She needed to deal with him, too.
“We got the court order,” the captain explained. “So, it’s open. I first had it tested to make sure there were no explosives or booby traps. There weren’t. So I had a look inside while you two were with the medics.”
Mattie’s gaze whipped to the captain’s so she could see if there were any hints of what she was about to face. He was somber. His expression seemed to say, “I’m sorry.”
She took a deep breath, leaned over the stainless steel table and opened it. There were papers, a small tape recorder and a gun.
“What is all of this?” Bo asked, tightening his grip on her.
“Terrance Arturo obviously didn’t trust Kaplan, even though he was working for him.” The captain took out the first piece of paper and handed it to Mattie. “He explains that Kaplan hired him to break into the Witness Protection files so he could find you. There are numbers for the offshore account where Kaplan deposited the money, and Arturo even tells us how to trace the money back to Kaplan.”
Well, that certainly wasn’t bad news. “And the gun?”
“According to Arturo, it was the weapon he used to kill your fiancé. We’ll run ballistics, but we’re pretty sure it’ll be a match.” He paused. “Arturo says Kaplan’s prints are on the gun because he’s the one who gave it to Arturo.”
So it was yet more proof that would keep Ian in jail for life or maybe even get him the death penalty.
“I’ve gone through the papers,” the captain continued, “and from what I can tell, Kaplan set up Collier in that illegal arms deal. Your uncle did try to cover it up afterward, so he’s not completely innocent, but all the attempts to kidnap and kill you came from Kaplan.”
“Kendall’s innocent?” Bo asked, sounding as surprised as she was.
“Almost. He threatened Mattie so she wouldn’t testify against him, and that’s why she was placed in Witness Protection, but there’s no proof that he would have actually killed her. The real threat was Kaplan all along. I think Kaplan set things up to make it look as if Collier wanted her dead.”
“But you said Collier tried to cover up the arms deal,” Bo pointed out.
“Yes, and he might have to face charges for that. But we might be able to cut him a deal if he’ll testify against Kaplan.”
Which he would be a fool not to do. Kendall might be ruthless in business, but he wasn’t stupid.
“What about Marshal Tolivar?” Bo asked.
“Innocent, too. There’s proof in these papers that Kaplan set him up, as well.”
Mattie shook her head. How could one man have tried to ruin so many lives? Worse, he’d nearly succeeded.
Mattie glanced at the last item in the box. “What’s on the tape recorder?” she asked the captain.
The captain paused as though unsure how to give her the bad news.
“I’ll listen to it,” Bo volunteered. “I can summarize what’s on it.” He kissed her forehead again. “Rosalie will be here with the kids any minute and you can spend time with them in my office.”
It was a generous offer. She did want to spend time with Jacob and Holly. And Bo. But she had to know what was on that tape.
Mattie stared at the captain. “Ian said I wouldn’t be able to live with myself after I listen to what’s in the box.”
The captain mumbled some profanity. “He is obviously a psychopath. He created a vile situation, and when it didn’t work out the way he wanted, he blamed you. You have nothing to feel guilty about, Mattie.”
“What’s on the tape?” she insisted.
The captain glanced at Bo first. “It’s a recording of Kaplan meeting with your fiancé, Brody. Arturo’s in the room.”
“Arturo recorded it?” Bo asked.
Captain Tolbert nodded. “Kaplan offers Brody a deal—leave Mattie, move out of the country, and Kaplan will let him live. Brody tells Kaplan that he won’t leave, that he won’t hurt Mattie that way. That’s when Kaplan orders Arturo to kill him.”
Even though Mattie hadn’t been there, she could almost see it. Ian had probably thought Brody would jump at the chance to live, but he had chosen her instead.
And Brody had died because of it.
Bo cursed under his breath. “Don’t you dare let Ian get to you like this.” Bo no doubt saw the tears in her eyes. “Ian and Arturo killed Brody. Not you. This isn’t on you.”
As if to convince her of that, Bo kissed her. It wasn’t a peck of reassurance like the others. This was a real kiss. It shouldn’t have made any difference in what she was feeling.
But it did.
Bo pulled back and lifted her chin to meet her eye-to-eye. “If Ian had offered you the same deal today, to give up the person you love or die, would you take it?”
Mattie didn’t even have to think about this. “No.”
“Neither would I. Because love is worth fighting for. And yes, sometimes it’s worth dying for.”
“Like today,” she whispered. She had certainly been willing to die to stop Ian from killing Bo.
“Brody didn’t have a chance to fight for his life. Ian took that away from him. But don’t let Ian take away anything else. Don’t let him stop you from reaching out and taking what’s right in front of you.”
The tears returned to her eyes, because Bo was right. The person she loved more than life itself was standing right in front of her.
And that person was Bo.
“The past is the past,” Bo said, as if still trying to convince her. “Yes, part of you will always love Brody. Part of me will always love Nadine. But this is now, Mattie. This is the present and the future, and I want to spend that present and future with you.”
The captain cleared his throat, reminding them that he was still in the room. She’d forgotten all about him, mainly because the only thing she could see and feel right now was Bo. He’d said just the right thing to put things into perspective. She couldn’t let a deranged man like Ian ruin her chance at happiness by trying to weigh her down with old baggage. Baggage Ian had created.
“Maybe I should just step out for a couple of minutes,” the captain mumbled.
Neither of them stopped him.
“You told Ian you were in love with me,” Bo continued. “Is it true?” But he didn’t wait for her to answer. “I need it to be true.”
Mattie came up on her toes and kissed him. “It’s true.”
He smiled against her mouth. “Good. Because I’m in love with you, too.”
Everything inside her turned to warm silk. How could anything feel this right, this perfect? She had only known Bo a few days, but she knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She was about to tell him that, too, but he kissed her again, and her world tipped on its axis.
He pressed her against the stainless table, in the sterile, cold room that was suddenly warm and welcoming.
Bo must have heard the sound at the same moment she did because he pulled away from her and went to the door through which the captain had just exited. But it wasn’t the captain returning. Mattie recognized that sound.
It was Holly, and she was giggling.
Mattie hurried to the door and saw Rosalie making her way down the hall toward them. Jacob was toddling across the glossy tiles, and since he looked ready to fall, Rosalie had a hand on him. In the crook of her other arm was Holly, who was apparently laughing at her brother’s antics.
“Hope we’re not interrupting,” Rosalie said. She leaned down and placed Holly on the floor, as well.
“But they were ready to take your office apart. Figured they’d do less damage down here.”
“You’re not interrupting,” Bo volunteered. “I was just about to ask Mattie to marry me, but it’s probably better if I do it in front of all of you, anyway.”
Mattie felt her mouth drop open. But she also felt the love race through her. The moment had already been perfect, but Bo had found a way to make it even better.
Bo reached down and picked up Holly when she made
her way toward him, and he kissed her on her cheek. He passed her to Mattie so she could do the same. The little girl smiled, pressed both of her chubby hands to the sides of Mattie’s face and gave her a big kiss.
“Ma,” Holly announced.
Obviously not wanting to be left out of the action, Jacob strung together several Ma Mas, and he tugged at Mattie’s dress. Mattie bent down and scooped him up, as well.
Rosalie smiled and blinked back tears. “Well? Seems you owe Bo an answer about that marriage proposal.”
“My answer is yes,” Mattie whispered. Just for Bo. But then she repeated it, louder, so the children and Rosalie would hear.
Rosalie clapped and wiped the tears from her face.
Jacob picked up on the clapping and did the same. Holly soon joined him for the celebration. Even though they were too young to know what her yes meant, they obviously knew this was a happy time for their new family.
Mattie’s arms were already full, but she managed to turn to Bo so she could kiss him the way she wanted. A kiss to let him know that their future would always be filled with love. Like now. Forever.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-7967-8
THE TEXAS LAWMAN’S LAST STAND
Copyright © 2011 by Delores Fossen
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
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**Five-Alarm Babies
*Texas Paternity
†Texas Paternity: Boots and Booties
††Texas Maternity: Hostages
§Texas Maternity: Labor and Delivery
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
The Texas Lawman's Last Stand Page 17
