Tank stood outside the door of the mobile home. “They’re fine. We’re taking them back to Emerald Lake soon.” He opened the door and Grant walked inside.
He breathed deeply when he saw Mallory taking off her boots. From a distance, she’d looked beautiful. From six feet away, she was stunning.
Bella sat beside her, already wearing her jeans and sweater. She was talking non-stop, asking Mallory all sorts of questions about her program.
The door closed and Bella stopped talking. “Uncle Grant! Did you see Mallory? I told you she was amazing.”
Mallory’s eyes collided with his.
For a moment, he couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything except stare at her. The person who was everything he’d ever wanted was sitting in front of him, looking at him with eyes full of worry.
“Uncle Grant?”
He cleared his throat and tried to smile at his niece. “I did see Mallory, and yes, she is amazing.”
A soft blush appeared on Mallory’s cheeks. “Thank you.” She took a sweater out of a bag and left it on the seat beside her. “Tank wants me to go to Emerald Lake.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Go to the lake. I didn’t realize there would be such a huge reaction to my program. I’m sorry.”
“Why did you decide to skate?”
She looked down at her hands and took a deep breath. When she lifted her chin, there was a determination in her gaze that hadn’t been there before. “I’m not going to live my life afraid of what someone might do.”
The door opened and Tank leaned inside. “John and Rachel are on their way. They’ll be here in about five minutes.”
Mallory took her jeans out of her bag. “I need to get changed. Do you want to come with us, Grant?”
“I do, but I’ll take my own truck. You can come with me if you want to.”
Mallory nodded. “Is that okay, Tank?”
“Fine with me. I’ll let the rest of the team know what you’re doing.”
“Can I come with you, too, Uncle Grant?” Bella picked up her skates and stopped in front of him. “Dad won’t mind.”
“He might mind more than you think. I’ll take you for a ride another day.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” He gave Bella a quick hug, then glanced at Mallory. “I’ll get my truck.” Before she realized she was safer with Tank, he left.
They had a lot to talk about, and he wasn’t sure what would happen.
***
After Bella left, Mallory quickly changed into her jeans and a T-shirt. She pulled her sweater over her head and made sure she hadn’t left any clothes on the floor. She didn’t know who the mobile home belonged to, but she was grateful it was there.
She’d been shocked to see the number of people heading toward her after her program. Reporters had appeared out of nowhere, asking questions she didn’t want to answer. If Tanner hadn’t moved her toward the exit when he did, she wouldn’t have been able to leave the rink.
She picked up her bag and sat in a seat that was closer to the door. In all of the chaos after she’d finished skating, she’d nearly left it behind.
The door opened and Jeremy stepped inside. “Someone wants to see you.”
Mallory frowned. “I don’t want to talk to the reporters.”
“He’s not a journalist. He said his name is Andrew.”
“Simon’s brother?” She stood in front of a tinted window. Andrew was standing beside Tanner, looking incredibly uncomfortable. “Would you stay with me if I talk to him?”
Jeremy sighed. “Is this one of those times when my boss isn’t going to be happy?”
“Probably,” Mallory murmured. “If you stay with me it won’t be so bad.”
Jeremy’s scowl deepened.
“Please. Whatever he’s got to say must be important. Last time I saw him I told him not to come back to Bozeman.”
“That’s a good reason not to talk to him.”
“He might know something that we don’t about Simon’s death.”
“And he might not, either.”
“What if he only talks to me for five minutes?”
Jeremy looked through the window. “Fine, but he leaves straight away if he says or does anything I’m not happy with.” He opened the door and beckoned Andrew forward. “No backpack. Leave it outside.”
Andrew left his bag on the ground. “I appreciate you seeing me.”
He walked into the mobile home and Jeremy patted him down.
“I don’t have a gun.”
“I’m not taking any chances,” Jeremy said. “You’ve got five minutes.”
Andrew sat opposite her. “I saw your performance. It was amazing.”
“I’ve worked hard to keep in shape. Why are you here?”
Andrew took a deep breath. “You need to stop investigating Juan Garcia.”
“I’m not investigating him.”
“But someone you know is. Juan Garcia called dad yesterday and wanted to know what was going on.”
Mallory didn’t know whether Andrew was part of the reason Simon died or just as confused as she was. Either way, she had to be careful. “Do you know anything about the resort he’s building with your parents?”
“I know enough. Simon was horrified by what his investigators found.”
“What happened?”
“Juan Garcia forced the residents of a village out of their homes. Without the extra land, the resort wouldn’t have been viable.”
Mallory gripped the edge of her seat. “What did Simon do?”
Andrew hesitated before answering. “He copied every document he could find about the development. He said he had enough evidence to prove how corrupt Juan Garcia’s business practices were. Where is the information, Mallory?”
She kept her gaze on Andrew. “I don’t know.”
He didn’t look as though he believed her. “Simon told you everything.”
“That doesn’t mean he told me about the files.” Her eyes narrowed. “Did you send me threatening letters before and after Simon died?”
“No. I had no idea that happened. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Someone threatened to kill me if I kept skating. I didn’t know who I could trust.”
“You told everyone you couldn’t skate because of a back injury.”
“What else was I supposed to say? Someone wanted to hurt me. If I’d gone to the police or told anyone the truth, it could have made things worse.”
Andrew sat back in his seat. “This is worse than I thought. If Juan Garcia killed Simon for the information that was in the files, you could have been next.”
Mallory didn’t want to think about what could have been. She was having a hard enough time understanding what was happening now. “Do you have any evidence that Simon’s death wasn’t an accident?”
He sighed. “No.”
“Someone broke into my home last weekend. Was it you?”
Andrew looked down at his hands. “I was searching for the documents Simon copied. Juan Garcia has asked my parents to invest in another resort. I can’t let that happen.”
“What about my privacy?” Mallory clenched her jaw. “You could have asked me about the files.”
“I searched Simon’s laptop and his work computer. I couldn’t find anything. I needed answers fast, but I didn’t want Juan Garcia to know what I was doing. It had to seem like a real burglary. When I couldn’t find the documents Simon copied, I left. I didn’t take anything except a photo of you and my brother.”
“You threw everything out of my closets and cupboards. The whole house was a mess.”
Andrew’s face lost all its color. “I didn’t move anything.”
“What about the letter you left in my bathroom?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You have to get out of Bozeman, Mallory. Juan Garcia must think you know something.”
“I don’t need to leave. Fletcher Security is keeping me safe.”
&nbs
p; Andrew glanced at Jeremy. “It doesn’t matter who’s guarding you. If Juan Garcia thinks you’ve found the documents Simon copied, you won’t be safe.”
“I lost everything the night Simon died. I’m not going to let anyone threaten me.”
“You don’t understand how ruthless Juan Garcia can be. He’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants.”
“What about your parents? What did they think about the information Simon showed them?”
“I never told you mom and dad knew about the investigation.”
Mallory bit her bottom lip. It was a silly slip that she shouldn’t have made. “Just answer the question, Andrew. Neither of us has a lot of time.”
“Juan Garcia had a reason for every issue that was raised in Simon’s report. When he didn’t, he blamed the villagers.”
Jeremy took a step toward them. “You’ve got thirty seconds.”
Andrew leaned forward. “I’ll email you all of the information I’ve got. If you have Simon’s files, take everything to the police. Don’t trust anyone.” He reached into his back pocket. “This is for you—it’s from the Los Angeles Skating Club. It tells you about the coaching position they’re advertising.”
Mallory took the letter. “What are you going to do?”
“Go home. The more time I spend here, the more dangerous it is for both of us.” Andrew stood up. “Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re safe. Juan Garcia will stop at nothing to get what he wants.”
Andrew left the mobile home as quickly as he’d arrived.
After he’d gone, Jeremy handed her a glass of water. “Are you okay?”
Mallory shook her head. “I don’t think I’ll ever be okay again.”
***
Grant stopped his truck outside the mobile home Fletcher Security had hired. If Mallory was ready, they’d be at John’s home in about half an hour, maybe less if there wasn’t too much traffic heading out of town.
He looked at Tanner. “Where’s Jeremy and Tank?”
“Jeremy’s inside with Mallory and Tank went to Emerald Lake with Bella. There’s something you need to know.”
“Is Mallory all right?” He slammed the door of his truck and headed toward the mobile home.
Tanner’s hand reached out to stop him. “She’s fine. Her boyfriend’s brother arrived.”
“Tell me you didn’t let him near her.”
“Mallory wanted to speak to him. Jeremy was with them the whole time.”
Grant cursed. “You were supposed to stop anyone from seeing her.”
“She wanted to know how much he knew about Simon’s death.”
“She could have done that on the phone.” He stepped inside the mobile home. Mallory was sitting at a small table, drinking a glass of water. “Are you crazy?”
“Not today.”
He bit back another curse. She was about to burst into tears. “Seeing Simon’s brother was too risky.”
“He was only here for five minutes. Jeremy was with me the whole time.”
“And you think that makes it all right?”
Jeremy stepped forward. “Don’t blame Mallory. She asked if it was okay and I said yes. She wasn’t in any danger.”
“That’s not the point. You should have kept Simon’s brother away from her.”
Mallory sighed. “Andrew’s going to email me all the information he discovered about Simon’s death.”
Grant sat opposite her. “How much did he know?”
“I’m not sure, but I think he knows almost as much as we do. He didn’t send me the threatening letters.”
“What about the break-in?”
“He wasn’t the only person who broke into my house.”
Grant froze. “What do you mean?”
“Andrew was searching for the information Simon hid, but he didn’t pull anything off my shelves. Someone else did that. I thought it was bad enough that one person had been inside, but now it’s worse.”
“Does he know who the other person or people were?”
“He thinks it could be someone associated with Juan Garcia.” She picked up her skates and the small overnight bag she’d packed. “We should get going. How many reporters are outside?”
“None. Tanner must have told them to leave.”
She searched his blue eyes. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“I know you didn’t. Let’s go.”
Mallory slipped a pair of sunglasses over her eyes and followed him outside. “I forgot to thank Jeremy and Tanner.”
“They’ll meet us at Emerald Lake. You can thank them there.”
He took her bag out of her hand and opened the passenger door. Before she had her seatbelt on, Grant was getting into the driver’s side of his truck. “You could be at Emerald Lake for a few days. Do you want to stop at Tess’ house to pack another bag?”
“That would be great. I’ve got a key.”
Grant nodded and drove silently through the streets of Bozeman.
By the time they reached Tess’ home, he was worried. It wasn’t like Mallory not to speak. Her way of dealing with problems was to talk about them. But today, unlike every other day he’d known her, she was quiet.
He turned off the ignition. “I’ll come inside with you.”
Mallory opened her door. “It’s okay. I know the code for the alarm. I won’t be long.”
She disappeared inside, leaving Grant to wonder what was going on. He pulled out his phone and stared at the screen. He could call Jeremy and ask him what Andrew had said. But even that might not help.
Mallory had been through a lot over the last two years. Andrew could have said something that meant nothing to Jeremy, but might have had a big impact on her.
He wanted Mallory to trust him, and he needed to trust her.
The front door opened and she came outside.
Grant got out of his truck and opened the back passenger door. “That didn’t take long.”
Mallory slid her suitcase onto the seat. “I didn’t unpack everything when I arrived after the burglary. I wasn’t planning on staying for long.” Her bottom lip trembled.
“What’s wrong?”
She dropped her gaze to his chest. “I can’t do this anymore.” She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. “If Juan Garcia has found me, then no one is safe while they’re around me. Andrew told me I need to leave Bozeman. He was right.”
“And then what?”
“I’ll find somewhere else to live and everyone here will be safe.”
Grant took a step toward her. “People like Juan Garcia never go away. The only way to deal with them is to confront them. Running away will only tell him you’re afraid.”
“I am.”
Her softly spoken words tore at something deep inside him. “You’re not on your own anymore. I’m here, and John has a team of people who are helping you. All you have to do is trust us. We know what we’re doing.”
“What if trusting you isn’t enough?”
Grant stepped forward and held her in his arms. “It will always be enough.”
Mallory wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. “I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”
“Neither do I.” He moved away before he said or did something that neither of them were ready for. “Let’s go to Emerald Lake.”
Mallory held onto his hand. “You’re a good man, Grant Byers.” She leaned forward and gently kissed him.
All of his good intentions flew out the window. Heat scorched through him, took control of his brain and left him wanting so much more.
He pulled Mallory close and deepened their kiss. He’d waited his entire life to meet someone like her. And now that she was here, he was terrified of losing her.
Stepping away from her was one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do. “Everything will be okay.”
Mallory took a deep, shaky, breath. “I hope you’re right.”
So did Grant. No one got a second chance when people like Juan Garcia were searching for yo
u. You either defeated them or died trying. And death wasn’t an option.
***
“Look at this.” Rachel passed Grant her cell phone. “A Facebook video showing Mallory’s figure skating program has gone viral.”
Mallory slid a sheet of cookies into the oven and frowned. “Let me see.” She walked across to Grant and peered over his shoulder. “Good grief…the video has more than fifteen thousand likes.”
“You’re the most famous person in Bozeman.” Rachel turned on her laptop. “You’ve also made the front page of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle’s website.”
Mallory touched Grant’s shoulder. “Is that a good thing or not?”
“If Juan Garcia broke into your home, then he already knows you’re here. Reading about you on the Internet will only make him more worried.”
“And that’s what you want to happen?”
“Worried people do impulsive things. If he makes a mistake, we might be able to prove that he was involved in Simon’s death.”
“Weren’t the files that Simon copied enough evidence?”
John walked into the kitchen. “Are you talking about Juan Garcia?”
Mallory nodded. “Do you know if the police have found a link between his company and Simon’s death?”
“Your accident is still being investigated. But there is enough evidence to make Juan Garcia responsible for what happened in Mexico. The documents Simon copied have been sent to the Intelligence Division of the Mexican Federal Police. A detective from the Bozeman Police Department will let us know what happens.”
“Will Juan Garcia be arrested?”
Grant shrugged. “That’s anyone’s guess. Corruption is a big problem in Mexico. That’s why we need to know what happened to Simon. If he was deliberately run off the road, the people involved will have to answer to the American legal system, regardless of where they were born.”
John made himself a coffee. “The house smells like a chocolate factory.”
Mallory wiped her hands on her borrowed apron. “When I’m stressed I bake. Rachel said her cookie jar was empty, so I’m making sure it’s full.” She held a plate of cookies toward him. “Try one—it’s my grandma’s secret recipe.”
John bit into the chocolate chip cookie and smiled. “Your grandma knew her cookies. This is delicious.”
Always (The Protectors Book 3) Page 14
