Chapter Twenty-Seven
‡
Mallory pulled the covers up under her chin while Carter shut off the bedroom light. It wasn’t her room or his. It was someone else’s and she was here because someone wanted her dead. Just out of the blue. At random. He’d seen her on the television and said, “That one. That’s the one I want.”
No rhyme or reason. Jason had said that she might be his type, whatever that meant. It sounded like she had crappy luck.
“I’m sorry about earlier,” she whispered as he settled next to her on the mattress with Tiger zonked out on his huge cushion next to the bed. The house was actually quite lovely, decorated in a colorful and homey style. She’d taken to Dizzy right away, immediately loving the woman’s laidback approach to life. Her husband Easton had seemed far more conventional and a little stiff but it was clear they adored one another.
“It’s okay.” Carter’s voice was low as well, although they were the only two people in the house. “I guess I’m just used to all the craziness of my family. The joke is that there’s never a dull moment but I have to say that most of the time we are pretty boring. My brothers and cousins have had a rough road to love and happiness but they did get there.”
She couldn’t stop the next words that came out tumbling from her lips.
“But they loved them. There’s a difference.”
She didn’t expect Carter to laugh and she elbowed him hard in the ribs.
“Oww! Shit, that hurt. I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing at your assumptions. Trust me when I say that I’m not sure there was always love floating around. Dizzy ordered Easton to get the fuck out of her house when he didn’t immediately believe that she’d witnessed a murder. Shane and Arden were at each other’s throats for quite awhile after she came back to town. You might say that they eventually loved each other but it wasn’t looking good at the beginning.”
Rolling onto her side, she pillowed her head on Carter’s shoulder. He reached around and tucked her closer so that they fit like two puzzle pieces.
“Can they hear us?” she asked, her gaze roaming the darkened bedroom. They’d installed so much electronics it wouldn’t surprise her if the whole place was bugged.
“No. They can’t see us, either. The cameras are all outside except for one by the kitchen back door and the other in the foyer. We have complete privacy.” His fingers brushed her thigh. “Why? Did you have something in mind?”
Was he kidding? He wanted to fuck in the middle of a crisis?
Except…it wasn’t the worst idea in the world. She could already feel herself responding to his body heat and that irresistible scent that only he seemed to have. But still it felt strange. She shouldn’t want sex when a killer was hunting her.
“We shouldn’t,” she heard herself replying, despite the fact that her fingers were tracing patterns on the same ribs she’d just bruised with her elbow. “I mean, it’s probably not a good idea. Shouldn’t we stay alert or something?”
“We were specifically told to get some rest. Jason has men stationed all around the house and even down the block. No one is going to get within a couple hundred feet of here. We’re safe as kittens in their mama’s arms.”
That was true. She’d been shocked at the number of people that Jason had brought in. Some that worked for him and some were volunteers that worked elsewhere in Anderson Industries or on the ranch. It had been a huge relief and the weight of the world had tumbled off her shoulders. She wasn’t in this alone and all of these people were going to make sure she stayed alive.
“How can I want you when I’m supposed to be worried about my life?”
His large hand cupped her jaw and turned her head so her lips were close to his. He brushed them a few times with his own. “It’s normal to want to feel alive in dangerous situations. And what makes you feel more alive than making love?”
Carter made sense. But…
“I think you could sell ice to Eskimos,” she said. “And convince just about any girl to give up her panties.”
She could feel his chuckle under her ear, a deep rumble that sent a tingle down to her toes.
“I’m only trying to convince one. How am I doing?”
“Not bad, but I do think we need to get that rest that Jason mentioned. Somehow I doubt tomorrow is going to be any better than today was.”
And I’m really weirded out about all the cameras.
Carter arranged the blankets around them and then pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“Then we’ll get some sleep. You’re the boss. Please don’t worry about things, though. We’ve got this, babe. Not a hair on your head is going to be damaged. We’ll get this guy and you’ll be safe.”
Keeping her safe and protected here was one thing, but catching this killer was something far different. Far more complex. She couldn’t stay here forever behind an armed guard. Eventually…something was going to have to give.
* * *
The smell of coffee was a welcome aroma the next morning when Mallory opened her eyes. The bed next to her was empty but the sheets were still warm. Carter hadn’t been up long. He might have gone for a run, though.
Throwing on a robe, she padded on bare feet into the kitchen where her brand new boyfriend was standing in front of the back window that looked over the yard and drinking a cup of coffee. Dressed in a pair of jeans and little else, he looked more delicious than any breakfast. No wonder he was so successful with the ladies.
He must have heard her enter the room because he was all smiles, hugs, and kisses when he turned to greet her. This was a lovely way to wake up in the morning. Two mornings in a row now and she could definitely get used to this. She probably shouldn’t; it was still early in their relationship after all, but this was nice.
His arms wrapped around her, strong and warm. “How did you sleep, babe? Want some coffee?”
“Coffee,” she croaked after he dropped another kiss on her lips. Apparently, morning breath didn’t faze him in the least. Or morning anything. Normally she didn’t like to engage until she’d had a shower and brushed her teeth.
Chuckling, he retrieved another mug from the cabinet and filled it with the piping hot elixir that was going to make her feel more human. “You told me to remind you to make sure you had a substitute today.”
She’d called last night when she’d realized that she couldn’t bring a serial killer into her school. The entire situation was too unpredictable and she wouldn’t endanger any more people than she already had. Carter had assured her that if the killer wanted to hurt anyone at her school he could have done it yesterday but she didn’t want to take the chance. Especially if he became more desperate to get to her now that she had a half dozen men at any one time protecting her.
“Thank you,” she said, checking her phone for the message back from the substitute service. “Looks like I’m all set. I can’t stay home forever, though. A few days with a substitute and watching movies instead of working will make the students happy but I can’t let us get too behind on our scheduled lessons.”
“We’ll figure this out as fast as we can.”
Carter truly meant it but she wasn’t as convinced that this was going to be easy. From what she knew, they had zero clues as to who was doing this.
“I know. It’s just going to be a boring day. I assume you all want me to sit in this house all day.”
That was going to suck. She wasn’t good at doing nothing. Maybe she should call her family and let them know… Nope, that was a bad idea. They’d panic and then all hell would break loose. At least the Andersons were experienced in danger and murder. Strangely, they seemed to take it in stride.
“About that, babe.” Carter refilled his own coffee cup. “I don’t want to let you out of my sight today. How about you go to Anderson Industries with me? You’ll be safe, I promise.”
Anything would be better than staring at these walls all day. The home was lovely but it was still a sort of prison. Besides, it would be nice to
see what he did for a living. She wanted to know everything about him.
“I’m in. What do I wear?”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
‡
For some reason Mallory had pictured the Anderson building as a towering skyscraper, like something out of Dallas or Dynasty. Maybe it was the way that police officer at the rest stop had said the Anderson name or perhaps it was the way the family seemed to be able to get anything done but she’d carried an image of titans of industry buying and selling entire countries with just a phone call.
It wasn’t anything like that.
It was a building, or several buildings actually, enclosing a lovely courtyard with grass, benches, and picnic tables where the employees could eat lunch when the weather was good. The edifice, however, wasn’t an imposing structure, instead it was more spread out rather than tall. There was no glass and steel but there was brick.
Wyatt was stationed outside the front entrance and another man whose name she couldn’t remember took the back. Zach followed them inside the building but he stayed in the hallway outside of Carter’s office, giving them some privacy.
The decor wasn’t opulent but it was well-designed, well-decorated, and welcoming. Carter’s office was on the third floor overlooking the street. It was large with windows all on one side, a light oak desk near one wall and an oval conference table on the other. Blueprints were tacked up on a white board and about every ten minutes his assistant would walk in with another problem he needed to solve.
Carter needed to clone himself about six times. Mallory sat on a small couch tucked in the corner, curled up with a good book but watched more than read. It was fascinating to see him in action. Not once did he get flustered or overwhelmed. He was constantly in control and his memory was amazing. He seemed to know the smallest details about every project he had going despite the fact that he wasn’t onsite every day personally.
After what seemed like the dozenth emergency, his assistant left and Carter finally sat down at his desk to drink his cold coffee. It had been sitting there untouched for the last two hours.
“I think you need a raise. Whatever they’re paying you, it isn’t enough.”
Chuckling, he leaned back in the big leather chair and stretched out his long legs, crossing them one over the other. “I’m the owner’s son. Do you honestly think I’m underpaid?”
She nodded toward the door his assistant had just exited. “Judging by the last few hours? Yes. It kind of looks like everything is your problem.”
“Everything with the construction division is, indeed, my problem. We have several projects going on and while I try and visit all of the sites regularly there is always an issue, whether with weather, permits, crews, or what have you. You know the old saying the buck stops here? Well, it does.” He tapped the top of his desk. “If something fails, it’s no one’s fault but my own.”
She studied him for a moment, considering his words. “Carter Anderson, are you a control freak? Because it sounds like it.”
“News flash, babe. All of the Andersons are to a certain extent, except maybe Noah. Personally, I just think he’s better at hiding it. It’s bred into our DNA from birth and nurtured along with a love for the land and a healthy respect for tradition. If you hang around Tremont long enough you’ll hear someone say that if you know one Anderson, you know them all.”
“It’s so much to take on yourself. You could delegate more,” she suggested. “I’m sure you have good employees.”
“I have the best employees,” he stated firmly. “And I do delegate a shit load of work, but there are some decisions that I need to make. My people know their boundaries as we’ve discussed what they’re comfortable taking on and what I’m comfortable giving them. When they’re ready to take on more responsibility it’s usually me that brings it up first, by the way.”
He sounded like a really good manager and someone that would be nice to work for. He came off kind of silly and playful so it was fascinating to see there was another side to him. She should have known it was there though, because of how he’d taken care of things since they’d found out she was in danger.
“You’re still a control freak.”
“That I am.” He sat up in his chair and stretched his arms over his head, yawning. “I think my coffee is ice cold by now. How about a soda? I know I could use the sugar and caffeine.”
A cool drink sounded heavenly and she placed her book on the sofa in readiness to offer to fetch the sodas, but Carter was way ahead of her.
“Uh uh, babe. I’ll send Tina. I can’t have you wandering around this building all by yourself, even if it’s only down the hall to the refrigerator. I used to have one in my office but it gave up the ghost a few weeks ago. I need to get another.”
Slumping back on the couch in dejection, Mallory sighed. “You can put that on your long to do list or you can delegate it.”
He grinned and lifted his laptop off of the desk, holding it out to her. “How about you order one for me?”
She frowned and didn’t immediately reach for the computer. “Me? I wouldn’t know what to get.”
He pointed to a spot on the wall by the table with the coffeemaker. “It used to sit right there. It had a small freezer on the top where I hid popsicles for hot days. That’s my only criteria. It needs to fit and I want my popsicles.”
He was still holding it out, waiting patiently for her to take it. Why not make herself useful? She wasn’t doing anything else except reading, and she had a feeling that Carter was trying to prove that he wasn’t as much of a control freak as she thought he was.
She took the laptop from his outstretched hand.
“Fine, but you have to live with whatever I choose.”
“I’m okay with that, babe. I’m sure you’ll do a great job and I’ll love it.”
Smooth operator. Charming bastard.
Mallory could fall for a man like this.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
‡
Mallory had thought she might be stuck in the office all day long but to her surprise Carter packed them both up in his SUV so they could pick up lunch on the way to Jason’s office. There was news about the case apparently. Wyatt, Zach, and the other man followed along in their own vehicles but the entire morning had been uneventful. One of Jason’s men had even checked her home and there were no new gifts. Her stalker had to know at this point that she wasn’t there nor was she at school.
She was surprised by how comfortable she felt in these circumstances. She wasn’t shaking in her shoes or crying in the ladies’ room.
Confident. She felt confident that everything would be okay and that she’d make it out of this situation alive and in one piece. She had a platoon of people watching over her and Carter was almost glued to her side. It was hard to be scared when so many others were putting themselves between a killer and herself. They were right. He’d never come up against something like this. He thought she’d be alone and unprotected, unaware that she was being hunted. This time he’d showed his hand and she knew he was coming. They were prepared.
A quick stop at a local pizza place to pick up lunch and then on to Jason’s office, which wasn’t part of Anderson Industries. She wanted to ask why he didn’t work for the family but was afraid it might be a sensitive question. There didn’t appear to be any fallout or tension among the Anderson men but she didn’t want to rock the boat.
“How long has Jason had the consulting company?” she asked instead, helping Carter arrange the food in the back seat. It looked enough to feed an army but then she wasn’t used to feeding hungry bodyguards.
Carter screwed up his face in thought before answering. “Uh, five years or so? He didn’t want to go back to the DEA after he escaped from the cartel but he still wanted to stay in some sort of law enforcement. He also wanted to be able to pick what cases he worked on, although I doubt he says no very often. The business has grown so much he now has another small office in Seattle, lots more consultants, too. Shit,
I can’t even keep track of them anymore. There was a time I knew everyone by first name.”
“DEA sounds so scary. Why did he work for them?”
Carter gave her a strange look. “You don’t have a crush on him or anything, do you? Should I be jealous?”
What had she done? This wasn’t what she’d intended at all.
“No, not in the least.” She shook her head, her cheeks turning pink. “Actually, I was just trying to find a roundabout way to ask why he doesn’t work for the family business.”
“Ah, but you didn’t want to ask so personal a question. Got it. That’s not some big secret or anything. Jason was in the military and then went to work as a Fed. He wanted to make a name for himself outside of Anderson Industries. There was never any pressure for us to join the family business. If we wanted to, we were welcome. If we wanted to do something else, that was fine, too. West has never worked for Anderson Industries either. He was in the Army and then was a cop until he was elected mayor. Now he can’t get out of the job. He threatens not to run and the town threatens to write his name in. He’s done such a good job he’s stuck.”
“But you wanted to work in the family business.”
He grinned, parking the car behind a nondescript two story building just down the street from the pizza place. “I wanted to build things. Anderson Industries seemed like a good place to do that.”
Mallory had so many more questions. She wanted to know everything but she was beginning to feel like she was interrogating him. With patience and time, she was sure she’d learned what she wanted to know.
She had to wait to exit the vehicle until Wyatt and Zach were there to escort her into the building, one on each side like a huge concrete wall of protection. For a moment when she was standing out in the open under the bright sunshine, she looked up at the rooftops and windows.
Was there someone up there watching her? It didn’t matter, they wouldn’t get to her. No one would.
Road to Danger Page 14
