The CEO's Secret Baby

by Karen Whiddon

  “I can handle myself,” she snapped, raising her voice, apparently loud enough to wake Eli, who let out a cry. Great.

  Taking deep breaths to calm herself, she hurried off to the baby’s room. But not before she heard Sean’s muttered response.

  “That’s what I’m afraid of, Lucy. That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.”

  Chapter 6

  When Finn returned Tucker’s call, he was less than pleased to learn that Tucker had contacted Miguel Gonzalez on his own.

  “What the hell were you thinking?”

  “Hey, I did what you wanted,” Tucker responded. “And now this guy really believes I have their money or at least know where it’s hidden.”

  Finn cursed. “Maybe so, but are you sure he’s even with the cartel?”

  Tucker answered honestly. “No. He said he was with the Mexican Consulate. But I’m pretty sure he was lying.”

  “That’s easily verified. But even if he is with the consulate, he still could be working for the cartel. There’s a lot of government corruption there.”

  “So what’s the problem?” Tucker dragged his hand through his hair. “I did what I was supposed to do. You wanted bait, you got bait.”

  “That’s not what you were supposed to do,” Finn exploded. “How can we keep you safe if you insist on wandering around in disguise? And riding a bike. Which reminds me. We’re bringing you a vehicle. Once it gets delivered, you’re to use that. And call me before you go anywhere.”

  Tucker waited until Finn took a breath. “Are you finished?”

  “Not quite.” Though Finn’s tone was still stern, Tucker could hear the smile in the other man’s voice. “As to Miguel Gonzalez, I don’t know who he is or who he works for. Obviously, that’s an assumed name. Give me the phone number and I’ll run it. I might even call him. Either way, we need a visual.”

  “I can provide that,” Tucker told him. “Miguel visited the BBB offices today. My security cameras most likely got a good picture of him. Talk to Sean Morey. He’s the co-owner.”

  “He visited the BBB offices?” Finn got quiet. “How do you know this?”

  Crap. He decided to go with the truth, or part of the truth. “Sean told me. He said the guy came by looking for me.

  “Sean? When did you see him?”

  “I didn’t. I talked to him today, from a pay phone.”

  Finn groaned. “You made contact with a civilian. Even though we expressly asked you not to. Does he know you’re part of the operation?”

  “Of course not.” Tucker scratched the back of his neck. “Though I did tell him I was in hiding, that the drug cartel might be looking for me, and that you guys were trying to protect me and catch them.”

  “Too much information,” Finn said with a sigh. “But what’s done is done.”

  “I want Sean to know that much, at least. Just in case those criminals try to mess with him or Lucy. If he’s informed, at least he can protect her.”

  “We’ve got people watching them as well,” Finn admitted. “Just as a precaution.”

  Tucker’s stomach clenched. This meant the DEA was aware there was a possibility the cartel would make the connection between him and Lucy and Eli. “Promise me if your men see the slightest hint that Lucy and the baby are in danger, you’ll take them into protective custody.”

  “Of course,” Finn answered. “But I really don’t think you have to worry about that. As far as they’re concerned, that baby is Sean’s child and Lucy is his fiancée. No current ties to you.”

  “Good.”

  “Yeah. And Tucker? Let’s keep it that way, okay?”

  “Of course.” This was one area where he wholeheartedly agreed with the DEA. “I won’t make any attempts to contact Lucy.”

  “Or Sean,” Finn said. “In fact, the less contact you have with anyone from your old life, the better. There’s nothing you can do there. Stay out of Boulder, period.”

  Tucker thought about telling the DEA agent that he had no intention of doing this and that he was careful. He wore a disguise, just to stay on the safe side. But why borrow trouble? After all, if the DEA had men watching him as they claimed, then Finn already knew this.

  “How many people have they sent after me?” Tucker asked.

  Finn went quiet, as though debating whether or not it would be ethical to answer. Finally, he cleared his throat. “Several, but no one high enough to warrant notice. However, I should warn you that rumor has it they’re planning to send El Pescado.”

  “The fish?” he translated. “Who the hell is that?”

  “He’s their top assassin,” Finn told him. “If they send him, we’re really going to have to beef up your security. However, I don’t think we have to worry about that just yet. You’re of more value to them alive than dead, as long as they believe you’ve hidden their money.”

  “Right.” Tucker grimaced. “By the way, does anyone actually know where this money is stashed?”

  Finn paused, and then admitted that he didn’t know. He concluded the call with an admonishment to Tucker to stay safe.

  Clicking the cell phone off, Tucker went to see if he had any coffee left in the pot. Time to plan his next move.

  Unable to shake the certainty that the strangely dressed man she’d seen near Pearl Street Mall had actually been Tucker wearing some sort of odd disguise, Lucy decided to take Eli for a walk in his stroller. When she’d first gone on maternity leave in late April, a week before her due date, she’d walked to the mall every day, hoping to hasten the start of labor. Once Eli had been born, she’d occasionally taken him for strolls, though mostly she’d preferred to explore her own neighborhood.

  Now, the mall held much more appeal. Despite Sean’s rationale, Tucker avoiding them didn’t make sense. Not to her. The idea of him suffering with PTSD haunted her as badly as the thought of him being hunted by ruthless drug lords.

  Either way, she couldn’t go on with her normal routine as though Tucker wasn’t in trouble. She couldn’t stand by and do absolutely nothing, unlike Sean. She had to find him and offer her help. If he then declined, she’d at least know she’d tried. Considering what they’d once meant to each other and that he was the father of her child, Tucker deserved that, at the very least.

  Deciding not to tell Sean made her feel vaguely guilty, but she didn’t want to deal with the fight that would be sure to follow. While she believed he knew better than to attempt to outright forbid her, she could imagine the accusations, both silent and spoken. No matter what explanation she gave, no matter how true, she knew what he would think.

  No, she would not tell him. For all intents and purposes, she was taking her baby out for a stroll on a beautiful summer day.

  Outside, the sun blazed down from a cloudless blue sky. She went out to get the mail and gauge the temperature. Hot, but not too bad for a nice, leisurely stroll. As a precaution, she put SPF-45 sunscreen all over Eli’s soft, pale skin as well as her own.

  Once she had Eli securely buckled in the stroller, with the little top up to provide shade, she walked to the mall, taking her time, trying to enjoy the day. Unable to keep from feeling slightly paranoid, she made sure to check out her surroundings, looking behind her and in front of her, eyeing every house, every driveway. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being followed.

  But she saw no one other than people jogging with their dogs or other mothers taking their own babies for a stroll, so she put down her jitters as a case of nerves. All this talk about drug cartels and torture would make anyone nervous.

  After a few minutes, she reached the edge of the pedestrian shopping center and stopped, taking in the brick walkway with leafy trees shading the center aisle. She loved this place. Every season it took on a different life, switching moods as often as the weather. In the summer, the place was full of tourists and locals, but the usual swarm of college students attending CU was conspicuously absent. In the fall, the harvest decorations matched the changing leaves. At Christmas, she loved to shop
here, trudging through the snow and listening as the bells tinkled merrily on various shop doors.

  Waiting for the light to allow her to walk, Lucy joined the small crowd crossing the pedestrian path to the mall. Once she’d made it, she let the others pass and pushed the stroller to a shady spot where she could observe quietly.

  The usual crowd, an eclectic combination of tourists and residents, mixed with students hanging out over the summer, made the outdoor mall a lively place. Children played in the water fountains, squealing as the water cooled them and laughing as they splashed. At one end of the mall, the requisite guitar player strummed madly, his case open on the ground next to him for donations. At the other end, a saxophone crooned soulfully.

  Pretending to be interested in the window displays, most of which had a patriotic theme, Lucy pushed her stroller, smiling and nodding at the numerous other young mothers who were accompanied by their children. Eli dozed, content with the motion of the stroller. The summer day was warm, the sunshine bright. Nothing appeared remotely suspicious or threatening and gradually she began to relax. This was, after all, one of the pulses of her town. If she wasn’t safe here, where would she ever be safe?

  As she got closer to the BBB building and the always busy corner coffee shop, her sleepy nonchalance vanished. Heart rate accelerating, she picked up her pace. When she was close enough to do so, she found a shady spot and stopped. From there, she searched the crowded streets for the man who’d so resembled an oddly dressed Tucker.

  She didn’t see him. Not here or anywhere on this block or the next. Her stomach clenched as she looked again. Nope. He wasn’t there.

  Disappointment warred, oddly enough, with relief. After all, she wasn’t positive it had been Tucker. It might have just been someone who looked like him.

  In the unlikely event it had been Tucker, she hadn’t been sure what she would say to him if she did encounter him. Though she had a lot to say, she’d prefer to have some discussions in private.

  Still… Either way, all she needed was a good look in his eyes. No matter what the disguise, she knew she could recognize Tucker this way. Unless he had put on colored contacts, the extraordinary blue shade would give him away instantly.

  Which might explain why the man had worn dark sunglasses. Of course, it was summer and most everyone wore them, herself included.

  Canvassing the crowd one more time, she let her shoulders slump as she saw no sign of him. Maybe she should just give up and go home. This subterfuge thing was driving her crazy. Hell, Tucker was driving her crazy. It was as if he wasn’t content that he’d been believed dead and had returned just in time to learn of her engagement. Oh, no, now it appeared that he felt the need to mess with her even more.

  Oh, she knew he no doubt had valid reasons for his actions, but she couldn’t help the way she felt.

  Maybe she’d be better off returning home and giving up this crazy idea to find the man from yesterday. Wavering, she slowed her steps, trying to decide.

  Her initial plan had been to visit the coffee shop, grab one of the iced coffee drinks and a snack, and try to snag an outside table where she could watch everyone walk by.

  This still seemed like a good idea, she decided. She’d come this far and couldn’t abandon the idea now. After all, even if the man wasn’t here, he could still show up. She wanted a good vantage point if and when he did.

  As she approached the corner coffee shop, still scanning the crowd, she spotted him strolling up the street. Wearing the same green John Deere cap, minus the denim overalls, he kept his head down as he hurried toward the same destination as she. Exactly where she’d spotted him yesterday.

  Tucker. Oh, my God, he looked so much like Tucker.

  Heart pounding, she started toward him, pushing her stroller in front of her. So intent was he on where he was going, he never noticed her or broke stride. Because he once again wore dark sunglasses, she couldn’t be one hundred percent positive he was Tucker, but everything from his build to the purposeful way he strode, screamed that he was.

  Right before he reached the doorway, she called out his name. “Tucker!”

  Instantly, he turned. She could tell the instant he realized what he’d done. By then, it was too late.

  “I knew it was you.” Catching up to him, she grabbed at his sleeve. “Even with that weird beard thing on, I could—”

  “You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his voice low and urgent, his expression horrified. “You need to take Eli and get the hell out of here.”

  Stunned, she could only stare. “But—”

  “Now,” he snarled, practically shoving her away. “Before someone sees you talking to me and puts two and two together.”

  “I don’t understand.” Frozen, she stood gazing up at him, trying to figure out why her heart felt like it was breaking.

  “Lucy!” He dragged a hand through his hair in agitation. “The cartel is looking for me. What if you were followed?”

  Then, as she could only eye him blankly, he continued. “You don’t really understand how dangerous this is, do you?”

  “No,” she stammered, wondering if he’d lost his mind.

  “That’s why I’m wearing this disguise.” He took a step backward, shaking his head. “Go on now. You have to stay away from me.”

  She wanted to disagree and indeed, was on the verge of mustering up what she thought was a compelling argument, when he lowered his sunglasses, letting her see his eyes. Fear—no, more than fear—absolute terror shone starkly in them.

  “Go away,” he repeated urgently. “Before someone sees you and figures out who I am.”

  “This is Boulder,” she insisted. “You’re being paranoid. You’re safe here.”

  “No. I’m not. You’re not, either, if you’re around me. Go.”

  “I don’t understand,” she protested. “If all you’re worried about is them finding you, why can’t we meet in secret? There’s so much we need to talk about, and you haven’t even gotten to know your son. And—” She swallowed hard, pushing away her pride. “I’ve missed you, even if you haven’t missed me.”

  “Lucy,” he barked out her name. “That’s not it at all. I don’t want them to know I have a son at all. I don’t want them to be able to use you against me. Understand?”

  Though she didn’t, not completely, there was no mistaking the apprehension in his voice. He really, truly believed the drug cartel had traveled all the way to Colorado on the hopes that he actually knew where to find their missing money.

  Maybe he did have PTSD. Either way, she had no choice but to do as he said. But first, she had to tell him he had other allies.

  “I’m going, I’m going.” She turned around, wheeling a still dozing Eli away from his daddy. Though she thought she managed to keep her expression neutral, her mouth quivered. Sadly enough, she really wanted to cry.

  She’d taken three steps before she felt compelled to look over her shoulder, to catch one last look of Tucker watching her leave. As she did, tires squealed. Someone shouted. Lucy spun around just in time to see a car careening up over the curb, coming into the pedestrian mall, and heading straight for her and Eli.

  Eli! Her protective instinct kicked in and she leapt forward, shoving the baby stroller as hard as she could out of the way as she dove for a low stone wall and clump of bushes, hoping for some protection.

  The car, low, black and foreign rushed past, then slammed on its brakes. Skidding sideways into a light pole, the BMW careened into a giant bronze statue of a buffalo with a clang.

  Finally, the dust cleared and everything was still. The driver didn’t emerge from the vehicle and a crowd surrounded it, debating the best way to get him or her out.

  Lucy rushed to reclaim her stroller. Baby Eli, now wide awake and upset, let out an ear-piercing wail. Just as she reached him, the BMW driver’s side door opened on its own. A man got out, all dressed in black. He pushed through the crowd, heading toward her. It wasn’t until he crouched and brought the pistol up to
sight that Lucy realized he had a gun.

  Suddenly, the situation Tucker had warned her about had become very, very real.

  Acting on instinct, she ran, moving with Eli’s stroller into the crowd of gawking bystanders, using them as a sort of impromptu shield.

  “Come on.” Tucker appeared beside her, unbuckling the baby from the restraining straps and scooping him up in his arms. “Leave the stroller. Let’s go.”

  Without hesitation, she did as he said. Moving quickly, they wove through the gathering crowd, into a dark restaurant, blazing by a startled hostess.

  “The back door is this way,” Tucker said, brushing past the waitress’s startled attempt to block them. They hurried through the kitchen, ignoring the busy cook and his helper, pushed open the back door, and came out into an alley behind the building.

  “We’ve got to keep moving,” he said.

  “Where’s your car?” she gasped, trying to catch her breath. Miraculously, all the activity had surprised Eli into silence.

  “I don’t have one.” Tucker glanced around. “The DEA promised to bring me one, but they haven’t yet. So, I’m going to have to steal one.”

  “I don’t think that’s a—” she began, but he wasn’t listening. He’d found a battered Toyota Corolla with the windows down.

  “I can hotwire this. No enclosed dash,” he said, already leaning in and hard at work. “Get in before the shooter figures out where we are.”

  Speechless, she climbed in. “We don’t have a car seat,” she said, aware her concern was foolish in light of the more pressing danger of some madman shooting at her.

  The car started with a tinny little cough. “It can’t be helped. Get in the back and lie down.”

  As soon as she had, Tucker put the Corolla in gear and drove away.

  Once they’d exited the Pearl Street area, she poked her head up. “Where are we going? My house is that way.”

  The glance he shot her was both angry and amused. “You can’t go back there. Now that they know you mean something to me, it isn’t safe there.”

  She fought back panic. “You were serious.”