by Rebecca Deel
“This is an Alabama carry permit. You live in Tennessee with Lacey. This ain’t a legit permit, boy.”
She started to correct his misinterpretation of their living arrangements, but thought better of it. If Will believed she and Jake were intimately involved, maybe the cop would keep his hands off her.
“The carry permit is legitimate. I work for a private security firm. We have agreements in place with every state.”
“I’m confiscating your weapon.”
“If you do, you can expect a call from Governor Chandler within the hour.”
A snort. “I don’t believe you.”
“Try me.”
Apparently thinking better of his plan, Will tossed the gun permit and driver’s license on the ground in front of Jake. “Stay out of trouble, Davenport. I’ll be watching you.” He slid a glance toward Lacey. “I’ll see you later, baby.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Jake rose and turned to Lacey. The sight of her pale face made an invisible band squeeze around his chest. He scooped up his license and permit, and opened his arms. “Come here.”
She flew into his embrace. He held her tight against his chest, hating the belligerent cop had caused her to tremble. “It’s okay, Lacey.”
“It’s not. I shouldn’t have let you come.”
“You couldn’t have stopped me. I told you, I’m here with you because I want to be.”
“Will Beckett will cause you trouble.”
He tightened his grip across her back. “You are worth every hurdle I have to leap over.”
She stared, her eyes widening.
Did Lacey understand what he was telling her? Sometime soon, he would have to spell it out. The beautiful woman in his arms didn’t seem to do subtlety. “Come on. We’re checked in, and I have our key cards.”
He made himself let go of her and lifted the back hatch of the SUV. Jake reached inside and hauled out his mike bag and Go bag, then grabbed Lacey’s suitcase before locking his vehicle. Wouldn’t put it past the nosy cop to try poking around the interior if Jake was stupid enough to leave it unlocked. Never going to happen. Fortress operatives didn’t take chances with their safety or those they cared about. His gaze shifted to Lacey. He cared about her. A lot.
“I can carry my bag.”
“I’ve got it.” He started toward the front door of the hotel. “We’re on the third floor.”
Lacey hurried to keep up with him. At the elevator, she punched the call button, glancing around as they waited for the car to arrive in the lobby. “This is really nice,” she whispered.
He considered their surroundings, caught himself before he shrugged. The hotel was all right, but he’d stayed in much better when he lived with his parents. They had expensive taste when they traveled. With his years in the military and Fortress, Jake had learned to sleep any place that was dry. Most of his teammates had learned to sleep even in the rain, a skill he’d yet to learn for himself. He hated being wet, something he’d experienced more than once on missions.
They rode to the third floor in silence. When they reached her room, Jake set her suitcase against the wall and pulled the card from his pocket. A moment later, he placed her suitcase on one of the double beds in the room.
He unlocked the door connecting to his room. “After that incident in the parking lot, I think it would be wise to leave the doors unlocked between our rooms.”
“He wouldn’t dare come up here.”
“Better to be safe.” He wanted easy access to her room if a problem developed. “I’ll drop my bags in my room, then we’ll talk.” And they would talk. Things weren’t adding up here. The Lacey he’d come to know over the past few months didn’t mesh with the one he was seeing in her hometown.
Lacey walked to the window to peer outside without replying.
Doubting she was interested in the scenery at this time of night, Jake figured she needed a minute to get herself together. He left her room and walked next door. His accommodations were the same as hers. Two double beds covered with blue comforters, several pillows heaped on the beds, curtains open to the view at the back of the hotel.
He laid his bags on one of the beds, and took a minute to splash cold water on his face, giving himself time to cool his temper. Will Beckett was going to be an irritant while he and Lacey were in Winston. But was he dangerous?
He pulled out his phone and called Zane. If there was something to he needed to know about the cop, he’d rather have the information up front.
“Miss me already, Jake?”
“As much as I miss a rash. Got a name for you to run. I’d do it myself, but I need a deep scan yesterday.”
“Go.”
“Will Beckett. He’s a local cop. I need everything you can find on this clown.”
“You’ve only been in Winston a few minutes, man. How could you run afoul of the cops this fast?”
“It’s a gift. When I went into the hotel to check us in, Lacey remained outside. I returned to the parking lot and found her pinned against the SUV by this local cop. He put his hands on her, Z. She said he didn’t hurt her, but I’m not convinced she was being honest.”
“Did you lay him out?” Raw fury filled Zane’s voice.
“I wish. I didn’t want Lacey upset more than she already was. I told him to get his hands off my woman. If he hadn’t complied, I would have taken him down and dealt with the consequences.”
A soft whistle sounded over the phone’s speaker. “What did Lacey have to say about you claiming she was yours?”
His gaze shifted to the still locked door leading from his room to hers. “Nothing yet.”
“She will. Were you just giving her your protection or is there something going on between you two that I don’t know about?”
Jake sighed. Should have known Z would pick up the implication. “She doesn’t know I’m interested in her. I’ve been giving her some time to get used to me. After the trouble she had with her ex, I didn’t want to move too fast.”
“Wise. Frank’s one of the sorriest excuses of manhood I’ve ever seen. He roughed her up a few times before Rowan got through to her, and Brent and Adam laid into him.”
Jake’s hand gripped the phone tighter. The thought of anyone hurting Lacey made his blood boil. No wonder Adam and Brent were so protective of her. “I didn’t know Frank hurt her.” Probably safer for the man. Wouldn’t save him from Jake if he ever went after Lacey again.
“She doesn’t talk about him anymore. Says he’s in her past.”
Right. Sometimes, though, the past had a way of biting you when you least expected. “While you’re looking into Will Beckett’s background, see what pops for his father as well. He’s the chief of police in Winston.” Another glance at the connecting doors. “I assume you’re checking into Yvonne’s background.”
“I’ll send the results of that to your email. From what I’ve learned so far, Lacey’s mother has quite a checkered past. Looks like you’ve already raised some interest in town. Someone in the Winston PD is running your name through the system.”
He frowned. “Will ran me a few minutes ago. This is a new search?”
“That’s right. Seems you’ve caused quite a stir. I’ll send the name of a top-notch Alabama lawyer who works with Fortress when our people run into legal trouble. A necessity where you’re concerned.”
Smart aleck. “Send the name. I hope I won’t need it. Just make sure the lawyer has zero ties to Winston or the Becketts.”
“Copy that. Anything else I can do for you?”
“Not right now.”
“Keep me posted. We’ll do whatever is necessary to help Lacey.”
So would Jake, even if he had to take on the Winston police to protect her. After sliding his phone into his pocket, he unlocked the connecting door and knocked before walking inside Lacey’s room. She hadn’t moved from the window.
Although he didn’t think there was much chance of Beckett or one of his buddies being in the courtyard, he didn’t want
to chance someone pinpointing Lacey’s location if an observer happened to be in the area. He turned off the light.
Lacey turned. “Why did you turn off the light?”
“You were backlit by the light.” He crossed the room and stood beside her, noting the balcony had an outdoor loveseat and a table.
Jake unlocked the door and stepped outside. He quartered the area, looking for possible threats to Lacey’s safety. A minute later, he turned back, held out his hand to her. “Would you like to sit outside for a while?” Pleased when she took his hand, he led her to the loveseat. “Do you need something to drink?”
“I’d love some water.”
“I’ll be back in a minute.” Jake found the vending machine down the hall, purchased two bottles of water, and let himself back into the room. He broke the seal on Lacey’s bottle and handed her the cold drink.
They sat in silence for a while. When she’d finished half her water, Jake set his bottle on the table. When he sat back, he draped his arm across the back of the loveseat. He’d love to hold her in his arms, but wasn’t sure she would welcome his touch right now. “Talk to me, Lacey.”
“I don’t want you to think poorly of me,” she murmured, her gaze focused on the courtyard below.
“That’s never going to happen.”
“You don’t know my background. It’s not pretty, Jake.”
“Everybody has a past. I wouldn’t ask, but yours got in my face in the parking lot a few minutes ago.” He risked resting his hand on her shoulder. “I’d rather hear it from you.”
She turned to him, her expression resigned. “When you hear the details, you may decide I’m not worth the trouble I’m causing you.”
He squeezed her shoulder. “Trust me.”
Lacey shifted to face the courtyard again, as though she couldn’t look him in the eyes while she told her story. “I grew up here in Winston. I don’t have any idea who my father is, and the men in town know my mother all too well.”
Oh, man. He still needed to hear her story, but he hated that she had gone through a tough childhood. Jake moved closer to her and draped his arm across her shoulders. She might not need his support, but he wanted to offer it anyway.
“My mother was in and out of jail for prostitution and public intoxication. As far as I know, she’s been sober and hasn’t turned tricks for six years.”
“When did you leave Winston?”
“Six years ago, right after my mother got out of rehab.” She sighed. “You probably think I’m heartless, but I couldn’t handle another downward spiral until she was forced back into rehab or tossed in jail again for the drinking. Being known as the daughter of the town drunk and prostitute limited my job opportunities. The owners of the grocery store let me work for them during high school, but I couldn’t make a career out of scanning groceries. Besides, most of my paychecks were going to pay for Mom’s treatments or court costs if she didn’t outright steal money from my purse or my account to buy liquor. I knew I would never get anywhere if I stayed in Winston so I got out. I left her to deal with her problems.”
“She was taking you down with her, Lacey.”
“Doesn’t help me sleep at night. I feel guilty for leaving her, but I had to save myself.”
His heart actually hurt listening to her story. “Where did you go when you left?”
“You aren’t going to ask about my juvie record?”
“If it’s relevant to what I’m facing, tell me.”
“I was collared by the police for shop lifting more times than I can count.”
He blinked. “What made you stop stealing?”
“The grocery store I was stealing from hired me as a stocker.” She smiled now. “The owner was a gruff old guy, but he figured it would be better to hire me than to keep racking up court costs filing charges against me for stealing food. Turned out Mr. Grady had a soft heart underneath the gruff exterior.”
Jake froze. “You were stealing food.”
“What money Mom brought in she drank. I got tired of being hungry all the time.”
He placed a kiss on the top of her head. “Where did you go when you left Winston?”
“I bought a bus ticket to Nashville. I worked at two grocery stores to have enough money for a studio apartment. I lived at a shelter until I scraped enough money together to rent the apartment.”
Jake thought about what he knew of her activities. “Is that the shelter where you volunteer every week?”
She nodded. “I became good friends with most of the staff. I wanted to give something back for what they did for me.”
Because they’d helped her when she needed it, Jake would be making a sizable donation in her name. “When did you meet Rowan?”
“A friend who was a coffee fanatic told me about Coffee House. The shop had been open a week, and Rowan was asking for recommendations for help. When Rowan heard about me, she called and asked me to come in for an interview.” Soft laughter. “Some interview. Rowan was swamped with customers. She put me to work behind the counter. I’ve been working there ever since.”
“Do you want to have a shop of your own one day?”
Lacey shook her head. “I love what I do. Although I know most of our customers by name and coffee preference, I want to do more with my life than pour coffee and hand out pastries.”
“What’s your ultimate goal?”
“Don’t laugh.”
“I won’t. Tell me what your dream job is.”
“I want to be a trauma surgeon.”
Huh. He hadn’t seen that one coming. “Do you have any college credits?”
Another head shake. “I’ve been saving most of my paychecks so I can register for classes.”
And that explained why her apartment was filled with well-loved furniture and her closet was nearly empty. “Have you told Brent and Rowan what you want to do?”
“Not yet. I didn’t see the point since I can’t afford to start school yet.”
“You should. Fortress needs another trauma surgeon. We only have one, and he’s in Texas.”
“I don’t understand why Brent would be interested in my career goals. It takes a long time to become a doctor and I haven’t even started.”
He cupped her chin and turned her face toward him. “He will want to talk to you about working for Fortress. If you agree, there’s a good chance he’ll help you with your tuition.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
The next morning, Lacey sipped coffee from the local coffee shop and grimaced. She wished she could go behind the counter and show them how real coffee was made. If she brewed coffee this bad, Rowan would fire her for sure because they wouldn’t have any customers.
“It’s definitely not yours,” Jake murmured. He sat next to her at the table in the shop, his back to the wall.
“Why do you do that?”
He paused, his coffee cup halfway to his mouth. “Why do I do what?”
“Why do you and your friends sit with your backs to the wall?”
“To see the occupants in a room along with the doors and windows. We never turn our backs to a room. That’s a good way to end up dead because you can’t defend against what you can’t see.”
Lacey frowned. “But Coffee House is safe. We’ve never had a problem.”
“No place is safe. You work in retail. There’s always a chance someone will come into the shop and demand the proceeds from the cash register.”
Great. Nothing like smashing her security into a million tiny pieces.
“And don’t forget the guy who broke into your apartment above the shop when your boss lived there.”
“You can stop boosting my confidence in my safety at home and work,” she said dryly. “Besides, Fortress installed a security system in both places.”
“No security system is foolproof, not even ours. The best we can do is make the protection strong enough to discourage a thief from breaking in, and getting you the help you need.”
The girl behind the counter called
out, “Jake. Order up.”
Lacey winced. Definitely not how Rowan’s employees handled orders.
Jake returned to the table with a small tray. One plate held Lacey’s blueberry bagel with cream cheese. The other plate contained his breakfast sandwich.
She spread cream cheese on one slice of the bagel. “Do we have a plan for today?”
“I thought we’d start at your mother’s house to see if we can find any indication where she might have gone.”
“If she left of her own free will.”
Jake inclined his head as he bit into his sandwich.
She sighed. “Maybe I overreacted. What if the police are right and Mom is turning tricks again?”
“It’s better to know for sure, Lacey. I though you said Yvonne hadn’t returned to her old habits.”
“As far as I know. I don’t visit her that often. I talk to her on the phone every week. She says she is clean and working a legitimate job.” Unpleasant conversations. She hated the recriminations that her mother heaped on her head.
“When was the last time you saw her?”
“Three months ago. I took her out to dinner for her birthday.”
“You didn’t notice anything unusual when you talked to her?”
She shrugged. “Same as always. She was clean and sober, working at the diner. She missed me. Why didn’t I love her enough to come home more often? And my personal favorite, could I give her money?”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah. Mom has guilt trips down to an art form.”
“Does she hit you up for money often?”
“Every time I talk to her or see her.
“I’m sorry.” He wrapped his hand around hers. “That must hurt.”
“More than I’ll tell her.”
“Does she know what you’re saving the money for?”
Laughter slipped out. “I don’t dare tell her I have any savings. Otherwise, the pressure to share my money with her would never let up.”
“Did you tell her you want to be a doctor?”
