by Rebecca Deel
Cade unzipped the bag and peered inside. “White tube?”
He nodded. “Lacey, if the burns are clean, smooth the ointment on in a thin layer.” Minutes later, he was much more comfortable although shirtless. He twisted to face Lacey. “You need to take your meds now. Drink some of the soda to help the pain killer dissolve faster, then start on the water.”
“Bossy, much?”
“When it comes to your safety and health. Other than that, you’re free to get in my face about anything you don’t like.”
A quick grin. “I’ll remind you of that at the appropriate time.” She swallowed one pill from each packet he’d given her.
He stared pointedly at the water bottle near her hand.
With a roll of her eyes, she started sipping on the liquid.
“I don’t know about you kids, but I’m hungry.” Cade scanned the room service options. “Anyone interested in ordering burgers and fries?”
Lacey grimaced. “Pass.”
“I’m in,” Jake said. “Find something lighter for Lacey that she can heat up when she’s ready.” The room came equipped with a small microwave and four-cup coffee maker.
With a nod, Cade called room service and placed an order. “Forty-five minutes,” he said. “I’d like to shower before the food arrives.”
Jake held out his hand to Lacey. “Grab your water and come with me. You look like you’re ready to drop.”
“I’m so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open.”
“Adrenaline dump. It will pass.” He led her back to her room. “If I promise to keep the connecting doors open, would you mind if I stretched out on the other bed? I need to let the ointment on my back dry before I pull on another shirt.” He also wanted to keep an eye on her, just in case she had a flashback or the pain level cranked higher.
“I don’t mind.”
“Rest a few minutes and let the pain meds work. I’ll be here if you need me.”
On the opposite bed, Lacey curled up on her uninjured side and closed her eyes. Within minutes, she was sound asleep.
Jake watched her for a while. Lacey had grown into an amazing woman despite her rough childhood. Her life in Nashville showed grit and hard work. The more he knew about her, the more Jake admired Lacey and longed to introduce her to his family. They would love her.
Would she have a problem with them? She came from humble beginnings. Many people with that background were uncomfortable around him and his family. That was one reason he chose not to share his background with most people. Only Brent and Adam knew he was connected to Davenport Enterprises, a multibillion dollar tech company.
Cade appeared in the doorway, freshly showered and shaved. Expression grim, he waggled his phone and signaled that he needed to talk to Jake.
Maybe Zane had shared information with him. Couldn’t be good news. After a glance at Lacey, Jake pushed up from the bed and padded out of the room on silent feet. He partially closed the door. “Tell me.”
“Zane hacked into the detective’s computer files.”
“And?”
“He sent a copy of the photos of the women who have gone missing from Winston in the past six years to my phone and yours. You need to look at them, Jake.”
A ball of ice formed in his stomach. He grabbed his phone and clicked on the email from Zane. Jake scrolled through the pictures, stunned at what he was seeing. “I don’t believe this.”
All the women had the same physical appearance as Lacey Coleman.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Jake dropped onto the bed, his hand clenched around the hard plastic of his cell phone. “Jones didn’t mention the victims’ resemblance to Lacey.” A point he would be making to the detective the next time he talked to him.
This was a vital piece of information in protecting his girlfriend from the guy hunting in this Alabama town. “Why hasn’t anyone noticed this before now, especially Yvonne?”
“According to Z, the computer files indicated the local cops felt it was a coincidence, that the women had left of their own free will and they all happened to be blond. No bodies so they must be alive, just somewhere else.”
“Right. Looks like I brought Lacey into the line of fire. Much as I hate dealing with the feds, Chief Beckett should have contacted the FBI.”
“The other detective who had the previous cases suggested just that to the police chief. Beckett blew him off, told him the feds didn’t know the locals like he did. If anyone could find the women, it would be him, not some agent from an alphabet agency.”
“For all their grandstanding, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has resources the Winston PD desperately needs. If Beckett hadn’t been so arrogant, he might have found the guy responsible for the disappearances.”
“Unless he has a suspicion about who the guilty party is and wants to handle it his own way.”
“Or he doesn’t want to handle it at all.” Jake dragged a hand down his face. He frowned, thrust his hand into his pocket, and grasped the business card Todd had slipped him when they shook hands.
“What’s that?”
“The detective gave me his card when he shook my hand.” He turned the card over. On the back, Todd had scrawled his cell phone number in bold black strokes along with a message telling Jake to call him.
He checked on Lacey again before he placed the call. “Can you talk?”
“Hold on.” A muffled conversation later, the sound of a car engine cranking came over the speaker. “Lacey okay?”
Jake’s eyes narrowed. “She’s sleeping.”
Silence, then, “We left your hotel room less than twenty minutes ago. She didn’t look tired to me.”
That observation just proved the detective didn’t know Lacey. “She hasn’t slept well since she learned her mother is missing. Why did you ask me to call?”
“Look, I’m in the car. No one is with me. It’s just you and me, and I’m considering myself off the clock. Level with me. Did you and Lacey take anything from the house?”
“You don’t want to know.”
A loud sigh. “I’ll take that as a yes. Is it something that would shed light on my case?”
“Unconfirmed.”
“Nothing like being vague to frustrate an overworked, underpaid detective. Let’s try this. If you knew whatever you took had bearing on my case, would you tell me?”
“I would find a way to give you the information you need. Answer a question for me?”
“Shoot.”
“Who suggested that we removed something from Yvonne’s place?”
“I’m sure you can figure it out without me getting myself into trouble.”
Beckett. What was his stake in this? Jake didn’t believe the belligerent cop cared about anything but himself. “Same person who put you up to the search of our belongings?”
Silence.
He chuckled. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“I won’t apologize for doing my job, Jake.”
“Same here. Lacey is my priority. I’ll do whatever is necessary to keep her safe.”
“I don’t know what you did that ticked off Beckett so much, but he’s gunning for you.”
He snorted. “The only thing I’ve done is gotten in his face about my girlfriend. Maybe you can find out why Beckett has it in for her.”
“You should look to Lacey for that answer, buddy. I think there’s some history between the two.”
Jake stilled. Should have thought of that for himself. Yeah, the lady was a serious distraction. He needed to get his head screwed on straight or Lacey would be the one to pay for his inattention, and that was unacceptable. “You noticed anything interesting about the missing women?”
“They’re all blonds like Lacey.”
“They also have similar features and build.”
“Do I even want to know how you learned that?”
“No. You should have told me when we were at the station, Jones.”
“I’m not supposed to talk about open cases, and you
didn’t need to know.”
“Lacey is a prime target in this town. How is that not my business? If the situation was reversed and your wife was in danger, you would have been all over my back for not warning you. Now that I know, I’ll be even more vigilant.”
Todd gave a huff of wry laughter. “Come on. You’re more aware of everything than any cops or military personnel I’ve ever worked with.”
“I came here to support my girlfriend and lend a hand if she needed it. Now I know she needs protection, Lacey has just become my principal as well.” A problem, for sure. Until they returned home, his attention would be split between getting to know the lady herself and keeping her safe.
Long seconds passed before Todd said, “If you’re in love with her, you need to hand off her protection to someone else. Your objectivity is compromised.”
“Would you hand off the protection detail if this was your wife?” he countered.
“No.” A firm, quick response.
“Why haven’t you called in the feds?”
“Not my call to make. If I go over the chief’s head, I’ll lose my job. My parents and my wife’s folks are older and not in the best of health. We can’t leave the area, and all I’m trained to do is be a cop.”
“There are other law enforcement jobs available. You might want to consider applying for a position with the state cops.”
“Maybe.”
“From what I’ve observed so far, you’re going nowhere in the Winston PD. Although I can’t prove it, I think there’s some corruption in your department.”
No response.
Jake didn’t blame him. Although his phone was secure thanks to Zane’s handiwork, the same couldn’t be said for Todd’s. “You’re not calling the feds?”
“No.”
“Don’t be surprised if they show up on your doorstep anyway.”
“I didn’t hear you say that, but thanks for the heads up. Later.”
A knock sounded on the door. Weapon in hand, Cade checked the peephole and slid his weapon into the holster at his back. “Room service,” he murmured.
Perfect. He was starving. Unlike Lacey, the adrenaline surge hadn’t dampened his appetite. A couple minutes later, he and Cade started devouring their hamburgers and fries. Jake sighed. Cooked exactly the way he liked them.
They were almost finished with their meals when Lacey pushed open the door between the two rooms. Jake walked to her and cupped her cheek. “How do you feel?” He studied her face, not liking the pallor of her complexion.
“My arm hurts,” she admitted.
“And your head?”
“Better.”
“Hungry?” Cade asked.
“I’m getting there. What did you order for me?”
“Grilled chicken sandwich. It was the most neutral thing on the menu.” Cade removed the covering from her meal, and motioned for her to take his chair. “I’m finished, and I need to send that blood sample to the lab.”
Jake retrieved the plastic bag with the blood scraping from his mike bag and handed it to Cade. “Make sure Beckett doesn’t follow you.”
“No problem.”
After Cade left, Jake sat across from Lacey and started talking about some of the more humorous things that had happened to him over the years in the military and his time with Fortress. Before long, her plate was empty and she had a smile on her face.
“Did all that really happen?”
“Every bit.” He rubbed his neck, remembering the embarrassment he’d suffered over the years at the hands of pranksters in his unit and the various teams from Fortress he’d gone on missions with. The pranks were ways to relieve stress, and he was as guilty as anyone of pulling a good joke on a teammate. Didn’t mean he liked baring his experience as the butt of jokes for Lacey’s enjoyment.
“Bet you don’t like camels.”
He grinned. “You would be right. No matter where I work in the Sandbox, I always seem to run into one.”
“I guess it’s true they spit.”
“Oh, yeah. They definitely do.” He’d washed several uniforms after an encounter with the brown, shaggy, ornery creatures. “Need anything else to eat?”
She shook her head. “I enjoyed hearing the stories, Jake. Thanks for sharing part of your work life with me.”
“I can’t tell you mission specifics, Lacey.” Wouldn’t even if he was allowed to talk. Some things shouldn’t be in her head. He didn’t want Lacey touched by the ugliness he encountered.
“I understand. If I ask something you’re not allowed to talk about, tell me. Were you distracting me so I could eat?”
“Caught that, did you? That was part of the reason. I want you to know the real Jake Davenport. The operative and Army medic are only one side of me. The truth is you matter to me, Lacey. More than I ever thought possible in the few months we’ve known each other.”
A table and chair, and a loveseat were on the balcony. “Want to sit outside for a few minutes?” He had to talk to Lacey about the similarity between the missing women and her, and he didn’t want to have that conversation unless he was holding her. The information would upset her, and he wanted his hands on her. He hoped the embrace would comfort both of them.
She sobered. “I’d like that.”
Jake led Lacey to the loveseat and gathered her close, urging her to lay her head against his chest. He didn’t say anything for a few minutes, giving her a chance to relax in the peace of the waning afternoon light.
“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?” she asked.
“Detective Jones has been holding back on us.” When Lacey started to sit up, Jake palmed the back of her head and held her still with gentle pressure. “Stay. Please. Zane did some digging into the Winston PD files. I asked him to look into the disappearance of the women. He sent me pictures of each woman. You look remarkably like your mother, by the way.”
“I’ve been told that since I turned twelve. What is Todd holding back?”
“The women who are missing look similar to you. The resemblance is enough to convince me you’re a potential target of this kidnapper.”
She drew in a careful breath. “Okay.”
“I will protect you, Lacey. No matter what it takes. I won’t allow anyone to hurt you.” He wouldn’t feel a moment’s regret if he had to kill to keep her safe. He hoped Lacey could accept that.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Lacey didn’t say anything for a few moments, trying to wrap her head around the fact she might be in danger by coming home to look for her mother. “May I see the pictures of the women?”
Jake brought up an email and handed her his phone.
She stared at the first picture, dismay filling her. She knew this woman. “That’s Jade Appleton.” One by one, she examined the pictures, identifying each woman.
The last picture made her breath catch. “That’s a new picture of my mother. I wonder where the police got this photo.” She looked so young, happy, as though all the hard living she had subjected herself to in the past had been wiped away.
Lacey’s eyes stung. Where was her mother? Dread coiled in her gut. She and her mother had their differences, but Lacey didn’t want to lose her.
“Are you okay?”
Tears spilled over as she shook her head.
Jake tightened his hold. “We’ll find her.”
“I’m afraid it won’t be in time. If Cade is right, this man has hunted in and around Winston for six years and no one has a clue to his identity. How did she come to his attention? She’s not the right age.”
“It’s possible her only connection is she’s your mother.”
“The police won’t look for her.”
“Jones will.”
“It’s not enough. The department doesn’t believe she’s missing and won’t support Todd’s efforts. Chief Beckett will tell Todd to move on to his other cases soon. If that happens, no one will search for her.”
“Fortress doesn’t have to follow the chief’s orders. Our prio
rity is finding your mother followed by building a case against the man abducting women. We’ll stop him. The cops can claim the victory, even if they don’t deserve the credit.”
“I don’t want to lose her.”
“Don’t lose hope.”
“What are we going to do?”
“Search, follow where the trail leads, and call in the big guns.”
She wiped the tears from her face with a strangled laugh. “I brought you with me. What bigger guns are we talking about?”
He chuckled. “Brent and possibly the FBI.”
“Chief Beckett plans to bring in the feds?” She found that difficult to believe. He wasn’t the type to allow strangers to play in his sandbox.
“You know the answer to that. Brent has contacts everywhere. I think he has a SEAL teammate who works for the FBI. My guess is he’ll call his friend and ask for an assist.”
“Must be nice to have influential friends.”
He cupped her chin with the palm of his hand and lifted her face toward his. “You have influential friends.” His gaze dipped from her eyes to her mouth.
She couldn’t help but smile a little. For a second, Lacey felt guilty for experiencing joy with her mother missing. Taking a minute to enjoy Jake Davenport wasn’t wrong. “Please say you’re thinking about kissing me.”
His gaze flew back to hers. “Thinking, but not acting.”
“Why not?”
“Cade will be back soon.”
Lacey wrapped her arms around his neck. “I don’t think he’ll mind.” Instead of waiting for him to grab the initiative, she took the decision out of his hands by pressing her lips to his.
The impressions flew past her in a blazing rush. Heat. Softness. The unique taste of Jake. Addicting. She could kiss Jake Davenport for hours.
With a soft groan, the medic ran the tip of his tongue across her bottom lip, silently asking permission to deepen the kiss. When she complied, he spent several minutes learning what she liked and what she didn’t.
Amazing. Frank had been concerned with what he wanted. Jake was attuned to her response. While he was learning her preferences, Lacey used the time to find out what caused Jake’s breath to catch or made a growl of approval rumble in his chest, and in doing so, imprinted his responses, wiping out Frank’s preferences. The thought of anyone but Jake kissing her made Lacey’s skin crawl.