“What kind of a name is Sugar?”
“You sound just like your brother.”
“I love my brother. But don’t tell him I said that.”
Sean chuckled. “Sugar is probably a nickname that became her real name, kind of like Tess. I love the name Tess, by the way.”
She allowed him to distract her with his deep, soothing voice. “I can’t believe this is happening.” No way could she hold the tears back or keep her teeth from chattering.
Sean put his arms around her and held her close for a long moment. She closed her eyes at the warmth of his body—and the true warmth of his strength and goodness and kind heart in what seemed to be a cold and bitter world right now. When had Sean developed the ability to make her feel as if everything would be okay? At least, most of the time.
“If we find out for sure this McCrae woman gave the report,” she said, “I’m going to that television station, and I’m going to hunt her down and slap her silly.”
Sean released her and opened the door. “You’ve never slapped anyone in your life.”
“You’re right. I’ll mace her instead.”
Sean grinned down at her. “At least, you’re getting your weird sense of humor back. What we’re going to do right now is get you into the truck and get the heater on, and we’re going back to the mission.” He reached over the seat and pulled out an extra jacket, wrapped it around her shoulders and pulled it tight. “Step in.”
She did as she was told. She felt as if she’d been kicked in the gut, but worse, the people who would suffer the most over this were those who could least afford to lose more—they didn’t have a place to lay their heads, didn’t have jobs or bank accounts to fall back on.
“I know some of the folks at Channel Eleven,” Sean said as he got in and started the engine.
“Do you know where the general manager lives?”
“I have his phone number, and I can talk to him. At this point, we won’t do more than that.”
“You think it’ll do any good?”
“Never can tell.”
“You know what needs to happen, don’t you?” Tess pulled the jacket more tightly around her shoulders. Even the heat coming from the vents didn’t warm her.
“You want to mace him, too?”
“It’s a thought.”
“All forms of media need to be gagged?”
“It wouldn’t hurt.”
“Then my station would also be gagged. A lot more people would be out of work.”
“Then maybe Sugar McCrae would be out of work and beholden to a mission to feed her. But that’s not what I meant. Sean, I need to leave. Stay away from the mission completely.”
“That’s probably a good idea.”
She glanced at him.
He gave her a half smile. “Surprised you, didn’t I? Love to do that, you know.”
“You agree with me.” Somehow, that frightened her more than anything else that had happened today. “And Gerard?”
“Haven’t talked to him about it, but he probably wants you out of the building, too.”
She couldn’t panic. Tess took a slow, deep breath and let it out more slowly yet. Deep breathing. Now was not the time to lose her nerve. She had to think straight. Or she could just allow Sean to drive, and she could shut up for a few minutes. Watch the water as she sat back and tried to get warm. Relish Sean’s closeness. He was beside her. He’d kissed her. He cared for her.
He could be in danger because of her.
She sat up straighter. “The zinger is that someone leaked that the attack on Tanner wasn’t an accident.”
“I know. It’s possible this woman found a bad cop, who talked after she recognized the Vance name and traced it to your agency in Austin. Thanks to your hard work, Tanner was seeing some fame before he died, at least in Texas. Even for a pseudo reporter, it wouldn’t have been hard to put two and two together.”
“But she didn’t come up with four, she came up with eight. Gerard is convinced enough to order a toxicology panel. And you and Gerard both agree I need to leave.”
“The mission. The building, Tess. Not home.”
“You think there’s danger. Gerard thinks there is.”
Sean turned a corner and pressed on the accelerator, checked the rearview mirror, adjusted it, and settled into his seat. “We’re still cops at heart, so you know we’re going to be cautious with the life of the woman we both love.”
There was silence in the truck except for the quiet engine and the thud of Tess’s heart in her ears, her uneven breathing, the powerful echo of Sean’s words.
Everything fell into place. Of all the horrific times for her to suddenly realize the truth about her own heart, to perceive what an impact Sean had made on her since their first meeting all those years ago. To recognize the first, tender shoots of love as it had grown for him, gotten stronger.
And she hadn’t given it an opportunity to grow. Instead, she’d rejected the reality of Sean’s place in her life to pursue a dream that had fallen to dust at the death of a man she should never have told “I love you.”
“We have a lot in common, you and I,” Sean said above the rumble of the engine.
She glanced at him again and saw the way his strong jaw muscles flexed. How familiar that silhouette was to her. And how exceptional.
“We both feel guilt about the death of a loved one. Now me, I’m guilty because I helped create that little life in the first place. I knew there could be consequences to my actions, but I tuned them out.”
“You asked her to marry you.”
“Yep, I know.”
“You did all you knew to do. You begged Kari Ann until the last minute not to have that abortion.”
“Yes, but you see, my decision should have been made sooner.” He glanced at Tess. “You were a victim. Still are. I was a culprit. Big difference.”
She felt fresh tears burn her eyes at the gentleness of his voice, the glance he sent her that showed his heart so clearly. How could she have missed that look before? It had been there, reflected on his face so many times when he looked at her.
“You became a victim, too,” Tess said. “And I hated seeing you go through that. You’re such a good, good man, Sean. You always have been. I know this may sound corny, but I’ve always thought you had such a deep, beautiful spirit about you. When I’m with you, I’m safe.”
“Aw, that’s just because I’m a cop with a gun.”
“No gun could have stopped Stud from being killed.”
Sean studied the road for a moment, his dark blue-green gaze intent on the cars passing them. “In a way, you might say Stud kind of killed himself. Oh, I know he didn’t make himself sick this morning, but no one else died. The others were feeling better last I checked. Stud had already destroyed his ability to rebound from that kind of hit.”
“I need to leave Corpus Christi.”
“No, you don’t.”
“It seems wherever I go, trouble has begun to follow.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
“I’m endangering Gerard by living with him. It’s best if I just disappear.”
“You do, I’m going with you.”
“I’m serious, Sean.”
He paused for a moment, looked at her, then back at the road. “So am I. You have loved ones who can be hurt, whether you’re with them or not. If you leave, I will be more than hurt. I will be devastated. That may make me sound weak and vulnerable, but I don’t care.”
Her eyes smarted with moisture. “Oh, Sean.” She felt the same. Could this man truly be anointed by God as her perfect match here on earth? “But if Stud’s death is a result of intentional poisoning because of me, then that means whoever commits the deed does it when I can see the destruction and be wounded by it. And there are a lot of people at risk this time.”
“Big if, Tess. We’re talking about a possibility, not a probability at this point.”
“Too much of a possibility.”
“You’re not going away by yourself. Gerard’s got a big house, and we can move the whole admin operation to the ranch until this mess is settled. You’re not going out on your own.”
Those words made Tess feel strangely comforted. She gazed out at the gunmetal-gray water reflecting clouds that had moved in when she wasn’t paying attention. No more blue skies today. How appropriate.
Sean reached across and tapped her on the arm. “I think that’s the first time in your life that someone has told you what you may or may not do, and you didn’t blow a fuse.”
“You told me to get in the truck, and I did that.”
“Sure, but this here’s your only mode of transportation back to the mission. You’re not much good at taking orders.”
She had to agree. He was right. Of course, if she wanted to take off on her own, she could do it without asking anyone’s permission, and if Gerard had said the same thing, she’d have argued.
“You’re never too bossy around me.”
“I value my life.”
She grinned. “You’re just not the bossy type.”
“You’ve never come to the radio station, have you?”
“I’ve been in quite a few radio stations, newspaper offices, television studios, but I’ve never been to your place. Maybe I should.”
“Later, when this is all over, you can come and see how bossy I really am.”
She nodded and stared back out the window again. “When this is all over. You sound so sure of it.”
“I have no doubt. We’re under attack right now, and that’s not going to be a way of life from now on. Have some faith in your brother and me. Have some faith in God. It’s a test. You can’t just close up shop on your life because the devil’s taking a poke at you. You’ve got more faith than that, Tess. I know that for a fact.”
His words covered her, flowed through her, destroyed those little pinpricks of fear that had caused such agony for so long. Something about being with Sean had always made her feel a little higher, a little sharper than usual and at the same time, more peaceful.
When he’d guarded her in Austin, they’d talked for hours in the evenings after she finished for the day. She’d shared stories of her childhood and her job, but had never confided in him about her intention to break her engagement with Tanner until this morning.
Sean had told her about growing up in San Antonio, about losing his mother when he was thirteen, about his father’s struggle to raise three kids on a paramedic’s salary and unreal hours.
“Sean?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you going to wreck this truck if I tell you I might love you, too?” Was she crazy to say those words? No. She did have faith. Sean’s words had only reawakened it for her.
Sean pulled in behind the mission building where the employees and volunteers parked their cars. He stopped beside Tess’s blue Cooper and walked around to open her door. He’d had to fight her tooth and nail over this opening-the-door thing, and he’d won. For once. So, maybe he was bossier than she’d admitted.
He felt as if maybe his face was glowing or something. Had to be. Impossible to get those four words out of his mind: I might love you…
She slid from the seat, and just stood there for a moment. She just stood there, looking up at him.
He realized soon enough that he was blocking her from doing anything else, so he stepped aside. Still, she gazed up at him without moving, dark eyes filled with silent thoughts. How he wished she’d share them all with him. She once again reached up and placed her hand on his jawline.
“Thank you, Sean.” Her voice was husky.
“Welcome, ma’am.”
“What now?”
“You go home. I’ll call the ranch and tell the hands you’re coming and make sure they watch out for you. I’ll send Mamie or Joni out with your files to get everything set up out there. Keep the dogs with you, keep your mace nearby but practice how to aim that stuff, because if you miss and get yourself at the wrong time, you’re in deep trouble.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to touch base with Gerard, then go to the radio station to make some calls and do some damage control if I can.”
She released a breath. “Good.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Just like that? You trust me?”
“I do.”
“So you’re not going to question how I’m going to do it or make any suggestions?”
“You’re getting me confused with Gerard, Sean. Shame on you. He’s the bossy one.”
“Okay, but you understand that the silence has been broken about Tanner’s death?”
“Not really.”
That’s what he was afraid of. If this whole thing worked out as he feared it would—worst case scenario—Tess was going to be ready to mace him. But he didn’t know what would happen yet.
“I’ll make it work, Tess.”
“Make that station look ridiculous. Drop their ratings,” she said. “Put them out of business.”
“I’ll just have to play it by ear, Tess. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you and the mission, but it may become public.”
“You’re a hero, Sean. You always have been.” She clicked the unlock remote in her hand. It was as if she hadn’t heard his words.
He grinned down at her. He wanted to take her far from here and help her forget how much she’d endured, but sometimes folks just had to face things and get through them. This was one of those times. He pressed a kiss on her forehead, opened her door and held it for her to get in. “Call me immediately if you have a problem.”
“I will.”
He closed the door and watched her drive away. How he wished this past year had never happened, that she’d never become engaged to the wrong man, that he’d never invited Kari Ann to dinner.
He was beginning to wonder, however, if the stalker might still have stalked Tess even without her connection to Tanner. He and Gerard had done extensive background research on all of Tess’s former employees, on a long list of Tanner’s acquaintances, practically on anyone who’d looked cross-eyed at Tess in the past five years. Nothing looked suspicious except for the embezzler, and he was behind bars, with no bitter family members or friends to be found. Apparently, the thief wasn’t a real charming guy.
Sean couldn’t help wondering if they’d missed something. Or someone.
SEVEN
When Sean entered the mission proper he found Gerard waiting at the back door. His hair stood out in strange directions and his eyes looked shadowed. “Where’s Tess going?”
Sean glanced around them. No one was nearby listening, but who knew? “Into hiding.”
Gerard caught his look. “Let’s take a walk.”
“I need to get to the station to try to stop this thing.”
“Short jog, then.”
They crossed the parking lot to the sidewalk and strolled south at a good clip.
“I’m going to have Mamie Park take all of Tess’s files, computer, everything to the ranch, where we can set up a room for her to work,” Sean said.
“Nope.”
“Why not? Tess wants to keep helping—”
“Not Mamie. Not Joni. I’ll take everything myself.”
Sean stopped. Gerard kept going a few more feet before stopping. When he turned back, there was a look of deep regret on his face. “The Park sisters are on my suspect list, Sean. I did a more thorough background check on them. Joni’s name was never on the title to anything, and we just figured that, with Mamie being the older sister, Mamie took the largest portion of responsibility. Now, it seems she was the only one on the title because Joni had just moved in with her, only a few weeks before the building burned down.”
“You don’t think Joni’s guilty of anything?”
“I’m just being cautious. Some records suggest Joni was in Austin before she moved in with her sister.”
“How much did they suggest it?”
“Not enough to prove anything, only
some phone calls to Mamie from an Austin area code, but that’s enough for me.”
“Joni seems to like to kick up her heels a bit, and she’s awfully young. With their parents dead, Mamie probably didn’t have a lot of control over her willful little sister.”
“All true, but Joni’s impulsive, and the girl has a temper. That’s all I’m saying about it for now.”
“Okay, what else have you got?”
“I checked out this Sugar McCrae. Birth name was Sherleen. She had mixed references from former employers.”
“Let me guess,” Sean said. “Her bad references come from employers who found out she didn’t always substantiate her stories.”
“Good guess. I also called our attorneys, and it would take a lot of money, even with some pro bono, to slap a malicious slander charge on Channel Eleven—and it would probably be impossible to win.”
“So we don’t have a case.”
“I don’t want to pour a lot of money down that hole if we’re going to lose anyway, and if we can’t make headway against the rumors, we’re going to need all the money we can save to keep the mission going.”
“Then I need to get to my own office at my own station and start putting out some fires.” Sean turned back toward the parking lot.
Gerard followed him. “How’s Tess doing?”
“You know your sister, she’s a fighter.”
“You sure she’s not driving to the TV station now to kick some teeth in?”
“Now, Gerard, when was your sweet little sister ever violent?”
“So she’s doing okay?”
“She’ll get through this. We all will.”
“So…you two took a romantic little drive, huh?”
“I took your sister away from the mission for a break.”
“Uh-huh. And did you two share makeup tips or something?”
Sean scowled at his friend.
Gerard chuckled. “You might want to dab some of that color off your mouth before you walk into your station. You know, let them know you’re still a manly man.”
Sean took a swipe at his mouth with the back of his hand while Gerard walked through the back door of the mission, laughing. It was a pretty color, but it looked better on the woman Sean had kissed.
Season of Danger: Silent Night, Deadly NightMistletoe Mayhem Page 7
