She started to fidget under Yost’s unblinking stare. “Goodness, this is quite a mess. Don’t worry about your security deposit. I know it will be cleaned and all. It’s not like you have bloodstains to worry about like I do.”
Man, she’s as cold-hearted as her mother.
“But it doesn’t look like you have much left,” she said. “I’d be glad to give you Mother’s furniture. It’s hideous and I sure don’t want it.”
Will she ever shut up and leave?
“Bolotnik’s here,” Everest told them. “Ellis followed her. Where the fuck is Anders?”
Breathing his last as far as Kurt was concerned. His job had been to keep Midge safe.
“She’s headed to the front door,” Everest added.
Kurt assumed he meant Susan. Midge knew they were inside and had things covered. At the sound of the door unlocking, Yost grabbed Gloriana in a chokehold and put the weapon against her temple. He relaxed his hold when Susan walked in, dressed in blue sweats. She tucked a lockpick kit into her pocket.
“What the fuck, Susan?” Yost snapped.
“I told you I’d be here. What the hell is taking so long? Who the fuck is she?”
“The landlady’s daughter, I guess,” he snapped back.
“Grab the stuff and let’s go. They’ll know I’m missing by now.”
“What do you want me to do about her?” He shoved Gloriana away from him. The woman crumpled to the floor in tears.
“What do you think? She can ID us. Kill the bitch.”
“I’m not killing anyone. What’s she gonna tell? They already know you’re involved in shit up to your eyeballs. Once they see those videos, I’m done, too. You’ve left loose ends.”
“Yes, I have.” She yanked a pistol from under the back of her sweatshirt and shot him.
Gloriana’s scream pierced Kurt’s ears. Shock widened Yost’s eyes. He clutched his chest and fell.
Kurt moved in. “NCIS… Put the weapon down.”
Susan jerked the gun in his direction. He froze on the bottom step.
“You heard the man,” Jess said. “Put the weapon down.”
Her gaze darted between them. Indecision flitted across her face, but the gun she leveled his way didn’t waver. Her lips thinned to a tight line when Everest came in the front behind her.
“You’re surrounded. Drop the gun,” he told her.
“There’s plenty to go around, gentlemen. I don’t have a problem sharing.”
“Tell that to the man you shot,” Kurt said.
Susan glared at him. “I’ve had just about enough of you. You’ve ruined everything. Too clever for your own good.”
“You shoot me and you’ll go down next,” he told her. “Both of them are dead shots. You won’t make it. Is any of this worth dying for?”
“You tell me.”
Kurt saw her finger flex. Shots rang out—his, hers, Jess’ and Everest’s. She had the nerve to look surprised before she fell. Clouds from outside darkened the room.
Odd. I thought the sun was out.
He couldn’t catch a good breath. Pain swamped him. It felt like he’d been hit with a sledgehammer. Kurt slumped against the stairwell then sagged to the steps. He was vaguely aware of Jess rushing up, of Everest attending Susan.
She shot me.
“Midge. I need Midge,” he gasped.
Someone must have heard him over comm because she burst through the door in short order. He wanted to reach for her but couldn’t. She grabbed his hand and squeezed. Tears poured down her cheeks. Jess squatted down beside them, smiling.
“He’s going to be okay. Vest caught the bullet. I can tell you from experience that it hurts like hell. He’s going to be sporting a bruise and might have a busted rib or two.”
He squeezed Midge’s shoulder and walked off.
“Don’t you ever scare me like that again, Kurt Orin Davidson. I’m not done with you yet. Do you understand?” Her voice shook with every word.
He smiled and fumbled to cup her cheek. “Yes, ma’am, I do.”
She pulled in a deep breath then released it. “Oh goodie. I get to be on top for a while.”
He started to laugh. Pain stopped him short. “Just be gentle with me.”
She leaned in. “Now where’s the fun in that?” she whispered then pressed her lips over his.
* * * *
Activity buzzed around Kurt and baby Adam. They were ensconced in the remains of one of Midge’s chairs while she and their friends packed up her possessions. Three cracked ribs had put him on two weeks of no duty then four-to-six weeks of light duty. Kurt wanted to complain but all he felt was relief. Convalescence would give him time to seriously think about his chosen profession. Right now, while the others toiled, he had the best task ever—caring for Adam, who ate, slept and gave him crooked grins from time to time. Kurt was in love. But then, it didn’t take much for him to love kids.
“You doing okay?” Jess offered him one of the two bottles of water in his hand.
“Yes and no.” Kurt accepted the water, tucking it beside him next to Adam’s bottle of mother’s nectar.
Jess sat on the couch arm. “Talk to me.”
“I’m beginning to feel like a bullet magnet.” Admitting that took a weight off his shoulders. “I can’t help wondering if I’m playing Russian roulette with my life. I think it might be time for me to quit before I get killed.”
“I know how you feel.” Jess leaned in. “Emma and I talked about it. I’m putting in my retirement papers.”
It was comforting to know that someone else felt as he did. “You’ve been working some long hours lately, Jess. I don’t think there’s been a day this week that you didn’t look exhausted.”
Jess chuckled. “That was more play than work.” His cheeks flushed. “I’ve been going down to San Diego every night to be with Emma, then leaving at o-dark-thirty in the morning to back here for work.”
Kurt fought laughter and failed. “Damn, you’re killing my ribs.”
“Sorry.” Jess smiled. “Anyway, I’ve been asked to choose my replacement. I’d like you to apply for the position.”
Excitement momentarily canceled out the pain drugs couldn’t touch. Reality slipped in on its heels.
“That right should go to Vic. He’s been doing this longer.”
Jess shook his head. “He’s in bad shape and looking at eighteen months of healing and rehab. He’s most likely going to be medically retired.”
“Parsons should be locked up for that alone.” Kurt’s cracked ribs paled in comparison to Vic’s injuries.
“Think about it. Talk to Midge.”
“Talk to Midge about what?” She jerked to a stop halfway out of the front door with a box.
Jess chuckled and brushed his finger over Adam’s cheek. “I love babies.” The grandfatherly gleam in his eyes backed him up.
“Me, too,” Kurt replied.
“Tell Midge what?” she asked again.
Midge stood over them now, hands on her hips and ready to do battle. He’d seen that stance too much the last couple of days when she thought he might not be following doctor’s orders. Damn if she didn’t make him hard as hell every time…like now. Too bad he couldn’t do anything about it.
“Back to work for me.” Jess lightly touched Kurt’s shoulder and walked away.
Midge took his place. “What’s going on?”
“Jess is putting in retirement papers and wants me to apply for his job. He’s been tasked with finding his replacement. Vic’s injuries will force him to medically retire.”
“That’s too bad.” She frowned. “But why do you need to talk to me? It’s your life.”
Now or never, Davidson. “And yours, too…as my wife.”
Her eyes widened, mouth dropped open. He focused on that surprised expression and not the bruise still emblazoned on her cheek.
“Sweetheart, I wanted you from the second I laid eyes on you. I want to go to sleep every night with you in my arms and wake
up in the morning the same way. I want to have babies with you…so many babies. I want us to laugh and love and cry and cling to each other for the rest of our lives. I want the very last breath I ever take to be in your arms.”
Tears trickled down her cheeks…and his. Kurt drew in a shaky breath.
“You hold my heart in your hands. I love you, Midge. There aren’t enough words in the world to say how much. I want to be with you forever and beyond. I want to marry you. Right here. Right now.”
“As tempting as that sounds…”
Oh fuck.
She knelt before him and put her hand on his knees. “There’s no way in heck we’re going to get out of a big wedding.”
“Oh my God…you’re saying yes?” Joy filled his soul.
Midge smiled. “I’m saying yes. And I want lots of babies, too—sooner rather than later.”
Zach reached between them. “Give me Adam and kiss each other, for crying out loud. You’ve got us all in tears.”
Indeed, their friends stood scattered around the room, blinking tears from their eyes.
“Freaking voyeurs,” he said with a laugh, then kissed his bride-to-be with as much enthusiasm as she did him.
Epilogue
Kurt smiled from the inside out. Today he’d married the woman of his dreams and the room was packed with well-wishers, much to the delight of her father and stepmother. Midge’s mother had refused to attend ‘with that woman there’ and that was fine with them. Midge had cut the cord between her mother and herself, for her own peace of mind as well as his. That decision also allowed her to do what she’d always wanted—call Dee ‘Mom’. The woman deserved the honor. She doted over Midge and her siblings, got along very well with Kurt’s family and had taken a lot of the wedding planning off his and Midge’s shoulders. The family had wanted the big wedding. He and Midge had only wanted to be married. Plus, they’d had other things to occupy their time, and she needed to conserve as much energy as possible. Keeping that secret had been impossible since it had required multiple alterations to Midge’s wedding dress. Everyone at their reception knew they were expecting a child and he had a feeling that most of the wedding gifts—which he and Midge had asked their guests not to bring—reflected that.
So many things had happened over the last four months. While Susan had recovered from her gunshot wounds, NCIS and DEA had continued to gather evidence against her. She’d had quite the racket going with blackmail, drug trafficking and murder charges. Susan’s trial would begin shortly after they returned from their honeymoon. The list of conspirators was long and all had been compelled to assist her under the threat of blackmail. Parsons was already serving his sentence in Leavenworth. Yost was recovering as well and still hoping for immunity, which wasn’t going to happen. He was complicit in the beating death of Jeremy Forton. McConnell and Clark were going down for that. Susan had coerced all three into helping her, threatening to expose their little threesome.
Jess had retired at the first of the year. Now Kurt had the honor of being in charge of the unit. The bump in pay would help immensely since Midge would be leaving the Marine Corps at the end of her enlistment, come fall. She’d already been offered a full-time job at the bookstore as manager. Vera was leaving the area with Colonel Scott around that same time. He’d been beyond surprised to learn the two had been a couple, soon to be husband and wife.
Midge slipped her hand over his and leaned in. “It’s time. Let’s do this. I’m so excited I can’t eat.”
He’d noticed she’d picked at her chicken and had put it down to morning sickness that cropped up at every hour of the day except morning.
“All right then.”
They exchange a kiss, clasped hands and stood. All attention shifted their way.
“We have an announcement to make. We would like to introduce”—he and Midge placed their hands over her belly—“Amanda and Abigail.”
It took a few seconds for the words to filter in, then squeals and laughter replaced the silence.
Zach and Claudia wrapped hugs around them as the moms rushed the table.
“Showoffs,” Zach whispered.
“We’re scared to death,” Midge told them.
Claudia’s bright smile washed over them. “We’ve got your backs.”
Then the horde descended.
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To Die For
Caitlyn Willows
Excerpt
Fear clawed at Zoe’s gut, fighting its way to the surface. Prickles of the monster she’d buried zinged beneath her skin, searching for a way out.
People. She had to be around people. If she went home, another monster might be waiting. Zoe wouldn’t risk it—not until she had control firmly in her hands, not until she could face whatever hell awaited her with dignity and strength. Having her .38 in ready reach wouldn’t be bad either.
Gun trumped knife every time. Too bad she’d gotten out of the habit of carrying the weapon. Zoe would rectify that once she got home. Being without threat had made her careless. If she wasn’t diligent…
Dead. She’d be dead.
No. That was why she had the black belt—to protect herself.
Could she keep her wits about her and remember how to use those skills? Besides, all the martial arts moves in the world couldn’t win over a gun. She needed that weapon in her possession.
Zoe gasped for breath, fighting hyperventilation.
Burt’s Diner. That was where she could go. Open all night. Always someone there. A favorite place for cops. She’d grab a bite and order her thoughts—make a game plan.
Zoe scanned the jumble of signs, looking for that familiar red one. Have I passed it? She’d been so upset that she barely remembered leaving the station. Where the hell am I? Certainly not pointed toward home. She nearly wept with relief when she spied her beacon a block ahead. A Holiday Inn Express was across the street from it. That was an option she hadn’t considered. She’d check in for a night—maybe two—get a room on the top floor and hole up until this was over.
She snorted at her foolishness. This was never going to be over—not until one of them was dead. Zoe didn’t plan on that being her.
She eased into the parking lot and found a spot next to the restaurant. Maybe luck was on her side tonight. Pulling in slow breaths to calm her shattered nerves, she cut the engine. Xavier didn’t know where she lived. Chances were slim he’d recognize her on the street—as long as she kept her mouth shut. The encounter had been an isolated incident. Why would Xavier care? He was rattling her to show he was a big man, nothing more. Old fears ran deep, though. Too deep.
He knows where you work now.
True. Zoe wondered if her subconscious had steered her to take an alternate route home.
Silly. The shooting was across town. There’s no way he could—
She cut off the thought. There was always a way for a determined person, and he’d sounded damned determined. Thank goodness, her parents were vacationing in Maui and her sister visiting friends in New York. They were safe from him. Xavier couldn’t have picked a better time to make his move. For another panicked moment, Zoe wondered if he’d planned this. Just as quickly, she dismissed the idea. Xavier never planned anything. He was volatile, driven by rage and a very short temper.
Damn it all. She’d thought this was in the past. Now she’d inadvertently crossed paths with him. His threat wasn’t an idle one. Xavier would hunt her down. It was only a matter of time.
Not if the cops get him first.
Zoe was counting on that. Talk about determination. Xavier had killed a police officer tonight, seriously wounding another. He was a marked man. She prayed they got to him before he got to her.
A thorough look around the parking lot confirmed her safety. Still, she didn’t let her gaze or attention wander as she looped her purse strap over her shoulder, clutched the hobo bag against her side and stepped from her F-150 truck. Her rubber-soled ankle boots thun
ked on the sidewalk. Zoe wasted little time getting inside. Once the doors closed behind her, she let the hostess’s smile scatter the dark shadows lingering in her mind…at least for the moment. The woman’s nametag identified her as Jennifer.
“One?” she asked.
“Yes, just one,” Zoe said.
Jennifer plucked a menu from the box attached to the pedestal behind her. “Table or booth?”
Under normal circumstances, her answer would be ‘table,’ but Zoe didn’t want to be that exposed tonight. “Booth. Away from the window.” Her back against the wall with a clear view of the entrance.
“Right this way.” Jennifer led her down the aisle, nodding to other diners as she took Zoe into the bowels of the restaurant.
Zoe saw the men and women too late. Twelve police officers and detectives occupied a large section of tables in the back room where Jennifer intended to seat her. Zoe plucked at the woman’s long white sleeve in a vain effort to subtly catch her attention. Again, too late. One by one, the men and women stopped what they were doing, all gazes latching on to Zoe. Chairs slid over the carpet as they stood and applauded her.
She wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out. The only thing that kept her feet rooted in place was the pride on Frank Ludwig’s face. Zoe’s heartbeat triple-timed.
“Come join us.” Officer Joanie Robertson yanked over a chair from a nearby table, while Frank’s partner, Theo Garcia, waved Zoe toward them.
Only that morning, Robertson had gone out of her way to avoid her. Zoe was their hero tonight. Tomorrow, things would go back to how they had been. Zoe didn’t want to muddy the waters by socializing.
She’d heard what some of her coworkers said behind her back. A few even said it to her face. Some of them meant well, but others didn’t. Zoe’d learned to live with scathing remarks, dirty looks and kindhearted suggestions. After all, she had only herself to blame for the way she looked. She wasn’t a small girl. But Frank—hot Frank who shared her bed in Zoe’s nightly fantasies—accepted her with no questions, no attempts to change her. Their friendship was unconditional.
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