Kade

by Delores Fossen

  “Did. You. Hold. Me. Captive?” Bree repeated. Her anger came through loud and clear.

  Jamie shifted again. “No.” She paused. “Are you accusing me so you can protect your boss? My advice? Don’t. Because accusing me won’t do anything for your safety. Or your baby’s safety.” Jamie leaned in and lowered her voice as if telling a secret. “Investigate him, and you’ll learn the truth, even if it’s not what you want to hear.”

  That got Coop started again. “I want to see this so-called proof of my guilt,” Coop demanded.

  Anthony lifted his hands, palms up. “You think I’m stupid enough to bring it with me? Right. Then you just kill me and take it.”

  “I’m an FBI agent,” Coop fired back, “and I’m not in the habit of killing people just because they’re telling lies about me.”

  “I’m not lying, and you know it.” Anthony turned to Kade and Bree. “I have an eyewitness who’ll testify that Agent Cooper here had a meeting with my father at the clinic, less than an hour before your cover was blown.”

  Oh, that was not what Kade wanted to hear, and by God, it had better not be true. If so, Coop would pay and pay hard.

  “That witness will also tell you that Cooper took money from my father,” Anthony smugly added.

  It took a moment for Kade to get his teeth unclenched. Bree had a similar reaction. She was hurling daggers at Anthony with a cold glare, but she wasn’t exactly giving Coop a resounding vote of confidence, either.

  “Sounds like I need to talk to this witness,” Bree commented.

  “No, you don’t.” Coop walked toward Jamie and Anthony with his finger pointing at the man who’d just accused him of assorted felonies. “I’m not going to let you get away with this.”

  Because Kade didn’t want Coop to do something they’d both regret, he grabbed his fellow agent. He held on until he was sure Coop would stay put.

  “We’re not dealing with this here at the ranch,” Kade informed Anthony, Jamie and Coop. He shifted his attention to Anthony. “Bring the witness to the Silver Creek sheriff’s office. And while you’re at it, both of you come prepared to answer some more questions because this investigation is just getting started.”

  Jamie groaned softly and mumbled something. “I’ve had enough questions to last me a lifetime.”

  Kade tossed her a glare. “Then you’ll get a few more. Be there when Anthony brings in this secret witness.”

  Much to Kade’s surprise, Anthony nodded, and his smile wasn’t so little now. The man was smirking when he headed back to his car. “Come on, Jamie. We’re finished here, for the moment.”

  But Jamie paused a moment and glanced over her shoulder at Anthony before she spoke. “I don’t trust Anthony,” she said in a whisper. “And neither should you. The man is dangerous.”

  Bree and Kade exchanged a glance, and she was no doubt thinking the same thing—what the heck was this all about? One minute ago Jamie had been ice-cold and unruffled. Now she looked on the verge of panicking.

  “If Anthony is dangerous, then why did you come here with him?” Bree asked.

  Jamie didn’t answer right away. She glanced over her shoulder again as if to make sure Anthony wasn’t close enough to hear. “Because sometimes the only choice you have is to cooperate.” And with that, she turned and followed Anthony to the car.

  “They’re liars,” Coop repeated before Anthony even started the engine. “It’s a mistake to give them an audience for whatever it is they’re trying to pull.”

  Kade shrugged. “I have to start somewhere to get to the bottom of what happened to Bree.”

  “What happened to Bree is my concern,” Coop snapped.

  That was not the right thing to say, especially after those heated accusations that Anthony had just made. Kade had to fight once more to hang on to his temper, but Bree beat him to the punch.

  “Kade and I became parents,” she reminded him. And there was a bite to her voice. “What happened is most definitely his concern.”

  That didn’t cool down the anger in Coop’s face. He opened his mouth, no doubt ready to argue, but there was no argument he could give that would make Kade back off from this investigation. His baby girl’s safety was at stake.

  Coop gave her a look that could have frozen hell. “Be careful who you cast your lot with, Bree. It could come back to bite you.”

  Bree faced him head-on. “I’m always careful.”

  That obviously didn’t please him because he cursed. “I’m giving you forty-eight hours.” Coop’s voice had that dangerous edge to it again. “If you’re not at headquarters by then, you’ll never see your badge again.”

  Chapter Eight

  Bree watched Leah sleep and hoped the baby would wake up before Kade’s brother Grayson arrived to take her to the house in San Antonio. These last minutes with her daughter were precious time, and she needed every second to count.

  “Grayson will be here in about a half hour,” Kade informed her when he got off the phone.

  Bree had listened in on the flurry of calls that Kade had made after their guests’ departures, but her main focus had been on Leah.

  And her badge.

  It was hard to push that aside completely, even though that’s exactly what Bree wanted to do.

  She’d been an agent for five years now, after she’d slogged her way through college night classes at the University of Texas and cruddy jobs so she could get her degree. And Coop had helped with that. In fact, he’d helped with a lot of things to put her on track and keep her there. He hadn’t just been her boss but also her mentor and friend.

  “All three of the nannies will be at the estate in San Antonio,” Kade explained. “So, Leah will have lots of attention from them and her three aunts.”

  Still, it hurt that she wouldn’t be there to share it. “I’ve never thought of family as being a good thing,” she mumbled. “But I’m glad Leah has yours.”

  “So am I.” He walked back to the sofa where she was seated. “It’s not too late, you know. You can go to San Antonio with them.”

  Mercy, that was tempting, just so she wouldn’t have to leave Leah, but Bree had to shake her head. “Too big of a risk, especially since all of our suspects know I’m with you.”

  Bree’s gaze whipped to his. “Please tell me that Grayson will take precautions when driving Leah to San Antonio. McClendon and the others can’t follow him.”

  “They won’t follow,” Kade promised. “Grayson’s a good lawman. And besides, his pregnant wife is at the house. He wouldn’t put her or any of the rest of the family at risk.”

  Further risk, Bree mentally corrected. Because the risk was already there.

  He sank down on the sofa next to her and touched Leah’s cheek. The baby stirred a little but went straight back to sleep. Bree repeated what Kade had done and got the same results.

  “Don’t worry,” Kade said. “You’ll have time with her after this is over.”

  Yes, and that was another unsettled issue to go with the others. Leah. A custody arrangement. And the man next to her.

  Her mind was already spinning with some possibilities. “Maybe I can move to Silver Creek. And get a regular job with the FBI.” Those were things she’d considered before Coop’s visit. “If I still have a badge, that is.”

  “You will,” Kade promised. “Coop was just, well, I think he was pissed that you didn’t jump to go back with him. He’s pretty territorial when it comes to you.”

  That sent her gaze back to his. “There’s nothing personal between Coop and me.”

  “Didn’t think there was on your part, but Coop’s reaction could be because of guilt. He failed to protect you, and now he’s trying to make sure nothing else goes wrong.”

  She stared at him. “Or?”

  Kade shrugged. “Or Anthony’s accusations could be true. We have to at least consider that Coop might be in on this. I’m having someone check his financials to see if there’s a money trail that leads to the Fulbright clinic or any of o
ur suspects.”

  Before today, Bree would have jumped to defend her boss. But that was before someone tried to kill her. “What about this witness that Anthony claims he has?”

  Another head shake. “Anthony won’t give names, but both Jamie and he are supposed to show up at the sheriff’s office tomorrow. Grayson told them they’d better have proof and the witness.”

  That caused her stomach to churn, because she didn’t want to believe that Coop could have endangered her this way. But it also gave her some relief. If Anthony maybe had proof that could lead to an arrest, then Bree wouldn’t have to be away from Leah very long.

  Of course, that might not end the danger.

  Coop could be just a small piece in all of this. An insignificant piece. But Bree still didn’t like that he could have kept a secret that would have an impact on the investigation. Not just for the Fulbright clinic but for the aftermath and what had happened to her.

  “When are Anthony’s and Jamie’s trial dates?” she asked Kade.

  “Two more weeks. I’ll testify. They’ll want you to do the same.”

  Yes, because their testimony was what would convict them of the worst of the charges since there wasn’t a lot of hard evidence.

  “Nothing else on those missing surveillance backups?” she pressed.

  “No. We have agents looking for them, though. Agents who don’t work for Coop,” he added before she could voice her concern. “Even if we don’t find them before the trial dates, our testimony should be enough to convict Jamie and Anthony of at least some of the charges. The security guards, too.”

  Because those guards had tried to kill Kade and her on that undercover assignment. Plus, she could testify about the two illegal immigrant surrogates she’d ferreted out while there. The women had said both Jamie and Anthony were responsible for them being at the clinic. Of course, the women had also since disappeared and hopefully were alive somewhere, but Bree’s testimony should be sufficient.

  Unless…

  “McClendon’s lawyers could use my ordeal to question how reliable my memories are.” That didn’t help with the acid in her stomach. “And we don’t have proof that McClendon, Anthony or Jamie was the one who had me kidnapped.”

  Kade nodded and eased his arm around her. He also eased her to him. “Two weeks is a long time, Bree. Anthony’s witness could pan out.”

  And if so, that meant Coop would be arrested or implicated in something bad. It was a long shot and one she hoped she didn’t have to face.

  “What if an arrest doesn’t end the threat against us?” she asked.

  “Then, we keep looking.”

  Kade pulled in a deep breath and brushed a kiss on her forehead. He didn’t look at her, and it didn’t seem as if he’d noticed what he had done. That made it even more scary. Had they become so comfortable with each other that a benign peck was standard?

  Apparently so.

  The danger was responsible for that. And Leah. Kade and she were joined at the hip now, and that wasn’t likely to end anytime soon. Their situation was bringing them closer together and keeping them there. For now. But Bree knew that bubbles often burst.

  “I know you’re uncomfortable with all of this,” Kade said. He glanced at his arm slung around her and then at the spot where he’d kissed her.

  So, he had been aware of what he’d done.

  “I’m comfortable,” she corrected. “And that’s what makes me most uncomfortable.”

  He laughed. It was smoky and thick. All male. And she realized it was the first time she’d heard him do that. It made her smile in spite of the mess they were in. And then the easy way she’d smiled only added to the discomfort.

  Sheez.

  She was in trouble here in more ways than one.

  “If you take the danger out of the situation,” he continued, “then what’s happening between us might not be a bad thing. I mean, I’m attracted to you, and I’m pretty sure you’re attracted to me. That’s better than having us at each other’s throats.”

  That created an image that she tried to push aside. Fast. Of Kade kissing her throat. Her, kissing his. Heck, she was just fantasizing about kissing him, period.

  “The attraction isn’t going to make this easier,” she reminded him.

  He paused, made a sound of agreement. Then, made another sound that could have meant anything. “Not easier, but I can’t seem to stop it. I dreamed about you.”

  She risked looking at him, even though that put them face-to-face with their mouths too close together. Another kiss wouldn’t send them into a wild scramble to have sex on the sofa. Because Leah was there. But if the baby hadn’t been, then all bets were off.

  And Grayson would arrive soon to take Leah.

  What then?

  More dreams, no doubt.

  She didn’t question Kade about his dream. Didn’t need to hear the details. She’d had enough hot dreams about him when they’d played under the covers at the clinic. She doubted his dreams about her could be as hot as the ones she’d had about him.

  The corner of his mouth lifted, and a dimple flashed in his cheek. That smile no doubt caused many women to melt into a puddle.

  And it was doing the same to her.

  But the puddle cooled down when she heard the sound. It was slight. Like a little squeak. However, it was enough to send Kade and her looking down at Leah. The baby squirmed, made another of those sounds.

  And her eyes finally opened.

  “About time you woke up,” Kade told her, and he kissed the baby on her cheek.

  Bree did the same. A puddle of a different kind. How could she possibly love someone this much?

  “I’ll miss her,” Bree whispered. And that was a huge understatement. It would kill a piece of her to see Grayson take her baby out that door.

  “Yeah,” Kade agreed. It sounded as if he had a lump in his throat. He opened his mouth to say more, but another sound stopped him.

  Footsteps.

  And that meant Grayson had likely arrived to take Leah away. Bree instantly had to blink back tears.

  However, it was Mason who appeared in the doorway, and while he wasn’t exactly out of breath, he had obviously hurried. He was also carrying a laptop. “We have another problem,” he told them.

  Bree groaned. “Not another visitor?”

  “Of sorts,” Mason verified. “You guys are real popular today. Someone just scaled over the fence. And that someone is armed.”

  * * *

  KADE CURSED AND DREW HIS GUN. He didn’t want a confrontation with a gunman. Especially not with Leah still in the house. Not with Bree there, either.

  Mason put the laptop on the table in front of them. The screen was split into six frames, each of them showing the feed from the various security cameras positioned around the grounds. Mason pointed to the top right where Kade could see an armed man behind a tree. He was armed all right.

  A rifle with a scope.

  Bree pulled Leah even closer to her. “How far away is he from the house?”

  “Half mile,” Mason answered.

  But the moment Mason spoke, the guy darted out and raced for cover behind another tree. He was moving closer to the house. Closer to Leah.

  “I’ve alerted the ranch hands,” Mason continued. He drew his gun. “And I’m about to head out there myself.”

  Kade wanted to go with him. He wanted to be the one to confront this SOB and one way or another get some answers from him.

  But that would mean leaving Bree and Leah alone.

  He couldn’t do that. Too big of a risk.

  “I’ll watch the surveillance and call you if there’s a problem,” Kade assured his brother.

  Mason nodded, switched his phone to the vibrate mode so that it wouldn’t be heard, and he hurried out of the room.

  Bree moved closer to the laptop screen, her attention fastened on the man who was wearing dark camouflage pants and shirt. He had a black cap that obscured the upper part of his face.

 
; “How tall do you think he is?” Bree asked.

  “Six feet, maybe.” He glanced at her. “Why? Do you recognize him?”

  She kept studying him. “Maybe. I think it could be the man who kidnapped me. There’s something about the way he’s holding that rifle that looks familiar.”

  Then Kade wanted the man alive. Of course, his brother already knew that. Because this goon could give them answers. Kade wasn’t sure if he could keep his temper in check if this was the man who’d put Bree through hell and back.

  “Your captor held a rifle on you?” Kade wanted to know.

  Bree nodded, and that only added to the anger he’d felt. Each little piece of information only worsened the description of hell that she’d been put through.

  The gunman moved again, going behind another tree. The shift in position only highlighted more of his face. Kade couldn’t see the guy’s eyes, but they had a clearer image of his mouth and chin.

  “Recognize him?” Kade pressed.

  Bree shook her head. “I never saw his face,” she reminded him. “Nor the woman’s.”

  Still, it was obvious that she thought this could be the guy, and that was enough for Kade.

  Kade looked at Leah to make sure she was okay, and thankfully she’d fallen back asleep. His baby girl didn’t have a clue what was going on, but he didn’t want her sensing any of Bree’s fear. Except maybe it wasn’t fear because Bree was staring at the man as if she wanted to rip him limb from limb.

  Good.

  Fear was natural, but it was determination and some luck that would get them through this.

  “There aren’t any more trees between that part of the pasture and the house,” Kade let her know. “So, if he wants to get closer to fire that rifle, he’ll have to do it out in the open.”

  Where Mason and the ranch hands could spot him. And hopefully stop him. But just in case the guy managed to get off a shot, Kade needed to take some more precautions.

  He grabbed the laptop and took it toward the other side of the room. Toward the front of the house and far away from the windows on the rear where the gunman would no doubt be approaching. Kade helped Bree onto the floor behind the sofa. The bathtub would have been safer if it weren’t for the two windows in there.