Secret Agent Father

by Laura Scott

  Shelby hesitated, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. He glanced at her upset expression, feeling an uncharacteristic spurt of sympathy for her, before abruptly turning away. Don’t go there, he warned himself. He’d help Cody and Shelby but becoming emotionally involved was out of the question.

  “On the way to my car, Trina spotted someone. She told me to run and she took off, heading back toward the marina. I caught a glimpse of a man with a gun. I—I grabbed Cody and ran.”

  “And Trina?” Alex forced himself to ask, although he could guess what happened next by the stricken look in Shelby’s gaze.

  “I think he killed her.” Shelby’s voice was barely above a whisper. “I dialed 9–1–1 but…”

  Alex winced, unable to bear the frank pain in her eyes, crossing over to where Shelby sat on the edge of the sofa. He couldn’t imagine how terrified she must have felt—witnessing an attack on her sister.

  “She risked her life to save us,” Shelby continued, her eyes welling with tears. “She drew the gunman away, sacrificing herself to safe her son. Your son.”

  Awkwardly, he sat beside her and placed his injured arm around her shoulders. For a moment she held herself stiff, but then sank against him, burying her face in his chest. Muffled sobs reached his ears and his shirt became damp with tears, but still he held her close. He murmured soothingly even as his hand delved into the softness of her hair. The sweet, spicy scent of it teased his nostrils. Holding her soothed him, too. Trina’s death was a shock. She’d put her life on the line for them, to help bring the drug smugglers to justice. Who had killed her?

  “I’m sorry.” Shelby sniffled loudly and pulled away from his embrace. “It’s just that every time I think of trying to tell Cody that his mother might never come home, I get all choked up. How do you tell a four-year-old something like that?”

  Stunned, the full implication of her statement hit him like a snow-laden log falling on his head. If Trina was dead, and if he was the boy’s father, then he was the child’s only living parent. Ten minutes ago he hadn’t known he had a son, much less one he might be solely responsible for. “Wait a minute, maybe there’s some mistake….”

  “I don’t think so.” Shelby misunderstood his murmured comment and took a deep shuddering breath. “I saw the guy aim at her and shoot. She fell to the ground and didn’t get up.”

  Alex fought back a surge of panic. A father? No. This couldn’t be happening. He wasn’t father material. Look at the role model he’d had. His old man drank too much and hadn’t hesitated to lash out if he and Kayla said the wrong thing. Alex had vowed he’d never have children.

  Yet, Cody had his green eyes.

  Taking a deep breath he concentrated on identifying one problem at a time. It had been dark and Shelby only thought she saw her sister get shot. Even if she fell to the ground, Trina may have survived. Trina knew how to take care of herself.

  He focused his attention on the problem at hand. Shelby and Cody needed protection from whomever had attacked Trina. Trina had been leaking information to the coast guard and DEA for the past two years, playing a very dangerous role. Someone on the drug smuggler’s payroll must have caught onto her. She may have gotten careless, digging too hard to find proof that Alex was targeting the wrong suspect. Whatever she’d found, he could only imagine she’d been shot to keep her mouth shut. He couldn’t help but wonder what she’d learned, and if her theory had been right. She’d vowed her father was innocent, but Alex had never been totally convinced.

  Drugs were coming in on Russ Jacobson’s ships and Alex believed that Jacobson had to know what was going on right under his nose. In Alex’s opinion, Jacobson himself could be the mastermind behind the entire drug smuggling operation.

  But did that mean Russ Jacobson was capable of having his own daughter killed? It was a stretch, but without proof one way or the other, he had no way of knowing for sure.

  “Tell me what’s going on,” Shelby pleaded.

  “It’s complicated,” he warned. “But first, are you sure the person with the gun was a man? Did you see him clearly?”

  “No, I couldn’t see him much at all, but I’m pretty sure he was a man.” Shelby stared at him, her brow furrowed. “And in the car when we were driving away, Cody asked me if the bad man hurt his mom.”

  “What? You mean Cody actually saw the guy?” This news changed everything. The danger was worse than he’d imagined if Cody was a witness to the potential leader behind the smuggling.

  Alex eased away, trying to unobtrusively disentangle his hand from her hair. The silky strands seemingly had a will of their own as they clung to his fingers. He glanced toward the kitchen where the boy had disappeared. “I need to talk to him.”

  “Oh, no you don’t.” Shelby’s tone was sharp and she tugged on his arm when he moved to get up. He hid a wince as a tender nerve zinged with a shaft of pain. “Not until you tell me what’s going on. Besides, Cody has been through an awful ordeal. He practically saw his mother being murdered. I don’t want him to relive the horror all over again so soon.”

  “But if he’s seen the bad guy, maybe we can get a description or at least something to go on.” Alex understood her reluctance to expose the boy to more distress, but this was a possible murder investigation. Not to mention, a potential lead to the organizer behind the drug smuggling ring. Trina’s murder was obviously linked to his case. Or rather, to Rafe’s case.

  “Maybe you can talk to him later,” she hedged. She stood up and walked closer to the fireplace, as if needing the warmth. “I brought him here so that you’d keep him safe. We need to protect him, not traumatize him.”

  Alex frowned, understanding her logic to a certain extent. But decided to let the subject go for now when Kayla and Cody emerged from the kitchen trailed by the clumsy puppy.

  “Shelby, look at Clyde,” Cody said happily. “Isn’t he great?”

  “He sure is.” Shelby’s face softened into a warm smile and Alex couldn’t dismiss her obvious love for the boy.

  In a daze, Alex did the mental math and came to the conclusion that the timing was right for him to have fathered Cody, although for all he knew Trina could have been sleeping with both him and Stephan at the same time. He’d request a DNA test at the very least, so that he would know for sure.

  During the time he’d been undercover as a longshoreman, he hadn’t seen Trina’s son at all. Wisely, she’d kept him far away from the unsavory characters who had often hung out at the docks.

  One look at Cody now, though, told him almost as much as a DNA test. At first he was so focused on Cody’s blond hair, he hadn’t really looked at the rest of his facial features. He could see that aside from the hair and the stubborn chin, Cody was the mirror image of himself at that age. Kayla had a box full of their baby pictures in the attic to prove it. The kid’s green eyes haunted him.

  Not the kid, he admonished himself. My son. I’d better get used to the fact that Cody could really be my son.

  Shelby knelt beside Cody and scratched the pup behind the ears. “So how were the cookies? Did Clyde get any?”

  Cody giggled as he petted the puppy. “No. Dogs can’t eat people food. It’s bad for them, ’specially chocolate. The cookies were good, but not as good as yours,” he loyally added.

  “I can show you to your rooms.” Kayla’s intensely curious gaze bounced back and forth between the three of them. “That way you’ll have some time to freshen up or to take a nap, if you prefer, before dinner.”

  “Oh, well—” Shelby’s hesitant gaze swung around to collide with Alex’s.

  Alex raised a brow at her dismay. Clearly Shelby hadn’t thought any further than tracking him down. Logically, he knew he should turn both of them over to Rafe. But now that they were here, he’d rather keep them close at hand. At least, until he’d gotten a chance to talk to Cody.

  “Kay’s right. You’re both safe here, so there’s no point in you leaving to go somewhere else. Especially when this place has more than enough
room.” He flashed a crooked smile, waving a hand at the various rooms overhead. “There’s plenty of privacy, I’m the only guest at the moment.”

  Shelby drew in a long breath, reaching up to rub at her temple. “All right, then,” she agreed slowly. She stabbed him with a fierce glance. “But we still need to talk.”

  Alex hesitated, glancing down at Cody who was watching them both curiously. “We will, but for now, why don’t you get settled into your rooms. I have some phone calls to make.”

  “Me, too,” she said with a frown.

  “That’s not a good idea. You can’t tell anyone you’re here or what you’ve seen,” he warned. “I’ll explain more later.”

  He could tell she wasn’t happy with being put off, but she also clearly didn’t want to say much in front of Cody. Obviously she took her role of being the boy’s protector very seriously.

  Slowly she nodded. “All right.” She turned to Cody. “Should we check out our rooms, partner?”

  The boy nodded, although his attention was focused on Clyde who jumped up on him, trying to lick him in the face. Within moments the two were rolling on the floor with Cody giggling madly over the puppy’s enthusiastic affection.

  Alex felt his chest tighten at the sight. He glanced up to find Shelby staring at him intently. For a long moment, they exchanged a look full of understanding. Hers reinforced that she would protect Cody at all costs. His admitted the need to take things slow, so he didn’t scare the boy.

  He watched them walk up the stairs, grappling with the knowledge that he could deny the truth all he wanted, but he was likely Cody’s father.

  What he was going to do about it, he had no clue.

  Shelby’s earlier fear slowly began to fade as she gazed at her surroundings, while Kayla gave them the nickel tour. They mounted the staircase to the second story. The log home was even more impressive inside. A cathedral ceiling towered overhead giving an expansive view over the great room from the loft encircling the second floor. When Kayla showed them two adjoining rooms, Shelby saw that her earlier assumption was correct. Each room contained patio doors leading out onto the snow-covered deck.

  “The shared bathroom is through this door here.” Kayla crossed the room to demonstrate. “And you can leave the connecting door open, if you prefer.”

  “You have a beautiful home.” Shelby admired how the furnishings in the room had a rustic look, from the overstuffed chairs to the pine, sleigh-shaped bed frame. For the first time since leaving the marina in a mad rush, fully expecting the gunman to come after them, she felt safe. Secure. Because of Alex?

  Kayla’s mouth formed a sad smile. “Thank you. My husband had a hand in building it himself, before he died.”

  “I’m sorry.” Shelby inwardly winced at her blunder. She couldn’t imagine how difficult it would be for a woman to raise a child alone after her husband’s death.

  “That’s all right.” Kayla straightened, shaking off the despondency. “He died nearly two years ago, but he was a wonderful man. And I’m not totally alone, his mother helps me by watching over Brianna when I’m busy working. Well, here I am jabbering in your ear, when all you want to do is relax for a bit. Dinner will be ready about six. If you’re hungry before that, just come down to the kitchen. There’s always plenty to eat.”

  “Thank you.” When Kayla left, Shelby closed the door behind her and glanced over at Cody. He didn’t usually take naps, but his eyelids drooped as a result of his interrupted night. She wasn’t feeling too perky herself and the white down comforter on the bed looked soft and inviting. “So, partner, how about we lie down for a few minutes?”

  “I don’t wanna lie down.” A wide yawn belied his words but he pried his eyes open, fighting fatigue the way kids tended to do. “Are we gonna live here now? I like Clyde.”

  Shelby shook her head, eyeing the puppy that had followed them upstairs, claiming Cody as his newfound friend. Clearly, every child should have a pet. She made a mental vow to get Cody a dog of his own once this mess was over. Would Alex mind? No, she wasn’t going there. If she wanted Cody to have a puppy, he’d have one.

  “We can’t live here, Cody. In the spring and summer, these rooms are rented out to guests. We’re just lucky there isn’t anyone here now.” Inspiration struck. “Would you like to take a nap with Clyde?”

  “Yeah!” Cody ran into his room, the puppy close on his heels. Her ruse worked, forestalling further questions about his father or their possible future together. She wouldn’t be able to dodge the little boy’s questions forever.

  But first and foremost, Cody needed to be safe. Once they were out of danger, she intended to ask Alex to grant her sole custody. The apprehensive expression in his eyes, when he’d looked at Cody, convinced her that he wasn’t overly thrilled to be a father. Which was fine with her. She couldn’t have loved Cody any more if he really were her son.

  Cody would feel better, once he knew what to expect in the future.

  Shelby left open the adjoining door between their rooms, so that she’d hear Cody when he awoke. She slid between the sheets, sighing gratefully as the down mattress cushioned her tired and aching body. Sleep should have come easily.

  Instead Alex’s face swam in her mind, interrupting her search for blessed oblivion. She couldn’t believe she’d cried on his shoulder. She hadn’t leaned on a man in a long time, and Alex wasn’t exactly the best candidate. He was too intimidating by far. And besides, maybe he wasn’t married, but he’d clearly been irresponsible all those years ago.

  Instantly she felt ashamed. She couldn’t pass judgment on him for having an intimate relationship with Trina, since she wouldn’t have Cody in her life if he hadn’t.

  But she didn’t get the sense he held the same Christian beliefs she did. She’d found God as her savior after an awful experience in college, where she’d narrowly escaped being sexually assaulted. She’d found solace in God and her church, and the people there had helped her again after she’d suffered a brutal attack at the shipyard a few years ago. She’d overcome her fear of men slowly but surely, with help from the Lord. Creating her Little Lamb’s Day Care Center had helped her find a greater purpose in life. She hadn’t planned to have children of her own—she wasn’t sure she’d ever trust a man enough to risk her heart—but she’d love to raise Cody as her son.

  Shelby knew she was getting ahead of herself, since she didn’t really know what Alex’s plans were, so she tried not to dwell on him. Or his relationship with her sister. She trusted him only as far as his ability to keep them safe.

  Nothing more.

  Tossing and turning in the unusually soft bed, her unanswered questions swirled through her mind. What had Trina been involved with? What was the source of the danger? Who had Cody seen?

  She couldn’t help a tiny flash of guilt. Maybe she should let Alex question him, get some answers. But she knew all too well what it felt like to be a victim. She didn’t want to cause Cody to have nightmares like she’d had. The poor kid needed time to assimilate what had happened.

  And really, how much detail would a four-year-old be able to give in a description, anyway?

  She wondered what was going on back in Green Bay. She didn’t talk often to her father, but surely he’d find out soon about what happened to Trina. She’d have to call him. And what about Stephan? Had Stephan discovered the truth about Cody’s biological father last night? Was that the reason Cody was in danger?

  No. She couldn’t believe Stephan was the bad man that Cody had mentioned. Up until now, Cody had called Stephan dad even if they were never really close.

  Too many questions and she grew irritated with Alex for not giving her nearly enough answers.

  She must have fallen asleep because she abruptly woke up, blinking groggily in the darkness, instantly aware of her strange surroundings, wondering what had woken her so suddenly. In a rush she remembered the bed-and-breakfast, and Alex. Outside, dusk had fallen, telling her she had slept longer than she’d planned. Quickly pull
ing on her clothes, she poked her head through the connecting doorway, her gaze searching for Cody.

  His bed was rumpled, but empty.

  She paused to listen for sounds of him playing with the puppy downstairs, but everything was quiet—though not for long.

  The sharp retort of a gunshot from somewhere outside ripped through the silence of the night.

  “No!” Shelby ran downstairs, barely pausing to grab her coat from the chair before she threw open the door. Her mind raced with terrifying thoughts of what she might find as she barreled out into the frigid moonlit night desperate to find her nephew.

  THREE

  Shelby peered through the night, forcing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. The snowy ground showed a trail of footprints. She thrust her arms into her coat sleeves even as she slipped and stumbled on the icy trail of trampled snow leading back around the house. The darkness swallowed her. Concern for Cody overpowered her usual fear of the night.

  “Cody!” Shelby began to shout as she dodged between trees. Her voice sounded distant through the roaring in her ears. She noted another building—a pole barn, hidden in the woods to the left of the house. A shaft of light shone through the small side door left ajar. “Cody?”

  Another gunshot ripped through the air, louder this time. With a sob of horror, Shelby burst through the door. She glanced around wildly. Alex stood in the center of the room holding a gun, wearing a pair of earmuffs.

  Alex pulled them off the moment he saw her.

  “Shelby? What’s wrong?” In an instant, he crossed over to her, lightly grasping her arm.

  Helplessly, she shook her head, choking back tears and gasping for breath. Her heart pounded frantically in her chest. “I—I woke up and Cody wasn’t in the room. And th-then I heard gunshots.”

  Chagrined, he glanced over to the target he’d clearly been using. “I’m sorry. I should have realized you’d worry.”