Harlequin Intrigue June 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: To Honor and To ProtectCorneredUntraceable

by Debra

  Good thing, too, because Evan was pretty sure he would’ve killed him for what he’d done to Juliet if the man wasn’t already in the ground.

  “No, that looks correct. Robert Avilo hasn’t had any outside contact with anyone, as far as we can tell,” Megan confirmed.

  “But...” Evan prodded.

  “But Avilo’s cellmate sends out letters all the time. Sometimes two or three a week. All going to the same person and place. His cousin, a resident of a mental hospital–country club type place in Croatia.”

  “Croatia? Like Europe Croatia?” Evan asked. And what the hell did this have to do with Juliet?

  “It’s a place where rich parents send their bad teenagers and young adults when they’ve gotten into trouble, and they want to keep them out of prison or out of sight. Nonextradition. Of course, that’s interesting, because Croatia has traditionally been a democratic-supporting country at least in terms of socioeconomic—”

  “Honey,” Sawyer said. “Focus.”

  “I’m sorry,” Megan replied. “Anyway, Robert Avilo’s roommate writes to his cousin there all the time. We were able to get a scan of one of the letters, and although it doesn’t mention any names, it definitely includes some details about a rape.”

  Evan could feel cold pooling in his chest. “Who is the cousin, Megan?”

  “It’s not the cousin that’s a big deal. It’s the cousin’s BFF at the hospital, who was just released back to his family about six months ago.”

  “Who?”

  “Christopher Cady. Vince’s son. According to records I hacked, Cady sent him there five years ago at the ripe old age of seventeen, after a fourth woman claimed Christopher attacked her. The Cady family couldn’t buy her off, like they had the others, so needed him out of the country quick.”

  “Juliet said the emails have been coming for about a year,” Evan stated. “Would Christopher have had access to email at this hospital place?”

  “Without a doubt. It’s not a prison, it’s more of a retreat. And when Cady got home six months ago? That’s when the pickup in emails really started.”

  So many things made sense. How the emails became more excitable a few days ago, after Cady met Juliet for the first time. And the looks Evan had seen on Christopher’s face while on the yacht.

  Obsession.

  A man obsessed with Juliet had her in his clutches. The cold in Evan’s chest spread further.

  “Wait, she’s on the move now, actually headed toward you.” Megan provided them coordinates. “Do you want me to send in local PD?”

  “No,” Evan told her. “Police might cause Christopher to do something desperate. But have them on standby.” Evan didn’t want to risk Juliet’s life.

  “Hurry,” Megan said. “If she gets out of range, we’ll lose her. That transmitter is limited. I’ll keep giving you coordinates. Right now, she’s still headed north.”

  “Drive faster,” Evan whispered to Dylan. He prayed they would get to her in time.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Christopher Cady was certifiably insane. Juliet wasn’t sure how she hadn’t seen it before. Now she wished when she’d flipped him on the yacht that he’d fallen overboard.

  Because he was crazy. He really was.

  He had found her by tracking her phone, Christopher had told her. They were in his car back at Annapolis Harbor. Juliet had driven, with Christopher pointing his gun at her and stroking her hair the entire way.

  The gun didn’t freak her out nearly as much as the hair-stroking did. Every touch caused her to cringe, flinch, her flesh crawling.

  She had to keep it together, keep her wits about her, and pray like never before that the emergency transmitter in her necklace was working.

  Evan would get to her. He had to.

  She couldn’t believe they were back at Annapolis Harbor. From where they were parked, Juliet could see the unique three-pronged flagpole in the middle of Susan Campbell Park. It was late; the harbor was empty. Juliet had tried to buy more time by driving as slowly as possible, but she could go only so slow without Christopher realizing she was stalling.

  “I know you don’t love me now, sweetheart.” Christopher twisted a strand of her hair between his fingers as they sat in the parked car. “But you will. I have another boat, one that doesn’t require a staff. It will be just you and me.”

  He got out of the car, keeping his gun pointed at her the entire time as he walked around to her door. He opened it and pulled her out.

  “Christopher, what about Bob? I’m married. I can’t just leave him and run off with you.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m going to get you situated in the boat, then come back and finish your husband for good.”

  “What?”

  “He doesn’t deserve to live, sweetheart. He didn’t protect you when you needed it most. Not eighteen months ago and not yesterday.”

  “Christopher—” Juliet wanted to break through to her captor, but there didn’t seem to be much chance.

  “It was me who protected you yesterday, not him. Because we are meant to be together, you and I.”

  Juliet wasn’t prepared for Christopher’s kiss. Something snapped in her. She bit down on his lip and then pushed him away with all her strength.

  But he was ready for that. She found herself being spun around and flung against the car, Christopher using his weight to hold her there while he yanked her arms behind her back and bound her wrists together with a zip tie. Juliet tried to breathe through the panic.

  “I should be angry, but I’m not. You’re not ready yet, but you will be soon.” He tightened the tie. “This will just help me keep you on the boat until I can take care of Bob. I have to admit I was hoping he would be with you at your house, so I could get rid of him before even talking to you.”

  Thank God they’d arrested Heath Morel and Evan had gone with her brothers to question him. Otherwise, Evan would probably be dead now.

  Christopher grabbed Juliet by the arm and started marching her toward the pier. She knew she couldn’t allow him to get her on that boat. If she did it would cost both her and Evan their lives.

  “Stay quiet. If you yell and someone comes to investigate, I’ll be forced to kill them. You don’t want that on your conscience, do you?”

  No, she didn’t, but she didn’t want to get on that vessel with this lunatic, either. The docks were pretty quiet at this time of night and Juliet didn’t see anyone she could yell to, anyway.

  They were nearing the boat slips now, Christopher angling her toward one of the last ones, where a large sailboat floated serenely in the water. Under other circumstances Juliet would have loved to climb aboard, but now she just wanted to get away. She kept testing the zip tie, hoping to find a way out of it, but to no avail.

  She would have to try to fight Christopher with her arms restrained. Because she sure as hell wasn’t getting on the boat of her own accord.

  Juliet tensed, about to make a move by throwing herself back at Christopher, when a voice called out from the darkness. “I’m not going to let you just take my wife, Christopher.”

  Evan. Thank God.

  Christopher immediately turned toward him, using Juliet as a shield. The two men pointed their weapons at each other.

  “You don’t deserve her. You don’t take care of her. Don’t protect her. She deserves to be with me.” Christopher spat the words.

  “Well...” Evan took a step forward, weapon still raised. “Why don’t we go sit down and talk about this, the three of us? If Lisa wants to leave me to be with you, I’m man enough to accept that.”

  “No!” Christopher’s near hysteria echoed now. “You would try to trick her.”

  He took another few steps backward, dragging Juliet with him until they were on the gangplank that led to the boat.

  “Just put the gun down, Christopher, before someone gets hurt.” Evan tried to talk reason into the younger man, but he was far beyond that at this point.

  “You’re the only one who
’s going to get hurt!” he growled.

  Juliet realized he was no longer waving his gun so wildly. He was taking aim at Evan, ready to shoot.

  “No!” She screamed, throwing her weight into her captor, but he had already gotten off a shot.

  Christopher crumpled onto her. He had been shot from a different angle, not by Evan. He seemed to be badly wounded, but wasn’t dead. His eyes fastened on hers as they hit the railing of the gangplank together.

  “It’s over, Christopher. Bob’s never going to let you leave here with me. Just let me go,” she told the younger man.

  Christopher looked over toward Evan, then back at her. He ran his fingers, now bloody, down her cheek. “We’re destined to be together, sweetheart. Even if it’s in death.”

  Before Juliet could figure out what he meant to do, he threw all his weight forward over the railing, dragging her with him. She could hear Evan yelling for her as she fell with a splash into Annapolis Harbor.

  The freezing water stole Juliet’s breath. Darkness and cold surrounded her, making orientation impossible. She fought to free herself from Christopher’s grip, but with her arms tied behind her back, there was little she could do. He didn’t fight, just wrapped his arms around her as they sank deeper and deeper. She finally hit the bottom of the harbor, landing face-first, with him on top of her.

  Juliet’s lungs screamed for air. She bucked and twisted, to no avail, and was giving up hope when she felt Christopher’s body finally—finally—shift away. In the dark water she couldn’t tell what had happened. Had he lost consciousness? Died? Had someone pulled him off?

  Juliet pushed off against the bottom as hard as she could, then kept kicking, but it wasn’t enough. With her hands restrained behind her back and the weight of her waterlogged clothes and shoes, she couldn’t get to the surface. She fought as hard as she could, but couldn’t reach the precious air. Juliet wasn’t even sure if she was heading in the right direction any longer. Blackness surrounded her.

  She wouldn’t give up. She kept kicking, but the need for oxygen overrode everything. Instinct took over and she opened her mouth to breathe, but all she took in was water.

  She stopped fighting as the blackness consumed her.

  * * *

  EVAN DIVED UNDER the water of the harbor again, as did Dylan and Sawyer. All of them screaming for Juliet.

  It had been only moments since Christopher Cady had pulled her into the dark bay. But they were running out of time. Juliet was running out of time. Evan had found Cady in the depths, but hadn’t been able to find her. Evan didn’t even bother dragging Christopher up, just pushed him aside and kept searching for Juliet.

  He couldn’t lose her. Not now, when they’d really just found each other.

  But the black water seemed to swallow everything whole.

  Evan wouldn’t give up. No matter what, he would keep searching for Juliet. He dived again, but in the opposite direction from where they’d been searching. He stretched his arms out as far as they would reach, hoping to feel her, since there was no way he’d be able to see her. He swam around until the need for air once again forced him upward.

  And that’s when he felt something hit against his ankle. He immediately spun around in the water.

  Juliet!

  But she wasn’t swimming. Oh God, she wasn’t moving at all.

  Evan grabbed her lifeless form and began dragging them both toward the surface. As he broke through, drawing in much-needed air, he realized Juliet wasn’t breathing.

  “Sawyer, Dylan! I’ve got her!” They had to get her to shore so they could start CPR. It wasn’t too late. She hadn’t been in there that long.

  It couldn’t be too late.

  Evan dragged Juliet over to the pier, where her brothers had made their way out of the water. He handed her still form up to them.

  Somebody cut the zip tie off her hands so she could lie flat on the pier. Both her brothers immediately began CPR, one giving breaths, one doing chest compressions, as Evan climbed up beside them.

  In the pale light of the poorly lit pier, Juliet’s skin had a horrible bluish tinge to it. He didn’t know if it was from cold or lack of oxygen. Her lifelessness was the scariest thing Evan had ever seen.

  He knelt beside her. “Come on, baby. Don’t you give up. Not now, not when we’ve just found each other.” Evan didn’t care if her brothers heard.

  “Jules, I love you. I always have. Fight, baby. Fight for us.” Evan couldn’t stop the tears that were streaming down his cheeks. “I love you. I can’t live without you,” he whispered.

  Juliet’s whole body seemed to convulse, causing her brothers to stop the CPR and pull back. They turned her to the side as she vomited half the harbor. Finally, she rolled onto her back of her own accord. Although she shivered, her skin had lost much of its blue tinge. Dylan and Sawyer slid her over and began wrapping their dry jackets, which they’d left on the dock before diving into the water to save Juliet, around her for warmth.

  Juliet had eyes only for Evan. “Hey.” Her voice was raspy, strained from the vomiting.

  Evan smiled and pushed a strand of hair out of her face. “Hey, gorgeous.”

  Sawyer slapped him on the back. “Congrats, man. First time I’ve seen a declaration of undying love cause a woman to puke her guts out. Impressive.”

  Evan smiled, but didn’t take his eyes from Juliet.

  “You want to tell me exactly what’s going on with you two?” Sawyer asked.

  “We’ll give you guys a minute.” Dylan cut Sawyer off. “Go call this in. Get Jules a real blanket.” He grabbed his younger brother and start pulling him away, despite Sawyer’s indignant responses.

  All Evan wanted to do was look at Juliet. To touch her. To know she was alive.

  “I heard you, you know,” she croaked. “So did my brothers. No going back now, because I love you, too. You’re stuck with me.”

  Relief flooded Evan, chasing away every last bit of panic. Juliet loved him the way he loved her.

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He took her hand in his. “You’re still wearing Lisa Sinclair’s wedding band, you know.”

  “Yeah, I didn’t have a chance to take it off.”

  “How about if we get a set that’s yours and mine, rather than Lisa and Bob’s?”

  Juliet smiled even though she was shivering. “You’ve got yourself a deal. Although I’m going to make you propose again, properly this time, once you get me a ring.”

  She started to sit up, so Evan helped her. “That would be my pleasure.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

  “But we’ll still get to be Lisa and Bob in the future, right? I want to take Vince Cady down,” Juliet told him from against his chest. A worried note came into her voice. “Do you think we’ve ruined everything with the case? Christopher’s dead, right?”

  “Don’t worry. You and I won’t even be placed at the scene by the time the report gets back to Vince Cady. Bob and Lisa will have their chance to make sure Cady goes down.”

  “Good. I’m ready, not so scared anymore.”

  Evan kissed her forehead. “There will be times when we’re both scared, but we’ll face it together. You and I make a pretty good team.”

  “Both on cases and off.” She pulled his arms more securely around her.

  Neither of them had any doubts about it.

  * * * * *

  Janie Crouch’s OMEGA SECTOR miniseries comes to a gripping conclusion next month with Dylan’s story.

  Look for LEVERAGE wherever

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  Keep reading for an excerpt from SECURITY BREACH by Mallory Kane.

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  Chapter One

  Murray Cho had always worked hard, as a boy in Vietnam after his parents were killed and in America after he immigrated. But the so-called land of opportunity was not accurately named, at least not for a poor immigrant from Vietnam. Eventually, he managed to buy a shrimp boat in a small town in South Louisiana on Bayou Bonne Chance and make enough of a living to take a wife and have a son.

  But when Patrick was five, Murray’s wife ran off, leaving him to rear his son alone. He and Patrick had made it just fine until two months ago, when gun smugglers hid their booty in Murray’s shrimp warehouse and hurt his reputation. So Murray moved himself, Patrick and his shrimp boat to a dock near Gulfport.

  For a couple of weeks, Murray had thought the move was a good one, until an ominous voice on his phone had shattered his peaceful fisherman’s existence. The voice threatened harm to his son, Patrick, if he didn’t follow their directions with no questions.

  It wasn’t difficult to figure out why the men had chosen him. He was at once familiar and suspicious to the people of Bonne Chance. Brandishing a gun at and threatening the smugglers who’d used the old seafood warehouse he’d bought as a depository for the automatic handguns they were smuggling into the United States had not helped his reputation in the town.

  Stealing a laptop from Tristan DuChaud’s home had been a piece of cake, once Patrick had shown him how to disarm a security system. He didn’t want to know how his son knew that. All he wanted to do was leave the laptop computer where he’d been instructed and go back to his simple life. With any luck that was the last he’d hear from the men.