by Rebecca Deel
“Your memory going? My town, my people, my rules. Del, Ivy, take a break.”
Ethan spotted Josh, motioned for him escort Del and Ivy out of the room. Knowing his brother-in-law, he’d keep Jordan occupied in an argument as long as he could to give them time.
Josh clasped Del’s hand and led her and Ivy down the hall to the restrooms. “We don’t have long. Make it fast,” he said. Two minutes later, he sent Alex and Ivy into an empty office and escorted Del into Ethan’s office under the watchful eyes of the marshals. He closed and locked the door, noting the blinds were still closed.
“How are you, baby?” Josh wrapped his arms around Del. Her body trembled against his. He pulled her tighter against his chest, letting her lean against him. The questioning process, though necessary, was tedious and draining. Combined with lack of sleep, stress, and skipping meals the last few days, he was surprised Del was still on her feet.
“I can’t say I want to do that again. Special Agent Jordan said the FBI knew everything that had been going on since Reece was killed.”
“Feds always say that. They don’t know everything.”
“Figured he was blowing smoke. We told him what happened with Reece.” She pressed her ear over his heart. “Are they really going to take us into custody?”
“It’s to protect you.” Knowing it was true didn’t make the necessity of handing her and Ivy over to someone else’s care any easier.
“What about my store?”
“We’ll make sure it’s covered.” He pulled back a little, cupped her cheek. “Try not to worry.”
“They took our phones.” Tears pooled in her eyes. “What if something happens to Mom or my brothers?”
Josh smiled. “Got that covered, beautiful.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small black cell phone. “No way to trace it to you. The phone’s on mute. The first programmed number is mine. The second belongs to Alex. Keep this on you at all times. If you leave it lying around, the marshals will take the phone. You’ll be tempted to check on the store or your mother. Don’t. Only use this if something goes wrong and you need help.” He bent down until he was eye level with her. “Do you understand, sweetheart?”
“Emergency only.” She smiled. “Thank you.” She shoved the phone deep in her pocket.
Josh watched, satisfied when he couldn’t spot the phone in her pocket. “Next thing. I have another name guess.”
“Let’s hear it. I have another question ready.”
“Delilah.”
“Much better than mine.”
“Huh. This might be more complicated than I thought.” He grimaced. “Can’t say I want to spill all my secrets this fast.”
“Should have thought of that before you made the deal.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You would have made a great lawyer. Okay, Ms. Peterson, hit me with your next question.”
“What was the name of the girl you took on your first date?”
Some of the knots in his gut unraveled. He grinned. “That’s an easy one. Rosalie Williams. She had the most beautiful red hair I’d ever seen. I almost asked her to marry me, but Mom convinced me that Rosalie wouldn’t be interested in marriage even though I had a ring for her. We were both seven at the time. I found the ring in a box of Cracker Jacks and decided on the spot that it belonged to Rosalie.”
Del’s laughter rang out in the office. “Whatever happened to the beautiful red head?”
“She broke my heart and threw me over to marry a linebacker for the Titans. They’ve got three rambunctious boys at last count.” Conscious of their time together growing short, Josh wrapped his arms around her. “They’ll come for you soon and I promised you something.” His gaze dropped to her mouth. “We might be separated for a while and I don’t want you to forget me.”
“Fat chance,” she whispered.
He bent his head and brushed her lips with a series of butterfly kisses. When he finally settled his mouth on hers and deepened the kiss, Del sighed and tightened her arms around his neck. For a few long minutes, Josh indulged in her tastes and textures, one hand caressing her back, the other cupping the nape of her neck.
A short knock brought him back to their surroundings. Another series of soft kisses and he forced himself to lift his head. “Time to go, baby.”
Dazed by the kisses she’d shared with Josh, Del walked from the office with Josh at her back. That man could kiss. How long would it be before she saw him or her mother again? Not too long, she hoped. All they had to do was wait for the police to capture the killer. How long could that take? She sighed, a ball of ice forming in her stomach. A long time. She’d read too many books about tracking killers to lie to herself.
The marshals waited in the hallway leading to the back parking lot, Alex and Ivy beside them, hands clasped. Ethan waited at the door, expression grim. Del slowed enough that Josh bumped against her back.
“Del?”
“I don’t want to do this.” She swiveled to face him. “This isn’t going to be for just a day or two, is it? I don’t want to leave my store or . . .” She left unsaid that she didn’t want to leave him.
“Can we get on with this?” Vance said. “You’ve already delayed us by several hours, Cahill.”
“Can it, Vance,” Ethan said.
Josh raised his hand and brushed back a few strands of hair that had worked loose from the ponytail. “You don’t have a choice.” He closed his arms around her, his mouth at her ear. “Trust me, baby,” he whispered. “We will find out who killed Reece. You’ll be back in my arms soon.”
She nodded and stepped out of his embrace. Back straight, chin raised, she faced the marshals. “Ready.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
In the backseat of a black SUV with dark tinted windows, Del pressed her arms against her stomach and glanced at her cousin’s pale face. “You okay?” she whispered.
“Scared.” Ivy twisted toward her. “Mad. Our life is on hold while the cops track this guy. He’s running around free while we’re in custody. Who knows if we saw the shooter? Truck man might have been a citizen we don’t know.”
Del gripped her cousin’s hand. “Josh and Ethan will find him.”
From the front passenger seat,Vance snorted. “Wouldn’t bet on small-town cops. You’ll lose.”
“Enough,” Burn said. “Give them a chance. It’s their backyard. Maybe they’ll surprise us.”
The SUV accelerated onto Highway 18. An identical black SUV joined them minutes later. They left the highway and began following a dizzying number of back roads. After a while, the roads and trees appeared the same. She prayed she never needed to make that emergency call to Josh. Del couldn’t tell him where to come get her.
Finally, the pair of SUVs parked behind a white two-story farm house. The darkness prevented seeing the surroundings except for an impression of woods at the back and open space at the sides and front. She didn’t think neighbors were near. Made sense. The marshals didn’t want attention. Black SUVs driving in and out was sure to attract interest.
“Wait for the all-clear,” Burns said.
“We know the drill.” Ivy unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to watch the marshals check the area.
The back door of the house swung open. Though Del couldn’t see who stood in the doorway, she knew it was someone on the small side.
Burns swung open the driver’s side door. The interior light didn’t come on. Another protection measure she wouldn’t have thought to implement. “Welcome to your temporary home.”
Vance opened the SUV door. Del and her cousin slid to the gravel drive. He hustled them indoors. As soon as Burns cleared the threshold, the woman holding the door closed and locked it. A light clicked on over the stove. Del’s eyebrows lifted. Nice kitchen, about four times larger than hers. Beautiful wood cabinets, ceramic tile, stainless steel appliances.
Ivy whistled. “Makes me want to cook.”
The red-haired woman’s head jerked up. “You cook?”
“No
t me. Del. I’m the gopher.”
“Who cooks?” A tall, athletic male propped himself against the door jamb, hair the color of a raven’s wing. His gray eyes gleamed in the dim light.
Ivy sidled closer to Del before she caught herself and straightened. Lee strikes again, Del thought. At least Ivy noticed the move and countered it. Too much testosterone in the room for her comfort. She stepped forward to shake hands with the new guy.
“I do. I’m Del. This is Ivy.”
“Thank goodness somebody in the house can cook.” He grinned. “Thought we were doomed to starve again on this detail. Deacon Creed. Deke to my friends. The short dynamo over there is Stella Grayson. We’re your daytime protection.”
“Nice to meet you both.” Del glanced at her watch. “When do you go on duty? It’s a little after one o’clock.”
“In six hours,” Stella said. “We made sure you didn’t have any nasty surprises waiting when you arrived.” She nodded toward Deke. “He’ll get your gear while I show you to your room. We hoped you wouldn’t mind sharing a room since you live together.”
“We didn’t pack anything,” Ivy said.
“Your friends packed your bags,” Burns said. “If you need anything else, let one of us know. We’ll take care of it if we can.”
“Does that include an e-reader with an unlimited expense account?” Del asked, a smile curving her mouth.
“We don’t have those, but if you want books, tell us the titles. We’ll do our best to find them.” Stella motioned for Del and Ivy to follow her.
Deke moved aside as they crossed the kitchen. Del placed herself between Ivy and the new male marshal. Stella lead them to the hallway and up the stairs. At the last room on the right, she turned on the light. A king-sized bed with a white lace bedspread dominated the room. Decorative pillows dotted the surface, the headboard and four posters a beautiful oak. Heavy white curtains covered both windows, walls painted a cool mint.
“Gorgeous,” Ivy murmured. “I didn’t think we’d be in a nice place.”
“Most safehouses are boring. A former SEAL donated this one. It’s totally off the grid. Only marshals know about this place.”
“Why would he give up a home this beautiful?” Del asked.
Stella laughed. “He married into big money. He and his wife now own several houses nicer than this. She was in witness protection for a while and the SEAL wanted to give back to the people who saved his wife’s life while he was deployed. Deke acted like a kid in a candy store when he learned you cook. You don’t have to. We’ll survive. Might be a bunch of frozen food or takeout, but you won’t starve.”
“I enjoy cooking, but I’m no gourmet chef. I like real food with real portions.”
“Perfect. The kitchen is stocked with basics plus some canned food. Deke stopped by the grocery store before we came on duty. No telling what he bought. If you need something to fix a meal, let me know. I’ll make sure you get it.” She motioned for Del and Ivy to sit on the bed. “House rules. No contact with the outside world. That means no phone calls, no Internet, not even smoke signals or Morse code. The windows are covered with blackout curtains. Don’t open them. Stay inside unless we tell you otherwise. If we give an order, do it without question. We have reasons for everything we ask, even if it doesn’t make sense to you. Questions?”
“No questions, but I can already tell you if there aren’t any books worth reading in this place, your first stop tomorrow is someplace that sells books.”
“You like to read?”
Ivy grinned. “Del owns a bookstore and loves to read mysteries. I prefer romance and romantic suspense.”
“My kind of women. I don’t have much time to read these days. If you want specific titles, I’ll try to find them. The best way to stay sane is to keep busy doing things you enjoy, even if you must do them inside. There’s also a full gym in the basement if you want to work out.”
Should have expected that. A Navy SEAL would need to stay in top shape for his job.
“Oh, one more thing. There’s an escape tunnel from this bedroom.” Stella demonstrated how to open the hidden door. “Don’t use this for any reason unless it’s a dire emergency.”
A knock and Deke entered, carrying a black backpack in each hand. He placed both on the bed. “No names on the bags. Meet you downstairs, Stel.” He left the room with a nod at Del and Ivy.
“If you don’t need anything, I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“You’re leaving?” Ivy’s eyes widened.
“We’re on duty in pairs. Since it’s so late, Deke and I will bunk for the rest of the night downstairs. We’ll leave tomorrow night when Burns and Vance come on duty.”
“Good night.” Del waited until the marshal left the room before facing Ivy. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “Too many big men.”
Ivy didn’t have a problem with Alex Morgan. He wasn’t a lightweight. Maybe it was the number of strange men in close proximity. Del grabbed the nearest bag and pulled it toward her. “Let’s see if our clothes match. No telling who packed the bags. I don’t think Josh or Alex would have left the police station.”
“Maybe Madison or one of her sisters. I’d feel better about one of them packing my underwear.” Ivy paled. “I hope we have underwear. I don’t want to send a marshal to buy that.”
“Let’s find out.” Del unzipped the duffel and pulled open the sides. “Westie pajamas and black slippers. This one’s yours.”
Ivy dragged out jeans, socks, casual shirts, underwear, toiletries, another pair of shoes and two books from her nightstand. “Whoever packed this earned major points because they packed a favorite book and the current one I’ve been reading.” She studied the pile on the bed. “Should I repack this stuff?”
Del thought about the topics she and Josh discussed in the last three days, about the phone deep in her pocket. “Yes, in case we have to run.” She checked that the door was closed and moved to Ivy’s side. “Did Alex give you anything?” she whispered.
Ivy nodded, face tinged with pink.
Interesting reaction. So not all men gave Ivy the creeps. She grinned. “Alex seems nice.”
“He is,” she whispered. “I wish . . .”
Del’s smile faded. “Proves there are good ones, Ivy. Now, time for bed. Kitchen duty starts in about four hours.”
Ivy groaned.
Josh settled his utility belt at his waist and left his bedroom. Alex, cell phone pressed to his ear, motioned toward the kitchen counter. A pile of sandwiches wrapped in plastic sat on a plate. Nice. All he needed was a couple gallons of coffee and he’d be set for the night’s patrol. Unless something interesting popped up, he’d need a steady infusion of caffeine to remain alert tonight.
He glanced at his watch, wondered about Del and Ivy. His gut tightened at the thought of their safety depending on some other team than his own. Few men were as deadly and focused as his former Delta unit. Burns and Vance hadn’t inspired his confidence. Unfair assessment on the basis of a short meeting? Maybe. Trusting his gut had saved his life and the lives of his men more than once. His instincts urged him to retrieve Del and Ivy and hide them with his team. His respect for the law restrained him along with an unwillingness to place a target on Ethan’s back. A time might come when Ethan needed fed connections to do his job.
“How fast?” Alex asked, paused to listen, then, “Perfect. Thanks, man. Charge my card. Later.” He shoved the phone in his pocket, swiveled to face Josh. “Take as many sandwiches as you want.” A slow perusal with growing amusement. “Never thought I’d see you wearing a cop uniform, Major.”
“Not in my career plan, either.”
His friend folded his arms and leaned against the counter. “All of us planned to go the full twenty.”
“Spec ops is a young man’s dream.”
“Thought ourselves invincible.” A wry smile crossed his lips. “Shock to learn we weren’t bulletproof.”
“And not
immune to aging.” His hand dropped to his thigh. He half expected to feel bandages wrapped around his leg. “Any word on your windshield?”
“Bear put a rush on it. Should be here by noon tomorrow. Hope the feds keep a lid on Ivy and Del’s location that long. Otherwise, we’ll have to retrieve them with compromised glass.”
“Dealt with worse.” No windshield while racing across the Sand Box half a click in front of a sandstorm came to mind. Didn’t miss that aspect of military service although he missed his teammates and the adrenaline rush from a mission gone south. They’d all gone south. That’s why he always made multiple backup plans.
Alex chuckled. “When are you off shift?”
“Nine. Ethan covered part of my shift so I could sleep a couple hours. I’m returning the favor by working a couple hours over.” He grinned. “Can’t have folks around town think I’m taking advantage of family connections.”
His friend snorted. “Every shift has at least one of your family on duty.”
“That’s the way it’s worked out.” He reached for the sandwiches, brows furrowed. “What did you make? I haven’t been home to look in the refrigerator.” Usually Serena kept him well stocked. With her stomach so upset, he wasn’t sure she’d been by.
Alex stared. “Your memory going?”
“Serena takes care of the grocery shopping. Wasn’t sure if she’d been to the store before she passed out on my floor.”
“Ah. Your sister left enough sandwich fixings to feed our unit. Not sure what you wanted, so there are three kinds. Turkey, ham and cheese, and roast beef.”
“Sounds great.” He chose one of each, left the rest for his friend. Knowing Alex’s metabolism, there wouldn’t be any by breakfast time. “Get some rest. I’ll let you know if I hear anything from the women.”
Josh climbed into his SUV, and radioed dispatch to log him on duty.
At fifteen minutes before four, dispatch signaled. “Unit 6.”
He grabbed his handset. “Unit 6.”
“10-27 at 3365 Morningstar Lane.”
A break-in at Reece’s place? Josh frowned. Kids or a run-of-the-mill burglar taking advantage of an empty house? Might be their shooter returning, but why? If Reece was the target, why return to the house?
