by Rebecca Deel
Heidi glanced at Quinn. “When do I start work?”
“Tomorrow too soon?”
A quick smile. “That’s perfect. Charlie’s welcome?”
“Of course. You can’t demonstrate how a well-trained S & R dog behaves without him. Deke already set up a training area for the dogs and owners. You and Charlie can try it out tomorrow, see if we’re missing anything. Your first class of trainees arrives next week. If you’re ready, we’ll head to your place.”
“I hope you all have medical insurance,” she muttered.
Amusement swirled through Quinn. “Why?”
“The couch is a monster-sized sectional.”
“No problem.” He escorted Heidi and Charlie from the building to the parking lot.
Heidi headed for a black SUV parked next to his. “Oh, goodness,” she murmured.
“What is it?”
“Is that your SUV?”
“Yeah, it is. Something wrong?” He scanned his vehicle, stopped on the jagged scratch running the length of his ride. Fury welled up. Someone had keyed his SUV.
CHAPTER FOUR
Ethan Blackhawk, police chief of Otter Creek, leaned back in his chair, the annoying squeak as familiar to him now as seeing his face in a mirror. Hard to believe almost three years had passed since the day he first walked into this office, an outsider tasked with replacing the retired chief who served for thirty years.
Those first days were tough. In this small, close-knit town, no one trusted him. A smile curved his lips. No one, that is, except for a gutsy blond witness who had captured his interest and eventually his heart. Coming to Otter Creek, Tennessee, had changed his life. New job, a wife, and now in a matter of days, a baby.
Ethan’s heart squeezed at the thought of the precious life growing inside the love of his life. With his background and career, he never thought any woman would risk loving him. But Serena Cahill Blackhawk had taught him the true meaning of courage, and his life would never be the same. All he could do was show her each day how much he loved her and their baby.
His assistant, Trudy, buzzed him. “Lt. Parrish is on line 1, sir.”
“Thanks.” He snatched up the hand set. “Lieutenant, it’s been a while. How is your wife?”
A pause, then the deep bass voice said, “As beautiful as ever. And Serena?”
“She swears she’ll be pregnant forever.”
Parrish chuckled. “Not long now, I suppose.”
“No, sir. Doc Anderson says the baby can come any time now. We can’t wait to hold our child.”
“Congratulations, Ethan. I’m happy for both of you.”
“Thank you, sir.” Something in his voice told Ethan his former commander was worried. Anything that made tough-as-nails Wade Parrish worry wouldn’t be good. And though he and Parrish were friends of a sort, the grizzled cop wouldn’t call just to shoot the breeze. Wasn’t his style. No, something bad was going on. “What’s wrong?”
A wry laugh drifted through the handset. “You always were the most perceptive officer under my command.”
“Give it to me straight, Lieutenant.”
“Someone needs to be with Serena at all times. Someone you trust implicitly and who is at least as dangerous as you.”
Ethan stilled, his heart rate picking up speed. “Why?”
“Your old pal Hans Muehller escaped from Herlong.”
Ice flowed in his veins even as his mind raced. Serena was with his aunt today, cooking meals for Ruth to store in her freezer and heat later. Home Runs, his wife’s personal chef business, was booming these days, a fact which was good for their bank account but a source of worry for Ethan in light of her advanced pregnancy. He’d finally convinced Serena to carry a light-weight stool with her when she had these marathon cooking sessions. Although he hoped voicing his concern had persuaded her to take the extra precaution, he suspected it was her swollen ankles that led to her capitulation. Serena was stubborn, but she loved their baby as fiercely as she loved her husband. He was so blessed to have her in his life.
His hand tightened around the handset. No one, not Hans Muehller nor anyone else, would take her or his child. He’d kill anyone who tried. “Should have sent him to a maximum security prison.”
“Agreed. Too bad the federal prosecutor didn’t see it our way.”
“Do the marshals know Muehller’s loose?” Serena’s friend, Pam, had testified against the man and had entered the witness security program. Though Ethan was concerned for his wife’s safety, he didn’t want the former citizen of Otter Creek caught off guard if the international assassin happened to track her down. His gut told him Serena was in far more danger than Pam. The courageous mother of his child had testified in the same trial and was responsible for his life sentence.
“The handler knows and is relocating the witness and giving her a new identity.”
Ethan breathed a little easier. At least Pam should be safe from Muehller’s reach. “Any indication where he’s headed?”
“My guess is straight to Otter Creek. In reality, no one’s seen him since he escaped. However, a murder in Nevada this morning matched his M.O.”
“How did Muehller escape?”
“Female guard fancied herself in love with him, got him assigned to kitchen duty. Muehller killed a food delivery driver, stole his uniform, and drove out the gate without anyone stopping him.”
“What about the guard?”
“Knocked her out and left her to face the consequences. She swears she didn’t know he would kill anyone.”
Ethan grunted. “What did she think he’d gone to prison for? Stealing Girl Scout cookies?”
A soft groan from his lieutenant. “Please. My wife has me on a diet that doesn’t include cookies. Listen, I’ll keep my ear to the ground, pass along any updates.” He paused. “Unless you have your own sources to draw information from.”
He thought about his new detective, Stella Armstrong, and her former US Marshal partner, Deke Creed, now working for Personal Security International. In addition, Fortress Security owed him a few favors. He’d call in every marker he had to protect his wife and child. “I have a few resources to tap. I’d still appreciate hearing anything you pick up.”
“You got it. I’ll be in touch soon.” The call ended.
Ethan’s lips twitched. Parrish never bothered with good phone etiquette. Between friends and former colleagues, the courtesy wasn’t needed. He glanced at the clock, decided it might be wise to check on his wife.
After a stop by the diner to purchase three of the day’s special, Ethan drove to his aunt’s place. A quick knock at the back door and he let himself into the kitchen where he knew the dearest women in his life would be located.
Sure enough, he pushed open the door to see Serena and Ruth sitting at the kitchen table, a mug of tea in front of each woman.
“Ethan!” Serena’s blue eyes lit from within as a broad smile curved her lush mouth. Yeah, he was still convinced Serena Blackhawk was the most beautiful woman on the planet. That sentiment would never change. “What are you doing here, love?”
“Looking for the two most gorgeous women in Otter Creek.” He held up the large bag in his other hand. “I come bearing gifts.”
Ruth’s gaze took in the familiar logo emblazoned on the bag. “Anything from Delaney’s Diner is mouth-watering. You’re welcome to come any time without bearing gifts, Ethan.”
“Good to know.” He leaned down to kiss her soft cheek. “How is the new book coming?”
“Slow as molasses. I can’t come up with an inventive way to kill the protagonist’s uncle.”
Ethan set the bag in the center of the table and distributed the to-go containers filled with meatloaf, green beans, and mashed potatoes. “Go to a movie with one of your friends. Might help you to think about something else for a while.”
“Great idea. There’s an action film at the theater that Alice and I have been wanting to see. Might be just what I need to jumpstart my imagination. Alice loves to
brainstorm plots with me and she always has interesting suggestions.”
He shared an amused glance with Serena. After spending so many hours with his aunt, his wife knew how Ruth’s mind worked. The best-selling author had a penchant for trouble, though. A couple months back, she sprained her wrist while riding a hover board. She had been lucky the damage wasn’t more severe. Doc Anderson had made Ruth to stay off hover boards in the future.
Ethan circled the table, leaned down and kissed Serena. “How are you, baby?”
His wife rubbed the mound of her belly. “Still pregnant.”
He smiled, laid his hand on the side of her stomach. Seconds later, a solid thump nudged his hand and made him chuckle.
“Baby Blackhawk is running out of room in there,” Serena murmured.
Kneeling, Ethan leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her belly. He loved Serena and this baby so much he could barely breathe. Losing them would destroy him. He glanced up to find his wife watching him.
“What’s wrong, love?”
Did she have to be so perceptive? He normally admired that about her, but not now and not in this situation. The last thing Ethan wanted was to worry Serena. They’d never lied to each other. He wouldn’t start now. He simply told her the truth. “Lt. Parrish called. Muehller escaped.”
Color drained from Serena’s face as her hands cradled her belly, unconsciously protecting their child. Man, he adored this woman more every day. Instead of being afraid for herself, her first instinct was to protect the small life she carried.
“What will we do?” she whispered.
“Wait, watch, prepare. If he comes to Otter Creek, I’ll take care of him.” Permanently.
CHAPTER FIVE
Heidi turned into her driveway and stopped a good distance from the loaded truck. She breathed a sigh of relief. Everything appeared untouched. Otter Creek wasn’t a big city, she reminded herself. No need to worry about a crime wave. He wouldn’t find her here. She was safe. For now.
Quinn Gallagher parked his damaged vehicle behind hers. Guess vandals lived in small towns, too. The fact the damage occurred on PSI grounds disturbed Heidi. Quinn definitely wasn’t happy. Was the angry trainee responsible for the damage? The leaders of PSI had resources at their disposal. Whoever committed the crime messed with the wrong people.
Thinking about the confrontation between Carstairs and Josh Cahill sent chills over her skin. Heidi didn’t know their military background, but Quinn and his unit had intimidation down to an art form.
Heidi released Charlie from the back. He stayed at her side. “Good boy,” she murmured, rubbing his head. “Welcome home, Charlie.” She unlocked the front door and waited for Quinn who spoke into his phone as he approached.
“Yeah, I know I should have waited at PSI. Tough, Rod. There’s nothing to see in the parking lot. No broken glass. No convenient clues left waiting for you to process.” He rattled off Heidi’s address. “I’m helping our new S & R instructor move into her house. When you get a break, bring your kit. We’ll feed you a hamburger.” Quinn shoved his phone into his pocket. “Sorry. One of the police detectives griped because I left the scene of the crime.”
“Go back to PSI. Your friends will be here soon.”
“Rod knows where to find me.”
“I don’t want you in trouble because of me.”
He sent her a look that quelled further arguments. Fine. Quinn was man enough to dig himself out of trouble with the law. He’d encountered more than his fair share of scrutiny as a teenager. Regret swamped Heidi. Her family had caused Quinn’s such heartache. He must hate them.
Heidi opened the door. “Charlie, inside.” Her Lab trotted into the house. The few boxes she’d unloaded by herself before the interview were in the living room against the far wall. She ripped the packing tape off a box marked Charlie.
“Give me the keys. I’ll start unloading,” Quinn said.
Once he left, Heidi took Charlie to the backyard with some of his toys and let the dog explore his new surroundings. After providing water for Charlie and checking the gate, Heidi returned to the driveway. Quinn was heading to the house with his arms full of boxes.
“Here.” She hurried to him. “I can take one of those.”
Quinn grinned. “Plenty more in the truck. These are mine. By the way, appreciate you labeling the boxes. The move will go much faster. Where’s the master bedroom?”
“Down the hall, last door on the right.”
“Charlie?”
“Backyard. He spent a long time in my SUV today.”
Another SUV parked in her driveway. Alex climbed from his vehicle and opened the back door. A gorgeous blond Lab hopped out. Oh, man. Just look at that dog. So beautiful.
Heidi headed for the newcomers. “Thanks so much for helping,” she said to Alex before turning her attention to the dog. “Hi, buddy.” She held out her fisted hand for the Lab to sniff.
“This is Spenser.”
“You are such a handsome boy, Spenser.” She glanced at Alex. “Charlie’s in the backyard.” She led Alex and his dog around the side of the house and opened the gate. Charlie trotted over and the sniff-and-wag party began. Before long, the two Labs were involved in a game of tug-of-war with a rope.
Quinn came to stand beside Heidi and watched the dogs tussle. “Looks like Spenser has a new friend to play with.”
Alex smiled. “So it seems. How long have you two been here?”
“Ten minutes.” A scowl from Quinn. “Rod hassled me for leaving PSI without waiting for him.”
His friend stiffened. “Something happen?”
“Someone keyed my SUV.”
Alex frowned. “I followed Carstairs all the way to the parking lot. He didn’t touch your ride, Quinn. Have you checked the security cams?”
“Not yet. Got to give Rod something to do.”
Alex shook his head. “You like to live dangerously.”
An unrepentant grin from the other man. “Been too quiet around here.”
Heidi hoped Otter Creek stayed quiet. She’d had enough excitement.
“I love quiet evenings at home with my wife, buddy. Don’t mess that up.” Alex followed Quinn to the damaged SUV with Heidi trailing behind. He whistled at the damage. “Nasty. Gouge goes to the armor plating. Needs to be fixed soon, Quinn.”
“I already called Bear and arranged to drop this off tomorrow morning and pick up a loaner.”
“You have a session tomorrow morning?”
“CQC at eight.”
“What’s that?” Heidi asked. Sounded like some kind of military acronym.
“Close quarters combat.” He turned to Alex. “Can you cover the class?”
“No problem. My first session is at ten.”
“I owe you one.”
Alex waved that aside and hopped in the back of the truck. He grabbed two boxes. “Guest room?” he asked Heidi.
And so began Heidi’s duties as director of operations. The rest of Quinn’s teammates and their wives or bride-to-be arrived and jumped in to help. Once the truck was empty and the front door closed, she brought in Charlie and Spenser. After making the greeting rounds, both dogs flopped down in front of the fireplace and fell asleep. The sight brought a smile to her face.
“Dinner time,” Josh’s wife, Del, said. “I’m starving.”
“Me, too.” Ivy dropped into the nearest kitchen chair. “Please tell me you brought soft drinks, too, Nate.”
“In the refrigerator.” While he carried drinks to the table, Darcy brought bags filled with foil-wrapped hamburgers and containers of fries to the table. On his last trip to the fridge, Nate grabbed a salad topped with grilled chicken and handed it to Darcy. He also pressed a bottle of water into her hand.
Darcy smiled. “You remembered.”
“Always.” He tapped her nose gently. “We want you healthy, Darcy. Someone has to keep Rio in line.”
Heidi studied Rio’s future wife. She looked tired, but healthy. Maybe when she knew Darcy bet
ter, she’d ask about the health comments.
In the middle of the meal, a sharp rap sounded on the front door. Heidi’s heart leaped. Who was that? The only people she knew in Otter Creek were in her house. Breathe. Just breathe. The arsonist couldn’t have found her. Maddox promised to protect her.
“Want me to answer the door?” Quinn asked, his gaze quizzical. “It’s probably Rod Kelter, the police detective.”
Great. Way to go, Heidi. Where was her spine? “Please.” And thought herself a coward for letting one of her new bosses answer her door. Did she think the arsonist would knock politely? Besides, she had a house full of people, not the least of which were five very well trained men with distinguished careers in the military. Del, Ivy, and Darcy had been careful with the information they shared, but Heidi was good at reading between the lines, a necessary skill to survive. Her new bosses wouldn’t let someone hurt her.
Her gaze tracked to Charlie, her constant companion. Though Charlie wasn’t a protection dog, more than once her sweet Lab had stood between her and danger.
Not only were the Fortress operatives here, Heidi wasn’t a helpless ten-year-old girl. She may not have worked in Special Forces like she suspected her bosses had, but she had a brain and wasn’t afraid to use it against the man who terrorized her.
Quinn crossed the room, checked the peephole. He flung open the door and a tall, red-haired man strode into the house.
“What smells so good?” he said closing the door behind himself.
“Food from Hamburger Heaven.”
The detective moaned in appreciation. “Thank goodness. Meg’s on deadline, so dinner at our place will be whenever she finishes the newspaper copy. I’ll be lucky to see her before midnight.”
“I brought extras if you want to take food for Meg,” Nate said.
“Oh, man. She’ll be ecstatic. Serena’s been stocking our refrigerator and freezer in anticipation of Baby Blackhawk’s arrival.”
“Guess that means Meg’s tired of healthy food,” Josh said. He grabbed a hamburger and soft drink and handed them to Rod. “Here. Enjoy. Once Serena’s back on her feet, she’ll resume her campaign to reform Meg’s eating habits.” He glanced at Heidi. “I have three sisters, Heidi. Serena, Meg, and Madison. Serena is a personal chef. She’s made it her mission in life to retrain our taste buds.”
