Falling in Love on Willow Creek

by Debbie Mason

  She pressed a hand to her chest. “I didn’t even think about Nessa wanting him back once she’s finished rehab. Does she?”

  “She did. But for a price and visiting rights, she agreed to let us adopt him. Zia Maria put in a good word for us, but Michaela was the clincher. Nessa thinks every child needs a dog.”

  “So we’re the proud owners of a kleptomaniac.” She laughed at the face he made. “Don’t worry. I’m sure he’ll grow out of it.”

  “I’m not so—” He broke off, putting out his arm to hold her back.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I heard something. It sounded like a door closing.” He lowered his arm, retrieving his gun from the waistband of his jeans. “Stay here. I’ll check it out.”

  “Wait,” she whispered, grabbing his arm. “If you think someone’s at the cottage, I’m coming with you.” Sound traveled, and other than the cottage, there was nothing around them for miles.

  “It’s safer for you to stay—”

  “What if I was wrong? What if it wasn’t a bobcat? I’m safer with you.”

  He looked around, then nodded. “Okay. But stay behind me.”

  They continued walking through the trees in silence. Every few minutes, Sadie glanced behind her. As they reached the edge of the meadow, they had a clear view of the cottage.

  “Someone’s been inside, and Gabe’s officer isn’t here.”

  “How do you know someone’s been inside?” she whispered.

  “I wedged a piece of yellow paper at the base of the door. It’s on the front lawn.” He scanned the yard. “But they’re not in the house any longer.” He nodded at the weeping willow tree.

  Someone was hiding behind it. Someone who was wearing a familiar camo jacket.

  “Elijah!” She raced past Chase, running through the meadow.

  “Damn it, Sadie.” Chase grabbed her before she reached the gravel road, shoving her behind him.

  Her brother came out from behind the tree with his hands up, the fingers of his right hand closed around her gun in a white-knuckled grip. He was unkempt and looked exhausted, and defeated. “I know who you are. Let my sister go. It’s me you want, not her. She had nothing to do with it.” His gaze moved from Chase to Sadie. “I’m sorry, Sis. I never meant for this to blow back on you.”

  “You heard that they arrested me, didn’t you? That’s why you’re here.” And this is the reason she’d gone to him that night in the woods. Deep down she’d known that the baby brother she loved was still inside there somewhere.

  “Yeah, and I know he’s FBI.” His face hardened. “I’m sorry, Sis. But he’s been playing you to get to me.”

  “Elijah, he’s the reason you’re still alive. It wasn’t me covering you from up on Lover’s Leap. It was Chase.”

  He lowered his hands, looking confused. “Why?”

  “Before I tell you,” Chase said, “I need to know if you’re the reason we no longer have a Highland Falls police officer sitting on the cottage.”

  He nodded. “I put out an all-points bulletin on their radio. Pretty sure they’re all on Honeysuckle Road right now looking for two armed and dangerous men who robbed a convenience store.”

  Chase pulled out his phone, no doubt to text Gabe, telling him to call off the search. “I also need you to confirm that you didn’t blow my cover or my partner’s to anyone else.”

  “You were the one doing the searches on Chase and Nate?” Sadie asked.

  “Of course I was, but someone else must be too if you picked up on it.”

  She sighed. “It’s true. He is that good.”

  A fleeting smile crossed her brother’s face before he returned his attention to Chase. “So why am I supposed to believe you’re not playing my sister to get to me?”

  “First, because I’m in love with her, and she’s believed in your innocence all along. And second, it’s become evident that the sheriff and his deputies were behind Brodie’s murder and that they’ve used Ms. Howard against you.”

  “What are you talking about? Payton wouldn’t turn on me. She loves me. We’re having a baby together.”

  “Chase could have handled that better, but it’s true.” She glanced at Chase. He shrugged, and then he lowered his arm to let her go to her brother. But he didn’t lower his gun and remained very much on alert.

  “I’m sorry.” She hugged her brother before stepping back to show him the photos on her phone. She explained everything they had uncovered that night at Payton’s and what had come to light in the interim.

  Her brother stared at the screen. When he finally lifted his gaze from her phone, he looked heartbroken. “So there never was a baby?”

  “I’m sorry, Elijah, but I honestly don’t think that there was.” She didn’t tell him it was for the best, not now. He wasn’t ready to hear it.

  He sat down on the rock under the willow tree and buried his face in his hands, just like he used to as a little boy when he was upset or things didn’t work out…

  “Elijah, I think I know where you buried the drugs and your phone.”

  He scrubbed his face and looked at her. “Where?”

  “There.” She pointed at the rock.

  It took them less than fifteen minutes to discover that she was right, but they didn’t have time to celebrate.

  The sheriff stepped out from behind the cottage with a menacing grin, his gun in his hand and his black cowboy hat pushed back from his forehead. “Now what do we have here?” He slanted a glance at Chase. “Drop your weapon or I’ll shoot your girlfriend and then I’ll shoot you.”

  Chase slowly lowered the gun, but the sheriff was distracted by her brother and didn’t notice that Chase hadn’t straightened. His fingers were a hair’s breadth away from his weapon. Elijah dove for the gun behind him on the ground.

  The sheriff scoffed. “We know your sister is the only one who knows how to shoot so don’t even bother trying to play—”

  Chase shot the gun from the sheriff’s hand. The man bellowed, clutching his bleeding fingers. “You’ll pay for that, you son of—”

  Chase walked over and kicked the sheriff’s gun out of reach. Then he pulled his wallet from his back pocket, flipping it open to show the sheriff his badge. “What was that you were saying?”

  The sheriff went pale, and Chase gave him a lethal smile. “I thought that might shut you up.” He glanced back at her. “Sadie, grab his gun and then call Gabe. Tell him to come in quiet. Elijah, pick up your sister’s gun.”

  She didn’t understand why he was acting like they still had something to worry about, and then it came to her. Dwight and his partner might not be far behind.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Eight hours later, Chase looked up from fastening the tabs of his bulletproof vest to find Sadie watching him from the couch in her grandmother’s living room. “I’ll be fine, and so will your brother.”

  “I know you will.” She glanced at Elijah, who was being helped into his bulletproof vest by Mr. Murphy in the kitchen, with Agnes sitting at the table looking on. Michaela was sleeping in the back bedroom with Finn on guard. “I’m just not sure my brother will.”

  She got up from the couch and came to Chase, smoothing her hands down the front of his vest. “He didn’t say it, but I know he’s hoping that Dwight and his partner don’t show tonight. He’ll be devastated if they do. It’ll be the final proof that Payton betrayed him.”

  Dwight and his partner were in the wind, which was why Chase had come up with the plan to smoke them out. Twenty minutes ago, Elijah had called Payton. He’d told her he was turning himself in and wanted to see her before he did. He asked her to meet him at the rock at ten o’clock. It had taken some convincing to get him to make the call, but he’d bowed to his sister’s and his grandmother’s pressure. Chase had been relieved they backed him. He was using Elijah as bait after all.

  “I know. I’ll keep an eye on him.” Chase shrugged on his black FBI windbreaker. “I have a job for you.” He reached for her lap
top on the bookcase.

  She frowned. “What do you want me to do?”

  “I want you to do a deep dive into Payton. Check to see if she has any bank accounts or Bitcoin accounts that we’re unaware of. I cleared it with my boss. Our tech guy isn’t as good as I hear you are.” He smiled at the stunned expression on her face.

  “You’re serious?”

  “I am, and I wish I could stick around to watch you at work, but we have to get going. Just promise me that if she has any money in her account, you’ll leave it there.”

  “I promise. I’ll behave.”

  Chase’s phone pinged in his pocket. He took it out and glanced at the screen. “Gabe brought the dispatcher into protective custody until Dwight and his partner are arrested.”

  “Did she give him the evidence you need to put them away?”

  “And then some. But she can’t tie them to Brodie’s murder.” He leaned in and kissed her. “We’ve got to go. Gabe is waiting for us.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Chase sat in the passenger seat beside Gabe, staring at his phone.

  “Still no word from Nate?” Gabe asked as he shut off his headlights, pulling onto a deserted side road. He parked his personal vehicle under a tree.

  “Nothing. Hunter and Boyd see anything?”

  “Nate’s truck is there but they haven’t seen any sign of him.” He gave Chase’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “He’ll be okay. He’s good at what he does.”

  “So are Dwight and his partner.” Chase got out of the truck and opened the back door for Elijah, trying to put his worry for his partner out of his head. It wasn’t easy. He had a bad feeling.

  Sadie’s brother glanced at him, and Chase forced a confident smile. “You’ll be fine. You have four of us watching your back. Your guys see anything yet?” Chase asked as they met Gabe at the back of the vehicle. Gabe had two of his officers guarding the perimeter of the rock. They were out of sight and wearing night vision. They’d been at the location for the past two hours.

  “Nothing yet.” He glanced at his phone. “They’ve spotted us. We’ve got the all clear. Elijah, you start walking. Don’t look back. We’ll be right behind you. Just act like you’re on your own. If you hear an owl, it’s one of my guys letting us know we’ve got company.”

  The kid looked like he was going to wet his pants. “This is a good thing you’re doing, Elijah. Your sister and grandmother are proud of you.” Chase smiled when Elijah’s chin went up. He had his sister’s stubbornness. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Sadie would never forgive me.”

  “Yeah, she would. She’s in love with you.”

  “She loves you too. They both do. Now get moving so we can get home before your sister eats all the tiramisu.”

  The kid grinned. “Or gets hack happy.” He held up a hand. “Kidding. She’s good, almost as good as me, but she plays by the rules. Always has,” he said, and then headed off through the woods. Like his sister, he knew his way around.

  Chase’s estimation of Elijah had gone up a lot when he’d been willing to sacrifice himself for Sadie. Now Chase just had to keep him safe and then find his partner.

  Half an hour after they’d gotten into position at the rock, Chase found his partner. Dwight and Bulldog dragged Nate through the woods, dropping him when they reached the clearing. Nate landed on his hands and knees. Chase let out the breath he was holding when he stayed that way. He would have breathed a lot easier if Dwight didn’t have his gun aimed at the back of Nate’s head. Chase was a good shot, but he couldn’t risk that Dwight got off a shot before Chase took him out.

  “Come out, come out wherever you are,” Bulldog called to Elijah, who was crouched behind the rock. The glow from the campfire he lit illuminated his hiding spot.

  “If you don’t, your grandmother’s friend is dead. You wouldn’t want to upset your granny, now, would you, Elijah?” Dwight cocked his gun.

  “You’re going to kill us both anyway,” Elijah said, his voice going in and out. “Just like you killed Brodie.”

  Son of a—Elijah was on the move.

  Bulldog laughed. “That wasn’t us. Ask—”

  “Shut up and go drag him out from behind the damn rock,” Dwight muttered.

  An owl hooted. More company. Damn it to hell. Elijah broke into a run through the trees. Chase clocked one of Gabe’s men to his right, going after him. They didn’t realize Elijah wasn’t on the run. He was creating a diversion, and Chase prayed it worked.

  “Go get him!” Dwight yelled.

  As Bulldog went to run past him, Chase stuck out his foot, bringing it up to connect with the deputy’s knee. He fell heavily. Chase slid back behind a tree.

  “What the hell happened?”

  “I tripped over a rock. I think I broke my knee.”

  “Do I have to do everything by myself? Get back here and watch him. I’ll get Gray.”

  “No need. I’ve got him,” a woman said. Elijah walked into the glow of firelight, Payton following behind with a gun pointed at his head. His vest wouldn’t save him now.

  Chase didn’t see any other choice. Gabe and his other officer were in position, hidden behind trees on either side of Dwight. The officer who’d gone after Elijah was heading back but was still too far away from the sound of it. Chase clamped his hand over Bulldog’s mouth and put the muzzle of his gun in his ear. “Get up, and don’t make a sound,” he whispered.

  “What are you doing here?” Dwight asked Payton.

  “Making sure you don’t screw up again.”

  “It was you,” Elijah said, a tremor in his voice. “You killed Brodie.”

  “You didn’t give me a choice. You were going to ruin everything.” She looked at Dwight and nodded at Nate. “Do it.”

  “FBI, drop your weapons.” Chase walked Bulldog in front of him, swinging his gun in Payton’s direction. Her eyes narrowed as her expression hardened. He couldn’t see the gun—her right hand was in shadows—but he knew she had no intention of dropping her weapon. He had to take the risk.

  “Elijah, get down!” Chase yelled and took the shot. Elijah dropped to the ground. Payton cried out and staggered backward. The bullet had hit her in the upper arm. Nate took advantage of the distraction and came to his knees, knocking Dwight’s gun hand to the side. Gabe and his officer ran up behind Dwight. “Drop your weapon.”

  He complied, but it wasn’t over yet. Payton hadn’t lost her grip on her gun. She snarled at Elijah, cursing at him for ruining everything. Covering the bleeding wound with her left hand, she raised her gun. Chase took another shot, this time aiming for her hand, which he could now see without Elijah shielding her. The bullet hit her hand. She screamed and fell to her knees, the gun dropping to the ground. She picked it up with her left hand. Chase shoved Bulldog away from him and moved in, his gun raised. The other officer broke through the woods and rushed Payton. Elijah tried to scramble away, his eyes never leaving Payton’s face.

  It was like it happened in slow motion. Elijah tripped on a rock, and he put out his hand, tilting toward the fire. “Elijah!” Chase ran to Sadie’s brother, pulling him from the fire. He rolled Elijah on the ground to smother the flames. He heard Gabe radioing for the paramedics who were on standby just minutes away.

  Sadie sat on the right of Elijah’s hospital bed while her grandmother sat in a chair on his left. Hunter and Abby were spending the day with Michaela and Finn at the cottage.

  It had been five days since Elijah had fallen into the fire. Chase’s quick actions had prevented him from being burned too badly. Still, he would need another round of skin grafts on his left hand and leg. He would have been recovering at home if not for spiking a fever late last night. He was on an IV drip to combat the infection.

  Payton was in a hospital room around the corner, under guard. The sheriff, Dwight, and his partner were in jail. The Whiteside Mountain Gang had been rounded up, and today they’d learn what the future held in store for her brother.

  “I thought Chase sa
id he’d be here by noon.” Elijah had been cracking jokes twenty minutes ago, but he’d been growing quieter as the minutes ticked by. Chase was to deliver the verdict. Both he and Nate had talked to the DA on Elijah’s behalf. Nate should probably have been in the hospital himself after the beating Dwight and his partner had given him, but he refused, signing himself out against the doctor’s advice.

  “It’s only five after twelve. Both Chase and Nate have been swamped with paperwork and debriefs.” Sadie could attest to that. She’d barely seen Chase.

  Which might have been why she practically swooned when he walked into Elijah’s hospital room moments later. He wore a black suit and white shirt and looked even more handsome than the day they first met. Nate followed him into the room, his face battered and bruised. Her grandmother lit up when they walked in. Chase was a hero in her eyes, and she couldn’t be happier for Sadie. But she had a soft spot for Nate. She treated him like another grandson. Yesterday she’d overheard Nate teasing Chase that Granny liked him best.

  Chase walked over to Sadie and kissed her. “Where’s Michaela?”

  “Abby and Hunter are watching her. I thought it might be best to leave her at home today.”

  He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Oh no, she thought, he had bad news for Elijah.

  “Just in case you’re going to haul her uncle away in handcuffs,” Elijah quipped, but he looked nervous.

  “No cuffs, buddy. Hotshot got you sprung.” Nate grinned when Chase gave him a look.

  “Really? You’re not yanking my chain, are you?” her brother asked Nate but his gaze went to Chase.

  “No, he’s not. The charges against you are being dropped. Your cooperation and agreement to testify in court played in your favor, as did your role in helping us capture Payton and her partners.”

  “I still can’t believe she played me like that. She was actually going to shoot me.” He grimaced and looked at his grandmother. “I’m sorry I dragged you into all of this, Granny. I promise, as soon as I can, I’ll get a job and pay you back.”