Down to the Wire

by Laura Scott

  Unless Gray had somehow managed to figure out where Declan lived and had been watching his house? He clenched his jaw and tightened his grip on the steering wheel to control the flash of anger at the thought.

  “Declan? What’s wrong?” Tess asked.

  He tried to relax his facial expression, secretly amazed at how Tess was so in tune to his feelings. After a moment he admitted, “I saw your neighbor Allan Gray at that gas station.”

  “Really?” She swiveled in her seat in an attempt to catch a glimpse, but the station was well behind them by now. “Must be a coincidence.”

  He didn’t believe in them but didn’t bother pointing that out since there was no reason to scare Tess any more than absolutely necessary. Yet he needed her to be hyperaware of her surroundings just in case Allan Gray was the man guilty of setting bombs around the city.

  “Allan?” Bobby echoed in surprise. “You mean our weird neighbor? That Allan?”

  Declan met Bobby’s gaze through the rearview mirror. “Yeah, why? Do you know something about him?”

  Bobby squirmed in his seat. “I know he has a crush on Tess,” he finally admitted.

  “How do you know that?” she asked incredulously.

  “Come on, Tess, he asks about you every single time he sees me. ‘Where’s Tess? How is she doing? Is she still seeing that Jeff guy?’” Bobby shrugged. “I knew he wanted to ask you out, but I think he was afraid of being rejected. He seemed harmless, so I didn’t think too much about it.”

  Declan knew his initial instincts about Gray were right. “I don’t think he’s harmless. Is he obsessed enough to follow Tess?”

  Bobby slowly nodded. “Yeah, I could see it. I caught him watching her from his window once. I confronted him, but of course he denied it. I let it go, figuring it was good enough that Allan knew I was onto him.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Tess asked in exasperation.

  “I didn’t want you to be creeped out about it,” Bobby said defensively. “I didn’t think he was dangerous.”

  “I’m not so sure,” Declan said in a low tone. “I don’t like the way he keeps turning up when least expected. I need to get Isaac and Caleb to help me follow him a little more closely. There’s something off about that guy and his bizarre fascination with Tess.”

  “I’ll help,” Bobby volunteered.

  Declan hesitated, not wanting to alienate Tess’s brother, yet at the same time, he didn’t need a teenage amateur to mess things up. “What I really need from you, Bobby, is to help me protect Tess. I can’t be with her 24/7, especially when I’m called away for SWAT team business. I feel much better knowing that you’ll be there, watching over her.”

  Bobby looked a little disappointed, but then he nodded. “You can count on me to help keep my sister safe.”

  “Good.” Declan drove around the block twice before turning into his driveway. “Don’t get out until the garage door has closed,” he cautioned as he pulled inside.

  Bobby and Tess waited until it completely closed behind them before they slid out of the truck. Declan led the way inside, turning on the small kitchen light over the sink and gesturing for them to sit at the table, which was out of sight from the main living area.

  “I need for the two of you to stay low, especially at night when it’s dark outside. I don’t want anyone watching from outside to see you.”

  Bobby surprised him by nodding in agreement. “It’s a good idea. We’ll stay well hidden.”

  Tess looked less than thrilled. “It’s going to be hard for us to find our way through a strange house in the dark.”

  “I’ll help you and since it’s late anyway, you two should probably get some sleep. We can discuss this more in the morning.”

  Tess reluctantly agreed. Declan led the way upstairs to the second floor, with Tess and Bobby behind him. He turned on the bathroom light so that they could at least see where the bedroom doors were located.

  “My twin nieces usually share this bedroom here,” he said, indicating the room off to the left. “There are two beds in there and I think it’s best for the two of you to stay together at least for tonight.”

  “Sounds good,” Tess agreed in a weary tone. She looked pale and drawn and he knew her head must be hurting her, even though she never once complained.

  He resisted the urge to pull her into his arms for a reassuring hug. The kiss they’d shared just a few hours earlier was way too fresh in his mind.

  “Come on, Tess. You can have first dibs on the bathroom,” Bobby said, urging his sister forward. “Good night, Declan.”

  “Good night.” Declan headed back downstairs. He waited a few minutes while Tess and Bobby got settled before grabbing his truck keys and slipping out to the garage.

  He intended to find Allan Gray. It was about time he turned the tables on who was following whom.

  * * *

  Tess woke abruptly from a sound sleep, her heart pounding with fear. She couldn’t figure out if she’d dreamed the noise or if she’d actually heard someone moving around in Declan’s house.

  She glanced over to see Bobby was sprawled on the twin bed against the opposite wall of the room. He was sound asleep and snoring softly. She relaxed a bit, glad that the noise, if she’d really heard it, wasn’t from Bobby leaving. But what had made that sound?

  Tess silently crept out of bed and made her way to the hallway, feeling along the wall as she went. There weren’t any lights on downstairs, and she paused at the top of the stairs, straining to listen.

  Was someone in the house? If so, she needed to get Declan, but she didn’t want to wake him up in the middle of the night if the noise she’d heard was nothing more than her overactive imagination.

  She didn’t hear anything beyond the beating of her own heart and she slowly relaxed. But now that she was up, she realized she was incredibly thirsty, so she slowly descended the stairs, wincing as one of them creaked loudly beneath her foot.

  Just as Tess reached the bottom step, a dark shadow loomed before her and hard hands grabbed her shoulders, causing her to let out a squeak of alarm.

  “Tess? What are you doing?”

  It took a minute for Declan’s familiar voice to register in her mind. “Me?” she asked in a whisper. “You’re the one who woke me up by making noise down here!”

  “You shouldn’t have come down here alone,” he muttered. His hands loosened but didn’t release her and she enjoyed the warmth of his touch, wishing she could make out the expression in his eyes.

  “I wasn’t sure if I had imagined it or not,” she admitted.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  She put her hand on his chest, realizing that his clothes were slightly damp. Was it raining outside? Had the noise she’d heard been the garage door closing? “Where did you go?”

  There was a long pause before Declan answered, “I went looking for your neighbor.”

  She was surprised at that. “Did you find him?”

  “Not right away. First I went to his house, but he wasn’t there. Then I came back to make sure he wasn’t hanging around watching my place. He wasn’t in the vicinity, but I eventually found his car in the parking lot of the hospital. I called the hospital—he’s working the graveyard shift tonight.”

  She wished he’d get over Allan Gray already. “I know you suspect Allan, but I really don’t think he’s the one setting bombs,” she said. “He’s smart, but not the destructive type.”

  She heard Declan sigh and when he dropped his hands from her shoulders, she immediately missed his touch. “You could be right,” he murmured. “But I still think it’s odd that he’s always around, even in areas where he shouldn’t be.”

  She rubbed her hands over her bare arms, feeling the chill in the air. “Maybe, but like I said, I can’t see Allan as a
big threat.”

  “Don’t underestimate him, Tess.”

  Declan’s serious tone made her shiver. “I won’t.” She moved to step around him, but his hand shot out to clasp her arm, stopping her.

  “Where are you going?” he asked.

  She rolled her eyes. “To get a drink of water, if that’s okay with you.”

  “Oh, sure. No problem.”

  Declan followed her into the kitchen and she felt a bit self-conscious as she filled a tall glass of water from the fridge. She downed half the glass and then took it with her to head back upstairs.

  Declan hovered nearby as she paused outside the doorway of the spare bedroom. “Good night,” she whispered.

  “Good night,” he echoed.

  She put her hand on the doorknob but then turned back toward him. “Declan? Thanks for believing in Bobby and for being so nice to him.”

  “He’s a good kid at heart,” he said gruffly. “And I can’t deny he reminds me of myself at that age.”

  She smiled. “You weren’t as tough as you wanted everyone to believe.”

  “I was tough,” he protested. “I only showed my softer side with you.”

  There was a strange intimacy in the air and Tess wanted to reach out to Declan, to tell him how much she was starting to care for him, but he stepped back, abruptly breaking the moment. “See you in the morning,” he said, before turning and walking into his room.

  She sighed, wondering if the attraction she felt was one-sided. Was he avoiding her on purpose? Maybe, since Declan had been the one to break off their kiss.

  She needed to keep her emotions in check. Declan was just being nice to her...nothing more. It would behoove her to remember that, because there was no point in setting herself up for a broken heart.

  * * *

  Sunlight pouring through the window woke Tess the following morning. She blinked, and then sat up when she realized the other bed was empty and she was alone in the room.

  For a moment panic seized her by the throat, but then she heard the muted sounds of voices coming from downstairs. Bobby was still here; he hadn’t left.

  She closed her eyes and sent up a quick prayer of thanks to God for bringing her brother home. She headed into the bathroom, grateful that her headache was almost completely gone. A hot shower and change of clothes made her feel like a new person.

  The scent of bacon and eggs made her stomach growl and she went down to the kitchen, pleasantly surprised to find Bobby and Declan huddled around a laptop computer, obviously working, their empty plates evidence of a shared breakfast.

  “Hey, sis, how are you feeling?” Bobby asked when he saw her.

  “Much better,” she admitted.

  “Are you hungry?” Declan asked with a smile. “Your brother offered to cook this morning.”

  “There’s plenty of bacon left...how would you like your eggs?” Bobby asked, jumping to his feet. “Scrambled? Over easy?”

  She was taken aback by the offer, since her brother had never bothered to cook when it was just the two of them at home. “Over easy would be awesome.”

  “Coming right up,” Bobby said, heading over to the frying pan sitting on the stove.

  Bemused, she sank into a chair next to Declan. “What are you guys working on?” she asked.

  “Bobby was giving me information on Mitch Turner,” he said, pointing to the computer screen. “Here’s his social media page, where he has several photos where he seems to be under the influence.”

  “Doesn’t he understand that anyone can see this stuff?” she asked, frowning at a terrible shot of Mitch looking completely stoned.

  “These photos can only be seen by his friends, but yeah, it’s crazy that he puts it all out there.”

  “Tell her about my truck,” Bobby said from the stove.

  “You found it?” she asked hopefully.

  “Yeah, it was left abandoned and out of gas at the end of a dead-end street, not far from Greenland Park,” Declan said. “We have the crime scene techs going over it now, looking for hair, fingerprints, et cetera.”

  “That’s wonderful news!” Tess exclaimed. “I’m sure Mitch left something incriminating behind.”

  “Yes, but that’s still a long ways from proving that he’s the one who assaulted you,” Declan cautioned. “Remember that Bobby and Mitch left the high school together in the truck, so the evidence would have to be something more than just fingerprints or hair. But it’s a step in the right direction.”

  Her brief flare of hope died as she realized Declan was right. They needed something more than just proof that Mitch was in the truck. “What if they found hair and fingerprints on the steering wheel? Wouldn’t that indicate that he was driving?”

  “Yes, but it’s still his word against Bobby’s. Don’t worry, we’ll get him.”

  “Your eggs are almost finished, Tess,” Bobby said. “Do you want toast, too?”

  “Sure.” She couldn’t help thinking that Bobby’s new helpful attitude had to be the direct result of being around Declan. She’d done her best in raising Bobby after their parents’ deaths, but clearly having a man’s influence meant more than she’d realized. Especially a guy like Declan.

  Bobby handed her a plateful of eggs, toast and bacon. “This looks delicious, thanks so much.”

  Bobby’s ears turned red and he shrugged off her gratitude. “It’s no biggie.”

  She let it go, sensing he was embarrassed and maybe he hadn’t wanted Declan to know that cooking breakfast was not the norm.

  “Do you know this guy standing next to Mitch?” Declan asked abruptly.

  She leaned forward, trying to get a look at the photo. Bobby sat down on Declan’s other side. “Yeah, that’s Ken Rogers. He graduated last year,” her brother said.

  “He’s wearing a green baseball hat,” Declan said, glancing over at Tess. “Do you think this could be the same guy you saw near the maple tree at the school parking lot?”

  The bite of toast lodged in her throat and she swallowed hard before leaning over to look intently at the picture. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “Ken’s hat has a Green Bay Packer emblem on the front, but I think the other guy’s hat was plain.”

  “Here, look at these photos again,” Declan suggested. She stood next to him, surprised to see that several of the close-up shots that Nate had taken from the surveillance camera were uploaded on his computer.

  It wasn’t easy to concentrate on the photos with Declan’s musky scent filling her head, but she did her best. “He’s not the same guy, I’m almost sure of it,” Tess said. “See this picture? There’s no emblem on the front of his cap, and you can see that his hair is brown or dark blond, not nearly as dark as the kid standing next to Mitch.”

  “Okay, you’re right,” Declan acknowledged. “If only we could get one solid lead on this guy.”

  Tess reluctantly returned to her seat to continue eating, while Bobby and Declan went through the photos from the crime scene. She was secretly relieved when Bobby didn’t recognize the suspect, either.

  Declan’s phone rang, interrupting them. “Yeah, Isaac, what’s up?”

  There was a brief pause before Declan shot to his feet so fast he knocked his kitchen chair over. “Really? I’m on my way.”

  “What’s wrong?” Tess asked.

  “I have to go. They arrested Mitch Turner,” Declan said excitedly. “This could be the break in the case we’ve been looking for.”

  “Can I come with you?” Bobby asked.

  “I need you to stay here with Tess.” Declan picked up the chair he’d knocked over and glanced between the two of them. “I don’t like leaving you here alone, but hopefully this won’t take long. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

  “We’ll be fine,” Tess assured him, standing
next to Bobby.

  “I hope he confesses to assaulting you,” her brother muttered. “He needs to pay for that.”

  Tess couldn’t stop herself from reaching out to gently squeeze Declan’s arm in lieu of hugging him. She didn’t say anything to stop him from going, but she had a bad feeling that Mitch could easily turn everything around onto Bobby. She could only hope that Declan would find a way to get to the truth.

  FOURTEEN

  Declan watched as Isaac questioned Mitch Turner about the events that took place over the past few days. Mitch looked pretty bad—he was pale, sweaty and shaky, and Declan figured the kid was on the verge of going through withdrawal from whatever drugs he’d been taking.

  “Tell me again how you ended up with Bobby Collins’s phone?” Isaac said patiently.

  Mitch shifted in his seat and tapped his fingers on the desktop. “Bobby gave it to me. Just like he loaned me his truck. He’s lying if he’s telling you something different.”

  “So where’s Bobby now?” Isaac asked. “Why did he leave you with his stuff?”

  Mitch looked confused for a moment and it was clear to Declan that the kid’s brain wasn’t firing on all cylinders. “Uh, he had to go home. His sister told him to come home.”

  “How did his sister do that?” Isaac asked. “You had his phone, so how did he talk to his sister?”

  “I gave him his phone when she called.”

  “And when was that?” Isaac murmured, leaning back in his chair.

  “I don’t remember.” Mitch glanced around as if looking for a way out.

  “And how did Bobby get home?”

  “I drove him.”

  “See, that’s where I have trouble with your story,” Isaac said with a puzzled frown. “Why would Bobby let you drive him home, leaving him without his truck or his phone? Doesn’t he normally drop you off at your place?”

  “Yeah, but this was different.” Mitch shifted again and his finger tapping became more pronounced. “I needed a favor.”

  “You needed to buy drugs.”

  Mitch nodded but then caught himself. “No way, man, that’s not true.”