Loving Baby

by Tyler Anne Snell

  “I think the best we can do now is to head home, get some sleep and regroup later in the morning.”

  “And by home, do you mean mine or yours?”

  The question made sense, but the way Suzy said it brought out another feeling in James that should be reserved for the bedroom.

  Lust.

  That was what it was. Front and center. A feeling he couldn’t deny.

  But one he needed to right now.

  “I wasn’t going to kidnap you,” he managed to joke, trying to switch gears. “But I thought it might be a good idea for you to at least clean up at my place before I take you to yours. Unless you think you can sneak around Justin before he has to get up for school.”

  “Don’t forget my mother.” A soft sigh escaped her lips. “After the accident—well, she decided it would be best to be closer to us.”

  “She lives with you now?”

  Another sigh. “She took over Justin’s bedroom. The poor kid has been bunking with me since I got back from the hospital. Though my injury...” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her hand move to her chest. Where the bullet had hit. He remembered it in too much detail for his liking. “I don’t think he realized the danger of my job until the accident. If he saw me like this?” She shook her head. “Let’s just say I’ll take you up on your offer.”

  “Good.” He smiled. “Because I already had clothes for you brought to the house.” Suzy whipped her head around so quickly that her hair went airborne for a split second. “Don’t worry—it’s not like I had them shipped in from France. I called my head of security earlier and got him to run to Walmart. He needed to get some things for Queso anyways.”

  “You didn’t need to do that,” she said. “I’ll pay you back.”

  James slowed and then stopped at another intersection. He turned toward her and immediately fell into her eyes. They were like two pools of honey.

  “Help me find my nephew, and help me find the person who ordered that his father be killed. That’s how you can pay me back.”

  The chief deputy didn’t miss a beat.

  “You saved my life, so it’s only fair that I can now help save his.”

  * * *

  THE CALLAHAN ESTATE was surprisingly quiet. Over three thousand square feet, not including the four acres of land around it, the two-story house stood in the dark like an old friend with a welcoming hand outstretched. Suzy was surprised at the comfort she felt as they pulled up to it. Or maybe the comfort had more to do with the reaction James had to it. The moment he cut the engine, it was like he was shedding a burden from his body. His shoulders relaxed and his frown lessened as he walked with her into the house and showed her to one of the second-floor bedrooms.

  “This is Chelsea’s room,” he said, motioning to the massive space. It seemed to double as a bedroom and a small office, though the desk was bare and most of the clothes in the open closet were gone.

  “I don’t want to intrude,” Suzy started, taking in the various framed pictures on the walls, plastic trophies on a shelf and a few odds and ends that denoted a teenage girl had once inhabited the space. “Don’t you have another two or three guest rooms?”

  James waved the concern off. “None with a bathroom attached that’s already stocked. Plus, she’s away at college. She really won’t mind. Just so long as you don’t read her diary.” He grinned. “Which may or may not be hidden in a shoe box beneath her bed.”

  James winked. “She might be good at science, but hiding things from me? Not so much.” Before Suzy could really appreciate how much he clearly loved his sister, James’s playful mood evaporated. “Your new clothes should be on the counter in the bathroom. There’s a charger that should work for your phone in the nightstand. When you’re done, I’ll be in my office a few doors down. I’ll leave the door open.”

  Suzy barely had time to thank him before he left. Then she made a beeline for the nightstand.

  Even though her mother already knew she probably wasn’t going to be home until early morning, Suzy still felt a surge of panic at being reminded that her only lifeline to Justin was dead in her hands. Although, logically, she knew that her mother was more than capable of finding her without a phone—she had been married to a cop, after all, not to mention that Billy, Mara and the sheriff’s department were on their family phone’s speed dial in case of emergencies—finding the charger lying at the top of the drawer made her breathe a sigh of relief. She attached it to her phone and plugged it into an outlet.

  Suzy rolled her shoulders back. She knew she’d been doing it all night. They were sore, just like the rest of her. She let out another long, low sigh and stalked off to the bathroom.

  Like the rest of the Callahan house, the shower was impressive. Or maybe Suzy was just too excited to wash the night off herself. At any rate, the warm water was just the thing she’d been seeking. She didn’t even bat an eyelash at the fact that James’s head of security had taken it upon himself to buy her a bra-and-panty set, along with a plain T-shirt and pair of sweatpants. Nor did she wonder at the fact that every article of clothing fit perfectly. She made a mental note to see if this head of security would be interested in trying to find her the elusive perfect pair of jeans.

  By the time she finished up in the bathroom, her phone was partially charged. She turned it on and was met with one new voice mail. It was from her mother. Suzy sat down on the edge of the bed and hit Play.

  “You’re lucky I got ahold of Billy and he explained your phone was dead but you’re okay. I was about to hunt you down if you turned it off on purpose. Anyways, just wanted to make sure you’re okay and being careful. Billy kept his darn mouth shut about what you’re working on—even though you’re not supposed to be working yet—so I’ll trust you two. Just make sure when you do get your phone working to at least text me that you’re okay...or else I’m sending out the hounds to find you. Love you, Suzy Q.”

  Suzy usually cringed at her mother’s nickname for her, but after the night she’d had, she couldn’t help but smile. While Cordelia Simmons moving into the house had been stressful at times, Suzy was grateful for it now. She lay down on the bed and sent a text to her mother, assuring her she was okay. She also sent a quick text to Billy, thanking him for covering for her. Suzy had only been able to tell him the bare bones of what had happened earlier—goons with guns in Riker County—before she’d had to switch gears to what was right in front of her and get off the phone. He’d promised to head back first thing in the morning.

  Then she’d have to tell him what had happened.

  Which made her wonder what really had happened. And why?

  What had she gotten herself into?

  Suzy took a deep breath. She still had a few questions for James Callahan.

  Yet, as she compiled the ones she intended to go ask right then, the most pressing had nothing to do with the case. Instead, she found that her thoughts had strolled over into a more personal area. One that had no bearing on Gardner Todd or potential new gangs trying to make a name for themselves.

  Was there someone special the millionaire had called after they’d just barely escaped death? Someone other than his sister? Someone who was just as worried as Suzy’s mother had been about her?

  Someone whose relationship with the man went past friendly and straight into his bedroom, only a few doors down?

  Suzy closed her eyes, not liking the thought.

  But she was too tired to question why it really bothered her.

  Chapter Seven

  She felt warm.

  Suzy opened her eyes slowly, trying to blink some sense into what she was seeing.

  Sunlight?

  “I was starting to think I might have to throw some water on you.”

  Suzy rolled onto her side, away from the window that was the source of her current irritation. She groaned at the movement. Pain shot through her. On r
eflex, she put her hand to her chest.

  “What the—” she started, confused. It didn’t help that James was standing next to her, looking down with a grin.

  “I’m guessing you feel as great as I do,” he said. “Probably worse. At least I didn’t have to wear heels during most of our wild night.”

  The haze of sleep was clogging up her thought processes. While she was looking at James, she couldn’t understand why she was horizontal and he wasn’t. And why the room behind him didn’t look familiar. Not to mention why she was so groggy.

  Then it dawned on her.

  “Oh, my God, I fell asleep!”

  James’s grin widened. “You sure did. Even snored a little. I thought you’d keep sleeping, too, but then you seemed to smell this.” He shook a cup in his hand. The unmistakable smell of fresh coffee met her nose. It did nothing to stop the panic and heat that crawled up her neck.

  “Why didn’t you wake me up?” she demanded. In another move that reminded her that her body had been through the wringer, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood. “I have a kid! I can’t just fall asleep in strange men’s houses!” Suzy scrubbed a hand down her face. “Not to mention, my mom is going to kill me,” she groaned. It earned a laugh from the man. Suzy shot him a look that she hoped burned.

  James held his hand up to stop the next onslaught of anger she was about to let out. “Don’t worry. Your mother was very understanding when I spoke to her.”

  “What?” Suzy managed to ask around her pounding heart. Who needed coffee when you woke up and immediately panicked? She already had more adrenaline running through her than when she’d been shot at. “You talked to her?”

  He shrugged. “It was less me talking and more of her asking what kind of cake I like.” He cracked a grin. “But I got the general point across before we started talking about the pound cake she made me while you were in recovery at the hospital.”

  Suzy felt her eyebrows hit her hairline.

  “I told her that, after the party, I asked you to look into an issue I was having with a local company and, after some sifting through boxes of files and some light investigating, I offered you one of the guest rooms to rest in when the coffee stopped working. That’s when we started talking about cakes.”

  Suzy’s hip jutted out before she could stop it. She narrowed her eyes for a moment, then burst out laughing.

  James looked alarmed. As he should have.

  “You lied to my mother?” She shook her head and took the cup of coffee from him. The man might have been good at keeping his cool in danger-filled situations, but he had no idea the minefield he’d just stepped into. “And you thought being shot at was bad?”

  James held up his hands in self-defense. “Hey, I figured it was either going to be me telling the fib or you. If you ask me, I took one for the team.” His expression turned serious. “I’ve only met your mother a few times in the hospital. I don’t know your relationship with her, but I know from the hospital that she seems to genuinely care about you. Which means if we told her the truth right now—”

  “She would worry more than she already does,” Suzy finished. “Plus, it could put her in danger. She’s not the type of person to just stand by when her flock is threatened.”

  James gave a small smile. “So, I told the lie so you wouldn’t have to. I could see how much it bothered you to lie to the deputies and sheriff last night.” Like a sucker punch to the gut, Suzy felt the same guilt as before. She gave James one quick, appreciative nod. “Now, when you’re ready, come downstairs. While you’ve been sleeping, I’ve been busy.”

  James walked to the door. Suzy set down her coffee.

  “You know, it should bother you, too,” she said, all trace of humor gone. “Lying, that is.”

  James paused in the doorway. The jokes and charm he threw around like his own personal weapons remained in their sheaths now. His voice was cold, even.

  “Sometimes lying is the only way we can protect good people.” Ocean-blue eyes swallowed Suzy for a moment. The room and everything in it seemed to disappear. All that was left was the two of them—and pain. “My brother taught me that.”

  And then he was gone.

  * * *

  QUESO WAS EIGHTEEN, and had a sprained ankle and a real bone to pick with James. These were the only three facts he’d been able to get out of the boy since he’d been shown into the kitchen by Douglas, who, judging by the look on his face before he went outside, wasn’t particularly happy at being saddled with watching the boy.

  “You can’t keep me here, old man!” Queso yelled. “I’m legally an adult! I have rights, you know!”

  James finished topping off his third cup of coffee since he’d found Suzy asleep. He’d tried to sleep, as well, knowing rest was a necessity for staying sharp, but the moment his head hit his pillow he’d started thinking about Gardner. And Gardner’s son. He hadn’t been able to go to sleep after that.

  “Yes, you have the right to be tortured and killed,” James conceded. “But I think it’s better for the moment that you are neither kidnapped nor dead.” Queso’s eyes widened enough that James knew his blunt approach had hit home. He also knew that the boy wasn’t stupid. On the topic of options, he had few to none, and James didn’t have the time to baby him. “Until we can figure out who this group is and why they’re pulling the strings they are, you have a target on your back. One that, as I’ve told you, they really want to come after.”

  “You said that guy said that Sully wasn’t dead. That he was out there somewhere,” Queso tried. He put his hands on the kitchen island in the middle of the room in an attempt to really hammer his point home. “Let me go find him. He can keep me safe.”

  James reached into the cabinet and pulled out a mug. He kept his body turned so he could still see Queso’s face as he poured coffee.

  “Listen, I get it. I really do,” James started. “From what I can tell, Sully saved your life, probably in more ways than one and probably before the shooting last night. I’m also going to go out on a limb and assume you don’t have family to turn to, or maybe you do, and you’d rather not.

  “But Sully is a smart man, despite his decision to stay on the less-than-savory side of the law. He sent you here, to me, when he could have hidden you elsewhere or even taken you with him. Not to mention, he has plenty of people who could have come to me, instead, with that address. That tells me two things.” James topped off the cup and placed it on the island between them. “One, he wanted to try to keep you safe because he knows it’s about to get crazy out there. Two, as of right now, he knew this place would be safe.”

  James pushed the cup of coffee closer to the boy and pointed to the cabinet behind him.

  “The sugar is in there, and the creamer is in the fridge.” He didn’t give Queso the room to speak. Not that he looked like he knew what he wanted to say anyway. His expression was thoughtful. “You stay here, make yourself at home and let me figure out who’s doing this. Okay? And then, when it’s over with, I’ll be happy to take you anywhere you want. Deal?”

  It took him a moment, but eventually Queso took the mug. “You got until Monday,” he said. “Then I’m out.”

  “Deal.”

  James took his coffee out to the patio. It was a beautiful day, all things considered. Upper eighties, low humidity and blue, blue skies. The weatherman claimed rain in the weekend forecast, but James had tunnel vision. Today was the important day.

  Today he was going to find his nephew.

  He took a long drink of his coffee and wondered if Suzy’s willingness to bend her code by lying and withholding information to help him had anything to do with a need for revenge she wasn’t telling him about. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to make the jump that the people who were after Gardner’s son were the same people who had hired Lester McGibbon to kill him...which, in turn, had gotten her shot. Shoo
ting her might not have been premeditated, but her nearly dying by his hand made the blame game stretch to the same people James was after. It aligned their goals, if revenge was hers.

  But was it James’s goal?

  Hadn’t he spent months trying to find his brother’s killer, even before he knew there was a baby out there?

  Was he after revenge for his brother?

  And for what had happened to Suzy?

  As unwanted as they always were, images of her almost dying beneath his hands as he tried to stop the bleeding took a front-row seat in his mind.

  He shouldn’t have gotten her involved. The same group of men who had destroyed the small house were currently after Gardner’s kid. Sure, James realized that Queso showing up at the house might have forced his hand to include Suzy in his personal investigation, but he hadn’t resisted the idea as much as he could have.

  The last four months had been emotionally exhausting, as he’d tried to find the right thread to pull to unravel the mystery that was his brother’s life. He realized now that when Suzy had stood next to Queso, shoes in her hand and fire in her eyes, and demanded he explain everything, maybe he’d wanted to finally share everything with someone.

  Or maybe just with her.

  James took another drink and then sighed. The door behind him opened.

  Like his thoughts had summoned her, Suzy stopped at his side.

  “Whatever you’ve found out, you can update me in the car,” she said in greeting. Pure authority rang through each syllable. Suzy might not have officially been on the job, but he bet her mind was always ready for work. “As much as I appreciate the fact that I won’t be slinking home in a ruined dress and barefoot, I really want to get into my own clothes. Not to mention a holster that’s more accessible.”

  “I don’t know—watching you pull a Glock out from under your dress was quite the sight,” James chimed in. “I bet it would have made the bad guys stop in their tracks.”