by Rebecca Deel
Brent cupped her face between his warm palms. “We’ll figure it out, baby. This guy is after records of business transactions. They have to be at his work or hidden in the Maxwell house.”
She sighed. “Guess that’s why someone tore apart Heather’s house. It must not have been the flash drive after all.”
“Might have been both. And since he’s demanding the records, he didn’t find what he was after or someone else got there first.”
Chill bumps surged over her body as she fought down the panic threatening to bring her to her knees. If someone else had taken the records, how would she find them soon enough to free Alexa?
Brent leaned down and kissed her gently. “I won’t rest until I find your niece and free her.”
“How do you know we’ll find her?”
“The kidnapper thinks you have something he wants. He’ll keep coming back around to you because he figures you have the best chance to get what he wants without attracting undue attention from the cops. Tell me about Alexa, sweetheart. Since I’ll be spending a lot of time with her when we get her back, I’d like to know something about her.”
“Alexa can be shy with people she doesn’t know. Once she knows you, though, she’s a regular chatterbox. She has the sunniest personality and a really great laugh. I can’t tell you how many times I went to see her and she would make me feel better with her smile and laugh.”
“Who does she get her personality from?”
That question startled a laugh out of her. “Heather. I never knew Jay to be like that in all the years he was married to my sister. He was always taciturn, determined to have things his way.”
“Do you know how his employees viewed him?”
“I can’t say for sure. I only talked to a couple of them in the past two years and that was a passing conversation when I came by to pick up Heather and Alexa for an outing.” She brushed a kiss over his mouth. “Thanks for giving me a minute to get my emotions under control. What do we do now?”
“Call Taylor.”
“What? No! The kidnapper said not to call in law enforcement.” She couldn’t take the chance on losing Alexa.
Brent wrapped his arms around her. “Taylor needs to know, sweetheart. We can’t tie his hands by holding back information that may help us find Alexa sooner.”
“Fortress can find her faster than the police.”
“Probably. But we need as much intel as we can get. The faster we obtain that information, the sooner you’ll have Alexa back in your arms. Taylor will also be able to do something that we can’t.”
“What’s that?”
“Build a case to arrest this guy and put him away for good. If he gets away with this, you and Alexa will never be safe. He’ll keep coming after you to prevent you from talking.” He stilled in her arms. “Unless you expect me to kill him.”
The breath froze in Rowan’s lungs. No, a thousand times no. She would never ask him to kill someone for her or Alexa. That was wrong on so many levels she didn’t know where to start. “I would never ask that of you, Brent. I value you too much to ask you to compromise your principles.”
Disbelief gleamed in his eyes.
Rowan tightened her grip around his waist. “That is not who you are. You’re not a killer.”
A snort. “You know what I’m capable of, baby.”
“When it’s necessary,” she insisted. “You aren’t a murderer for hire. You’re a protector.”
“There are many people who would disagree with your assessment of my character.”
“Then they are fools, Brent. You’re not an assassin.”
“Thanks,” he murmured.
“If we call Detective Taylor and tell him what’s going on, what will he do?”
“Call the feds.” Brent held up a hand to stem her protest. “He has to call them. The feds have jurisdiction over Alexa’s kidnapping and they are experts in these kinds of cases.”
Rowan thought about that for a moment, striving to calm the panic clamoring in her chest. “Are they better than Fortress?”
“No, but we want them on our side.”
“Are you sure this is the wisest course of action, Brent?”
“It’s the only choice we have unless we plan to operate totally outside the law.”
“Can you do that?”
“Yes. It’s not the smartest thing to do, however. We don’t have time to waste fighting with our own law enforcement agencies. Sometimes they actually help.”
“But not often, right?”
He lifted one shoulder.
Rowan squared her shoulders and nodded. “Make the call.” She just hoped she hadn’t made the biggest mistake of her life, one which might cause her to never see Alexa again.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
As Brent drove away from the funeral home, Rowan sat in silence beside him, staring out the window. With the gloom deepening by the minute, he figured she wasn’t seeing anything except the past, memories of her sister pressing close.
The afternoon had been hard, but Rowan held up well considering her gut-wrenching loss. The service had been scheduled in two days’ time. Hopefully, Rowan would have Alexa back by then. If not, the kidnappers shouldn’t call until after the funeral. The service would begin before noon.
He laced his fingers through hers and squeezed. “We meet with the feds in two hours. You need to eat before we do.”
She shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”
Brent understood, though he longed to argue with her. No point in adding more stress to an already difficult situation. Knowing she needed nourishment, he called Zane’s cell. “You at home or still at Fortress?”
“Home. What do you need?”
“One of those protein shakes you make for Claire. Rowan needs something appetizing but easy to consume.”
“No problem. Swing by. I’ll have it ready for you.”
When Brent ended the call, Rowan turned her head toward him. “A shake?” She sounded skeptical.
“You’ll like it. Sometimes Zane’s wife is so busy on a photo shoot she doesn’t have time to eat a meal. Zane fixes protein shakes for her to keep her going.”
A faint smile curved her mouth. “This better be good. I’m not a fan of protein shakes. I always feel like I’m swallowing a drink full of sand.”
He chuckled, relieved to bring some emotion besides sorrow to Rowan. “No sand, I promise. The shake is chocolate. Claire swears it’s better than any milkshake.”
Brent parked in Zane’s driveway minutes later and glanced at the woman by his side. His heart softened. Rowan had fallen asleep with her head propped against the window. Man, he hated to wake her and wouldn’t if they weren’t meeting the feds.
He’d lain awake much of the night listening to her toss and turn, wishing he could soothe her pain or ease her worry for Alexa. But the truth was he was worried about the child as well. What if he couldn’t find her in time? No, he wouldn’t let himself consider that alternative. Fortress was the best. He and his operatives would find the girl and bring her home.
The least he could do at the moment was make sure Rowan had enough physical strength to deal with questions from the federal agents. Brent hoped the FBI had knowledge to share.
He almost snorted aloud. Right. Like the feds would volunteer anything. At least one of them wouldn’t share. The other, though, might be amenable to sharing intel.
By the time Brent rounded the hood to the passenger side door, Rowan was stirring, her eyes heavy lidded. “Do you want to stay here, babe?” he asked. “I’ll bring the shake to you.”
She shook her head. “I want to meet Claire. I have to be fully awake to handle the feds anyway.”
He leaned down and took his time kissing her. The taste and texture of Rowan sent his heart rate into overdrive. He made himself ease back from her, though he’d love to spend more time indulging his growing addiction.
Brent walked with Rowan to Z’s front door. Before he rang the bell, Zane opened the door.
“Come inside. Welcome to my home, Rowan.” The SEAL backed his wheelchair away from the door to let them pass.
“Thank you for making the shake for me, Zane.”
“Sure thing, sugar.” He zoomed past her to lead the way to the kitchen.
His wife, a petite brunette with a sunny smile, turned away from the sink as they entered the room. Claire hugged Brent. “Good to see you, Brent.” She released him and held out her hand to Rowan. “Claire Murphy.”
“Rowan Scott.”
“Please, sit down.” She waved to the small table. “I’ll bring your shake and we can talk a few minutes before you leave.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Zane murmured to his wife. “Brent, do you want a soft drink?”
He sat next to Rowan. “Sounds good. Thanks.” He could stand another shot of caffeine. If the soft drink didn’t help, he’d stop for coffee. Might ask Zane for a cup. His former teammate made great coffee.
Claire clasped Rowan’s hand briefly. “I’m sorry about your sister and brother-in-law. Has there been any word on your niece?”
“Not yet. We’re meeting with the FBI in a few minutes, but I don’t think they know anything yet.”
“Zane and Brent will find her,” Claire insisted. “They found my brother against all odds and brought him home. Fortress will find Alexa.”
Zane brought Rowan’s shake, then handed Brent a bottled soft drink.
“Adam’s a great guy,” Rowan said.
“You know Adam?” Claire asked, her lips curving.
“I’ve been plying him with coffee and pastries for two days. He’s watching over my employees at Coffee House.”
The other woman laughed. “Hard job, then. I’m glad he’s able to help you out. My brother isn’t very good at rehabbing. He’d rather be assigned to any job than sitting at home doing nothing.”
A small smile curved Rowan’s lips. “Something tells me that’s true of all Fortress operatives.”
“It’s certainly true of Zane.”
“Hey,” Zane protested.
“Just speaking the truth, love.” Claire leaned over and kissed her husband of a few months.
Brent broke the seal on his drink and downed a quarter of the liquid, pleased to see Rowan sipping the shake. Hopefully, she’d drink all of it and keep it down. The woman who was slowly tearing down his barriers had unbelievable strength and he admired her more with every passing hour. Did she know? At the rate his feelings were growing, Brent couldn’t keep the truth from her for long.
“You’re talking to the feds?” Zane asked Brent, his lips curling.
Brent grunted. “Don’t have a choice. Command performance for Rowan and I don’t want her to go alone. They might know something about Alexa’s location or who took her.”
“They’re not known for sharing with others in the sandbox.”
“True. But I know the names of the agents leading the investigation.”
Zane tilted his head. “Mole in the FBI?”
“Better. I asked Stella Armstrong to call in a favor.” Stella was married to one of Durango unit’s members and had been a U.S. Marshal before signing on to be a detective in Otter Creek. “Turns out I served with one of the investigators.”
“A SEAL?”
“This guy changed teams before you came on board. He’s a good man.” Brent paused, memories surfacing. “At least, he used to be a good one.” Brent would still find Alexa, but he hoped to piece together information faster with help from the feds.
“Name?”
“Rafael Torres. Rafe. We served on the same SEAL team for two years.”
Zane’s eyes narrowed. “Heard rumors he’s a hothead.”
“That’s why he was reassigned. SEAL Team Six needed him to have ice in his veins. Torres didn’t.”
Zane whistled. “Tough. How angry was he about the reassignment?”
“Rafe was lucky not to be brought up on charges. Later, though, he admitted being reassigned was the best thing for him and his former teammates.”
Claire and Rowan exchanged puzzled glances. “What’s the big deal?” Claire asked. “To be a SEAL is a great accomplishment. Who cares which team he was assigned to?”
“SEALs are well trained, that’s true. But the men on SEAL Team Six are the best of the best. You have to be asked to join that team and go through an intensive vetting and interview process by the other team members.”
She wrapped her hand around her husband’s. “You’ve never said, but I’m betting you were part of that team.”
He raised one shoulder. “For two years. So was Brent.”
“Why only two years?” Rowan asked Brent.
“Constant high octane missions wear on you after a while. I asked to be reassigned to another team.” He turned to Zane. “Did you look at Maxwell’s two associates?”
The tech guru flicked a glance at Rowan. “I checked into it.”
Brent’s muscles began tightening. “Tell me. No secrets from Rowan. She’ll find out anyway.”
She flashed him a grateful smile.
Yeah, she might be sorry to hear the truth. In his world, the truth was frightening. To a civilian, the same truth would be terrifying.
Zane sighed, his gaze troubled. “Toby Minter was murdered last night.”
The smile faded from Rowan’s mouth as Claire gasped.
“What about Nolan White?” Brent asked.
“Alive for now.”
“You think his life is in danger?” Rowan asked.
“With the company he keeps, definitely.”
“I don’t understand. Are you talking about Jay?”
“Partly. Jay, Toby Minter, and Nolan White all had ties to a cartel in Mexico as well as the six militia groups here.”
Her mouth gaped. “What was the connection?”
“Drugs.”
“What kind of drugs?” Claire asked.
“Cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and Ketamine.”
Rowan pushed aside her empty glass. “That’s how Jay turned his company around so fast. I worked long hours and prayed like crazy that my business would attract loyal customers while my brother-in-law turned into a drug dealer?”
“Time line tracks to when you started Coffee House, baby.”
“And that’s when life for Heather worsened. Jay was more interested in wheeling and dealing than caring for his wife and daughter.” She scowled, her eyes sparking with fury. “How could he deal with those vipers?”
“You play with snakes, you’ll be bitten,” Zane said, his voice soft.
“My brother-in-law wouldn’t believe the danger applied to him. The man thought he was impervious to harm. He wasn’t the only one who paid the price. Jay’s drive for financial success through any means possible cost my sister her life. Now Alexa doesn’t have a mother.”
Ah, man. Brent turned in his seat and wrapped his arms around Rowan. “Alexa has you, sweetheart.”
“It’s not the same as having a parent.” Rowan’s voice dropped to a whisper.
“You love her, Rowan,” Claire said. “That makes her a very lucky girl. Without you, she would be in child protective services. Who knows what kind of living situation she’d have. Because you love her, Alexa will have the security of knowing someone is there for her. Unfortunately, not every child has that advantage.”
“Z, do you have an address on White?” Brent asked.
“Yep. Figured you’d be asking for it.”
“Send it to my cell. I’ll talk to him.”
“We’ll talk to him,” Rowan said, straightening in her seat. “He might be more willing to talk with me along.”
Perhaps. Whether he was willing or not, White would talk. Alexa’s life depended on it.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Rowan’s stomach knotted as Brent parked in Nolan White’s driveway. Her brother-in-law’s colleague might know or suspect something about Alexa’s disappearance. If there was a chance to find her niece faster, Rowan would gladly suppress the uneasi
ness she felt in Nolan’s presence. Couldn’t put her finger on why he bothered her. There was just something about the man that gave her the creeps.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Brent asked.
“We have to learn what he knows so we can find Alexa.”
“You don’t have to do this. I’ll get the information we need.”
She shook her head. “Alexa is mine now.”
“What do you know about White?”
She breathed easier knowing Brent wouldn’t force her to step aside. Rowan knew he wanted to place her in private protective custody. Not happening, though. She wouldn’t live her life hiding in safety while Alexa was in constant danger. “I didn’t spend much time with him.” She was grateful. Her brother-in-law had lousy taste in friends and business associates.
“I see.”
His voice told Rowan he saw too much. She sighed. Brent Maddox was a smart, intuitive man and she didn’t need him punching out Nolan for an imagined offense. He wouldn’t give information if Brent punched him out. “Nolan White is a slimy jerk. Unlike Jay, Nolan never laid a hand on me. He just makes me uncomfortable.”
A sharp nod. “Let’s go. We don’t have much time before we meet the feds.”
At the front door, Brent rang the bell. The large house was lit up with light shining from almost every room. The guy must not be too concerned about paying his light bill.
Finally, the door opened. Nolan White stared at Rowan as though having a hard time believing she stood on his front porch. “Rowan. I’m surprised to see you.” His glanced past her to scan over her shoulder.
Hmm. Nolan looked afraid. He didn’t fear her or know Brent. What made him uneasy? “We need to ask you some questions about Jay.”
His gaze shifted to Brent. “Who’s he?”
Rowan wasn’t sure how to introduce Brent. She didn’t want to compromise Brent’s safety, a necessity in his line of work. She had a feeling the less information about him that Nolan knew, the better. If the wrong people captured Nolan, he’d spill his guts. Brent’s anonymity aided Alexa’s. No matter how often Detective Taylor said the FBI would use every resource to finding her niece, Rowan knew Alexa’s best chance of rescue lay with Brent and his Fortress operatives.
