No Way Out

by Susan Sleeman

  Dani cleared her throat, and the memory washed away like the mighty waves pounding the shore. The feeling of safety ebbed away with it.

  This couple might want to help her, but she still wasn’t cared for. She’d known that since she and Todd split up, especially after he started hounding her at all hours of the day, wanting to get back together. She needed to keep remembering the way he’d failed her so this pair of amazing blue eyes still fastened to her didn’t make her forget what she knew with a certainty.

  Men couldn’t be trusted.

  No matter the first impression, no matter the connection, they all disappointed when it came to the important things of life. She just had to keep remembering Nolan’s most recent betrayal, and she’d be able to avoid any man. Even this one who set her heart beating faster than it had in years.

  * * *

  Cole watched Alyssa. Something shifted in her eyes, making them dark and unreadable. It’d been a long time since he’d connected this strongly with a woman. Not since he’d received the Dear John letter in his first tour of duty two years ago. On his thirty-first birthday, no less. On that day he’d said goodbye to a potential wife and family. After the daily worry over his safety in Iraq, Laura said she couldn’t handle having the same angst when he returned to his job as a U.S. Marshal, putting him in danger every day.

  Now he was out of practice when it came to women. But not so out of practice that he didn’t recognize interest when he saw it. Her eyes had heated up and flashed an awareness of him for a brief moment. Of that he was certain.

  Now she just looked sad. Wounded. So wounded. And he wanted to help her. To find out what made her tick. To ask why she’d shut down so fast. But Dani was scrutinizing his every move the way a parent would watch a baby needing to be coddled. He didn’t need more of that kind of scrutiny from his family. They’d had him under a microscope since he’d come home from Iraq. Maybe waiting for him to crack up and fall apart.

  He would keep things professional and settle for finding out why Alyssa ended up on that rock with him in the middle of a winter storm. “If we’re going to help you, we’ll need to know what happened tonight.”

  “It’s a long story,” she answered vaguely.

  Not unusual. Getting a client to share what was frequently an emotional topic—or at the least very personal—was often the hardest part of helping them.

  He sat back to give her more space and make her feel more comfortable. “We have time. Start at the beginning and be honest with us. No matter what the problem is, we won’t judge you.”

  She looked warily at him and pulled the blanket tighter as if she felt a need to protect herself. He glanced at Dani. She’d already noticed Alyssa’s uneasiness and had reached out to squeeze her hand.

  “We’ve all made mistakes,” Dani said. “Or have things in our lives we don’t want to share with others. What you tell us stays with us and the rest of our family.”

  Alyssa squared her shoulders and that steely resolve he’d seen at the beach returned to her face. “I guess it started when my husband died.”

  A husband, huh? Unexpected.

  No way Cole would’ve missed seeing a wedding ring, but he glanced at her hand to be sure. Just like he’d thought. Her finger was bare and didn’t have a telltale circle from recent wear, meaning her loss happened a while ago.

  “He was a police officer,” Alyssa continued. “He was found murdered in his patrol car. A bullet to his chest and a stash of meth in his possession. The sheriff’s department investigated and when his tox screen came back positive for meth, they dug deeper. They discovered he’d worked as part of a drug ring. His role was to tell the rest of the organization when a bust was coming so they escaped arrest.” She ran a hand over her face.

  “That must’ve been hard to find out.” Dani patted Alyssa’s knee.

  “It was, but then tonight I overheard his former partner, Nolan Saunders, basically admit to killing Todd and framing him with the drugs.” Her tone was cool again, like the freezing rain that had pelted them on the beach, and she calmly recited the events. As if his death was of no consequence to her. But he saw the tremble of her hands and the pain in her eyes that she was trying desperately to hide.

  “His partner?” Dani asked, a compassionate look on his younger sister’s face. “Had you suspected him before?”

  Alyssa wearily shook her head. Dani squeezed Alyssa’s hand again.

  Cole was grateful Dani was here. She was such a comforter, always ready to help others, and she was making this easier on Alyssa while he had to ask the hard questions. “How long has it been since your husband was killed?”

  “Two years.” Alyssa clasped her trembling hands together. “That’s when Nolan really got involved in our lives. He said he’d promised Todd he’d look after me and the kids.”

  “So you have children,” Dani said.

  Alyssa’s smile softened, her expression melting with love. She wasn’t at all the detached woman she’d tried so hard to portray tonight. “Twins. A boy and girl. They’re seven. They’re at home with my friend Paula.” Alyssa shifted on the sofa. “I really should call her to tell her I’m running late.”

  Dani grabbed a notepad. “Give me her number, and I’ll let her know you’re with us so you can keep telling Cole about what happened.”

  Alyssa rattled off the number, and Dani stepped a few feet away to call.

  “You were saying that Saunders helped you and the twins out,” Cole said, hating the thought of a killer anywhere near this woman.

  She nodded. “I only worked part time when Todd was alive. When he died, he left behind a mountain of debts, and after the investigation his death benefits were denied. We weren’t left with much, but we had enough for me to renew my real-estate license.” Her back went up again as if she needed to prove she could be strong. “We lived in one side of Nolan’s duplex, and after Todd died Nolan let us stay there rent free. He also helps with the kids. He picks them up from school and watches them when I have to show properties outside school hours.” She looked up and tears glistened in her eyes. “Now I don’t know what I’ll do.”

  Cole fisted his hands. He couldn’t wait to investigate this Nolan guy and see that he paid for his crimes and for the way he’d hurt Alyssa. “So you believe Saunders is involved in the drug trade?”

  “Yes. He was arguing with another officer, Frank Gibson, who wanted out of their operation. Nolan said if Frank bailed on them, he’d end up a homicide statistic like Todd.” She shivered under the blanket and tugged it tighter.

  It wasn’t hard to see how afraid Alyssa was of Saunders, but this statement by the officer wasn’t proof that Saunders had killed her husband. Saunders could simply be using the homicide to build his street cred.

  “But he didn’t actually say he killed Todd,” Cole clarified.

  “No. It was implied. As much as I don’t want to believe he killed Todd, I think he did. Plus Frank sounded upset. Like he was worried they’d kill him, too, if he tried to bail on them.”

  “So how did they end up chasing you?” Dani asked as she rejoined them.

  Alyssa looked at Dani. “Is Paula okay with me being late?”

  Dani nodded. “She’ll stay as long as you need.”

  “So about the men, how’d you see them?” Cole asked, bringing them back.

  “I’m a runner. I don’t usually run in the evenings, but I overslept this morning. I had a stressful day and I called Paula to watch the kids so I could run it off. I decided to take the scenic trail overlooking the beach to tire myself out before bed. That’s when I heard them arguing on the path below me. After I heard what they’d said, I tried not to make any noise as I headed for my car. But I fell and that alerted them that I was there. When they came after me, I ran.”

  Cole thought about the men at the beach and their conversati
on. They never mentioned specifically looking for Alyssa. Not even looking for a woman. They’d just used the words “person” and “anyone.” “And did they know it was you?”

  “When Nolan told the other men to chase me, he said get him, so I don’t think he knows it was me.” She shivered. “Now I don’t know what’s going to happen to us. I mean, what do I do? I can’t report what I heard to the police department. Nolan’s father is the police chief. The whole department could be involved in this for all I know.” Her teeth started chattering.

  Police chief? Well, that raised the stakes and made this even more complicated. Cole wanted to keep questioning her, but he had enough information to begin a preliminary investigation, and she should get home to her kids and out of her wet clothes.

  “You don’t need to do anything, Alyssa.” Cole made eye contact with her, making sure she knew they were here for her. “We’ll investigate both Todd’s murder and Saunders’s connection to any drug activities. As a bonus, we might even be able to clear Todd’s name and get his death benefits reinstated.”

  “That would be great,” she said.

  “The best thing now is for one of us to take you home. You’ll have to act like everything is normal and pretend nothing happened.”

  “I need to get my car first.” Alyssa suddenly looked exhausted. “It’s in a public lot downtown.”

  An alarm bell rang in Cole’s head. “Any chance that could lead them to you?”

  “I suppose it’s possible, but if Nolan asks, I can always say I was meeting a client to show a house.”

  “Sounds like a good plan,” Cole offered. “We’ll get your car on the way to your house. And on the drive we can talk about what to say in case Saunders asks any questions about tonight. Okay?”

  Alyssa simply answered with a resigned nod.

  “We can’t have you going home looking like that and claiming you were showing houses.” Dani stood and pulled Alyssa to her feet. “Let’s get you into some dry clothes first.” Dani gave Cole a pointed look and tugged on his shirt. “You might want to clean up, too.”

  As they left the room, he realized how cold he was. When he’d given his coat to Alyssa, the rain had soaked him through, yet he’d never really felt the chill. Not until now. Until she’d left the room, giving him time to think about what had occurred tonight.

  If he hadn’t been on the beach searching for the way out of his funk, these men might’ve found her. Or she could’ve died from exposure. Either way there was a potential killer out there who had law enforcement training and skills. Skills that could help him figure out he’d been tracking Alyssa tonight. And skills that would allow him to take her life just as he had her husband’s.

  THREE

  Cole sat at the kitchen counter and waited for Alyssa and Dani to return. When he’d gone to his room to change, he’d heard the guest shower running. Likely at Dani’s insistence. He smiled when he imagined his tenacious sister directing Alyssa to take a quick shower to warm up even though she wanted to get home.

  He’d considered a short shower himself but decided against it and simply slipped into dry clothes as he was eager to take care of his first order of business. He needed to run a background check on Nolan, Todd and Alyssa. As a former police officer, his brother Derrick was the perfect person to do it.

  He dug out his phone and dialed Dani’s twin.

  “So you are alive,” Derrick answered, his tone filled with sarcasm.

  Cole felt a moment of guilt. The family had decided he needed to take time off and work through the baggage he still carried from his two tours in Iraq. Miffed at their interference, he’d taken off to the beach and hadn’t reported in for a few weeks. As the mediator of the family, Dani was dispatched here yesterday to make sure he was okay.

  “I figured Dani would’ve called you all by now,” Cole said.

  “She did, but there’s nothing like hearing your voice to prove you’re still alive.” This time Derrick’s voice held brotherly concern instead of sarcasm.

  Cole felt bad for making them worry. He just didn’t know how to get a grip on the emotions he still battled. When the family had interfered, it had made him mad that he wasn’t strong enough to shake it. In the end, he’d made things worse. “Look, man, I’m sorry. You know.”

  “I know,” Derrick said. “So what’s up?”

  As Dani joined him in the kitchen, Cole told his brother about Alyssa’s problem. “I need you to drop everything and do a background check on them. I’ll text you with their info.”

  “Sorry, bro. I’d like to help, but Ethan’s already got me on an assignment.”

  Cole sighed. As the oldest sibling, Ethan had taken charge of the agency and set their priorities. Normally, Cole didn’t mind talking with Ethan, but he’d been all happy and gushy after getting married lately and that rubbed salt into Cole’s wounds. A conversation with Ethan would only remind him of all he’d lost when Laura decided to bail on him right before their wedding.

  Still, he wasn’t going to give up on doing what was right for Alyssa just to avoid Ethan. “Is what you’re working on a life-or-death matter?”

  “No. It’s a routine check for one of our business clients.” To allow them to work most of their cases for free, they performed background checks for a long list of paying companies.

  “Then I’ll clear this with Ethan,” Cole promised. “Any chance you can get started tonight?”

  Derrick snorted. “You’re pushing your luck here, bro.”

  “I know, but in a town this small one misstep could cost lives. We need to be prepared for anything.”

  “Who do you want me to start with?”

  “Nolan Saunders.”

  “Fine. I’ll call you as soon as I have anything to report.” He disconnected and Cole stowed his phone in his pocket.

  Dani finished pouring a cup of coffee and held up the pot. “You want a cup?”

  He nodded.

  She handed him the steaming mug. “I’ll take care of getting Ethan on board.”

  No one ever volunteered to talk with Ethan about a change in agency priorities. Cole watched her carefully to see what she was up to.

  She simply laughed. “What?”

  “You’re volunteering to talk to Ethan. What gives?”

  “He’s been more mellow since he got married. Plus I like Alyssa. Really like her, and for some reason I feel compelled to go the extra mile for her.”

  Me, too, Cole thought and instantly tamped it down. He’d known her for only a few hours, and he was acting like a schoolboy with a crush. Not only was it foolish behavior for a grown man, but it was foolish for him in particular when he hadn’t worked out all his baggage from Iraq.

  “Sounds like you think this case is going to be tricky.” Dani slipped onto a stool next to him.

  “We’ll have to be careful.” He set his mug on the counter and cupped his hands around it to warm them. “We’re all used to working in a big city where anonymity is pretty much a given. Pacific Bay is a small town and gossip gets around.”

  “Then we’ll need a cover story,” Dani said.

  “Alyssa mentioned showing houses tonight as an excuse for her car in the lot, so I can pose as one of her clients looking for rental property here. That’ll give me a reason to ask questions without drawing attention. Plus I’ll be able to meet with her on a regular basis and not raise Saunders’s suspicion.”

  “You think he could have identified her tonight?”

  “I don’t know—maybe.” He lifted his cup and took a long drink.

  “You have great instincts, Cole. If you think it’s possible, maybe it is.”

  “I keep thinking about the beach. It didn’t take me long to recognize she was a woman by the way she carried herself. It wouldn’t be farfetched to think the cops chasing
her could’ve done the same thing.”

  “Maybe they didn’t study her quite as carefully as you did.” She ended with a wink.

  He peered over his mug at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “I’m just saying something’s going on with you that I haven’t seen in a long time. I think, my dear brother, that you’re interested in her.”

  He thought to deny it, but there was a good possibility that he was. Still, he didn’t want to talk about it. “In case Saunders has identified her, we’ll need to keep an eye on her until we’re sure she’s in the clear.”

  “Oh, yeah.” She gave him a playful punch to the arm. “You’ll keep an eye on her, all right. Both of them.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I’m serious, Dani.”

  “And that’s why you’ve been exiled out here. To get over this serious phase and let the Cole we all know and love come back.”

  “You’ll have to get used to the new Cole. The old one is never coming back.” He tweaked her nose. “I saw too much in Iraq for that to happen.”

  “That’s a given, but the new Cole could still stand to laugh and smile a little more often.”

  He’d tried that. For two years. But it was hard to be lighthearted when his buddy was buried in the ground because of him.

  From the corner of his eye, Cole saw Alyssa enter the room and he swiveled to face her.

  “A smile like the cute one you have on your face right now,” Dani whispered.

  “Cute?” Cole groaned and watched Alyssa make her way across the open space. His assessment on the beach was right on target. She was gorgeous and regal-looking. Perfect posture. Slender, yet curvy in Dani’s clothes. Her shoulder-length hair falling in soft waves framed her face.

  “Wow. You clean up nice,” Dani said to Alyssa while nudging Cole in the shoulder. He checked to see if his mouth was hanging open.