Relief shone in her eyes. “Thank you.” She turned to finish gearing up. Her coworkers brought a box of supplies along with the security system. Wyatt tossed a vest to Kayla and one to Sawyer. When he didn’t remove one for Hillary, it was his turn to grab her arm. He didn’t want her going in without that layer of protection.
“Where’s your vest?”
She lifted a corner of her black long-sleeved t-shirt. “Got it.”
They all fastened small devices in their ears. Sawyer handed one to him. “You can hear what we say.”
“Thanks.” He inserted it and then listened as they all ran through a mic check. Then with guns in hand, they silently departed, Sawyer and Hillary through the front door and Kayla and Wyatt the back.
Even knowing she could take care of herself, he was worried for her safety. But damn, seeing her in action was a major turn-on.
#
Hillary had been having the most intense dream involving Reed and rolling around in the sand with a raging bonfire in the background. When the alert sounded on her phone, it took her a moment to remember where she was.
Awakened by the sound, Kayla asked, “What is it?”
Hillary snatched her phone from the bedside table and checked the display. “Silent alarm activated. Someone’s breaking in the house.” She jumped out of bed and grabbed a pair of jeans. She’d purposefully left her clothes within easy reach in case she had to dress in a hurry, including her Kevlar vest. Kayla fired off a quick text to Wyatt and Sawyer, their predetermined signal in case something happened. In less than a minute, they were dressed and heading out the bedroom door. Wyatt and Sawyer were already gathering equipment in the living room. Her heart almost stopped when Reed came out of his room. She’d hoped they could sneak out without waking him.
“What’s happening?”
“The silent alarm went off in the house.”
“Let me grab my sneakers.” He turned for his room but she clutched his arm.
“Please stay here, Reed. Kai’s asleep. We can’t leave him alone.” Never mind the fact that he wasn’t trained for this and he could get hurt. Again. She didn’t think she could take seeing him lying in another hospital bed so soon after the last time. He looked like he wanted to argue, but it was the mention of Kai that swung the decision in her favor, she was sure. He sighed and nodded.
Relief washed over her. She wouldn’t be able to focus if she had to worry about his safety. The others geared up and she was touched when Sawyer thought to include Reed in the op by giving him one of the communication devices. With hand gestures, Kayla and Wyatt left through the sliding door while she and Sawyer eased out the front to surround the house. “There’s a ladder propped against the north side,” Wyatt said, his voice a whisper but it was clear through the ear piece.
Hillary eased up the front steps and used her phone to deactivate the alarm. “In on three. One, two, three.” She inserted the key in the front door and she and Sawyer burst inside, guns first. Wyatt entered through the side and Kayla the sliding door off the deck. They stealthily searched the first floor, calling out when they cleared a room. She moved to the stairs where Mack Arnold lost his life and tried not to picture his broken body lying on the ground.
She gestured and they silently moved up the stairs, the others letting her take the lead. A small wall divided the space, and now that most of the furniture and junk had been removed, the area was open. The window above the ladder was hiked up two inches, setting off the alarm. It looked like the perp got spooked before he entered.
“We’re clear.”
“Thank God,” Reed muttered through the mic.
She needed to let Kellan Polizzi know about the attempted break-in. She thought about calling but decided on a quick text since there was no immediate threat. No sense in waking the detective at this hour.
“Let’s check the tape,” Sawyer said, heading downstairs. The cameras fed into a computer that was currently set up on the kitchen counter. Sawyer punched buttons and pulled up the feed from the camera on the north side of the house and rewound the footage.
“There,” Kayla said. He stopped it and slowed it down. A man dressed in a black ski mask, wearing a sweatshirt with the hood pulled over his head emerged from beneath the house next door with a ladder. He glanced around and then settled it against the house. He climbed quickly and tested the window. He pushed, stopped, yanked it back down and then quickly retreated down the ladder. He took off and disappeared down the beach, leaving the ladder in place.
“Any cameras pointed that way?” She indicated the direction the perp fled. Sawyer manipulated a few buttons and then found a camera angled down the beach. It didn’t help as the man continued walking until he became a dot and then disappeared completely.
“Go back to when he first emerged from beneath the house,” Wyatt instructed.
Sawyer rewound the feed and played it again. “Stop there.” Sawyer paused where Wyatt indicated. “Can you zoom in on his sweatshirt?” Sawyer tapped a few keys and the screen zoomed in. “Manteo High,” he read.
“You think it’s a high school kid breaking in?” Kayla asked.
Hillary shook her head. “I don’t know. If it is, what is he looking for?”
#
“Damn, damn, damn,” Rocky cursed all the way down the beach. They’d wired the freaking house! What the hell? Windows, doors, everything. He’d seen several cameras as he was making his escape. The place looked like it was locked up tighter than Fort Knox. Now what was he supposed to do?
When he’d pushed the window open, he’d almost missed the small red light that flashed. If he hadn’t seen it, he’d have walked straight into a trap. The system was apparently silent since no alarm sounded. Damn. He could’ve gotten himself shot. Or worse—back in prison.
He was glad now he thought to stop in town and purchase a sweatshirt from the local high school, even if it was an expense he couldn’t afford since Granny had been so stingy. He was sure he’d been caught on tape, so they might think he was just a high school kid breaking in, looking for something to pawn for drug money. The mask covered his face, so he wasn’t worried about being identified. But he was pissed as hell.
He punched the wall as soon as he returned to his motel room and cried out when his knuckles protested. He shook his hand to ease the sting. The only thing he could do now was work from the inside and hope like hell someone else didn’t find it before he did.
Chapter Twenty
“Are you sure you don’t want one of us to stay?” Kayla asked the next morning as she, Wyatt, Sawyer and Kai were getting ready to leave.
“I’m sure. Whoever it is knows the house is wired now. I don’t think he’ll be coming back.”
“If you need us, call,” Sawyer said. “You should have all the equipment you need.”
“I will and thanks.”
She glanced over to see Kai and Reed doing their complicated fist bump with added explosions on the end. Then they both laughed. Her heart turned over again.
“I already follow you on Instagram and Twitter,” Kai told him. “I would on Facebook, but my mom won’t let me have an account.” He frowned. “She thinks I’m too young. She won’t let me post pictures or Tweet, either. I can look, but apparently, I can’t speak.”
Reed laughed and then pulled out his cell, pulling Kai close to snap a selfie. “This is going on my Instagram today.”
“Really? Oh my gosh, did you hear that? I’m going to be on Reed Steele’s Instagram page.” Kai was so excited, he floated out the door. The others followed, each shaking Reed’s hand and instructing him to keep in touch. Kayla hugged him, winking at Hillary as she did, and then they were gone.
“I’m glad I got to meet them,” Reed said as they watched the group back out of the drive and motor away. “They’re great.”
“I’m glad you did, too. I’m lucky to work with such amazing people.”
“I felt that way about most of my teammates in the majors. There were always one
or two that were impossible to get along with, but for the most part, they were like brothers.”
“You don’t have that now?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “It’s different. I like and respect the people I work with, but it’s not the same camaraderie.”
“I can see that,” she said as they headed to the kitchen. “You’re the boss now and you’re the one on camera, the face of the show. I’m sure that’s intimidating to them.”
“I have a great crew and they work hard. As long as the job is done well, I’m happy. My turn to cook breakfast. Sit.” He indicated the bar.
A good-looking man wanted to cook for her, who was she to argue? She sat. They took Kota for a walk after a breakfast of whole wheat pancakes with a strawberry and blueberry compote. That he even knew what a compote was, let alone how to make it, amazed her. When they returned, Kellan Polizzi arrived to watch the surveillance footage of the attempted break-in. They’d left the ladder in place and he snapped pictures.
“I’ve been thinking,” Hillary said. “What if the perp tried the same thing two nights ago? He grabs the ladder and pries open the window. Mack hears the noise and goes to investigate.”
Kellan nodded slowly. “It’s possible. The ladder wasn’t there so he’d have had to put it back.”
“If that’s the case, maybe Mack didn’t fall down the stairs.”
Kellan finished her thought. “Maybe he was pushed.”
#
“I can’t tell you if he was pushed or not,” the coroner said two hours later. Kellan had allowed Hillary to accompany him to the meeting. Reed wasn’t happy about being left out, but he’d reluctantly relented.
“The cause of death is the same. There were no marks on his body to make me think it was anything but an accident. The cuts and contusions are consistent with a tumble down the stairs. My ruling stands. Accidental death.”
“It’s still possible the perp tried to break in,” Kellan rationalized as they headed to his car. “Mack goes to check it out but he trips and falls down the stairs. Maybe the guy hears that and flees. Or the guy gets inside, scares Mack and he tumbles.”
“Or maybe Mack was doing rounds and fell.” She sighed. “I guess we won’t know for sure unless the guy confesses.”
“Is any of this going to delay filming?” Kellan started the car and drove from the lot.
“No. Reed talked to the network honchos earlier today. Everything’s still a go. The crew is set to arrive on time.”
“Thanks again for the invite to the cookout last night. I had a great time.”
“That was all Reed’s doing, on the network’s dime.”
“I felt guilty for enjoying the food and beverages when I couldn’t get away to help you clear out the house. We had a floater about two miles up the coast. Haven’t located the head, yet. Spent all day on the case.”
“Did you solve it?”
“No, but we did identify the body.” He flipped on the turn signal and waited for a car to pass before pulling into her driveway. “I enjoyed meeting your coworkers. You work for a great company.”
Hillary eyed the detective. Many of their agents came from law enforcement backgrounds including her boss Luke. Kellan would make a great agent. “I do. If you ever want to leave the force, let me know and I’ll put in a good word for you.”
Kellan’s brows raised. “Wow, thanks. I appreciate that. I’ll admit I’ve been thinking about it since meeting you. I love my job but I get tired of the red tape and bureaucracy.”
Hillary unbuckled the seatbelt and stepped outside. Digging in her bag, she found her business card case and pulled one out, handing it to Kellan. “I’ll leave you my card. Give me a call if you’re serious.”
“I will. Thanks.”
She waved and then jogged up the steps to the cottage. She rang the doorbell twice in quick succession to let Reed know she was home. Kota greeted her happily and she scratched his ears. Reed was camped on the couch, going through boxes she’d brought over from the house. She’d never tell him this, but she didn’t want him in there alone when she wasn’t around. He’d insist he could take care of himself but she wasn’t taking that chance.
Reed’s eyes were narrowed. “Where’s Polizzi?” Surely that wasn’t jealousy coloring his tone.
“Headed back to the station, I guess. Did you find anything?”
“Nothing.” He tossed a handful of envelopes into a black garbage bag. What about you?”
“Mack’s death has officially been ruled an accidental fall.” She plopped down next to him and grabbed a stack of papers. They worked in tandem, while HGTV played in the background. When a rerun of Reed’s show came on, he tried to turn the channel but she snatched the remote away from him.
“Turn it, please. I hate seeing myself on television.”
“No way, we’re watching it.” She stuffed the remote down her shirt.
He raised a brow. “You think I won’t go after it?”
Her eyes widened. “You wouldn’t.” With a smile that could only be described as predatory, he loomed over her. When his hand came at her, she laughed and batted him away. She tugged her shirt out, trying to grab the remote before he could get it. Without warning, her wrists were pinned beside her head, the remote clutched in one hand.
“Your arm…” she tried, unable to look away from his eyes. The color, the same as the waters of the Caribbean, pinned her as surely as his grip on her arms. She was lost. When his head slowly lowered, her eyes fluttered shut. She whimpered at the first contact, feather light. A brush. The next kiss was gentle, lasted longer. The next one was ravenous. Consuming. He settled his weight over her and they both moaned as his mouth devoured hers. She was completely engulfed by him. She felt his arousal against her stomach and she shifted restlessly, wanting more of him. All of him.
It was reckless. It was stupid. It went against everything she believed in by mixing business with pleasure. She didn’t care. She gave in to the temptation that had been plaguing her for days—she slid her hands under his shirt and caressed his stomach. Abs of Steele, indeed.
She would have blissfully continued until they were naked and sweaty, but the doorbell cut through the sensual haze.
“Ignore it,” Reed muttered as he nibbled a path down her neck, the other hand skimming up her stomach. She was tempted to do as he said, but Kota’s growl forced her to stop. She placed a palm against his chest. He sighed and dropped his forehead against hers. “We’re not finished.” He kissed her again and then his weight was gone.
She sat up in a daze. The ding-dong of the bell worked like a glass of cold water to her face. She shook her head and stood, surprised to find her legs were shaky. She didn’t have this level of response to men. Even the college professor she dated for almost a year before the shooting hadn’t inspired this emotional reaction to her body. It was as if she didn’t even know herself. Kota’s presence beside her was comforting as she made her way to the door and checked the peephole. “It’s Connie.”
“Perfect damn timing,” Reed muttered behind her. “I should’ve never called to let her know about the attempted break in.”
She pasted on a smile and pretended her world hadn’t just been rocked to the very core. “Hi, Connie. Come in.”
“I wanted to see if there were any new developments.”
“You just wanted to get away from your kids,” Reed smirked.
She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, but she didn’t dispute his statement. She swung her gaze to Hillary. “Have the police found the person who tried to get inside?”
“Not yet. His face was completely covered and he wore gloves, so there’s no way to identify him. The coroner did rule Mack Arnold’s death as an accidental fall.”
“Do you think the guy will try again knowing the house is wired?”
“I don’t know, but I think it will certainly make him think twice.”
Connie glanced at the floor—at the papers strewn haphazardly, thanks to their earlier couch
antics—and raised a brow. Hillary felt heat flood her face. She bent to gather the documents.
“Have you found anything of interest?”
Connie’s tone was shrewd. Hillary knew that wasn’t the question she was dying to ask. Keeping her gaze averted until the color faded, she answered, “After his mother died, it seems the son stopped paying bills. He owed a ton of money.”
“Maybe the mom took care of everything and he didn’t know he was supposed to pay,” Reed suggested.
Hillary raised a brow. “Don’t you think all of the overdue bills stamped with final notice in bold red letters were a clue?”
Reed shrugged. “Most of the envelopes haven’t even been opened. I know ignorance is no excuse, but maybe he was just that—ignorant.”
“It’s possible,” Connie agreed. “The bank repossessed the house to pay back taxes. Josh Hannigan picked it up for a steal.”
Hillary straightened the papers and stacked them inside the cardboard box. “Would you like something to drink?”
Connie waved a hand. “Thanks, but I need to get back. I just ran out to pick up ice cream for the kids.” Hillary walked her to the door. “Call if anything else happens.”
“We will.”
Hillary could feel Reed’s intense stare. Now that Connie was gone, he’d want to pick up where they left off, but that wasn’t going to happen. It was a moment of weakness, nothing more. Inhaling deeply, she spun around. “Let’s finish these boxes.”
“Hillary.” She didn’t look at him. Refused to look at him. She feigned interest in an old letter. “Hillary.” She jumped when strong hands gripped her upper arms. Her heart rate triple-timed it. “Look at me.”
She vehemently shook her head. If she stared into those amazing aqua eyes, she’d be lost again. She couldn’t afford to let that happen. This job was her redemption. She needed to believe in herself, in her abilities again and if she let herself fall into bed with Reed, she’d be compromising her integrity. Steeling her spine, she stepped away. His hands fell to his sides. She turned to face him.
“Look, Reed, what happened before...that was a mistake. It can’t—won’t happen again.”
Tough as Nails (COBRA Securities Book 10) Page 13