of trouble before yesterday?”
She shook her head. “No, not that I know of. I mean, I pretty much keep to myself. I sell houses, and I go to church.”
“Have there been any real estate deals lately that have been contested? Did you maybe sell a foreclosed home or something similar?”
“I did assist in selling one of those a month or two
ago. But it wasn’t contested. The owner walked away from the house and moved back to Georgia. I have a hard time thinking that has anything to do with this.”
Levi shifted, his gaze appearing far-off in thought. “What about your husband? I hate to ask it, but could any of this be tied to him?”
Jim? Could this really have something to do with her former husband? “I don’t know how. I mean, sure, he had his issues. But did he have issues that would put me in danger? I have trouble seeing it.”
“What did he do when he left you? Where did he go? How did he earn money?”
Rebecca let out a long breath. “I don’t really know. He left, and we lost contact. He wouldn’t return my calls. I had no idea where he went.”
“And after he died?”
“I know it’s going to sound strange and sad, but after I heard that he was dead, I just started to plan his funeral. I didn’t look into what he had been doing. I figured he probably found an old friend from college and crashed on his couch. Jim didn’t seem extremely motivated to bring in any money.”
“Then how was he paying for this life insurance policy that he took out for you?”
It was a good question. Rebecca had thought of that herself but had pushed aside her concerns, chiding herself for overthinking things. The thought reminded her that she was supposed to get back with Patrick.
That wouldn’t be happening today. She could hardly think straight.
It could wait until tomorrow—especially in light of Levi’s question. She needed more time to think, to process.
“To be honest, I’m not sure how he paid for the policy,” Rebecca finally said. “I assumed he took a job to earn a few bucks.”
Levi’s gaze locked on hers. “So there’s no chance he got himself caught up in trouble?”
“I really can’t see it.” Rebecca let out another breath, the weight of this conversation leaving her feeling spent. “Thank you for listening. I guess we should continue to clean up. Or, honestly, I’m pretty exhausted. I think I will call it a night and pick up in the morning.”
Levi nodded, but a new emotion entered his gaze. Was that disappointment?
“Remember, I’m next door.” Levi handed her a business card with his company name and cell phone listed. “Just call me if you need me.”
Comfort wrapped around her like a warm blanket at the thought. “Thank you.”
But the feeling quickly faded, replaced with a stark coldness.
She was in this alone, and she’d be wise to remember that.
Chapter Twelve
Rebecca woke the next morning to a pounding at her door. She quickly threw some clothes on and rushed downstairs.
When she opened the door, she saw Officer Bradshaw standing there with a man she’d never seen before. He wore a suit, which was the first sign that something was up. Most people on Lantern Beach didn’t wear suits.
Tension crawled over her muscles. “Good morning. Can I help you?”
“Hi, Ms. Jarvis,” Officer Bradshaw said. The cop was in his mid-twenties with dark hair and a strong jaw. He was one of the newer additions to the police department. “This man just arrived and wants a few minutes of your time. I wanted to run that past you first.”
Rebecca turned back to the strange man. Before she could ask any questions, he extended his arm and handed her a card. As he spoke, her gaze scanned the words there. “I’m Special Agent Stephenson with the FBI, and I’d like to ask you a few questions.”
“Concerning what?” She had no idea why the FBI would show up right now.
The agent frowned at Officer Bradshaw, acting as if he didn’t want the man to be privy to the conversation. “I can tell you out here, but I would prefer some privacy. When you hear what I have to say, I think you’ll want that privacy also. But it’s your choice.”
Rebecca’s gaze skimmed Officer Bradshaw again, and she nodded. “I’ll go inside for a minute. If you’d stay here on the porch, I’d appreciate it.”
The officer nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll be right here if you need me.”
If this man was an FBI agent, Rebecca didn’t see why she would need the police officer. But she still felt cautious and leery of strangers right now. Having Bradshaw close provided an extra safety measure.
She led Agent Stevenson into her house and offered him a seat at the kitchen table. “I don’t have any coffee ready yet, but I can make some if you would like.”
“I’ll be fine. But thank you.” The agent shifted in his seat. The man was tall and lean with faded blond hair and a vanishing hairline. His eyes were icy blue and his motions strictly professional—almost unnervingly so. “Ma'am, I have a few questions for you. I’m sorry to show up unannounced like this.”
Rebecca pulled her hair back into a quick ponytail, wishing she’d had time to clean up a bit. Not only that, but she wished she’d had time to collect her thoughts. “I have to admit that I’m a little more than curious about why you’re here.”
“I’ve been investigating some weapons that have been smuggled into the country. As I have been researching these guys, I discovered a link to you.”
Her eyes widened. “A link to me?”
“Or, maybe I should say, a link to your late husband.”
The wind left her lungs, and she leaned back hard in her chair. At once, she remembered what Doc Clemson had told her about her stress levels. She couldn’t afford to get worked up about this. Not yet, at least.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. But I would love for you to explain.”
Stephenson tapped his finger against the table before responding. “There is a chain of weapons smugglers who have been operating along the East Coast. They’re using unoccupied buildings to hide these weapons until they get to their destinations. Your husband’s name came up during the course of the investigation, and I need to know everything you know about it.”
She felt another cramp in her stomach coming on. She closed her eyes and began praying that her baby would be okay. This wasn’t what she needed right now.
“My husband and I were separated before he died. He left and didn’t look back. I have no idea what went on during those months of his life. If he got into trouble, he didn’t tell me about it.”
“So, you know nothing about any deals that he was making?”
“No, why would I?” Rebecca stood, suddenly feeling like she needed some of that coffee. She went to the pot and began spooning grounds into the filter.
“Because my investigation has led me to believe that one of the houses you’re representing was used for these weapons that have been smuggled.”
Rebecca grabbed the counter so she could keep her balance. Otherwise, she might double over. Instead, she grabbed a pitcher and filled it with some water, desperate to do something before the FBI agent thought she was guilty.
“One of my houses?” she asked. “There’s no way I would ever let that happen.”
Stephenson remained unfazed, his gaze intense as he watched her every move. “Did you ever have a house that went untouched for more than a month at a time?”
Carefully, she poured the water into the pot and hit the On button before turning back to him. That coffee couldn’t brew fast enough.
“On occasion, I’ll take on a property like that,” she started. “However, I usually have little hope of selling it because of the condition that it’s in. At times, I won’t even schedule any showings, cleanings, or staging. But those rare cases would be the only times that I will leave one of my properties untouched for that amount of time.”
“Are you familiar with the property at 23148 Coastal Shores Drive?”
She instantly pictured the old fishing cabin. “That’s the old house near the Pamlico Sound.”
“I take that as a yes.”
“No one’s lived there for years, but, when the parents passed away, the son wanted to put it on the market. He didn’t want to do any improvements in the meantime, however. Is that what this is about? Because I ha
ven’t been in that house in more than a month. In fact, I was going to suggest to the son that he let another realtor represent it.”
Agent Stephenson continued to coolly observe her, his pale blue eyes continuing to watch her every expression and move. “We believe that is where some of the criminal activities have been operating out of.”
“Why in the world would you think my late husband was involved?” Rebecca resisted the urge to shake her head. What the agent had told her didn’t make sense.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture of Jim standing with three other men. The photo had been taken in the dark, making it hard to make out details. But something about the other men—about their body language, the way they dressed, their tattoos even, made Rebecca realize these men weren’t talking about sports.
“Who are they?” The words burned as they left her lips.
“Members of the Spades.”
“Who are the Spades?”
“They’re a weapons-smuggling ring—gunrunners, if you will. They mostly operate out of the East Coast, and they’re deadly. Ruthless. Not people you want to mess with.”
She swallowed so hard she nearly choked.
Stephenson continued. “This guy right here is the ringleader.” He pointed at the man who wore all black. “The leader’s name is Wilford Black. Does he look familiar?”
Was he the man who’d broken into her home? Rebecca had no idea. “I can’t say he does.”
Despite that, all the blood drained from her face. What had Jim gotten himself involved in? Was that the source of her trouble now?
He hadn’t made things right. He’d made them ten times worse.
Levi watched from his window as a police officer led the suited man to Rebecca’s front door. His curiosity piqued.
He wished he had a closer relationship with Rebecca, that he had known her longer. Because more than anything he wanted to march over there and make sure everything was okay. But he would be crossing some kind of invisible boundary if he did so.
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