Worth the Risk (COBRA Securities Book 21)

by Velvet Vaughn

  It’d been pure instinct on her part. Between Rocky quaking like a sapling in a hurricane and her nerves threatening to buckle her knees, she’d been on edge. When she saw the hand grasp the edge of the curtain, she didn’t think. She just reacted. It took a moment for her brain to process that it was Quinn she was spraying instead of the bad guys. By the time she jerked her finger away, the damage had been done.

  He had every right to be angry with her. Instead, he shouldered all the blame and then proceeded to kiss all her guilt away before making love to her. It’d been even more glorious than last night, and that was saying something. She was afraid it would always be like that, each encounter better than the previous one. How would she survive when he left?

  Before he headed home, they needed to bring the men and their child-selling ring down. It worried her how determined they were to find her. Probably unrealistic, but she hoped they’d have given up by now. Even though they had her phone with the videos, she knew about the bunker and where the body had been buried. Of course, they’d want to silence her. They had to have found out her name and information from her cell, and that frightened her. Would they be waiting for her to return home to make a move?

  Shaking her head to clear the troubling thoughts, she fastened her hair into a ponytail and splashed cold water on her face. While they’d been occupied in the shower and the bed, it started raining again, delaying their departure another day. Plus, Quinn thought it best if they waited to allow the duo to leave the area. That meant more time in close confines with the man she loved. It would be both wonderful and excruciating at the same time. The closer they became, the harder it would be to watch him walk out of her life again.

  #

  After another incredible night spent in Vanessa’s arms, enjoying all she had to offer, Quinn rose early to check the weather. The rain had stopped, which was good because he was going stir-crazy. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy spending time with Vanessa. He totally did. Too much. She was more than a pretty face. She was smart, creative, and brave. With all the things he discovered about her, it was as if they’d condensed months of dating into a few days. He didn’t know nearly as much about Traci, and they’d dated for half a year.

  Except for when Dodge and his cronies paid a visit, the days spent on the island and then in the cabin had been idyllic. Getting to know Vanessa had been a bonus he didn’t expect. When Mort called and asked him to find her, he thought it would be a quick in and out. Locate her, convince her to give up her mission and return home.

  He sincerely enjoyed talking with her. She was intelligent and well-read. He loved watching the animated way she told stories with her hands as much as her mouth. He loved how she listened with rapt fascination when he described his business and friends. He loved how her eyes glazed over when he leaned close to kiss her. He just plain loved her.

  Woah.

  Quinn backed up a step, causing Rocky to yip and scramble out of the way. “Sorry,” he mumbled. Where had that thought come from? Love had no place in the mix. He was here at her father’s behest to watch out for her. Sure, he enjoyed every minute of the time they spent together, but he’d be leaving once the men pursuing her were behind bars.

  As pleasant as it sounded to lock themselves away from the rest of the world, he had responsibilities he needed to tend to, the first being his business. It worried him that he hadn’t been able to check in with his crew in days. He had complete confidence in Morgana running things, but his work was his life. Not knowing what was going on made him exceedingly nervous. Then there was his pregnant sister. What if Hillary needed something and Reed wasn’t around? He knew that scenario was ridiculous since there were dozens of people who would help her. But he was her big brother. That was his job…well, after her husband. It was hard to relinquish control after doing it for so long. He chuckled. Hillary would slug him if she knew his thoughts. She was as tough as any of the agents, and she wouldn’t take kindly to his insinuation that he controlled her. He didn’t. Reed didn’t either. She was her own person, and he was as proud as hell about that.

  The men after Vanessa had no reason to stick around the area, so they should be safe to venture out and find help. He debated whether to hike through the woods or borrow the boat and go the water route. He decided on hiking where they could take cover if necessary. If they were on the open water, there wouldn’t be a way to hide Vanessa and Rocky.

  Before they left the cabin, they washed the sheets and towels and tidied the kitchen. Each time the dogs had to go outside to do their business, they returned with muddy paws. The floors had been cleaned, and both dogs bathed. Kilo didn’t love it, but he tolerated it. Rocky, on the other hand, fought tooth and nail. It took both of them to get the job done.

  The cabin looked the same as when they arrived. Except for the depleted supplies, you couldn’t tell anyone had been inside. He’d even wiped down all the surfaces to remove their fingerprints.

  Vanessa had packed a collar and leash she brought from her clinic. Rocky balked when she tried to affix the leather collar around his neck, no doubt having flashbacks to the chain that the men used on him. When he realized it wasn’t painful, he accepted it. She snapped the leash in place. Kilo didn’t need one, but Rocky was a wildcard. They weren’t sure how he would react around people.

  “Ready?”

  “Ready,” she confirmed.

  Quinn hefted the backpack and secured the straps. They’d “borrowed” some of the bottles of water and non-perishable items, so they were good to go.

  “I’ll go first and check things out. Keep Rocky with you until I give you the all-clear.”

  Opening the door, he stepped outside and eyed the surrounding area. Kilo didn’t alert on any intruders, and nothing moved except branches with the slight breeze drifting off the lake.

  After retrieving Vanessa and Rocky, they took off through the forest, following the rutted road's trajectory but keeping to the trees where it wasn’t as muddy, and they could hide if necessary. Ten minutes later, it was still woods as far as he could see, and Rocky was already showing signs of fatigue. Another mile and Rocky was done. Quinn was about to pick him up, but Vanessa beat him to it.

  “Let me know if he gets too heavy.”

  They’d packed supplies in her backpack as well, but he’d kept it light, bearing most of the weight in his pack. Before they started to walk again, movement caught his attention.

  “Get down.”

  They crouched behind a bush as a heavy-duty truck rumbled into view, bouncing and bumping along the drive.

  “Should we flag it down?” Vanessa whispered.

  “We can’t chance it.” If it were Dodge and his gang, they’d switched vehicles. The windows were tinted, making it impossible to see inside. The truck didn’t slow, so they hadn’t been spotted. They waited until it was out of sight before continuing their trek. Quinn moved them further into the woods. Now he’d have to watch the back and the front for any threats. If that wasn’t bad enough, lightning cracked, and a boom of thunder sounded. What was it with the weather? “Maybe we should’ve built an ark instead of a raft,” he joked, only half-kidding.

  “It does seem like it’s rained for forty days and nights,” Vanessa teased.

  The last thing he wanted to do was traipse through the woods soaking wet when he had no idea how much further until they reached a road or business or a person who wasn’t actively searching for Vanessa.

  “Quinn, look.”

  He turned in the direction she pointed to see another structure in the woods. This cabin was larger than the last one. “Wait here. I’ll see if anyone’s home.” Maybe they had a phone he could borrow.

  The rain started to come down as he approached the house. No garage and no vehicles in the driveway, but there were tracks in the mud. Someone had been here recently. Dodge and his cronies or the owners? He noted a pontoon boat parked along the side of the house covered with a gray tarp. It didn’t look like a year-round residence but a weekend la
kehouse. No one answered when he knocked. Knowing they were pushing their luck breaking into two cottages, he took the risk anyway. He didn’t want Vanessa catching pneumonia. He made quick work of picking the lock and pushed the door open. Kilo’s nails clicked on the hardwood floor as he entered ahead of Quinn.

  “Hello? Anyone home?”

  Much like the other cabin, this one was an open space with a kitchen that featured a bar separating it from the main living room with a stone fireplace. He checked the hallway to find two bedrooms and a bathroom. Again, rustic, but it would do.

  Vanessa was out in the rain, so he called her inside. “Are we borrowing another cabin?”

  “Yeah.” Once he returned home, he’d make sure to ask BeBe to locate the owners of each property so he could send money to replace the items they used.

  They took turns showering before sharing a meal of chicken noodle soup and crackers. What he wouldn’t give for a juicy steak and baked potato, but he wasn’t complaining. He’d existed on much worse on army deployments.

  When they finished and cleaned up, they retreated to the couch. He decided not to start a fire since smoke would be a dead giveaway that someone was inside. He opened a cabinet on a bookshelf and discovered a television with a DVD player and a selection of movies stacked on a shelf. With any luck, they would have a satellite dish so he could catch up on world events.

  Grabbing the remote, he took a seat beside Vanessa and powered it on. His hopes were dashed when all he could find were local channels.

  “Wait, go back,” Vanessa insisted as she dropped her feet to the ground and leaned forward.

  He found the previous channel and increased the volume. Vanessa’s smiling face filled the screen.

  “Police are actively searching for local veterinarian Vanessa Lacroix in connection with the murder of Reggie Garner. An anonymous tip led the authorities to Mr. Garner’s body on the property of Ms. Lacroix’s veterinary clinic. He’d been shot several times, and police were able to trace the bullets to a gun owned by Ms. Lacroix.”

  “Oh my God,” she cried. “They’re setting me up.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Spots danced in front of Vanessa’s eyes. An already dreadful situation just became dire. The police believed she’d murdered someone. Quinn’s stable presence at her side was the only thing keeping her from falling apart. What would her friends think? Her clients?

  “Do you own a gun?” Quinn asked.

  “Yes. I keep it in my house.” That meant someone had broken in and stolen it.

  “Does the name Reggie Garner ring any bells?”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  The reporter started speaking again.

  “Mr. Garner was a four-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department. I spoke with his boss, who expressed grief at the loss of one of his deputies and offered his thoughts and prayers to Mr. Garner’s family.”

  Just when she thought it couldn’t get any worse. How wrong she’d been. “Oh, God, the entire law enforcement community will be after me.”

  Quinn didn’t contradict her statement. That wasn’t good.

  “From all accounts, Ms. Lacroix was well-liked in the community. But in another strange twist to the case, Todd Morris, her veterinary assistant, was critically injured inside the animal hospital. Mr. Morris managed to write her name in blood, prompting the police to believe she’s the culprit of that attack, too.”

  She surged to her feet. “Todd’s hurt! I have to see him.” The police thought she assaulted him. This was a nightmare.

  “If you see Ms. Lacroix, do not approach. She’s considered armed and dangerous. Call the police, and they will apprehend her.”

  Quinn stood and gripped her shoulders. “Calm down and breathe.”

  Air she hadn’t realized she held rushed from her lungs. She had to get to Todd. He was her family. “I have to go to the hospital.”

  “We need to figure out what’s going on first. You can bet the police will have someone watching him.”

  “But…he doesn’t have anyone else. His family disowned him when they found out he was gay. If he dies alone…” She couldn’t finish the sentence, the implications too horrible to comprehend.

  Quinn embraced her as she started to sob. “I’ll find out what’s going on so you can be with him.”

  “He’s all alone, Quinn.” The thought of him lying in a bed, badly injured with no one at his side, broke her heart.

  Quinn led her to the sofa and anchored her against him with an arm over her shoulder. She reached down to stroke Rocky when he butted against her leg.

  “I’m in serious trouble, aren’t I?”

  “We’ll sort it out,” he replied, deftly avoiding her question. “You can tell the police what you witnessed, and together we can describe the underground bunker. My company has contacts all the way to the White House.”

  She blinked wet lashes. “Really?”

  “Yeah. One of the agents married the granddaughter of the President of the United States.”

  “That’s good. Right?”

  “Yes, it is. We’ll figure out what’s going on and clear this up. Then you can be with Todd.”

  She dropped her head to her hands. “This will ruin my business. Even if we prove my innocence, people will be reluctant to bring their pets to me. I’ll be branded a murderer in their eyes.” Everything she worked so hard for would be gone. Her name would be tarnished. It would take years to recover, if ever. But that all paled in comparison to the fact that her best friend was seriously hurt, and she wasn’t there with him.

  Quinn gathered her in his arms, murmuring words of solace as he stroked his hand up and down her back in a comforting rhythm. She knew he was trying to distract her from circumstances she could do nothing about at the moment. It worked. Her lids drooped, and she answered sleep’s beckoning call.

  #

  While Vanessa dozed, Quinn alternated between keeping watch to make sure there were no unexpected visitors and switching channels to catch the latest breaking news stories.

  The people who set her up were good. He’d give them that. They broke into her house and stole the gun they used to commit murder. Vanessa indicated there were security cameras at her clinic, but they’d undoubtedly disabled them before they dumped the dead body and attacked Todd. If he did write her name in blood, it was probably either a message or warning. Most likely, the men who attacked him manipulated his hand while he was unconscious.

  Quinn figured they framed her to lure her out of hiding. She not only witnessed the murders of two men, but she’d been inside their bunker and talked to one of the girls. Once again, he lamented the fact that they didn’t have the video to corroborate her story. But he’d been down in that hellhole, too. He could substantiate part of her account.

  He checked for any threats before letting the dogs outside. The rain had stopped again, but it didn’t matter. They needed to head out in the morning, rain or shine. Vanessa was being hunted by both Dodge and his cohorts and now the police. His first order of business was finding somewhere for her to stay while he discovered what evidence the police had on her. He’d have BeBe Hale secure a safe house, and then he’d contact the tech department and ask them to dig for information. There wasn’t anything Peter Dennis, Tyler Redmond and their band of computer geniuses couldn’t uncover, even from law enforcement sources. Legal or not, he didn’t care, as long as they helped clear Vanessa’s name.

  Kilo finished his business quickly and waited for Rocky before they returned to the cabin. Quinn bolted the door and checked to make sure the curtains were closed over all the windows before he settled on the couch. Though he desperately wanted to join Vanessa, he needed to stay alert. After she fell asleep, he’d carried her to the bedroom and placed her on top of the quilt, tossing one of his blankets over her. He didn’t want to use the sheets since there wasn’t a washer or dryer in the cabin—not that they’d have time to do laundry now. They needed to leave first thing in the morning.

&
nbsp; Quinn jolted awake to the sound of a siren growing closer. Clicking off the television, he tossed the remote on the coffee table and hurried to the window. Having come from the direction the police were currently headed, he knew for a fact there were only two structures: this one and the first cabin they used. Red and blue lights cut through the trees as the cruiser neared. Instead of turning in the driveway, it raced past, headed for the other house. The owner must’ve realized someone had broken in and called the cops.

  Urgency spurred him into action. The authorities might check to see if this cabin had been vandalized as well. Gathering their backpacks and shoes, he hauled them into the bedroom.

  “Vanessa, honey, wake up.”

  Her head popped up, silky brown hair sticking out in several directions. “What is it? What happened?”

  “The police just drove by. They might check here next.”

  She shot out of bed, the blanket tumbling to the floor. She danced around as if unsure which way to flee. “What are we going to do?”

  “Take the dogs and hide in the closet.” He slid the door open and deposited the backpacks inside.

  “Wait—aren’t you coming with us?”

  “I’m going to open the curtains. If they look in, it’ll appear empty.”

  “Good idea.”

  She swiped the blanket off the ground, adjusted the covers on the bed, and then crowded inside the small closet with Kilo and Rocky. Quinn opened the curtains over the one window in the bedroom before heading to the main living area to take care of the others.

  Once everything was in order, he watched the road in both directions. When headlights appeared from the direction of the other cabin, he hustled to the closet and joined Vanessa and the dogs. She’d made room for him to fit his tall frame inside and sit down. Still, he hoped they didn’t have to spend much time in the cramped space. He kept the door cracked to listen. The bedroom faced the road, so as soon as a car turned into the driveway, he knew the cops had arrived. A solid knock confirmed it, along with someone calling out, “Police, anyone home?”