In Plain Sight (Otter Creek Book 7)

by Rebecca Deel

  “I’d say Trent is hungry by now.” Rio helped Darcy into her coat. “Let’s see what Delaney’s has on special tonight.”

  When they returned to the Victorian house, Rio carried three takeout containers inside.

  “About time you came,” Trent groused. “I’m starving.”

  “You said you weren’t hungry.”

  “Three hours ago.”

  Darcy grabbed the top container and uncovered the meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans. “This should make up for the delay.”

  “Oh, man.” Trent ripped the covering off the plastic utensils. “This smells great.” A bite later, he moaned. “Okay, you’re forgiven.” Another bite, then, “What kept you so long?”

  “Shopping for your books, a winter coat for me, and a stop at the church for me to play the piano.”

  Her brother’s face softened. “Enjoy it?”

  “I’ve missed playing so much.”

  “Have Brian stop by tomorrow and check the floor in here.” Rio asked. “If he thinks the floor can support your piano without reinforcement, have your piano shipped up here.”

  “That’s a great idea, Darce.”

  She smiled as she took off her coat and laid it aside along with her purse. “I think I will.”

  Later that night, Rio walked Darcy to her room. He cupped her face gently between his palms. “Good night, baby. Sleep well.”

  “You will rest?”

  Her concern made his heart turn over. “Your brother should sleep most of the night.”

  She rose on her tiptoes and kissed him. “I’ll see you in morning.”

  “I need to leave by six.”

  Another kiss and he nudged her inside her room. He waited until her door shut before returning to the room he’d been sharing with Trent. “Need anything before I turn in?”

  “Sleep in the other guest room. You snore, buddy.”

  Rio laughed. “Liar. You’re the one who snores.” He sobered. “I’ll be on the couch. No one will get past me.”

  “Thanks.”

  After completing his own bedtime routines, Rio stretched out on the couch. He figured he’d get a couple hours of sleep between catnaps, enough to make it through the next day. He’d crash hard tomorrow night and would have to ask Quinn to stay here.

  The night was quiet until a few minutes after two when the silence was shattered by Darcy’s scream.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Rio threw off the blanket, palmed his Sig, and raced to his girlfriend’s room. “Darcy!” As he reached for the door, the knob turned and his girl dived into his arms.

  “What’s wrong, baby?”

  “A man, outside the bathroom window.”

  “Darcy!” Trent bellowed from his room.

  “Stay with your brother.”

  She released him. “Go.”

  He ran out the back door in time to see a black-clad figure clear the fence. Rio shoved his weapon into his holster and sprinted across the yard. He scrambled over the fence and bolted after the man who terrorized Darcy, determined to capture him this time.

  Dogs howled at the passage of the stranger through their territory. Same route, same dogs. Rio’s lip curled. Not the same result, buddy. Part of his morning run had included reconnaissance around Darcy’s home, particularly between the Victorian house and the intersection.

  He cut through the Bradys’ backyard, darted across the alley to Dogwood Lane and dashed toward Tulip Grove where he’d spotted tire marks from the previous escape.

  Footsteps pounded nearby, coming closer. Rio put on a burst of speed, arrowing for the nondescript sedan parked under a darkened streetlight.

  A whip-lean figure dressed in black from head to toe rushed toward the sedan, glancing over his shoulder. He shoved his hand into his pocket.

  Weapon?

  Keys rattled as the figure aimed a remote at the car.

  Not this time. Rio surged forward and took down his opponent as he reached for the driver’s door. The man threw back an elbow, caught Rio in the jaw, knocking him to the side. Lights sparked behind his eyes.

  The man scrambled to his feet, again reaching for the door.

  Rio swept his opponent’s feet out from under him and dived on top of the man when he hit the ground. He blocked a roundhouse punch and jerked his head to the side to avoid a head butt.

  Enough of this crap. Rio slammed his fist into the man’s gut with a rabbit punch. His opponent went limp.

  He jerked the man to his feet. “You tried to break into the wrong house, pal. Let’s go.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ll call the cops, have you arrested for assault.”

  Rio noted the man’s bare hands. Unless he’d tossed gloves somewhere on his race from the house, this idiot left behind prints. Easy find for the cops. This jewel didn’t have time to hide them well. Hopefully, Darcy would identify this guy as her peeping tom. “Great idea, calling the cops. Move.”

  The other man tried to bolt. Rio adjusted his hold to a more painful one. “I don’t think so,” he said, and propelled him down the sidewalk and into Darcy’s backyard. He didn’t want this guy inside Darcy’s house again, figured the cold wouldn’t hurt him for the few minutes before law enforcement arrived. He shoved the other man to the ground. “Don’t move.” Rio drew his weapon, aimed it center mass, and grabbed his cell phone.

  Hearing a muffled grunt from Trent’s room, Darcy hurried to her brother’s door. “I’m okay,” she said as she stepped into the room. “There was a man at the bathroom window. Rio went after him.”

  Trent eased his legs over the side of the bed. “Hand me my jeans, Darce. How about some coffee?”

  “At this time of morning?” She frowned. Not a chance that she could drink something like that this time of morning. Her brother and his military friends were different, though. They seemed to live on the brew. “A snack, too?”

  He shrugged. “Wouldn’t be opposed to that.”

  Right. “Rio wanted me to stay with you until he returned. I’ll wait in the hall until you’ve changed out of your pajamas.” A few thumps and growls later, Trent’s door opened and he limped out, weapon in his hand. “Let’s go. I need that coffee. Is there banana pudding left?”

  She had to grin at that. “Half a pan. Should be enough for your snack.”

  In the kitchen, she turned on the light over the stove and prepped the coffee maker while her brother sat at the table. Though he’d been roused from sleep abruptly, he was moving decently well. Not bad for being a few days out of surgery.

  As the coffee dripped into the carafe, Darcy dished a bowl of banana pudding and placed it in front of her brother along with a spoon. It annoyed her to notice that her hand was shaking. Fabulous. Her brother and Rio were steady as rocks. She, on the other hand, felt like her body was shaking apart. How did these men live like this all the time? Adrenaline surges and dumps. Fierce firefights or nothing. Darcy wasn’t cut out for that life. The question that worried her now was whether or not she could handle the life as Rio’s girlfriend?

  Her gaze locked on her brother’s. It was one thing to know Trent was in danger on missions. How would she deal with Rio in the same line of work and facing the same kind of danger?

  “It will be okay, Darce.” Trent covered her hand with his. “We’ll figure this out and put a stop to it. By the time I return to work, you’ll be safe in this house.”

  “I know.” She kissed the top of his head, secure in the knowledge that he wouldn’t return to work unless the danger to her was eliminated. Darcy suspected Rio would be the same. Once the coffee finished, she poured a cup for her brother and decided on tea for herself. Not green, she thought. Something soothing. With the adrenaline racing through her system, the last thing she needed was a shot of caffeine.

  Darcy studied the boxes of tea on the counter, happy to find one with a mixture of chamomile and apple. Once the heating cycle finished, she carried the steaming brew to the table and sat beside her bro
ther. “Shouldn’t Rio be back by now?”

  What if something had happened to him? Her heart clenched. Maybe she should go look for him. And do what? Try to help him? She had to shake her head at her own crazy thoughts. Rio Kincaid didn’t need her to bail him out of trouble. He was a trained professional. All she would likely do was get in his way, provided she could even find him. She had no idea where he’d gone.

  “He’s fine, Darce. No two-bit thief will get the best of Kincaid.”

  A siren sounded, drawing closer by the second. The sound abruptly cut off. Frowning, Darcy walked to the living room window. Nick Santana climbed out of his car and jogged around the side of her house.

  She hurried to the kitchen and to the back door. “The police are here.” Darcy opened the door. A blast of cold air rushed into the kitchen. In the backyard, Nick was handcuffing a sullen man. She drew in a deep breath. Thank goodness. That was the man she’d seen at the window. She’d recognize his cold gaze and scarred brow anywhere.

  Rio climbed the deck stairs. “Is this the man you saw, baby?”

  She nodded. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Go back inside. It’s too cold for you to be out here without a coat and shoes.”

  She glanced down at herself. Oh, brother. She was dressed in winter pajamas and barefoot. Her cheeks heated. “I’ll go change.” Darcy closed the door and hustled back to her bedroom. Within a couple minutes, she returned to the kitchen, this time fully dressed, including the shoes.

  She was surprised to see Josh Cahill in the kitchen with Trent. “Josh. What are you doing here?”

  “I was the closest prowl car on duty. I’m taking your visitor to the station.”

  “Is this the guy who’s been breaking in here?” Trent asked.

  “We don’t know yet,” Josh said. “Nick’s the best, though. If this is the guy, he’ll find the evidence he needs to lock him up.” He glanced at Darcy. “You doing okay, little one?”

  Her lips curved. Little one? No one had called her that since she was in elementary school. “I’ll be better if this is the guy we’re looking for. The holes in the floors and walls spooked me.”

  Josh frowned. “There are holes in walls, too?”

  “Big ones,” Trent said. “She needs some major repair work done. Maybe we should make this clown do the repairs if he’s the one who caused the damage.”

  “If this man is our culprit, he’s been looking for something.” Josh folded his arms across his chest. “I don’t know that I would give him the opportunity to look more.”

  “I wish I knew what he wanted,” Darcy murmured. “Ms. Bond had so many things in here. Why break in and destroy floors and walls when there were plenty of items to pawn?”

  “Let’s hope Nick finds the answers for you.”

  She drew in a deep breath. What if there were others out there who knew what this guy was after and planned to search for themselves? She shuddered. Nope. It wouldn’t do any good to spook herself like that. If she allowed herself to dwell on those thoughts, she would never sleep in this house again.

  Nick Santana opened the back door and motioned to Josh. “He’s all yours. Process him and put him in holding. I’ll be here a while.”

  “Is he talking?” Trent asked.

  “Nope. Maybe some time in a cell will loosen his tongue.”

  A couple minutes after Josh left, Rio returned to the house, blowing on his fingers. He’d run out of the house without his coat. She sprang up and poured a mug of coffee for him.

  “Thanks, babe,” he murmured before sipping the steaming brew.

  “Did he say anything to you?”

  “Aside from swearing at me? No. When Nick arrived, he shut down completely.”

  Her brother finished off his bowl of banana pudding. “Did he give you any trouble?”

  Rio sent him a scathing look.

  “Figured. See, Darcy. I told you he wouldn’t have any problem with this clown.”

  Nick opened the back door and stepped inside. “Darcy, where did you see this guy?”

  “Outside the bathroom window.”

  “Show me.”

  “Sure. Would you like coffee? It’s fresh.” She smiled. “No interesting flavors.”

  He chuckled. “I wouldn’t say no to a cup. It’s freezing out there.”

  She poured him a mug, waited for him to down a quarter of the brew before leading him to her bathroom. “He was peering in this window.” She reached for the light switch.

  “Wait.” Nick crossed the room, pulled out his flashlight, and checked the lock. His eyes narrowed. “It’s unlocked.”

  Cold chills swept over Darcy’s body. “That can’t be. I checked it before I went to sleep.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Positive,” she whispered.

  “Okay. Turn the light on now.”

  The room flooded with light. Darcy blinked against the brightness. She turned to ask Nick a question when she noticed the writing on the mirror. A hard shudder wracked her body. “Nick.”

  He spun around, scowled. “Come on.” The detective gently took her arm and urged her from the room. “I need my kit.” He walked with her to the kitchen.

  Rio stopped mid-sentence, set down his coffee. “Darcy?”

  “He got inside the house.” Her voice wobbled.

  “How do you know?” Trent demanded.

  “He left her a message on the bathroom mirror in lipstick,” Nick said. He pulled out a chair next to Rio and gently pressed her to sit.

  Didn’t take much encouragement. Her legs felt weak. This creep had been ten feet from her.

  Rio sandwiched her hand between his warm palms. “What did the message say?”

  “Leave or die.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  “What woke you, sweetheart?” Rio’s hands tightened around her ice-cold one as the shudders increased.

  “I was cold.” A tight laugh escaped. “Now I know why. I can’t believe he was in the bathroom and I didn’t even know. He could have…”

  “He didn’t.” A fact that made him very aware of how easily he could have lost her. If this man had intended to hurt her, she would have been dead long before Rio knew anything was wrong. Made him wish he’d hit the guy harder when he ran him to ground. He exchanged a grim glance with Trent.

  His friend gave a slight nod. “I’ll take care of it.”

  “Take care of what?” Nick asked, tone sharp. “He’s in custody and neither of you are on a mission.”

  “Take care of the security system I plan to have installed here. I’ll put a rush on it. In the meantime, Darcy, you should change rooms.”

  “I hope you don’t expect me to argue. I don’t want my own bathroom enough to stay in there until the security system is installed.”

  “Excellent idea.” Nick strode toward the living room. “I’m going to get my kit.”

  “Are you okay, Darce?” her brother asked, his voice gruff.

  “I will be.” A ghost of a smile curved her lips. “This guy’s pretty bold, isn’t he?”

  Determined, desperate? Either characterization didn’t make Rio happy. The question he wanted answered was what did he want? “He can’t hurt you now.”

  “Maybe this will be the end of it.”

  He hoped so, but until Rio knew for sure why this man broke into the house, he wouldn’t relax his vigilance. He made a mental note to contact Quinn and alert him to the latest episode. He trusted his teammate to watch over Darcy and Trent both, though the injured Fortress operative wouldn’t appreciate knowing Rio thought him a liability right now. If it came down to protecting Darcy’s life, Trent would do what had to be done. He’d do some damage to himself in the process. Whether his friend admitted it or not, he needed help with security for a few more days.

  He checked the time. Great. He had to leave in three hours. “Sweetheart, do you think you can go back to sleep?”

  “I can sleep in the recliner if you want to take my bed,” her brother offe
red.

  Darcy shook her head. “I’m too wired to sleep.”

  “When did you plan on washing the towels and sheets at my place?” Rio pressed her still warm tea into her hands.

  “After I checked in with Brian.” She sipped her drink.

  “If you grow tired while the washer and dryer are running, take a nap.” In fact, he liked the idea of her taking a nap in his house. He wanted her to view his home as a haven of safety. And what was up with that? Pretty fast emotional leaps for only dating a few days.

  “I might do that.”

  Despite questioning himself, deep satisfaction grew in Rio over Darcy feeling comfortable enough to sleep in his house.

  Nick returned, crime scene kit in hand which he placed on the floor in the hall. Retrieving his coffee mug, he sipped, then asked Darcy, “Do you remember if this guy was wearing gloves?”

  She frowned. “I don’t think he was.”

  “We’ll at least nail him for breaking and entering if that’s the case. I’ll need the lipstick he used.” The detective finished his coffee and set the mug in the sink. “I don’t know how long this will take, Darcy. You could sleep in another room.”

  She waved aside his suggestion. “Don’t worry about me. Just find something to use to lock up this guy so I don’t worry about waking in the middle of the night with him standing over me.”

  Everything in Rio rebelled at that thought. This guy was never getting close to Darcy again.

  “I’ll get started, then.” Nick collected his kit and walked to the back.

  Rio eyed Trent who yawned broadly. “Why don’t you go back to bed, buddy? I’ll keep Darcy with me.”

  “Do you need me, Darce?”

  She shook her head. “I’m okay, bro. Get some rest.” She smiled. “You can keep watch over me tomorrow while I rest.”

  “You got it, sis.” He maneuvered to his feet and kissed the top of his sister’s head. “Come get me if something else happens.” With a nod at Rio, he walked out. A minute later, his bedroom door shut.

  Rio pulled Darcy to her feet. “You might not be able to sleep, but you can rest. Come sit with me.”