“Are you kidding? Of course I do.” He held out his fist and bumped Riley’s.
“Snack first,” Alyssa warned.
“Aw, Mom.”
“Hey.” Cole grabbed Riley and knuckled his head. “If you don’t eat something you’ll never stand a chance at beating me out there.”
“Fine, but hurry, Mom, okay?”
She smiled at her son and went to the kitchen. She heard multiple sets of footsteps follow, and when she turned from getting yogurt from the refrigerator she found Dani leaning on the counter and Riley already on a bar stool.
“You have to wash your hands, Riley.” He raced off to the bathroom.
Alyssa looked for Brianna and found her pulling a piece of paper from her backpack before shyly approaching Cole. She tugged on the back of his shirt, and he slowly turned.
“Hey, Brianna,” he said softly.
“I made this for you. It’s us. We’re playing Pretty Pretty Princess.” She handed the paper to him, and he studied it for a long moment. Alyssa could tell the picture moved him. He squatted to Brianna’s level and smiled. “It’s beautiful. Maybe we can play for real later.”
Alyssa’s heart was melting into a puddle, and she wished she could see her daughter’s reaction.
“When I was little, my mom put all her favorite pictures on the front of the refrigerator,” Cole went on. “I think something this special should have a place of honor there, don’t you?”
She nodded and Cole gently scooped her up with his free arm. She settled her arm around his neck, and they came into the kitchen.
“Thank you,” Alyssa mouthed as they passed.
Cole responded with a sweet smile that sent her heart thumping again. She couldn’t keep wishing for things he couldn’t give her. She busied herself with getting silverware and napkins out so she wouldn’t think about it.
“How about we get washed up for a snack, too?” Cole asked after putting the picture under magnets from local businesses.
“Yes, please.”
Cole took Briana to the kitchen sink and together they washed hands. Brianna giggled in a way Alyssa hadn’t heard since Todd had moved out of their house. Alyssa set places for Riley and Brianna, and Cole came around the counter to sit. Instead of putting Brianna on the stool next to him as Alyssa figured he’d do, he settled her on his lap.
Riley charged up to them and gave Cole a suspicious look. “Where’s Cole’s yogurt? He needs a snack, too.”
“Yeah, I need a snack, too.” Cole smiled up at her again, his happiness in such direct contrast to the broken man she’d seen only moments ago that she simply stared back.
Dani cleared her throat. “Um, since the two of you seem so busy, I’ll get the yogurt.”
Alyssa felt her face flush red and was grateful when Cole looked away. Riley saved her by starting to chat about his day. Brianna chimed in every so often, but mostly she kept looking at Cole in a way that Alyssa hated to admit she herself had probably been doing. In fact, Brianna was so absorbed in watching him she barely touched her yogurt. When Riley finished and hopped down, she’d only taken a few bites.
Riley danced in place. “C’mon, Cole, let’s go before it starts raining again.”
“Get the football from the closet, and I’ll be right there.” Cole tweaked Brianna’s nose. “Sorry, honey, it’s time for me to go outside with Riley.”
Brianna slipped off Cole’s lap, her happiness evaporating in a puff. Cole got up and paused to stroke the back of Brianna’s head for a few moments. He was an intuitive man, willing to help Brianna with her hurt feelings. After grabbing some water bottles from the fridge, he and Riley headed outside.
“Okay, so what’s going on here?” Dani said the moment the door closed.
Alyssa worked on putting a blank expression on her face. When she thought she’d mastered it, she turned to Dani. “What do you mean?”
Dani laughed. “Good one. Like I could miss the tension in the air.”
Alyssa cut her eyes at Brianna, who fixed her attention on them. “Big ears.”
“Okay, later, but there will be a time for us to talk.” Dani grabbed a soda from the fridge and with a meaningful glance left the kitchen.
“Eat up, sweetie,” Alyssa said to Brianna. After checking to see that Dani had gone to her room, Alyssa went into the family room to watch Cole and Riley through the window.
Riley ran in circles and Cole chased, grabbing him and tackling him to the sand. Cole’s back still must be hurting from the explosion and his gunshot wound, yet he didn’t seem to care. Riley, eyes alight with laughter, climbed on top of Cole’s chest and pinned him to the ground. Cole seemed to struggle for a while then, circling an arm around Riley, he came to his feet and swung Riley in a circle.
Alyssa could hear them both laugh through the window and their joy brought a smile to her face. Her children had been through so much, but Cole gave her hope that they really were resilient and would be okay.
Brianna joined her and looked longingly at the roughhousing pair. Her daughter didn’t play outside much. She was more of a solitary books and movie kind of girl, but today she wanted to join in.
“You want to go out and play with them?” Alyssa asked.
“Cole didn’t ask me.” Her lip jutted out.
“I’m sure that’s because he knew you had to finish your snack first. I’ll bet he’d like it if you joined them.”
She took a step then hesitated.
“It’s okay, sweetie. You can go.”
She took one last look at Alyssa then ran for her coat and out the door. Once outside, she slowly approached the pair. They didn’t notice her at first, and she settled onto the dune. Cole spun around and when his eyes landed on her, he smiled widely and went to her. He knelt by her as Riley climbed onto his back. Alyssa expected him to wince, but he simply smiled down at Brianna and talked to her. She nodded and jumped up so fast it startled Alyssa. He flipped Riley to the front, said something to him and put him down. Riley ran toward the ball and Cole scooped Brianna into his arms.
Alyssa held her breath, waiting for her daughter to cry. She was much more fragile than Riley. Alyssa took a step toward the door to tell Cole to take it easy. But she didn’t need to say anything. He swung her in circles as he had with Riley, but he cradled her gently in his arms instead of letting her fly. Riley came over and tackled Cole’s legs. He fell to the ground but landed on his side, protecting Brianna from the fall. She squealed in delight. Both of her children climbed on top of Cole.
They played that way until Cole called a truce and offered water to her children. Cole sat, legs outstretched, ankles crossed and Riley plopped down next to him, checking out Cole and mimicking his position.
Alyssa sighed and leaned her head against the window. Riley was desperate for a good male role model, and she certainly wanted one in his life. Someone strong, kind and ethical. Someone like Cole Justice.
How she’d ever thought he was like Todd was beyond her. True, Cole had withdrawn from life over his trauma in Iraq, but unlike Todd, Cole could interact with her children. He’d come through a life-altering experience, suffered from it, yet inside he wasn’t cold and hard. Cole was warm and caring. The very opposite of Todd.
This thought should make her feel better, but the reverse was true. It took all of her reasons for not loving Cole out of the equation.
Now all that was left was to overcome Cole’s problems—and she didn’t even know where to begin.
EIGHTEEN
“You’re sure about this?” Cole stared at Agent Carter. They’d just finished dinner when he’d summoned Cole to his hotel room to share information about the investigation that he wouldn’t discuss on the phone. Cole couldn’t imagine Carter had uncovered much in the first day of investigation, but Carter had proved Cole wrong.
Cole hated that two more cops would be implicated in this, but if both police chiefs had broken the law, they needed to pay. “So you’ll be bringing Chief Saunders up on charges for obstructing justice.”
Carter shifted in his chair. “Yes, but there’s more. You may want to be sitting down for this.”
Cole’s gut tightened but he stood his ground. “Go on.”
“We’ve uncovered proof that Nolan wasn’t the head of the drug organization.”
“Interesting. But not surprising enough to have to sit down.”
“It’s the top dog’s identity that’ll get to you.”
“Out with it already,” Cole snapped, getting tired of all of this drama.
“Nolan took his orders from his father.”
“Chief Saunders?”
“Chief Saunders.”
Cole let the news sink in. “So if Chief Saunders was in charge...”
“Then he could be the one who ordered Todd’s murder. And maybe he ordered Alyssa’s, too, while his son tried to warn her off.”
“Then she’s still in danger.” And she needed protection. Cole’s protection. Now!
“I’ve gotta go.” He bolted for the door and charged to his car. His heart racing, he revved the engine and dialed Dani.
“Hey, Cole,” she answered.
“Where’s Alyssa?” He shifted into drive and careened his car onto the street.
“She went for a run, why?”
“Chief Saunders is the real mastermind of the drug operation. He’s the one who wants her dead.”
“Oh, no,” Dani said, letting her voice fall off.
“I need you to stay with the twins, and I’ll find her.” His mind raced with thoughts of Alyssa in the dark with no protection. “Did she say where she was going to run?”
“No. Oh, Cole. I’m so sorry. I should’ve asked but she seemed preoccupied and I didn’t want to intrude.”
“It’s not your fault. You didn’t think she was in any danger.” It’s my fault, his mind screamed. “I’ll try calling her.”
He ended his call and speed dialed Alyssa. The call went to voice mail. He slammed a fist on the steering wheel. “Think,” he mumbled. “Where would she be?”
She’d told him she ran on the beach in the morning and on the path at night. He’d try the path first. He wove in and out of the light evening traffic, praying he wasn’t stopped for speeding.
Help me find her, Father. Please.
He turned into the parking lot and came to a screeching stop, then flew from the car to the jogging trail. A heavy chain was strung across the mouth of the trail announcing its closure due to a rockslide.
Cole’s heart fractured. He’d chosen wrong. So wrong.
He reversed course and shot his SUV onto the highway. He cut off a car and their brakes squealed to a stop, the car nearly taking Cole out. He needed to relax. He couldn’t help Alyssa if he was hurt in a car accident.
This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t be late again. Not again.
“Father, please, please let me arrive on time,” he whispered as he honked his horn at a slow-moving car then swerved around him.
He pressed the gas pedal, flying above the speed limit to get to the woman who’d captured his heart. So what if he had baggage from the past? Everyone did, but he’d wallowed in it long enough. It was time to move on. Live fully again. Declare his love for Alyssa and ask her to take him, baggage and all.
If she didn’t come to any harm.
Lord, please. I can’t lose Alyssa. Not now.
* * *
Alyssa’s teeth rattled, her body a mass of shivers as she looked longingly at the sand. She’d been so busy concentrating on her rhythm as she ran to keep her mind off Cole that she hadn’t heard Chief Saunders sneak up behind her on the beach. He’d pressed a gun into her back and forced her into the water. She’d been in the icy waves too long already, and she could feel her heart slowing down. She’d lived near the ocean long enough to know she’d soon get sleepy and then so relaxed that she’d slip below the tides to a watery grave. Just as Saunders hoped would happen.
She could handle dying—she really could. She knew her eternal resting place. But her children couldn’t handle losing their only parent.
Oh, Lord, please don’t let me die and leave my children without both parents.
Her eyes grew heavy, and she let her head fall back into the freezing surf. With her parents gone and no siblings, who would look after Riley and Brianna? A picture of Cole playing with them this afternoon, his eyes filled with the same mischief as her children, flashed into her brain.
Cole would be the perfect person to take them. The thought came unbidden to the surface. She trusted him. Fully, completely. He was gentle yet firm with the twins, and they’d already come to care for him. As had she. And now she may never get the chance to tell him how much she loved him.
The will to live took hold, and she slapped her hands against her arms to stay awake.
Heavenly Father, please send help. I want to live. How I want to live and make a life with Cole and my children.
* * *
Cole raced down the beach toward the rock where he’d first met Alyssa. His feet battled through the soft sand, slowing him down. He spotted a tall man standing near the shore, his back to Cole. He wore a uniform. Cole felt sure it was Chief Saunders, but he saw no sign of Alyssa.
“Please,” he heard her say from the other side of the man. Cole craned his neck and caught sight of her in the water, submerged up to her chin. “My children need me.”
“You should’ve thought of that before you let your boyfriend kill my son.” The chief waved his gun. “Death will come sooner if you relax.” The chief laughed. “It worked with Gibson and it’ll work with you. When your body washes up, I’ll make sure everyone thinks you felt so guilty over Nolan’s death that you ended your life.”
So that was his plan.
“No one will believe that. Especially not Cole. He’ll come after you.” Her words were slurred, and Cole knew from his military training that she was fast heading toward hypothermia.
If only he hadn’t gone to the trail first. Now he could lose her.
Stop it, he warned himself.
He acted with the knowledge he had at the time, and that was all he could’ve done. Only God knew what was going to happen and Cole could finally live with that. But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t do everything within his power to save her.
He searched the beach for a way out of this disaster. If he drew the chief’s attention, Alyssa could climb out of the water.
“Saunders,” Cole shouted.
The chief spun. “Well, well, well. I couldn’t have planned this better if I had scripted it myself. Now I can get rid of you both at the same time.”
“Come on,” Cole said. “You’re a sworn officer of the law. Nolan wouldn’t want you to kill on his behalf.”
The chief snorted. “Fat lot you know. I’ve cleaned up that boy’s messes too many times to count.”
Was he saying he’d done the killing, not Nolan?
“I don’t understand,” Cole said and saw Alyssa rising out of the water behind the chief. She swayed but slowly moved toward the beach.
“Nolan was my son and I loved him dearly, but he could no more end someone’s life than he could be the man I wanted him to be.” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t be here right now if he’d gotten rid of Alyssa like I told him. But no, he had to keep warning her, thinking he could scare her off and I
would let her go.”
“But you would’ve still killed her, right?” Cole dragged his eyes from Alyssa to keep from tipping off the chief.
“Of course I woulda. I haven’t succeeded in the meth business for ten years by leaving loose ends.”
“So the man in Astoria and Todd? If that wasn’t Nolan’s doing, why’d he tell everyone it was?”
“Was the only way to keep our men in line.” The chief snarled. “Enough of this chitchat. I’m here to avenge Nolan’s death. You messed with the wrong man, Justice.” He continued rambling, but Cole tuned him out and focused on Alyssa.
She eased closer and signaled her intent to ram the chief. Cole wanted to shake his head, tell her to back off. She was too weak and the chief was a big man. But she moved forward, her focus fixed on the chief, a pit-bull expression planted on her face.
As she took the last step, Cole made ready to hit the dirt. He wore his vest, but a stray bullet from the chief’s gun could take him down.
Alyssa crossed her arms over her chest and plunged forward. Surprise flashed across the chief’s face and his finger constricted on the trigger, but he was already on his way down when the gun exploded in a deafening bang. The bullet pierced a dune, sand spraying into the air.
Alyssa fell to the ground and didn’t move.
Cole wanted to rush to her, but he had to subdue the chief while he was down. Cole dove onto the chief’s back, knocking the gun away and forcing his face into the sand. Cole jerked the burly man’s arms behind his back.
“Alyssa,” Cole called out.
“Cole.” Her weak voice gave him a moment’s pause.
He had to restrain the chief and get her to the car to warm her body. Cole snagged handcuffs from the chief’s belt and fastened them tightly.
“Take it easy, man,” the chief growled.
Cole searched him, removing his backup weapon and Taser. Cole jumped up and scooped Alyssa into his arms. He cradled her against his chest, willing her to take whatever warmth she could from his body. “Hang in there, sweetheart. Don’t leave me now. I love you.”
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