“Caroline? You are safe, aren’t you?”
She pushed herself out of the comfy sofa. “I am—for now.”
After paying Dr. Shipman in cash and setting up her next appointment, Caroline returned to the reception area. The outside door opened and she tripped to a stop.
A dark-skinned man with shaggy brown hair edged into the office, keeping his head down.
Caroline averted her gaze and strode past him and out the door. Everyone deserved their privacy.
She pulled the door shut behind her and peered down the street, looking both ways. She didn’t want Cole to see her coming out of a therapist’s office, although it would bolster her story. Why would Johnny Diamond’s accomplice or murderer want to see a shrink?
In fact, her appointment with Dr. Shipman might be just the thing to get her off Cole’s radar again.
Caroline blew out a breath and headed toward the sidewalk just as he pulled up to the curb across the street. Waving, she strode to the car and yanked open the passenger-side door.
She dropped onto the seat and swung her purse into the back. “How’d your research go?”
He nodded once. “Good. Everything okay with your...appointment?”
“You’re very discreet, but I don’t have any secrets.” She smoothed her hair back from her face. “In case you haven’t guessed, I just saw a therapist.”
His head jerked up. “Really?”
“Linda thought it was a good idea, and after speaking with Dr. Shipman, I have to agree.” Caroline’s openness extended only so far. She didn’t have to tell him about the hypnosis or what she’d discovered from it.
“That’s great.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder as he pulled away. “Dr. Shipman’s the therapist? I saw her name on the directory when I dropped you off.”
“Yeah. I like her.”
“Good. Have you ever been in an abusive relationship before?” He held up one hand. “And you can tell me to mind my own business.”
She’d wanted to tell him to mind his own business on several occasions, but this wasn’t one of them. “That was my first and my last.”
“Good to hear that. My mom didn’t stay long with her abuser, either.”
Caroline let him talk, sealing her lips, not wanting to get into any details about her relationship with Larry—details she might have to recall later.
Cole hit the steering wheel with the heel of his hand. “Let’s celebrate your new resolve.”
“Celebrate?”
“I know you ate lunch before we left, but I didn’t. Do you want to get something to eat, or just a coffee, before we head back to Timberline?”
“Sure. I’d like that.” And for a change with Cole, she was telling the truth. The therapy seemed to allay his suspicions again, and with Dr. Shipman’s help she was on the road to recovering her memories. For the first time since she’d regained consciousness at the Stardust, Caroline had some hope.
As they drove toward the wharf, Cole turned his head to glance at her. “Restaurant or coffeehouse?”
“You’re the one eating. You choose. I can have a coffee anywhere.”
He pulled into a small parking lot of a café that sported a blue-and-white-striped awning over the front door. “Looks like I can get a sandwich here.”
He stepped out of the car and slammed the door. As he came around to the passenger side, she cracked open the door.
Pointing into the car, he said, “I left my jacket in the backseat. Can you grab it for me when you get your purse?”
“Okay.” She twisted around and poked her head into the back. As she tugged his jacket from the seat, his wallet fell to the floor. Her fingertips tingled, and then she snatched the wallet and shoved it into her purse.
Curling her fingers around the strap of her bag, she straightened up and slid from the car. She pressed Cole’s jacket into his arms. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
She held her breath. Would he notice his missing wallet right away?
He didn’t even put on the jacket as he guided her into the restaurant, with his hand on her arm.
The waitress waved toward the back of the room. “Anywhere is fine.”
They took a booth in the corner, and Cole plucked two menus from a holder on the edge of the table.
Caroline hugged her purse to her chest. “I’m going to use the ladies’ room first. Order me a cappuccino if the waitress comes around.”
With her heart pounding, she made a beeline for the restroom. She stepped into the single bathroom and locked the door behind her. Leaning against it, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
This was the second time in a week that she’d stolen from someone—not that she planned to steal anything from Cole. But she didn’t want to let down her guard now that he seemed to trust her. She still had to pin down his true identity, as he’d tried to do with her.
With shaking hands, she unzipped her bag and reached inside for Cole’s wallet. She wedged her shoulder against the door and flipped open the leather.
Cole stared back at her from a California driver’s license. Hadn’t lied about being a California boy. Ignoring the cash in the billfold, she jammed her fingers into the slot behind his license and pulled out a stack of cards.
The gold-embossed letters on the top card blurred before her eyes and she slid down the length of the door until she was crouching against it.
Cole Pierson was a DEA agent, and he must be looking for the woman he believed had murdered Johnny Diamond and stolen his drug money.
Cole was looking for her.
Chapter Six
Cole ordered Caroline’s coffee, and a sandwich and soda for himself. His cell phone rang from his jacket pocket and he grabbed the folds of leather, feeling for it. Then he reached for his other pocket and pulled his phone out.
He released a breath when he saw his sister’s number pop up instead of the agency’s. He didn’t need his boss tracking him down right now. Only his partner, Craig Delgado, knew he was using his vacation time to follow up on Diamond’s murder. Cole had worked too long and hard on the Diamond case to drop it now—even though his quarry was dead.
“Hey, Kristi. I can’t talk right now. What’s up?”
She snorted over the line. “Why are you asking me what’s up in the same breath as telling me you can’t talk?”
“Just being polite. I’m working right now.”
“Okay. Just called to shoot the breeze. Give me a call back when you’re not busy with important DEA stuff.”
“Everything good?”
“I have a husband to worry about me now, big brother. Relax. Everything’s fine.”
“Then I’ll call you later.” He ended the call and dropped the phone back into his jacket pocket. Then he frowned and patted the other pocket.
Had he left his wallet at the sheriff’s station? He picked up the jacket and looked at the seat. He even checked the inside breast pocket, which he never used.
He’d tossed his jacket into the backseat of his rental when he’d left the station, and he was positive his wallet had been in the pocket. It must’ve fallen out.
He glanced toward the restrooms and then flagged down the waitress. “I’m going back to my car for a minute. Can you let my friend know in case she gets back before I do?”
“Sure.”
He stuffed his arms in his jacket sleeves and jogged out to the rental. He opened the back door and ducked inside the car, running his hands along the seat and peering beneath it.
Caroline’s purse had been back here, too. She’d grabbed his jacket for him. What else had she grabbed? Did she still suspect him of being some crony of her husband’s?
He slammed the door and leaned against the car with his arms crossed. What would she di
scover from his wallet? He’d left his badge in the hotel safe, but he had business cards in case he needed them for the various police agencies.
She’d find out he was a DEA agent...and that he’d been lying about it. So what?
The fact that Caroline would see him as a liar and an untrustworthy person burned a hole in his gut. She’d had enough people in her life she couldn’t trust. He’d wanted to be different.
Cole shook his head. It didn’t matter, did it? He’d exhaust his investigation in Timberline and then return to work—with or without Diamond’s hotel companion—and Caroline would continue to pick up the pieces of her shattered life with her cousin in the small-town embrace of Timberline.
If they could enjoy each other’s company for a week or so, maybe he could do a little to restore her faith in men. She would understand why he’d withheld the truth of his identity from her, just as he understood she’d felt compelled to lift his wallet to check him out.
With these noble thoughts, he pushed himself off the car and returned to the restaurant. As he walked through the door, Caroline’s light-colored eyes watched him over the rim of her oversize coffee cup.
“Everything okay?”
He slid into the booth across from her. “I thought I forgot my wallet in the car.”
“Oh.” Her cheeks reddened as she reached for her purse. “I have it here.”
His eyes narrowed as he watched her toss the wallet on the table between them and then slurp from her coffee cup.
“I—I didn’t take your money.” Glancing up, she covered her mouth with her hand and giggled.
He recognized that as a nervous response. “How did you happen to have it in your purse?”
“It fell from your pocket when I got your jacket out of the back, and I dropped it in my purse. It was easier than trying to stuff it back in your jacket.” She blinked. “Sorry.”
“Caroline.” He took her hand in his and played with her fingers, warm from her coffee mug. “It’s okay. You still suspected me of having some connection with... Larry, right? I can understand that you saw my wallet and decided to check things out for yourself.”
“I... I—”
He put a finger to her plump lips to stop any more lies from escaping. “I’m not mad. I get it.”
“I just... I’m sorry.”
“And now you know I work for the Drug Enforcement Agency, and I’m not really writing a book.” He squeezed and released her fingers before dragging a napkin into his lap.
“I did see that. I’m really sorry.” Her mouth stretched into a tight grin. “Are you gonna have to kill me now?”
“Funny. Actually, I’m doing a little legwork on my own time.”
“What does that mean? If you can tell me.”
“Technically, I’m on vacation.” He pulled some lettuce from his sandwich and dropped it on the plate.
“You have an interesting way of spending your time off.”
“It’s just that I’ve been tracking this one guy for a while. Lucky me, he wound up dead, but I still have unanswered questions about him and...his last days.” Cole took a big bite of his sandwich to keep himself from divulging any more details to Caroline.
He’d come clean about his identity. He didn’t have to reveal his whole case file on Johnny Diamond. She probably didn’t care, anyway. Wendy had hated hearing about his work—had found it boring. Turned out she had more fun on the other side of the law.
Cole swallowed and took a long drink of soda.
“Drug dealers in Timberline?” Caroline widened her eyes. “Somehow I never expected that from this place.”
“Really? You haven’t been following the Timberline Trio case very closely, have you?”
“N-no.”
“Turns out those three kids were kidnapped in exchange for some drugs.”
“That’s terrible. What happened to them—the kids, I mean?”
Cole cocked his head and squinted at her. “You really are out of the loop. Nobody knows. The kids vanished without a trace. The FBI with the help of some locals finally nailed down the who, but not the why or where.”
“Who kidnapped them?”
“Some local biker gang kidnapped the kids for some sick dude who was part Quileute, the Native American tribe out here. That didn’t sit well with the tribe members. If they ever got their hands on him, he’d be a goner, nothing left for the FBI to arrest.”
“So, they don’t know where he is?”
“He disappeared shortly after the kidnappings, but was never tied to the crimes until the Lords of Chaos became part of the picture. Nobody knows what he did with those kids, and their bodies were never found.”
Caroline hunched her shoulders and took another sip of her cappuccino.
Way to win over and impress women. Wendy hadn’t appreciated his talk about work; why would Caroline? Especially since she’d so recently experienced violence in her own life.
“Sorry, too much information.” Cole took another bite of his sandwich. Seemed to be the only way to shut himself up.
“It’s sad and tragic, but it doesn’t bother me to hear about it. No wonder Linda doesn’t talk about the case.”
“How’s your cappuccino?”
“It’s nice. How’s your sandwich?”
He raised his eyes to the ceiling as she caught him in midbite.
“How long are you going to be investigating in Timberline and what exactly are you looking for?”
He chewed a little longer, searching for an answer. If he admitted that the possibility of finding Johnny Diamond’s female companion and probable killer had drawn him here to Timberline, she’d figure out that’s why he’d been stalking her. He might owe her the truth, but he didn’t owe her an answer. He was still on DEA business even though the agency, outside of his partner, didn’t have a clue he was here.
Cole wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Turns out my dead drug dealer was from around this area, or at least hung out with the local biker gang.”
“I figured that.” Caroline traced the edge of her cup with her fingertip. “And how much time are you going to give it?”
“Maybe a week. I have to return to my real job sometime.” He drew a circle in the air above the remaining half of his sandwich. “Sure you’re not hungry? Do you want this?”
“No, thanks, but does the sandwich offer mean you forgive me for lifting your wallet?” She covered her eyes with one hand. “I don’t know what came over me.”
“I get it, but I hope this conversation and my business cards put to rest the idea that I came out here to look for you.”
A rush of pink washed across her cheeks. “That whole notion was silly.”
“Don’t worry about it. Looks like you’re getting on the right track with the therapy and everything.”
“I think she’ll really help.”
The waitress hovered at their table, waving the check. “Can I get you anything else?”
“I’m good.” Cole raised his brows at Caroline, and she shook her head. “Just the check.”
The woman set it on the table with a flourish.
“Let me get this.” Caroline dragged her purse into her lap. “I still feel so guilty about snatching your wallet and violating your privacy.”
“All you had was coffee.”
Cole reached for his wallet, but she put her hand over his. “Let me get it.”
“Okay, but it’s not necessary to make it up to me.”
“I insist.” She plucked a twenty from her wallet and placed a saltshaker on top of it and the check.
They left the restaurant and Cole slung his jacket over his arm. Any trace of the sun had ducked behind some rolling gray clouds. He tipped his head back to look at the sky. “Rain again?”
“Seems to be
a perpetual state of affairs up here. I prefer the dry heat of the desert.”
Caroline tripped over a crack in the pavement, and Cole caught her arm. “Whoa.”
She tucked her chin against her chest as she hunched into her jacket and broke away from him, rushing to the car as if she thought the skies would open up on them then and there.
As he opened the car door for her, Caroline’s words sunk into his consciousness. “The desert? I thought you were from back East somewhere. And don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you from where.”
“I am, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like the desert climate. I’m sick of snow, and I’m getting pretty tired of the rain already.”
“You and me both.” He shut the door and made his way to the driver’s side. He thought they’d gotten over the distrust, but she was still skittish. Must be habit. She’d probably walked on eggshells with that scumbag husband of hers.
Caroline was quiet, thoughtful, on the ride back to Timberline. Cole didn’t want to disturb her train of thought. In fact, he didn’t want to disturb her anymore.
She pushed all his buttons and he was attracted to her beyond belief, but her actions screamed of complications he didn’t want or need right now. He could see pursuing a relationship with her once he’d wrapped up here if she’d been a Timberline local, someone with a life and a plan.
But Caroline seemed lost, rootless and afraid. He wanted to rescue her in the worst way, but he had other priorities right now. And it wasn’t like she was crying out to be saved.
She had him at arm’s length and wanted to keep him there.
As they drove into Timberline, he said, “I hope Linda got her car fixed.”
“So do I. Thanks again for taking me into Port Angeles for my appointment.”
He rolled up to the curb in front of Timberline Treasures. “No problem. I’m just going to stick my head in and say hello to Linda.”
Caroline didn’t tell him to stay in the car, but she didn’t exactly encourage him, either. He thought they’d made some progress over lunch, but she’d done a one-eighty once they got to the car, and the ride home couldn’t have been chillier if they’d been riding in a convertible in the rain.
In the Arms of the Enemy Page 7