by Sandra Owens
Surprise! All three of them—her, Brad, and the girl he was screwing—were stunned stupid by her appearance at the off-campus house he rented with two friends. After him, she’d decided to devote all her time and energy to getting her degree. No more men for her who either died or cheated on her.
Cody was the first man she was interested in since what she thought of as Brad’s Big Cheating Reveal. Was she willing to risk getting hurt again? For Cody, maybe.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Cody’s night was blessedly nightmare-free. As he dressed and repacked his duffel, he wondered if Riley would mind if he called her every evening. He and Ryan ate a hearty breakfast at a place filled with local cars in the parking lot. The waitress they showed the kids’ picture to had never seen them, or so she said. They were two strange men in a town that likely didn’t trust outsiders easily.
The first stop after breakfast was to a little place on the main drag that advertised cabin rentals. “Hello. I’m Mrs. Waterman. What can I do for you gentlemen?” a silver-haired woman said, sliding the book she was reading into her desk drawer.
Ryan stepped forward. “I’m Ryan O’Connor, and this is Cody Roberts.” He showed her the picture of the couple. “Have you by any chance rented them a cabin or seen them around?”
Her gaze flicked from Ryan to him, and Cody could tell she was wary of them. Going on instinct, he decided honesty might be the best policy. “They’re a couple of kids who ran away from home. The girl is Megan Sanders, and she’s only sixteen. Her parents asked us to find her.”
“Are you the police? I know all the officers around these parts, and I’ve never seen you two.” She smiled and mischief danced in her eyes. “Believe me, I’d remember if I had.”
“No, ma’am,” Ryan said. “We’re not the police, just trying to find the girl. Her parents are really worried about her.”
“People say I’m a good judge of character, and I don’t sense any threat coming from either of you, even though you’re about the biggest, strongest men I’ve ever seen. Swear on something you hold dear that you’re being honest with me.”
Ryan stuck his hand in a back pocket and pulled out his wallet, opening it to a photo. Cody craned his neck to see it. It was one of Ryan, a pretty woman, and a rabbit.
“You take pictures with your rabbit?” Cody snorted. He’d save that one for a day he needed to razz his friend.
“Totally Charlie’s idea.” He showed it to Mrs. Waterman. “I swear we’re being honest with you. This is my fiancée, who I’d willingly die for.”
Mrs. Waterman turned her attention to Cody, her brow raised. Phone in hand, he clicked on a picture of Sally, Pretty Girl, and Layla taken in Afghanistan. In it, his dogs sat at his feet, peering up at him. He remembered that day. Dressed in full battle gear, about to go out on patrol, he was telling them to stay. Anyone could tell by looking at those three that they wanted to go with him.
He didn’t look at the picture often because it killed him to see Layla, the prettiest of the three with her wolfhound features, as she stared at him, her eyes begging him to take her so she could protect him from all the evil things. That was his Layla, always worried about him.
“Cody, show her the picture.”
His friend knew what it had cost Cody to return home without knowing Layla was safe, and the sympathy in Ryan’s eyes about undid him. He shook off the headfirst dive his thoughts had taken. “Right.” He held up his phone. “I swear on these dogs, one of which saved my life, that we’re being honest with you.”
She stared at it a moment, covering her heart with her hand. “My grandson lost a leg over there. Yes, I’ve seen your couple. They rented a cabin for two weeks. I felt bad about taking all their money, but the cabin’s not mine, so I had no choice.”
Cody met Ryan’s eyes. As it didn’t seem Mrs. Waterman had heard of the convenience store holdup, he didn’t mention it. Nor did Ryan.
“Get those kids back to their parents where they belong. They’ll never survive up here through the winter.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Cody said, giving her a warm smile.
“Oh, I almost forgot to warn you boys. It’s deer season, so watch out for hunters back in those woods.”
Ryan tipped an imaginary hat. “Thanks. We’ll keep an eye out.”
They left with the address and directions to the cabin. “I can’t believe how easy that was,” Ryan said.
“Easy makes me nervous.” Cody would’ve knocked on wood, but there was none in sight in the Range Rover. He still couldn’t shake the bad vibes. Scanning the directions, he said, “Go halfway around the lake, then we need to watch for a row of mailboxes. A mile past those, there’s a dirt road to the right.”
“How far down the road to the cabin?”
“About two miles. There’re four cabins, and the kids have the one on the far right.” Mrs. Waterman had told them that they were one-room cabins, with a small bathroom in the left corner, which was good since there wouldn’t be many places to hide.
“We’ll park out of sight and go in on foot,” Ryan said.
Fortunately, the area was wooded, giving them cover. About a half mile from the cabin, they found a place where they could park the Range Rover. Using the woods as cover, they made their way to the last cabin on the right. Two rocking chairs sat on the front porch, and in one was Megan Sanders. She appeared to be crying.
“Wonder where the boy is,” Ryan said.
“The car’s here, so he’s either inside or out in the woods. Looks like it’s not all rainbows and unicorns.”
Ryan sighed. “I never know what to do with a crying woman. She’s yours. I’ll deal with the boy.”
Like he knew what to do with one. “Remind me to forget to buy you a Christmas present.”
“Fair trade.” Ryan took his earpiece from a cargo pocket and put it on. “I’ll ease around and come up on the side of the cabin.”
Cody put his earpiece in, zipped his coat up to his neck, and kept his eyes trained on the girl as Ryan slipped away. He kept his ears tuned to the back of him. As he settled into his surroundings, he began to feel as one to all that was going on around him—the same as in his sniper days—aware of every little sound, every movement, any alert of danger.
At the back corner of the cabin, Ryan eased his way down the side of the building. He was almost to the front when the girl stood, wiped her nose on the sleeve of her jacket, and then went inside.
Damn. “Target went inside the cabin.”
Ryan halted at the front corner. “Roger.” He backed up, stopping next to a window. After a minute, he returned to the front. “They’re yelling at each other. The curtains are closed, so come to the front door.”
“Roger.” Cody met Ryan at the steps leading to the porch. They both removed their earbuds. Obviously, all was not well in paradise. Although he could hear the couple arguing, he couldn’t make out their words.
“Let’s try the door first. Maybe she didn’t lock it when she went in, and we can take them by surprise.”
Cody nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
The door was unlocked, and Cody followed Ryan in, both coming to a stop just inside. Justin Tramore had his back to them, and appeared to be chopping something, while Megan beat on his back.
“I want to go home!” The boy kept chopping. “Are you even listening to me, Justin? I’m cold, hungry, and bored.” She pounded on his back again.
“We can’t go home, dammit. You forget I’m wanted for robbery?”
“Well, I’m not going to jail. I told you not to do it.” She let out a sob. “I thought running away with you would be fun, but it’s not. I’m going home. You can stay here and hide for the rest of your life for all I care.”
Cody glanced at Ryan and rolled his eyes. Stupid kids.
“You said you loved me.” Justin turned, and his eyes widened. “Who the hell are you?”
Megan glanced over her shoulder, and at seeing them, she screamed. Justin pulled her against him.
“Easy.” Cody held up his hand. “I’m Cody Roberts and this is Ryan O’Connor. Megan, your parents sent us to bring you home.”
“We’re not going.” Justin brought the knife up to Megan’s neck. “If you don’t leave now, I’ll do it. I swear I will. Then I’ll slit my own throat.”
Megan whimpered.
A buzzing sounded in Cody’s ears, increasing in volume until it seemed as if a million bees had made a home in his head. His vision blurred, and he cursed the dusty room for making his eyes water. He wouldn’t let them kill her, not this time. Asra snared his gaze, fear and pleading in her eyes. The insurgent holding her sliced a thin line across her throat, and her small, trembling hands rose to her neck. Tears streaked down her cheeks, leaving clear lines through the dirt on her face. Dark red blood oozed between her fingers.
Distant rifle fire broke the silence. “It’s a trap,” he heard someone yell, and he thought it might have been him.
“Roberts!”
Didn’t his teammate get it? “It’s a trap, Doc,” he said, trying to make him understand. “I have to save her.”
“Jesus,” Doc said. “Stand down, Dog! That’s an order. Wait for me outside.”
Cody was forcibly pushed out the door. He stumbled across the floor of a porch—where the hell had a porch come from?—and down the steps. Cold hit his face, and he sucked in the frigid air. Why was it cold? The temperature had been over a hundred that day. He clearly remembered sweat dripping down his spine and into his eyes. Everything was fucked up.
He sank to his knees, drawing the biting air into his lungs. Where the hell was he? He blinked his eyes in an attempt to see past the haze. When his vision cleared, he scanned the area around him and saw a forest instead of the desolation of Afghanistan. He covered his face with his hands.
Christ, what have I done?
Riley took Cody’s dogs to the park on her lunch break, bringing Brooke with her. The first thing she saw was that all her warning signs had been taken down. Had the person trying to kill people’s pets done it or the city? She kept Pretty Girl and Sally on their leashes until she’d checked under the three bushes and around the four trees. Not finding anything suspicious, she unclipped them. Both sat at her feet as if awaiting her command.
“Go play.” She took out the two balls she’d put in her purse and threw them. Expecting them to chase the balls and return them to her to throw again, she instead watched in amazement as they tossed them up in the air, catching each other’s.
“Wow,” Brooke said. “I’ve never seen dogs entertain themselves like that. You sure I can’t have Hot Guy? I like him and his dogs.”
So did Riley. “He’d eat you alive.”
Brooke collected her long, blonde hair and pulled it so it fell over one shoulder. “And I would have a problem with that because?”
Riley laughed. “Because you’re too innocent for him.”
“And you’re not?”
She hadn’t been innocent since the day she’d entered foster care. “I don’t think it matters. He’s not looking for a relationship.”
Brooke’s blue eyes narrowed as she tilted her head to stare at Riley. “You know this how?”
“It’s just a feeling, okay?” She’d not told Brooke or Michelle that Cody was her neighbor. She hadn’t mentioned how he sat in the dark and played his sad songs on his guitar. She’d certainly not told them that he’d spooned his big body around hers to comfort her. And that he’d kissed her? That one was her special memory, not to be shared.
“Pretty Girl. Sally. Come.” They each mouthed a ball and raced to her. “Is that trick what your daddy said he’d show me?” she said when they dropped their treasure at her feet. With her thumb and a finger, she picked up the balls, one in each hand. The two dogs danced in anticipation. She threw the balls, but this time they ran back to her and dropped their toys for her to toss again. Had their first game been a fluke? When they came back with their saliva-slimed balls, she repeated what she’d said the first time.
“Go play.” Off they went, and this time, they did their tossing-the-balls-to-each-other game. “I’ll be damned.” Pleased that she had stumbled on the trick Cody had alluded to, she leaned back against the bench and watched them.
“I’ve never seen dogs so well behaved,” Brooke said. “Is he a dog trainer?”
“I have no idea.” If he wasn’t, he should be. She’d never doubted Cody loved those dogs. Okay, maybe she’d wondered if he did when she’d embarrassed herself that first time she’d taken him to task for letting them play near the street.
She thought back to that first morning when he’d walked out onto his porch wearing nothing but his sweatpants, showing off a male body the likes of which she’d only seen in magazines. What she wouldn’t give to slide her fingers over his sculpted chest and muscled arms.
His declaration that it wasn’t the right time or place for them had her wondering at his reason for saying such a thing. Maria had said he’d been the SEAL team’s sniper, and Riley had the feeling that whatever Cody’s issues were, they had something to do with that time in his life. She hadn’t planned to watch American Sniper, but maybe she should. It might help her understand him better.
Her phone buzzed with a text.
Police are here to take your report.
Riley texted Michelle that she’d be there in a few minutes.
“Time to go back. Thanks for coming with me.”
“It was fun,” Brooke said, sliding the strap of her purse over her shoulder.
Riley called to the dogs and they came running to her, standing still as she clipped their leashes to their collars. As she walked toward her car with Brooke alongside her, she noticed a woman standing outside the fence, watching her. She wore a bulky coat, a ball cap with the brim pulled down, and large sunglasses, hiding her face. The dogs playing with their balls had probably caught her attention. Riley waved, and the woman stared at her for a few more seconds before walking away.
“Weird,” Brooke said. “Guess she didn’t like you waving to her.”
Actually, it had creeped Riley out. She loaded the dogs into her car. On the way back, she glanced into the rearview mirror. “You guys have fun?” Both dogs barked, assuring her that they had.
“Would’ve been more fun if their daddy had come with us,” Brooke grumbled.
What Riley didn’t say was that if Cody had been with her, Brooke wouldn’t have been invited.
At the clinic, she got Sally and Pretty Girl back into their kennel before going to the waiting room. A uniformed officer awaited her, which was disappointing. She’d hoped for a detective.
“Hi. I’m Dr. Austin.” She held out her hand.
“Officer Kilpatrick.”
After shaking hands, she led him back to her office. “Would you like something to drink? I’ve got water and sodas.”
“No thank you, ma’am. I understand you think someone’s poisoning pets?”
“I don’t think, I know. Have a seat.” He was maybe a few years older than she, and with his short blond hair worn in what she thought of as a typical cop cut, and cornflower-blue eyes, he was definitely good-looking. Although he wasn’t as muscled as Cody, he was close. And why was she comparing him to her neighbor? The two men were as opposite in appearance as could be.
“How about you call me Riley? Ma’am sounds so old.”
“Trust me, Riley, you’re far from old. I’m Mike.”
Well then. That grin he gave her should have melted her bones, and a week ago, it might have. Instead, she had to be hung up on a moody bad boy who couldn’t tell her exactly what he did and never seemed to sleep.
“Glad to meet you,” she said. “Here’s a statement of the timeline and the pets involved, along with all the information I have.” She handed him the report she’d created. “Thought it would save time to have it ready.”
Mike took the pages. “This is great. Do you mind if I take a few minutes to read it? See if I have any other questions.�
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“Sure. My first patient is waiting, so why don’t I take care of that while you’re reading? I won’t be long. Just routine vaccinations.”
“No problem. If you don’t mind, though, I’ll take that water you offered.”
She took a bottle from the mini fridge and handed it to him. His fingers brushed over hers, intentionally, she was sure. Yep, he was interested. “I’ll be back in a few.”
“Man, I’m digging all the hot guys coming in here lately,” Brooke said after they finished with their first patient of the afternoon. “The cop is like a beautiful angel and the other one is all dark, dangerous, and sexy.”
Her assistant had nailed them perfectly, but she wasn’t going to admit to noticing. Otherwise, there’d be no end to Brooke’s teasing. “They’re just men.”
“Pfft. Keep telling yourself that. Which one you keeping? I’ll take the other one.”
Riley winked. “Why can’t I keep both?” She walked out before Brooke could respond, returning to her office and the waiting angel.
Mike stood when she walked in. “Good timing. I just finished going through your statement and made a list of questions.”
His eyes tracked her as she moved around her desk, and she wished she’d taken a few minutes to run a brush through her ponytail and put on lipstick. Other than the brief kisses with Cody, her dry spell had gone on way too long.
“You’ll let me know when you get the results on the meat?” Mike said after she’d answered his questions.
“I will.” They’d decided that she would get faster results from the lab she used than if he sent the poisoned meat to the police lab.
He handed her a card. “Until we get a lead on who’s doing this, not much we can do other than beef up patrol in this area. I’ll make sure everyone keeps an eye out, though. I wrote my cell number on the back. If anything more happens, call me direct instead of going through dispatch.”