by Kat Martin
Strolling into the open kitchen, Mel tossed the bag of clothes they’d bought at a local dollar store onto the breakfast bar.
“She’s a lawyer, right?”
“Corporate lawyer,” he said. “She specializes in mergers between mammoth companies.”
“And your brother is a lawyer, too?” she asked.
“Yep. They formed a partnership a couple years ago.”
“So he uses this cottage as well?”
Ah. Now Gray understood the reason for her questions. “You don’t have to worry about either of them making an unexpected appearance.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Gray tucked away the last of the groceries and leaned against the marble countertop. “Because Jarod’s wife is expecting their first child any day. There’s no way they would drive this far from the nearest hospital.”
“Oh.” Her eyes widened. “That must be . . .” She paused, as if searching for the appropriate word. “Difficult for you.”
Gray hesitated, then with brisk movements headed to the wine cabinet to pull out his favorite chardonnay and two glasses.
“Mel, let’s sit down.” He nodded toward the leather sofa in the sunken living room. “I need to talk to you.”
She stiffened in instant rejection. “Actually, I’m tired. If you could show me to my room—”
“Please, Mel,” he interrupted in a soft voice. “This won’t take long.”
Her lips parted to deny his request; then she seemed to falter as he sent her a pleading glance. She heaved an audible sigh.
“Fine.”
Together they moved to settle on the low sofa. Gray filled the two glasses with the crisp white wine and handed one to Mel.
“Here.”
She took it with an unreadable smile twisting her lips. “Am I going to need it?”
“You might want to toss it in my face,” he admitted.
“I never waste good wine,” she informed him, taking a sip.
He chuckled at her quick smackdown. “I always knew you were smart.”
She grimaced. “Not so smart.”
“The not so smart honor belongs to me,” he insisted, pausing to taste his wine. It was dry and velvet smooth as it slid down his throat. “I want to explain why I left Seattle.”
Her jaw tightened. “There’s no need to discuss this, Gray.”
“There’s every need,” he insisted. “Looking back, I’m ashamed of myself.”
“Why?” She continued to sip her wine, her gaze moving toward the large windows. “You couldn’t bear to be around your brother and his new wife. No one can blame you.”
Gray snorted. The excuse he’d given for leaving two years ago sounded even more embarrassing when she repeated it back to him.
“Yes, it was all very Shakespearean,” he said dryly. “The love of my life married to my brother. And now she’s having his baby.” He shook his head in self-disgust. “But, you know, the truth is that I couldn’t be happier for them.”
She hunched her shoulders, as if she was protecting herself from some unseen threat.
“You don’t have to pretend with me. I know it must be tearing you up inside.”
“Not even a little.”
“But—”
“Listen, Mel,” he once again interrupted. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to hear what she had to say. He could sit and listen to her for hours. She was an intelligent, fascinating woman with a wry sense of humor. It was just that he was desperate to confess his stupidity before he lost his nerve. “I need to go back in history to fully explain.”
He leaned forward to grab the bottle and topped both their glasses.
“Well?” Mel prompted.
“I told you that my father died when I was ten.”
She nodded. “That must have been very hard for you.”
“It was.” Even now there was a soul-deep sadness that haunted him. “I worshipped my father. The days I spent out on his fishing boat were magical for a young boy. My mother and brother hated the water, so it was just the two of us most of the time.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I believed our special bond meant that no one could possibly grieve as much as I did,” Gray continued. “My mother and brother turned to each other for comfort, but I kept myself apart from them.”
“Is that why you didn’t become a lawyer?” She tilted her head to the side, as if genuinely curious.
“In part. Plus, I couldn’t bear the thought of being stuck behind a desk.” He shuddered as he thought of the hours his mother and brother spent in their office. He’d be hyperventilating before the end of the day. “Thank God. I would have made a terrible lawyer.”
“You never considered becoming a fisherman like your father?”
“I enjoy the water, but I need . . .” His words trailed away.
“Excitement?”
“Yeah.” It was a nice way of saying he was an adrenaline junkie. “My mother was horrified when I finished college and entered the police academy. She threatened to disinherit me.”
“I’m guessing that only made you more determined.”
“Of course. I’m nothing if not stubborn.”
She rolled her eyes. “No crap.”
“My brother, on the other hand, was happy to follow in her footsteps,” he said. Jarod had decided on which law school he would attend by the time he was twelve. At that age Gray had been planning to play first base for the Yankees. “It only made me feel even more of an outsider.”
Mel grimaced. “Families can be difficult.”
Gray felt a small pang. Mel had been neglected and sporadically abandoned when her mom was using. It made his own childhood troubles seem even more petty.
“Looking back, I can see I was as much to blame for the tension between us as my mother or brother,” he admitted. “At the time I only wanted to start a new family. My family.”
Her face paled. “With Tori.”
Tori Stockton had been a waitress at a local coffee shop near the police station. She’d been young and pretty and when she smiled, his world was brighter.
“We met shortly after I passed my detective exam. We both seemed to enjoy being together and I was ready to settle down.”
“Did you love her?”
“I did,” he said without hesitation. He had no desire to hurt Mel, but this time he intended to be completely honest. Even if it was too little, too late. “But it was more comfortable than all-consuming. I thought that’s what I wanted so I asked her to marry me. Of course, my mother insisted on hosting a huge engagement party.”
“That’s the first time she met your brother?”
Gray nodded. “He’d just graduated from law school and returned home. I’m assuming that it must have been love at first sight. Three weeks after we announced our engagement, she eloped with Jarod.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that you’d been engaged to your sister-in-law?”
“They moved to Portland and it was easy to pretend that they didn’t exist,” he said, holding up his hand as a rueful smile twisted his lips. “You don’t have to tell me it was childish.”
“And when they returned to Seattle, you fled.”
Gray swallowed his protest. He didn’t like the word “fled.” It made him sound like a coward. But maybe she had a point.
“I told myself that I was doing it because I wanted to make it less awkward for Jarod and my mother to establish the law firm they’d always wanted. I would make the great sacrifice so they could live happily ever after.” He released a humorless laugh. “As I said, very Shakespearean.”
Mel leaned forward to place her glass on the low coffee table. It also allowed her to hide her expression.
“No one could blame you for wanting to avoid the woman you love.”
He battled back the urge to reach out and touch her. He had to be patient. Not one of his talents.
“I was hurt when Tori ran off with my brother, but it was my dented pride that sent me . . . fleei
ng, as you called it.”
“And your broken heart,” she insisted.
“No. My heart healed a long time ago,” he told her. “In fact, the day I entered the marathon to raise money for a local charity and a clever, charming drill sergeant appeared to create order out of chaos.”
He could precisely recall the moment when Mel had arrived at the start line. He hadn’t realized at the time that the charity event was for the Hummingbird Youth Center. He only knew that he’d been fascinated by the young woman who was herding the large crowd with remarkable ease.
It wasn’t just that she was pretty. It was how the sun brought out the burnished streaks in her dark hair. And the sparkle of intelligence in her bright green eyes. And her patient kindness as she helped an elderly couple fill out the necessary forms.
Then he’d asked her out for coffee, and she’d told him in tart tones that she was there to raise money for the children, not to be picked up by random strangers. He’d been a goner.
“You don’t have to say that.”
“I know I don’t. It’s the truth.”
With a sharp movement, Mel was on her feet, her arms wrapped around her waist.
“I’m tired.”
Gray bit his tongue. He wanted to tell her that he’d eventually realized he hadn’t left Seattle just because of his brother and Tori. He’d been afraid of the emotions that she was stirring inside him. After all, love had made a fool of him once. He wasn’t anxious to risk his heart again.
And he wanted her to know that he’d been waiting two years for an excuse to return.
Instead he forced himself to his feet. “I’ll show you to your room.”
Chapter Six
The sun was splashing the first golden rays over the mountainside as Mel leaned against the railing of the porch. Below her she could see the glitter of a large lake framed by trees.
Savoring the peace that was as much a part of the landscape as the wildflowers and chirping birds, she failed to hear the approaching footsteps. It wasn’t until Gray spoke that she realized she was no longer alone.
“Mel?”
She jerked, turning her head to study the man who was standing next to her. He was wearing the cheap gray sweats they’d bought last night. She had on a matching pair, although hers were a dusty rose and a size too big.
“Oh, you startled me,” she breathed.
“Sorry. I brought you this.” He held out a ceramic mug with steam swirling around the top. “I remember you can be a grump before your first cup of coffee.”
She gingerly tasted the hot liquid. It was strong, with two sugars and one cream. Exactly as she liked it. Mel clenched her teeth. She didn’t want to be pleased that he’d remembered.
“Thanks,” she muttered.
“Did you sleep okay?”
She grimaced. The vast bed had been a considerable upgrade from the pull-out she slept on normally. Still, she’d found herself tossing and turning most of the night.
“As well as could be expected,” she said.
“Yeah.” Gray turned to study the vista around them. “It’s quite a view, isn’t it?”
Mel eagerly turned her attention away from Gray to stare at the trees.
Last night she’d been too rattled to fully appreciate the power of his presence. Now she found her gaze wanting to cling to the dark beauty of his face, while her fingers itched to run through his thick chestnut hair.
Of course, even with her head turned she could still catch the warm scent of his skin and the hint of soap. As if he’d just stepped out of the shower.
She shivered, awareness curling in the pit of her stomach.
“Stunning,” she forced herself to say. “I’ve always been a city girl, but now I understand why people prefer to live out here.”
“I’m saving to buy some land next to the lake for when I retire,” he told her.
“I can’t imagine you ever retiring,” she said, trying and failing to see Gray sitting in a rocking chair, watching TV.
He literally vibrated with suppressed energy.
“I love what I do, but my dad’s death at such an early age has given me an appreciation for living life to the fullest. At some point I want to spend my days hiking through the woods and teaching my grandkids how to fish.”
She flinched, not sure why she was so surprised by his words.
“Grandkids?”
“Someday.” A wistful smile touched his lips. “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“You’re so great with kids. I can’t believe you don’t want a few of your own.”
Her heart twisted. She didn’t allow herself to think about having children. Not when she was quite likely to spend her life alone.
“I already have my hands full.” She cleared her throat. “Have you talked to Ian this morning?”
She thought she heard Gray heave a faint sigh, but he didn’t protest the change in conversation.
“Not yet. I thought I’d get you set up with the computer to look through the mug shots first and then give him a call.”
“I’m ready.”
Cradling her coffee mug in her hand, Mel followed Gray as he entered the house and led her into the library. The room was as elegant as the rest of the cabin, with long shelves that held leather-bound books along with an open-beam ceiling and a stone fireplace.
Gray led her across the room and waited for her to settle in the swivel chair behind the glossy mahogany desk. Then, standing next to her, he switched on the computer and tapped on the keyboard. A few minutes later he was searching through the Seattle PD arrest records.
“We’ll try to narrow this down,” he murmured. “Can you give me a description?”
Mel closed her eyes, concentrating on her memories of the men who’d tried to kidnap Donny.
“They were both male, and both had pale skin. Almost as pale as mine. I didn’t get a good look at the man who was driving the SUV, but the one who grabbed Donny was big,” she said. “Over six foot and wide. Not fat, but thick like someone who’s used to physical labor.”
“Hair?”
“His head was shaved.”
“Any facial hair?”
“No.”
“Tattoos or piercings?”
“Not that I could see,” she said, “but most of him was covered up.”
“Eyes?”
She struggled to recall whether she’d gotten a good enough look to notice his eyes.
“I think they were brown, but he was too far away for me to say for sure.”
Gray thankfully accepted her vague answer. “Did you notice anything about what he was wearing? Anything that might reveal where he works or a favorite bar?”
“He had on a black rain jacket and jeans. He could have bought them anywhere.”
She made a sound of frustration as she opened her eyes. It’d all happened so fast, and she’d been so terrified, she hadn’t paid much attention to the attackers clothing or the SUV. Now she bitterly regretted not memorizing a few details that would help ID them.
“We’ve got a good start,” he assured her, typing on the keyboard before he straightened. On the screen were mug shots of large white men with bald heads. “Just hit the mouse when you’re ready to move on to the next page. If you’re not sure about one, mark down the number and we’ll come back to it. Okay?”
She nodded, settling more comfortably in her chair. She had a feeling this was going to take a while.
“Okay.”
* * *
The late morning sun slanted through the windshield as Hammer tucked the phone back in his pocket and reached to open the glove compartment of the SUV. They’d been sitting in the parking lot of the cheap motel nearly a hundred miles south of Seattle for hours. Ever since they’d trailed Melanie Cassidy to this location and watched her check into one of the rooms.
“What now?” Manny demanded.
Hammer grabbed his handgun and pulled it out of the compartment with a smile of anticipation.
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“We go in,” he said.
“About damned time.” Manny stretched. Although they’d taken turns with bathroom breaks and grabbing coffee at the diner across the road, they were both feeling the effects of twenty hours stuck in the vehicle. “You’re starting to smell.”
“You ain’t fresh as a daisy yourself,” Hammer muttered, shoving open his door.
Crawling out of the SUV, Hammer angled across the gravel lot toward the back of the motel.
“Keep watch,” he ordered, waving Manny to stand guard at the corner. “I don’t want to be interrupted.”
Manny nodded and Hammer headed to the door at the end of the long wing of the motel. He lifted his hand and slammed it against the door. He wasn’t in the mood to be subtle.
“Open up,” he barked in a loud voice. Nothing. He knocked again. “I’m coming in one way or another,” he warned.
There was more silence and Hammer’s patience snapped. The woman had been nothing but a pain in his ass. When he got his hands on her, she was going to regret screwing with him.
Lifting his foot, he kicked the flimsy door. There was the sound of splintering wood as it swung open, revealing the cramped room with one bed and a dresser. Hammer held his gun outstretched as he cautiously stepped into the shadowed interior. There didn’t seem to be any place for someone to hide, but he wasn’t going to bet his life on it.
He frowned, glancing around. The room was empty, but worse, it looked as if no one had been in it for days. Maybe weeks. The bed was made, the open closet was empty, and there was a layer of dust over the small TV.
Had he kicked in the wrong door?
Hammer shook his head. No. He’d memorized the room number when he’d watched the woman enter the motel. This was it.
So, where was she?
A sour sensation curdled through him as he forced himself to move forward, peeking into the attached bathroom. No surprise to find it as empty as the other room. But then his gaze landed on the open window above the tub and he released a string of curses loud enough to wake the dead.
