Tate (Lighthouse Security Investigations Book 6)

by Maryann Jordan

  Fighting the urge to tell his friend to fuck off, he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “Keep talking to me, Nora.”

  “I’m getting closer! I can see the ranch in the distance, and I know the Double T sign isn’t far off.”

  A scream sounded through the phone, and Tate jolted. “What’s happening?” The only answer was another scream. “Fuck!” He pounded the steering wheel, pressing harder on the accelerator. Looking ahead, he could see that he was nearing the road, the Double T sign just ahead.

  “He’s ramming me!” Nora screamed into the phone.

  The sound of squealing tires and more screams were all that met his ears.

  30

  Nora knew how to drive in inclement weather and kept her small SUV in good condition, but her tires could not cling to the snow-packed roads while trying to evade the large SUV behind her. Her phone was clipped to the holder on the dashboard, and she was trying to draw strength from Tate’s voice while letting him know what was happening.

  The booming sound of the other vehicle hitting her from behind caused her to swerve while screaming in frustration and fear. Jerking on the steering wheel, she managed to stay on the road. Just ahead, she could see the tall wooden sign for the Double T Ranch and several trucks and SUVs coming down the lane. Screaming again, all she could think of was getting to Tate.

  The gunning of an engine met her ears, and the SUV was pulling to the side of her. Before she could react, it clipped the back end of her vehicle and she began swerving around. Continuing to scream, she fought with the steering wheel but could not control her SUV from skidding off the road. Coming to a stop against a snowbank pointing downward, her heart pounded as the airbag forced her back against the seat before deflating.

  Her hands were still clutching the steering wheel and her foot was still jammed onto the brake even as her door was wrenched open and Tate’s ravaged face was just in front of her.

  “Baby, are you hurt? Can you move?”

  Before she had a chance to answer, she heard him yelling for an ambulance. Trying to catch her breath, she said, “No, no, I don’t need one. I’m okay. Tate, I’m okay.”

  He grabbed her face in his hands, his gaze searching her eyes. Blinking, she nodded and repeated, “I’m okay.”

  He twisted his head and looked at her frozen posture. He gently pried her fingers from the steering wheel and leaned his body close to hers to unbuckle her seatbelt. Wrapping her arms around his neck, he lifted her up and out of her vehicle.

  With her head resting on his shoulder, she saw Frank and Thomas climbing down the snowbank toward them. Frank grabbed her purse and phone while Thomas helped Tate maneuver up the incline.

  Once up on the road, she gasped, seeing the dark SUV upside down on the other side of the road. Clay and Levi were trying to get the doors open. Sirens were sounding in the distance.

  Tate’s lips were pressed against her forehead as he murmured, “I’ve got you, sweetheart.”

  Clinging tighter, she shifted so that her lips met his. As she pulled back, she caught his wide-eyed expression. Blowing out her breath, she said, “I’m glad, Tate, because I’m all yours.”

  The ambulance came and checked her out while the firemen resorted to cutting off the door of the dark SUV. Inside was Dr. Hawkins… alive, but with a broken leg, broken arm, and several severe cuts and contusions. Billy had placed Dr. Hawkins under arrest and accompanied him to the hospital.

  Tate carried her to his vehicle, allowing Clay to drive them up to the ranch house with Frank and Thomas following. Susan and Caroline waited anxiously on the porch, clucking and fussing over Nora as he carried her in.

  She insisted that she could walk, but he hushed her with another kiss. “My heart is still pounding from hearing you scream,” he said. “Right now, all I want is you in my arms.”

  Susan and Caroline prepared trays of food, setting them in the large den so that everyone could remain comfortable while eating.

  Clay looked up and said, “Levi is coming over. He said the FBI has pulled the hospital and bank records from Dr. Hawkins, but he’d like to know what you found as well, Nora.”

  “Can’t that wait?” Tate asked, hating that Nora was going to have to be questioned. He felt the soft touch on his arm and looked down, seeing her hand resting on him.

  “It’s okay. Honest.”

  Her gentle touch and words helped to soothe his frustration, but his anger was still at an all-time high. It didn’t take long for Levi to arrive, Susan immediately plying him with coffee and food.

  Nora explained the strange feeling she got from Dr. Hawkins and how she looked up his prescription records in the computer. She showed the screenshots from her phone and Levi had her send them to him.

  “He may have thought he was deleting them, but we’re able to go back and recapture everything,” Levi said. “Even in the hospital, he was already beginning to talk. It seems that he and Mary have been working together for a while, both getting money from the meth productions. He wrote extra prescriptions when she was working, and she would always take more than was needed. Then they would simply change the records.”

  “It would’ve been very possible for Mary to have worked on her own,” Nora surmised, “but I also knew that it would be very easy for someone else to be involved. I never dreamed it was Dr. Hawkins, but it was the strangest feeling that I got when talking to him. He seemed nervous, fidgety, and when I brought up Mary, he insisted he felt like she was working by herself. There would be no reason for him to know that or even think that.”

  Clay looked over at Tate and grinned. “Instead of being a nurse, maybe she should come work for Mace.”

  Growling once again, Tate said, “Don’t give her any ideas!”

  Laughing, she shook her head. “No, nursing is the career for me. But right now, I’ll be very happy to take several weeks off before I find another job.”

  With his arm wrapped around her, Tate looked at her carefully. Is she saying what I think she’s saying? Catching her smile, he asked, “And what will you be doing during your weeks off?”

  “I hope I’ll be with you in Maine.”

  He pulled her into his lap, kissing her soundly. She pulled back, blushing adorably as the others in the room grinned with enthusiasm.

  “I have to see about getting out of my lease, but I don’t think it will be any problem with HR at the hospital. I know you need to go back, and I need a little time here to get my affairs in order. But I think I’ll very soon be ready to join you.”

  That night, after goodbyes were said to Levi, Clay was off in the guesthouse, and the rest of the family slept, Tate and Nora clung together in his room. With the moonlight illuminating off the snow casting a glow into the bedroom, they quietly made love. Cognizant of her earlier accident, he just wanted to hold her, but she insisted on sharing this night worshiping each other’s bodies.

  The next morning, the family piled in the SUVs and drove to the airport. Clay thanked Tate’s family for their hospitality then walked over and kissed Nora on the forehead, whispering “Can’t wait to have you part of our group, darlin’.”

  Tate had already said goodbye to his family, then gently wrapped her in a hug, sealing his lips over hers. “I’m counting down the days, babe.”

  “A week, maybe two at the tops. And then I’ll be with you,” she promised.

  With another kiss goodbye, Tate and Clay climbed into the plane. Once more, Tate lifted the visor on his window and stared out over the flyover states. Snow-capped mountains and plains, houses and barns nestled among farms. Roads that weaved between small towns, connecting everyone below. As the plane flew east toward Maine, he smiled at the idea of Nora joining him. They say home is where the heart is. As soon as she gets there, it’ll be home.

  31

  Three Months Later

  Nora moved through the kitchen, her mind focused on carefully placing each of the apple pies into the plastic pie container. She had made four, using Susan’s prize
-winning recipe, but only had three pie containers. Unable to come up with another solution, she decided one would sit on her lap as they drove to the LSI compound.

  Casting her gaze around, she smiled at the updated countertops and floors. She had not wanted Tate to change his house for her, but he swore the kitchen and bathrooms needed updating when he bought the house but had never gotten around to doing so. She insisted on keeping the original wooden cabinets but loved the new granite countertops and tile floor. And since she enjoyed baking, Tate had surprised her with a new stove.

  Tate’s cottage-style saltbox home sported views of a cove that led to the ocean. Able to see the water from almost every room, she loved his house just as it was. But the kitchen and bathrooms were not the only improvements he wanted to make. So, with fresh paint in the bedrooms and decorations she brought from Wyoming, they were making his house their own.

  In the past months since moving to Maine, she’d found a job working for a small group of general practitioners. She had not found employment in a nearby hospital but discovered that having the opportunity to get to know entire families led to a sincere feeling of job satisfaction. That, plus being able to work days and have her evenings and weekends off made it even better.

  She also loved getting to know the other Keepers and their significant others, becoming especially friendly with Julie, Helena, and Sara.

  Now, with the pie containers stacked on top of each other and the single wrapped one on the counter, she called out, “I’m ready whenever you are!”

  They were soon in his truck, driving to the LSI compound. Tate reached over, his hand pausing between them when he glanced to the side. “You made too many pies. You only have three pie containers.”

  “I didn’t make too many pies. Quite the contrary, I’m hoping I have enough for everyone. The problem is I just don’t have enough containers.” Twisting around to look up at his smiling face, she asked, “Why are we talking about the number of pies I made?”

  “Because one of my favorite things to do with you when you’re sitting in my truck is to hold your hand, and I can’t do it when you’ve got an extra pie sitting in your lap.”

  With her head tilted back, she held his gaze. “It won’t take as long to get there, and then I promise you can hold my hand.”

  “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

  A giggle slipped out, and she nodded. “I believe this morning when we were making love I heard those words. And when we were in the shower. And when you passed through the kitchen earlier.” She continued to stare as his face held an intense gaze, soft and warm as it focused on her.

  “Nora, having you here with me means everything, sweetheart.”

  His words speared straight to the heart of her. From the moment she decided to be with him, she never looked back. “Quit making me want to leap over the console and kiss you right now because that would involve cinnamon apple goo-goodness landing all over your truck.”

  He chuckled, shaking his head. “Goo-goodness? Wouldn’t want that, would we?”

  An hour later, the fun was in full swing. Mace was a firm believer that the Keepers functioned better on the job when they spent time together building camaraderie off the job and made sure each Keeper felt part of the whole team. Tate was certain Mace had given no thought to the significant others of his employees considering they were all single when the company was developed. But so far, the ones with mates had found perfect matches for the individual Keepers as well as LSI. Now, with Nora joining Helena, Sara, and Julie, their gatherings grew larger and more fun. He’d been pleased that Nora had become close to all the women, enjoying time with them even when the Keepers were not around.

  By the time the pies had been consumed amongst moans of delight and promises from Nora that she would share Tate’s mother’s recipe, Mace stood to make an announcement. Not a man of many words, he stood with both Sylvie and David pressed to his side and beamed. “Looks like Sylvie’s gonna increase our family.”

  With those simple words, the group erupted in congratulations. Tate was thrilled for his boss but shot a quick glance toward Nora. Her smile appeared genuine, but he could swear there was a specter of longing in her eyes. His arm was already resting on the back of her chair, and he curled his hand to her shoulder.

  Rank stood, laughing, pulling Helena up with him. Placing his large hand on her still-flat stomach, he said, “Looks like it’s in the water!” More cheers of congratulations followed, and Tate swore he heard a little sigh slip from Nora’s lips.

  Several hours later, Tate and Nora slipped away to the inside of the lighthouse and climbed the steps to get to the top. He had only brought her up here once when she first came to Maine but wanted to have the opportunity to share the sunset with her.

  She stood with her hands on the railing, staring out at the water, and he wrapped his arms around either side of her. They stood for several long minutes watching the ever-changing colors of the sky painted above them.

  Twisting her head around and up, she asked, “Do you remember all the sunsets we used to watch at the ranch years ago?”

  He squeezed her middle and smiled. “Nora, I remember every one I shared with you.”

  “Even all those years we weren’t together, the sunsets always made me think of you.”

  She stared up at him with her chin quivering slightly, and he continued, “I was a fuckin’ idiot ten years ago, Nora, but I vow to spend the rest of my life making that up to you.”

  She swiped at the tear that had escaped and shook her head. “Life is life, Tate. We live it day to day, sometimes making mistakes and sometimes reveling in the fact that the stars align, and everything is perfect. And sometimes we have to go through the dark valleys before we can get to the mountaintop. Whatever brought us to right here, right now, today, is simply the path that we needed to take.”

  Hearing those words from her, he knew the time was right for the ring that he’d had carried in his pocket for the past week. Stepping around to her side, he dropped to one knee. Nervous, he grinned as her eyes widened and she gasped, her hand quickly moving to her mouth.

  “If what you say is true, Nora, today is the path that we need to take. And I’d like it to be the start of forever with you.” Holding out the ring, he took her shaking left hand and gently slid it on her finger.

  Barely giving her a chance to say ‘yes’, he took to his feet and wrapped his arms around her, his mouth eagerly taking hers in a kiss that sealed their promise.

  Two Months Later

  Tate sat on his deck, reclined in an Adirondack chair with his feet propped up on the railing, one foot crossed over the other. He and Blake and Clay had spent a rare day off down by the water fishing off his little dock. After lunch, Blake left to pick up Sara, leaving Tate and Clay enjoying a beer in the afternoon sunshine. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he glanced at the caller ID before answering. “Levi, how are you?”

  “I’m good, but the real question is how is married life?”

  Tate grinned. “Fuckin’ fabulous,” he replied. Deciding that too much time had been wasted, he and Nora had gotten married in a small ceremony a few weeks earlier. Tate’s family flew to Maine, and with the help of the other Keepers and their wives, they had the wedding on the lawn of their property. The grass was green leading down to the water, flowers that Nora had planted blooming all around. They’d spoken their vows in the late afternoon and danced on their deck and patio as the sun set, painting the sky.

  Levi chuckled and said, “Somehow, I knew you’d say that.”

  “So, what’s the story? And, by the way, I just put you on speaker. Clay is here also.”

  “Today was my last day as an FBI agent.”

  Tate shared a glance with Clay. He had no doubt it was a bittersweet day for Levi. Levi had been in the military and an agent for the FBI and was now going to be the newest Keeper. “So, when are you heading here?”

  “I’m finishing everything here in Wyoming, packing up the
U-Haul, and I’ll head out in a few days. I’ve decided to take a week to drive the 2300 miles. I’ll do a little sightseeing along the way.”

  “Mace has the cabin near the lighthouse ready for you. You can move in as soon as you get here and stay until you find your own place.”

  “I appreciate that. Looking forward to being there and starting work for LSI.”

  “Be safe on the road. That’s a long trip,” Tate added.

  Levi snorted. “After my Ranger and FBI career, being a tourist for a week will be a piece of cake.”

  They disconnected after saying goodbye, and Tate took another pull from his beer. Keeping his face toward the water, he grinned while asking, “Still looking for no-drama?”

  Chuckling, Clay nodded. “Fuck, yeah. Just like what I told you. No drama, pretty, smart, and can cook.”

  “Tell you what, friend. You find someone like that, I’ll celebrate with you. But, honest to God, I’m hoping you find one with just as much drama as the rest of us. A woman like that will keep you on your toes and make every moment worth it.”

  The sound of tires on the gravel had them swing their heads around, seeing Nora parking just outside the house. Clay placed his boots on the deck with a thud and stood. “Looks like she’s home early, so I’ll let you enjoy the rest of your day.” Tate stood as well, and the two men shook hands.

  “Thanks for the fishing and the beer,” Clay said. As Nora stepped up on the deck, he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. Tossing a wave to both of them, he headed down to his truck.

  “You’re home early.”

  She walked straight into his arms and looked up, a sweet smile on her face. “I thought we could spend some time together, but I feel guilty having Clay leave so early.”

  “Don’t worry about it, babe. He’s got to pack for a trip. He’ll be leaving tomorrow for another mission.” Nora simply smiled, not peppering him with questions that he wouldn’t be able to answer. Their lives had fit together so smoothly just like he always knew they would.