Under the Lawman's Protection

by Laura Scott

“Yeah, I was grateful for the chance to go there, as well.”

  She was a little surprised to know that Isaac and Shane had both been at Saint Jermaine’s, but then realized she shouldn’t be. Shane was three years older than her and she had been only fourteen when he was sent to the boys’ school. And much of that time, the year or two after her father’s death, was nothing more than a blur, especially once their mother started hitting the bottle. Her mom had died while Leah was in college, and from that point on, she and Shane had depended on each other.

  Glancing at Isaac, she was glad to know he’d been given the same opportunity to turn his life around as her brother had. And it was interesting that they both had chosen law enforcement.

  She gave herself a mental shake. Why was she concerned about Isaac’s life? She’d married Elliot right out of nursing school and lost him barely two years later. She had no intention of opening herself up to that kind of hurt again.

  “Well, thanks, Leah,” Isaac said, breaking into her thoughts. “I’ll see what I can find out about your brother’s new partner. Now, do me a favor and try to get some sleep.”

  He was right—there was nothing else she could do tonight. And he obviously wanted her to leave, so she rose to her feet and walked toward the connecting door. She glanced back at Isaac over her shoulder and was disconcerted to find him watching her intently. “Good night,” she murmured before slipping through the opening to her own room.

  As she crawled into bed, she told herself that she’d imagined the disappointment reflected on Isaac’s face when she’d mentioned not liking her brother’s career choice. And if she hadn’t imagined it, she was still glad he understood exactly where she was coming from.

  They might have been thrown together by circumstances outside their control, but she knew very well that as soon as they found her brother, they’d go their separate ways.

  And truthfully, she couldn’t help hoping that happened sooner than later. Because she wasn’t ready to even consider getting romantically involved again.

  Not now and maybe not ever.

  * * *

  Isaac watched Leah walk away, telling himself that it was a good thing there couldn’t be anything more between them than friendship. So what if she was so beautiful it made his gut ache? It wasn’t as if he intended to get married again, not after his first wife had left him, taking their son with her. And when his ex-wife’s new boyfriend went crazy, killing her and then Jeremy and then himself, the hole in Isaac’s heart had gotten wider and deeper.

  Two years had passed but he still missed his son every single day. And deep down, he hadn’t found a way to forgive himself for his wife’s leaving him. He should have known she wasn’t happy. She’d always told him he worked too many hours, but he hadn’t listened.

  And now it was too late to right the wrong.

  Maybe his teammates Caleb and Declan had managed to find a way to make their relationships work, even with their crazy schedules, but Isaac had failed and wasn’t interested in trying again.

  So why was he disappointed to find out Leah wasn’t interested in someone like him?

  He shook off the bizarre feeling and made a call to the Fifth District asking for Trey Birchwood. He was told the cop was off duty for the weekend, so that wasn’t much help. It was Friday night, so it could be that Trey was actually off work. Or it could be that he’d specifically requested time off for some unknown reason.

  Talking to Trey might not offer any insight as to what Hawk was involved with, but Isaac needed to try. That was the only lead he had at the moment.

  He prowled the room, glancing out the window to scan the parking lot, making sure no one was lurking around. The lot was mostly empty and he’d parked the SUV in front of his door, rather than closer to Leah’s. And he’d backed it in, so they could drive off in a hurry if needed.

  He reached for his phone to check in with Caleb and Deck, nearly dropping it when the cell vibrated in his hand. His pulse jumped as he recognized the number of Hawk’s throwaway phone. “Hawk? Are you okay?”

  “Are Leah and Ben safe?” His friend’s voice was grave, and Isaac couldn’t help but wonder if his buddy was injured.

  “Yes, but there have already been two attempts to get them. A gunman showed up at their house and then someone else shot out the tire on my Jeep. What’s going on?”

  “My cover is blown.” Static filled the line and Isaac strained to listen. “Don’t trust anyone in my district, understand?”

  “Not even Trey Birchwood?”

  More static, but then Hawk’s voice came through. “No. Not until I know more about what’s going on.”

  Isaac couldn’t tell if Hawk normally got along well with his new partner or not, but since he wasn’t trusting any of the guys from his district, it was a moot point. “You have to give me something to go on. I want to help you.”

  “You are helping me by keeping Leah and Ben safe. These guys will do anything to find me, including using my family as bait.”

  Isaac knew his initial instincts were correct. The gunman wanted Leah and Ben alive, to draw Hawk out of hiding.

  “Remember Saint Jermaine’s?” Hawk asked, breaking into his thoughts.

  Isaac frowned. “Yeah. What about it?”

  “There were a couple of guys who bragged about running illegal guns.”

  “I remember.” The tiny hairs on the back of Isaac’s neck lifted in alarm. “Are you investigating some sort of illegal gun trade?”

  “Yes. I was approached by an agent with the ATF, and it’s bigger than I anticipated. I’m convinced there are dirty cops involved.”

  So he was right about the sharpshooter being an officer. Isaac knew there were rare occasions when cops turned bad, and investigating those situations was always tricky.

  Still, knowing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was involved made him feel a little better. At least Hawk wasn’t hanging out there totally alone. “Talk to me. What can I do?”

  “Keep my sister and her boy safe. I’ll figure out the rest myself.”

  “What’s the name of your ATF contact?” Isaac pressed.

  There was a pause. “Cameron Walker, but don’t contact him. Not yet. I’ll let you know if I need anything more.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Hiding. Don’t even try to find me. I’m constantly on the move.”

  Isaac wished there was something he could do for his friend. “Look, I have a couple of guys on my team that I’d trust with my life,” he said quickly. “We can help you. You can’t do this alone, buddy.”

  “I have to go.” Hawk abruptly disconnected the call, leaving Isaac battling a wave of helplessness.

  He didn’t know much more than he had before Hawk phoned, other than to have his suspicions confirmed about why the gunman had gone after Leah and Ben. Still, hearing that Hawk was investigating illegal weapons under the supervision of the ATF was something. Most criminals on the streets knew exactly where to find guns that they wanted, since they were practically everywhere. Isaac couldn’t even begin to think of where to start, especially considering Hawk’s claim that he’d stumbled upon something big.

  Isaac stretched out on the bed fully dressed, thinking about the little bit Hawk had revealed. He remembered his team had been called to a mall shooting about a week ago. He’d been the negotiator for the tactical situation, while Caleb had functioned as the sharpshooter. The weapon they’d recovered at the scene had been obviously illegal, with the serial numbers filed off.

  Isaac sat up, knowing the gun was likely still in the evidence room. The possible connection was thin, but still worth investigating.

  He picked up his phone, but then hesitated. It was well after midnight and the gun wasn’t going anywhere tonight. No sense in dragging Caleb or Deck out now.

  It could wait
until morning.

  Isaac turned the television on low, scanning the various news channels. Unfortunately, no baseball spring-training games were on this late at night.

  The sound of a car engine caught his attention. He rolled off the bed, grabbed his weapon and crossed over to the window. He peered through the slight opening in the curtains, trying to see what had caused the noise.

  The parking lot appeared deserted, but then he saw the quick flash of taillights moving away.

  Could be nothing, but after the troubling conversation with Hawk, Isaac didn’t want to assume anything, especially if dirty cops were involved. He stared at the now-empty parking lot for a minute and then eased back, walking toward the connecting door, intending to get Leah and Ben up. They wouldn’t like leaving again, but he’d rather play it safe than sorry.

  He’d taken only two steps when the sound of breaking glass echoed through the night. He stumbled and glanced over his shoulder at the same time his eyes started to burn.

  Tear gas!

  He dived through the connecting door, slamming it shut behind him. He needed to get Leah and Ben out of here now!

  FOUR

  Leah woke up with a start when Isaac came barreling through the connecting door into their room. She gasped and stared in shock when he shut it behind him and then ripped the comforter off her bed and stuffed it along the bottom edge of the door.

  “Grab Ben. We need to get out of here.”

  Leah didn’t question Isaac’s command as her eyes began to burn. She scrambled out of bed, grateful she’d slept in her clothes, and quickly roused her son. She tugged his winter clothes on despite his sleepy protest.

  “Use these to cover your faces,” Isaac said, handing her two wet towels. She threw one over her shoulder and drew Ben up against it, then draped another around her neck so that it was close to her mouth. It was the best she could do while carrying her son. “This way,” Isaac said, urging her toward the bathroom.

  It didn’t take long for Isaac to break open the small window there. “I’m going out first so that I can help the two of you through, okay?”

  She clutched Ben close and nodded. It wasn’t easy for Isaac to get his broad-shouldered frame through the small opening, and she let out a sigh of relief when he finally made it.

  “Okay, Ben, it’s your turn.” Isaac said.

  “No, don’t wanna go!” he wailed, grabbing her around the neck and hanging on tight.

  It nearly broke her heart to pull him away. “We have to, Ben. Mr. Isaac is out there to catch you, and I’ll hold you once we’re outside, okay?”

  “No-o-o,” he cried, deep wrenching sobs that tore at her.

  Leah forced herself to push him through the window into Isaac’s waiting arms. She wiped her own tears away before attempting to climb after her son. She could hear Isaac whispering soothing words to Ben, and he stopped crying except for the occasional hiccuping sniffle.

  Isaac’s strong hand guided her through the opening and soon she was on solid ground. She took Ben and tossed the wet towels aside, gulping in deep breaths of fresh air.

  “See those trees fifty feet from here?” Isaac asked in a low whisper, his breath tickling her ear. She swallowed hard and nodded. “I want you to run there, and I’ll be right behind you.”

  After hiking Ben higher in her arms, she took off at a slow jog, mostly because she couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of her face. She didn’t realize she was holding her breath until her chest started to burn. She took a deep gulping breath and the tightness eased. After what seemed like forever, she reached the trees, darting behind them and sagging against a solid trunk.

  Isaac joined her a few seconds later. “See anything?” she whispered.

  He shook his head. “No, but we need to keep moving.”

  Of course they did. She sighed and pulled herself upright, shifting Ben to her other hip. Her arm muscles screamed in protest, but she forced herself to ignore the pain. Although maybe once this was all over, she’d have to start lifting weights so she wasn’t so weak.

  “I’d take him, but I need to cover your back,” Isaac whispered, reading her thoughts.

  “I’m fine.” She made her way through the trees, grateful to see there was a clearing on the other side. She glanced up and noticed there was a church steeple not far away. “Isaac, can we go to that church up ahead?” she whispered.

  “Sure, but keep to the shadows, in case they’ve figured out we’ve escaped.”

  Leah picked up her pace, despite her weary muscles. The church steeple was like a beacon, drawing her closer. She silently prayed as they made their way down the street, putting as much distance as possible between them and the American Lodge.

  Leah wanted to cry with relief when the church loomed before her. Although as they approached the steps, it belatedly occurred to her that the doors were likely locked.

  “Wait—I want you two to stay hidden over here,” Isaac said, drawing her away from the front steps.

  She didn’t have the strength or the will to argue. She huddled down near the corner of the building with Ben on her lap, not even caring that her jeans were getting all muddy again.

  Too afraid to close her eyes, she peered through the darkness, making sure there were no cars coming toward them. From this angle she couldn’t see what Isaac was doing, but since she was fairly certain the church was locked up, it didn’t matter. Maybe he was checking for a side entrance or something.

  Cold from the ground seeped through her clothing, making her shiver. She thought she might be warmer if she stood back up, but struggling to her feet wasn’t easy, especially with Ben’s weight in her arms.

  “Leah?” Isaac seemed to pop up out of nowhere. “Come on. Let’s get inside.”

  Inside the church? She was surprised but grateful as Isaac supported her, his arm anchoring her waist. Once they were safely in, he closed the door behind them.

  She sank into a pew and then carefully set Ben down beside her. Clasping her hands together, she bowed her head and prayed.

  “Thank You for providing us shelter, Lord. And thank You for keeping us safe from harm. Please continue to guide us to safety. Amen.”

  * * *

  Isaac listened to Leah’s softly uttered prayer and couldn’t help wondering if her faith really offered as much support as she claimed. She certainly seemed to pray a lot, although he couldn’t blame her, since she’d also been in constant danger.

  He scrubbed his hands over his face, mentally kicking himself for nearly getting them captured once again. They’d been found too easily.

  But how?

  He crossed over to where Leah sat and edged in beside her. “I’m sorry about this,” he murmured. “I promise I’ll do a better job of protecting you and Ben from here on.”

  Her attempt at a smile fell short, but he gave her points for trying. “It’s not your fault, Isaac.”

  It was his fault, but there was no sense in hammering the issue any further. Looking backward wasn’t going to help; they needed to move forward from here. “I talked to your brother earlier and he told me that he thinks there is a dirty cop involved in this mess.”

  Leah’s face brightened. “You spoke to Shane? Is he okay?”

  “He’s hiding, but he’s okay for now,” Isaac confirmed.

  “I’m so glad to hear that,” she murmured. “I’ve been so worried about him.”

  “I know.” Isaac put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick hug. “I have to think that whoever the shooter was at the side of the road somehow got the plate number for the police vehicle. The gunman likely didn’t know that we had connecting rooms and simply tossed the gas canister into the one where the vehicle was parked.” He was glad now that he hadn’t left it in front of Leah and Ben’s room.

  “But how
did they find us?” she asked.

  “I wish I knew,” Isaac admitted. “But it’s obvious we need a vehicle with no ties to the SWAT team.”

  “Where on earth are we going to get another car?”

  “Don’t worry. Caleb and Deck will come through for us.” Isaac hated to wake his buddies up again, especially at two in the morning, but what choice did he have? The church was a good sanctuary for now, but it was too close to the hotel for comfort. Once the person who’d thrown the tear gas realized they’d gotten away, they’d start to widen their search radius, and the church would become an obvious target.

  At least, that was what he would do. And if a dirty cop was involved, he’d probably do the same thing.

  Isaac pulled out his phone and called Deck. A few weeks ago, his buddy had been trying to sell his sister’s old car. Maybe, just maybe, he hadn’t sold it yet. The older-model vehicle would be perfect for them to use for a few days. And since Declan’s sister had a different last name, it would be ideal.

  Declan didn’t answer right away, and when he finally did, he didn’t sound too happy. “What?” he asked in a sleepy tone.

  “I’m sorry, Deck, but we’ve been found. Someone threw a canister of tear gas into my hotel room. Do you still have your sister’s old car?”

  There was a long pause and Isaac hoped his buddy hadn’t fallen back asleep. But when Deck spoke again, he sounded more awake. “Yeah, I still have it. Where are you and Leah now?”

  “At the church located down the road from the hotel. If you could get here as soon as possible, we’d appreciate it.”

  “No problem. I’ll have Bobby drive the spare car, since he’s home on spring break.”

  “That works. If you could bring a computer, too, I’d appreciate it.”

  “A computer? Sure, I can loan you mine. What are you searching for?”

  “Anything that explains what’s going on,” Isaac said, being purposefully vague. He didn’t want to expose his friends to more danger. “Thanks, and I’m sorry to keep bothering you.”

  “You were there for me when I needed help, so it’s no problem. We’ll be there in fifteen to twenty minutes.”