Ethan bottled a sigh. She was right about needing to make decisions but wrong that taking a greater risk was the only option. Now was not the time to explain the play-it-safe alternative, though. By now he knew Lara well enough to anticipate she wasn’t going to like the idea going through his mind. But for this moment, the better part of wisdom was devoting himself quietly to his Chinese takeout.
An hour later, Lara had retired to her cot in the same office where Maisy was sleeping, and Ethan was still in the break room nursing the dregs of a cup of tea. Soon, he would seek out one of the cots that had been set up for him and Terry in another office. This was truly a temporary arrangement because they couldn’t go on disrupting HQ functionality indefinitely. But at least for now, he was thankful for a safe sanctuary, however temporary it might be.
Ethan rose and rinsed his cup in the sink. He turned to find Terry sauntering into the room...cradling Maisy? No, it was a baby doll that resembled the real infant. The limbs were even soft and loose, like a human baby’s arms and legs.
“Playing with dolls now, are we?” Ethan let out a soft chuckle. “Or maybe it’s your bedtime teddy bear substitute.”
“Very funny.” His partner shot him a mock scowl. “No, I went to the mall and bought this while you and Lara were eating.”
“What for? Maisy’s too small to play with it.”
Terry grabbed a bottled water out of the fridge, turned and closed the door with his foot. “While you were being all fatherly by feeding, changing and putting Maisy to bed, I had a long chat with Lara. She told me you’ve been brainstorming plans to draw the Draytons out of hiding by using her as bait. All versions of the idea require a doll that resembles Maisy enough to be mistaken for her at a distance, so I got started rounding up the props.”
Ethan crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. “I’m going to have to nix those plans. Every version of the bait scenario is too dangerous. Besides, we haven’t come up with one that assures us Vinnie and Ronnie will show up in person. If we initiate something, they’ll smell a trap a mile away and not show up.”
“Then we need to keep on brainstorming. There are a lot of sharp minds in this office.”
“I’m game for continuing to bounce ideas around, but I’m not hopeful we’ll come up with a scenario Lara and I haven’t already discussed.” Ethan spread his hands with a shrug. “I mean, how would we let Vinnie and Ronnie know where Lara’s going to be at any given time without making it obvious we’re laying a trap?”
“If we even figure out how to contact them in the first place.” Terry set the doll on the table and twisted open the cap on his bottle.
“Right. And Lara can’t just pop up into the open somewhere and hope the Draytons will come running. They’ll only send more hired thugs, and we’ll be back on the same run-and-hide treadmill.”
“Back to square one with no progress.” Terry took a swig of his water. “You’re thinking permanent witness protection, then?”
“New identity. The whole nine yards. At least until we succeed in bringing down this vicious father-son team.”
“But who knows how long that will take.”
“Exactly, which is why we need to settle Lara and Maisy in somewhere for the long haul. I think Marshal Teague will go for the idea as long as Lara is on board to testify to everything the Draytons put her through.”
Ethan ignored the wrench in his gut at what this long-haul scenario would mean for him. Lara and Maisy would be taken as far out of range of Drayton influence as possible—somewhere the crooks wouldn’t have eyes and ears. And Ethan couldn’t be allowed to know where that was. Nor would he ever be able to go near them, because he was now a known associate of theirs. To save them, he’d have to give them up.
But he was prepared to make the sacrifice. Their survival was more important than seeking his own happiness by pursuing a relationship with Lara. Even though they might never be together, it was about time he admitted to himself that he truly wanted that relationship. More than anything except her and Maisy’s safety.
“Earth to Ethan,” Terry said, waving a hand in his face.
“Huh?” Ethan took a step backward.
“You went somewhere, buddy, but don’t worry, I get it. I see how you two look at each other.” The warm compassion in Terry’s eyes sent thickness to Ethan’s throat.
“Let’s hit the sack,” he said, voice a little raspy. “Tomorrow’s another day.”
Quite likely the day he’d say goodbye to beautiful Lara and precious Maisy. If he’d needed another lesson about the dangers of developing personal feelings for those he was protecting, he was receiving it now. A lesson he’d never forget. Just like he’d never forget the pair who’d stolen his heart.
THIRTEEN
Lara woke up with a start and sat up. Where was she? Odors of ink and paper mixed with fruity air freshener tweaked her nostrils. She scanned her surroundings in the pale light filtering between the window blinds. An office? Oh, that’s right. They were at the Wyoming US Marshals Service headquarters in the US District Court building in Cheyenne, and they were safe for the time being. Tension ebbed from her shoulder muscles.
Judging from the soft rustles and mewls coming from the play yard in the corner, Maisy was working herself awake, which meant the time was likely around six. Lara stood up from the cot, which had turned out to be more comfortable than she’d expected. Or maybe she’d just been so tired she wouldn’t have noticed if it had been a bed of nails.
Clad in the modest and comfy pajamas she’d donned last night from her go bag, she padded barefoot into the hallway on her way to the break room to prepare Maisy’s bottle. This early, the day staff hadn’t come into the office for work yet. A sense of quiet emptiness blanketed the area. However, an armed guard near the elevator offered her a nod and a quick good morning. She gave the man a smile and replied in kind.
As she neared her destination, the odor of fresh coffee greeted her, as well as the sound of men’s voices wrapped in conversation. From the intense tones, the discussion was urgent. Her stomach clenched. What was going on now?
Stepping into the room, she found both Ethan and Terry seated at the table, steaming mugs of brew in front of them. Their talking abruptly ceased. Wearing pasted-on smiles, both men swiveled their heads toward her. Unless she was greatly mistaken, the subject of their conversation had been her—or more likely, her and Maisy. The men offered her synchronized good mornings.
Lara put her hands on her hips and frowned at them. “If ever I’ve seen a pair of culprits guilty of something, it’s you two. What is it I’m not going to be happy about?”
Terry looked at Ethan. “Is she this way all the time?”
“Welcome to my world, pal. She sizes up a situation in nothing flat and calls it like she sees it.”
“It’s not something to do with my mom?” Lara’s heart took up residence in her throat.
“No, nothing like that.” Ethan took a sip from his mug and quirked a brow at her. “If a situation involving your mother had come to our attention, we would have woken you up.”
Lara sniffed. The man was back to using a formal tone and diction again when addressing her. What did that mean?
“Never mind, then.” She headed for the bottle-making supplies on the counter. “I don’t want to know. Yet.” She turned and sent a stern stare toward Ethan and his partner. “Let me get Maisy fed, changed and settled first. Then we’ll have a heart-to-heart.”
“Agreed,” Ethan said.
“We’ll hang right here.” Terry saluted her with his mug.
Ethan’s sober gaze upon her while she made the bottle did nothing to ease the jumpiness in her middle. Whatever it was must be as problematic as it came. Of course, everything about this current situation was beyond serious.
Lara returned to the office-cum-bedroom that she occupied with the baby. Maisy was fully awak
e and starting to bawl and kick for her breakfast.
“There now, sweet pea,” she said as she scooped the fussing baby up.
Her attachment to Maisy had grown exponentially each day, but was she setting herself up for incredible heartache? If Izzy was still alive, if this nightmare ever came to an end with the Draytons apprehended, the baby’s birth mother would certainly reclaim her. That was the best-case scenario. Right?
Best for Maisy, probably, but devastating for Lara. What an emotional paradox she found herself in. She wanted her friend to be all right and to be able to raise her child, and yet she didn’t want to have to say goodbye to Maisy. Someone was slated for heartache. The mess appeared to have no solution that made everyone happy, any more than there appeared to be a solution to laying a trap for the Draytons that guaranteed everyone’s safety.
As she cuddled Maisy, Lara pushed the troubling thoughts away, though they lurked in the shadows of her mind. Thankfully, caring for the baby offered an effective distraction from obsessing over problems with no easy answers. The little girl was in a great mood this morning, smiling and cooing even while attempting to drink from her bottle. The cute antics offered Lara an opportunity to laugh. But the idyll eventually came to an end.
Lara deposited Maisy in her infant seat and then changed into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and donned her sneakers. She took Maisy across the hall to the ladies’ room and handled necessities, including brushing her hair. Then, steeling herself for whatever hard discussion awaited, she and Maisy headed for the break room.
Early bird day staffers were starting to arrive at the courthouse. Her progress was slowed by people greeting her and baby-talking to Maisy and making funny faces. Size, age or gender didn’t seem to matter when encountering an infant. The biggest and toughest looking got as goofy as the dainty and delicate. The phenomenon would be amusing if she wasn’t on pins and needles to rejoin Ethan and Terry. At last, she entered the break room, but the place was empty.
Lara let out a humph. “So much for hanging right here.”
She set the baby seat on the table and poured herself a cup of coffee. A doll perched on the counter against a nearby wall. Lara picked it up. It was soft and lifelike and bore a distinct resemblance to Maisy. Her breathing hitched. Maybe Ethan and Terry had come up with a scenario to trap the Draytons after all. Did she dare hope?
She set down the doll and took a sip of her coffee. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that Maisy wasn’t the only one who liked to eat in the morning.
“Breakfast is served.” Terry’s cheerful voice drew her attention.
“You read my mind.” She glanced around, but Ethan wasn’t entering in his partner’s wake. “Where’s your sidekick?”
“Sidekick? Sounds good to me.” Terry grinned at her as he set foam containers on the break table. “But don’t tell Ethan I said that.”
He promptly began to make goofy faces at Maisy and speak baby talk to her. The infant responded with smiles and fist waves.
Lara shook her head. Yup. Definitely a universal phenomenon. Not that she could blame anyone for going a little gaga over Miss Adorbs when she was a total goner herself.
“So, where is Deputy Ridgeway?” She deliberately formalized her tone.
Terry chuckled and motioned for her to take a seat at the table. “I see you noticed his reversion to being buttoned-up. He’s in with the marshal now.”
“Discussing options? I thought you were going to talk to me first.”
Terry shook his head. “Not when he’s summoned by the man himself.”
“Okay, I suppose I’ll have to wait until he shows up to find out what you guys are thinking?” She made the statement into a question. “A plan to capture the Draytons, maybe?”
Terry just shrugged and pushed a foam container over in front of her. “Eat your breakfast.”
Despite the savory bacon-and-egg odors wafting to her nose, Lara’s appetite waned. Something wasn’t right if Terry didn’t want to say a word without Ethan present. She picked at her food and finally managed to wash down a slice of bacon wrapped in a piece of toast with her coffee. Meanwhile, Maisy continued to draw office workers who popped in to grab a coffee and lingered awhile to make googly eyes at the baby.
At last, Ethan walked in like a breath of doom and gloom, his expression a cross between a scowl and a glare. His gaze landed on Maisy and his expression brightened. He took a seat opposite Lara and kitty-corner from Terry.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Couldn’t be helped,” she answered. “I hear you were called into your boss’s office.”
Ethan grimaced. “My fault, I guess. I left him a message last night that I needed to speak to him first thing in the morning. Marshal Teague took me at my word, and I’d say that’s a good thing. We’ve already got the ball rolling.”
“What ball, exactly?” Lara narrowed her eyes at Ethan.
He sighed and exchanged a glance with Terry, then returned his gaze to her. “We’ve come to the conclusion that placing you and Maisy in the WITSEC program is the safest and best option remaining to us.”
Lara’s mouth went dry. “You mean we’ll be moved to the backside of nowhere and given new identities?”
One side of Ethan’s mouth quirked upward, but his gaze remained flat. “We do have nicer places than the backside of nowhere for relocation sites.”
“I don’t care. This is a terrible idea. I hate it!”
“Me, too.” An emotion flickered behind his eyes.
What was he feeling? Was he sad? Glad? Eager to move on to the next assignment?
“What about my mother?” Her pulse fluttered. “I can’t leave her.”
Terry sat forward and touched her arm. “That’s understandable, but I don’t know—”
“Given that she’s been threatened, also,” Ethan interrupted, “she can come with you. I’ve cleared that with the marshal. But when we get either or both of the Draytons into custody—and we will—you’ll be expected to testify about everything you’ve experienced at the hands of their hired muscle. The testimony will be pertinent because we do have financial-transaction evidence that proves they work for the Draytons.”
“Of course, I’ll be happy to testify. Anything that will get these people taken out of society.”
“Then we move forward with the plan.”
Lara’s chest went hollow, as if all the air had been sucked from her lungs, leaving a vacuum behind. Was this really going to happen? The life she’d built was being ripped away just like that? Who would she become?
Maisy’s mother.
As if someone flipped a light switch, a shameful hope dawned. Shameful because they still didn’t know Izzy’s fate, whether she was alive or dead. But once the infant went into WITSEC with Lara, would Isabelle be able to reclaim her? Or would Maisy be Lara’s forever? An electric thrill ran through her, then her stomach plummeted.
“I can’t do it.” She drew herself up straight. “A selfish part of me wants to disappear with Maisy, but I can’t steal Izzy’s child away if my friend is still alive.”
Terry frowned. “I think we’re at the point of no better choice.”
Stillness fell and then Ethan broke it by rising and refilling everyone’s coffee cups.
He settled back into his seat and met Lara’s gaze. “Clearly, Isabelle Drayton has faced the very real possibility of giving up her daughter for Maisy’s best good. Those documents she left with you prove that. We believe it likely that, if she is still alive, she has chosen to disappear herself, which is easier to do on her own, without an infant in tow.”
The backs of Lara’s eyes stung, and she blinked rapidly. “Okay, I can see that.” Her voice rasped. “How soon will this relocation take place?”
“In a few days, and that’s fast. It takes a little time to set these things up.”
“Then
maybe the Draytons will be captured before it happens.” If only she felt a molecule of hope that this wish could come true, but these evil people had remained hidden despite a massive manhunt.
“Possibly,” Terry said. His voice contained little conviction.
“Reed!” someone called from the doorway of the break room. “The marshal wants to see you.”
Terry rose. “Catch you later,” he said and left the room.
Lara set her gaze on Ethan. “Will you be accompanying us on this trek into obscurity?”
A faint smile crossed his lips. “Trek into obscurity? Clever way of putting it. Since my association with you is known to the Draytons, I won’t be included in your relocation detail or know where you’re going.”
“But if the Draytons are apprehended and convicted some time down the road, Maisy, my mother and I will be able to come out of hiding, right?”
“Correct.”
“But if they’re not captured, I won’t see you again.”
A muscle flexed in Ethan’s jaw. “No. Never again. But we’ll catch them, believe me.”
If only she could fully trust those words, but these evil people had been utterly elusive so far. Lara’s heart shattered. When had her vision of a perfect family become Ethan, Maisy and her together? Now that dream was gone before she’d even realized it was there.
* * *
On an office computer, Ethan devoted himself to typing his report of all that had occurred since escorting Lara and Maisy from her home in Jackson. He’d made notes when they were at the cabin in Bridger-Teton National Forest, but fleshing out the account served to focus his thoughts away from the impending separation from the pair who had crept past his guard and captured his heart. If only the distraction were more effective.
The devastation in Lara’s expression when she was informed of the necessary WITSEC solution kept appearing in Ethan’s mind. Was she shattered because her former life was about to be erased? That kind of prospect would turn anyone inside out. Or could there be an additional reason? Why had she asked specifically if she would ever see him again? Did he dare hope she felt something for him besides gratitude for his protection services or the friendship that had developed between them at the cabin? But even if he allowed himself to entertain the idea, such hope was empty in the end. Lara and Maisy needed to disappear, and he needed to let them.
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