by Rebecca Deel
“Tomorrow night. Darcy’s agreed to practice with us as an audience. I can’t wait to hear her play.”
“Don’t expect much,” Darcy warned. “The piano won’t be in tune because of the move and I’m still dealing with soreness from the wreck.”
“Anything you do will trump my efforts. My mother gave up on me learning to play after a year of piano lessons. The music teacher declared me hopeless.”
“If you decide to try again, I could teach you.”
Ivy laughed. “Don’t hold your breath. I’d rather paint any day than practice scales. Maybe when Alex and I have children old enough to take lessons, you could teach them.” She asked Rio, “Did you talk to Paul?”
“He’s sending information to my email. We’re going to lunch before we pick up a vehicle for Darcy. Would you like to join us?”
“I wish I could. I have a class which starts in half an hour. Rain check?”
“Any time, sugar.” He ruffled her hair. “See you later.”
Back in the SUV with Darcy, he cranked the engine and turned the blower on high. “How hungry are you?”
“I can wait a while. Why?”
“There’s a great cafe in Summerton you’ll like. The drive will take an hour. The good news is Summerton is also where we’re picking up your SUV.”
When they walked into Kate’s Cafe, Darcy’s eyes widened. “Look at this place,” she murmured as she scanned the walls. Music memorabilia covered every available surface. Posters, CDs, pictures of famous musicians.
Rio nudged her shoulder and nodded toward the register. Darcy’s beautiful face graced an arrangement of her CD covers on the wall to the right.
A wry smile curved her mouth. “The magic of makeup and retouched photos.”
He squeezed her hand. “I’d rather have the real thing.”
“Rio!” Across the room, a green-eyed redhead waved at him from behind the counter.
“Another one of your conquests?”
He glanced at his companion, relieved to find an amused twinkle in her eye. “She’s a happily married mother of two toddlers. Her husband was in one of my units in the Sand Box.” Before he and the rest of Durango had gone to Ranger school. He led Darcy to the counter. “How’s it going, Kate?”
“Busy, I’m happy to say. Who’s your friend?” She turned her gaze on Darcy. Within seconds, shock came over her face. “Darcy Melton?”
Darcy grinned. “It’s St. Claire. Melton is my stage name. It’s nice to meet you, Kate.”
“Oh, man, my husband is going to be so disappointed that he missed meeting you.”
“I’m surprised you recognized me. Classical musicians don’t have the same media exposure as other artists in different genres of music.”
“Blame Rio. He got my husband, Tony, hooked on your music while they were serving together overseas.”
“Is he still working with Bear?” Rio asked.
Kate nodded. “Tony loves his job. Says it’s not as high voltage as being in war-torn countries, but he gets satisfaction from providing protection for those who need it most.”
“We’ll see him in a few minutes, then. Bear has an SUV for Darcy.”
The cafe owner grinned. “I wish I could see his face. What can I get for you two?”
While they waited for their order, Kate showed them the latest pictures of her sons and the new house she and her husband had purchased.
After a meal of beef vegetable soup and salad, Rio drove to Bear’s workshop. He glanced at Darcy to gauge her reaction to the building and chuckled. Exactly the reaction he’d expected. “Doesn’t look like much, does it?”
“It’s a dump!”
Bear hadn’t bothered to do anything with the outside. A metal building with a rusty exterior hid a state-of-the-art operation inside. In true paranoid fashion, the walls were reinforced concrete with several escape routes from the building, including a top-of-the-line bunker complete with stores to last his whole crew a month in case of a siege. His friend didn’t take safety for granted, not after surviving some of the most dangerous missions overseas, including one in which he’d been captured by terrorists. Bear still bore the scars from captivity.
“Don’t let the appearance deceive you.”
She looked skeptical. Couldn’t say he blamed her. It did look pretty bad. The parking area was littered with potholes. A few trash barrels were set up in various places in what seemed a random pattern. All of it was designed to prevent someone from hitting the place and making a fast getaway.
He parked near the entrance and, at the door, slid in his Fortress ID. After a visual confirmation of his identity, the door unlocked and he escorted Darcy inside. As soon as they cleared the threshold, the door closed and locked behind them. Within minutes, Darcy finished signing the paperwork and Bear presented the keys.
“Gas mileage won’t be as good as the manufacturer claims,” Bear said. “You’ve got extra weight in this baby.”
“I don’t care,” Darcy said. “I just want to be safe.”
“Got you covered, little lady. How’s Trent?”
“Bad tempered and ready to go back to work.”
A chuckle from the mountain of a man. “Sounds like him. You have any mechanical problems, Darcy, you bring this baby back to me. We’ll take care of it.”
After spending a few minutes with a starstruck Tony Edgerton, Rio drove behind Darcy’s SUV. By the time they parked in her driveway an hour later, she was grinning. “Like it, sweetheart?”
“I love it. I’ll never go back to a car. I can see everything and I love the feel of the extra weight. It’s like my vehicle hugs the road.”
“When it snows, I’ll take you to an empty parking lot. Driving rear-push on snow and ice is different than driving front-wheel.”
“Come on. I want to see if my piano was delivered in one piece.”
The rest of the afternoon and evening passed without incident, but somehow Rio felt as if the other shoe would drop soon.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Darcy yanked the towel off her damp hair and grabbed her cell phone. She frowned. Allen again. And early for him, too, at a little past six in the morning. With a knot forming in her stomach, she swiped her screen. “Good morning, Allen.”
“Finally! I’ve been trying to get in touch with you for two days, Darcy.”
“Sorry. I’ve been busy.” Dodging bullets, SUVs, and persistent agents. And she’d been afraid life in a small town would be boring. Ha! “What’s up?”
“I was going to ask you that question. Are you all right? I heard about the accident and the shooting.”
“I’m fine. Thanks for checking on me.”
“We spent many years together. I care about you.”
She sat on the side of the bed. “I know you do. I’m okay, Allen. I already have another vehicle and the soreness is fading.” Not fast enough to suit her, but it was leaving.
“And the shooting?”
“Rio protected me and the preacher is recovering.” Lang had been in a good mood last night when she and Rio finally made it to the hospital, Darcy was thankful the pastor didn’t blame her for his injury.
“Look, Darcy, I don’t know what’s going on, but you’re not safe in this town. Maybe you should go home for a while until the cops figure out who is doing this.”
“I am home and I’m not leaving.”
“I wish you would reconsider. I don’t want to lose you.”
Chills swept over her body and she couldn’t say whether they were from the cold air seeping through the old window or from Allen’s statement. Was she simply being paranoid or was there an implied threat?
She sighed, annoyed. Was she suspicious of her friends now? Stella’s statement about the enemy coming into her home under the guise of friendship surfaced in her mind and she decided the time for diplomacy was over. How would she learn anything that might help unravel this dangerous puzzle if she didn’t ask questions outright? “Allen, you’ve been in town longer than
a week, haven’t you?”
Silence met her statement. “How did you know? Did your boyfriend check up on me?” He sounded outraged.
“It’s a small town. People talk,” she said. “You arrived before I did. Why?”
“I can’t go on a vacation?”
Darcy laughed. “Your idea of a vacation is someplace warm with sandy beaches and women dressed in bikinis. Otter Creek is a long way from that.”
“It’s a long way from civilization, too,” he muttered.
“So why did you come here?”
A sigh. “Honey, you know why. I wanted to see what you were letting yourself in for. I never dreamed you were putting your life in danger or that you chose a town the size of a postage stamp. This isn’t the life for you, Darcy. You’ll be begging to go back to your real life inside six months.”
“I’m not changing my mind. I can’t.” Twenty years on the concert circuit was enough. She wanted to put down roots. Her face heated. Maybe start a family with a husband she was crazy about. Rio’s face popped into her mind. Perhaps someone like Rio Kincaid.
“At least think about recording one or two CDs a year. You already have a loyal audience. I did some research on your condition and I realize now you can’t continue the old schedule of practicing and performing. If we record your music a couple songs at a time, we can give you long breaks between recording sessions.”
“Let me think about it for a while. Right now, my focus is on the concert next week and preparing the deli to open next month.”
“You’ll call me when you make a decision?”
“I’ll let you know.”
She ended the call a moment later and retraced her steps to the bathroom to finish getting ready for the day. In the kitchen, she breathed deep and almost moaned. Coffee. Oh, man. What she wouldn’t give to drink a mug of the brew in the carafe.
“Morning, Darce.” Trent strode into the kitchen and made a beeline for the coffee. Not much of a limp, she noted. “When are you returning to work?”
He eyed her over the top of his mug as he sipped. “Why?”
“You’re stir crazy.”
His face took on a mulish expression. “Not until the cops lock up whoever is threatening you.”
“Might be a while. Look, bro, I’ll be fine. I have Mason and Rio here. The rest of Durango is close and the cops are on alert. When the doctor clears you, go.”
“You sure?”
“Absolutely. I love having you here, Trent, but I know you would rather be in the field if you’re able.”
A nod. “I’ll stick around a few more days. Hopefully these clowns will make a mistake before I leave.”
Darcy hoped so. She had too much to do to keep looking over her shoulder for the next disaster.
Rio walked into the room dressed in what she’d begun to think of as his work uniform of black camouflage pants, black long-sleeved t-shirt, and at least one weapon. Knowing these military guys, he probably had more than one on him. He brushed her mouth with his, causing Trent to growl. “Good morning, sweetheart.”
“Can’t you at least hold off until I’m in another room?” her brother groused. “You’re giving me nightmares.”
“Envious, St. Claire?”
“Shut up, Kincaid.”
Rio returned his attention to Darcy. “What’s on your agenda for the day?”
“Check on the progress at the deli and track down Annie. I wanted to ask her about the candles Ms. Bond collected. I’d love to buy more if she can tell me where they were purchased. Also a grocery store run to buy supplies for tonight’s ladies only dinner. What about your schedule?”
“Full day at PSI and dinner with Durango.” He grinned. “Nate’s cooking for us.”
“Oh, man,” Trent said. “What is he cooking?”
A shrug. “Doesn’t matter. He can make anything taste good. Nate’s cooking enough to feed you and Mason, too.”
Her brother’s face brightened. “Excellent.” He paused. “Maybe I should stay here. I know Stella’s a cop, but she’s not one hundred percent.”
Darcy’s lips twitched. Neither was her brother, though she was loathe to point that out. “You’ll have to stay in the living room. We’re taking over the kitchen and dining room.”
“You will feed me a few scraps, right?”
“A chip or two.”
“Thanks a lot, sis. Don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Darcy, if you’re ready to go, I’ll follow you to the deli before I go on to PSI. I’d like to see how much progress Brian has made.” Rio opened the refrigerator. “I made your shake earlier.”
“Hey,” Trent protested. “What about me and Mase?”
“You can make your own protein shake if you want one. If not, Josh dropped off one of Serena’s breakfast casseroles after you went to bed last night. Foolproof directions are on the lid.”
“All right!” Her brother rubbed his hands together as he brushed past Rio and retrieved the casserole container from the refrigerator shelf. “I’ve heard Cahill brag for years about his sister’s cooking.”
“You’re in for a treat.” He handed Darcy her travel container with a straw. “Ready, Darcy?”
“As soon as I get my bag and coat.”
“I need to tell Mason the plan for tonight. I’ll meet you by the front door.”
Minutes later, they were on their way to her deli. She loved her new vehicle, especially the heated seats. When they parked in front of the shop, she was pleased to see they arrived before Brian’s crew. She could look at the new changes without getting in anyone’s way. One day soon this place would be filled with customers. She just wished her parents could have been here to see it.
She slid to the pavement and searched for her shop key. Finding the right one, she met Rio at the door and unlocked it. As soon as she stepped inside, the scent of rotten eggs made her gag.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
“Out, now!” Rio hustled Darcy back out to the sidewalk. Thankful a strong wind was blowing this morning, he made sure the door was closed before urging his girl back into her SUV. “There’s a gas leak in the deli. We need to move our vehicles, baby, then call the fire department.”
“Is it safe to crank the engines?” she said between coughs.
“We have a strong wind blowing the gas away from the door and the door is closed, but we’ll wait another minute. Are you okay, sweetheart?” He watched her carefully until the coughing slowed down and finally stopped.
“Whew! I think so. That smell took my breath away.”
“Not surprising. Sjogren’s Syndrome affects your lungs.”
She made a face. “Nice.”
He dropped a quick kiss on her lips and stepped back. “Park across the square. We’ll call the police and fire department from there.”
He waited until she cranked the engine and backed out of the slot before climbing into his own vehicle. He shuddered to think what would have happened if Darcy had flipped on a light.
Once they were safely away from the building, he called 911 and reported the gas leak, then put in a call to Brian. “Darcy and I are at the deli. You and your crew need to stay out of there.”
“Why?”
“Gas leak.”
“I’ll be there in five.”
Just as Brian parked beside Darcy, the fire department rolled up. Ethan and Nick strode from the police station, spotted Rio and Darcy, and changed direction.
Rio, Darcy, and Brian met the policemen on the sidewalk. “Gas leak,” Rio said.
Ethan scowled, his gaze shifting to the scene unfolding in front of the deli.
“I checked the connections last night before I left,” Brian said. “Everything was in perfect working order.”
“We’ll let the fire department and the gas company do their thing, then we’ll check the store,” Nick said, zipping his coat higher. “I’ll be interested in knowing if someone monkeyed with the locks and broke in.”
Brian frowned. “I’ve had
my fair share of equipment stolen off job sites and graffiti like we had earlier, but never something like this. One spark and the whole place would have blown sky high.”
“Ethan,” Rio said, “what are the chances the leak is an accident?”
“Zero.”
Somehow, the remnants of Sutton’s crew got access to Darcy’s deli and set a trap which might have ended their problem with her for good. Anyone else caught in the explosion would have been collateral damage.
Darcy shivered. “How soon will we know anything?” she asked Ethan.
“The gas company will be here in a few minutes. Once they shut off the valve to your store, the fire department will shut off the electricity and air out the place. When they determine it’s safe, I’ll take a look at the doors, see if the locks have been jimmied. Brian can go with me to see if anything has been tampered with inside the building. A couple hours from now we’ll have some answers.”
Del unlocked the doors to her bookstore and stepped out on the sidewalk. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“Gas leak in my store,” Darcy said.
“Oh, no. Why don’t you wait in the bookstore? At least it’s warm in there.” She wrapped her arms tighter around her body. “It’s too cold to stand around out here.”
“She’s right, baby.” Rio sandwiched one of Darcy’s hands between his. “Take your protein shake with you. I’ll tell you when I hear anything.”
“Don’t you have to be at PSI soon?”
“My first aid session is at nine. I have some time.” He grinned. “My teammates can handle this morning’s PT with the trainees without me.”
Del’s eyes twinkled with merriment. “Aren’t they supposed to run outside first thing?”
“Yep. Sorry to miss that.”
Ethan chuckled. “Sure you are.”
“Come on, Darcy. I’ll make some hot tea to warm us up.”
“Go on, sweetheart.” Rio nudged her toward the bookstore. “I’ll bring in your shake and bag.”
Brian sighed as he watched the activity across the square. “I need to call my crew, tell them to take the morning off.”