Agent by Her Side

by Deborah Fletcher Mello

  The guard by the door took a step forward. Cooper held up his hand to stall him.

  “Yes, we can,” Cooper said. “The DA laid out a plan that would guarantee your protection. He’s agreed to protecting your identity and sending you to a prison facility where you wouldn’t be recognized.”

  “And my television?”

  “If he promised you that, he’ll honor it. But you have to do what you promised to do.”

  Gunther leaned over to whisper into his attorney’s ear. The two men whispered back and forth for a few good minutes before Gunther turned back to Cooper. “I’m just not sure.”

  Cooper stood up. “You have twenty-four hours, Mr. Johnson, or the DA’s offer is off the table and then I promise to personally make your life a living hell.” He gave the attorney one last look. “Twenty-four hours and that’s being very generous.”

  * * *

  The Uber ride back put Cooper smack dab in the middle of evening traffic. The driver was regaling him with a story about his bachelor party antics in Brazil, where every woman with a tan and a bikini apparently wanted him. The man was hardly ready for marriage, Cooper thought. Marriage required a commitment of time and thought that few were prepared for. Marriage was about shared space and goals and sometimes stepping back from your own dreams for someone else to fly. He’d been there and done that, albeit not as well as he probably should have.

  He had never been able to apologize to Sara for sometimes being selfish and self-absorbed. He often thought about the apology she had deserved from him when a case or a client had his full attention and she had felt taken for granted. Parenting Alfie had taught him much about himself. He hadn’t been the man his wife had deserved but he was determined to be a better man for his son.

  They were stopped at a light and Casanova Junior was still going on about some blonde with big boobs. Cooper stared out the window, his thoughts on Alfie, and on Kiely. He was still in awe of how quickly Alfie had become attached to the woman. To see them together one would think she’d been in his short little life since forever, Kiely mothering him as if he were her own. He also had to wonder what would happen when the time came for Kiely to leave them. How would Alfie handle her not being there. Because they couldn’t keep her around indefinitely. No matter how much he suddenly found himself wanting to.

  * * *

  Kiely knew she was butchering the words to the lullaby that she was singing, but Alfie didn’t seem to mind. She held him in her arms, his head resting on her chest, his little legs wrapped around her waist. She rocked him from side to side and he was slowly drifting off to sleep.

  Her voice was a loud whisper as she sang. “The other night dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamt I held you, up in my arms. But when I woke, dear, I was mistaken, so hmm hmmm hmm hmmm and cried.”

  She kissed his little forehead as his eyes finally closed, his little body relaxing against her. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray! You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.”

  She hummed for a few more minutes until she was certain he was sound asleep. Then she laid him gently in his crib. Everything about Alfie was joy. Kiely still couldn’t fathom how quickly he’d captured a huge chunk of her heart. She was loving every minute of her time with the child. When Alfie had wakened from his afternoon nap Cooper was already headed to his meeting. She’d devoted the entire afternoon to the little boy’s entertainment. They’d played hokey pokey, pick-up sticks, rolled a ball, played with slime, had two snacks, a bubble bath and now he was past the point of exhaustion. Admittedly, so was she. Kiely was quickly discovering that kids required an abundance of energy she had not anticipated.

  She was still staring down at the little boy when she heard Cooper arrive home. She turned to see him watching her from the doorway. He moved into the room to stand beside her. She was only slightly startled when his arm brushed against her shoulder.

  “Hey! I didn’t hear you come in!”

  “I haven’t been here long. I stopped to chat with Officer Parnell. He’s watching the house tonight. He said things have been quiet since he came on duty.”

  “It’s been very uneventful.”

  “How long has Alfie been asleep?”

  “About thirty minutes. He’s just the sweetest angel when he’s sleeping.”

  Cooper smiled. “He really is!”

  Folding her arms across her chest Kiely bumped his side with her hip. “Hungry?”

  “I could eat.”

  “Good. I’m starved and I waited to eat with you.”

  “You didn’t have to wait!”

  “I know that.” She bumped his side a second time as she turned to exit the room.

  “Do I have time to take a quick shower?”

  Kiely nodded. “We’re eating salmon. I’ll put it in the oven when I hear the water shut off.”

  He gently tapped her arm. “Thank you, Kiely.”

  * * *

  Kiely pulled the orange and honey-glazed salmon from the oven. The dining table had been set for two and she was ready to eat. She plated their meals and set the food on the table. Dinner was the salmon, a mushroom and spinach salad, rice pilaf, and a whipped chocolate mousse for dessert.

  When another ten minutes passed and there was no sign of Cooper, Kiely eased her way down the hallway to his bedroom door. The door was cracked open and peeking through she saw Cooper standing in the center of the room. He wore a pair of boxer briefs, nothing more. His skin was flushed from the shower’s hot water. He stood slathering his body with lotion, his hands gliding across his torso and up and down his limbs. Her eyes widened at the sight of him. He was a beautiful specimen of manhood and Kiely gasped, feeling heat course straight through her feminine spirit. She took two steps back, and one very big inhale of air, and then she called his name.

  “Cooper? Dinner’s ready!”

  “Coming!” Cooper called back.

  As Kiely moved back down the hallway, the bedroom door swung open and Cooper hurried after her. He had slipped on another pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt with the FBI logo on his chest.

  “Sorry about that,” Cooper said. “Emmanuel called to say Gunther Johnson is ready to talk.”

  “That’s great! I guess you ignoring the doctor’s orders was worth it,” Kiely said, an air of attitude in her tone.

  Cooper laughed. “Are you really going to give me a hard time about leaving?”

  “Would I do something like that?” Kiely responded as she pulled her hand to her chest and batted her lashes at him.

  “You have jokes!” He pulled the chair out for her and they both sat down to eat.

  “How do you feel?” Kiely questioned.

  “Better, now.”

  “So, will you have to go back tomorrow?”

  “I don’t think so, but we’ll see. I’ll know more in the morning.”

  “I’m just glad you convinced him to talk.”

  There was an awkward silence that suddenly settled over the table.

  Kiely’s gaze narrowed as she studied his expression. “What?”

  Cooper lifted his eyes to hers. “I bluffed. I told him I had information that could possibly get him the death penalty.” He gave her a blow-by-blow of his conversation with Gunther.

  “And he fell for it?”

  Cooper nodded. “It would seem so if he’s ready to talk.”

  “Sounds like you might need to do some serious investigating. Clearly, he’s been involved in some things we don’t even know about yet.”

  “That’s what I was thinking, too!”

  “Well, if he talks, then the lie was well worth it. Sometimes you have to do whatever you have to do.”

  * * *

  Cooper processed her comment. Skirting the rules by lying to get information wasn’t something he ever did and he
found himself feeling out of sorts about his actions. Although what he’d done was well within the scope of the law, it went against his personal moral code. He also found it interesting that Kiely hadn’t blinked an eye, not at all bothered by what he had done.

  “I’ve been thinking about Alfie’s kidnapping. Going through all the players we know to try and figure out who could have done it,” Kiely said.

  “Well, we know a man snatched him. So, he and that woman at the cabin were working together.”

  Kiely nodded. “And both are somehow affiliated with Wes Matthews.”

  “What about family? There’s his daughter, Abigail.”

  “It’s certainly not her. Abigail and my brother Griffin are an item. She barely knows her father. Her mother left her father when she was a child. It was Abigail who helped uncover the ricin in RevitaYou. She wants to see him caught more than anyone.”

  “So, refresh my memory. Griffin is the attorney?”

  “Yes. He specializes in adoption law.”

  “But he’s not the only attorney in the family. Right?”

  “That’s right. My sister Victoria is a JAG paralegal and my twin sister Pippa is also a lawyer.”

  “Interesting.”

  “Why interesting?”

  “It just is. But we digress.” He took a sip of his wine and then refilled his crystal goblet. “So, we can eliminate Wes’s daughter Abigail. And you said her mother is deceased, right? So, who else is there in his life that would want to protect him?”

  Kiely shrugged. “Abigail said her father has dated a few women that she knows about.”

  Kiely leaned back in her seat. “What I find interesting is that the kidnapper called you specifically. And that she took Alfie. When you consider all the agencies working this case, all looking for Matthews in some form or fashion, why did she single you out to contact? Why your son? It makes me question if maybe she has some personal connection to you.”

  “I’m at a loss as to who it could be,” Cooper said after a minute of contemplation.

  Kiely continued. “I also keep thinking about the tip that came in over that hotline. Someone knew Wes Matthews had a connection to that property.”

  “Do you think they knew about my baby being there?”

  “Good question. Wish I had an answer for you. Hopefully the info Gunther gives you will lead us all farther along on this case.”

  Kiely rose from the table and began to clear the dishes.

  “Let me help with that,” Cooper said as he lifted his own plate from the table. “Dinner was excellent tonight, by the way.”

  “Thank you.”

  She brushed against him as they passed each other. Heat blossomed between them like the sweetest breeze. “Excuse me,” she muttered.

  “No problem.” Cooper moved to the sink and began to wash the dishes. He tossed a dry towel in her direction. “So, did you and Alfie have a good day?” Cooper asked, changing the subject.

  “We had a great day,” Kiely answered.

  “May I ask you a personal question?” Cooper asked.

  “I guess that depends on how personal the question is,” Kiely said with a soft giggle. “But ask away.”

  “I was just wondering why you never married. Why don’t you have any kids? You’re so good with them. I would think that you would want to have children of your own.”

  Kiely laughed, the wealth of it gut deep.

  “Why is that so funny?” Cooper questioned.

  “Because I really have never had a lot of experience with kids. In fact, I never imagined myself having children. My sisters have always said that I don’t have any maternal instincts whatsoever.”

  “Well, obviously your sisters got that wrong! You really are a natural.”

  “I’ll be honest. It’s really surprised me how much I enjoy taking care of Alfie. He’s definitely a handful but I adore him.”

  “Well, I appreciate just how good you are with him.”

  “Have you ever thought about remarrying?” Kiely asked casually. “I mean, has there been anyone in your life that would be a great mother figure for Alfie?”

  Cooper shrugged. “I’ve not dated much since my wife died.” He gave her a quick look.

  “I don’t date much either,” Kiely said. “Colton Investigations keeps me busy.”

  “So, you put work before everything else, too.”

  “I have. But my time with Alfie, and with you, has me rethinking what my future should look like. And don’t get me wrong, I have a great life. But I’ve been happier these past two days than I’ve been in a very long while.”

  She gave him a slight smile, her demure expression hitting Cooper like a gut punch he wasn’t expecting. He bit down against his bottom lip. His body’s reaction was purely carnal, a rise of nature suddenly twitching for attention. He felt heat flush his cheeks. Kiely turned to put the dishes back into the cupboard, apparently pretending not to notice, as he turned his back to her, needing to adjust himself in his pants.

  “Well,” he said as he turned back. He reached for another bottle of wine, pulled two clean glasses from the rack, and poured. He passed one glass to her, then extended his in a mock toast. “Here’s to embarrassing myself,” he said as he clinked his glass against hers.

  Kiely laughed. “That sounds very personal.”

  Cooper took a large swig of his drink.

  “You do know you’re not supposed to mix your pain pills with alcohol, right?”

  “I won’t tell if you don’t.”

  “Cooper Winston, you know better!”

  He shrugged. “I think you’re rubbing off on me. I’m wanting to take more risks than usual.”

  “So, try skydiving. It’s so much safer!”

  He laughed, his joy rising abundantly. He was suddenly staring into her eyes as she watched him, the coy look on her face giving him pause. He rested his glass on the counter and took a step closer to her. Kiely’s eyes widened, her lips parting ever so slightly. Her perfume wafted to his nostrils and her body heat felt like the sweetest caress as it rose with a vengeance between them. He found himself staring at her mouth, wondering what she might taste like, suddenly wanting to kiss her lips, to tease her with his tongue as he held her in his arms. He wanted her like a thirsty man did water.

  “Kiely, with everything going on this may not be the right time,” he started, “but I really like...”

  Before Cooper could finish his statement, the room suddenly shook, something exploding outside. The loud boom was followed by a whooshing sound and the noise of shattering glass as the windows shook.

  Instinctively, Cooper reached for Kiely, pulling her to the floor as he wrapped his arms protectively around her. The smell of sulfur dioxide hit their noses, pungent and thick, followed by Alfie’s mournful wail.

  “You okay?” Cooper asked, his hands clutching Kiely’s shoulders as he looked her up and down.

  She nodded. “I need to get Alfie,” she said as she jumped up, racing down the hallway. “You check outside!”

  Cooper went for his weapon, checking the chamber as he moved to the front door. Before he could pull it open, a second explosion blew a hole where the entrance was, knocking him backwards into the wall. He scampered back onto his feet. He screamed Kiely’s and Alfie’s names.

  “We’re okay!” she screamed back as Alfie cried hysterically. “Are you okay?”

  “Stay inside!” Cooper responded. He moved back to the entrance and peered outside. Across the street the police patrol car was an amalgamation of burned metal, fire and smoke. His own car was nothing but melted shrapnel and Kiely’s vehicle, parked behind his, was also engulfed in flames.

  Moving to the middle of the yard he looked up the street and then down. His neighbors were peeking out their windows, some beginning to come out of their homes to see what had happened. In th
e distance, the faint sound of sirens could be heard rushing toward them. He looked toward the police vehicle a second time and his stomach pitched, bile rising into his throat. He bent forward at the waist, fighting not to vomit.

  “Agent Winston!” A voice called his name from the side of the house.

  Cooper turned abruptly, his weapon raised. He dropped it just as quickly. “Officer Parnell, thank God!” Cooper exclaimed. He rushed to meet the man, throwing his arms around him in a bear hug. Relief flooded his spirit, easing the knot that had tightened in his belly. “I was afraid you were still in that car.”

  “No, sir. Thank the good Lord! I thought I saw someone moving along the side of your home and I’d gotten out to investigate. That second blast knocked me on my ass, but I’m okay. Backup is already on the way. You good, sir?”

  Cooper glanced toward the front door of his home. Kiely stood in the entrance, Alfie clutched tightly to her. She gave him a nod of her head as she pressed her lips to his son’s forehead. “We’re good,” he said, shifting his gaze back to the other man.

  The cell phone in Cooper’s pocket suddenly rang. He pulled it to his ear, exasperation in his voice. “Hello?”

  “You won’t be so lucky next time,” the woman on the other end spat. Cooper recognized her voice. It was the same woman who’d called after Alfie had been taken. “Who is this?” he snapped.

  “Stop looking for Wes Matthews or I won’t miss the next time,” she said and then she disconnected the call.

  Cooper tightened his fist around the device. Whoever she was, this latest rogue move had gotten his full attention. It was only by the grace of God that there had been no serious casualties. But she had now hit him twice. Hard. If he hadn’t been certain before, he was now. He would have to change his tactics to catch this woman. Playing by the rules didn’t apply when it came to his son and his home. He hurried back to Kiely’s side. “Our kidnapper is now an arsonist,” he said. “And that was a murder attempt. Parnell got lucky.”

  Her eyes widened as she reflected on what could have happened to them all. “We got lucky, too,” she interjected. “She doesn’t plan on stopping, does she?”