by Geri Krotow
A loud rattling at her door, followed by a gunshot, was Patience’s only warning before she was thrown by Nash onto the carpeted floor beside the sofa, then covered by Greta’s body. The dog lay alongside her, shoving her up against the couch and placing herself between her and any bullet. Patience shoved her head under the upholstery skirt, the one place she could breathe freely without Greta’s coat in her face.
She heard Nash shout, heard him fire his weapon, then a return shot and the sound of glass hitting the tiled foyer. Not again.
Nash had fired at an intruder.
* * *
“Stay down!” He gave the order to Patience. Greta knew to keep Patience covered until he released her; they trained for this all the time.
He caught a glimpse of a tall male figure with a knit watch cap running from the front door. The dark hat contrasted sharply with silver hair, matching Patience’s description of the Lake Killer. Nash quickly approached the door, weapon in front of him, constantly sweeping the foyer, the doorway and then the front porch. There could be more than one shooter.
A dark beat-up sedan was peeling off onto the suburban street, too far away for Nash to make out the license number. He watched as it turned the corner out of the subdivision, and memorized its profile. He stepped back through the front door, and he pulled the SUV keys out of his pocket.
“Greta, release.” He paused to make sure the dog stood up and that Patience followed. Their eyes locked across the great room. “You okay?”
“I’m good. You?”
“Same. I’m going to call this in—stay in here with Greta, away from that back sliding door.” He knew that as much as he’d spooked the intruder, if it was the murderer, he’d be likely to circle back and come at the house from the rear. “Do you have a weapon in the house?”
“No, only the one at the clinic.”
“Fine. I’ll be right back.” He was going to have to talk to her about keeping a weapon close by. At least as long as she was targeted by this nutcase.
“Of course.” Patience laid her hand on Greta’s head. “Want to come help me make some tea, girl?”
Satisfied that they were okay for now, he went out to the K9 vehicle and called in to dispatch. He kept the SUV running in case the assailant returned.
Frank’s voice sounded over the hands-free system. Normally cool as a cuke through all kinds of situations, the dispatcher sounded shaken. Everyone at the RRPD adored Patience, and he was no exception. “We’ll have a forensic team out there ASAP, Nash.”
“I doubt they’ll find anything.” If there’d been snow or ice on the ground, tire tracks would have been a great lead. But with the streets still dry after the unexpected cold snap, there was little likelihood of any kind of imprint.
“Give me a description of the vehicle again,” Frank said.
“Black sedan, late model but a little beat-up, not something you see around here a lot.” In this part of South Dakota, folks opted for four-wheel drive, or at least all-wheel drive, especially at this time of year, when a sudden snow squall could leave you stranded without the extra traction power.
“Copy. And, Nash—is our favorite K9 veterinarian okay?”
Nash smiled at Frank’s fatherly concern. Everyone at the police department and training center seemed to get that while Patience had a biological family in town, they weren’t very loving or close. Fenwick Colton, mayor of Red Ridge and billionaire energy tycoon, had a reputation for treating his children like stock assets. The RRPD knew this and wrapped its arms around their prized veterinarian. The department was its own family.
“She’s fine, Frank.” As he replied, the reality of what Patience had blurted out just before the gunshot hit him. He could have lost both her and his unborn child with either of those bullets. It’s okay. Patience and the baby were fine. But Nash’s stomach felt as if he’d swallowed a lead weight. He’d just found out he was going to be a father, was a father, and it all could have been irrevocably shattered in the blink of an eye.
“Good to hear. You staying with her for now?”
For now? Heck, he was in it with Patience for at least the next eighteen years. No, scratch that. He was learning with his half siblings that being a parent wasn’t something that would end once they left the house. He’d always care, no matter their ages or places in life.
And now he had a biological child—his son or daughter—to care about. And Patience to work through it with.
“Nash, you there?”
“Yeah, copy that, Frank. I can be reached on my cell phone.” He shut the SUV down and stared at the dash. He hated cutting Frank off, but he had to think.
Nothing was going to be the same again. He knew he needed time, but no matter how long it took him to process the news of a baby, and his now permanent attachment to Patience as its father, life went on. The baby was going to be born, and it would need parenting.
He’d been here before, right after his parents had died in that awful car accident. That had been tragic, unexpected, the sorrow reverberating still through him and his siblings with each holiday and school benchmark that passed. Another opportunity to remember his parents would never be there to see the kids graduate, date for the first time, get into college.
Patience being pregnant wasn’t tragic. A surprise, sure. A major life change, definitely. But Nash would be damned if he’d let anyone, including a cold-blooded murderer, take from him the joy that the baby would undoubtedly bring.
He wasn’t sure how Patience felt about it, but there was no time like the present to ask.
* * *
Patience’s hands finally stopped trembling as she stroked Greta’s thick fur. “You’ve been through a lot in less than twelve hours, girl.”
Greta leaned into her as they sat on the kitchen floor between the island counter and the sink. They’d gotten up from the living room floor and the dog had sniffed around the entire house until, satisfied they were alone, she’d resumed her protective stance.
Nash didn’t have to tell Patience that it had been the murderer who had found her, and wouldn’t hesitate to break in via her patio and garden area. She was safest here, behind the kitchen island, away from the line of sight of the sliding door and yard.
Greta’s ears perked up and her body stiffened, indicating that Nash was coming back in. Sure enough, Patience heard the front door open and close, his footsteps thudding as he walked over to them. He stood in front of them for a full minute before he spoke to Greta. “Move over, girl.”
Greta complied, lying down in the narrow space left, and Nash sank down next to Patience. It would have been too close even five minutes ago, but right now the solid, warm length of his body alongside hers felt good.
“The front door’s going to need to be replaced.” His voice was low and comforting.
“Is it functional for now?”
“Not really. But I’ll get it boarded up. And we need to move you out of here. I know we’re both exhausted, but we can’t stay here. You won’t be able to until we catch the murderer.”
“Did you see him? You’re sure it was the same guy?”
“He matched your description, at least his height and the color of his hair.” Nash’s hands were hanging between his bent knees. He lowered one to hers, on the floor, and squeezed. “You’re not alone in this, Patience. I’m not going to let anything happen to you or our baby.”
She couldn’t speak right away. What they’d been through, this latest attack, the enormity of figuring out they were going to be parents—it was all overwhelming.
They sat with his hand over hers, Greta’s soft pants filling the silence, for several moments. Patience was beginning to realize that when she was with Nash, time seemed to stand still. When they were together, whatever connection they shared beyond parenthood was uniquely soothing. As if nothing else mattered and she had all the time in the world to get to th
e next task. Just being with Nash was enough. This wasn’t a place she’d been before. Seeking the next career goal, striving to hit the next benchmark were traits she’d gained from her father. With Nash, they didn’t seem as urgent.
Finally, her voice returned.
“That was quick—you calling the baby ‘ours.’” She shifted her hand out from under his and immediately missed the warmth.
“It—I mean, he or she—is ours. I’m in this with you. We need to hash it out, but this isn’t the time to talk about it.” As if on cue, the siren from the RRPD unit reached them.
She stood up. “I think we’re safe for now. That man I saw on the lake is too calculating to come back when he knows the police are here.” Yet her hands still shook, and the weight of knowing she was a target zapped her energy.
“We’re not done with the baby conversation. First, we have to get you to a place where you’ll be safe. Somehow this jerk figured out where you live, so he knows your name. Going to your father’s isn’t an option, either. He’ll find you there.”
Which was a relief as far as Patience was concerned. Her dad’s autocratic attitude was the last thing she needed. “My father lives in a very secure compound, but you’re right, I don’t want to put him at risk. Or any of my siblings.”
“I’ll figure something out.”
“You don’t have to—I have a place up in the mountains. No one knows about it.” She didn’t even tell the clinic staff about it. It was her private escape, the one nod to her healthy bank account that she didn’t feel bad about. “It’s a two-bedroom cabin.”
Nash’s eyes lit up. “How far away?”
“Twenty miles. A forty-five minute drive on a clear day. It’s really up there, with lots of twisty turns.” The thought of the drive to her mountain hideaway made her queasy, but that was her pregnancy talking. Mentally, the respite was irresistible. As long as Nash would be there; she didn’t want to be alone. “To be honest, I forgot about the length of the drive, or how twisting it is. I’m not so sure I’ll enjoy it right now, but we don’t have a choice, do we?”
“You’re having morning sickness?” Compassion smoothed the rough edges of his voice and his expression was one she wanted to drown in.
“What does a single dude like you know about morning sickness?”
“I remember when my stepmother was pregnant with the kids. I was already thirteen or fourteen when she had the oldest. She’d throw up for, like, the first three months with each baby.” He shook his head. “I decided then and there I’d never get a woman pregnant.”
“Well, that’s a resolution you’ve busted. And I’m okay. I feel nauseous here and there, but it’s not been as bad as I’ve seen my friends struggle with. Plus, now I’m pretty sure I’m at least twelve if not as much as fourteen weeks pregnant. The worst time for morning sickness has passed.”
“I’m so sorry, Patience. I haven’t been here for you for any of it.”
“I haven’t been here for myself! I ignored the symptoms until the last few days.” When they’d become impossible to overlook. “If anyone’s failed in responsibility to the baby so far, it’s me.”
“I am an equal partner in this pregnancy.” He spoke as though he were taking his oath to be a police officer.
“You didn’t mean to get me pregnant. It happens. We were careful.” She tried not to think about how careful they’d been, how huge he’d been as she’d rolled the condom over him, begging him to take her again. Do not look at his crotch. It would be the ultimate humiliation—trying to console him that this wasn’t entirely his fault, as he was taking it, yet coming on to him in such a blatant way.
“But not careful enough.” His mouth was a straight line and he stood with his hands on his hips, looking out the kitchen window. She’d expected him to regret that night; he hadn’t signed up to be a new father. He had enough with his siblings. No doubt the reality of her pregnancy was hitting him. She decided to let it go for now. Meanwhile, no matter what he said, she wasn’t going to have any expectations that he’d be a fully participating father. It was better for her heart to not go there. Nash Maddox was a heart-stopper of the highest caliber.
She nodded at the window, where they could see the patrol unit pulling up in front of her house. “That was quick. I’ll make them a pot of coffee.”
Nash went out to greet the officers and Patience immediately felt the loss of warmth from his nearness. If her hyperawareness of him affected her this much after only a very long night and part of a day together, how was it going to be when they were holed up at her cabin?
There was no use squelching the thrills that fluttered in her gut, sending heat over her breasts and between her legs. Her desire for Nash was undeniable. And welcome.
Chapter 6
Nash drove to Patience’s cabin, and while he had to focus on the treacherous road, he couldn’t ignore how much he enjoyed being in her company. They’d both been awake for over twenty-four hours and yet her nearness buoyed him. Why hadn’t he followed up with her after their one-nighter? It shouldn’t have taken a murder investigation and danger to Patience to bring them together again.
“You weren’t kidding when you said your place is way up here. I don’t think I’ve ever ventured to this part of the mountain before.” Which was saying a lot, since he’d camped and hunted and ran roughshod with the best of them while he was growing up. As an only child for almost fourteen years, Nash had had his father indulging his every whim. Even after his parents divorced and his dad remarried and had four kids in his new family, he’d always made time for Nash.
“I picked it on purpose.” Her voice was stretched thin, but he couldn’t look at her to see why as he made a hairpin turn around the mountain. The shoulder was nonexistent and he’d guess the drop-off was at least two hundred feet.
“This might be fate, you know. We need to get to know one another better if we’re raising a kid together. It’s clear neither of us wanted to make the first move toward a relationship after our night together.” Crap. His thoughts had turned to words before he engaged his mental filter. He was going to tick her off before they even got to the cabin.
“You don’t need to stay with me, Nash. Leave me an extra weapon if you want to, but no one else knows about this place, save for my family. I’m safe here.”
Back on a straight stretch of road, he risked a glance at her. Her eyes were closed, her hand hanging on to the overhead handle of his personal Jeep for dear life. “If you think you’re going to throw up, I can pull over.” He couldn’t look at her for as long as he wanted—the road was taking them around another particularly tricky switchback. He heard Greta shift in the back and silently thanked the dog for her steadfastness.
“Just. Keep. Going.” Spoken through gritted teeth, yet with steel. He couldn’t help but smile. Patience was nothing if she wasn’t tough as nails. One of her many qualities that attracted him to her.
“I’ll bet the views here are spectacular when it’s not so overcast.” They’d entered some low-lying clouds, making the trip seem all the more mysterious. Clandestine. The highway evened out, but he still drove with care, as there was barely a shoulder on either side of the road. He knew it was deceptive—the woods made it look like there was level ground right off the paved road, but a sheer cliff was just beyond the trees.
“They are spectacular.” Her eyes opened and a bit of color came back into her cheeks. “We’re almost there. Take the next left and pull up to the gate. I’ll give you the code.”
“I’m impressed that you have security up here.”
“It was a compromise with my father. I needed to use a portion of my trust fund as collateral to buy and upgrade this place, and he agreed only after I promised to put in top-notch security. Not many people know about it—my family is all.”
“I like your father’s thinking on this one.” Although he wasn’t a fan of Fenwick Colton,
the pompous ass who basically controlled the county’s—and therefore the RRPD’s—purse strings, Nash appreciated that the man cared enough about his daughter to insist on the security measures.
“I’m not so sure it was about my safety as much as his pride. He’s never gotten over me paying my way through college and vet school, and I’ve since paid back every penny of what I borrowed from him for this cabin.”
“I had no idea you’d done that—paid for your schooling.” He’d assumed her father took care of it.
“Most people believe I didn’t, but that’s okay. I didn’t do it for anyone but me.”
Within minutes he pulled up to a large gate, blanketed on either side by dense forest and a lethal rock outcropping that rose to high cliffs. They were in a valley of sorts, which made it feel like a fortress. “I don’t see the keypad.”
“Because there isn’t one.” She had her phone out and was tapping on it. “It’s app-driven. I control it all with my phone.”
“Any chance I can have that code, or whatever I need?”
“We’ll set your phone up once we’re in the cabin.”
The deceptively rustic gate swung open and he drove them onto the graveled road, which after about another mile led to what appeared to be a modest, almost run-down cabin.
“And we’re here.” Patience was out of the passenger seat in a blink, her long legs practically loping up to the quaint porch. Chairs, a rocker and a couple tables made it appear well used.
“You spend a lot of time on this porch, don’t you?”
She cast him a shy smile. “I do. Layla comes up with me sometimes, but other than that, it’s all mine.”
“So the phone unlocks your door, too?”
“Yes.” An audible click sounded from the front door and he followed her into the cabin. Greta entered in turn and immediately plopped herself on the largest area of open floor, in front of the fireplace. Greta always sought out the coolest place in any dwelling, as her bulk kept her body temperature high. Patience laughed and he liked the sound of it. She visibly relaxed, the tension in her face easing as they walked around the cozy space.
