Risky Return (Covert Operatives Book 3)

by Virginia Vaughan

  He hated to believe this attack against Janice had anything to do with the girl holed up in the motel or the trafficking ring they’d uncovered. What would they do now and how could he protect everyone in her life? He would have to be on high alert while they were exposed at the hospital.

  He felt her anger and worry flow off her as he drove to the hospital and parked in the garage, then led Rebecca inside to the fourth floor. She rushed to her cousin’s bedside. Janice had taken quite a beating—her face was battered and her arm was in a cast.

  “I can’t believe this happened,” Rebecca said as she gently hugged her cousin.

  “What did happen?” Collin asked her. He had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that the ring had now involved Rebecca’s family.

  “I was returning home after my morning workout at the gym. I had just pulled into the garage when a man ducked under the doors and grabbed me. He demanded to know where you were, Rebecca. He was looking for you. When I told him I didn’t know anything, he hit me.” Tears flowed from her eyes. “I was so scared. I thought he was going to kill me.”

  Rebecca’s face held fear as she stared up at Collin. She looked back at Janice. “Where was Matthew? Was he harmed?”

  “No, he was with the nanny. They weren’t at the house. I was alone. Rebecca, I was so afraid. I thought—I thought he was going to kill me.”

  Whoever was after Rebecca had just raised the stakes with this attack. If he would go after Rebecca’s family to get to her that meant no one in her life was safe.

  “I’ll be right outside the door,” he told Rebecca and she nodded.

  He stepped outside and leaned against the wall. They had to find out who was behind these threats, and soon.

  * * *

  Rebecca was torn. She couldn’t believe things had spiraled out of control so quickly. She had to protect Missy. She couldn’t give up on her. But she also couldn’t continue to put her family in danger. Her head was reeling at how her life had changed in just a couple of days.

  She left her cousin to rest. As promised, Collin was leaning against the wall by Janice’s door, his arms folded and his eyes alert. She felt better knowing he was there watching out for danger. She longed to step into his arms and have a good cry, but she couldn’t put herself through that again. She couldn’t allow herself to fall for Collin despite how she needed him now.

  “How is she?” Collin asked her.

  Rebecca thought about the bruises on her cousin’s face and the cast on her arm. “She’s frightened and confused. She’s innocent in all of this. She didn’t do anything wrong, yet she was still targeted.” She looked at him. Sobs threatened to overtake her. “She’s in danger because of me.”

  “You can’t blame yourself for the actions of others. You weren’t the one who attacked Janice or threatened Missy’s life. She’s in danger because of those people, not because of you.”

  “I’m afraid,” she confessed. Terror surrounded her on all fronts but she was safe in Collin’s arms.

  “I promised you I would keep you safe, Rebecca, and I will.”

  His assurances were like a balm on an open wound. They felt so right and so wrong all at the same time. It made no sense for her to put her life, and now her family’s lives, in his hands, but she knew she wouldn’t survive this without him on her side.

  God, is trusting him a mistake?

  Where was He and why had He allowed another terrible thing to happen to someone she loved?

  The elevator dinged and she saw the doors open. Her father stepped off carrying a vase of flowers and he frowned when he spotted her in Collin’s embrace. She pulled away as he approached them.

  “Dad, I’m glad you’re here.”

  “Where have you been, Rebecca? I was worried when I couldn’t reach you.”

  “I was with Collin.” She didn’t miss the disapproving look on her father’s face, but she didn’t care. He had no idea what she’d been through and she had no idea if he was involved. “There have been some more incidents and Collin has been there for me. I owe him my life, Dad.”

  Her father’s eyes widened in shock at her statement, then his expression darkened. “What kinds of incidents? The kind that put your cousin the hospital?”

  She felt herself redden. “It’s my fault. The men who attacked Janice are targeting me.”

  He spun on Collin. “What have you gotten my daughter mixed up in?”

  “It’s not his fault,” Rebecca insisted before Collin could even try to defend himself. “It’s me they’re after, Dad. They’re trying to shut me up. All Collin has done is be there to protect me each time.”

  Her father grimaced. “What have you gotten yourself into, Rebecca? Why didn’t you come to me?”

  She didn’t tell him it was because she wasn’t certain he wasn’t involved. “I think I’ve uncovered a human-trafficking ring operating in our area.”

  “Trafficking? What do you mean?”

  “Yes, trafficking. Specifically, baby selling. These girls are being abducted and held until they give birth, then their children are stolen from them and they’re put back into the process, being impregnated again to repeat the cycle.”

  “How can you know this? Does this have anything to do with that missing girl you’ve been searching for?”

  “Yes, in a way. And now the ring wants to shut me up about it before I expose them for good.”

  Her father rubbed his face. She couldn’t read his expression. Was that worry about his only child? Or worry that she was about to implicate him? She couldn’t tell. “I don’t like this one bit, Rebecca. It’s too dangerous. Things like this need to be left to the police or the FBI.”

  Collin intervened. “I have a friend whose wife is an FBI agent. I’m waiting to hear back from her. Once I do, we’ll take what Rebecca has uncovered to them.”

  Her father shook his head again. “You should have come to me with this. You know I have connections in the government. I’ll make a few calls and see if we can’t meet with someone tomorrow morning.”

  She started to protest. Would he make that call? And, if he did, could she trust the person he contacted? She hated suspecting her own father. It would make life so much simpler if she could trust him. She glanced at Collin, who nodded at her. It seemed he also wanted to believe that her father would never do anything to harm her, yet she couldn’t forget Missy’s words about seeing Mason Industries on the side of the building where she was being held.

  “At the very least, you’ll come home with me,” her father said. “I can provide security for you.”

  She was about to protest when Collin spoke up.

  “I think that’s a good idea,” he told Rebecca. “Your father’s house has a built-in security system. It’ll be safer for you there.”

  She didn’t want to go home with her father. She wanted to stay with Collin at the hotel. She felt much safer with Collin, but how could she tell him that?

  He touched her arm and leaned in to whisper close to her ear. “Don’t worry. I’ll be around. I won’t leave you vulnerable, Rebecca.”

  She believed him. After the attack at her house, he’d promised not to leave her again. Would he sleep outside the house in the rental car? She wouldn’t allow that, not when her father’s house had plenty of spare rooms. She turned back to her father. “I’ll come home with you on one condition. Collin comes, too.”

  “What? You want him to stay at the house? No, Rebecca. No.”

  Her agitation rose. Surely he wasn’t going to compromise on her security because of some petty grudge for something that happened over a decade ago. “You have plenty of guest rooms. He can stay in one of those. I know you have a security system, but I feel better having Collin around.” He started to hesitate again and she grew frustrated. “Dad, let it go. What happened with me and Collin was a long time ago. We were just kids. We’ve both
moved on and you should, too. Collin has been out of the country for years so he’s the only person I know I can trust that isn’t involved in this. Either he comes with us or I go with him.”

  Her father looked shocked. “What do you mean, he’s the only one you can trust? You think I’m involved in this, Rebecca?”

  “I have reason to believe there’s a connection to Mason Industries.” She folded her arms and stared him down, watching for any hint of concern. She hadn’t meant to spring this accusation on him, but he seemed genuinely taken aback by her implication that he might be involved in human trafficking.

  “I cannot believe you’re saying this to me, Rebecca. You’re my daughter. How can you believe I would ever hurt you? And Janice? You think I’m responsible for her getting attacked? She’s like a daughter to me. I would never do anything to harm her. Or you.” His indignation seemed real and she wanted to believe him. This was her father, after all. She wanted to trust him but she was scared.

  Collin stepped between them. “Excuse me for saying so, Mr. Mason, but as you said earlier, you have connections. Some of those connections may not care as much about the safety of your daughter or your niece.”

  He squared his shoulders, insulted at Collin’s suggestion, but he was right. Who knew the kind of men her father did business with? He took out his phone, ignoring Collin, and addressed Rebecca instead. “I’ll call the housekeeper and have her make up your room—” he glared as he finished “—as well as one of the guest rooms. I’m going to go check on Janice and then call David to give him an update. He’s beside himself with worry, since this happened while he was out of town. You know the alarm codes. I’ll see you there later this evening.”

  He headed down the hall toward Janice’s hospital room then disappeared inside.

  “I’ve never seen him so hurt,” she said, struck by how much it stung her to accuse her father of being involved. But how could she discount Missy’s recollection of being in that warehouse or seeing the name on the side? “Thank you for agreeing to stay with us. I’ll feel better knowing you’re only a few doors down from me.” She stared at him, wondering again if she was doing the right thing. “I’m putting a lot of faith in you, Collin. I’m trusting you with the lives and safety of my family. Everyone I care about.”

  “I know that, Rebecca, and I don’t take that trust lightly. I know I’ve let you down in the past, but I’m not that same scared kid I once was. I’ve got the skills now to protect you and I promise I will do my best to keep you all safe.”

  Given his history of leaving her when she needed him most, she should worry about depending on him like she did, but she didn’t because he was right. He’d gained the skills she needed now to keep her family safe, even if they were skills he’d obtained only because he’d abandoned her.

  * * *

  He was glad once they’d checked out of the hotel and moved into her father’s house. The hotel had been a good option, but Rebecca’s childhood home was gated with a top-of-the-line security system. He’d run afoul of the alarms and seen the gates slammed in his face many times as a kid. And Rebecca’s father had always kept up with the latest in security. He imagined the upgraded system had all the bells and whistles. It would be a much better setup for keeping Rebecca safe. Plus, Collin had finally made the trip back to his mother’s house to grab some clothes and his guns. He was prepared for anything.

  He knew she wasn’t thrilled with the idea of returning to her father’s house, but she’d agreed to it because of Janice and Matthew, who were also staying there. She’d been reluctant to place her cousin in danger before, but danger had found her regardless and Collin knew Rebecca would rather be around to help keep her and Matthew safe. He thought of her confrontation with her father and was impressed with how she’d stood up to him. He’d waited years to witness something like that. She’d grown courageous and bold and it was a side that suited her. When they were younger, she’d done her own thing, but she’d always skirted around her father, avoiding any confrontations when she could. Today he’d seen the woman she’d become, and it was someone he’d always known she could be. He wished he’d been around to watch her grow into such a formidable woman.

  But he’d also witnessed Bob Mason’s reaction to her accusations. He’d seemed genuinely shocked and hurt by her words. If he was involved, Collin was convinced he wasn’t the one in charge. If his company was being used in the crime of human trafficking, Collin tended to think he’d lost control of the situation when they targeted his only daughter.

  He didn’t miss the glare from Bob Mason as he headed for the stairs with his overnight bag.

  “Rebecca told me about your mother. My condolences.” His words were icy at best, and the way he looked at Collin told him nothing had changed about his opinion of Collin, but he appreciated that Bob made the effort.

  “Thank you.” No sense stirring up trouble for Rebecca, especially when her father had turned out to be right about him.

  “How long are you staying?”

  The underlying sentiment was clear—back off. It was true he’d made no plans to remain in town after closing up his mother’s house, but neither Bob Mason’s icy stare nor his money would convince him to leave Rebecca while she was still in danger. “I’ll be here for as long as Rebecca needs me. I’d like to check your security systems if you don’t mind.”

  “My house has ultramodern security features. Janice’s husband, David, hired a great security firm to make sure everything was in order.”

  David again. Rebecca’s father seemed to like this David Miller his niece had married. He must have everything Collin didn’t—family money, a college education, a business background. All that Bob had hoped for Rebecca.

  “I hear David works for you. Is that how he and Janice met?”

  “Yes, I hired David right out of college and groomed him to take over the business. I had hoped Rebecca would want the company, but she’s made it clear she has no interest in it.”

  “She seems content with her work.”

  “I’ve often wondered if she took a government job just to punish me for something. She’s resented my wealth for years.”

  “That’s not the Rebecca I remember.”

  “She’s not the Rebecca you remember. It’s been twelve years, Collin. She’s grown more and more distant from me and the family during that time.” Collin heard regret in his voice. He heaved out a long, weary sigh. “I thought once you were out of her life, I’d get my little girl back, but it didn’t happen that way. You snatched her from her home and took her away.”

  “Excuse me, Mr. Mason, but her plans were always to be with me. We had to run off because of you and your resistance to Rebecca deciding what was best for her own life.”

  “She didn’t know what was best for her own life,” he insisted. “Otherwise, she would not have chosen you.”

  Collin grew angry. This was the same old argument all over again. “But she did choose me and you can’t stand that, can you? She always wanted me.”

  He glared at Collin. “And look where it got her. Brokenhearted and abandoned in a dive apartment in New Orleans. You begged me to clean up your mess, as I recall, and I did, including writing you a check to disappear. Perhaps I should have been more specific. My ten thousand dollars was supposed to keep you out of town for good.”

  He cringed at the mention of that check. Yes, he’d taken money from Rebecca’s father to pay off the hospital bills and it had hurt him to do so. But after failing to keep her and the baby safe, he’d had very little pride left and he hadn’t wanted to leave Rebecca footing the bill for losing their child.

  “I suppose life doesn’t always turn out the way you thought it would. I’m sorry if you’re distant from Rebecca, but that’s because of you, not me. My only concern is keeping her safe.”

  “And how was it you showed up in town just in time to rescue her, Collin? That seem
s very convenient.”

  “Maybe it does.” Or maybe it was God’s will, after all. She’d been in danger for weeks before he’d arrived in town, but something had sent him out to the store on just the day Rebecca needed him most. He may be having a hard time seeing God working in his life lately, but he was thankful God had led him back to Moss Creek in time to help Rebecca.

  “I suppose you’re the one also filling her head with the idea that she can’t trust her own father?”

  “No, sir. In fact, I’ve been the one telling her you would never do anything that would hurt her. I know you love your daughter. That’s never been your problem.”

  “Then why does she think I’m involved?”

  “She has her reasons. I hope she’s wrong because she’s already lost so much. I’d hate to see her lose you, too.”

  He hurried up the stairs to the room he’d be occupying and tossed his bag onto the bed. It was surreal that he was staying in the Masons’ home. It felt wrong for him to be here, but he wasn’t leaving as long as Rebecca was in trouble. He wouldn’t abandon her again. Shame filled him for the way he’d run out on her all those years ago. She’d depended on him and he’d let her down. It was a guilt he hadn’t been able to wash away no matter how many battles he fought or how many victories he won.

  He’d let down the woman he loved.

  But he was different now. How could he not be after all he’d seen and done. But one constant in his life hadn’t changed. His feelings for Rebecca. He still cared about her even though he had no right to. He cared about what happened to her and it was more than simple friendship or a history of feelings from the past. He’d known it the moment he’d seen that man grab her outside the grocery store. She was important to him now.

  But he wasn’t the same man he’d been when he left her. He pulled out his gun and checked it. He’d grown into a man well suited to protect her and he would. Even if loving her was off the table.