by Rebecca Deel
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
A ball of ice formed in Quinn’s stomach. “Talk to me, Z.”
“The bots I set up to search the Net are getting multiple hits.”
That was the last thing he wanted to hear. Were his teammates and their ladies safe? “On who?”
“You and Heidi.”
Ah, man. Definitely not good. His head whipped her direction. “Hold on,” he muttered and pressed the speaker button. “Heidi is with me. You’re on speaker. Repeat what you just said.”
A pause, then, “Hello, Heidi. Zane Murphy here.”
“Hi, Zane. You must be the tech guru that Quinn mentions with such admiration over your skills.”
“Ah, okay.” He drew out the last word.
Made Quinn’s lips curve to hear such discomfort coming from the Navy SEAL. Zane was used to working in the shadows where no one noticed him. Durango counted him as a vital part of their team, even if he was a frog boy instead of an Army grunt. They wouldn’t let him hide in the darkness. They also had a soft spot for his lady. Claire Walker was a world-class photographer and a spitfire to boot. His gaze shifted to the woman by his side. Claire reminded Quinn of Heidi. Determination, grit, courage. Words which described the woman who owned Zane’s heart and Heidi, too.
“Heidi, I’ve been scouring the Internet for any mention of the members of Durango.”
She stiffened, worry clouding her gaze. “Oh, dear. You wouldn’t call about the search unless there was a problem. What did you find?”
“Quinn’s teammates are safe. You and Quinn, on the other hand, are not.”
“I don’t understand. If you were looking for compromises to Durango’s safety, why were you finding references to me? Wait. Which one of my identities has hits?”
“Very good, Heidi. You have a smart girlfriend, Quinn.”
“I have excellent taste.” He cupped the back of her neck and gently drew her against him, offering silent support against the blow he suspected was coming. “Tell us something we don’t know.”
“Heidi, when Fortress is protecting identities of clients, we watch for signs their information has been compromised. That means we have bots constantly scouring the Internet for any mention of the old identity or the new one. The good news is the protocol worked and the bots caught references to you.”
“And the bad news?”
“All of your identities have been compromised, including the latest one as Heidi Thompson.”
At those words, Quinn scowled. “How is that possible? No one should know all her identities. I don’t even know them.” He stopped. “Only three people besides Heidi have that information. Levi, Maddox, and the arsonist-kidnapper dogging her every step for the last twenty years.”
“No!” Heidi protested. “Levi wouldn’t do this. Could the leak be originating with Fortress?”
“Unlikely.” Quinn sympathized. Levi and Heidi had been watching each other’s backs for years. While he understood, Quinn wouldn’t allow her silent pleading to stop him from doing everything he could to protect her, even if that meant disillusioning Heidi about her only remaining relative, a man she’d depended on to survive. “Have you been able to trace the source of the leak, Z?”
A grunt from his friend. “Of course.”
“Who?”
“Levi Thompson.”
Heidi pressed her face against Quinn’s neck. He tightened his hold, wishing he could spare her any more pain and heartache. This turn of events puzzled him, though. He usually had a good feel for people. This latest news had blindsided him. He just didn’t see her cousin doing this. Was it possible Quinn had been wrong and Levi was the one trying to kill his cousin? He had plenty of motive, but unless he had slipped away from his bodyguards to set the fire in the garage, then raced back to Knoxville before his bodyguards realized he was gone, Levi would have been forced to hire a partner. The more people involved in a conspiracy, the greater chance of a leak. Quinn had learned long ago most people couldn’t keep secrets. Aside from money, the partner would have no reason to maintain secrecy.
If he had hired a partner, how would Levi set up the fire at this house? Maddox was obsessive about security, especially after recently finding two traitors in the Fortress ranks. The boss would have gone to extra lengths to protect Heidi and Levi’s locations from each other as well as anyone else who might have nefarious plans for them.
Quinn needed to check Levi’s cell phone, see who he called. If he’d wiped his call history, Zane could find the numbers.
Quinn frowned. He still wasn’t convinced. Was it possible the real arsonist had enough computer skills to frame Levi? But why bother? He’d tried to kill both Heidi and Levi in the past. Wouldn’t he want Levi dead instead of discredited? If revenge was the motive, it shouldn’t matter whether Heidi and Levi were together or not. The arsonist would stay after them until he completed his goal or until Quinn stopped him. “Keep digging.”
“You believe I made a mistake?”
He snorted. “Nope. You don’t make those kinds of mistakes. I think it sounds like a perfect solution handed to us on a silver platter and wrapped in bright paper with a satin ribbon. The solution is too perfect. Nothing is that easy. I think Levi is a scapegoat.”
Heidi lifted her head. Her eyes were wide, hoping shining in their depths. “Zane?”
“Yes, Heidi?”
“Levi would never betray me. He put his life on the line over and over for me. If he hadn’t rescued me two months ago, I would be dead.” Her face turned toward Charlie. “Charlie, too. Levi was on duty at the fire station when the fire was reported. He has a fire hall of witnesses who will vouch for his whereabouts.”
Quinn didn’t bother pointing out that Levi could have had an accomplice. Zane was a sharp guy. Nothing much slipped past his friend. In fact, he figured the SEAL had suspected the validity of his search results and wanted their take on the matter.
“I’ll keep looking,” he promised. “You may not like my findings.”
“I want the truth, no matter where it leads. I don’t want to live my life in fear any more. If the results of your search hurt, I’ll mend. I need a name, Zane.”
“Copy that. Quinn?”
“Yep.”
“This one’s a keeper. Hang on to her.”
His gaze locked with hers. Heart hammering in his chest, Quinn uttered the words he thought would never come from his mouth, especially not this soon. “I plan on it.”
Heidi jerked in reaction to his statement.
Yeah, it shocked him, too. He’d loved her when she was a kid, viewed himself as her big brother. As an adult, he was head-over-heels in love with the woman she’d become. He wanted to spend the rest of his life protecting her and loving her with every breath he took. He didn’t know if she felt the same way. If she didn’t, he’d convince her to take a chance on him, on a life with him. She had the strength to deal with his work and a spine of steel to keep him in line when he went overboard to protect her from life. Not possible to protect her to that extent. Wouldn’t prevent him from trying. He gave a mental shrug. Protecting those he loved was in his DNA. Heidi had dealt with enough crap in her lifetime. He’d love to spare her more hardship.
He wanted to bring joy to her life, be the answer to her dreams of a lifetime of love. Heidi Thompson, whatever name she used, was the woman who brought color to his barren world, the one who brought light to his soul. Her emerald eyes, red hair, and creamy skin drew him, no question. But the woman he fell in love with? She was even more beautiful inside than her gorgeous exterior. In short, she was perfect for him. Now he had to convince her he was worth taking the risk, their love worth the gamble.
“I’ll keep you posted, Quinn. I have to report to the boss.”
“Understood.” Maddox wasn’t going to like what he heard. Quinn didn’t, either. Another problem would develop if Maddox believed Levi was the culprit who sabotaged his and Heidi’s covers. The promised protection for Levi was shaky at best after the problem
s he’d given Angel and Dane. If Maddox became convinced of Levi’s guilt, the Fortress CEO would cut him loose and let Heidi’s cousin fend for himself.
“Need anything else from me?” Zane asked.
“Find me contact information for an Ivan Bennett. He was a detective with the Black River Police Department twenty years ago. He investigated the kidnapping of Katie Henderson and her younger sister Moira.”
“Twenty years ago, huh? Hope this guy was young twenty years ago. Otherwise, I’m likely to fail. You think Bennett might know something?”
“The only way to stop the attacks on Heidi is figure out the identity of the second kidnapper.”
“Makes sense unless Heidi’s been breaking men’s hearts and casting them aside. I’ll send you the information as soon as I find it, whatever the result. Shouldn’t take long.”
“Copy that. If it’s not possible to talk to Bennett, find his partner.”
“I’ll get back to you.” And with that, Zane was gone.
Quinn slid the phone into his pocket, wrapped his free arm around Heidi, and waited.
For a moment she said nothing, simply searched his face. Perhaps looking for a measure of his sincerity? He meant every word.
“You told Zane you planned to keep me. Did you mean it?”
“I did.” He wasn’t backing down from his statement. Did she understand what he was telling her?
“What does that mean?”
Guess not. “What I said was literal, baby. I’m keeping you.”
“For how long? A month? Longer?”
He leaned down and kissed her, long and deep, before answering. Her kisses were fast becoming as necessary to him as breathing. The heat and silky texture of her mouth drew him as nothing else ever had. He’d kissed other women. Their names, faces, and taste had disappeared the moment his mouth took Heidi’s for the first time. “Is forever too long?”
Heidi’s breath caught. “Forever?”
“You don’t have to say anything. I know we’ve only been back together for a few days. But the truth is we laid the foundation twenty years ago, Heidi. I adored the child born as Katie Henderson. I’m in love with the woman now known as Heidi Thompson. If you give me the chance, I’ll spend the rest of my life making you happy. I’ll protect you until my last breath. I’d love raising a family when we’re ready. Say yes, baby. Say you’ll throw caution to the wind and take a chance on the love of a lifetime. Choose a lifetime with me.”
Tears welled in her eyes and slid down her cheeks.
Oh, man. Was that a bad sign? Quinn squelched the panic bubbling inside. He cupped her face between his palms and brushed the tears away with his thumbs. “I didn’t mean to make you cry, honey. Am I scaring you?”
He could wait while she grew used to the idea. Maybe. Man, he was crazy about her. The thought of slowing down or backing off almost took him to his knees. But to have forever with her? Yeah, he’d make himself wait. Didn’t mean abandoning his campaign to win her heart. He’d just be more subtle.
Romance. That was the key to a woman’s heart according to his mother and sisters. So he would romance Heidi Thompson. Flowers, dinners, movie dates, hiking the trails in the area. The Churchill trail was a great place to walk. Picnics when the weather grew warmer. His brain filled with ideas to win Heidi for his own.
“These are happy tears. I never thought I’d hear you say those words to me. I thought my father had destroyed any good feeling you might have left in your soul for Katie Henderson.”
“Never. I don’t care what name you go by, I will always love you.”
A wide, beautiful smile curved her lips. “I loved you as Katie Henderson. You were my hero, the boy I measured all others against. As I grew older, I believed I would never see you again and I mourned the loss of my hero. As Heidi Thompson, I’m so in love with you, Quinn Gallagher. Spending a lifetime loving you would be a dream come true.”
He stilled, hardly daring to believe what he was hearing from Heidi’s lips. “So you’ll marry me, Heidi?” He wanted absolute clarification so they both understood where their relationship was heading. Love, marriage, kids, grandkids, sitting in side-by-side rocking chairs on the porch, watching their family grow up and make the world a better place. That’s what he longed for. But only with Heidi.
“Marriage?” she whispered. “You want to marry me?”
“The sooner the better. I don’t want you to slip away. Will you marry me, baby?”
“Just try and stop me.”
He laughed, tugging her tight against him. Joy and relief surged through his body. Thank God. She had just agreed to be his partner for a lifetime. His gaze dropped to the bare ring finger of her left hand. Quinn needed to stop by the jewelry store. He wanted a ring on her finger as soon as possible. “Not a chance. You made the promise. I’m holding you to it, even if you wise up later and rescind the agreement.”
Eyes sparkling, Heidi laughed.
The back door opened. “Hey, what’s going on?” Angel asked, her expression one of curiosity.
Not telling yet, he decided. He wanted to savor the shift in their relationship and to place that ring on her finger before they made the announcement. Rather than divulge what they had been talking about, Quinn glanced over her shoulder. “Where’s Levi?”
“Right here.” The man stepped around Angel, a frown on his face as he glanced first at Heidi, then at Quinn. “Everything okay?”
“You tell me. Got something you need to tell us, Levi?”
“Dane and Angel went with me to the bookstore. I was going crazy with nothing to do here. Heidi hasn’t hooked up the cable in the house yet.”
“We invited you to explore the area with us. You opted to stay here.” He was worried about the cable? “Been surfing the Internet lately, Levi?”
“Sure, until we came here. Maddox said it was okay as long as I didn’t access any accounts from a former name. Why?”
“Hand over your cell phone.”
“What is the problem, Gallagher?” he asked, voice sharp. “I think I have the right to know what’s going on.”
Dane flanked Angel. “What’s up?”
“I need to check Levi’s phone,” Quinn said.
With a raised eyebrow, Dane glanced at Heidi’s cousin. “Hand it over. Now.”
“I want to know why.”
“This is you cooperating, Levi?” Angel asked, scowling. “I’d hate to see what happened if you were any more cooperative.”
“Okay, fine.” Levi pulled the phone from his pocket and handed it to Dane who tossed it to Quinn.
He tapped the screen and pulled up the call history. Nothing but calls to Heidi. Quinn would have Zane check from his end to make sure nothing had been deleted. If there was an electronic trail, the SEAL would find it. Nothing escaped his notice. “Get your computer.”
“Wait a minute.” Levi scowled. “I don’t have to let you invade my privacy like this. That wasn’t part of the protection deal.”
Quinn looked at Dane who left immediately. He returned his attention to Levi. “Someone is leaking information on the Internet.”
“What kind of information?”
Was he that good an actor or was he innocent as Quinn and Heidi thought? “Heidi’s names. All of them. My name is also getting hits in connection to Heidi.”
Shocked, Levi stared at Heidi. “And you suspect me?”
“No, I don’t. But someone knows about me. If they know about me, they also know about you. We have to find out who’s leaking the information and stop it, Levi. It’s bad enough that my name is out there. Quinn can’t have publicity and stay safe. People more dangerous than an arsonist are interested in hurting him.”
“Three people know all of Heidi’s identities aside from her,” Quinn said, hoping to get the conversation back on track. “Maddox, the kidnapper, and you.”
“It’s not me. I would never do that to Heidi.”
“The good news is I don’t think you’re to blame.”
“And the bad?”
“We have to eliminate you as a suspect so we can hunt the real culprit.”
“How about you take a look at your rejected girlfriend. That Daisy woman. She looked pretty angry this morning when you announced you were off the dating market. Maybe she’s the guilty one.”
“She doesn’t know about Heidi’s other identities. You, on the other hand, have means, motive, and opportunity to take revenge against Heidi.”
“Why would I wait fifteen years to pay her back for something she didn’t do? Heidi was just a kid. The fault belonged to her old man.”
“If she hadn’t moved into your home, your family would still be alive.” When Heidi made a small sound of distress, Quinn tucked her closer to his chest. “She cost you everything so maybe you decided to make her suffer before you killed her.”
“You’re insane, Gallagher,” Levi snapped. “I would never hurt Heidi.” He turned to her. “You believe me, don’t you, sweetheart? You know I love you.”
Dane returned with a laptop. “Where do you want me to set up?”
“Table.”
“I don’t have the Internet hooked up yet,” Heidi said. “There hasn’t been enough time.”
“No problem,” Angel said. “We all have hotspots.”
Quinn glanced around the area, the back of his neck itching. “Let’s move this inside.” He wanted Heidi and Levi out of sight.
Heidi signaled for Charlie to come with her. Once in the kitchen, all of them sat around the table while Dane checked Levi’s online activities. Levi sat back in his chair, arms crossed, a mulish expression on his face.
Quinn didn’t blame him for being upset. However, the sooner they completed the search, the faster they could move on to find the true betrayer. “Levi, while Dane is searching through your computer, tell me what you know about Ivan Bennett.”
A snort from the other man. “That old war horse? What do you want to know?”
“What was your impression of him?”
“Thorough, old.”
“How old?”
Levi stopped, thought a moment. His cheeks flushed. “Not so old. He was nearing retirement age. The officers were eligible to retire at fifty-five.”