He nodded against her shoulder. “Okay.”
Brooke reached over and grasped Felix’s fingers and squeezed. He returned the pressure and she looked up to see a glint of pride in his eyes.
She turned to find Jonas staring at them and thought she saw a hint of moisture in his eyes before he blinked and leaned down to pick up one of the children that had attached herself to his leg. Brooke hadn’t heard them come in from outside.
The little girl was about four years old. She patted his cheek and stuck her thumb in her mouth. Jonas held her like a pro. Like a natural father. A wave of pain swept through Brooke so strong and so great it nearly knocked her to her knees.
He was a good father to Felix and deserved to have more children. As many as he wanted. And she could never be the one to give him that. She really needed to remember that.
Brooke straightened and cleared her throat. “All right, Tommy, thank you very much.”
“Can I play with the puppy now?”
“Sure. Most of the other children are outside with his brother. You want to take him to join the fun?”
Tommy nodded and she helped him off the couch, the canine clutched in his little arms.
“You did great, Felix,” Jonas murmured to his son. Felix let a smile slip across his lips before he managed to get it under control. He gave a careless shrug, not fooling anyone in the room with his nonchalant attitude. “I’d better go make sure they don’t hurt the puppies.” He sauntered out the door, but Brooke thought his back seemed straighter, his head held higher.
“Wow,” Jonas breathed. “Was that my kid?”
“Yeah, he did great. Now I need to call Gavin and fill him in and get a sketch artist out here to work with Tommy.” Nicholas stepped through the door. Brooke lifted a brow. “Everything all right?”
“I’m just here to make sure you get home safe.”
“Great. I was just getting ready to call Gavin.” She motioned him to follow her into one of the back rooms. “I don’t want the others hearing this, but I want to put it on speaker so you can listen in.”
The phone rang twice before Gavin picked up. “Gavin here.”
The snap in his voice made Brooke pause for only a second. “Hi, Gavin. I’ve got an interesting development. Tommy said that the man he saw in his dreams not only had a gun, but white hair.”
“Okay.”
She drew in a breath. “The congressman has white hair.”
Nicholas frowned at her boldness, but she just waited.
The silence from Gavin made her shift, her nerves tightening as she wondered if she’d gone too far. Then Gavin cleared his throat. “Right. He has gray hair, not white. And don’t forget, he was shot, too. And it wasn’t self-inflicted.”
“I know, Gavin, I just…”
“So let’s keep our focus where it needs to be.”
“What if the congressman’s son shot him?” Nicholas asked.
“What?”
“What if Michael was trying to defend himself against his father? What if the senator shot Michael, but Michael managed to get a shot off, too?”
Gavin went silent again and Brooke wondered if he was going to hang up. “Where’s the gun, Nicholas? The weapon was never recovered, remember? Harland was lying in a pool of blood, practically unconscious when help arrived. The crime scene unit searched the scene. Law enforcement searched the scene. Your very own team members searched the scene. Are you suggesting that all of those professionals missed finding the weapon?”
Nicholas sighed. “Of course not, but—”
“And what about the car that was seen speeding away?”
Nicholas shook his head and Brooke could tell he wished he’d kept his mouth shut.
“It still could have been Erin Eagleton,” she said. “Her necklace—with a charm with her initials—was found there and she’s disappeared. She was Michael Jeffries’s girlfriend. She’s still a viable suspect.”
“Yes, she is,” Gavin agreed. “And there may be others we haven’t discovered yet.” He paused. “Look, I’m not as close-minded as I’m coming across. If Harland is involved in something, I want to know it. I just have a hard time believing it and don’t want to miss finding the real killer because we’re distracted and focused on the wrong trail.”
Or we miss Harland being the killer because we’re distracted and focused on the wrong trail, she thought. But decided against pointing it out. Nicholas met her gaze and she knew he was thinking the exact same thing.
*
Jonas watched out the window as the children and their guardians romped with the puppies. They looked happy and well-adjusted. Someone looking in from the outside wouldn’t know the turmoil these kids had already experienced in their young lives.
When Brooke had hugged little Tommy and let him rest his head against her, a fierce longing had gripped Jonas. He wanted Brooke. Not just as a casual friend, but as a lifelong partner, someone to walk through the ups and downs of life with him. Someone to share more children with. Jonas headed down the hall to the room where she and Nicholas had taken their conversation.
Her low voice drew him to the door. “Yes, he’s sure. White hair.” She listened then shrugged. “I know the congressman has gray hair, and not white, but combine the other factors of a moon and it being at night, maybe his gray hair looked white to Tommy. I’m not trying to put words in his mouth, but maybe he’s just not using the word gray, but that’s what he means.” She paused and her gaze met his even as she listened. He started to leave, not wanting to butt in where he shouldn’t, but she held up a hand to stall his departure. “I get that, Gavin, but it’s still possible Tommy is describing Jeffries. Could you set it up with Cassie to have a sketch artist work with him?” More silence, more pacing. “All right. Any word on Erin Eagleton? I still think she may be the key to solving this thing.” A heavy sigh slipped from her. “Okay. Thanks.” She hung up and turned to Jonas. “Well, we’ll see what happens.”
“Is he going to send a sketch artist?” Jonas asked.
She nodded. “As soon as he can set it up.”
“You really think you’ll get an accurate picture of the man Tommy saw that night?”
“I don’t know, but I think it’s worth a try.”
The clamor of laughter and children’s high-pitched voices reached them. “They’re coming back in,” Jonas said.
Felix held the two puppies. “It looks like it’s going to rain.”
Brooke nodded. “It’s time for us to leave.” Tommy raced forward and wrapped his arms around her waist. Brooke seemed startled for a split second before she dropped to her knees to hug him. “I’ll come back soon, all right?”
Tommy nodded and Jonas thought Brooke might break down and cry. He took a step forward, but she blinked a few times then smiled at Cassie. “Thanks for letting us come.”
“Of course. Anytime. Stay safe.”
Tommy went to Cassie and she picked him up and planted a kiss on his cheek. Tommy smiled and leaned his head against her shoulder.
Brooke led the way out.
Felix climbed into the back of the vehicle, the box clutched closely to him, the playful puppies worn out and sound asleep. Brooke let Mercy out to take care of business. In short order, she was back at the vehicle. She jumped into her special spot and lay down, her head between her paws.
Jonas glanced at the clock. He’d been gone from the clinic a good while. “I’m going to check in with Claire.”
“Sure. Just put your blindfold back on. I’ll let you know when you can take it off.” She glanced into the backseat at Felix, who rolled his eyes, but complied with a small smile. She didn’t think he was terribly annoyed. Her phone buzzed and she glanced at the text. “Nicholas and Chase are going to escort us back to your office. They’re working in conjunction with the local police to set up a 24/7 guard.”
He nodded. “All right. I’m not going to fight the idea. Felix might not like, it, but I’ll do whatever I’ve got to do to keep him safe.”
/>
A groan came from the backseat. They ignored him. “And yourself,” she said.
“Right.” Jonas dialed his office’s number and got Claire on the second ring as Brooke aimed the vehicle down the long drive.
“All is fine here,” Claire assured him. “Slow, but fine. We had a couple of people who wanted to come in, but I explained you had an emergency.”
He sighed. “I’m going to have to find someone to help out.”
“Do you want me to put a call out for resumes?”
“Yes. And then start checking references. I need someone fast.”
“What about Graham Brown? He called last week asking about an interview.”
Jonas pictured the son of his father’s best friend. “Is he back in town?”
“He is.” Claire went on to list a few other possibilities and Jonas listened with half an ear. His mind kept circling back to the side mirror and wondering who could be behind the attacks on them. “Jonas?”
“Right. Sorry. I’m here. Just…call whoever you think best and set up interviews with me. I’ll take it from there.”
“All right, I can do that.”
Jonas hung up, and peeked through the bottom edge of his blindfold to see the screen and dialed his home to check his voice mails. Three hang-ups. One from his mother who lived in Richmond, Virginia. Two from his sister who wanted to know what happened to his house.
He deleted those and went to the next message.
“Give me the phone or your kid is dead.”
Click.
ELEVEN
Brooke heard Jonas’s indrawn breath and looked over to see the part of his face beneath the blindfold drain of color. “What is it?”
He shook his head and hung up the phone. “Nothing. Not here,” he said in almost a whisper. She glanced in the backseat. Felix had his head against the window, the blindfold covering his eyes. He gave all appearances of being asleep, but that didn’t mean he was. She nodded. Whatever Jonas had heard on the phone he didn’t want to repeat in front of Felix.
Nicholas and Chase had fallen in with her about ten minutes ago as she’d pulled onto the highway. One in front and one behind.
“Are the police going to be waiting when we get to the office?” Jonas asked, his voice low.
“Yes.”
He nodded and she saw his Adam’s apple bob. “Good.”
“You checked your messages?”
“I did.”
She looked in the rearview mirror. She thought maybe Felix really was asleep. “Felix?” He didn’t move. “You can take off your blindfold now.” Still no response. “You can take yours off, too, Jonas.” He did. She glanced at his phone. “Do I need to take a listen?”
“Yes.”
“Pull it up for me and hand me your Bluetooth.” She put the device against her ear and Jonas played the message. “Give me the phone or your kid is dead.”
She blinked. “Is that the only one?”
“Yes. There were some hang-ups before that.”
“We’ll see if we can trace the number,” she said. She handed him her phone and his Bluetooth device, replacing it with hers. “Dial number 1 on speed dial.” He followed her instructions, then handed the phone back to her. “Gavin. I need you to get a subpoena for the Parker residence phone records.” In a low voice, with frequent glances at Felix in the backseat, she explained the threatening phone call.
“I’ll get Fiona on it. What else?” Fiona Fargo, a whiz with any kind of technology, would have what they needed within a few hours. If that long.
“That’s it for now.” She started to hang up. “No wait, Gavin?”
“Yes?”
“I think we need to wear our Kevlar vests 24/7, Jonas and Felix included.” She ignored Jonas’s sharp look.
“It’s come to that, has it?”
“I just want to be prepared.”
“I’ll have some waiting for you when you get to the office. We’ll pass them in and they can put them on before they get out of the vehicle.”
Sounded like a good plan to her. “Our ETA is about five minutes.”
“Slow down and take your time. It’ll be a little longer than that before I can deliver the vests.”
“Got it.” She lifted her foot from the gas. “See you soon.” She hung up and told Jonas the plan.
“Vests?” he asked quietly.
“I think it’s a needed precaution.”
A sigh slipped from him and she couldn’t help reaching out and patting his hand. “I’m sorry, I know it’s an imposition.”
He grasped her fingers before she could pull them back. “Yes, it is, but we’ll manage. I just want Felix safe. That’s the most important thing.”
“You’re a good dad, Jonas.”
He tilted his head then turned to look in the backseat. “He’s really in a deep sleep.”
“Yes. He zonked out a few minutes after we left the children’s home.”
“I don’t think he’s been sleeping well. I hear him get up at night sometimes. If I ask him if he’s all right, he says he’s fine and gets back in bed, but I don’t know. I don’t know what to do for him.”
“It’s a tough time right now.”
“Very.” He paused. Then, “As for me being a good dad, I’m not so sure about that.”
“I am.”
He fell silent as he studied her. She resisted squirming and concentrated on driving.
Ten minutes later, Brooke followed Nicholas as he turned into the parking lot of the veterinary office. Chase swung in behind her. In the rearview mirror, she noticed Felix rubbing his eyes and looking around. Two squad cars took up two spaces. Jonas tensed and rubbed a hand down his face. “I guess this is where it all begins?”
She nodded. “You’ll have full coverage from this point on.”
“Oh man,” Felix said. “Say hello to Big Brother.”
“Stop,” Jonas said mildly.
Another car pulled in beside them. Brooke tensed as the officers threw open their doors and walked toward the new vehicle. An arm extended out the window. The hand attached to the arm held a badge. Brooke relaxed a fraction. The badge disappeared back into the vehicle and two vests appeared. One of the officers took the vests and brought them over to Brooke. She passed them to Jonas and Felix. “Put these on.”
“Seriously?” Felix uttered a disgusted sigh, but complied. “This is getting totally out of control, you know.”
“Yeah,” Brooke said. “I agree.” She looked at the officer. “Any sign of unwanted visitors?”
“No. We’ve been canvassing the area and the property, doing perimeter searches and everything. It’s been quiet.”
“Well, we’re here now so that’s liable to change.”
He lifted a brow. “Yes, ma’am. And we’re ready.”
Jonas and Felix had the vests on. Felix settled the puppies in his lap. He tapped the vest. “These are really going to help with that head shot. I’m impressed.”
Jonas shot his son a frown. Brooke would have laughed if the situation hadn’t been so serious. She caught Felix’s eye in the rearview mirror and realized he was using sarcasm to deal with the stress. “You’d make a great cop, Felix. You’re a natural.”
He rolled his eyes, but not before she caught a flash of surprised pleasure.
With the other officers surrounding them, the vests not as much protection as she would have liked, they escorted Jonas and Felix into the building. Claire’s eyes went wide and her mouth formed a silent O. Jonas gave her a sheepish look. “Hi, Claire.”
“What is going on?”
“It’s a long story.”
“Obviously.”
Brooke stepped forward. “Have you had any trouble while Jonas has been gone?”
“No, not a bit.” She paused. “Then again, what do you mean by trouble?”
“Anything out of the ordinary? People coming in who shouldn’t be here?” She glanced at Jonas then back to Claire. “People calling and leaving messag
es that make you uneasy?”
Claire frowned and shook her head. “No, nothing like that.” Another pause. “Except maybe the guy who came in right after lunch.”
“What about him?”
“He said he was an old friend of Jonas’s and wanted to talk to him.”
“What was weird about that?”
“When I told him Jonas wasn’t here, but he could leave his name and number, he waved me off and said he’d find him later.”
Brooke leaned in. “Can you describe him for me?”
She shrugged. “Around six feet tall, dark hair, dark eyes. Nothing that really stood out to me. Just an average-looking nice guy.” She snapped her fingers. “Oh, and he had on one of those muscle shirts. He had a tattoo on his right shoulder.”
“A muscle shirt in March?”
“The cold didn’t seem to bother him.”
“Do you have security cameras in here?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Let’s look at the footage.”
Ten minutes later, Jonas worked the mouse and brought up the video of a man entering the front door. He walked up to the desk and Claire greeted him. They talked for less than a minute, then he turned and left. She looked at Jonas. “Do you recognize him?”
“No.”
“I do,” Felix said. She turned to find him staring at the monitor. He looked up and caught her gaze. “That’s the guy that was out at the cliffs the day I found the phone.”
Jonas shook his head. “This is getting beyond crazy.”
Brooke nodded. “I won’t argue that statement. Can you zoom in a little more on him?”
Jonas did and she stepped back. “Nicholas, take a look. Do you recognize him?”
“No. You?”
“No.”
Nicholas and Chase both moved closer. Nicholas narrowed his eyes. “So the guy on the cliffs and the guy who came in here are one and the same,” he said.
Jonas turned to look at Claire. “You didn’t recognize him from anywhere? Ever seen him before?”
Love Inspired Suspense May 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: Trail of EvidenceGone MissingLethal Exposure Page 9
