by Lane, Aubree
“You better not be jerking my chain, Hunter.” Dread had inched its way into what had been a relatively nice morning. One thing David knew for certain, absolutely nothing was going to happen to his kids.
“Hang up and get going. I don’t have time to argue with―”
David was way ahead of him. The phone was already shoved back into his pocket, and the lock box holding his spare weapon was pulled out from the cabinet over the refrigerator and he was busily spinning the combination. “Grab your shoes and get in the car kids.” He didn’t want to scare them, but that was better than the alternative. “Move it. NOW!”
Jack and Sandy’s eyes went wide, but they knew better than to argue when their father used that tone of voice. They were shoed-up and seat belted in the car in less than thirty seconds.
When David pulled into the driveway of Dakota Henderson’s residence, he already had a game plan. Rousting Dakota out of bed was going to be difficult and time consuming, so he decided it was better not to ask. He opened his car door and turned back to his frightened children. He pitched Jack the keys. “Do not unlock the doors for anyone but me. When you see me coming out with Dakota, unlock it for us and shove the keys in the ignition. We need to get out of here as quickly as possible.” He took a deep breath and patted the driver’s seat. “Jack, if anything suspicious happens, you’ll need to get your sister to safety. This car is an automatic, just like the car you drove when we were out on Grandpa’s farm a few months ago. You can do this. You are not to hesitate. You are to act. Got it?”
Wide-eyed, Jack nodded gravely and scrambled into the driver’s seat. The moment David shut the door, Jack immediately clicked the lock.
David moved quickly up the steps and with every ounce of his strength he kicked the door. His entire body was jarred by the motion, but the door remained intact. Hunter was a security conscious dad and had installed a steel framed door which housed multiple locks.
David pulled his gun out and fired. One by one the locks were dismantled and David moved inside.
He found Dakota in the hallway. She looked terribly young standing there in her ducky pajamas without any makeup, but she scared the hell out of him. She had a rifle locked, loaded, and pointed directly at his forehead.
“Did your dad call?” he asked, praying to God that he had.
Dakota lowered her weapon and ran past him. “You could’ve just honked.”
David would have smiled if he had time. Dakota was tough, and she didn’t crack under pressure. Just like her father.
Sandy saw them running and swung open the door to the backseat.
The sound of squealing wheels behind them made both Dakota and David spin around. Before David had his weapon raised, Dakota had already shot out the scary black van’s tires. They both dove into the backseat and Jack peeled out across the grass. David looked up in time to see Nate Waters peeking out over the dashboard.
For no other reason than the fact that David couldn’t let Dakota show him up in front of his kids, David raised his gun. In cold blood, he murdered the van’s radiator.
Jack drove seven miles before his father recuperated enough to take the wheel from his twelve year old son.
Two hours and three counties later, David pulled into a campground. They were totally off the grid. Before they left Cascade Bay, David let Dakota call her father and let him know they were okay. No details, just that they were safe. Then every passenger of David’s brand new all-wheel drive, high tech SUV, pulled the batteries from their phones while David disconnected the GPS, the Bluetooth, and a few other things he felt a little unsure about in the SUV’s electrical panel. David counted himself lucky when he turned the engine over and it was still able to function.
The moment Jack was out of the car, he threw his arms up in the air touchdown style and yelled, “That was totally awesome!”
Sandy looked up at Dakota who still held her rifle by her side and inquired sweetly, “Can you teach me how to shoot?”
David’s only thought was that Marissa was going to be pissed.
~~~**~~~
Unsure if he could trust the long arm of local law enforcement, Hunter crossed the state line into Washoe County and turned his wheels towards ‘The Biggest Little City in the World.’ He chose Reno for two reasons. First and foremost was because if anyone happened to be following him, he wanted to lead them as far away from David and the kids as possible. Secondly, because Hunter had done some work for the manager of the most prestigious gaming establishment in town, and the guy owed him big time.
The Lucky Seven of Hearts was a private gambling club which catered to the uber-rich, and was in direct competition with the Cascade Bay Resort and Casino. Weston Alexander had managed the Seven before he met and married Inga Hanson. Behind the owner’s back, Weston managed to convince a large portion of the membership that exclusivity wasn’t worth the yearly dues, and that they could get the same amenities at the Cascade Bay for far less. When Weston left, he had taken half their clientele with him.
The information on Brett Boden’s phone had the potential to destroy the Alexander’s casino, and Hunter figured revenge would taste mighty sweet to the people who had once trusted Duncan’s father.
In addition, the Seven of Hearts was a security safe haven. It would provide a protected place for him to copy the material on Boden’s phone and since the Lucky Seven had a massive media department, Hunter figured he would be able to broadcast the article he was already composing in his mind, easily.
The hot story would surely be picked up by the Associated Press, and with any luck, the Feds would rain their special agent hospitality down upon the Alexanders within a few days.
~~~**~~~
Hunter watched Nate Waters being handcuffed and shoved in the back of a police car. The local PD did not take kindly to impersonators, and Nate was not being treated gently. A few moments later he saw Nate’s nephew, Matt Finley, being handled in much the same manner.
Cara’s favorite student thought he could throw his lovely professor under the bus in exchange for having his student loans paid off. Now his future looked just as bleak as the uncle who had coerced him into throwing his life away.
David checked in from one of the few remaining pay phones left on the planet, and Hunter had finally been able to give him the all clear.
All charges against Cara had been dropped and Inga Alexander, Duncan’s mother, had been indicted on so many charges it was hard to keep track. The fraud concerning the gala had been just the tip of the iceberg. The photos and recordings on Brett Boden’s phone enabled the district attorney’s office to gain a blanket search warrant for the Alexander family home, the casino, and every office associated with any aspect of the resort’s operation.
Evidence found during the investigation led to four elected officials being forced out of office and the chief of police being asked to resign.
According to the local newspapers, criminal charges were imminent.
None of that mattered to Hunter. He hadn’t seen his baby in six days, and he had taken just about all he could from the forceful woman David Crandall had married. Marissa had come up from San Diego the moment she was unable to contact her family, and Martin Langley had been kind enough to dump the high-powered attorney in his lap.
Marissa was a looker, but boy was she pushy. She’d been instrumental in getting the FBI involved in the investigation. No doubt about it, David’s lovely lady knew exactly which avenues to explore and whose panties to twist.
Martin Langley could have been just as effective, but he was happy to stand back and let Marissa take the lead. He had known the Crandall family for a long time and loved watching Marissa in action. He was also smart enough not to stand in the way of a mama lion protecting her cubs.
Since Dakota fell within the scope of her protection, Hunter would be forever in Marissa’s debt.
Not that he was about to tell her that. He crossed his arms over his chest and silently watched Marissa order the entire police force about. He couldn�
��t help snickering to himself when he imagined her reaction when the bill to have his front door repaired arrived in her mailbox.
“What are you laughing at?” Marissa asked as she bulldozed her way towards him.
“Nothing at all, little sis,” he snickered unable to contain his mirth. “Are you done here?”
Marissa looked around at the scene being efficiently mopped up. “I can’t think of anything else. Can you?”
Hunter burst out laughing. “I’ve been out of ideas for about three days. This is all you. You should be pleased with yourself.”
Marissa stood up a little straighter and smiled proudly. “You know what, Mr. Henderson? I kind of am.”
Hunter sighed and turned serious. “I know what happened in San Diego.”
Marissa sucked in a breath and pursed her lips together and waited for him to continue.
“I gave David a hard time for making me do all the leg work and for not speaking directly with the client. I understand the reasons now. If it’s any consolation, I think this case was good for him. When things went south, I knew he would die before letting anything happen to our kids.” He chucked Marissa lightly on her shoulder. “And I think it’s high time you called me Hunter.”
Marissa grinned and changed the subject. “I think we should also be thankful that Nate Waters wasn’t exactly the big tough gangster he made himself out to be.” She laughed out loud. “He didn’t have any idea the two of you had cracked the case. Can you imagine his surprise when he pulls up in front of your house and your daughter shoots out his tires? He had no idea what was happening, all he was doing was keeping an eye on David.”
Hunter chuckled. “That’s my girl.”
Marissa brushed back her long blonde hair. “Now then,” she said rubbing her hands together excitedly, “what time are our families supposed to arrive?”
“David called a few minutes ago. I guess he pulled a few too many wires out of that fancy SUV of his. It gave out about three miles out of town.”
Marissa’s eyes filled with merriment. “Of course it did. I told him not to buy that thing.”
“I see an, I told you so, coming on,” Hunter snickered happily. He opened the passenger door to his beat up Durango. “Shall we go rescue them?”
They pulled into the parking lot of a small strip mall. David was leaning up against his metallic blue un-drivable mode of transportation. Jack and Sandy began jumping up and down at the sight of their mother, while Dakota applied her recently purchased eyeliner in the rearview mirror.
Marissa jumped out before the Durango was in park and rushed to grab her babies. “Hey, guys!”
Jack and Sandy talked about a million miles a minute. Marissa only caught about a fourth of what they were saying. Something about Jack driving a car and Sandy learning how to shoot a rifle. She looked questioningly up at the loving eyes of her very handsome husband who was casually sauntering over.
“Don’t worry,” he shrugged with a mischievous grin on his face. “The rifle wasn’t loaded.”
When her lips parted in surprise, David covered her mouth with his, and for the moment the kids were forgotten.
Hunter frowned. “What? My kid can’t be bothered to come over and give her old man a hug?”
David broke away from Marissa’s kiss but kept the full length of her body fixed firmly by his side. “Don’t give her a hard time. She’s gone almost an entire week without makeup. She wants to look pretty for you.”
“The hell with that.” Hunter raced over and pulled Dakota away from the SUV and swung her around in a circle, the same way he had when she was a little kid.
Dakota squealed with delight but said with as much indignation as she could muster, “Stop, you made me ruin my face.”
Hunter replied by messing up her freshly brushed hair.
Marissa snuggled a little closer into the pit of her husband’s arm. “You bought all that stuff for her when you knew she was going to be home in just a few hours?”
David answered proudly, “The very first moment I felt comfortable enough to use my credit cards. Just wait till you get to know Dakota. I think I love that kid. She’s a real trouper.”
Her husband was just a big old softy.
Marissa looked down at her children and noticed they were oddly dressed in clothes that didn’t come close to fitting. “Where did you get your new outfits?”
“Dad stole them.” Sandy mouthed off before David could put his finger to his lips.
David laughed at his wife’s shocked expression and pulled her a little closer. “It was a busy campground. I only took a little here and there. I’m sure they weren’t missed,” he reassured her confidently.
Marissa stuck her fingers in her ears. “I think we should get home before I hear something else I’m going to have to try and forget.”
Chapter Fifteen
“Are you sure about this, Mrs. Grimes?” Cara asked.
Cara and Erin stood behind Mrs. Grimes and Tanner, who were sitting aboard the rented ski boat Cara had procured to get Mrs. G. back out onto the lake, to thank her for everything she had done for her.
The University had reinstated Cara without any resistance, which was unheard of when a scandal and an arrest were involved, but Cara had a good lawyer and Martin Langley had worked his way around the board with ease.
Cara decided to let Jena finish out the summer term on LOLA so she could spend time with her mom, and to give the turmoil all of Tahoe was feeling, a chance to settle down before returning to work. The board of regents had appreciated this gesture and had granted her an instant and immediate extended leave of absence. Cara was relatively certain she would be able to take the fall semester off as well, but that depended on whether or not her parents could stand her being around so much. Cara suspected that all this family time could become too much of a good thing, and it wouldn’t be long before they would all need a break from each other.
Within hours of her exoneration, she and Tanner were on the road to Sonoma. Cara couldn’t wait to inform her parents that she was free and cleared of all charges. She also couldn’t stomach the thought of another moment in the apartment she had once been so fond of. She needed a change of scenery, the warmth of her mother’s embrace, and for her parents to meet the new man in her life.
The two weeks they spent at her parent’s home had solidified the love she felt for TJ, her tool-man, her Tanner James Reed. He fit right in with her family in a way that Duncan had never come close to achieving. Tanner never once hesitated to help with her mother’s care, and he spent hours playing her mom’s favorite board games, which in turn, had given her dad a much need respite from the daily grind.
Cara knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she had chosen well this time around, when she heard her mom toss out the ultimate challenge as she rolled the dice at her next turn. “I’m going to beat that skinny little butt of yours, Tanner Reed.”
Tanner countered with, “You think my butt is skinny, you should take a look at your own.”
For a moment Cara held her breath. Her mother had lost about twenty pounds due to her illness and was now thin as a rail.
Cara didn’t have to worry. Her mom laughed so hard, Tanner had to help get her oxygen mask back in place before they could continue with the game.
Being back in her childhood home, Cara slipped into the role of daughter once more. She no longer felt like an adult woman who made up the rules which governed the way she chose to live.
She was in her parents’ home and their rules took precedence. Tanner and Cara shared the same room, but she didn’t feel comfortable being intimate with him with the folks right across the hall.
Her mom and dad never said anything to make her feel this way. It was all in Cara’s mind. Midway through their visit, Tanner was feeling a little frisky and felt it was time to push the imaginary boundaries Cara had placed upon them. Late one night as they lay side by side, he teased her with soft, nibbling kisses to her ear. His hands moved down her body and care
ssed each and every curve.
Cara squirmed away, but her body tingled with excitement. “Tanner, stop,” she whispered. “They’ll hear us.”
Tanner countered by pulling her close. “I’m pretty sure that’s a hearing aid in your dad’s ear, and your mom took a sleeping pill a couple of hours ago. I think we’re safe.”
Cara stroked his face. “I know, but it feels too weird.”
Tanner wrapped his bare leg around her waist. “Hush,” he cooed into her ear. “If you stop thinking for just a minute, I’ll make you forget all about this being your childhood bedroom.”
Cara responded to his touch and pressed her body into his.
The moment Tanner knew he had her consent, he pulled a brown paper bag he had stashed in the drawer of the bedside table and handed it to her. “I’ve been holding on to this for a while, and I thought maybe we should put it to use.”
Cara opened the bag with a curious smile on her face. When she saw the rechargeable Jack Rabbit she squeaked in horror, “Where did you get this?”
Tanner chuckled under his breath. “Quiet, do you want to wake up your parents?” He took the bag and dropped it off the side of the bed. “I’ve had it since the first day you moved in. It was hiding under a bush. You missed it in your mad dash to gather up your goodies after the bottom fell out of your toy box.”
Cara could do nothing but shake her head. “What took you so long to return it?” She retrieved Jack out of the paper bag, and waved it in Tanner’s face. “Have you been experimenting with my toys?” she teased.
Tanner snatched it out of her hand. “No, I just didn’t know how to return it without embarrassing us both.” He leaned in close and whispered in her ear, “I almost used my key to sneak into your apartment and put it back in the toy box without your knowledge. Remember the day I rummaged through your cabinets looking for it? I wanted to be able to make my getaway as quick as possible.”
