Protecting Her Own (Love Inspired Suspense)

by Margaret Daley

  A hotel security officer stepped into the doorway, alert. He took a look at the scene before him and said, “Someone reported they heard a scream and a loud crashing sound. What’s going on, ma’am?”

  “I was attacked in my room, and this man came in to help me.”

  Before she could tell the guard who Connor was, he moved forward and withdrew his badge to show the man. “I need you to call Sheriff Taylor and report that Cara Madison was assaulted. I don’t want anyone in here except the sheriff and his men.”

  “Yes, sir.” The security officer squared his shoulders while reaching for his cell. “I’ll take care of it. I’ll stand guard and make sure no one comes in here until he arrives.”

  While the man planted himself outside the room in the hallway and placed a call to Sean, Cara faced Connor. “Why are you here?”

  He’d known she would ask, had expected he would have to counter her arguments about how she could take care of herself without him. Even thirteen years before, they’d argued about that. “I took the room next to yours tonight.”

  Her eyes widened. “You did? Why didn’t you say something to me?”

  “Because I didn’t want to hear how you didn’t need me to do that. Frankly, I was doing it for myself. I didn’t sleep much last night, and I wanted a good night’s sleep.” He couldn’t quite admit that he’d spent most of the night before worrying about her safety, although the implication was there in his answer.

  “Did you see him flee the area?” She walked to the dresser and opened a drawer.

  “Yes. He almost ran me down.”

  “A license number?”

  “There was no plate. The car was a white Taurus, though, maybe a few years old.”

  “So we don’t have much to go on.” She delved into the drawer and grabbed the clothes she’d worn the day before—still dust covered with evidence of the bombing.

  “We?”

  She gave him an exasperated look as she packed her belongings in the suitcase. Rubbing her sore neck, she cleared her throat and said, “Yes. Remember we talked about figuring this out together? This is my life. My dad’s. I have a vested interest in the outcome of this investigation.”

  When she closed her suitcase and started to lift it, he clasped her arm and stopped her. “I understand your need to compartmentalize yourself. To shut off your emotions and approach this in a calm way. I’ve certainly done my share of that working cases, but Cara, that man was going to kill you tonight.”

  The eyes that peered at him—for just a fleeting moment—held fear in them before she veiled her expression behind a neutral one. “If I panic, I could make a mistake. You know that. I can’t afford to let my emotions take over. You might believe the man is after me, but I don’t totally believe my father isn’t the target. We need to look into both of us.”

  He grinned, but there was little humor behind it. “Sure. I’ll look into your past. You can tackle your dad’s.”

  She blinked. “I can investigate myself.”

  “You need an objective eye.” His smile grew. “What’s wrong? Do you have secrets you don’t want me to know?”

  She yanked her arm from his grasp. “Don’t we all?” she said in a raspy voice as she picked up her luggage. “Are you ready?”

  Surprised at how easy it had been to get her to leave the hotel, Connor stood in the middle of the room, not moving an inch.

  “As you said, I’m not stupid. This place has been compromised. I wouldn’t get any sleep staying here, and if I’m going to figure out who wants me dead, I need my rest.”

  The smile she sent him went straight through his heart, nudging open the lid on his past. It had taken years to get over her, and he wasn’t going to go down that path again. They were not the same people they were as teenagers who fell in love. At least on his part. He wasn’t sure Cara knew how to love, especially with her dad and mom as role models. In the past, she’d said the right words, but he’d always felt a reserve. Then she left him and Clear Branch without a goodbye. Even the letter she sent days later hadn’t really explained her actions.

  “Fine. I need to get my things from the room next door.”

  After he retrieved his small duffel bag and talked with the security man standing guard, he took out his cell and punched in a number. After five rings, Gramps answered and Connor said, “Cara has changed her mind. I’m bringing her to your house.”

  “I always said it’s a good thing women like to change their minds.”

  Connor chuckled. “I wouldn’t say that to her.”

  “Don’t you worry about me. I’d say you’re the one who’s gonna have trouble.”

  Frowning, Connor slid his gaze toward the woman in question. “Nothing I can’t handle.” He clicked off and pocketed his phone. “Ready?”

  She nodded and headed for the elevator.

  After checking out, Connor paused at the back door that led to the parking lot behind the hotel. “You stay here. I’ll bring the car to the front.”

  “You think he stayed around?”

  “I don’t know what to think. That’s why we aren’t sticking around for Sean. Why take the chance?” He pushed through the double doors and hurried toward his Jeep, scouting the area for anything unusual, especially a white Taurus.

  Lord, I’m going to need You a lot over the next few days. Being around Cara is going to try my patience. I need to remain objective, emotionally distant. The woman I knew thirteen years ago isn’t there anymore. I don’t want to get pulled into her world any deeper.

  Following the mouthwatering aroma of frying bacon and brewing coffee, Cara entered the kitchen, hoping to find only Mike. “You know how to get a gal to—”

  The sight of Connor, alone, standing at the stove snapped her mouth closed on the rest of the sentence. He turned with a spatula in his hand and grinned. “Get a gal to do what?”

  If the heat suffusing her face was any indication, she was blushing a deep shade of red. There was no way she would finish the sentence. She sauntered toward Connor, trying to resist the delicious smells coming from the skillet. But she loved fried anything, one of her weaknesses she had to fight constantly. “Can I put some water on for tea?” Although she enjoyed the scent of coffee, she much preferred tea if given a choice.

  “Make yourself at home—” a few seconds pause then “—while you’re staying here.”

  After putting some water on to boil, she went to the cabinet where Mike used to keep his tea bags and found them as though thirteen years hadn’t passed. “Where’s Mike?”

  “Gramps went to get some groceries.”

  “When will he be back?”

  “Why? Afraid to be alone with me?”

  Cara stepped away a few paces, taking in Connor at the stove. He was wearing black jeans and a white T-shirt and no shoes or socks. His short dark brown hair, still wet from a shower, appeared as though he had combed it using only his fingers. “I was just wondering.”

  “Soon. Gramps would never miss a breakfast someone else cooked.”

  “Do you cook a lot?” The personal question came out unbidden. She wanted to snatch it back the second his gaze swung to her.

  “I like good food, so yeah, I do. How about you?”

  “Yes, when I get the chance, which isn’t nearly enough. One of the disadvantages of being on the road a lot in my job.” Although she hadn’t meant to sound wistful, she did.

  Connor slanted a questioning look her way as if trying to figure her out. “Then I hope you’ll cook us something while you’re here.”

  “Sure. I want to pull my own weight. I’m not a guest.”

  “What are you then?” Connor removed the last piece of bacon and put it on the paper towel.

  She cocked her head. “A friend?”

  “But you aren’t sure?”

  “Not after how we parted all those years ago. I think we should talk about it. Get it out in the open so we can work together.”

  “Why? There’s nothing really to talk about. Y
ou didn’t want to get married. I did. That’s pretty simple. I know now where we stand. Friends it is.”

  The dismissive way he spoke needled her as though what they had shared didn’t mean much in the long haul. “Well, as a friend, what can I do to help with breakfast?”

  “How would you like your eggs?”

  “Over easy.”

  As he removed the carton of eggs from the refrigerator, he waved his hand toward the bread box. “You can make the toast. I’d like two pieces. Knowing Gramps, he will, too.”

  For the next few minutes she worked side by side with Connor in silence until his grandfather unlocked the back door and carried in two sacks of groceries.

  “Connor, there’s more in the truck.”

  Since the bread was in the toaster, Cara said, “I’ll cook the eggs while you get the food.”

  When Connor left, Gramps strolled to the stove with a large mug and poured himself some coffee. “I’m glad to see you two haven’t killed each other yet.”

  Cara chuckled. “We’ve come to an understanding of sorts.”

  “Yeah, it’s the ‘of sorts’ that has me worried.”

  Not wanting to discuss Connor even with Mike, Cara flipped over the eggs in the skillet and asked, “Are you ready for my father? He was difficult before the stroke and now it’s worse with his limitations.”

  “Don’t worry about me, child. We need to focus on you and your dad and keeping y’all safe.”

  “But you don’t understand. You haven’t been around my father much. This stroke has really set him back. He’s always been so active and articulate. Words have been a weapon he used with skill and cunning against his target, and now without the ability to communicate his thoughts, to him he’s defenseless.”

  “In other words, he’s angry and lashing out.”

  She nodded as she slid the eggs onto the plates on the counter.

  “I can deal with him. My own father had a stroke. I took care of him. I understand what he’s facing with his recovery. Your dad’s attitude is the least of your worries.”

  She leaned back against the counter. “I know.”

  The back door opened and Connor came into the kitchen with three more bags. “Did you buy out the grocery store?”

  “Practically. Next time I’ll have to go to Silver Creek.” Mike took a sip of his coffee. “You two go on and eat while I put away the groceries.”

  “But we can help.” Cara started to empty the sack nearest her.

  Mike stopped her with a hand on her arm. “I know where things go. I’m tolerating my grandson messing up my kitchen with his cooking, but that’s where I draw the line. I’ll have to live here after y’all leave, and I want to know where everything is. Sit and eat.”

  “Yes, sir,” she said with a huge grin. “I’d forgotten how bossy you can be. I think you’ll be just fine with Dad.”

  Connor brought their plates to the table. “Speaking of your father, when does he get to leave Sunny Meadows?”

  “I’m hoping today, but it’ll all depend on if Doc thinks his new medication is all right. I’ll feel better when he’s here where I can keep an eye on him better.” Cara brought the platter of toast and set it between their place mats, then took her seat.

  Connor bowed his head and said a quick blessing. Cara stared at the top of his head for a few seconds and then murmured, “Amen.”

  “We need to meet Sean at the hotel after we eat. I called him while I was cooking to see what he found last night. He wants you to tell him what happened. They processed what they could in the room but haven’t touched the fire escape yet.”

  “Did they find anything?”

  Connor shook his head. “A whole slew of fingerprints but since the man wore gloves they won’t help.”

  “I need to see Dad.” The whole mess gave her a feeling of urgency as though time was ticking down quickly.

  “I’ll take you to Sunny Meadows after we see Sean. We’ll pick up your car at the hotel on the way back here later in the day.”

  “I also need to go by the house to meet with the contractor.”

  Mike took a chair across from her. “Who’s working on your house?”

  “Ned Morris.”

  “He’s good and honest. He goes to my church.” Mike grabbed a piece of toast and slathered on some strawberry jam. “Now let’s talk about what we really need to discuss. Who wants you dead, Cara?”

  “The only ones are David Adams, Tom Phillips and Nelson Dickerson. Two I believe are still in prison. I think Phillips has been released.”

  “While you two are out gallivanting around, I’ll do some checking on that trio of suspects.”

  “How?” Cara cut up her two eggs and ate a bite.

  “Child, I am quite good with a computer. I may be old, but I keep up with the times.”

  “You should see him on it,” Connor said with a laugh. “Once I set it up and taught him a few things, he took over and is probably better than I am at finding things.”

  “Since my boss is looking into those guys already, why don’t you delve into the stories my father has written this past year, especially the last few months.”

  “Sure. By the end of the day, I’ll know your father’s stories inside and out. Then if I have time left over I’ll tinker around in those three guys’ lives. It doesn’t hurt for me to check some of the social media sites for them. You can find out some interesting details about people on those sites that might help in the investigation.”

  Cara looked from Mike to Connor. “Who took over your grandfather? Wasn’t he the man who didn’t want you to go into law enforcement and tried to talk you out of getting a degree in criminal justice?”

  “We came to an understanding thirteen years ago when I told him I was going to pursue my dream and follow in my father’s footsteps. I couldn’t see me staying here and taking over running Gramps’s gas stations. I guess it took you leaving to make that clear to me. I reevaluated my life, quit my job at Gramps’s and went back to college. You weren’t the only one who wanted to do more than what was in Clear Branch.”

  “But you never said anything.” His dad had been a state trooper who had died on the job. The idea that Connor and Mike had come to an understanding about his future made her long for that with her own father. But then Mike had always accepted Connor for who he was.

  “That was the time one of my friends got hurt seriously in a tractor accident,” Mike said. “I came to the conclusion danger could come from anywhere. That we can’t live our life in fear of what might happen. I told Connor he needed to do what would make him happy.”

  What would make her happy? If only her father had urged her to do what she’d wanted. Long ago she’d given up the dream of having a family. She didn’t know what that word really meant. She certainly couldn’t go by the one she’d grown up in. She was destined to be alone, and she’d come to accept that. But there were times she was lonely.

  “Have any of the tests on the bomb fragments come back yet?” Cara sipped her tea.

  “That’s a question we’ll ask Sean when we meet him at the hotel in—” Connor peered at the clock on the kitchen wall “—fifteen minutes.”

  “Then we better get moving.” Cara left the rest of the tea but quickly finished the last bite of her eggs and grabbed a piece of buttered toast to take with her. “I’ll get my purse and call Sunny Meadows to see how Dad did last night. I can be ready in five minutes.”

  She rose and took her dishes to the sink. She started to rinse them when Mike stopped her.

  “Child, you’ve got enough to do today. Don’t worry about cleaning up.”

  She kissed Mike on the cheek. “I’ve missed you.”

  Mike peered over his shoulder to check if Connor had left the kitchen to finish getting ready, then looked back at her. “But not my grandson?”

  Glad Connor was gone, she murmured, “Of course,” then fled to her room before Mike questioned her about her feelings.

  Ten minutes later, she s
tood on the back stoop and ate the last bit of toast while she listened to a bird sing in a nearby oak tree. Tranquil came to mind as her gaze swept over the yard that stretched back several acres. A riot of wild rosebushes along one fence offered a glimpse of beauty that she rarely took time to enjoy. Inhaling a deep breath of the sweet-smelling air, she sighed. For just a moment she could imagine that someone wasn’t after her and all was well with the world.

  “What are you doing out here in plain view for anyone to see you?”

  The thunder in Connor’s voice dissipated the serenity. She knew he was right. She had cautioned many clients about exposing themselves unnecessarily, and yet the summer day had drawn her outside. Not yet hot with just a hint of crispness from the evening before, the morning was gorgeous.

  “For once, I wasn’t thinking.”

  “That could get you killed. Something I shouldn’t have to remind you of after last night’s attack. I didn’t think I had to tell you that.” His mouth firmed into a scowl as he descended the steps, shifted around and waited for her.

  “A moment of folly that won’t happen again.”

  His frown dissolved into a bland expression. “I don’t want to see anything happen to you or your dad.”

  “After how my father treated you, I’m surprised you feel that way.” She started for his vehicle.

  “I forgave him long ago.”

  Cara came to a halt and faced Connor. “You forgave him? He did everything to keep us apart. He was rude and belittled you. There wasn’t anything you could do to please him.”

  “Holding a grudge against him was doing me more harm than he was. He wouldn’t even know it, but I would have to live with that kind of hate each day. Besides, his action goaded me into making something of myself.”

  She snapped her fingers. “So just like that you forgave him?”

  “It wasn’t quite that easy, but I actually feel sorry for your father. I don’t think he’s a very happy man.”

  “Yeah, he had a stroke that has curtailed all his activities.”

  “No, way before that. I saw him in town a couple of years ago. We spoke. He was civil, but I saw something in his eyes that gave me pause.”