by Leah Brooke
Still pointing the gun at Nelson, Ace glanced at her, his jaw clenching. “It’s already been taken care of. Boone and Chase are there. So are the Madisons. Everyone’s safe.”
Nelson stiffened, once against poking the barrel of the gun in her ribs. “That’s okay. I’ve still got her. How the hell did you know?”
Ace’s lips twitched, but it held no amusement. “I always know what’s going on in my town.” His eyes narrowed with renewed fury. “Although sometimes it takes longer to get to the truth. I’m sorry for that.” His gaze met hers again. “I know everything, Erin.”
When Erin mouthed FBI, Ace nodded once. “All of it.”
She felt something warm and wet trickling down the side of her face. “Nelson wants me to take him to where I hid the money.”
Ace smiled, a cold smile that sent a chill down Erin’s spine. “You know I can’t let that happen.”
Nelson yanked at Erin’s arm, making her head swim when he slammed her against the car. “It doesn’t look like you have any choice.”
Ace shook his head. “She doesn’t have your money. Cramer does.”
“Liar!”
“You’re not leaving with her. Give it up, Stark. You’re surrounded.”
Whipping her around, Nelson pressed back against the car, holding her directly in front of him.
To her left, Linc and Rafe held guns on Stark, their lips moving her only indication that they spoke in low voices to someone.
Despite the pain in her head and Stark’s strong hold, Erin managed to shift slightly, her heart in her throat when she saw her three white-faced husbands off to the side with two FBI agents moving in front of them.
Meeting each of her husbands’ gazes, she blinked back tears, horrified that they had to endure seeing her in such a position. Mouthing, I love you. I’m sorry, she took a shaky breath, jolting and spinning toward Ace when he barked her name.
* * * *
Jared fought to stay upright, his knees turning to rubber as he watched a scene worse than his most terrifying nightmare play out in front of him.
His wife was being held by a man with a gun.
He and his brothers had arrived just in time to see Stark hit her in the temple with the gun he held.
His rage had a red haze forming behind his eyes as he leapt for him, only to be stopped by the FBI agent who’d crept up behind him.
Linc and the other FBI agents held his brothers as Rafe kept a gun pointed at Stark.
Not taking his eyes from the man who now held a gun to Erin’s neck, Rafe shifted his position when Linc took his place beside him again. “I know how you feel, but all of our attention has to be on Stark and Erin. Distracting us and Stark is gonna get her hurt.”
Clenching his jaw, Jared nodded, his entire body going cold. “I know, damn it.”
Standing back and watching went against every instinct, but Jared knew he and his brothers had no choice.
“Erin!” Ace’s booming voice had all eyes turning in his direction, but the sheriff had eyes for only Erin and Stark. “Keep your eyes on me, Erin.”
Jared held his breath when Erin nodded, his jaw clenching tighter when he saw her wince at the small movement.
He’d never been so scared.
Stark’s movements became even jerkier, his eyes wild with panic. “She’s coming with me. Once I get my money, I’ll let her go. Don’t try to stop us. I’ll shoot her, I swear.”
Ace took a step closer, moving so slowly that Jared barely noticed. “You’ve got that gun pressed against her neck. If you shoot her, she won’t be able to tell you a damned thing.”
Although the street was empty, Jared knew that several people stood around, held back by his friends and neighbors.
One of the FBI agents stepped forward and started to speak, but a sharp look from Ace, who clearly had taken charge of the situation, had the other man backing off with a nod of frustration.
“I don’t want an outsider handling this.” Reese’s low murmur came from Jared’s left.
Without looking away from Erin, Jared inclined his head. “I think the feds know that.”
Linc spoke from several yards in front of them. “They do. Ace knows that, too. Quiet.”
Jared held his breath when Stark slid the gun lower, pressing it against Erin’s side again. “Then I guess you’d better back off so we can leave.”
“You’re not leaving with Erin.” Ace’s voice had lowered even more, but his voice carried in the dead silence surrounding them. “Erin, Joe Garrison is real fond of you.”
Jared stiffened, fighting the impulse to look around and give away the deputy’s position.
The Garrison brothers, former U.S. Marshals, had recently come to Desire for a new start.
Proud of his new hires, Ace had let the residents of Desire know about the unique qualifications each man possessed.
Joe Garrison was a first-class sniper.
Jared prayed Erin remembered.
Nodding once, Erin slid a hand down to her outer thigh. “Nice to know. Makes me weak at the knees.”
Aware of his brothers stiffening beside him, Jared held his breath, not taking his eyes from Erin’s hand, which she’d clenched in a tight fist.
She held out one finger.
Ace nodded once, shifting his frame in a way that made him appear even more threatening.
The second finger appeared.
Stark must have sensed something, or he’d just run out of patience. “Enough talk. Get in the car.” He yanked the car door open and started to shove Erin inside.
Jared knew that if Stark managed to get her into his car, the chances of getting her back alive decreased dramatically.
The third finger appeared, and Jared prayed, not daring to breathe as everything seemed to happen at once.
Erin dropped to the ground, throwing Stark off balance, and the other man fell to the ground next to Erin.
Ace was already moving, racing to Erin.
To Jared’s surprise, he realized that he’d already begun to sprint toward her, intent on getting her away from the gun.
Not until he skidded to a stop, falling to the ground beside her, did he realize several things at once.
His brothers, Linc, and Rafe had moved with them.
Ace already had Stark’s gun in his hand.
And Stark was dead, shot in the head by a single bullet that Jared didn’t even remember hearing.
Careful of her injuries, Jared blinked against the burning in his eyes and reached for the love of his life.
“Jared!” Erin threw herself against his chest with a groan.
Forcing himself to keep his hold gentle instead of crushing her to him the way he wanted to, Jared breathed in her scent like a lifeline. “Erin. God!”
Reese and Duncan closed in around her, surrounding her as Jared eased her away from Stark and the car and onto his lap even as the agents rushed to Stark.
Reese swallowed heavily. “Baby. I love you so much.” He hovered over her protectively, ripping his T-shirt off and gently wiping the blood from her face.
Duncan opened his mouth several times, but nothing came out. Burying his face in her hair, he clung to her hand, the hand she’d used to signal Joe Garrison. “Just be still, baby. The ambulance is already here. You’re gonna be okay.”
Erin reached out a shaking hand and gripped his shirt. “The baby?”
Covering her hand with his, Duncan watched Reese wipe blood from her temple and hair, some that had to belong to Stark. “He’s fine. Mom and the dads are taking care of him with Rachel, Boone, and Chase. The Madisons are there. Just worry about you.”
Erin smiled weakly. “Looks like you’re all worrying enough. I’ll be fine. Just help me get up.”
Her voice trailed off and her eyes rolled back just a second before she passed out.
Panicked, Jared yanked her against him. “Erin!”
Chapter Eleven
Erin woke to a screaming headache and opened her eyes to find all three o
f her gorgeous husbands standing over her and frowning.
Lifting a hand to her head, she partially closed her eyes against the faint light, wincing against the ache in her breasts. “Why are you all frowning at me? Where are we?”
Duncan lifted the hand he held to his lips. “You’re in the hospital. You’ve got a cracked rib and a concussion.”
Memories assailed her, the fear of being held at gunpoint, the worry about her baby, the looks of concern and pain on her husbands’ faces, not only as they held her on the sidewalk but also during the ambulance ride to the hospital and in the emergency room.
“Stark?”
Jared’s jaw clenched. “Dead.”
Lowering himself to sit beside her hip, Reese braced a hand on either side of her pillow and leaned over her. “We know about Stark, Cramer, and your involvement in trying to catch them.”
Still holding her hand, Duncan leaned on the hospital rail to bend close. “We talked to your old boss. He’s very worried about you and couldn’t stop singing your praises. Why didn’t you tell us about this?”
“I’m sorry. I can’t believe what Wes did. I never saw that coming.”
Jared appeared next to Duncan, closer to her head. Reaching out, he brushed a loose tendril back from her face, his fingertips lingering. “So you said with a gun pointed at you. That moment is gonna give me nightmares for years to come. Why didn’t you tell us?”
Rubbing her pounding temple, Erin sighed. “Help me sit up. Looking up at all of you is making my head hurt even more.”
Jared’s frown deepened, his gaze sharp as he pushed the button to raise her head. “The nurse just gave you more pain medicine for that and for your cracked rib.”
Just sitting up made her feel better. “I’m fine. Listen, I know you’re mad at me for not telling you anything.”
Duncan raised a brow. “You could say that.”
Erin eyed each of them, her heart aching for the pain she’d caused them. “I never really thought I’d see Nelson or Wes again. John and I talked alone several times when Wes and I were gathering evidence against Nelson.”
Smiling, she looked at each of them. “John has better instincts about people than anyone I’ve ever met. He started to get a funny feeling about Wes. He thought that there were times that Wes acted a little…off.”
“Good for him.” Jared adjusted the light blanket covering her while Reese offered a drink of water from the Styrofoam cup, holding the straw for her.
Reese waited, his steely stare daring her to argue with his attempt to help.
Figuring she owed them after all the trouble she’d caused, she smiled her thanks and took a sip before leaning back again.
“Thank you.” Reaching out, she gripped his forearm.
“You’re welcome.” Reese set the cup aside and took her hand. “Your old boss also told us that he trusted you. That tells me that he’s a smart man.”
Erin smiled at that. “He is.”
Duncan straightened. “He also said that he told you to tell us everything.”
“He did. I just never thought it would come to this.”
Toying with her hair, Jared inclined his head. “Tell us.”
Leaning back, Erin sighed, relieved that her headache had begun to ease. “After the trial, John noticed that Wes seemed to be acting funny. I didn’t notice anything at first, but John was curious enough to have Wes followed. When he learned that Wes had made several trips to the prison to visit Nelson, he became even more concerned.”
Duncan lowered himself to the other side of her bed. “Interesting. So he kept having him followed?”
Erin nodded, wincing. “Yes. And found out that Wes visited the prison every week. It was about the time Nelson’s wife divorced him and took off with their children.”
Jared pursed his lips. “Keep going.”
“Well, whoever had followed Wes lost him a few times, once when he went to a park in Dallas. After that, he had the new watch and designer suits.”
Reese looked at each of his brothers before turning to her again. “So they think that’s where Stark hid the money and Cramer somehow got him to tell him about it.”
“Exactly. John had had a complete audit done and knew that roughly seven million dollars was still missing from the money they’d recovered from Nelson’s safe deposit box. Apparently, he’d hidden it somewhere.”
Reese’s brow went up. “He hid it in a park?”
Erin shrugged. “That’s what it looks like.” Shifting to a more comfortable position, Erin sighed. “Even though John had Wes followed for a while, he couldn’t find out anything more. Wes stuck to his routine and lived within his means. They checked his computer at work, and the FBI got involved, but they couldn’t find a damned thing.”
Her voice trailed off when her throat went dry.
Reese seemed to notice, turning to retrieve the cup from the tray and holding the straw to her lips again. “And the feds have been following him, hoping he’ll lead them to the money. Ritten explained all that, and it’s the same story Ace got from the feds.”
Erin sipped her water and leaned back with a groan. “Ace. God, I’ll never forget the look on his face. He’s damned scary, but I felt a hell of a lot better when he showed up.”
“Good to know.” Ace’s deep baritone came from the direction of the doorway, but she didn’t see him until Jared turned aside.
In typical Desire fashion, Ace approached, his eyes filled with concern as he glanced at Jared. “How’s she doing?”
Jared turned back to her, still toying with the ends of her hair. “Her rib is cracked, and they have her taped up.”
Surprised, Erin looked down and started to reach for her side, but Reese took her hand in his and placed the straw against her lips again.
“Leave it alone.”
Jared pushed her hair back from the bandage on her temple. “She’s also got a concussion, so they want to keep her overnight.”
Erin pulled Reese closer, blocking out Jared and Ace’s conversation. “I also have another problem.”
Reese glanced at her breasts. “Mom and the dads are on their way in with the baby. Rachel went to the house to get your breast pump. They already used the milk you had in the refrigerator. You can feed him and pump more.”
“Thank God.”
Ace appeared at her side, the horror of the afternoon lingering in his eyes. “You did real good out there. Kept your head.”
“I can’t believe Nelson’s dead.” Clasping Reese’s hand, she mentally compared the man she’d worked for to the man who’d held a gun to her. “He wasn’t the same man I knew.”
“No. He wasn’t.” A muscle worked in Ace’s jaw. “The feds want to talk to you.”
Duncan jumped to his feet. “About what?”
Jared was already shaking his head. “No. Erin’s out of it.”
“Jared!” Erin gripped his hand. “I hate the thought of Wes Cramer getting away with all that money. He not only betrayed Stark, but he also betrayed John Ritten and lied to get Stark to come after me. He could have killed me, Jared.”
When her voice broke, her husbands all reached for her. “Do you really think I can just sit by and let him get away with that? I finally found everything I ever wanted, and he would have taken it from me without a qualm. If I can help put him away, I will.”
Duncan cursed. “We’re sure as hell not gonna let him get away with it, but you’re staying out of it.”
Jared’s hand fisted on the bedrail. “I want to kill him with my bare hands.”
Ace pulled a chair close and dropped into it. “They can’t find the money. They need him to go to it. If he does, they’ve got him. They want Erin to call him. They want her to ask him how the hell he knew she’d found the money. You heard him at the hotel. He’s delusional. We want to make him believe that Erin really did take the money. If he believes that, he’ll have to go check for himself.”
Reese slid an arm around her waist. “So, it’s just a phone ca
ll?”
Ace nodded. “I knew none of you would let her get within a hundred feet of him.”
“Damned right.” Duncan lowered himself onto the bed near her hip. “When they catch him, we want to know about it.”
Jared turned to Ace. “And if he gets out of prison, we want to know about that, too.”
Ace smiled and rose to his feet again. “Already stipulated.” His smile warmed when he looked at Erin. “I made sure of that. Linc, Rafe, Marshall, Joe, and Carter are all on board. What happened this afternoon scared the hell out of everyone. Get some rest, Erin. I’ll set it up for tomorrow.”
When Ace started to turn away, Erin called his name.
Pausing, he turned back. “What is it, honey?”
Erin’s eyes welled with tears. “Thank you. As soon as I saw you, I knew everything would be all right.”
Inclining his head, Ace smiled faintly. “You’re welcome.”
She couldn’t help but ask about the man who’d she’d seen only a handful of times. “How’s Joe?”
Blowing out a breath, Ace eyed each of them. “Cool as a cucumber. Those three have nerves of steel.”
“I want to thank him.”
Ace’s smile widened. “Yes, ma’am.”
Holding on to Reese, Erin sat up, slapping away Duncan’s attempt to stop her. “I heard about the woman they lost.”
Ace’s smile fell. “She killed herself because she couldn’t live with the criticism she got because she loved three men.”
“Is that why they came here? To find love in a place that would accept it?”
Ace adopted a look she’d seen often, one that told her that he knew he was being interrogated. “I didn’t ask.” His lips twitched as he raised a brow, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s none of my business.”
Understanding that he clearly meant it was none of her business, nor was it the business of the other women in town who’d asked him, including his nosy, but well-meaning wife, Erin smiled. “I understand that they’ve got a soft spot for your dispatcher, Talia.”
Ace’s lips twitched again. “The women in Desire could probably teach the feds a thing or two about intelligence gathering.”
