The Runner's Daughter

by Jessica McCrory

  “Yeah, I’m in the heat of it. What I’ve always feared is happening. What else do I have to be afraid of?” The sadness and fear in her voice surprised him.

  “You know you can talk to me, right?”

  She smiled at him. “I know.”

  Caid watched as the breeze picked up a strand of hair from Jemma’s face. His eyes focused on her full lips for a moment, and he wondered what she would do if he leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers. He brushed the strand away from her face, and Jemma took a step back.

  “I’m going to try and get some sleep.”

  Caid nodded and silently watched her leave. He waited for a few minutes and then followed her back down the stairs and into the quiet apartment. They had given the girls all but one blanket, and Caid was prepared to sleep sitting at the table.

  Jemma tucked her handgun in the nightstand, and climbed into bed in the same outfit she had been in the night before.

  “You can sleep here if you want,” she whispered, and Caid stepped toward her. Somehow the attraction he had felt for her from the moment they first met intensified with each step he took toward that bed.

  “Thanks,” he grumbled, and took his shoes and jacket off. He placed his gun inside the nightstand on his side of the bedand his holster on top just as she had.

  Then he climbed into bed and laid on his back, willing his mind to rest so he could get some sleep.

  Jemma woke while everyone was still sleeping. She could feel breath on her neck, and it caused goose bumps to raise on her body. Caid was pressed against her back and wrapped around her as if he were afraid she would try to escape.

  Her sleep-addled mind had her body pressing back against him, and his arm tightened around her waist. Through the thin fabric of her shorts and tank, she could feel every hard ridge of his body, and her heart began to pound beneath her breast.

  Unsure of her next move, or what even she was thinking, she rolled so that she was facing him. His eyes were closed, so she took a moment to visually trace the lines of his face. What would that rough stubble feel like against her bare skin? she wondered. How would his lips feel if she just leaned forward and pressed her own to them? Would he pull away? Or would he ravish her with all the heat she sensed bubbling just below the surface?

  She lifted her hand and traced her finger lightly down the curve of his strong jaw. He opened his eyes, and for a moment they simply stared at each other while her finger rested on his cheek.

  When he leaned toward her, she didn’t pull away, and as his arm tightened around her waist once again, she closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his. The second they met, her body came alive. Heat scorched them, and she opened her mouth under his. She groaned, and he rolled her over so he was pressing right against where she desperately wanted him the most.

  The sound of a cough had them separating so quickly you would have thought one of them had been burned by the fire blazing beneath their skin. A quick look around the room proved it had only been one of the girls coughing in their sleep.

  Jemma and Caid stared at each other from opposite sides of the bed, both breathing heavily and leaving them each wondering what in the hell had just happened between them.

  16

  That morning, Caid and Jemma stood in front of the girls sitting neatly on the couch and floor. Caid held a notebook and pen in his lap and pointed to Amber.

  “Let’s start with names. What is yours?”

  “Amber Pierson.”

  “Okay, Amber, where are you from?”

  “Miami.”

  “Age?”

  “Sixteen.”

  “Do you remember the last time you saw your family?”

  Amber’s eyes filled with tears, and she nodded. “Right before bedtime, maybe a week ago. I said I love you and then waited for everyone to fall asleep before I snuck out to meet a boy I had just met. Biggest mistake I’ve ever made.”

  “You’re safe now.” One of the girls reached forward and touched her arm.

  “You will see them soon,” Jemma offered.

  “Can you tell me your name?” Caid asked the brunette to Amber’s right.

  “Jacqueline Hughes. I’m eighteen and from Hartford, Connecticut.”

  Caid and Jemma went around the room gathering everyone’s name and basic information. The girls were from all over the country, and it appeared they had been living on the ship for different amounts of time. Amber had only been there about a week whereas one of the other girls, Susan, had been there for nearly a month.

  “Any thoughts as to how we’re going to get this many girls into downtown without drawing a bunch of attention?”

  Caid nodded. “I need to go make a phone call. I’ll be back in twenty.” He stepped out onto the street and made the walk to the payphone a couple blocks away.

  His new friend picked up on the first ring. “Murphy.”

  “Hey, it’s King.”

  “Nice to hear from ya. What’s up? Make it quick it as you can. I’m up to my ears in paperwork because my fucking lieutenant still hasn’t shown up for work, and I’ve got a gutted douchebag I need to find a killer for.”

  “Harley still on vacation?”

  “Fuck yeah, and annoying me every single day.”

  Caid laughed. Zach Murphy was the most vulgar, trustworthy person he’d ever met. “Well, I’m afraid I’m about to add to that.”

  “What is it?”

  “I’ve got fifteen missing girls in my protection.”

  “What? Are you serious?” All joking gone from his tone, Zach cursed and then listened as Caid read him their names.

  “I don’t want to take this to the FBI. It appears we didn’t clear out all the corruption after Matthews.”

  “I hear ya. I have some contacts at the NYPD, good solid cops who will get these girls to their families and keep everything quiet until you can nail this guy. We don’t want him going after them to cover his own ass.”

  “That was my concern as well. Tell me where you want me to meet your contacts, and I’ll be there.”

  Caid listened as Zach placed the receiver down and used his cell to make a few phone calls. Once he was back on the phone, Caid wrote down the meeting address and stuffed the paper in his pocket.

  “Thanks, Murphy.”

  “Anytime, King. Listen, figured I should give you a heads up. That gutted douchebag I mentioned a minute ago? Matthews.”

  “Fuck, seriously?”

  “Yeah, someone got to him in prison. Found him in his cell yesterday. Someone tied him to the bars and slit him right down the middle.”

  “Damn, any leads?”

  “None. But I’ve got your cell. I’ll keep ya posted.”

  “Thanks, man. I may not have access to it very often until everything clears up on my end, but I’ll be sure to check it as frequently as I can.”

  “Sounds good, man. Stay safe, and hit me up if you need anything else.”

  “Will do.” Caid hung up the receiver and headed out onto the street. After walking for a minute to make sure he wasn’t being followed, he turned down the street and toward Jemma’s apartment.

  “We’re all set,” he said as he stepped inside.

  “We’re going home!” Amber shouted, and the girls let out a yell.

  He looked over at Jemma, who was beaming. “How are we going to get them home?”

  “I have a buddy who works out of Seattle. He helped me on a big case recently, and he’s as honest as they come. He said he knows some cops here in New York who will keep this quiet until we get our shot at Charmont.”

  “You worked in Seattle? I haven’t been there in years. My father had a business associate there and we traveled every now and then.”

  “I was there for a short period; most of the work I did was from here. We took down Clayton Matthews and his organization.”

  Jemma turned to stare at him. “Clayton Matthews.”

  “Yeah, did you hear of it?”

  She snorted. “Clayt
on Matthews is another who deserves a bullet.”

  “Wait a minute, you knew him?”

  “You could say that. I was supposed to marry him.”

  “What? No, he was engaged to Norah McNamara.”

  “Poor girl. Hope she got away. My father had promised me to him as a way to join the two companies. Their move toward a merger. I ran away before he ever came through, and last I heard, Matthews had pulled out.”

  “She did get away. Married a good cop who saved her when Matthews tried to use her as a shield.”

  “Yeah, he was always the chivalrous one.”

  “How long had you known him?”

  “Not long. He’s a few years older than me, but my father had me promised to him when I was young. Back when he was working with a man named Tom—I can’t remember his last name.”

  “Hewitt.”

  “Yeah, Tom Hewitt. My father would take me for meetings with them, and it always made me uncomfortable the way Clayton would watch me.”

  Caid’s hands balled into fists. Who knows what that bastard would have done if he had gotten his hands on Jemma. “Well, allow me to be the first to tell you he’s dead. Someone got him in prison.”

  “I wish I could muster up some sympathy.”

  “Why? He never showed his victims any.”

  “True.”

  “I’m glad you got away when you did, Jemma.”

  “Me too.” She smiled at him, and their eyes met again. If it weren’t for the room full of teenage girls, Jemma wasn’t sure she wouldn’t have gone to him then, just to feel him pressed against her again.

  “This is so fucking insane. Not only are you tied to my current case, but also to the biggest one I’ve run, clear across the country. Fate is a funny thing, isn’t it?”

  “Fate? You think it’s fated that we met?”

  “How else would you explain it?” he said and walked away, leaving her staring after him.

  “King?” A man approached them on the street, and Caid offered his hand. The stranger looked just like you would expect a hard-ass cop to look. His blond hair cut short and tousled on the top to reveal some light curls, he wore aviator sunglasses, but when he took them off, his light brown eyes were soft. The suit he wore fit him nicely, and because she had trained her eyes to pick up on it, she could see the bulge under his jacket where his issued weapon was. He looked as though he didn’t take shit from anyone.

  “Yeah, you Zarbey?”

  “Detective Lance Zarbey, but please just call me Lance.” The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a badge. He showed it to Caid, who nodded and handed it back.

  “Thanks so much for coming.”

  “Absolutely. I checked into those names and called the parents. I informed them that we had their daughters, but that we needed to keep it quiet for now. They are all taking nice vacations to the Big Apple as we speak. You’ve put a lot of parents’ minds at ease.” As if he finally noticed Jemma, he held out his hand. “You must be Miss Saige. It’s nice to meet you.”

  She took it, and he shook it gently. There was something familiar in his eyes, a kindness she had seen before but couldn’t place it. “It’s nice to meet you too.”

  “I promise I will make sure these girls are safe,” he said to her as if he could sense her apprehension.

  “Thank you.”

  “I’ll go and grab them.” Caid turned and stepped into the abandoned building behind them. He returned a moment later with the fifteen young girls.

  “Hi ladies, I’m Detective Lance Zarbey. I’ll be taking you back to your families.” He smiled at them, and Jemma was pretty sure they would follow him anywhere. They may have been through more than any girl should ever have to go through, but the detective was not a bad-looking guy, and they definitely noticed it.

  One by one the girls gave both Caid and Jemma hugs before they climbed into the large black van Lance had brought with him.

  “Thanks again, man,” Caid said, and Lance smiled at both he and Jemma.

  “Thank you. This is a great thing you guys have done. You ever need anything, feel free to contact me. Stay safe, and I hope you get your guy.”

  “Thanks.”

  They watched as he climbed into the van and drove away.

  “Well, now what?” Jemma asked.

  “We should get those images we took to Pax. Maybe she can do something with them.”

  “Are you sure we can trust her?”

  Caid shot Jemma a glance as he headed up the street. “Yes, I wouldn’t be working with her if I didn’t. She’s a hard ass, but she gets the job done. She’s never given me any reason not to trust her”

  Jemma didn’t voice her concerns any further. If Caid trusted the woman, she supposed she had better start trusting her too. Even though there was a voice in the back of her head screaming the opposite.

  They stopped at a payphone, and Jemma stood outside while Caid made a call to Pax.

  “Pax,” she answered on the first ring.

  “It’s King.”

  “It’s about damn time. I thought you’d want to know none of Jameson’s injuries were life threatening, although you did do some damage.”

  “Good. Do you have him in custody?”

  “Yeah. You won’t believe who else we’ve got.”

  “Who?”

  “Your girl, Brittany.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah. You’re going to want to come in and talk to her.”

  “Is it safe?”

  “You’re in the clear. It looks like Jameson was the mole, and he won’t be contacting anyone anytime soon.”

  “All right, we’ll be in soon.”

  “I wouldn’t bring Miss Saige, King.”

  “Why not?”

  “She’s still too visible. If you want to fly under the radar and work this case, you’re going to need to distance yourself from her, at least publicly. She is our only viable witness right now. We need her isolated and secure.”

  Caid leaned his forehead against the cool glass. He knew Pax was right, but he also didn’t like the idea of leaving Jemma alone. “I’ll be in this afternoon.”

  “See you then.” The line went dead, and Caid hung up the receiver and stepped out into the brisk autumn air.

  Jemma turned to him, and the sun caught her eyes just right. For a moment it was as if the caramel had come to life and was swirling. It captivated him for a moment, the way the gold moved with the light

  “Caid?” She broke his concentration, and he mentally shook himself.

  “I, uh, need to go in this afternoon.”

  “Is that safe?”

  He nodded. “Pax has Jameson in custody. It’s looking like he’s the one who’s been alerting Charmont to what I’m doing.”

  “I can come with you.”

  “It’s better if you don’t. If anyone sees us together, it’s going to be a target on us both.”

  She nodded, but he noticed the slight change on her face. She was disappointed, and he hated it.

  “I understand. I’ll head back to the apartment and maybe I’ll see you later?”

  “You will absolutely see me later.” He stepped close enough she could feel his warm breath on her cheek as he leaned in. “We still need to talk about last night.”

  She shivered, but it had absolutely nothing to do with the chill in the air.

  Caid gently cupped the side of her face, before pressing a light but emotion-packed kiss to her cheek.

  When he stepped away and winked at her, she couldn’t help but smile back. “I’ll see you later then, Agent King.”

  “Miss Saige,” he said with a nod and turned to head up the opposite side of the street.

  She watched him walk away for a moment, briefly wondering how she was supposed to make it back to her safe house while her legs felt like jelly.

  17

  Two hours later—after stopping to pick up new clothes—Caid walked into his office. It somehow felt so strange to be back in a place that had
once felt more like home than his own apartment.

  He made the familiar journey to Pax’s office, and when she stood, he could see exhaustion on her face. Apparently, all the action lately was taking its toll on her.

  “King. Nice to see you.”

  “You too. Where’s Brittany?”

  “Interrogation one. She won’t say anything else until you go talk to her.”

  Caid turned and headed back down the hall to the interrogation rooms. As he approached the first door, he took a deep breath before walking into the room.

  The scent of her familiar vanilla body spray filled his lungs as he stepped inside. She looked absolutely worn down. Her mascara was rubbed under her eyes, which were swollen from crying. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun, and when she saw him, she stood and tried to rush to hug him.

  He put his hands up to stop her.

  “I can’t blame you,” she said with a sniffle and took her seat.

  “I need to know what you do about Jameson’s connections with Liam Charmont.”

  “Can we talk for a moment?” She gestured to the seat, and Caid had to force himself to not roll his eyes as he sat in the chair across from her.

  “Sure, Brittany, what do you want to talk about? The fact that you slept with my best friend, or the fact that he has been working with one of the most dangerous men in the country?”

  She reached across the table and tried to touch his hand, but he moved it back. “Cheating on you was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. Well—the second biggest.” She sighed and leaned back in her chair.

  “What do you know about Jameson and The Runner?” he asked, using Charmont’s nickname.

  “Not much. Henry didn’t fill me in on everything. I knew that he was taking money from someone, but since that person paid well, he promised me it was worth it.”

  “And you just bought that, huh?”

  She shrugged, but her eyes filled. “I didn’t think anything of it until--”

  “Until what, Brittany?”

  “Did you eat any of those cookies I brought to you?”

  He felt a chill at the tone in her words. “No, why?”

  “That’s a good thing,” she said, and her lip quivered.