by Jen Talty
Not to mention she was more focused on his comment about her past.
Rookie mistake.
Of course, if he was being honest with himself, the fact she didn’t even acknowledge the kiss is what sent him over the edge.
“You need to keep it together inside here, or Hank will have your head,” Maddog said in a stern fatherly voice. “You need to let the locals handle this.”
“As long as they do it right, I will.” Dakota let out a puff of air as he strode toward the reception desk.
“Hey, Dakota,” Archie, the desk officer, said. “You can go right back to interrogation two. Wilson is waiting for you.”
“Thanks.” For the most part, the Brotherhood Protectors had a decent relationship with the local police department. They often had to work in tandem, but there were times they butted heads.
He hoped this wasn’t one of those times.
Just as they rounded the corner, Maddog grabbed his forearm. “You need to calm the fuck down.”
“You need to back the fuck off.”
Maddog shook his head. “Listen to me, man. We’re being given a courtesy here. If you want answers, don’t act like a raging lunatic.”
“Trust me. Once I walk into that room, I will be nothing but professional. Until then, let me be an asshole.” Dakota absolutely knew he needed to act as if it hadn’t been him and his family someone took a shot at.
“All right.” Maddog held up his hand.
Dakota continued down the hallway, opening and closing his fists. The closer he got to the interrogation room, the faster his heart pounded.
Detective Wilson leaned against the wall with his arms folded. “You two got here fast.”
“We came as soon as we heard you picked him up,” Maddog said. “We were told he was picked up with a handgun in his possession.”
“That is correct.” Wilson pushed from the wall. “The handgun had been fired, and Chad does have gun residue on his hands.” Wilson wedged a toothpick into his mouth. “But he said he was at the firing range earlier today, and that alibi does pan out.”
“What time was he there?” Dakota asked.
“Eleven this morning until one in the afternoon,” Wilson said. “He admits to following your friend from the grocery store to Teresa Babcock’s place, but says he never drove by your place.”
“Did he say why he followed Alabama?” Dakota stepped sideways and peered through the small window into the interrogation room. Chad leaned back in the metal chair as if he didn’t have a care in the world. He certainly didn’t appear to be too worried by the situation.
“He said his girlfriend asked him to because she wanted to make sure Sky and River were safe. He said she doesn’t trust your new nanny because she’s a liar.” Wilson shifted the toothpick to the other side of his mouth. “We sent an officer to her house, but she’s not there. As of right now, we have no idea where she is.”
Dakota didn’t like the sound of that. He pulled out his cell.
Dakota: Everything okay?
Alabama: Yes. Girls are asleep. Your friends have me all moved in.
Dakota: Clayton and Viper still there?
Alabama: Yes. They said they wanted to wait for you. I set them up in your family room with some beer, chips, and dip. Wyoming and I are going to bed.
Dakota: Okay. I’ll be home in an hour or less. If you’re awake, leave the light on by your door. I’d like to talk to you.
He tucked his phone in his back pocket. No need to wait for her to respond now. He’d know his answer when he returned to the house.
“Have you checked with her grandfather?” Maddog asked.
“We have, and he hasn’t heard from her since Dakota fired her. I guess she and the old man had words, and she decided she was better off on her own,” Wilson said. “When we pressed Chad where she might be, he informed us that they got into a fight, and he left her in town and hasn’t spoken to her since.”
“What was the fight about?” Dakota asked.
“Chad said she wanted him to keep following Alabama, but he didn’t want to. He wanted to go drinking, which is where we picked him up, and the bartender said he’d been there since an hour before you called the locals.” Wilson popped out the toothpick and waggled it in the air. “But you should know, he let Candice take his pickup.”
“Wait a second,” Maddog said. “You’re telling us that basically there is no way in hell Chad shot at Dakota and his family.”
“It appears that way,” Wilson said. “But based on what you’ve said and something else we found out, Candice might have.”
“What else have you found out?” Dakota asked.
“Right before I learned you two had arrived, Chad told me that Candice had heard from a waitress friend from the Eagle Rock Diner that they didn’t hire your new nanny, Alabama, because they couldn’t find enough about her on the internet, and nothing really came back on a background check. So, Candice asked Chad’s father to do some digging.”
Fuck. Wilmot Hooker knew a lot of bad people in high places, and if there was something to uncover in Alabama’s past, Wilmot would be able to do it.
That was a bear in hibernation that didn’t awakening.
“There’s nothing to find there, trust me. My organization has done serious digging.” Dakota normally wouldn’t lie to the cops, but he didn’t want them to go poking around in Alabama’s background. “She checks out. No red flags of any kind.”
“Good to know,” Wilson said. “How long was Candice an employee of yours?”
“Five months,” Dakota said. In the beginning, she’d been an attentive nanny. He’d trusted his girls were in good hands, and until a couple of weeks ago, that had been the case. “But she’d been a part-time babysitter for me for two years, and I’d never had a problem with her before.”
“After her mother died, she’d been in and out of trouble,” Wilson said. “Nothing major, but her last year in high school, she’d been picked up for possession a couple of times.”
“I knew that when I hired her.” Dakota had a soft spot for Candice’s grandfather as well as wanting to give the young woman a chance at turning her life around before she started making bad choices she couldn’t recover from.
She still had that opportunity.
He hoped.
“You still haven’t told me anything that says Candice is the one who shot at me.” Dakota didn’t want to believe that Candice would go that far, but he had to be realistic about the situation, especially since his girls were involved.
As well as Alabama and her son.
“She has Chad’s gun.”
Alabama flicked the light switch by the door to the in-law apartment five times before deciding to shut it off and head to the kitchen for a glass of wine. The last text from Dakota indicated he’d be home in the next twenty minutes.
Or less.
While she wanted to express her dislike of the new living situation, she also wanted to let him know she appreciated his diligence in making sure her son was safe. She did want him to know she truly valued how he went out of his way to help her and her kid.
She also wanted to know what happened with Candice and her boyfriend. Alabama needed to know that they were her only threat and that the local police and the Brotherhood Protectors would be taking care of that situation.
Otherwise, she would be on the road before morning.
“Is everything okay?” Viper asked, standing in the middle of the hallway.
Alabama jumped. “Shit. You scared the crap out of me.” She smoothed down the front of her flannel pajama bottoms before checking her top to make sure all the buttons were securely fastened.
“Sorry.” Viper held up his phone. “Dakota texted, and he’s about five minutes out.”
“Where’s Clayton?” She scurried past Viper and snagged one of the stemless wine glasses and filled it with red wine. She took a big gulp. For the last hour, she’d counted her cash and looked online for places to move.
Florida seemed like an option.
Or maybe Texas.
It would have been a lot easier to sneak out in the middle of the night had Dakota not insisted she move into the main house. Her heart dropped like a brick into her gut. Leaving the girls would be difficult. She hated hurting them, but what choice did she have?
“He’s outside checking the perimeter,” Viper said. “Unfortunately, while Chad is in custody, we still have no idea where Candice is.”
Alabama had to appreciate how honest Dakota and all his co-workers have been regarding the situation, but she still didn’t trust them, and she worried about his comment about her past. Her true identity had to remain a secret. If it didn’t, she and her son were as good as dead.
Headlights cut through the dark night. The slight hum of the garage door opener tickled her ears. What Dakota had to say would be the deciding factor on whether or not she left tonight or toughed it out for a little while longer.
The back door opened, and she heard both Dakota and Clayton enter the house.
“I’m so glad you’re awake,” Dakota said as he pulled down a glass and poured himself some wine. He held up the bottle, but both his buddies shook their heads. “I’ve got some good news.”
“We’ll get Maddog to fill us in,” Clayton said. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Thanks for helping out.” Dakota rested his hand on the small of Alabama’s back. “Why don’t we go sit in front of the fireplace.”
She’d rather take her wine to bed but decided she shouldn’t be rude. She curled up on the far side of the sofa, tucking her feet under her butt. Staring at the crackling fire, she let out a slow breath. “So, what’s the good news?”
“Well, it’s good and bad news, depending on how you look at it.” He poked at the fire before joining her on the sofa. “We found Candice.” He positioned himself closer to the center and a little too close to her.
“Is that the good news or the bad news?” she asked, feeling the heat from his body coat her skin like a warm, fuzzy blanket. She hated the way he reminded her that she was indeed a woman who still craved the closeness of a man.
And damn, Dakota was all man.
“It’s good because the police have taken her into the station for questioning, and once she’s released, we’ve got constant eyes on her, so we’ll know where she is and what she’s doing at all times.”
“Making her still being on the streets and having an axe to grind with me, the bad news,” Alabama said. When she’d left the underground, they told her to blend in. To make sure she didn’t draw attention to herself.
Well, she certainly screwed that up.
He nodded. “But, after speaking with her, even though she hasn’t admitted to what she’s done, I’ve known her a long time, and she’d never hurt my girls. I can guarantee all she wanted to do was scare you.”
“She’s done a damn good job of that.”
“And I think she wants to make you quit so I’ll have to hire her back, which is childish and will never happen.” He raised his glass to his lips and sipped.
“I don’t know about that,” she said softly. “I really like it here, and I’ve become attached to your girls, but this isn’t the kind of environment I want to raise my son in.”
He rested his arm on the back of the sofa and arched a brow. “What happened today isn’t something that happens regularly. As a matter of fact, I can honestly say that it’s never happened in my personal life, ever.”
She opened her mouth to remind him of his military past, but he pressed his index finger over her lips.
“In my line of work, I’ve dealt with some really bad people. Murderers. Psychopaths. I’ve been on the front line of war, and I’ve been in street fights. I’ve seen it all, and Candice isn’t out to hurt anyone. She’s misguided, and unfortunately Chad has been known to make some bad decisions, but neither one of them have done anything violent.”
If she had a dollar for everyone who couldn’t believe Josh would ever lay a finger on anyone, she’d be a millionaire. “You said she’s been smoking weed. If she’s been doing that, who knows what other drugs she might be taking, and who knows what kind of violence that might lead to. I can’t expose my son to that.”
He leaned forward and placed his glass on the coffee table. “If I thought this was truly a volatile situation, I’d be sending my children, and you and your son, to a safe house provided by my company.” He scooted closer, taking her hand into his and rubbing his thumb over her palm. “Not to sound too arrogant, but I’m really good at my job. I’m also really good at reading people and situations. There are two things I know for sure. First, Candice is angry and she’s acting out, but she’s got a moral compass, and she won’t cross it. And second, you’re not considering quitting because of her. But I want you to know, whatever, or whoever, you’re running from, you are safe here. No one will hurt you, or your son, while you are living on my land.”
She swallowed her gasp. “Excuse me?” She jerked her hand back.
He stood and strolled across the room. Lifting a frame from the mantel, he turned, showing off an image of him and a beautiful dark-haired woman holding a baby while he carried another child on his shoulders with a proud smile. “I’m sorry. I’m not as good at this as my late wife, Lunar, would have been. This was her area of expertise. She’s probably yelling at me from heaven right now for fucking this all up.”
“I really have no idea what you’re talking about.” Alabama untucked her legs and set her feet on the floor, ready to race off to her room. “I won’t leave you without a nanny, but I think—”
“I can’t let you leave.”
“That’s not your choice,” she said with a shaky voice. It shouldn’t be hard to dig her heels in and stand her ground, but Josh had really done a number on her, and she’d allowed him to take away all her power.
She wasn’t going to do it again.
He rubbed his temples. “I know I can’t make you stay, but it’s better for you if you do. I can protect you and your son from your past.”
She bolted upright. “You keep bringing up my past. What the hell do you think you know?”
“Nothing, but if you choose to tell me, it will make it easier for me to make sure he never lays a hand on you or Wyoming again.”
“Well, you have some nerve,” she said, doing her best to sound insulted instead of utterly terrified. “I don’t know who you think you are, but—”
“Lunar worked with the underground and a man by the name of Chauncey. They created new identities and helped battered women disappear. Occasionally, I provided services to ensure safe passage. It was my wife’s life work.”
“Chauncey?” Tears burned at Alabama’s eyes. She couldn’t stand to listen to this anymore. She turned on her heels, but he grabbed her by the forearms and spun her around.
“You know him?”
“No.” She squeezed her eyes shut.
“I don’t believe you,” he said sternly. “Look at me.”
She blinked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I think you do. You see, when Lunar was five, her mom was beaten so badly by her father that she was unrecognizable. My wife’s childhood was riddled with the kind of pain that never goes away. When I first started working with her, I thought it would be better to let the system work and put these asshole men in prison. Only, I learned very quickly our system is fucked and often men like Lunar’s father weren’t even given a slap on the wrist. When I met my wife, she was just starting to put the pieces of her life together, and I can see in your eyes, what I saw in hers. I know that look. I’m not judging you or your decisions. If anything, I commend you for getting out. You have a safe haven here for as long as you want it, but I’d like to know what and who you’re running from.”
“Let go of me,” she said behind gritted teeth. Her entire body shook. Every slap, punch, and kick she’d endured at the hands of Josh came down on her mind at once. The crippling fear nearly broug
ht her to her knees. “You’re way off base.”
He tugged her closer.
She resisted, but he didn’t let go.
Oddly, she didn’t feel threatened.
She felt cared for.
And that scared her on a different level.
“I’m right on target.” He took her chin with his thumb and forefinger. “Running from your husband?”
She gasped but quickly snapped her mouth shut. Saying anything to him would be her kiss of death.
“Look. The only way I can make sure you will always be safe is to know who you’re running from. I’ve done some poking, but I don’t want to do a deep probe. I do that, and I might just end up tipping him off.”
“You’ve been spying on me? How dare you. Who the hell do you think you are?” Her insides rattled like a snake’s tail, fast and hard.
“I’m your employer, for starters. I have the right to know who is taking care of my kids,” he said in a calm voice. His hands ran up and down her arms in a warm and caring gesture. He had an uncanny way of making her feel safe. She used to think Josh made her feel that way, but it was a false sense of caring. In reality, all she ever felt for Josh was fear.
Gently, Dakota took cupped her chin. “Believe me, I’m on your side. Are you running from your husband?”
“Yes.” She shouldn’t tell him anything, but if his wife’s friend was the same man who recommended Eagle Rock, Montana, and specifically showed her the tiny house rental, then she knew she had to trust Dakota, even if she didn’t want to.
“Did he hurt Wyoming?”
“No. Not really.”
“What the hell does not really mean?” Dakota asked with a tight jaw.
“Josh, my husband, beat me for the last time on the day Wyoming was born. He was a month early because of that beating.” Her breath came in short, choppy pants. Rage filled her heart as if she were the keeper of hell. “The nurse at the hospital knew someone at the underground and set me up. The night before I was to be released, I disappeared. I went from one hiding place to the next until I was no longer featured on the national news.”
“National?” he asked with a curved brow. “Why would you make the national news regarding your disappearance unless someone thought you were dead?”