Guns and the Girl Next Door

by HelenKay Dimon

  Those blue eyes bulged. “What?”

  “I know that scares you.” Though she didn’t see the panic she expected. “You’ve hidden yourself away for so long that you might not even know that someone could love you, but I do. I didn’t plan it or see it coming until it was too late.”

  “Mia…”

  She pressed her fingers against his mouth. Now that she wanted to say it, she wanted to say it. “I won’t diagnose you or try to change you, but I do want to spend my life loving you. All you have to do is give me a chance.”

  He moved her hand. “Yes.”

  It was her turn to sputter. “What?”

  The sparkle returned to his eyes. “I think that was a pretty clear answer.”

  Her brain malfunctioned. “You said yes?”

  “I meant the words when I said them to you out there in the woods, Mia. I mean them now.” His gaze searched hers, all evidence of a haze now gone. “I know it all moved too fast, but I’ll mean it forever.”

  Her mind refused to process. The news was amazing, the best, but she couldn’t get from the fear she expected from him to the point where everything fell into place. “You mean you…”

  “I love you.”

  Tears pushed against the back of her eyes. “No fears or worries about being tied down?”

  “Lots of worries but none of them about being stuck with you. Thinking about a life with you is easy. I’m the question mark here.”

  “Not for me.”

  “Almost losing you made everything click.” He wiped the wetness away from her cheek. “A few weeks ago I would have stood in those woods and focused on how I couldn’t rush into that cave to save you. I would have been frozen, beaten myself up and gotten sucked down into this paralyzing vortex. You would have paid for my arrogance and failure.”

  She knew all of that without him telling her, but the fact he could share his fears opened up a lifetime of hope for her. “Now?”

  “You matter more. I focused on what you needed instead of what I couldn’t do and let Caleb and Adam be the bigger heroes.”

  “You were pretty heroic out there, too.”

  “I drew up a plan that ignored my ego.” He shook his head. “Don’t get me wrong, if I had to walk in that tunnel in order to save you and have the element of surprise, I would have figured out how. But I didn’t want to take the risk. Not with your life. Not when I didn’t have to except to stroke my own ego.”

  Sunshine burst to life inside her. She felt full. Bathed in a love that would sustain and complete her. “You are a good man.”

  “All I want to be is your man.”

  “I thought I’d have to wait forever for you to see it.”

  He kissed her, light and gentle. “I’m slow but not stupid.”

  “Good to know.”

  “I’d rather have a few weeks with you than a lifetime of wondering what could have been.”

  “That’s very poetic.” She leaned down and kissed him back. No hesitating or sweetness. This was a kiss meant to claim.

  When they broke apart, they were both breathing heavily.

  He rested his forehead against hers. “You bring out that side of me. You take all the dark parts and flood them with light.”

  She’d never heard anything so romantic. Never felt so adored and respected. With Holden she wouldn’t have to fear or choose her words. They’d fight, make love and live.

  His shoulders stiffened. “You know I’m talking about the whole thing, right?”

  Saying the words still proved to be a battle for him, but she wasn’t about to let him back down now. “Thing?”

  “A future. Whatever we can figure out and make work, I want it.”

  She’d never get a more heartfelt declaration of love and commitment. For Holden to mention any of those, to want all of them, showed how much he’d changed.

  “I want that, too.”

  He relaxed back into the mattress. “Perfect.”

  She fell against his chest and inhaled his clean scent. She could lie there forever, but she doubted she’d be able to keep him down for long. He was determined to get up and get back to work.

  “I have one more question for you,” he said as he ran her fingers through his fingers.

  She couldn’t imagine what else was bouncing around in that head of his. “What?”

  “Any idea where you threw those condoms?”

  She laughed. “You have a one-track mind.”

  “That’s about right.”

  But he wasn’t the only one who wanted the intimacy. She’d count down the days until he was strong and healthy enough to run his hands over her again. “I’ll make a deal with you.”

  “What?”

  “You rest and I’ll tell you how much I love you.”

  “I like it so far.”

  She nuzzled his ear with her nose. “Then I’ll tell you all the things I plan to do to you once you heal.”

  “Deal.”

  “THEN WE HAVE an understanding?”

  Luke stood at his front door. He had a gun tucked against his back and the doorknob in his hand. “You can leave my house.”

  Trevor turned the folder in his hands end over end. “I need to know we’ve reached an agreement of sorts.”

  “Fine. You spin your tale about your brother. In return, the investigation on the Recovery Project and hounding of its members will stop.”

  The other man smiled. “A good decision since you don’t have any evidence against Bram anyway.”

  “He kidnapped Mia.” That piece still grated on Luke. He knew Trevor was involved in all of this and he was going to skate.

  “My understanding is that Ned Zimmer, a former lover, did that.”

  “Then there’s the part where Bram really died in a shoot-out and not rushing to save Mia from Zimmer.” Luke wondered how many people Trevor had to pay off to make that sorry story fly.

  “And I’m sure you wouldn’t want your agents implicated in a well-respected public official’s death.”

  Luke refused to risk any of his men. And that’s how he thought of them. His men. “We understand each other just fine. So long as Steve Samson goes to prison and never bothers my wife again, I’ll ignore your brother’s hand in trying to free a killer.”

  “You sure you don’t want to throw in with me? All of your men could do quite well and would benefit from my payroll.”

  Luke couldn’t think of a more despicable idea. “You ready to tell me what Bram was really doing, other than the Samson deal, and where Rod Lehman is?”

  Then there were all the questions about WitSec and why Trevor risked his men on Bram’s stupidity.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Trevor said with a smile that telegraphed the opposite.

  Liar. “Then we’re done.”

  “I’ll trust you to honor our deal based on a conversation. No need for cumbersome paperwork.”

  “Yes.” Luke opened the door and hit the button for the far gate. “But, Trevor. This is a onetime agreement. If I find evidence about Rod or anything else and it leads back to you or your business, I’m coming after you.”

  “I assure you that won’t happen.”

  “And if you come near my house or my people again, I’ll kill you.”

  Trevor tipped his head. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to go plan a funeral.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  One Week Later…

  Luke and Holden stared at the man across the conference-room table. Being called into Bram Walters’s former office didn’t sit right with Holden. The Congressman had just been buried. With full honors, of course. Fellow members stood on the House floor and spoke of the man’s contributions and the sad news of his heroic death. The newspeople declared him a great legislator lost too early. Even his ex-wife cried.

  No one mentioned the fact he was a criminal because only his brother, Trevor, and the Recovery team were alive to tell those secrets.

  Holden refused to give Bram Walters anothe
r minute of his time. They’d agreed to provide cover for him. Until they drew out the person pulling the WitSec strings and found Rod, nothing else mattered.

  Trevor could handle his mess with his men and explain their losses. Holden didn’t know their identities and the evidence to those crimes was long gone. Trevor made sure of that.

  “You’re telling us you’re running for Walters’s seat?” Holden shoved aside the glass with the official congressional seal.

  David Brennan folded his hands in front of him. “I’ve been asked by the party to consider filling his seat. It’s not as simple as being appointed by the governor. There will be a special election.”

  Luke snorted. “I’m hoping you’re better at the job than your former boss.”

  David’s smile slipped. “He was an exemplary legislator.”

  “I’d settle for an honest one.” Or one who didn’t kill, Holden added in his head.

  “I’ve talked with several members of the subcommittee.” David shot two folders across the table. “There’s a general consensus that Representative Walters may have let personal concerns get in the way of his sound judgment with regard to the Recovery Project.”

  Holden opened the cover but didn’t bother to read the contents. “Keep talking like that and you’ll make the perfect politician.”

  “Steve Samson will no longer be receiving help from powerful friends.”

  “Good to know.” Holden glanced at Luke and saw his friend’s jaw tighten at the mention of Samson.

  “Having said that, Representative Walters wasn’t the only member with concerns about your work and the lack of oversight from any governmental entity.”

  “We figured that out,” Luke said in a dry tone.

  David just kept talking. “However, people are realistic. It’s an unsafe world, one that requires individuals with specific skills. Your skills.”

  Holden wanted to go home to Mia even if it was to his dreary condo. With her it was brighter somehow. Now that he had someone waiting for him, he didn’t like to be gone. And he sure liked the welcome she treated him to when he walked in.

  “What exactly are you saying?” he asked.

  “The hearings will cease.”

  “Good news.” Luke started to get up.

  “However—”

  Holden nodded to Luke as he slid back into his seat. “Another ‘however.’”

  “Your group needs to come under the purview of the intelligence community.”

  Holden closed the folder and slid it back over to David. “You were making sense until right there. Now you’re back to ticking me off.”

  David gave them a condescending head nod. “Let me explain.”

  Holden was done. He’d rather be home with Mia. Anywhere with Mia. “No.”

  Luke put his hand against the table in front of Holden. “Now, we can hear the man out.”

  “Thank you.” David smiled. “We can bring you under an umbrella, mostly keep your group intact and figure out the best focus for your skills on other projects.”

  Luke didn’t let him finish before he chimed in. “No.”

  “I told you,” Holden mumbled.

  David actually looked surprised. “This is a significant concession. You wouldn’t need to apply for positions.”

  Holden thought about laughing. They’d just taken down a corrupt politician and David was talking about benefits and interviews with Human Resources. “No. Luke’s said it and now I have. No.”

  “And in case you’re not clear, I agree with Holden.” Luke cleared his throat. “No.”

  David glanced from Holden to Luke. “Clearly you’ve had some stressful moments over the past few weeks. Your former boss is missing and that does not help the situation. I understand that.”

  “I don’t think you’re getting this,” Holden said.

  “You need time to think over this proposal. I’ll let you discuss it then get back to me.”

  This time Holden stood up and he didn’t plan on sitting back down again. David was a less annoying version of Walters, but the plans for Recovery weren’t any better coming from a man in a different suit. “The answer isn’t going to change.”

  Doing his impression of a man who already held the congressional position, David ignored their comments and shook their hands. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

  They almost reached the door when David spoke again. “And, Mr. Price?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Once this is my office, do not try to break in here again because I will have you arrested.”

  Holden wondered if there was hope for this guy after all. “Understood.”

  AN HOUR LATER, Holden reached for a piece of pizza and said the words that most troubled him. “Steve Samson has been taken care of, along with the Congressman, but we still don’t know where Rod is or if he’s alive.”

  He felt Mia’s hand move to his forearm. He never would have thought it possible, but that simple touch took most of the pain away.

  “He was digging in something that caused a problem.” Luke popped open a beer and handed it to Caleb.

  “There’s a limit on what we can do. We don’t have the resources or the government behind us.” That fact landed like a rock in Holden’s stomach.

  Claire took her husband’s beer. “Only one of those is a problem.”

  Adam laughed. “You know something we don’t?”

  “You need money, right?”

  Holden wished it were that easy. “It’s more than that, Claire. It’s about equipment and a secure place to work. We can’t come in and out of your house.”

  “Oh, I agree,” Claire said.

  Mia rolled her eyes. “For smart guys they sure aren’t picking up on hints very well. Claire, just tell them what you’re proposing.”

  She gave Mia an imaginary toast with her bottle. “Leave it to a woman to ask the right question.”

  “I think we just were insulted,” Adam said.

  Claire didn’t bother to deny it. “I can provide everything you need.”

  From the smile on Luke’s face, Holden figured the married couple had been cooking something up. “Meaning?”

  “My ex-husband died before I signed the financial agreement.”

  Luke dumped his pizza on his plate. “Can we talk about this without talking about him? Phil Samson is just about my least favorite topic in the world.”

  “After paying off his creditors and returning the huge sum he stole from his company’s retirement fund—”

  Mia slipped her arm through Holden’s. “Classy guy.”

  He kissed her. “You wouldn’t believe me if I tried to explain.”

  Luke raised his hand. “I’m still ready to find another topic. One that doesn’t involve Phil Samson would be nice, so let’s get to it.”

  Claire swatted at her husband. “The point is that I have money. It’s Samson money and I don’t want any part of it. My thought was to donate it to some cause that would drive the Samson family insane, but I think there’s a better use for it.”

  Holden felt his heart’s pumping skid to a stop. “You can’t be offering what I think you’re offering.”

  “We’ll set up a corporation and fund it with my unwanted inheritance. Because of the problems with the government and the possibility you could be subpoenaed, you’ll have to be even more careful. Private investigators have to follow the law.”

  “Or be good enough not to get caught,” Luke said.

  “And you have our first assignment.” Claire looked around the table.

  “Find Rod.” Holden felt the tension ease from his gut. Having so many unfinished pieces was driving him nuts.

  Mia had righted his upside-down personal life and given him a reason to get up in the morning and rush home at night. Claire’s offer finished the puzzle. They could help other people and track down Rod.

  Everything fit.

  “Right. No matter where or how, our first priority is to find Rod and figure out what happened to those women in Wi
tSec.” Luke stood up and raised his beer bottle.

  Soon they all raised a drink but it was Holden who spoke for all of them. “Then let’s get started.”

  Holden was more than ready to move forward. With his personal life in order, he could focus again. Mia gave him that…and he would give her everything he could.

  Thank you to Denise Zaza for suggesting I try a miniseries. That led to the Recovery Project and five of my all-time favorite heroes.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-7969-2

  GUNS AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR

  Copyright © 2011 by HelenKay Dimon

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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  *Mystery Men

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen