Safe Harbor
Page 17
Billy shook her head. “My husband was a criminal. Quinn probably worried that they’d use his crimes against me somehow so I’d tell them where you were.” With teary eyes, Billy looked up at Alex. “They shot Quinn with a Taser because...because he was protecting me.”
“Nicole, take Billy into the kitchen and make her a cup of tea. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Nicole remarked that Alex seemed way too calm given the circumstances. As Nicole led Billy away she noticed books and files strewn across the office, and a ceramic vase shattered on the floor in the hallway. She needed to stay calm for Billy’s sake and convince the woman that everything was going to be okay.
Nicole settled Billy at the kitchen counter and heated water in a teakettle.
“I feel like some mistakes haunt you forever, you know?” Billy whispered.
“I know exactly what you mean.” Nicole found the tea selection and grabbed some mugs. “You shouldn’t blame yourself for what happened. Quinn wouldn’t want that.”
Billy shrugged. “Old habits die hard.”
Kind of like Nicole blaming herself for her father’s abusive ways.
A few minutes later Nicole steeped tea for her and Billy, hoping that Alex would join them. He didn’t. Nicole struggled to stay positive and make conversation with Billy, but her mind was elsewhere, worrying about Alex’s ability to help his brother.
“Go see how he’s doing,” Billy said suddenly.
“What?”
“I can tell you’re worried about Alex. Go on.”
“Thanks.”
Gripping the mug, she padded through the kitchen into the hallway and froze in the doorway to the office. Alex stood with his back to her, raking his hand through thick, wavy hair.
“You have no idea where they took him? Uh-huh. No, don’t do that, you could get in trouble. I’ll figure something out. Thanks.”
He lowered the phone and stared out the window. He was so still, so quiet and she wanted to go to him.
Then she realized he was praying.
She clenched her mug even tighter and closed her eyes, saying a prayer herself. Dear Lord, I know I’m probably not worthy to ask, but please help Alex. I love him. I’d do anything to help him. Amen.
Alex cleared his throat and she opened her eyes. He shook his head and eyed his phone as if trying to figure out who to call.
“Alex?”
He turned and her breath caught at the sight of his lost expression.
“What is it?” she said.
“I spoke with our secretary and she has no idea where they’ve taken Quinn.”
“I’m so sorry.” She wanted to go to him, but instinct told her he needed space.
“I just...I’ve gotta do something.” His gaze drifted to the phone in his hand. “He’s my kid brother. I can’t abandon him again.”
“I’m sure he doesn’t see it that way.”
“How could he not?”
The guilt in his voice shot pain across her chest. It felt as if she was experiencing his feelings, his angst.
With ever fiber of her being she wanted to ease his pain.
“He kept my old trophies and ribbons,” he said, his soft voice tinged with amazement. “And what did I do? I involved him in a murder investigation, and now he’s in custody.”
“Hey, you’ve kept me safe,” she said, walking up to him and taking his hand.
He looked at her and cracked a sad, defeated smile. “Yeah, but for how long?”
His cell phone vibrated and he released her hand. “Donovan. Yeah? When?”
She wandered across the room and picked up her mug. Alex could have made his way out of the storage area, turned himself in and saved his brother from being taken by the Feds, but he didn’t because he was committed to protecting Nicole.
He sacrificed his brother’s safety for Nicole and the result of that action was tearing him apart. If Alex didn’t have to watch over Nicole he could finish his investigation of Abigail Woods—he could find Edward’s killer.
Frustration tangled her stomach in knots at the thought of Alex having to choose between playing bodyguard for Nicole and protecting his family. She wouldn’t put him through that kind of pain any longer. Hadn’t he lost enough—his father, his girlfriend and now Quinn, who was in trouble with the FBI?
It was suddenly clear what she had to do.
She loved Alex more intensely than she’d ever loved another human being in her life. With that in mind she wandered into the kitchen and strategized her next move.
Billy looked up. “What’s going on?”
“I need your help.”
* * *
Alex spent the next few hours calling anyone he could think of who might be able to help get Quinn released from FBI custody. He almost called Agent Banks, but thought better of it, assuming the decision to take Quinn must have come from the top.
Exhausted from the adrenaline rush of hiding beneath the floorboards, Nicole had gone to lie down in the guest room. That was two hours ago.
Which was probably a good thing. He didn’t want to upset her further by witnessing his utter and complete frustration. She would easily sense the tension coursing through Alex’s body. In the past few days they’d grown incredibly close, developing a connection that allowed her to know what Alex was thinking, how he was feeling.
Jessica was the only other person who’d been able to get that close and it had taken her two years.
No, his and Nicole’s relationship wasn’t a typical case of transference. It wasn’t transference at all. They both knew it.
But there was no sense talking about how they felt given the current situation. Later, when the case was solved, Nicole was no longer in mortal danger and Quinn was back in his home....
Quinn. Alex realized that Nicole had somehow brought the brothers together, making Alex see another side of Quinn, the little brother who was a search-and-rescue volunteer, a computer genius. A brother who kept mementos under the floorboards where they’d be safe. Quinn had given Nicole and Alex refuge and followed Alex to the church for the meeting with Artie because Quinn was looking out for his big brother. He loved Alex even though Alex seemed to repeatedly let Quinn down.
“I have to get him released,” he muttered.
He was about to surrender and call Agent Banks, when the front door opened.
“Hello?” Quinn called.
Alex jumped up from the desk in the office and raced into the hallway. Billy practically bowled Alex over as she bolted out of the kitchen and launched herself at Quinn. He gave her an awkward hug then let go.
“Could you get me some ice?” Quinn asked. “My head’s killing me.”
“Sure.” Billy rushed into the kitchen.
“They let you go?” Alex said.
“You sound disappointed.” Quinn wandered into the great room.
“Quinn.”
His little brother turned around and looked at Alex. Heart pounding, Alex gave Quinn a quick hug, one which Quinn promptly broke.
Quinn backed up and collapsed on the sofa. “You missed me, huh?”
“I was out of my mind. I couldn’t figure out how to help you and it was my fault because I involved you in the first place.”
Billy rushed into the great room with an ice bag. “Here.” She sat beside him and started to place the ice pack on his head, but he took it from her.
“Thanks.” He held it in his hand and glanced at Alex. “For the record, I’m an adult, Alex. I made the choice to help you. None of this was your fault.”
“What did they want?”
“Who knows? They locked me in an interrogation room but didn’t ask any questions. It’s like they were using me to get at something, probably get at you.”
“But why s
uddenly let you go?”
“It was weird. About half an hour ago they said it was time to go, put me in a Suburban and drove me back. It’s almost like they got whatever they were after.”
“They’re not after anything but information and Nicole, and she’s asleep in the guest room.”
“Um, actually...” Billy said.
Alex and Quinn looked at her.
“Billy?” Quinn said with warning in his voice.
“She said it was the only way to keep you guys safe.”
“What are you talking about?” Alex asked, fearing her answer.
“She borrowed my car and went to meet with the FBI.”
* * *
It was the right thing to do, Nicole told herself as she gripped the steering wheel of Billy’s car and headed to the rendezvous with the FBI.
She wouldn’t continue to hurt Alex by being in his life. The devastation on his face when they’d taken Quinn broke her heart. How much did this man have to suffer to keep Nicole safe? The FBI had a team of men who would protect her. This is what they’d wanted from the beginning: to have Nicole in their custody. So what if they weren’t looking out for her best interest?
All she cared about was Alex’s physical and emotional well-being.
Alex, the man she’d fallen in love with. Talk about bad timing.
Her cell phone rang and she eyed it on the seat beside her. It was Ruby. She pressed the speakerphone button.
“Hey, friend,” Nicole said.
“How’s it going?”
“I’ve been better. I’m headed to a meeting with the FBI.”
“What? I thought you were working with the local police.”
Nicole glanced in her rearview and spotted a sedan closing in on her. She glanced at the speedometer. She was already going five miles over the speed limit.
“Nic?”
“Sorry, yeah, I was working with local police, but the FBI needs to interview me.”
“That sounds serious.”
“They’ve been wanting to take me into custody since Edward’s death but—”
The sedan clipped her back bumper and she yelped.
“What’s going on?” Ruby asked.
“Some guy just hit the car. What is his problem?”
“Is he drunk?”
“I don’t—”
The sedan hit her again. She lost control of the car, slammed on the brake and swerved...landing in a ditch.
“Nicole!” Ruby shouted.
Gripping the wheel, Nicole calmed her racing heart. “I’m fine.”
Yet it was awfully coincidental that this guy would bump her off the road as she was on her way to meet with the FBI. “Ruby, if anything weird happens—”
“What do you mean, weird?”
“You have to find Alex—”
Her door swung open. A firm hand gripped her arm and yanked her out of the car.
FOURTEEN
Nicole was gone.
On some level it made sense, Alex thought, staring out the great room window at the lake. After seeing the Feds take Quinn, Nicole must have realized Alex wasn’t able to protect her anymore than he could protect his little brother. Or Dad. Or Jessica.
Maybe she didn’t feel the visceral connection between them, a connection he didn’t think possible after he’d lost Jessica.
Apparently Nicole had weighed her options and chose survival over love. There, he finally admitted it to himself. He’d fallen in love with her only to lose her due to his own incompetence.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, where are you going in that head of yours, big brother?” Quinn challenged from across the great room.
“I’m fine.” Alex wandered into the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee.
But in truth, he felt numb.
It was over, and not just his relationship with Nicole. The chief might be forced into early retirement, Alex could lose his job, and he’d never see Nicole again.
Not that he wanted to see her, see his own failure reflected back at him when he looked into her eyes. She’d made the right choice: a team of FBI agents over one cop who couldn’t even protect his little brother.
“You’re going to that crazy place,” Quinn said, stepping up with the coffeepot. “I can see it in your eyes.”
“It’s called a reality check, Quinn.”
“Really?” he challenged as Billy joined them in the kitchen. “What does that look like, Alex?”
“She saw me fail over and over again. It was time to cut her losses.”
“Stop talking like that. Billy, tell him.”
Alex glanced at Billy.
“Nicole made a deal with the FBI agent—she’d come in voluntarily if they released Quinn and left you alone.”
Alex clicked into that analytical place, the place where he couldn’t feel anything. “She negotiated with the FBI and won. Impressive.”
“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?” Quinn pushed.
“I should contact the Feds and see if they’ll work with me on the Lange murder.”
He pulled out his phone. Quinn yanked it out of his hand. “Didn’t you hear what Billy said? Nicole made a deal. She sacrificed herself for you.”
“Survival is not a sacrifice. Besides, she sacrificed herself for both of us.”
“Alex, she really cares about you.”
“Yeah, whatever. Give me the phone.”
Quinn didn’t move. He studied Alex as if he were a complete stranger.
“Quinn, the phone,” Alex demanded.
Quinn placed it on the kitchen counter. “I don’t get you, man.”
“What else is new?”
Quinn shook his head and went into the great room.
Alex picked up his phone and hesitated, still processing the fact that Nicole was gone.
“I’m sorry, Alex,” Billy said.
Alex glanced up. “You care about my brother. You’ll never have to apologize for that.”
“I know, but I’m sorry Nicole left. It’s just...she was so worried about what it was doing to you when Quinn was taken.”
“And now my brother is home so we have a lot to be grateful for.” He forced a smile. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to make a call.”
He went into the office and flopped down in the desk chair. Glancing to his left he spotted the wooden chair Nicole had occupied when they’d gone through video and news stories about Abigail Woods. Nicole’s essence still lingered in the room, taunting him, spiking the ache in his chest. She was just here.
And now she was gone.
Leaning back in his chair, Alex resigned himself to the fact that Nicole had made the right decision. On some level he was proud of her for looking out for herself.
Even if that meant abandoning Alex.
She knows what you are. She knows you can’t protect her.
Then again, maybe he could. By solving the Lange murder, he’d remove Nicole from the killer’s sights. He owed her that much.
He dug Agent Banks’s business card out of his wallet and eyed it. Now that the Feds had what they wanted—Nicole—Agent Banks might work with the Waverly Harbor P.D. to solve the murder case.
He told himself he wasn’t calling to check on Nicole, to confirm she’d made it safely into FBI custody. This was strictly a business call.
“Banks,” the agent answered.
“This is Detective Donovan.”
“What, didn’t your brother make it home?”
“He’s here. Not sure why it was necessary to take him into custody, but whatever.”
“He needed an attitude adjustment. He assaulted one of my agents.”
“And Chief Roth? You took him into custody because...?”
“I think it’s about time to shelve the egos and work together. Sharing information could help us solve our respective cases faster.”
“I’m open to that. Do you have any leads in the murder case?”
“Abigail Woods has moved to the top of my suspect list.”
Silence filled the line. “Mrs. Woods and I were just discussing the possibility of her brother having a secret life.”
“She’s in your office?”
“Yes.”
“Let me guess, she was the one that suggested Edward had a secret life?”
“I would agree with that, yes.”
“You should know she was scheduled to meet with Edward the afternoon he was killed. She could have been the last person to see him alive.”
“Did you inquire about that?” Agent Banks asked.
“I haven’t had the opportunity. Now that I can focus on the murder case instead of protecting a witness things should run more smoothly.”
“I’d appreciate you keeping me in the loop.”
“You’re willing to work together?”
“Yes, I think it would benefit everyone involved.”
“I’ll clear it with the chief.”
Alex was about to hang up, but had to ask the question.
“So, is Miss Harris safely in your custody?”
“Soon. I sent my team to meet up with her. I expect them shortly.”
“Are you going to consider witness protection?”
Which meant Alex would truly never see her again.
“Not at this time, but perhaps in the future.”
“Okay, I’ll be in touch.” Alex ended the call and his connection to Nicole. From this point on he’d have to go through the FBI to question her, which was probably best for everyone involved. The barrier of the federal agency would be a constant reminder that theirs was a professional relationship, not a personal one.
Alex called Chief Roth’s home and Gayle answered.
“Hi Gayle, it’s Alex.”
“He was just about to call you.”
“Alex? You okay?” Chief Roth asked.