Protecting You (A McCord Family Novel Book 1)

by Amanda Siegrist

  Zane remained speechless. She refused to dwell on why he couldn't answer her questions. The pain inside would go away eventually. It had to. A throat suddenly cleared, grabbing her attention. A man she didn't recognize stood at the bottom of the steps.

  "Boys, wondering if we can talk. Sorry if I'm interrupting something."

  "No, it's fine, Chief. How's everything going?" Zane asked as he walked down the steps, Austin right behind him.

  "Wish I could say good. I'm real sorry about the barn, the fields out back. I hope you didn't lose too much money out of this setback," he said, as Ava joined them and took a spot next to Austin.

  "We'll be fine, Chief. We all have a little hardship at times. It'll all work out in the end," Zane said confidently.

  Ava smiled at those last words. They sounded so familiar. Jimmy must've gotten that from his big brother, or maybe Zane got it from Jimmy. Either way, it made her smile.

  "That's true. And whom do I have the pleasure of meeting here?" the man asked as he held his hand out to Ava. "Chief Tanner with the St. Joseph's Police Department and a good friend of these boys' father when he was alive. Good man he was. Good men he raised."

  Ava grinned with affection as she shook the chief's hand. "Ava Rainer. I totally agree with those words. The best men I've ever known, especially Jimmy. I worked with him in New York. I run the crime lab there. He was one of my best friend's."

  "Well, then I'm sorry for your loss, Ms. Rainer. I hear he was a damn fine cop," Chief Tanner said with respect.

  "He was the best. Nobody was better and I believe that with my whole heart." Ava sucked in a deep breath to hold in the tears that suddenly threatened to overflow. "Let's change the subject, though, Chief, and explain why you wish things were good. What did you find out there?"

  "You don't miss a beat, do you, Ms. Rainer? You said you work in the crime lab?" Chief Tanner asked.

  "I rarely miss anything, Chief Tanner, and when I do, I make sure it never happens again. Yes, I work in the crime lab. Evidence is my forte and my instincts are telling me you found something," Ava said.

  "Is that true, Chief? You guys find something?" Austin asked, concerned.

  Chief Tanner shook his head. "Yep. I hate to say it, but the fire chief told me there's evidence the fire was set deliberately."

  "What the hell do you mean deliberately? Who would do that?" Zane yelled.

  "Don't know, Zane. That's why I'm coming to you boys and wanted to ask you that same thing. Anyone you know who would want to hurt you like this?" Chief Tanner asked as the concern filtered out in waves.

  "No. No one. We get along with everyone," Austin said, confusion mixed with distress displayed on his face. Zane had the same look mirrored in him.

  "What sort of evidence? What accelerant was used?" Ava asked all business-like. Getting back in the game, sort of. It felt good.

  "Looks like a Molotov cocktail was used to start the fire in the woods. He found shards of glass where he thinks it originated. Gasoline evidence was present around the field and around the barn. That's why it lit as fast as it did and not the house. They spared the house for some reason." Chief Tanner sighed in relief.

  "No other evidence around the point of origin. How about where they likely entered the woods? Any little thing lying around out there, trash, cigarette butts, anything? Have we checked all points of access into the woods?" Ava demanded.

  "Slow down, Ms. Rainer. We know what we're doing," Chief Tanner said with confidence.

  "She knows that. She's just wondering," Zane snapped in her defense.

  "I never suggested you didn't know what you're doing. Force of habit, I guess. Not to mention this family means the world to me. I'm fuming right now that someone would deliberately try to harm them in any sort of way," Ava said without remorse.

  "We're doing everything to find out who it was. I assure you," Chief Tanner replied.

  "Good. And I assure you, Chief Tanner, that I better find it up to my standards or I'll run over you so fast you won't see me coming," Ava said with a sweet smile, yet the intonation was clear.

  "I have this feeling you're not joking, Ms. Rainer. You're probably something else in New York, but this isn’t New York, and I'll arrest you if I have to if you step on my investigation here," Chief Tanner said with a smile on his face.

  "I have no fear of being arrested, Chief. You don't scare me. I stand by my words. You have no idea how I was in New York. Nobody messes with my crime scenes—or my family. Learned it all from my dad," Ava replied.

  "I would say your dad taught you well unless he forgot to tell you how not to get arrested," Chief Tanner said more forcefully this time.

  "Nobody's getting arrested. You won't arrest her if I have anything to do with it. She—" Zane started to her defense again.

  "She will do anything for this family," Ava shouted, surprising Zane and Austin at her fury as they almost backed away from the shockwave of her outburst. "My dad did teach me everything I know. He's a cop, too."

  "Well, a little ol' New York cop isn't going to bail you out here, Ms. Rainer," Chief Tanner replied annoyed, yet with an underlying respect in his tone.

  "I wouldn't call the Police Commissioner a little old cop," Ava said with a little arrogance. She sighed. "I think we got off-track here. I'm sure we both know where each other stands on the matter. As long as I see things progressing as they should, I'll stay on my porch swing with no worries."

  "Fair enough, Ms. Rainer. I would hate to arrest you for interfering with a police investigation. I have a feeling I'd be arresting Zane here as well by the look on his face," Chief Tanner said amused.

  "Yeah, I would hate to have to punch you in the face if you touched one hair on her head," Zane said through clenched teeth.

  Chief Tanner laughed. "You're lucky I know you, Zane, or I'd find a reason now to lock you up for talking that way to me. I see Ms. Rainer means a great deal to you."

  "To both of us, Chief. I guess we could all share a cell together," Austin said with a grin.

  Chief Tanner laughed even harder. "Good to know."

  "So back to possible suspects. I have two for you to start checking out," Ava said, back to business.

  "Two? Who in the world do you think would do this to us? You haven't even been here that long." Zane's face swiftly turned into panic. "Unless someone from New York followed you here."

  "Settle down, Zane. Nobody followed me here," Ava said reassuringly. "I met people here already that you two know. And the two that come to mind didn't like me very much. So, maybe it does have to do with me. Sandra and Dani, ring a bell?"

  "What? Ava, come on now. That was nothing," Austin said shocked. "Dani would never resort to violence of this sort. She's not like that."

  Ava raised her eyebrow, as Chief Tanner asked, "What was nothing? Who are they?"

  "It was nothing. We saw them at the Fourth of July festival. Ava and those two had some words," Zane replied.

  "What sort of words?" Chief Tanner asked as he gave Ava a knowing look.

  She grinned at him. "Words they needed to hear, just as you did, Chief Tanner. They were despicable. Apparently, these two don't know how to pick suitable women to date. I informed those two women they wouldn't be around as long as I was around."

  "I never dated Sandra. She wanted to, but I never liked her that way," Zane said defensively.

  "Point one against her." Ava glared at Zane. "She obviously didn't understand that fact because you told her you were leaving and walked away from her. She saunters up like that never happened, holding a damn beer for you, and has the audacity to glare daggers at me while you were holding my arm."

  "Is that true?" Chief Tanner asked Zane. "Any other problems from her at any other time?"

  Zane sucked in a breath. "No. She's nothing to me."

  "What Zane is trying to say is he doesn't date much because he's particular in the kind of woman he wants. Sandra could be pushy with him. He was always polite to her and extracted himself from the s
ituations as such. At the festival, well, it was the first time things didn't end as nicely," Austin explained.

  "Which is why she's a good suspect," Ava pointed out again. "Also, Dani—"

  "Now come on, Ava. Let's not bring Dani into this," Austin interrupted.

  "Austin, get your head out of your pants for once. You may be God's gift to women, but not all women appreciate that fact when they see competition," Ava retorted.

  "What competition? You? You're Zane's woman," Austin exploded.

  Ava looked shocked by that comment, while Zane looked angry.

  "Alright, everyone calm down," Chief Tanner said, glancing at Ava. "What problem did Dani have?"

  "She was instantly jealous of me, and no, he wasn't even holding me as Zane had. She was rude and condescending until she thought I had been Jimmy's girlfriend," Ava replied.

  "You dated Jimmy?" Chief Tanner asked confused.

  "No. I'm dating none of these McCord men." She turned to Austin, poking him with her finger. "Quit defending her, Austin. You may have dated her, but she isn't worth your time. She gave her sympathies over Jimmy and then told you she would have said that sooner if you had only called her," Ava said in a mock tone, imitating Dani. "Last time I checked, when someone dies, the family doesn't call for condolences from people. It's the other way around."

  Austin sighed. "You make a good point, Ava."

  "Yes, I do. So, please kindly give Chief Tanner, Sandra and Dani's last names so he can check them out. I would've already, but I don't know them," Ava snapped, annoyed how this entire conversation was going.

  "Sandra Cole and Danielle—Dani for short—Westlen," Zane said with a slight anguish in his tone.

  "Westlen, you say?" Chief Tanner perked up.

  "Yeah, does that name ring a bell?" Austin asked, surprised.

  "As a matter of fact, it does. If she's related to Frank Westlen then we might have a good lead here. He has priors for drug possession, dealing it as well, a few resisting arrests and assaults on his record. Not a nice fellow," Chief Tanner said. "He's a frequent flier through our jail."

  "What do you know—a real suspect who has a criminal record. What a shock," Ava said sarcastically to Austin.

  "I already said you made a good point," Austin said, pulling her into a hug. "I would hate to tangle with you in New York when you're working."

  "I second that opinion," Chief Tanner said with a grin at Ava. "I'm going to leave you guys for now and check all this out. We may have something here. Hopefully we'll find evidence in the woods to tie them to it as well."

  Zane and Austin shook hands with the chief and thanked him. He said goodbye to Ava and left the farm.

  "Well, that was exhausting. I'm going to go lie down now," Ava said, turning around to the house.

  "I can—"

  "I'm fine by myself," Ava interrupted Zane as she twirled around to glance at him.

  He looked pained at her words. Or was it something else? She didn't stick around to find out as she headed into the house and closed the door with an ominous click.

  Chapter 10

  "Zane, how do you know when you love a woman?" Jimmy asked, wringing his hands.

  "You're fifteen, Jimmy, why are you asking that kind of question?" Zane replied as they swung together outside on the porch.

  "No reason. Austin seems to float from woman to woman and says he loves them all. What does that mean?"

  Zane laughed and ruffled his hair. "Don't listen to Austin when it comes to women. He doesn’t love love them—like Dad loved Mom—or still does really, even though she's gone. He just…appreciates them. Enjoys them, let's say that."

  Jimmy smiled. "I guess that makes sense for him. He does date an awful lot."

  "What's going on in that head of yours? You like a girl?" Zane asked with a grin.

  Jimmy blushed. "I don't know. Maybe."

  "So you think you love her—this girl?" Zane asked. Why was Jimmy asking him? He wasn't an expert either. He rarely dated, not like Austin.

  "I don't know. That's why I asked. She makes me smile when I see her. My heart races a little. My body, you know, responds a little," Jimmy said softly. "This is dumb. Forget I asked."

  Zane pulled him into his side for a quick hug. "Hey, what are brothers for if you can't ask the hard questions? You wanna have sex with this girl, don't you?"

  Jimmy blushed again. "Maybe." He paused to find the right words. "Should you be in love first before you, you know, have sex? How do you know when you're ready?"

  Zane laughed. "I don't know, you just know I guess. It's different for every guy I would say. Austin's horny as hell, so I would assume he gets it all the time."

  Jimmy laughed. "Yeah, you're probably right. I didn't think I could talk to him about this. That's why I came to you. Have you had sex yet?"

  Zane sucked in a breath. "Yeah, I have. It was good, I guess. Did I love her? No. Do I wish I waited for the right woman? Yeah, I think so. But who is that right woman? I guess it's different for everyone. I think you should wait, if you're asking me. Don't let Dad find out because he'll kick your ass for it. It should be special, Jimmy. It's the joining of two people, creating something magical. Does this girl you like, fit that description?"

  "I don't know. I guess I have to think about it."

  "Well, don't do anything until you know. And if you do, always use protection," Zane said seriously then grinned. "Dad would kill you if you knocked up a girl at this age."

  Jimmy laughed. "I promise I will, Zane. I imagine you would kill me, too, even as you're joking with me about it. Have you ever been in love?"

  "Besides loving my family—with a woman—no. Love is forever, Jimmy. I think love smacks you in your face when you're least expecting it. It crawls through you, sucking you dry, and all you have left is a deep, abiding love for that one special woman. You would do anything for her. Make her smile at the littlest thing. Make her happy with every breath in your body. Keep her safe from all harm. That's what love is to me. I've never felt that before, and who knows, maybe that kind of love doesn't exist. I'm still waiting, Jimmy. I'm hoping I get smacked in the face someday."

  ***

  Zane held Ava in his arms as she peacefully slept. He had waited a few hours before he decided to risk joining her in bed. He had seen her expression when she turned around and denied him. Her face had been devoid of the glare, but that exact moment reminded him of when he first met her. The way her hair swept around her face in a graceful sweep, her eyes staring deep into his. He had been an enemy then, a wide distance between their beliefs. In that moment, he had felt a wide distance again. This time for an entirely different reason.

  He hadn't been sure what her expression meant, but knew she didn't want him to come to bed with her. She confused him. The words spoken between everyone outside had him wondering what was happening. He wasn't sure about anything, and yet, when he was lying here with her in his arms, it all made perfect sense.

  He had tentatively crawled into bed, scooting closer to her with trepidation. The minute she sensed he was near, she wrapped herself into his embrace and curled into his sweet frame. He had sighed in contentment, knowing she belonged in his arms. He laid there for a while, breathing her in—the delicate scent of flowers he had come to treasure.

  He briefly relaxed for a while, falling asleep, waking up an hour later, not knowing why. She still slept beautifully in his arms, the nightmares yet to plague her. He assumed they hadn't while he had been gone because she had been sleeping when he walked in.

  Panic threatened. If she could sleep without him, he would have no leverage to keep her on the farm. Not that he wanted her to experience those horrifying nightmares. Because he didn't. Never.

  What else could keep her here? She had sounded so confident and in charge this afternoon with Chief Tanner. Did she finally miss her job? He knew he could sleep peacefully knowing she wouldn't leave until whoever started the fire was caught. The way she spoke, she would walk to the ends of the earth t
o find who did it. He couldn't wait himself, as the rage at the destruction to his farm crushed him.

  She had been stunning as she stood up for them. Protected them. She was so small to him, still a little frail looking, yet, so strong. It made him want to laugh at her fierceness, grateful she had become Jimmy's friend and guided him through life while he lived in New York. He realized Jimmy had been in good hands with her.

  He kissed the top of her head. She shifted a little at the contact, pressing closer to him. The movement made him ache for her as he nestled perfectly with her body, knowing all he needed is one little push to make them connected as one. If only the layer of clothing would suddenly disappear.

  He lightly rubbed her back. His hands gradually started to move without thought. A rough hand grazed down her thigh, caressing her gently. He grabbed the edge of her nightgown and inch-by-inch moved his hand back up, stroking her curves, making his way to her breast. Caressing her tip with quiet ease, she arched into him again with a slight moan escaping. With his other hand still on her back, he held on tightly, pressing back into her, wishing those damn panties were off. One little push is all he needed.

  He continued his arousal of her, playing with her tips, meeting her body each time, as she would lovingly press into him.

  "Zane," she whispered breathlessly. "You're being extremely naughty right now. This is pure torture."

  He kissed the top of her head again without stopping his treacherous assault on her gorgeous body. She lifted her head to meet his eyes and he went in for a kiss before she could say another word. She kissed him back without hesitation.

  As the kiss increased into fury, so did their movements. Zane rolled gently to nestle deeper into her. He continued to push into her, moving his mouth to her neck, trailing kisses as he went down. Sucking in a deep breath, he cursed softly as he ground into her one more time and rolled to his back, breathing heavily.

  Ava laid her head onto his chest. "Zane? Are you all right?"

  He took a few breaths before he answered. "I'm fine. Just got a little carried away for a minute. I'm sorry. I had to stop. I…I never made it to the store yet."