Last Chance 05 - Second Chance

by Christy Reece

  “Yeah. Rosemount’s records never said for sure, but there was something in his insane ramblings that made me believe someone who knew the family hired him.”

  “Then it stands to reason it’s the same person. Someone who either sees Keeley as a cash cow or …”

  “Or has an intense hatred for her.”

  “Or both,” Noah said.

  “If money was the primary motivator, they could’ve got a hell of a lot by demanding a ransom.”

  Noah’s eyes went bleak. “Yeah. But if there’s an additional reason, like hurting Keeley, selling the kids off would make some money and accomplish the other, too.”

  “And the local law … they any help on this case?”

  McCall snorted his disgust. “Despite eyewitness accounts, they waited till Keeley regained consciousness before they put out any kind of alert on the kids. Keeley ended up calling the FBI herself. They got there within hours of her call and took over. Did a round of interviews. Got squat. Either no one knows anything …”

  “Or they’re not talking.” Cole finished his boss’s sentence, then asked, “Jordan and Eden come up with anything yet?”

  “Pretty much what we think. Someone has it out for her. Taking her kids is the best way to hurt her.”

  Yeah, he knew all about that. To truly tear someone to pieces, you go for the heart. “If taking her kids doesn’t satisfy them, Keeley could be next,” Cole said.

  McCall nodded. “If it’s a personal vendetta, whoever it is won’t be satisfied until she’s destroyed.”

  Having heard enough to give him a good start, Cole stood. “I’ll head out tonight.”

  “I’ll let them know you’re coming.”

  Unable to leave alone the words he’d used earlier, Cole turned at the door. “For what it’s worth, you don’t owe me anything, Noah. What happened wasn’t your fault.”

  McCall’s mouth tightened into a grim line as if he were fighting back words. Finally he nodded and said, “Be safe.”

  When the door closed behind Cole, Noah released a ragged breath. No way in hell could he not feel responsible for what Cole had experienced. There wasn’t a person at LCR who didn’t feel some sort of guilt. Noah felt the grief and guilt deeper than anyone. He was responsible for every individual at LCR. He’d recruited, trained, encouraged, and, when necessary, disciplined every operative. Noah took his responsibilities seriously. He’d let Cole down.

  Instead of investigating the possibility that Cole had been kidnapped and not killed in the warehouse explosion, Noah had concentrated on getting the man responsible for Cole’s death. While they’d been searching for a murderer, Cole had been drugged and tortured for months. Used as a killing machine without any concept of what he was doing, he had endured mindless, anguished agony. The scars on his body were only a glimpse of the damage done inside him.

  When he’d hired Cole, he’d been impressed with the man’s strength of character. Having survived this past year with his sanity intact told Noah he had underestimated that strength.

  Having Cole work this particular op wasn’t something he could feel comfortable about. He owed it to Cole to let him have the job, but he’d seen that look in other operatives’ eyes before. Cole had lost everything and felt he had nothing left to lose. Getting those kids back would be his only aim and focus.

  While all LCR operatives understood that the victim always came first and self-sacrifice might well be necessary to get the job done, most of his people had more than an ounce of self-preservation. Cole didn’t have that.

  Noah picked up a frame from his desk and felt a strong tug to a heart he hadn’t even known existed until he’d met Samara. The photo was of his beautiful wife holding their infant son, Micah. He never knew he could feel such love. And if he lost them … his life would be destroyed.

  A few years back, Cole had lost his wife and daughter in an act of senseless violence. Noah had heard about the case and did his own investigating. He had learned what he needed to know, and had given Cole a few months to grieve. Then Noah had called him. After only one meeting with Cole, he’d offered him a job.

  It had been one of the best decisions Noah had ever made. LCR had given the man the purpose he needed. Cole’s terrible ordeal and his own innate strength had made him an excellent operative. Compassion tempered with steely determination. And then Cole had been captured; the torture he’d suffered had almost destroyed him. Now all he felt he had left was the payment of this one debt.

  If Keeley Fairchild’s children could be found, Noah had no doubt that his operative would rescue them. Problem was, would Cole survive it?

  three

  Dampness cloaked her, saturating Keeley’s skin with a welcome layer of moisture. Legs pumping with furious energy and urgency, she raced through the woods. On a deep breath, she inhaled the fragrant scents of pine and cedar. Already budding, dogwood and redbud trees would soon unfurl their blooms, scattering pink and white petals along the trail. Another month or so after that, magnolia trees would fill the air with a subtle lemony fragrance and blend with the sweet scent of honeysuckle. She drew in another breath; she could almost smell them.

  To her left, the bright glow of the sun peeking just over the horizon told her it was time to go in. Despite the fact that she’d been running for over an hour, she felt a pang of regret. Sometimes she wanted to run forever.

  This was her favorite time of day. The gentle music of nature, along with an invigorating run, always filled her with tranquillity. As a single mom of two rambunctious little girls, her day was filled to the brim. She loved every second of being a mother, but this hour alone, before they woke, was just for her.

  Today was Sunday and she’d planned for it by running an extra mile.

  Sunday was Hannah’s day to choose breakfast, which meant pancakes, with strawberries and whipped cream. If asked what she wanted, at breakfast or anytime, “Pancakes” was always Hannah’s answer.

  Saturday was Hailey’s breakfast choice. Yesterday’s had been cereal and toast with grape jelly. Her answer for most meals was an eclectic variety.

  Her girls might be twins, but they were polar opposites in almost everything.

  A sudden need to see their angelic faces had her increasing her pace. Her lungs working at full capacity, Keeley raced toward the white Southern-style mansion in the distance. It was almost time for them to wake up. She loved being in the room when they opened their eyes.

  An unexplained urgency suddenly gripping her, Keeley unlocked the door, keyed in the security code, and raced up the winding staircase. Her breath soughing from overtaxed lungs, she ran down the wide landing toward the children’s wing. Within feet of their door, she stopped. The sight of her gasping and wide-eyed with anxiety wasn’t something she wanted in their minds.

  She bent over and pulled in deep breaths till her rapid breathing slowed to almost normal. Then, putting on her happy face, Keeley walked into the bedroom. She stopped. Their unmade beds were empty. Shaking her head in confusion, Keeley backed out of the room. Were they already up?

  Wait. Her friend Jenna … did she stay over last night? Of course, how could she have forgotten? They were probably all in the playroom. Keeley ran to the playroom and pushed open the door. Filled with every imaginable toy a child could want, the room was empty of what Keeley wanted most … her children.

  She hurried back downstairs. Maybe they’d been impatient and had already demanded breakfast. Jenna was a softie when it came to giving in to them … that must be what had happened. Her heart pounding with an unknown dread, she pushed opened the kitchen door. Empty.

  Telling herself there was nothing to worry about, Keeley called out, “Okay, little chicks. Time for breakfast. Come on out.”

  Silence.

  Her heart picking up a deep, ominous rhythm, Keeley ran through the house. Every door she opened, every closet she peered into, every piece of furniture she looked under, she just knew she’d see two pairs of glinting eyes, proud of themselves for foolin
g their mama.

  On the third floor, where no one ever went, panic set in. Where were her babies? Was that a giggle? She smiled. They were playing a trick on her. Silly gooses.

  Keeley raced downstairs, back to their bedroom, and found nothing. Her mind screamed: Where are my babies!

  A cry of agony woke Keeley. She shot out of bed; sobs tore and rippled through her body as she ran through her door and into the children’s bedroom.

  A nightmare … only a nightmare. Please, God, oh please God, oh please … they had to be there.

  Keeley pushed the door open and faced a living nightmare. One she’d been living for over a month. Her children were gone.

  Dropping to her knees in the middle of the room, she bent over and wrapped her arms around her body. Tears flooded her eyes, blurring the empty beds in front of her. Keening cries of pain filled the empty room as she rocked her body, reaching for a comfort she’d never find. My babies … Oh God, my babies.

  It took several seconds to realize a slender arm had wrapped around her shoulders and soft, soothing sounds were being whispered in her ear. Breath shuddered through her as she struggled for control. This had turned into almost a daily ritual to wake, believing it had all been a nightmare. Then when she realized the reality, she dissolved into a basket case. The woman beside her had become a rock for her to cling to.

  She looked up into the soft gray eyes of LCR operative Eden Montgomery. “I’m sorry.” Keeley winced at the hoarseness of her voice. “I keep doing this, don’t I?”

  “There’s no reason to apologize. Nightmares have a tendency to strike when we’re the most vulnerable.”

  Keeley closed her eyes to block out the sight of the empty beds. “If only this was a sleeping nightmare.”

  “Sometimes the worst nightmares are the ones that exist without the benefit of sleep.”

  The words were softly spoken but Keeley got the impression that this beautiful woman knew more than her share about waking nightmares. But when she looked at Eden, behind the concern she always showed, there was peace. As if whatever nightmare Eden had endured, she had overcome and found what she was looking for. It was a peace Keeley once thought she had but didn’t know if she’d ever feel again.

  Eden helped her to her feet. “Why don’t you go shower and then come down for breakfast.”

  Keeley’s stomach took a somersault. Considering she’d always had to be careful of every morsel that touched her mouth, not having an appetite was unprecedented. Gut-wrenching grief tended to be the only way she’d ever lost weight. She didn’t recommend it as a permanent diet plan. “You and Jordan go ahead and eat. I’m not—”

  “I know you’re not hungry, but you’ve got to keep up your strength. What are Hailey and Hannah going to think when they come back and find their mom too weak to hug them?”

  Unless she was dead, that would never happen, but she nodded and headed back to her bedroom. Eden was right. It would serve no purpose to starve herself. She had to be strong to get her babies back.

  Eden blew out a long sigh as she watched Keeley leave the room. This was the fourth time this week she’d found the young mother in her children’s bedroom. What sleep Keeley had been able to catch always ended with the nightmare that had her up and then screaming the moment she realized her children had been taken.

  Shaking her head at the sheer heartlessness of the situation, Eden left the room and headed downstairs. The fragrance of freshly brewed coffee drew her to the kitchen. She stopped at the door and took in the sight of Jordan preparing breakfast. They’d been married over two years now, but her heart still pounded like a teenager’s when she caught sight of her gorgeous husband. And that would never change.

  “Good morning, my love.” Jordan’s masculinity and sexy smile were not one bit diminished by the small, frilly apron he’d wrapped around his waist.

  Rarely able to be in the same room without touching him, Eden crossed the room and reached for her husband, suddenly needing the comfort of his strong embrace. As his arms wrapped around her, she breathed in the deliciously familiar scent of warm, sexy male.

  Jordan pulled away slightly to look down at her. “You okay?”

  “Yes, just needed an extra hug this morning.”

  Jordan pressed a kiss to her forehead and held her close again. “Keeley wake up the same way this morning?”

  Eden nodded against his chest. “And I know for a fact she didn’t go to bed until after three. I got up several times and found her in the girls’ room.”

  “Cases like this are never easy, but you’re taking this harder than most. Why?”

  She pulled away to pick up the coffee Jordan had poured for her and took an appreciative sip. “I guess because what she’s already gone through … losing her husband. And now her kids are gone.”

  “And because we’re about to become parents?”

  Eden smiled softly. He knew her so well. “Even though I’ve only seen pictures of him, I already love him.”

  “So do I,” Jordan said.

  She and Jordan couldn’t have children of their own. A few months ago, they’d made the decision to begin adoption proceedings. Fate had intervened. McKenna, another LCR operative, was in Bangkok on an op and found a little boy, no older than three, who’d been abandoned on the streets. She had called Eden immediately and sent a photo over her cellphone. It had been love at first sight for both Eden and Jordan.

  Though Eden wasn’t long on patience and didn’t have any real issues with bending the law to get things done, she and Jordan were jumping through hoops and doing all the proper things to get this child. No way in hell would anyone ever question whether he belonged to them. Paulo had become their son the second they saw him. Unfortunately, going the legal route also took an enormous amount of time. But they would succeed; she had no doubt about that.

  The wait, though, had been agonizing. Eden had welcomed this assignment, knowing that staying busy would make the time go faster. It had, but it had also produced a surprising vulnerability she hadn’t expected. She already loved her son without ever having met him and would be devastated if something happened to him. How much more anguish was Keeley Fairchild feeling?

  Not only had she lost her husband last year, both of her babies had been stolen from her.

  “Noah called,” Jordan said.

  “Anything new?”

  “Yes.”

  By the look in his eyes, Eden knew he had conflicting feelings about the call. “What’s up?”

  “Cole’s coming.”

  Eden shrugged. “We knew he would once he learned about it. Noah say how he’s doing?”

  Jordan’s mouth lifted in a slight smile. “Pissed.”

  “Yeah. I figured. Other than that, how’s he doing?”

  “For a man who a year ago didn’t know who the hell he was, Noah said he was doing remarkably well … physically. The rest …” He shrugged. “You know better than anyone how that is.”

  “Day-to-day kind of thing.” She pulled a stool away from the bar and sat down, enjoying watching her husband make his famous pancakes. “Are we off the case?”

  Jordan flipped a pancake with the expertise of a short-order cook. “Not yet. I told Noah I’d get back to him after we talked. What do you think?”

  “I think we should wait. Despite Cole’s understandable desire to handle this case, Keeley not only requires our protection, she needs a support system. Cole won’t be able to give her that.”

  “You’re right,” Jordan said. “He’ll want to stay as removed as possible.”

  Eden bit her lip, feeling an unusual reluctance to bring the subject up, even though it had to be addressed. “I’m assuming we’re supposed to tell Keeley that Cole is just another operative on the case and nothing more?”

  “Right. Anything else Keeley learns will be up to him.”

  “When’s he getting here?”

  “Tomorrow.” Jordan shot her a glance. “How do you feel about backing off and letting Cole take over
the op?”

  “If anyone has a right to run it, he does. Don’t you agree?”

  Jordan nodded. “Absolutely. There’s no one who could be more motivated to get those kids back to their mother.”

  She stood and headed to the door. “I’ll call Honor and give her a heads-up. She’ll want to be prepared.”

  Jordan turned, a slight furrow of his brow indicating his confusion. “Why? She’s been more than cooperative with us. Having another LCR operative shouldn’t make that much difference for her.”

  Eden grimaced. “This one will. Only a few people know about it, but she and Cole had a small fling not long after he started with LCR. It never developed into anything. I think Honor might have wanted something more, but Cole never pursued it. She was as upset as any of us when we thought Cole died. She’ll want to be prepared.”

  Jordan flipped another pancake. “Better warn her then. Last thing we need is that kind of complication.”

  Eden stepped out onto the back porch and pulled out her cellphone. She only hoped this wasn’t going to cause problems for Honor. The woman was a professional, but working with a man you had feelings for who didn’t feel the same way could destroy your concentration. She knew that all too well.

  Hopefully, Honor was strong enough to handle this.

  Keeley frowned at the washed-out, fragile-looking woman staring back at her in the mirror. The ghostlike reflection made her want to turn around and go back to bed. Unfortunately, that would only result in more nightmares. Awake or asleep, they were there, haunting her with thousands of questions for which she had no answers.

  With a ragged breath, she opened the shower door and turned on the spray, allowing the tears to mingle with the water. If only her mother were here. She’d been gone almost eight years and Keeley missed her every day. Since Hailey and Hannah had been taken, the void created by her death seemed darker and deeper than ever.

  Keeley’s childhood hadn’t been the easiest, but thanks to her mother, she’d learned early that the true measure of a person was found in the heart, not their bank account. Kathleen Daniels had a way of making everything make sense. Even during the hardest and darkest times, when they’d lived at the poverty level, her mother’s natural optimism could soothe Keeley’s deepest hurts. Whenever some kid at school had been particularly cruel, her mother’s wise words would alleviate the pain and somehow Keeley would end up feeling sorry for the kid.