Forever Hunted

by Kathleen Brooks

  “Excuse me, but you are not going in there,” Reagan heard the nurse call out. The door was pulled open, but then it suddenly slammed again as she and Carter heard Cy and Will’s raised voices.

  “What’s going on?” Carter asked, pulling Reagan closer as if he needed to protect her again.

  “I don’t know, but my dad is growling again. This time it sounds like a rabid dog, so he’s really pissed.”

  Suddenly the door was flung open and Reagan looked around for a weapon. A man in a charcoal gray suit ran inside before two hands grabbed his shoulders and yanked him back.

  “You are not speaking to my daughter right now,” she heard her father say a second before the man was pulled back out the door.

  “FBI and you can’t do anything to stop me,” the man said, raising his voice.

  “Want to bet?” Will was heard asking a second before the man shoved his way back into the room with the help of two men who had FBI written all over their clothes. They were wearing bulletproof vests with FBI across the front and windbreakers with FBI across the back. One even had an FBI baseball cap on.

  Reagan stood, blocking them from her husband. “What is the meaning of all this? Can’t you see my husband is recovering from a life-threatening injury?”

  “Martin Spizer,” he said, flashing an FBI badge. “And I’m in charge of this criminal investigation. We’re here to ask you questions about the suspicious deaths of Suzanne Bristol, Diego Castillo, Mick Connors, and Sam Basques. I’m also here to ask you questions about the purposeful crash of your Keeneston Air flight.” Martin said as one of the FBI agents began to read them their rights.

  Reagan saw red. Apparently everyone else did too. “Sam Basques?” Carter asked as Deputy Luke Tanner and her cousin Ryan shoved their way into the room. They had gotten past the Rose sisters, her family, and Aniyah who looked dangerously close to pulling a gun from her purse.

  “He was the man murdered at the base of the mountain,” the younger man in the FBI get-up told them before identifying himself as Agent Morrison. “Now, you need to clear the room.”

  Aniyah snorted and reached into her purse. Miss Lily disappeared and a second later come back into the room with a mop. Ryan appeared close to losing control. His jaw was clenched so tightly the muscle ticked in spasm.

  “I already told you that was a justifiable shooting. Sam Basques shot Mick Connors, who was in police custody, and then fired on Reagan and Carter,” Ryan ground out.

  “He was hit with several different bullet types, Agent Parker. Or should I say, agent for now,” Morrison snapped back.

  “Don’t mind him,” DeAndre said, putting a steadying hand on Aniyah’s arm, preventing her from pulling out the gun she likely had stashed inside her purse. “This is the horrible trio of undisciplined agents. That’s why they travel in a pack. Spizer here slept with a witness. Morrison beat up an innocent suspect and was put on suspension for three months, and Pryor here was drunk on duty.”

  “How do you—?” Spizer sputtered in anger.

  “We have given our formal statements,” Luke said, stepping in. “Furthermore, we have told you, along with the witness I provided you, that Mick Connors sabotaged the plane with the express intent of killing Suzanne Bristol and the horse, Miss Mambo, for insurance payouts.”

  “We can’t take the word of some hick cop,” Morrison snorted.

  “You need to come with me, right now. I want a drug test and I need to question you,” Spizer ordered.

  Reagan recoiled as Spizer reached for her. Carter struggled to sit up as her father leapt in between Spizer and her.

  “No,” Cy said in a deadly tight voice.

  Ryan was speaking rapidly into the phone, trying to get to get in touch with the Director of the FBI Inspection Division.

  “Arrest him,” Spizer ordered as Morrison and Pryor reached for her father. “He impeded our investigation by going after Miss Davies and Mr. Ashton in the first place. In fact, arrest them all.”

  “You can’t do that,” Reagan said, barely containing her anger.

  “We’re the FBI. We can do whatever we want. And you’re coming with me,” Spizer reached for her again and Reagan heard a low growl. Although this time it wasn’t coming from her father. It was coming from Robyn who jumped up onto Carter’s bed to hold off the three agents.

  “Stop!” Ryan demanded. “You are not to touch them.”

  Cy yanked his arm away from the agents and Reagan was afraid this was going to end badly. “Maybe I may be of assistance,” Ahmed said, his tone anything but friendly.

  “Was he on the plane?” Spizer demanded.

  Dr. Monroe rushed in the room. “What is going on here? Get out of this room immediately. My patients are recovering from a traumatic event and need their rest.”

  “We have an investigation to complete and arrests to be made. Don’t interfere,” Spizer ordered.

  “The investigation is closed and you’re just trying to make it appear that you did your job instead of other law enforcement and civilians doing it for you so that you can make it back to New York.” DeAndre spoke in his deep voice as he stepped up to stand side by side with Cy and Ahmed. “Instead, what you don’t realize is you’re about to be fired.”

  “And you all are about to be arrested for murder,” Spizer yelled, his voice cracking as he tried to reach for Carter with handcuffs in hand.

  Robyn snarled and Cy reached for Spizer. “Touch me and I’ll haul you in too.”

  Ahmed grabbed the agent’s shoulder, spun Spizer away from Carter, and knocked him out with a single punch to the chin. “Since you couldn’t hit him, I thought I’d help you out.” Ahmed shrugged. “Isn’t that what friends are for?”

  “You’re under arrest for assault on a federal agent,” Morrison said, though he was hesitant to reach out to grab Ahmed.

  “Diplomatic immunity,” the entire room said a moment before a mop handle smacked Morrison on the head.

  “Here,” Ryan said, pushing through the line of angry Keenestonites to hold out his phone on speaker. “Go ahead, sir.”

  “What the hell is going on down there?” the voice demanded over the phone. “I have princes, former President Nelson, President Stratton, and members the joint chiefs of staff calling me about my agents acting improperly.”

  “Director Dean?” Morrison asked slowly.

  “Yes. I want the three of you to report to my office immediately. You too, Agent Parker, and this sheriff deputy . . . Tanner. Now! In the meantime, Agent Beth Willis is in charge until Parker gets back. Are my orders clear?”

  “Yes, sir,” was chorused as Agent Pryor helped a foggy-headed Spizer up from the ground.

  “We’ll be back soon,” Ryan told the room. “I’m sure Beth will be here any minute. She’s a good agent and will wait until you’re ready to give your statements. She’ll be interviewing Paul, Daniel, and Stewart first. But in the meantime, it appears that Sam learned of survivors of the crash and drove here overnight. We have an outgoing call to Sam from an unknown number that pinged off the phone tower in Moonshine. Our guess is there’s a phone Mick had that let him tell Sam where he was heading. Since Mick left witnesses and was in police custody, Sam tried to take care of loose ends. What he didn’t count on was Keeneston protecting their own. After I go to DC, Beth and I will head down to Sam’s house, which is currently being sealed off, to see what else we can find.”

  “Thank you, Ryan,” Carter said, holding out his hand. Ryan shook it and squeezed Reagan’s shoulder in silent support before heading out the door.

  The room began to clear out as Aniyah slung her purse over her shoulder. “You were so hot, Sugarbear,” she winked as she kissed DeAndre. “And look who has his tiger undies on today. Grrrrr. You were fierce.” Aniyah grinned at Ahmed and then looked thoughtful. “Can you teach me to punch like that?”

  A collective groan went up from the town as they shuffled from the room. Shooting was bad enough. Aniyah, bless her bad-aimed heart, would be a dan

ger to society if she knew how to fight too.

  “Are you okay, sweetie?” Reagan’s mother asked as she kissed her daughter’s cheek.

  “Yes, we are. Thanks, Mom. Now we just want to get some rest and head home as soon as we can.”

  “And home would be where?”

  “Carter’s home on Ashton Farm,” Reagan told her mom as she reached for Carter’s hand.

  “Our home,” he corrected her.

  “Score!” Porter and Parker fist bumped.

  “Your brothers want your house.” Gemma laughed lightly now that the stress of overbearing agents was gone. “Oh, and by the way, your father is planning a second wedding for you two in three months. Now get some rest.”

  Gemma had the room cleared before Reagan or Carter could ask about Cy planning their wedding. Instead of worrying about it, Reagan just laughed. “Dad sure changed his tune about us getting married.”

  “In the best way possible. Now, come here, Mrs. Ashton. If this is my honeymoon I’m going to enjoy it as best I can,” Carter patted the bed and Reagan curled up next to him in the narrow bed. She rested her head on his shoulder and when she looked at him, Carter kissed her. “Our relationship has been anything but normal, but it was all worth it to have you as my wife.”

  Carter’s lips caressed hers as his fingers brushed back her hair. Reagan had never felt more loved. Loved by her family, her town, and the man who held her heart. She’d never hide her love again. From this day forward, she’d make sure Carter and everyone who saw them knew how much she loved her husband.

  “Four weeks is nothing, right?” Reagan asked when Carter broke the kiss that had left them both breathless.

  “Right,” Carter said, clearing his throat. “No problem.” His hand traveled down her upper back to cup the side of her rib cage. His fingers brushed the side of her breast and Reagan groaned. This was definitely going to be a problem.

  The door was pushed open and her father strode into the room with his telephone to his ear. Reagan noticed that Carter’s hand didn’t move as he pulled her closer to his chest.

  “Sydney wants to know if you want satin, lace, or organza for your wedding dress.”

  Carter and Reagan looked at her father and then looked at each other before breaking out into rounds of laughter. She’d been so scared for a future she thought she’d have with a father hating her husband that she laughed now with her heart singing. She was loved by two great men, and she loved them both in return. Now her future was light and bright, filled with nothing but love, laughter, and her very own happily ever after.

  30

  Keeneston, Six weeks later . . .

  * * *

  Reagan held the door open at the Blossom Café for Carter to walk through tentatively. She looked around the full café at dinnertime and spotted a table full of cousins and friends sitting at two neighboring tables as they talked up a storm.

  “There’s my patient,” Layne grinned as Carter took a seat next to Sloane and across from Layne.

  “How’s the rehab going?” Sloane asked as she kissed Carter’s cheek. Gabe and Sloane had been traveling the world for the summer, but they were back in Keeneston now that Sloane had started working at the high school.

  “Layne has worked wonders. I got to ditch the crutches this afternoon. Next up are exercises that will get me up and moving with my full weight so that I’ll be walking Reagan down the aisle with no problem.” Carter leaned over and kissed his bride.

  “That’s great news, man,” Wyatt said in his smooth and slow Southern accent that seemed more deep South than Kentucky. He’d not only inherited Grandpa Beauford’s farm, but his drawl as well.

  Reagan turned to Piper, who sat next to her pushing ice around in her sweet tea with her straw. “Is everything okay, Piper? You’ve been so quiet these past couple of months,” Reagan asked quietly. She knew her cousin wouldn’t speak if everyone was listening in or making a big deal over her. Piper was embarrassed about being the center of attention.

  “Fine. Just my experiment at work has taken a turn I wasn’t expecting. That’s all. How is the wedding planning going?” she asked, changing the subject. “Six weeks to go, right?”

  “Right. Sydney is almost done with the dress, and we have everything set for the reception at the Barrel Creek Distillery.”

  After six weeks as husband and wife in all ways, it still didn’t diminish her excitement to remarry Carter. Carter had been given the all-clear to resume sexual activity about two weeks before. He hadn’t even waited until they got home. Instead, he pulled over at the first field he found upon entering Keeneston, which happened to be a part of Ashton Farm. And just like when they were sneaking around, they found excitement in trying to find privacy in a public area. Carter had lain in the meadow of tall bluegrass rippling like waves in purple and pulled Reagan to him. In the middle of the day, under the fall sun, and with leaves beginning to think about turning colors around them, Reagan and Carter finally had their wedding afternoon. And night. And early morning.

  “Mila, how is the diplomatic life treating you? You and Zain have been busy. We saw you in the news,” Carter said, talking to Zain and his wife at the other table.

  “It’s going well. We’ve accomplished a lot of good things. But it’s wearing me out. I’m glad to be home for a little while. How is Miss Mambo? I swear, I may steal her from you,” Mila grinned.

  Since being driven back to Keeneston and cleared by Wyatt to run free again, Miss Mambo had become a town favorite. Everyone stopped by to give Miss Mambo kisses and hugs. The mare loved everyone and had become incredibly spoiled by the town.

  “She’s become a nanny horse for the little ones. She’s happy as she can be right outside the office so she gets lots of attention when we have visitors. Suzanne’s estate officially signed her over to us this week, so Miss Mambo will be staying in Keeneston forever,” Carter said, reaching under the table to take Reagan’s hand in his. They had traveled to Suzanne’s funeral, been cleared of any wrongdoing in the accident, and were now all on the road to recovery. Reagan had received the insurance check for her airplane and bought a new one, only this time she wouldn’t be flying it. She was growing Keeneston Air, but she couldn’t bring herself to fly a plane yet. Instead, she’d found great happiness in working at the farm with Carter and managing Keeneston Air. Reagan knew someday she’d fly again, but it would take some time.

  She looked across the room to where her father and mother were having dinner with their friends and some family members and smiled happily. Her father had been there for her when she didn’t even know it. Reagan couldn’t get on the helicopter when it came time to transport Carter home. When she hesitated to board, her father touched her arm and pointed to the SUV he’d rented. She’d hugged him and then spent the next hours listening to all his wedding ideas.

  The whole experience seemed to have changed her father. He was still grumbling at Carter and Matt, but he was all growl and no bite. Instead, she’d come home numerous times to find Carter and her father sitting out back, talking or watching a football game. Riley had told her the same was happening with Matt. Reagan looked over at her sister and saw her drinking water. Riley hadn’t confided in anyone about her attempts to get pregnant, and Reagan figured her sister would talk to her when she was ready. In the meantime, Reagan was placing monthly bets on the Blossom Café’s app.

  Reagan felt Carter pull his hand from hers as he bunched her skirt up under the tablecloth. She shot her eyes at him and he innocently grinned. “I was a very good boy for four weeks.”

  “That was two weeks ago,” Reagan laughed as she whispered back to her husband.

  “I’m still making up for lost time. Want to sneak up to the apartment upstairs for old times’ sake?” Reagan was strongly considering it when his fingers teased further up her thigh.

  “Wyatt!” Carter’s hand slipped from her leg as everyone turned to see Ahmed leap from the table. “Where’s your mother?”

  “At a conference in Cincinnati, why?” Wyatt asked as the café went quiet.

  All the color drained from Ahmed’s face. “Bridget just texted and my Spawn is in labor!”

  “Oh, that’s great,” Wyatt said, sitting back down.

  “Don’t just sit there! You have to protect my Spawn. Give her drugs so she won’t be in pain or a massage or something. Is there dog Lamaze?” Ahmed was shoving back his chair and rushing toward their table.

  “Ahmed, Bridget knows I’m on call. She’ll call me if she needs me. She can deliver the puppies herself. She’s done it many times.”

  Ahmed grabbed Wyatt by the arm and dragged him from his chair. “I love my wife, but no one but a doctor is going to deliver my puppies.”

  “Ah, so that’s where Sydney and Deacon are,” Reagan grinned. She couldn’t wait to go visit the puppies. Carter and Reagan had bought a special bed for Robyn to lie on in the whelping box as a thank-you to their hero.

  “I hope Sydney’s there. She hasn’t been feeling all that well this week,” Mila told them. “I went to visit her and she thought she was coming down with something. In fact, I think she gave it to me. I felt pretty poorly for a couple of days, but now I’m fine.”

  “There’s no way she’ll miss this,” Reagan told her as everyone agreed.

  “Puppies,” Nikki the queen Bi . . . Belle, said with a roll of her eyes. “Who needs puppies when I have the best dog in the world?” The puppy that Nikki had rescued had turned into a massive hound dog and was still growing. But the dog was one heck of a hunter . . . of single men. Nikki never went anywhere without her dog, Bella. “See!” Nikki grinned as she looked out the window to see Colton petting Bella whose head was hanging out the car window.

  Reagan wanted to yell at Colton to run. Her firefighter cousin was quickly moving up the Bachelors of Keeneston list the Belles managed. Reagan was stopped from doing so as Ahmed dragged Wyatt from the table and out of the café.

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