by Rebecca Deel
Josh’s gaze grew more intent. “Brent’s teams are contract workers. I spent years apart from my family. I don’t want to be gone for months. I refuse to be an absentee uncle.” He paused. “Or an absentee husband and father.”
“Will you keep your job here?”
“Hope to.”
“What about your team?”
“A question I can’t answer yet. We’ll need to train together. Quinn and Alex live in the same town, but Rio and Nate live a few hours apart from each other and the rest of us.”
Del’s stomach knotted. “Who’s moving?”
Footsteps sounded on the stairs. Ivy’s complaints about crutches drifted into the kitchen. Del gripped Josh’s hand. Not much time, but she could ease his mind. “Do what you’re called to do, Josh, whether it’s work for Ethan or Fortress. Details surrounding your decision will work themselves out.”
He lifted her hand, pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “If I take contract work, will you still be part of my life when I return?”
Ivy hopped into the kitchen, stopped when she noticed the silence between Del and Josh. “Bad timing? I can go in the living room.” She stumbled in turning.
“No need, kitten.” Josh stood. “Where’s Alex?”
“Grabbing his bag and your mother’s suitcase.”
“I’ll give him a hand. Mom never travels light.” A lingering glance at Del and he left the room.
She dropped onto the nearest barstool.
“What was that?” Ivy whispered. “Spill.”
How did she explain? The words were simple enough. The undercurrent? Not so much. “Josh guessed another wrong name.”
“What question did you ask?”
“If he’d return to black ops work.”
Ivy maneuvered to sit at the counter as well. “What was his answer?”
“Maybe part-time.” She tried to swallow, discovered her throat resembled a desert. Deciding Josh wouldn’t mind if she stole a sip of his Coke, Del uncapped his bottle and downed a couple swallows.
Her cousin’s hand fisted. “Alex will do the same. The team won’t let Josh go without them. What about his job here?”
Del shook her head. Something Josh and Ethan would work out. She didn’t mention he might move to train with his team. Long distance relationship? Not her first choice. If she didn’t take a chance, she’d lose him. How many frequent flyer miles did she have? She might be cashing them in soon.
Alex strode into the room, carrying two suitcases. A wry grin curved his mouth. “Can’t believe Liz packed so much in a short time.”
“Told you Mom never packs light,” Josh called from the stairwell.
“Hush, Josh. If I had more time, I could combine everything in one case.”
A snort. “Right.” He walked behind his mother, carrying a garment bag and a make-up case. “Don’t lie when I’m standing this close. I’d prefer not getting caught in the lightning backwash.”
Liz rolled her eyes and, with dignity befitting a queen, strolled out the back door, Josh close behind.
“All right, ladies,” Alex said. “Time to roll. Need a piggyback ride, Ivy?”
She scowled. “I’ll get the hang of these crutches if it kills me.” She hopped and stumbled across the kitchen and out the door.
Del grinned. “Fierce little thing, isn’t she?”
“Tiger in training. Grab Ivy’s pack. It’s beside yours.” He pivoted toward the door.
She stood. This was the only way to end Granger’s reign of terror in Otter Creek. If they didn’t draw him away from town, how many other people would he hurt or kill before he got who or what he wanted?
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Josh backed out of Madison’s driveway, guided Alex’s SUV toward Highway 18 and the 350-mile journey to Murfreesboro. Like the rest of his team and the marshals, he planned a wandering route to Rod’s cabin. They needed time to plan a welcome party for Granger.
Once he reached cruising speed on the highway, Josh grabbed his cell phone and punched in his father’s number. One ring, two, three, then his father’s voice greeted him. “What’s going on, son?”
“Can you talk?”
“Wait.” His father whispered to someone nearby. A pause. “I slipped out of the meeting into the hall. Good enough?”
“Be careful what you say, Dad.”
“I’ll find a place more private.” Another pause, footsteps, a door closing. “I’m in an empty room. Door’s locked. What’s happening?”
“Take Mom on a short vacation.”
Seconds of silence greeted his blunt statement. “I’ll have someone cover for me.”
He’d expected grilling from his father. His throat tightened. Dad trusted his assessment of the situation that much? “That’s it? No questions?”
“Can you tell me more?”
Josh weighed the advisability of sharing info with his father, knew he didn’t have a choice. His parents’ safety depended on his father. In as few words as possible, Josh shared the shooter’s identity and his military reputation without divulging too many details. “This man doesn’t have a conscience, Dad. Won’t take him long to realize Alex and I are with the women. He’ll use any means necessary to learn our location, including hurting Mom. I need you both out of his reach.”
“Are you safe, son?”
“For now. Granger doesn’t fail in his missions. He won’t back up or quit.” The idea this man might lay one finger on Josh’s mother made him want to hurl. Liz Cahill was no match for Curt Granger. The man would hurt, perhaps kill his mother without regret to achieve his objective. His lips curled. The Army did a great job training him. Too bad they couldn’t program a conscience into him.
“Where’s your mother now?”
“With Nick and Maddie. Nick promised to stay with her until you return.”
“I’ll touch base with him. Anything else I can do?”
Josh glanced at Del, whose nose was buried in a book. Her posture brought a smile to his lips. What would she think about his next request? “Got a pen and paper?”
“Sure. Shoot.”
He rattled off Dee Peterson’s name and phone number. Del closed her book with a slap, head whipping his direction. “Wait an hour, then call Mrs. Peterson. She’s as much a target as you and Mom. Take her with you.”
He glanced at Del. Her gaze was glued to his face. At least his parents knew what was happening with Del and Ivy. Mrs. Peterson didn’t have a clue. What she was told would have to be limited because she didn’t have much discretion. His team needed every minute they had available before Granger tracked them down. He also wanted to protect the woman who gave birth to Del. He didn’t want to be responsible for her losing a parent because of his negligence.
“We’ll take care of her, Josh. What about Ivy’s family?”
“They should be safe. Ivy hasn’t contacted her folks for a while.” He’d contact Brent Maddox, Fortress Security’s CEO, and have one of their operatives watch Ivy’s parents.
“Be careful, Josh.”
“Always. Love you, Dad.”
He handed his phone to Del. “Call your mother. We have an hour to convince her to leave town.”
She clutched his phone in both hands. “You’re kidding, right? I’m supposed to tell her the man who killed Lily is after me and Ivy? She’s convinced Charles killed Lily. She’ll panic.”
“You’re not giving her enough credit,” Ivy said. “She’s tougher than she lets on.”
“This is the same woman who calls me when a light bulb needs changing at the house, even though I’m an hour away and my brothers are across town and capable of changing light bulbs.”
“She just wants to be part of your life. You don’t need her for anything, but she desperately wants you to. Your father’s gone. Your brothers have their own lives. You moved.” Ivy sighed. “She loves you to the extreme, yes, but I’d give anything for my parents to love me that much. I wish mine loved me enough to ask favors instead of silence or emails an
d phone calls blasting me for being an ungrateful daughter and a disappointment to the family name.”
Josh caught Alex’s scowl in the rearview mirror. He was grateful his parents loved him and his sisters enough to get in their business and their faces when it was deserved. Growing up, he never doubted he and his siblings were the center of Liz and Aaron Cahill’s world. As the Cahill children grew older, his parents began letting go, allowing them to make decisions and reap the benefits or suffer the consequences of those decisions. No matter what, he never doubted they loved him, even if he made stupid choices. “Call your mother, baby. Put the phone on speaker. I’ll help if you have problems.”
Del dialed, pressed speaker. The SUV filled with the sound of a phone ringing and Mrs. Peterson’s greeting. “Hi, Mom.”
“I’m glad to hear from you, Del. Are you coming home soon?”
“I’m not sure. Why?”
“I met the most wonderful man this morning. Quite charming.”
She darted a glance at Josh.
“He’s new in town.”
“Where did you meet him?”
“At the coffee shop. You know how I love my lattes.”
Del smiled. “You and Dad had a standing coffee date every Saturday morning while we watched cartoons and threw pieces of cereal at each other.”
“I miss your father so much.” She sighed. “Anyway, Curt stopped by my table and asked if he could join me. The other tables were empty, but he said he hated to drink coffee alone.” She laughed. “Can’t imagine a man several years my junior actually making time for a grandmother.”
Josh’s stomach knotted. Curt? What was the chance of two men named Curt showing up in the same case? Slim, edging toward zero. A glance in the mirror showed Alex’s grim expression matched his own.
“Curt?” Del’s voice wavered. She drew in a deep breath. “Did he tell you his last name, Mom?”
“Gardner, Grace.” Dee paused. “No, Granger. That’s it. His name is Curt Granger.”
His hands tightened around the steering wheel. “Mrs. Peterson, it’s Josh. Del has you on speaker. What did Curt say to you?”
“He asked about me, my life, my family. Curt was so interested in everything I had to say.” She sniffed. “I’ve missed having someone listen to me. Why? Do you know him?”
“Only by reputation.” And what he knew would cause Dee Peterson many sleepless nights. He’d never tell her everything, just as he wouldn’t Del. “Did he ask questions about Del?”
Her soft gasp sounded in the vehicle’s interior. “How did you know? Curt was so sweet, anxious to hear everything about my wonderful girl. You’ll have to be careful, Josh Cahill. Curt may fight you over my girl’s heart.”
He didn’t have to wonder whether Granger knew his name. Another glance at Alex who was shaking his head. Yeah, his partner caught that, too. Before long, Granger would know know about Alex. The only thing Granger couldn’t confirm was whether the rest of Josh’s unit was involved in protecting Del and Ivy. So much for the element of surprise.
“Mom, I need you to pack a bag or a suitcase.”
“What? Why?”
“Curt Granger is a very dangerous man.”
“He was a perfect gentleman. That’s a terrible thing to say.”
Del bit down on her bottom lip, sent Josh a helpless look.
“Mrs. Peterson, I’m helping investigate a crime in Otter Creek, a crime in which Curt Granger is a key suspect. Del was a witness and Granger wants to find her and prevent her from testifying against him.”
“Del?” Her mother’s voice rose, shock reverberating in her tone. “Is that true?”
“Please, Mom, go pack. Josh’s parents will come get you soon. Nothing is more important to me than making sure you’re safe.”
“Oh, but that’s not necessary. I can stay with one of your brothers.”
“Mrs. Peterson,” Josh said. “You don’t want to bring danger to your sons and their families. It’s best for everyone if you leave town. Mom and Dad are looking forward to spending time with you.” Tension rolled through his body. Convincing her of the seriousness of their request was critical to Mrs. Peterson’s cooperation.
Ethan needed to contact Milo Tyler. Josh blew out a breath. Oakwood PD should know what was going on, critical to their safety if they came into contact with Granger. He didn’t want to be responsible for another officer’s injury or death because he walked into a situation with Granger without knowledge of the former Delta operator.
“This is really necessary?”
“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t believe that.”
Silence, then, “Did you come with Del as a police escort?”
His eyebrows rose. Sharp lady. Ivy was right; Dee Peterson wasn’t what she projected. “I came with Del as a cop protecting a citizen and a man who’s crazy about your daughter. She caught my attention when she moved to Otter Creek.”
A soft laugh. “You redeemed yourself with that answer. How long before your parents arrive?”
He calculated, allowing a few minutes for checking out. Knowing Aaron Cahill, he’d already filled the gas tank and was ready to roll, especially since he knew it was possible he’d leave before the banker’s meeting concluded. “Two to three hours, max.”
“You’ll keep my daughter safe?”
“I’ll protect her with my life, Mrs. Peterson.”
“Let’s hope that’s not necessary. I expect the whole story once this man is behind bars.”
“I’ll tell you what I can.”
“I expect you to stay for dinner the next time you come with my girl. Del, be careful. I’m pretty sure I don’t want to know exactly what you’re involved in, but it must be dangerous.”
“It is dangerous, but Josh is the best. Thanks for doing this, Mom. I couldn’t bear it if I lost you.” Her voice broke.
“I’ll be fine. Is Ivy all right? Is she with you?”
“I’m here, Aunt Dee.” Ivy leaned forward. “You’ll love Josh’s parents.”
“Hope he doesn’t have skeletons in his closet. I plan on asking a lot of questions. You and Del were together when she witnessed this crime?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
A sigh came over the phone. “Then you are in danger, too. Who’s watching out for you, Ivy?”
“Alex. Don’t worry, Aunt Dee. He’s as well-trained as Josh.”
“Good. Let me know what’s happening when you can.” And she was gone.
Del returned his phone. “That wasn’t as bad as I thought.”
“Nice job,” Alex said.
Josh patted Del’s hand. He checked the side mirror and took an exit off Highway 18. Stopping at the back of the building he’d visited days earlier, Josh sent a text and waited. Two minutes later, the back door opened and Harry Willis trotted outside, large bag in hand.
Alex climbed out and took the bag which he placed in the cargo area.
“Got everything you asked for plus a few other surprises,” Harry said. “Let me know if you need anything else.” With a wave, Harry retraced his steps into the building.
“What surprises is he talking about?” Ivy asked.
Alex settled into the backseat beside her and shut the door. “Stuff to help us greet Granger in style.”
“Things I don’t want to know about?”
“Smart lady.”
Josh pulled away from the building. After a few minutes of turning squares to lose potential tails, he returned to Highway 18, headed for Interstate 40 and Nashville. While driving, Josh recounted for Del and Ivy the events of the days after the marshals took them into custody.
Del gasped when Josh admitted to being shot. “Granger tried to kill you?”
“He tried to kill Rod. I happened to step in the way.”
A snort from Alex. He glared in the mirror. So it was a deliberate step. Meg still had a husband because Josh chose to step into the line of fire. Good thing Granger hadn’t used armor-piercing bullets or a head shot.
“Yo
u’re okay?” Ivy asked.
“Ribs are sore, but I’ve had much worse.”
“If he’d been hurt,” Alex said, “you’d know about it. He’s downright mean when injured.”
Del shifted in her seat, hissed.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
“Arm.”
He glanced her direction, noted Del’s pallor. Pain must be bad, considering the way she was holding her arm. “Take a pain pill.”
“What if we run into Granger?”
Josh smiled. “How? He doesn’t know where we’re going. I used evasive maneuvers in case a fed was on our tail. If he did find us, Alex and I can handle him. We have plenty of fire power. Take the meds, Del. You didn’t sleep last night. I need you alert when Granger does make an appearance.”
She dug the pain med out of her bag.
“Same for you, kitten.” He glanced in the mirror in time to catch her wrinkling her nose. “You’re short on sleep, too.”
“Yes, Dad.” She rolled her eyes, but scrunched down in her seat and closed her eyes.
Josh drove the next twenty miles in silence before murmuring to Alex, “They asleep?”
Alex grinned at the quiet sigh from Ivy. “Yep.”
With another glance Del’s direction, Josh dialed the number for Fortress Security.
“Wake up, sweetheart.”
Del’s eyelids flew up. She straightened in a hurry, moaned at the sharp pain in her arm. Bullet. Right. Don’t lean on that arm. “What’s wrong? Is it Granger? Did he find us?”
A soft chuckle. Josh leaned over and kissed her, a kiss soft as a butterfly’s wing. Warmth spiraled out from her heart through the rest of her body. “We’re at the cabin.”
Her mouth gaped. She glanced out the windshield. They were parked behind the other SUV used by Nate, Rio, and Quinn on a cement driveway. To the right, Rod’s cabin rose two stories. The wraparound porch drew her attention. Four rocking chairs sat along the log wall, two on either side of the front door. It looked so inviting. The only thing lacking was a porch swing. In normal circumstances, she could imagine passing a peaceful hour or two, rocking in the evening breeze. Trees ringed the property, so dense in places she couldn’t see the surrounding countryside. Wide open spaces encompassed the cabin.
