Roughshod Justice

by Delores Fossen

  She wiped away a tear that made it onto her cheek. But Jameson wiped away the second one. His touch was a surprise. A welcome one. His fingers were warm on her skin. Strange that a simple touch from Jameson could suddenly make her feel a whole lot better.

  Kelly expected him to move away. That’s what he usually did whenever they got close. But he didn’t. On a heavy sigh, Jameson slipped his arm around her waist and inched her to him. The touch had been a drop in the bucket compared to having her body against his again. There was more warmth. The attraction.

  And memories.

  More of those fragments came. Of another time he’d held her. Also when he’d kissed her.

  She stood there, so close to him, and her body picked up the rhythm of his breathing. Her pulse was already thick and throbbing, and it only got worse when he pulled back just a fraction. That’s because Kelly thought this was all going to end.

  It didn’t.

  He studied her, easing her hair from her face. She could see the debate in his eyes, and he was trying to make himself put an end to this. Because she was a complication that he didn’t want or need. He cursed again, and that was the only warning Kelly got before his mouth came to hers.

  There. That’s what she wanted. And she didn’t need her full memory back to know that. The kiss suddenly made the heat ripple through her. It didn’t stay a ripple, either. When Jameson kept kissing her, her body responded. So did his. She could feel him against the zipper of her jeans.

  Kelly slipped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her. Not that they could get any closer, but Jameson didn’t fight it. In fact, he added to the complication by turning her and pressing her back against the wall. She hadn’t thought they could get any closer, but Kelly had been wrong.

  The kiss didn’t stop, and Jameson deepened it when he took hold of the back of her neck. The fire was already too hot, but that created an urgency. A bad one. Because there was only one fix for it.

  A fix they couldn’t have.

  Even if her body was suggesting otherwise.

  Jameson finally stepped back, probably because he needed air. Time to regroup, too. And she saw the moment he realized just what a stupid mistake this was. Not only had it caused them to lose focus, but this intimacy also added to the complications. They had enough of those without acting on the attraction.

  Dragging in some breaths and cursing himself, Jameson stepped back even farther from her. Not a second too soon, either. Because Gabriel appeared in the doorway. He opened his mouth and looked at them. As if he knew exactly what had happened between them, he shook his head.

  “We have a visitor,” Gabriel said.

  “Yeah, and you need to see me,” someone added.

  August.

  Despite the scowl Gabriel gave him, August came to the door, as well. His mouth tightened when his attention landed on them. Like Gabriel, he seemed to know they’d just kissed. Apparently, Jameson and she looked guilty as sin.

  “I’m glad you’re here,” Jameson said to August. “I have some questions for you.”

  August’s eyes went wide. “What are you talking about?” But he quickly waved that off. “Save your allegations and slander for later. Right now, you have a much bigger problem on your hands.”

  It took Kelly a moment to realize that August was talking to her. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean Boyer.” August huffed. “Now he’s claiming that I helped you steal his daughter. And he’s headed over here with some kind of paperwork. My lawyers think it might be arrest warrants for both of us.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Jameson didn’t need a complication like this. Not with so many other things going on. And especially since he hadn’t found any proof that Kelly had taken Boyer’s child. Those baby memories she’d had were of their own child.

  Kelly shook her head, her gaze slashing to Jameson’s. “I can’t go with Boyer,” she insisted. “You can’t let him take me.”

  Agreed. If it was an arrest warrant, though, Jameson wasn’t sure how to handle it. His first instinct was to get both Kelly and Gracelyn out of there, but that could be what Boyer or the goon behind the attacks wanted them to do. That way, they’d have another chance to kill Kelly.

  But staying put meant Jameson would somehow have to stall the agent. Or defy a court order. He would do either or both. In fact, he’d do whatever it took to keep them safe, but it could land him in jail, too. No way could he let that happen.

  Gabriel was right behind August, and his brother had obviously heard the conversation. That was no doubt what had put the fresh troubled look on his face. “I’ll talk to Boyer,” Gabriel offered.

  “Yes, and tell him to back off,” August snapped. “This witch hunt of his is getting old.”

  Probably not in Boyer’s mind. Now that Jameson was a father, he understood why the agent couldn’t let go of the search for his child. Jameson wouldn’t have given up, either, and he would have gone after anyone who could give him answers. Unfortunately, they couldn’t give that to Boyer.

  But maybe August could.

  “Talk to me about you stalking Kelly,” Jameson threw out there while he stared at the man.

  August pulled back his shoulders. Obviously, Jameson had managed to shock him, and August shifted his attention to Kelly. “You told him that? Because it’s not true. You’re mixing up the memories.”

  “Mandy told me,” Kelly quietly added.

  Now August’s mouth tightened. “Your sister is wrong. You were wrong. I had feelings for you once, and you misinterpreted my concern as stalking.”

  Jameson groaned. “That sounds like something a stalker would say.”

  August’s glare was scalpel-sharp. “I was worried about Kelly. Mandy, too. Obviously, I was right to feel that way, because someone wants them dead.”

  Not them.

  Only Kelly.

  Those gunmen had intentionally let Mandy go. Of course, that didn’t mean they wouldn’t come after her later, but they’d had ample opportunity to kill her and they hadn’t.

  Gabriel held up his phone, letting Jameson know he had a call coming in, and he stepped away, heading back to the squad room. Probably so he would be able to stop Boyer when the agent arrived. His brother likely wouldn’t be able to stop him for long, though, and that’s why they needed to get rid of August so Jameson could talk to Kelly about their limited options of dealing with this.

  “Mandy said we dated once or twice,” Kelly relayed to August. There was some disgust in her voice.

  Disgust that Jameson felt, and he knew why. It was jealousy, plain and simple. Yeah, that kiss had thrown off his perspective. So had learning about Gracelyn. And it wasn’t a good time to lose his objectivity.

  “We dated, briefly. It didn’t work out between us.” He paused. “You wanted information from me, and I’m pretty sure that’s the only reason you agreed to go out with me. Heck, you never even let me kiss you.”

  That grabbed Jameson’s attention. Not the kiss. But the other part. “What kind of information?” he immediately asked.

  “Same old stuff that everyone wants from me. Even though I was the one who hired Kelly, I think she accepted the job only so she could find out if I knew anything about your parents’ murders. And the answer to that is what it’s always been—I don’t know anything about them, and I believe my brother is innocent. That means someone else killed them. The problem with that is you and your brother never did your jobs to find that other person.”

  Oh, they’d done their jobs all right. So had dozens of other cops and FBI agents. “All the evidence pointed to Travis.”

  “Circumstantial evidence,” August spat out. “I believe Kelly was onto the real killer when she took that file from you.”

  This was an old argument, one that Jameson was tired of hearing. “That was my file she took, and there was n
othing in there about someone else other than your brother killing my folks.”

  That wasn’t entirely true. Jameson did have plenty of info on his father’s active and past cases.

  “Kelly used your file to make notes. Her own notes,” August added.

  She shook her head. “You read it?”

  August suddenly got very quiet. “No, but you mentioned some of the things that were in it.”

  That sounded like a lie, and Jameson was about to press him on it when he heard the footsteps. So did August, and he turned in that direction.

  “Mandy,” August said on a rise of breath. “I didn’t know you were in town.”

  Yeah, and Mandy was in a place Jameson didn’t want her to be. He had intended for her to stay with Gracelyn and Erica, and Jameson stepped into the hall so he could watch the break room door. He definitely didn’t want Erica bringing his daughter out here.

  “You’re hurt,” August added, tipping his head to the bandage.

  “I’m okay. You’re here because of what’s going on with Kelly and these hired guns?”

  “In part. Boyer’s on his way over with what I believe are warrants for my and Kelly’s arrest.” He paused again. “Do you know where his daughter is?”

  “No.” Mandy didn’t hesitate. “And if Kelly knows, she doesn’t remember.”

  “Yes,” August said, glancing at Kelly. “Has your memory been returning? Can you recall anything about that file or Boyer’s child?”

  “Nothing about either of them,” she assured him. “In fact, my memory might never return.”

  Jameson knew why she’d said that. If August was behind the attacks, she might believe that would get him to back off. It wouldn’t. If there was anything in that file that could incriminate him, he would continue to go after it. Even if it meant killing Kelly. Or kidnapping Gracelyn to use her.

  August’s eyebrow lifted, and he stared at Kelly as if he expected her to say something different. Maybe the truth. That she was remembering and that it wouldn’t be long before she figured out where she’d put that file.

  And what was in it.

  Finally, August gave up waiting and blew out a frustrated breath. “I heard there was another attack. Just a few hours ago.”

  “How did you hear that?” Kelly asked.

  August lifted his shoulder. “I have friends at SAPD. I was at the prison visiting my brother when I heard, and I got here as fast as I could.”

  “You got here because Gabriel called you in to answer questions about stalking Kelly,” Jameson corrected.

  The man’s glare sharpened a bit more. “I would have come anyway. Whether they appreciate it or not, I care about what happens to Kelly and her sister. When they worked for me, they did everything they could to find evidence to free Travis. That’s more than anyone else has done.”

  Clearly, that was meant as a dig at Jameson, but he didn’t care. He took hold of Kelly’s hand so he could lead her back to the break room. Mandy, too. That way, if they did have to leave, Jameson would be able to get her out of there, as well.

  “Tomorrow is the anniversary of your parents’ murders,” August added when Jameson and Kelly started moving. Jameson motioned for Mandy to follow them. “If the real killer is out there, then he or she will almost certainly strike soon.”

  That stopped Jameson in his tracks. “You personally know something about that?”

  “No. But I’ve been getting threatening letters and emails, too. Just like you and your family. Someone’s out there and wants to finish what he or she started ten years ago, and for whatever reason, they’ve included me in this.”

  Jameson prayed that wasn’t true, but August was right about the threats. They were all getting them, and it was clear the violence was escalating. But August was right to question why he had been getting the threats. Unless it was to throw suspicion off himself.

  Jameson got Kelly and Mandy walking toward the break room again, but this obviously wasn’t his day for a quick exit. The front door opened, and Boyer stormed in. Or rather that’s what he tried to do, but Gabriel was right there to block the agent’s path by stepping in front of him. However, Jameson caught sight of something before his brother did that.

  Boyer did indeed have some papers in his hand.

  “Is it true?” Boyer asked. He wasn’t looking at Gabriel, though. Instead, he was aiming his attention at Mandy.

  Since Boyer looked ready to implode, Jameson moved in front of Kelly and her sister. “A lot of things are true,” Jameson snarled, matching Boyer’s tone. “Did you have something particular in mind?”

  If looks could have killed, Jameson would be dead. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. You found a baby.”

  Jameson still had his hand on Kelly, and he felt her tense. He was certain he was doing some tensing, too. “Who told you that?” Jameson countered, and he hoped that Mandy or Kelly didn’t blurt out anything. Best to fish for information rather than verify something he didn’t want Boyer to know anyway.

  “I heard,” was all Boyer said. He didn’t wait for Jameson to respond. “It’s true.” He groaned. “God, it’s true. Where is she? I want to see her right now.”

  “We don’t have your child.” Jameson tipped his head to the papers Boyer was holding. “And if you’re here to try to arrest Kelly and August, then you’re wasting your time.”

  Boyer looked down at the papers, too, but his expression was odd. It was as if he’d forgotten they were there. He handed them to Gabriel.

  “They’re not arrest warrants,” Boyer said. “Not yet anyway. The paperwork is for the transfer of a prisoner. McGill. I’m taking him into my custody.”

  “Why?” Jameson asked. He wanted to have a look at the papers, but he didn’t want to leave Kelly in the hall with August. Plus, he didn’t plan to get too far away from the break room.

  “Justice Department business. I’m not at liberty to say.”

  “You mean you won’t say.” And Jameson could think of a bad reason for the agent’s silence. “If McGill works for you—”

  “He doesn’t,” Boyer interrupted. “But I’m taking him to headquarters to be interviewed.”

  By federal agents. Something was up, and Jameson hoped that didn’t include Boyer trying to cover his tracks.

  After reading through the papers, Gabriel looked back at Jameson. “Everything appears to be in order.”

  So either Boyer had bought off a judge or else there was a compelling reason for the feds to take McGill. Unfortunately, that meant the man wouldn’t be around so Gabriel and the deputies could continue to press him for information. Information that could help them figure out who was orchestrating the attacks.

  “Two marshals are on the way to transport the prisoner,” Boyer added, and he looked at Mandy again. “Now tell me about the baby you found.”

  Gabriel got another call and stepped away to take it. Despite the fact that no one was now in his path, Boyer thankfully didn’t come any closer. Maybe because all four of them—Jameson, Kelly, Mandy and August—were giving him looks from hell.

  “She’s not your daughter,” Jameson settled for saying. No sense denying there was a child, since someone had obviously leaked details about not only the attack but the fact that Jameson and the others had left the crime scene with an infant.

  “I don’t believe you,” Boyer snapped. “I want to see her now.”

  “No.” Jameson had a quick debate with himself as to how to continue, and he just went with the truth. “She’s my daughter. Mine and Kelly’s.”

  “You had his child?” August asked.

  Either August was genuinely surprised or else he was doing a good job of faking it. However, there was one emotion that August wasn’t able to hide.

  Jealousy.

  Since Jameson had had a recent bout of it himself, he recognized it in August. T
he man’s mouth stretched into a straight line.

  Kelly nodded. “Jameson didn’t know. I kept her from him because I was in hiding.”

  She hadn’t added that it was also because she hadn’t trusted him. But apparently she hadn’t trusted August or Boyer, either.

  Boyer took a couple steps toward them. Unlike August, there was no jealousy on his face, but there was emotion. And disbelief. The agent obviously thought they were lying.

  “I want to see the baby,” Boyer repeated. “If she’s mine, I’ll know it.”

  No way was he going to allow Boyer in the break room or anywhere near Gracelyn for that matter. However, Jameson did take out his phone, and he quickly located the picture he’d taken of the baby a couple of hours earlier. He held it up so that Boyer could see.

  Boyer eased the phone from Jameson’s hand, his attention fixed to the smiling little girl on the screen. The moments crawled by before Boyer whispered “no” under his breath.

  “You could have switched pictures of her.” He thrust the phone back at Jameson. “That’s why I have to see her for myself.”

  “You don’t need to see her,” Mandy verified. “Because I swear she’s not yours.”

  Boyer groaned. The sound of a man in pain. Obviously, it was sinking in that they didn’t have his child after all. “I can’t give up hope,” Boyer mumbled. “I have to find her.”

  The words had barely left his mouth when Gabriel walked back into the hall with them. “I just got a call from a criminal informant named Buddy Wells,” Gabriel said. “He had something very interesting to tell me. Want to explain why we didn’t hear it from you first?”

  His brother hadn’t directed that to Boyer or August. But rather to Mandy. Jameson expected her to be surprised by Gabriel’s question.

  She wasn’t.

  Mandy glanced away, dodging both Gabriel’s and his gaze, and she muttered some profanity that Jameson silently repeated.

  “What is he talking about?” Kelly asked. When her sister didn’t answer, she took hold of Mandy’s chin, forcing eye contact. “What is it?” she demanded.