Falling in Love on Willow Creek

by Debbie Mason

  “Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. Open up. We have an arrest warrant for Sadie Gray for the murder of Deputy Brodie Davis.”

  Drew’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Murder? You’re wanted for murder?”

  Chase strode to the door. Opening it a couple of inches, he propped his foot against it in case they tried to rush in. “Let me see the warrant.”

  The sheriff, a tall man with a black cowboy hat perched on his head and bushy, steel-gray sideburns reaching to his square jaw, handed the paperwork through the door. His smile didn’t reach his eyes. Dwight and Bulldog stood behind him. “You have five minutes to produce Ms. Gray.”

  “Fifteen. She has a three-month-old daughter who requires her mother’s attention before you haul her off on your made-up charges.” He would have made it longer but Gabe was probably on his way. Chase slammed the door in their faces.

  He scanned the arrest warrant, taking note of the judge who’d signed off on it. Sadie’s gun was listed as the suspected murder weapon. They had a copy of her registration. They’d also included charges of aiding and abetting for the shooting of the deputies in pursuit of Elijah. They hadn’t included breaking and entering. They didn’t need to, and they wouldn’t want anyone looking too closely at Payton Howard. They wouldn’t know that Sadie and Abby had taken photos of the evidence.

  Drew got up from the couch and handed Michaela to Sadie, who was standing where Chase had left her, looking shell-shocked. “I didn’t sign up for this. I’m not getting stuck with the kid if you go away for murder.”

  Chase tossed the arrest warrant on the table and went to Sadie. “Sit down, shut up, and don’t move, Drew.” Chase guided Sadie to a chair. Once she sat down, he crouched in front of her, placing a hand on her bouncing knee. “I know this is scary, but I promise you that everything will be okay.”

  “You were right,” she whispered, looking down at her daughter in her arms. “He doesn’t care about her. He’s only here because he wanted to borrow money. I thought if he held her, spent some time with her…” She lifted a shoulder and raised her tear-filled eyes. “I wish you were her father.”

  “I am, in every way that counts.” He took Michaela from her. “You knew that, didn’t you, sweetheart? It just took your mommy a little longer.”

  Sadie brought her hand to the side of his face. “No, I knew it too. I was just afraid to trust my feelings for you. I love you.”

  “I love you too.” He brushed his lips over hers, stood, and held out his hand. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.” They walked down the hall to the nursery. He settled Michaela in her crib, tucking the blanket around her and turning on the unicorn mobile. Finn sat down beside the crib. Chase crouched and rubbed his golden head while Sadie kissed her daughter goodbye. “Good boy. Keep her safe.”

  He straightened and went to Sadie. “Sorry, honey. But you need to go.” He took her hand and led her out of the nursery. He felt her pulling back as they reached the door. “You’ve got this.”

  She let go of his hands to wipe at her damp cheeks and then nodded. “I’ve got this.”

  Her chin went up, and he smiled. “Yeah, you do.” He opened the door. “Back off.”

  The three men retreated a few feet, and then the sheriff read Sadie her rights. As he did, her chin trembled as she struggled not to cry.

  “The cuffs aren’t necessary,” Chase said between gritted teeth when the sheriff produced them.

  “You going to tell me how to do my job, son?” The sheriff motioned for Sadie to turn around.

  When the sheriff clamped the cuff on her wrist, Sadie winced, and Chase stepped forward. “One mark on her, one hair out of place, and I’ll bury you under lawsuits so deep you’ll never see the light of day.” His heart raced at the thought of her alone with any one of them on the drive to Jackson County.

  “Boys, did that sound like a threat to you?”

  “Sure did, Sheriff, sir,” Bulldog said, while his partner remained silent. Dwight’s cold, calculating stare didn’t leave Chase’s face.

  A Highland Falls police cruiser pulled up. An officer got out. He made Nate look like a little girl. He sauntered over, his hand resting on the butt of his gun. “Got a call that you were planning on arresting Ms. Gray in connection with our murder investigation. Guess you forgot to give Chief Buchanan a courtesy call.”

  “Things moved fast, son. Couldn’t risk her hightailing it out of here like her brother.”

  The officer nodded. “Yeah, that’s what the chief thought. He’ll meet you at your office.”

  “That’s not necessary,” the sheriff sputtered.

  “Take it up with the chief. I’ll be transporting Ms. Gray to Jackson County.” He moved to Sadie’s side, gently gripping her arm. “Chief’s concerned for her safety…on account of your vehicle’s shocks. That was your defense on the latest lawsuit filed against your department for police brutality, isn’t it?”

  The sheriff’s face went red, and not with embarrassment. He was furious he’d been outmaneuvered. “Boys, lead the way. I’ll follow.” He turned to Chase. “You and I aren’t finished here, son. Not by a long shot.”

  Bring it, Chase wanted to say but instead he leaned in to kiss Sadie’s cheek. He moved his lips to her ear. “Don’t say a word. We’ll have you home in no time.” He lifted his head and met the officer’s eyes, taking his measure. “Thank you.”

  “It’s all the chief’s doing, but I’m happy to be of service.” He glanced at the sheriff, who nearly ripped the door off his cruiser. “Don’t underestimate him. He’s a snake.”

  Sadie smiled. “You don’t have to worry about Ch—Michael. He knows exactly what to do with snakes. Don’t you, honey?”

  He’d never admired her more than in that moment. “I really do love you, Sadie Gray.”

  But as much as he knew she wouldn’t break and that she had Gabe looking out for her, the officer was right. Chase didn’t trust the sheriff, or his deputies. As Gabe’s officer settled Sadie in the back of his cruiser, Chase brought his phone to his ear, waiting for his boss’s assistant to put him through. He didn’t bother with niceties. “The Jackson County sheriff just arrested Sadie. I don’t want her to spend a minute longer in there than she has to.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “That’s not good enough.” He let the threat linger in his voice.

  “All right. All right. You’re as bad as my brother-in-law.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.” He disconnected and called his grandfather. “Judge, don’t hang up. I need a favor.”

  “You back in DC or still swimming in that backwater?”

  “I’ve got a bunch of dirty cops.” There was nothing his grandfather hated more than dirty law enforcement. “They’ve just arrested a woman who is integral to my case.” If he told the judge what Sadie meant to him, he’d make sure she never got out. “I need her released, and I need her released now.” He gave him the information he’d need, including the name of the judge who signed off on the warrant.

  “I’ll be calling my marker in on this one, son. I want you home. I haven’t eaten anything half-decent since you left.”

  “I miss you too, Judge.”

  His grandfather snorted and disconnected.

  Through the door, Chase heard Drew shrieking and Michaela wailing. He retrieved his gun and flung the door open, shaking his head at the sight that greeted him. Drew had been trying to escape out the screen door, and Finn had grabbed him by the seat of his pants.

  “Remember how I told you the jury was out on you, boy?” Chase said to Finn as he walked over to pat the retriever’s head. “Decision’s in. I love you too.”

  He shook his head at himself. He’d probably said “I love you” more today than he had in his entire life.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  The moment Gabe turned his SUV onto Willow Creek Road, Sadie had to stop herself from jumping out and running home. The fear that had held her hostage for the past several
hours disappeared knowing that within minutes she’d be with Chase and her daughter. This nightmare of a morning would be behind them.

  Except it hadn’t all been a nightmare. There were moments of exquisite beauty, moments she’d cherish for the rest of her life. Like waking up to Chase sleeping beside her with Michaela between them and Finn stretched out on the end of the bed. It had been a snapshot of the family she’d always wanted and dreamed of.

  When her heart was breaking over Drew’s rejection of Michaela, Chase had put it back together again with his declaration that he was her father in every way that mattered. Sadie hadn’t thought it possible but his love for her and her daughter had somehow healed the lingering hurt of her mother’s rejection and abandonment—a hurt that Sadie acknowledged had played a hand in her poor choices of the past. She hadn’t felt worthy of the love of a good man or trusted that every man she met didn’t have an agenda. Until the gorgeous man throwing open the cottage’s door had come into her life.

  “Sadie, wait—” Gabe began.

  She jumped out of the SUV before Gabe had pulled completely to a stop, running around the front of the vehicle to throw herself into Chase’s arms. He held her in his strong, protective embrace, kissing her with a passion that matched her own.

  Gabe cleared his throat, reminding them that they weren’t alone. Chase eased her away from him to search her face and then her arms. His jaw hardened as he took her hands in his and examined the thin red lines encircling her wrists.

  She squeezed his hands. “I’m okay. Thanks to Gabe, and Eden. She never left my side.”

  Chase released her hands to put his arm around her shoulders. “Thanks for everything you did, Gabe. You have good people working for you.”

  “They were impressed with you too.”

  “Yeah, I didn’t have much choice but to tell them I was a special agent when I brought Drew in. He would have blown my cover as soon as I took the gag out of his mouth.”

  Sadie blinked. “You gagged Drew?”

  “He’s lucky that’s all I did to him.”

  “You sure that’s all you did?” Gabe’s lips twitched as if he were holding back a grin.

  “Okay, so I brought him to town in the trunk.” He looked at Sadie and shrugged. “I didn’t want him anywhere near Michaela. Even the trunk was too close. I brought her to your grandmother’s. I know you want to see her, honey, but right now it’s the safest place for her. Colin’s there, and so is Finn.” He glanced at Gabe. “We have to keep Drew locked down until this is over.”

  “I can hold him for forty-eight hours but even that will be pushing it.”

  “If we have to, I can bring charges against him to keep him there. Legit charges,” he said at Gabe’s raised eyebrow. “But right now, he’s the least of our concerns. There’s been an uptick on Google searches of Michael Knight and Nathan Black. I’m worried Nate’s cover has been blown. I haven’t been able to reach him.”

  “I’ll get Hunter and Boyd to head over the mountain to check out what’s going on at the Whiteside Mountain Gang’s camp. But the searches aren’t our only problem. The sheriff wasn’t happy the DA cut Sadie loose. You have friends in some pretty high places to get her off that fast. But it won’t deter the sheriff for long. Best guess, we have twenty-four hours to get something on him that will stick or he’ll come after Sadie again. And, if I’m not mistaken, you.”

  Gabe smiled, looking happier than he should, given the news he’d just delivered. He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Chase. “As tough as this morning was for you and Sadie, this just might make it worth it.”

  “What is it?” Sadie glanced at what looked like a handwritten note.

  “Just before you were released, the dispatcher asked me if I wanted a coffee. I was about to say no, but something about the way she was looking at me made me say yes. When she handed me the coffee, she slipped me that note.”

  “Don’t trust the sheriff or his deputies. They’re dirty. Meet me tonight at Dot’s Diner at nine o’clock,” Chase read, and then looked at Gabe. “Are you sure she’s not setting you up?”

  “She could be, but I don’t think so. She was scared. And it wasn’t just her. I could feel the desperation in the air as soon as I walked into the station. If she does have intel that can bring the sheriff and his deputies down, I think others will follow her lead.”

  “Make sure you take backup just in case,” Chase said.

  “You sound like my wife.” Gabe smiled, then grimaced. “Who is not happy with me at the moment. She knows something’s up. Do me a favor, Sadie, don’t take her calls.”

  “I can’t do that, Gabe. You know what Highland Falls is like. She’s probably heard that I was arrested. She’ll be worried.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. And it’s gotten a whole lot worse since Spill the Tea opened. Just keep your conversation brief. Don’t give her a chance to question you. The woman is too smart for her own good, and mine.”

  “I’ll keep it short. I’ll pretend Chase and I are busy making up for lost time.” She grinned up at him.

  “On that note, it’s time for me to say goodbye.” Gabe shook Chase’s hand and then pulled Sadie in for a hug. “You did great today. Stay safe and keep an eye out for the sheriff and his deputies.” He walked to his SUV and opened the door. “Call if you need me. One of my officers will be here to cover you within the next twenty minutes.”

  As Gabe’s SUV faded from view, Chase said, “I wish we had time to make up for the last three hours you were out of my sight, but we don’t. We need to find your brother’s stash in case Gabe’s lead doesn’t pan out.”

  “We’ll be together. That’s all that really matters.”

  He took her hands and raised them to his lips, kissing the abraded skin that circled her wrists. “You’ve ruined me for any other partner, Sadie Gray.”

  An hour later, Sadie stood at the edge of Deadman’s Gorge with her partner looking on. He wasn’t as happy with her now as he had been earlier.

  “Are you crazy? Get away from there. It’s not safe.”

  “It just looks that way from where you’re standing.” She put her hands on her hips. “You told me you weren’t afraid of heights.”

  “I’m not, but I’m also not stupid. You’re standing on shale. It’s unstable.”

  “Elijah and I came here all the time when we were younger, and nothing ever happened to us.”

  “Your parents were idiots.” He walked carefully to her side. “Sorry, but they were.” He looked around. “I don’t like this. We’re out in the open.”

  “I know. But it’ll just take me a minute to check if he hid his stash here.” She stretched out carefully on her stomach, ignoring Chase’s muttered curse. He fisted his hand in her T-shirt but otherwise didn’t try to stop her. She reached over the ledge, feeling around in the deep crevice between two boulders. She had just gotten her hand in as deep as it could go when, around the other side of the gorge to the right of them, there was a mini-rockslide.

  “We need to get out of here, and we need to get out of here now,” Chase whispered, yanking her to her feet by the back of her T-shirt without warning.

  She was about to give him crap when she realized the urgency. The rockslide hadn’t been a natural occurrence. Someone was on the other side. Chase grabbed her hand and ran, bending over to pick up their packs without stopping.

  As they reached the tree line, Sadie glanced over her shoulder and blew out a breath, tugging on Chase’s hand to get him to stop. “It’s okay. It’s not a someone. It’s a something.”

  He stopped and turned, shielding his eyes with his hand. “Is that a mountain lion?”

  “No, it’s a bobcat.”

  “Good. I like the sound of a cat more than a lion.” His eyes narrowed. “You’ve scraped your arm.” He opened his pack, taking out a first aid kit. “Sit on the rock, and I’ll clean the wound.”

  She didn’t think it was necessary but did as he directed. She could use a r
est. She’d barely been able to keep up with him, and it had nothing to do with his longer legs. “How are you not even winded after running that fast and that far?”

  “I run every day, or I did when I was in DC.” He crouched in front of her with a disinfectant wipe in his hand. “It’ll sting a bit.”

  “Not any worse than coming up empty-handed again does. I don’t know where else to look.”

  He gently dabbed at the scrape. “We’ll go back to the cottage, get something more substantial to eat than a couple of granola bars and fruit, and regroup. Something might come to—”

  “The cottage. We haven’t searched the grounds. It’s the only place I can think of that we haven’t looked.”

  He wrapped the used wipe in plastic and returned it to the first aid kit. “Don’t worry about it,” he said as he placed the kit in his backpack. “It’s not the end of the world if we don’t find it.” He told her about Nate and the young man who wanted out of the Whiteside Mountain Gang and then reminded her about Gabe’s meeting with the dispatcher tonight.

  “You’re worried about Nate.”

  “I am. Someone’s looking into us, and if the sheriff and his deputies didn’t have a problem taking out Brodie, they won’t have a problem taking out Nate.”

  “Or you.”

  “Nate doesn’t have a partner looking after his back. I do.” He smiled and helped her to her feet. “Now let’s go find your brother’s stash. We can celebrate with tiramisu later.”

  “Nice. Did you get lasagna or pizza?” Her stomach growled in anticipation.

  He grinned. “Neither. I’m making it my business to expand your very limited palate.”

  “Ugh, don’t tell me you ordered something with smelts or snails.” She wrinkled her nose.

  “Trust me, you’ll love it.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I also brought Finn and Michaela to see Nessa.”

  “That was sweet of you,” she said as they took the shortcut through the woods to the cottage.

  “I have to admit I had an ulterior motive. Now that I think about it, I probably should have asked you. Are you interested in keeping Finn?”