Armored Attraction

by Janie Crouch

  Most of all, the rental agreement was solely in Andrea’s name. There was no tie whatsoever to Vanessa or Liam. So if something happened to them—although Liam planned to make sure that didn’t happen—Karine would still be safe. Andrea would get her out. Hell, the only reason they didn’t get her out right now was to help the other girls. But if they had to, Omega could have a helicopter in here and out again in under an hour. The sheriff’s department would be none the wiser.

  But that was a last resort and only if there was no hope for getting the other girls out alive. Karine would not leave them behind willingly.

  Once Andrea and Karine were safely in the house, Liam left. He had to get to the sheriff’s office to see about Vanessa. Hopefully she was holding up under the questioning. They wouldn’t have any grounds to hold her, he was sure—you couldn’t be arrested for helping a runaway teenager—but knew that questioning could be uncomfortable at best. Downright wearying at worst.

  Everything in him said to get her out of there right now. Liam was a man of action. But he knew in this case, rushing in there, pulling rank—and he could do it—wouldn’t help their cause. Wouldn’t help those girls.

  Vanessa was strong. She could handle it.

  He put a call in to his boss at Omega on his way to the sheriff’s office. If things went sour, he was going to need backup. More than just Andrea could provide.

  “Liam. How’s it going?” Steve Drackett asked as soon as the call was connected.

  “Locals have taken Vanessa in for questioning.” Steve already knew about the trafficking ring from when Liam had called and Andrea had been sent.

  “Okay, let me put someone on that to get info. Hang on.”

  Steve was back on the line in just a few moments. “What’s your plan?”

  “I’m on my way to the station now. So far my presence on the island, and the fact that I’m law enforcement, is unknown. Vanessa is trying to keep me unknown to them, but I’m not sure if she’ll hold up.”

  “That’s a lot for someone with no training to keep hidden during questioning. You. Karine. The trafficking ring.”

  “Exactly.” Liam took a turn. He was almost there. That was the good thing about the Outer Banks islands being so small—nothing was too far away. “Andrea has already gotten Karine to a new safe house, so even if Vanessa crumbles, they won’t find her anywhere having to do with me.”

  “Good. What do you need?”

  “If we can keep whoever is behind this thinking we don’t know anything about the trafficking ring, I think we have four more days until the sale goes down. Bastards wanted to use the girls themselves for a little while.”

  Liam heard Steve’s curse and agreed with the word he’d said. “I’m going to go ahead and send Derek and Joe. You’ll need them.”

  When they found out exactly where the girls were being held and it came down to actually getting them out, there was no one Liam would want more at his back than Derek Waterman and Joe Matarazzo. They’d saved his ass more than once.

  “It will probably be a couple days at the most.” Liam pulled into a parking spot at the sheriff’s office.

  Steve cursed again.

  “What?”

  “It looks like someone is trying to run a warrant through to arrest your girl.”

  “What? For what?” Liam’s teeth ground.

  “Aiding and abetting a criminal.”

  “Damn it. It looks like I might need to blow my cover here, Steve. I’m not going to let them arrest her if I can be her alibi.”

  “I agree. But be careful.”

  “I’ll call with an update later.” Liam disconnected the call and was jogging across the parking lot in moments. As he got to the stairs he was stopped by someone sitting on a bench under a tree right outside the door.

  “Liam Goetz. I should’ve known if Vanessa was about to be arrested, you would be somewhere in close vicinity.”

  George Epperson. Vanessa’s father.

  Liam stopped. “What are you doing here? Did Vanessa call you?” Liam shouldn’t be surprised at that. Vanessa had always been able to call her parents whenever she wanted something—a trip to Paris, a diamond bracelet—and they’d made it happen. This situation wouldn’t be any different.

  The man’s soft bark of laughter held no humor whatsoever. “No, my daughter very definitely did not call me. Fortunately, I have friends here at the station. Or rather, I should say, people who want to stay in my good graces. One of them let me know she was here.”

  “Oh.” The man looked older, much older, than he had when Liam had last seen him. Eight years ago when Liam had gone to his house, asking to see Vanessa, wanting to know why she hadn’t showed up at their planned location to meet and go get married.

  George Epperson had made it very clear that his daughter was no longer interested in marrying a “hoodlum—reformed or not” and that Liam was not ever welcome on their property again.

  Obviously, Epperson’s attitude toward Liam hadn’t changed very much. But he couldn’t get over how much more haggard the man looked. Maybe he had health problems or something.

  “My lawyer is inside with her right now, taking care of whatever charges the department is threatening to bring together.”

  Relief flowed through Liam. He might not be a personal fan of George Epperson’s, but if his money and lawyer got Vanessa out of the sheriff’s office unscathed, Liam would be the first to applaud. Not to mention that Epperson had just saved Liam from going in there and pulling out his badge—putting those kidnapped girls in extreme danger. So if Epperson wanted to blame him for Vanessa being in this mess, it was a small price to pay.

  “Did you do something to her? With her?” Epperson asked. “I understand the possible charge against her is aiding and abetting a criminal. That sounds about up your alley.”

  Either Epperson didn’t remember that Liam had been entering the DEA when they’d last met or he just didn’t care. The man had never been able to get much past Liam’s run-ins with the law when he’d been a teenager. As far as George had been concerned, Liam had never been good enough for his daughter.

  Liam didn’t know what the man had to be so bitter about now. In the unspoken war between them—Liam had never thought of it that way, but figured Epperson had—the older man had definitely won.

  For years when he was younger, Liam had held his tongue around Mr. Epperson. Vanessa loved her family and Liam hadn’t wanted to force a wedge between them. But he and Vanessa had both known her parents were never going to give them their blessing for a wedding, so they had agreed to get married and then just tell them. At least that was what Liam had thought they’d agreed. Until Vanessa hadn’t showed up.

  Liam took a step closer to the man so he wouldn’t have to speak louder. “You know I’m law enforcement. Knew it when I left. I’m here to help Vanessa, not get her in any trouble.”

  Epperson shrugged, not willing to admit it. The look he gave Liam made him feel as if he were still twenty years old and bringing her home from a date. He’d always respected the Eppersons’ rules and had always had her home on time, but it had never been enough. Epperson had always looked at Liam just as he was looking at Liam now: like an annoyance and a peasant.

  Liam shook his head. Some things never changed. “I don’t know why you still hate me. You never thought I was good enough for Vanessa. I get that. And, honestly, Mr. Epperson, I even understand it. But why in God’s name would you still dislike me so much now?”

  Liam knew he should stop, that he should just walk away, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. “She didn’t marry me. Obviously she agreed with you about me not being good enough. She chose you guys. You’ve still got her.”

  The look on Epperson’s face changed. All the years came crushing down on his countenance and he looked so old to Liam, although he couldn’t
have been more than his mid-fifties.

  “You’re an idiot, Goetz.” There was no sting to the words. “We’re both idiots.”

  Liam cocked his head to the side. That second comment he hadn’t expected. “Not that I disagree, but what are you talking about?”

  For the first time George looked at Liam like a person, an equal. “Liam, I’m pretty sure you don’t know all the facts about—”

  “What are you doing here?”

  Liam’s words were cut off by Vanessa’s hiss behind him. At first he thought she meant him, coming here and possibly ruining his cover. But when he turned he found all her anger focused on her father.

  Epperson shrugged. “I got word that you were being detained. So I called Michaels and had him meet me here.”

  The emotional distance between Vanessa and her father was palpable. When Liam had known Vanessa before, she hadn’t always agreed with her parents, had thought they were old-fashioned and overprotective, but they had always been close. She’d always been the apple of her father’s eye.

  Now it looked as though she wasn’t interested in being her father’s anything. She wasn’t even interested in being in his presence.

  “You shouldn’t have come here at all, Dad. Shouldn’t have sent Michaels.”

  “It’s good your father sent his lawyer, Vanessa,” Liam told her. “I didn’t have to break my cover. I was on my way to do just that.”

  She took a deep breath. “Yes, you’re right,” she said to Liam. Then she turned to her father. “I do appreciate your help. There’s a situation—I’m not at liberty to talk about it—but your assistance really helped. So, thank you. But, Dad, I still want you to stay out of my life.”

  “Vanessa...” Mr. Epperson said, reaching his hand toward her.

  She stepped away from him. “Save it, Dad. As always, too little, too late.”

  Liam didn’t really understand what was happening between Vanessa and George. Obviously this chasm between them wasn’t anything new; both knew where they stood in this battle and were accustomed to the war.

  Liam would’ve thought seeing an emotional distance between Vanessa and her family would make him happy. Would make him feel justified.

  Instead it just left him with a lingering sadness.

  It was another piece of the puzzle, an important piece, to understanding exactly what had happened between him and Vanessa, but Liam had no idea where the piece went.

  Why would Vanessa tell her father to continue to stay out of her life? Something must have drastically changed in the past eight years. Was it long ago? More recent?

  Whichever, Liam found himself wanting to help the two of them bridge whatever gap lay between them. While Epperson looked as if he would give anything to sit and talk with his daughter—hell, Liam even felt sorry for the man—Vanessa was obviously not interested.

  She turned to Liam. “Are you ready? You sticking around out here is probably not the best idea.”

  She was right. He nodded.

  Epperson sighed. “At least call your mother. She is worried about you. She’s always worried about you—in your line of work—but now she’s even more distraught.”

  Vanessa rolled her eyes. “Social work isn’t dangerous, Dad.”

  It was obviously not a new conversation.

  “I know. But your mother...worries.”

  “Fine. I’ll call her in a few days.” She turned to Liam. “Let’s go.” She didn’t wait for him, just began walking.

  Epperson looked at Vanessa as she stalked off. Then he turned to Liam. “Like I said, we’re both idiots.”

  He turned and walked off without another word, joining his lawyer at the doorway to the station. Liam jogged in the direction of Vanessa in the parking lot.

  “Whoa,” he said when he reached her. “Are you okay?”

  He saw her quickly reach up and wipe her eyes with the back of her hand.

  “Vanessa—”

  “No, I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to get out of here.”

  He took her arm and led her in the direction of the SUV. “You don’t want to talk about your father or you don’t want to talk about the questioning?”

  “My father.”

  “Okay.” He helped her inside the vehicle then went around to the driver’s side. When he got in, she had her head laid back against the seat rest, eyes closed. Her stomach growled loudly in the silence.

  It was already midafternoon. She had to be starving. “Food first. Then we’ll talk.”

  She nodded. “But don’t go far. We’ll need to come back here.”

  “Is that such a good idea?”

  “I want us to follow someone.”

  “Who?”

  “Assistant Sheriff Tommy Webb, the guy who was questioning me. I think he’s the one who’s behind the trafficking ring.”

  Chapter Eleven

  They got fast-food burgers and immediately headed back to the sheriff’s office parking lot. Vanessa explained everything that had happened in questioning.

  “Obviously those pictures can’t be Karine,” Vanessa said between bites. “She was with us the entire time.”

  “Someone is setting up a case against her. A preemptive strike,” Liam said. “So if she does come forward with her story, they’ll be able to discredit her.”

  “Killing someone?” Vanessa shook her head. “I can’t believe they’d go to that length.”

  Liam’s real concern now was for those other girls. Someone willing to kill a complete stranger to possibly discredit Karine would not hesitate to kill the other girls to keep themselves from getting caught.

  They were running out of time.

  “It sounds like you did good in there,” he said.

  “I don’t know. I tried.” She shrugged. “That guy Webb is determined to catch Karine. Like ‘nothing will get in my way’ sort of determined.”

  Liam chuckled at her imitation of Webb. “Who is he? I don’t recognize him from when I lived here.”

  “No, he’s young to be assistant sheriff. Midtwenties maybe? He’s all about the power.”

  Liam had already called Omega for any info about Webb. That should be coming in soon.

  It was a long shot, but a long shot was better than doing nothing.

  Vanessa had been texting Karine pretty constantly since he’d given her the girl’s new phone number. Karine was happy with Andrea. They were watching television again and about to eat dinner. Liam could tell that knowing Karine was safe took a lot of stress off Vanessa.

  Now they were waiting for Webb to leave so they could follow him. It might be a while. They were sitting in a section of the parking lot where they had a good line of sight of the back door and the parking area the officers used. When Webb came out, they would see him.

  Liam rolled down the windows a little bit to let some breeze through the SUV and then asked the question that had been on his mind for the past hour.

  “What’s going on between you and your parents, Vanessa?”

  Her sigh was audible. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “He saved our asses, you know, by bringing in his lawyer to get you out.” Liam was a little irritated that he hadn’t thought of the plan. It was perfect. Who would Vanessa call if she was in trouble?

  Daddy.

  No one would’ve suspected a thing. It would’ve kept him, and especially the fact that he was law enforcement, out of the equation.

  “We should’ve made that the plan from the beginning,” Liam continued. “You calling your father for help.”

  “I wouldn’t have agreed to it.”

  She would’ve. To save those girls, Liam was convinced, Vanessa would do just about anything. But that wasn’t the point he wanted to argue with her. What he wa
nted to know was why there was such a rift between her and her dad.

  “Why?”

  “We don’t talk anymore.”

  “At all?” Liam could hardly believe that. She was the Eppersons’ only child. They doted on her. Spoiled her. Gave her all their love and attention.

  “No, not really. Although my mom calls, so I let her know I’m okay.”

  “Did you guys get in a fight? George said your mom worries about you doing social work—is that it?” Liam could understand Mrs. Epperson’s concern. But for it to cause a rift of this size between them?

  “No, that’s not really it.”

  “Then what?”

  She stared at him in the gathering darkness from the sun’s descent. For a long time he didn’t think she was going to answer him.

  “We fought. It was a long time ago. I don’t really want to talk about it.”

  Liam couldn’t seem to let it go. Even if he’d never been accepted by them, he knew how much Vanessa loved her parents. “You can’t find a way to work it out? I know how close you all are...were.”

  “Some things just can’t be fixed. The shattered pieces are too many to be glued back together.”

  That same look he recognized from the hotel Tuesday morning was back in her eyes: pain, loss, emptiness.

  Liam found the resentment he’d held toward her for the past few years begin to melt away. Yeah, she’d hurt him, broken his heart when she’d changed her mind about marrying him. He’d nursed that wound for a lot of years.

  But whatever had happened to her since he’d left—whatever had put that look in her eyes—Liam was willing to let go of all his past anger and hurt if it meant he’d never have to see that look on her face again. That heaviness, as if she carried the weight of the world on her small shoulders.

  “Nessa—”

  “I can’t talk about it, Liam.” She buried her face in her hands. “I’m sorry.”

  He reached over and smoothed his hand down her hair. “You don’t have to talk about it, okay? I’m here. I just want you to know I’m here and you don’t have to carry whatever this is alone anymore if you don’t want to.”