by Rebecca Deel
“Or maybe we interrupted him and he couldn’t finish the job,” Cade put in. “Someone was in those woods when we first arrived tonight.”
Jake frowned. He couldn’t argue with that. His instincts had warned him they weren’t alone in the darkened forest. However, he hadn’t seen evidence of someone scrambling from the ravine in a hurry. “Some of the bruises on her neck are several days old.”
“He could have kept her prisoner, choked her out a few times before he decided it was time to end things.”
When Lacey shuddered, Jake tucked her tighter against his side. “It’s not easy to choke someone to death with your bare hands. It’s possible the killer thought she was dead and, when he went for a body bag to dump her in the field with the rest of the women, Yvonne regained consciousness and tried to run for help. She might have fallen into the ravine. From the drag marks I found in the dirt, Yvonne was unconscious for a time, then dragged herself to a more hidden location. With her unconscious and motionless, the killer could have believed her dead and he didn’t bother to make sure until he knew we were in town.”
Cade lifted one shoulder. “Would have been easy to tumble over the edge of the ravine. I almost fell into the blasted thing when I burst through that hedge.”
“Tell me where the crime scene is.” Rafe stood and stretched. “I need to see the area for myself and find out what Detective Jones has discovered.”
Jake told him where to find the cabin and directions to the dumping ground. “Look, Jones is a good man. He wanted to call the FBI. The chief nixed the phone call.”
“Not surprising. The feds and locals often clash.” He lifted one shoulder. “It’s a battle for territory.”
After giving him the name of the hotel where they were staying, Jake said, “My teammates will be here in about four more hours. They will be serving as Yvonne’s bodyguards. Don’t expect to question her without the Fortress operatives present. Brent knows you, but I don’t. Yvonne is my girlfriend’s mother. By extension, her safety is now a priority to me and my teammates. Your responsibility is broader in scope.”
“Understood. As long as your teammates don’t interfere, I’m fine with them being in the room. I’ll be in touch later this morning after I get a handle on the situation at the crime scene.”
Rafe hadn’t been gone long when the orthopedic surgeon came into the waiting room. “Coleman family?”
Lacey stood. “I’m Yvonne’s daughter, Lacey.”
“I’m Dr. Reacher. Your mother did great, Ms. Coleman. The wrist and ankle should heal without a problem, but she won’t be able to work for several weeks. I understand she’s a waitress.”
“That’s right.”
“She’ll return to work in about twelve weeks, depending on how quickly the bones mend. In the meantime, she’ll need assistance when she’s released.”
“We’ll take care of her,” Jake said.
A nod. “She’s in recovery. Don’t expect her to be awake much. She may not be coherent for a few hours. If she wants to sleep, let her.”
“We won’t push her.” That would frustrate them and the patient. “Yvonne will have someone with her at all times while she’s in the hospital. I’d appreciate it if you would pass the word to the nursing staff and other physicians assigned to her case.”
Although he looked surprised, Reacher didn’t object to the precaution. “You think that’s necessary?”
“No question.”
“I’ll make sure the right people know.” He turned to Lacey. “I’ll check on your mother before I finish my shift. If you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to talk to the nurses.” With that, he gave a quick nod and left the waiting room.
Running footsteps had Jake and Cade shifting to stand in front of Lacey. Harley burst into the room, his shirt buttoned wrong, his ginger hair covered in a baseball cap with the name of his garage stitched across the front. “Where is she?”
“Recovery.” Jake smiled. “She’ll be fine, Harley. Yvonne has broken bones that, once mended, will be good as new. She’s a very lucky woman.”
The relief was so great, the mechanic staggered. Cade caught him by the shoulders. “You okay, buddy?”
“I will be as soon as I see Yvonne.”
“The surgeon just left,” Jake said. “We should be able to see her now. She may not respond much because of the anesthesia and pain meds.”
“I don’t care. I just need to be with her.” His voice thickened. “I thought I’d never see her again. Thank God you found her.”
“Come on, Harley.” Lacey tucked her arm through his. “Let’s go see her. Dr. Reacher said to ask the nurses questions if we have concerns. Jake and his friends will provide security for Mom while she’s recovers.”
He stopped in the middle of the hall. “Security?”
“I’ll explain later,” Jake said, his voice quiet. “I work for a private security firm and there’s a good reason why Yvonne can’t be alone.”
“I’m not leaving her.”
“You don’t carry a weapon and you have a full-time job that needs your attention during the day.” He didn’t intend to leave Yvonne’s safety to the grizzled mechanic at night, either, but that would be apparent soon enough. “You focus on supporting Yvonne however you can. Leave the question of security to us.”
“You sure you know what you’re doing?”
Jake might have been offended if he hadn’t understood Harley’s concern. The thought of leaving Lacey’s security to someone he didn’t know made his skin crawl. Yeah, that would never happen as long as he drew breath. No one meant more to him than the woman standing by Harley’s side. “I was an Army Ranger, and now I work for the best private security firm in the business. I know what I’m doing. I would trust Lacey’s safety to Fortress.”
Harley sized up Jake and Cade, and turned to continue down the hall toward the recovery room.
When they reached the right area, a nurse directed them to the last bed in the corner. Excellent. He and Cade could keep an eye on the people coming and going from the room without leaving their back unprotected.
Jake waited a moment, allowing Lacey and Harley time with Yvonne. He half expected the nursing staff to tell them there were too many people around the patient. Thankfully, no one tried to kick them out.
Cade inclined his head toward the mike bag. “Want me to take that to the SUV?”
“Thanks.” He slid the pack from his back and handed it over.
“Should I call the boss while I’m out?”
He shook his head. “I’ll go to the hall and talk to Brent. I’ll be able to keep an eye on Lacey and Yvonne from there, and I won’t disturb the other patients.” He couldn’t afford to be overheard. The conversation might incite a panic in town.
With a nod, the other operative left, Jake’s bag hitched over his shoulder.
Jake walked to Lacey’s side and smiled at Yvonne. “How do you feel?”
“Tired. Why so sleepy?”
He laid a hand on her shoulder. “The anesthesia takes time to wear off. I’m going to the hall to call my boss. I’ll watch over you from there. You’ll be able to see me.”
“You won’t leave?” Anxiety filled her hazy gaze.
“No, ma’am. I made you a promise. I don’t break them.”
A small smile curved her lips and her eyes closed.
Jake cupped the back of Lacey’s neck and kissed her with gentle thoroughness. “I won’t be long.” In the hall, he called Brent.
“Talk to me.”
“Yvonne will be fine. No internal injuries. She needs help for several weeks, but she’ll make a full recovery.”
“Thank God. Rafe arrived yet?”
“Roger that. He’s already gone head-to-head with the police chief and came out on top. Don’t know how long that will last. Beckett won’t back down easily.”
“I scanned through the files Zane prepared for you. When you have a chance, you’ll find the Becketts’ files in your inbox.”
“Give me the short version.”
“The son ought to be serving a life sentence for murder, but he got off with a slap on the wrist. The old man has been the police chief a long time and has friends in powerful positions. No evidence, but my gut says the police department in Winston is corrupt. Watch your back, Jake, and keep the lawyer’s contact info handy.”
Amusement twisted through him. “Copy that.”
“You need anything else from me?”
“Not at the moment. Adam texted me a few minutes ago. He and the others are on their way here.”
“Good. Keep me updated.”
He ended the call with Brent and immediately placed another call, this one to Cade. “Bring my laptop. Z sent files I need to read.” That done, he returned to the recovery room to see Harley leaning down to kiss Yvonne’s forehead. That action brought a smile to her face. Nice. Maybe the mechanic would have better luck convincing Lacey’s mom to marry him now that Lacey knew about their relationship. Didn’t take much time in their presence to realize the lovebirds were made for each other.
Lacey smiled at him. “I have a question.”
“Shoot.”
“What was the contraption the doctor gave you before Mom’s surgery?”
“Vacuum splint. You pump the chamber full of air to stabilize broken bones. We use them in the field all the time.”
“It’s standard equipment?”
“For medics. When deployed, we can’t take an injured teammate to a local hospital. We carry everything we need on our backs until we transport them to safety.”
She gestured to the metal brace on either side of her mother’s wrist. “And that?”
“Pins to hold your mother’s wrist in place while the bones mend.”
“Jake.”
He turned his attention to Yvonne. “What do you need?”
“Thank you. You saved my life.”
“It was a team effort.” To get the attention off himself, he said, “Harley says he wants to marry you.”
A ghost of a smile appeared. “He’s persistent. I wanted to tell Lacey before I gave him an answer.”
“I know now, Mom.” Lacey brushed a strand of hair off her mother’s forehead. “You deserve to be happy.”
“You won’t mind?”
“As long as he promises to take good care of you and let me visit every now and then, I can’t think of anything I’d like more than to see you married to the love of your life.”
Tears trickled from the corners of Yvonne’s eyes. “He’s my soul mate.”
“Sounds like you should take him up on his offer before some other woman nabs him.”
Harley kissed the knuckles of her uninjured hand. “What do you say, Yvonne? Will you marry me?”
She smiled. “Yes. Can’t figure out now why I waited so long.”
Harley leaned down and kissed her gently. “I’ll bring your ring tomorrow. Guess it’s a good thing you broke your right wrist instead of your left. I want every man in town to know you’re mine.”
As they talked, Lacey turned into Jake’s arms and wrapped her arms tight around his waist.
“Happy?” he murmured.
“So much I can’t express it properly.” She lifted her tear-filled gaze to him. “Thank you for bringing my mother back to me.”
He tightened his hold on her. “I’m glad I was able to help.”
During the next hour, Yvonne drifted in and out of sleep. Finally, the orderlies moved her to a room. Once she was settled and asleep, Jake took Lacey to the cafeteria to purchase coffee for everyone but Yvonne.
When they returned and distributed the steaming beverage-filled cups, he brought in two extra chairs.
Harley’s eyebrows rose. “You and the other don’t have to stay, Jake. I’m not leaving the woman I love.”
“Yvonne was targeted by the man who abducted all those women.”
His mouth gaped. “But she’s safe now.”
Jake made sure Yvonne was still asleep. “Harley, you need to keep this information to yourself until it’s been released publicly, but the abductor killed the women. We found their remains near where we found Yvonne. When the killer realizes she’s still alive, he’ll want to finish the job.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Lacey watched her mother sleep, grateful for the opportunity. Oh, she knew soon enough her mom would start in on her again about finding a real job. Maybe when she married Harley, Yvonne would stop pushing Lacey to send money.
She frowned. Where had the money in her mother’s house come from? With Yvonne’s amnesia, Lacey wondered if her mother remembered or if she would share the information.
Based on the interactions between Harley and her mother, she didn’t believe Yvonne returned to prostitution. She wouldn’t want to lose the love of her life.
Lacey’s gaze shifted to the medic beside her. His laptop was open, the light from the screen illuminating his handsome face. Jake Davenport was a good friend and she found herself more enthralled by him each passing moment.
Watching Jake and interacting with him in the months since Rowan met Brent had caused her to “crush” on the medic essential to Fortress missions in country and abroad. After spending time in his company, Lacey’s infatuation was changing at light speed to something deeper and hotter.
She considered the information she knew about him. It wasn’t much. Lacey had answered his questions, but he hadn’t shared information. Not much time for her to ask, either. Perhaps the information was classified information. How could she know the man she was fast falling in love with if most of his life was classified?
Jake looked up. “Something on your mind?” he whispered.
Honesty was always the best policy, right? “You.”
He smiled. “Good thoughts, I hope.”
Would he consider Lacey falling in love with him good? Her stomach pitched. What if Jake viewed this relationship as friends only? She breathed away welling devastation. If true, that would rip her to shreds inside. “I don’t know as much about you as I want.”
“Ask. If I can’t tell you something, I’ll let you know.”
Lacey peeked at her mother and Harley. Yvonne was sound asleep. The nurses came in every two hours to check on her, but otherwise left her alone. Harley slept in a chair next to the bed, his hand wrapped tight around her mother’s. His soft snoring indicated that he, too, was asleep.
“They’re out, and Cade will stay in the hall until Adam and Veronica relieve us,” Jake murmured. “Ask your questions.”
“Do you have family?”
He closed the lid on his laptop, sheathing his face in shadow. “Mom, Dad, three siblings.”
“Brothers, sisters?”
“A combo. Two younger sisters, one older brother.”
“Are you close to your family?”
He grinned. “They’re nosy and constantly nagging me to come home for a visit.”
“You love them.”
“Fiercely. They’re amazing, and I wouldn’t be what I am today without them.”
She smiled, wistful. That had been the family life she’d always dreamed of. “They sound wonderful.”
“The Davenport clan is loud and boisterous, and I can’t wait to introduce you to them.”
Lacey stared. Introduce her? He couldn’t be serious. They’d officially changed their relationship yesterday. By his expression, though, she saw Jake was serious. “Why?”
The medic set the computer on the floor and turned back to cup her face between his warm palms. “You matter to me, honey. I want my family to know you. I want you to be comfortable with them.”
She studied his face a moment. “Why wouldn’t I be comfortable?”
After placing a series of soft kisses on her lips, he drew back. “My background is very different from yours.”
That much was more than obvious from the simple statements he’d offered. “I don’t think anyone’s background is like mine. You had a good childhood in a loving family.”
“That’s true. But it’s more than that. My parents own Davenport Electronics.”
Lacey froze. “That’s a huge corporation.”
“DE has subsidiaries all over the globe, most recently in Tokyo. My whole family works for the corporation. Dad’s the CEO and Mom’s in research and development. Bruce works in the finance division, Alyssa in marketing, and Susan in human resources.”
She paid close attention to what he said and what he didn’t. “You’re the black sheep. Why didn’t you enter the family business?”
He shrugged. “My heart wasn’t in it. I asked myself if I would be happy working for DE until I retired. I couldn’t see it. The military drew me from the time I was five years old. Most boys asked for toy cars, trucks, and footballs for birthdays and Christmas. Not me. I asked for toy soldiers, tanks, and Army Jeeps.”
“Your parents didn’t mind that you went your own way?”
“They want me happy. The Army fulfilled a need and allowed me to protect my family and country. I’m built to protect. The Army taught me how to provide medical care to injured soldiers. Now Fortress provides me a place to share my skills and abilities to help others. My teammates depend on me.”
“I’ve heard the operatives talk about you.”
“Yeah?”
“More than one said they wouldn’t have come home alive without you. What you do matters, Jake.”
“My job can be dangerous. We do our best to prepare for every scenario, but it’s impossible to plan for every contingency. If my job will be a problem for us, you need to tell me now before…”
She held her breath, waiting for him to finish. When he remained stubbornly silent, she prompted, “Before what?”
“Before it’s too late to walk away with my heart in one piece.”
Was he saying he was falling in love with her? Lacey’s heart almost leaped from her chest. “What do you mean by that?”
“What does it sound like?”
Did he want her to spell it out? Could she? What if he didn’t feel the same as she did? Only one way to find out. “Sounds like you’re falling in love with me.”
