by Rebecca Deel
Cade rolled his eyes.
Matt kissed Sasha on the cheek. “I’m happy for you, Sasha. Hope I’m as blessed to have a woman like you in my life someday.”
Hmm. The handsome medic needed to open his eyes. From what Sasha had seen at the restaurant the other night, Delilah would be a perfect match for him.
Once they finished their coffee, Cade grabbed his Go bag and his laptop. “Matt, stop by Perk about 10:00. I need to run an errand before we go to PSI.”
His friend saluted him.
Sasha waited for Cade to do his security check of the area and his SUV, then joined him.
Minutes later, he unlocked the door to Perk and ushered her inside. Before long, the shop smelled of cranberry-orange muffins, chocolate chip scones, and four types of coffee. Once again, Sasha was impressed by Cade’s adeptness in the kitchen.
Thirty minutes before Perk opened, a knock on the front door drew their attention. Sasha admitted Josh Cahill. “Good morning. How big a cup of coffee do you need?”
The operative smiled. “You don’t have a container large enough. Just give me the strongest coffee in the largest cup.”
“I’ve got it,” Cade said and grabbed a cup and lid.
“I made cranberry-orange muffins and chocolate chip scones. What would Del like?”
“Either. She’s not choosy about food.”
Sasha slid her hand into a plastic glove, scooped up a scone, and handed it to Josh. “Munch on this while I box the food for you. How are the Morgans?”
“Fantastic. Savannah is sweet and beautiful like her mother.” He gave a short laugh. “I feel sorry for any boy who wants to date that girl when she’s old enough. Alex will be the most overprotective father on the planet.”
She chose four muffins and two scones and readied them for transport. “What about you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Your wife might have a girl.”
His smile this time was more a baring of teeth. “I’ll be vying for scary father of the year if I have a daughter of dating age. Between the two of us, Alex and I will be dead even on who is more protective. The teenage boys will be shut down hard if they dare lay a hand on our daughters.”
Cade handed Josh the coffee. “Who’s keeping watch at the hospital?”
Sasha’s brows knitted. “Why would anyone be on guard duty? Alex is there to protect Ivy and his daughter.”
“Babies go to the nursery at least once a day. If Alex goes with Savannah to the nursery, Ivy will be vulnerable to attack. He won’t be able to rest unless he knows one of us is on watch. We’ll provide protection while he concentrates on his family.”
Josh washed the last of the scone down with a swig of coffee. “Thanks, Sasha. Quinn is keeping watch until noon, then I’ll take over for a few hours. Are you going to PSI today?” he asked Cade.
“After lunch. Sasha has students working in the afternoon right now. We’ll also send two trainees to keep an eye on the shop and workers until closing.”
A nod. “Trent told me about the guy who approached you last night, Sasha. Did you get a good look at him?”
“Unfortunately, no. The light was behind him.”
“Recognize his voice?”
She shook her head.
“Pay attention to people around you, including customers who come into your shop. Pay attention to the voices. If you recognize him, let one of us know. Your camera operational?” He inclined his head toward the camera in the ceiling.
“Fortress monitors the shop feed for me. I have another camera in the kitchen.”
Not long after the operative left Perk, Sasha opened her doors for business. Within minutes, customers waiting in line were ten deep. Because Cade pitched in, she kept up with demand and filled orders quickly. By the time the morning rush slowed, Cade had already brewed a new batch of the four coffee flavors.
As the last customer left the shop, Cade’s cell phone signaled an incoming text. He glanced at the readout. “It’s Zane. He has information.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Cade slid onto a stool at the coffee bar and called his friend. “It’s Cade. What do you have for me?”
“The men in the truck at the mall work for Black Dog or at least they did. They are currently putting out feelers on the dark web for employment. So far, no takers.”
Black Dog again. “I assume you know who they are. Do we have eyes on them?”
“Not at the moment. Do you want me to arrange surveillance?”
He considered his options, decided against it for now. If the men proved to be a problem, Cade would take care of them. “As long as they stay away from Otter Creek, we’ll leave them alone for now. Send me the information on them. Still no indication why the mercenary group is after me or Sasha?”
“I picked up more chatter on both of you. Someone is offering a reward for capture. Bounty is $50,000 each. Still don’t know who’s behind the upsurge in activity.”
Terrific. Made protecting Sasha more challenging. “Anything else?”
“Your package arrived at PSI an hour ago. Make sure Sasha is fully protected. I don’t like the escalation.”
“I’ll take care of it. What about Gerard and Westlake?”
“Gerard’s in Gatlinburg, Westlake in Knoxville. Gerard is moving around town like he’s taking a vacation before he hunts for a new job.”
“What about Westlake?”
“He hasn’t moved since his arrival yesterday. I sent you addresses for their hotels. Might be wise to chat with them about their wardrobes.”
“Send me the link to track their phone signal. I’ll talk to them after I finish my training session with Bravo today. Anything popping on the other search?”
“Nothing so far. I have the geeks working on it between requests from the teams on the field.” Zane was silent a moment, then said, “Are you in a place where you can talk openly?”
Cade frowned. “For now. I’m in Perk with Sasha. The shop is empty at the moment.”
“I looked into Emily’s death.”
He stiffened, recognizing the warning tone in Zane’s voice. Whatever he’d discovered wasn’t good. “What did you learn?”
“There’s no easy way to say this, Cade.”
“Tell me.”
“She overdosed on heroin.”
Stunned, he dragged a hand down his face. “Accident?”
“Not according to the police report. She left a suicide note telling her husband she was broken inside because of your abuse and couldn’t live with the memories any longer.”
Would the fallout from that nightmare relationship ever end? His hand clenched around his phone. “I never laid a hand on her in anger, Zane. I don’t know why she lied to Dean, but I swear I didn’t hurt her.” No matter what she’d done when they were together, he treated her with respect. Too bad she hadn’t given him the same courtesy.
“Never thought you did. You’re not that kind of man.”
“Did the police or medical examiner say if the drug use was long term or a one and done?”
“She had track marks.”
Heartsick, he sighed. “I didn’t see signs of drug use when we were together. No wonder Dean hates my guts. He believes I’m indirectly to blame for her death.”
“He’s wrong. Look, for what it’s worth, everything I’m seeing online says Emily was a manipulative witch who pushed boundaries to achieve her own ends. I’ll keep digging, but I wouldn’t be surprised to learn she planned the overdose to gain attention. According to the police report, Dean was supposed to arrive home at 6:00 the night she died, but was more than an hour late because of a lockdown at the base. When he found her, she was dead.”
Zane was probably right. Cade should have seen it when they were together. Yeah, she used whatever was expedient to get her way. More than once she’d called with an emergency when he was in town. Cade had raced to her side to find her happy and safe when he arrived to rescue her.
He felt like such a fool. C
onvinced she would outgrow the tendency to cry wolf after they married, he tried to be understanding about her missing him when he was deployed. When his CO had dressed him down, Cade had refused to come the next time she called with an emergency. Jeopardizing his position in the Ranger unit was not an option. That was the beginning of many arguments and multiple accusations that he didn’t love her. After that, she had turned to Dean for comfort. Guess Sasha’s brother had been more responsive to her calls.
“Keep digging. I want to know everything, Z.” His gaze locked on Sasha’s. “Including anything you find on Dean Ingram and his movements from the time I joined my Ranger unit.”
“Copy that.”
After Zane ended the call, Cade laid his phone on the coffee bar and waited for Sasha’s reaction to his last statement to Z. He didn’t have to wait long.
“Why is Zane investigating my brother?”
“I need to know as much I can to better protect you.” And himself.
“The brother I grew up with would never hurt us. Now, I don’t know what to believe. I didn’t expect him to try intimidation to make me leave you.” She leaned over the counter and brushed his lips with hers. “Do what you have to do.”
“I love you, Sassy.”
She smiled. “Remember that when I’m grumpy before my first cup of coffee in the mornings.”
He could live with that. Cade chuckled as the shop’s door opened. He swiveled on the stool to see his best friend. “Perfect timing. Keep my wife-to-be company. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
He walked down the street to KT Jewelry. Once inside, he searched until he found the perfect ring, one almost as beautiful as the woman he loved with everything in him.
When Cade returned to the coffee shop minutes later, a small gray velvet-covered box was secured in the pocket of his cargo pants. Matt sat at the counter with Marcus Lang, drinking coffee, while Sasha talked to Paige.
Paige slid off the stool and threw her arms around him. “Cade Ramsey, you don’t mess around when you go after something, do you?”
“She’s trying to congratulate you on your engagement.” Marcus watched his wife with unhidden affection. “She’ll have to turn her matchmaking skills in another direction.”
Cade patted Paige’s back. “If you played matchmaker, you had good instincts. I need a minute with Sasha. Can you watch the shop for five minutes?”
“Of course.”
Cade led Sasha to her small office off the kitchen. He removed the box from his pocket and flipped open the lid.
Sasha gasped. “Cade, it’s beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you. Will you accept this ring as a symbol of my unending love for you, Sasha?”
“I will. I love you, Cade.”
He slid the ring on her finger and drew her into his arms to kiss her. By the time he released Sasha, Cade’s control hung by a gossamer-thin thread. “Have you given thought to when you want to get married?”
“No more than a month.”
He stilled. “Will we be able to plan the wedding that fast?”
“My biggest project will be finding a wedding dress. Paige has agreed to hunt for one with me this weekend. I’ll talk to the bakery across the square about a wedding cake and the florist to handle the candles and flowers. I imagine Serena Blackhawk will be able to create a punch for us without difficulty.”
“You don’t want a large wedding?”
She shook her head. “All I want is Paige to be my matron of honor, Marcus to perform the ceremony, and you to have a best man.”
“Are you sure, Sassy? I don’t want to cheat you out of your dream wedding. If you want a more elaborate wedding, I’ll wait.” Even if it killed him.
“I’m planning the wedding I want. If you want something different, tell me.”
He captured her lips in a gentle kiss. “Whatever makes you happy is fine with me.”
“Great. Come on. I want to show my engagement ring to Paige.”
All too soon, the lunch rush began and Sasha’s part-time helpers arrived. Once the foot traffic died down and Sasha felt she could leave the shop, Cade arranged for Dixie and Kat to provide protection for Perk’s workers and patrons.
After the trainees arrived, Matt followed Cade and Sasha to PSI. Before they went inside the main building to meet the rest of Bravo, Cade told Matt and Sasha about Zane’s phone call.
“Oh, Cade.” Sasha’s hand squeezed his in sympathy. “Emily was an unhappy woman determined to make everyone else in her life miserable, too.”
Matt gave him a pointed look. “Her death isn’t on you, Cowboy.”
“I know that in my head. Takes time to believe it as truth. Go find the rest of Bravo. I need to stop by the main office. We’ll catch up.”
Cade led Sasha to the business hub of PSI. He nodded to the office staff who called out greetings and stared at Sasha with avid curiosity. The blond at the back of the office grinned. “You must be here for your package.”
“I am. How are you, Kira?”
“Can’t complain. Who’s the pretty lady?”
“This is Sasha Ingram, the woman I’m going to marry in a few weeks.”
The office went silent as all eyes turned their direction. “The single women in town will be heartbroken,” Kira said. The other workers called out their congratulations and returned to their tasks.
Cade nodded his thanks when the office manager handed him the express mailer. He ripped open the package as he walked from the office with Sasha. He took her to an interrogation room and closed the door. With a quick check to be sure the surveillance camera was off and observation room empty, Cade dumped the contents of the package on the table.
He strapped the watch on one wrist, slid multiple thin bracelets on the other, and handed her the pair of gold earrings. While she slipped those through her lobes, Cade fastened the gold necklace around her neck. That done, he sent Zane a text to let him know Sasha was wearing the jewelry.
They found Bravo in the gym running drills with trainees. Trent directed Cade and Matt to the four groups at the back of the room. Soon, they were engaged in instruction and demonstration with the rest of their teammates.
Two hours later, Trent ended the session and sent the recruits to the indoor gun range for weapons training. From there they would be free to do what they wanted while Bravo conducted their own training session with Durango except for Alex. The new father had a pass for the next two weeks.
Before they began the session with Durango, Cade’s cell phone signaled an incoming text. A glance at his screen brought a scowl, unsurprised by the information from Zane. These guys weren’t going to give up until he stopped them. The question was why were they so determined to grab him and Sasha.
“Something wrong?”
Cade cupped the side of Sasha’s neck. “The man who approached you at the community college works for Black Dog. Someone is determined to collect that bounty.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
When Nate broke away from training with Bravo and the rest of his teammates to prepare the evening meal, Sasha went with him. She was tired of thoughts about Black Dog and her brother circling in her brain with no answers. Having a job would keep her brain occupied and keep her from descending further into a pit of frustration.
“What’s for dinner tonight?” she asked the chef.
“Taco bar and apple cobbler. We have five-gallon tubs of vanilla ice cream in the freezer to go with the cobbler.” He leaned against the counter, arms folded over his muscled chest. “I appreciate the help, but it’s not necessary. What’s wrong, Sasha?”
“I must have a sign plastered to my forehead.” When he remained silent, his gaze locked on hers, Sasha gave in. She didn’t think Cade would mind if she talked to any member of the two Fortress teams. “Everything that’s been happening to me lately seems to be connected to Black Dog. Zane just told Cade the guys in the truck at the mall were part of Black Dog, too. I don’t know if the house fire is connected. I don’t kn
ow what I did to draw Black Dog’s attention, but I wish they’d turn the interest somewhere else.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me if Black Dog is to blame for the fire as well. Sasha, none of this is your fault. In fact, it’s more likely the attacks are connected to Cade.”
The thought had occurred to her. She’d been hoping the chef would convince her otherwise. “I don’t want to be used as bait to draw him into danger.”
“Bait or not, he’ll always be a shield for you.” His gaze dropped to her left hand. “As his wife, you and your safety will be his first priority. If you have children, his protectiveness will skyrocket. Ask Alex how he feels about security now that he has Savannah to protect as well. You know how careful he is with Ivy. I feel sorry for any male who looks twice at his daughter when she’s older.”
She frowned. “Has Stella gotten used to it?”
A broad smile curved his mouth. “Stella has a gun and knows how to use it. She reminds me constantly that she’s a cop and can take care of herself.” He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. She’s mine to protect, badge or not. Cade will be the same with you. Protection is in our genes and it’s how we’re trained. Don’t ask us to ease up. You’ll waste your breath.”
He pushed away from the counter. “Come on. We’ll have a dining hall full of hungry trainees soon.” Nate pulled hamburger from the refrigerator. He inclined his head toward the walk-in pantry that made her pantry at Perk look like a small closet. “Grab the onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, and paprika.”
“Just to brown hamburger?”
Nate slid her an amused look. “You’re going to make the taco seasoning.”
“I usually rip open a packet and dump it.”
“Trust me. Once you’ve tasted this, you won’t ever go back to the packet.”
Two hours later, she moaned in appreciation as humor danced in Nate’s eyes. “You’re right. This is amazing.” From the little chatter in the dining hall, the trainees agreed with her assessment. They were stuffing food in their mouths as fast as possible.
