“Then we’ll stay at least for the night and have that talk with Michelle. You two can always come to my ranch until you figure out what you’re going to do.”
After picking up the fudge at the bakery, Tory remained silent on the drive to Officer Sims’s house, her teeth worrying her lower lip.
At Sims’s place he turned to her. “What’s going on?”
“I have no idea how Michelle will feel about us.”
“Neither do I, but don’t worry. It won’t change the outcome, but it might give you a few gray hairs.”
She laughed. “Gray hairs. I hate to burst your bubble. But I found a couple last month.”
He winked, said, “I won’t tell anyone,” then walked with her to the officer’s small home, Sims’s car in the driveway.
“You just wait until Michelle starts dating. Then you’ll have your share of gray hairs.”
This brief repartee reminded him of when they used to date. He would tease her, and she would tease him right back. Maybe this would work between them.
As Cade rang the bell, he clasped Tory’s hand. The first time in a long while, he had something to really look forward to—reconnecting with Tory and getting acquainted with his daughter. Before El Rio, his life had consisted of work and then more work. Now he might have more.
“Maybe Officer Sims isn’t home.” Tory glanced back at his car in the driveway. “Maybe someone picked him up.”
Cade knocked on the door, then went to the left while Tory stepped to the right to check through the window. No one in the kitchen.
“Cade!”
He rushed to Tory’s side and saw Sims, lying on the living room floor, part of his body blocked by a chair, but not his chest covered in blood. “Call 911.”
He tried to kick the door open, but it didn’t budge, so he picked up a porch chair, said, “Stand back,” and smashed it into the window. The glass shattered, and he quickly began knocking out what still remained until it was safe to climb inside as Tory finished calling the emergency in. “Stay in the SUV.” When she didn’t move, he added, “Whoever did this may still be inside.”
Tory started for the SUV. Cade waited until she opened the front passenger door before he climbed through the gaping hole into the living room. The stench of blood flooded his nostrils. He moved toward Sims. Finally seeing a full view of the police officer, Cade knew Sims wasn’t alive. Not only was there a wound in his chest, but also he’d been shot in the face.
Quickly he checked for a pulse to make sure he was dead, then he withdrew his gun to search the house. When he turned to check the living room, his gaze fell on the wall. The word Traitor was written in blood.
* * *
Tory stared at the window where Cade disappeared inside. Had someone finished the job of killing Officer Sims that had been started last week at the courthouse? Why did the person come after the police officer? He wasn’t guarding her anymore. Would she be next? Cade? She punched the button to lock all the car doors.
A rustling sound directly behind Tory alerted her that she wasn’t alone. She grabbed the handle and started to open the door.
“Don’t do it.”
Her mouth went dry at the same time her heartbeat accelerated. “Detective Alexander? What’s...”
“Shut up. I have to finish this. My little brother died because of Mederos and his gang. I couldn’t protect him when we were separated after our parents died, but I will avenge his murder. You both were too close to the truth. It was only a matter of time before you figured it all out.”
“Figure out what?”
“That I killed the judge and framed Pedro. Mederos doesn’t get to have his little brother. And once I found out Sims was the mole, I took care of him too.”
Keep him talking. Maybe Cade would figure out something was wrong. “Why did you think we were close?”
“After processing your house, I put a couple of listening devices in your place.” Alexander waved his gun at her. “Call Morgan and have him come out to the car. Now!”
The savagery in the order emphasized if she did Cade would die.
Too.
She couldn’t leave Michelle without a parent. “No. I won’t.”
A click echoed through her mind as she brought the handle down and readied herself to leap from the car.
A muffled shot, then a pain spread out from her chest. The world spun, and she slumped against the door.
Darkness rushed in. Her eyes closed.
TWELVE
Having worked his way through Sims’s house, Cade noted expensive items—like a state-of-the-art big screen television and sound system—a cop couldn’t afford on his salary. Was Sims the mole? Was that what traitor meant? Who murdered him? Why?
Cade headed for the living room to unlock the door for the police then to assess the crime scene until help arrived. They should be here any minute. Standing over the body, he examined the area around it. His gaze lit upon a toothpick several feet away.
When he lifted his eyes, Detective Alexander came through the entrance.
“You got here fast,” Cade said, starting to relax.
A memory flashed across his mind of the detective chewing on a toothpick as Alexander raised his gun.
Cade dove behind the couch as a series of bullets exploded from Alexander’s weapon, two ripping a hole through the sofa’s back cushion. One missed him by inches.
Quickly Cade crawled to the end of the piece of furniture, anticipating the detective coming his way. He peered around the couch. The second he saw Alexander, Cade squeezed off a shot.
The detective stumbled and went down, raising his gun again.
Cade pulled the trigger a second time as flashing red lights announced help was here.
Tory!
He jumped to his feet, snatched Alexander’s gun from the floor a few feet away from his still body and raced out of the house. Paul exited the first squad car. But Cade headed for the SUV. Tory was leaning against the door.
With each stride he took, his pulse rate increased.
Please, God. Don’t take Tory away.
* * *
Michelle flew through the hospital waiting room doors straight into Cade’s arms. He hugged her, tears misting his eyes. This was not the way he wanted to reconnect with his daughter.
Uncle Ben followed her into the waiting room.
When Michelle leaned back and looked up at him, her eyes were red from crying—Cade’s heart broke all over again. First when he held Tory, a faint pulse beating. Then a second time when the paramedics had to shock her heart. In the few seconds he waited to see her life signs recharge, he wanted to trade places with Tory.
“How is she?” Michelle’s voice cracked on a sob. “No one would tell me anything.”
“Let’s sit down. I don’t know much myself other than—” he settled on a two-seat couch “—she’s in surgery. She lost a lot of blood, but the bullet didn’t hit her heart.”
All color washed from Michelle’s face. “Who did this?”
“Tom Alexander, a police detective.”
Michelle sucked in a sharp breath. “Why?”
“I’m not sure of the details, but the police chief is sticking close by Alexander waiting to see if he can talk to him.”
Michelle buried her face against Cade’s chest and cried.
Uncle Ben sat across from them. “Can I get you anything? Coffee?”
Numbly Cade shook his head. The only thing he wanted was Tory, and that wasn’t something his uncle could give him. The pain in his chest spread as though he’d been shot, not Tory.
* * *
Cade leaned back against the wall opposite Tory’s hospital room. The doctor was inside with Tory. Thankfully she had awakened from the surgery, but it wasn’t going to
be an easy recovery. Two inches and he would be mourning her loss. Still could.
Paul walked toward him, carrying two cups of coffee. “How are you holding up?”
“As well as to be expected.”
“Where are Michelle and Ben?”
“Getting lunch. They’re going to bring me back something to eat. What brings you here? Tory can’t have visitors yet.”
“I came here to give you an update on Sims and Alexander. I’m tying up the loose ends.”
“I appreciate you following up on if Sims was the mole. Not only did Alexander kill Sims but Pedro Mederos. Match the DNA from the toothpicks found at both crime scenes. I’m sure it will be Alexander’s.”
“Working on it. We have enough evidence to lock him up on murder charges. The gun used to murder Sims was on Alexander and it matches the one that killed Judge Parks. So why did he kill Pedro and Sims?”
“And shot Tory? I have a theory that Tory and I were working on. Was Sims the mole?”
Frowning, Paul nodded. “We found cash under the floorboards as well as an offshore banking account in the Cayman Islands. He’d been handsomely paid for years by the Mederos gang.”
“He was the one Blackwell was talking about, the one that Mederos had a past with.”
“Yes. No wonder we had a hard time catching Mederos or his gang members. Sims was there letting him know what we were doing and thinking.” Paul’s voice toughened almost to a growl.
“So did you find the sniper gun Alexander used to shoot Sims and Tory at the courthouse?”
“Yes.”
“There are a couple of cases you should look into—Clarence Roberts and Bobby Lindsey. They were both members of the gang and they went to jail. Roberts was killed in prison. The other has disappeared. He was working for Mederos, but no one in the gang knows where he is, at least they say that. See if Tomas and Leon know anything about what happened to Lindsey. Or anyone else who will talk in the gang. I suspect Lindsey didn’t just disappear but was killed.”
“What are you thinking?”
“Sims was a mole, but why did Alexander murder Judge Parks? Let’s see if there are any connections among Alexander, Roberts or Lindsey. Is this some kind of revenge on Alexander’s part?”
The ping of the elevator caught Cade’s attention. As Michelle and Uncle Ben approached, Cade said, “Probably or why go after the judge. Dig into their backgrounds. I’ve got a feeling about this. Alexander had an agenda that he used the trial of Mederos to further. Have you been able to question Alexander yet?”
“No, but I will. The doctor will let me know when I can, and I’ll be in his hospital room pronto. Has Tory said anything yet?”
“No, she’s been too groggy or sleeping. I’ll let you know if Alexander told her anything.”
Paul glanced at the pair walking toward them. “I’ll take care of the wrap-up. You have more important things to take care of. Don’t mess it up this time.”
“I’m not planning to.”
Cade met Michelle and Uncle Ben at the door into Tory’s room. “The doctor is with her.”
At that moment her physician came out into the corridor.
“Is Mom all right?”
The older gentleman smiled. “She is doing much better. In fact, she was asking for you and Mr. Morgan.”
Michelle grabbed Cade’s hand and said, “Let’s go in, Cade and Uncle Ben.”
“I think you two should go in. I’ll be back in an hour or so.” Uncle Ben left.
Cade entered Tory’s room with his daughter, side by side as though they were a family.
The sight of Tory in the hospital bed robbed him of a decent breath. When he found her in the car, he’d never been so afraid in his life. He couldn’t lose her a second time. But the Lord answered his prayers.
“She’s asleep again.” Michelle plopped down on the small couch.
“She’ll be doing a lot of that. Her body needs it to recover.”
“She will get better, won’t she? I know the doctor said she would be okay...” His daughter bit her bottom lip. “I can’t lose her. What if she dies—I’ll be alone.”
“She isn’t going to die. I’m here for you.”
“Why didn’t you want to be my father before?”
“Your mother didn’t realize I had been on a secret mission in a war zone when she tried to let me know she was pregnant. She married Derek so you would have a father. Derek was a great dad for you. I couldn’t disrupt that. I followed you from a distance. Remind me to show you my album I have of you growing up.”
“Really?”
“Your dad and Uncle Ben sent me pictures of you as you grew up.”
“So you cared?” Her eyes shone.
“I love you and have since you were born.”
“Do you love Mom?”
“Yes, I always have. Are you okay with that?”
Michelle stared at Tory for a long moment then looked at him. “Yes. Dad would want her to be happy.”
Cade hugged his daughter against him. Thank You, God.
* * *
Ten days later, Tory sat on her couch in her living room minus all the bugs discovered planted by Alexander. The scent of Caribbean chicken stew filled her house. Her stomach rumbled. She knew she was getting better because her appetite was returning. She hated being an invalid, being on the sidelines while everyone else wrapped up the biggest case of her career.
Ben had been staying with her and Michelle while Cade threw himself into the investigations that stemmed from Leon and Tomas turning state’s evidence and Detective Alexander confessing his part in the events. He murdered Judge Parks because he was the judge on his young brother’s trial—Bobby Lindsey. Alexander also killed Officer Sims because he was the informant for the biker gang. Mederos ordered Bobby’s death last summer because he was talking to Alexander, feeding him information on the drug deliveries. Sims had ratted on him to the gang leader. Alexander wanted to bring the gang down and knew legally it would be almost impossible, so when Mederos was on trial he saw an opportunity to make certain people pay for what happened to Bobby. Everything else that happened to her and Michelle was because of the gang.
Just thinking about the past month made her head ache. She massaged her temple. The sound of the front door opening announced Cade was finally here for dinner.
He came into the living room, a gleam in his eyes. “At the rate we’re going, you’ll be one busy DA when you return to work.” He took the place next to her, leaned toward her and kissed her. “Now that makes it all worth it.”
“I know we’re going to talk to Michelle tonight, but you and I need to first.”
He pulled back, his smile gone. “You’re having second thoughts about us?”
“No. I have to make a decision, and I need to talk to you about it. I’m thinking about resigning as the DA.”
“You are? That’ll make Michelle happy, but will you be okay with the decision?”
“I’ve worked as an assistant DA and DA for over ten years. I’ve been part of taking down the Mederos gang that has been plaguing our county. I’ve done my part to make this place safe. I need to take a break, at least until Michelle grows up and leaves home. She woke up last night with a nightmare. She won’t sleep in her room anymore. She shares mine. I don’t want her to live in fear.”
“Okay. What’s holding you back?” He relaxed and put his arm around her.
“What do I do with myself? I’ve worked most of my adult life.”
He turned her head toward him. “You can work for Legal Aid and help people who can’t afford a lawyer. Or, you can marry me and have another child.”
She laughed. “How about both?”
“Whatever makes you happy.” He pulled her against him and gave her a kiss that expressed all his love
for her.
EPILOGUE
One year later
“Mom, Uncle Ben is taking me to the gym for the game.” Michelle popped her head into Benjamin’s room at the ranch. “You and Dad are coming to see me play, right?”
“I wouldn’t miss it. I’m feeding your brother and will be ready when Cade comes home.”
“Great. See you in a while.”
The sound of a door slamming shut resonated through the house.
“Your big sister doesn’t know how to softly close her door.”
Benjamin had fallen asleep while nursing. Tory wiped his mouth and rose from the rocking chair. He could sleep through a lot of noise. She wouldn’t be surprised if he did through the whole game. After putting her ten-week-old son in his carrier, she packed everything she’d need when they went out. Wipes. Diapers—
“I love watching you with him.” Cade’s voice interrupted her packing.
Tory smiled and let him sweep her into his embrace. “You’re home a little early.”
“I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss the first game of the tournament. I can’t get enough of watching Michelle play basketball. She’s really good.”
“And like any proud papa, you want to be there from the beginning cheering her on.”
Cade snuggled her against him. “You know me so well. How was our son today?”
“Missing you like his mama.” Tory brought his head down so she could kiss him. “I love you more each day.”
“And I love you.” Cade kissed her. “You don’t miss being DA, do you?”
“You, Michelle and Benjamin are all I need, but my part-time work with Legal Aid has been great.” She gave him a peck on his cheek. “Let’s go or we’ll never hear the end of it from Michelle for being late.”
* * * * *
If you loved this exciting romantic suspense,
pick up these other stories
from Margaret Daley’s previous miniseries
ALASKAN SEARCH AND RESCUE
THE YULETIDE RESCUE
TO SAVE HER CHILD
THE PROTECTOR’S MISSION
STANDOFF AT CHRISTMAS
High-Risk Reunion Page 18