JUSTICE IS COMING

by Delores Fossen

  Chapter Six

  Eden braced herself for the name of the person that Harlan was pointing out to them, but when she saw it, she had to groan. “Leonard Kane.”

  Unfortunately, it was someone she recognized. And one she didn’t want on that list because it was a connection that led right back to her.

  “He was your father’s former business partner,” Harlan said, and it sounded like some kind of accusation against her. Declan didn’t echo the accusation, but he did stare at her, and he obviously wanted yet more information that she just didn’t have.

  “My father had a lot of business partners,” she explained. “And besides, Leonard and he had a major falling-out years ago. Long before you arrested him and his escape from jail. Leonard believes my father backstabbed him on a business deal, one that ended up costing Leonard a great deal of money.”

  Declan’s stare didn’t let up one bit. “Rifts can be mended, and they could have teamed up to put together that attack today.”

  But that didn’t make sense.

  “Why come after us now?” she asked. “I mean, Declan arrested my father over three years ago. Why wait all this time to settle old scores? And why include me in any part of it? I didn’t have anything to do with those business dealings.”

  “Maybe Leonard didn’t have the resources in place three years ago to do this,” Declan readily answered. Then he shook his head. “But it feels like more than that. If the idea is to get even with both of us, why not just shoot and kill us?”

  That sent a shiver through her. It wasn’t exactly a comforting thought that someone could have put a bullet in her at any time. Declan, too. After all, those pictures someone had taken of him could have been a gunman firing bullets. But while there was bad blood between Declan and her father—Declan and her, too—her father wouldn’t do this.

  Leonard was another matter.

  “Maybe this is Leonard’s way of getting back at my father. He could be trying to torment us,” she suggested. “A cat-and-mouse game.”

  “But the game could have ended today with those shots,” Harlan pointed out.

  Declan shook his head again. “I’m not sure the attack was supposed to go down like that. Maybe that’s why someone took out the shooter.”

  It made sense. Well, as much sense as this whole puzzling situation could make. But if the intent was only to torment them, why link Declan and her together? The torment could have happened without hacking into her computer and blackmailing her into attempted murder.

  “I’ll see about getting Leonard in for questioning,” Harlan volunteered. “I can run a deep background check, too. What about Dr. Landry? You still want her to check out Eden?” He said her name with slightly less disdain this time. Perhaps because Declan’s brother was beginning to believe she was innocent in all of this.

  And Eden prayed she was.

  She hadn’t done anything intentionally to make this happen, but the connection to Leonard and her father was just plain unnerving. Especially since Leonard hated her father and vice versa.

  “I don’t want to see the doctor,” Eden insisted. She had much more important things to do, so she took out her phone. “I do want to check on my sisters, though. And my car, which I left near Declan’s.”

  “I’ll arrange to have the car brought to the ranch,” Declan told her. “After it’s been checked for bugs and tracking devices.”

  It was a good idea, and something she wished she’d thought of. Her mind was so fuzzy now. Definitely not what she needed, because a fuzzy head could get her killed. Declan, too.

  “And as for talking to your sisters, don’t use your cell,” Declan went on. “If the hacker was skilled enough to get into your computer, he could just as easily trace your phone. It’s probably not a good idea for that missing gunman to be able to keep tabs on you.”

  Something else she hadn’t considered but should have.

  “I’ll have someone check on the security arrangements for her sisters,” Harlan continued. He glanced at the exit. “Best if you two don’t hang around here much longer.”

  Because the gunman could track them there. If that was indeed what the missing man wanted to do. But something else occurred to her. If the gunman did track them here to the hospital, then it could put other members of Declan’s foster family in danger. She didn’t want that. There’d already been enough danger for one day.

  “I’ll take Eden to the marshals’ office so we can make our statements about the shooting.” Declan looked at her. “After that, we’ll go to the ranch.”

  “No,” she immediately protested. “No need to take this fight there.”

  “It’s the safest place to take it.” But then Declan shrugged. “Maybe. I guess that depends on what we learn in the next couple of hours.”

  Yes, and she prayed there wouldn’t be another attack on them or on anyone else. But she had a horrible feeling that the attacks would just continue until they stopped the person behind them.

  “I’ll keep you posted on whatever I get,” Harlan added, and Declan led her back down the hall and out the side door where they’d entered.

  The blast of cold hit her the moment they stepped outside, and Eden started shivering. By the time they’d made it across the parking lot to his truck, she was past the shivering stage, and her teeth were chattering.

  “It’s the adrenaline crash,” Declan said, and he turned the heater on full blast. He also looked around. One of those sweeping glances that cops did when they were making sure everything was safe.

  Of course, everything wasn’t safe.

  The realization of that hit her hard, and the sound of those gunshots started to roar through her head. That didn’t help the shivering, either. “Just give me a second. I don’t want to go into the marshals’ building like this.”

  “Everybody there has seen worse.” Declan rummaged behind his seat and came up with a plaid wool blanket. “It’s probably been on the horses, but at least it’ll keep you warm. Or not,” he added when she just kept shaking.

  She hugged the blanket to her. Yes, it’d been on the horses. She didn’t mind the scent, but the extra layer of warmth still gave her no relief. Even worse, her eyes started to water.

  Good grief.

  She didn’t need this. Neither did Declan. Falling apart would only make things worse.

  “Hell,” he said under his breath, and he hooked his arm around her and dragged her closer to him. “There’s a middle seat belt. Use it.”

  She did, somehow managing to get it on while Declan drove out of the hospital parking lot. He kept his arm around her. Kept her close, too. Shoulder to shoulder and so snug against him that she caught his scent. Not the horse scent on the blanket, but Declan’s. It sent a trickle of heat through her that her body welcomed but she certainly didn’t.

  Because that heat was a huge problem.

  He glanced at her. Frowned. “Now you’re breathing too fast and your face is flushed. If this keeps up, I’m turning around and taking you back to see the doctor.”

  “You’re causing the fast breath.” She kept her voice at a whisper, but he heard her anyway.

  His frown got worse. His eyes narrowed a bit. “I think we can both agree that nothing should happen between us.”

  She nodded. But that should was still lingering in the air between them. The heat from the attraction, too.

  “I don’t have sex with women like you,” he added. Then cursed. “That’s a lie. You’re exactly the kind I take to my bed.”

  Her breathing went from fast to warp speed. That wasn’t the right thing to admit to her. Especially not now. “It doesn’t matter that I’m your usual type, because I’m still the wrong woman.”

  “You got it.” He flashed a half smile that melted the ball of ice in her stomach. “But then, I’m the wrong m
an for you.” No half smile now. “And I’m pretty sure in a stupid-sex world, that makes this one of those irresistible situations we’re just going to have to resist. Or at least keep reminding ourselves to resist.”

  Yes. She wondered, though, if a reminder would be just a waste of mental energy. “I don’t want to find you attractive.” But she did. Mercy, did she. On a scale of one to ten, he was a six hundred, and even with the danger, he fired every nerve in her body.

  “Ditto,” he snarled. “Don’t want it, but you are. In fact, you’ve got those bad-girl eyes.”

  She frowned. “They’re blue.”

  “They’re bedroom eyes. But it’s not the eyes that have me cursing. It’s the rest of you.” He glanced down to where they made contact. Specifically at the way her breast was right against his chest.

  “Yes,” she agreed. Even though it was something she should keep to herself, she didn’t. “The rest of you is causing problems for me, too.”

  And that was why Eden leaned away from him. She instantly felt the loss of warmth from his body, but she kept the inch or so of space between them.

  Declan didn’t say another word, and didn’t move her back toward him, either, thank goodness. He just drove down Main Street until he turned into the parking lot of the marshals’ building. He looked around again, and Eden ditched the blanket before they hurried inside.

  Bedroom eyes, indeed. Better than his bedroom body. And she pushed that uneasy thought and images aside so she could face what would no doubt be another ordeal.

  They went through security and reception, then up the stairs to a maze of office cubicles and desks. The moment they stepped inside, Declan’s attention zoomed across the room to a tall, lanky marshal who was on the phone. She recognized him as Marshal Dallas Walker, Declan’s foster brother. He held his finger up in a wait-a-second gesture and then quickly ended the call.

  “Please tell me someone caught the gunman,” Declan said.

  But Dallas only shook his head. “No gunman, but I just got an earful on our suspect, Leonard Kane.” He stopped, looked at her. “Zander Gray’s daughter, huh.”

  Not a question, and he didn’t wait for her to confirm it. Eden could tell from his brusque tone that here was yet another foster brother who didn’t like her. Or trust her.

  “What about Leonard?” Declan prompted when his brother’s glare lingered on her.

  Dallas’s gaze came back to Declan. “Over thirty years ago Kirby shot and killed Leonard’s son, Corey, when he was evading arrest. Leonard vowed revenge and said he’d make Kirby pay by killing a son of his.” Dallas looked at her again as if he expected her to have more information.

  She didn’t. “This is the first I’m hearing about this. But then, I haven’t had any reason to dig into Leonard’s background. Well, not before now anyway.”

  If either of them believed her, there was no sign of it in their expressions.

  “Over thirty years ago?” Declan asked. “That’s a long time to hold off on taking revenge.”

  “Yeah,” Dallas agreed. “Leonard just got some bad news. He’s dying. And not like Kirby’s cancer. This is an inoperable brain tumor. He’s got less than six months, and according to a criminal informant, Leonard’s been cleaning house and tying up old loose ends. One of his former business partners was found dead a week ago.”

  Eden’s stomach knotted. The news just kept getting worse. “Any way to link it to Leonard?”

  “None so far. The man has plenty of money to cover his tracks.” Wyatt paused. “I think Leonard’s threat is clear, though, about going after Kirby’s son.”

  “But he has six foster sons,” Eden pointed out.

  “Technically, Kirby has just five. He had to adopt one because of some legal technicalities that had to do with all that mess that happened at the Rocky Creek Children’s Facility.”

  “Which one?

  “Me,” Declan answered.

  He didn’t add anything else, but it was clear to Eden that there was something to add. She didn’t like these secrets, whatever they were, but they had bigger fish to fry, and that fish’s name was Leonard Kane.

  “So Leonard wanted me to kill Declan to get back at Kirby,” she concluded.

  Dallas lifted his shoulder. “With your father, Zander, either dead or unwilling to surface, it’s my guess that Leonard will want to take his revenge out on you.”

  That ice knot in her stomach returned with a vengeance. “Me?”

  Dallas held up his phone for her to see. “The CSI found this on the windshield of your car.”

  Both Declan and she leaned in, their attention zooming to the photo of the message. It was short but definitely not sweet.

  Your life for hers, Zander. Time’s running out.

  Chapter Seven

  Declan downed the rest of his coffee and poured himself another cup. It was strong, but he wished it were a whole lot stronger. Because he was no doubt going to need it to get through this day.

  “That was the crime lab,” Wyatt said the moment he finished his latest call. He was at the kitchen table at the ranch with Declan, both of them with laptops in front of them while they read over reports and updates on the attack. “The only prints on the threatening notes were those of the dead gunmen.”

  It was exactly what Declan had expected. This had been a well-planned attack, and the person who’d orchestrated it wouldn’t have wanted to leave incriminating evidence behind. Well, unless it incriminated the wrong person.

  Is that what’d happened with the note left on Eden’s car?

  Your life for hers, Zander. Time’s running out.

  Even though it seemed to be a challenge for Zander, he could have written it himself to throw them off his trail. If there was a trail, that is. Even with all the resources of the FBI and the Marshals’ Service, they hadn’t been able to find hide nor hair of the man.

  “No sign of the missing gunman,” Wyatt added, “though they’re running the tire tracks to see if they can come up with a vehicle match.”

  They might get lucky. Might. But he figured they’d need more than luck to break this case.

  Declan heard the sound of someone moving around upstairs. Eden, no doubt, since he’d given the housekeeper the day off. And with Stella and Kirby at the hospital and his sisters-in-law on their extended Christmas-shopping trip, Wyatt, Eden and he had the place to themselves. Best if it stayed that way for a while.

  If he could convince Eden, that is.

  She hadn’t exactly been thrilled that he’d taken her to the ranch for the night, but after they’d given their statements about the shooting, she’d been past the point of exhaustion. And the bottom line was, the ranch had a decent security system and was well guarded by the ranch hands who knew how to use a gun.

  “What are you going to do about her?” Wyatt asked, his attention drifting to the footsteps they could now hear on the stairs.

  “Not sure.” In fact, Declan wasn’t sure of anything when it came to Eden, except that she seemed to be in as much danger as he was. Even if she hadn’t been the target of yesterday’s attack, those bullets could have killed her.

  “You trust her?” his brother pressed.

  “No.” But then he stopped. Rethought it.

  Hell. Yes, he did.

  He didn’t want to trust her, but apparently that whole damsel-in-distress, bedroom-eyes thing was playing into this. As was the attraction. He reminded himself that attraction shouldn’t equal trust. But it might take another bullet or two for that to sink in.

  Eden hurried into the kitchen. Practically running. And she also practically skidded to a stop when her gaze landed on Wyatt. Maybe because Wyatt was glaring at her again.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled. “I didn’t mean to sleep in.”

  Since it was barely seven-t
hirty in the morning, that hardly qualified as sleeping in. Especially after everything they’d been through.

  She was wearing jeans and a dark blue sweater that she’d obviously taken from the overnight bag Wyatt had retrieved from her car. No ball cap today. Her hair fell in a shiny tumble on her shoulders. She looked darn good for a woman who clearly hadn’t rested as much as she should have. There were still dark circles beneath her eyes that her makeup hadn’t hidden.

  Declan caught a whiff of that girlie scent she’d had on the day before. “You okay?” he asked.

  She nodded. “You?”

  He returned the nod, though they both knew the nods were huge lies.

  Wyatt’s phone buzzed, and he frowned when he looked at the caller ID. “It’s a personal call,” he said, and he stood and left.

  Declan flexed his eyebrows. “Personal,” he repeated. He hadn’t realized Wyatt was involved with anyone. But then, Wyatt had the rock-star looks of the family, so it wasn’t exactly a surprise that he was in a relationship.

  “What’s going on with the investigation?” She motioned toward the coffeepot, Declan nodded and she poured herself a cup.

  “Not much. What’s going on with your investigation?” Declan waited until her gaze met his before he continued. “I heard you talking on the phone last night.”

  Actually, he’d heard a lot, since he was listening to make sure she didn’t try to sneak out. He hadn’t pegged her for reckless, but people did all sorts of crazy things when their lives were on the line.

  “I didn’t use my cell,” Eden said a little defensively. “Just the landline that you said was secure.” She paused. “I tried to track down my father.”

  “How? Because you said you had no idea where he was.”

  “I don’t, but I have the names of the people he’s done business with in the past. Plus, the names of a couple of old girlfriends.” She shook her head. “All claimed they didn’t know his whereabouts.”

  “You don’t believe them?”