by Debra Webb
Disgust made her shudder inwardly. “If you’d get to the point, Mr. Ferguson, I’d appreciate it. I have chores to do.”
He took another step down, closing in on her. “I just wanted to warn you about that friend of yours.”
A new kind of fear rushed through her then. “He’d better watch his step,” Ferguson warned, “and if you’re smart you’ll stay away from him. I’ve got a feeling Brother Brody isn’t what he seems to be. And I’ve made it my mission in life to find out just what he’s up to.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her voice quaked, but she couldn’t help it. She glanced around the yard for some sort of weapon to use on him, but found nothing. Court had pleaded with her to stay away from the compound and any of the militia members. She hadn’t expected to find one on her doorstep.
“Maybe you do, and maybe you don’t.” He took the final step down, putting himself at eye level with her now. “But I’ll be watching both of you. One wrong move and you’ll be dead. You understand that?”
Dead. Oh, God.
Sabrina nodded, unable to speak.
“You tell your boyfriend that I’m watching him, too.”
Ferguson strode to his big, four-wheel-drive truck and climbed up behind the wheel. Sabrina didn’t move a muscle until he’d disappeared out of sight around the bend in the road.
She hurried to retrieve her son. She had to find a way to warn Court. Her fingers slowed in their task of releasing the car seat restraints, but she wasn’t supposed to go back inside the compound. He had made her promise that she wouldn’t. He’d already mentioned that he didn’t trust Ferguson. Sabrina took a deep, calming breath. Court knew how to handle himself. She had to trust that.
But would he ever trust her again when he discovered her secret? Her gaze moved back to her son. She’d done what she thought was right at the time. What if she’d made a mistake? The mistake of a lifetime.
And what about Charlie? Could she just pretend it didn’t matter when he didn’t come home?
Or would that be another mistake?
COURT CHECKED THE TRAINING center once more that evening, but with no luck. Charlie was nowhere to be found. Damn. He’d promised Sabrina he would take care of the kid and now he couldn’t find him. He’d try the firing range one more time. Maybe they’d been out on maneuvers and decided to do a little target practice before calling it a night. It wasn’t dark just yet. Kids Charlie’s age couldn’t get enough of that stuff.
Sabrina slipped into his thoughts as he strode toward the back gate of the compound. He’d kept thoughts of her at bay most of the day, but it was getting tougher and tougher. He’d ushered her away this morning before he could change his mind and take her back to bed. There was no denying the emotions he’d felt this morning. He cared a great deal more for Sabrina than he’d wanted to admit.
Once this mission was over, the two of them would have to work this out. Court couldn’t think past the moment right now, he had to stay focused. Distraction could get him killed. And Sabrina was definitely a major distraction. He hardened at the mere thought of her. She was the only woman who’d ever made him feel this way. The only one who’d even come close.
She deserved better than what she’d gotten from him. This time would be different. They would talk, make some sort of plans. His emotions were still too mixed up for him to fully comprehend what was happening between them. He only knew that he would do right by her this time.
Charlie’s exuberant voice echoed in the distance, followed by two or three other adolescent male voices. Court hastened his step. The sooner he got the kid out of here, the better off they’d both be.
“Yo, Charlie,” Court called out to the kid.
Charlie dropped out of the line of teenagers headed toward the dining hall and jogged over to where Court waited.
“Did you hear about my new badge?”
Court produced a smile. “A new badge?”
Charlie nodded. “Best marksman.”
“That’s great.” Court chucked him on the shoulder.
“Charlie.”
The sound of Ferguson’s voice made Court’s skin crawl. The man stopped next to Charlie. “Don’t forget about tonight,” he reminded.
“Don’t worry, I won’t,” Charlie assured him with renewed enthusiasm.
Ferguson shot Court a menacing glare. “I got plans for the boy,” he said mysteriously before turning to stalk away. “Big plans.”
Court had a bad feeling about Ferguson’s plans. The man would do anything to get at him, Court was convinced of that. “What’s up tonight, buddy?”
The kid’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Ferg’s going to take me and a couple other boys who did really good today out for night maneuvers. He even said that he had something really special planned for me. But I’m not supposed to tell anybody.”
Court’s blood ran cold at the thought of Charlie out in the woods in the middle of the night with Ferguson. He couldn’t risk that tonight’s little foray was an innocent training exercise. Ferguson was capable of anything.
“That sounds great.” Court glanced across the quadrangle at his truck in the parking area near the gate. “Can you do me a favor, Charlie?”
“Sure, name it.”
“Can you come with me to get some stuff out of my truck?”
Charlie nodded vigorously.
Court led the way to his truck. Once at the door he opened it and reached beneath his seat for his weapon. “Get in the truck, Charlie.”
“What?” The kid frowned, clearly bewildered at Court’s sudden change in tone, not to mention the gun in his hand, though it was pointed at the ground.
“Get in the truck and keep your mouth shut. If you make so much as a peep, you’ll regret it.”
The kid’s eyes rounded in disbelief. He opened his mouth to argue but quickly snapped it shut. Court climbed in behind him. He started the vehicle and backed out. As he eased toward the gate he leveled his gaze on Charlie’s. “Not one word. You got it?”
Charlie, shaking like a leaf, only nodded.
Court waited at the gate for the guard to open it. From the corner of his eye he saw Ferguson talking to another man. Damn. He needed to get out of here before that SOB saw him. The gate opened and the old truck lurched forward, at the same instant Ferguson looked their way.
Court didn’t wait to see if Ferguson was going to question his leaving, he just got the hell out of there. He had driven several miles before Charlie worked up the courage to ask questions.
“Where are we going?”
“I’m taking you home,” Court said bluntly.
Fire flashed in the kid’s Korbett brown eyes—eyes that looked exactly like Sabrina’s. “I don’t want to go home.”
“Well, I’m afraid that you don’t have any choice in the matter.” He shot Charlie an irate glare that had him slumping in his seat. “You see, kid, I’m trying to save your life. I promised your sister I’d take care of you, so don’t give me any grief. You’ll do exactly what I tell you.”
“I hate my sister,” Charlie mumbled, his voice trembling.
“That may be, but she loves you, and whether you deserve it or not, she wants to keep you safe.”
“Ferg and the others are my friends. They’ll keep me safe.”
“No, Charlie, they’re not your friends. Ferguson was going to take you out tonight and most likely do something really bad to you.”
Charlie’s face puckered as if he might cry. “I don’t believe you.”
Court shrugged. “You’d better believe me, because it’s true. You think I would have risked trouble with Ferguson if I hadn’t known you could be in danger?”
The kid thought about that for a moment. To Court’s relief, it seemed to sink in through that thick adolescent skull of his.
“If you give your sister one more minute of trouble and I find out about it, I’ll be settling with you,” Court warned in no uncertain terms.
Charlie swiped at his ey
es. “I don’t wanna talk no more.”
When Court parked the truck in front of Sabrina’s house and shut off the engine, he turned back to Charlie. “You remember what I said, if you make one false move, I’ll be the one squaring it with you.”
“Whatever.” Charlie jerked his door open and jumped out.
Court did the same, then followed him up onto the porch. He wouldn’t be able to stay long. If he had any sense he’d get in his truck right now and get the hell out of here. But he had to see her. Had to make sure she was safe.
Charlie stamped across the porch, grabbed the key from its hiding place behind a Welcome sign and opened the door without even knocking.
Court stepped inside after him and quickly closed the door in case Ferguson had decided to tail them.
“Charlie. Court!”
Court looked up at the strange sound in Sabrina’s voice. She was sitting in the rocking chair that had belonged to her grandmother, a baby in her arms.
CHAPTER NINE
“I DIDN’T WANT to come back here,” Charlie was shouting at his sister.
Court’s gaze was riveted to the infant…no, not infant…bigger…toddler in Sabrina’s arms. Why didn’t she tell him she had a child?
“Charlie, please don’t shout,” Sabrina pleaded, her voice too controlled. “Just tell me what happened.” She cuddled the squirming baby to her chest.
“He—” the kid stabbed an accusatory finger in Court’s direction “—forced me to come back.” Charlie’s face was beet red and tears were shining in his eyes.
Court looked from Charlie to Sabrina, then to the baby. “I don’t understand. You didn’t tell me about…” He gestured vaguely, aware that he sounded…stunned.
“That’s Ryan,” Charlie explained. “He’s all she cares about.”
Court shook his head and frowned. This was Ryan? Then why the secrecy? He’d asked her about Ryan twice and she had avoided the question. No—she’d told him it was none of his business. Something very much like relief moved through him.
Sabrina glanced at Court with a wild, cornered-animal look before turning her full attention back to Charlie. “Charlie, please, you don’t realize how dangerous Joshua Neely is. You can’t go back there.”
“The hell I can’t.” He glowered at Court. “Just as soon as your friend here leaves, I’m out of here.”
Court accepted his new standing in Charlie’s opinion. He no longer considered Court his friend. Court was the enemy now. The kid sure as hell had a short memory. But Court had too many other things to worry about at the moment to waste any energy on Charlie’s tantrum. Like getting back before Ferguson came looking for him.
Sabrina had a baby. The realization made Court feel strangely disconnected. Why hadn’t she told him? She hadn’t mentioned getting married, either.
“Watch me,” Charlie was threatening. “You can’t make me stay.”
The baby started to fret. Sabrina looked ready to break down into tears. Frustration and impatience erupted like a nuclear blast inside Court.
“Do you want to live, Charlie?” he demanded in his most lethal tone. The kid just glared at him. “Because your buddy Ferguson was probably planning on offing you tonight. You were most likely going to have a little training accident. I’ve told you that already. And obviously—” he glared at Charlie for emphasis “—you’ve forgotten our little discussion already. Ferguson cannot be trusted.”
Sabrina gasped, her eyes round with fear. The baby still squirmed as if disgusted with the situation, as well.
“You’re…you’re lying,” Charlie stammered. “You’re the one I can’t trust.”
Court shook his head. “No, I’m not lying and deep down you know it, too. Why would I lie to you?”
The kid swallowed, hard. “Ferg likes me.”
“He doesn’t like anybody,” Court countered. “He was only paying special attention to you to win your trust. That’s what men like him do. He would hurt you to get back at me.”
“I still don’t believe you,” the kid shot back belligerently.
“You’ll see soon enough,” Court assured him. “Neely and his followers are going down, Charlie, and if you go back there, you’ll go down, too.”
“What are you, some kind of cop?”
“You have two choices,” Court continued, ignoring his question. “You can either stay with your sister and behave yourself, or you can go into protective custody until this is over. What’s it going to be?”
Charlie turned his angry stare on Sabrina. “I can’t believe you’re gonna let him do this to me.”
“Charlie, it’s the only way to keep you safe,” she tried to explain. “Court is trying—”
“Don’t even talk to me,” he shouted. “All you care about is that bastard kid of yours, anyway.”
Sabrina visibly faltered. Tears rolled down her cheeks and her lips trembled. She reached out to him. “Charlie, I—”
“Stay away from me.” He batted her hand away.
Rage exploded in Court’s veins. He grabbed the kid by his shirt collar and yanked him close. “One more word out of you, and I swear to God, I’m going to kick your skinny butt.” Charlie’s face went white, his eyes rounded. “You will not speak to your sister like that, do you understand me?” Court barely restrained the urge to slap him silly.
Charlie was nodding his head so violently that Court felt certain he’d break his fool neck.
“I want you to go to your room and stay put. If I come in that room and you’re not doing exactly as I say, you will be sorry.” He shoved the kid away before the urge to leave a more lasting impression overwhelmed Court. “Now, apologize.”
Charlie looked from Court to Sabrina. “Sorry,” he muttered. “I didn’t mean what I said.” He turned sharply and ran up the stairs. A door slammed soon afterward.
Sabrina started after him, but Court stayed her. “Let him go. He’s embarrassed that I showed him up. He won’t want to talk to you right now.”
She turned to Court. “That man, Ferguson, really intended to do Charlie harm?”
Court nodded. “I’m sure of it. I think he planned it to get at me. He’s all bent out of shape about the relationship between Neely and me.”
Sabrina wet her lips. “He came here this afternoon.”
Her words shook Court. “What do you mean, he came here?”
“When I got home from Mrs. Cartwright’s, he was waiting for me. He saw me leave your room this morning. He said he was watching you.” Her tears had dried, but she swiped nervously at the dampness on her cheeks. “I think he suspects you’re a cop or something.”
“Did he say that?” Court demanded. Ferguson’s suspicion really wasn’t anything Court hadn’t expected, but he hated like hell that Ferguson had grown so cocky so quickly.
“He said something like he didn’t think you were who or what you appeared.” She shrugged tiredly. “I’m sorry. I was so scared, I barely paid attention. I was afraid he would—” Her eyes widened with remembered fear.
“Did he touch you?” Court barely recognized the voice as his own. If Ferguson laid one hand on her he was a dead man.
She shook her head. “He just acted strangely and I was frightened.”
The baby twisted his little head around, trying to see Court, but Sabrina kept pressing him back to her chest. Those same old questions jumped back to the forefront of his mind. Why had she kept her baby a secret from him? When had she married? No, Charlie had called the child a bastard. She hadn’t married. Court didn’t know that much about babies, but he was pretty sure this one was a year or so old. Add to that nine months and he came up with a number just shy of two years. He stilled. Two years. He and Sabrina had been together two years ago. The night after his mother’s funeral. And, like this time, they’d both been too needy and unthinking to use protection. They’d made love twice that night.
Court lifted his gaze from the squirming child to Sabrina. A new kind of fear stared back at him from those dark brown
eyes. She was afraid. Not of Ferguson, not of Charlie’s threats. She was afraid of Court.
“This is my child?” he demanded, the breath going out of him at hearing his own question spoken aloud. “Ryan—” Court gestured vaguely “—is my son?”
She nodded, the movement barely visible. Renewed tears slipped down her cheeks.
Court’s gaze moved back to the child. He had a son. A son. And she hadn’t bothered to tell him. Court felt his head move from side to side in denial, then the question tumbled out of his mouth. “Why?” His expectant gaze latched onto hers. He had to know why.
Her lower lip quivered. She sucked in an unsteady breath in an effort to find her composure. “Because you didn’t want me or this place. You only wanted away from here. I didn’t want to trap you into coming back.”
What kind of excuse was that? Court’s eyes watered. He scrubbed at them impatiently with the heels of his hands. The conversations they had shared that night between lovemaking sessions arrowed into his head in rapid-fire succession. He’d told her how much he loved the Bureau. How he was so glad to be away from Montana, that he never wanted to come back. Something heavy weighted down his shoulders at the memories. He’d been totally arrogant about it, too. He’d taken the comfort she offered and bragged about how he wouldn’t be back here. That nothing could bring him back. Not even her, he realized. He swallowed at the emotions clogging his throat. Not even his son. The one she decided not to tell him about.
“You should have told me.” His shocked frustration and self-disgust rechanneled into anger. “You had no right to keep him from me.”
Ryan tugged at his mother’s hair. Something in her gaze changed, hardened. “I took the right,” she challenged. “You walked away, you wanted no part of this place. I had every right.”
Court resisted the urge to pace. He tossed his hat onto a nearby chair and plowed his fingers through his hair. When his gaze reconnected with hers, he had his emotions back under some semblance of control. “Even after last night, you weren’t going to tell me?”