by Dana R. Lynn
“If something were wrong, I would have heard. Dan wouldn’t keep me in suspense. Or maybe something did go wrong and he just wants to tell me in person. No, he wouldn’t do that. They’re fine. Everyone’s fine.” Absently, she picked up the dish towel from the counter and began to swish it back and forth in front of her.
A car pulled into the driveway. Dropping the towel, she charged through the kitchen door and beat Melanie to the front entrance. The first cruiser was followed by a second. Maggie’s gaze was riveted to the cars as the front doors opened. The two officers who had stayed with her family exited the first vehicle. Jace and Dan exited the second. She could see movement in the backseat. Dan opened the passenger-side door and her mother stepped out.
With a cry, Maggie dashed down the steps to the vehicle. She tore open the back door and tried to unfasten Rory’s car seat restraints with hands that trembled. Tears filled her eyes. Everything around her grew blurry. She blinked them back. Both children started wailing and reaching toward their mother. Strong hands brushed her aside gently. Dan undid Rory’s seat restraints and handed the squirming little boy to her. No sooner did she have him than his chubby arms were holding on to her for dear life, his hands fisted in her hair. She didn’t care. It felt like the first time she could fully breathe since she’d left them. On the other side of the car, Siobhan’s wails grew in volume.
Maggie gave a watery chuckle. “Someone’s not happy. Mom, give her to me, please.”
Without a word, Anna walked over and deposited the little girl in Maggie’s other arm. Anna kissed Maggie’s cheek and rubbed her back. And was thanked with a smile. Maggie spread kisses and tears all over her children’s faces. She strongly suspected their grandmother had been spoiling them, as their faces were decidedly sticky. She wasn’t about to complain, though.
“Hey, Mags.” Dan’s soft voice snagged her attention. “Can we move this party inside? We have lots to discuss, and I for one would feel better if you weren’t so out in the open.”
“Yeah, good idea.” When he held out his arms to take one of the twins, though, she hesitated. It seemed too soon to give either of them up, even though she knew it would be for only a minute or two.
“You walk. Your mom and I will guide you.” He put his hands on her left shoulder and elbow. Anna mimicked his position on the right side. It took some fancy maneuvering, but soon the small group had moved into the house. Once they were all inside, Melanie activated the alarm system on the wall.
“We got that system set up soon after Melanie moved back in here,” Jace informed her. Maggie could read between the lines. After Melanie had been released from prison. “I wasn’t comfortable with how isolated this place was. Paul had a similar system set up at my mom’s house.”
There was more to the story than that. Mel had already told her about the threats to her life after she had been released. This time when the familiar tinge of guilt tried to edge itself in, Maggie kicked it to the curb. She couldn’t live her life second-guessing decisions she had made in good faith. Especially since Melanie herself seemed to hold no grudges.
It took some effort, but Maggie managed to settle herself and her giddy twins on the floor. They were very clingy, which came as no surprise to her. They had never been out of her care that long before. What did surprise her was that Dan seated himself on the floor with them. He scooted next to her and took a clambering Siobhan up onto his lap. Her eyes widened when her daughter laughed and settled in. She glanced up just in time to catch the amused look that flashed between Jace and Melanie.
Undeterred by the unprofessional position he was in, Dan started his briefing. It began fairly straightforward. And then it took an unexpected twist.
“It would appear that Malcolm’s brother had his story wrong.”
Maggie felt as if her heart were lodged in her throat.
“Wrong about what? That his brother died because of me?”
She felt the sudden stillness in the room. Even Dan paused.
“He didn’t die because he met you,” he declared finally. “In fact, chances are good that he used you. At least in the beginning.”
She pressed her lips together. Used her?
“Used me? How?” She winced. Her voice had a sharper edge than she had intended. Rory whimpered. She soothed him with a gentle cuddle, never taking her eyes off Dan.
“He and Steel had been working together for months. They had gone to school together. Steel was trying to make a name for himself. I talked with some of his old coworkers and buddies. One of them happened to overhear an intense argument between them right before Hutchins ended their association. It seems Steel had heard of what had gone down with Spiles’s business and had tracked Hutchins down. Hutchins had kept some records from the feds, just like his brother said, but nothing that was clearly illegal. He had a partnership with Steel, who would do some digging to get to the dirt. It was beneficial for both of them. Steel got fodder for his column and made a name for himself, and Hutchins was able to send anonymous tips to the police, which—according to Steel’s crony—he did several times. Steel was very good at digging. He managed to find information on several corrupt businesses in that manner. Then he hit pay dirt. We were right. The money laundering business was only a small part of what was going on.”
“Human trafficking?” Please, say no.
Dan nodded, his face weary. “Yeah. I’m afraid so. Steel needed Hutchins but couldn’t take the chance of being seen with him. You worked at the same paper, so you presented Hutchins with a solid justification for hanging around.”
A dull ache built up inside. So, everything about her marriage had been built on a lie. Including the love she had been so sure she had shared with her husband.
“Mags, don’t look like that.”
Look like what? As if her world had been torn apart—again? As if betrayal was ripping her heart out?
A warm, masculine hand touched her chin, tipping her face up. Dan’s eyes were worried. “I think Malcolm really had loved you in the end. His association with Steel was finished months before he married you. Months before Steel wrote that column that got him killed, even. The man I talked to said that in the argument he overheard, Malcolm was concerned about putting his girl in danger. I’m guessing that Malcolm probably carried the zip drive with him out of fear that it might fall into the wrong hands if he didn’t guard it personally. If he dropped it while visiting you, it’s possible that Steel found it and was unable to resist the temptation. Then he replaced it among your belongings.”
“So many lies,” Maggie whispered.
“I know, Maggie. But Malcolm, he could have just walked away from you. Instead, he stayed. Married you. Unfortunately, it appears that Steel got careless, or greedy, and alerted the wrong people to how he had gotten his leads. The very people that Hutchins was hiding from.”
Drawing in a deep breath, Maggie did her best to shove her pain aside. She couldn’t deal with it now, not with so many people watching her. Stiffening her spine, she resolved to remain strong. She had to.
“So, who was in charge of the human trafficking? Did you find him?”
Dan hesitated. Uh-oh. That meant she wasn’t going to like his answer.
“We know who it is. A man named Gary Chambers.” Dan paused, rubbing his face. “He definitely has enough money and resources to keep sending people after you. My guess is that he wants you dead because he knows you have connections with the press. And he has no idea how much, or how little, Hutchins told you. You are a complication he can’t afford.”
Maggie swallowed. “So where is he?”
“We can’t find him. He disappeared about the same time I found you.”
* * *
The color seeped from her already-pale face. Dan held out an arm, ready to catch her if she fainted. She swayed but leaned her back against the couch. Her eyes took on a
fierce glint, and a surge of pride took him unawares. She was clearly terrified, but she wasn’t about to give in to her fear. He knew her well enough to know that she was a fighter.
“We will find him, Maggie,” he promised her, although he knew better. Who could tell what would happen? But he was determined that he wouldn’t rest until this beautiful woman and her children were safe. “There are bulletins out with his description. And even if he is in disguise, we’ll be on the lookout for anything strange.”
“I know you will.” The confidence in her voice, in the look she leveled at him, shook him to the core. What had he ever done to deserve such faith?
“Maggie—” He had no idea what he had planned on saying. Whatever it was, he never got the chance. The alarm started shrieking as a car squealed into the driveway. A car door slammed. Dan put the child on his lap on the floor with her mother. He stood, one hand loosely covering the gun at his waist. He was aware of Jace, Olsen and Thompson adopting similar postures.
Footsteps pounded on the porch. Jace peered out the window, then unlocked the front door and opened it. Seth ran into the room, his eyes wild as he searched the occupants. He visibly relaxed when he saw Maggie. A louder wail started. Siobhan. Rory whimpered.
Jace punched in a quick code in the box on the wall. The alarm stopped. The phone rang a second later. Rolling his eyes, Jace informed the person on the other end that there was no emergency.
“At least you know it works, dude,” Dan murmured, but his attention was on the drama before him. Seth was really rattled. As far as he could tell, the younger man had seen the newspaper article and put two and two together. He had rushed over to see for himself that his newfound sister was fine. And she was. But now he was also laying eyes on his niece and nephew for the first time. And Anna. His eyes widened. Dan suspected Seth had realized who she was, because his eyes kept darting between Anna and Maggie. Clearly, she was Maggie’s mother. And the woman his father had cheated on his late mother with. That had to hurt. Especially so close to her death. He was pretty sure Maggie had come to the same conclusion, because her expression was soft and sympathetic.
Man, he felt bad for the guy. Sure, Seth had been a little cocky when he’d met him, but still, he was a good man—who appeared shell-shocked at the moment. He was polite to Anna, but his discomfort was obvious. As was his instant fascination with Siobhan and Rory.
Well, who could blame the man? The twins were both as cute as buttons. Not to mention spunky. Just like their mother. Dan let his eyes fall on Maggie and felt his chest tighten. Lord, help me get her out of this mess safely.
Four police radios crackled to life. The dispatcher’s voice was amplified as it flowed from them. All four officers straightened and a grim silence met the news that a tractor trailer had overturned on I-79, becoming the catalyst for a major seven-car pile-up. Hazmat had been called, too, which could mean hazardous chemicals were leaking from the toppled rig.
Dan and Jace exchanged “what now?” glances. Neither was keen to leave the women and children when there was a high probability that another hired killer was on his way to silence Maggie. They really didn’t have a choice, though. They were on duty.
“You have to stay here, Mags. If you keep the alarm on, it will let you know if so much as a cat enters the yard.”
He could tell by the way her mouth tightened that she didn’t like the idea of being stranded again. Despite her displeasure, she nodded. Some of the tension melted out of his shoulders. He hadn’t realized just how concerned he was.
“Melly, I’m thinking it would be a good idea if you and Irene stayed, too,” Jace murmured to his wife. “I’m not comfortable with this whole situation.”
“I’ll stay here with them until you guys get back,” Seth offered. “I’m off the clock until tomorrow morning.”
“Thanks, dude.”
Dan held out a hand, and Seth shook it. There were few men besides Jace and Paul whom he would trust to watch the woman he loved...
What? He didn’t love Maggie, couldn’t love her. But even as denial flared in his brain, his heart clutched that word and held on tight. It was no use. He had done the one thing he had sworn to never do. He was in love with Maggie Slade.
Now what?
FOURTEEN
Dan tipped his head back and drained about half a bottle of water. The past five and a half hours dealing with the car wrecks had been grim. Most of the passengers had been treated and released at the scene, although two had to be transported to the hospital, and one young man had been airlifted to Pittsburgh. Dan and Jace both had sent up a prayer for him as the helicopter lifted, sending debris blowing in its wake. The driver of the tractor trailer was dead. He apparently had suffered a heart attack while driving.
Exhausted, Dan poured some of the water over his head, then wiped off the water streaming down his face with a paper towel. It had to be going on one in the morning now. Soft footsteps echoed behind him. Jace moved beside him.
“You’re not going to like this.”
“What?” He planted his narrow-eyed gaze firmly on Jace.
“Just keep in mind that this doesn’t make me happy, either.”
“Just spit it out, man. I really just want to check in on Maggie, then grab a few hours of sleep.” He didn’t think he’d be able to actually talk to Maggie. It was the middle of the night. He did hope that he could follow Jace home and crash on his couch. His apartment was out of the question at the moment. Too far away from Maggie. He’d never sleep. A red flag went up in his mind when his friend didn’t respond. Jace’s face grew even longer. He crossed his arms over his chest. No. Just no. Paul wouldn’t, would he? Yes, of course he would. Paul was all about following procedure.
“We are supposed to report to the station for a briefing as soon as we are done here.”
“Seriously? Does he have any idea how long I have been on duty?” Dan really hated that he sounded like a whiny kid, but come on. How many hours straight could a man work before it took its toll? However many, he felt he’d reached it three hours back.
But the chief’s orders were the chief’s orders. So half an hour later he was sitting in a crowded conference room as Paul gave an update on Chambers’s whereabouts. He tried to tell himself he was pleased that the man had been spotted, that they had an idea of his current location, but his blood ran cold as images of Chambers going through tollbooths in Ohio were projected on the screen. Mere hours from their position. Whatever doubt he had melted away, leaving a chill in its wake. The man was coming for Maggie.
“Sir, how is it he hasn’t been picked up yet?” one of the younger officers queried.
Good question. He raised an eyebrow at Paul.
“You know how these toll roads work, Jackson. Every vehicle that comes through gets captured on camera. Hardly anyone even questions it anymore. But when we sent out the photo and description of Chambers, one of the second-shift workers recalled his face. We had the security cameras checked and found a match. He came through on the turnpike around 8:00 p.m., which means—”
Dan stood abruptly. Every hair on the back of his neck was standing on end.
“Which means he could already be here.”
Paul nodded. “Yes, he could already be here.”
“Then we need to get back to Jace’s house, sir.”
Jace’s cell phone chirped, signaling that he was receiving a text. A text in the middle of the night was never good. Dan tapped his fist against his thigh, just barely holding back from demanding to know what the text said. His level of anxiety grew when Jace gasped and shot him a frantic glance before tapping out a reply.
“What was that look for? What’s the problem? Jace! What’s goin’ on?”
“Would you just chill?” Jace tossed back. “I’m trying to figure that out, too. Mel sent me a text that she was driving Maggie to the hos
pital. She... Hold on.” He stopped speaking when his phone chirped again. Dan was ready to crawl out of his skin. What could possibly be taking so long?
“Okay, so it seems that Rory woke up screaming, running a temperature of one hundred and four degrees. He was in pain, and Maggie insisted on going to the ER.”
“Poor kid,” Paul sympathized. Murmurs of agreement filled the room. Paul indicated that the meeting was over, and the tired officers rose to file out of the office.
“If you’ll take me to the hospital, I can collect my wife, then you can wait for Maggie. Come by my place when you’re done. You can crash for a few hours at least.”
Was nothing ever simple? A yawn surprised him, and he responded with a weary nod. On the way to the car Jace sent a text to his wife. She immediately sent a response. Dan watched with alarm as Jace attempted to walk and text simultaneously.
“At least wait until we’re in the car,” he chided. “I’m too done in to deal with you if you trip and break your leg.”
“I won’t—” Jace tripped over the curb, stumbling into Dan as he struggled to regain his balance.
“Told ya.”
He grinned to himself as his sheepish friend tucked his phone back in his pocket.
“I’ll drive. You can continue your conversation.”
The trip to the hospital seemed to take forever. He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel as they waited at yet another red light. They had caught all the red lights. Every. Single. One.
“You could use your siren,” his friend suggested.
He was tempted.
“We’re almost there.”
Jace snorted. “Almost only counts in horseshoes. Use the siren. Just so I don’t need to put up with you in a bad mood any longer.”
Dan resisted the impulse for another five seconds. But the idea of Maggie sitting in the waiting room, worried and out in the open, got to him. He reached out and flipped the switch. The siren blared. The car in front of him pulled over to let him pass.