“Do you want me to send some agents to lead you back to the safe house?”
“No, don’t send any agents. At this point we don’t know who we can trust. Either there’s a leak in the bureau, or someone else told Powers about the meeting with Beth.” He sat down in the chair on the front porch. His chest hurt like hell. “We’ll stay here tonight and decide something tomorrow. Don’t tell anyone where we are. I’ll call you in the morning.” Remembering Beth’s description of the shooter, he added, “Beth thinks the shooter was short, maybe five foot seven. Find out if Agent Blake noticed.” He closed the phone and handed it back to Grant.
Grant sat in the chair next to Josh. “Are you okay? Mama said you took four to the chest. Said if you had not been wearing your vest, you’d be dead.”
“Mama shouldn’t have called you. I told her not to ruin your honeymoon.”
“I’d been mad as hell if she wouldn’t have called me.” He placed his hand on Josh’s shoulder and squeezed. “Family should be together at a time like this.” Shadow trotted over to Grant and sat his yellow tennis ball in his lap. It was evident the dog had missed his masters. Scratching Shadow behind the ear, he took the ball and gave it a hard fling before he replied, “Now tell me what happened.” Shadow bolted across the yard to fetch his ball.
“I’m sure you read in the paper before you left for your trip about Chase Powers attempting to kill Kathy Lassiter and David Lewis.”
“Yes, Kathy’s fiancé came home early and chased him away before he cut her throat. I kept up with the case until we left on our honeymoon to Hawaii.”
“I picked them up at the safe house this morning. I took them to the bureau to meet with Beth because she’s Powers’ attorney. After the meeting, we were returning to the car when Beth followed us out because Kathy forgot her scarf. She saw the shooter from the second floor of the garage deck. If she hadn’t alerted us, it’s highly probable Kathy and David would have been killed.”
Worry flashed across Grant’s face. “Or you.”
“Perils of the job.”
“It was a brazen act of violence. The shooter is ballsy for trying to eliminate Kathy and David in the parking garage of the bureau. Sounds like Powers will stop at nothing to make sure there are no witnesses.”
“We’re trying to tie Powers to other murders. We think he is an assassin. Problem is we can’t find a motive for attempting to murder Kathy. She is a school teacher and clean as a whistle.” Josh felt the weight of the world had descended on him. His mind circled around the fact someone tried to kill Kathy and David. It was a close call.
“Could David be the mark?”
“No, he was scheduled to be with his coach. He forgot something and went back home. He knew the moment he opened the door something was wrong. Furniture was knocked over, broken glass all over the floor. Kathy fought for her life. When David stepped into the bedroom, Powers had the knife to her throat. One look at David and he decided to flee out the fire escape. The man’s sturdy as an oak.”
“Yes, I noticed that.” Grant stood and hooked his thumbs in the front pocket of his jeans. Several fat clouds sailed across the early March sky blocking out the sun. “What is your plan?”
“Don’t fret. I won’t put your family in danger.” His voice was tight, his body stiff. “Odds are this is one of the first places they’ll look for Kathy and David.” Worry plagued his mind. He was responsible for the couple’s safety. Josh jerked his tie from around his neck. He wrapped it around his hand. “I’ll think of something.”
“How about Pastor Hancock? He’ll help. There are some cabins for campers in the forest behind the church. Only a couple of them are completed. The rest are still under construction. No one would think to look for them there.”
Josh mulled that over for a moment. Maybe that would work. They could move them there immediately. Pastor Hancock married Grant and Nina. Both admired him, considered him a friend. A man of God could be trusted to keep a secret. “Under the circumstances it sounds like that is our best option.”
****
Grant placed the box of groceries on the counter. “I’ll go get the other things out of the back of the truck.” Shadows deepened toward evening as Grant and David carried the last three boxes of supplies into the cabin. Dark clouds loomed overhead. The rain came just before a roll of thunder. He and Nina would have to drive home in the rain. The road would be a muddy mess.
Grant could hear Nina and Kathy’s hushed voices from the bedroom. “I’m sorry Josh wouldn’t let you get your things from the safe house. He was afraid someone might be watching.”
“I understand. Thanks for letting us borrow some clothes.”
“Don’t mention it.” Grant reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out his pistol. “Do you know how to handle a gun?”
“Yes.” David took the pistol and ejected the magazine. After making sure the magazine was full, he replaced it and checked the safety. “Thanks. I feel better having some protection.”
“You shouldn’t need it. I doubt anyone will think to look for the two of you out here in the middle of nowhere. The pastor called off the construction on the other cabins until all this is resolved.” Grant placed a brick of ammunition on the counter. He stepped to the open door and peered out at the rain through the screen door. Rain pelted the tin roof. From where he stood he could see the narrow creek that cut through the forest.
“There is fishing gear on the back porch. There’s gas for the generator in the outside building around back. Just don’t wander off too far” He turned and faced David. “The pastor left a phone on the counter. Don’t call anyone but him. If you need anything, he’ll let us know.”
David offered his hand. “Thanks for all you’ve done.” Grant took the offered hand and gave him a firm handshake. “You’re good people.”
“I’m sorry you got tangled up in this mess. Life isn’t fair sometimes.”
“We’ve been needing a vacation. It’s better than that safe house.” At least he was trying to look on the bright side. Still he was missing a lot of practices. Football was his career and for the near future he wouldn’t be playing. Hopefully everything would be resolved in a few days and the couple could go home and back to their lives.
David pulled his billfold from his back pocket. “How much do we owe you for the groceries?”
“Not a cent. Courtesy of the FBI.”
Nina and Kathy stepped into the small kitchen, sitting room. “We’d better get going before the rain worsens.”
“Okay, honey.” Nina hugged Kathy. “Call the preacher if you need anything. Josh said he would make sure your things at the safe house are packed. Preacher Hancock will bring them tomorrow.”
“Thank you for your kindness.”
“Don’t worry about anything. Josh and Beth will take care of everything.”
She swept her long hair behind her ear, kept her gaze level on Nina. “Over the course of a week our lives have changed drastically. I wish I knew why Powers wants me dead. I’ve thought of little else.”
“Josh is a great agent. He won’t stop until Powers is behind bars. Better yet, maybe he’ll get the needle. A man like him doesn’t deserve to live.”
Grant placed his arm over Nina’s shoulders. “My wife can be a little blood thirsty.”
“I have never wished death for anyone, but after the turmoil Powers has put us through I wouldn’t mourn if he died.”
Nina squeezed her hand. “We’d better go. The road can be treacherous in the rain. We won’t see you again until the trial. We’ll not chance someone following us.” She grabbed her purse off the counter. “Here are the keys to the truck.” Kathy took the keys. “Don’t leave unless it’s an emergency.”
“Good-bye, Nina.” She gave Grant a warm smile. “Thanks for what you’ve done for us.”
By the time Grant and Nina made it to the old blue truck that had once belonged to her father, they were soaked from the rain. Her blond hair was draped over her shoulder
and rain dripped onto her clothes. She shivered from the cold. Turning up the heat, he let his gaze travel over her. Beautiful blue eyes sparkled at him with love. Perfect skin, perfect body, he was a lucky man. “I bought you a shiny, new heavy-duty Ford truck and you prefer this old thing. We could have left Old Blue for Kathy and David.” He placed his hand on the faded dashboard. “It’s not like they’re going to be driving around anywhere.”
“I have no desire to scratch my new truck. Can you imagine how painful it will be the first time a cow or horse kicks it? ”
“It’s a work truck. I bought it for you to use on your vet calls.”
She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “And I love it. It’s just too fancy for farm work. I’ll drive it to town and church.”
Grant shook his head. Nina was as stubborn as a mule. She moved to the center of the seat against his warmth. “I’m cold.” He wrapped his arms around her and felt the heat slowly seep back into her body. Their lips met in a long luxurious kiss. She wiggled against him and moaned her contentment. Her fingers curled into his damp shirt. “I’m warm now.”
“Let’s go home.” A heavy, white mist of fog made it difficult to see as they wound through the trees along the narrow, curvy dirt road. The fog thickened as they neared the end. Nina let out a soft breath. “I hope they’ll be okay.”
He gripped the steering wheel with both hands. The area was thick with deer and coyotes. He kept a vigil hoping nothing would dart out in front of them. Because of the low visibility and mud, it would be difficult to stop.
Grant tried to sound optimistic. “They’ll be fine. The only people who know where they are can be trusted.” Grant had an uneasy feeling. If something happened to Kathy and David, Josh would never forgive himself.
****
Beth flipped through her closet looking for the perfect outfit for court. She laid the black dress and royal blue jacket she planned to wear on her bed. Rummaging through the dresser drawer, she found her matching black bra and panties. She heard Josh bellowing her name from the room next door. Only wearing her robe, she hurried from the room fearing he might have fallen.
She knocked on Josh’s bedroom door then tied the sash of her robe a little tighter. “Josh, are you okay?”
“Come in.” She stepped over the threshold to find him sitting on the bed without his shirt. Four ugly bruises covered his chest. “Can you please wrap my chest?” He held up the white cotton material.
Just the thought of touching him had her heart beating wildly. “I don’t think so. Why don’t you ask your mother to do it?”
“She is helping Nina with a sick calf at the Rollins Farm. Juan has already left for school. I thought about asking Maria, but I’d rather you do the chore.” Big, pleading brown eyes looked at her. “I’m so sore I can’t ravish you. You’re safe.”
Last night she had another dream about Josh. As in the first dream, she almost had sex with him. She was on the verge of having an orgasm when she woke covered in sweat. Just knowing he was in the room next to hers had her fantasizing about sleeping with him.
She crossed the room and snatched the wrap out of his hand. He smelled fresh and his hair was still damp from his shower. She leaned over and closed her eyes as she inhaled deeply. God, he smelled wonderful.
“Do I make you nervous?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You make me feel nothing.” Her hand trembled as she wrapped the cloth around his perfect chest. A sprinkle of hair covered his chest. Most men desired to be hairless, but Beth felt it was natural for a man to have hair on their body. She fought the urge to touch her fingers to his chest.
“You seem nervous to me.”
“I’m worried about meeting with Powers.” She pulled the cloth tight causing him to wince. “Sorry, I’m hurting you.”
“It’s okay. It hurts when mama wraps my chest. It can’t be helped.” He took her hand and pressed it against his chest. “Don’t worry about Powers. I’ll be there with you.” He waited until she secured the wrap with the Velcro before he pulled her into his lap. “You look lovely this morning. What are you wearing under that robe?”
She struggled to get out of his lap. “Let me go, Josh.”
A look of pain crossed his face when he lifted her in his arms and laid her on the bed. He stretched out next to her. Planes of muscles stretched across his body. “When are you going to stop playing hard to get? You know you want me as bad as I want you.” He nuzzled his freshly shaven cheek against her ear. “Admit you want me.”
She shivered as he raked his fingers down her arm. “We’ve had this discussion before. We’re not compatible. I’m not looking for meaningless sex.”
“Who says it would be meaningless? It would mean something to me.”
She pushed against his shoulders. “Let me up.”
“No.” He leaned over so close she could taste the warm flutter of his breath on her parted lips. His fingers tightened on her arms before sliding down to her wrists. Her heart raced with excitement as she waited in anticipation for him to kiss her. “I know I’m being selfish, but all I can think about is making love to you.”
His lips touched hers and she felt a jolt of lust. His tongue slipped between her lips and tangled with hers. The kiss had her feeling hungry and wild. Even through his sweat pants she could feel his hardness pressed against her thigh. A tiny moan escaped her lips. The kiss became more aggressive. She felt the air on her breasts and realized he had untied her robe. Her skin tingled as his hand moved to her breasts and he rolled them in his hands.
“You are so sweet, Beth.” He rose above her and his eyes moved to her bare chest. “You are also perfection.” He kissed her throat and moved lower to her chest. “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time.” His mouth closed over a puckered nipple and she let out a little scream. It was just like her dream. All he needed to do was touch the moistness between her legs and she would have an orgasm. The ache was almost unbearable. She arched her back as he tugged on her nipple with his teeth. His hand drifted down her stomach. She thrust her hips up, dug her fingers in his hair.
“Beth!” Someone was calling her name. At first nothing registered because she was lost in the passion of having Josh lying on top of her doing delicious things to her body. Then she heard it again. “Beth!”
She pushed at Josh’s shoulders. He fell onto his back gasping for air. When she tried to sit, he pulled her back down on the bed and whispered in her ear. “Ignore her. Making me stop now would be the worst kind of torture.”
She slapped at his hands and hissed through her teeth, “Nina can’t find me in your room.” She struggled to her feet and tied her robe. She raced to the mirror of the dresser and straightened her hair. She jogged to the door and took several deep breaths to slow her racing heart before she opened the door and stepped out into the hall.
Her bedroom door was open and Nina stood in the middle of the room. “Where were you?”
“I forgot and left a folder in my car. I wanted to look over it before my meeting with Powers this morning.”
Nina’s brow furrowed. “Did you forget you left your car at the bureau yesterday?”
Beth giggled. “I realized that when it wasn’t in the drive.”
A look of concern on her face, Nina took both her hands into hers. “Are you okay? Is anything wrong? You seem a little edgy. Maybe you’re working too hard.”
“I’m fine.”
Nina enveloped her in a hug. “Listen, Beth, if working at Phillips, Robbins, and Daniels is going to be too much stress, quit.” When she pulled back, her fingertips touched her cheek. “No job is worth your health and sanity.”
“Quit! I just started working for them.” She took a long, quiet breath. “Besides, I owe you and Grant too much money to quit my job. I can’t run away when things get messy.”
“You don’t need to pay us back. Grant has money.” Again Nina’s gaze roamed over her face with concern. “At the end of the day, we should feel good about ourselves. If we do
n’t, we’re in the wrong profession. Defending murderers and thieves is making you sad.”
“A deal is a deal. I will pay back every cent.” Beth pulled away from Nina and moved to the bed and sat down. “Stop worrying about me. I know what I’m doing. Everyone is entitled to a fair trial. I have no qualm defending the guilty.” She crossed her arms and looked directly at Nina. “There is enough evidence to put Powers away for life. Even the lawyers at Phillips, Robbins, and Daniels can’t save him. The man is going down for his crimes.”
To change the subject, Beth asked, “How’s Mrs. Rollins’ cow?”
“It was a calf and she is fine. The curious little heifer had gotten out of the pasture and eaten too much milkweed from the meadow. Mrs. Rollins thought she had rabies because she was foaming at the mouth.” Nina giggled. “You should have seen the poor woman. She was hysterical thinking she was going to have to go get rabies shots. I thought I was going to have to medicate her instead of the calf.”
A loud knock on her door caused her to jump. “Beth, if you’re going to catch a ride to Raleigh you’d better hurry. I don’t want to be late for work.”
“I’ll be ready in a few minutes, Josh.” She felt the blood drain from her face. Five minutes ago she had been just about to have sex with him. It wasn’t easy to have a normal conversation when her body was still tingling from his touches.
She placed her arm around Nina’s shoulders and propelled her toward the door. “Stop worrying about me. I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine. You’re pale as a ghost. Yesterday was very traumatic. You could have been killed. I’m sure your bosses would understand if you asked for the day off.”
“I know what I can handle, Nina. Now get out of here so I can get dressed.” Beth pushed her over the threshold and shut the door. She pressed her back against the door and took several deep breaths to calm down. People were shooting at her, she was defending a murderer, and now Josh was groping her. She couldn’t take much more turmoil.
****
Vaughn Phillips was waiting in his car at the court house when Josh and Beth arrived. It had been a strained car ride because she refused to talk to him. She asked him to remain quiet while she made some notes for the meeting with Powers. Most men refused to talk about their feelings, but that seemed all Josh wanted to talk about. After the third time of telling him to shut-up, he finally hushed, but a brooding man wasn’t very pleasant either.
Shadows of the Falls (Twelve Oaks Farm Series Book 2) Page 7
