Tate (Lighthouse Security Investigations Book 6)

by Maryann Jordan

  “I don’t know how long David collected things out here,” Tate said. “There’s plenty of food, but some of those boxes that are in one of the outbuildings are pretty old. This may have been a place that he started years ago for the eventual government takeover that he thinks is going to happen right here on Elk Mountain, but as he used more drugs and got more involved in that business, I’m not sure his mind was very sound.”

  “What about the others?”

  “Kenneth is his nephew, and it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of family, so that may just be a relationship that Kenneth clung onto and David used. Bob, as you say, does not appear to be very swift, but he made an excellent gofer and possible fall guy. If he’d gotten caught trying to get David out of the hospital, I think David and Kenneth would’ve given him up easily to the police.”

  “What about the drug lab? I didn’t see it, but you said it was close to the cabin. Wasn’t that dangerous?”

  “Absolutely. There’s always a risk of fire or explosion because a lot of what they’re using is volatile. They're also breathing in those toxic fumes even if they’re not ingesting the drugs themselves.”

  “Who was Porter meeting to get the drugs from?”

  “She was a pharmacy tech from the hospital that I saw at the rest stop. She’s been stealing and getting extra prescriptions of pseudoephedrine. That’s what they used for the meth.”

  “Oh, my gosh! What was her name? It’s a small medical center and I would probably know her.”

  “Mary Bingle.”

  Eyes wide, she nodded. “I know her.” She shrugged, then amended, “Well, I’ve never talked to her, but I’ve heard of her. I’ve seen her name on prescriptions when I had to send doctor’s orders for meds.”

  “Well, I’m sure the police will investigate what’s going on at the hospital to make sure she was the only one involved.”

  Shaking her head slowly, she thought about everything that had changed in the past twenty-four hours. Turning so that their bodies were flushed together, she lifted her arms to go around his neck. Standing on tiptoe, she pressed a kiss to his lips and loved the feel of his muscular arms banding tighter around her. The kiss flamed hot as their noses bumped and tongues tangled, and he pulled her tighter against him.

  Her breasts felt heavy, and as his tongue thrust into her mouth, she felt the electricity shoot straight to her core. Squeezing her legs together, she longed to ease the desire for friction.

  He finally pulled away, dropping his head forward so his chin rested on the top of her head. He winced as her fingertips grazed over his injury.

  “Are you okay? Is it your shoulder?”

  His lips curved into a grin as one hand slid down to her ass and pressed her closer. She felt his hard erection against her stomach and her eyes widened.

  “No, I’m not okay. Right now, my cock wants to be buried deep inside you, and no way can that happen.”

  Before she had a chance to respond, the distant sounds of an engine met their ears. Squeezing her waist, he kissed her quickly. “Looks like we can roll out the welcome mat, babe.”

  23

  Nora felt the loss of Tate’s warm body as he patted her ass and then walked over to snag his coat off the floor. Pulling it on, he fastened it securely and then kissed her forehead before throwing open the door and moving through quickly.

  She wanted to run after him, but the blast of icy air for the few seconds the door was open reminded her that the weather was still harsh even if the worst of the storm had passed. Standing at the door, she peered out at the sparkling winter wonderland. The mountains were magnificent in all seasons, but there was a special beauty when the entire world lay in a clean blanket of white snow. Casting her mind back to the cabin, she shivered, thinking of how such a picturesque scene could hide such evil.

  Increasingly louder engine sounds drew her attention back to the edge of the woods where the lane led to the cabin. It did not take long for a snowmobile to burst through, heading directly through the clearing.

  Tate stayed near the front door, his smile wide and his arm raised in greeting. Wanting to be at his side, she looked around to see if there was something she could put on for warmth, then sighed heavily, knowing he would want her to stay inside the safety of the shelter. Continuing to stare out the door, she observed the snowmobile driver cut off his engine, climb from the seat, and unsnap his helmet.

  The man approaching Tate was as large as he, dark-haired and wide-shouldered. Must be his teammate. They greeted with tight, back-pounding hugs. He winced and she knew a slap landed on his injured shoulder. No longer willing to stay in the cabin, she threw open the door and rushed outside. She immediately halted, her nursing clogs inadequate in the deep snowdrifts and the snow hitting her face causing a squeak to leave her lips.

  Tate turned and hustled to her, immediately unsnapping his jacket so that she could push her body next to his. The jacket was large enough that he could wrap it around the back of her, pressing her body close to his warmth.

  “Nora, you shouldn’t be out here. It’s freezing.”

  Looking up, she said, “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t stay. Plus, I know your shoulder hurts.” She shifted around inside his jacket so that she could peer out at the man who approached. “He was stabbed in the shoulder.”

  The other man immediately dropped his grin, but Tate just shook his head. “Hate to admit it, but I let the fucker get a blade in.”

  “That’s not true! He threw himself in front of me and took the knife instead.”

  Tate’s chest rumbled against her back as he chuckled. “Clay, I should introduce my defender. This is Nora Stiles, nurse extraordinaire. Nora, I’d like you to meet my teammate, Clay.”

  Clay continued to smile as he greeted her until his gaze landed on her bruised cheek. Tate squeezed her middle and said, “We need to get inside. I want to keep her warm.”

  She moved back inside the tiny shelter, not surprised that Clay stayed in the doorway even when Tate followed her.

  “I came on up early,” Clay said. He reached into his pockets and pulled out power bars, handing them out. “I wanted to get to you two while the others were gathering the snow coaches and heading up toward the cabin at a slower pace.”

  “How will we get down?” She unwrapped the bar and gratefully began munching. Clay and Tate shared a glance, words not appearing necessary between them. “Oh, no you don’t,” she argued. “Don’t do the silent talk where I don’t know what is going on!”

  Clay grinned and inclined his head toward her. “I think I like her, Tate.” Turning toward her, he added, “You keep him on his toes.”

  “Years of practice,” she muttered, still watching them warily.

  Tate scrubbed his hand over his head and sighed. “Okay, Nora. We have one snowmobile right now and the best thing to do is to have it take all three of us back up the mile to the cabin. There we can meet with the others, and I’ll be able to borrow a snowmobile to take us down.”

  “Okay.”

  Tate’s brows lifted and he cocked his head to the side. “Okay?”

  “Um… yeah… okay.” Now it was her turn to lift her brow. “Why not?”

  “Because I hate the idea of having you go back into that place.” He reached out and cupped her face, his eyes worried.

  Smiling, she shook her head. “Tate, I’m not afraid of the cabin. It wasn’t great to be there, but that’s over with. I can move on. You probably need to be up there while they get David, and I know once we get back to town I’m going to have to talk to the police.” She reached up and wrapped her fingers around his wrist, giving a little squeeze. “I’m with you… it’s all good.”

  “Damn, now I know I like her,” Clay said, gaining an eye roll from Tate. “I’m ready whenever y’all are.”

  “I just need to wrap my feet in plastic bags again.”

  Clay glanced down and shook his head. “Damn, I wish I could’ve brought some boots for you.”

  “Well, if I h
ad my fuckin’ head on straight, I could’ve told you,” Tate groaned.

  “It’s not for much longer and being on the snowmobile will be a lot better than walking through the snow!” She sat and quickly tied the bags over her feet and secured them around her ankles. With Bob’s coat wrapped around her and Tate’s hooded scarf pulled over her head, she looked up. “I’m as ready as I’m ever going to be.”

  The three tramped over to the snowmobile and Clay climbed on, scooting as close to the front as he could and still be able to control the vehicle.

  “You next, babe. You’ll be more protected between us.”

  She threw her leg over the seat and scooted close to Clay, allowing Tate to settle on the back. It was a tight fit, but she immediately felt protected between the two large men. Clay fired up the engine, and with a jolt, they started forward. He kept the pace slower, and they took a path that skirted around the woods they had gone through the previous night. But with the powerful engine hurling them forward, they made it to the cabin in less than ten minutes.

  As they approached, she heard the roar of more snowmobiles and snow coaches coming up the main lane that Porter had taken the other day… yesterday… was it just yesterday? Still stunned at how crazy the past day had been, she barely registered they had stopped. Still pressed between Tate and Clay, her body had been carefully protected. Now, as Tate climbed off, the cold air hit her back.

  “Come on, Nora. I want you out of the cold for the few minutes that it’ll take to get things done here.”

  She looked toward the men climbing off snowmobiles and descending from the snow coaches, some with FBI or DEA embroidered in large letters on the back of their coats. Twisting her head upward, she said, “Honey, I know you’ve got a lot of work to do. I can stay in the cabin by myself.”

  “I’ll get you in there first, babe, and then go back out to talk to everyone. I don’t want you around when we bring David and the others out. Plus, Levi is going to be interviewing you and so will Billy. He’s in one of the snow coaches that the sheriff’s department sent.”

  Not surprised by that information, she nodded. Walking awkwardly with her plastic bag-covered shoes, she squealed as he scooped her up and carried her inside the cabin. She slipped out of her jacket and turned toward the first man who entered and greeted Tate before addressing her.

  “Ma’am, you can call me Levi,” the FBI agent said. “I’m going to have Tate take us around to secure the prisoners and take a look at the meth lab. As soon as I do that, I can turn the lab over to the people who’ll work on dismantling it safely, and the sheriff’s department will escort the prisoners back to jail. As soon as we can, we’ll let Tate go and he can get you back down the mountain. Once there, we’ll need to meet with you for an interview. Does that sound okay?”

  She smiled and nodded. “Please, call me Nora. I’m sure you don’t need my permission, Levi, but yes, that’s perfectly fine.”

  His gaze shifted around, landing on the kitchen, and he grimaced. “What a dump.” Looking at Tate, he said, “Let’s go get ‘em.”

  Tate bent and kissed her lightly on the lips, mumbling, “Be back as soon as I can.”

  She stayed near the door even though the cold morning air hit her. It was surreal watching the activity of law enforcement as they swarmed the area. The snow had come to a stop, and visibility was now clear, allowing her to easily see what was happening.

  Two men with FBI jackets came out with Bob in handcuffs and he was led to one of the snow coaches.

  She watched as the same procedure happened with Kenneth. She was unable to see where David came from, but he was marched forward, placed in a snow coach, also.

  Turning away from the door, she stood in the middle of the cabin and looked around. Tate mentioned that some of the boxes in the back and outbuildings were old. She wondered how long David had been living this kind of existence… stockpiling food, ammunition, and weapons for the eventual war that seemed to exist only in his mind. Hearing a noise from the front, she turned and spied Billy. He grinned and opened his arms. Glad for the familiar face, she rushed forward and accepted his hug.

  “Good to see you, Nora. Gotta tell you that when I realized you’d been taken, I couldn’t believe it. I kept blaming myself, wishing that I had been up there in the room.”

  Shaking her head, she said, “There was nothing you could do. He came in with a gun and caught us all by surprise.”

  “Well, I’ve got to get your statement, but I know Agent Amory does too. As soon as we get back to town, we can go over it together.”

  “What about the other deputy? Was he okay?”

  Snorting, Billy said, “Bart? Nothing hurt about him but his pride.”

  A few minutes later, Levi, Tate, and Clay stepped into the cabin as well. With the group of large men in the small cabin, the space felt tiny, and yet, with the smiles abounding between them, she did not feel crowded. Despite the mass of bodies, Tate easily maneuvered his way to her, wrapping his arm around her.

  “You okay, babe? I know you’re tired and hungry, and I want to get you back down the mountain as soon as we can.”

  She smiled up at him and nodded.

  “Nora?” Levi began, “I want you and Tate to get back to Rawlins. You both need to be checked out at the medical center, and I know this ordeal has been exhausting. I need to stay up here with some of the deputies, DEA, and my fellow agents to process everything that’s here, including the meth lab. If you’re okay going back down the mountain with Tate on my snowmobile, I’ll get a ride back in the snow coach. There are vehicles on the main road for you to take back.”

  “Thank you!” she exuded, squeezing Tate’s waist while nodding with enthusiasm. “I’m so ready to get off this mountain.”

  “This will make the trip down the mountain better for you,” Billy said, handing her a large ski suit and sheriff’s department coat.

  Grateful, she took them and pulled them over her scrubs. A few minutes later, she smiled up at Tate. “I’m ready when you are. Take me home.”

  “Babe, I’ve been waiting forever for you to say those words to me.” Bending, he kissed her lightly. “Let’s go.”

  They walked out with Clay to the snowmobiles. Levi had handed his helmet to Tate who made sure it fit snugly on her head. Climbing aboard, she wrapped her arms around Tate’s middle, scooted her crotch to his ass, and tightened her knees next to his thick thighs.

  He twisted his head to the side and called out, “Hold on, baby!”

  Excitement scored through her as she grasped him tightly. The engines fired and as they lurched forward, she squealed in delight. Clay took the lead, and she did not doubt that if she was not on the back, Tate would have raced down the mountain. Instead, he made the trip as gentle as he could as they flew past thick forests, down to where the vegetation was more snow-covered scrub brush. She enjoyed this trip much more than the previous day coming up the mountain.

  Her smile split her face as the wind whistled by. Sucking in the cold, fresh air, she hoped she would have another chance to take a snowmobile ride with Tate, preferably on a date instead of heading to the hospital and police station.

  It did not take long for them to make it to the highway where several SUVs and an ambulance waited. As the engine shut down, she climbed off the back, immediately hating to lose contact with Tate’s body. Pulling off her helmet, she stepped to the side to give Tate room to do the same. Uncertain what was expected of her, she looked to him for direction.

  “I want you to go back to town in the ambulance.”

  She continued to stare at him, hearing his words but not understanding them. “Me? Why do you want me to go in the ambulance? You’re the one he stabbed!”

  “Babe, you’ve been through trauma. I want to make sure you’re okay.”

  “I’ll be okay as long as I’m with you. I don’t want to go back to town in the ambulance unless you’re in the ambulance with me and I know you’re being checked out.”

  Staring
down at her with his hands on his hips, he said, “Are we seriously standing out in the freezing cold, arguing about who’s worse off and going in the ambulance?”

  Mocking his posture, her hands landed on her hips. “I guess we are.”

  He finally sighed and shook his head slowly. “Okay, you win. We’ll both go in the ambulance and meet everybody at the hospital.”

  A bark of laughter sounded out behind them, and she looked to see Clay grinning at them. “And another one bites the dust,” he muttered through his smile.

  Rolling her eyes, she tugged on Tate’s hand, dragging him through the snow toward the ambulance.

  “Are you both coming?” the paramedic asked, a smile on her face as well, having obviously heard their conversation.

  “I’m a nurse at Rawlins Hospital and this man has a stab wound in the shoulder. I treated it last night with what I had, but it needs to be looked at. For me, there’s just fatigue and a bruised jaw.”

  As though to prove his shoulder was not too bad, Tate boosted her up into the back of the ambulance before hauling himself in. “Looks like you heard from the boss.”

  He sat down on the bed, and the paramedic and EMT shifted around to make room for both of them. With his coat off, he slid his arm out from his shirt, exposing the bandaged shoulder.

  Nora was seated to the side, her blood pressure and temperature being taken, but when she spied the blood on the bandage, she lunged forward.

  “Nurse, have a seat,” the paramedic ordered. “You need to take care of you and let us deal with this now.”

  She knew he was right, but she hated seeing Tate’s blood. Settling back, she let the EMT finish her blood pressure reading while the paramedic began cutting off the bandage from Tate’s shoulder.