McAllister Justice Series Box Set Volume Two

by Reily Garrett

  Slouched in her Civic, she snacked on the cheese curls while collecting her thoughts. Fate had offered her a nice place to park, just off the road and concealed by the woods. The doctor’s home held sway over the surrounding area, high on its hill overlooking the large acreage of crops. The end result, Katt could only view the upper third of those present. Lights illuminated the first-floor windows to create a warmth she wished she could feel.

  It helped that the home served as their base of operations, she had good cover in the woods and could get comfortable for long periods, which yielded contemplation time. It didn’t take a genius to know there was a lot more going on than a simple case of stalking. The thought of needing help in a case too big to handle by herself soured her stomach. She hadn’t worked long enough to make appropriate contacts.

  The one person inside she hadn’t recognized was a short, black-haired corporate type wearing a skirt suit. Hitting the shutter button on her field glasses, she took several shots. Whoever she was, she strode with a sure stride and stiff spine.

  The recent addition of the parabolic microphone proved a worthwhile additional charge her boss hadn’t minded paying, since he wanted the gist of conversations. The clarity was better than expected when set up at the edge of the trees.

  Chair legs scraped across hardwood floors, and the sounds of dishes and silverware clinking as they cleaned up from a late meal. The deepest voice, identified as Matt, continued the family meeting. With an ear for music and language, she identified the siblings and the women. Recording the conversation dropped the bottom out of her stomach. What the fuck is a neural organoid? Further discussion affirmed her position in deep shit.

  From what she gathered, they were in fact trying to trace the pathologist’s stalker, but there was more. They thought someone from Celtronics was the stalker? Damn, maybe I’ve cracked my first case. Did her boss own Celtronics? It would explain his casual acceptance of expenses.

  In a drastic change of direction, the conversation switched to benign topics and brotherly jostling. When the oldest sibling shoved his chair back and excused himself, she figured he was heading for the can. Old men can’t hold it long.

  Each appeared to have his or her own particular set of skills, filling a niche on the team. Even the women utilized their talents for the benefit of the group. Again, they all looked to one of their own for digital information.

  Katt had spent several hours trying to find background information on Lexi yet uncovered no last name, address, or even the hacker’s screen name. Top level didn’t come close to describing the enigma’s talents.

  Their conversation had revolved around discovering a killer’s identity and something called bioprinting, both issues were out of her league. She connected a few more dots but couldn’t form a picture. If she could join forces with them, they’d have more to go on and she’d gain valuable resources.

  What she needed was an innocent connection to exploit, something to get inside their circle. Yet Matt seemed to be the only unattached male and reminded her of an ill-tempered goshawk, extremely territorial and well versed in self-defense. Her own skills in martial arts wouldn’t stand a chance against him according to what she’d learned.

  Billy had eyes only for the pathologist. He was the second in line of McAllisters and had also earned a no-nonsense reputation.

  An uneasiness in her chest forced her attention to the surrounding woods, like when she was a kid waiting for her father to stumble through the front door.

  She’d tucked her old beater off the road in enough brush to avoid detection from passing vehicles, which didn’t preclude exposure from a cop’s instincts set on high alert. She felt vulnerable. It was her job to do the creeping, not to be creeped out. You’re getting paranoid.

  The fact she still picked leaves from her hair enforced the need for further training. That survival course in the fall jumped to top priority.

  The low snap of a branch to her left.

  The driver’s door ground open with a cool whoosh of air before she could turn her head.

  “Oh.” Son of a bitch! “Hi… How’s it going?” The squeak in her voice betrayed a disappointing attempt at confidence.

  In the next heartbeat, a strong hand grabbed her shirtfront and yanked her out of the vehicle, dropping her field glasses. His quick reflexes caught them, yet his gaze remained fixed on her face.

  Slow reactions were better than none at all. A firm swipe up with both arms dislodged his hand from her shirt but left her vulnerable to his speed and greater strength. In a maneuver she couldn’t quite follow, he had her spun around with her back to his chest and his hand around her throat. His other arm under her breasts wedged her tight against a solid wall of muscle.

  Well hell.

  The ease with which he held her was more unsettling than her booted toes barely touching the ground. He was over six feet tall with a swath of moonlight glinting off raven’s hair. Obsidian eyes should have been red, in coordination with the predator’s appearance.

  “Hi, Matt.” She hadn’t sensed his presence or detected any movement.

  “Hi, nugget. Wasn’t expecting company tonight.” Circumstances and a half grin declared the opposite. “Are you armed?”

  When he lowered her feet to stand on solid ground, she sagged against him as his free hand ranged over her waist and hips then under her arms.

  “Hmm, guess not. Unwise to say the least.” His breath carried the subtle scent of lemon.

  She couldn’t resist her own taunt after shifting her hips side to side. “Neither are you, though at your age I guess that’s a rarity?”

  He snorted. “I prefer women past puberty.”

  Instead of releasing her, he pulled a twist tie from his back pocket and secured her wrists in front of her.

  “Aw, c’mon. You’re a cop. I wasn’t hurting anybody.”

  “You’re trespassing.”

  “Only a little.”

  “Kinda like being pregnant. Either you are, or you aren’t. Now, hands on the hood and spread your feet. I assume you’re acquainted with the position.”

  “I ignore men who tell me to spread my legs. Sorry.” She couldn’t stop the sass. It came as natural as breathing. “And what would a man like you know about getting a woman pregnant?”

  His large hands overlapped when encircling her ankles, skimming upward to check for weapons. When he neared her crotch, she rose up on tiptoes to avoid his touch. “Nothing there.”

  “Huh, I believe that.” The smirk in his voice would haunt her dreams as much as the words spoken.

  “I don’t carry a weapon.” Her gaze dipped to his crotch. “Looks like you don’t either.”

  “Huh. Smartass kid.”

  His two steps away cleared a bit of the oppressive atmosphere. It surprised her when he turned away.

  “Stay. If I have to chase you down, it will be painful.” His steps froze in rounding the hood. He glanced over his shoulder when she growled.

  “Woof.” She hadn’t realized what he was doing until he retrieved her registration slip from the glove box. “I showed you my ID at the mud run.”

  “Sure. And I’m sure you only have one.” He chuckled, turning the slip to read the printed information by moonlight. “Kathryne Nugle. Well, what are you doing out here, tonight? On private property. With no lights, night-vision equipment, expensive mic, and comfort food.”

  “Um, I was bird watching. Looking for the northern goshawk.”

  “Funny, you don’t look like a twitcher.” Retracing his steps, he scooped up the binoculars from the hood.

  “A who?”

  “Bird watcher. Nice, built-in camera, top of the line. Can’t wait to see what you’ve caught on disc. Maybe that goshawk you referenced?” He removed the flash disc and stuck it in his shirt pocket. “By the way, I’ll remind you again that this is private property.”

  “C’mon. I’m just trying to earn a living. Haven’t you all done enough to me, already? You tranq’d me then left me in t
he woods for worm fodder.” She’d gotten a big taste of what her chosen profession could entail. Someone else might have killed her.

  He sucked in a slow breath. “You were the one that raised the alarm at Celtronics? Who are you working for?”

  “No, I didn’t raise any alarm. I was just there to observe. And even a cop in K9 division should know that information is confidential.”

  “Maybe a night in lockup will soften your resolve.”

  “Only a little bit. How’d you find me?”

  “This is where I would’ve parked.”

  “Is that a backhanded compliment?”

  “No. Now back to the question. Name.”

  “I-I don’t know.”

  When he stepped beside her and turned her to face him, she wished she had a name to give. Too bad predators like him would know a lie as soon as it left her lips. A slight tug at her back jeans pocket alerted her to his removing her wallet. She’d never been a purse kind of gal.

  “I can make your life very uncomfortable. Either you’re tangled in this mess without full knowledge of what you’re involved in, or you’re aiding and abetting a killer. If I find you have any information that you’ve failed to divulge, I will make your life most unpleasant. So, let’s have a nice little conversation up at the house.”

  “Really! I don’t know. All contact has been by cell phone, which I can’t trace. He pays me cash, sent to my PO Box. I send texts and video digitally. He doesn’t sound like the kind of guy who bluffs. I-I can tell him I have to go away for a bit and that he’ll have to find someone else.”

  “No. You’re going to continue working, but I’ll censure all information sent. You can keep the money. Deal?”

  “If I had proof that he’d done something illegal, I would’ve handed it over. Sometimes reporters hire out when a case stretches them thin. I—”

  “You are caught up in a murder investigation. You either work for us or lose your license, nugget.”

  No amount of fast thinking or double talk would placate the predator dwarfing her. The last payment received was just enough to keep her in noodles and curls for the next few weeks. She couldn’t afford to lose the gig. “Okay. I’ll play nice.”

  Narrowing his eyes, he studied her for a moment, weighing something heavy in his mind. “Has your boss given any indication he knows where you live or has tracked your movements?”

  “What? No. Why would he…? Oh shit.” Flipping through her mental catalogue of training, she thought of her prior movements, trying to recall any signs of a tail. Nothing came to mind.

  “All right then. C’mon. We’ll take a circuitous route. I’ll take your phone for now.”

  He reached up and tugged on a lock of her hair, the ponytail draped over her shoulder.

  “Didn’t anybody tell you that investigators aren’t supposed to stick out? That shock of pink makes you look like a peacock.”

  “Didn’t anybody tell you that investigators have to blend in? This,” she said, snatching the hair out of his hand, “lets me blend in with the younger crowd. If I want to hang out with the feeble folks, I simply hide it in a bun or wear a hat. If you weren’t older than dirt you’d know that.”

  “I’d like to show you feeble,” mumbled under his breath as he stepped close to tower over her.

  Crap. Her first job with teeth and the prick tagged her. A cop. Not just any cop, no, she had to hold out for one that scared the shit out of her. When he cupped the back of her neck, his light squeeze let her know she wasn’t going anywhere other than his preferred direction.

  In her mind’s eye, she performed the necessary moves to break his hold, but realized he had the advantage of speed and strength. Not to mention the fact she was trespassing, and he’d identified himself as an officer. The upside included a meet and greet with McAllister’s hacker and the brother who was also a PI. Maybe I’ll get lucky and he’ll throw some business my way.

  There didn’t seem to be much of a downside, unless her employer found out she batted for both teams. In the unlikely event her boss was the killer, he’d add Katt to his victims’ list.

  She stumbled twice en route up the hill, but Matt’s firm grip on her upper arm kept her from eating dirt. She couldn’t decide whether his silence was his natural demeanor or whether he was trying to unnerve her. The end result remained the same.

  By the time her boot thudded on the bottom step, her legs shook. Stiffening her spine, she would not let them see her weak despite the fact Matt had trussed her up like a pig.

  “Up you go. We’re gonna have a nice long chat.”

  The humiliation of Matt catching her would prove negligible compared to the opportunity presented if the rest of the McAllisters proved more reasonable. At least five women were present, so the likelihood of her coming to harm was insignificant. A combination of excitement and dread tangled to cut a wide swath through her chest.

  Matt opened the front door and nudged her through. Open mouths, small gasps from the women, headshakes and half-grins from the men, just what she expected.

  “Hi, guys. I’m Katt. Did you save some food for me?”

  Matt chuckled. “Kinda hard to eat when your hands are tied.” To the group at large, he announced, “This is Kathryne Nugle, licensed private investigator.”

  With a deftness belying shaking fingers, she slid her belt through its frame to finagle the prong to stand out. A slight twist and she exposed a sharpened edge which cut through her plastic tie.

  Holding her hands up and wiggling her fingers in front of his face added weight to her smile. “You really should get with the twenty-first century, old man. Maybe you should sit and take a puff from your oxygen tank.”

  Guffaws around the table preceded the pathologist standing and retrieving another chair. “Join us for a late snack while you explain yourself.”

  Raised brows and focused gazes made her squirm. Trust is earned.

  “Before you welcome her with open arms, why don’t we have Lexi take a look at her files.” Matt tossed the retrieved flash on the table before pulling her phone from his shirt pocket. “Let’s check this for malware just in case. I turned it off and removed the battery.”

  Guiding her to the vacant chair, he settled his weight in the one beside her. Narrowed eyes defied her to complain.

  “No shit. How long have you been tagging us?” Genetics claimed the speaker a McAllister. “Hi, I’m Caden.”

  Introductions clarified the women’s identities. Kaylee shoulder-bumped Caden before blowing him a raspberry. “Ha, looks like you’ve met your match, hon.”

  “No, not only did she get caught, but Kathryne, you could have ended up bearing a high velocity, permanent attitude adjuster if it wasn’t one of us who’d nailed you in the woods.” Matt tugged a lock of her hair. Disapproval permeated the atmosphere.

  She needed some space from his overbearing presence. “So—which one of you is responsible for my dirt nap where I became BFF with a black snake?” In turn, she eyed Caden, Lucas, and Remie, each of whose faces blotched with crimson.

  Luc snickered and raised his hand, then groaned when Megan elbowed him in the ribs.

  “By the way, that was better than any mickey I’ve ever been slipped.”

  “Really? Thanks. It’s a special cocktail I mix up, designed for the average-sized person.” Remie jutted her chin toward Megan. “I had never thought to add a strong NSAID until talking it over with a veterinarian. You see, my patients never complain. I’m a pathologist.”

  Megan chuckled before patting Luc’s thigh. “Well, it’s not always convenient or even possible to get close enough to prevent your target from falling when the drugs take effect. This way, when you wake up, you have pain medication already on board.”

  “Wow. Very thoughtful. I only have a slight headache. Very smooth.” These are not the type of people I expected. Beneath their smiles, she witnessed each mind at work, dissecting her motives and agenda. If she laid all her cards on the table, maybe they’d play nice and fo
rgive her trespassing. They were knit too tightly to accept her, but she’d settle for tolerance. A good beginning.

  The three women continued their conversation with a debate over possible other additives to the concoction until the oldest sibling cleared his throat. “I think we have more important considerations on the table for now.”

  “Look, guys. I’m not in cahoots with anybody. I don’t work for a firm. I’m self-employed. As a matter of fact, this was my first big gig.”

  “Katt, did you send any video footage obtained at Celtronics to your boss?” Billy McAllister’s disapproval echoed in his words.

  “Ease up. She was just doing her job. She might not be sure what she’s involved in, much less with whom.” Remie offered a conciliatory smile.

  Jeez, now they all see me as a little kid playing cops and robbers. “I’ve tried to trace the calls, but he’s using a burner phone. Actually, he’s used more than one. He texts me a new number when he wants a report. He really doesn’t want me to find him. Before you ask—I didn’t send that footage. I sent it to my computer so I could clean it up. But I did text him your location.”

  “Um, actually, it’s no longer on your computer, Katt. Sorry.” Lexi again swiveled her screen to show the others. “This is from Celtronics, but not shot in MP4 file format. If you want her to send it off, I can scrub it a little more without leaving my digital prints. Her boss will see figures running across the open space but won’t get any specifics except for fuzzy body size and the way you move. Even that will be negligible with a little more work.” As an afterthought, she turned to Katt. “Again, sorry. Protecting family comes first.”

  “Hey. I’m not going to send it at all since realizing you’re involved in something big and I have no idea what’s going on. I’d love to spend some digital playtime with you if you have a few free minutes.”

  Lexi’s open expression conveyed sincerity with a slice of wariness. “Sure, I can give you a few pointers with handling your files to keep them safer. I’ll send the revised footage to your computer and strengthen your firewalls.”

  “Um, thanks?” To meet a hacker who worked so casually was the biggest bonus of the job, other than conditional acceptance by the McAllisters.