by Debra Webb
“ It’ s her,” she told her Cassandra sister. “ I know she’ s Rainy’ s daughter. Did you look at that picture?”
Dawn O’ Shaughnessy had only attended Athena Academy for one year, her junior year. That didn’ t really surprise Kayla. To keep the girl at the academy much longer would have been a risk. Selecting that particular year for her attendance had proven well thought out. As a junior Dawn would have had flying lessons as well as numerous other advance survival and self-defense skill courses at her disposal.
She had excelled in all.
“ It’ s incredible,” Alex said, her voice scarcely more than a whisper. “ The resemblance between her and Rainy is remarkable once you get past the golden hair and extraordinary eyes.”
“ We have to find this girl.”
“ I’ m working on it already,” Alex assured her. An extended pause set Kayla’ s nerves further on edge. “ But I feel like I need to be there. For Christine… and for you.”
Kayla closed her eyes and held back the emotions that wanted to overflow. “ That would be good. I could use your help.” And your support, she didn’ t add.
“ I’ ve talked to Justin, and he wants me to fly over tomorrow. You know this affects him as well.”
She was right. Justin Cohen’ s sister had been one of the surrogates, if their theory proved true. Although according to hospital records, the child she’ d carried had died, too. Then again, look how accurate Rainy’ s records had been… .
Would Dawn have any ideas about her past? Wherever she had gone to college or now worked was a total mystery. At this point it looked as if the girl simply vanished after her one year at the academy.
There was always the chance she could be dead.
Kayla pushed aside that theory. She needed her alive. She wasn’ t going to allow herself to believe otherwise.
“ Call me when your flight arrives,” Kayla reminded Alex.
As she disconnected the call, she felt stronger already just knowing that Alex was on her way.
They were getting close now.
Kayla could feel it.
She packed up her notes, shut down the system she’ d been using. At this point there was no reason to share what she’ d discovered with anyone else. Especially since she wasn’ t sure who she could trust, and what she had was clearly circumstantial. She hated to think of Rebecca Claussen as anything other than an ally, but she wouldn’ t take the risk. Peter Hadden’ s tall, handsome image popped into her head. She was actually surprised that she hadn’ t heard from him this weekend, after Christine’ s shooting. Maybe he was tied up on a big case.
Or maybe he’ d decided that working with Kayla wasn’ t worth the effort. Then again, after what he’ d said to her in his car that night, maybe he was simply too embarrassed by his own admission.
It was dark already when she returned to the parking lot, but her mind wasn’ t really fixed on how late it was. She kept playing Peter’ s words over and over. He was attracted to her.
She hesitated, her hand on the Jeep’ s door. Peter? Since when had she started referring to him as Peter?
Dumb, Kayla, she chastised as she opened the driver’ s side door. Really dumb.
She hesitated before climbing into the vehicle. That creepy sensation of being watched engulfed her.
Kayla surveyed the deserted parking area. Had everyone gone home already? Rebecca hadn’ t even popped in to say good-night. Was she still inside? But her car wasn’ t in the lot.
Kayla sat down behind the wheel of her Jeep and closed the door, instinctively depressing the lock button.
The incidents were growing closer, increasing in frequency. Whoever was tracking her was growing bolder.
Kayla started the engine and shifted into drive. Tail or no tail, she had things to do. Intimidation, if that was the intent, wasn’ t going to slow her down. She touched the weapon at her side. Not in this lifetime.
With even more certainty, she had reason to believe Christine’ s shooting as well as this persistent shadow were connected to Rainy’ s murder. Someone knew Kayla was getting closer to the truth.
How close would she be allowed to get before more aggressive steps were taken to intervene?
Only one way to find out.
Kayla drove straight to Christine’ s bungalow. She passed slowly, then abruptly stopped halfway down the street that would lead to Betsy Stone’ s home.
She climbed out of the Jeep. Strode straight up to Christine’ s home and performed a perimeter check. A guard hadn’ t been posted, since it was unlikely further evidence could be gathered from the scene.
Kayla turned all the way around, scanned the moonlit area. Her shadow stayed out of sight, but he was there. She felt his presence.
Kayla walked the distance to Betsy Stone’ s place. As with Christine’ s, she walked the perimeter, checked the doors and windows. Nothing had been disturbed.
Nurse Stone had not returned to her small, cozy home.
Kayla didn’ t have to speculate on that conclusion. Last time she’ d stopped by she’ d taped the doors, front and back, as well as the windows. If anyone had entered the premises the transparent tape would have been broken or detached. In each instance the tape was exactly as she’ d left it.
Wherever the good nurse had disappeared to, she hadn’ t returned to her home or the campus as far as anyone knew.
Was she running for her life, or on the run?
Or dead?
Kayla had to find her, if she was still alive. She was the key.
Then and there Kayla made another decision. Whether Betsy Stone showed or not, she intended to get a search warrant on her home first thing tomorrow. If there was any evidence inside those four walls, Kayla wanted it before someone else got hold of it. But she had to get it legally, or anything she found would be inadmissible in court.
The possibility that Christine’ s shooter could have already pilfered Stone’ s house punched a hole in Kayla’ s hope, but she had to be sure. Overlooking any lead or aspect, no matter how remote, was bad police procedure. Kayla prided herself on good cop work, and she wasn’ t about to change now.
When she’ d looked her fill she drove to Mary’ s house. She hated missing dinner with her daughter but it was too late to worry about that now.
She braked to a stop at the curb, her full attention zeroing in on the red SUV parked behind her brother-in-law’ s truck.
Until she’ d gotten out and walked up to the vehicle so she could make out the license plate she told herself that it couldn’ t be. Had to be a coincidence.
But she was wrong.
1PILOT.
Mike.
Fury exploded inside Kayla as she strode up the walk and onto her sister’ s porch.
The scene inside the house only fueled her already out-of-control fury and frustration— a volatile mix under any circumstances.
Mike, looking as much at home as any member of the family, sat on the sofa next to Jazz. Mary’ s husband occupied his favorite chair. Mary’ s two boys were sprawled on the floor, heads cupped in hands, watching television.
“ Hey, Kayla.” Her sister greeted her, the door held open wide as if the scenario playing out inside her living room was completely innocent and totally normal. “ I was worried.”
The worry in Mary’ s eyes was the only thing that kept Kayla from going off then and there. The expression on her face signaled that she wasn’ t completely comfortable.
“ Sorry, I was on a case.” Her gaze shifted to Mike. “ What’ s up?”
Mary ushered her into the room and closed the door. “ Mike dropped in on us a couple hours ago,” she explained, keeping her tone light and cheery. Too cheery. “ He had the day off and thought he’ d drive down.”
Mike finally bothered to join the conversation. He stood and walked toward Kayla.
She worked hard at keeping her face free of the anger boiling inside her. “ Really?” The tension in the one word was thick enough to cut with a knife. “ How nice.�
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He flared his hands. “ I tried to call you today but never could catch you at home.”
“ That’ s why I carry a cell phone,” she inserted with an exaggerated smile.
A frown marred his handsome face. “ I… ah… ” He shook his head. “ I don’ t have your cell number.”
As much as she wanted to bite off his head and spit down his neck, he was right. Dammit.
“ Anyway,” he went on, “ I left a couple of messages on your machine en route.”
“ You drove all this way not knowing if we’ d gone out of town for some reason?” That just didn’ t sound like the self-serving guy she’ d once known.
He shrugged. “ I had to take the chance. Something’ s come up at the base and I won’ t be able to get away this weekend. I didn’ t want to have to wait until after Christmas to give Jazz her present.”
Fury mushroomed inside Kayla all over again. He’ d come bearing gifts? Perfect.
“ Come look, Mom!” Jazz motioned for her to join her at the dining room table.
Mary looked utterly mortified.
Kayla had a bad feeling.
“ Isn’ t it cool?”
On Mary’ s dining room table Kayla saw her daughter’ s gift from her newly interested father.
A state-of-the-art, big-name laptop computer.
Not one of the no-frills models Kayla had purchased. She recognized the compact machine at once. It must have cost at least two grand.
Son of a…
“ It’ s exactly what I wanted.”
Kayla smiled and made all the expected responses. What else could she do? Her daughter was clearly thrilled. But Kayla felt sick to her stomach. What was she supposed to do with the laptop computer she’ d purchased? What in the world would she buy for her daughter now?
There was no way to top Mike’ s gift.
Kayla suddenly felt exactly like second best.
She nibbled at the dinner Mary thrust in front of her. Her mouth somehow tossed out the necessary answers whenever someone addressed her. But she didn’ t know how she kept it up. Only by the grace of God.
Finally Mike mentioned that he should get on the road. He couldn’ t be away from the base as long as he would have liked.
Poor bastard, Kayla thought with absolutely no sympathy.
She stiffened as he kissed his daughter good-night. But it wasn’ t really his gesture that got to Kayla— it was the way her daughter responded. She hugged him so tight… as if she wanted to hang on… and on.
Kayla told herself she could be rational about this as she followed Mike outside. But the moment they were alone that possibility evaporated in a blast of red-hot anger that should have melted the soles of her shoes.
“ How could you?” she demanded between clenched teeth. He’ d upstaged her Christmas. Had outmaneuvered her.
“ What’ re you talking about?” Mike laid on that innocent look just a little too thick.
“ I had already bought her a laptop,” Kayla snarled like a wounded animal. Only he, or maybe some criminal, could bring out the beast in her like this.
He held out his hands in bewilderment. “ I had no idea.” He dropped his arms back to his sides and cocked his head to eye her suspiciously. “ What exactly are you accusing me of, Kayla? You think I did this on purpose?”
“ Don’ t try that innocent gig on me, Mike,” she ground out. “ Remember, I know you. I learned your MO the hard way.”
“ Don’ t confuse me with one of your criminals.” His face tightened with his own mounting anger. “ I’ m only trying to do the right thing here.”
“ Too little too late, hotshot.” She planted her hands at her hips. “ Do you think you can just come back here and act like the past twelve years didn’ t happen? Get real, Bridges, this is not a game. This is real. I’ m not going to let you play games with Jazz’ s feelings.”
“ I’ m not playing games.” A muscle in his hard jaw flexed. “ I have a right to see my daughter. I’ m sorry if my showing up tonight was an inconvenience but to be honest, you weren’ t around, so what does it matter?”
Any hopes she’ d had of keeping this civil vanished. “ You bastard. I have a job to do. Don’ t you dare hold that against me. You’ ve used your career to get out of every personal responsibility you’ ve ever had. You have no right to come here and judge me.”
“ I have as many rights as you do,” he threw back. “ Ask any lawyer.”
Fear tightened around her throat like the greedy fingers of the grim reaper. “ Don’ t even think about it, Bridges,” she cautioned. “ I’ ll dig up your every escapade. You think your name is mud now, just try me.” She glared at him, infusing every ounce of determination she possessed into that lethal stare. “ You will regret it.”
“ I tried to reach you,” he restated, visibly backing off.
The about-face startled Kayla. Was this some kind of new tactic? “ So you said. Just remember, we do this my way. Next time you want to see Jazz you don’ t show up until we’ ve squared it. Got it?”
He hesitated, but only for a split second. “ Got it.”
“ I guess you’ d better get on the road.”
He nodded, his gaze averted, his posture still rigid in spite of his composed tone. “ I’ ll be in touch.”
Kayla didn’ t move until he was gone from sight. She closed her eyes and grappled for calm. What the hell was he thinking? Instinct warned that it was not nearly as simple as he wanted her to believe it was. The fear that had gripped her throat relaxed marginally, just enough for her to draw in a much-needed breath.
She definitely could not trust him.
“ Why’ d you do that?”
Kayla whirled around at the sound of Jazz’ s voice. Her daughter stood on the porch staring at her, tears glistening on her cheeks, hurt shining in her big eyes.
“ Jazz, you don’ t understand.” Kayla started toward her. “ Your dad and I— ”
“ I understand,” she accused. “ You want him to go away like before. You don’ t want him to come around any more.”
Kayla’ s heart bumped against her sternum, sending a shattering ache reverberating through her. “ No, sweetie, that’ s not true.” When she started up the porch steps Jazz backed away.
“ I know you don’ t like him,” she said, her voice shaky with emotions. “ But I do.”
Kayla exhaled a heavy breath as she crossed to where her daughter hovered in the door, half in, half out of the house. “ I know you do. I’ m not trying to make him go away.” She held out her hand to her daughter but Jazz dodged her touch. “ Let’ s go home now. We can talk about this tomorrow when we’ ve both settled down.”
Jazz shook her head. “ I’ m not going with you. I’ m staying here.”
Before Kayla could say more Jazz ran inside. Mary, who’ d waited by the door, clearly torn between interfering and keeping her mouth shut, stepped out onto the porch.
“ Let her be,” she offered gently. “ This is all so confusing for her. Let her spend the night with me.”
“ But, Mary, we need to work this out.” Kayla fought back the sting of tears.
“ Of course you do, but not tonight. Let her sleep on it.” Mary managed a faint smile. “ You know what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. She’ ll wake up in the morning asking for you. You know how kids are.”
Kayla could only hope. She shook her head. “ Why is it I’ m the bad guy?” It just wasn’ t fair. “ He flits around all over the world while I’ m here taking care of business, then when he finally shows up I’ m the one doing everything wrong.”
Mary hugged her close, smoothed a hand over her hair. “ Shhh,” she urged. “ Don’ t do this to yourself. You know this isn’ t your fault. It’ ll work out.” Mary drew back then, her cheeks damp with the emotion she could not restrain. “ Mark my words, sister, all will work out if you allow nature to take its course.”
Kayla released another of those soul-shuddering breaths. “ You’ re rig
ht. I’ m overreacting.”
Mary patted her arm reassuringly. “ You’ re human. Go home. Get some sleep. I’ ll deliver your precious daughter to you tomorrow after choir practice— or you can pick her up.”
Kayla had forgotten about that.
“ I’ ll pick her up. Kiss her good-night for me, would you?”
“ I will.”
Leaving with that heartache unresolved between her and her daughter was one of the hardest things Kayla had ever had to do. But she was the grown-up here. Her daughter didn’ t fully understand. It would take time and patience on both their parts.
Tomorrow things would be better.
Chapter 10
K ayla parked in her driveway but didn’ t get out of the Jeep. Her heart felt heavy with regret that she hadn’ t been able to make up with Jazz. But a part of her was still furious with Mike.
No doubt she would get inside and find a couple of messages from him, but why hadn’ t he bothered to call her office? Anyone there would have been happy to patch him through to her. The bottom line was he hadn’ t wanted to locate her. Not really. He’ d wanted to avoid the whole confrontation and simply show up… and steal the show.
That’ s what he’ d done, all in one fell swoop. Jazz was charmed and Kayla was the bad guy.
She closed her eyes in an attempt to push aside the hurt and anger. Being a parent just kept getting harder… her every move lately felt wrong.
A soft tap on her window jerked her head up and her eyes wide open. Her hand was on the butt of her weapon before her brain assimilated what she saw.
Peter Hadden.
Detective Hadden, she amended, annoyed at herself for thinking of him in any other capacity.
“ You planning to stay a while?”
His smile had the usual effect. She felt her tension melting despite her determination not to let him get to her on any level.
She opened the door and got out, automatically depressing the lock button as she closed it. The act had nothing to do with her certainty that someone was keeping a watch on her. An unlocked door, home or automobile, was an invitation to thieves.
“ What’ re you doing here?” Was the wrong man popping into her life tonight destiny or what? First Mike and now him.