Alyssa shook her head. “I don’t get how you can be so calm. If I had the task you’re giving Dani, I’d be so nervous I’d give myself away.”
“It’s simple really. We’re trained to do it.”
“Training aside, you need a certain personality to do what you do.” Her wary tone showed her aversion to such a personality type and Cole knew without a doubt Todd had caused her to shy away from men in law enforcement.
Dani answered on the fifth ring. “This better not be about the tire. I thought we’d agreed that you’d stop following up on everything I do.”
“Don’t worry, sis. I’m not following up.” He went on to explain why it had suddenly become urgent for her to look for the phone. “Alyssa will tell you where to look.” He handed his phone to Alyssa and she gave Dani directions to the jogging trail, then returned his phone.
“Any problem heading out there now?” Cole asked.
“No,” Dani replied. “If the phone is still there, I’ll have it within the hour.”
When he disconnected he found Alyssa staring up at him.
“This is going to sound sexist,” she said, “but don’t you ever worry about having your sister involved in such dangerous tasks?”
He laughed, making light of the question though it hit too close to home. “Honestly, even if I wanted to stop Dani from choosing this line of work, she wouldn’t listen.”
“I need your signature, Ms. Wells,” the sales rep called out.
Alyssa took one last look at Cole as if she knew he wasn’t telling her the whole truth and returned to the counter.
He hadn’t wanted to admit it to Alyssa, but he worried about Dani all the time. More than his other siblings. She’d been through rigorous FBI training, but as a cyber crimes expert, she’d spent most of her time behind a computer and saw little action outside the office. In law enforcement, if you didn’t use your skills, you lost them. Became complacent and rusty. And then when you needed those skills in life-or-death situations, they let you down. So he’d spent the past two years mentoring her and making sure she possessed the necessary tools to keep safe.
She’d proved her competence, yet he still didn’t relax. Maybe it was because she was the baby of the family. Well, she and her twin, Derrick, but Cole knew better than to treat the Mr. Tough Guy Derrick like a baby of any sort.
“I’m ready to go,” Alyssa said, her focus firmly on the phone in her hand.
Cole escorted her to the car, and by the time he climbed behind the wheel, she’d plugged her new phone into the car charger and was tapping away on her tablet. She was so busy working, she didn’t even ask where they were going and he wouldn’t interrupt her just to say they were headed to his rental to research cases in the area similar to Todd’s murder.
Once on the road, he kept glancing at her. Her face was screwed up in concentration. He had to admit that, with the way she tilted her head, her lips curved in a smile, she made an adorable picture. Just plain adorable. She really seemed to be enjoying a task that he would pawn off on Dani in a heartbeat.
“So you like all that computer stuff, huh?” he asked, not bothering to hide his distaste.
She looked up at him. “I take it you don’t.”
He mocked a shudder.
“I’d have thought as an investigator you’d have to embrace all the latest technologies.”
“Someone at our agency has to, but thankfully that’s Dani, not me.” He grinned. “I gladly hand everything over to her. I wouldn’t want to deprive her of the things she likes to do most.”
“Seems like she’s really good at it, too.”
“Top notch. And I’m not saying that just because she’s my sister. She even contracts with the military to try to breach software programs before they buy from independent contractors.”
“Is she married?”
Odd question. “No, why?”
“With her skills, I would imagine her spouse would feel like she was tracking him all the time.” She turned her attention back to the computer. “What about you? Ever been married?” she asked offhandedly, as if she was killing time while waiting for her data to transfer to her phone.
“No.”
“Ever thought about it?”
“Once, a long time ago,” he said, being purposefully vague.
“Want to tell me about it?”
“No.”
“Okay. I won’t pry then.”
Dumbfounded by her easy acquiescence, at the red light he tried to read her intent.
“What’s that look for?” She laughed heartily, and he loved hearing her joy freely expressed.
“No offense to your gender, but I’ve never met a woman who’d let go of something like this so easily.”
“Then you haven’t met the right kind of woman before.” Her mouth twitched with amusement, but he didn’t feel at all like laughing. Just the opposite. Her easygoing personality and her ability to let go of her problems to laugh and enjoy life was attractive. Way too attractive, and he felt his interest flare.
“Clearly I haven’t.” They locked eyes and his pulse quickened.
She held his gaze. A dizzying current crackled between them, making the space seem small and devoid of air. At least he couldn’t seem to catch a deep breath.
From the dashboard, his phone chimed. She jumped, seeming shocked at her reaction, and he reluctantly turned away. Dani’s picture popped up on the screen. He punched Talk and speaker phone.
“Dani.” He paused and drew in a deep breath to calm his pulse. “You find the phone?”
“No, but the tracking software issued an alert and I know where it is.”
“Where?” Alyssa asked.
“It’s pinging from your duplex. Not sure which side, though. The signal isn’t specific enough to tell me that.”
“So Nolan has my phone and he knows I saw him last night,” Alyssa shot back, fear taking over her voice.
“Or not,” Cole answered calmly. “It could be in your side.”
“But it wasn’t there this morning. I checked everywhere.”
“Just because you didn’t find it doesn’t mean it’s not there,” Dani said.
“Fine,” Alyssa conceded. “For the sake of argument, say it did fall behind a sofa cushion or something like that. The phone would still be dead because no one is at my house to plug it in.”
“What about the friend who watched your kids last night?” Cole asked. “Did she go home or stay over?”
“Paula? I didn’t have the heart to wake her so she spent the night.”
“Did she see you looking for your phone?” Dani asked. “And was she still there when you left this morning?”
“Yes.”
“Then maybe she found it and plugged it in.”
“If she found it she’d call to tell me—” Alyssa slapped her forehead. “I didn’t have a phone for her to call.”
“So this could be no big deal,” Dani added. “Why don’t I do a drive by of the duplex to make sure this isn’t a setup? If the building is secure, the two of you can stop by and look for the phone.”
“Sounds like a plan. We’ll be there in five minutes or so. Be careful, Dani.” Cole checked out Alyssa to see how she was doing.
Her eyes said it all. Only time would tell if Nolan was in possession of her cell and, if so, the lengths he would go to stop her from revealing his secret life.
SIX
In her garage, Alyssa waited alone in Cole’s car. He had gone inside five minutes ago to check for intruders. Dani had hurried inside the garage to wait with Alyssa before they closed the door, and now she looked out the small window, her hand resting on her weapon. She made the perfect picture for a law enforcement recruitment poster.
Alyssa, however, was a basket case. As
they’d arrived, she again prayed for the ability to trust the Lord to keep them safe. But the thought of Nolan in her home and of what he might do next made her stomach churn with acid, and she regretted drinking that cup of coffee.
Cole stepped back into the garage. His focus went straight to Dani, and he gave her a clipped nod. “We’re good.”
Alyssa sighed out her anxiety and hopped out of the car. She joined the siblings by the door leading to her duplex. Up close, she noticed dark circles under Dani’s eyes and a wary expression on Cole’s face. They were sacrificing so much to help her and she couldn’t be more thankful. Maybe if they went inside they would find her phone and discover Nolan wasn’t after her. Then they both could relax and Dani could get some much-needed sleep.
“Can we go in?” Alyssa asked.
Cole nodded but kept his focus on Dani. “I need you to stand watch outside until we’re safely on the road again.”
“Got it,” Dani answered, not a hint of questioning in her voice at Cole’s demands.
Cole clearly expected his sister to do as told, but Alyssa still felt badly that Dani hadn’t gotten any rest. She looked beat.
“Are you sure it’s necessary for Dani to do this?” Alyssa asked. “She really needs to get some sleep and I hate to keep imposing.”
“Hey.” Dani smiled, though her face reflected her fatigue. “It’s not a problem.”
“But I—”
“No buts.” Dani stood squarely in front of Alyssa. “This is what we’re doing. End of story. No need for you to worry about us. Ever. We know our limitations. You sit back and let us do what needs to be done.”
Of the same height, Alyssa looked into Dani’s eyes. Her fierce determination shone through, but Alyssa still felt like she was being a burden. “I just wish I could do something for myself.”
“I know,” Dani said softly. “And if there’s anything you can do to help, we’ll let you know. Until then, let us take care of this for you. It’s our job, so no more feeling bad. Okay?”
Alyssa nodded, though she still didn’t like imposing this way.
“It’s safest if we keep the garage door closed. I’ll head out the front door.” Dani squeezed Alyssa’s shoulder and, with a quick look at Cole, she hurried inside.
Cole faced Alyssa, his amazing blue eyes settling on her, searching, probing, digging deep. She thought to turn away, but the concern on his face kept her locked in place. He seemed like such a good and decent man. Trustworthy even. But could she really trust him beyond bringing Nolan to justice?
“It’s hard for you to let others help you, isn’t it?” he finally said.
Was it? She’d never had a problem accepting help in the past, but she did feel uncomfortable intruding on their lives.
“Given the way Saunders led you on,” Cole continued, “I’m not surprised at your reluctance to let anyone get close enough to help.”
Was that what she was doing? Seemed logical, she supposed. “You could be right, I guess. All I know right now is that I let Nolan into our lives. I trusted him and that makes his deceit all the harder to take.” She shivered at the thought of him with the twins. “It’s one thing to trample all over me, but my kids...” She shook her head. “That’s not okay.”
“If you think Dani and I will do anything to hurt your children, you’re wrong.”
“No, oh, no. That’s not what I meant at all. I have nothing but respect for you and Dani and I’m so thankful God brought you both into our lives when we needed you.” She met his gaze. “I guess I’m just a little short in the trust department right now.”
Before he looked away, she saw the same inner turmoil she felt reflected in his eyes. He was having a hard time trusting someone, too. Maybe himself after losing the person he’d mentioned earlier.
“Cole,” Dani called from inside, “I need you to lock the door after me.”
“Coming,” he shouted back and gestured for Alyssa to enter the duplex first.
As she passed him, he rested a hand on her shoulder. A gentle, soft touch. Nothing more. He didn’t speak, didn’t look at her. Just let her know he understood through a tender touch so unexpected from this powerful, often intense man that she felt a sliver of that distrust melt away.
Inside, he went directly to the small foyer that opened into their family room. Alyssa heard the lock click closed, the sound making her jump and look around the room.
How could she be this uneasy in her own home?
She spotted her phone on an old end table she’d picked up at a yard sale and refinished with bright white paint. The power cord snaked from her cell to an outlet behind the table. A small button flashed like a beacon indicating a missed call or text and pulled her across the room.
She eased through Power Rangers discarded on the floor this morning and the table holding a puzzle Paula had worked on with Brianna last night. Everything was right where they’d left it in their haste to get out of the house that morning when she took the twins to school. The house where just yesterday she’d felt comfortable and at home with the twins.
“So your phone is here,” Cole said, coming to join her.
“I’m positive it wasn’t on this table before.” She picked it up and unlocked the screen. A text message alert flashed on the screen. She pressed the icon and read.
Forget what you heard last night or you die.
She gasped and dropped the phone on the sofa.
“What is it?” Cole moved closer.
She pointed at her phone. “There’s a message. It’s a warning.”
Cole picked up her cell and then mumbled something she couldn’t make out. He held out the phone. “Do you recognize the sender’s phone number?”
She forced herself to look at the screen. “No. It’s not in my address book or a name would show up with the number.”
“At this point, we can assume Saunders was the one who put the phone here and knows it was you last night. He likely sent this text from an untraceable phone to cover his tracks.” Cole stabbed a finger at the screen. “He sent this at 10:45, so he must have found the phone just after he talked to you.”
Feeling Cole watching her, she looked up at him. “But why risk bringing my cell back here? Why not wait until I got my new phone and then send a message?”
Cole’s eyes darkened from a deep blue to black, ramping up her heart rate again. He opened his mouth for a moment then closed it.
Unwilling to put voice to her question again, she waited for him to speak.
“It’s all about control and manipulation,” he finally said and paused, his hands clenching and releasing. “Saunders wants you to know how vulnerable you are. To know that he can get to you whenever and wherever he wants. And even with us by your side, you’re powerless to stop him.”
* * *
The color drained from Alyssa’s face, as Cole suspected it would. He hadn’t wanted to answer her question, but he’d told her he’d be honest with her. He’d held true to his word, even though hearing it hurt her. And he had to accept all the blame for putting her in this position. He’d failed her. His job was to protect her and that meant not only keeping her out of Saunders’s grasp, but away from the threats the creep wanted to hurl at her.
Anger over Saunders’s actions and his own failures raced up his back.
“I won’t let you stay here tonight,” he barked out before taking the time to cool down. “Pack a bag for you and the kids. You’ll stay at the beach house with Dani and me.”
Alyssa took a step back and crossed her arms. He waited for her to say something, but she didn’t speak. He’d come on too strong. Like earlier in the parking lot. Like he always did, and he’d made her mad. Just the opposite of what should happen. He needed her compliant and ready to act to whatever directions he gave so he could ensure her safety. Point blank, he need
ed her to trust him, not run from his directions.
“Look.” He paused to soften his voice. “That came out all wrong. I should have recommended this option to you instead of demanding your compliance.”
“You think?” she said sounding mad.
“I seem to be hitting all of your buttons today. Can I have a do-over?” He forced his lips to turn up, though he felt nothing like smiling.
His smile had no effect on her demeanor. “If this protection thing is going to work, you need to know that in addition to not being lied to, I won’t be told what to do. I had enough of that with Todd.”
“I’ll try to be more agreeable,” he said, but her body still radiated anger. “C’mon, Alyssa, I’m trying to apologize but I need you to remember my main duty is to protect you. That often means reacting at the spur of the moment and issuing directives. To keep you safe, I need to know you’ll do as I say.”
She seemed unimpressed with his answer. “It’s not as if someone is knocking the door down right now to hurt me.”
“You’re right. I was out of line. I apologize.”
“And I’m sorry for overreacting.” She relaxed her arms but kept them crossed. “Not that it’s an excuse, but Todd came home from work every day with a drill-sergeant attitude. That included grabbing my arm like you did earlier. I don’t know if he didn’t know how to turn it off or he didn’t want to. Either way he expected us to comply with his demands.”
Cole felt like a heel for bringing up these obviously painful memories. He’d known many officers who couldn’t let go of the attitude they needed to stay alive on the streets, and their marriages fell apart as a result. Cole did not want to be like that, but maybe this relentless fear of failing someone was turning him into that guy.
“I’m sorry if I came off like a jerk.” He took a step closer to her. “Will you and the twins stay with Dani and me?”
“As much as I’ve given you grief over this, I know it would be foolish to stay here,” she said as a glazed look of despair spread over her face. “I’ll go pack.”
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