by Koontz, Rena
Marcus nodded. “She got into some financial trouble and asked the wrong people for help.” He cleared his throat. “There’s more, Clay. There is some news about Lauren in all this. I’m not sure how you are going to take it.”
Clay furrowed his brows and shook his head slightly to signal he didn’t comprehend.
“She’s dead, Clay.”
His grip on Cassidy’s hand tightened when he heard the words. He blinked once, twice, and again shook his head as if to clear his vision. “What?”
Marcus laid his hand on Clay’s arm. “It seems she hired a hitman to kill Cassidy, that little squirt we picked up at the safe house with the pocket full of money. That’s how they knew you were there. He was tracking you. We hauled him into the station, but with all the commotion you caused at the motel, someone decided to release him. They didn’t know he was the contract hitman though, so you can’t blame anyone. We didn’t put two and two together until we found them in the car.”
“What car? I don’t understand.”
“It’s a lot of detail we don’t need to go into right now, my friend. But I’m glad I was still tuned into Cassidy and when I heard she was on her way to the hospital, I stayed.”
Cassidy tore her gaze away from Clay to stare at Marcus. “You were waiting for me?”
“Sure, Sugar Plum. I told you, if it wasn’t Clay watching you, it was me. Pat radioed when you left the police station. We had an unmarked unit behind you the whole trip, partly on my orders and partly because Pat thought you were somehow complicit in all this. You were easy to follow in Clay’s truck, especially since you told Pat you were coming to the hospital. I was here with Clay, so I waited. It wasn’t long before our unit realized the Mercedes was following you too.”
Marcus smiled and pointed to her. “You must have suspected it as well. That’s what those little detours down the side streets were about, weren’t they? Clay must be rubbing off on you.”
Cassidy sensed her cheeks turning red. Clay laced his fingers with hers and whispered, “Is that right?”
She nodded. “I didn’t know who, but I was pretty sure someone was following me. At first, I thought I should drive back to the police station. Then I decided there would be enough activity at the emergency entrance here to protect me plus I wanted to see you. I was so worried about you and they hadn’t given me any information at the station.”
Clay released her hand and attempted to ease into a more comfortable position, wincing at the motion. Marcus jumped up and adjusted the pillows, ordering Cassidy not to move when she tried to help. In a weakened voice, Clay whispered, “Tell me the rest.”
“We ran the license plate and knew it was Lauren,” Marcus said. As if filling in the blanks for Cassidy, he added, “Most of us are familiar with their domestic history, so we suspected she was either on her way to the hospital to get to Clay or she was after you. Mittens was a bonus.”
Cassidy screwed up her face. “Mittens?”
“Mittens is a small-time thug affiliated with the Johnny Tanzini family. He had ten thousand dollars in his pocket. He jumped out of the car and tried to run after taking those shots at you which, by the way, Clay, put a nice round hole in your fender.” He laughed when Clay didn’t seem amused.
“I shot him in the buttocks as he was running. He’s squealing like a pig two floors below us. He’s even offering up information about Tanzini and his businesses, trying to save his own hide.”
Marcus paused, but Clay pushed for the rest of the story. “And Lauren?”
“We don’t know yet how those two connected. She must have picked him up at the police station. My focus was on the shooter leaning out of the passenger window. Lauren was dead before the car crashed into the light pole. It appears when Cassidy aims at a target, she hits it.”
Cassidy gasped and her heart plummeted. A heavy wave of sadness enveloped her. She turned tear-filled eyes to Clay and broke the silence that shrouded the room.
“I’m sorry, Clay,” she finally whispered.
Clay’s eyes darkened. “Don’t say that, Cass. You did what I told you to do, what I would have done in the same situation. It’s sad that it had to end like that but I’m grateful that I didn’t lose you. I couldn’t live without you.”
Cassidy caught her breath. Did that mean what she wanted it to mean?
Marcus stood. “You two have some talking to do. I’m going to leave so you can do that privately.” Minutes later, they were alone.
Clay regarded her with watery eyes. “I owe you an apology, Cassidy. I always said Lauren needed professional help. I should have taken it more seriously when you told me she showed up at The Packing Place. I was too focused on Tony DelMorrie.”
“It’s understandable, Clay,” Cassidy said. “He was the obvious threat.”
“No, it’s inexcusable. I’m a professional, but I let my emotions cloud good police judgment. Because of my feelings for you, I convinced myself that only I could keep you safe and that put you in danger.”
“That’s not true. For one thing, you had Marcus always in the background. And it was always my choice to follow you. I’m not some weakling that you ordered around. You asked me to trust you and I did. It was as simple as that.”
The corners of his mouth lifted. “Well, I do think we make a pretty good team. But you didn’t always trust me, remember? You ran from me.”
Cassidy sat up straighter in the wheelchair, her heartbeat quickening. He still didn’t get it. He didn’t understand her true motives. “I never ran from you, Clay. I left you because I wanted to protect you. I ran because I knew that Tony DelMorrie would follow me and that would keep you safe.”
Clay reached for her hand. “You could have been killed.”
She nodded, blinking back the tears that welled in her eyes. “I would have died to protect you. I would do it all again, because I’m in love with you. I know with everything that has happened, you probably don’t want to hear that. But before we go our separate ways, I want you to know I wish things had worked out differently.”
He arched his eyebrow. “Are you leaving me again?”
“What? No. I just assumed … ”
“Honey, you crawled under my skin almost from the first moment I met you. And then you wormed your way into my heart. I took two bullets trying to keep you, I’m not going to let you go so easily now. If I have to fall out of this bed right now to keep you by my side, I will. I’m in love with you, too, and I want the chance to share your life.”
Her heart catapulted. “You do?”
“You’re the oxygen I need to live, Cassidy. Stay and grow old with me.”
A wave of fullness engulfed her. Finally, she had everything she’d ever dreamed of. She couldn’t suppress her smile. “Don’t worry, Clay, the only running I’m going to do from now on is into your arms. You’re going to have a devil of a time getting rid of me.”
More From This Author
(From Love’s Secret Fire)
Valerie Daniels pushed the green beans on her plate to form the letter “D.” “D” for dull. How much more of this boring man could she stand? If only she’d stuck to her guns and met him for lunch instead of an early dinner, she’d be long over her misery by now.
His lips were moving, but she’d tuned him out thirty minutes ago. He looked at her like he expected a response. She forced a smile.
“Pardon me?”
“I asked what it would take to make you famous. Wouldn’t you like to be an anchor on the national nightly news?”
“Maybe someday. I have to earn my way into a position like that. This is only my second news job and it’s technically part-time. I’ve got a lot of dues to pay first.”
“But all you need is one big story to send you to the top, right?”
“It really doesn’t work that way.” She repositioned th
e green beans into the letter “L.” Loser.
Richard Fredtoni had spent most of the evening talking about himself and how, as the new financial officer for the county, he could salvage the financially strapped district. She’d asked him for details, pressed for specifics. But he circumvented each question with a lot of hot air. She’d studied the county budget and knew its weaknesses. He spoke as if he’d not looked at one line-item. If he had a plan, it didn’t have any teeth.
She hadn’t been able to get him to reveal what the county was paying for his so-called expertise, either. Now that would make a good news story. But instead, he droned on like a bee trapped between the glass and window screen and the interview she’d hoped to record in her notebook had dissolved into doodles.
“You’ve hardly touched your dinner,” he said. “Aren’t you hungry?”
“Not really. It was very good though.” In truth, Chez Cher’s was her favorite seafood restaurant and the salmon had been expertly seasoned. Well worth the hour drive. She loved the main dining room’s seashore motif with its small, round, intimate tables, and the subtle sounds of waves crashing that piped softly through the acoustical system. If she closed her eyes, she could almost smell the ocean.
With the right dining partner, the restaurant was the perfect prelude for a romantic evening. But Richard sure didn’t fit the bill. Would he notice if she covered her ears to muffle the whine of his words?
“How about another drink?”
Valerie shook her head. She’d made sure to sip only one glass of white wine. A tiny voice nagged her that something about him was out-of-sync, and she usually listened to that voice. She’d felt it in his initial weak, clammy handshake weeks ago. She’d seen it in his smile that looked too much like a leer. And he was perspiring, despite the room’s comfortable temperature. She didn’t trust him.
Why the heck had she agreed to go out with him? Her boring — make that non-existent — social life must have seemed exceptionally bad this morning when she agreed to this meeting. That’s all it was, a meeting between two professionals. It fell way short of a date.
“Would you like some dessert?”
“No, thank you.”
Richard signaled for the check and she said a silent prayer of thanks. As she reached for her purse, he offered to walk her to her car.
• • •
Sitting alone at the bar, Adam Michaels watched the couple. He’d recognized Valerie Daniels the minute she walked into the restaurant. A group from her radio station had toured the agency last year and he’d noticed her then. Striking good looks, runner’s legs, and a killer smile that had weakened his knees.
He’d tried flirting with her, but she blew him off by saying she’d call him. She never did. He became an avid listener to her morning radio show after that, despite being a devout country music fan.
Valerie rarely talked about her personal life on the air. On the few occasions she mentioned a fun-filled weekend or wonderful dinner, he wondered about the man she likely spent it with.
Her demeanor tonight, though, told him she wouldn’t be talking about this dinner date unless it was begrudgingly. Observing body language was second nature to him, even when he wasn’t on duty or working undercover, and hers spoke volumes. She checked her watch every two or three minutes. She followed every new diner with her eyes, paying more attention to them than the guy across from her. And whatever was on her plate had to be mush by now. She’d shoved it around enough with her silverware. Whoever this guy was, he had struck out.
As Valerie and Mr. Loser walked out of the restaurant, Adam checked the time himself. He should probably hit the road, too. It hadn’t been that good a night for him either. Ending his latest relationship had been ugly, despite the public place he’d chosen to give her the news. Asking that woman out had been a big mistake. He liked a woman who depended on him, but she had been downright suffocating.
He needed a clear head for the five o’clock meeting tomorrow morning with the brass. Christ, who held meetings at five in the morning? It was a good thing they summoned his partner as well or he’d be worried his ass was in trouble again. Neither of them had a clue about the topic of the mandatory, top-secret session.
He finished his beer, paid his tab and walked outside, pulling up his jacket collar against the night air. For a place as popular as this one, the parking lot was poorly lit. He stepped carefully into a gravel area set apart from the main lot and designated for overflow cars, aware of crunching pebbles under his heels.
Several parking spots ahead, he saw two outlines in the shadows. Were they making out in the parking lot? Not the most romantic spot, but his track record with women proved he didn’t know much about romance. He’d walk by as quietly as the stones beneath his feet would let him.
Then he heard the scream.
• • •
Richard waited while Valerie dug into her purse for her keys. She touched the unlock button on the keyless remote, forced a smile, and turned toward him.
“Thank you for a nice evening.”
He reached out and caressed her cheek. “Are we going back to your place or mine?”
Valerie jerked her face away from his hand. What the hell? “I’ll call you.” No smile of any kind, this time.
“I don’t think so.” He grabbed her shoulder and forced his body against hers. “I didn’t just spend one-hundred dollars on you to get a goodnight kiss at the car.”
The air rushed from her lungs when he pushed her against the door. He made a clumsy grab at her breast, yanking at her clothes, and leaned in to kiss her. Her neck muscles strained as she pulled her head back to avoid his lips. Stale beer breath assaulted her nose.
“Let me go,” she hissed. Using the car for leverage, she balled her fists and slammed them into his mushy stomach. His sour breath expelled in a whoosh but he pushed harder. She was at least six inches shorter and, suddenly, small and vulnerable.
With both hands he captured her arms and dragged them to the top of the car roof, pressing her breasts into his chest. Cool air kissed exposed skin as her shirt pulled free from her waistband. She struggled against his clamped fingers, feeling her watchband cut into her wrist.
He leaned forward again to kiss her. Again, she pulled back, exposing her neck to his mouth. Nausea rose in her throat when his kiss left warm slobber on her skin. His knee wedged between her legs as he pressed his full weight against her. His erection dug into her thigh.
Oh God! She couldn’t breathe. She squinted and scanned the parking lot. Not a soul in sight. She was alone. There was no one who could help. The door handle dug into her lower back. Pain surged the length of her spine as his hot mouth kissed her ear. Surely he wouldn’t …
“This isn’t the way I wanted it, but you must like it rough,” he growled, low and slow, like a crazed dog.
Valerie tightened her leg muscles and arched her back to push him off, but there was no budging him. Sweat soaked through her blouse as she struggled.
“Let me go,” she screamed. “Get off me you, moron.”
Richard sank his teeth into her shoulder. And then pain, sharp, quick, biting pain. She screamed again.
• • •
Adam ran toward the scream and saw the scuffle. He grabbed the bastard by the shoulders, yanked him backward and threw him, hard, against the car parked in the next space. Glancing quickly at the woman, he didn’t recognize her. Her head was down and she clung to the car. Her shirt was ripped and with each heave of her chest, her left breast exposed itself in the dim light. A pitiful croak escaped her.
The sound infuriated him and he turned again to the asswipe trying to catch his breath against the car. Two quick shots to the face, the last jab directly against his mouth.
“The lady said no, pal.” He’d taken enough self-defense classes to anticipate a reaction. With clenched fists
and bent knees, he stepped in front of the woman, ready for the lunge. The night air cut into his lungs.
The guy steadied himself on the car and raised one arm. “You’re interfering with private business,” he panted. “My wife and I like to playact. Everything’s fine.”
Adam couldn’t see his face clearly but sweat pooled on the man’s upper lip. A husband wouldn’t be that worked up. Why wasn’t the wife saying something?
“Is that right ma’am?” Adam asked over his shoulder. She was still trying to catch her breath. A trembling hand touched him between the shoulders.
“No. Please don’t leave,” she croaked. “He was trying to rape me.”
The fool lunged at Adam and that was all the invitation he needed. He threw his right fist into the left side of the asshole’s face, scraping his knuckles on his teeth. The blow knocked him back against the car and down to the ground. He reached to grab Adam’s leg, but Adam kicked his arm away, dropped down on one knee and punched him in the face a second time.
“Stay down if you know what’s good for you,” he warned. He hoped he didn’t. He wanted more of this creep.
The man exhaled, laid his head on the cement and closed his eyes.
Adam flexed his right hand, noticing blood on his already stiffening knuckles. When was the last time he’d been in a fight? He couldn’t remember, but this was kind of exhilarating. The guy didn’t look like he was going to move so Adam stepped to his left to help the woman. Only then did he recognize Valerie, trembling and struggling to regain her composure. Her face was streaked with tears and makeup. A huge blotch of blood spotted her neck. Had the bastard bit her? If she were in shock, she’d react violently if he touched her. He slowly raised his hand toward her shoulder.
“Don’t touch me,” she screamed, pushing away his hand.
“It’s all right, ma’am.” He deliberately kept his voice level. “I’m not going to hurt you. I was just going to cover you up.”
Her eyes followed Adam’s. She gasped when she saw her breast hanging out of her ripped blouse. Her hand shook as she yanked at the fabric to cover herself.