“Nothing. Noth—”
“We found two pills in your pocket,” Elliott said. “They match the ones that were in the bottle on the counter. We counted and guess how many are missing?”
Wilmont shifted. “I took them. I saw her on the floor and it messed me up. I was scared. I needed something . . . anything to help me deal with what I was seeing. And I didn’t figure she’d miss them.”
“Wow. Compassionate guy, aren’t you?” Caroline muttered. “So, you took two and kept two for later?”
“Yeah.” Wilmont frowned. “I remember taking them, but after that everything kind of goes fuzzy. I know one thing, I didn’t shoot anyone.”
The door opened and the doctor entered. The stitching on his white coat read DR. MILES JANSEN, MD. “Everything okay in here?”
“Not really,” Caroline said. “The suspect says he doesn’t remember shooting our two victims.”
“I didn’t! I didn’t shoot anyone! Why do you keep saying that?”
Dr. Jansen removed the stethoscope from his neck and eyed the monitors showing Wilmont’s vitals. “Heart rate’s up. He’s really agitated.”
“Yeah, well, he shot two people, killed one, and got caught,” Elliott said. “I’d say he has good reason to be agitated.”
“Right.” The doctor continued his examination.
“So how’d you get in the house, Sam?” Caroline asked. “All the doors were locked. The guy that found them—”
“Gavin,” Caden said.
“Gavin had to break down the door.”
Wilmont’s breathing increased and he shifted under the sheet. The doctor shot them a warning look. “If this continues, I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
“No,” Wilmont said, “I want to finish this.”
The doctor shrugged. “Go ahead.”
Wilmont squinted, thinking. “I went around to the back and knocked. No one came to the door, so I tried it and it was unlocked. I walked in and . . . and . . .” He let out a grunt. “I don’t know! I don’t know!”
His head snapped back, the monitor went wild, and the doctor bolted to Wilmont’s side. “He’s seizing! You three, get out!” The two detectives and Caden backed out of the room while the doctor shouted for a crash cart.
Caden stood in the hallway with Elliott and Caroline. “What do you guys think?”
Elliott shook his head. “I don’t know. He sounded sincere enough. Like he really didn’t know what we were talking about, but I’ve come across some pretty convincing liars in my years on the force. I’m not fully sold that he wasn’t yanking our chain so he can get off on some insanity defense or whatnot.”
Caroline looked up from her phone. “If the guy was high on something, he might really not remember going into that house and killing one and putting the other in surgery.”
Her partner rubbed his eyes. “Yeah.”
“Which was probably why he couldn’t resist the drugs,” Caden said.
Elliott scowled. “Someone’s head is going to roll if it’s found out they hired an ex–drug addict to work in this hospital. I don’t care how clean he was when they hired him.”
“He’d have to pass a drug test,” Caroline said. “Maybe he really was clean and the scene at the house freaked him out so much, he relapsed.”
Elliott grunted. “Didn’t freak him out enough to do the right thing and call for help. Instead, he decided to burglarize the place.”
“Yeah.” Caden couldn’t argue with that. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “One thing I don’t understand. The door was locked when Gavin and Sarah arrived. Gavin had to break the door down to get in. This guy was inside hiding in the closet. Why was the door locked if it was really unlocked when he got there?”
Caroline raised a brow. “Maybe he locked it when he heard Gavin and Sarah drive up, thinking it would discourage them and they’d leave.”
A reasonable explanation. Caden sighed. “We may never know.” He glanced at the room. “I just hope he makes it. And I’m surprised I’m even saying this, but I’ll be honest. His story rings true to me.”
“That he didn’t shoot the ladies or that he just doesn’t remember?” Elliott asked.
“That he doesn’t remember. But if he really didn’t shoot them, then who did?”
“I don’t know.” Caroline tucked her phone onto the clip on her belt. “But I’d like to talk to this Max person and get his take on Wilmont. He obviously trusted him enough to send him to deliver the drugs.”
“The question is,” Caden said, “did he know Wilmont’s history when he asked him to run his little errand?”
Caroline shrugged. “Like I said, I want to find him and talk to him.”
Elliott nodded. “We’ll track him down and see what he has to say.” He shook Caden’s hand. “We’ll keep you posted.”
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
“You told her about the threats?” Sitting behind the wheel of his luxury Mercedes E300 sedan, Lewis Denning looked like he might stroke out all over his cream-colored leather seat. He’d texted that he needed to speak to Gavin but didn’t want to risk pulling Gavin away from Sarah while Caden wasn’t home.
Gavin had slipped out of the house shortly after Sarah drifted off in front of the television.
“You hired me to keep her safe,” Gavin said. “Telling her about the threats was the right thing to do—and played a part in helping me keep her safe.”
“If she finds out about my role in all of this—”
“I’m aware, sir. She has no idea you hired me, and I plan to keep it that way.” For now.
Denning rubbed a hand down his cheek. “She thinks the worst of me. She hates me for what I’ve done, doesn’t she?”
Gavin hesitated, then gave a mental shrug. The man had asked. “Yes, sir, I believe she does.”
Denning winced. “Well, at least I don’t have to worry about you pulling punches and kowtowing, do I?”
A laugh slipped from him. “No sir, you’ll never have to worry about that. I respect you and your position, of course, but I’m no longer in the service, so . . .” He shrugged.
“So you don’t have to pucker up anymore?”
“That’s one way of putting it.”
The general laughed. “I have a feeling you never were the kind to kiss anyone’s rear end.” A pause. “Good for you.”
Gavin shot him an amused look. The man never ceased to amaze him. Honestly, he liked the general—didn’t agree with his methods in handling things, but liked him—and wished he and Sarah could find a way to settle their differences, but right now, he didn’t see it happening. “Have you thought about apologizing to her?”
“No.”
“Then don’t expect a reconciliation anytime soon.”
“I don’t.” The man paused. “It’s more complicated than just an apology.”
“Maybe so, but it’s probably a good place to start.”
The general shook his head. “You don’t know. You just don’t know. She’s a rebellious punk. Always has been, always will be apparently.”
“I don’t believe that. I don’t see that at all.”
“Then you’re blind. I see it and I won’t accept it—or deal with it.”
Even with the hard-hearted attitude, Gavin could sense the pain beneath it. Interesting. He didn’t want to ask the man to explain what he meant. Sarah had already promised to tell him. He owed it to her to let her do it. “Why can’t you tell her you love her?”
The general flinched. “She knows I do.”
“No sir, she doesn’t. And she doesn’t think you have any respect for her—as a woman or as someone who chose the Army as a career.”
“Respect? No, not much respect, that would be correct.”
He bit his tongue on the desire to ask why. Again, he had a feeling that was all related to what Sarah promised to tell him. “But you love her.”
“She’s my child. Of course I do.” He sighed and threw up a hand. “You sound
like Caden.” Gavin raised a brow and the man’s jaw tightened. “I’m just trying to protect her.”
“I understand that, but you might want to go about it a little differently.”
“You and Caden decided to gang up on me about this, didn’t you?”
“No sir. I don’t suppose it’s really my business, so you can forget I said anything.”
The man grunted. “You think she’ll ever forgive me?”
“I can’t say. But you and I both know forgiveness comes easier when it’s asked for, so you might want to rethink that apology.” Gavin reached for the door handle. “Then again, I have a feeling Sarah doesn’t do things the easy way, so you might be off the hook. Eventually. On that note, I’m going to scope the perimeter and get back inside before she wakes up.” He hesitated. “I really think we ought to tell her the truth about what I’m doing.”
“No. Not yet. If she kicks you to the curb, she’ll be a sitting duck for whoever’s after her. I’d rather have her hate me forever than have her get killed because of her stubborn, bullheaded . . .” He stopped and drew in a breath. “Never mind. Just keep her safe. That’s all that matters.”
“Yes sir, we can agree on that.”
Gavin stepped out of the vehicle and headed back toward the house, his nerves twitching. Before he had a chance to figure out why he was so on edge, Caden drove up and parked in the drive. He climbed out of the vehicle.
When he spotted his father’s car, his eyes narrowed and he frowned. “Everything all right?”
“Sarah’s sleeping. The general and I were having a little meeting.”
“She’s going to kill you—both of you—when she finds out about this, you know.”
Gavin grimaced. “I know.”
The general rolled his window up, shook his head, and drove off.
“I’d take over being the watchdog if I could,” Caden said, leaning against his car.
“You don’t have the time,” Gavin said. “And besides, this is what I do. It’s my job.”
“But she’s my sister.”
“Which is why it’s probably better that I’m the lead on this one.”
“The lead, huh?”
“Come on, man, like you said, she’s your sister. You want to encase her in bubble wrap and lock her away until it’s safe to come out.” That actually sounded like a good idea to him too.
Caden smiled. “Yeah, but I don’t think that’d go over very well.”
“Exactly. Which is why I’m here.”
“You care for her, don’t you?”
“Sure, the more I get to know her, the more I can see us being friends.”
Caden chuckled.
“What?” Gavin asked.
“You might want to be friends, but you want more than that. When I say you care for her, I mean you care for her.”
Gavin met his eyes. “What makes you say that?”
“Because of the way you look at her when you think no one’s watching. And the fact that you were here before my father asked you to be here.”
“Hmm.” He’d have to work on hiding his emotions a little better.
“Hmm,” Caden echoed.
“Shut up, man.”
Caden laughed, then sobered. “Just so you know, I approve.”
“Well, I’m afraid Sarah doesn’t.” Yet.
“Why not? What’d you do?”
“You want the list?”
“There’s a list?”
Gavin grimaced.
“But she’s let you stay around since . . . everything. So that’s good, right?”
“It’s very good.” Odd, actually. Then again, he hadn’t really given her a choice. He’d just . . . stayed.
“She thinks you’re too much like our dad, doesn’t she?”
Gavin blinked. “So, you’re a mind reader?”
“No, a sister reader.” His brows drew together over the bridge of his nose. “She had it tough in high school. Made a lot of lousy choices that resulted in consequences she can’t shake to this day.”
“She said something about that. Said she’d tell me about it soon.”
Caden’s brow reached record heights. “She did? Well, then you’re more special than you think you are.” He paused. “She hasn’t dated many guys. Really dated. Like longer than one date. There was one guy in college she decided to let her guard down with who was a jerk. Another guy in the Army dumped her when he got promoted—so I guess make that two jerks.”
“Dumped her? Was he crazy?”
“Greedy. The general had a hand in the promotion. Thought he was helping out his future son-in-law. When the future son-in-law didn’t need either of them anymore, he said goodbye.”
“Ouch.”
“After that, she kind of swore off guys and focused on her career.”
Gavin blew out a low breath. “A career she no longer has, thanks to her own father.”
“Right. I tried talking to him, but he wouldn’t listen.”
“I did too. He accused me of collaborating with you and ganging up on him.”
This time it was Caden who grimaced. “He’s stubborn.”
“A family trait apparently.”
“I believe we’ve already established that.”
Gavin rubbed a hand over his jaw. “Is Sarah going to be okay with you telling me this stuff?”
“I didn’t tell you so you could rat me out.” He sighed. “I want Sarah to be happy. I’m just trying to help you understand her a little.”
“I’ll take all the help I can get in that regard,” Gavin said.
“And if you break her heart, I know places to bury a body that no one would find.”
Gavin wasn’t sure whether to laugh or not. He met the man’s eyes—and decided not to laugh. “What happens if she’s the one who breaks mine?” She’d almost done it once. While she hadn’t broken it before, she’d sure left it hurting.
Caden clapped him on the bicep. “Then we can drown our sorrows together.”
“Our sorrows? Who broke your heart?”
Caden shook his head. “That’s a story for another day.” He nodded to the porch. “Looks like Sleeping Beauty has awakened.”
Sarah stood on the porch, arms crossed, eyes narrowed. Gavin gulped. How long had she been there?
Sarah sat on Caden’s couch and sipped a mug of hot coffee loaded with creamer and three sugars while she only halfway pondered the information her brother had just passed on. She was still curious about whatever it was she’d interrupted when she’d stepped outside. He and Gavin had been immersed in conversation when she opened the door. So deep it had taken Caden a moment to notice her. Whatever they’d been talking about, she had the strangest feeling it had something to do with her.
Unsure what she had to do with them drowning their sorrows, she’d let it go and demanded every last piece of information Caden had acquired. He’d been forthcoming, and now she had even more questions.
She focused back on Caden. “So, let me get this straight. Wilmont had a seizure and is in a medically induced coma?”
“For now.”
“And you believe his whole ‘I’m innocent, I didn’t do it’ routine?”
“Somewhat.”
“In case you forgot, he held a gun to my head.” She could still feel the press of the weapon against her temple. A shudder rippled through her.
“Trust me, I haven’t forgotten,” Caden said. “He’s guilty of that for sure, but that doesn’t mean he shot the ladies.”
Her gaze flicked back and forth between the men. They both looked at her with expressions that said they were worried she might snap at any moment. Great. “All right. Let’s recap. I was kidnapped in Kabul, discharged from the Army unfairly—and probably illegally—thanks to my father and that spineless psychiatrist. I ran into a woman in restraints who said that she knew too much and they were going to kill her, overheard Dr. Kilgore and another man talking about something that sounded suspicious to me because they used phrases like ‘she�
�s better off’ and ‘the other girl was so drugged up, I doubt she’ll remember anything’ and—”
“And,” Gavin said, “you think they were talking about you.”
“Who else?”
“Another patient?”
She shook her head. “No. And Brianne kept calling for a guy named Max.”
“Max?” Caden asked. “That’s the name of the guy Wilmont said asked him to deliver the pills to Brianne.”
She frowned. “So, who is he?”
“I don’t know. Elliott and Caroline said they’d look into locating him.” He tapped a message into his phone, then looked up.
Sarah picked up where she’d left off. “Dr. Kilgore also said that if his phone fell into the wrong hands, he’d be in trouble.”
“Sarah—”
“I wasn’t drugged up. I’d quit taking the meds and was quite lucid, thank you very much. Except for the fever making me a bit light-headed. And then there was the mention of a package . . .”
“What package?”
“Beats me. They said something about a package and that it would turn up eventually.”
Caden frowned. “I don’t want to disagree with you, but I feel like I need to play devil’s advocate here. All of that could have multiple meanings. I think you’re reading more into it than is there.”
“I suppose I imagined someone shooting at us and the bullet holes in Gavin’s truck are just figments of that imagination,” she snapped.
“No, not at all,” Caden said, holding up a hand in a gesture of peace, “that’s not—”
“And Brianne is now dead,” Sarah went on, “her friend fighting for her life, and a guy with a gun tried to use me as leverage to get away from the scene of it all. I suppose I imagined that as well?”
“Sarah, come on. Of course not. That’s not what I’m saying.”
“Then why don’t you say what you’re saying so I can understand it?”
Caden raked a hand through his hair and glanced at Gavin. Sarah cleared her throat. Gavin’s lips twitched.
“No bro-language going on here,” Gavin said. “I happen to agree with Sarah.”
She blinked. “Well, thank you.”
“Look,” Caden said, “the general asked me not to say anything, but I think you need to know a few details that might help make things a little more clear.”
Acceptable Risk Page 13
