Reining in Justice

by Delores Fossen

  “True, but there’s not even a record of them renting or buying a place. At least not in their own names. The apartment where they live is owned by Dearborn, and Cooper can’t even find a record of them paying rent.”

  She stayed quiet a moment. “So you think someone blackmailed them or forced them into becoming surrogates, and they were being held at that apartment maybe against their will?”

  Reed shrugged. “After dealing with the baby farms, anything’s possible.”

  And that brought him to the next red flag.

  “Judge Quarles,” Reed said. “Both Cissy and her sister were in his program for runaways and high-risk teenagers.”

  Addison’s eyes widened, and he could almost see the thoughts going on in her head. The same ones no doubt that Reed had had when he first learned of the connection. “You think Quarles is part of the baby farms?”

  “Could be. Or maybe Quarles started his own version of a baby farm by using troubled teenage girls as surrogates. It wouldn’t be hard to get them fake I.D.s so they would appear to be adults.”

  “Mercy,” she said under her breath. Then shook her head. “But why would Quarles have Cissy killed?”

  This was the part of his theory that Reed really didn’t like. “Maybe Cissy said something about telling someone. Or she could have tried to blackmail him for more money.”

  “And Quarles could believe that Cissy said something to me.” She groaned softly. “Cooper has to find out from Mellie what’s going on.”

  That was the plan, but Cooper had said that Mellie sounded past just being nervous on the phone, so maybe the woman wouldn’t run before Cooper made it to San Antonio to talk to her. While he was hoping, Reed added that no one would get to Mellie before Cooper did. After all, if her sister had been killed for talking to the wrong person, then Mellie could be in serious danger, too.

  “When SAPD checked on Mellie earlier, did they find anything wrong?” Addison asked.

  He shook his head. “It was just what we call a welfare check. She answered the door and appeared to be okay. They questioned her briefly about her sister and told her to come in and make an official statement. She said she would, and SAPD left two officers in a patrol car outside her apartment.”

  Hopefully, that would be enough to deter anyone from going after her. Deter her from running, too.

  Emily finished her bottle, and Addison put the baby against her shoulder so she could burp her. At least Reed thought that was what she was doing. Emily, however, used the opportunity to look around.

  At Reed.

  Those little eyes came right to his, and the corner of her mouth lifted. Another punch to the gut. “I didn’t know babies that young could smile.”

  Addison looked down at the baby and smiled, too. “Amazing, isn’t it?”

  Yeah. That gave him yet another punch because all of this seemed too cozy. Too natural. And it was anything but. Even if an investigation hadn’t been going on, there was still that part about his being sucky father material.

  Emily’s smile, however, made him feel as if he could do anything.

  That made him stupid.

  The only thing he needed to be thinking and doing right now was figuring out a way to keep them all safe.

  “Some people say it’s gas causing them to smile,” Addison went on. “But I’m positive it’s the real deal.”

  So was he. And even if it wasn’t, that smile was still priceless.

  His phone buzzed, and he hoped it wasn’t Colt or Cooper with yet another round of bad news, but the name that popped on the screen wasn’t one Reed had been expecting.

  “Not Quarles?” Addison asked.

  Reed shook his head. “It’s the county sheriff, Aiden Braddock.”

  That put some more concern in Addison’s eyes. Aiden wasn’t just the son of the man that Jewell was accused of murdering; he was also the sheriff in the county where Jewell was incarcerated.

  Before Addison could jump to any bad conclusions, Reed answered the call and put it on speaker.

  “Sorry to call so early,” Aiden greeted him, “but I thought you’d want to hear this right away. I got a call from the hospital just up the street from my office. A man walked into the E.R. with a gunshot wound to the shoulder.”

  Reed instantly made the connection. “I shot one of the men who tried to kidnap my ex-wife yesterday.”

  “Yeah, so the guy said.”

  “You’ve talked to him?” Reed couldn’t ask fast enough. “And he admitted to attempted kidnapping?”

  “I’m with him now,” Sheriff Braddock clarified. “And he’s admitted to being part of the kidnapping. He said he wants immunity in exchange for information, and he’ll give us that information when his lawyer arrives.”

  Reed wanted to give a shout of relief. This was exactly the kind of break they needed. “How bad is he hurt?”

  “Not bad,” the sheriff answered. “As soon as the medics are done stitching him up, I’m arresting him and taking him into custody. If you want first crack at him during the interrogation, I suggest you get down here now.”

  Chapter Eight

  Addison prayed this wasn’t a huge mistake—leaving Emily with Jewell’s daughter Rosalie while Reed and she went to the Clay Ridge County Sheriff’s Office to talk with the kidnapper. Reed hadn’t wanted her to go at all, but when Addison had insisted, their compromise was to leave the baby at the ranch.

  Where Emily would hopefully be safe.

  At least she’d be safer there than out on the roads and in the open. At the ranch, there were several lawmen and plenty of armed ranch hands. Maybe that would be enough.

  “You can still change your mind,” Reed said to her as he pulled into the parking lot of the sheriff’s office. “I can call Colt or Cooper to come and get you and take you back to the ranch.”

  Colt and Cooper were tied up with the investigation and talking with Mellie. Exactly what Addison wanted them to be doing. The lawmen definitely didn’t have time to babysit her. Besides, maybe Reed and she would quickly learn the identity of the person who’d hired the kidnappers to come after Emily and her. Once they had a name, then the person could be arrested, and hopefully the danger would end.

  “I want to hear what he has to say,” Addison insisted, causing Reed to drag in a long, deep breath. He was probably sick and tired of her. Or at least of the danger that she’d brought with her to Sweetwater Springs.

  However, she didn’t think that sick and tired applied to Emily.

  Addison hadn’t missed the way Reed looked at the baby. Like a father looking at his daughter. Soon, very soon, she’d have to make it clear that while Reed could see Emily as part of a custody arrangement, Addison wasn’t going to give up the life she’d planned with her precious baby. A life she’d never thought Reed would have wanted any part of anyway.

  Reed glanced all around the parking lot before he motioned for her to get out. As they’d done at Cooper’s office, they hurried inside. They first had to go through the metal detector, and of course, Reed’s gun set it off. The deputy at reception waited until his boss, Sheriff Aiden Braddock, stepped out from an office and gave his wave of approval before he let them in.

  It was barely nine in the morning, but the place was already buzzing with activity. Aiden was on the phone, and he held up his finger in a wait a second gesture.

  There were three other uniformed officers at desks scattered around the room. No sign of the wounded kidnapper, but Addison did spot someone else she knew. Jewell’s stepson FBI agent Seth Calder. He was on the phone, too, but put it away when he spotted them.

  “What the devil is he doing here?” Reed said under his breath. But he obviously didn’t mumble it low enough, because it got Seth’s attention.

  “I was visiting my mother at the jail,” Seth supplied
, his voice and expression none too friendly.

  Ditto for the glare that Reed aimed at him. Of course, Addison hadn’t expected the two to be on friendly terms: Seth was on Jewell’s side and Reed was on Roy’s.

  “Addison,” Seth greeted. “I heard about the trouble you’re having. Anything I can do to help?”

  It was a generous offer, considering that Seth was working hard to clear his mother’s name, but it wasn’t an offer that Reed seemed to appreciate.

  “She doesn’t need help from you,” Reed snarled.

  Great. Just what she didn’t want right now—a man-snarling contest—and she got an even bigger dose of it when Aiden finished his call and strolled toward them. He was a big guy, intimidating not just because of his size but because of his hard eyes and stony expression.

  Aiden clearly wasn’t in the Jewell camp, because she was accused of murdering his father. Many would say it was a serious conflict of interest for Jewell to be incarcerated in the very county where Aiden was sheriff, but it would have been an even bigger conflict had she been placed in Cooper’s custody and the Sweetwater Springs Jail. The alternative would have been to send her farther away, but Jewell’s lawyer had apparently managed to nix that.

  “I thought you were leaving,” Aiden said to Seth.

  The two men were about the same size, and Seth looked Aiden straight in the eye. Seth even moved closer, clearly violating Aiden’s personal space and then some. “No. I’ll leave when I’m ready.”

  That went over about as well as she’d figured it would. Which was not well at all. Aiden shot both Reed and Seth a look that would have frozen most men in their tracks. Seth gave him back one that could have frozen Hades, and Reed matched it.

  Since all this tension was far from helpful, Addison stepped in the middle of the trio. “Thanks for your offer to help, and for giving up the guest cottage for us,” she said to Seth in a whisper before turning to Aiden. “Now, may we see the kidnapper?”

  Aiden didn’t jump to say yes. Seth didn’t jump, either. The glares went on for a few moments longer before Seth finally stepped around them and headed for the door. Both Reed and Aiden watched him leave.

  “The kidnapper won’t give me his name,” Aiden explained, leading them down the hall. “And his prints aren’t in the system.”

  That was a surprise. Addison figured the guy would have a record. One look at him when they stepped into the interview room, though, and Addison realized the reason he might not have a record. He was young. He was buff with a marine-like body, but he could still be in his late teens. He was seated in a metal chair with his legs and right hand cuffed to it.

  The kidnapper spared them a glance before turning back to stare at the bare wall. “I said I wasn’t gonna talk to anybody until my lawyer got here.”

  “He’s on his way,” Aiden assured him. “I just figured you’d want to say you’re sorry to Mrs. Caldwell here, after you tried to kill her and all.”

  The guy opened his mouth as if he might jump to deny that, but then he must have remembered that anything he said would be used against him. Of course, he’d already admitted to the kidnapping attempt, so that was the ultimate self-incrimination.

  Reed stepped in front of her, walking closer and staring down at the man. “In case you don’t know, I’m the man who shot you.”

  The kidnapper turned back, some anger flashing in his eyes, before he shut down again and merely said, “I know who you are.”

  Reed stayed quiet a moment, his gaze going from the guy’s face to his right arm, which was bandaged and in a sling. “What happened? Did your partners just drop you off at the hospital and leave you?”

  He didn’t respond to that, not verbally anyway, but his mouth tightened. So, yes, that probably was what had happened.

  “I’d be riled to the core if they did that to me,” Reed went on. “I’d call the sheriff and cut a deal to send those dirtbags to jail. Of course, I’d also want to get the man who hired all of you, since he’s the one responsible for this mess you’re in.”

  Addison thought the guy might be fighting back a smile. Maybe he was ready to spill all. “I ain’t saying nothing else just yet,” he added. “But I’ll do a lot of talking to my lawyer when he gets here.”

  “After that, I expect you to do a lot of talking to us,” Reed insisted.

  The guy didn’t challenge that, but he looked away again, and Aiden tipped his head to the room across the hall. “You two can wait there. I’ll let you know when his lawyer shows.”

  “I don’t want you or them listening in when I talk to my lawyer,” the guy piped up.

  “Wouldn’t dream of it,” Aiden grumbled.

  Aiden had barely shown them into the other interview room when Reed’s phone buzzed. This time it was Cooper’s name on the screen. Probably because Reed didn’t want the kidnapper to hear anything, he shut the door, and instead of putting the call on speaker, he hooked his arm around her and pulled her closer so that she’d be able to listen.

  “I’m at Mellie Blanco’s place, but she’s not here,” Cooper said.

  Reed groaned. “Wasn’t there a patrol watching her?”

  “Yeah, and they didn’t see her leave. Didn’t see anyone come in, either. There are back stairs that lead to a laundry room, and SAPD thinks that’s how someone got in or how she got out.”

  So maybe she hadn’t been kidnapped. Still, Addison had to ask, “Are there any signs of an attack? Or worse, murder?”

  Cooper paused. “There was some blood on the floor.”

  Addison’s breath vanished and her knees buckled, and if Reed hadn’t already taken hold of her, she would have fallen.

  “How bad is this?” Reed asked Cooper.

  “It’s just a few drops in the kitchen, and it could be something as simple as she cut herself. Still, the CSIs will go through the place. I’ll let you know what they find. In the meantime, I’m sending Colt to you so he can follow you back when you’re finished there.”

  Addison hated that Colt had to do backup duty. Hated not only that it was necessary but that it was also taking him away from the investigation. Still, with what they’d just learned about Mellie, it could mean the kidnappers were far from finished.

  A thought that put a hard knot in her stomach.

  The blood on the floor couldn’t be a good sign.

  “Any chance you can track down the other two babies that Mellie and Cissy carried as surrogates?” Reed asked.

  “I can try. Are you thinking those babies might lead us to who’s behind this?”

  “Maybe.” Reed paused a moment. “Maybe stored embryos weren’t used for those pregnancies. The babies could have been conceived simply so they could be sold.”

  True, and if that was what had indeed happened, then the babies’ DNA might lead them to the birth fathers.

  Or rather the father.

  It was a sickening thought that the sisters might have been used as breeding machines, but if they had been, then the babies’ DNA could perhaps lead to Cissy’s killer.

  When he finished his call with Cooper, Reed kept hold of her arm, shoved his phone back in his pocket and then led her to one of the chairs. Addison gladly sat down. For one thing, she still wasn’t steady on her feet. For another, it got her out of Reed’s grip. His arms were a dangerous place for her to be right now with all this panic racing through her.

  “I could have gotten Mellie killed, too,” she said, and cursed the tears that came again.

  “You didn’t get anyone killed.” Reed cursed, too, and knelt down in front of her. “Whoever’s behind this killed Cissy and maybe hurt her sister, and that idiot across the hall is going to tell us who that person is.”

  But they might not have stopped the person in time to save two young women. “If it weren’t for Cissy, I wouldn’t have Emily. T
he embryo might not have worked in someone else.”

  Addison figured that was the last thing Reed wanted to discuss, but he made a surprising sound. One of agreement. She looked at him to make sure she hadn’t misunderstood.

  She hadn’t.

  Reed’s gaze connected with hers, and everything hit her at once. The fear. The adrenaline. Even more of the tears. Addison moved in to drop her head on his shoulder. Something he probably wouldn’t like. Instead something else happened that he probably wasn’t going to like, either.

  He kissed her.

  It was just a brush of his mouth on hers. At first. He cursed, snapped away from her as if he’d just made the biggest mistake ever. But the mistake got a thousand times worse when the quick kiss turned to something else.

  Every muscle in his hands and mouth were rock hard, and she knew he was battling this. A battle he lost because he deepened the kiss.

  Oh, mercy.

  There it was. The slam of heat she knew only Reed could deliver. Those kisses had seduced her seven years ago when they first started dating, and that was exactly what they were doing now.

  His taste slid through her. Firing her up, even though there wasn’t much left to fire. Or so she thought, but she’d obviously forgotten that she was being kissed by a man who knew exactly how to make her burn.

  He slipped his hand around the back of her neck and hauled her closer. Not that he had to put much effort into it. Addison was already headed that direction anyway, and she landed against his chest with her arms sliding around him.

  The kiss had already given her a huge dose of memories. Now the close contact only added to it, and her crazed body clearly thought this was foreplay that would land her in bed with him.

  It wouldn’t.

  First of all, they were in the county sheriff’s office, and besides that—there was no way Reed would let this continue.

  Addison was right about that, too.

  He jerked away from her, and as he’d done in the hospital, Reed moved to the other side of the room. His breath wasn’t any steadier than hers, and that was probably why she didn’t get an immediate earful of why what they’d just done was wrong and why it wouldn’t happen again.