"I doubt it was Jack Brewster," Marianna said. "He isn't the kind of guy who would ever dream of breaking into someone's home, especially Ally's. He just always...well...he always just assumed with Ally. Assumed she'd do what he wanted, would take care of his needs. Everything. And if there was something in the house he wanted—he’d assume she’d give it to him."
"So you don't think this was revenge against Dr. Brewster or Kelly Reynolds?" He sat the duffle on the island between them.
"No. Would you like something to drink?" Marianna handed him a package of cookies before opening the refrigerator.
"Milk would be fine. So if it wasn't the ex-husband, who do you think would want to shoot Dr. Reynolds and write the word bitch in the middle of Dr. Brewster's bed?”
"They did that?" That was much more personal than just a random burglary, and now Marianna understood why they felt there may be a threat to the children. "Any other indicators that this was personal?"
"Dr. Brewster's bedroom was damaged more than any other room in the house, and while the damage to Dr. Reynolds' room was extensive, it didn't feel as personal as the damage done to Dr. Brewster's. The main living areas of the house, living room, dining room, etc. were ransacked but not to nearly the same extent. The children's rooms were barely touched." His hand bumped hers when she handed him the milk.
"Leading you to believe that it was personal against Ally, therefore it must be the ex-husband." Marianna understood his reasoning. "But I seriously doubt it was Jack. He is such an apathetic man, he rarely considered his family at all. And if he was angry with Ally--he'd be right there demanding she give in to whatever he wanted--all without raising his voice. This act of rage, of violence...he'd consider it very much beneath him."
"So who else, then?"
"I have absolutely no idea." And Marianna didn't. "Ally's the sweetest person I've ever known. Kind. Nobody could ever conceive of hurting her."
"She is a nice woman, isn't she? Dan and I believed it would be less of an ordeal for the kids for me to be here, rather than someone they'd never met hanging around with a gun."
"What am I supposed to tell the kids about why you are here?"
"How about that I brought an urgent file for your attention and we've worked on it until now? They already know I am your superior and that you hold a high position in the lab, it's not inconceivable that I seek you out even during off hours. I'm not leaving until Reynolds arrives tomorrow to retrieve the Brewster children." He paused, frowned before running a hand over his face. He looked exhausted, and she felt a sudden wave of real fear. If he and Agent Reynolds truly felt there could be a threat to the kids, enough that they thought it warranted an armed federal agent guarding the children--it was a potentially serious situation. And she'd offered him milk and cookies like a comforting mother. Oh, God, he must think she was an idiot.
"Have you heard anything else about Kelly?"
"Sleeping peacefully, was the word last I heard. Her sisters and Dr. Compton and Agent Tompkins are at the hospital with her, now."
"And Ally? How's she doing?"
"She's frightened, probably more than she will admit. But Dan will take care of her, see that she's safe."
"That's good. I'd hate to think of her alone, tonight. And she seems to like Kelly's father."
"He's a good man to have on your side, and a good friend. And he seems just as taken with Dr. Brewster." He frowned again, his face closing up.
"You don't think it's a good thing." Marianna felt instant hostility, and the urge to defend her friend.
"Truthfully? I'm not certain it is. Dan has been hurt more than enough for a lifetime. And while your friend is a wonderful woman, I’m not sure she is what Dan needs right now. I'd hate to see him get attached and something go wrong." He twirled the milk glass in his strong hands before setting it down on the counter. "But then again, this is just speculation on our part, right? They could just as easily be becoming very good friends, and nothing more."
"But you don't think that's possible, do you?" Marianna was torn between curiosity and irritation that he'd automatically assumed Dan would be the one to get hurt. "For them to be just friends?"
"No. Because I saw the way they've looked at one another." He looked directly at her, his eyes dark and shadowed. Predatory. "He watches her like he wants her, and she looks back."
Marianna swallowed, suddenly understanding why he'd looked so much like a jungle cat intent on prey. He wasn't talking about Agent Reynolds and Ally, not with that last comment.
She was Ed Dennis's prey.
Now what was she going to do about it?
Chapter 13
Ed hated questions without answers, doubly so when it involved his people. He’d spent six weeks turning over every rock and digging up everything he could think of to find who had threatened Dan’s daughter and Dr. Brewster. And still he had nothing. Nothing solid, nothing concrete. Nothing at all, dammit.
He hadn’t stopped looking, but he was half afraid it was time to turn over the search to someone with less responsibilities than he had. Mick Brockman, maybe. The IA agent assigned to PAVAD as liaison might not have been well-liked by most of the PAVAD division, but Ed knew the big man would be like a dog with a bone. And Ed needed that tenacity.
He felt like he’d failed his best friend once again. He’d searched for Dan’s kids over the past fifteen years and found nothing; now that Dan had his family back, Ed couldn’t find who it was threatening Dan’s daughter.
Every avenue he’d followed had stalled, and until they had more information to go on, Ed didn’t think there was much more he could do. Ed leafed through the files again, running over what he knew so far. Pitifully little. It was almost as if the person responsible knew enough about forensics to cover his tracks. And everything seemed to center around Dan’s oldest daughter, with Allison Brewster on the peripheral. But something about that nagged at Ed. Was it just about Dan’s daughter, and Allison Brewster was a part of it by association? Or was it about Allison, as well? And was it a recent development, or was this something that had been carried down from Indianapolis? He had to admit that made the most sense to him. It hardly seemed likely that it was something that started in St. Louis.
He looked up when someone knocked on his door. He knew who it was immediately; she had a quick and distinctive knock. “Yes, Len?”
Her face was tense, and she held a note in her hand. “I just got a call from Lt. Bowman, regarding one of our agents.”
His attention sharpened. Her demeanor told him immediately that he was going to like what she had to say. His first thought was of his daughter and son-in-law and he tamped down a run of anxiety. He knew where Georgia was; he’d spoken with her a few hours earlier in the cafeteria. “Specifics?”
“Agent Merrick Cody, with Evidence Recovery. She’s been assaulted. I don’t have any other details, other than her hospital room number.”
“So she’s alive, then?” The woman’s face immediately flashed into his mind, as well as what he knew about her. Did she have any family around?
“Critical, sir. From what Bowman said. It took them several hours to identify her.”
Ed swore, understanding what she wasn’t saying. “Call him, tell him I’m on my way. And find her next-of-kin.”
What in the four hells had happened?
Chapter 14
Marianna stood by the hospital bed, staring at the damage done to her friend. Cody’s beautiful face was covered in bruises and scrapes. Someone had beaten her and hard. Why? What had Cody ever done to anyone? She was a good-natured, kind person. It didn’t make sense.
Mari had been worried about Cody since that morning; she’d known something was wrong. Cody never missed a shift, and was never even late. After she hadn’t answered her cell when Marianna had repeatedly called her, Mari had had Payton start calling hospitals. She’d known something was wrong.
When Ed had rushed into the lab, ordering Mari to get her coat, Mari hadn’t given a second thoug
ht.
Now she held her friend’s hand as carefully as she could. Cody’s other hand was in a cast, two of the bones in her hand had required surgery to fix.
Ed stood just outside Cody’s room speaking with the physicians in charge of Cody’s care, and the two St. Louis police detectives who were assigned to the case. The doctors had Cody in a coma, to allow her body time to rest. Hopefully the detectives would have some answers. They were holding out hope, but Mari had seen it on the physicians’ faces—the injuries were extensive. People had died from far less trauma.
Mari squeezed Cody’s hand and whispered near her friend’s ear. “Just hang on, Cody. You have a lot of people worried about you. And we’ll find out who did this. I promise. I’ll put Ally and Kelly on this. And I’ll work on it myself. We’ll find them.”
A warm hand landed on Mari’s shoulder. She managed not to squeak. She knew who it was, and his presence was actually a comfort to her. He cared for his people, she’d seen that in the drive to the hospital. And over the last six weeks since he’d slept on her couch to protect Ally’s children.
Ed was different than most men she knew, much like Fin and Lorcan.
Lorcan.
He and Cody were still close, despite being divorced. Someone would have to call him. Let him know what had happened.
She straightened, and moved slightly closer to him. “What did they say? Who found her? What happened? Do they have any idea who did this to her?”
His other hand rose to her opposite shoulder and he rubbed lightly. He pulled her closer and Marianna didn’t even think to protest. She needed the connection. That it was with him didn’t really seem to matter.
Or maybe it mattered because it was him. Because she knew she could get that connection from him in a moment of weakness?
When was the last time she’d felt that way with someone, especially a man? She couldn’t remember; a lifetime ago perhaps?
“Sit down; I’ll tell you what Bowman told me. In the meantime, I’m assigning Paige Daviess and Alessandra Brockman to watch over Agent Cody. And I’m calling Dan, let him know to keep his eyes open, stay close to his daughter.”
Marianna’s breath caught and she looked up into dark brown eyes. “You think this has something to do with what happened to Kelly, don’t you?”
“There isn’t any indication, but yes. Yes, I do.” He guided Mari toward the chairs by the window, and the warmth of his hand on her both comforted and disconcerted. Maybe it was the artificial light and enforced intimacy of the hospital room that drew her to him just then. “Bowman said she got out of her car willingly, Marianna. And left her weapon in the car. That says she didn’t feel threatened.”
Mari understood what he was implying. “Or she knew her attacker. Knew him well enough to not feel the least bit afraid of him. But who?”
“I don’t know. But I will find him. I won’t stop until I do. I’m pulling every available agent to meet me first thing in the morning. And I’m assigning guards to every member of your team from Indianapolis.”
“You think that’s necessary?” She remembered Kelly after being shot. Knew she’d never forget the sight of the younger woman in the hospital bed. Knew that Cody’s bruised and battered face would be forever etched into her mind. For as much as the agents that worked for him were Ed’s, Mari’s team were hers. Especially those who’d relocated with her. She felt the same sort of responsibility as this man did.
“Yes. I know it is. Only question is, who do you want assigned to you and your boys?”
Chapter 15
Ed waited for her response for several seconds. “Marianna? Someone will be staying with you. Either one of the agents…or me.”
He didn’t like backing her into a corner, but when push came to shove, he’d do whatever it took to keep his people safe when they were in harm’s way. And every instinct was telling him that was exactly where she was. He wouldn’t risk her or her boys.
She rubbed her lip, a nervous tick he’d noticed she had early on in their acquaintance. “I’m not sure…”
“It’s not up for debate. I stay tonight.” That was the option he hoped she’d pick. He wanted to be with her. Needed to.
She’d put him off for nearly six weeks, though he’d certainly made it clear that if she ever wanted to, he’d be more than interested in seeing something happen between them outside of the PAVAD building. He’d never pressured her—and he never would. But every instinct he had told him that she was an integral part in all of this. And he’d do what he had to do to protect her. Even railroad her, if needed.
“You think it’s necessary?”
Ed nodded toward the bed. “I think she would believe so. Wouldn’t you?”
“I don’t want strangers in my house. My boys—”
“I understand. We can tell them we’re working on a case together. It would be the truth, wouldn’t it? I don’t want to worry the boys any more than you do. But if you are a target, I want you protected. At any cost.”
Her shoulders felt so fragile beneath his hands. Ed fought the urge to tighten his hold, to bring her closer. To give her some measure of comfort. He’d seen her fear and worry for her friend in her blue eyes. He knew that worry. Had felt it himself when Dan was the one in the hospital bed, shot while protecting a member of his team. This woman was a lot like him in so many ways, and different in all the ways that mattered. All the ways that made her so infinitely intriguing. “Marianna? What will it be? Should I call Agent Len and see who’s available or should I just make plans to drive you home this evening?”
She closed her eyes for a moment, and Ed felt his breath stall. Then bright blue eyes opened and stared into his. “I think it would be easiest for the boys if you were the one. They like you, especially Ted and Bobby. And maybe we can go over what the locals find out about Cody. See what we can find ourselves.”
“That sounds like a plan. Are you going to stay with her? Or should we get back to PAVAD?” He needed to return to the lab, get the investigation started. But he wasn’t going anywhere without this woman. Period.
“I called Payton Asher. It’s her day off. They are best friends, and I know Payton would want to be here. She should be on her way.”
As if she’d been listening at the door, the woman Ed recognized as being from Questionable Documents knocked lightly on the room door. She was young, only in her early to middle twenties, blonde haired and blue eyed. She had the sweet kind of kid sister manner that Ed knew made the rest of her team protective. Ed nodded at her, and she entered.
Marianna pulled away and hugged Payton.
“I would have been here sooner, but I had two flat tires. I must have run over some nails somewhere.” The young blonde woman had obviously been crying. Ed listened as Marianna filled the girl in on Cody’s condition and what they knew had happened. He filed the information about Payton’s tires away, as something started to niggle at his mind. He’d have someone look at the tires a bit more closely as soon as he got back to the lab.
Ed told the forensic scientist that he’d be assigning agents to watch her, and to sit with Agent Cody at the hospital. She didn’t protest.
He led Marianna to the SUV, barely aware of his ever present security detail. They were on loan from the Secret Service, and were part of three teams assigned to his detail. They were a part of his life and would be until he retired. Most days he found their presence mildly irritating. Today he was reassured that he had extra eyes on Marianna.
It wouldn’t hurt to have them outside her house tonight, either.
“We’ll return to the lab. I am pulling Hellbrook’s team.”
“You think it’s all related, don’t you?”
“Don’t you?” He looked at her, seeing the worry and fear on her face. The strain. “Dr. Reynolds shot. Dr. Brewster burgled. Agent Cody assaulted. Payton’s tires possibly sabotaged. It all adds up, I think. All connected. And that connection includes you, and possibly the rest of the people who relocated with you.”
“Possibly. But I won’t let them hurt you.”
“They are after the people on my team, too.”
“It looks that way. I’m assigning security to everyone who came down with you from Indy. And I’m half tempted to assign an agent to every person in the lab, just to be on the safe side.”
“Can we afford that? Won’t that eat up man-hours?”
“Yes. But that’s something I can worry about later. Or Len can. What’s more important is stopping the one responsible before he hurts anyone else.”
Chapter 16
Marianna wasn’t happy about it, but she understood why the man driving insisted he accompany her home. She didn’t want some strange agents her boys didn’t know around her kids. Even a female agent. Her kids weren’t that comfortable with those kinds of changes in their routines. God knows she wasn’t comfortable with those kinds of changes either. But she’d never take a chance with her children’s safety.
And at least they knew Ed to some extent. He’d been around before, and they’d seemed to accept his excuse the last time. Should she tell the older boys more? Nate?
“What should I tell my kids?”
She hadn’t meant the words to come out, but they had. His hands tightened on the wheel for a moment. Marianna tried not to think of the fact that in a matter of hours he’d be sleeping in her house once again. Tried not to think of the reason behind it.
“That we’re working on an important case. I’ll sleep on the couch, just like the last time. It will be fine.”
“I hope so. I’m worried about Nate and the older twins. They’ll suspect something. Should I tell them about Cody?”
“Depends. How well do they know her?”
“She’s babysat quite a few times. And Ted will hear things around the office building.”
“I think you should tell them that she was hurt. Maybe not the who or the extent, but I would tell them. I’d tell Georgia if the situation warranted it, when she was a teen.”
Second Chances: A PAVAD Duet Page 18